South Africa: Government affirms support for black-owned business sector Government remains committed to supporting the black-owned business sector in their efforts to rebuild their businesses following the economic downturn, said Deputy President Paul Mashatile. As government, we remain committed to supporting the black-owned business sector, in their efforts to rebuild their businesses after the economic downturn. We have begun to have important conversations about how people in the informal economy can get the most out of what our economy has to offer, said the Deputy President. Delivering the keynote address at the Black Business Quarterly (BBQ) Awards ceremony, held at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Gauteng on Friday, the Deputy President spoke of the devastating and disruptive effects of load-shedding on the economy and the small business sector. This he said remains a major concern for all of us. Load-shedding has cut business hours and production capacity, with the consequent result of reduced income. Businesses have also had to spend large amounts towards finding alternative energy sources to keep their operations viable. Consequently, this has resulted in significant losses in jobs between the years 2019 and 2021, both in the formal and informal sectors. Nevertheless, the South African economy grew slightly for the second year in a row, expanding by at least 2.0 percent between the years 2021 and 2022, which represented an increase from 4,50 trillion Rands to 4,60 trillion Rands." The Deputy President also noted that the increase in the number of unemployed South Africans, particularly among the youth, necessitates more immediate steps to assist government in fundamentally altering the countrys economic growth trajectory. As the sixth administration of government draws to a close, we must be truthful with ourselves. We must have an open and inclusive conversation about rebuilding that which will result in increased economic activity. We must acknowledge that there is a greater and more pressing need to support aggressive means and forms of economic integration for black-owned firms, particularly in the historically untransformed sectors of the economy. Furthermore, in order to give various economic issues urgency, including the evaluation of how we may reinforce policies that are focused on economic emancipation, it is necessary to look at the agenda of the governing party. We must pay close attention to how government at all levels, can create a supportive policy and regulatory environment that in turn supports the informal economy, said the Deputy President. He spoke of the need to improve the state's overall capacity to expedite the processing of applications and approvals, in order to integrate the commercial and economic operations of unorganised players in the informal economy into the mainstream sector. As such, it cannot be business as usual, when businesses, especially, black-owned enterprises, continue to experience the harshest types of hardship and depression as a result of a system that is unresponsive to their needs. This includes the need to resolve the ongoing challenges of governments non-payment and settlement of invoices due to small businesses within regulated time frames. The National Treasury requires that invoices for these critical service providers be paid and settled within 30 days. He added that government is committed to implementing consequence management for departments and state agencies that fail to implement these requirements. We recognise that late payment after services have been rendered has significant repercussions for your businesses' finances. Youth and job creation The Deputy President said government is also committed to creating more sustainable jobs, particularly for the youth. He highlighted that during the 2021/2022 financial year, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Grant Programme provided more than 2000 youth-owned enterprises in rural and township economies with grant funds to launch their firms. Moreover, supported by the National Youth Development Agency funding programme and the Youth Micro Business Relief Fund, youth-owned firms have created and maintained employment of 8,600 employees in the economy. Yet, these are by no means sufficient. We need to grow these efforts further by scaling up on investments to build skills. On our side as government, we need to sharpen our role in coordinating, facilitating, as well as unlocking opportunities for people who wish to expand their local businesses, he said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2023-03-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Hanoi exerts efforts to boost tourism development The tourism sector of Hanoi has worked hard to step up linkages with other localities nationwide to diversify products and improve the quality of tourism services, toward attracting more holidaymakers to the capital city. Since the beginning of 2023, Vietnam has seen a significant rise in the number of tourists. Hanoi alone welcomed more than 3 million visitors in January and February, an increase of 2.8% compared to 2022. The figure included 535,000 foreign tourists. Hanoi targets 22 million holidaymakers in 2023, including 3 million foreigners. - Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) In February, hotel occupancy in Hanoi was about 56.2%, up by 39.5% over the same period in 2022. The total revenue from tourists reached 13.2 trillion VND, 3.6% higher than that last year. Tours featuring destinations in Hanoi are always connected with other tourist attractions such as Ha Long (Quang Ninh), Sa Pa (Lao Cai), Trang An (Ninh Binh), and Moc Chau (Son La). Such tours are suitable for tourists nationwide, especially international visitors who are here on extended travel time. In recent years, Hanois tourism sector has organized tourism connection programmes in Quang Binh, Binh Dinh, Ho Chi Minh City, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Ninh Binh, and Ha Nam and Quang Ninh, northern mountainous and Mekong Delta localities, attracting the participation of many travel agencies. This year, it focuses on developing package products to stimulate tourism demand through the air transport connection. It has signed tourism development cooperation programmes with localities in the southwest region, the Hong (Red) River Delta, and the northwest region. According to Dang Huong Giang, Director of the municipal Department of Tourism, in 2023, the city will concentrate on developing regional linkage products, MICE (meeting, incentive, convention, exhibition) tourism, weekend tourism, urban tourism, sea and island tourism, health care tourism and educational tourism. Hanoi targets 22 million holidaymakers in 2023, including 3 million foreigners, Giang said, adding that the municipal Department of Tourism needs to have a methodical strategy and the cooperation of travel agencies. The agency will promote the connection among travel businesses, state management units and tourist destinations to introduce tourism locally, she noted. It will also actively coordinate with tourism associations to implement specific tourism products. Accordingly, the municipal Department of Tourism will direct the Tourism Association to build unique products bearing the capital citys characteristics. This year, Vietnam is set to welcome 110 million visitors, including 8 million foreign arrivals. This is a big challenge but also an opportunity for Hanoi tourism to achieve its goals. Foreign tourists coming to the city are mainly from China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and other countries in Southeast Asia. Hanoi is striving to build itself as a safe - friendly - quality - attractive" destination. Accordingly, Hanoi proposes to implement the tasks which can have an immediate impact on the citys tourism development, as well as long-term policies to promote the local tourism industry's sustainable development. The Lincoln County commissioners will discuss possible names for the Inland Port Authority that will be located at the former Greenbrier facility east of Hershey. The board will also hear an update on the progress of the project and a presentation on the county web page regarding the inland port. In other business, commissioners will: Receive an update from the Nebraska Association of County Officials. Consider a tort claim filed by Sibyl Uerling. Receive and order filed the return of sale of real property from the March 6 public tax sale. Authorizing the board chairman to sign an interlocal agreement with Morrill County for inmate housing. Authorizing the chairman to sign a right-of-way application submitted by Hershey Cooperative Telephone Company. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Room at the Lincoln County Courthouse or may be viewed online at youtube.com/channel/UCHdGjLPMx3O-wSu3T3aMWlg Elementary and secondary education has earned a spotlight nationwide, especially after schools went online during the pandemic. The unique setting provided parents a firsthand look at what goes on inside classrooms. Many didnt like what they found and demanded greater involvement in determining their childrens educational content and experiences. While the solution isnt about public vs. private schools, in the debates we saw spring up in countless school board meetings across the country, the message from parents across America has been clear: No one is more invested in a student's success than their own parents. I am proud to say I am a product of Nebraskas public school system. Nebraska is fortunate to have many dedicated educators in our public school systems who worked tirelessly to resume in-person learning and keep students engaged, but other regions around the country cannot say the same. Students trapped in failing schools deserve options, and parents committed to ensuring their children receive a high-quality education should not be treated like intrusive criminals. One of the main pillars of House Republicans "Commitment to America" is a future thats built on freedom. This week, we followed through on that promise by passing H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act, legislation led by my colleague, Rep. Julia Letlow. To empower parents to make the best decisions for their children, this legislation recognizes their rights to be heard and to know whats being taught in schools. It also affirms their rights to see the school budget and spending. Parents are, after all, the primary stakeholders and funders of education. The Parents Bill of Rights also acknowledges parents primary interest in student safety through their right to protect their childs privacy and be updated on any violent incidents at school. In order for every student to have the best chance to succeed, the voices of parents must be heard. The Parents Bill of Rights is a result of us listening to those voices and a great step forward toward improving education options for American families. Parents not government should always have the final say in what kind of education their child receives, no matter where they live or their socioeconomic status. In order to expand this freedom for every family in America, I have partnered with Rep. Burgess Owens to introduce the Educational Choice for Children Act. ECCA would create a pool of annual tax credits for private, non-profit scholarship granting organizations, or SGOs, in each state and in the District of Columbia. These SGOs would then allocate one-for-one tax credits to donor families and businesses and grant scholarships to families. The scholarships could be used to pay for traditional tuition costs as well as tutoring, supplies, and other needs for families in rural areas where their local district cant fully meet their needs and where traditional private school options dont exist. Because this process would be facilitated by private, non-governmental SGOs, the government would not be involved in delivering these scholarships. By creating an incentive through the tax code, this program would not be dependent whatsoever on funding from state education budgets or the U.S. Department of Education, meaning it will not compromise public school funding. This legislation isnt about public vs. private schools it is an innovative policy mechanism to provide deserving students of all backgrounds with more options to fund their education needs, something we should all be able to agree on. In the last few years, many states, including Nebraska, have already or are considering new programs which clearly demonstrate the benefits of school choice. Increasing these education options will only benefit families and empower schools to serve students better. At the federal level, Republicans are making good on our commitment to parents and students. By protecting the rights of parents to make the best decision for their childrens education and increasing the opportunities students have to succeed, we will achieve a future built on freedom. We offer cheers from greater Nebraska to two noted but not naturally allied metro groups for joining to rally Nebraskans to solve a mutual challenge. Its the imperative need to bolster Nebraskas workforce, which The Telegraph and our longtime sister paper, the Scottsbluff Star-Herald, explored at length last Sunday. The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry (led by Gering native Bryan Slone) and the faith-based advocacy group known as Omaha Together One Community are inviting disparate interest groups to join them in looking abroad to help fill nearly 50,000 jobs open as of January. Theyre not talking about illegal immigration. Its Americas legal immigration system they have in mind. That system, with its work visas and green cards, per-nation quotas and bountiful harvests of red tape, has yielded some talented, well-motivated new Nebraskans despite its flaws. They include the multinational array of medical professionals Great Plains Health has recruited for some years. They also include South African workers on Scotts Bluff County farms and ranches and people like 21st Century Equipment export manager Alex Tkachenko, who has shuttled between Scottsbluff-Gering and his native Ukraine for more than a decade. It can take years to get such people here for a time. It takes more should they want to come back for good. But once theyve tasted Nebraska, theyre more likely to return. Thus the state chambers and OTOCs conviction that we need to invite more and lobby Congress to make doing so easier. With Sustainable Beef taking shape and related businesses expected, Lincoln Countys impending need for more workers is obvious. But nearly 800 jobs already were going begging here in January, when the unemployment rate was 2%. Scotts Bluff County had almost 1,150 open jobs and a 2.6% jobless rate. Its a similar story across the state. Weve got the jobs if we can find the people to fill them (and, by the way, build the housing theyll need). Generations of immigrants built this nation and state. We could do far worse than to again invite eager world citizens to try out The Good Life. And based on a few people on Twitter....they're not surprised :/ Reply Thread Link Chile.is it hard to be a decent person? I hope she is okay and getting the support she needs. Twitter is a shit show rn. Reply Thread Link Honestly these past few years have shown me that yes, hatefulness and violence is the norm, decency has become the exception. Reply Parent Thread Link I don't even know what to say. Why are men like this? I hope the survivor is safe from him, and seeing whatever the internet trolls are spewing. Edited at 2023-03-26 01:31 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link Yep, it's always the outwardly charming ones that will fool you. Reply Thread Link Oh fuck there better be nothing shady about Pedro Pascal Reply Parent Thread Expand Link he keeps hiding my cucumber :-/ Reply Parent Thread Link please dont munnifest this, hes the only thing that makes me smile lately lmao Reply Parent Thread Link nah most people have said wonderful things about him, but rumors about Majors have been since he was a teen and how awful he's behind cameras Reply Parent Thread Link I never worked with him or anything but I randomly met him at Comic Con. No one else around and he was very nice so I hope not either! Reply Parent Thread Link There's nothing shady known about him except his criminal, "switching embryos" fertility doctor father. Reply Parent Thread Link 'charm' is a red flag tbh Reply Parent Thread Expand Link There's someone I want to be able to speak out about in my community due to how they treated me (and they now are cyberstalking me) but I know it's not worthwhile because they're super great at the ol ~razzle dazzle~. Edited at 2023-03-26 01:49 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yep, Jonathan slipped by me somehow but I'm usually good about detecting those fake charmers. Like, Armie Hammer, Stephen Amell, Jared Padalecki, and the very obvious Tom Cruise. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yeah it makes it even more sinister. Reply Parent Thread Link Hubs friend worked with him on a movie and said hes awful and had the worst stories about him. Nothing like this but every time I see him I think of how big of an asshole he is. I hope the woman he assaulted is recovering and safe Reply Thread Link Just stuff about how he is one of the worst people he's ever had to work with, has the biggest ego on the planet (and this was a few years ago lol so he had only been in the business a few years! he did his first movie in 2017!), made everyone else's jobs incredibly hard, people swore off ever working with him again etc. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link is this connected to the Alonso thing? she did say they tried to make her do (cover up?) something bad Reply Thread Link jesus christ Reply Thread Link gonna be real weird when the super bad guy across multiple universes face changes in the next batch of marvel films. or is the marvel legal team already on this shit Reply Thread Link the way stories are dropping out about him left and right, marvel's probably looking into recasting really quick Reply Parent Thread Link The Loki show already introduced the concept of multiverse character having different appearances, including gender, so this is a fantastic opportunity to recast anyone they want. Unfortunately, the situation with The Flash gives me no hope when it comes to recasting. I know, WB isnt Marvel, but in the end, Disney loves money and it wouldnt shock me if they kept Majors around. :/ Reply Parent Thread Expand Link If the rumors about him being a nightmare on set are true then he's probably acted up on Marvel sets in the past and Disney has been looking for an excuse to fire him. This could be the time they've been waiting for. He may be a man but he's not white so that could still be used against him. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link They might as well the drop the Kang storyline. No one was watching Loki and since its flopping, not that many people watched Ant-man. So he could be a one and done villain. Reply Parent Thread Link Kang is the easiest character to recast, since they already established the multiverse stuff. Just say Kang looks like Majors in some universes and like (whomever else they'll cast) in other universes. Edited at 2023-03-26 02:56 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I wonder if they may be more open to it because the Don Cheadle recast was so successful. I hope so. Reply Parent Thread Link Im just gonna say this about Jonathan Majors and be done with it: folks at Yale and the broader NYC community have known about him for years. Hes a sociopath and abuser and that is how virtually everyone speaks about him. Its a shame it took this long for him to be reported. Tim Nicolai (@tim_nicolai) March 26, 2023 damn, this thread Reply Thread Link wow... this is wild and the replies are disgusting Reply Parent Thread Link Literally people he did this to are texting me right now. Its not I heard. Tim Nicolai (@tim_nicolai) March 26, 2023 Reply Parent Thread Link people like this are sf annoying. she knows damn well it doesnt matter what kind of proof he could show, shed find a way to cast doubt on it. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Whoa. That's some pretty strong language. I know he's still sort of new on the scene, but I'm really surprised it took so long for shit to come out if this is how people view him! Edited at 2023-03-26 01:44 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Oh Jesus, and we thought those hints about a newly popular dude were about Barry Keoghan. (Not that it couldn't be both, bc the world sucks THAT much.) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Omg this is terrible :( Reply Parent Thread Link Those replies make me really sad. Clearly a lot of my fellow black folk are about to have their hearts broken, and that sucks. Thats why I think its best to focus on and support the victims at these times. and dont worry, the discourse will definitely still happen! Reply Parent Thread Link It sucks that some folks may excuse his behavior, victim-blame, deny the obvious even with proof out there, and even become sympathizers or protectors for him. Like, I constantly side-eye abusers who have gotten away with shit and get support from others in the Latin community (e.g., Gloria Trevi, Ricky Martin -- I don't know what happened with him and his nephew, Don Omar, Cristian Castro). I get that he is a big actor, and of course, there is some pride that there is representation and joy for all he's done and accomplished as a Black actor, but two things can exist at once. He may be nice on the screen, AND he is still a piece of shit. It just sucks because I remember how people felt the same about Bill Cosby and R. Kelly. Both such talented men who brought success, fame, acclaim, visibility in music and on the screen as Black men, but it doesn't change that they are SO AWFUL and vile which are understatements. I think people struggle to see the person outside of their crafts and to see the complexity on how things aren't mutually exclusive with them being talented but terrible. Parasocial relationships are so dangerous. Edited at 2023-03-26 03:26 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link OK, this explains so much. I have a friend who is a working actor in NYC. She has been in quite a lot lately and posted about this situation last night but I googled her credits and she hadnt worked with him professionally. But she DID go to YSD, so she clearly knows something. Reply Parent Thread Link im legit sad, i have rooted for him for so long and have been so excited at his success. I hope she owns his ass. Reply Thread Link The army propaganda makes more sense now Reply Thread Link what's weird is i haven't seen anyone talking about the commercial on twt and people were still thirsting over him.... Reply Parent Thread Link mte Reply Parent Thread Link From Studies also now clearly show that a victim who is strangled one time is 700% more likely to be seriously assaulted again and 800% more likely to become victim of a homicide by their partner (The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2008). The biggest red flag is that one of the things he's been charged with is strangulation.From this article Reply Thread Link Abusers usually never start at strangulation, they get there after they've been abusing people for a long time and are losing control of themselves. It's so, so, so bad. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah I was thinking the same thing. Usually no one starts with strangulation. Those assholes work up to that.. Reply Parent Thread Link Yep. This broke my heart. He's been doing this for awhile. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah strangling someone is next-level imo because they're looking at the victim in the eyes from a close range the whole time. It's so personal and sociopathic. Reply Parent Thread Link I hope she is able to recover, leave and never have to see him again. Reply Parent Thread Link i hate how this is now a common sex act. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, it doesn't just start there. It really does build up. When survivors talk about how "things happened just recently," it's tough to sit with initially, but then at some point, they realize how it was built up for a long time throughout a process from verbal stuff, emotional abuse, yelling, to the slapping...it's so hierarchical. It's sad all around. I'm just sad because to be found like that, I cannot imagine how long she's dealt with the violence. I hope she finds her peace, healing, and justice. I may sound so old-school, but as these men try to act all tough and masculine and don't see the problems with men's issues and how women's issues are men's issues, there is nothing manly about this shit. REAL men don't do stupid shit like that. Fuck them. Men like him make my blood boil. Reply Parent Thread Link I knew strangulation was dangerous, but I only recently learned that strangulation can cause blood clots, heart attacks, pulmonary edema, brain damage and even death up to TWO WEEKS after strangulation, even if the victim didn't lose consciousness. Reply Parent Thread Link Holy shit. I hope his girlfriend is okay. Reply Thread Link Maybe its just me but the denial of he's done nothing wrong just rubs me the wrong way, like they are setting up to blame his girlfriend for what happened to her. Reply Thread Link I'm already seeing "it's because she's white, it's a setup to take him down!" like......critical thinking is a free resource, how disgusting to say that. Reply Parent Thread Link How do they know the victim is white? She's not even named. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link yeah im seeing a lot of those takes on twitter Reply Parent Thread Link I'm genuinely curious as to why they thought that was the right tactic - even if it was true, it sounds callous as hell. Reply Parent Thread Link Yep. No denial that it happened, but conveniently leaves the door open to whether or not it was 'wrong'. They are very intentionally framing what they want the discussion to be about. It's sinister. Reply Parent Thread Link I mean, the reps are denying for him. It legally also sounds like if this just happened, it wouldn't surprise me if he and his team try to make a settlement and not take it further with any other actions. I hate hush money if it goes that route because the survivors get blamed or dismissed that it was all a lie, and the abuser gets away with it. It's so self-serving because it's about money, status, POWER OF ALL THINGS, and all about image. They have gotten away with this because they are charming. It's their tool. It's intentional. I admire the survivor's courage to call police because leaving these situations for them are actually the most dangerous. That's when things further escalate, and as people already mentioned, strangulation leads to worse outcomes. Abusers work their ways up and build up on their abusive behaviors. Reply Parent Thread Link I've seen some of my male friends already post on their socials- "innocent until proven guilt" and it's so frustrating. they do this with every male celebrity- Depp, Danby Masterson, hell even spacey and Cosby. I just don't think I could even be friends with them again. that's partially why I lurk and don't anymore...because so many have turned out to be trash. Reply Parent Thread Link Other than Italy Sweden [ Belgium ] Belgium Hunter Falls - Ohh La La At Belgium's 2023 Eurosong competition, they chose Hunter Falls! At Belgium's 2023competition, they chose Gustaph's "Because of You" as their Eurovision entry. I like Belgium's choice this year (it's in my top 10), but I also love "Ohh La La" by [ Croatia ] Croatia Barbara Munjas - Putem Snova Props to Croatia for Barbara Munjas is SO GOOD! Fuck me up, Barbara!!!! Props to Croatia for keeping it weird at Eurovision this year, but "Putem Snova" byis SO GOOD! Fuck me up, Barbara!!!! [ Estonia ] Estonia Neon Letters & Maiko - (Tokimeki) Eesti Laul had some pretty great songs this year with a lot of musical variety (probably one of the more genre-diverse nationals this year with top notch originality and quality)! This was another national final where I really struggled to pick just 1 song because there were a ton of gems from Estonia this year. Ultimately, I picked a song that didn't make it to the finals - "Tokimeki" by Neon Letters & Maiko. The song is a nice mid-tempo bop, vocals are vibey, and I thought it would have been pretty cool to see a Japanese language song at Eurovision. [ Finland ] Finland Benjamin - Hoida mut Finland's selection this year - Benjamin's "Hoida Mut". Maybe it's the Canadian in me, because the chorus reminded me ever so slightly of a sped up version of the Finland's selection this year - Cha Cha Cha - is my favourite song of Eurovision 2023! But Finland had some pretty strong songs to choose from this year, and my personal favourite of the bunch was"Hoida Mut". Maybe it's the Canadian in me, because the chorus reminded me ever so slightly of a sped up version of the Canadian national anthem. [ Germany ] Germany Patty Gurdy - Melodies Of Hope Germany's Unser Lied fur Liverpool was full of either absolutely boring songs or batshit insanity ("Lied mit gutem Text" ???). There were some bright spots though and Patty Gurdy's "Melodies of Hope" was the brightest. [ Lithuania ] Lithuania Ruta MUR So Low Lithuania fucked up. Pabandom is naujo! 2023 had some interesting choices, but the song they chose to compete at Eurovision was not one of them. "So Low" by Ruta MUR on the other hand? How did this not win!? [ Malta ] Malta Ian - On My Own I think Malta chose the right song out of their contestants (although it's not anywhere close to being in my top 10). But Ian's "Own My Own" was the only song in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2023 that I liked (I'm shocked it came 7th), and I don't just like it - I love it! [ Moldova ] Moldova Aliona Moon - Du-ma is one of my favourites this year! However, their Etapa Nationala this year was rough . The only other good thing it produced was the beautiful song by Aliona Moon, "Du-ma." Moldova's Eurovision choice is one of my favourites this year! However, theirthis year was. The only other good thing it produced was the beautiful song by, "Du-ma." [ Portugal ] Portugal Esse Povo Sapatos de Cimento Portugal's Festival da Cancao stands out as being very different from other countries' national selection shows. The songs are just a different vibe entirely, and can often fall on the adult contemporary, ballady side of things. I think I have a bit of a hot take with my selection here - because while Esse Povo's "Sapatos de Cimento" did make it to the finals, it ultimately placed 11th. The people of Portugal were not living for it. YouTube comments also don't seem super positive overall. I don't think the song would necessarily do well at Eurovision, but I really like it and that's why it's here! And the more I listen to it, the more I like it! [ Serbia ] Serbia Filip Balos Novi plan drugi san Serbia came through with a really solid Pesma za Evroviziju this year and there were a couple of songs I really liked, but "Novi plan drugi san" by Filip Balos is THAT BITCH! Honestly, I would have voted for this over "Cha Cha Cha" at Eurovision. It has been on repeat since I heard it! [ Spain ] Spain Agoney - Quiero Arder Spain is probably the strongest of the big 5 to me, personally. I had a hard time picking one here because I really loved quite a few of the contestants from Spain's Benidorm Fest 2023 competition - including quite a few that didn't even make it to the finals! "Quiero Arder" by Agoney is right up my alley. [ Ukraine ] Ukraine OY Sound Systems - Oy, tuzhu (, ) Ukraine is a Eurovision powerhouse and, personally, I rank their national selection contest - Vidbir - up there with Melodifestivalen in terms of song quality. This year, Vidbir was Vidbir 2023 had a couple of finalists that I really liked - my favourite of which was OY Sound System's "Oy, tuzhu (, )" Ukraine is a Eurovision powerhouse and, personally, I rank their national selection contest -- up there within terms of song quality. This year,was held from a bomb shelter. Ukraine really said - not even a fucking war will keep us from competing in Eurovision!2023 had a couple of finalists that I really liked - my favourite of which was"Oy, tuzhu (, )" All of the songs for Eurovision 2023 have now been chosen. If you need to review - go see the ONTD post about it here. But with many countries holding their own national competitions to choose 1 song out of many contestants to stand on stage at Eurovision, there's always some great music that doesn't get the spotlight. Let's explore the best of the not quite Eurovision songs.There's no Sanremo selection because that festival is so expansive it should have its own post., if your country is missing from the list below, it's because I didn't likeof your song choices (lmao sorry Denmark!).These are just my personal favourites - so make sure you drop your own favourites in the comments!Swedes and pop music - name a more iconic duo!is ALWAYS worth combing through because the competition is fierce, and unlike a lot of countries, it's usually more hits than misses. And while I absolutely loveand her Eurovision song "Tattoo" , the stuff that didn't make it to Eurovision isgreat. More specifically - I am obsessed with "Air" byFun fact, these two are actually Norwegian and this song is way better than Norway's official selection (and, like Denmark, Norway is also absent below oop).I tried to limit this post to just 1 pick from each country, but seriously -this year absolutely slapped (even as a miserable hater, I gotta say none of those songs suck... well...maybe thatsong...) - go watch a Youtube playlist of all the entrants and let the perfectly crafted Swedish pop be the soundtrack to your weekend! His songs about this are pretty damn good. ACAB as usual Reply Thread Link Fuck the police, forever and always Reply Thread Link Pretty sure they Streisand'd themselves with this lawsuit lol Edited at 2023-03-26 08:48 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link Hope so! Reply Parent Thread Link They stole his money and said oops we counted wrong Acab Reply Thread Link No charges were filed based on the raid (looking for drugs and alleged kidnapping victims). WHAT?! ACAB and all, but what made them think this? Edited at 2023-03-26 09:39 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link Im guessing it was him being Black in Ohio Reply Parent Thread Link Does Ohio have civil forfeiture? Because I could see them targeting a successful black man just to steal his money and stuff. Reply Parent Thread Link We do. :/ I heard on the radio (haven't looked it up to confirm it yet) that they took $4,000 from his home, and then returned $3,400. When he called them out on it they ~investigated themselves~ and were like "oh, no worries, turns out we just logged it wrong, we only took $3,400, hope this helps. :)" Reply Parent Thread Link Afroman would like to know as well! Clip where he addresses the kidnapping: Edited at 2023-03-26 06:47 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I just watched this video today and it's stellar, if the cops are embarrassed then maybe they shouldn't act like garbage Reply Thread Link Now I want some of that lemon pound cake! How truly scary for him and his family. Im glad they are physically ok, and for him to use humor to move forward and to call out these asses is amazing. I want to give him all the views. Reply Parent Thread Link That cop VISUALLY ASSAULTED that lemon pound cake! That video slaps fr, hes brilliant for doing this. Reply Parent Thread Link I genuinely could not stop laughing when they focused on that cop and pound cake god all cops really ARE pigs! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link They have got some fucking nerve. They have no right to privacy in that job. Fuck the police. Reply Thread Link I am surprised but also not surprise. Reply Thread Link wow! ACAB Reply Thread Link here's the mv in question Reply Thread Link I know narcotics, but why kidnapping?! Edited at 2023-03-26 12:26 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link That bit made me laugh so hard. But seriously, how do cops think a song is the thing making them look bad when theyre using warrants like this based onwhat? Too many people dropping by for some pound cake? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i keep singing "suit pockeeeets" to myself lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Ty for posting this! I was gonna go to YT and watch but you made it easy for me lol Reply Parent Thread Link The audacity to sue him tbh what pieces of shit Cops did this to J Cole in N Carolina, too, where legit SWAT teams raided his house is camouflage and huge guns because his white neighbors said he was selling drugs. He used the footage from his security cameras (that they turned off) during his tour and, as far as I know, did not get sued lol Reply Thread Link That's so sketchy as fuck. If you're instinct/training is to disconnect security cameras, you're not there to stop crime, you're there to commit it. Reply Parent Thread Link Im on mobile and cant embed but putting the link below to the J Cole video, too. He didnt have as much footage because it looks like just outside cameras, but the end of the video you can legit see the cops jumping up to hit the cameras down into the wall so they cant film them https://youtu.be/9nfVWiXY3WY I agree. Says a lot the depths that cops go to try to fight be videotaped or being forced to have their body cameras on. If youre doing your job as youre supposed to, transparency shouldnt be a scary thing because there should be nothing to hideIm on mobile and cant embed but putting the link below to the J Cole video, too. He didnt have as much footage because it looks like just outside cameras, but the end of the video you can legit see the cops jumping up to hit the cameras down into the wall so they cant film them Reply Parent Thread Link It's fucking wild that the cops turned off the camera system wow Reply Thread Link is that illegal? it should be illegal. Reply Parent Thread Link i wonder if there is a precedent of govt workers illegally breaking into a innocent citizens private property and declaring that they are the victims of their own bungle im legit interested in seeing where this goes in court, especially in today's mildly fascist leaning climate Reply Thread Link ACAB Reply Thread Link Japan, a large energy importer where coal and gas make up two-thirds of electricity generation, has one abundant domestic renewable energy source that has remained untappedgeothermal energy. Geothermal resources in Japan, thought to be the world's third largest, could stay deep underground despite Japan's net-zero by 2050 pledge and the fact that it is still very much dependent on fossil fuels for a large part of its electricity consumption. Japan lies along the western edge of the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the most seismically active places on Earth. As much as 10 percent of the world's volcanic activity takes place in Japan, and the country is blessed with geothermal resources. But a very powerful and centuries-old Japanese industry and tradition hot spring resorts is opposed to large-scale development of geothermal energy, fearing that tapping the resources would affect the temperatures and quality of hot springs, a major business with more than 13,000 inns and baths across Japan. Japan has some geothermal plants, around 20 facilities generating a total of 535 megawatts (MW). This represents only 0.3% of the total electricity generation in Japan, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). There have been some rare examples recently of small geothermal plants co-existing with hot springs the so-called 'onsen' in Japanese. But an overwhelmingly large part of onsen owners are opposed to geothermal development. "Rampant geothermal development is a threat to our culture," Yoshiyasu Sato, owner of a secluded inn next to a hot spring in the mountains of Fukushima Prefecture, told The New York Times' investigative reporter Hiroko Tabuchi. "If something were to happen to our onsens, who will pay?" Sato says. Yutaka Seki, executive director with the National Hot Spring Association, told NYT, "We aren't opposed to geothermal energy for the sake of opposing it." "But we strongly caution against unchecked large-scale development." Opposition to geothermal energy development has remained even after the energy crisis of the past two years, which has had Japan's energy import bill surge due to high coal and natural gas prices and has resulted in calls on households and businesses to conserve energy. In 2021, natural gas accounted for 35% of electricity production in Japan, followed by coal at 32.5% share. Geothermal energy represented just 0.3% of power generation, despite the fact that the potential would be equivalent to 23 gigawatts (GW), according to IRENA. High upfront costs and rigorous regulatory processes have hindered geothermal development, despite the technical and construction achievements of Japan's domestic giants such as Toshiba and Mitsubishi. Some local governments with hot spring resorts have recently introduced new restrictions on geothermal plant development. For example, the town of Kusatsu passed an ordinance last year stating that companies seeking to develop geothermal resources have to prove a project would not negatively impact hot springs in the area. Even nuclear energy generation in Japan has made more progress since the start of the energy crisis and the focus on energy security after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Japan is bringing back nuclear power as a key energy source, looking to protect its energy security in the crisis that has led to surging fossil fuel prices. The Japanese government confirmed in December a new policy for nuclear energy, which the country had mostly abandoned since the Fukushima disaster in 2011. ADVERTISEMENT A panel of experts under the Japanese Ministry of Industry decided that Japan would allow the development of new nuclear reactors and allow available reactors to operate after the current limit of 60 years. But Japan's hot springs are a hurdle to the development of a domestic renewable source of energy. Geothermal energy could generate 10% of Japan's electricity if tapped, analysts say. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has sent shockwaves through the entire financial sector and marked the biggest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis. Being the only publicly traded bank focused on Silicon Valley and startups for four decades, the swift collapse has particularly rattled the venture capital community and left climate tech startups in a crisis. But the energy markets have not been spared, with oil prices crashing to multi-year lows following the ensuing banking crisis. Oil prices crashed spectacularly, with WTI crude falling from $80.46 per barrel just 10 days prior to the $67 range, while Brent declined from $86.18 per barrel to the $73 range, levels they last touched in December 2021. Commodity analysts at Standard Chartered warned that the oil price crash had been exacerbated by hedging activityspecifically, due to gamma hedging effects, with banks selling oil to manage their side of options as prices fell through the strike prices of oil producers put options and volatility increases. The negative price effect has been exacerbated because the main cliff-face of producer puts currently occupies a narrow price range. And now the latest Commitment of Traders (CoT) report published by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has revealed where that oil money flowed to. Commodity analysts at Standard Chartered have combined the CoT data with the equivalent Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) data and found that there was heavy selling of crude oil and gasoline, combined with a rapid move by funds into precious metals four days after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank but six days before Brent hit a 14-month low of USD 70.12 per barrel. Indeed, silver and gold saw a net increase in long positions while all other classes of crude and crude products apart from heating oil and natural gas saw a net increase in short positions. Related: Will Brent Break Below $70 This Year? During that period, money-manager net selling across the four main Brent and WTI Contracts hit a staggering 128.1 million barrels (mb) in the week to 14 March. Meanwhile, StanCharts crude oil positioning index fell 41.6 w/w to -67.0, the largest single-week decline in six years, while its gasoline positioning index fell by 36.4 to -6.6, marking the first time it had turned negative in 20 months. Not surprisingly, gold prices have jumped nearly 9% since March 10, and now sit at $1,995/Oz, not far from the all-time high while silver prices have rocketed over 16% to trade at $23.35/Oz. Source: Standard Chartered Research Banking Fears Linger Previously, StanChart analysts had said that the unwinding of speculative length appears to be complete at this juncture, thus lowering selling pressure, but had warned that prices might retest the lows if the FOMC hikes its policy rate by more than the widely expected margin of 25bps. The markets have successfully scaled that wall of worry after the Feds hike on Wednesday came in-line with expectations. The Fed also indicated that the current rate hike cycle is nearing an end. StanChart expects last weeks gamma effects to reverse course with banks buying back positions thus reinforcing the short-term rebound. Beyond that, StanChart says oil prices will largely be dictated by OPECs and consuming countries strategic inventory policy shifts. The commodity experts are bullish that the path of least resistance for oil prices at this point is higher, not lower. Yet oil prices, after a brief rebound, continue to face significant selling pressure, with both WTI and Brent crude down 2.5% on Fridays intraday session. Apparently, banking fears are far from over and this situation could linger for a while. The market appears to be reacting to some other unfolding banking drama whereby shares of Germanys Deutsche Bank have plunged 11% on Friday after its credit default swaps started pushing higher. Credit swaps are used for insuring the bank's debt against the risk of default, and rising rates means the market thinks the risk of DB defaulting is rising. DBs woes have put the European banking sector in reverse gear, taking down with them shares of Barclays, BNP Paribas, UBS and Societe Generale. Underlying sentiment is still cautious and in this environment no one wants to go into the weekend risk-on, Nordea chief analyst Jan von Gerich has told Reuters. This comes despite European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde reassuring EU leaders that the euro area banking sector was resilient due to strong liquidity positions, ample capital and post-2008 reforms. She also said the ECB toolkit was ready to provide liquidity to the financial system if the need arises. ADVERTISEMENT The bigger question here is whether the recent spate of bank failures and crises, including the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and liquidity crisis at banking giant Credit Suisse, can be written off as idiosyncratic events or mark the unfolding of another global financial crisis. Right now the markets remain jittery and dont appear to know what to make of the entire saga. But as UBS Wealth chief investment officer Mark Haefele has said, the swift action by the FDIC to guarantee deposits and by the Fed to lend to banks that require funds will solve liquidity-related risks for U.S. banks and also for the U.S. branches of foreign banks.A week ago, we witnessed another rout for mid-cap regional banks stocks, before reports emerged that big banks would come to their aid. The SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (NYSE:KRE) has crashed more than 25% since the SVB snafu, but appears to have stabilized lately. That suggests that energy markets could also quickly recover after the dust settles. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: On March 22, Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu declared that Russia will complete the modernization of the missile defense system around Moscow by the end of 2023. He also announced the upcoming deployment of new units: one air defense division, one air defense brigade, one regiment equipped with S-350 medium-range air defense systems, the space monitoring radar station Razvyazka and one special operations brigade for air and missile defense (Mil.ru, March 22). Paradoxically, the very next day, on March 23, the Indian Air Force reported that Russia has delayed the supply of S-400 systems to New Delhi. According to the contract signed in 2018, delivery of the air defense systems was previously scheduled for 2023 and must be completed by 2024 (The Economic Times, March 23). This delay has appeared, despite reassurances of Russian officials, who confirmed that the S-400 systems would still be delivered to India according to the original schedule (Interfax, February 13). Even so, this is not the first time the process has been delayed. The first delays appeared in late 2022 (TASS, January 12), only several months after the Kremlins declaration that its war against Ukraine will not influence the S-400 contract with India (RIA Novosti, March 18, 2022). However, the fact of the matter is that the head of the state-owned Almaz-Antey Corporation, the major Russian manufacturer of air and missile defense systems, already confirmed that the war in Ukraine has created significant problems for the corporations manufacturing activity as early as April 2022 (Oborona.ru, April 25, 2022). Moreover, Russia has started to use S-300 and even S-400 missiles as short-rang e surface-to-surface missiles (Focus.ua, January 14). Consequently, the delays in S-400 supplies to India were inevitable considering the limited ability of Russia to produce these missiles domestically, largely as a result of Western sanctions (see EDM, January 23). Nevertheless, this situation also clarifies the Kremlins priorities in the field of air and missile defense. Russia has spent more than two decades and invested about 550 billion rubles (approximately $13 billion) into the modernization of its production capacity for air and missile defense systems. In fact, the development of just three new plants, in St. Petersburg, Kirov and Nizhniy Novgorod, alone cost 107 billion rubles ($3 billion) (Oborona.ru, April 25, 2022). The main projects during these years included the development of S-400 systems; the development of modernized versions of silo-based missiles for Moscows ballistic missile defense system, 53T6s for high-altitude targets and 51T6s for outer-atmosphere interception; and the development of S-500 mobile ballistic missile defense systems with high-altitude 77N6 interceptors, which are likely unified with the modernized silo-based 53T6 missiles or are meant to replace them (Interfax, May 23, 2017; Krasnaya Zvezda, January 22, 2020; EADaily.com, September 28, 2021; see EDM, December 17, 2021). However, the problem with this production approach has been that all these planned projects were a bit ambitious and faced severe technological as well as manufacturing problems, despite the billions of rubles in investments and the tens of thousands of engineers and scientists who work for Almaz-Antey. For example, Russia was only able to start a scaled serial manufacturing of long-range 40N6 missiles for the S-400 systems by 2018 (RBC, February 18, 2019; TASS, April 29, 2019; TASS, January 26, 2020). In addition, the start of serial manufacturing for S-500 systems was announced in 2021, one year later than the originally planned goal of 2020. Furthermore, the first delivery of S-500 systems to the Russian Armed Forces was announced in 2022. But now, these supplies will not be ready until 2025 (Kommersant, August 23, 2021; Vedomosti, May 18, 2022). In this way, the announced completion of the final modernization of the ballistic missile defense system around Moscow by the end of 2023 may also be postponed due to the proliferation of problems in manufacturing these missiles. Even so, the Kremlin, together with Almaz-Antey, is attempting to boost this process and may not care much about the reputation of Russian arms supplier in the eyes of India, among others. Moreover, during wartime, when the global market is shrinking and closing for Russia, domestic arms supplies became the highest priority considering that the Russian Armed Forces are actively suffering from a deficit in arms. Regarding the air and missile defense systems, the Kremlin may think that a weakened Russia needs to be ready for an upcoming clash with the modernized Ukrainian army, equipped with Western arms and munitions, as soon as possible. In this way, the announcement of the further deployment of the first special operations air and missile defense brigade should be questioned. Thus, in the face of mounting production issues and a growing deficit in technical capabilities, in the short to medium term, Russia will have to get creative with its ballistic missile defense capabilities in and around Moscow. By the Jamestown Foundation ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: It wasnt just the proximity to the University of Nebraska at Omaha that sold Tom and Marylu Gouttierre on their English Tudor house in the Elmwood Park neighborhood. It was the space for the 50 rugs theyd brought back from Afghanistan, where they had spent 10 wonderful and adventurous years. The houses arches reminded them of their second home overseas, too. Each rug was from a special village, and I remember the villages, Marylu said. The ranch house shed been considering on Dillon Drive wouldnt do. It was going to take a big house with lots of floors to display her collection. They pulled up the carpet and stripped the floors to accommodate them. They also needed a place to entertain. They moved to Omaha in 1974 when Tom became the dean of international studies and programs at UNO and he would often bring home guests. Marylu worked, too, at Nebraska Furniture Mart selling rugs. I would have 20, 30, 40 people for dinner. I knew some of the guests but not all of them, Marylu said. Oftentimes, it was people they met while both were in the Peace Corps or through the Fulbright Scholarship program that Tom was part of in Afghanistan would stay with them. That prompted the gutting of the basement. They now have an apartment there and its called the lower level. The third floor can also accommodate guests. Weve had hundreds maybe thousands of people stay with us, Marylu said. A lot of Afghans coming through. Wed get calls from old students saying Im in America, can I stay with you? Theres a lot they appreciate about the house. Thats what kept them there when they thought about moving into a condo after they both retired in their 70s in 2015. They had put down a deposit before their three sons tried to change their minds, asking them to list the pros and cons of a move. It took just a walk through each of the rooms for Marylu to change her mind. There are too many memories in this house. I just cant do it, she remembers thinking. I told Tom and he said, I feel the same way. The Gouttierres say its a rare house, inside and out. The outside is covered with irregular and now-rare clinker bricks. Its one of just a few houses with the brick exterior in Nebraska. People marvel at the clinker bricks, Marylu said. It looks like a mountain you could climb. Inside at the back of the house is the solarium, where the couple spends a lot of time. The light coming in supports the many plants that Marylu collects. Its impossible to feel stress there, she says. On the second floor above sits the main suite, where they added a deck, taking advantage of the flat roof of the solarium. The stairs from the bedroom to the outside double as drawers. They watch the fireworks at Memorial Park there. At night time when you look at the sky, you are up so high you feel like you could touch the stars, Marylu said. At one time, the house had just one bathroom. After their sons left, and the couple had paid off the mortgage, they added several more. Marylu said almost every room in the house has been remodeled in some way, many with updates thought of by Tom. Oldenhuis Contracting did the interior work and Stein Construction the outside. This summer, theyll be celebrating the houses 100th anniversary with several others on the block, a milestone they didnt expect to see. When they bought the home, they thought theyd just be there a few years. Theyre glad they decided to stay. We love this house. We love the neighborhood and we love the community were in, Marylu said. So, its all worked out. Its just perfect. Close Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. The entryway to Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home displays hats from Afghanistan, The entryway from in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home has a rug from Afghanistan. Much of the decor in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home is from Afghanistan or gifts from Afghanistan residents. An apartment was built into the renovated basement of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. An apartment was built into the renovated basement of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A jack and jill bathroom between two second-floor bedrooms of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A jack and jill bathroom between two second-floor bedrooms of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A second-floor deck on Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home. A poppy design in a rug from Afghanistan Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. Much of the decor in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home is from Afghanistan. Much of the decor in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home is from Afghanistan. Much of the decor in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home is from Afghanistan. Much of the decor in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home is from Afghanistan. Four of the numerous Afghan rugs in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A "G" on a custom handmade rocker in the living room of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A "G" on a custom handmade rocker in the living room of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A "G" on a custom handmade rocker in the living room of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. The water feature in the Solarium of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. Marilu Gouttierre poses for a portrait in the solarium of her Dundee home on Wednesday. Marilu Gouttierre poses for a portrait in the solarium of her Dundee home on Wednesday. Marilu Gouttierre poses for a portrait in the solarium of her Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Gouttierre home: It's rare, inside and out, they say Gouttierre home: It's rare, inside and out, they say Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. The entryway to Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home displays hats from Afghanistan, The entryway from in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home has a rug from Afghanistan. Much of the decor in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home is from Afghanistan or gifts from Afghanistan residents. An apartment was built into the renovated basement of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. An apartment was built into the renovated basement of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A jack and jill bathroom between two second-floor bedrooms of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A jack and jill bathroom between two second-floor bedrooms of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A second-floor deck on Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home. A poppy design in a rug from Afghanistan Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. Much of the decor in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home is from Afghanistan. Much of the decor in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home is from Afghanistan. Much of the decor in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home is from Afghanistan. Much of the decor in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home is from Afghanistan. Four of the numerous Afghan rugs in Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A "G" on a custom handmade rocker in the living room of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A "G" on a custom handmade rocker in the living room of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. A "G" on a custom handmade rocker in the living room of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. The water feature in the Solarium of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Thursday. Marilu Gouttierre poses for a portrait in the solarium of her Dundee home on Wednesday. Marilu Gouttierre poses for a portrait in the solarium of her Dundee home on Wednesday. Marilu Gouttierre poses for a portrait in the solarium of her Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. Clinker bricks cover a majority of the outside of Tom and Marilu Gouttierre's Dundee home on Wednesday. MOVILLE, Iowa From the time she was a teenager attending Woodbury Central High School in Moville, Grace Linden wondered why her town didnt have a museum. It made no sense to her that Moville, home of the Woodbury County Fair and Woodbury County Library, didnt have a place where people could learn about the towns history, notable residents and businesses that once occupied Main Street buildings. I always had a dream that Moville should have a museum, Linden said. A few decades later, that dream is about to come true. When Security National Bank finishes building its new bank in the coming months and vacates its present location on the towns main square at Second and Main Streets, the Moville Historical Society will move into the historic building, built in 1919. The focus then turns to filling a museum instead of wishing for one. Its something we can be proud of in Moville is see what people did to build our city. Most people see the worth of it, said Linden, a retired Sioux City Public Museum curator who returned to Moville in 2016. The museum has been a low-key project since the historical society was formed in 2019. Its really helped that people are beginning to notice us, said Linden, the historical societys president. Its easier to take notice when people know the museum is a sure thing, taking up residence in a building many of them have visited to conduct financial transactions. Charles Logan established First Trust & Savings Bank in 1919, built the current building and later expanded into an adjacent building. The bank was owned and operated by the Logan family until Security National Bank bought it in 2015. Knowing the historical society was interested in the building, Security National Bank reached out to Linden two years ago to inform her of the banks plans to build a new building on Frontage Road along U.S. Highway 20. Was the historical society, the bank asked, still interested in the current building for its museum? Linden didnt hesitate to answer. I said, of course, she said. Charles Logans son, Howard Logan, donated the money to buy the building, which the historical society has owned since June. The bank will easily transform into a museum, Linden said, and no major renovations will be necessary. Were not going to change anything, Linden said of the banks interior. The teller windows, remnants from an era long past and fitted with bulletproof glass decades ago after a rash of bank robberies, and the banks vault will remain. Offices will easily convert into display rooms, each featuring a different topic such as former businesses, Moville schools and notable residents. There will be a research room, where people can seek information in files full of old photos and papers, high school yearbooks and other documents. Despite the lack of a building, the historical society has been compiling a collection, a portion of it now on display at the Moville Senior Center, which has served as a temporary museum. A couple of afternoons a week, Linden is there cataloging artifacts and checking in donated items. Wonderful things have walked though the door. It seems like every week were here, someone is bringing a box in, she said. Judging by the number and quality of items dropped off, Linden said the desire of Moville residents to preserve their towns history is obvious. The museum could pull travelers passing by on U.S. 20 into town, but most likely will be a place for locals, be they senior citizens or schoolchildren on a field trip, to learn more about their hometown. Every community needs something to pull themselves together as a community, as a group, and say we need this, Linden said. Our kids need to learn history. Linden said she hopes the museum will give residents a sense of history and pride about where they come from. Its telling the story of Moville, Iowa, to everyone, she said. A 24-year-old man was found not responsible by reason of insanity for the 2021 killing of his father in Omaha. Julian Lopez was found by a district court judge during a bench trial Thursday to have been legally insane when he shot his father seven times in the face and back in the early morning hours of July 16, 2021. Lopez, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, initially claimed to police that his father, 40-year-old Jose Valenzuela, instructed Lopez to shoot him. Lopez primarily lived in Palm Bay, Florida, with his mother, but had traveled to Omaha to visit his father in summer 2021. He stayed with his father, his fathers fiancee and the couples 5-year-old child at their apartment in the Tudor Heights complex near Interstate 680 and West Maple Road. At the time of his visit, Lopez was serving a five-year probation term out of Florida for stabbing his stepfather nine times. According to testimony from investigators, Valenzuelas fiancee told police that she saw Lopez seated at the kitchen table shortly before the shooting. He was repeatedly picking up the table and slamming it on the ground. She went to tell Valenzuela, who was smoking outside, to speak with his son. Shortly after Valenzuela was seen on security footage re-entering the apartment, his fiancee reported hearing what she thought were fireworks as she put their child to bed. Lopez had reportedly lit fireworks in the home before, so she wasnt immediately concerned about the sound. After not being able to locate Valenzuela in the home, his fiancee went outside and began calling his name. When she couldnt find him, she flagged down security officers who notified Omaha police. Valenzuela was eventually found dead in the apartment. An autopsy later found he had at least 16 defects because of injuries from bullets, and was shot in the face and back. Lopez stayed in the apartment and surrendered to police when they arrived at the scene. He later told investigators that his father had given him the gun and told Lopez to shoot him. At first, Lopez said, he took the gun and sat on it, but when his father began working toward him, he shot once or twice into the wall and then twice at his father. Lopez was charged with second-degree murder and firearm use after the killing. He pleaded not guilty. In October 2021, Lopezs attorney filed a motion to determine if he was competent to stand trial. By January, the court found that he was incompetent at the time and committed him to the Lincoln Regional Center. He was again declared incompetent to stand trial in August 2022. Earlier this year, Lopezs attorney notified the court that he intended to rely on the insanity defense. In order to be acquitted by reason of insanity in Nebraska, a defendant must prove that they had a mental disease or defect at the time of the crime and that they did not understand the consequences of their actions or the difference between right and wrong. At Thursdays hearing, Douglas County District Judge Duane Dougherty found Lopez competent to stand trial. Lopez then advised that he wished to waive his right to a jury trial, instead seeking a bench trial with Dougherty. This request was granted and the bench trial began immediately, according to court documents. After considering evidence from both parties, Dougherty found Lopez was not responsible by reason of insanity and entered a verdict of acquittal. Lopez will remain committed at the Lincoln Regional Center. The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday reversed a lower courts order that barred prosecutors from pursuing a motor vehicle homicide charge against an Omaha woman who has already been convicted of a different crime arising from the same car crash. The high courts decision will recommence criminal proceedings against Maylesha Lewis, a 24-year-old Omaha woman who drunkenly drove her car into a light pole leading to the death of a passenger in her vehicle. She had been convicted of DUI causing serious bodily injury in 2021, but a Douglas County judge ruled last year that she couldnt be prosecuted for motor vehicle homicide after the passenger died of his injuries months later because it would violate the constitutional protection against double jeopardy and successive prosecutions. In October 2020, Lewis was driving near 110th and Harrison Streets in Omaha when her car left the road and collided with a light pole. Thomas Martin, a passenger in the back seat who wasnt wearing a seat belt, sustained serious head trauma and was taken to the hospital in extremely critical condition. When police spoke to Lewis at the hospital, according to an arrest affidavit, she admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. Her preliminary breath test showed a blood alcohol level well over the legal limit. Days after the crash, Lewis was charged with driving under the influence resulting in serious bodily injury. She pleaded guilty to the felony charge and was sentenced on March 22, 2021, to 30 months in prison with 18 months of probation to follow. For months, Martin was moved between hospitals as doctors attempted to save his life, but he remained in a non-medically induced coma and never regained consciousness. He was diagnosed with a significant traumatic brain injury, acute respiratory failure and a cerebral spinal fluid leak, among other injuries. Martin died in hospice care on June 17, 2021. A few months after Martins death, Douglas County prosecutors charged Lewis with DUI motor vehicle homicide. Lewis lawyers contended that she could not be charged with DUI motor vehicle homicide because of double jeopardy, a constitutional provision that protects people from being prosecuted or punished twice for the same offense. Her attorneys argued that DUI causing serious bodily injury and DUI motor vehicle homicide are the same offense for the purposes of double jeopardy, because the serious bodily injury count is a lesser-included offense of motor vehicle homicide. Prosecutors found the lesser-included offense argument unconvincing and countered that its possible to commit motor vehicle homicide without also committing DUI causing serious bodily injury. The state also argued that successive prosecution was warranted because Martin had not died at the time that initial charges were brought. District Court Judge Peter Bataillon ruled in Lewis favor and dismissed the motor vehicle homicide charge. He said that prosecuting Lewis again would result in her being punished multiple times for the same offense, and that in order for her to be found guilty prosecutors would have to prove all of the elements of the underlying serious bodily injury charge. Bataillon said that these situations both constitute double jeopardy. The state appealed to the Nebraska Supreme Court. On Friday, the court released its decision reversing Bataillons dismissal and remanding the case for further proceedings. In a written opinion, the court found that other jurisdictions have long upheld exceptions to double jeopardy provisions when the State (is) unable to proceed on the more serious charge at the outset because the additional facts necessary to sustain that charge had not yet occurred at the time of prosecution for the first offense. In this case, Martin hadnt died at the time of first prosecution, so the state could not have initially brought the motor vehicle homicide charge against Lewis. Double jeopardy permits the state to prosecute Lewis for the more serious offense of motor vehicle homicide/DUI, despite having previously convicted her of DUI/serious bodily injury, the opinion reads. The case will now return to Douglas County District Court for further proceedings. If convicted of DUI motor vehicle homicide, Lewis faces up to 20 years in prison. MADISON, Wis. Just two days before he drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, killing six people and injuring more than 60, Darrell Brooks Jr. posted bail for charges of domestic violence. He had been accused of using his SUV to run over the mother of his child, and a pretrial assessment found Brooks was at high risk of reoffending. But a court official set that bail at $1,000 cash at the request of prosecutors, who later called their recommendation a mistake. For the parade killings, Brooks was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Brooks quickly became the poster child for a Republican-backed push to enact tougher bail policies. The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature is asking voters to ratify a constitutional amendment that would make it harder for violent criminals to get out of jail on bail. GOP lawmakers in other states also are scrambling to make it harder for defendants to get out of jail before trial after branding themselves as tough on crime in the 2022 midterm elections. Their efforts led to a fierce fight with Democrats over public safety and the rights of criminal defendants. Recent Democratic overhaul measures in states such as Illinois and New York have sought to eliminate cash bail and lessen pretrial detention on the premise they do more harm than good, especially to marginalized groups. But Republican lawmakers in at least 14 states have introduced some 20 bills so far this year to do just the opposite. Their proposals include increasing the number of non-bailable offenses, requiring more people to pay cash bail and encouraging or requiring judges to consider a defendants criminal record when setting bail. Criminal justice experts and advocacy groups warn the Republican-backed measures arent supported by research and could worsen crime rates and disparities between rich and poor. Bail is meant to ensure a defendant returns to court and isnt supposed to be a punishment, since the defendant hasnt yet been convicted. Cash bail is not a benefit to defendants or to public safety, said Shima Baradaran Baughman, a law professor at the University of Utah who studies bail. When people are detained before trial even for a few days, they are dramatically more likely to reoffend later, Baughman said. In other words, it is much safer to the public to release most people before trial than to detain them. Defendants jailed before trial are much more likely to plead guilty to charges often accepting deals that sentence them to time already served that end their detainment, researchers from Harvard, Stanford and Princeton found in a 2018 study. The same study found higher unemployment rates for pretrial detainees after theyre released. Its not uncommon for defendants who cant make bail to lose their jobs and even their homes while in jail awaiting trial. While Republicans seeking to widen the use of bail acknowledge people are legally presumed innocent before trial, some say that they believe most defendants are ultimately guilty and that society would be safer if more are locked up. Georgia Sen. Randy Robertson, a longtime sheriffs deputy and former state president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said he is extremely confident that most arrestees are guilty. In February, the GOP-led Georgia State Senate passed a Robertson proposal that would add 53 offenses to a current list of just seven charges that always require cash or property bail. The new offenses include passing a bad check, which can be a misdemeanor or a felony, and such misdemeanors as reckless driving or fighting in public. The measures in Georgia, Wisconsin and elsewhere worry Insha Rahman, vice president of advocacy and partnerships at the Vera Institute for Justice. When you are setting money bail on all kinds of offenses and judges cant release people, you are absolutely treading on presumption of innocence, she said. Rahman, a former public defender who helped design bail laws in New York and other states, said the best research supports ending cash bail and offering personalized release conditions for most defendants. People who pose a clear and immediate threat to public safety are the exception, she said, and should be detained until trial. JERUSALEM One of the oldest surviving biblical manuscripts, a nearly complete 1,100-year-old Hebrew Bible, could soon be yours for a cool $30 million. The Codex Sassoon, a leather-bound, handwritten parchment tome containing almost the entirety of the Hebrew Bible, is set to go on the block at Sotheby's in New York in May. Its anticipated sale speaks to the still bullish market for art, antiquities and ancient manuscripts even in a worldwide bear economy. Sotheby's is drumming up interest in hopes of enticing institutions and collectors to bite. It has put the price tag at an eye-watering $30 million to $50 million. On Wednesday, Tel Aviv's ANU Museum of the Jewish People opened a weeklong exhibition of the manuscript, part of a whirlwind worldwide tour of the artifact in the United Kingdom, Israel and the United States before its expected sale. "There are three ancient Hebrew Bibles from this period," said Yosef Ofer, a professor of Bible studies at Israel's Bar Ilan University: the Codex Sassoon and Aleppo Codex from the 10th century, and the Leningrad Codex, from the early 11th century. Only the Dead Sea Scrolls and a handful of fragmentary early medieval texts are older, and "an entire Hebrew Bible is relatively rare," he said. Starting a few centuries before the Codex Sassoon's creation, Jewish scholars known as Masoretes started codifying oral traditions of how to properly spell, pronounce, punctuate and chant the words of Judaism's holiest book. Unlike Torah scrolls, where the Hebrew letters are devoid of vowels and punctuation, these manuscripts contained extensive annotation instructing readers how to recite the words correctly. Precisely where and when the Codex Sassoon was made remains uncertain. Sharon Liberman Mintz, a senior Judaica specialist at Sotheby's, said that radiocarbon dating of the parchment gave an estimated date of 880 to 960. The codex's writing style suggests its creator was an unspecified early 10th-century scribe in Egypt or the Levant. "It's like the emergence of the biblical text as we know it today," Mintz said. "It's so foundational not only for Judaism, but also for world culture." Though it's certainly ancient and rare, scholars say the Codex Sassoon doesn't match the pedigree and quality of its contemporary the Aleppo Codex. "Any Masoretic scholar in their right mind would take the Aleppo Codex over the Sassoon Codex, without any regret or hesitation," said Kim Phillips, a Bible expert at the Cambridge University Library. He said the scribal quality was "surprisingly sloppy" compared to its counterpart. The Aleppo Codex, dated to around 930, has been considered the gold standard of the Masoretic Bibles for around 1,000 years. The Codex Sassoon's margins contain an annotation from a later scholar who says he checked its text against the Aleppo Codex referring to the manuscript by the Arabic title a-Taj, "the Crown." "The Aleppo Codex is more precise than the Sassoon Codex, there's no doubt," Ofer said. "But because it's missing (a third of its pages), in those parts that are absent, there is great significance to this manuscript." The Codex Sassoon's 792 pages make up around 92% of the Hebrew Bible. These venerable manuscripts were protected and treasured by Syrian Jewish communities for centuries until the 20th century. How the Sassoon Codex survived the ages is an epic in its own right. A note on the manuscript attest to its owners in centuries past: A man named Khalaf ben Abraham gave it to Isaac ben Ezekiel al-Attar, who gave it to his sons Ezekiel and Maimon. It later migrated east to the town of Makisin in what's today northeast Syria, where it was dedicated to a synagogue in the 13th century. Sometime in the following decades, the synagogue was destroyed and the codex entrusted to Salama ibn Abi al-Fakhr until the synagogue was rebuilt. It never was rebuilt, but the book survived. Its whereabouts for the next 500 years remain uncertain until it resurfaced in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1929, and was bought by a legendary collector of Jewish manuscripts whose name it still bears. David Solomon Sassoon was a Bombay-born son of an Iraqi Jewish business magnate who filled his London home with a massive collection of Jewish manuscripts. "His capacity was astounding, both in terms of number but also in terms of what he was able to find," said Raquel Ukeles, head of collections at Israel's National Library. Sassoon roved across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa buying up old books, and by his death in 1942, he had amassed over 1,200 manuscripts. Sassoon's estate was broken up after he died and the codex was sold by Sotheby's in Zurich in 1978 to the British Rail Pension Fund, which had started investing in art several years earlier, for around $320,000. The pension fund flipped the Codex Sassoon 11 years later for 10 times its hammer price. Jacqui Safra, a banker and art collector, bought it in 1989 for $3.19 million and is now putting it up for auction. If the target price is realized, the Codex Sassoon could not only eclipse the most expensive Jewish document ever sold the 2021 sale of the Luzzatto Machzor, a 14th-century prayerbook, for $8.3 million. It also could break the record for the priciest historical document ever sold at public auction. That honor is currently held by a 1787 copy of the U.S. Constitution sold in 2021 for $43 million. Yoel Finkelman, a former curator of Judaica at Israel's National Library, said that prices for Judaica manuscripts have skyrocketed in recent years, but Sotheby's proposed range is "a different league." Few institutions, and only a small handful of ultrawealthy collectors, could afford such a price tag. There is precedent, however, of museums joining forces to buy prized manuscripts or philanthropists donating their purchases to libraries and other bodies. Ukeles said that the National Library managed to purchase seven of Sassoon's manuscripts when his collection was auctioned off in the 1970s, "but this one got away. And so for us, this is an opportunity to bring this great treasure home." Most popular biblical baby names Most popular biblical baby names #50. Jude (boys) #49. Jesus (boys) #48. Jonah (boys) #47. Julia (girls) #46. Lydia (girls) #45. Zachary (boys) #44. Nathaniel (boys) #43. Delilah (girls) #42. Sarah (girls) #41. Micah (boys) #40. Silas (boys) #39. Jason (boys) #38. Anna (girls) #37. Naomi (girls) #36. Adam (boys) #35. Leah (girls) #34. Ezekiel (boys) #33. Jeremiah (boys) #32. Jonathan (boys) #31. Aaron (boys) #30. Hannah (girls) #29. Nathan (boys) #28. Isaiah (boys) #27. Caleb (boys) #26. Chloe (girls) #25. Ezra (boys) #24. Joshua (boys) #23. Thomas (boys) #22. Andrew (boys) #21. Josiah (boys) #20. Asher (boys) #19. Gabriel (boys) #18. Elizabeth (girls) #17. Isaac (boys) #16. Luke (boys) #15. John (boys) #14. David (boys) #13. Levi (boys) #12. Joseph (boys) #11. Abigail (girls) #10. Matthew (boys) #9. Samuel (boys) #8. Daniel (boys) #7. Michael (boys) #6. Jacob (boys) #5. Alexander (boys) #4. Ethan (boys) #3. Benjamin (boys) #2. James (boys) #1. Elijah (boys) INEC assured in Abuja on Saturday that it would conduct a credible supplementary governorship election in Adamawa that would be the pride of Nigerians and of the international community. INECs Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, gave the assurance when some women staged a protest at the Commissions headquarters in respect of the Adamawa election. The protesters were led by the President, National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Hajiya Lami Lau. INEC had earlier in the week declared the March 18 governorship election in Adamawa as inconclusive. Related News The final results tallied by INEC at the election showed that the Adamawa governor, Mr Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored the highest number of votes. The Commission, however, declared that cancelled votes at the election were more than the margin of victory between Fintiri and the runner-up, Sen. Aishatu Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC). It said a new date would be fixed for re-run elections in areas where the exercise did not hold on March 18. Okoye thanked the women for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner, noting that the Commission belonged to all Nigerians. We regard our role in INEC as public trust; any individual, group or organisations with any grievance or complaint are free to come here and voice or ventilate their grievances. The people of Adamawa are the only ones with the right to elect their governor; those of us in the Commission and Nigerians from other states have no vote in Adamawa. Any individual that is not from Adamawa and who does not reside in the state has no vote in the state. It is only the people of the state that will determine who their next governor will be, Okoye told the protesters. He explained that the responsibility of the Commission as an electoral management body was to provide a platform for people of the state to exercise their franchise. He added that though the Commission provided the platform, the election was declared inconclusive. We will go back and give the people of the state the opportunity to have a conclusion relating to their governorship election. The Commission will go back to Adamawa and conduct a supplementary election that Nigerians and the international community will be proud of, Okoye stressed. The INEC commissioner noted that it had no political party and did not support any political candidate or individual. He reiterated that the faith of Adamawa would only be determined by the people of the state. He stressed that Nigerians who did not register to vote in Adamawa and those that did not vote in the state had no right to determine who the next governor would be. In her remarks earlier, Lau, leader of the protesters, commended INEC for upholding its integrity in Abia and Enugu states by ensuring that the right things were done. In this regard, Nigerian women are demanding the verification of Adamawa governorship election results like it was done in Abia and Enugu, she said. She appealed to INEC to release the Adamawa governorship election result of Sen. Binani. She added that Nigerian women had vowed not to rest until her mandate was assured. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 As Illinois farmers prepare to enter the planting season, the tumultuous trade environment with Mexico is causing concern for many. Mexico has announced plans to ban genetically modified corn for human consumption and eventually for animal feed. The country is a top importer of U.S. corn, most of which is genetically modified, and U.S. officials said earlier this month that they were asking for consultations with Mexico over the ban. "That could have a devastating impact on our export market," said Jeff Kirwan, a member of the Illinois Farm Bureau's board of directors. The state is the second-largest producer of corn in the country, falling only behind Iowa. Mexico issued a presidential decree in 2020 indicating its intention to phase out the use of genetically modified corn by January 2024, as well as the use of the herbicide glyphosate. Last month, the country issued new rules that dropped the date but kept in language related to the ban. The U.S. trade representatives office has said the move could threaten to disrupt billions of dollars in agricultural trade. As reasoning, Mexico has suggested that genetically modified corn could lead to ill health effects, but has not presented any supporting evidence. Terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, known as the USMCA, requires parties in that agreement to base regulations on scientific research. U.S. officials say Mexico's proposed ban does not meet those standards. "It's just an arbitrary decision," Mark Bunselmeyer, who farms in Maroa and is an Illinois Corn Growers Association board member. "So they've agreed not to do that and, and now they're breaking that part of the agreement. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador signaled earlier this month that the country was prepared for the next step, a dispute resolution panel, if consultations don't resolve the matter. "Because this is a very important issue for us," he said. "It is the health of our people." Trade sanctions could be possible if the dispute continues. Agriculture is a major industry for Illinois, producing around 3.2% of the states gross domestic product, with 90% of U.S. corn, soybean and cotton being genetically modified. Bilateral trade between Mexico and the state of Illinois has doubled in the past 12 years, showing an average annual growth of 4.5%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The state exports more than half of its agricultural goods. Mexico is the largest consumer of Illinois corn, buying over 670 million bushels of corn last year. Illinois is the biggest exporter state, said Rodney Weinzierl, executive director of the Illinois Corn Growers Association and a farmer from Stanford. We're the No. 2 in corn production but we're the largest exporter relative to our access to the Three Rivers the Mississippi, the Illinois and the Ohio River but also to six class one railroads, so this is a big deal for Illinois. Illinoiss total agricultural exports to Mexico totaled $8.93 billion in 2021, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce. Corn, soybeans those are big economic engines for the rural Midwest, including Illinois, Weinzierl said. Illinois in particular is much more connected to trade and agriculture, just by virtue of having the river and the rail system and access to world markets. Illinois agriculture is highly sensitive, he said, stressing the importance of relationships with foreign customers and markets. In Illinois, 96% of farms remain family-operated, according to the state farm bureau. U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, stressed as much last month at an advisory committee meeting with state agriculture leaders. Budzinski, a member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, was among bipartisan lawmakers who signed off earlier this month on a letter urging U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to "keep all options open" when it comes to enforcing trade agreements with Mexico. Others who signed the letter were Republican U.S. Reps. Darin LaHood of Peoria, Mike Bost of Murphysboro and Mary Miller of Oakland, and Democrat U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville. Mexicos plan to impose an import ban can have long-term detrimental effects to local economies, family farmers and the corn industry here in Illinois, wrote the lawmakers. On the heels of the public health emergency and a war across the globe that has contributed to higher energy costs as well as disrupted supply chains, our farmers cannot afford additional challenges. Budzinskis letter was well received by some members of the agricultural community, including Weinzierl. We're just super happy that the congresswoman is on top of this and (is doing this) in a bipartisan manner, Weinzierl said. Most of the corn exported to Mexico is yellow corn, which is used to feed its massive livestock industry. The country has a sufficient supply of white corn, used to make tortillas. Trade agreements ensure that market demand matches what farmers have planted and what seeds companies have produced, agriculture leaders say. Farmers will start buying inputs nine months or maybe even further in advance of when they are actually planting their crop and theyre doing it based on the information, said Bunselmeyer, the Maroa farmer. Farmers must decide early what they will plant because seed companies produce a limited number of seeds based on projected demand. Companies start planning what seeds to produce years in advance. We have farmers starting to do a little bit of work already in Southern Illinois, Weinzierl said. Planting could easily start here in the month of March in Southern Illinois, where some of this white corn has grown. Biden administration officials have expressed concerns that without a resolution between trade delegations, U.S. agricultural producers like Illinois farmers could face serious issues. Genetic modification of seeds can increase crop yield, seeds can be engineered to be pest-resistant and genetically modified seeds can better withstand environmental concerns such as drought. Seed companies produce GM corn through cross-pollination and hybridization to ensure that the best traits of the corn are preserved. Bunselmeyer noted that farmers have been planting genetically modified crops for decades without scientists having documented ill health effects. We feel that there is no scientific merit to the ban so thats why were not agreeing with the ban and are challenging it, Kirwan said. It's been proven scientifically sound, so we don't feel that there is a health issue or any kind of issue from that aspect to merit this ban. Each week, "Flying Horse" features dozens of Central Illinois children's thoughts and drawings on various topics. This week: Things that fly Scroll to the bottom to see kids' submitted artwork. A butterfly: A butterfly can fly and my sister caught one. Dont let it go! They can fly about 2 feet. Keosha Smith Grade 2, Bent Birds: I like birds because I like the colors and they can fly. Sophiana Spicer Grade 2, Corpus Christi A duck: A thing that can fly is a duck. They also swim to things. The best animal that can swim is a duck. Abby Destanick Grade 1, Epiphany Lots of things that fly: There are lots of things that can fly, like birds, hawks, eagles, bees and butterflies. I love butterflies. Codi Kaisner Grade 3, Epiphany Flies: Flies are super deadly and some are very, very good. Fun fact: Flies are very attracted to blood, yes, you guessed it, blood. But fruit flies eat only fruit or they might die. Q: What it the most deadly flying animal on the earth? A: A fly! Flies are out May through October. Sam Ponnou Grade 2, Glenn The first plane: Orville and Wilbur Wright were the first people to build and ride a powered plane. Wilbur and Orville started by building a glider. Then they built a light engine and added it to the glider. Orville sat in the seat of the plane on Dec. 17, 1903. The flight lasted 12 seconds, and the plane traveled 120 feet. Luke Koetters Grade 3, home school A kite: I love flying things like a kite. It was windy that day. The wind pulled it up fast. My kite was Spider-Man. Colemane Weyhrich Grade 2, Jefferson Park I want to fly: There are many things that can fly. I wish I could fly. I would fly to Arizona. Aadi Avala Grade 4, Northpoint Planes: A plane can fly with its jet engines. It has wings too. People go in planes. My opinion is that planes are the best. Ivory Ohanson Grade 2, Parkside Fly in the sky: An airplane flies in the sky. The jet flies. A blimp flies. Catherine Hartmann Grade 2, Prairieland Many things can fly: There are a lot of things that can fly. There are birds, dragons, unicorns and many more. When I think of animals that fly I think of birds. Some places have 10 species of birds too. There are also insects, like flies, butterflies, and dragonflies. Anna Harmon Grade 4, Prairieland Airplanes: I will never forget my first airplane ride, for it was a very special time. While the plane soared through the air, I gazed down at the little buildings below me. They looked like dollhouses with people the size of action figures. As I got higher in the air, clouds started surrounding my window. Eve Nauman Grade 5, Prairieland Things with wings fly: Things that fly often have wings. Some examples are birds and flies. There are types of animals that often dont usually fly but certain types of them do, like flying squirrels and flying snakes. Flying would be cool. Adeline Blakney Grade 5, St. Mary's Things that fly: All the things that fly are birds, planes, helicopters, flies, drones, angels, superheroes, ghosts, ladybugs, Pegasus, passed people and souls. Laylah Morales Grade 4, Sheridan Butterflies: I like butterflies because they are bright and they are colorful. Ellianna Turner Grade 2, Stevenson Imagination flies: Birds fly and squirrels fly. Everything flies in your imagination. Everything flies. No one can tell you what flies and what doesnt fly because you control your imagination. Elliot Howard Grade 3, Stevenson Lots of things fly: Things that fly are planes, helicopters, kites, birds, insects, Santas reindeer, butterflies, hot air balloons, flies, ladybugs, dragonflies, flying squirrels and more. Hudson Morefield Grade 2, Sugar Creek The Wright Brothers: The Wright brothers invented the first airplane. Airplanes have changed over the years. I mean on their planes there were no walls. Willa Lee Brockmeyer Grade 3, Sugar Creek A jet: My favorite thing that flies is a jet. They protect our country. They have different types. They are all over the world. Landon Heiken Grade 1, Washington Why can't humans fly?: A bird can fly; why cant I? I want to fly. If I could fly to school and home it would be fun. If I could fly I would fly over the rainbow. Kennedy Davis Grade 2, Washington Your imagination: Your imagination, it can be crazy and pretty wild but then once you wake up, poof, its gone. And I know for a fact that mine is pretty wild. Ryder Molchin Grade 3, Washington Birds can fly: Birds are cute. Birds are little. I want a bird please. Adalyn Wheeler Grade 2, Bent Ladybugs: Things that fly are ladybugs and butterflies. My favorite is the ladybug because they are so cool. Maddox Grace Grade 2, Corpus Christi An eagle: An eagle can fly because it is a bird. Its wings help it soar in the air. Also, falcons can fly. They can dive 200 free. These birds are awesome flyers. Berwick Bloomberg Grade 2, Jefferson Park Birds fly in the air: Birds can fly up in the air. They migrate to where it is warmer. An eagle is a type of bird. Sai Itte Grade 4, Northpoint Future things will fly: There are a lot of things that fly in this world, whether or not it's now or in the future. Here is a list of things that fly that we have now and maybe in the future: birds, drones, some types of bugs, humans/future humans, future cities and cars, and maybe future everything? Sydney Lieder Grade 4, Prairieland A flying fish: The flying fish is blue, can also swim, and has clear color wings. Their max size is 18 inches. The scientific name for the flying fish is Exocoetidae. Abigail Ortiz Grade 5, St. Mary's Things that fly are: Things that fly are a parrot, eagle and a flamingo and a dragon and a butterfly. Matthew Dillworth Grade 3, Sheridan Jet planes: Things that fly are jets. They fly. Birds fly to get food, airplanes fly, drones fly to spy on people, butterflies can fly, jet backpacks can fly, flies can fly, and a Pegasus can fly. Taylor Stokes Grade 4, Sheridan Bees: Bees can fly to make honey. They can be afraid but they help as bees are good. Juan Antonio Grade 2, Stevenson Several things: A plane and ducks, insects, and a helicopter all fly. Tessa Nix Grade 3, Stevenson What I think flies: Things that fly? Well, there are a lot of things that fly like birds, butterflies, kites and airplanes. Akron Ahart Grade 2, Sugar Creek UFO: This is my favorite thing that flies. Its a UFO. That stands for "unidentified flying objects." Some people think its an alien spaceship. I think they are correct. Anne Tader Grade 3, Sugar Creek A Pegasus: I like Pegasuses because they can fly. My sister and I like Pegasuses. I like Pegasuses because I have seen one and did you know that Pegasuses are not unicorns? Teagan Ryan Grade 1, Washington Fun to fly: A bird can fly. Some insects can fly. I think it would be fun to fly. I think it would be fun to fly. Bees can fly, ladybugs can fly, and flies can fly. Geese can fly. There are lots of things that can fly. Kate Nickel Grade 2, Washington Falcons: One of the things that can fly is a bird. My second favorite bird that can fly is a falcon. Another thing that can fly is an airplane. It transports people to places that are far away or they go on an airplane to get to a place that is over an ocean or a sea. Ryan Martin Grade 3, Washington Fly to grandma's: I want to go on an airplane so I can see my grandma. She lives in Mexico. Its a long way to travel. Ramiro Vargas Grade 2, Bent Unicorns: Birds can fly, so can unicorns. They have wings, so they can fly. I like flying things. Butterflies fly too. Bees can fly too. Audrey Hermes Grade 1, Epiphany Fireflies: The thing that flies and has a light its a firefly. Do you know they have a light to let them see each other in the dark? They also only come out at night. They also sleep in the bushes too. Fireflies love the dark, just love it. Brenhem Bloomberg Grade 2, Jefferson Park Flying squirrels: My favorite things that fly are flying squirrels. Flying squirrels dont actually fly, they glide. I get to see squirrels a lot. My brother says I sat on one but I dont believe him. Elizabeth Clover Grade 5, St. Mary's Paper airplanes, birds and angels: Things that fly are birds, and paper planes and airplanes, also angels. Tyson Elmore Grade 3, Sheridan Dragons: One thing that flies is dragons. Dragons are really cool because they can breathe fire. Theyre really cute as babies too. Plus different dragons have different powers. And best of all you can fly your dragon anywhere like a personal jet if you train it well enough. Arrion Hayes Compeer Financial donates $50K to Illinois ag, science teachers BLOOMINGTON Compeer Financial's Fund for Rural America has awarded $50,000 to a joint project of the Illinois Association of Vocation Agriculture Teachers and the Illinois Science Teaching Association through their MORE for Agriculture Grant. The grant is now in its fifth year and supports innovative programs that possess four qualities, including mission, opportunity, replication and evolution; align with the mission of Compeer Financial to enrich agriculture and rural communities; provide a new opportunity to clients or future clients; fill a void in agriculture and rural markets; are a new and innovative project; can be replicated by others to serve different geographic areas, with the ability for future collaboration; and evolve over time to create a better future for agriculture and rural America. The money will go toward developing a course and curriculum on agriculture biology, to be offered as an option to replace traditional high school biology courses. The course will be developed to meet all life science state standards and the objectives of a traditional biology course, utilizing agriculture topics as the context for learning. It will also be the first full course development to implement the storylining technique, which is the basis for the new Illinois Science Assessment required of all Illinois students. Visit compeer.com/giving-back for more information. Marcfirst receives $10K grant from Bayer Fund NORMAL Marcfirst has received a $10,000 grant from the Bayer Fund's philanthropic arm. The money was used to install STEM walls for children at the Gregg Chadwick Marcfirst Pediatric Therapy Center, and will benefit the children in the Applied Behavioral Analysis Therapy Program. The grant helped Marcfirst, as well as the community, by providing children with maladaptive behaviors the opportunity to increase their social skills and engagement. Vice President of Marcfist Pediatric Services Christy Kosharek said in a news release they have already seen improvements in socialization and engagement. Visit marcfist.org for more information. Watch now: Who got up early to support local agriculture? Tri-Valley FFA LeRoy FFA Lexington FFA Megan Volk, Christie Rabideau Hans Rasmussen, Phyllis Coulter Rasmussen, Chamber president Charlie Moore Hand drawn placemats Kristin Myers, Katie Buckley Chamber president Charlie Moore, Ag Council Chairman Kevin Birlingmair Chuck Erickson, Brian Basting Jackie Kraft, Don Meyer Kieser Family Emily Griffin, Sean Wells, Jennifer and Andy Killian Jason Perry, McKenna Peart Vivian Doctora, Kim Schoenbein, Annie Swanson Bob and Austin Hawkins Dayna Brown, Dr. Kristen Weikle Brahma Rai, Avani Rai Karen Jones, Kristen Kubsch Heartland Community College President Keith Cornille, Dr. Kristen Weikle Michael Meyer, Jackie Kraft Sammi Kern, Shelly Hanover Cassy Taylor, Erika Reynolds Olympia FFA Normal West FFA Normal FFA David Fulton, Dan Caldwell Vivian Doctora, Tracy Patkunas, David Besler, Trever Kuipers, Kim Schoenbein, Mark Jontry Brian Thede, Scott Miller, Larry Thede US Vice President Kamala Harris says she intends "to do work that is focused on increasing investments" in Africa. Kamala who arrived in Ghana, Sunday to begin her Africa tour, expressed her excitement "about the future of Africa" She was welcomed by vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and other government officials. In her first speech as she arrived at the Kotoka International Airport, she said: On behalf of the president and our entire nation, we bring you greetings and we are looking forward to this trip and the very important relationship and friendship between the people of the United States and those who live on the continent of Africa. Im very excited about the future of Africa. Im very excited about the impact of the future of Africa on the rest of the world, including the United States of America. When I look at what is happening on this continent and the fact that the median age is 19 years old and what that tells us about the growth of opportunity, of innovation, of possibilities, I see in all of that great opportunity, not only for the people of this continent but the people of the world. Especially when we understand that by the year 2050, we believe one in four people on earth will be on the continent of Africa. The partnership between this continent, its people and the people of the United States and reinforces the work that we will continue to do together. Be that on addressing the climate crisis, to supply chains to our work together on international rules and norms. In particular, on this trip, I intend to do work that is focused on increasing investments here on the continent and facilitating economic growth and opportunity 1.2s specifically in the areas of economic empowerment of women and girls. 1.5s Empowerment of youth. Entrepreneurship, digital inclusion, and supporting the work that must be done to increase food security, including adaptation to the effects of the climate crisis. I look forward to my meetings with President Nana Akufo-Addo, President Suluhu Samiya and President Hichilema. We will build on the previous meetings I have had with each of them to strengthen democracy and good governance, promote peace and security, build on long-term economic growth, and strengthen our business ties. I also look forward during this visit to meeting with entrepreneurs and artists and students and farmers to witness firsthand the extraordinary innovation and creativity that is occurring on this continent and inspiring the world. We have a lot of work ahead of us. And again, Im so very excited to be here and I thank you all for the very warm welcome. Thank you. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticized minority Members of Parliament who "betrayed" the party. Parliament on Friday approved the appointment of six ministerial nominees through a secret vote. The Minority had earlier reiterated that they would reject all the ministerial nominees. However, after the vote, all of the nominees were passed. Adansi Asokwa MP, Hon Kobina Tahir Hammond was confirmed as Minister for Trade and Industry with 154 yes votes as against 116 NO votes, while Dr Stephen Amoah was approved as Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry after polling 146 votes against 123 NO votes. Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong was approved as the Minister of Food and Agriculture with 167 YES votes. The Member of Parliament for Karaga, Mohammed Amin Adam, was okayed as Minister of State at the Finance Ministry with 152 YES votes. Stephen Asamoah Boateng is the new Minister for Religious and Chieftaincy Affairs, while Mr. Osei Bonsu Amoah heads to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development as Minister of State, having garnered 149 YES votes. Former President John Mahama has meanwhile expressed his disappointment in the conduct of some of the Minority MPs. NDC Reacts The opposition party in reaction, condemned "this conduct in no uncertain terms" In a statement, it said: "we note however, that some Members of Parliament on the side of the NDC Minority for reasons known to themselves, elected to place their parochial interest ahead of the interest of Ghanaians. The party, on behalf of all Ghanaians, condemns this conduct in no uncertain terms, as it not only betrays the expressed will of the party, but the desire of the Ghanaian people and constitutes a massive stab in the back of the good people of Ghana". In addition, the party reaffirmed its principled position for President Akufo-Addo to downsize his bloated government and reset his priorities to reflect the difficult times Ghanaians find themselves in" and commended "the leadership of the Minority caucus in Parliament and Members of Parliament who stayed true to the expectations of the party and the Ghanaian people". "We will stop at nothing to identify them and publicly laud them in due course. Their loyalty and patriotism will not be forgotten" the statement added. Read the full statement below NDC REAFFIRMS ITS POSITION ON THE NEED FOR THE PRESIDENT TO DOWNSIZE HIS GOVERNMENT IN THE WAKE OF PARLIAMENT'S APPROVAL OF NEW MINISTERIAL NOMINEES. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken notice of the outcome of a vote on new Ministerial nominees on the floor of Parliament, yesterday, 24th March, 2023. Ghanaians would recall that the party issued a directive to the Minority Caucus in Parliament to reject the new Ministerial nominees a few weeks ago. This was in alignment with the pervasive view of Ghanaians that this moment of economic crisis and financial haircuts, calls for the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to show by example that it is willing to reduce its expenditure by downsizing its government among other things. We note however, that some Members of Parliament on the side of the NDC Minority for reasons known to themselves, elected to place their parochial interest ahead of the interest of Ghanaians. The party, on behalf of all Ghanaians, condemns this conduct in no uncertain terms, as it not only betrays the expressed will of the party, but the desire of the Ghanaian people and constitutes a massive stab in the back of the good people of Ghana. The party wishes to reaffirm its principled position for President Akufo-Addo to downsize his bloated government and reset his priorities to reflect the difficult times Ghanaians find themselves in. The party commends highly, the leadership of the Minority caucus in Parliament and Members of Parliament who stayed true to the expectations of the party and the Ghanaian people. We will stop at nothing to identify them and publicly laud them in due course. Their loyalty and patriotism will not be forgotten. It must be noted that, the National Democratic Congress as a body corporate, has multiple structures, represented by elected and appointed officers who are expected to act in the supreme interest of suffering Ghanaians, particularly the over six (6) million supporters of the party. The party as a corporate entity therefore bears no liability for the deviant action of the few self-seeking Members of Parliament who betrayed the collective cause of the party and the nation. Undoubtedly, our country currently faces the biggest economic meltdown in living memory. It is therefore unpardonable for any person, not to talk of a Member of Parliament who believes in the ideals of the NDC, to lend support to the ongoing recklessness by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government. The NDC shall continue to hold the government accountable for the socio-economic quandary that our country finds itself and present our superior alternatives to Ghanaians in our bid to rescue the soul of our nation. We are not oblivious of the fact that, the road to rescue will at a point become rough, howbeit such obstacles only strengthen our resolve to achieve the rescue mission. We shall leave no stone unturned in our quest to bring our dear nation out of our present economic doldrums. Signed. Comrade Fifi Fiavi Kwetey General Secretary Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson has expressed his disappointment with NDC MPs who were involved in what some have described as a "treacherous" act which led to the approval of all six NPP ministers. The Minority side in Parliament was taken aback after Friday's vote because of an earlier stand to reject all of them. Adansi Asokwa MP, Hon Kobina Tahir Hammond was confirmed as Minister for Trade and Industry with 154 yes votes as against 116 NO votes, while Dr Stephen Amoah was approved as Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry after polling 146 votes against 123 NO votes. Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong was approved as the Minister of Food and Agriculture with 167 YES votes. The Member of Parliament for Karaga, Mohammed Amin Adam, was okayed as Minister of State at the Finance Ministry with 152 YES votes. Stephen Asamoah Boateng is the new Minister for Religious and Chieftaincy Affairs, while Mr. Osei Bonsu Amoah heads to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development as Minister of State, having garnered 149 YES votes. Ato Forson in a Facebook post said, even though he is disappointed in the outcome, he is grateful to the "over 100 NDC MPs who worked tirelessly to represent the will of the majority of the Ghanaian people". "These MPs have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to the betterment of our society. Their tireless efforts to push for a reduction in the number of ministers are a testament to their dedication to our shared cause. While the outcome may not have been what we had hoped for, I believe we can still work together to achieve our goals. I remain hopeful that, by continuing to engage in constructive dialogue and collaboration, we can find a way forward that benefits all Ghanaians. Once again, I want to express my disappointment, but I am also grateful for the efforts of those who worked to represent our collective vision for a better Ghana. Let us continue to strive towards a brighter future" he added. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Serial callers and texters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) across the country have announced an indefinite strike over the conduct of members of the Minority Caucus. According to them, they are embarking on the strike as a result of the Minority groups mass approval by the lawmakers of the party of the nominees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to ministerial and judicial positions. In a statement, the NDC serial callers and texters said the Members of Parliament of the NDC have shown that they are not loyal to the party and care less about Ghanaians who they claim want President to downsize his government. It is hereby conveyed to all the 136 NDC members of parliament that their action has angered the rank and file of the party especially when it was evident that they voted overwhelmingly to approve the nominees with no recourse to the suffering masses in Ghana. We express our total dissatisfaction with this conduct and see it as an affront to the common comradeship we share in the first place and a betrayal of the trust of your loyal supporters and Ghanaians who you relied upon to get elected in the second place. For this act, the executives of NDC Senal Callers and Texters across Ghana have decided to embark on an indefinite strike action starting Saturday, March 25 until further notice where no calls or text messages shall be sent to any media house for the said period. We, therefore, call on all our members across the country to heed to this call and refrain from any media engagement until further notice. If you are not ready to work for the interest of the suffering masses, you are not worth our support. We conclude by stating that we shall meet at the polling station and with our collective comradeship and the love for mutual justice win, the statement read in parts. Parliament on Friday approved all the six ministerial nominees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after initial confusion in the Chamber by the two caucuses. The secret voting took place after the Appointments Committee could not reach a consensus in recommending the approval of the nominees. Announcing the results after the vote on Friday, March 24, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin mentioned that Honourable Members, at long last collation of votes, has ended. Of the register of 275 eligible voters, 3 voters were absent so 272 did exercise their franchise. The results of the voting are as follows; KT Hammond 154 Yes, 116 No, rejected 1; Bryan Acheampong, 167 Yes, 98 No, rejected 4, abstention 3. Stephen Asamoah Boateng 147 Yes, 122 No, and 3 abstentions. Mohammed Amin Adams 152 Yes, 117 No, rejected 1, abstention 2, Osei Bonsu Amoah 149 Yes, 120 No, abstention 3 and Stephen Amoah 146 yes, 123 no, 3 abstentions. He added that The House has accordingly approved the nominations of the following persons as ministers and a deputy minister by 79(1) of the constitution. Thereafter, scores of the party members took on the Minority Caucus to the cleaners for approving the Ministers. However, some of the MPs, such as North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Madina MP, Francis Sosu, Ningo Prampram MP, Sam George, among others in a smart move also took to social media to defend themselves by attacking the new Leadership of the Minority caucus. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Today, you can find both handmade (read: expensive) and printed (inexpensive) kente cloth on the market. Boateng explains in her article that the printed cloth has gained acceptance, even in Ghana, and an early distinction between the uses when and where each is appropriate is lessening. Ghana and other African countries produce these imitations, but so does China. What's important to know is that all kente designs and processes are protected under Ghana's 2005 Copyright Act, explains Dr. Stephen Collins, lecturer at the University of the West of Scotland, whose research focuses on postcolonial identity. Advertisement "The Act protects Ghana's folklore and specifically names kente and Adinkra symbols as falling under its protection," Collins says via email. Both the designs and the weaving processes are protected, whether the author is known or unknown, and they are protected in perpetuity. Anyone who uses them out of context, for gain and without proper attribution is liable to a fine or custodial punishment under the law. Unfortunately, Ghana's copyright laws only apply to goods sold in Ghana, which means anyone else can take the designs and print them on a T-shirt, for example and sell that outside Ghana without fear of the Ghanaian authorities. " " A vendor displays kente cloth for sale along the roadside in Bonwire near Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region in Ghana, West Africa. Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images "However, though it is technically legal to do so, it is morally problematic as copyright law protects the moral and economic rights of the maker," Collins says. "So someone might wear the design without ever knowing about Ghana or the centuries of artisanship that have gone into the design just because it looks 'cool' or 'African.' "It's really difficult to police, and so there's some discussion around whether it's better to protect the process, the ways in which the cloth is made and woven, rather than the design, as the process is more difficult to replicate." " " Lucky Luciano's mugshot, taken on April 18, 1936. He was convicted of 62 charges of compulsory prostitution and sentenced to 30 to 50 years in prison, a sentence that was reduced upon the condition of his deportation back to Italy. Bureau of Prisons/Getty Images From Al Capone to John Dillinger, America has a long list of legendary gangsters that have become the subjects of books, films and morbid curiosity for centuries. But one among them has the distinction of having introduced a sort of governmental structure into the unlawful mobster world: Charles "Lucky" Luciano. "Charles 'Lucky' Luciano was originally an immigrant from Sicily called Salvatore Lucania who arrived in New York with his parents in 1907," says Tim Newark, author of "Lucky Luciano the Real and the Fake Gangster," in an email interview. "Over the next three decades, he rose from being a teenage hoodlum to mob hitman to head of organized crime in New York." Advertisement According to organized crime historian and creator of ganglandlegends.com, Christian Cipollini, Luciano's upbringing in a particularly diverse part of the Big Apple set the scene for his future. "His family settled in Manhattan's Lower East Side, where it was a mix of Jewish and Italian immigrants," Cipollini writes via email. "It was there he met other young future stars of the underworld, such as Benjamin Siegel and Meyer Lansky." "Because of his childhood friendships with Jewish mobsters, he was able to see the benefit of working with diverse individuals," says Claire White, educational programs manager at The Mob Museum, via email. "This allowed him to consolidate power not just among Italian American mobsters, but across Manhattan and then the nation an important step in the Commission's [the centralized syndicate of New York crime families] creation and ascendency." "His family immigrated to the United States when he was 10," White says. "He developed a reputation in the Five Points Gang in Manhattan before graduating to a position of power in one of the five New York Italian American Mafia families. In 1931, after powerful bosses Giuseppe 'Joe the Boss' Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano were assassinated, Luciano inherited the organization that would eventually become known as the Genovese family." This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain Tomonori Totani, an astrobiologist with the University of Tokyo is proposing that the search for life beyond Earth be expanded to the study of space dust. In his paper published in the journal International Journal of Astrobiology, he suggests that space dust could be harboring signs of life blasted away from other planets by asteroid strikes. Despite many years of effort by researchers, evidence of life beyond Earth has never been found. There are two possible reasons for this; the first is that there is no other life out there to find. The second is that we lack the technology to find it due to the vast distances involved. Part of the problem, Totani notes, are the challenges in studying exoplanets millions of miles away. Because of that, he suggests an alternate approachstudying space dust that has landed on Earth. Such dust can be found in ice fields around the poles, he notes, or perhaps in the atmosphere. Totani notes that asteroids are striking planets all across the Milky Way galaxy, and every time it happens, they kick up debris. With larger strikes, some of that debris could be flung so violently that it escapes its planet's gravity field and heads out into space. And if that planet happens to harbor life, some of that evidence could be flung along with it as part of space dust grains. Totani suggests that the optimal size for grains of space dust is approximately 1 micrometersuch tiny grains would be large enough to carry evidence of life, but small enough to escape their home planet and the gravity of their star. They would also be able to travel fast enough to reach distant planets such as Earth. He calculates that approximately 100,000 such grains land on Earth every year. Such grains, he suggests, could be carrying traces of life that originated on other worlds and could be analyzed for biosignatures. He further notes in a press release, that evidence has been found of space debris from Mars landing on Earth. More information: Tomonori Totani, Solid grains ejected from terrestrial exoplanets as a probe of the abundance of life in the Milky Way, International Journal of Astrobiology (2023). DOI: 10.1017/S147355042300006X Journal information: International Journal of Astrobiology 2023 Science X Network 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: Kevin Brown, Author provided Many astonishingly creative people have lived lives cut tragically short by illness. Johannes Vermeer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Jane Austen, Franz Schubert and Emily Bronte are some famous examples. Ludwig van Beethoven's life was not quite as short; he was 56 when he died in 1827. Yet it was short enough to tantalize us as to what more he might have achieved, had he had better health. For much of his adult life, Beethoven was frequently tormented by pain and poor healthnot to mention hearing loss. He gave anguished thought to these afflictions, especially his hearing loss, and hoped they would one day be understood and the explanation made public. At times he despaired and contemplated suicide; at times he stopped composing altogether. Entire books have been written on Beethoven's health, based on records from the time. However, my colleagues and I approached the topic from a different perspective. We asked what clues Beethoven's genomehis DNAmight provide. We found some answers, and some surprises, as we explain in new research published in Current Biology. Planting the seed Our multinational collaboration began with Tristan Begga Beethoven enthusiast and student of biological anthropology, then at the University of California Santa Cruz. While volunteering at the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies at San Jose State University, Begg encountered the center's director at the time, historical musicologist William Meredith. The seed of the project was sown then, but it took eight years and the input of several other specialists to develop it to the point of being published. All the complex multidisciplinary collaborations notwithstanding, the only person who has worked full-time on the project is Begg himself, now in his final Ph.D. year at the University of Cambridge. Where did the DNA come from? It's very challenging to extract and analyze DNA from the remains of a dead person (or other animal)much more so than from living tissues. Nonetheless, huge technical advances have transformed the field of ancient DNA studies. Generally, the best DNA sources from human remains include teeth and the petrous bone in the skull, but none of Beethoven's bones or teeth were available to us. What was available was hair. In Beethoven's day, it was common to collect locks from famous people or loved ones. Dozens of locks attributed to Beethoven are held in public and private collections. However, hair without roots is a less tractable source of DNA. This DNA tends to exist in short and sometimes degraded sequences. These have to be painstakingly pieced together, using specialized computer software, to construct as much of a complete genome sequence as possible. How do we know the locks are Beethoven's? Our project used samples from eight independently sourced locks attributed to Beethoven. Of these, five yielded DNA from the same male individual, with degrees of damage consistent with origins in the early 19th century. Working with the ancestry firm FamilyTreeDNA, we traced the ancestry for this person to western-central Europe. We are confident it is Beethoven, since two of the locks exist alongside uninterrupted provenance records going as far back as the 1820s. Three more locks, genetically identical with the other two, also had good (although not completely uninterrupted) provenance records. The combination of excellently documented provenances with perfect genetic agreement between five independently sourced samples made it very difficult to doubt these hair samples came from Beethoven. That left three locks of hair. Two of these were clearly genetically different from the other five: one is a woman's. We don't know how these came to be attributed to Beethoven. One of the misattributions is significant in itself, because it was the basis of earlier research that concluded Beethoven had been subject to lead poisoning. Our findings show this conclusion no longer stands. The eighth lock yielded too little DNA to be declared authentic or otherwise. What we learned about Beethoven's health We didn't expect to find a genetic basis for Beethoven's most widely known health problemhis hearing lossand this was borne out. Beethoven had adult-onset hearing loss, which is only rarely attributable to primarily genetic causes. He was, however, beset for many years by other health problemsparticularly gastrointestinal problems (pain and diarrhea) and liver disease. Working with the Bonn University medical genetics team, we didn't find Beethoven to be especially genetically susceptible to any particular gastrointestinal condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, coeliac disease or lactose intolerance (as some have hypothesized). Our main discoveries related to liver disease. We already knew through documentation that Beethoven had attacks of jaundice. Begg's work has now shown Beethoven had two copies of a particular variant of the PNPLA3 gene, which is linked to liver cirrhosis. He also had single copies of two variants of a gene that causes haemochromatosis, a condition that damages the liver. Quite remarkably, the analyses also revealed Beethoven was infected with the hepatitis B virus in the final months of his life (and perhaps before). Hepatitis B infection may have been common in Europe at the time, but details on this are scant. What's more, alcohol consumption may have exacerbated Beethoven's liver disease risk. There has been controversy regarding the extent and nature of his alcohol consumption, which is referred tobut not quantifiedin surviving records. Begg reviewed the records carefully and concluded Beethoven's alcohol consumption was likely unexceptional for the time and place, but may have still been at levels now considered harmful. Revelations from the Beethoven family There was one more surprise in store for us. As part of our work, we sought to link Beethoven's genome with those of living members of the Beethoven lineage. To do this we focused on the Y chromosome, which is inherited in the male line only (following a similar pattern to surnames in most European traditions). Five men with the surname Beethoven contributed their DNA samples. They were not closely related to each other, and were living in present-day Belgium where the surname originates. They all essentially shared the same Y chromosome, which could be put down to descent from a common male ancestor: Aert van Beethoven (1535-1609). The surprise was that Ludwig van Beethoven's locks had a different Y chromosome. Having considered other explanations, we inferred that at some point in the seven generations between Aert and Ludwig, someone's father for social and legal purposes was not their biological father. But we couldn't decipher, based on the evidence available, which generation this might have been. What's next? We will be making the genome we sequenced publicly available, as there may be more to discover from further analyses. Beyond Beethoven, our project is an example of wider possibilities opening up in the field of DNA analysis. It shows meaningful results can be obtained even from such unpromising DNA sources as historical hair locks. To date, population genetics has seldom taken its analyses down to the level of a single individual. This is hard to do, but we show it's not impossible. Who might be next? Perhaps someone else about whom there is a distinct question to answeror even someone who may themselves have wanted that question answered. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. GLENS FALLS The Glens Falls City School Districts student cabinet has gathered the data and put forth a recommendation of four different mascot finalists. The top four choices of Knights, Wolves, Black Bears and Hawks was announced by Superintendent Krislynn Dengler last week. From hundreds of additional data points, the cabinet distilled the final choices for Glens Falls new mascot: Knights, Wolves, Black Bears, and Hawks! It is very important to note that we will remain GF Nation, and continue using that moniker going forward, she said in an email that was also posted to the district website. The student cabinet began the process of collecting data in February from rounds of surveys to find what values the district embodies and to identity drivers through a workshop. The student cabinet also provides periodic updates to the districts board of education, most recently on March 13. Liam Burgess, a student on the cabinet, has expressed joy about working on such an impactful project. Its really cool to be the head of such a big project, he said. Dengler said in the release that the district and cabinet members are simply choosing a mascot to go with GF Nation. She has stood behind when the students have presented at board meetings and has highlighted some of the members work outside of the cabinet meetings. Student cabinet members update Glens Falls school board on results of survey on new mascot Three members of the student cabinet helping to recommend a new mascot for the Glens Falls City School District presented their findings. The cabinet has already agreed to keep GF Nation, as it embodies our core values. The mascot gives us an icon to rally school spirit around. Please be sure to watch for the community survey release on GFSD.org later this week, and participate in the process, she said in Tuesdays email. The community survey for input on Knights, Wolves, Black Bears and Hawks will be open until March 30. During the coming week the cabinet and Dengler will prepare their recommendations for the board and present them Monday, April 3. On June 30, the Glens Falls City School District will remove all former mascot identifiers and they will be retired. Dengler has said throughout the transition that the mascot change will not change the history of what district officials and supporters refer to as GF Nation. Burgess urged the same at the January board meeting. We werent always the Indians and so we are capable of making a change despite people not really liking it and our colors will stay red and black. Those arent going to change, he said. The process at Glens Falls began in response to a directive from the New York State Education Department, which in November ordered all school districts in the state to remove Native American mascot and associated icons, including the GFCSD arrowhead, from the public school system. State orders removal of schools' Indian mascots by July Local school districts with Native American mascots and imagery will be required to remove them by July or risk losing state funding. Over 1,200 Queensbury High School and 8th grade students participated in the Warren County Department of Workforce Developments first high school summer job fair of the spring on Monday. The students met with representatives from 25 different area businesses in hopes to find a fit for summer employment. Liza Ochsendorf, director of workforce development, said the county will hold two more job fairs for high school students at Lake George High School and Glens Falls High School students. Our next one is with Lake George High School, Warrensburg, Bolton and Hadley-Luzerne will also be attending the Lake George High School job fair and our final one will be at Glens Falls High School she said at the Economic Growth and Development Committee meeting on Thursday. The job fair at Lake George is on Thursday and Glens Falls on April 5. Ochsendorf said each fair is different and said the event in Glens Falls will include career industry speakers. All the summer youth employment applications have been received by the districts and, as you know, its a very valuable program for many of our youth in the summer. We pay their salaries, so its free help for businesses and municipal facilities, she shared with the committee. Ochsendorf brought up transportation as a separate topic and said she believes it is the second-biggest barrier to employment in Warren County. Number one in my professional opinion, is housing in our community. Number two is transportation and I would say number three is childcare, Ochsendorf said. She reminded the committee that it has unanimously supported the merger between CDTA and GGFT and how important it is for the countys workforce. We know that Warren County is dependent on tourism revenue. The tourism industry is dependent on a workforce and the workforce is dependent on transportation, especially public transportation, she said. WASHINGTON (AP) What in the world was that thing? The massive white orb that drifted across U.S. airspace this week and was shot down by the Air Force over the Atlantic on live television Saturday triggered a diplomatic maelstrom and blew up on social media. China insists the balloon was just an errant civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research that went off course due to winds and had only limited self-steering capabilities. The United States says it was a Chinese spy balloon without a doubt. Its presence prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a weekend trip to China that was aimed at dialing down tensions that were already high between the countries. The Pentagon says the balloon, which was carrying sensors and surveillance equipment, was maneuverable and showed it could change course. It loitered over sensitive areas of Montana where nuclear warheads are siloed, leading the military to take actions to prevent it from collecting intelligence. A U.S. Air Force fighter jet shot down the balloon Saturday afternoon off the Carolina coast. Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the balloon slowly drifting toward the water. An operation is underway to recover the remnants. A look at what's known about the balloon crossing the U.S. and what isn't. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a ... spy balloon It took just one shot Picking up the pieces Spy balloons have a history More on this story: ALBANY Soon after Gov. Kathy Hochul won election last year, 43 members of her campaign staff received a total of $363,000 in payments from an unusual source. The payments came from the New York State Democratic Partys housekeeping account, a type of fundraising allowed under state election law but long-criticized by government reform groups. Unlike Hochuls campaign or any other type of campaign account in New York housekeeping accounts can receive unlimited donations from donors, including corporations. For instance, the Greater New York Hospital Association, a lobbying group thats notched several recent policy wins with Hochuls administration, gave $942,000 to the state Democratic Party housekeeping account last year. Political party housekeeping accounts face legal restrictions in how they spend such funds. Under state law, a party may spend on permanent headquarters and staff for the political party and on ordinary activities that are not expressly for promoting specific candidates. Government reform groups have long argued that, in practice, donations to housekeeping accounts have been used to subsidize favored candidates backed by political parties, permitted by loopholes and lackluster election law enforcement. The housekeeping loophole sprung from a reform: Amid the Watergate scandal, Gov. Malcolm Wilson signed a 1974 law reining in state political contributions. But a provision exempted housekeeping accounts from those rules, and in the laws wake, they increasingly became a conduit for major donors. By 1988, both the state Democratic and Republican parties were raising six-figure sums. In a memo that year, Common Cause New York wrote that while the accounts were supposed to be made up of small contributions for the express purpose of day-to-day expenses, they were being greatly abused in a variety of ways. Thirty-five years later, another major campaign finance law has taken effect, again with the stated aim of reducing donors influence on New York government. But as in 1974, housekeeping accounts remain untouched. And the fundraising powers of state political parties and housekeeping accounts are only growing. Post-election pay bumps Recent spending by the state Democratic Party is an example of the gray area in which housekeeping accounts sometimes operate. Before November 2022, the state Democratic Party housekeeping account did not have a single staffer on its payroll, records show. But following Hochuls election victory, nearly the entire Hochul campaign staff left her payroll on Nov. 15 and briefly went onto the Democratic housekeeping accounts. The ex-Hochul staffers received a round of housekeeping payments Nov. 30, and a second and final round on Dec. 14. While still on Hochuls campaign payroll, campaign manager Brian Lenzmeier was paid $12,100 a month. Lenzmeier received his last payment from Hochuls campaign Nov. 15. A month later, he received a single, $18,000 payment from the state Democratic Party housekeeping account. The pattern was similar for other Hochul staffers: After the campaign ended, their monthly pay increased on the payroll of the housekeeping account. Between mid-October and mid-November, the 43 people were paid about $250,000 by Hochuls campaign. Between mid-November to mid-December, the Democratic housekeeping account paid those same 43 people about $363,000. In the housekeeping accounts campaign filing, each of the 43 people were described as having done work as a campaign consultant for the committee. In one key sense, their employment with the Hochul campaign did not seem to fully end. Though the Hochul campaign stopped paying staffers after Nov. 15, the campaign continued to pay more than $25,000 a month, through December, for employee health insurance costs. The housekeeping account picked up none of that expense, records show. People find one Its not unusual for successful campaigns in New York to give out post-election bonuses. After Andrew Cuomo first won election for governor in 2010, his campaign gave more than $401,000 in bonuses to senior aides. Those payments came from Cuomos own campaign account. It is more unusual for such payments to be made out of a housekeeping account. Under state law, housekeeping funds cannot be spent to expressly promote a specific candidate. In addition, housekeeping funds are supposed to be used for a permanent headquarters and staff. In a written statement, state Democratic Party chairman Jay Jacobs told The News that the payments from the housekeeping account were NOT a bonus. Jacobs said the 43 people were engaged for the sole purpose of running two state Democratic Party events. One of those events, he said, was held Jan. 1, a post-inaugural celebration for Hochul at the Renaissance Hotel in Albany; another was a post-inauguration celebration on Jan. 18 at Gotham Hall in New York City. Yet according to the partys public disclosure statement, the housekeeping accounts last payment to the 43 people came on Dec. 14 weeks before the two events were held. None of the 43 people received any payment between Dec. 15 and Jan. 15, the cutoff date of the Democratic Partys most recent campaign filing. Jacobs did not answer questions about why, if they were running events in January, none of 43 staffers were paid during that period. Jacobs also declined to explain why the Hochul campaign continued paying ex-staffers health care costs. Shawn Donahue, an assistant professor of political science who specializes in campaign finance at the University at Buffalo, said the housekeeping spending was likely meant to provide Hochul staffers a soft landing before they found new employment, and potentially, to preserve Hochuls own campaign funds. At the same time, Hochuls presumptive re-election bid is four years away, Donahue said, and housekeeping spending defraying Hochuls campaign costs would likely not be expressly promoting her. Even when theres not a loophole in these laws, people find one, Donahue said. Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group, said the state Democratic Party would be legally allowed to pay ex-Hochul staffers to do little or no work. But the added layer of financial overlap the Hochul campaign paying its ex-staffers health care costs stinks, Horner said. He said that Michael L. Johnson, chief enforcement counsel for the state Board of Elections, has a responsibility to look into that. Johnson, a Cuomo appointee, has shown interest in this area of election law: Last August, he struck a $200,000 settlement with State Senate Republicans, who allegedly misused their housekeeping account to send out campaign-style mailers. Republicans argued they were being selectively targeted for activities in which Democrats also engaged. Hospital lobbying Huge donations to housekeeping accounts have also proven controversial, including past giving by the Greater New York Hospital Association to the state Democratic Party. In 2018, the hospital association donated $1.25 million to that committees housekeeping account. The state Democratic Party at that time was closely allied with the campaign of Cuomo, then the Democratic governor. A powerful nonprofit lobbying group representing the hospital industry, the association had close ties to Cuomos administration. It even claimed credit for drafting 2020 budget language quietly inserted into the final agreement by Cuomos office, which shielded hospitals and their workers from most civil and criminal liability during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospital association did not donate anything to the state Democratic Party housekeeping account in 2019, 2020 or 2021. But when another statewide election year came in 2022 Hochuls first bid for a full term of office the hospital association again donated heavily, giving $942,000 to the state Democrats housekeeping fund. That was by far the largest amount from any donor, nearly a quarter of $4 million raised by the party account between Jan. 15, 2022 and Jan. 15, 2023. Its last donation to the state Democratic Party was a $125,000 wire transfer on Nov. 30 the same day the housekeeping account began paying the 43 ex-Hochul campaign staffers. Jacobs said to his knowledge, no one from the Democratic Party or otherwise had solicited the contribution from the hospital association. He said the donation was not intended to cover the cost of paying the former Hochul campaign staffers. We do not ever earmark contributions, Jacobs said. Any overlap in timing would have been strictly coincidental. Since the election, the Greater New York Hospital Association has also scored some policy wins with Hochuls administration, including a January veto of the Grieving Families Act, which would have allowed wrongful death lawsuits seeking emotional damages. Hochul argued in an op-ed that the Legislatures version would drive up already-high health insurance premiums, particularly for hospitals that serve disadvantaged communities. The language echoed a lobbying memo to Hochul seven months earlier in which hospital association president Kenneth Raske had argued the measure would dramatically drive up providers costs, especially safety net hospitals in underserved communities. Hochuls proposed budget also included a top hospital association priority known as pay and pursue, requiring health insurers to pay a hospitals claims before determining their medical necessity. But the hospital association has expressed concerns about other aspects of Hochuls budget, including a reduction of $700 million in state funding for financially distressed hospitals. A spokesman for the Greater New York Hospital Association declined to answer questions. Hochul press secretary Hazel Crampton-Hays answered questions about GNYHAs influence over those matters by stating that, As we have always said, campaign donations do not have any influence on government decisions and we reject any implication otherwise. A reforms loophole Under a new, publicly funded elections system established in a 2020 state law and now in the early stages of taking effect state lawmakers face significantly lowered contribution limits. Statewide candidates for office could take donations of nearly $70,000 per individual in 2022. Ahead of the 2024 elections, that has now dropped to $18,000. Contribution limits have also dropped significantly for Assembly members and state senators. The new system which will match small-dollar contributions with public funds has long been favored by reform groups seeking to curb the outsized influence of wealthy donors. But in a system with new constraints for candidates, the fundraising powers of political parties are intact, increasing their strength relative to an otherwise more constrained system. Besides housekeeping accounts, political parties continue to be allowed regular campaign accounts that may accept $117,000 per individual donor. After raising six-figure sums, those accounts are then permitted to transfer unlimited sums to favored candidates. And party leaders overseeing those accounts, including Jacobs, may hold even greater sway. Jacobs was instrumental in shaping the new system. In 2019, Cuomo and the Legislature passed a law creating a nine-person panel with binding authority to craft publicly-financed elections for New York. The Cuomo administration inserted a provision allowing political chairs to serve on the commission theyre generally prohibited from serving on such bodies then appointed Jacobs, a close Cuomo ally. Jacobs quickly emerged as the panels most powerful voice. Good-government groups testified that political parties needed lower contribution limits. But in final report outlining the new system, the commission wrote that while contributions to housekeeping accounts may have an indirect relationship on our proposed public campaign finance system, we believe that our system can operate efficiently without wading into those topics. Jacobs says the commissions legal counsel had believed the law creating the body did not allow it to address donation limits for political parties. After a court ruling found an aspect of the commissions work illegal, Cuomo pushed the panels plan into the 2020 state budget agreement. Four political parties in New York have received sufficient support from voters in recent elections to be allowed the extensive fundraising powers: Democrat, Republican, Conservative and Working Families. Its not just the main state parties allowed housekeeping accounts: The legislative conferences of Democrats and Republicans in both chambers of the Legislature have housekeeping funds. During decades when Republicans held the majority in the State Senate, the conferences fundraising dwarfed that of Democrats. Since Democrats convincingly won the majority in 2018, the allegiances of many major donors have shifted, their larger checks going to the ruling party. At least in the short term, political parties increased fundraising power will likely benefit the majority Democrats. As for statewide elections, Democrats have not lost one in New York since 2002. The state Democratic Party has long been a major fundraising force, and political parties increased power will likely be of benefit to Hochul. The way the state Democratic Party has worked, for a long time, is that its been the arm of the governor, Donahue said. So you have to think that this is really going to work to the benefit of the governor. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. State Sen. Troy Singleton is using the fatal balcony collapse in Sea Isle City last month to increase calls for fellow legislators to pass a bill that would require further scrutiny of the structural integrity of multifamily dwellings. The legislation was developed following a 2021 condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida, that killed a dozen people. Singletons new push for the bill to pass comes about one month after a concrete balcony at the Spinnaker Condominiums South Tower dropped onto a worker below, crushing him to death. The Burlington County senator said his bill would address concerns about structure safety by requiring deeper building inspections, increasing the inspection frequency of multistory buildings and extending the scope of building exams under New Jerseys Uniform Construction Code. The loss of life in Sea Isle was again a new and fresh reminder of how important it is to give folks peace of mind that these buildings they live in are structurally sound, Singleton said. Jose Pereira, 43, of Philadelphia, who was working for Ferguson Contracting Inc. of Yardley, Pennsylvania, was pronounced dead Feb. 24, several hours after the eighth-floor balconys concrete slab fell on him. Sea Isle City condo building reopens following balcony collapse SEA ISLE CITY Most of the Spinnaker Condominiums South Tower, where a Pennsylvania man di Two other workers sustained minor injuries and were treated on scene. The state Bureau of Housing Inspection has performed inspections on the South Tower, last doing so in April 2022. No open violations exist from that inspection. Before that, it was last inspected in April 2017 under a five-year cyclical inspection requirement, spokesperson Lisa Ryan said. Under Singletons bill, surveyors would assess a buildings strength, adding onto the Uniform Construction Code. Sea Isle Mayor Leonard Desiderio said Wednesday he hadnt heard of the bill, but expressed support for any measure that would make the state safer. If it helps ensure properties will be inspected and could save any type of injuries or a life, of course wed want to look at it and move forward with it, Desiderio said. Sea Isle records show Ferguson was cited for a lack of permitting and ordered to terminate the work to the buildings exterior three days after the collapse. Hours after the collapse, a stop-work order was issued to prevent the workers from continuing their project. City officials have not yet seen a report as to why the balcony collapsed, Desiderio said. An engineering report issued last week said the South Tower is still stable after the collapse, and that the opposite sides balconies can be used for their intended purpose, so long as they undergo needed maintenance recommended by a surveyor. The South Tower has since reopened, but parts of it remain uninhabitable while an investigation into the collapse continues, city Construction Official Cornelius Neil Byrne said Friday. Buildings in other Jersey Shore towns have, in recent years, also been faced with concerns over high-rise balconies. Last year, the 34-story Ocean Club Condominiums in Atlantic City made its balconies off limits to tenants after an engineering firm found loose concrete and damage to railings on them. Work at time of fatal Sea Isle City balcony collapse lacked proper permitting SEA ISLE CITY Records show the citys construction office had ordered a halt of work on an No other structural concerns like those at Ocean Club have been brought to the citys attention since, spokesperson Andrew Kramer said. Singletons bill has been with the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee since September. An Assembly version was introduced and referred to the Assembly Housing Committee in June. The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee met Friday and Monday, but no hearings were scheduled for the bill. Locally, Sen. Michael Testa, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, is also a committee member. Testa was contacted for comment but wanted to review the bills language before doing so. Singleton attributes the lack of movement to parts of the bill being worked out by lawmakers and stakeholders. The bill, unfortunately, was not able to guarder bipartisan support when it passed its first committee last June, Singleton said. We anticipate, with some of the work thats being undertaken to address outstanding concerns, that we may get closer to a position to be able to do that. Sea Isle City condo remains vacant following balcony collapse SEA ISLE CITY City officials said it is unknown when residents of the Spinnaker South Towe Both state and local code enforcement agencies would see indeterminate cost and revenue increases associated with the bill, a report from the state Office of Legislative Services says. That revenue would be offset by a fee to be paid by a building owner applying for construction permits, the report states. The OLS noted the bill does not provide for cost-offsetting measures for post-occupancy inspections. It does, however, provide that post-occupancy inspections can be conducted in conjunction with other required inspections, such as those inspections required pursuant to the Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law, which may result in costs to the Bureau of Housing Inspection in the Department of Community Affairs and local code enforcing agencies that are lower than would otherwise be expected. DJIBOUTI CITY, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The GX Foundation has recently completed the first phase of its cooperation with an ophthalmic medical team from north China's Shanxi Province who helped restore the eyesight of more than 350 Djiboutian cataract patients through free surgeries. Founded in 2018, GX Foundation is a non-governmental and non-profit Chinese charity organization registered in Hong Kong. It works with Chinese mainland health authorities to launch the Cataract Blindness Elimination Project through which medical teams are sent in batches from various Chinese provinces to perform free surgeries for cataract patients in countries along the Belt and Road. The project first began in Laos and Cambodia last year, and as of mid-March this year, more than 1,500 cataract surgeries had been performed worldwide. Djibouti has marked the first stop for the foundation's project in Africa after the project was launched in the Red Sea nation in late February this year. It is expected that the project will also reach Mauritania and Senegal later this year to help cataract patients in West Africa. Emily Chan, CEO of GX Foundation, said the foundation leverages Hong Kong's international strengths to build a platform for professionals and young people of multiple backgrounds from both Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland who wish to participate in international humanitarian relief work. Caroline Dubois, a Hong Kong-Swiss mixed-race girl, chose to return to Hong Kong to join the foundation after five years with the Global Alliance for Vaccine Immunization in Geneva, Switzerland. Dubois said the foundation brings high-level medical technology and materials from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland to help those in need. "Every surgery performed helps a patient see again, which is very rewarding." The foundation's impact has also been recognized by the Chinese Ambassador to Djibouti Hu Bin, who said the NGO from Hong Kong was a new force for cooperation between China and Djibouti in the health sector. During the launch of the project in Djibouti, Hu noted that the project responded to the urgent medical needs of the Djiboutian people, vividly putting into practice the concept of building a community of common health for mankind. While in Djibouti, in addition to performing free cataract surgeries, the foundation also donated solar-powered mosquito control lamps to locals and taught them about preventing infectious diseases to help combat malaria outbreaks caused by poor public health conditions and water quality. "While we help eliminate the accumulation of cataract cases in these countries, we also impart medical technology and public health knowledge to the locals," said Chan, who believes that the foundation's ongoing work will promote people-to-people exchanges with countries along the Belt and Road and bring about shared benefits, a principle featured in the Belt and Road Initiative. #NEWDELHI A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhis disqualification from Parliament, a petition has been moved in the Supreme Court challenging the validity of provisions mandating blanket and automatic disqualification of legislators upon conviction and sentence. The plea, filed by advocate Deepak Prakash on behalf of Aabha Muralidharan, prayed that automatic disqualification under Section 8 (3) of the Representation of People Act (RPA), 1951, should be declared as ultra vires of the Constitution, for being arbitrary, illegal and violative of fundamental right to equality. The petitioner, a social worker from Malappuram, sought a direction that automatic disqualification did not exist under Section 8 (3) of the RPA, citing Gandhis disqualification as an MP on Friday. IANS Democracy under attack, not scared to ask questions about Modi & Adani Group #NEW DELHI A day after he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha following his conviction in a defamation case, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that democracy is under attack and that he is not scared to ask questions about the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Adani Group. He made the remarks while addressing a press conference in Delhi. My voice is being suppressed, Rahul Gandhi said and claimed that he spoke to the Speaker against the false accusations made by four ministers but was not allowed to speak. He also alleged that the relationship between PM Modi and Gautam Adani is not new. I will not stop asking questions about whose money is the Rs 20,000 crore that has come out from shell companies, he added. The senior Congress leader further said that he is here to defend the voice of the nation, adding: I am not scared of prison sentence disqualification and others; I am not that type of person and they do not understand me. I am not going to back down and will be on the principle. Gandhi was on Friday disqualified as member of Lok Sabha a day after conviction in the 2019 Modi surname defamation case. PM effigy burnt in Wayanad Protests against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Parliament continued for the second day on Saturday in Keralas Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency with angry Congressmen burning PM Modi in effigy at Kalpetta. Protest in MP Congress members in Madhya Pradesh staged a massive protest on Friday. Holding partys flags, they took out rallies on roads, blocked traffic and raised slogans against the BJP and PM Narendra Modi. March in Guwahati The Congress unit in Assam staged a protest march in Guwahati on Saturday over Rahul Gandhis disqualification from the Lok Sabha. IANS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am not Savarkar, wont apologise #NEW DELHI Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (in pic) on Saturday said that he was not Veer Savarkar and will not apologise. I am a Gandhi and not Savarkar and Gandhis do not apologise, he said at a press conference here a day after his expulsion from Parliament following his conviction in a defamation case. Allen Kopel awoke in the middle of the night and noticed how bright it was inside the East Moline house he shares with his father, Jerry. I just thought, It must have snowed, Allen Kopel said. But when he got up to start his day, he said, I looked out the window; I was shocked Heavy snow about 7 inches deep covered the ground and the cars. A large branch snapped on one of the trees near a neighbors property. It fell harmlessly into that neighbors driveway. The Kopels moved it out of the way. Jerry Kopel broke out his snow blower to see how well it would work. It was slow going, but he was able to get rid of a bunch of heavy snow blocking the entrance to his driveway that was left by a snowplow that had gone down the street earlier in the morning. Officially at the Quad Cities International Airport in Moline, 7.3 inches of snow fell, meteorologist Andy Ervin of the National Weather Service, Davenport, said. For the snow year that begins July 1, that gives the Quad-Cities 24.6 inches of snow, which is 9.9 inches below normal. It was a thin band of snow that fell, and in east-central Iowa and west-central Illinois, the Quad-Cities was ground zero, Ervin said. The band moved northeast into parts of Whiteside, Joe Daviess and Stephenson counties in Illinois and up into Wisconsin. Anyone living within that narrow band got snow, a lot of it. It was our snowstorm, Ervin said. Prairie du Chien got nothing. Cedar Rapids never saw a flake. Burlington got nothing. Geneseo got nothing. We were right dead center in northern Scott County. In northwest Illinois, in parts of Carroll, Joe Daviess and Stephenson counties, there were spotter reports of upward of 17 inches of snow. For some, the snow meant fun. Sara Johnson built a snowman with her son, Uriah Johnson, 7, and Elianna Lang, 11, outside their home on Davenports Marquette Street. It turned out to be a beautiful day, and the snow is perfect for a snowman, Sara Johnson said. The high temperature for the day was reached at about 5:45 p.m. when the mercury hit 47 degrees at the Quad Cities International Airport. It reached 45 degrees at the Davenport Municipal Airport at that time, also. Meteorologist Mike McClure of the National Weather Service, Davenport, said there were indications in the weather models later Friday night that more snow was going to fall than initially thought. Cold, dry air that wasnt expected to enter the Quad-Cities until about 3 a.m. Saturday arrived a few hours earlier. We had thunder snow, McClure said. We had convection with this system. Anytime you have thunder snow you can expect 2-plus inches per hour of heavy snow as opposed to a half inch an hour normally. There was a lot of moisture with this storm, as there is with all of these early spring systems, he said. The only question we had was when it was going to change to all snow and that occurred earlier than we initially anticipated. Meteorologist Rich Kinney of the National Weather Service, Davenport, said early Saturday that the snow was falling fast, between 2 and 3 inches an hour. It is one thing when snow falls slowly on warm ground, McClure said, and it is another when the snow is falling at 2 inches or more per hour. Its going to stick quickly, he said. Had the cold, dry air come in later, there would have been less snow, he added. Sticking snow felled power lines. Tree branches were snapped by the buildup of snow on them, some harmlessly, others falling onto and downing power lines. People dont realize just how heavy water is, Ervin said. Its one thing when it falls as rain but quite another when it falls as snow and sticks to power lines, trees and roofs. Speaking early Saturday, MidAmerican Energy spokesman Geoff Greenwood said that before 8 a.m. 10,280 Quad-City customers were without power. By 9:38 a.m., that number had dropped to 7,766. By 11:30 a.m. that number stood at 4,526 customers. By 6:57 p.m. there were only 373 Quad-City customers still without power. Greenwood said fixing a power line that fed a lot of customers was one thing. It's the lines that affect a small number of customers or one customer that will take a while," he said. MidAmerican called in extra line crews from Des Moines, Waterloo and Iowa City, as well as extra tree crews and line watchers whose job it is to watch downed power lines and keep people away from them. McClure said local rivers were expected to rise but slowly. Because it fell as snow well be able to buy time, McClure said. "It will be a slower rise due to the snow melt. It will take some time to get it all melted and into the system. The Rock River at Moline is expected to reach 12.1 feet at about 7 a.m. Tuesday. Flood stage there is 12 feet. The Mississippi River at Lock and Dam 15 will not get close to flood stage as it is expected to rise to 9.7 feet by 7 a.m. Tuesday. Flood stage there is 15 feet. Another storm system is set to move through Sunday and linger into Monday. But that system will not be nearly as strong, McClure said. This system is coming in over Nebraska and Kansas, and it does not have as much time to pull up moisture, he said. This system also will be occurring during the day rather than the overnight hours when snow can accumulate better. Given what the daytime temperatures are going to be the snow should quickly melt. The high Sunday is expected to reach 43 degrees. Mike Sedam has driven Pettibone Avenue in Muscatine hundreds of times. But Feb. 26 was different. "I don't remember the whole incident because the injury pretty much blanked me out," the 41-year-old said. What Sedam can't recall is about 6:15 that morning, driving to a Muscatine job site. It was raining, the fog was thick and an endloader was in front of him. Somehow, his vehicle wound up under one of the machine's tires. The whole roof on his vehicle collapsed, crushing his skull. He was taken by ambulance to UnityPoint Health-Trinity Muscatine. "The only thing I remember is waking up next to her," Sedam said, motioning to his wife, Jessica. She was at her third-shift job when she received a Facebook message from one of her husband's coworkers, sending along a phone number for his boss, whom she was urged to call right away. "I left work and headed there, but I had no idea how bad it was. All they said was 'car accident,' " she said. On the way, she called her husband's boss, who handed the phone off to the nurse. The nurse warned her that Mike was in critical condition and wanted to prepare her. "I just couldn't believe it," she said. "I wanted it to not be happening." The hospital team in Muscatine wanted to transport Sedam to Iowa City by helicopter, but the weather had worsened as the day went on. Instead, he was taken by ambulance and rushed into surgery. One month after suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the rural Milan iron worker has gained most of his skills back. His memory still is recovering, but the physical, occupational and speech therapy he's getting through the Quad Cities Rehabilitation Institute is bringing him back. "When I saw him in Muscatine, I wasn't even sure he would make it at all," Jessica Sedam said. "It's a miracle." He sat beside her in a chair at the rehab institute on Friday. His brown boots were covered by a pair of well-worn jeans. In his lap was a white construction helmet with straps. He's required to wear it when walking to prevent injury in case of a fall. When he's wearing it, his scars are hardly visible. Tattoos line the backs of his hands, which were covered by a grey sweatshirt. On his chest was a green and blue ribbon his sister made for him. The green represents brain injury awareness and the blue TBI awareness. His wife wore one to match. March has always been important to the couple their anniversary is March 17. But now, it has a whole new meaning. "This will be forever with us," Sedam said. While he doesn't remember much about the crash, he said it feels as if he's living in a movie. Hearing what happened to him and reading the reports still are surreal. When he wakes up in the morning, though, he reaches up to touch the scar on the left side of his head. It's his reminder of the crash and of his will to survive. "I don't remember what they gave me for chances, but it wasn't great," he said. "But here I am now." Sedam was released from Iowa City and moved to the rehab institute on March 1. During his weeklong stay, he was able to visit with family and even his puppy. "I felt great here," he said. "I went from the University of Iowa, where I was limited to my bed, and then I came here." In Moline, he was one of the youngest people in the center and helped others recovering from their injuries. The ability to be up and moving boosted his spirits. "Being here in the Quad-Cities is great," he said. "I'm a union ironworker. We built this place. That's been the best part of my healing process." While in rehab, he worked with Ryan Heuer, director of therapy operations. He said the institute took in people ages 16 and older. While the most common affliction people are recovering from is a stroke, he said, brain injuries are not uncommon. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, nearly 2.8 million Americans sustain a TBI annually. Staff worked with Sedam on everything from walking and running to daily tasks, such as showering and eating. Raising awareness for brain injuries is important for safety, but it's also for celebrating people who have overcome the unthinkable, Heuer said. "Mike's a good example. If people bump into him in the streets, they'd have no idea the obstacles he's overcome," he said. A CT scan is scheduled soon and will determine when he can have another surgery. He's hoping to be back to work soon after. For now, he's happy to be recovering at home. When he was being released from Iowa City, staff wanted to put him in a rehab institute in the area. Instead, he asked to go back to the Quad-Cities. He had a special connection to the rehab building. "Can I go home somewhere?" he asked. "I know who built that." In 1973, 13-year-old Kate Davis and her dad Carlos would wake up early every Saturday morning at 6 a.m., climb into the familys station wagon and drive to the Cincinnati Zoo. They'd meet about 40 other kids from the surrounding area for the junior zoology club run by Barry Wakeman, the zoo's education coordinator at the time. We would have a field trip, we would have a lecture, we would have an exam, and we had quarterly papers," Davis said. "But they also had the giveaway, And Barry would pose these questions and whoever got them all right, would get the woolly monkey, or the Kuwaiti mundi. And my parents said, Kate, you are not getting something you cannot release. She had read My Side of The Mountain and Rascal as a kid and decided early on she wanted a falcon and a raccoon. So first came the raccoon, and next a fox. Then she brought home a skunk that ended up spraying in the house. I was in trouble for that, Davis laughed. Her familys Wyoming, Ohio, home sat in a forested area leading to a creek bottom. For years, Davis would get baby animals in the spring as part of the junior zoology program and release them in the fall on her familys property. She would also spend her time hooting up owls, something she still teaches people to do in each of her programs to this day. It was the beginning of a career that would span five decades and include the publication of seven books, a TED talk, and nearly 2,000 presentations for more than 137,000 people, including 137 schools in Montana and Idaho with her nonprofit organization Raptors of the Rockies. I would not let anyone touch any of the animals, feed them, anything It was mine 100 percent, Davis said while reminiscing over her childhood days. She recalled one time her parents invited her fathers boss over for dinner and they asked her to call up her animals while her mom had a chicken, cut in half, cooking on the barbecue. They were proud that I could just go outside and call up these animals because they were just running around, Davis said. "I just let them go at our house. They'd say, call up your critters, like Ellie Mae, and I just remember, the fox jumped up and she pulled the marinated chicken off the barbeque and ran off into the woods. A picture of a 13-year-old Davis holding the fox sits pinned to a corkboard above the computer in her Florence home near the Bitterroot River today, along with innumerable photos and illustrations by the local scientist, artist and conservationist. They had us doing rehab, education, I did taxidermy, I illustrated their magazines, got into falconry sort of, I didn't know what I was doing all this because of the zoo, Davis said. In April, Davis will return to the Cincinnati Zoo as part of the Barrows Lecture Series, bringing her 50 years of zoology and education outreach full circle at the institution that started it all for her. It's all because of the experience. They trusted us to do lectures and rehab and all this, Davis said. I had somebody pick me up before I had a driver's license to take me to schools to do education when I was like 15. Davis came to Montana to pursue a zoology degree at the University of Montana in the late 1970s, a decision she credits to a lecture at the zoo by the late Montana scientist and conservationist John Craighead. Craighead and his twin brother Frank were pioneers in the field of falconry and renowned for their work studying grizzly bears. Their sister, Jean Craighead George, wrote "My Side of the Mountain" loosely based on her brothers' rambunctious childhood. When John Craighead came and gave a lecture, I said, well, that's where I'm going, she said. "I'm going to Montana it just was fate." Years later, Craighead and his wife, Margaret, visited Davis at Raptors of the Rockies. Davis recounted the visit in her book "Falcons of North America." Davis founded Raptors of the Rockies in 1988 and recently celebrated 35 years of educating people with the organization. She received the Lifetime Conservation Achievement Award in 2017 and the Presidents Award from the Raptor Research Foundation in 2021. Shes also a skilled photographer, a talent highlighted in her multiple books. She credits her sharp eye behind the camera to her father having a darkroom in the house when she was young. Now in her 60s, the importance of those childhood experiences and the impact of the mentors shes had along the way are not lost on Davis as she travels across Montana and Idaho educating young people and adults alike about the birds that have shaped much of her life. She often runs into parents at her presentations that tell her about their memories of seeing one of her programs as a child. I am always astounded at the generations at this point that have come up and said I saw you, my kids saw you, she said. I'm very proud that. You know, a zoology degree and raptor research foundation, there's a little credibility there. I think that shows kids, you know, go to school, learn that. Don't trust it because you saw it on YouTube. And while she knows that not every young person she meets will go on to become a zoologist or biologist, she hopes it at least encourages them to get outside and explore the world around them. It'd be nice if they got into conservation and voted for good conservation issues or got politically active. That would be nice," Davis said. It would be nice if they helped in conservation issues, land preservation, that type of thing. But basically, I just want them to go outside. And with each of her presentations, Davis encourages people to do just that. Giving them an opportunity to connect with nature, like each of her mentors gave her, every time they go outside and hoot up an owl. Davis once received a thank you letter from a second grader who attended one of her presentations and told her when he grows up, he wants to be a raptor. When I go outside now I look for birds, the letter read. "I love them. Thank you for teaching me how to speak owl. Its fun to speak owl." But that's just the beginning, is speaking owl, Davis said. "The rest is speaking everything out of doors. An owl is just the beginning for all the other birds that are outdoors, and every other animal that we will see in our wild outdoors experience. Eight witnesses in a row asking the Montana Legislature to stop meddling with the power of local governments was more than Ed Butcher could take. The state rep from Fergus County, Butcher summoned Missoulian Caitlin Piserchia back to the podium where she stood like a tethered goat at a rodeo while the elder Republican political leader tied her up in legal jargon. Piserchia spoke for the Montana chapter of Sierra Club. The full authority to create local government entities rests with state governments. That's federal, constitutional based. The states have the full authority, they create counties, they create cities, they create all of this, Butcher said. And so when you start going into this overreach thing, I really question the direction that the opponents are going here, because that's why I'm raising this question, that it is all based on the idea that they're overreaching local government. Local government has no authority other than what is given to them by the state legislature. Never mind that the legislature doesnt have the power to create cities, or that Butcher owes his legislative seat to commissioners, who appointed him in January to replace an elected official who became too sick to serve. Butchers point was made: This Legislatures Republican majority is determined to clip the wings of its local governments, specifically cities considered adversarial by the fossil fuel industry and the states largest utilities. By one count, there were at least two dozen bills this session to limit the regulatory power of local governments or diminish the voting clout of city residents. In the year leading up to the 2023 Legislature, several lawmakers participated in tent-revival events where keeping the blue dots at bay was the gospel preached, a reference to the locator points of more liberal Montana cities on a political map. I don't have the bill in front of me, but I think we're up to number 26 in things that the Legislature has preempted local government from doing, testified Eric Bryson, CEO Montana Association of Counties, during a hearing in January about preventing the cities from regulating use of fossil fuels. The bill passed out of the Senate 33-17, with only one Republican opposed. Not all the bills limiting the powers of local governments are fossil fuel related, but there is an energy core, often presented as bills to preserve an all-of-the-above energy policy. At the same time, there have been bills aimed specifically at preventing cities from facilitating renewable energy. There is a bill preventing cities from requiring new construction to accommodate wiring for solar energy, or charging stations for electric vehicles, or batteries, or solar panels. The lone bill promoting community solar projects, proposed by a Democrat, died. Of the three bills limiting local government or the voting clout of their citizens last week, energy was the common thread. One proposed law, Senate Bill 109, diluted the voting power of cities on energy matters through political redistricting. Another, Senate Bill 208, prevented cities from regulating natural gas hookups. A third vaguely written bill, SB 228, raised concerns that cities were losing the right to determine where oil and gas pipelines were located in town, or where a bulk fuel plant or gas station might be sited. Keeping the PSC red Senate Bill 109 redraws Montanas five utility commission districts in a way that divides each of states six largest cities, sparking concern about disenfranchising communities of interest through gerrymandering. Voters in Montanas cities are more likely to vote Democrat than voters in rural areas. Several witnesses said the political districts advocated for by Republican lawmakers assure those Democratic voters have a smaller say on energy politics than their actual percentage of the state population suggests they should. The proposed map divides 14 counties, six major cities, and would create five districts with safe Republican majorities, disenfranchising 43% of Montanans who vote for Democrats, said Paul Pacini, of Helena. To me, this smacks of gerrymandering. The 43% statistic cited by Pacini was fleshed out further by the Montana League of Women Voters. Speaking on the Leagues behalf, Robyn Morrison said the partisan split in Montana votes is roughly 57% Republican, 43% Democrat. With most of those Democratic votes coming from cities in the western part of Montana, it would suggest that in those areas city voters should have the numbers to elect a candidate they prefer. A map of PSC districts that fairly reflects this distribution of voters would have two districts in which partisan voters are balanced such that Democrats have a chance of winning and three districts in which Republicans are likely to win, Morrison said. The map currently attached to SB 109 would create five districts that are safe majorities for Republicans denying the potential of the 43% of Montanans who vote for Democrats to elect a commissioner at all. No one, other than the bills sponsor, Keith Regier, a Kalispell Republican, spoke in favor of SB 109. Regier suggested that cities would be better off under his map because more than one utility commissioner would have a share of the community vote. The five-member commission, regionally elected, is charged with ensuring that captive customers of monopoly utilities have reasonably priced, reliable electric and natural gas service, while utilities receive a fixed rate of return. Republicans have had a lock on PSC elections for a decade, despite suffering several scandals as well as lawsuit losses over bad policy decisions mostly benefitting the state's largest utility, NorthWestern Energy. With no requirement of expertise and a $112,000 annual salary, the commission has long been a landing spot for termed-out legislators. In February, when Regier's map passed out of the Senate, lawmaker John Esp, a Big Timber Republican, drew laughs in the chamber by suggesting that old legislators would have nowhere to work were it not for the PSC. 'Splitting cities' Unique in Montana law is the Legislature's authority to draw PSC districts. The Legislature's own seats, as well as U.S. House districts, are drawn by an independent commission. But the Legislature has redrawn the PSC districts only once since 1972. That single redraw in 2003 didn't age well, resulting in a lawsuit and court order to bring the districts into population balance, a U.S. constitutional requirement. The Regier districts are a proposed replacement to districts accepted by the U.S. District Court and produced by Republican Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen in 2022. You're talking about splitting cities, is that an advantage or a disadvantage, I felt it was an advantage," Regier said in committee. "So, I guess it's a matter of one's perspective on that. Several of the witnesses who spoke against the political districts mentioned that city resident concerns about burning fossil fuels to generate electricity wouldnt be recognized under Regiers maps. The PSC affects the household budgets of more than 400,000 Montana utility customers. Those customers are legally recognized as captive, meaning they lack the free-market choice of shopping around for a better deal. Nothing in the utility commissions mission gives it room to prioritize the environment in ratemaking, though increasingly, non-fossil fuel sources of energy like wind and solar energy are the most affordable alternatives. 'Decarbonizing' cities Three of the states largest cities, Bozeman, Missoula and Helena, have adopted plans to decarbonize their energy portfolios, this at a time when Montanas Republican leadership and NorthWestern Energy are advocating for more dependence on coal power. NorthWestern plans to double the amount of owned coal generation serving its Montana customers. The utility is also building a gas-fired power plant near Laurel. As we know all too well here in Montana, states like Oregon and Washington have essentially banned the use of fossil fuels, coal and natural gas, for their electric generation, said Republican Jason Small, of Busby. Now some of their cities are trying to go after the natural gas that is being used for homes and small businesses. From Berkeley, California to Seattle, Bellingham, Washington, to the latest, which is Eugene, Oregon, cities are passing ordinances banning the use of natural gas in residential and commercial buildings in some form. Small, whose professional life is tied to Colstrip Power Plant, is sponsoring Senate Bill 208 to prevent Montana cities from making policies unfriendly to fossil fuels. He has written similar legislation on previous sessions, but his current bill arrives as Republicans have taken up defending natural gas as a battle cry. Conservative cable news warns viewers that the federal government is banning gas stoves, though theres no indication a gas stove roundup is in the works. In February, the U.S. Department of Energy filed public notice about proposed fuel efficiency standards which would require manufacturers to certify their gas cooking tops do not consume greater than 1.2 million British thermal units per year. There are stoves marketed that meet the standard, but stoves with constantly burning pilots consume as much as 2 million BTUs annually from the pilot alone. The details are summarized by the Congressional Research Service. No Montana city has suggested banning natural gas from new construction, or existing construction. Small told the committee his bill is preemptive. Utilities, the coal and natural gas lobby, and labor unions support the bill. We've been cooking over open flame for tens of thousands of years. It seems really silly to me to ban cooking over natural gas, said Brad Griffin of the Montana Restaurant Association. So it's what our commercial kitchens rely on. Converting all of them over to another form of energy would be extremely problematic. Alan Olson of the Montana Petroleum Association suggested the law was needed to prevent Montana cities from impeding the connection of buildings to various resources. We've got one section that when you build in a new subdivision, you can't prevent natural gas lines from being run into the subdivision. And you got the other section that prevents state building codes from adopting similar anti-natural gas policies, Olson said. Speaking for the City of Bozeman, Natalie Meyer, the municipalitys sustainability manager, said its climate plan doesnt call for a ban on natural gas or any fuel source. Smalls bill was unnecessary, she said, and creates problems for cities regulating basic infrastructure for safety. Meyer remined lawmakers that in 2009, a natural gas explosion destroyed half a city block of downtown Bozeman and killed a woman. The resulting fire from the explosion burned for more than a day, yet the damage could have been worse, she said. Still, Bozeman didnt ban natural gas from construction. Were concerned about general words such as impede in relation to the connection or reconnection of service, Meyer said. Sometimes the utility installs and turns on service before our inspectors can test the system. Our inspectors then have to ask them to turn off service temporarily until inspection and testing can be completed. Without testing gas piping in a building to ensure there are no leaks, we run the risk of making people sick or another explosion. Further, this bill seems to prevent local jurisdictions for managing a critical business, and life-safety relationship with a monopoly utility. Local jurisdictions have natural gas franchise agreements with utilities. These are special privileges awarded by governments to a person or corporation and conveys a valuable property right. If a utility should fail to demonstrate their ability to protect public health and safety under a franchise agreement, local governments shouldn't be stripped of a remedy. Local governments should have the ability to protect the health and safety of their communities, said Molly Bell of the Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund. We should trust local communities. Let Montana communities decided what is best for themselves, Bell said. As committees normally to, House Energy took the bills under advisement and didnt act the same day the hearings took place. Kathmandu, Nepal, March 26, 2023: The World Bank has announced to provide USD 120 million (about 16 billion NEPALI rupees) grant assistance to Nepal to implement the main school education sector program of the Government of Nepal. The World Bank Executive Board of Directors decided to provide a grant on Sunday. According to the World Bank, this grant will be used to address the damage caused by schools closed due to Covid-19, build suitable classrooms and strengthen digital education. It will also be used in the scholarship program. The Richmond Times-Dispatch follows its tradition of publishing the names of donors to the Richmond Christmas Mother Fund. Your generosity helps the fund support initiatives across the region to brighten the holiday season for thousands of your neighbors. The Times-Dispatch has sponsored the Richmond Christmas Mother program, a yearly holiday fund drive, since 1935, with some of those years spent in partnership with the former afternoon newspaper, The Richmond News Leader. The Richmond Christmas Mother program receives donations from Times-Dispatch readers and advertisers, and it is building an endowment to help future services. Visit richmond.com/christmas-mother/donate/christmas_mother_donations/ to give. You can send contributions by mail to Richmond Christmas Mother Fund, P.O. Box 25864, Richmond, VA 23260. Checks should be made payable to Richmond Christmas Mother Fund. Donations are accepted throughout the year. Publication of contributions will resume in The Times-Dispatch in November. Todays gifts $13,572.75 Grand total $357,802.23 Richmond Nativity Pageant, with deepest appreciation for all those who participated, as cast or crew, in the Richmond Nativity Pageant during its many years. May this donation help its spirit live on through that of the Christmas Mother $9,000 Mr. and Mrs. Christopher H. Williams $1,000 Mr. and Mrs. Matthew G. Thompson $300 Network for Good $60 Robert Leroy Atwell and Lucy Williams Atwell Foundation, in memory of Robert Leroy Atwell Jr. $1,500 Laura Roberts Wright, in honor of Terrell Luck Harrigan $100 Abbvie Employee Engagement Fund$25 In honor of Terrell Harrigan and Peggy Valentine, from Ned, Laura, Ned, Laura and Luke$500 Roy B. and Amy Goodman$1,000 Young Virginians scored a big win this year and its one that should be celebrated. In January, Republican Delegate Daniel W. Marshall introduced a bill that would have drastically lowered the minimum wage for Virginians under the age of 18. That same bill was later defeated after getting called out by young Virginians. Today, Virginias young workers earn a minimum of $12 an hour, the same as our adult counterparts. House Bill 1669 would have reduced the minimum wage for workers under the age of 18 to as low as $9 dollars an hour, a 25% pay cut based not on merit or skill, but age. At a time when things are getting more expensive and $12 today isnt even worth what it was a couple of years ago, the proposal was a slap in the face to myself, my friends and all other young workers in our state. Being able to work and earn a fair wage is a lifeline and a leg up for young people wanting to develop their skills, get experience, and learn to manage their finances. These opportunities allow young people to get ahead early in their professional lives, with all the positive effects that entails for many years after. Im 16 now and have been working in my community since I was 13 years old. In my case, working allows me to save for the increasingly expensive experience of going to college, an experience known to a lot of young people in this country. For many of my peers in Virginia, fairly compensated employment is a path to financial independence. And to others it is a necessity in helping their families make ends meet each month. To question whether or not young people deserve to earn as much as our adult coworkers is to undermine and disregard our work and our futures. Reducing the fairly-earned wages of young people is not only senseless but would have expanded inequality instead of helping to reduce it. It would have been a huge step backward for our state, which should be working to protect and improve wages instead of lowering them for arbitrary reasons. Additionally, when one groups liberties are challenged, other groups that have historically been targeted and neglected will become vulnerable to a snowball effect that will further chip away at workers rights. Virginia already has a shameful past of exempting jobs that were disproportionately held by Black workers from minimum wage protection, and still has yet to repeal the exception for farm workers, which is an ugly remnant of slavery and sharecropping. But fortunately, young people in Virginia stood up for themselves. Through the Coalition for Virginias Future, a youth-led organization focused on promoting a Virginia inclusive of young people, dozens of high school and college-aged students traveled to the state Capitol in Richmond this year to lobby on a slew of issues, including bodily autonomy and menstrual privacy. Upon learning of Marshalls bill while we were in Richmond, students immediately committed to sending last-minute emails, adding this bill to their meeting agendas. A few of us even testified against the bill in the subcommittee hearing, where no one testified in support. We were present, informed and ready to take on any politician who would deny our worth as workers. And we won. In the end, H.B. 1669 died quietly due to our passionate outcry, as Marshalls Republican colleagues in the House referred it back to committee from the floor, likely because they wanted to avoid a vote and floor fight. Watching a bill get killed by its own party showed that when the youth of Virginia show up to fight for their rights, we are no longer an easy target. I would encourage anyone feeling like they dont have power in Richmond to do the same. Young people in Virginia have demonstrated when it comes to our rights, we have energy and drive and we wont give in without a fight. As a teenager in 2023, I have witnessed firsthand the energy behind youth activists. It is exciting, hopeful and driven and it makes me all the more determined to take on more battles. The stories and voices of young people are creating the future we wish to see. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children in America. Not childhood illnesses or disease. Not motor vehicle collisions or being struck by a car. Not drowning or household accidents. Guns. Although the reasons behind this are not completely understood, experts point to sustained trauma related to the pandemic and increased access to firearms as contributing factors. Recent events in Virginia remind us that we are no exception to the trend of increasing incidents of violence involving firearms and children across the country. On Jan. 6, a 6-year old child pulled out a gun and shot his teacher in front of a roomful of other children at a Newport News elementary school. On March 10, a 13-year old child was shot and killed in a home in Richmond. Thirty minutes later, three other juveniles were shot in an unrelated incident. On March 19, another 17-year-old was shot. Unfortunately, these are only a few of the instances we can point to where children were involved in gun violence. When an adult acts with malicious intent and uses a gun to harm a child, it is clear that person should be arrested and prosecuted. But when a child is the one using the gun to harm others, it is less clear how the criminal justice system should respond. In the wake of these events, and our collective sense of disbelief, frustration and fear for our children, it may be helpful to discuss the laws that can apply in these situations and what we as adults can do to protect all children. There is no minimum legal age in Virginia at which a person can be charged with a crime. However, in order for a person of any age to be prosecuted they must be competent to stand trial. This means the person must be mature enough to understand the legal process and assist in their own defense. This standard precludes most children who are not teenagers from being prosecuted, even for violent crimes involving the use of a gun. When a juvenile is charged with a violent crime involving the use of a firearm, a judge may order that the offender reside in the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center if it is in the interest of public safety. By law, juveniles must be housed separately from adults, and they must continue to receive an education and medical services while being detained. It is generally against the law for any juvenile to knowingly and intentionally possess or transport a handgun or assault firearm, with a few exceptions. The younger the child, the greater the concern is that the childs actions were enabled by some adult who obtained a firearm and failed to keep it out of the hands of the child. If you have a gun, keep it in a gun safe or some other locked and secure container. If you believe that your child doesnt know where you keep a gun in your house youre probably wrong. Talk to your children about the inherent danger of firearms and tell them that they should leave any place where their friends or others are handling guns. Do not leave a firearm in your motor vehicle for any reason. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to recklessly leave a loaded, unsecured firearm in such a manner as to endanger the life or limb of any child under the age of fourteen. It is also unlawful for any person knowingly to authorize a child under the age of twelve to use a firearm except when that child is under the supervision of an adult. While a Class 1 misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine, it is noteworthy that prior to 2020, the maximum penalty for a violation of this law would have been only a $500 fine. A person who intentionally sells, barters, gives or furnishes a firearm to any minor, having good cause to believe that the person is a minor, is guilty of a Class 6 felony, which includes both a term of imprisonment of either one to five years or no more than 12 months in jail. A parent or guardian of the juvenile offender might also be charged with child neglect if it can be proven that the adult willfully and recklessly disregarded the childs safety. In any situation where a child is involved in gun violence, the child and his family will need extensive counseling to address the repercussions of the violent behavior. The juvenile court system recognizes the unique needs of children and families, and strives to provide rehabilitative services whenever possible. The prosecutors in my office and our victim witness specialists work collaboratively with other agencies to address the needs of child victims. We also work hard to be fair and responsible when holding older juveniles accountable for gun violence so that the community can be safe. However, the juvenile court system and laws that I have outlined are only societys backstop to the primary caregivers of our children. Ultimately, each parent or guardian is both legally and morally responsible for providing a safe and stable environment for their child. We should all agree that this environment cannot include unsupervised access to firearms by children. Children and guns dont mix. Close 3-17-1962: A special sort of road. Lee Hazelgrove, 4, takes to his fire engine to try out new sidewalks at the Richmond Home for Boys. About 400 feet of sidewalk, costing $1,400, were donated to the home by the Downtown Optimist Club. Watching the test run are (from left) W. L. Hazelgrove, superintendent of the home at 8716 West Broad St.; Don N. Maloy, president of the club; G. S. Maynard, president of the home; Allen Meads, 6, and Steve Madison, 6. 9-18-1949: In mid-1949, youths from the Richmond Boys Home were eager to appear in "This is Our Way," a 20-minute movie that told the story of the Community Chest, now known as the United Way. Each of the 31 agencies serviced by the Chest had a part in the film, which premiered in September that year and was made available to anyone willing to show it. It was filmed over several months by the motion picture department of Reynolds Metals Co. as a donation to promote the good works of the Chest. 9-5-1965: In September 1965, Richmond Home for Boys Assistant Director W.H. Gormon (left) chatted with two residents. In front of them is the bell that had been used for 70 years to summon young residents. The organization was founded in 1846 as the Richmond Male Orphan Society and moved to its current current site on West Broad Street in Henrico County in 1957. It is now known as the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls. In December 1959, boys help out with breakfast dishes at the Richmond Home for Boys. Boys help with breakfast clean up at the Richmond Home for Boys in 1959. 4-26-1948: Boys Home celebrates anniversary--the oldest alumnus, 81-year-old James Phillips Schultz supervises a mumble-the-peg game played by Bobby Overman and Billy Garnett. 12-16-1959: The women who prepare breakfast for 44 boys have a busy hour. Mrs. Ethel Fisher (left), Mrs. Ruby Petit Work at Richmond Boys Home. 10-2-1958: Youngsters enjoy game of kickball on non-landscaped area at Richmond Home for Boys. 03-09-1969: Boys gather for a fast game of football on the campus of the Richmond Home for Boys. Ages start at six years and residents show appreciation for discipline. From the Archives: Virginia Home for Boys and Girls This year, the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls celebrates 170 years of serving children and families. The organization was founded as the Richmond Male Orphan society in 1846. In 1847, it was incorporated by the General Assembly. In 1969 its name was changed to the Richmond Home for Boys and then to the Virginia Home for Boys in 1971. Today, the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls is one of the oldest children's homes in continuous service in the state. Since its founding, the home has aided thousands of children and continues to do so today. Today, some photos of the home from our archive. 3-17-1962: A special sort of road. Lee Hazelgrove, 4, takes to his fire engine to try out new sidewalks at the Richmond Home for Boys. About 400 feet of sidewalk, costing $1,400, were donated to the home by the Downtown Optimist Club. Watching the test run are (from left) W. L. Hazelgrove, superintendent of the home at 8716 West Broad St.; Don N. Maloy, president of the club; G. S. Maynard, president of the home; Allen Meads, 6, and Steve Madison, 6. 9-18-1949: In mid-1949, youths from the Richmond Boys Home were eager to appear in "This is Our Way," a 20-minute movie that told the story of the Community Chest, now known as the United Way. Each of the 31 agencies serviced by the Chest had a part in the film, which premiered in September that year and was made available to anyone willing to show it. It was filmed over several months by the motion picture department of Reynolds Metals Co. as a donation to promote the good works of the Chest. 9-5-1965: In September 1965, Richmond Home for Boys Assistant Director W.H. Gormon (left) chatted with two residents. In front of them is the bell that had been used for 70 years to summon young residents. The organization was founded in 1846 as the Richmond Male Orphan Society and moved to its current current site on West Broad Street in Henrico County in 1957. It is now known as the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls. In December 1959, boys help out with breakfast dishes at the Richmond Home for Boys. Boys help with breakfast clean up at the Richmond Home for Boys in 1959. 4-26-1948: Boys Home celebrates anniversary--the oldest alumnus, 81-year-old James Phillips Schultz supervises a mumble-the-peg game played by Bobby Overman and Billy Garnett. 12-16-1959: The women who prepare breakfast for 44 boys have a busy hour. Mrs. Ethel Fisher (left), Mrs. Ruby Petit Work at Richmond Boys Home. 10-2-1958: Youngsters enjoy game of kickball on non-landscaped area at Richmond Home for Boys. 03-09-1969: Boys gather for a fast game of football on the campus of the Richmond Home for Boys. Ages start at six years and residents show appreciation for discipline. RAMALLAH, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army on Saturday night sealed off the northern West Bank district of Nablus following a drive-by shooting attack that wounded two Israeli soldiers in the town of Huwara, Palestinian security sources said. The sources told Xinhua that following the shooting attack, Israeli army forces imposed a total siege on the district and blocked the roads leading to Nablus and many of the neighboring towns and villages to deny Palestinian vehicles access. Nabil Dmeidi, mayor of Huwara, located south of Nablus, told Xinhua that the Israeli army sealed off the town, closed all stores and shops and deployed dozens of soldiers in the streets to prevent the residents from moving. On Saturday evening, an Israeli army spokesman said in a press statement that two Israeli soldiers were wounded in a drive-by shooting attack in Huwara, with one in serious condition and another in moderate condition. The assailants opened fire at the soldiers from a car that drove fast in the town. A militant group called Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the armed wing of the left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), claimed responsibility for the shooting attack. Several Palestinian factions, including the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), said in separate statements that the shooting attack "was a natural response to the Israeli violations against the Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem." The tension between Israel and the Palestinians has been flaring since early January this year, with 89 Palestinians and 14 Israelis killed, according to official Palestinian and Israeli statistics. No doubt youve heard of Dish Network, the Colorado-based satellite TV subscription service. It and a competitor DirecTV offer cable-television channels wirelessly. Many of their customers live beyond the reach of local cable TV systems. Its unclear how many subscribers Dish Network has in the Roanoke and New River valleys. Recently, Ive become somewhat acquainted with two. One is Betty Turner of Glenvar. The other is Joyce Kasey of Roanoke. Both want to quit their monthly Dish Network subscriptions. Both have been trying to contact the satellite service for more than a month, by every means they can divine. Those efforts got stymied at every turn. Independently of each other, they turned to yours truly. Legitimately or not, I have a rep for being able to help aggrieved consumers in such situations. Tom Turner (Bettys son) reached out first. His mom and dad, Ned Turner, recently moved from Christiansburg to Glenvar. One of the final pieces of that move was canceling their Dish Network subscription. Hourslong waits on hold Tom Turner wrote me a few emails about Bettys attempts last weekend. Heres the first: Longtime reader here. I could use your help. My mom and dad are downsizing their home and relocating. The problem is, we cannot contact Dish Network to cancel their TV/Internet service at their old home in Christiansburg. You cannot do this online only over the phone, Turners email went on. Dish Networks website has messages about some sort of online breach and customer service outages. My mom has been trying for a month. I tried today on 3 separate [calls]. I was told that there was a 7 minute wait, then stayed on hold for an hour. Later in the day, I was offered a 94-minute wait and a 103-minute wait. I called this evening and was dropped after the wait warning. All we want to do is cancel the service. Thanks for your attention! Then last week, I got a phone call from Joyce Kasey. She left a voicemail message, If you need another complaint about the Dish Network, I can fill you in on the details. It sounded like she was aware about Turners complaint. But when I called and asked, Kasey wasnt. She assumed thousands of Dish Network subscribers were unhappy for the same reason she was: An inability to get hold of the company. And she figured, rightly, that some were reaching out to me. 15 calls in one month Kasey said shed been trying to contact Dish for more than a month, and estimated shed made 15 calls in that time. On the only occasion she reached a live person after sending two hours on hold, the Dish rep said they couldnt hear me, Kasey said. She made those calls on her cellphone. And whenever she was warned shed have to hold for a spell, Kasey did. Shed put her cellphone down then plugged it into its charger so the juice wouldnt run out. One time. Kasey said, she left her phone on hold for five hours but was unable to connect. If no one can contact them, they should have a substitute number for customers to call, Kasey told me. Wednesday by email, I reached out to the companys media desk, at news@dish.com. And I copied two different Dish Network customer service executives, too, names drawn from the companys website. The email outlined Turners and Kaseys complaints, their Dish account numbers, addresses and more. It asked for a reply by the end of the day Thursday. When Id got none by Friday morning, I resent the email with a few additional details. And the second time, I added two additional Dish executives to the CC line, for a total of four execs copied. That one elicited no response, either. However, on Thursday morning, Kasey received a call from Dish, and the rep who contacted her was able to get her account canceled. As of Friday afternoon, nobody had contacted Turner or me. Thats unusual for large corporations, which generally respond to media quickly, to find out why they may be cropping up in the news. Naturally, companies want to protect their reputations, and usually they also want to get in front of upcoming articles. Ransomware hackers strike Then I started to do a little more digging into Dish. I hit pay dirt on the website of the Better Business Bureau in Englewood, Colorado, which is where Dish Network is based. The website features 3,200 complaints about Dish Network in the past three years and more than 1,000 in the past 12 months. Many are quite recent. A common theme was an inability to contact Dish Network. BBB allows companies to respond in writing to complaints, and its website displays those responses, with personal information redacted. A number of the companys replies to the BBB suggest Dish Network is in the middle of a crisis. One, dated March 21, tells the story. The company suffered a cyberattack in February. Other news accounts described it as a ransomware attack, in which hackers typically lock a corporation out if its own computer systems, then demand payments to restore critical services. On February 23, 2023, we experienced a cybersecurity incident that has affected some of our internal communications, customer call centers, and internet sites. We immediately activated our incident response and business continuity plans to contain, assess, and remediate the situation. Cybersecurity experts and outside advisors were retained to assist in the evaluation of the situation, and we notified appropriate law enforcement authorities. Because of this incident, some of our customers are having trouble reaching our service desks, accessing their accounts, and making payments. Please know we are working as quickly as we can to address these and any other service-related issues. DISH TV customers can now make a payment through a secure payment form on our website. We also continue to increase our call center capacity and social media response capabilities. We have more agents helping customers every day. . . . Working to restore all of our customer experiences is a top priority, but it will take a little time before things are fully restored. . . .Were sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience. Thats the most I expect to get out of Dish. I also checked the companys stock price. One year ago, that was just under $31 per share. Friday afternoon, Dish Network was trading for $8.60. The share price has tumbled 72% in the past 12 months. Percentage-wise, thats more than Bitcoin has dropped year-over-year. All of which suggests if youre a Dish subscriber and youre trying to get hold of the company, you may be out of luck, at least for a while. Or perhaps you can reach them via the Better Business Bureau chapter in Englewood, Colorado. That outfit seems to be able to get Dish Networks attention. Workers have restored power to most of the 10,000 Appalachian Power Co. customers who lost it on Saturday, after high winds swept through the Roanoke and New River valleys. By Sunday afternoon, more than 2,000 remained without service, but the utility said it should be restored by late evening. More than 1,000 workers were responding to outages and assessing wind damage, Appalachian said in a news release. Good weather today and early next week is expected to be favorable for service restoration, the statement read. Wind hit other states even harder. In West Virginia, 23,000 people lost power due to high winds, and many of them may not have it restored until late Monday, according to the news release. High winds factored in a small wildfires spread late Saturday outside Blacksburg. While mostly contained, the fire led to the closure of the Blacksburg Shooting Range all day Sunday, to ensure the safety of firefighters while they monitor the area for further flare-ups. The fires cause and the precise acreage burned were not clear on Sunday. It was known as the pit, a steel cylindrical tank that extended 7 feet into the ground and could hold 1,900 gallons of toxic chemicals. From roughly 1985 to 2007, a chemical company stored its hazardous waste there. The pit is gone now, removed as environmental regulators began an investigation that led to Chemsolv Inc. being cited in 2014 for improperly storing volatile organic compounds. But concerns about contamination at the southeast Roanoke site remain today and could create complications for Riverdale, an ambitious commercial and residential development that is being planned just across the street. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality suspects there may be an underground plume of volatile organic compounds extending at least to Chemsolvs eastern boundary, which is next to property that developer Ed Walker plans to purchase. DEQ provided a written response to questions from The Roanoke Times about how the sites past might impact Walkers plans for what he calls a dream come true project. Walker wants to transform a largely forgotten brownfield, once home to the American Viscose rayon factory, into a vibrant cluster of new homes, businesses and cultural attractions. Due to the long industrial history of the area any potential developer would be encouraged to perform environmental due diligence to evaluate potential recognized environmental conditions, DEQ said. An underground plume could cause vapor intrusion when gasses from contaminated groundwater migrate to the basements and foundations of nearby buildings. That in turn could endanger construction workers and future tenants. Vapor intrusion is a possible risk for Chemsolv and other offsite receptors, DEQ said. Regulators are evaluating tests of soil and water before making a decision on a DEQ consent order that governs the cleanup and closure of the pit and surrounding area. Final action is expected by years end. In an emailed response to questions, Walker said he and his consulting firm have already started the due diligence suggested by DEQ. The process will evaluate the entire Roanoke Industrial Center off Ninth Street Southeast, which includes the time-worn brick buildings from the long-closed Viscose plant, still distinguishable for its tall, dormant smokestacks. The property is a large former manufacturing site which presents its own unique set of challenges, Walker wrote. As the developer of other historic buildings and closed-down industries over the past 20 years, Walker said his team is well prepared to bring the strengths necessary to assess and remedy Riverdale. We believe it is important to address the environmental conditions in a manner protective of human health and the environment, the statement from the Riverdale Environment Team read. As for concerns about vapor intrusion from what may be an underground plume, the plan is to assess any risks that might be posed to construction workers or occupants of future buildings. This is a common issue on brownfield sites that is addressed through proper health and safety plans, Walker said, referring to systems that remove radon from buildings through a venting process. Meanwhile, Chemsolv has been working with DEQ to evaluate and address any risks that may be posed from the past operation of the pit, according to Charlie Williams, a Roanoke attorney who represents the company. All of the preliminary information, which is extensive, indicates there is no risk of any off-site migration of chemicals that would affect the development of the industrial center, Williams said. A pit of problems Chemsolv is in the business of selling and distributing chemicals used for a variety of industrial purposes, including in coal mining and shipbuilding and as a cleaning agent in the manufacture of consumer products. At its primary location in the Roanoke Industrial Center, a pit was built around 1985 to hold water used to rinse equipment and blend chemicals. Tainted water drained into the so-called pit, where it was held until it could be disposed of, either in a sanitary sewer or by having it hauled to a regulated dump. After a lengthy investigation, the Environmental Protection Agency found in 2014 that Chemsolv improperly stored hazardous waste. The company was fined $612,339. An administrative law judge determined that water and sludge in the pit contained more than 20 types of volatile organic compounds. Included in the mix were chloroform, trichloroethylene, a possible carcinogen, and tetrachloroethylene, which according to the EPA may cause liver, kidney and central nervous system complications at high exposure levels. The judges opinion, which described the pit as 6 feet in diameter with an open top like a swimming pool, said it held such a high concentration of chemicals that they could not be fully absorbed by sludge at its bottom. Phrased more colloquially, the pit contained so much tetrachloroethylene that the other material in the pit had soaked up as much of the chemical as it could, but was still swimming in tetrachloroethylene, Judge Susan Biro wrote. Before the investigation was complete, Chemsolv removed the tank. In doing so, inspectors said, the company failed to perform any investigation to determine whether hazardous waste leaked and contaminated the area surrounding the tank and/or its underlying soils. Citing the companys cavalier approach to waste management, Biro wrote that a small or slow leak might escape notice as liquid was flowing into or out of the pit during the normal course of its operation. Following the judges finding, Chemsolv negotiated with DEQ a plan to officially close the pit and clean up the surrounding area. A consent order initiated in 2019 states that an improper release of waste material has occurred at the facility. As part of a plan to abate threats to human health and the environment, Chemsolv agreed to conduct soil and groundwater tests and take whatever corrective action was needed. The first tests detected contaminants above acceptable levels, according to DEQ. Chemsolv told the agency that later tests showed in January 2022 that there were no longer risks to offsite industrial workers, construction workers or occupants of nearby buildings. However, DEQ has yet to concur, and asked for additional tests. Another report from the company is expected by October. The rebirth of Riverdale In mid-January, the city of Roanoke announced an agreement with Walker and the citys economic development authority to support redevelopment of 75-plus acres of land that will make up Riverdale. That land currently belongs to the Industrial Development and Investment Co. and is overseen by the Roanoke Industrial Center (RIC) management team. The team makes decisions for the center and leases or rents space in the center to various tenants. Chemsolv is part of the Roanoke Industrial Center area, but it is not an RIC tenant, and none of the land owned by Chemsolv is part of the Riverdale redevelopment plan, although it is directly adjacent. The citys economic development authority has agreed to award Walker a $10 million forgivable performance loan, funded by the city, to acquire the property from the RIC and remove debris from the site. The same agreement requires Walker to invest at least $50 million in redevelopment. Walker has led a number of other redevelopment projects in and around Roanoke and has indicated that Riverdale will be the final project of his career. At a city council meeting earlier this month, city attorney Tim Spencer said closing on the property is scheduled to occur March 30. A Jan. 17 city press release envisioned the completed Riverdale project still years, if not a couple decades, away as a mixed-use district featuring industrial spaces, residences, commercial uses, artist studios, maker space and manufacturing. Exactly where Walker hopes to locate certain amenities on the property may be more clear after a master plan development process, which is expected to last throughout 2023. Will Trinkle, a member of the RIC management team, said most of the current tenants are planning to stick around after Walker closes the real estate deal. In a statement Friday, city environmental manager Christopher Blakeman acknowledged the areas industrial past. The location in question is a very old industrial park with a decades long history of haz-mat and haz-waste use, generation, storage, and handling. As such, its undoubtedly seen its share of spills, leaks, fires, and more. Dealing with the remnants In its heyday, the American Viscose plant was the largest factory in Roanoke, employing more than 5,000 people in a sprawling complex along the river at the foot of Mill Mountain. The company closed in 1958, as demand for its rayon yarn used to make cloth faded with the development of nylon and polyesters. Environmental regulation in those days was far less stringent, and little attention was paid then to the factorys waste which included acetone, disulfide and zinc that had been dumped into lagoons on the west bank of the Roanoke River. It would not be until 2001 that the Environmental Protection Agency evaluated the site to see if it qualified for a Superfund cleanup. By then, the lagoons and a nearby acid pond had been filled with dirt and rubble. Sampling detected a release of contaminants to ground and surface water, but not at a level that would pose a significant risk to human health, an EPA spokesman said in February. Thus, the site did not qualify for additional assessment under Superfund. An industrial park had grown up around the old Viscose factory, and in 2004 its owners enrolled a 16-acre parcel in DEQs Voluntary Remediation Program, which is designed to clean up environmentally suspect areas that are not under state or federal remediation orders. Some sites were identified for testing, but the process moved slowly. In 2012, Riverdale Development LLC informed DEQ by letter that it was withdrawing from the program because, at this time, it is fiscally impossible. Should the economy recover and our client realizes the capital to invest in the appropriate kind of remediation, at that time they may exercise their right to re-enroll into the VRP, a consultant wrote on behalf of Riverdale. That time may have come. Walker said that once the land transaction with the Roanoke Industrial Center is completed, he plans to apply to DEQ to place the entire site into the remediation program once again. One part of the center, an approximately 1,400-square-foot area that had previously housed an underground storage tank, completed the DEQ voluntary cleanup in 2001. After a risk assessment, a deed restriction that covered the entire industrial center was imposed to prevent residential development and groundwater use as part of the Voluntary Remediation Program certification, according to Roanoke Circuit Court records. An amendment later removed that restriction for the 1,400-square-foot area. Walker plans to work with DEQ to lift the residential ban on other portions of the property that are found to be suitable for apartments or condominiums. The groundwater use restriction is moot, as the industrial center is served by public water. A park for the public Walker has had his eye on Riverdale for years. Although the sites industrial legacy might have discouraged some investors, for Walker it was an opportunity to turn privately owned land with historical significance into a cleaner, more modern place that could serve as a public park. Trinkle remembers the topic coming up when the two were having a drink in downtown Roanoke. He says: why dont we make it a park? Trinkle recalled. And I said: Why dont you make it a park? This was five years ago it took a few years, but now he can do it. 540-981-3239 540-981-3127 On the latest, non-elections episode of Hot off the Wire (for election coverage, scroll down): Republicans and Democrats are in a tight race for control of Congress and governors offices, with the outcome determining the future of Joe Bidens agenda as polls closed across most of the country. For additional information on this episode, please see our show notes. Watch Now: Homes collapsing in Florida after Nicole, and more of today's top videos Homes in Florida are in danger of collapsing into the ocean due to beach erosion elevated by Hurricane Nicole, the U.S. now has a record number of female governors, and more of today's top videos. Glenn Morris is the President and CEO of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce. Learn more about the work of the Chamber on their website, https://santamaria.com/. " " Rust is visible on a pillar of the Eiffel Tower March 8, 2021, before the 20th campaign of painting and stripping was begun, in Paris, France. Chesnot/Getty Images In May 1889, the Exposition Universelle, or Paris World's Fair, introduced millions of visitors to what was called the "300-meter Tower," a large puddle iron structure at one end of the Champ de Mars. Although many important figures in the arts and literature, such as Charles Garnier and Guy de Maupassant, had protested its construction, the tower was a success, welcoming more than 2 million visitors its first year. Today, that number is more than 6 million a year, and the structure we're referring to is, of course, the Eiffel Towel, named for its famed engineer, Gustave Eiffel. With all the traffic on three visitable levels today restaurants, bars and shops it's no surprise the Eiffel Tower requires maintenance. However, the real culprit in its need for upkeep is coming from the air the effects of oxidation, pollution and even bird poop. Like other great landmarks, the cost of maintaining the structure is a high one. To get it ready for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, a $60 million (50 million euro) renovation project was launched, according to France 24. Advertisement There have been questions about whether the efforts will be enough. Relying on confidential reports, a 2022 article in Marianne contended that the Eiffel Tower is in a terrible state and its planned maintenance leaves a lot to be desired. Although it needs "full repair," cites The Guardian, "it is being given only a cosmetic makeover" for the Olympics. According to the official Eiffel Tower website, it gets a complete paint job every seven years, a frequency recommended by Eiffel himself, and a course of action said to give it eternal life. The process consists of stripping, cleaning, applying rust-proofing and then painting the tower. Before getting into what is and is not going to be done, let's get a better understanding of the structure itself and why it's in the condition it's in. " " Grand Falls, aka Chocolate Falls, near Flagstaff, Arizona, is fed by sediment-laden snowpack from the Little Colorado River, or summer monsoon rains. It came to life in late July 2022, treating hikers to a spectacular sight. Arlene Waller/Shutterstock Willy Wonka, the famed fictional chocolatier whose factory housed a chocolate waterfall once sang, "Come with me and you'll be, in a world of pure imagination." But if you go at the right time of year, you don't have to imagine Grand Falls, Arizona, also known as the "Chocolate Waterfall." No, this isn't some splashy dessert gimmick you'll see at your best friend's wedding reception. This remarkable site (and sight) is a natural wonder of tiered waterfalls featuring flat rock plateaus and cascades of cocoa-colored H2O located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Flagstaff on Navajo Nation land in a region called the Painted Desert. Advertisement Grand Falls formed during the late Pleistocene era. An ancient volcanic eruption at the Merriam Crater sent lava flowing toward the canyon of the Little Colorado River. Hot lava cooled and filled the riverbed up and downstream, damming the river. Eventually a lake formed and spilled over the top of dam and carved out Grand Falls. It is important to note that if you visit Grand Falls at the wrong time of the year, you might not see waterfalls at all. The best time to view the "Chocolate Falls" is in the spring, especially in March and April. That's when the waterfalls are fed by the spring snowmelt from the Little Colorado River, which originates at Mount Baldy, orDzi igai Si'an, as it is known to the White Mountain Apache Tribe. Mount Baldy is the state's highest mountain and part of the White Mountains, a mountain range in northeast Arizona that makes up part of the Colorado Plateau. The heavily silt-laden water gives the river its warm brown color and flows through the mountains to Grand Falls where it makes the 187-foot plunge. By the time the water flows the complete 338 miles (544 kilometers) northwest to meet up with the Colorado River at the Grand Canyon, the brown silt is completely filtered out and minerals have changed its color to pale turquoise. Occasionally, you can view Grand Falls in the summer when it's fed during the rainy season, which begins in June and continues through September. Monsoon season typically brings higher humidity leading to frequent thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and even flash floods. However, these weather patterns are short, infrequent and unreliable. The flow of the Grand Falls can also be affected by drought conditions. But it is possible to call ahead to learn whether the falls are, in fact, falling. Grand Falls is part of the Grand Falls Recreational Area. It's on Navajo Nation land and maintained and managed by the Leupp Chapter House. When visiting the area, it's important to be respectful of the people, the nature inhabiting the land and of the land, itself. " " Chocolate Falls doesn't gush all the time. The best time for viewing it at its prime is in March and April when snowpack is melting. Pritha_EasyArts/Shutterstock Now That's Interesting The best views of Grand Falls is on the south side of the Little Colorado River. From the north side you'll only get a side view of the falls. " " The old Soviet temporary base at the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility featured a bust of Vladimir Lenin, installed in the 1950s. Wikimedia Commons (CC By SA 3.0) You might think of the South Pole as perhaps the most remote spot on Earth. In reality, it's not even the most remote spot in Antarctica. That distinction actually would belong to a spot called the Southern Pole of Inaccessibilty, about 546 miles (878 kilometers) away from the South Pole, an ice-covered patch of earth that happens to be the most distant spot from the Southern Ocean on the Antarctic continent. It's so remote, in fact, that humans have only visited it a few times (more on that later), according to Smithsonian Magazine. Advertisement That obscure location in Antarctica is one of the planet's numerous Poles of Inaccessibility, a term used for the most remote spot on a particular continent or an ocean. If we're talking about land, the Pole of Inaccessibility is located at the most remote spot from the ocean, while if the pole is in an ocean, it's the spot that's farthest away from land, as this article from the Australian publication Traveller details. A paper published in Scottish Geographic Journal in 2008 included an algorithm that can be used to calculate the most remote places on Earth. Even so, it's also possible for geographers to come up with more than one location on a continent that seems to fit the distinction of being the farthest away from everything. Here are some of the recognized Poles of Inaccessibility: FLORENCE, S.C. Dr. Ronald T. Murphy delivered the 14th Annual William C. Moran Address on Thursday at the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center. The Moran Address has traditionally been a platform for retiring or recently retired faculty to deliver remarks encompassing thoughts and ideas from their area of study and life experiences. Murphys address was inspired by a brief period of homelessness he experienced after being displaced from his New Orleans home by Hurricane Katrina. Titled Harnessing FMUs Resources to Address Homelessness and Poverty in Florence, Murphys address also outlined how the local community can support the homeless population. He received his undergraduate degree in 1980 from Tufts University, where he majored in psychology and biology, and obtained a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1989. Prior to joining the Psychology Department at FMU, he was involved in the treatment of and research on PTSD, substance abuse, and motivation to change at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD and also served as a faculty member at Dillard University in New Orleans. Murphy is actively involved in the community where he works with veterans and the homeless. Currently, he is co-chair of the Mayors Youth Initiative, director of the Florence Family Support Center, and serves on the board of the Veterans Resource Center of Florence. The Moran Address has been an FMU tradition since 2005 and is named after Dr. William C. Moran, FMUs vice president of academic affairs from 1978 to 1992. Moran, who went on to become president of Lander University after leaving FMU, is remembered for his many civic, academic, and cultural contributions to South Carolina. He was presented the Governors Award in the Humanities in 2008. The Moran Address is made possible by an endowment from the Moran family. 35 Vietnamese students compete at Intl Robothon 2023 Thirty-five Vietnamese contestants will compete in the Leanbot category as part of the International Robothon 2023 contest due to get underway in Malaysia on March 26. 35 Vietnamese contestants are ready for Intl Robothon 2023 in Malaysia. (Photo: Vietnamnet) This years event is expected to draw the participation of 258 contestants from Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The contestants will be divided into 101 teams, including 39 Leanbot teams, 44 Lego EV3 teams, and 18 VEX IQ teams. The 35 Vietnamese contestants will also be arranged into 18 teams and compete in a Leanbot category. Those joining the event are outstanding students that had performed excellently during the national competitions in February in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho. Most notably, the STEM Robotics toolkit "Leanbot" has been introduced in this years event for the first time after it was developed by a team of experts and engineers of DTT Vietnam Technology Joint Stock Company. The 2023 International Robothon Competition themed "Second Earth", aims to reflect the human desire to explore and master space in celestial bodies other than Earth. Candidates in the competition will be students between the ages of eight and 15. DJIBOUTI CITY, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Cooperation with China in the field of education is setting a solid foundation for Djibouti's economic and social development, a senior Djibouti government official has said. Speaking to Xinhua in a recent interview, Moustapha Mohamed Mahamoud, Minister of National Education and Vocational Training of Djibouti, said China and Djibouti enjoy "strong and very good" collaboration across a range of development sectors. Mahamoud, in particular, underscored the importance of the ever-growing partnership between the two countries in the field of education, which he said is enabling the Red Sea nation's youths to harness their potential toward the country's socio-economic development. "We have a strong and very good collaboration between China and Djibouti...China is one of the countries that support the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training a lot in terms of education," Mahamoud told Xinhua. The minister stressed that China has already supported Djibouti with the construction of several academic institutions, with a particular emphasis on creating centers of excellence. According to him, one such center of excellence is the Luban Workshop in Djibouti. "As part of our cooperation with China in the education sector, some three years ago we saw the realization of the Luban Workshop, which is the first in Africa," Mahamoud said. The Luban Workshop in Djibouti was launched back in March 2019 as the first of its kind in the African continent with an aim to provide quality vocational training to local people, the country's youth in particular. "We have a lot of students who came through the Luban Workshop. The center is equipped with very modern equipment in different sectors, incorporating technologies in the transport, logistics and other areas," the minister said. "We had the first graduates of professional railway licensed youth with better skills," Mahamoud said. "The best skills they obtained from the center is setting the solid foundation for our economic and social development." The minister also emphasized the importance of further cementing the Sino-Djibouti cooperation in the education sector. In this regard, he acknowledged the role of the recently inaugurated Confucius Institute in Djibouti as a valuable impetus for boosting the ever-expanding relations between the two countries in the education sector and beyond. On Thursday, the Confucius Institute in Djibouti was inaugurated in Djibouti city, the country's capital, with stakeholders pledging to make the institute an important platform for China-Djibouti cooperation. The minister said the institute will play an important role as economic cooperation and people-to-people relations depend on language. He underscored that learning and mastering the Chinese language will open a wider window of opportunities for Djiboutian youth, and will enable them to acquire further education and training opportunities. "Students from different schools are now learning the Chinese language here at home in Djibouti through this institute. I am sure this opportunity will allow them to apply to big Chinese universities. Certainly, we will have students who will come out of the best Chinese universities and return here to participate in our development endeavors," he said. "Due to its geographical position, Djibouti has always been a land of exchange, communications and meetings among people; and this makes the institute even more important," he said. "This tradition of exchanges and meetings in Djibouti also makes the Confucius Institute in Djibouti the best platform that could represent a land of exchange and meeting. US Sentencing Commission schedules meeting for April 5, 2023, for promulgation of proposed guideline amendments | Main | A SCOTUS week full of federal criminal case oral arguments The question in the title of this post is prompted by this lengthy new Arnold Ventures piece titled "Red State Support for Criminal Justice Reform Remains Strong." I recommend the piece in full, in part because it has plenty of notable content even though its contents do not fully support the title of the piece. Here are some extended excerpts: Partisans and pundits like to present criminal justice reform as an issue that pits red states against blue states. But beyond the headlines, policymakers from both sides of the aisle are working to build a criminal justice system that is more effective, efficient, accountable, and just. Even following the spike in crime during the Covid-19 pandemic, bipartisan commitment to criminal justice reform has remained remarkably robust including leadership from conservative coalitions.... In North Carolina, Conservatives for Criminal Justice Reform (CCJR) has gained traction since its founding in 2016 and has advanced several pieces of reform legislation. Their first goal was raising the juvenile age so that a 16- or 17-year-old charged with a low-level felony or misdemeanor would not enter the adult court system.... Other wins included the General Assembly and Senates unanimous passage of the Second Chance Act in 2019, which allowed the expungement of nonviolent charges, and Senate Bill 300 in 2021, which was sponsored by three Republican state senators. That bill standardized police officer training and created a database to track uses of force resulting in death or serious injury.... Another organization aiming to reach both sides of the aisle is R Street Institute, a D.C.-based think tank. Recently, the organization has worked on initiatives concerning the cost-saving success of police-led juvenile diversion programs and cite-and-release programs as an alternative to arrest.... Over the last decade, policy change around marijuana has progressed rapidly. In November 2022, Maryland and Missouri voters approved ballot measures to legalize recreational marijuana, meaning that it is now legal in just under half of all states (and decriminalized in a majority of states). Additionally, some of the remaining states are poised to reexamine their cannabis laws this year, including Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Texas, and Oklahoma. Last October, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt a Republican who has become a national leader in red state criminal justice reform ordered a special election for State Question 820, which would have legalized recreational marijuana use. While the referendum ultimately failed, it garnered significant Republican support in the relatively conservative state. It also included some of the most comprehensive marijuana criminal justice reforms seen in any legalization effort to date and will serve as a benchmark for future efforts around the country.... Meanwhile, Americans for Prosperity, a conservative advocacy group, has set their sights on another drug policy long overdue for reform: sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine. For over 35 years, the sentencing imbalance between these two types of cocaine has disproportionately and undeniably impacted Black communities. In 2022, the bipartisan Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law (EQUAL) Act narrowly failed in the Senate after passing the House, and in February 2023 it was reintroduced by a bipartisan group including U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Rand Paul.... In the last five years, 10 states have passed clean slate legislation policies that expand eligibility for the clearance or sealing of arrest and conviction records, as well as automate that process for people who have remained crime-free. Another half dozen states are expected to consider bills around the topic in the coming year or so. Advocates say the popularity of these efforts is due to a principle all sides can agree on: Bureaucratic barriers should be removed so that more people can get back to work and support themselves.... Clean Slate efforts have gained strong bipartisan support because they are deeply rooted in the American Dream the belief that if you work hard, you should be able to get ahead and provide for your family, says Sheena Meade, CEO of Clean Slate Initiative. Also, people are starting to understand that those who benefit from a second chance are normal folks. One in three Americans have an arrest or conviction record, and most records are not for serious offenses. These clean slate policies can have massive impact. For instance, since the implementation of Pennsylvanias clean slate law in 2019, over 40 million cases have been sealed, benefiting 1.2 million Pennsylvanians.... The Nolan Center for Justice, established by the American Conservative Union Foundation, is also a prominent voice for clean-slate policies. We tailor our approach depending on who we speak to, explains Kaitlin Owens, Nolans deputy director of advocacy. For instance, reaching out to business leaders who can testify on the positives of hiring formerly incarcerated folks can go a long way. In addition to its support for people who have recently been released from incarceration, the Nolan Center also works to effectuate change within prisons. For instance, model policy written by Nolan in 2017 around improving the treatment of incarcerated women was distributed to state legislatures via the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a conservative nonprofit organization, resulting in 32 states many of them southern Republican strongholds passing such legislation. One example is North Carolina, which in 2021 passed the Dignity Act limiting the use of restraints and cavity searches on pregnant women, providing access to menstrual products, and ensuring mothers are placed in facilities within a reasonable distance to their children. Kyiv said on Sunday it was seeking an emergency meeting of the United Nation's Security Council to counter Russia's "nuclear blackmail" after President Vladimir Putin announced his country would station tactical nuclear arms in Belarus. Putin said the deployment was similar to moves from the United States, which stores such weapons in bases across Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey, an analogy western allies called "misleading". On Sunday, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that Brussels was ready to impose new sanctions on Belarus if Minsk were to host Russian nuclear weapons. "Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation and threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions," he tweeted. With fears of a nuclear war rising since the invasion, experts believe that any Russian strike would likely involve small-size battlefield weapons, called "tactical" as opposed to "strategic" high-powered long-range nuclear weapons. "Ukraine expects effective actions to counteract the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail from the United Kingdom, China, the United States and France," the Ukrainian foreign ministry said. "We demand that an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council be immediately convened for this purpose," it added. On Saturday, Putin announced Russia would station tactical nuclear weapons in neighbour and ally Belarus "without violating our international agreements on nuclear non-proliferation". The Ukrainian foreign ministry accused Russia of breaching its obligations, and of undermining the "nuclear disarmament architecture and the international security system in general". It called on "all members of the international community to convey to the criminal Putin regime the categorical unacceptability of its latest nuclear provocations." In the interview broadcast Saturday, Putin said the move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was "nothing unusual". Story continues - 'Totally misleading' - "The United States has been doing this for decades. They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies," Putin said. Putin said he spoke to Lukashenko and said "we agreed to do the same." Russia will start training crews on April 3 and plans to finish the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons by July 1. Germany and NATO said the analogy was deceptive. "The comparison made by President Putin to nuclear sharing in NATO is misleading and does not justify the step announced by Russia," an official in German foreign office told AFP. NATO also joined the criticism, with spokeswoman Oana Lungescu saying "Russia's reference to NATO's nuclear sharing is totally misleading. NATO allies act with full respect of their international commitments." Lungescu also blasted Russia's announcement as "dangerous and irresponsible". The United States and NATO said separately they did not see grounds to change their nuclear posture. "We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon," the US Department of Defense said in a statement. - Threats - Putin has previously said nuclear tensions were "rising" globally but that Moscow would not deploy first. Back in February 2022, Belarus allowed the Kremlin to launch its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory. Fears have since risen that Belarus may join its ally's offensive, but dictator Alexander Lukashenko, a key Putin ally, said he would do so "only if attacked". On Sunday secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, Oleksiy Danilov wrote on Twitter that "the Kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage." He added that the move was "a step towards the internal destabilisation of the country". Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak added that "(Putin) admits that he is afraid of losing and all he can do is scare" people. The Russian leader said renewed discussions with Lukashenko on the issue were spurred by a British official's suggestion depleted uranium weapons be sent to Ukraine. Russia has "what it needs to answer" if the West supplied Ukraine with such ammunition, he added. "Without exaggeration, we have hundreds of thousands of such shells. We have not used them yet." bur/gw/ea Facebook has published a new report on the state of influence operations on its platform. The report, which covers the period between 2017 and 2020, sheds new light on the companys efforts to prevent election interference, and how attempts to manipulate its platform have evolved. The report notes influence campaigns have changed a lot since 2016, when Russias Internet Research Agency used fake accounts to great effect . While Facebook is still uncovering IRA activity, its tactics are changing. For example, last year Facebook and Twitter uncovered an IRA scheme that involved US-based journalists who were unwittingly conned into authoring articles for a fake news site meant to prop up their influence campaigns. (Both Facebook and Twitter said at the time that the fake accounts were found before they could reach a large audience.) Threat actors basically faced an empty field in 2016, and the world is very different today, Facebooks Head of Security Policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, said during a call with reporters. But also there are more actors who are using these techniques today than was the case in 2016. Another major difference between now and 2016 is that inauthentic behavior is more frequently coming from within the country being targeted, not just from foreign actors. In the report, Facebook notes that it down an equal number of CIB (coordinated inauthentic behavior) networks from Russia, Iran and the US itself. Facebook found just as many networks of fake accounts in the US as from Russia and Iran. Of those originating in the US, more than half were campaigns operated by conspiratorial and fringe political actors that used fake accounts to amplify their views and to make them appear more popular than they were. Also complicating matters: that these networks often relied on real people to spread their message or run fake accounts. And though the report doesnt specifically name Donald Trump, it notes that the then-US President was among those promoting false information amplified by IO [influence operations] from various countries including Russia and Iran. Of course, Facebook dealt with numerous other issues surrounding the election besides fake accounts. The company was slow to address QAnon and other extremists prior to the election, and these groups were able to spread conspiracy theories relatively unchecked for months. Following the election, Facebook failed to prevent the Stop the Steal movement, which fueled the violence on Jan. 6. An internal report from Facebook suggested that the companys focus on looking for fake accounts may have blinded it to the dangers posed by legitimate accounts spreading conspiracy theories. The US 2020 election campaign brought to the forefront the complexity of separating bad actors behind covert influence operations from unwitting people they co-opt or domestic influencers whose interests may align with threat actors, the report says. On the heels of Facebook taking a big step into customer service with the acquisition of Kustomer for $1 billion, another big move is afoot in the world of customer relationship management and engagement. Sinch, a Swedish company that provides cloud-based "omnichannel" voice, video and messaging services to help enterprises communicate with customers, has announced that SoftBank is taking a $690 million stake in the company. Sinch said that it plans to use the proceeds of the share sale for M&A of its own. "We see clearly how our cloud-based platform helps businesses leverage mobile technology to reinvent their customer experience," Oscar Werner, Sinch CEO, told TechCrunch. "Whereas people throughout the world have embraced mobile messaging to interact with friends and family, most businesses have yet to seize this opportunity. We are establishing Sinch as a leader in a global growth market that is still very fragmented, and we're excited that SoftBank is now helping us realize that vision." Specifically, Sinch has issued and sold 3,187,736 shares worth SEK 3.3 billion, and large shareholders have sold a further 5,200,000 shares -- with SoftBank the sole buyer. The move underscores the growing opportunity that those in the world of customer engagement and CRM -- which include not just Sinch and Kustomer but Salesforce and many others -- are seeing to double down on their services at the moment. With people working and doing everything else remotely, and with the general upheaval we've had in the global economy due to COVID-19, there has been an increased demand and strain put on the digital channels that people use to communicate with organizations when they have questions or problems. The catch is that customer relations and engaging users has grown to be more than just 1-800 numbers and being on hold for endless hours: It includes social media, email, websites with interactive chats, chatbots, messaging apps and, yes, those phone calls. Story continues Organizations like Sinch and Kustomer -- which build platforms to help businesses manage all of those fragmented options in what are described as omnichannel offerings, have been capitalising on the demand and are now investing and looking for the next step in their strategies to grow. For Kustomer, that has been leaping into the arms of Facebook, which itself has spotted an opportunity to build out a CRM business to complement its other services for businesses. Recall that it's also been experimenting and working on its latest Nextdoor competitor to promote local businesses; and it has added a ton of business tools to its messaging apps too. It will be interesting to see what Salesforce does next. While acquiring Slack gives the company an obvious channel into workplace communications, don't forget that Slack is also a very popular tool for engaging with people outside of your employee network, too. It will be worth watching how and if Salesforce looks to develop that aspect of the business, too. For Sinch, its strategy has been around making acquisitions of its own, including paying $250 million to pick up a business unit of SAP, Digital Interconnect, which has 1,500 enterprise customers, mostly in the U.S., using it to run "omnichannel" communications. Now the plan will be to do more, since there are still huge swathes of the market that have yet to upgrade and update their approaches. Sinch, notably, is traded publicly on Sweden's stock exchange and currently has a market cap of SEK 70 billion ($8.2 billion at current rates). It is profitable and generating cash, so has "no need to raise funding for our ongoing business," Thomas Heath, Sinch's chief strategy officer and head of investor relations, told TechCrunch. For SoftBank, the investment marks another step in the company taking sizable stakes in fast-growing public or semi-public tech companies in Europe. In October, it put $215 million into Kahoot, the online education platform aimed both at students and enterprises, built around the concept of users themselves creating "learning games" that can then be shared with others. Kahoot trades a proportion of its shares publicly on the stock exchange in Norway and, like Sinch, the plan is to use a good part of the money for acquisitions. Not all of SoftBank's investments in scaled-up European businesses have panned out. Having put around $1 billion into German payments company Wirecard, the company turned out to be one of the biggest scandals in the history of European fintech, facing accounting scandals before collapsing into insolvency earlier this year. Sinch, as a profitable and a steady business with predictable lines of recurring revenue, looks like a safer bet for now. Even with Salesforce, Facebook and others raising their game, as Sinch's CEO says, there is enough of an untapped market that playing well might be enough to do well. Updated to clarify that Sinch considers its work "customer experience" more than CRM. In our latest installment of "From the Archives": 1898 plans to build a big Sioux City brewery, 14 blackjack players get arrested in a gambling den in 1923, an Ozark DC9 makes an emergency landing 50 years ago and MidAmerican employees pretend to be CEO. Gov. Andy Beshears veto of a bill aimed at transgender health care has put Kentucky in the middle of a national fight. But the consequences are more immediate in Kentucky. Its election this year offers an early test on the state-by-state assault on gender-affirming care for minors. The veto issued Friday set off competing messages likely to be repeated until the November election. That's when Kentucky voters will decide whether to reelect the Democratic governor or hand over the governors office to a Republican. No one seems to know yet how much weight voters will put on the transgender issue. 125 Years Ago A.W. Erwin Endorses It: A regular source of daily news now is the new project of Davidson Bros. for reorganizing their business to secure the cooperation of patrons and employees in extending the trade of the house. Ben Davidson said the work of adjusting the details to the change is being pushed as quickly as possible and they are receiving cordial indorsements of the project, including from A. W. Erwin, the president of the Sioux City Commercial Association. Plan To Get The Names March 26, 1898 It is practically assured that the Pennsylvania syndicate, represented by Joseph C. Head, vice president of the Combination Bridge company, and Joseph Baumgartner, brewer, of Latrobe will build the big brewery in Sioux City, provided the citizens give their consent to the manufacture of the liquors as required by state law. Steps have been taken to obtain the consent, with W. C. Hutchins authorized to see it through. 100 Years Ago 300 Methodists Banquet Tonight: Three hundred persons are expected to attend the banquet of the Sioux City Methodist union, which will be held in Grace Methodist Episcopal Church tonight. Dr. M. P. Burnes of Philadelphia will speak. G. S. Hughes, president of the union, will act as toastmaster, and a solo will be rendered by Luberne Sigmond, director of music in the First Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Burnes will also be welcomed at a luncheon served at noon today at the Chamber of Commerce. 14 Arrested In A Gambling Den: After battering down a door, police arrested 14 blackjack players in an alleged gambling den on Fourth Street early Sunday evening. A lookout warned the gamblers of the approach of the raiders via an electric bell, which was confiscated along with a deck of cards and $1.50. Charges of keeping a disorderly house were placed against the one of the men, while the others face charges of frequenting a disorderly house. 50 Years Ago Jetliner Gets New Engine: The Ozark DC9 that made an emergency landing at the Sioux City Municipal Airport with a jet engine out of service was well on its way back to flying condition Sunday afternoon. Sioux City Ozark Manager Dick Evans said the new engine was trucked over from St. Louis. Engine failures like this one dont happen very often, as this is only the second time in Evanss seven years in Sioux City that something like this has happened. Centennial Fashion Show To Be Held Tonight At Hull: A centennial fashion show Past to Present Styles will be held at 8 p.m. today in the Hull Community Building. Fashions for men, women, and children will be modeled and displayed dating back to 1879, including a wedding dress and suit from 1879, a 74-year-old fur collar, a 70-year-old baptismal dress, and old hats, shawls, and baby clothes too fragile to be worn. Models for the show will include Mrs. John Te Slaa, Mrs. Allan Vande Stouwe, Mrs. Gene Van Roekel, and Mrs. William Groeneweg. 25 Years Ago Citys Code Enforcement Officer Likes Job, But Would Rather Be Cop: Brian Clausen, the citys only code enforcement officer, is the one tasked with checking, tagging, booting, or having vehicles towed as well as giving tickets for unshoveled sidewalks in the winter. Clausen took nearly 6,000 actions involving more than 3,000 abandoned vehicles in 1997 alone. Complaints generate the most calls, and Clausens position frees up uniformed officers from the activities that dont require them. Clausen is happy enough with his duties, but he still wants to be a cop and intends to take the police officer civil service exam the next time its offered. 25 MidAmerican Customers Act As CEO In New Television Commercial: MidAmericans new television commercial will features customers selected at random to pretend they were MidAmericans CEO. The plan is for the company to use the interviews to demonstrate its commitment to listening to its customers opinions, according to Michele Hanna of MidAmericans Des Moines office. Customers from Sioux City who were selected include Bill Wolf, CEO of Millennium Technologies in Sioux City; Marty Gubbels; and Ted Sokolowski. The five finished spots will begin airing and run until June 1. I grew up on a farm and love animals; especially dogs. A short time ago, I relocated to Sioux City, and it became obvious to me there are mean dogs that are not leashed and running wild in public areas. And Ive been attacked. The Sioux City Police Department will not respond unless a dog assault has caused a death." They referred me to Animal Control. Animal Controls reply was the equivalent of a shrug and referred me to the City. And a polite message left for our mayor has gone un-answered over the course of months. As a physician, recently, I cared for a patient in the intensive care unit; a defenseless toddler who was mauled by a dog. Please be a responsible pet owner. And will someone please step forward and enforce the Citys dog ordinances! Dale J. Klein, M.D., Sioux City Iowas 4th Congressional District is the top pork-producing district in the nation. Futhermore, the northwest Iowa counties of Lyon, Sioux, Plymouth and OBrien rank within the Top 10 counties for pork production in the state of Iowa. Iowas pork industry supports nearly 150,000 jobs, contributes over $13 billion to our economy, and exports more than $2 billion in product every year. Needless to say, pork production is vital to our economy and way of life in Northwest Iowa. Our Congressman, Randy Feenstra, understands that the pork industry is a large contributor to Iowas value-added agriculture economy that sustains our rural communities. Serving on both the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman Feenstra is working to pass a strong Farm Bill that not only brings opportunities and benefits to all Iowas farmers, but he also recognizes the specific need to protect our livestock industry from outside threats. We need the Farm Bill to ensure that Congress fully funds programs that safeguard the nations food supply against threats posed by foreign animal diseases such as African Swine Fever. Additionally, we also need USDA to increase its investment in the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program. These two programs have brought tremendous value to farmers in developing international markets. For every $1 that has been invested in these programs, US agriculture has realized $24.50 in incremental export gains. I am pleased that Congressman Feenstra is not tackling the Farm Bill alone. He knows that producer leaders need a seat at the table to help craft this important legislation and ensure that it serves the needs of our agricultural community. As such, I am honored to serve on his recently assembled Agriculture Advisory Board to deliver the priorities of Iowa pork producers to the U.S. Capitol. Dwight Mogler, Lester, Iowa In 1979 on that first day of school, I oozed anxiety. After all, there were 30 sets of unknown eyes waiting for the show to begin. I was the show. Am I going to be the tough guy not smiling until Halloween or the open arms teacher? Will my deodorant hold so I dont pit-out before first period? That was then; this is now. Now, theres more worry than pit stains. Teachers are in the political crosshairs of politicians aiming to please a base, that didnt exist when I was teaching in the 80s. Its a scary kind of worry, and its making teachers as scarce as liberals in Orange City. Some political attacks are noisy and noticed by concerned parents and students. They spark walkouts and protests. Thats positive. Then there are those quiet attacks that cause the fabric of the teaching profession to unravel. They arent as noticed but attacks on the teaching profession are really attacks on public schools, kids and Iowa values. Here are a couple of the quiet attacks. House File 255 passed the Iowa House. This bill provides two new routes to become a teacher and to a non-teacher, they may sound like a step in the right direction. They arent. The first new way is by having a bachelors degree in anything with work experience for three years in any field. This allows a person to be a teacher intern to teach in grades 6-12. The other new path is to have a four-year degree in anything with an online teacher license. The only other requirement would be a mentoring program. This weakens quality of teaching. Research shows teacher quality matters in student outcomes. Theres little doubt, most teachers will say their education classes were dreadful and student teaching was hard. But like military basic training, this is the crucible educators must endure to begin readiness. Student teaching and education classes dont fully prepare a teacher, but they help understanding. I cant imagine going into a classroom with a degree in fashion design and trying to teach special education, math, English or science. Those are the jobs with shortages. People choosing this new route may be doing it for all the right reasons, or may be trying to escape because they saw an old teacher movie like Dangerous Minds, and decided teaching would be a cool adventure. But thats not the only law directly targeting educators. House File 430 gives parents seats on the Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE). This board governs the profession by investigating and disciplining educators who violate standards. Now, this board is comprised of education practitioners appointed by the governor. Under the new law, the BOEE would be comprised of five parents, five licensed practitioners, and one school board member. Why is this an attack? All other professional boards in Iowa are governed by only professional practitioners. Gov. Kim Reynolds has shown the parents she listens to are those sharing her political ideology. The BOEE is a board that judges licensed school employees. Its to be unbiased and base decisions on facts. This change sends the message: educators are less than any other profession. It also puts innocent educators at risk who are falsely accused. The once proud, public education tradition in this state is dying slowly by a thousand attacks. ADEN, Yemen, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni defense minister and several other government officials narrowly escaped a drone attack carried out by the Houthi group on their convoy in the country's southwestern province of Taiz on Saturday, a government official told Xinhua. "The Houthis used their explosive-laden drones and struck the convoy carrying the Defense Minister Mohsen Al-Daari, general Sagheer bin Aziz, the country's chief of staff and other government officials including the governor of Taiz province," the local government official said on condition of anonymity, adding that they escaped the Houthi attack unharmed. The drone attack killed three soldiers and injured several others, including the minister's bodyguards and the military police who were escorting the convoy. The official said that the minister's convoy was traveling from the city of Mocha on Yemen's western coast and heading to the city of Taiz when it was targeted by Houthis in a rural village. At the same time, there were other Houthi attacks that included firing shells at sites of Yemeni government forces to the west of Taiz, as well as at residential areas within the city, according to local residents. The recent Houthi attack on the Yemeni government officials dealt a serious blow to the international diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing violence and promoting peace in Yemen, jeopardizing the progress that has been made thus far. It also comes at a particularly critical time, as the two warring sides had agreed in Switzerland to exchange hundreds of war prisoners under the auspices of the United Nations. The UN-sponsored prisoner agreement was seen as a significant step towards building trust between the Yemeni warring parties and moving towards more negotiations to achieve a lasting peace agreement. On Friday, Yemen's government warned of a possible return to all-out military conflict in the war-ravaged Arab country following an uptick in attacks by the Houthi militia in the central oil-rich province of Marib. Various regions in Yemen have witnessed sporadic armed confrontations between the local warring factions, after a cease-fire brokered by the United Nations in April last year expired six months later. Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Houthis fighting against the internationally-recognized government and its allies, which include a Saudi Arabia-led coalition. The years-long war brought the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of collapse, causing famine and widespread sufferings as well as disrupting the country's food supply chain, leaving millions of people without access to adequate nutrition. SERGEANT BLUFF The latest expansion at the Ag Processing Inc. soybean crushing plant near Sergeant Bluff is expected to benefit Siouxland farmers in more than one way. With the annual crushing capacity increased by approximately 7 million bushels, growers will have more marketing possibilities for their soybean crops. That increase not only means more soybean oil production, but also more soybean meal that will available locally for area producers to feed to their livestock. "We're owned by local co-ops and elevators in the area, so this will lead to more demand for their local soybeans. This is something that's beneficial to our members," said Adam Piper, AGP vice president of soybean processing. Ag Processing Inc., Sergeant Bluff Grain trucks enter and leave the Ag Processing Inc. soybean crushing plant near Sergeant Bluff. The company is nearing completion on a $70 mil AGP Provided AGP's soy processing plant near Sergeant Bluff is shown in this aerial photo. Work began last summer on the $70 million expansion. It's expected to be finished late this summer in time for harvest. From the outside, it might not appear that an expansion project is taking place. Most of the work consists of revamping and upgrading existing equipment and facilities, not adding to the physical plant. "We want to be more efficient in what we do," Piper said. Located in the Port Neal industrial complex south of Sergeant Buff, the bean crushing facility was built by Farmland Industries in 1974, and AGP purchased it in 1983. AGP Provided The railyard for AGP's soy processing plant near Sergeant Bluff is shown. The current project is the third major upgrade at the plant since 2014. Those investments total approximately $200 million. In 2017, AGP built a $90 million vegetable oil refinery, which refines beans at the site, and also completed a $38 million expansion of its biodiesel plant. It was the fourth expansion of the Port Neal biodiesel plant, which was the nation's first commercial-scale biodiesel plant when it opened in 1996. Growing markets for soybean products fueled this latest investment, Piper said. "We're getting more demand for our products in our industry," he said. "As an industry, there's demand that's looking to be filled from an oil standpoint." AGP also received financial incentives to make the expansion more attractive. State and county officials agreed to incentives amounting to about $1.4 million for the project. Woodbury County officials furnished a local property tax exemption for up to two years and a rebate of $578,242 over five years. The Iowa Economic Development Authority approved $842,000 in incentives, including $500,000 of investment tax credits and the refund of $342,000 in sales, service and use taxes paid during construction. The support AGP has received from local leaders and area farmers could lead to future expansion. "We're always looking at what we can add or expand," Piper said. "We feel strongly about the Sergeant Bluff area. It's a good spot for us in terms of demand and supply. We look forward to the future, and we're certainly committed to that area." One of the nations largest cooperatives, AGP is owned by local and regional cooperatives representing more than 200,000 farmer-producers across the United States. It operates 10 soybean processing plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota, as well as four soybean oil refineries and three biodiesel plants. It will break ground in David City, Nebraska, on its 11th plant later this year. SIOUX CITY City officials and business leaders donned orange hard hats and dug gold-painted shovels into the dirt Nov. 1 to ceremoniously break ground on a $10.7 million aviation center at Sioux Gateway Airport. The 40,000-square-foot facility includes a flight academy and additional aviation operations. The aviation center was established through partnerships with Morningside University, Western Iowa Tech Community College and Oracle Aviation. The project, which was spearheaded by city officials and leaders at The Siouxland Initiative, includes hangar space, training classrooms and office facilities. "We are so incredibly excited to be kicking off this project and bring a new focus on aviation training and great customer service to the field," said Dave Poole, vice president of business development for Oracle Aviation, an Omaha aviation company. "We are excited to work toward becoming an incredible resource and advocate for aviation both here throughout Siouxland and throughout the entire tri-state community." Morningside University is creating professional flight and aviation management programs, which are set to welcome students in the fall of 2023, while WITCC plans to offer an associates of applied science in aviation maintenance. Oracle Aviation's projections show the number of passenger flights doubling in the next 20 years and nearly 80% of active pilots being forced into retirement in the next 14 years due to pilot age requirements. Boeing estimates that more than 850,000 pilots will need to be trained to keep up with demand. "Nationally, the need for pilots and aviation management professionals is at a historic high. That is also true here in Siouxland," Morningside President Albert Mosley said. "As a regional resource, this partnership allows us to provide the skilled talent that the aviation and other industries in this area need; and it gives Morningside students another pathway toward a fulfilling, high-wage career." WITCC President Terry Murrell said the shortage of maintenance engineers is "even more pressing than the pilot shortage." "Western Iowa Tech is very proud to be a part of this opportunity, really because it allows us to go in a new venture and to respond to the community's needs," he said. Mayor Bob Scott said the Airport Board of Trustees is "very supportive" of the project because of the impact it is going to have on the community. He noted that the city looked at a flight school back in the 90s, but such a project just wasn't possible at that time. He said the aviation center wouldn't be moving forward without a $1 million grant from the Economic Development Administration. "This gives us a lot of opportunities in our community -- a lot of landings and takeoffs. The school will have a direct impact on our tower situation, which will be very, very helpful. It'll give some part-time jobs for our 185th airmen and airwomen," he said. "... But the most important thing for me is that it will give a lot of opportunity for our young people to get into a profession that we didn't otherwise have in this community." Col. Brian Miller, former commander of the 185th Refueling Wing, is serving as director of aviation for Morningside and overseeing the development of facilities, curriculum and recruitment. "This is a perfect partnership in an outstanding location. The Sioux Gateway Airport offers an ideal setting for pilots to learn in a four-season setting, and the connections that SUX has to commercial, private and government aviation entities offers students a variety of opportunity," Miller said in a statement provided by the university. SIOUX CITY Neeraj Agarwal, a real estate developer, described downtown Sioux City's once long-vacant and red-tagged Badgerow Building as "a developer's dream project." "We were just blown away that a building like this was even available and had not been redeveloped, given how large and prominent it is relative to the whole city," he said. "When we found the property, it was really just an issue of mechanical, electrical, plumbing -- what do we have to do?" Omaha-based Clarity Development, Inc. has been rehabilitating the historic 12-story building, 622 Fourth St., into a mixed-use facility with housing, office space and an upscale restaurant. The project's total budget is $25 million, with construction costs coming in at around $16.5 million. W.A. Klinger is the project's contractor, while BVH Architecture is the architect. The Badgerow had been vacant and red-tagged by the city as unfit for occupation for more than three years before California-based Mako One purchased it for $450,000 in 2007. Mako and its managing partner, Bruce DeBolt, had planned on transforming the Badgerow into a hub for small data centers, as well as space for restaurants, professional offices and other businesses. But his vision never came to fruition. Badgerow Construction Construction activity is shown Monday outside of the Badgerow Building at the corner of Fourth and Jackson streets in downtown Sioux City. The Badgerow Renovations Construction crews work in the iconic ground-floor lobby of the Badgerow Building in downtown Sioux City. The developer and the leasing agent The City of Sioux City purchased the Badgerow for $750,000 from a bank that foreclosed on the troubled property and, then, sold the high-rise to Clarity Development for $1 million in 2020. Clarity Development's focus is historic renovations using historic tax credits and affordable housing using affordable housing tax credits. Agarwal said he found out about the Badgerow from some Iowa brokers, whom he had been working with. "We actually tried to buy it from the bank directly. But, then, the city bought it," he said. "We submitted a response to the RFP (request for proposal) as part of that process and were fortunate to get that under contract, so it worked out well." Agarwal said the building's previous developer spent a fair amount of money addressing a lot of "potential headaches," including drywalling and abating eight of the 12 floors and fixing a couple elevators. "The prior developer had looked at it for an office and data center. While there was kind of HVAC and MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) systems in place, we actually took a pretty detailed, rigorous process to determine what's the best way to approach the HVAC and just MEP, in general, for the building," he said. Badgerow Renovations Construction crews work on building out what will be a 12th-floor resident lounge Tuesday in the Badgerow Building in downtown Sioux City. Badgerow Renovations The interior of a model apartment is shown Tuesday on the 11th-floor of the Badgerow Building in downtown Sioux City. Agarwal said Clarity Development coordinated with engineers in Omaha to get a breakdown of potential challenges concerning the building's mechanical, electrical and plumbing. Five contractors who looked at the building reviewed a detailed memo that those engineers put together. Ultimately, the contract was awarded to W.A. Klinger, and work began in early November of 2021. The building's interior has a modern industrial look throughout, according to Agarwal. He said the apartments feature granite countertops, while the hallways and common spaces have Art Deco lighting. Agarwal said he anticipates that 70 one-bedroom market-rate apartments on floors 3-11 will be 100% leased by June or July. "From an apartment standpoint, we've been very pleased. Even early on in the project, people had reached out to me and our property management company, Seldin," he said. "We've gotten a lot of positive feedback from local residents about potentially living in the apartments that we have planned." Class A office space and a restaurant and bar are still in the works for the first and second floors, however, Agarwal said there are currently no commitments with commercial tenants. He said the building has received "a lot of great feedback and interest" to date and noted, "It's just finding the right people who will ideally stay in the building for decades to come." "In a project like this, the commercial tenants will typically be more active when we're closer to finishing up construction. We're basically at that stage now," he said. "So, I'd anticipate in the next three to six months we'll probably lease up the remaining of the commercial spaces in the building." Badgerow Renovations The interior of a model apartment is shown Tuesday on the 11th-floor of the Badgerow Building in downtown Sioux City. The developer and the le Badgerow Renovations The interior of a model apartment is shown Tuesday on the 11th-floor of the Badgerow Building in downtown Sioux City. A health club was initially planned for the 12th floor, which also features tenant lounge space, but Agarwal said that floor is "kind of in motion." "We were thinking a gym, originally. We got interest from a potential restaurant/bar user for a portion of it, about 3,000 square feet. So, we'll kind of contemplate that. If they move forward, we'll just end up doing that on the 12th floor," he said. Agarwal said the Badgerow is a building that Clarity Development "would never sell," given its prominence and successful rehabilitation. He said the company is looking to acquire additional property in Sioux City to redevelop over the next two years and credited the city for being "developer-friendly." "It definitely made us very bullish on Sioux City in the long-term," he said. "We've just seen all of the development that has gone on over the last couple of years with the Warrior Hotel and what (the city) has planned the next couple of years. We're excited to be part of the future of Sioux City, for sure." Badgerow Renovations Construction activity is shown in what will become commercial space on the second floor of the Badgerow Building in downtown Sioux City. The d NORTH SIOUX CITY Federal regulators will require North Sioux City officials to jump through more hoops than initially anticipated before construction can ramp up on an expansion of Graham Airpark and development of a city industrial park. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is requiring completion of an environmental study of the area before it grants a permit to build a new levee along the nearby Big Sioux River, a step that must be completed before the current levee can be removed to open up the land for development. "That process is probably going to take us longer than previously thought," North Sioux City administrator Eric Christensen said. How much longer? Up to 18-24 months, Christensen said. "The process is what it is," he said. Graham Airfield A wind sock and taxiway is shown at Graham Airfield in North Sioux City. An airport expansion project calls for a runway expansion and added h Instead of getting to work on installing utilities and building streets in the 95-acre business park this spring, the city must wait, perhaps until 2025 to begin construction. It could also lead to delays in closing on the purchase of an additional 345 acres the city has agreed to buy from Graham Aviation, which sold the 95-acre plot to the city, closing on the sale last fall. Christensen said financing is approved, but some details remain. Despite the delay, North Sioux City continues efforts to attract new business and industry. Flynn Business Park, which is adjacent to the 95-acre site, still has a few plots available, and land is available in other locations. "We still have some other land for people to develop in North Sioux City," Christensen said. North Sioux City Economic Development North Sioux City city administrator Eric Christensen shows land at the intersection of Rickenbacker and Waters roads that the city has bought In the fall of 2021, the North Sioux City Council agreed to buy approximately 440 acres of land from Graham Aviation, which operates Graham Airport, for more than $13 million. The 95-acre site would be developed in a first phase. The 345-acre purchase, located west and northwest of the 95-acre site and also stretching east and northeast of the airport to the Big Sioux River, would be developed in a second phase. Plans call for industrial development as well as 120 acres of much-needed housing. To enable the development, the city wants to relocate three miles of flood-protection levee running through the property closer to the Big Sioux River. That portion of the plan requires collaboration with and approval from the Corps of Engineers and led to the order for an environmental assessment. The sale of land to the city will facilitate Graham Aviation owner Stephen F. Jones' plans to expand the airport and develop commercial and residential properties on airport-owned land. His plans include construction of commercial and residential properties with runway access. In a news release in September, Jones said the $17 million first phase of the project would expand the runway from 5,400 feet to 6,600 feet and develop the west taxiway and airplane landing systems. "This will allow large corporate aircraft and general aviation to have the ability to call southeast South Dakota home," Jones said in the news release. Development plans also include commercial hangar lots east of the runway providing businesses with an airplane hangar and runway access. Other commercial lots without runway access are planned to the east of the airport. Also planned are residential airpark lots southwest of the runway that will have private hangars from which owners can taxi to the runway. The master plan also shows additional residential development farther from the airport. SIOUX CITY Bomgaars has begun the lengthy process of transforming its newly acquired Orscheln Farm and Home stores to Bomgaars locations. The Sioux City-based farm and ranch retailer began switching Orscheln's point-of-sale systems -- the stores' cash-register terminals and computer systems, essentially -- over to Bomgaars' system this year, said Bomgaars spokeswoman Heather Korbe. That process is ongoing, at a rate of a few stores each week. "We started to convert point-of-sale systems in the markets. We've got a schedule in place to get those done over the coming months," Korbe said. "We're working with local contractors in each market." For the time being, the stores still have their Orscheln signage and branding, but that will soon begin to change. The stores will also be re-painted from Orscheln's signature color -- red -- to Bomgaars' signature green. Orscheln's private-label products will be swapped for Bomgaars' private-label. Switching out the signage is expected to begin "in the next several months," Korbe said. "We're working with contractors and sign production companies in all of those markets to get all of that stuff transitioned. But that all takes time." In what was termed a "mega-deal" in October, Bomgaars acquired 73 Orscheln Farm and Home stores, making Bomgaars the country's second-largest farm and ranch merchant, behind only Tractor Supply Co. It was a complex transaction. Brentwood, Tennessee-based Tractor Supply had been seeking to acquire its rival, the Moberly, Missouri-based Orscheln, for more than a year but had run afoul of federal anti-trust laws. The Federal Trade Commission approved the sale of 166 Orscheln stores to Tractor Supply for about $320 million on the condition that it immediately divest 85 of the stores to two third-party buyers -- Bomgaars and Buchheit Enterprises. Buchheit, a farm retailer operating in Missouri and Illinois, acquired 12 stores as part of the transaction, and Bomgaars bought 73 stores. The remaining 81 Orscheln stores will be converted to Tractor Supply locations. After those 73 former Orscheln stores are rebranded, the number of Bomgaars locations will swell to around 180 locations. Bomgaars added 1,400 workers to its payroll in the process, for a total employee count of about 3,300. The deal facilitated Bomgaars' expansion into seven new stores -- Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio -- nearly doubling the retailer's sprawling territory to 15 states. Proceeds from the divestitures totaled about $72 million, according to Tractor Supply. The publicly traded company agreed to sell Orscheln's corporate headquarters and distribution center in Moberly to Bomgaars for about $10 million. Bomgaars' corporate offices and central warehouse and distribution center in Sioux City are at 1805 Zenith Drive. In 2015, the company completed a $17 million expansion of the distribution center, adding 150,000 square feet to nearly double its size. The facility is located near the intersection of Hamilton Boulevard and Interstate 29. Orscheln's distribution center in Moberly has about 330,000 square feet of space. Korbe said Bomgaars will make use of this facility. "That's all part of the schedule and the scope of this transition, flowing product through there and getting our product assortment set up with vendors to deliver to that distribution center, and then from that distribution center to service stores in those markets," she said. Orscheln was founded in 1960 in by W.C. "Colonel" Orscheln, who opened his first store in Sedalia, Missouri, according to the retailer's website. The Orscheln chain grew more quickly than Bomgaars, reaching 85 locations by 2003. Bomgaars traces its roots to William H. "Bill" Bomgaars, a Northwest Iowa merchant who struggled in various retail ventures in the opening decades of the 20th century before hitting upon a winning formula of selling farm supplies. The fourth-generation family business is owned by Roger and Jane Bomgaars, who each spring road trip across the country to visit their stores. The couple said last year they are looking forward to visiting the 73 new locations as they travel the company's trade region. SIOUX CITY Construction on the new Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center is progressing with half of the prefabricated jail cells installed and more than 100 contractors on site. The jail is expected to be finished Sept. 14, with a month of moving in before it is officially occupied. "A lot of really good things are happening out there," Law Enforcement Center Authority Chair Ron Wieck said. With a little over five months left of construction, the new county jail is on track to completion. Shane Albrecht of the project consultant, Baker Group said the administrative side of the building is receiving paint, and drywall and will start looking like offices in the coming months, but the jail area has "a long way to go." On the outside, no work has been done on the parking lots or sidewalks yet. progress Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center Ongoing construction is shown in early March at the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center being built on 28th Street near U.S. Highway 75. Th progress Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center Ongoing construction is shown in early March at the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center being built on 28th Street near U.S. Highway 75. Th Half of the prefabricated jail cells have been installed with the rest beginning to be delivered on March 27, Albrecht said. Albrecht said a variety of other contractors are moving through the building installing duct work, electrical components, insulation, and more. He said on March 17 there were 140 contractors on site. Albrecht said it estimated permanent power will be turned on in mid-April. If the contractor is not able to complete construction by Sept. 14 there would be a loss of $15,000 a day at the minimum, based on losing the revenue of 150 federal inmate funding per day, Albrecht said. He added there would be additional costs to the county such as various contracts and staffing expenses. On March 17 the LEC Authority approved a letter of engagement with Stinson LLP of Kansas City, Missouri, for legal services related to "construction and real estate matters." Albrecht said Baker Group has worked with Stinson in the past and encouraged the authority to proceed in case problems were to occur with the construction timeline. Wieck said the authority and Baker Group are working with Hausmann Construction to ensure the timeline is met. Woodbury County voters passed a $50.3 million bond issue in March 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues, the low bid for the main construction phase came in well above estimates at $58.4 million from Lincoln-based Hausmann Construction. With change orders, the main construction cost is estimated at just under $60 million. Counting other additional expenses, the project cost stands at $69 million. The new total estimate includes design fees, project management fees, land purchases, bond costs, project change orders and site preparation. The 122,000-square-foot jail will hold up to 448 inmates; nearly double the roughly 234 inmate-capacity for the current aging facility, located across the street from the county courthouse. The new Law Enforcement Center will also have separate offices for the county sheriff and attorney, plus five courtrooms. In October 2022, six pre-cast concrete walls fell and broke due to high winds. All the panels needed to be replaced, but Albrecht said it did not add any costs to the project nor create any delays. For years, county officials faced various deficiencies, compliance issues, operations costs and lack of space in the current jail, built in 1987. Most recently, experts recommended at least $22 million in critical repairs. At the time of the studies, county officials warned critical systems could fail at any time, which would force the evacuation of the jail and require taxpayers to pay millions of dollars to transport and house inmates in other jails scattered around the state on top of the repair costs. In 2019, the county board of supervisors moved to place a bond issue for a new jail in March 2020. A joint three-member city/county panel, called the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center Authority, was formed. Taking advantage of a provision in state law, the Authority only needed a simple majority for the bond issue, rather than the 60-percent supermajority needed for most local government projects funded by property taxes. The authority is led by Wieck and its members also include Sioux City Mayor Pro-Tem Dan Moore and former County Supervisor Rocky De Witt. In March 2020, county voters approved a $50.3 million bond. With interest, the 20-year bonds could cost in the range from $64 million to $68 million. Construction on the project was originally set to begin in early 2021 but was delayed by the rising costs of building materials, triggered by a disruption in supply chains due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authority has a visitation policy in place for the construction site. Visitors must have 10-hour OSHA training, Hausmann Construction training and prior approval to visit by the sheriff's office, the Authority and Hausmann Construction. Visitors are also required to leave cell phones in the Hausmann Construction on-site trailer. Wieck said allowing people to visit the building is both a security concern and requires them to pull the Hausmann Construction staff off their work to guide the tours. As authority chairman, I want to see the Hausmann people building a building out there, not conducting tours, Wieck said. Close A look from just inside the front door of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center with a view to the right of the main hallway into the Sheriff's Office. The middle concrete box is a FEMA storm shelter. Just inside the front door of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. To the left is the courts area. Just inside the front door of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center looking down the main hallway with the courtrooms to the left and the Sheriff's Office to the right. Future kitchen and jail administration in the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Ground floor area that will be the county attorney space of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The soon to be medical observation and booking intake of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Courtroom C of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. A future restroom of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. One of the future county attorney office of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Future jail administration area of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The jail pod area on the main floor of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The jail pod area of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Inside the secondary control room of the jail pod area in the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The outside wall of the jail pod area of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The black insulation blanket is covering an opening left for the pre-constructed jail cells to be lifted into the buildings and set. View of the exterior jail wall where the jails will be placed in the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The back of the pre-constructed jail pods that will be installed in the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The pre-constructed jail pods that will be installed at the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Inside of the two-person jail pods that will be installed at the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Inside of the two-person jail pods that will be installed at the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. PHOTOS: Construction of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center Provided photos of the current inside of the new Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center during construction. A look from just inside the front door of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center with a view to the right of the main hallway into the Sheriff's Office. The middle concrete box is a FEMA storm shelter. Just inside the front door of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. To the left is the courts area. Just inside the front door of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center looking down the main hallway with the courtrooms to the left and the Sheriff's Office to the right. Future kitchen and jail administration in the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Ground floor area that will be the county attorney space of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The soon to be medical observation and booking intake of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Courtroom C of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. A future restroom of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. One of the future county attorney office of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Future jail administration area of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The jail pod area on the main floor of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The jail pod area of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Inside the secondary control room of the jail pod area in the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The outside wall of the jail pod area of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The black insulation blanket is covering an opening left for the pre-constructed jail cells to be lifted into the buildings and set. View of the exterior jail wall where the jails will be placed in the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The back of the pre-constructed jail pods that will be installed in the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. The pre-constructed jail pods that will be installed at the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Inside of the two-person jail pods that will be installed at the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. Inside of the two-person jail pods that will be installed at the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center. From her groundbreaking 1988 collection Bad Behavior, through several novels, and up to Minority Report, a story published this week in the New Yorker, Mary Gaitskill has plumbed the mysteries of human relationships with a fearsome candor. Minority Report follows up on Secretary, a story in Bad Behavior about a teenage girl who takes a job working for a lawyer who punishes her typing mistakes by spanking her. More than 30 years later, the thing (as she calls this ritual) haunts the narrator of Minority Report until she decides to track down her former boss. Advertisement The result might startle readers who know the original story best through its titillating and austere 2002 film adaptation, starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader. Debby, the narrator of both stories, struggles to exorcise her feelings for the man who galvanized her sexuality and left her feeling exiled from ordinary tenderness and dignity. This isnt the first such story Gaitskill has written in the aftermath of #MeToo. This Is Pleasure, a novella published in 2019, describes an older womans friendship with a charming male publisher who stands accused of coming on to his female subordinates. Like all her fiction, it is thorny with complications. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For a long time, anyone interested in more forthright declarations of Gaitskills opinions needed to hunt them down. In contrast to most writers, she has never used social media. Last summer, however, Gaitskill began writing a newsletter for Substack, sending out thoughtful considerations of such topics as Depp v. Heard, incels, Nabokov, Marilyn Monroe, political fiction, and most recently, how we talk about rape. Advertisement Sign up for the Slate Culture Newsletter The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Gaitskill calls her Substack Out of It, readily embracing the notion thatat nearly 70 and not very onlineshe isnt conversant with the very latest ordained thinking on pretty much any subject she writes about. But this is precisely the appeal of Out of Itthe fact that Gaitskill is neither demonstrating her fealty to a particular set of positions nor reflexively rebelling against them. Instead, her newsletter feels personal and exploratory, like the correspondence of a smart, sensitive, and scrupulously honest friend. Gaitskill spoke with me via Zoom from her home in upstate New York. Laura Miller: Youve written a few newsletters about the effects of the internet. One downside you describe very eloquently is simply a lessening of the time people spend looking at the physical world around us. Advertisement Mary Gaitskill: Thats the main downside, as I see it. I used to take the train up to Syracuse, where I taught. I only had a flip phone then, and I would sometimes read manuscripts, but I would also just look out the window, and it was so calming and connecting. And it wouldnt have to be beautiful. A lot of what I was looking at was old wrecked buildings and tumbledown backs of peoples houses and railroad tracks. But the raw material of that, the heaviness of it, was curiously inspirational and grounding to me. Like, Yes, this is life on earth and Im part of it, and its fucking great. Advertisement Advertisement My husband looked at Twitter to see the response to that newsletter, and there was some pushback from people saying, I can look at nature and look at my phone at the same time. But they dont have that other experience, where your brain isnt split at all. And maybe some of them can do it the way that I used to, while also looking at their phones. They dont seem like it. They seem fucking nervous as hell. Advertisement Its weird to have lived through that transition to a split mind. There was plenty of communication and media before the internet, but the avenue to completely mentally escape from the physical world around you was somewhat limited. You could go and read a book or see a movie, but ultimately you had to deal with immediate reality, more often than not. And if you arent dealing with that, you dont get the benefit of the changes in yourself, the growth that comes with dealing with stuff that you just have to deal with. Its also very much a nervous system thing. Its not so much the thematic content, but the speed with which its being delivered. I almost quit Substack at one point because it was making me nervous. Its very different from publishing something out there in the world, in print or even an online publication. Then, its out of your hands. Its detached from you. I feel incredibly anxious every time I put something up. I look immediately the next day to see how many people have looked at it, how many people have liked it, what have people said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What youre describing is exactly the publishing experience for most journalists! And not just journalists. We put a representation of ourselves out there on the internet and then become obsessed with what the internet reflects back at us. Youre on a slippery slope, Mary! Advertisement I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night thinking about someones comment. Its fun in a way, but in another its jangling. Ive always valued your writing on the topic of rape and your ability to deal with all the permutations of it that people dont seem to want to talk about, even people who want to talk about rape a lot. I also think social media incentivizes people just shutting down when they dont hear exactly what they want and expect to hear, so that many facets of that experience go unspoken. I tweeted about your newsletter on Women Talking, which I guess was sort of perverse, given my own expectations of the platform, and somebody responded that theyd stopped reading when they encountered your seeming annoyance that the good men in the womens lives arent given airtime in a film literally called Women Talking. Advertisement Advertisement Thats not what I said. Of course it isnt, and that response is extremely dumb. I do remember that before social media, when someone wrote something making a tricky or complex argument, some people would have dumb, uninformed responses to it. But you wouldnt have to know about all of them. One of the things I loved about your piece, which compares Miriam Toews novel to the movie, is that the movie treats the Mennonite women like theyre in some kind of vacuum, like they dont come from a very particular community which has been their entire world. So it doesnt address that what theyre doing is dismantling the only world they know. And that is one of the biggest obstacles with people acknowledging rape. Youve written about how complex and confusing the intimate side of it can be, but theres also a communal aspect that creates a huge resistance. As you point out, in the real-life situation, unlike the book and film based on it, the women did not leave their community. Their reasons for making that decision are erased in favor of what you describe as an urban feminist narrative of individualism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you hadnt read the backstory and didnt know this was about an actual thing that had happened in an Old Colony Mennonite community, you would have no idea who these people were. They would seem to exist in a fantasy. And that was on purpose. They were meant to be a metaphor for women in society. But they are not. This occurred in a very specific cultural context: a fanatical religious community. People use the word patriarchy way too lightly. I dont personally think were living in a patriarchy. These women really were. It is a hardcore patriarchal community where the women do not have rights. What happened there came out of a specific cultural pathology of that place and that society. To leave that out of the picture, to make it a metaphor, is just, to me, really wrong. Advertisement As a story, its puzzling. They say they love these men, and how are they going to leave these men that they love? But we dont know anything about that. What does love look like in a community like that? How did they relate to these men normally, on a daily basis? Thats not just a logical question. To feel the horror of something like that violation of trust, I have to know who these people are outside of the horror. You never see them outside of that. Advertisement Did you ever see the movie The Magdalene Sisters? It was about an Irish Catholic home for wayward girls in the 1960s, right? The movie begins with a sceneI think its a wedding. Families are together; theres dancing, beautiful music, celebration. One of the girls is beckoned upstairs by a handsome boy, and when she goes up, he rapes her. It isnt about good men or bad men. Its not trying to say anything gray areaish about what happened. Its that in that moment, you get a sense of the culture shes part of. You see the pleasure of it, the beauty of the dancing, the verve, the connection between people. It seemed like Women Talking stripped that out completely, and to me, that is much less powerful because its too abstract. Advertisement Advertisement Sarah Polley said something in an interview that was maybe taken out of context: It happens everywhere. But that is a rare, baroque, grotesque incident of sexual violence. Yes, I know women are raped, a lot. I know rape is a common crime. But Ive never heard of men, as a group, getting together again and again to attack women theyre related to. Advertisement Advertisement Conspiring to. Over and over again. That is really particular. To act like its a routine occurrence is off to me. One of the words you use a lot in your newsletters is granular or granularity. Youve always been most interested in the fine, idiosyncratic details of peoples lives and feelings. What I think Im hearing you say about this is that art that is specific to a particular individuals experience honors their humanity in a way that making them an abstract symbol does not. Advertisement Yes, the novel includes memories of the women or August and a couple of interactions with the old, kind-of-out-of-it guy whose barn theyre using. You see how theyve lived and how the community works, how there is affection between them and the men, even if it is twisted and limited by the schematic nature of the community. Theres still some playfulness. This is not about making the men seem nice. To me, it makes what happened worse, really. It puts you in the place of asking: How can this happen? Sometimes you read of moments of kindness Germans showed to Jews in the camps. To me, this doesnt mean that they were nice but that people are so strange and complex, and we have to maintain our humility before that. Advertisement Advertisement I love the writing youve done in the newsletter form, but it does feel at odds with what people like to call the discourse. Theres a constant push to reduce things to the most elementary dichotomies so everyone can take an instant and easy moral stand. And you cant take a moral stand without being whats the word? Advertisement Certain? I think you can be certain that what happened to those Mennonite women was an atrocity and, at the same time, realize that you cant do justice to their experience if you dont show the full spectrum of their emotional lives in that world. Thats the role of the artist, or at least one of the roles. Advertisement Another topic youve gotten into is #MeToo, and the short story youve just published in the New Yorker is a revisiting of Secretary. The narrator is now in her fifties, still thinking about this guy whom she feels has both damaged her and been a key part of her erotic life. A few years ago, you also wrote a story, This Is Pleasure, about a publisher accused of sexual harassment. So youve stepped into these big hot-button debates and insistently addressed that granularity, the specificity of each person, their particular experience, the social context, and their feelings about it. Which I feel many people object to. They want to apply a cookie-cutter stance to every situation, no more discussion, and seem to fear that morality becomes impossible if they cant. Whats it like to be writing the way you do in this environment? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its less hard on me because of my age. It would be worse if I were 40 years old and this was happening. At my age, I expect to be a little bit out of the mainstream. If I dont ever teach again, thats fine. But if I were 40 and felt like I might never teach again, that would be really frightening. Its strange, but at the same time, I do understand their point of view. People are just scared shitless. People want certainty because the world is terrifying them. The 90s were weird, but right or wrong, there was a sense of basic safety. I was upset when George W. Bush got reelected, but even without knowing it, I had some basic faith in the world around me. And I think thats been really shattered. The people in charge seem crazy. It seems like real evil is rampant and theres climate change and people still dont believe it and arent paying attention. I feel very, very bad for young people now, and I can understand how they just dont want to tolerate anyone who seems like theyre opening the door to shittiness. People who say, Lets look at the other side! or I thought he was a nice person! One of the commenters on my Substack wrote that she had been raped by her father and she didnt want to understand why people do things like that. I had written that I have an interest in understanding terrible crimes because I feel that it expands ones humanity in a way. But I get that point of view. I sometimes think Im a little too interested in understanding certain terrible things. But as a writer, its hard to fault myself for that too much. Police have set up barricades outside the Manhattan Criminal Court after Donald Trump called for his supporters to protest ahead of an expected indictment over the hush payments to Stormy Daniels made just before the 2016 election. Trump claimed the indictment would come down Tuesday, which it did not, but his explicit call for unrest has left New York bracing for a potential mass protest. Does the city need to be worried? Trumps call for action sounded similar to his rhetoric before the Jan. 6 attack, but the response this time seems to be a lot more muted. At one major protest in Manhattan, more journalists showed up than supporters. Ahead of the indictment, the timing of which remains unclear, I asked Colin P. Clarke, the director of policy and research at the Soufan Group, a security consultancy, about what hes seeing in the bowels of the Trump online universe and how he expects the presumptive indictments to play out during Trumps run for president. Whats clear is that the former president may have more than legal troubles on his hands. Our conversation has been condensed and edited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aymann Ismail: Trump obviously senses the New York indictment is near and lashed out this weekend, asking his supporters to protest and take the country back. What are they saying on the message boards and Discords that you monitor? Colin Clarke: Compared to last August when you had the Mar-a-Lago raid? Theres definitely a more muted reaction. There are far fewer threats of violence. And I just dont know what to make of that. Honestly, its just the usual grievances, redirection, repeating a lot of the same phrases that Trump uses: witch hunt, this is the deep state. Theres a lot of What about Hunter Biden? and going after Alvin Bragg, the D.A., saying things like, Well, why is the D.A. pursuing something so insignificant when theres immigrants flooding over the border? Its hard to defend Trump and say he didnt do this, because its clear that he did sleep with Stormy Daniels and pay hush money. I think maybe among his followers, its deemed to be kind of his least offensive thing. They see this as politically motivated, both in terms of the charges and the timing. Advertisement I have also seen a lot of fake posts online showing large crowds and things like that, basically saying, Look, people are coming out in numbers. Its hard to say whos posting themif its Trump supporters or Trump detractorsbut theres been a lot of what we call MDM, or mis-, dis-, and mal-information, already flooding the internet. And I would expect to see a lot more in the coming days. It doesnt sound like youre seeing any chatter about organizing a real rally for him. When he calls for his followers to congregate, its hard not to think of Jan. 6. These are people who very much see themselves as victims because Trump sees himself as a victim, even though all of these things are self-inflicted wounds. I mean, no one forced him to cheat on his wife, lie about it, and then pay hush money to cover it up. Its just a lot of the same old. Its tiring. Theres nothing really new here. Maybe thats why you dont see the same level of enthusiasm amongst the supporters. Maybe some have moved on to DeSantis. They kind of see Trumps chances as severely diminished, and they want to move on to who they see as a winner. Another possibility is that his followers actually receive kind of a shot in the arm from all this stuff that ends up making him more popular among his base again because they feel like hes a martyr, that hes being persecuted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is there worry in your circles about that? I think extremism researchers like myself are always concerned whenever you have something like this pop up, because of past events, like Jan. 6. After the Mar-a-Lago raid, an individual attacked the Cincinnati FBI field office. So it only takes one person out of a smaller radicalized minority to act. But right now, the national security communitys attention is captured by Ukraine. Theres just so much going onother really big world events, the economy, the concerns over SVB and a potential repeat of 2008so thats some of the oxygen out of what wouldve otherwise been a story that dominated the headlines. We previously discussed how the FBIs clamping down on insurrectionists after Jan. 6 pushed some of these groups further into the margins. Is that still the case? Will it affect Trumps ability to draw crowds this time? Advertisement Thats related to it, too. I think theyre quite a bit more paranoid because theres already been more than 1,000 charges levied against Jan. 6 participants. So the smart people are not saying anything on social media because they dont want to be charged. That doesnt mean that theyve lost their fervor in terms of supporting him. Theyre just being a bit more surreptitious about how they operate online. This could be much ado about nothing, or this could be something sizeable, or it could be something in the middle, which is a small but fairly angry crowd out there protesting Trumps potential indictment if that indeed does go through. But I think the fact that its happening in New York City means that people would have to travel from out of state; its not Trump country. So theres also the potential for counterprotestors showing up, and then incidents occurring between protestors and counterprotestors. Theres also very, very strict gun laws there. And so if people are thinking about coming from out of state and packing heat, theres some real penalties there for carrying weapons in New York City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How do you see the various potential Trump prosecutions play out down the line, headed into 2024? Do you think they will ultimately help or hurt him? Short term, I think it actually may benefit him because hell point to all of these charges as further proof that hes being persecuted, that this is a witch hunt, the way that his supporters will frame it. Theyll look at the timing of these charges and say, Well, why now? Would these charges have been brought if he didnt decide to run again? The MAGA folks are a highly conspiratorial lot, so any lens that they look through, theyre going to see a conspiracy. And if Trump breathes air into that, then we could have some problems. Advertisement From a national security standpoint, what do you hope for? Prosecuting Trump and potentially giving him oxygen? Or not prosecuting him? Strictly from a national security standpoint, I think its clearly not prosecuting him. But do we uphold the rule of law equally for everybody? I dont think we ever have in this country, so this wouldnt be anomalous to me. I think politicians, celebrities, the wealthy have always gotten away easy. But I would say on balance, I have my own questions of the timing of this. Is this something serious enough to warrant a prosecution? And you think of all the kind of unintended consequences. Think back to Hillary Clintons server. Had James Comey not come out and announced it at that time, did that tip the election? So you think of just all these kind of little wrinkles in the timing of things, and it does give you pause. Is this worth it for the D.A. to bring charges if its going to cause such a shitstorm? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But at the end of the day, the more charges that pile on, at some point hes going to be losing supporters, those kind of fence-sitters, the people that want a much cleaner candidate and that have been looking for an excuse to move on from Trump. With the hardcore of the hardcore, as he said, he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and they wont leave him. But I think that that hardcore is being whittled away day by day. And the more drama you have that makes him seem less and less like a serious person, I think the worse off it is for the man. For three days last fall, Leah Wilson entered her pregnant patients hospital room and checked the fetus for a heartbeat. She was waiting for it to stop. The womans water had broken at just 19 weeks of pregnancy, well before viability, causing an infection in her uterus. The fetus would not survive, but until it died, or the womans condition worsened, there was little the hospital would do, said Wilson, who was her nurse at the time. Advertisement Typically in this kind of situation, doctors would terminate the pregnancy to prevent a life-threatening infection or other serious complication. But this patient was in Texas, where abortion is no longer legal. So they waited. The smell of the infection filled the room, Wilson said. She tried to help the patient stay clean. She watched her vitals and monitored her for sepsisif the infection got bad enough, if it spread through her body, then the doctors would finally intervene, to save her life. Wilson struggled to explain to the woman slowly losing her pregnancy why they werent doing anything else to help. Finally, on the third day, she said, the heartbeat stopped. By the time Wilson cared for this patient, she had been working as a labor and delivery nurse at the San Antonio hospital for about a year and a half. She decided to go into nursing after seven years at home raising her young kids, inspired by the complicated birth of her own son and the impact her nurses at the time had on both their recoveries. At the hospital, which sees a large number of high-risk pregnant patients from across the region, Wilson said she often volunteered to work on difficult cases involving fetal loss. Several of her friends had miscarried, and she wanted to be the nurse who supported other patients through it: Its always hard, but usually, you know, you go and you cry for your five minutes in the closet once things are over, and then you move on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By September 2021, though, caring for these patients became much scarier in Texas. Thats when Senate Bill 8 went into effect, banning nearly all abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, and allowing virtually any person to sue anyone they suspected of aiding and abetting the procedure. The most restrictive abortion law in the country at the time, S.B. 8 included only an ambiguous exception for medical emergencies, resulting in hospitals delaying or denying care to people with pregnancy complications for fear of liability, and leaving providers worried they could be sued for tasks they had previously been doing without a second thought in their day-to-day work, including miscarriage management. By last summer, things had become even harder at Wilsons hospital and across the state: Following the Supreme Courts June 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, Texas banned all abortions, with only narrow yet vague exceptions to save the life of the pregnant person and a potential penalty of life in prison for physicians. It meant no longer providing the standard of care that we would have prior to Dobbs, Wilson said. It meant patients sitting there for days, actively losing nonviable pregnancies, and us waiting for something to go bad enough that we could help them. Advertisement Wilson left her job soon after. There were a couple of cases just within a few weeks of each other that I really, really, really struggled with, she told me, including the patient who miscarried at 19 weeks pregnant. And it was enough to say, You know what? Im not doing this anymore. Almost every provider I spoke with has thought about leaving their practice or leaving Texas in the wake of S.B. 8 and Dobbs. Shes not the only one. More than a year and a half after Texas implemented its six-week abortion ban, and months after Dobbs, medical providers say they are facing impossible situations that pit their ethical obligation to patients who are dealing with traumatic and dangerous pregnancy complications against the fear of lawsuits, loss of their medical licenses, and incarceration. The problem is encapsulated by a lawsuit filed this month in Texas, in which five women and two OB-GYNs sued the state over the abortion bans that they say have created so much confusion and fear among providers that it has affected womens health and even threatened their lives. Unsure of how to comply with the new rules, hospitals have interpreted them differently, with some requiring approval from attorneys or ethics boards for physicians to provide abortion care in medical emergencies, and others leaving it up to individual doctors, with little guidance or support. This has meant that some physicians wait until patients are near death to intervene in medical emergencies, according to recent research, court filings, news reports, and interviews. Ill get consults from another doctor asking me what to do in a particular casea mother bleeding, or a pregnancy where theres an infection in the womb before the baby can survive outside the womb. I have doctors calling me, hesitating, not quite knowing what to do because the baby has a heartbeat, when clearly the mothers life is at risk, John Visintine, a maternal fetal medicine specialist in McAllen, Texas, told me. These are things that I havent seen in, you know, 20 years of practicing OB, 14 years of practicing high-risk OBIve never run into these situations where people are wondering what to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The inability to provide what they say is the standard of care to pregnant patients is taking a toll, personally and professionally, according to interviews with more than a dozen doctors and nurses across Texas. And its causing many, like Wilson, to reconsider the future of their career in the state. Almost every provider I spoke with for this story has thought about leaving their practice or leaving Texas in the wake of S.B. 8 and Dobbs. Several have already moved or stopped seeing patients here, at least in large part because of the abortion bans. If I was ever touch a patient again, it wont be in the state of Texas, said Charles Brown, chair of the Texas district of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), who stopped seeing patients last year after decades working as a maternal fetal medicine specialist. Many asked that their hospital affiliation not be included in this story, in some cases because they feared consequences from their employer or the public for speaking out about these laws, even though theyre not breaking them. Some worry about what will happen to their own kids if they are targeted. Several cried through the interviews. Many of those I spoke with who havent left yet are still thinking about it regularlypeople who have family and homes and lives in Texas and would not otherwise have considered moving. Advertisement Brown put the stakes bluntly: Are people quitting? The answer is yes, he said. I hope Im 100 percent wrong about this, but I think its a much bigger trend thats going to become obvious pretty quickly. After she finished her OB-GYN residency in Chicago in 2020, Yue Guan took a job in Fort Worth to be close to her family and support system in Texas. But the past year and a half has put in stark relief the differences in basic maternity care between Illinois, where abortions are legal up to about 24 weeks, and where she now practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is especially true for patients at her hospital, many of whom are uninsured and dont have access to preventive health care or early prenatal care. For some of them, an issue with the pregnancy, like a fetal anomaly that wouldnt be compatible with life, would not be discovered until much later, she said. So its so many more degrees more difficult for them. At that point, if they wanted to terminate a nonviable pregnancy, their options for traveling out of state would be even more limited, and would require financial resources that many dont have. The current abortion bans do not include any exception for severe fetal anomalies. Since the six-week ban went into effect, Guan said shes had patients carry and deliver babies that they knew wouldnt survive, because they didnt have another option: This definitely hits this population in a different, much more malicious way. Advertisement In one case, she said a patient came to the hospital with a premature rupture of membranes, then found out the fetus had a severe anomaly that it likely would not survive. Generally, when a patients water breaks early and they are close to viability, they may be given antibiotics to try to prolong the pregnancy, Guan said. This patient told us she wanted to decline the antibiotics so she could get sick enough so that we would offer her an abortion. And eventually she did get infected, and was delivered for that reason. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guan said she questions her future practicing in Texas each time she sees a case like this. It doesnt feel very sustainable for me in the long run, to feel like Im not allowed to be a doctor, she said. Most of her friends stayed in Chicago where they trained, or moved to other states that arent subject to abortion bans. A lot of them feel like, If this is the toll that its going to take on me, I should just move, or find some other kind of position where Im not going to be exposed to these patient cases. But I also feel like if anything, that makes the problem worse, right? If every OBlets say every OB you talk to who felt similarlydecides to leave the state, we just have fewer OBs here, even less access for these patients. And that doesnt feel like a viable solution. Advertisement This is all happening as Texans cant afford to lose more access to medical care. In 2022, 15 percent of the states 254 counties had no doctor, according to data from the state health department, and about two-thirds had no OB-GYN. Texas has one of the most significant physician shortages in the country, with a shortfall that is expected to increase by more than 50 percent over the next decade, according to the states projections. The shortage of registered nurses, around 30,000, is expected to nearly double over the same period. Already, Texans in large swaths of the state must drive hours for medical care, including to give birth. According to recent research from the nonprofit March of Dimes, it is among the worst states for maternity care access, which has decreased in a dozen Texas counties in the past two years, mostly due to a loss of obstetrics providers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This doesnt yet take into account the effects of increased criminalization of abortion care, which is further compounded by dramatic pandemic-induced burnout among clinicians. As physicians retire, hospitals are struggling to replace them; as nurses burn out or leave for more lucrative travel nursing roles, their positions are sitting open. There have been a string of policies and factors that have stretched providers in Texas for many years, from having the highest uninsured rate in the country to low Medicaid reimbursement rates to the demonization of science to attacks on transgender health care, and now the abortion bans, according to Tom Banning, the CEO of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians. The first rule of holes, when youre trying to get out of the hole, is to stop digging, he said. We just continue to dig the hole that were in deeper. Advertisement Its crisis-level staffing for the majority of rural Texas hospitals. John Henderson This is an issue for both urban and rural areas, but its felt most acutely outside major metros, where one retirement or move can be the difference between having access to medical care near home or having to drive an extra several hours. The state has experienced the most rural hospital closures in the country in recent years. Less than half of rural hospitals nationwide still have labor and delivery services, according to recent research from the Chartis Center for Rural Health; in Texas, that number is just 40 percent. John Henderson, the president and CEO of the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals, said he gave a presentation this fall for a group of representatives from about 100 rural Texas hospitals where he asked them to raise their hand if they dont currently have openings for registered nurses. There were three out of 100 that were fully staffed, and I was actually surprised that there were three, he said. Its crisis-level staffing for the majority of rural Texas hospitals. Maternity wards have long been the sacrificial lamb for cash-strapped rural hospitals trying to save money and keep their doors open, but more recently, its short staffing that has forced closures and cuts to services in Texas and across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more than a year during the pandemic, for example, Big Bend Regional Medical Center in Alpine, the only hospital for 12,000 square miles, regularly closed its labor and delivery unit for days at a time after most of the units nurses quit. Hereford Regional Medical Center, in the Texas Panhandle, sometimes sent patients 50 miles northeast to Amarillo when the hospital didnt have enough nurses to deliver babies. Doctors spanning from Huntsville, in East Texas, to the Permian Basin told me theyve had to fill in more and more as their hospitals have struggled to recruit new physicians after others retired. In Sweetwater, 40 miles west of Abilene, Rolling Plains Memorial Hospitals labor and delivery unit lost at least four nurses who left for higher-paying travel nurse positions during the pandemic, according to Jennifer Liedtke, a family medicine physician and the units director. The hospital has been actively trying to hire a full-time OB-GYN for more than two years. Even under normal circumstances, in an overstretched hospital like hers, she said, Youre not just the postpartum nurse, youre not just the laboring nurse, youre not just the newborn nurse, youre all of those things. And when there isnt a fully staffed hospital nearby, it can be harrowing for patients. After one local hospital, about 30 miles from Sweetwater, closed its maternity ward years ago, it started sending patients in need to Liedtkes unit. Recently, a patient was transferred to her care who was hemorrhaging and needed a common procedure to stop the bleedingbut because no one at the other hospital could do the surgery, she had to instruct the nurse over the phone on how to slow the bleeding and tell her to get the patient to Sweetwater as fast as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Liedtke and others are concerned these gaps will only grow now that new doctors training in obstetrics are unable to learn the full scope of pregnancy and abortion care in Texas. Already, residencies and recruiters are reporting a hesitancy among new and seasoned doctors to practice in states with abortion bans, and some programs are sending current residents out of state for training rotations where available so they can meet medical standards. Guan, who works with residents at her hospital, said she reminds them that certain ways pregnancy complications are now managed in Texas are not the standard of carethat this is not the way these situations are treated everywhere. The scarcity also raises the stakes: When there are limited providers, the importance of each one knowing how to deal with complicated situations is higher, Banning said: Theres no safety net. Unlike what shes heard from physicians at some larger hospitals, Liedtke said she hasnt yet had a problem treating pregnancy complications under the abortion bans. Its not that shes not getting these patients, but each time she does, shes able to call up her boss on the hospitals administrative team to get permission to intervene, which thus far has been granted. Still, shes felt the impact of the new laws on her practice. On the day we spoke in November, Liedtke said she had gone to three different pharmacies in town to try to get a prescription filled for methotrexate. The drug can be used to end a pregnancy, and Liedtke needed it for a patient who came to the emergency room with an ectopic pregnancy, which is nonviable and life-threatening if left untreated. Despite an explicit exception for ectopic pregnancies in Texas abortion law, Liedtke said the physician who first saw the patient didnt want to prescribe the drug, and the big pharmacies in town wont fill it anymore. Eventually, her neighbor, whos a pharmacist, agreed, provided she fax over the ultrasound. The personal relationships are critical, she said: My neighbor knows that I dont do elective abortions, I only do them when theres medical indication. And we go to church together, and he knows that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across Texas, physicians and nurses described a sense of being pulled between the individual stress of trying to navigate care in this environment and broader concerns about who will fill in the gap if they leave. In the Rio Grande Valley, on the Texas-Mexico border, John Visintine, the McAllen OB-GYN, said he is one of just a few maternal fetal medicine specialists who provide care for people with high-risk pregnancies, complications, and fetal anomalies in a region of about 1.5 million people. The population is predominantly poor, with one of the highest uninsured rates in the country, and many people cant travel out of the region because of their immigration status. Visintine said hes been told by attorneys not to even discuss the option of going out of state for an abortion with patients, including when the fetus has such severe birth defects that it will not survive. Hes not the only one receiving this message. But withholding that information feels so unethical that he, too, has contemplated leaving his practice. To be left with the option of either potentially breaking the law and putting myself, my family, at risk, or not offering the options to a patient and not meeting her needs and providing careI think its a tragic, horrible situation to be in, he said. And then if you leave, you know, theres so many women that need care in this area. Do we just abandon the women of South Texas? Some providers have moved to states like New Mexico and Colorado following S.B. 8 and Dobbs to continue to care for Texans now traveling out of state. Alireza Shamshirsaz, an OB-GYN and fetal surgeon who for more than a decade worked at Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston and saw patients from Texas and across the South, told me that the new restrictions prompted him to accept another job offer after years of declining them. Last summer, he left his home in Houston and moved with his family across the country for a position at Boston Childrens Hospital. For Lee Bar-Eli, a family medicine physician in Houston and board member of Doctors in Politics, the abortion ban was the latest in a slew of factorsincluding feeling unsupported and disillusioned during the pandemic as a doctor and later as a long-COVID patientthat led her to take a break from practicing medicine, beginning last January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So far I havent left. You think, Well, if this happens, then Im leaving. You know, I said the same thing before the Dobbs case was decided. Shanna Combs, OB-GYN in Fort Worth Others are considering what their breaking point would be. We talk about what we take on as health care providers, said Shanna Combs, an OB-GYN in Fort Worth. Something happens, just throw it in the bag, just throw it in the bag. So you have this constant weight, being weighted down by this heavy backpack of burdens, and this has just continued to add to that, she said of the abortion ban. At the end of the day, I just want to take care of my patients and provide the best care for them. And this is just another layer that makes you question what youre doing. In November, Combs, who is president-elect of the Texas Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, told me that if contraception is further restricted, that would be the final straw for her to move. When we spoke again early this year, I mentioned a recent court ruling that bans Texas teens from getting birth control from federally funded clinics without their parents consent. So, has anything changed? So far I havent left, she said, laughing. You think, Well, if this happens, then Im leaving. You know, I said the same thing before the Dobbs case was decided. The Texas lawsuit filed this month, the first of its kind, does not seek to block the abortion bans, just to clarify the scope of the medical exceptions and affirm that doctors have discretion to provide abortion care when the pregnant persons health is at risk. At the Texas Capitol, Democrats have filed bills in the current legislative sessionthe first time the state Legislature has met since 2021that also seek to clarify current exemptions, and widen them slightly to include lethal fetal anomalies, rape, and incest. But supporters of the restrictive laws have generally shown little appetite for even these changes, instead blaming doctors for denying care to pregnant patients and medical associations for not giving clear guidance. Theyve instead pushed measures to further criminalize abortion access. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charles Brown, the ACOG chair, worries that absent clarity and changes from state leaders, a mass exodus could soon occur. We have not had the front-page photo of the doctor in handcuffs yet. When that happens, I think that will be the napalm, he said. Once that first arrest is on the front page of the paper, that will be a defining moment for a lot of people. For Combs, who recently traveled to Austin to meet with legislators about changes to the abortion laws, the question of whether to leave Texas is something that sits in the back of my mindprobably not a day that goes by where I dont think, Huh, is this where I really want to be? she said. I like to say, I choose every day to stay. The precariousness of this moment informs every conversation: What if Liedtkes neighbor wasnt a pharmacist? What if a patient sent home to wait for sepsis lived just a few minutes too far from the hospital to make it back in time? (Has this happened already?) What is the breaking point for so many doctors and nurses who are already thinking about leavinghow much heavier can the backpack get before it rips? How much deeper can we dig this hole before we cant get back out? Providers in Texas have been navigating care under a near-total abortion ban for the longest time of any state in America. But this conflict over whether to stay or go is also playing out across the dozen other states that have banned abortion care following Dobbs. And while those working in reproductive health care are most directly affected by these abortion bans, doctors Ive spoken to warned it doesnt end with them. Cancer doctors are wondering if they can treat pregnant patients. Some providers who can become or want to become pregnant are considering moving away or are hesitating to come to states with abortion bans for their own safety, physicians told me. Others with kids already are making similar calculations. Its everything, Brown said. They dont want to live in a state where their children cant get health care. Before the Dobbs decision, Leah Wilson, the nurse in San Antonio, had the next few yearseven the rest of her careermapped out. She would continue to work at the hospital as a labor and delivery nurse, then get a masters degree in midwifery and become a certified nurse midwife. She and her husband would raise their three kids in the Texas city where she grew up, and where the two of them met at church more than a decade ago. Now, everything has changed. She and her family are packing up their home to put it on the market. Later this spring, theyll move to Utah, where her husband will be stationed with the Air Force. In October, Wilson quit working in the hospital in favor of a new job, as a nurse home visitor. She gets to help new mothers that way, and shell be able to keep that job in Utah. But shes watching as further abortion restrictions now wind their way through the Utah Legislature and courts. At this point, she doubts shell ever go back to working with patients in a hospital setting. Its just too uncertain, she said. When her husband retires from the Air Force in three years, they may move the family to Colorado, or perhaps farther west. But they wont return to Texas. I loved coming back, being able to share that with my children. And it is hard to leave a place that really does feel like home. But we dont want them growing up here, she said. I definitely dont want my daughters having kids in Texas. I know that. A few months back, when Sheila McClear called up her pharmacy to refill her Adderall prescription, the people on the other end of the line were not exactly happy to hear from her. They said, We dont have a single pill left to give anyone in the pharmacy. This is how she learned there is an Adderall shortage at the moment. When I say shortage, I mean McClears got a friend who actually bought some Adderall on the street rather than calling up pharmacies one by one. Advertisement Just for context: Adderall is a common drug, used to treat ADHD in kids and adultsnearly 20 million of them each year. McClear is a writer who lives in New York. Without this drug, the basics of her lifehitting deadlines, getting things donethey get much harder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Which is why she spent weeks looking for her supply. In the meantime, she tried to use other drugs to help her focus. She experimented with 5-Hour Energy drinks. She hates 5-Hour Energy drinks. McClear says that between her provider and her, they probably called 18 different pharmacies trying to track down some pills. Eventually, she found a place that would refill her prescription. Now, she keeps her remaining Adderall in a little glass vial next to her stove. Shes been watching it dwindle day by day. Shes a little worried about whats going to happen when she starts calling pharmacies again. Advertisement People dont really take Adderall seriously always, but try telling someone, You cant have your blood pressure medication for eight days, McClear said. If you want to exist in the modern world, you have to be able to get stuff done. And thats what Adderall does. Otherwise, youre just not functioning. On a recent episode of What Next, I looked into why pharmacies across the U.S. are struggling to fill one of the most common prescriptions in the country. A transcript of the episode, which has been condensed and edited for clarity, is below. Advertisement Mary Harris: Ike Swetlitz has been tracking the Adderall shortage since it began last summer; he covers health for Bloomberg News. I called him up to explain how patients like Sheila McClear got to the point where they are hoarding their psychiatric drugs. Advertisement Swetlitz told me this shortage is curious for a bunch of reasons, starting with how he got wind of it a few months back. He was working on a completely different story about ADHD, and the people he was interviewing kept mentioning how hard it was for them to get their meds. Advertisement Ike Swetlitz: And I thought, well that sounds a little strange. Maybe its something going on with the pharmacy. So I started calling other patients pharmacies, looking online for what people were saying about it, and stumbled upon a post on Reddit with a number of people who were writing about their difficulty filling Adderall prescriptions. And one of them said he had reached out to the FDA to see what was going on and that the FDA had shared with that person that there were some delays with Teva, which is the pharmaceutical company that makes most of the Adderall in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its almost like this news came out by accident, but it doesnt seem like something that should be known by accident. It seems like there should be a statement. People should know that theres a shortage of a pretty popular medication. At that point, over the summer, the FDA had not issued any sort of announcement. The FDA has said they dont want to alarm the public when theyre working to try and prevent a shortage because then everyones going to go try to stock up on it and make the situation worse. Eventually, in October, the FDA did acknowledge what was going on. But there were still lingering questions about why pharmacies were coming up short. Advertisement Teva, the company that manufactures Adderall, they have tried to explain the shortage a little bit. What have they said? They said that there was a labor shortage on the packaging line. Its still a little bit unclear what the specifics of the labor shortage were. Theyve said that they were resolved by the summer, but that that caused a backlog that led to the shortage that we saw in the months after that. Advertisement Why did it last? Advertisement Theyve said it just takes time to catch up. And while Tevas doing that, customersthe pharmacies, wholesalers that are buying the medications from the manufacturers and then giving them to their patientswould turn to other drug manufacturers to buy Adderall. And those drug manufacturers hadnt anticipated that increase in demand from those customers who had previously gotten it from Teva. So it spiraled throughout the market. Advertisement As one manufacturer after another tried to make up for Tevas labor shortages, there was something else going on: a dramatic rise in the number of people looking for ADHD drugs. The Washington Post has estimated prescriptions for Adderall have soared 30 percent in the past five years. Thats a problem because the government tightly controls how much Adderall can be manufactured in the first place. It is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance, in the same category as opioids like oxycodone. The Drug Enforcement Agency sets an industrywide capa quotaon the raw amphetamine needed to manufacture Adderall. Without DEA approval, no one is allowed to make any more. So the federal government will set the total quota for the total amount of the raw ingredient that can be produced by everyone combined. And then within that, each of the manufacturers would apply to the government and say, OK, we want to make this much. The government would evaluate those applications and divide up the total quota amongst all the manufacturers. Now, both the federal government and the manufacturers can request and make adjustments to those numbers throughout the year if they think that they really need more in order to meet the needs of people. So its not set in stone. Those adjustments could be made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So when Teva realized that they didnt really have enough Adderall to go around, did they go to the DEA and say, Hey, we need to adjust our quotas here because were not going to be able to supply all the people who need this drug with what we have right now.? Advertisement Ive asked Teva that question, and they havent answered it. One other large generic drugmaker said that they did request more. Some of that request was granted; some of it was denied. But thats a question that I havent gotten an answer from from Tevaand also from the DEA. So what does the DEA say about this excuse that Well, our quotas werent working this year, and so thats resulting in this shorter supply. Do they just say thats not so? Advertisement The DEA has given me some numbers about this. They get reports from companies at the end of the year. And the DEA has told me that there was a lot of the amphetamine raw material that the companies still had at the end of last year. So theyre saying, Use your leftovers. Yeah. And its complicated because its a little unclear exactly who has these leftovers. There are the companies that manufacture the active pharmaceutical ingredient thats in Adderall that makes it Adderall. And then there are the companies that actually manufacture the pills that you swallow. So we dont know where exactly that ingredient is and who has it. But the DEA is saying that theres a lot of the raw ingredient on the market somewhere. And therefore, the shortage were seeing is not a shortage caused by the quotas. Advertisement Advertisement Hmm. This sounds confusing. Like Im not sure whos right or what the truth is. Yeah, I agree. Its definitely confusing. These things are not necessarily mutually exclusive, right? Its possible that a certain company has run out of a quota and another company has a bunch left over. We dont have the numbers on the amount of quota allocated to each company to know whether thats happening. Advertisement When you started reporting the story, did you feel like you were going to figure it out? Well, I would always like to. When I started reporting the story, I found out this isnt the first time that something like this has happened. Back in 2011 and 2012, there were Adderall shortages. And the FDA at the time said that these DEA quotas were contributing to the situation. The DEA said that the drug companies had enough, and people should look at what they were choosing to manufacture with it. So this wasnt a completely new situation. Im always hopeful that Im going to be able to get to the bottom of something. But, it seemed like this was pointing toward a deeper issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats the deeper issue? Is it just the tangled relationship between the government and these manufacturers of a substance that theyve put on Schedule II, which means its a controlled substance? That situation makes it challenging to get some of this information that would help figure out whats really going on here. Its not like the governments just saying, Well, you can only make 10 units, and you can only make 20 pills, and you can only make 30 capsules because we think thats the optimal way that this should work. There are civil and criminal penalties for doing this wrong. And, if these drugs are diverted or abused, and someones found to be at fault for that, you can get barred from being able to make these. Were seeing a lot of that with prescription opioids. Theres a lot on the line here. Advertisement In recent months, the ADHD medication shortage has spread beyond Adderall. The University of Utahs drug information service recently reported shortages of Ritalin and Concerta, which use a completely different base ingredient. And once again, the why is mostly a guessing game. Advertisement The FDA has not declared an official shortage of those drugs. And so theres less hard information about why exactly its been challenging to fill those prescriptions. But that started happening as a lot of people had trouble getting prescriptions for Adderall and some of the advice that patients and doctors were getting was, Maybe you should try a different medication if we cant get Adderall. So, it looks like those Adderall shortages have spread to the other medications that people might be advised to take instead. But its also important to remember that these medicines are not exact substitutes for each other. Adderall is an amphetamine-based medication. Ritalin and Concerta are methylphenidate-based medications. Those are two different chemicals. For some people, one of those types of drugs might work really well and the other one might not work well at all. Advertisement Advertisement One of the other frustrating things thats come up is that lots of people are taking the generic versions. The generic version might be harder to find. So if you can get the brand but insurance doesnt cover it, you all of a sudden owe more money on this prescription. What would you say to someone who looks at this shortage and thinks its not really a big deal. Its important to remember that while this is a popular drug for ADHD, its also a medication for narcolepsy. And there are a lot of people who are taking the drug for narcolepsy and need that to be able to stay awake and go about their lives in a normal way. Advertisement But for people who have ADHD too, this is a medicine that has enabled them to do things they otherwise couldnt haveto maintain a level of mental organization and clarity that otherwise wouldnt have been possible without the medication. People may be worried about losing their jobs if you cant show up to the meeting or remember to do and complete the tasks that you need to do. Advertisement I keep hearing this language when the Adderall shortage is discussed of doctors saying, We dont want a repeat of what happened with opioids. And Im curious what you think of that language and why its being used. Advertisement Advertisement I know that there are doctors who are concerned when people lump opioids and Adderall together. Both are Schedule II controlled substances. With opioids, there was a lot of inappropriate prescribing, a lot of inappropriate marketing, a lot of people taking the drugs at doses that shouldnt have been prescribed, people ending up addicted to the drugs after going in for surgery and getting a prescription for something. You werent going out looking for something to abuse. Advertisement Im curious if you think its the right analogy. What are people hoping to prevent by not making Adderall more available in some way? Adderall is a drug that is misused, right? People do take it when theyre in college trying to stay up late, writing a paper. Theres actually very interesting research on whether it actually improves someones ability to do that or just makes them think that they have more of an ability to do that. But regardless, there are people who take Adderall when they dont need it. That isnt good. I read this Los Angeles Times op-ed that basically argued that the current Adderall shortage might create an opioid-like crisis situation by driving people who would have gotten Adderall from their doctors to a gray market. And in fact, I spoke to a woman who said shes having trouble getting Adderall and she had a friend who bought some Adderall on the street because there was this shortage. I would be really interested in some data or information on how frequent that is. I definitely talked to people when this was starting to happen back over the summer and into the fall whothat thought had crossed their minds. And that was really scary for a lot of people because you dont know what youre buying on the black market. And there have been a lot of reports of people buying pills that say theyre Adderall but are laced with fentanyl or something like that. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts Get more news from Mary Harris every weekday. Is there any timetable for when the shortage might end? On the FDAs website, some of the companies say when they think their back orders or supply constraints will end. But globally, the FDA has not given a prediction. The short answer is we dont know. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25) As the world celebrates women's month, Filipino experts and advocates stressed that women from all walks of life still fight for inclusivity and equity. Joining the call for inclusivity and equity, CNN Philippines has launched the "Embrace Equity" summit, with a series of talks highlighting women's decades-long challenges as well as the needed actions so they can confidently take up space. A diverse group of women from various industries and generations came together to inspire and shed light on current issues faced by the sector, from social changes to the art space. Social change through inclusivity Holding discussions during Women's Month is seen as a good start for the Philippines to "understand the value of inclusion," Miss Trans Global 2020 Mela Habijan said on Saturday when asked by Dr. Gia Sison, GTalks host and mental health advocate. "It amazes me that we have come this far, because if we are to look back, women like us, we won't be here in this conversation about women," she said. "It's still sad that the Philippines is not open to women like us, but we are happy that we're opening up the conversation," she added. LGBTQIA+ advocate Thysz Estrada echoed Habijan's statement, saying that every person must feel seen and heard. However, Estrada also acknowledged that topics on the LGBTQIA+ community remain a "taboo" in the country. Professor Nathalie Verceles of the Department of Development Studies of the University of the Philippines Diliman backed Estradas observation, stressing that Filipinos have many social norms to "unlearn." Unloading social norms, which could be "harmful" for women and those belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community, is hard as these are embedded in the minds of Filipinos since childhood, Verceles explained. "We cannot unlearn what we don't know as harmful. We should educate ourselves about how unfair it is to box people, judge people, not to accept diversity, not to practice inclusivity," she added. Some of the issues raised during the talk were microaggressions and other people's refusal to use their lived names. Verceles explained that microaggressions are "subtle" comments that communicate biases against a marginalized sector, such as women, LGBT, or persons with disabilities. The impact of this, Estrada said, could be "incredible" no matter how the comment was said or what the intention was. Likewise, Estrada added, the refusal to call people by their lived names shows "disrespect." For Habijan, allowing trans women and non-binary students to attend schools and come as they are would further expand inclusion across the country. "Kung lahat ng pagkakataon ay ibibigay sa bawat isang tao (If all opportunities would be given to each person), regardless of their sex and gender, most probably the Philippines will be a mover of inclusion across the world. That's the hope," Habijan said. Promoting equality through social leadership CNN Philippines Chief Correspondent and Anchor Pia Hontiveros, who moderated the discussion, asked Department of Health (DOH) Officer-in-Charge Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire about her role in the agency sans a Cabinet position. "I do not look at the hierarchy of our structure. In terms of doing my service, I am here to serve the people. I will look at what the people need," Vergeire said. On taking a lead in communities, the DOH chief believes there is a strong representation of women in government, especially in boosting the fight against COVID-19, noting that 90% of experts are women. "Women can do it with them, and women can do it better sometimes," Vergeire added. San Manuel, Tarlac Mayor Donya Tesoro shared a similar view: "When women lead, we lead by heart. Nakikinig tayo sa constituents natin (We listen to our constituents). It's a plus to be a woman in politics because we know how to designate tasks." To engage more women, United Nations Women Philippines Program Officer Catherine Torres said the organization creates conditions where women flourish. She said that if women are empowered, the situation would trigger a just and peaceful world. In the pageant arena, Binibining Pilipinas International 2022 Nicole Borromeo said the space has been witnessing changes as more women become relentless in making their stands on issues heard. Borromeo also stressed the need to talk about inequality and gaps such as women's lack of resources and opportunities, as discussions on these can help bring solutions. Role of gender equality towards economic development "We have a lot of work to do," Marla Garin-Alvarez, BDO Unibank vice president for sustainability, said as she acknowledged gender gaps in the workforce as cited by the World Economic Forum. Alvarez said 75% of BDOs workforce is female, while the lender also extended its product portfolio to support the needs of women as consumers and entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, Cherrie Atilano, AGREA Philippines president and founding farmer, said the organization has been beefing up its efforts to push more women, including single mothers, to join the labor force, particularly in the agriculture sector. "Women are building the economic workforce of the country, the children," she added. Tina Boado, Queer and Safe Spaces co-founder, also noted that most of the people in the country who are not in the labor force are women and mothers. Boada said that one of the reasons why more men are in the labor force is because of the gender gap in pay, with males earning more than women. "We believe that economic empowerment is a crucial ingredient to gender equality. We hold seminars to upgrade our queer members' skills," she said. This discussion was moderated by CNN Philippines New Day Host Paolo Abrera. Women in the art world There are different forms of art, but all of them require creativity, bravery, perseverance, and strength. Moderated by CNN Philippines New Day Host Christine Jacob-Sandejas, four special ladies shared how they successfully emerged stronger as they tried to break from what was expected from women. "Working on hardwood is not easy. It requires physical strength," Wood carving artist Charming Baldemor said as she recalled the time when someone was shocked after learning that she could produce a good piece of wood art. Baldemor said the strength of women "comes from within." "We put 100% into everything that we do. So instead of dwelling on that, masakit (hurtful) words, I took it as a challenge. Without any formal training, I worked around the techniques, developed my own style," she said. Zarah Juan, creative director of The Zarah Juan brand, also saw some people raising their eyebrows as she sought to secure dominance in a segment that was usually dominated by men. Without missing her chance, Juan showed off her mastery in creating bags, espadrilles, and ballerina flats, subsequently growing her business while introducing to a wider audience the diverse communities in the Philippines. Meanwhile, popular actress Bela Padilla did not let anyone put her in a box as she expanded into writing several scripts, producing, and even directing films. "I think in the Philippines, we are not used to women who are multi-hyphenates 'cause we are told, "You only fit in one box." And that is so sad because there are so many of us who do more roles than one," Padilla said. "Women are multi-hyphenates without even asking for it and yet we are not acknowledged," she added. Giving advice to young women, Prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde said they should learn from every opportunity and rejection. "Keep opening that door. You need to give yourself deadlines and be realistic about what you want to become. You also have to keep the heart in what you're doing," Elizalde said. For all the clamor around TikTok and its China-based parent corporation, ByteDance, one fact about them tends to get overlooked: that the Chinese company has other apps, some of which are also quite popular, including in the United States. TikTok is one of the most dominant social platforms in the world, a fact thats made it the subject of a congressional grilling this week following the governments threat to ban TikTok if its U.S. operations arent divested from ByteDance and sold to domestic owners. Still, the rest of the ByteDance portfolio is no joke, encompassing various games, photo- and video-editing tools, news aggregators, and even virtual reality software across continents. The tech behemoth, which has about seven subsidiary companies, was pumping out social apps long before it sprung TikTok upon the worldsomething that will still be true even if the United States does ban its golden goose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If TikTok merits scrutiny, or at least a better understanding of how it works, then these apps do as well. In the U.S., the primary knock against TikTok is that ByteDances connections to the Chinese Communist Partywhich owns a 1 percent stake in the companyimply that the massive troves of American user data collected by TikTok could end up in unfriendly hands. (TikTok supporters note, however, that U.S.-based social media platforms are much more invasive and reckless when it comes to data privacy and security.) Even if you buy that line of thinking, its hard not to notice that the hyperfocus on TikTok has led to inconsistent policy. For example, when India banned TikTok in 2020 in retaliation against Chinese military aggression, the subcontinent still allowed the use of some other ByteDance products, like the music-streaming app Resso. If the U.S. takes a similar tack, could other ByteDance apps be on the chopping block? And should you even worry about them? Here are the other ByteDance products that are also available in the States. CapCut What: Behind TikTok and its China-exclusive equivalent Douyin, CapCut is ByteDances third-most-popular app worldwide, boasting an audience of 200 million monthly active users as of January. CapCut, first developed in China in 2018 and released for international consumption in 2020, offers a suite of advanced, easy-to-use video-editing tools like visual filters, audio add-ons, photo-mixing, and integration with other video apps such asyou guessed itTikTok. Indeed, the app has taken off globally thanks in large part to in-app promotion on TikTok and Douyin. There are a lot of other editing programs Ive looked into for my TikToks, but almost all of them are super expensive or are harder to use, says Lucien Frey-Lotto, an 11-year-old CapCut enthusiast (and daughter of Slate editor-in-chief Hillary Frey). I always end up going back to CapCut because its easy to use and has every kind of feature I need. The app is free but also offers paid subscriptions for its Pro features, which include exclusive perks like text templates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where to download: CapCut is available on both Apples App Store and Google Play for mobile and desktop use. Data concerns? Per app-store disclosures, the app can use identifiers to track your activity across the web, and will collect other account data like your contact info and usage data. Nothing too out of the ordinary. Hypic What: One of ByteDances newer stateside offerings, Hypic advertises itself as a beauty maker on the App Store, a way for you to touch up selfies or other photos of your face right on your device of choice. Features from the free app include skin-smoothing, face-reshaping and -sculpting, and visual filters for overall ambience. You can also use it on TikTok to add artificial intelligencepowered face filters to your short-form videos. Hypic isnt as popular as other ByteDance apps, with middling download numbers on the Apple and Google stores, but constant TikTok promotion could change that. Advertisement Where to download: Hypic is available on both Apples App Store and Google Play for mobile and desktop use, and its even recommended for your iPad. Data concerns? Per app-store disclosures, the app will utilize identifiers to track your activity all over the internet, but the stuff you make using Hypic will not be linked to your identity. Lark What: Developed by a ByteDance subsidiary company in 2019, Lark is an office-productivity and -collaboration program meant to optimize the various drudgeries of white-collar work: a Messenger app for chatting with colleagues, shared Docs for collaboration, a Calendar for hosting meetings and distributing memos, and more. The sell is that all these toolswhich resemble those of the Google workplace suitecan easily function with one another. For example, you can reference a meeting invite without leaving your chat window, or you can make a video call directly from the Calendar. The free app has more than a million downloads on Google Play. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where to download: On Google Play, you can download the Lark app for both desktop and mobile use, but the App Store so far allows only for smartphone or iPad download. Data concerns? Per app-store disclosures, Lark can collect your location, contact info, search history, and usage data, all while linking these details to your identity. These Really Weird-Looking Games What: Lotsa games around here! Through subsidiary Nuverse, ByteDance offers a pricey app called Inked for both Apple and Google, in which you play as a nameless samurai who embarks on a puzzle-ridden quest in a world visualized through ballpoint-pen illustrations. Inked is the only Nuverse product on the App Store, but Google Play has more Nuverse games: Marvel Snap, Land of Empires: Immortal, My Time at Portia, Warhammer 40,000: Lost Crusade, and Darkness & Divinity. Out of these, Marvel Snap is the highest-rated and most-downloaded. Where to download: From Google Play, you can download all the aforementioned games to both mobile and desktop devices. Apples App Store, as previously mentioned, has Inked available only for mobile and desktop, at the hefty cost of $9.99. (Its $3.99 on Google.) Data concerns? Among these games, the paid apps (Inked and My Time at Portia) claim not to download or track user data. The free games do collect and share contact info and location records, however. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. When you think of high tech businesses, big names like Google and Facebook probably come to mind. But you dont have to think that big when youre just starting out. In fact, many of the tech giants that are successful today started out relatively small. If youre interested in following in those footsteps, here are 50 ideas for high tech businesses that you can start small. High Tech Business Ideas Smartphone Repair With so many consumers owning smartphones, theres a definite need for repair services. You can start a business where you have people bring in or send you their devices so you can fix various issues. Smartphone Accessory Manufacturing You can also manufacture different accessories to go with smartphones, like charging cords, speakers and lenses. Refurbished Device Sales Manufacturing actual computers and smartphones can be a larger scale operation. But you can still have a business where you sell those devices by refurbishing older models with new and improved parts. Computer Parts Manufacturing You might also consider manufacturing different computer parts, especially if you can narrow down a specific niche. Social Networking Site There are a few big name social networking platforms already. But you never know when the next major one might emerge. Social Media Consulting You can also use your expertise in social media to start a consulting business where you help brands create strategies and content for various platforms. SEO Specialist SEO specialists help businesses and online publishers optimize their online content for search engines. Online Advertising Platform Online advertising is another high tech area of online marketing. You can create your own platform where you connect businesses looking to advertise online with website owners who want to earn ad revenue. Digital Marketing Consulting You can also focus more generally on online marketing for business clients, helping them with everything from advertising to content marketing. Online Dating Site Another type of website or app that you can earn a revenue from, create a dating platform that helps connect people with similar interests. Web Design Service You can also use your tech savvy, along with design skills, to design and develop websites for businesses and other clients. Software Development Service Or you could become a freelance software developer to create programs for specific clients. App Development Service Mobile apps are also becoming increasingly important for businesses. You can work with clients who want to have their own apps on a freelance basis. Mobile App Sales Or you could develop your own mobile apps instead of working with clients. Then you can make money by charging for the apps or offering in-app purchases. Info Tech Shop If youre interested in starting a sort of retail business, you could open up a one-stop-shop where people can purchase tech items or bring in their gadgets for repairs. Cloud Based Phone Service To help your clients communicate more effectively, you could start a phone service thats based online using cloud technology. IT Equipment Service You could also work with businesses by offering to repair or maintain various types of IT equipment like servers. IT Equipment Sales Or you could actually sell that equipment to businesses and others who need it. Internet Cafe Cafes are becoming more popular for freelancers and others looking for a comfortable place to use wifi. You can set up a small coffee shop or coworking space where you offer internet access and other tech amenities. See Also: 50 Creative Business Ideas to Start in 2023 Online School If youre looking for ways to spread knowledge on a particular topic, you could set up a website or online education platform where you offer course material directly to students. E-Library You can also set up a site or platform where people can access or rent various digital educational materials like PDFs and ebooks. Online Book Store Or you could actually sell ebooks on your own website, either your own titles or ebooks that you license from other authors. Ebook Writing You might also consider writing your own ebooks and then offering those for sale on platforms like Amazon. Digital Product Sales You can also sell other digital products online, like printables, access to membership sites or even online videos. Ecommerce Platform To help other entrepreneurs make a living online, you can create a platform where sellers can upload products to list for sales. Shopping App Or you could create a mobile shopping platform that lets customers browse products and shop right from their smartphones. Tech Blog If youre interested in writing about technology, you can start your own blog about the subject and make money through ads or sponsored content. Tech Podcast Similarly, you could start a podcast where you talk about the new gadgets or innovations in the tech industry. Tech Video Channel Or you could opt for creating video content about technology, using a platform like YouTube to earn revenue. Livestreaming Influencer Livestreaming has become a popular way for people to communicate online. You can build up a following on platforms like Facebook Live and Periscope, then earn an income as an influencer. Livestreaming Service You could even start your very own livestreaming service that other people can use to share their thoughts and connect with followers. Online Video Platform Similarly, you can start a website or app where people can share video content related to a particular topic or niche. Online Podcasting Platform Or you could start an audio platform where people can upload their podcasting content to easily share with potential listeners. Music Streaming Service Another audio platform idea, you could develop a site or app that people can use to stream a specific type of music, especially if its not available on the most popular streaming services. Video Content Streaming Service Similarly, you could start a streaming service for a particular type of video content, like holiday films or educational content. Tech Gadget Rentals If you have the ability to purchase tech gadgets that people might want to rent for specific situations, like projectors for presentations or cameras for photo shoots, you could start a business where you let customers rent those items. Sharing Economy Platform Or you could create a site or app that lets users share those items or other products or services with other consumers. Are you considering starting a box truck business venture? The trucking industry is competitive, but these businesses are becoming increasingly popular, thanks to the growing trend of online shopping. And these trucks are among the most demanded commercial vehicle types. With a little creativity and imagination, you can come up with a variety of ways to make your business stand out from the competition in this competitive industry. What is a Box Truck Business? These small businesses use a truck with a large, square-shaped box on the back to transport goods. This type of truck is often used for delivering large items or multiple items at once. The box on the back of the truck protects the goods from bad weather and keeps them from being damaged during transit. This is a great option for those who want to start their own small businesses but dont have a lot of money to invest. These businesses can be started with a relatively small investment and can grow quickly. With the right marketing, this can become a very successful business. 12 Box Truck Ideas That Earn Money If youre a box truck owner operator or have a box truck lease and youre looking to be your own boss as a business owner or an independent contractor, then youre going to love this list. If you already know How to Make Money with a Pickup Truck , then youll love some of the options listed below. 1. Box Truck Owner Operator for Hauling Junk A Box truck independent contractor will never have a shortage of customers who need their junk hauled away. Just think of all the people who need their old furniture removed before they move to a new house. Or the businesses that need to get rid of outdated equipment. And lets not forget about all the folks who finally decide its time to clean out their garage or storage unit. Theres always someone who needs junk hauled away, which means theres always money to be made for box truck owners. 2. Provide Local Moving Services If youre looking for a business idea thatll let you help your community while also making a profit, then consider starting a moving service. The moving business doesnt only provide moving services as a great way to help people relocate, but its also an excellent opportunity for box truck drivers to make some extra cash on the side. 3. Advertise with Your Box Truck Its no secret that businesses need to advertise in order to get their name out there and attract customers. However, many box truck business owners may not know that selling advertising on their trucks is a great way to generate additional income. 4. Cater and Deliver Food, Furnish Events Starting a truck business that caters and delivers food and furnishes events can be a great way to earn extra income. Catering businesses can be very profitable, especially if you are able to get regular clients. Furnishing events can also be a great way to make money, as there is always a need for event furniture rental businesses. 5. Partner with Reliable Logistics Companies By forming a partnership, the box truck business can provide transportation for goods to and from reliable logistics companies, and in turn receive a commission for each delivery. This is a great way to generate additional income, and it also helps to build relationships with other businesses in the community. 6. Deliver to Local Stores One way that a box truck business can make money is by delivering to local stores. Local businesses often need products delivered quickly and efficiently, and your business can provide this service. By delivering to local stores, a box truck business can build relationships with businesses and become their go-to delivery service. 7. Be an On-Demand Courier On-demand couriers are businesses that provide same-day delivery services for their customers. This is a great service to offer for businesses that need items delivered quickly, and its also a great way to make money on the side. To become an on-demand courier, youll need to have a vehicle that can transport the items youre delivering, and youll need to be able to navigate your way around town. Youll also need to be customer service-oriented, as youll be dealing with customers who are expecting their items to be delivered in a timely manner. See Also: How to Start a Food Truck Business 8. Offer Package Delivery Services If youre looking for a way to make money with your box truck, then consider offering package delivery services. With this type of service, youll be responsible for delivering packages to businesses and homes in your area. To get started, youll need to create a list of businesses and residents who may be interested in your services. Once you have a list of potential customers, you can start marketing your delivery services to them. To make sure that your package delivery business is successful, its important to provide excellent customer service. This means being on time with your deliveries, being polite and friendly to customers, and providing a tracking number for each package that you deliver. If offering a package delivery service sounds right up your alley, then you should learn How to Start an Amazon DSP Business . 9. Provide Storage Services If you have a large box truck, then you could start a business that provides storage services. This could be a great option for people who are moving and need somewhere to store their belongings. You could also provide storage units for businesses that are looking to declutter their office space. Having flexible payment options can help owner-operators increase business. 10. Mobile Hair Salon You could start a mobile hair salon using a box truck by purchasing or leasing a truck that has been outfitted with all of the necessary equipment. This would include items such as sinks, countertops, mirrors, and storage cabinets. You would also need to stock the truck with supplies such as shampoo, conditioner, towels, and hairdryers. 11. Rent Box Trucks Owner-operators renting their trucks can be a great way to start a business. They can be used for a variety of purposes, such as moving furniture or delivering goods. You can also rent them out to other businesses that need them for their own operations. There are a few things you need to do in order to get started, such as obtain the necessary licenses and insurance. Once you have those things squared away, you can start marketing your business to potential customers. 12. Start a Food Truck Using a box truck is a great way to get started with a food truck business. Youll need a truck thats large enough to hold all your equipment and supplies, but not too large that its difficult to maneuver. Youll also need to outfit your truck with the appropriate cooking equipment. You could specialize in a certain type of food, such as Mexican or Chinese, or you could offer a variety of dishes. Is it Worth Starting a Box Truck Business? A box truck business is one of the best Small Business Ideas for Beginners since its a relatively easy business to start and doesnt require a lot of capital. There is a lot of variation in the average annual pay for a box truck owner-operator. Some people make less than others with their own box truck business, but its clear that there are opportunities out on those streets. If this sounds like a good opportunity to you, then maybe its time to set up a limited liability company or sole proprietorship, get a box truck lease, and get a healthy cash flow going. What do You Need to Make Money with Box Trucks? A commercial drivers license is a requirement for anyone who wants to operate a box truck for commercial purposes. Obtaining a CDL requires passing a written test, as well as a skills test that demonstrates your ability to safely operate the vehicle. There are different classes of CDLs, depending on the weight and type of vehicle you will be driving. For example, a Class A CDL is required to operate any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more. Having a fleet of trucks is the key to making money with them. You can either purchase your own trucks or get a box truck lease them from a trucking company. How Much Does it Cost to Start a Box Truck Business? Owning your own truck can be a very lucrative business with a stable income, but it does require money upfront to get started. The cost of purchasing a box truck varies based on its size, options, and where youre located in the world. For example, the price of a Class 3 truck starts at about $30k, with class 4 trucks costing between $35k and $50k. As for Class 5 trucks, they usually run about $40k to $75k. The most expensive trucks are Class 6, which cost right around $50k to $100k. The average annual pay for someone in the US owning and operating such a successful box truck business is between $93k and 186k, so there is potential to make a good living depending on your location and the box truck services you offer. How do You Get a Box Truck Business Started? Starting your own business is always a challenge, and starting a box truck business is no different. There are several things you need to do in order to get your business off the ground, and having a fleet of trucks can give you an advantage over your competition. You need to create a business plan, obtain the proper permits and licenses, find a good location for your business and adhere to strict regulations. And make sure your legal papers are in order to avoid any unnecessary headaches down the road. If youre looking for a great business idea, the tech industry is worth exploring. From cloud technology to 3D printing, there are numerous opportunities for tech entrepreneurs to build a successful business. Read on for some of the best tech startup ideas for entrepreneurs. What is a Tech Business? A tech business can be anything that offers a product or service related to technology. For example, some small business owners in the industry offer online services. However, you can also start your own business repairing or selling hardware in person. The Tech Industry in 2022 The tech industry is booming in 2022. People rely on search engines and social media platforms daily, and there are new devices reaching the market constantly. Specifically, technology that facilitates remote work and collaboration is likely to continue its popularity. But tech businesses may face more consistency in 2022. Read more: 10 Ways to Integrate Big Data, AI, and Other Top Tech Trends into Your Business Best Tech Business Ideas Tech startups provide plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurs to start a profitable business. But first, you need to find the right niche. If youre looking for tech businesses that suit your skills, consider the following options. 1. Web Design Business Pretty much every business needs a website. As a web design business, you design the pages and set up everything your clients need to get started. 2. Social Media Consulting Business A social media consulting business would work with businesses to develop an online marketing strategy. Provide expertise so your clients can handle the day-to-day management. 3. Computer Training Business A computer training business provides guidance to those who want to learn how to use their devices. You may focus your efforts on specific types of businesses or offer individual guidance to users. 4. Tech Video Channel Video content is becoming increasingly popular. And you can monetize your video content streaming service or online podcasting platform with ads or subscription fees. 5. Online Marketing There are tons of online platforms that businesses can use for marketing. Help them manage all these options by offering comprehensive services or specializing in just one or two platforms. 6. Online Education Platform If you have knowledge in a specific area, share your expertise in your own digital educational materials, or start your own platform where other teachers can also share their expertise online. 7. Online Video Platform An online video platform is a site that hosts videos on a particular subject or allows users to upload their own content. For example, you may post videos about gaming or DIY tutorials. 8. Data Entry Business A data entry business can serve a variety of clients that want to save time on repetitive tasks like filling out forms or spreadsheets. You just need some time and basic software knowledge to get started. Read more: Small Business Ideas for Beginners 9. Software Development Service If youre skilled with software development, you can create new programs for clients. You may offer software for sale or create internal solutions for enterprise users. 10. Tech Repair Services For those that want to work with actual hardware, offer repair services for smartphones, computers, or other tech in your local area. 11. Mobile Shopping Platform If you have some mobile development skills, create your own mobile store or shopping solutions to connect sellers with buyers. 12. Computer Setup Service Lots of consumers dont want to set up their own computers once theyve bought a new device. A computer setup service installs the hardware and gets essential programs up and running, so users can simply start using their new device right away. 13. Mobile Device Management Mobile device management involves connecting or controlling mobile connections for various devices used within an organization. For example, you may provide IT support for enterprise clients to keep employee smartphones secure. 14. Website Owners Instead of building websites for other clients, create your own. Then earn income through sponsored content, ads, affiliate links, or subscription fees. See Also: Best Subscription Box Business Ideas 15. Web Design Company Resource Shop You could also offer DIY templates or design elements that website owners can use on their own. Simply offer these digital products online, so they can download the resources they want for a fee. 16. Robotics Company A robotics company offers automation equipment that manufacturers and other businesses can use to improve operations. You need specialized knowledge and access to high-tech hardware to produce these items. 17. Music Streaming Service A music streaming service provides access to various songs for a monthly fee. You may start your own that serves a niche market, like classical songs or royalty-free music. 18. Mobile App Developers These professionals develop mobile apps for clients. You could also create your own apps and sell them in mobile app stores or offer in-app purchases. 19. Freelance Software Developer A freelance software developer produces software for clients. So you wouldnt sell the programs yourself. But you would get paid by various clients to complete the work. 20. Social Media Marketer Unlike a social media consulting business, a social media marketer actively posts and manages accounts for clients. You may also monitor mentions and respond to customer inquiries online. 21. Tech Gadget Rentals Most consumers dont own specialized gadgets like video projectors or 3D printing devices. But they may want to rent these items periodically. Invest in the equipment and offer them to local consumers for a daily or weekly fee. 22. Online Dating Site If you have some website building or mobile app skills, create a dating service that connects local singles. There are plenty of niches still open in this market. 23. SEO Services An SEO service makes websites more visible to search engines. Create content, add keywords, and improve the back end to increase traffic for clients. 24. Niche Social Media Platform Theres always room for more social media channels, especially those that serve a specific niche. For example, create a platform just for moms or students at a local university. 25. Sharing Economy Platform The sharing economy is impacting everything from vehicle rentals to grocery shopping. Come up with a way you could facilitate connections between service providers and consumers. Then create a site or app to bridge that gap. 26. Tech Business Consultant If you have experience with multiple tech startups, offer consulting services to other small businesses. You can help them come up with a business idea and provide business advice delivered straight to each client. What Is The Most Profitable Tech Business Idea? The business income for a tech company varies widely depending on the market, offering, and startup costs. However, an online business tends to be the fastest way to turn a profit. For example, web design can be quite profitable. What Is The Best Business Idea in Technology? Tech-savvy entrepreneurs can choose the best tech startup ideas that suit their skills and interests. Currently, mobile apps, AI, and automation are at the forefront of the industry. For most of the country, the March 15th S Corp filing deadline has passed. However, for the storm-ravaged states of California, Alabama, and Georgia, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has extended the date to file various federal individual and business returns and make tax payments to October 16th, 2023. The October 16th deadline also applies to 2023 estimated tax payments, typically due on April 18th, June 15th, and September 15th. It also applies to the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns, usually due on January 31st, April 30th, and July 31st. If you dont live in one of those states and missed the deadline to claim the S Corp election, you can still file IRS Form 2553. However, your S Corp status will not begin until the following calendar year. What is an S Corp? An S Corp is a special tax election for limited liability companies (LLCs) and corporations made through the IRS. S Corps pass the companys income, losses, deductions, and credits to their shareholders for tax purposes. And S Corp shareholders report the flow-through of income and losses on their individual tax returns, which allows S Corps to avoid double taxation on corporate income. The S Corp election also helps LLC and corporation owners save on payroll taxes by allowing shareholders to divide business income into salaries and shareholder distributions. Because payroll taxes are only enacted on wages and not shareholder distributions, S Corp owners save money on taxes and can leave more profits in the business. Unfortunately, because some business owners underpay their wages to save on payroll taxes, the IRS keeps a close watch on S Corps tax returns and dividend distributions. To keep companies honest, the IRS applies reasonable compensation guidelines to help your company stay out of hot water. What is Reasonable Compensation? To deter business owners from undercutting wages to avoid payroll taxes, the IRS mandates that S Corp owners be paid reasonable compensation for any services applied to the business operation. The IRS definition of reasonable compensation is the value that would ordinarily be paid for like services by like enterprises under like circumstances. Shareholders/owners doing anything more than only investing money in the company must be considered employees and paid salaries equal to those paid for services in comparable industries. The IRS suggests business owners consider the following characteristics when determining a reasonable wage: What are the duties being performed? What volume of business is being handled? What are the characteristics of the job and the amount of responsibility attributed to the worker? Are there specific skills required or complexities of the position? How much time is necessary to do the job? What is the cost of living in the companys location? Does the worker have special education to perform the position? How does the wage compare to the businesss gross and net incomes? What is the companys policy regarding wages and wage increases? What is the salary history of each employee? The IRS analyzes the S Corps gross receipts to determine the reasonableness and then establishes what tasks the owner/shareholder performed to help generate the companys gross income. If owners arent sure about the salaries for specific positions, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has national wage data searchable by occupation, state, region, and city. Even minimal services done for the company must be paid for, and therefore payroll taxes must be applied. Payroll taxes are determined by FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act), and all U.S. taxpayers must contribute to FICA taxes, which are Social Security and Medicare. The current social security tax is 6.2% of gross income, and employers and employees each contribute 6.2% to the Social Security fund. The Medicare tax is 1.45% of gross income; again, employers and employees contribute to Medicare. In addition, employers must pay a State Unemployment Insurance tax (SUI) in each state where the employee conducts business. SUI rates vary by state. Can My Company File for the S Corp Election? Companies structured as a C Corp or LLC can file for the S Corp tax election if: The company is a domestic corporation Shareholders are U.S. citizens or resident aliens The company has no more than 100 shareholders The company has only one class of stock All shareholders agree to the S Corp election and sign and submit Form 2553 Election by a Small Business Corporation If a company doesnt meet any of the above requirements (too many shareholders, having foreign shareholders, etc.), the IRS will cancel the S Corp election status, and the company will be taxed as a C Corporation. Corporations and LLCs that elect S status are usually deemed an S Corp in their home state. However, not all states and municipalities recognize S Corps. Texas, the District of Columbia, New Hampshire, Tennessee, and New York City do not recognize the S Corps special tax treatment and are therefore taxed as C Corps. Louisiana also taxes S Corps as C Corps, with some exceptions. Check with your accountant to make sure youre compliant with tax law. And thats also good advice when considering taking an S Corp election. Its crucial to review the obligations involved in keeping an S Corp compliant and how part of that pertains to the reasonable compensation requirement. CorpNet offers business formations, filings, state tax registrations, and corporate compliance services in all 50 states. Express and 24 hour rush filing services available upon request. Click here to learn more. Two resort companies in Florida have agreed to pay $325,000 to settle allegations related to false certifications they provided on a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application. Orlando Reunion and Crystal River were alleged to have knowingly given false information to support Crystal Rivers PPP loan forgiveness application. As well as violating the False Claims Act (FCA), the allegations included a violation of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA). Florida Companies Agree to PPP Loan Forgiveness Settlement The potential to defraud loan forgiveness is due to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act which authorized businesses to seek forgiveness of PPP loans if the loan funds were spent on certain eligible expenses, which include payroll. The related but separate resorts Orlando Reunion and Crystal River both applied for and received their own PPP loans before Crystal River sought forgiveness by certifying that a portion of its loan fund was spent on the wages of Crystal River employees. However, some of the claimed employees actually worked at Orlando Reunion. Violators Will Be Noticed and Identified The Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Departments Civil Division, said in a statement on the Department of Justice website: PPP loans were intended to help small businesses retain employees and keep their doors open during the pandemic. The department is committed to holding accountable those who knowingly and improperly sought PPP loans or forgiveness of those loans. Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite was more combative, adding: This settlement demonstrates that attempts to wrongfully obtain loan forgiveness will not go unnoticed, and violators will be identified. Damages and Penalties for Florida Resorts The total of $325,000 to be paid by Orlando Reunion and Crystal River as a part of the settlement includes $271,720 in damages and penalties for the FCA violations, as well as $53,280 in civil penalties for the FIRREA violations. Get the latest headlines from Small Business Trends. Follow us on Google News. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230325/former-french-president-hollande-admits-minsk-accords-allowed-kiev-to-boost-military-power-1108790881.html Former French President Hollande Admits Minsk Accords Allowed Kiev to Boost Military Power Former French President Hollande Admits Minsk Accords Allowed Kiev to Boost Military Power Former French President Franois Hollande said on Saturday that the Minsk agreements signed by Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine in 2014, allowed Ukraine to boost its military capacity presumably to wage war with Russia. 2023-03-25T22:24+0000 2023-03-25T22:24+0000 2023-03-25T22:24+0000 world francois hollande francois hollande kiev kiev moscow minsk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/104810/76/1048107645_0:242:5568:3374_1920x0_80_0_0_5f4d09356bbb7e40d2be5eeb8d9bb8e5.jpg "The time, provided to Ukraine by the Minsk agreements, allowed it to boost its military capacity," Hollande told German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The former French top official also said that the establishment of the Nord Stream pipeline should have been shut down at the stage of its construction, and that Western companies should have left the Russian market much earlier. The Minsk accords were a complex series of measures negotiated by Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine in 2014-2015 in a bid to put an end to the armed conflict between the Kiev authorities and the breakaway region of Donbas. Moscow repeatedly stated that Kiev was not fulfilling the deal, for example not granting self-government to the Russian-speaking region of Donbas. In February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted he never intended to implement the Minsk agreements. Both former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Hollande, who participated in the Normandy format, admitted the same. They said that negotiating the Minsk accords with Russia was a stalling tactic to buy time to arm and train the Ukrainian military with no intention to comply with their provisions. Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in turn, said that the Normandy format had been nothing but a "diplomatic imitation." kiev moscow minsk Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International francois hollande, russia, france, germany, ukraine, minsk agreement, world news https://sputnikglobe.com/20230325/hundreds-of-thousands-protest-against-judicial-reform-in-israel-1108791293.html Hundreds of Thousands Protest Against Judicial Reform in Israel Hundreds of Thousands Protest Against Judicial Reform in Israel Over 600,000 Israelis have participated in yet another nationwide protest against the controversial Israeli judicial reform, The Times of Israel reported. 2023-03-25T23:26+0000 2023-03-25T23:26+0000 2023-03-25T23:26+0000 world israel tel aviv protest political protest /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/19/1108791147_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_b5cc09e50fbb697747163965b6220542.jpg Protests against the reform have been held in Israel for 12 straight weeks. According to the newspaper, police used water cannons against demonstrators in Tel Aviv. At least 28 protesters were detained while blocking the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv. In January, Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin rolled out a legal reform package that would limit the authority of the Supreme Court by giving the cabinet control over the selection of new judges, as well as allowing the Knesset to override the court's rulings with an absolute majority. In mid-February, the Israeli parliament approved the first part of the legislation. The second half was approved by the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, at the beginning of March. The reform's opponents argue it will undermine democracy in Israel and put the country on the verge of a social and constitutional crisis. On Friday, organizers of the protest movement against the judicial reform in Israel declared a "week of paralysis," which would include nationwide demonstrations against the divisive legislative action. Earlier this week, hundreds of activists swarmed outside the residences of prominent Israeli government officials including Tourism Minister Haim Katz, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, among others to protest against the judicial reform. israel tel aviv Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International israel, israeli judicial reform, tel aviv, political protest, israeli protest https://sputnikglobe.com/20230325/turkish-foreign-ministry-condemns-attack-on-quran-in-denmark-1108790746.html Turkish Foreign Ministry Condemns Attack on Quran in Denmark Turkish Foreign Ministry Condemns Attack on Quran in Denmark The Turkish Foreign Ministry denounced on Saturday the recent "vile attack" targeting the holy Muslim book, the Quran, and the Turkish flag in Denmark. 2023-03-25T21:43+0000 2023-03-25T21:43+0000 2023-03-25T21:43+0000 world turkiye islamophobia protest denmark sweden /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/19/1108790472_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_69839e410d5748966f291722ec5ca9dd.jpg On Friday, a group of people held a protest in Denmark, desecrating the Quran and the Turkish flag. "We condemn in the strongest terms the vile attack targeting our holy book, the Quran, and our glorious flag in Denmark in the afternoon of 24 March," the ministry's statement read. The Turkish foreign department also informed the Danish authorities that Ankara considered such acts "completely unacceptable" and called for taking necessary actions against the perpetrators to "prevent such provocations." In January, Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the far-right Danish political party Stram Kurs, burned copies of the Quran in Sweden and Denmark in protest against the Turkish leadership. In response, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Stockholm should not count on Ankara's support for its NATO membership bid. turkiye denmark sweden Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International turkiye, denmark, quran, islamophobia, protest, sweden, nato https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/germany-may-bankroll-nuclear-power-for-everyone-but-itself-as-eu-updates-clean-technologies-list-1108795952.html Germany May Bankroll Nuclear Power for Everyone But Itself as EU Updates 'Clean Technologies' List Germany May Bankroll Nuclear Power for Everyone But Itself as EU Updates 'Clean Technologies' List Germany might end up financing nuclear power for everyone but itself as the EU's European Commission proposed updated clean technologies list. 2023-03-26T10:31+0000 2023-03-26T10:31+0000 2023-03-26T10:31+0000 world germany france nuclear plant nuclear power european union (eu) european commission /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/1a/1108795789_0:159:3079:1890_1920x0_80_0_0_b4af327e3cfbc5c78c8a6f1f87f08d42.jpg Germany appears to be poised to finance nuclear power for everyone but itself, as the European Union pushes ahead with its ambitious competitive "green industry" plans for the future.Brussels has long been touting its intentions to become a "climate neutral" economy by 2050, boasting net zero greenhouse gas emissions. However, there has been friction inside the bloc over whether to recognize nuclear power, albeit partially, as an inherent part of the EU's decarbonization drive.After some dithering, the European Commission unveiled its draft Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) on March 16, conceding that nuclear energy can, under certain conditions, be considered sustainable for the "green" camp of investments. The proposal mentions "advanced technologies to produce energy from nuclear processes with minimal waste from the fuel cycle" as well as "small modular reactors," or SMRs. The SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit.Nuclear is listed as a technology that "will make a significant contribution to decarbonisation," but failed to make it to the list of "strategic" technologies, which "will receive particular support and are subject to the 40% domestic production benchmark," according to the European Commission.Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a recent EU summit that, "only the net-zero technologies that we deem strategic for the future like solar panels, batteries and electrolysers, for example have access to the full advantages and benefits," adding that "cutting-edge nuclear is in for specific fields, but not for all.Accordingly, the European Union gives money for the development of green technologies and the construction of infrastructure through the Next Generation EU fund (NGEU). Also called the European Union Recovery Instrument, the package was launched to support the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and, subsequently, tailored towards building a "greener" future.It is worth recalling that the main users of nuclear energy in the EU are France and Belgium, where new stations are actively being built. France, which gets about 70 percent of its electricity from nuclear power plants, has been advocating for nuclear energy to be included in the green technologies' list. But Germany, which opted to pull the plug on nuclear power and eventually phase it out after the Fukushima disaster in Japan in 2011, is the EU state contributing the heaviest towards the Next Generation EU fund. This has already fomented discontent in the German parliament, the Bundestag. A number of German lawmakers were indignant at the fact that the German government allocates money for technologies that it is not going to develop at home.Germany shut down three of its last six nuclear power plants - Brokdorf, Grohnde, and Gundremmingen C - on January 1 this year, with the government in Berlin touting natural gas as a bridging technology towards phasing-out nuclear energy and coal-fired power stations. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, however, proposed prolonging operations at the remaining three plants amid the energy crisis in Europe.Add to this the ongoing sparring between Germany and France over the designation of nuclear power as a climate-friendly energy source.However, French environmental activist Marie Toussaint, an anti-nuclear Green MEP, was also cited as pointing out that, "the compromises in the existing [NZIA] text confirm a very strong European resistance to Emmanuel Macrons ultra-nuclear project." Luxembourg's environment minister, Carole Dieschbourg, has warned that designating nuclear energy as "green" would be "greenwashing." Vienna also voiced its "serious concerns," citing costs, and the unresolved aspects of nuclear waste.Accordingly, for such countries, along with Germany, reports point out that the fact that taxpayer money might go to financing new nuclear power stations in the EU, albeit indirectly, via the bloc's budget, is a hard truth to swallow. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230321/germany-france-spar-over-eu-green-energy-rules-on-nuclear-power-automobile-e-fuel-1108664210.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20220905/german-economy-minister-opposes-nuclear-energy-phaseout-npps-closure-1100411802.html germany france Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko germany, financing nuclear power, eu's european commission, proposed updated clean technologies list, draft net-zero industry act, climate-friendly plans, decarbonizing the blocs economy, net-zero technologies strategic for the future, next generation eu fund (ngeu), nuclear energy, sustainable, advanced technologies, to produce energy. from nuclear processes, with minimal waste, from the fuel cycle, small modular reactors Cebu City (CNN Philippines, March 26) Seven members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity in Cebu City face complaints of homicide and violations of the Anti-Hazing Law over the death of a neophyte during initiation rites last year. READ: PAO chief calls for abolition of fraternities involved in hazing deaths Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) spokesperson LtCol. Maria Theresa Macatangay said the seven were named respondents to the complaints filed for the death of Ronnel Baguio, a 20-year-old marine engineering student, before the Cebu City Prosecutor's Office last March 22. Among the seven were the owner of the home where the hazing took place, the teacher who recruited Baguio, and top officers of the fraternity. The Public Attorney's Office withheld the names of the suspects but police disclosed that those charged included the fraternity's Grand Triskelion, Deputy Grand Triskelion, Master Initiator, and some resident members. In a press briefing, Macatangay said authorities have a strong case and they are confident that warrants of arrest will be issued against all seven fratmen. Four of the suspects who earlier surrendered confessed their involvement to the police. READ: Four suspects in alleged hazing case in Cebu surrender Macatangay added that authorities might seek a hold departure order against the suspects. Baguio's mother, Leny, expressed her gratitude for the help she received in seeking justice for her son. "Naihingi ko na po sila ng tawad sa Panginoon pero hindi ibig sabihin noon ay hindi po sila mananagot sa batas. Kung ano po 'yung batas bilang po nakasaad sa hazing law, 'yun po ang dapat nilang harapin," she said. [Translation: I have asked God to forgive them but that does not exempt them from answering to the law. They should face whatever is stated by law.] The Tau Gamma Phi fraternity was also implicated in the death of Adamson student John Matthew Salilig, who succumbed to injuries believed to have been received during initiation rites last February. Cebu-based journalist Dale Israel contributed to this report. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/honduras-severs-diplomatic-relations-with-taiwan-1108792770.html Honduras Severs Diplomatic Relations With Taiwan Honduras Severs Diplomatic Relations With Taiwan The Interior Ministry of Honduras has announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Taiwan. 2023-03-26T03:36+0000 2023-03-26T03:36+0000 2023-03-26T05:08+0000 asia taiwan china honduras honduras /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/11/1108491128_0:162:3065:1886_1920x0_80_0_0_19e6b19cdebd31f7dfae7cfdfb402815.jpg "The Secretary of State in the Offices of Foreign Relations and International Cooperation, with instructions from the President of the Republic, has communicated to Taiwan the decision to break diplomatic relations," the ministry said on Twitter on Saturday.According to the statement, Honduras recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate government. Taiwan responded to Honduras with reciprocal measures. Earlier this month, Taiwan recalled its ambassador from Honduras following the announcement that the Central American country was intending to establish formal relations with China. On March 15, Honduran President Xiomara Castro instructed Foreign Minister Eduardo Reina to start work on establishing formal diplomatic relations with China. The announcement drew harsh criticism from Taiwan.Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that Honduras's willingness to establish diplomatic relations with Beijing was a "trend of history" that China welcomes.Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan a territory with its own elected government maintains that it is an autonomous country but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable. china honduras Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International honduras, taiwan, china, foreign relations, diplomatic relations https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/india-launches-36-oneweb-satellites-into-orbit-isro-1108795311.html India Launches 36 OneWeb Satellites Into Orbit: ISRO India Launches 36 OneWeb Satellites Into Orbit: ISRO The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday morning launched a heavy lift LVM3 rocket carrying 36 OneWeb communications satellites. 2023-03-26T06:05+0000 2023-03-26T06:05+0000 2023-03-26T06:05+0000 science & tech india oneweb satellite /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/1a/1108794794_0:605:2048:1757_1920x0_80_0_0_92b9067714329750e1950a7c4e17a68c.jpg The rocket was launched at 09:00 (03:30 GMT) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre located on the southeastern island of Sriharikota. The launch was broadcast by ISRO. The launch completes the deployment of OneWeb's constellation of more than 600 satellites in orbit that will deliver high-speed internet to every corner of the world. This is the second time OneWeb has used ISRO's services to launch satellites. The first batch of 36 OneWeb satellites was launched into orbit in October 2022 with an Indian rocket. The OneWeb project is designed to provide high-speed internet access to users across the globe by 2027. In November 2020, OneWeb declared bankruptcy and was sold to the UK government and Indian company Bharti Global. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International oneweb satellites, lvm3 rocket, indian space research organisation https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/israels-defense-minister-says-judicial-overhaul-must-be-stopped-1108791611.html Israels Defense Minister Says Judicial Overhaul Must Be Stopped Israels Defense Minister Says Judicial Overhaul Must Be Stopped Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has called on the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the controversial judicial reform that has sparked major nationwide protests. 2023-03-26T00:42+0000 2023-03-26T00:42+0000 2023-03-26T00:42+0000 world israel protests judicial reform yoav gallant /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/1a/1108791464_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_b5bd24b0d1b09c63c62fcd30612c13ca.jpg Protests against the reform have been held in Israel for 12 straight weeks. According to Netanyahu, the Israeli government plans to pass a key part of the proposed legislation next week. He became the first key Israeli minister to call for a halt of the reform. Gallant emphasized that there is a growing rift in Israeli society that is also penetrating the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the countrys security agencies. "This poses a clear, immediate, and tangible threat to the security of the state. I will not allow this," Gallant said, calling for inclusive dialogue on the issue. Meanwhile, Israels National Security Minister Ben Gvir urged Netanyahu to fire Gallant on Saturday. About 630,000 Israelis participated in yet another nationwide protest against the controversial judicial reform on Saturday, according to Israeli media reports. Police used water cannons against demonstrators in Tel Aviv, The Times of Israel said, adding that at least 28 protesters were detained while blocking the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv. In January, Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin rolled out a legal reform package that would limit the authority of the Supreme Court by giving the cabinet control over the selection of new judges, as well as allowing the Knesset to override the court's rulings with an absolute majority. The reform's opponents argue it will undermine democracy in Israel and put the country on the verge of a social and constitutional crisis. On Friday, organizers of the protest movement against the judicial reform in Israel declared a "week of paralysis," which would include nationwide demonstrations against the divisive legislative action. Earlier this week, hundreds of activists swarmed outside the residences of prominent Israeli government officials including Tourism Minister Haim Katz, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, among others to protest against the judicial reform. israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International yoav gallant, israel, israeli defense minister yoav gallant, benjamin netanyahu, judicial reform, israeli protests, israeli government https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/israels-former-prime-minister-urges-netanyahu-to-halt-reform-as-police-deploy-water-cannons-1108810196.html Israels Former Prime Minister Urges Netanyahu to Halt Reform As Police Deploy Water Cannons Israels Former Prime Minister Urges Netanyahu to Halt Reform As Police Deploy Water Cannons Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has urged incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the judicial reform and start negotiations. 2023-03-26T22:31+0000 2023-03-26T22:31+0000 2023-03-27T03:44+0000 world israel benjamin netanyahu naftali bennett /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/1a/1108810049_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_cb60544f077fdbacc40b4a2a2cd4fd51.jpg "The State of Israel is in great danger since the Yom Kippur War [the 1973 ArabIsraeli War]. I call on the Prime Minister to withdraw Gallant's dismissal letter, suspend the reform and enter into negotiations after Independence Day," Bennett said on Twitter on Sunday. Earlier on Sunday, thousands of protesters broke through the last police checkpoint in front of Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem. The mass protest started after Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who became the first key Israeli minister to call for a halt of the controversial judicial reform on Saturday. Israeli police used water cannons to push back protesters who broke through to Netanyahus residence on Sunday, according to the Israeli Keshet 12 TV channel who added that waster cannons were used against the protesters at Netanyahu's residence.Later in the night, The Times of Israel reported that law enforcement, including police mounted on horses, were forcefully clearing out protesters from the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv. Water cannons were used against the demonstrators who had blocked the highway for around five hours. Some protesters threw various objects, such as water bottles, at police, according to the newspaper.The mass protest started after Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who became the first key Israeli minister to call for a halt of the controversial judicial reform on Saturday. Gallant said that there was a growing rift in Israeli society that was also penetrating the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the country's security agencies.Israels Consul General in New York Asaf Zamir announced his resignation after the Israeli prime minister dismissed Gallant on Sunday. Several Israeli politicians, including the mayors of Kfar Saba and Herzliya, the heads of the Upper Galilee and Shaar Hanegev regional councils and the head of the Zichron Yaakov local council have announced a hunger strike, according to Keshet 12 news.Gallant said on Saturday that there was a growing rift in Israeli society that was also penetrating the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the country's security agencies. Israels National Security Minister Ben Gvir urged Netanyahu to fire Gallant on Saturday. Mass protests against the judicial reform have been held in Israel for 12 straight weeks. According to Netanyahu, the Israeli government plans to pass a key part of the proposed legislation in the coming days. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/israels-consul-general-in-new-york-resigns-after-gallants-dismissal-1108809889.html israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International benjamin netanyahu, israel judicial reform, protests, riots https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/israels-netanyahu-fires-defense-minister-gallant-after-calls-to-halt-reform-1108809525.html Israel's Netanyahu Fires Defense Minister Gallant After Calls to Halt Reform Israel's Netanyahu Fires Defense Minister Gallant After Calls to Halt Reform MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after the latter called on the Israeli government to... 26.03.2023, Sputnik International 2023-03-26T20:55+0000 2023-03-26T20:55+0000 2023-03-26T20:55+0000 world israel benjamin netanyahu protests yoav gallant /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/07/1106115141_0:0:2525:1421_1920x0_80_0_0_4dd1357ce2d3e33c6b6fe2be75ee55f8.jpg "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided, this evening, to dismiss Defense Minister Yoav Gallant," Netanyahu's office tweeted. Netanyahu reportedly told Gallant that he lost his trust in the defense minister after Gallant "went behind the government's back" on Saturday during Netanyahu's visit to the United Kingdom, the Jerusalem Post newspaper reported. Gallant became the first key Israeli minister to call for a halt of the reform. He stressed that there was a growing rift in Israeli society that was also penetrating the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the country's security agencies. Thousands have been protesting against the judicial reform in Israel for almost 11 weeks now. The draft law presented by Justice Minister Yariv Levin in January, if adopted, will significantly curtail the powers of the Israeli Supreme Court and give the government control over the procedure of the appointment of judges. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/israels-defense-minister-says-judicial-overhaul-must-be-stopped-1108791611.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230325/hundreds-of-thousands-protest-against-judicial-reform-in-israel-1108791293.html israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International israel, benjamin netanyahu, protests, yoav gallant https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/kanye-west-says-he-likes-jewish-people-again-after-watching-2012-buddy-cop-comedy-1108792922.html Kanye West Says He Likes Jewish People Again After Watching 2012 Buddy Cop Comedy Kanye West Says He Likes Jewish People Again After Watching 2012 Buddy Cop Comedy After a tumultuous year which saw the rapper and mogul isolated from much of the US elite as a result of his antisemitic statements about Jewish people, West says hes finally changed his mind about followers of Judaism. 2023-03-26T03:52+0000 2023-03-26T03:52+0000 2023-03-26T03:52+0000 viral kanye west /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0a/19/1102612459_0:0:2745:1544_1920x0_80_0_0_c89f7073df25da59e2121d28c74484ec.jpg Hip-hop icon Kanye West raised eyebrows again Saturday after stating on social media that since watching the 2012 police comedy 21 Jump Street, hes begun to like Jews once more."No one should take anger against one or two individuals and transform that into hatred towards millions of innocent people," insisted West, who now legally goes by the abbreviated moniker "Ye."On the other hand, "no Christian can be labeled [an] antisemite knowing Jesus is Jew," he continued."Thank you Jonah Hill I love you," the post concluded.West spent much of 2022 in hot water after making a series of increasingly bizarre remarks that were widely characterized as anti-Semitic. Though he entered the year a billionaire, his net worth has since tumbled to around an estimated $300 million after he was dropped by sponsors including Adidas, Balenciaga, and Foot Locker.West, who is no stranger to controversy, first began to divorce from mainstream American culture in 2016 after the rapper announced that if he voted, he "wouldve voted for" former US President Donald Trump.But last year the stars celebrity status took a massive hit after a series of media appearances alongside notorious white nationalist troll Nick Fuentes. And a now-infamous interview with Alex Jones in December appeared to be the tipping point.In a widely-ridiculed segment, Ye told the Infowars host: I love Jewish people, but I also love Nazis."I see good things about Hitler also," he said at the time. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230228/demand-for-kanye-west-sneakers-rising-despite-anti-semitic-scandals-1107863931.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Wyatt Reed Wyatt Reed News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Wyatt Reed kanye west, jonah hill, 21 jump street, judaism https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/kirby-says-attackers-of-us-base-in-syria-knew-nothing-about-not-fully-operational-defense-1108809243.html Kirby Says Attackers of US Base in Syria Knew Nothing About Not Fully Operational Defense Kirby Says Attackers of US Base in Syria Knew Nothing About Not Fully Operational Defense There is no indication that the attackers of a US base in Syria's northeastern province of Al-Hasakah were aware of not fully operational air defense system, John Kirby said on Sunday. 2023-03-26T19:56+0000 2023-03-26T19:56+0000 2023-03-26T19:56+0000 world syria us airstrikes drones us military base al-hasakah john kirby lloyd austin /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/13/1080509182_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_0d116de15d95776910f495bcc35b18f3.jpg On Friday, US media reported that the US was investigating the reason why its air defense system was not fully operational during a strike on its base in Syria.On Thursday, a drone of presumably Iranian origin attacked a maintenance facility at the base in Syria's Al-Hasakah province, killing a US contractor and injuring six others, according to the US Department of Defense.On Friday, in response to the drone attack, the US military carried out airstrikes on facilities belonging to groups affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.The US military controls parts of the provinces of Al-Hasakah, Raqqa, Aleppo and Deir Ez-Zor, where the largest Syrian oil and gas fields are located. The Syrian government has repeatedly called the US military presence in the provinces an occupation aimed at stealing Syria's oil. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/iraqi-militia-claims-responsibility-for-attack-on-us-syria-base-which-sparked-deadly-strikes-1108808673.html syria al-hasakah Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International syria, us military base in syria, us oversea military bases, not fully operational air defense system, us national security council special communications coordinator john kirby, john kirby, how did us base in syria came under attack, us military issues, air defense systems, islamic revolutionary guards corps (irgc), us dromne strikes, us in syria, al-hasakah us military base https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/nine-killed-74-injured-in-recent-natural-disasters-in-afghanistan-1108804760.html Nine Killed, 74 Injured in Recent Natural Disasters in Afghanistan Nine Killed, 74 Injured in Recent Natural Disasters in Afghanistan The recent earthquake, heavy rains and floods in Afghanistan have hit 23 out of 34 provinces of the country, killing nine people and injuring 74 others, Hasibullah Sheikhani, a spokesman for the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority 2023-03-26T13:15+0000 2023-03-26T13:15+0000 2023-03-26T13:15+0000 asia afghanistan earthquake /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/105267/70/1052677046_0:166:3500:2135_1920x0_80_0_0_9e2d029a2260a4ae291456caf27c4c02.jpg "Unfortunately, nine people died and 74 others sustained injuries," Sheikhani said, adding that 1,700 houses had been completely or partly destroyed. The list of the Afghan provinces most affected by the natural disasters includes Farah, Faryab, Balkh, Uruzgan, Kunar, Nuristan, Laghman, and Baghlan, the spokesman told Sputnik. At the same time, Sheikhani said that thanks to the cooperation of humanitarian organizations, including international institutions, 53,000 families in Afghanistan had received humanitarian assistance. Earlier this week, a powerful earthquake hit the Hindu Kush mountains, most of which are located in Afghanistan, the European Mediterranean Seismological Center said. The quake hit Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others in the two countries in total. In addition to the deadly earthquake, Afghanistan also faced heavy rains and devastating floods this week. afghanistan Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International heavy rains and flood, afghanistan national disaster management authority, natural disasters https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/not-a-crime-not-a-misdemeanor--trump-flatly-denies-accusations-amid-daniels-investigation-1108793091.html Not a Crime, Not a Misdemeanor Trump Flatly Denies Accusations Amid Daniels Investigation Not a Crime, Not a Misdemeanor Trump Flatly Denies Accusations Amid Daniels Investigation It remains to be seen whether an investigation which Trump has characterized as a political witch hunt will succeed in sending the former president to jail or frog-march his presidential aspirations in 2024. 2023-03-26T04:13+0000 2023-03-26T04:13+0000 2023-03-26T04:44+0000 americas donald trump probe stormy daniels /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/09/1108220583_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_872436c8cb04ee2b3bd922d6f134d84f.jpg Former US president Donald Trump slammed the New York District Attorneys investigation into him in a speech during his campaigns first rally for the 2024 election.On Saturday, the former head of state told his supporters in Waco, Texas, "The district attorney of New York under the auspices and direction of the 'department of injustice' in Washington DC was investigating me for something that is not a crime, not a misdemeanor, not an affair."In his speech, Trump dismissed the investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg into an alleged $130,000 payment on Trump's behalf to an adult film actress named Stormy Daniels in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election.But "there is no one" else hes interested in outside of his marriage, he insisted, adding: "We have a great First Lady."Trump previously warned that he was likely to be arrested last week in the course of the DAs investigation. On Friday, he suggested that if hes indicted, it could result in "potential death & destruction" across the country. His prediction of an arrest was voiced amid the ongoing campaign to rally his supporters and earned him $1.5 million in donations in just three days. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230325/dodging-cameras-melania-trump-lying-very-low-amid-trump-arrest-drama-insiders-say-1108772432.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Wyatt Reed Wyatt Reed News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Wyatt Reed donald trump, ny probe, donald trump investigation, stormy daniels, melania trump https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/over-100-climate-activists-detained-at-eindhoven-airport-police-1108793595.html Over 100 Climate Activists Detained at Eindhoven Airport: Police Over 100 Climate Activists Detained at Eindhoven Airport: Police More than 100 environmental activists were detained after blocking the airport in the Dutch city of Eindhoven, the police said. 2023-03-26T04:34+0000 2023-03-26T04:34+0000 2023-03-26T04:34+0000 world netherlands activist protest /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/104368/08/1043680815_0:293:5616:3452_1920x0_80_0_0_78e7053fa290759f6842c733618c303a.jpg "The demonstration at Eindhoven Airport has ended. The [Royal Netherlands] Marechaussee and Police have arrested 104 people," the national gendarmerie said on Twitter on Saturday night. Earlier on Saturday, climate activists from the Scientist Rebellion and Extinction Rebellion groups blocked the entrance to the private departures section of the Eindhoven Airport. They were calling for a ban on private jets, saying that they emit more greenhouse gasses than a regular commercial plane. Earlier this month, about 700 climate activists from the Extinction Rebellion group, protesting against state subsidies for mining, were detained in The Hague after blocking one of the main highways, the A12. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230312/hundreds-of-climate-activists-detained-in-the-hague-1108301922.html netherlands Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International environmental activists, dutch city of eindhoven, blocking the airport Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 26) The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Bulacan local government on Sunday put up a 1.2-million reward for anyone who could provide information on the gunmen who killed the police chief of San Miguel town on Saturday. The Police Regional Office 3 reported that San Miguel Police chief PLtCol Marlon Serna was shot on the head by two unidentified gunmen during a police operation in Barangay Buhol na Mangga in San Ildefonso town Saturday night. According to PRO3, Serna was leading a follow-up operation on a robbery that happened in Barangay San Juan in San Miguel town. The two suspects, onboard a motorcycle, were spotted in Barangay Buhol na Mangga in San Ildefonso. "The suspects immediately fired at the responding team, hitting PLtCol Serna in the head, before fleeing towards Brgy. Akle, San Ildefonso, Bulacan," the report added. Serna was rushed to the Emmanuel Hospital where he died while being treated, the PRO 3 said in a separated statement. Central Luzon Police Director PBGen Jose Hidalgo Jr. ordered an investigation into the incident, and announced the P1-million reward for anyone who could give information on the gunmen. He said 500,000 will come from the DILG, 300,000 for PRO 3, and 200,000 from the PNP. Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando offered 200,000. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/pension-reform-in-france-may-lead-to-hardening-of-paris-positions-on-francafrique-activist-says-1108783369.html Pension Reform in France May Lead to Hardening of Paris' Positions on Francafrique, Activist Says Pension Reform in France May Lead to Hardening of Paris' Positions on Francafrique, Activist Says The rising social discontent in France risks causing Paris to further curl up on the issue of Francafriqe, pan-Africanist activist Nathalie Yamb tells Sputnik. 2023-03-26T06:12+0000 2023-03-26T06:12+0000 2023-03-30T11:47+0000 africa africa insight france brics russia china multipolar world multipolarity /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/19/1108783858_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_a79528783f9bb3572e89f4da5db3f0fa.jpg The rising social discontent over pension reform in France risks causing Paris to draw a harder line on the issue of Francafrique, pan-Africanist activist Nathalie Yamb tells Sputnik.According to her, the crisis could lead Paris to further harden its position on Francafrique, seeking at all costs to protect its interests and influence on the continent.France has never changed its approach since decolonization and is not looking for an alternative to its model of domination, as opposed to the British, who have gradually transformed their "colonial square" into a market, the activist emphasizes.Perilous pension reformPension reform has caused a strong rift in France, causing hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to leave their home and participate in protests. Demonstrations have come in quick succession since early January. The government finally forced its text through the Assembly, invoking Article 49.3 of the Constitution, which means that the French Parliament did not vote for the reform. The use of Article 49.3 seems to have further fanned the social anger and many clashes with the police have been observed in recent days. Yamb feels it is ironic that the UN and the International Criminal Court (ICC) are slow to condemn the repression of French demonstrators, when they're often so quick to draw their weapons against other states.The pension reform, which pushes the legal retirement age from 62 to 64, will come into force in 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced.Accused of being 'in the pay of Moscow'Just back from the Russia-Africa parliamentary conference, Yamb is amused that critics see her as being "in the pay of Moscow", just as other pan-African influencers such as Kemi Seba.She replies that she is "ready to talk about Africa everywhere", but only if microphones are set up for her. The activist raises the question of the media on which the activists, and even the African leaders, take the floor. She deplores that to be taken seriously, Africans have to express themselves on French public media while these platforms remain under the control of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.French media has been facing controversy lately in some parts of Africa. RFI (Radio France Internationale) was suspended in Burkina Faso in early December 2022. The French radio station was also criticized by Beninese President Patrice Talon in mid-March, when he accused it of "rejoicing in the real or imaginary setbacks" of the country. Another broadcaster, France 24, has faced the same issue, after its coverage of some abductions of women in Burkina Faso recently caused a stir. The two French media outlets were permanently turned off in Mali last April. 'BRICS is the best option for a multipolar world'According to the activist, Africa must, above all, assert its sovereignty and freely assume the choice of its partners. All options are open, but China and Russia have the advantage of having "never tried to use their influence to bring about regime change" in Africa, unlike some colonial powers.Underlining that Africa should freely choose with whom to cooperate, the activist stresses that BRICS is making a great contribution to ending the model of a unipolar world.BRICS is an abbreviation of the five leading emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The first four members originally were grouped as BRIC, formed in 2001; in 2010, South Africa joined the group which then changed its name to BRICS. It is widely seen that the countries' goal is to conduct an independent economic policy, striving to create an alternative to the West-oriented economy.Under the spotlight in recent months, BRICS is attracting admiring glances from African countries. Algeria, for instance, decided to apply to join the institution officially.The pan-African activist sees these rapprochements, which could lead to the emergence of a multipolar world, in a positive light, when everyone is fully invested in this collaboration. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230228/profound-humility-france-to-reorganize-military-presence-in-africa-after-partial-pullout-1107863243.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230129/stopping-neo-colonialism-moscow-explains-why-mali-aligns-with-russia-despite-europes-anger-1106799977.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230302/majority-in-france-oppose-french-military-presence-in-africa-poll-reveals-1107926650.html africa france russia china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International multipolar world, brics partners, france-africa relations, protestors hold placards, national day of strikes and protests, french government, pensions reform, french parliament, article 49.3 of the constitution, western france, french unions https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/poetry-politics-wonderful-combination-south-african-poet-and-mp-celebrates-world-poetry-day-1108803253.html Poetry, Politics 'Wonderful Combination': South African Poet and MP Celebrates World Poetry Day Poetry, Politics 'Wonderful Combination': South African Poet and MP Celebrates World Poetry Day World Poetry Day was an opportunity to remember the role of poetry in human life. Zolani Mkiva, a South African parliamentarian, is a living example of this, as he is also a poet. 2023-03-26T15:49+0000 2023-03-26T15:49+0000 2023-03-30T11:29+0000 africa poetry poet art holiday africa in details south africa southern africa /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/16/1106575440_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_6dde2c11e8f9b8ad0cf1d3e44dd60bd8.jpg On the occasion of World Poetry Day, which was celebrated on 21 March, Sputnik spoke to poet and member of the South African Parliament, Zolani Mkiva.For the artist, World Poetry Day is "very important", because poetry "crosses all sectors of society, it unites people, it expresses love, it somehow brings into the equation the need for people to live harmoniously". The poet also emphasized that in the technological era, it is of the utmost importance to preserve such traditions as oral art such as poetry, in particular by digitalizing it.Mkiva began writing poetry when he was "still very, very young, at the age of eight", "at a time when South Africa was still under the yoke of apartheid oppression", he says. Being a "traditional oral poet", he wrote "protest poetry and poetry that calls for freedom".Overall, Mkiva outlines that his poetry "has been enriched by culture, by politics, but also by the sort of friendship which [South Africans] had with these countries".According to Mkiva, poetry is deeply connected to politics, as the art helps to connect both spheres of our lives.The South African politician highlights that, for him, politics and poetry is a great combination, which makes him a better mediator between the public and the power. As a politician, Mkiva has also shared his views on what qualities state service requires. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230317/russian-language-learning-center-to-open-in-zimbabwe-education-minister-says-1108500993.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230317/russian-msu-rector-sadovnichy-proposes-closer-cooperation-between-russian-and-african-universities-1108495683.html africa south africa southern africa Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Gleb Chugunov Gleb Chugunov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Gleb Chugunov poet and a member of the south african parliament, zolani mkiva, world poetry day, south africa, sputnik interview, africa insight, oral art, digital technologies, old traditions, preserve traditions, cultural traditions https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/protesters-clash-with-police-in-frances-sainte-soline-200-people-injured-1108792254.html Protesters Clash With Police in Frances Sainte-Soline, 200 People Injured Protesters Clash With Police in Frances Sainte-Soline, 200 People Injured PARIS (Sputnik) - At least 200 people were injured during clashes between protesters and law enforcement in the western French commune of Sainte-Soline, BFMTV... 26.03.2023, Sputnik International 2023-03-26T02:51+0000 2023-03-26T02:51+0000 2023-03-26T02:51+0000 world france protest farm workers /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/1a/1108792109_0:2:1240:700_1920x0_80_0_0_7961f98f468948ef1014dfadb611a054.png On Saturday, a protest was held in Sainte-Soline against the construction of a large reservoir for agricultural needs. Protesters used Molotov cocktails and set at least four police vehicles on fire, according to French media reports. BFMTV said that around 200 people were injured during clashes between protesters and police in Sainte-Soline. According to the French Interior Ministry, over 35 police officers were injured. Local farmers are against the construction of the reservoir, which will combine 16 smaller reservoirs, and believe that this measure will benefit large-scale agricultural production, while smaller farms will be left without water. france Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International france, protest, farm workers https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/russian-internal-ministry-puts-possible-participants-in-bryansk-attack-on-wanted-list-1108809397.html Russian Internal Ministry Puts Possible Participants in Bryansk Attack on Wanted List Russian Internal Ministry Puts Possible Participants in Bryansk Attack on Wanted List MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian Internal Ministry has put Denis Kapustin and Kirill Kanakhin, the possible participants in a deadly attack on Russia's Bryansk... 26.03.2023, Sputnik International 2023-03-26T20:21+0000 2023-03-26T20:21+0000 2023-03-26T20:21+0000 russia bryansk region bryansk terrorist attack ukrainian ultra-nationalists /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/03/1107986734_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_9eb5a7346fc31f7c758bf40d878f38a8.png "Grounds for the search: wanted under an article of the Russian Criminal Code," according to the database. Earlier this month, the Russian Federal Financial Monitoring Service (Rosfinmonitoring) included Kapustin in a list of terrorists and extremists. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said that Kapustin, the founder of Ukraine's right-wing Russian Volunteer Corps, was behind the attack on the Bryansk Region in early March. The security service added that in August 2022, it thwarted a sabotage and terrorist act organized by Kapustin using an improvised explosive device at an oil and gas facility in Russia's Volgograd Region. Earlier in March, Bryansk Region Governor Alexander Bogomaz said that a Ukrainian sabotage group had penetrated from Ukraine to the territory of the Klimovsky district's Liubechane village. The saboteurs shelled a moving car, killing two people and injuring a child. The FSB said Ukrainian nationalists had been pushed out into the territory of Ukraine, where they were subjected to a massive artillery strike. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230309/russian-military-conducts-massive-retaliatory-strike-in-ukraine-in-response-to-bryansk-terror-1108210949.html bryansk region bryansk Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International bryansk region, bryansk, terrorist attack, ukrainian ultra-nationalists https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/senator-says-white-house-very-much-in-favor-of-bill-to-ban-tiktok-1108807856.html Senator Says White House Very Much 'in Favor' of Bill to Ban TikTok Senator Says White House Very Much 'in Favor' of Bill to Ban TikTok WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Biden administration is very much in favor of a bipartisan bill to ban Chinese video-sharing app TikTok nationwide for safety reasons, US Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner has said. 2023-03-26T17:59+0000 2023-03-26T17:59+0000 2023-03-26T17:59+0000 americas tiktok bytedance ban joe biden white house congress bill legislation /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0c/08/1105192525_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_0402ee49ad074a5697ed5f421a3a59b7.jpg The US House Foreign Affairs Committee approved a bill in early March that would allow the US government to ban TikTok or any other foreign app if it was deemed to be a threat to national security. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan praised the draft legislation, saying it could provide protection against "countries of concern in sensitive technology sectors."Warner said that TikTok not only jeopardizes the privacy of US users, but also serves as a "propaganda" tool for China.The US House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing Thursday featuring testimony from TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, whom US lawmakers questioned about the platform's data privacy practices and alleged ties to the Chinese government. Chew listed off TikTok's efforts to safeguard US user data and denied claims that the platform colluded with the Chinese government. However, US lawmakers expressed skepticism about Chew's statements and reiterated calls for a ban.Currently, there are over 150 million TikTik users in the United States. TikTok access from government devices is prohibited in more than half of US states due to security concerns about user data being accessed by the Chinese government. The company has repeatedly denied that such concerns carry any weight. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230323/political-theater-why-does-us-seek-full-ban-of-tiktok-1108725287.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230324/from-bytedance-to-cambridge-analytica-six--takeaways-from-tiktok-ceos-testimony-to-congress-1108741646.html americas white house Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International white house, tiktok, ban, legislation, draft bill https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/talks-on-ukraines-accession-to-eu-may-start-in-june-due-to-kievs-military-failures-vucic-1108807467.html Talks on Ukraine's Accession to EU May Start in June Due to Kiev's Military Failures: Vucic Talks on Ukraine's Accession to EU May Start in June Due to Kiev's Military Failures: Vucic The European Union will possibly start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the bloc in June since Kiev is likely to suffer defeat on the battlefield 2023-03-26T16:52+0000 2023-03-26T16:52+0000 2023-04-12T17:05+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine ukraine russia aleksandar vucic serbia european union (eu) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/03/0f/1093897453_0:0:3185:1792_1920x0_80_0_0_1e2b9d252ec7b3035eacc93e635c1def.jpg Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic states will constitute a special pro-US bloc, even though the entire EU has always been Washington's close ally, the Serbian president added.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an application for Ukraine's accession to the EU on February 28, 2022, four days after Russia launched its special military operation there. On June 23, the EU heads of state approved candidate status for Ukraine. To start accession talks, the country needs to fulfill a number of conditions and carry out wide-ranging reforms.For decades, the European Union backed pro-Western forces in Ukraine, which resulted in a series of mass protests after each election.In 2014, the rivalry between pro-European and pro-Russian parties escalated into violent clashes, resulting in the so-called "Euromaidan" coup in Kiev. It triggered independence referendums in Crimea, Donetsk, and Lughansk, which sought to reunite with Russia, while Kiev resorted to force and dispatched military against civilians, causing a devastating military confrontation.Soon after, Ukraines new authorities amended the countrys constitution to list NATO and European Union membership as strategic goals.However, despite years-long attempts to get into the EU, Kiev still has a long way to go to meet the bloc's standards with European politicians saying that Ukraine's accession is not on the cards. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230325/how-has-ukrainian-conflict-affected-the-eus-well-being-1108787281.html ukraine russia serbia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International ukraine in eu, why ukraine is not in eu, is ukraine candidate to eu https://sputnikglobe.com/20230326/white-house-says-phone-talks-between-biden-xi-not-scheduled-yet-1108809124.html White House Says Phone Talks Between Biden, Xi Not Scheduled Yet White House Says Phone Talks Between Biden, Xi Not Scheduled Yet A telephone conversation between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, has not been scheduled yet, US National Security Council Special Communications Coordinator John Kirby said on Sunday 2023-03-26T19:50+0000 2023-03-26T19:50+0000 2023-03-26T19:50+0000 world xi jinping john kirby joe biden /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/14/1108595149_0:216:2873:1832_1920x0_80_0_0_5285c6645e0bdcccfdb6b16e1235166b.jpg "No date for that call," Kirby told the CBS News broadcaster, when asked about a potential call between the two leaders. At the same time, he noted the importance of maintaining open lines of communication with Beijing and assured that Biden wanted to have a conversation with Xi. Earlier in March, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Biden could hold a telephone conversation with Xi in the near future. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, in turn, said Washington should take necessary measures to put China-US relations back on the right track.Last week, Xi traveled to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reflecting the deepening ties between China and Russia. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230321/vladimir-putin-and-xi-jinping-hold-talks-in-moscow-1108629800.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International xi jinping, john kirby, joe biden, phone call There were four divisions of the third and final leg of the Step Up To The Plate Claiming Series contested on Saturday evening (March 25) at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Much like in the previous legs, the favourites did not thrive in the early going on Saturday as horses had their final chance to accrue earnings towards next weekends $30,000-plus final. Control Tower became the first repeat winner in the series when he went wire-to-wire with Jimmy Devaux in the sulky. The 11-year-old utilized early speed to overcome the outside post in his seven-horse division of the series and wound up a wire-to-wire winner for owner-trainer Jared Bako, paying $8.50 to win in the mild upset. Control Towers final time of 1:55.4 proved to be the fastest of the leg three winners. Trainer Lisa Zabielski claimed Its Just Too Much out of leg one. After the veteran pacer made a break last week, the 10-year-old rewarded his new connections with a victory in leg three when he emerged from a scramble in the stretch to score in 1:57.4 over a track labelled "sloppy." Chris Long piloted the upset winner, who was dismissed at odds of 6-1. The favourites finally began to prevail late in the evening when Rogue Cheddar scored as the odds-on public choice in rein to Devaux. A runner-up in each of the first two legs, Rogue Cheddar sat the pocket on Saturday and wasnt able to shake loose until late in the mile. When he did, the Zack Gray-trained pacer surged up the passing lane to score in 1:57.4. The final $17,500 division of leg three went the way of Nerve Of Steel N and reinsman Phil Fluet. Like Rogue Cheddar, Nerve Of Steel N a runner-up in the first two legs of the series but got the job done on Saturday to punch his ticket to next weekends final. His trainer Bob Davis co-owns the New Zealand import with Mike Mancini. Nerve Of Steel N paid $5.60 as the 9-5 favourite in leg three. Live racing continues on Sunday (March 26) at Saratoga with a matinee that kicks off at 12 p.m. (EDT). (Saratoga Casino Hotel) In an absolute thriller, Whole Lotta Lou proved up to the task of taking the Saturday night pacing feature at The Meadowlands while bumping up in class, extending his win streak to three after some marvelous handling from Hall of Fame driver Dave Miller. The $23,000 high-end TrackMaster 92.4 event featured a rematch of last weeks marquee dash, when Mikes Z Tam gunned down Carbine after sitting an ideal pocket trip. This time around, things panned out differently, as Livinthebeachlife ripped out of three-hole in the seven-horse field and took the field past the quarter in a quick :26.1 over a track rated "sloppy" on a night that saw a miserable light rain during the early part of the card that led to a 45-minute delay before the start of the fifth race. Carbine went after the leader and grabbed the point at the three-eighths before Mikes Z Tam, the 4-5 favourite, took over, hitting the half in a blazing :53.3. Miller, ever his patient self, had Whole Lotta Lou racing last in the field early but advanced to sit fourth along the rail down the backside as the outer flow developed after three horses directly in front of him vacated the inside. Three-quarters was reached in 1:22.1, but Mikes Z Tam was resilient, continuing on the lead through the stretch. Nearing the wire, Livinthebeachlife was back for more splitting rivals charging at the leader while Miller and Whole Lotta Lou were in high gear along the pylons. After the judges examined a tight win photo, Whole Lotta Lou was the winner by a nose in 1:50.3, with Livinthebeachlife second and Mikes Z Tam a close-up third. Hes been very impressive, said winning trainer Stacy Chiodo of Whole Lotta Lou, who has now won four of his last five. I went ahead and changed his equipment to an open bridle [one start before he started winning]. Its that simple. I think hes going to get next week off and then well go from there. Dave did a great job with him. Hes a very handy horse. A five-year-old gelded son of Sweet Lou-Ideal Love, Whole Lotta Lou returned $46 to win as the 22-1 sixth choice in the wagering. Hes won five of 11 this year and 11 of 43 lifetime, good for earnings of $136,610 for owners Timothy Tobias Stable. BOND PAYS OFF: Eurobond went gate to wire to pick up his third win in his last four starts for trainer Travis Alexander, taking the featured trot, which was a high-end conditioned race with a purse of $23,000. The eight-year-old son of Love You-True Diva stopped the clock in 1:53.1 and returned $22.80 as the 10-1 fifth choice in the betting. He felt good tonight, said winning driver Andy McCarthy. Hes a little tricky sometimes because he has a little bit of a funky gait, but once we got through the first turn, we were good. CARRYOVER CRAZED: There was plenty of action in two of the tracks popular multi-leg wagers thanks to carryovers from Fridays card. The first 20-cent Pick-5 carryover of 2023 got underway in the first race with $47,294 in the hat, motivating the betting public to pour $223,252 in new money into the pool for a grand total of over $270,000. After a sequence that saw winners odds of 10-1, 6-5, 5-2, 4-1 and 4-1, those with winning tickets were paid $1,924.24. Despite a modest carryover of a little more than $6,000, after new money was added to the 20-cent Pick-6, the total pool swelled to $63,822. Winners odds for the sequence were 8-5, 1-1, 22-1, 7-5, 12-1 and 5-1, and for a single winning ticket sold on the Oregon Express hub, the reward was a gigantic $55,162.82. INCREDIBLE ACTION: During the entire 85-program racing season of 2022, handle at The Big M topped the magic $3-million mark 23 times, a good number by any measure. But 2023 has seen betting thats been nothing short of explosive. After Saturday's 14-race card saw $3,444,415 put in play, it gave The Meadowlands an extremely envious record for the year. There have been 23 Friday and Saturday night programs conducted at The Big M during 2023, and every one of them has seen wagering exceed the $3-million plateau. With 65 programs remaining this year (there were two Sunday afternoon cards conducted during January), The Big M has already matched the number of $3-million handles this year that it had all of last year. A LITTLE MORE: Miller had four winners on the Saturday card to complete a seven-winner weekend. Yannick Gingras, who did not drive at The Big M Friday, matched Millers Saturday four bagger. The 43-year-old Hall of Famer has won 37 times over his last 14 Big M cards and leads the driver colony for the year with 52 victories. Miller is second with 45. Racing resumes Friday (March 31) at 6:20 p.m. (EDT). (The Meadowlands) Step by painful step, Culpeper resident Ellen McCarthy served faithfully in the U.S. Air Force half-a-century ago. Fifty years to the month after joining the military, the disabled veteran reflected on her service for Womens History Month in an interview with Heros Bridge, a Warrenton nonprofit serving senior citizen veterans. McCarthy was the first female born to her family in a full century, due on St. Patricks Day. She arrived a day later into a family of service and recently celebrated her 70th birthday. An injury early in her military career has stayed with her all these years. McCarthy joined the Air Force in March 1973, at age 20 under the delayed enlistment program. It was a natural choice since both of her parents were veterans. Her father was a sergeant in the Marines during WWII and her mother was a 2nd Lt. Army Nurse stationed at Walter Reed Hospital, as a private nurse to General John Pershing in 1945. I needed to get away from home, McCarthy said in a visit Thursday with the Star-Exponent. I joined to have a new life. Her family has a military history on both sides, which made the decision to join in the tradition of service easy. McCarthy entered basic training in San Antonio, Texas, at a time when females under the age of 21 needed parental consent to join. Her father had one condition, That when I married, it would be at our family parish in Port Byron, New York. He wrote up the condition and I had to put a drop of blood on it to seal the deal, she said. At basic, the men had brand new air-conditioned barracks while the females had to sweat it out in the old WWII barracks without the comforts of air conditioning. Nights were spent sleeping under wool covers. McCarthy took sponge bathes at night to avoid the communal bathing area. She reported to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, where it was also hot and humid, but she finally had air conditioning barracks. That too had its drawbacks. A hurricane rolled through while we were there and flooded the base. We had to march in the rain and puddles and then sit in air-conditioned classrooms wearing wet clothes, everyone got sick, McCarthy said. While waiting for her next assignment, she was assigned to the AWOL dorm for female airmen waiting for court martials. This was a blast. I had to march them everywhere, she recalled. They couldnt go anywhere without getting past me. She next reported to Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington in January, where it was dark, cold and covered in black ice. It was during this time that McCarthy suffered a career-ending injury. While doing office work, she pulled the top drawer of a filing cabinet not fastened to the wall. It fell on top of her, and she became trapped. The fall caused chipped teeth, and a dislocated jaw and knee. The day before she turned 21, McCarthy had reconstructive knee surgery, the beginning of a lifetime of pain. She pushed forward with her most eye-opening assignment in the Air Force. I was responsible for interviewing the Vietnam POWs and processing their paperwork, said McCarthy. She was in a cast following her accident while she gave the interviews over two weeks in late February 1974 to several dozen veterans. Many had endured torture and abuse as prisoners in the Hanoi Hilton, she said. At 21 years old, McCarthy was told to just let them talk. The stories they shared were difficult to hear. They just shared some sad stories, she said. Their bodies looked horrible. They went through hell. McCarthys knee, meanwhile, failed to heal properly and left her in constant pain. Disabled American Veterans helped her get VA compensation, eventually, after her second knee reconstruction. McCarthy was recalled to active duty in July 1976 and assigned to Castle Air Force Base in California, where she bought a Morgan horse and met her future husband, who also loved horses. The two married in October 1977 in New York, keeping her promise to her father. They both had new assignments in England, and a few months later McCarthy became pregnant. In the 1970s, pregnancy in the military was transitioning from being a sickness not in the line of duty to having pregnant women in the service with maternity uniforms. At this time, pregnant military personnel were permitted to wear civilian clothing. She was discharged at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey, and left the military in September 1978. McCarthy stayed with her parents and had a daughter before returning to England to rejoin her husband, and their family continued to grow. McCarthy became involved with the local Girl Scouts while raising her daughters in Arizona and developed a keen interest in crafting. We had a lot of fun making crafts with the Girl Scouts, she recalled. Shes a Lifetime Member of the Girl Scouts, with 42 years in scouting. Her knee pain never let up, leading to a total knee replacement at the age of 43, worsened by a car accident six months later that broke her ankle. She uses crafting as a healthy outlet to take her mind off the pain. Her 11 grandchildren, friends and family are the beneficiaries of many of her projects. McCarthy uses an embroidery machine to create personalized items for her loved ones, including a fluffy stuffed bunny, marked with Wyatt, for her grandsons first Easter. Thanks to help from the JAG office and Disabled American Veterans, McCarthy is now treated as a service-connected Disabled Veteran. Her benefits afford her a live-in aide for one year to help around the house since having her total knee surgery on her right knee last July. In the meeting Thursday, McCarthy said her live-in aide benefit will end this July and she hopes to continue to receive light assistance in-home three days a week. She has a nerve stimulator to help with pain, but with her injured ankle in the same leg, McCarthy had to stop driving because its too painful. She hopes to get hand controls approved through the VA so she can get some of her freedom back. I am stuckhave two vehicles in the driveway and cant use them, she said. McCarthy gets her groceries delivered to the house and depends on VA transportation to get her to the hospital in Richmond for appointments. Fifty years after joining the Air Force, she said she is proud of her service. I would definitely do it all again, McCarthy said. McCarthy is a Heros Bridge veteran. Heros Bridge serves elderly veterans, age 65 and older by bridging veterans to a better quality of life through age-specific and innovative programs. These services are available to heroes wherever they call home, at no expense to them or their families. See herosbridge.org. (CNN) Honduras has formally cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, its ministry of foreign affairs announced Saturday. "The government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes the existence of a one-China in the world and that the government of the People's Republic of China represents China as a whole," it said in a statement. "Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and as of today, the government of Honduras has informed Taiwan about the rupture of diplomatic relations," it added. China refuses to maintain diplomatic ties with any country that recognizes Taiwan and has spent much of the past 40 years attempting to isolate the self-ruled island by chipping away at its diplomatic allies with offers of economic support. Honduras had until now been one of just 14 countries that still diplomatically recognized Taipei over Beijing. Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced on March 14 that the country would establish diplomatic ties with China a move spelling the end of its relationship with Taiwan. Castro, a democratic socialist, won a landslide victory in 2021 after campaigning on a radical agenda to counter years of governance plagued by corruption and scandal. She promised to alleviate poverty and liberalize abortion laws. During her presidential campaign, Castro said in her foreign policy manifesto that the Central American country was looking to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing. China's Communist Party claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory despite having never controlled the island and has not ruled out using force to one day take it. Under leader Xi Jinping, China has ramped up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan, including enticing Taipei's allies to switch their allegiance. Losing recognition Taiwan had 56 diplomatic allies when it lost recognition from the United Nations in 1971. That number had dwindled to just 22 when its current President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016 and has continued to fall in the years since. Most of Taiwan's remaining allies are now small nations in Latin America and the Pacific, with all of the world's most powerful economies having switched recognition to Beijing decades ago. Beijing now uses China's huge market as both a carrot and a stick to peel away the remaining countries. When the Solomon Islands switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 2019, the Pacific country was offered $8.5 million in development funds by China to do so, according to Reuters. Paraguay, the biggest country among Taiwan's remaining diplomatic allies, has on the other hand faced restrictions in exporting soy and beef to China. Its president, Mario Abdo Benitez, openly called on Taiwan to invest $1 billion in his country last year so that it could continue to resist the "enormous" pressure on it to abandon the alliance. This is a breaking news story. More to come This story was first published on CNN.com, "Honduras formally cuts diplomatic ties with Taiwan." Cercospora leaf spot has long been problematic to sugar beet production throughout the eastern and Great Lakes production areas of the United States and is considered to be the most important and destructive foliar disease for this crop. Its presence has additionally played a critical role in Nebraskas agricultural history, particularly influencing the locations of cultivation and processing of sugar beets within the state. The story of this disease and its impact on sugar beet production in Nebraska is the rest of the story. Cercospora Leaf Spot CLS is caused by the airborne, foliar fungal pathogen, Cercospora beticola, and disease development is strongly dependent upon several very specific environmental conditions. These include periods of high humidity or extended leaf wetness for more than 11 hours and warm temperatures (higher than 60 degrees F at night and 80 to 90 degrees F during the day). Without all of these conditions working simultaneously, infection, disease spread and damage to beet crops are greatly reduced. Sugar beet production begins Sugar production in Nebraska began in 1890 after the first processing factory was established in Grand Island by the Oxnard Beet Sugar Company. Other factories in Nebraska were started further east in Norfolk (1891) and Ames (1899), but sugar beet acreage began to drop when growers in eastern Nebraska discovered it was more profitable to raise corn and livestock. Interest in sugar beet production began to shift westward at the turn of the 20th century. This was due partially to the development of irrigation and the expansion of railroads westward through Nebraska. Although much of the production moved to the far western side of the state (Panhandle) after 1910 with the construction of the factory in Scottsbluff, sugar beet production and processing was still focused in central Nebraska near the already well-established Grand Island factory. Another emerging factor encouraging westward migration of sugar beet production was the increasingly severe problems with Cercospora leaf spot in the more humid areas of eastern Nebraska. Humidity and annual precipitation decrease gradually from east to west across Nebraska, averaging 32-35 inches in the east to less than 15 inches in the west. Production moves west Although the disease was well known and commonly found in central Nebraska, it was of minor importance until the late 1950s and early 1960s. The 1950s were characterized by a series of dry years. These conditions forced farmers to dig thousands of new irrigation wells. This resulted in large increases of new center pivot irrigation systems throughout central Nebraska in an effort to improve yields and attain profitability more consistently with controlled irrigation. Furthermore, the usage of fungicides became routine in an effort to reduce disease losses, but this system became unsustainable. Sugar beet production ceased in central Nebraska after the factory in Grand Island closed in 1964 and completely shifted again further west. Production now is unique to western Nebraska and concentrated in the Panhandle, where approximately 90% of the sugar beets are grown. Although Nebraska currently ranks only sixth in the U.S., the production and processing of beets are incredibly important locally, contributing an estimated $150 million to the economy through payrolls, property taxes, retail marketing and merchandising, and other impacts. The dry, semi-desert climate of the Panhandle often discourages numerous disease problems. Thus, appearances of CLS initially were sporadic, inconsistent, and not considered economically problematic. However, a pattern similar to that of central Nebraska eventually developed in the Panhandle. In the mid-1980s, the disease began causing significant yield and sugar losses. This also coincided closely with the reduction of furrow irrigation and the rapid increase in sprinkler irrigation systems in the west. Cercospora Alert System Growers in the Panhandle then adopted spray programs similar to those used earlier in central Nebraska. Fungicide applications were made based on the assumption that disease would increase over the growing season. In western Nebraska, it was noted that the disease did not always progress and increase in severity. Thus fungicidal treatment was not necessary every year. This observation spurred the development of the Cercospora alert system by extension plant pathologist Eric Kerr and extension climatologist Albert Weiss in the late 1980s. It predicted the likelihood of CLS outbreaks based on daily measurements of local environmental conditions (temperature and relative humidity) that might favor the disease. This forecasting technique is still viable and in use today. Conclusions Today, we are uncertain as to the specific reasons for the dramatic increase in disease pressure in the 1950s and 1980s in central and western Nebraska, respectively. However, it is interesting to note the escalation of CLS disease outbreaks in both these regions was accompanied by simultaneous increases in the utilization of sprinkler irrigation systems. Even with the more arid weather of western Nebraska, overhead irrigation can still create a humid microclimate within crop canopies that enhance environmental conditions favored by the pathogen and disease. Perhaps this explains how and why CLS became troublesome within two distinct areas of Nebraska sugar beet production after the introduction of irrigation. Nevertheless, it appears that the history of the sugar beet industry in Nebraska has been strongly guided and influenced by this single plant disease. Now you know the rest of the story. More than a dozen students in Scottsbluff Public Schools ReConnect program celebrated their high school graduation on Thursday evening. Scottsbluff Public Schools ReConnect program is designed to offer the support and flexibility to help students who have either dropped out or are at risk of dropping out get their diploma through flexible solutions to either assist them in transitioning back into a regular school environment or to complete the graduation requirements in their entirety. Scottsbluff Public Schools Climate Coordinator Jamie Batterman said that the ReConnect program offers students who have fallen behind on the path to graduation catch up and receive their diploma. Its a really good opportunity for our juniors and seniors who are credit deficient to get back on track and really get the things that they need to do finished so they can graduate, she said. I think what makes us unique is that were always challenging ourselves to look at new and different ways that we can inspire the kids to make connections in the community. The students got a chance to celebrate alongside their friends and family at their own graduation ceremony held at Bluffs Middle School, in addition to receiving words of encouragement from school officials like Scottsbluff High School Principal Justin Shaddick, who exhorted them to use their diploma as a starting point for their futures. This is just one starting point, said Shaddick. I hope you use this as a catalyst, a starting point for the rest of your lives. Dont let it be a stopping point. Your high school diploma will make you eligible for the career you want, the post-secondary degree you want, the training you want. Several of the graduates expressed their belief that they would not have earned their high school diplomas without the ReConnect program, but that the hardships that put them on their current paths have made them stronger and more appreciative of what theyve accomplished. I didnt think I would make it, but Im here, so Im very proud of myself, said graduate Jessica Leal. I love ReConnect. It was the best decision Ive made in my life. Fellow graduate Sean Cress agreed with Leal. It was a very bumpy road, and very steep. It was a pain, but through all the hardships I learned a lot. I see a lot of things that people take for granted that I appreciate and cherish and love. Like many of her classmates, Brianna Hightower entered the ReConnect program as a high school senior who felt hopelessly behind. The memory of that feeling made her graduation day feel rather surreal. I came from the high school credit deficient, so it was hard. But along the way I had great role models that made it really nice to be able to look forward to this day, said Hightower. Now that Im here its kind of weird because I have my cap and gown and my family is here. Its very odd, but exciting and thrilling to know that its done and I dont have to do it over again. Hightower said that the ReConnect program might not be for everyone, but encouraged other students who find themselves in her shoes not to pass up the incredible opportunity that she was given. If you can, stay in the high school. But if you have the opportunity to go to ReConnect, its absolutely a great opportunity to take, and if you can, grab onto it and run with it, said Hightower. You can get a lot done here. I got a poem published in a book while I was going to ReConnect. These are good people, and theyre going to treat you right. The graduates all spoke highly of their ReConnect teachers, who they say go above and beyond to not only see their students succeed, but to form genuine and lasting connections with them that endure beyond graduation. Its unbelievable how much were able to connect and work together, said graduate Sean Cress. The teachers are amazing. Theyre great people, beautiful souls, and I just appreciate that a lot. The three students and their peers will now embark on their own separate paths. Hightower plans to attend Western Nebraska Community College, while Cress and Leal plan to enter the workforce. Cress believes that the similarities that drew them together are unlikely to fade, even as they go their separate ways. I found out that I was just like these kids, he said. We all shared the same experiences. Were not separate, were equals, and were able to bond and connect through the problems and rewards that weve been given through life. The following 14 students were recognized as members of the ReConnect March Class of 2023: Teigen Brunner Sean Cress Kylee Encinia Ashlie Garcia Charles Garnett Anisea Gomez Morgan Handy Brianna Hightower Tyler Lamar Jessica Leal Bianca Peterson Vincente Plasencio-Sierra Natalee Quintana Alejandro Torres Concord Presbyterian Church (located in the Loray community) is hosting a trivia night at the Twisted Oak American Bar & Grill in Statesville on April 1, at 7 p.m. The trivia event also includes heavy hors doeuvres, desserts, cash bar, and music. Cost is $30 per person. Sign up online or pay at the door. All profits go to eliminate student lunch debt in community schools. Join as a table team of 6 to 8, or sign up individually and be partnered with others on the night of the event. Compete in several categories of trivia including local history, pop culture, sports, and music to win prizes and bragging rights. Sign up at concordpreschurch.com/events. Send your inquiries to info@concordpreschurch.com if further details needed. As retired superintendent of schools for Iredell-Statesville Schools I have sufficient knowledge to say with conviction that we have hundreds of children in our community that need our help. Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont (BGCP) has been serving local children since 2007 in our community. The Clubs impact is remarkable, but we still have a lot of work to do in shaping lives, strengthening our community and securing our future https://vimeo.com/779729290BGCP ADFA Video. We need your help. Next month your local Boys & Girls Club is sponsoring a new fundraising event at the Statesville Civic Center on Thursday, April 20. Pancake DayIredells Happiest Day is an idea we have borrowed from our sister club in Concord. The good citizens of Concord have been sponsoring a pancake day event to support their Boys & Girls Club each year (except 2021) since 1957. This year the club in Concord served over 5,600 citizens at their event and raiser more than $120,000 to support the children in their city. Will you please consider supporting our children, the children in Statesville that need us most? There are many ways you can help. We still have sponsorships available from $100 (Flap Jack Friends) to $1,000 (Grill Sponsors). We need volunteers on the day of the event. This would be a great way for your Sunday school class, civic club, co-workers, employees, etc. to get involved in direct support of our kids. We need help selling tickets, which are $9 each. Please consider sharing a meal with us on April 20. Even better, buy 20 tickets and gift them to your friends. Like most of you, I was heartbroken to learn of another senseless shooting and the murder of young people in Statesville last week. This violence scares me. This scares me when I think about the overall impact violence is having on our schools, our community and our futures. Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont cannot address all the ills of our society, but we can provide kids a safe place to be when school is out. A place where they get help with homework, assess to tutors, learn good citizenship skills, faith-based lessons, play, dance, create art, and receive nutritious meals. Thank you for any help you can give us as we serve the kids in OUR community that need us most. Please visit our website: www.piedmontbgc.org Look under the EVENT tab to learn how you can sponsor our event, purchase a ticket or volunteer. A special Floyd County grand jury session earlier this month indicted three Florida men in last years burglary at Floyd Jewelry. Sean Tyler Flowers of Dana, Florida, and Dale Louie Bennett of Tallahassee, Florida, are being held on charges of grand larceny, burglary, burglary conspiracy, destruction of property with intent and possession of burglary tools in New River Valley Regional Jail in Dublin. A third man remains in jail in Rockingham City, North Carolina, finishing out his term before steps can be taken to bring him to Virginia to face the same charges. The indictment against him is sealed. The charges stem from a June 2022 robbery at the Floyd Jewelry Shop in the Autoville complex on 610 E. Main St. A store surveillance video showed men breaking into the store, where they smashed the glass doors and display cabinets and scooped up watches, jewelry and other items. Store owner Sarah Sowers said the two shown on a store video stole at least $40,000 worth of merchandise. The video showed the burglary occurred around 2 a.m. Sowers has operated the store for 28 years and says this was the first burglary. Floyd County Commonwealths Attorney Eric Branscom said the Floyd County Sheriffs Office sent out notices about the burglaries and thanked the Rockingham Police Department in North Carolina for its help. After a North Carolina burglary, the three men were sentenced to jail terms ranging from 5-7 months. The third individual will be finishing up his sentence soon. The Sheriff's Office seized phone records and other information that provided evidence of travel and locations. Branscom said more information would be presented to the court when the three are arraigned and at bond hearings. In another legal matter before the Circuit Court on March 21, Lawrence Edward Sutphin of Willis pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute Schedule II drugs, and Judge Fleenor sentenced him to 10 years, with seven years suspended. Because of a medical issue, the judge allowed Sutphin to delay reporting to the New River Valley Jail until April 11. In other matters before the court: Frances Bain Jr. and David William Guynn of Check both pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. They were given one-year suspended sentences along with suspended fines. All firearms and guns were seized by the court. John A. Thomas III of Charlotte, North Carolina, was committed to Western State Mental Facility after being found unable to understand right from wrong in an auto theft in October 2022. Judge Mike Fleenor denied bond for Melissa Elizabeth Gibson of Floyd, who is charged with aggravated sexual battery of a minor under age 13. Her case was set for trial for Tuesday but was continued. The Daily News new reporter Mac Larsen is leaving the newspaper after five weeks to join the Lake Oswego Review as their new education reporter. Im sad to be going so soon, said Larsen. Im incredibly grateful to Hayley and all of the reporters at The Daily News for welcoming me to Longview. I hope we can work together again in the future. Larsen said hes looking forward to new challenges covering such an important topic closer to home in Portland. He hopes to see familiar faces in Longview when he returns to Cowlitz County for the centennial celebrations this summer. 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 colorful, textured bi-layer film made from plant-based materials cools down when it's in the sun. Credit: Qingchen Shen The cold blast of an air conditioner can be a welcome relief as temperatures soar, but "A/C" units require large amounts of energy and can leak potent greenhouse gases. Today, scientists report an eco-friendly alternativea plant-based film that gets cooler when exposed to sunlight and comes in a variety of textures and bright, iridescent colors. The material could someday keep buildings, cars and other structures cool without requiring external power. The researchers will present their results at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS Spring 2023 is a hybrid meeting being held virtually and in-person March 2630. "To make materials that remain cooler than the air around them during the day, you need something that reflects a lot of solar light and doesn't absorb it, which would transform energy from the light into heat," says Silvia Vignolini, Ph.D., the project's principal investigator. "There are only a few materials that have this property, and adding color pigments would typically undo their cooling effects," Vignolini adds. Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) is the ability of a surface to emit its own heat into space without it being absorbed by the air or atmosphere. The result is a surface that, without using any electrical power, can become several degrees colder than the air around it. When used on buildings or other structures, materials that promote this effect can help limit the use of air conditioning and other power-intensive cooling methods. Some paints and films currently in development can achieve PDRC, but most of them are white or have a mirrored finish, says Qingchen Shen, Ph.D., who is presenting the work at the meeting. Both Vignolini and Shen are at Cambridge University (U.K.). But a building owner who wanted to use a blue-colored PDRC paint would be out of luckcolored pigments, by definition, absorb specific wavelengths of sunlight and only reflect the colors we see, causing undesirable warming effects in the process. But there's a way to achieve color without the use of pigments. Soap bubbles, for example, show a prism of different colors on their surfaces. These colors result from the way light interacts with differing thicknesses of the bubble's film, a phenomenon called structural color. Part of Vignolini's research focuses on identifying the causes behind different types of structural colors in nature. In one case, her group found that cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), which are derived from the cellulose found in plants, could be made into iridescent, colorful films without any added pigment. As it turns out, cellulose is also one of the few naturally occurring materials that can promote PDRC. Vignolini learned this after hearing a talk from the first researchers to have created a cooling film material. "I thought wow, this is really amazing, and I never really thought cellulose could do this." In recent work, Shen and Vignolini layered colorful CNC materials with a white-colored material made from ethyl cellulose, producing a colorful bi-layered PDRC film. They made films with vibrant blue, green and red colors that, when placed under sunlight, were an average of nearly 40 F cooler than the surrounding air. A square meter of the film generated over 120 Watts of cooling power, rivaling many types of residential air conditioners. The most challenging aspect of this research, Shen says, was finding a way to make the two layers stick togetheron their own, the CNC films were brittle, and the ethyl cellulose layer had to be plasma-treated to get good adhesion. The result, however, was films that were robust and could be prepared several meters at a time in a standard manufacturing line. Since creating these first films, the researchers have been improving their aesthetic appearance. Using a method modified from approaches previously explored by the group, they're making cellulose-based cooling films that are glittery and colorful. They've also adjusted the ethyl cellulose film to have different textures, like the differences between types of wood finishes used in architecture and interior design, says Shen. These changes would give people more options when incorporating PDRC effects in their homes, businesses, cars and other structures. The researchers now plan to find ways they can make their films even more functional. According to Shen, CNC materials can be used as sensors to detect environmental pollutants or weather changes, which could be useful if combined with the cooling power of their CNC-ethyl cellulose films. For example, a cobalt-colored PDRC on a building facade in a car-dense, urban area could someday keep the building cool and incorporate detectors that would alert officials to higher levels of smog-causing molecules in the air. More information: ACS Spring 2023: Structurally colored radiative cooling cellulosic films, www.acs.org/meetings/acs-meetings/spring-2023.html (CNN) Russia plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday. Moscow will complete the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus by the beginning of July, Putin told state broadcaster Russia 1. He said Moscow had already transferred an Iskander short-range missile system, a device which can be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, to Belarus. During the interview, Putin said Russia had helped Belarus convert 10 aircraft to make them capable of carrying tactical nuclear warheads and would start training pilots to fly the re-configured planes early next month. Belarus, which is west of Russia on Ukraine's long northern border, is among Moscow's closest allies. It helped Russia launch its initial invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, allowing the Kremlin's troops to enter the country from the north. There have been fears throughout the conflict that Belarus will again be used as a launching ground for an offensive, or that Minsk's own troops will join the conflict. Putin's remarks in the interview on Saturday build on comments made in December at a joint news conference with Lukashenko in Minsk, when the Russian leader said Moscow was training Belarusian pilots to fly jets capable of carrying a "special warhead." During that conference, and addressing the Russia leader, Lukashenko also said, "Today we've put the S-400 [air defense] system that you transferred to Belarus into a state of combat-readiness, and, most importantly, the Iskander system, which you have also handed over to us, after promising it half a year ago." Belarus has had no nuclear weapons on its territory since the early 1990s. Shortly after gaining independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union, it agreed to transfer all Soviet-era weapons of mass destruction stationed there to Russia. Since invading Ukraine more than a year ago, Putin has used escalating rhetoric on a number of occasions, warning of the "increasing" threat of nuclear war and suggesting Moscow may abandon its "no first use" policy. In his interview Saturday, Putin said Moscow would retain control over any tactical nuclear weapons it stationed in Belarus. He likened the move to Washington's practice of stationing nuclear weapons in Europe to keep host countries, like Germany, from breaking their commitments as non-nuclear powers. "We are not going to hand over control of nuclear weapons. The US doesn't hand it over to its allies. We're basically doing the same thing (US leaders) have been doing for a decade," Putin said. Although there is no guarantee that Putin will follow through with his plan to station the weapons in Belarus, any nuclear signaling by him will cause concern in the West. No indications Russia preparing to use a nuclear weapon The State Department told CNN it would "continue to monitor the implications" of Russia's plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus but would not adjust its nuclear weapons strategy. "We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon," State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a statement to CNN. Russia and Belarus had discussed this movement of weapons for some time, having made multiple statements throughout the past year, another State Department spokesperson said. Previously, Washington has made clear to Putin there will be consequences to any use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, even low-yield tactical devices, but has deliberately stopped short of spelling out exactly what they would be. Speaking in October, US President Joe Biden told CNN's Jake Tapper, "It would be irresponsible for me to talk about what we would or wouldn't do," in response to nuclear use by Russia. But Biden hinted at the possibility of a rapid escalation in events. "The mistakes get made, the miscalculation could occur, no one could be sure what would happen and it could end in Armageddon," he said. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Russia plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Putin says." 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: Aaron Nichols holds rich soil on his farm on March 17, 2023, in the unincorporated community of Helvetia, Ore. Nichols believes that a bill in the Legislature that would allow the governor to unilaterally expand urban growth boundaries threatens farms. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Selsky Aaron Nichols walked past rows of kale growing on his farm, his knee-high brown rubber boots speckled with some of the richest soil on earth, and gazed with concern toward fields in the distance. Just over the horizon loomed a gigantic building of the semiconductor chipmaker Intel. For exactly 50 years, the farms and forests that ring Oregon's metropolitan centers have been protected from urban sprawl by the nation's first statewide law that placed growth boundaries on cities. Cities cannot expand beyond those borders unless they make a request and justify it. Approval by cities and counties can take months or even a few years (larger expansions also need approval by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development). But now, a bill being considered in Oregon's Legislature could authorize the governor to unilaterally expand those boundaries as part of Oregon's quest to lure chip companies and provide land for them to build their factories. The measure would also provide $200 million in grants to chipmakers. Farmers and conservationists are deeply worried about the proposal and what it will mean for a state that cherishes its open spaces. "One of the reasons we bought our farm right here is that we knew that for 50 years we'd be farms, and everyone around us would be farms," Nichols said. "And now we're not so sure. Now it's up to one decision by the governor. And that's a scarier place to be." Workers walk on a skybridge to and from a large Intel facility in Hillsboro, Ore., on March 17, 2023. Intel, which produces semiconductor chips, is Oregon's biggest corporate employer. Lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow the governor to expand urban growth boundaries for semiconductor-related industries. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Selsky State officials and lawmakers, on the other hand, are eager to bring more semiconductor factories to Oregon while billions of dollars of federal funding to promote the industry is available. They were stung by Intel's decision last year to build a massive $20 billion chipmaking complex in Ohio, and not in Oregon where suitable zoned land is scarce. Oregon has its "Silicon Forest"a counterpoint to California's Silicon Valleyand has been at the center of semiconductor research and production for decades. But Oregon is competing with other states to host multibillion-dollar microchip factories, called fabs. The competition heated up after Congress passed the CHIPS Act in 2022, providing $39 billion for companies constructing or expanding facilities that will manufacture semiconductors and those that will assemble, test and package the chips. Dramatically expanding semiconductor design and manufacturing in Oregon would create tens of thousands of high-paying construction jobs and thousands of manufacturing and supply chain jobs, the Oregon Semiconductor Competitiveness Task Force, said in a report in August. Ben Clark, senior vice president of engineering of Inpria, talks to journalists at the company's lab in Corvallis, Ore., on March 3, 2023. Inpria is developing a method to make semiconductor chips have greater functionality. Oregon wants to attract more semiconductor-related businesses to Oregon and state lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow the governor to expand urban growth boundaries for chip factories. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Selsky But the task force warned that Oregon needs more buildable industrial land near infrastructure, talented workers and specialized suppliers to attract and retain semiconductor businesses, and called for "urgent legislative attention." "This is about generational change," Democratic state Sen. Janeen Sollman, a chief sponsor of the bill, said during a recent tour of an HP Inc. campus in Corvallis, Oregon. "This is the opportunity that students will have for their future in going into these types of jobs." Today, thanks to a former Republican governor, you can drive from many cities in Oregon and within minutes be in farm or ranch country, unlike many states where cities are surrounded by expanses of shopping centers and housing developments. Tom McCall, who served as Oregon's governor from 1967 to 1975, had successfully championed protections for Oregon's beaches to ensure they remained public. In 1973, he urged lawmakers to push for a tough new land-use law. Melvin Van Donelen, 91, sits outside a restaurant in the small town of North Plains, Ore., on March 17, 2023. Van Donelen said he doesn't like to see development come to his small town near Portland, Ore., but believes it is inevitable. Semiconductor businesses might be cropping up nearby before long if state officials are able to provide incentives for them, including setting aside land to build on. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Selsky "Sagebrush subdivisions, coastal 'condomania' and the ravenous rampage of suburbia here in the Willamette Valley all threaten to mock Oregon's status as an environmental model of this nation" McCall said in a speech before the Legislature in 1973. The Legislature complied, passing a bill that established the nation's first statewide urban growth boundary policy. Washington state and Tennessee followed Oregon's lead. In 1982, a ballot measure called for a repeal in Oregon. McCall, who was dying of cancer, campaigned against it. Voters upheld Oregon's land-use system by rejecting the measure two months before McCall died. Under Oregon's system, an urban growth boundary designates where a city expects to grow over the next 20 years. Once land is included in a UGB, it is eligible for annexation to a city. Those UGB lines are regularly expanded. From 2016 through 2021, 35 were approved, according to the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development. Aaron Nichols poses next to his tractor on March 17, 2023, in the unincorporated community of Helvetia, Ore. Nichols believes that a bill in the Legislature that would allow the governor to unilaterally expand urban growth boundaries threatens farms. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Selsky But the process takes time. McMinnville, in Oregon's fabled wine country, battled for 20 years to expand its boundary, said Robert Parker, director of strategy at the University of Oregon's Institute for Policy Research and Engagement. Obtaining approval can take months or years, depending on its level of controversy, said Gordon Howard, of Oregon's land conservation department. Appeals to the courts or a state board cause further delays. That's too long a wait for chipmaking companies, especially those that want to take advantage of CHIPS Act funding. "Other states offer a more streamlined approach that is more in sync with the speed of the market," according to Oregon's semiconductor task force, whose members included then-Gov. Kate Brown. Under the bill, the governor may designate up to a maximum of eight sites for UGB expansion: two that exceed 500 acres (202 hectares) and six smaller sites. Any appeals go straight to the state Supreme Court. The lunchtime crowd enjoys food and beer on March 17, 2023, at the Last Waterin' Hole restaurant in North Plains, Ore. The farming community is on tap to undergo changes if the state is able to attract semiconductor businesses nearby. Intel already has a large facility in the nearby city of Hillsboro, Oregon, and is the state's largest corporate employer. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Selsky The Oregon Farm Bureau, which represents 7,000 family farmers, said the effort should instead focus on lands already within the urban growth boundary. "The conversion of agricultural lands into paved industrial lands is a permanent destruction of our natural and working lands," said bureau Vice President Lauren Poor. "Once it's paved, the soil and its ability to sequester carbon, support our food system and generate income for Oregonians is gone forever." Washington County, where Nichol's farm is located, produces more clover seed crop than anywhere else in the world, thanks to its unique soil and rainy climate, said Nicole Anderson, an associate professor at Oregon State University's Department of Crop and Soil Science. "I hope that science and consideration of our land resources are considered when this bill is voted on," Anderson told the Legislature's joint committee on semiconductors on March 13. State Sen. Janeen Sollman, a Democrat from Hillsboro, poses on the Senate floor in the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Ore., on March 16, 2023. Sollman is a chief sponsor of a bill in the Legislature aimed at attracting more of the semiconductor industry to Oregon. One of the provisions would allow the governor to expand a limited number of urban growth boundaries to provide land for the industry, sparking concern among farmers and conservationists. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Selsky Customers walk toward the Last Waterin' Hole restaurant in North Plains, Ore., on March 17, 2023. Just over the horizon, in the city of Hillsboro, Ore., is a large facility owned by Intel, the semiconductor chip maker. More semiconductor facilities might be cropping up closer to North Plains if a bill in the Legislature becomes law, giving the governor the authority to expand urban growth boundaries to create large tracts for chip manufacturers to build. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Selsky Aaron Nichols examines organic kale growing on his farm in the unincorporated community of Helvetia, Ore. Nichols believes that a bill in the Legislature that would allow the governor to unilaterally expand urban growth boundaries threatens farms. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Selsky On Friday, the ways and means committee sent the bill for a vote on the Senate floor. The Senate will consider the priority legislation this week. "I am thrilled to see this legislation pass out of committee and look forward to seeing it through to the finish line," said Rep. Kim Wallan, a Republican and a chief sponsor of the bill. Parker, the land-use expert, doesn't believe its passage would mark the start of the end of Oregon's treasured policy. "Will there be more challenges and bumps in the road ahead? Yeah, I think so," Parker said. "But I feel like it is so well established in the state at this point that it has the inertia to carry it through those challenges." 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 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: Lufthansa aircrafts are parked at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, Sept.2, 2022. German news agency dpa says Lufthansas operations have been disrupted at Frankfurt airport because of technical problems, the dpa news agency reported Sunday, March 26, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Michael Probst, File Lufthansa's operations were disrupted Sunday at Frankfurt airport because of technical problems, German news agency dpa reported. Check-in systems on the airline's website and at the counter, as well as boarding, were affected at Germany's biggest airport, a Lufthansa spokeswoman told dpa. Some flights were delayed or would have to be canceled because of the problems. Check-in was still possible using cellphone browsers on smartphones or tablets, and the Lufthansa app. The technical problems were caused by external IT service providers, dpa reported. Lufthansa asked travelers to check the status of their flights and said it was working with "high-pressure" to resolve the issues. Last month, cable damage during construction work in Frankfurt caused Lufthansa computer systems to fail, resulting in flight cancellations and delays worldwide. Sunday's problems came a day before a national strike in Germany is set to bring the country's traffic to a standstill with airport, train and public transportation employees all protesting for higher salaries in a one-day walkout on Monday. Air traffic was already canceled on Sunday at Germany's second-biggest airport in Munich because of the upcoming strike. 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The launch of the Texas A&M Institute for Early Childhood Development & Education within the School of Education and Human Development has opened the door for expanded research and solutions in the early childhood sector, according to a recent press release. The mission of our institute is to engage in rigorous research that generates solutions to the complex challenges facing early childhood today, said Hope Gerde, professor in SEHD and director of the institute. In addition, the institute will create a space for multidisciplinary research teams of faculty from across campus and across the A&M system, including education, psychology, nutrition, health, agriculture and policy to collaborate and focus on those challenges from multiple perspectives, Gerde said. Were really trying to create the most comprehensive institute with faculty, students, centers, clinics across the campus and the state so that we can lead rigorous research that informs the change of those systems within the program with the ultimate goal of transforming the lives of young children and their families across Texas and beyond, she said. Partnering with practitioners across the state to understand the issues facing them and identifying what questions need to be answered is a primary goal for Gerde. Additionally, she said engaging in research alongside these partners will help generate effective and practical for educators, health providers and families. Our research doesnt have any impact unless we can get it to those practitioners and families in the field in ways that they can actually use them, she said in regard to the institutes partnership with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to ensure its research is widely shared through in-person and multimedia approaches. In addition to partnering with other Texas A&M institutions, centers in the SEHD and the College of Arts and Sciences, Gerde said undergraduate and graduate students will have the opportunity to participate in the research and be mentored by the Texas A&M Becky Gates Childrens Center to put that research into action. The Charlotte Sharp Childrens Center is also in negotiations with the university to further expand these efforts, a press release said. Outside the K-12 education system, Gerde said various systems from cognitive and physical health development to aesthetics and social/emotional development are working together to garner a healthy childhood development, so this institute will bring them into one space for that purpose. Creating programming, creating opportunities for learning for health and well-being within the community outside of schools is essential, she said. We want to ensure that when children and families are ready to go to kindergarten, those schools are ready for them. Julie Thompson is an assistant professor of special education within the SEHD who said her vision for her role within the institute is to ensure that children with disabilities are considered and included. She added that the Texas A&M College of Architecture built the outdoor learning center for the Becky Gates Childrens Center, so the institute will be playing a role in establishing the massive infrastructure that is needed to make accessibility and family-friendly opportunities available throughout the community. We have huge needs post-pandemic, Thompson said. Our children are coming having been outside of the school realm, outside of a structured environment, and now really is the time for us to do our best to bring together all of this expertise. Marc Goodrich, assistant professor in the teaching, learning and culture department within the SEHD, said his area of expertise and interest is in supporting multilingual children and families, so the institute will allow him and his colleagues to further support monolingual and bilingual children, as well as children whose families do not speak English at home. How can we ensure that their children are getting the same kinds of social supports that they need in early childhood programs, theyre getting the same types of academic supports that they need so theyre also ready for kindergarten and dont fall behind other students just because of a language barrier? Goodrich said. He added that integrating the research and training into undergraduate coursework and training graduate students is essential to establishing leaders and scholars in the field. My role is to figure out how we can build our programs at the university but then also build partnerships with community agencies that help support multilingual children and their families, Goodrich said. Direct partnerships will be the first to hear about these findings, and the Bush School of Government and Public Service will allow the institute to establish the policies necessary to put them into practice, Goodrich said. If there needs to be a new model or if funding is needed, then that would need to happen at the state policy level. We need to work with policy experts and policy researchers who can connect with legislators and make these changes happen at a systemic level that ensures that the funding is available for these programs and the certification programs are available that are required, Goodrich said. This is one of many reasons why Goodrich said the institutes collaboration with outside partners is necessary to embed the research and make it available to communities. If interested in childrens programming, contact the Becky Gates Childrens Center at (979) 458-5437. If interested in collaborating, partnering with the institute or its outreach initiatives, contact Gerde via email at hgerde@tamu.edu. For more information on the Texas A&M Institute for Early Childhood Development & Education, go to education.tamu.edu/early-childhood-institute/. Rosenblatt Securities initiated coverage on shares of 8X8 (NYSE:EGHT Get Rating) in a research note published on Thursday, The Fly reports. The brokerage issued a buy rating and a $6.00 target price on the technology companys stock. A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on EGHT. Wedbush began coverage on shares of 8X8 in a report on Wednesday, December 14th. They issued a neutral rating and a $7.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of 8X8 from $4.50 to $5.40 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, February 2nd. Needham & Company LLC increased their target price on shares of 8X8 from $6.00 to $7.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 2nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of 8X8 from $4.00 to $4.50 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, 8X8 presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $7.24. Get 8X8 alerts: 8X8 Trading Up 0.3 % Shares of EGHT opened at $3.91 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.55, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.51. 8X8 has a 12-month low of $2.87 and a 12-month high of $13.48. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $5.21 and a 200 day moving average price of $4.40. The firm has a market capitalization of $442.02 million, a P/E ratio of -4.16 and a beta of 1.31. Insider Activity Institutional Trading of 8X8 In other news, insider Samuel C. Wilson sold 34,703 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $4.83, for a total value of $167,615.49. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 752,350 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,633,850.50. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website . Over the last quarter, insiders sold 37,199 shares of company stock valued at $179,781. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in EGHT. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in 8X8 by 13.3% in the first quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 26,524 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $334,000 after acquiring an additional 3,106 shares in the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in 8X8 by 55.3% in the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 60,331 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $760,000 after acquiring an additional 21,494 shares in the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers raised its holdings in 8X8 by 9.3% in the first quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 285,895 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $3,599,000 after acquiring an additional 24,273 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its holdings in 8X8 by 18.4% in the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 102,013 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,284,000 after acquiring an additional 15,889 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Great West Life Assurance Co. Can raised its holdings in 8X8 by 4.0% in the first quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 101,252 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,307,000 after acquiring an additional 3,927 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.22% of the companys stock. 8X8 Company Profile (Get Rating) 88, Inc engages in the provision of enterprise communication solutions. It offers solutions to the business services, education, financial services, government, healthcare, and manufacturing industries. The company was founded in February 1987 and is headquartered in Campbell, CA. Read More Receive News & Ratings for 8X8 Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for 8X8 and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Scotiabank upgraded shares of Africa Oil (OTCMKTS:AOIFF Get Rating) from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note published on Wednesday morning, The Fly reports. Africa Oil Stock Performance Shares of Africa Oil stock opened at $2.13 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $979.91 million, a PE ratio of -14.20 and a beta of 1.27. Africa Oil has a 52-week low of $1.47 and a 52-week high of $2.65. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $2.08 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $2.08. Get Africa Oil alerts: Africa Oil Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 31st. Investors of record on Monday, March 13th will be paid a $0.025 dividend. This represents a yield of 2.26%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 10th. Africa Oils dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -33.33%. About Africa Oil Africa Oil Corp. is an oil and gas company, which engages in the exploration of oil and gas properties. It focuses on producing and development assets in deep-water offshore Nigeria, and development assets in Kenya. The firms portfolio of exploration assets are located in Guyana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, and in the Senegal Guinea Bissau Joint Development Zone. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Africa Oil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Africa Oil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Atalaya Mining (LON:ATYM Get Rating) had its price target cut by Canaccord Genuity Group from GBX 600 ($7.37) to GBX 595 ($7.31) in a research note released on Wednesday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. They currently have a buy rating on the stock. Several other research analysts also recently weighed in on ATYM. Berenberg Bank boosted their price target on Atalaya Mining from GBX 310 ($3.81) to GBX 470 ($5.77) and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 17th. Bank of America upped their price target on shares of Atalaya Mining from GBX 370 ($4.54) to GBX 420 ($5.16) and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 23rd. Get Atalaya Mining alerts: Atalaya Mining Trading Up 0.4 % Shares of ATYM opened at GBX 351.50 ($4.32) on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of GBX 356.89 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 301.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 12.48, a quick ratio of 1.64 and a current ratio of 2.07. The company has a market capitalization of 491.68 million, a PE ratio of 1,033.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -2.02 and a beta of 1.73. Atalaya Mining has a fifty-two week low of GBX 183 ($2.25) and a fifty-two week high of GBX 410 ($5.03). Atalaya Mining Company Profile Atalaya Mining Plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the mineral exploration and development in Spain. The company's flagship property is its 100% owned Proyecto Riotinto mine, an open-pit copper mine located in the Andalusia region of Spain. It produces copper concentrates, including silver by-products. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Atalaya Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Atalaya Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bar Harbor Wealth Management cut its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Get Rating) by 0.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 160,085 shares of the companys stock after selling 858 shares during the quarter. Novo Nordisk A/S accounts for about 1.7% of Bar Harbor Wealth Managements portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest position. Bar Harbor Wealth Managements holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $21,666,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Roundview Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 18,803 shares of the companys stock worth $2,088,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. lifted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 45.4% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 5,035,879 shares of the companys stock worth $559,235,000 after purchasing an additional 1,571,747 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 739,585 shares of the companys stock worth $82,131,000 after purchasing an additional 6,903 shares during the period. Blair William & Co. IL lifted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 12.7% during the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 19,466 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,136,000 after acquiring an additional 2,194 shares during the period. Finally, Sei Investments Co. lifted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 17.5% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 107,175 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,913,000 after acquiring an additional 15,996 shares during the period. 6.09% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Novo Nordisk A/S alerts: Novo Nordisk A/S Stock Performance Shares of NVO stock opened at $152.75 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $345.67 billion, a PE ratio of 44.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.47. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $141.29 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $125.12. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. Novo Nordisk A/S has a 12 month low of $95.02 and a 12 month high of $153.64. Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth The firm also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 4th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 27th will be paid a dividend of $1.1887 per share. This represents a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 24th. This is a positive change from Novo Nordisk A/Ss previous semi-annual dividend of $0.58. Novo Nordisk A/Ss payout ratio is 23.34%. A number of research analysts recently issued reports on NVO shares. Cowen boosted their target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from $130.00 to $145.00 in a research report on Monday, December 12th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a strong-buy rating on the stock. Cowen boosted their target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from $130.00 to $145.00 in a research report on Monday, December 12th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from 925.00 to 1,100.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $697.78. About Novo Nordisk A/S (Get Rating) Novo Nordisk A/S is a global healthcare company, which engages in the the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products. It operates through the Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Biopharm segments. The Diabetes and Obesity Care segment includes insulin, GLP-1 and related delivery systems, oral antidiabetic products (OAD), obesity, and other serious chronic diseases. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Beacon Financial Group reduced its stake in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM Get Rating) by 0.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 33,308 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 119 shares during the quarter. Beacon Financial Groups holdings in Waste Management were worth $5,225,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of WM. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its position in Waste Management by 9.1% in the 3rd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 254,407 shares of the business services providers stock worth $40,759,000 after purchasing an additional 21,213 shares during the period. United Capital Financial Advisers LLC raised its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 10.3% in the third quarter. United Capital Financial Advisers LLC now owns 18,552 shares of the business services providers stock worth $2,972,000 after buying an additional 1,728 shares during the period. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Waste Management by 16.4% during the 3rd quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC now owns 4,884 shares of the business services providers stock worth $783,000 after acquiring an additional 687 shares during the last quarter. Wall Street Access Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Waste Management in the 2nd quarter valued at $296,000. Finally, Douglas Lane & Associates LLC increased its stake in Waste Management by 3.6% in the third quarter. Douglas Lane & Associates LLC now owns 3,133 shares of the business services providers stock worth $502,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares during the period. 78.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Waste Management alerts: Insider Activity In other news, SVP Tara J. Hemmer sold 7,515 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total value of $1,164,825.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 46,542 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,214,010. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, EVP John J. Morris sold 15,204 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.03, for a total value of $2,357,076.12. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 95,461 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,799,318.83. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Tara J. Hemmer sold 7,515 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total transaction of $1,164,825.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 46,542 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,214,010. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 31,027 shares of company stock worth $4,806,619. Corporate insiders own 0.18% of the companys stock. Waste Management Stock Up 2.5 % Shares of Waste Management stock opened at $154.46 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.12, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.77. Waste Management, Inc. has a 1 year low of $138.89 and a 1 year high of $175.98. The firms 50-day moving average is $152.21 and its two-hundred day moving average is $158.51. The stock has a market cap of $63.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.66, a PEG ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 0.72. Waste Management (NYSE:WM Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 1st. The business services provider reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.39 by ($0.09). Waste Management had a net margin of 11.36% and a return on equity of 32.91%. The firm had revenue of $4.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.97 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.26 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Waste Management, Inc. will post 6.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Waste Management announced that its board has approved a share repurchase program on Thursday, December 8th that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.50 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the business services provider to repurchase up to 2.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are generally a sign that the companys leadership believes its shares are undervalued. Waste Management Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 24th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 10th were issued a $0.70 dividend. This is a boost from Waste Managements previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.81%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 9th. Waste Managements dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.95%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus cut shares of Waste Management from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their price target for the stock from $185.00 to $171.00 in a report on Monday, December 19th. Citigroup reduced their target price on shares of Waste Management from $183.00 to $180.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 2nd. UBS Group lowered Waste Management from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price target for the company from $190.00 to $165.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 10th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on Waste Management from $167.00 to $158.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 2nd. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on Waste Management in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $169.50. Waste Management Profile (Get Rating) Waste Management, Inc is a holding company, which engages in the provision of waste management environmental services. It operates through the following segments: East Tier, West Tier, and Other. The East Tier segment consists of Eastern U.S., the Great Lakes Region, and Canada. The West Tier segment includes the upper Midwest region and British Columbia, Canada. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Waste Management Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Waste Management and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of ARC Resources Ltd. (TSE:ARX Get Rating) have earned an average rating of Buy from the twelve research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$23.68. Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on ARX shares. Raymond James decreased their price target on ARC Resources from C$22.00 to C$20.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 10th. Royal Bank of Canada set a C$26.00 price target on ARC Resources and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 10th. ATB Capital decreased their price target on ARC Resources from C$23.00 to C$22.50 in a report on Tuesday, February 14th. Stifel Firstegy reiterated a buy rating on shares of ARC Resources in a report on Thursday, January 12th. Finally, National Bankshares decreased their price target on ARC Resources from C$21.00 to C$20.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 13th. Get ARC Resources alerts: ARC Resources Trading Down 0.3 % Shares of ARC Resources stock opened at C$15.18 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of C$15.53 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$17.22. ARC Resources has a 12-month low of C$13.65 and a 12-month high of C$22.88. The company has a market capitalization of C$9.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.29 and a beta of 1.53. The company has a current ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 26.83. ARC Resources Announces Dividend About ARC Resources The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 31st will be paid a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 30th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.95%. ARC Resourcess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 17.29%. (Get Rating) ARC Resources Ltd. explores, develops, and produces crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in Canada. The company holds interests in the Montney properties located in northeast British Columbia and northern Alberta; and Pembina Cardium properties in central Alberta. As of December 31, 2020, it had proved plus probable reserves of 929 millions of barrels of oil equivalent. Read More Receive News & Ratings for ARC Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ARC Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Accenture (NYSE:ACN Get Rating) had its price objective raised by analysts at Citigroup from $300.00 to $310.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the information technology services providers stock. Citigroups target price indicates a potential upside of 13.97% from the stocks previous close. Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on ACN. Wedbush reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $300.00 price target on shares of Accenture in a research report on Monday, March 13th. Piper Sandler cut shares of Accenture from a neutral rating to an underweight rating and set a $268.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Monday, December 12th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Accenture in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on shares of Accenture from $310.00 to $290.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 19th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of Accenture from $340.00 to $325.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Accenture currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $317.56. Get Accenture alerts: Accenture Stock Performance Shares of NYSE ACN opened at $272.00 on Friday. Accenture has a fifty-two week low of $242.80 and a fifty-two week high of $345.30. The stock has a market cap of $171.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.70, a PEG ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 1.25. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $271.93 and its 200 day simple moving average is $274.19. Insider Activity at Accenture Accenture ( NYSE:ACN Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 23rd. The information technology services provider reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.49 by $0.20. Accenture had a net margin of 11.31% and a return on equity of 31.49%. The business had revenue of $15.81 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.59 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.54 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Accenture will post 11.46 EPS for the current year. In related news, insider Jean-Marc Ollagnier sold 6,250 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.10, for a total value of $1,756,875.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 180,314 shares in the company, valued at approximately $50,686,265.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, insider James O. Etheredge sold 5,000 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $286.11, for a total value of $1,430,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 13,930 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,985,512.30. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Jean-Marc Ollagnier sold 6,250 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.10, for a total transaction of $1,756,875.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 180,314 shares of the companys stock, valued at $50,686,265.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 36,475 shares of company stock worth $10,225,149. Corporate insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ACN. United Bank grew its position in shares of Accenture by 6.3% during the 1st quarter. United Bank now owns 2,969 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $1,001,000 after purchasing an additional 176 shares in the last quarter. Weitz Investment Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Accenture by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. Weitz Investment Management Inc. now owns 89,400 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $30,148,000 after purchasing an additional 1,168 shares in the last quarter. Fund Management at Engine No. 1 LLC purchased a new position in shares of Accenture during the 1st quarter valued at $1,805,000. Guardian Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in Accenture by 0.6% in the first quarter. Guardian Wealth Management Inc. now owns 7,292 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $2,459,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Clearbridge Investments LLC raised its position in Accenture by 104.8% during the first quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 441,451 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $148,871,000 after purchasing an additional 225,943 shares in the last quarter. 73.97% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Accenture Company Profile (Get Rating) Accenture Plc engages in the provision of management consulting, technology, and outsourcing services. It operates through the following geographical segments: North America, Europe and Growth Markets. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Accenture Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Accenture and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cliftonlarsonallen Wealth Advisors LLC lowered its position in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:DGRO Get Rating) by 47.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 91,296 shares of the companys stock after selling 83,681 shares during the quarter. Cliftonlarsonallen Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF were worth $4,565,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in DGRO. CFS Investment Advisory Services LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 4,542.9% in the third quarter. CFS Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,044,068 shares of the companys stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 2,000,042 shares during the period. Horizon Investments LLC bought a new position in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF in the third quarter valued at $51,346,000. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC bought a new position in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF in the third quarter valued at $25,012,000. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its stake in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 5.6% in the third quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 7,265,746 shares of the companys stock valued at $323,107,000 after acquiring an additional 386,551 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased its stake in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 10.7% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 3,984,983 shares of the companys stock valued at $212,837,000 after acquiring an additional 385,347 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF alerts: iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF Stock Up 0.9 % DGRO opened at $48.35 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $22.67 billion, a PE ratio of 15.16 and a beta of 0.91. iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF has a 52 week low of $43.67 and a 52 week high of $54.55. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $50.28 and its 200 day simple moving average is $49.44. About iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF The iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Morningstar US Dividend Growth index. The fund tracks an index of US stocks that are selected by dividends, dividend growth and payout ratio, then weighted by dividend dollars. DGRO was launched on Jun 10, 2014 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DGRO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:DGRO Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Credit Suisse Group (NYSE:CS Get Rating) was downgraded by StockNews.com from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report issued on Friday. Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on CS. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on Credit Suisse Group in a research report on Friday, January 27th. They issued an equal weight rating on the stock. Barclays lowered their price objective on Credit Suisse Group from CHF 4 to CHF 2.90 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 13th. Bank of America raised Credit Suisse Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 9th. Citigroup cut Credit Suisse Group from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, February 16th. Finally, Bank Of America (Bofa) raised Credit Suisse Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a CHF 3.60 price target on the stock in a report on Friday, December 9th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $5.14. Get Credit Suisse Group alerts: Credit Suisse Group Stock Performance Credit Suisse Group stock opened at $0.86 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.53, a current ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.47. The company has a market capitalization of $2.68 billion, a P/E ratio of -0.31 and a beta of 1.38. The stocks 50 day moving average is $2.90 and its 200 day moving average is $3.61. Credit Suisse Group has a twelve month low of $0.82 and a twelve month high of $8.29. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Credit Suisse Group ( NYSE:CS Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The financial services provider reported ($0.28) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.22) by ($0.06). The company had revenue of $3.18 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.30 billion. Credit Suisse Group had a negative return on equity of 3.99% and a negative net margin of 33.10%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Credit Suisse Group will post -0.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Credit Suisse AG purchased a new position in shares of Credit Suisse Group during the second quarter valued at about $28,000. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Credit Suisse Group during the second quarter valued at about $50,000. IFP Advisors Inc grew its position in shares of Credit Suisse Group by 84.5% during the third quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 7,318 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $166,000 after purchasing an additional 3,351 shares in the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its holdings in shares of Credit Suisse Group by 70.3% in the 2nd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 7,931 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 3,273 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Credit Suisse Group by 202.1% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 9,024 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 6,037 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 11.20% of the companys stock. About Credit Suisse Group (Get Rating) Credit Suisse Group AG is a holding company, which engages in the provision of financial services. It operates through the following four divisions: Wealth Management, Investment Bank, Swiss Bank and Asset Management and four geographic regions: Switzerland, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific, and Americas. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Credit Suisse Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Credit Suisse Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Curbstone Financial Management Corp decreased its stake in ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF (NYSEARCA:HACK Get Rating) by 2.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 28,150 shares of the companys stock after selling 800 shares during the quarter. Curbstone Financial Management Corps holdings in ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF were worth $1,240,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of HACK. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its stake in ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF by 219.7% in the 3rd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 380,211 shares of the companys stock valued at $16,490,000 after buying an additional 261,295 shares in the last quarter. OLD Mission Capital LLC acquired a new position in ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF in the third quarter worth $2,248,000. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. acquired a new position in ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF in the first quarter worth $2,828,000. Blair William & Co. IL boosted its stake in ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF by 51.3% in the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 94,336 shares of the companys stock worth $5,539,000 after purchasing an additional 31,982 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Flow Traders U.S. LLC boosted its stake in ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF by 256.1% in the third quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC now owns 38,106 shares of the companys stock worth $1,653,000 after purchasing an additional 27,406 shares in the last quarter. Get ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF alerts: ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF Stock Performance ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF stock opened at $45.97 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $1.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.57 and a beta of 0.92. The businesss fifty day moving average is $46.02 and its two-hundred day moving average is $45.25. ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF has a 52 week low of $40.65 and a 52 week high of $59.83. About ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF The ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF (HACK) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Prime Cyber Defense index. The fund tracks a tiered, equal-weighted index that targets companies actively involved in providing cybersecurity technology and services. HACK was launched on Nov 11, 2014 and is managed by ETF Managers Group. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HACK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF (NYSEARCA:HACK Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Express (NYSE:EXPR Get Rating) was upgraded by investment analysts at StockNews.com to a sell rating in a research note issued on Friday. Separately, TheStreet lowered Express from a c- rating to a d rating in a research note on Thursday, December 8th. Get Express alerts: Express Stock Performance Shares of NYSE EXPR opened at $0.75 on Friday. Express has a 52 week low of $0.70 and a 52 week high of $4.02. The stock has a market capitalization of $51.23 million, a P/E ratio of -1.60 and a beta of 1.78. The stocks fifty day moving average is $1.04 and its 200 day moving average is $1.13. Insider Activity Institutional Inflows and Outflows In related news, Director Yehuda Shmidman purchased 5,434,783 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 25th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $4.60 per share, for a total transaction of $25,000,001.80. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 5,434,783 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $25,000,001.80. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . Corporate insiders own 6.10% of the companys stock. Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of EXPR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in shares of Express by 127,863.6% during the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 56,304 shares of the companys stock valued at $200,000 after buying an additional 56,260 shares during the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. lifted its position in shares of Express by 59,933.3% during the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 61,234 shares of the companys stock valued at $218,000 after buying an additional 61,132 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Express by 10.9% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,115,305 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,090,000 after buying an additional 307,438 shares during the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Express during the 1st quarter valued at $62,000. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its holdings in Express by 20.8% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 445,632 shares of the companys stock worth $1,586,000 after purchasing an additional 76,751 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 48.19% of the companys stock. About Express (Get Rating) Express, Inc is a dual gender apparel and accessories brand. It operates retail and outlet stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, located primarily in high-traffic shopping malls, lifestyle centers, outlet centers, and street locations. The company reports results as a single segment, which includes the operation of its Express brick-and-mortar retail and outlet stores, eCommerce operations, and franchise operations. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Express Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Express and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Forge Global (NYSE:FRGE Get Rating) is one of 23 public companies in the Security & commodity brokers, dealers, exchanges & services industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its peers? We will compare Forge Global to similar businesses based on the strength of its dividends, institutional ownership, risk, profitability, valuation, earnings and analyst recommendations. Volatility & Risk Forge Global has a beta of 2.33, meaning that its share price is 133% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Forge Globals peers have a beta of 1.23, meaning that their average share price is 23% more volatile than the S&P 500. Get Forge Global alerts: Earnings & Valuation This table compares Forge Global and its peers top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Forge Global $69.38 million -$111.86 million -1.12 Forge Global Competitors $7.42 billion $656.15 million 30.31 Insider & Institutional Ownership Forge Globals peers have higher revenue and earnings than Forge Global. Forge Global is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. 13.7% of Forge Global shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 63.7% of shares of all Security & commodity brokers, dealers, exchanges & services companies are held by institutional investors. 20.0% of Forge Global shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 13.0% of shares of all Security & commodity brokers, dealers, exchanges & services companies are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of recent recommendations for Forge Global and its peers, as reported by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Forge Global 0 4 2 0 2.33 Forge Global Competitors 144 897 1198 31 2.49 Forge Global currently has a consensus target price of $3.48, indicating a potential upside of 113.19%. As a group, Security & commodity brokers, dealers, exchanges & services companies have a potential upside of 35.29%. Given Forge Globals higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe Forge Global is more favorable than its peers. Profitability This table compares Forge Global and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Forge Global -161.22% -26.59% -22.44% Forge Global Competitors 4.06% 20.37% 5.54% Summary Forge Global peers beat Forge Global on 10 of the 13 factors compared. About Forge Global (Get Rating) Forge Global Holdings, Inc. provides marketplace infrastructure, data services, and technology solutions for private market participants. It enables private company shareholders to trade private company shares with accredited investors. The company was founded in 2014 and is based in San Francisco, California. Receive News & Ratings for Forge Global Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Forge Global and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hengan International Group Company Limited (OTCMKTS:HEGIY Get Rating) Investment analysts at Jefferies Financial Group decreased their FY2023 earnings per share estimates for shares of Hengan International Group in a research report issued on Wednesday, March 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group analyst A. Ling now forecasts that the company will post earnings per share of $1.99 for the year, down from their previous forecast of $2.07. The consensus estimate for Hengan International Groups current full-year earnings is $1.19 per share. Jefferies Financial Group also issued estimates for Hengan International Groups FY2024 earnings at $2.40 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $2.59 EPS. Get Hengan International Group alerts: Hengan International Group Price Performance Shares of HEGIY opened at $22.98 on Friday. Hengan International Group has a one year low of $19.20 and a one year high of $27.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a current ratio of 1.33. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $23.75 and a 200-day moving average of $23.16. About Hengan International Group Hengan International Group Company Limited, an investment holding company, manufactures, distributes, and sells personal hygiene products in the People's Republic of China and internationally. The company offers pocket handkerchiefs, box and soft tissue papers, kitchen towels/papers, toilet rolls, first-aid products, enema, garbage and food bags, preservation papers, table cloths and swabbers, sanitary napkins, pantiliners, overnight pants, wet tissues, maternal and child care products, adult and baby diapers, and cleansing products. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Hengan International Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hengan International Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KB Home (NYSE:KBH Get Rating) was upgraded by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an underweight rating to a neutral rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, The Fly reports. The firm currently has a $42.50 target price on the construction companys stock, up from their prior target price of $32.50. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 5.17% from the stocks previous close. Several other research firms also recently weighed in on KBH. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of KB Home from $34.00 to $37.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of KB Home in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of KB Home from $34.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, December 21st. Wedbush reissued an outperform rating and issued a $42.00 price target on shares of KB Home in a research report on Monday, March 20th. Finally, Barclays raised their price target on shares of KB Home from $41.00 to $42.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $39.71. Get KB Home alerts: KB Home Price Performance Shares of NYSE KBH opened at $40.41 on Friday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $36.48 and a 200-day simple moving average of $32.19. The company has a market capitalization of $3.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.44, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.58. KB Home has a 1 year low of $24.78 and a 1 year high of $40.92. Institutional Investors Weigh In On KB Home KB Home ( NYSE:KBH Get Rating ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, March 22nd. The construction company reported $1.45 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.05 by $0.40. KB Home had a net margin of 11.73% and a return on equity of 23.21%. The firm had revenue of $1.38 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.30 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.47 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 1.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that KB Home will post 4.1 EPS for the current year. Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of KBH. Citigroup Inc. lifted its position in shares of KB Home by 20.9% during the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 109,019 shares of the construction companys stock worth $3,530,000 after purchasing an additional 18,818 shares during the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC lifted its position in KB Home by 35.5% in the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 2,169 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $69,000 after acquiring an additional 568 shares during the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC lifted its position in KB Home by 39.7% in the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 96,105 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $3,112,000 after acquiring an additional 27,327 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS lifted its position in KB Home by 10.5% in the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 31,411 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $1,017,000 after acquiring an additional 2,995 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Great West Life Assurance Co. Can lifted its position in KB Home by 7.1% in the first quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 47,231 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $1,571,000 after acquiring an additional 3,140 shares during the last quarter. 89.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About KB Home (Get Rating) KB Home engages in selling and building a variety of new homes. It builds various types of homes, including attached and detached single-family homes, townhomes, and condominiums. The firm operates through the following segments: West Coast, Southwest, Central, and Southeast. It offer homes in development communities, at urban in-fill locations and as part of mixed-use projects. Read More Receive News & Ratings for KB Home Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for KB Home and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC cut its position in The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Get Rating) by 2.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,830,587 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 51,593 shares during the quarter. Charles Schwab comprises about 3.0% of Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLCs holdings, making the stock its 3rd largest position. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC owned about 0.10% of Charles Schwab worth $152,415,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. IFG Advisory LLC grew its stake in Charles Schwab by 2.4% in the 3rd quarter. IFG Advisory LLC now owns 6,175 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $443,000 after buying an additional 144 shares in the last quarter. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 3.0% during the 3rd quarter. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 5,136 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $369,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the period. 1ST Source Bank raised its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. 1ST Source Bank now owns 24,341 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,749,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the period. Atlas Private Wealth Management lifted its holdings in Charles Schwab by 4.1% during the 3rd quarter. Atlas Private Wealth Management now owns 3,829 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $275,000 after purchasing an additional 151 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Beacon Financial Group boosted its stake in Charles Schwab by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. Beacon Financial Group now owns 21,285 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,546,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 73.49% of the companys stock. Get Charles Schwab alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, insider Jonathan M. Craig sold 51,144 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.30, for a total transaction of $4,106,863.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 62,500 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.54, for a total value of $5,096,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now owns 30,731,256 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,505,826,614.24. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Jonathan M. Craig sold 51,144 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.30, for a total value of $4,106,863.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have purchased 76,000 shares of company stock valued at $4,439,610 and have sold 728,106 shares valued at $58,067,403. Insiders own 7.50% of the companys stock. Charles Schwab Stock Performance Shares of NYSE SCHW opened at $53.26 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $95.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.22, a P/E/G ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 0.93. The stocks 50-day moving average is $73.62 and its 200 day moving average is $76.07. The company has a current ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 1-year low of $45.00 and a 1-year high of $93.16. Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.07 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.10 by ($0.03). Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 24.94% and a net margin of 34.60%. The business had revenue of $5.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.55 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.86 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 16.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 4.1 EPS for the current fiscal year. Charles Schwab Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 10th were given a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.88%. This is a positive change from Charles Schwabs previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 9th. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio is presently 28.57%. Analysts Set New Price Targets SCHW has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on shares of Charles Schwab in a report on Friday, March 10th. They issued a buy rating and a $97.00 price target on the stock. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $79.00 to $61.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. William Blair reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Charles Schwab in a report on Tuesday, January 17th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price objective on Charles Schwab from $88.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 12th. Finally, Piper Sandler reduced their target price on Charles Schwab from $100.00 to $95.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $83.65. Charles Schwab Profile (Get Rating) The Charles Schwab Corp. is a savings and loan holding company, which engages in the provision of wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. It operates through the Investor Services and Advisor Services segments. The Investor Services segment includes retail brokerage and banking services to individual investors, and retirement plan services, as well as other corporate brokerage services, to businesses and their employees. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Charles Schwab Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles Schwab and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pendal Group Ltd trimmed its position in shares of AGCO Co. (NYSE:AGCO Get Rating) by 19.1% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 659,037 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 155,801 shares during the period. Pendal Group Ltds holdings in AGCO were worth $91,402,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Kaizen Financial Strategies bought a new stake in AGCO during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $467,000. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of AGCO by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 8,289 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,150,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares in the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of AGCO in the 4th quarter worth approximately $547,580,000. ForthRight Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of AGCO in the 4th quarter worth approximately $268,000. Finally, Handelsinvest Investeringsforvaltning bought a new stake in shares of AGCO in the 4th quarter worth approximately $832,000. 75.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get AGCO alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on AGCO in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a strong-buy rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on AGCO from $135.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 13th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on AGCO from $129.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 8th. Credit Suisse Group boosted their price target on AGCO from $143.00 to $174.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, December 22nd. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price objective on shares of AGCO to $150.00 in a report on Wednesday, December 14th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, AGCO presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $154.40. AGCO Price Performance Shares of AGCO opened at $124.74 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $9.34 billion, a PE ratio of 10.51, a P/E/G ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.36. The company has a current ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $135.30 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $126.21. AGCO Co. has a 1-year low of $88.55 and a 1-year high of $150.28. AGCO (NYSE:AGCO Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 7th. The industrial products company reported $4.47 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.88 by $0.59. The business had revenue of $3.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.76 billion. AGCO had a net margin of 7.03% and a return on equity of 25.75%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that AGCO Co. will post 13.53 EPS for the current year. AGCO Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 15th were paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 14th. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.77%. AGCOs dividend payout ratio is presently 8.09%. Insider Buying and Selling at AGCO In other news, SVP Robert B. Crain sold 13,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.67, for a total transaction of $1,724,710.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 40,167 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,328,955.89. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, SVP Luis Fernando Sartini Felli sold 9,150 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $137.38, for a total transaction of $1,257,027.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 15,833 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,175,137.54. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Robert B. Crain sold 13,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.67, for a total transaction of $1,724,710.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 40,167 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,328,955.89. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 27,142 shares of company stock worth $3,671,940. Insiders own 17.40% of the companys stock. About AGCO (Get Rating) AGCO Corp. engages in the manufacture and distribution of agricultural equipment and related replacement parts. It operates through the following geographic segments: North America, South America, Europe and Middle East, and Asia, Pacific, and Africa. The Asia/Pacific/Africa segment includes the regions of Australia and New Zealand. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AGCO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AGCO Co. (NYSE:AGCO Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for AGCO Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AGCO and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Perfromance Wealth Partners LLC raised its position in Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW Get Rating) by 16.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,801 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 949 shares during the quarter. Perfromance Wealth Partners LLCs holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $1,498,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of ITW. Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 71,229.9% in the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 2,120,637 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $383,093,000 after buying an additional 2,117,664 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 25.1% in the 2nd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 2,805,831 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $511,363,000 after purchasing an additional 562,273 shares in the last quarter. Briar Hall Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Briar Hall Management LLC now owns 26,352,224 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $4,760,529,000 after purchasing an additional 520,540 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $91,466,000. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 5.9% in the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,902,872 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,236,063,000 after purchasing an additional 326,412 shares in the last quarter. 79.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Illinois Tool Works alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have recently weighed in on ITW. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Illinois Tool Works in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $170.00 to $183.00 in a research note on Friday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 19th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $174.00 to $223.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 7th. Finally, Vertical Research downgraded shares of Illinois Tool Works from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their target price for the stock from $240.00 to $220.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 3rd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $223.07. Illinois Tool Works Trading Up 0.1 % Illinois Tool Works stock traded up $0.34 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $231.62. 1,049,578 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,201,598. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.00. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a 12 month low of $173.52 and a 12 month high of $253.37. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $234.28 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $219.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $70.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.68, a PEG ratio of 3.50 and a beta of 1.10. Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 2nd. The industrial products company reported $2.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.60 by ($0.26). Illinois Tool Works had a return on equity of 87.15% and a net margin of 19.04%. The firm had revenue of $3.97 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.90 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.95 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 7.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 9.61 EPS for the current year. Illinois Tool Works Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 31st will be paid a $1.31 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 30th. This represents a $5.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.26%. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio is currently 53.58%. Insider Activity In other news, CEO Ernest Scott Santi sold 235,656 shares of Illinois Tool Works stock in a transaction on Friday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.29, for a total value of $58,039,716.24. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 213,538 shares in the company, valued at approximately $52,592,274.02. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, Vice Chairman Christopher A. Oherlihy sold 60,137 shares of Illinois Tool Works stock in a transaction on Friday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.26, for a total value of $14,809,337.62. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 40,072 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,868,130.72. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Ernest Scott Santi sold 235,656 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.29, for a total transaction of $58,039,716.24. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 213,538 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $52,592,274.02. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.78% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. About Illinois Tool Works (Get Rating) Illinois Tool Works, Inc engages in the manufacture of industrial products and equipment. It operates through the following segments: Automotive OEM, Test and Measurement and Electronics, Food Equipment, Polymers and Fluids, Welding, Construction Products, and Specialty Products. The Automotive OEM segment produces components and fasteners for automotive-related applications. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Illinois Tool Works Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Illinois Tool Works and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ridgewood Investments LLC decreased its position in Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM Get Rating) by 17.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,610 shares of the companys stock after selling 541 shares during the quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLCs holdings in Archer-Daniels-Midland were worth $242,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Archer-Daniels-Midland by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 62,966,053 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,065,619,000 after buying an additional 522,009 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in Archer-Daniels-Midland by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 44,149,903 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,551,860,000 after buying an additional 385,172 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in Archer-Daniels-Midland by 2.5% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 32,405,932 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,514,700,000 after buying an additional 797,915 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp increased its stake in Archer-Daniels-Midland by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 13,673,309 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,061,049,000 after buying an additional 73,156 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its stake in Archer-Daniels-Midland by 29.4% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 6,524,033 shares of the companys stock valued at $524,856,000 after buying an additional 1,483,115 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.23% of the companys stock. Get Archer-Daniels-Midland alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have commented on ADM shares. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from $114.00 to $116.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 3rd. Finally, UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland in a research note on Tuesday, December 13th. They set a buy rating and a $115.00 price target for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $104.71. Archer-Daniels-Midland Stock Performance Shares of ADM stock traded up $1.48 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $76.61. 2,329,495 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,218,854. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $81.18 and a 200 day simple moving average of $87.23. The company has a current ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. Archer-Daniels-Midland Company has a 52-week low of $70.02 and a 52-week high of $98.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.94, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.79. Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 26th. The company reported $1.93 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.64 by $0.29. Archer-Daniels-Midland had a net margin of 4.26% and a return on equity of 18.32%. The business had revenue of $26.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $25.37 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.50 EPS. Archer-Daniels-Midlands revenue was up 13.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Archer-Daniels-Midland Company will post 6.74 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Archer-Daniels-Midland Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 2nd. Investors of record on Thursday, February 9th were paid a $0.45 dividend. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.35%. This is a positive change from Archer-Daniels-Midlands previous quarterly dividend of $0.40. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 8th. Archer-Daniels-Midlands payout ratio is currently 23.35%. About Archer-Daniels-Midland (Get Rating) Archer-Daniels-Midland Co engages in the production of oilseeds, corn, wheat, cocoa, and other agricultural commodities. It operates through the following segments: Ag Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions, Nutrition, and Other. The Ag Services and Oilseeds segment includes activities related to the origination, merchandising, transportation, and storage of agricultural raw materials, and the crushing and further processing of oilseeds such as soybeans and soft seeds cottonseed, sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, and flaxseed into vegetable oils and protein meals. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ADM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Archer-Daniels-Midland Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Archer-Daniels-Midland and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Shaw Communications Inc. (NYSE:SJR Get Rating) (TSE:SJR.B) have been given a consensus rating of Hold by the seven brokerages that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company. A number of brokerages have issued reports on SJR. Scotiabank cut shares of Shaw Communications from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research note on Friday, January 13th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered shares of Shaw Communications from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 3rd. StockNews.com raised shares of Shaw Communications from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, March 18th. National Bank Financial lowered shares of Shaw Communications from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 4th. Finally, Desjardins lowered shares of Shaw Communications from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, January 13th. Get Shaw Communications alerts: Shaw Communications Trading Down 0.3 % Shares of SJR opened at $28.35 on Friday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $29.03 and its 200-day simple moving average is $27.27. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.54 billion, a PE ratio of 24.87 and a beta of 0.52. Shaw Communications has a 12-month low of $23.64 and a 12-month high of $31.60. Shaw Communications Increases Dividend Shaw Communications ( NYSE:SJR Get Rating ) (TSE:SJR.B) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 12th. The company reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.27 by ($0.02). Shaw Communications had a net margin of 13.57% and a return on equity of 11.70%. The business had revenue of $1.02 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.01 billion. As a group, research analysts predict that Shaw Communications will post 1.09 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 30th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 15th will be given a $0.074 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 14th. This is a positive change from Shaw Communicationss previous monthly dividend of $0.07. This represents a $0.89 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.13%. Shaw Communicationss payout ratio is currently 76.32%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Gabelli Funds LLC raised its holdings in shares of Shaw Communications by 0.9% during the third quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 471,000 shares of the companys stock worth $11,455,000 after acquiring an additional 4,000 shares during the period. FMR LLC raised its stake in shares of Shaw Communications by 63.2% in the 2nd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 4,359,514 shares of the companys stock valued at $128,462,000 after purchasing an additional 1,688,422 shares during the period. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Shaw Communications by 0.9% in the third quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 4,561,989 shares of the companys stock valued at $110,789,000 after purchasing an additional 39,325 shares in the last quarter. DLD Asset Management LP boosted its position in shares of Shaw Communications by 80.0% during the second quarter. DLD Asset Management LP now owns 360,000 shares of the companys stock worth $13,655,000 after buying an additional 160,000 shares during the period. Finally, Prudential PLC grew its holdings in shares of Shaw Communications by 15.3% during the second quarter. Prudential PLC now owns 252,779 shares of the companys stock worth $7,448,000 after buying an additional 33,486 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 55.44% of the companys stock. Shaw Communications Company Profile (Get Rating) Shaw Communications, Inc engages in the provision of cable telecommunications and satellite video services. The company was founded by James Robert Shaw on December 9, 1966 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Shaw Communications Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Shaw Communications and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Rating) had its price target lowered by Oppenheimer from $463.00 to $440.00 in a report published on Thursday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the investment management companys stock. Oppenheimer also issued estimates for The Goldman Sachs Groups Q1 2023 earnings at $9.38 EPS, Q2 2023 earnings at $8.14 EPS, Q3 2023 earnings at $8.73 EPS and Q4 2023 earnings at $7.63 EPS. Several other research analysts have also weighed in on GS. Credit Suisse Group set a $410.00 target price on The Goldman Sachs Group in a research report on Wednesday, January 25th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $390.00 to $420.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 8th. UBS Group raised their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $325.00 to $350.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, January 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $385.00 to $405.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $485.00 to $443.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, The Goldman Sachs Group currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $396.07. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: The Goldman Sachs Group Trading Down 0.7 % Shares of GS opened at $312.57 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.32. The firm has a market capitalization of $104.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.62 and a beta of 1.42. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $350.28 and its 200 day simple moving average is $345.83. The Goldman Sachs Group has a twelve month low of $277.84 and a twelve month high of $389.58. The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement The Goldman Sachs Group ( NYSE:GS Get Rating ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 17th. The investment management company reported $3.32 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.25 by ($1.93). The firm had revenue of $10.59 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.91 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 10.55% and a net margin of 16.39%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 16.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $10.81 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that The Goldman Sachs Group will post 33.14 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 2nd will be paid a $2.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 1st. This represents a $10.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.20%. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 33.27%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 101,526 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.43, for a total value of $652,812.18. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 16,980,553 shares in the company, valued at $109,184,955.79. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Over the last three months, insiders sold 4,105,275 shares of company stock worth $26,412,477. Corporate insiders own 0.57% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Goldman Sachs Group A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of GS. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new position in The Goldman Sachs Group in the first quarter valued at approximately $66,000. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. boosted its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 1,505.1% in the first quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 41,300 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $13,633,000 after acquiring an additional 38,727 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 18.5% in the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 118,609 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $39,153,000 after acquiring an additional 18,540 shares during the period. Zions Bancorporation N.A. boosted its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 79.4% in the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 827 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $273,000 after acquiring an additional 366 shares during the period. Finally, Covestor Ltd boosted its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 118.3% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 310 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $102,000 after acquiring an additional 168 shares during the period. 69.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About The Goldman Sachs Group (Get Rating) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc engages in global investment banking, securities, and investment management, which provides financial services. It operates through the following business segments: Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset Management, and Consumer & Wealth Management. The Investment Banking segment serves public and private sector clients around the world and provides financial advisory services, helping companies raise capital to strengthen and grow their businesses and provide financing to corporate clients. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Citigroup cut shares of Toyota Industries (OTCMKTS:TYIDY Get Rating) from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, The Fly reports. Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of Toyota Industries from an overweight rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday. Get Toyota Industries alerts: Toyota Industries Price Performance Toyota Industries stock opened at $51.49 on Thursday. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $58.71 and its 200-day simple moving average is $55.09. Toyota Industries has a fifty-two week low of $46.83 and a fifty-two week high of $72.62. Toyota Industries Company Profile Toyota Industries Corp. engages in the manufacture and sale of automobiles and industrial machines. It operates through the following segments: Automobile, Materials Handling Equipment, Textile Machinery, and Others. The Automobile segment includes vehicles, engines, car air-conditioning compressors, and car electronics. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Toyota Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Toyota Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe With winter past, its time to spring clean up after your dog. For years, DeVo K-9 Klean-up has had the area covered. Terry and Barb Dvorak, the owners of DeVo K-9 Klean-up, sold their business after 20 years in Grand Island. Ownership will officially transfer to Jeremy and Cori Ross on April 1. DeVo K-9 Klean-up picks up dog waste from customer's yards and throws it away. Decades ago, Terry Dvorak was working at New Holland, but knew he would need a part-time job once he retired. He said got the idea for canine waste removal from similar businesses in Omaha. At that time, there weren't any others (in the Grand Island area), Terry Dvorak said of the impetus for the business. The Dvoraks started advertising the DeVo K-9 Klean-up in November 2002. When pick-ups began, they only had one customer. I remember exactly who our first one was, said Barb Dvorak. Originally, Terry Dvorak was to do pick-ups after he got off his full-time job. However, once they got more clientele, it became harder for one person to do everything. For eight years, Barb Dvorak was doing pick-ups, while Terry helped when there was too much for one person. Once Terry Dvorak retired, he did the pick-ups regularly while Barb did the bookkeeping. Pretty much all of our kids, some of our grandkids, a couple of different friends have helped us out at different times, said Barb Dvorak. We've always kind of had somebody helping us along the way. To get word out about DeVo K-9 Klean-up, the Dvoraks had flyers, an article in The Independent and set up a booth at the Central Nebraska Home and Builders Show at Fonner Park. The Dvoraks also learned of more potential clients with help from the Central Nebraska Humane Society. The Humane Society let me go there and I could go through all of their (files) and copy down names and addresses of people who had dog licenses in town, said Bard Dvorak. So, if they had a dog then we sent them a letter. According to Terry Dvorak, Barb has been pushing for them to sell the business and retire for the last two or three years. Originally, Terry Dvorak didnt mind continuing to do pick-ups. However, as the Dvoraks were getting older, there were other things they wanted to do. Such as, attending their grandkids' ball games or going on vacation. Plus, the Dvoraks now live in Wolbach in Greeley County. Since most of their customers are in Grand Island, Terry Dvorak would have to drive, at minimum, 40 minutes to do pick-ups. Decided, yeah, it'd be a good time to try to sell, said Terry Dvorak. Meanwhile, their daughter, Misty Dvorak, had been discussing DeVo K-9 Klean-up with her hairdresser, Cori Ross. The business had intrigued Ross, who was considering taking a part-time job on her days off. Once we made the decision, said Barb Dvorak, Misty talked to her and then Cory reached out to us. According to Cori Ross, when she talked to her husband, Jeremy, about buying the business he was hesitant. After meeting the Dvoraks, Jeremy Ross decided that he could see himself doing it. He ultimately wants to quit his full time job, said Cori Ross. And do this full time." The Rosses trained during November and started doing pick-ups in the winter. According to Terry Dvorak, its hard to clean in the winter, since the snow can make waste difficult to find, put you behind schedule and make a mess once everything melts. We feel that if they made it through this winter, which has been a challenging winter, said Barb Dvorak, they'll be great, they can do anything. Over the years, the Dvoraks have formed a bond with their customers, with some remaining clients with DeVo K-9 Klean-up since the beginning. Since the Rosses have done the pick-ups, Jeremy has already learned a bit about their clients. Jeremy Ross knows which houses to go to without looking at a map and has memorized the dogs habits during pick-ups. You know which dogs are going to be out, he said. Which ones aren't going to be out. The Rosses plan to market the business more under their management. Even with more canine waste removal businesses in the area, Cori Ross thinks that there is a good opportunity to gain more customers who might not be aware of them. It is a huge market, said Cori Ross. And there's just people that don't even really know about it. With the ownership for DeVo K-9 Klean-up to change in the beginning of April, the Dvoraks have faith that they have left the business in good hands. When they take over they could do it how they want, said Barb Dvorak. But we have all the confidence in the world that they will do a great job. LINCOLN The 13th annual Ag Sack Lunch program, designed to increase awareness of the importance of agriculture in Nebraska to fourth-grade students and their families, heads into the spring semester offering both in-person and virtual presentations to schools across the state. The in-person version of the program is offered to classes visiting the State Capitol Building in Lincoln as part of their curriculum. Virtual presentations are available for schools which, for a variety of reasons including distance from Lincoln, makes in-person State Capitol visits unfeasible. This spring many schools have resumed their Lincoln visits, so in-person reservations are full, according to Karen Brokaw, program coordinator. While our in-person reservations are full, we encourage teachers to sign up for virtual presentations, she said. The virtual presentations provide an opportunity to reach students from schools from across the state. Teachers can register online for a virtual presentation by visiting AgSackLunchProgram.com. For fourth-grade classes choosing to make the trip to Lincoln to visit the State Capitol Building, the program provides free sack lunches to the students while they listen to a short presentation about the importance of agriculture in Nebraska. They also receive fun card games that feature Nebraska agriculture facts to take home to play with their families. The sessions are led by Ag Ambassadors, students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Agriculture. Students at schools opting for virtual presentations hear the same lively and interactive presentation about Nebraska agriculture, connecting the food we eat with Nebraska farmers. They also receive the card games to play with their families. Teachers who have had their classes participate in the program, both in-person and virtual, say the presentations are very informative, and their students learned a great deal about the importance of agriculture in the state. The virtual presentation provides basic information to the students, and the cards are great way for them to review what they learned and continue learning more, said Jennifer Alder, teacher at Stuart Public School, Stuart. The virtual presentation was very informative and relative to what we were studying. The deck of cards will be a great reminder of what Nebraska offers, she said. The students were excited to take them home and show their parents! Ag Ambassadors for the spring semester include Emily Zimmer, Pleasanton; Jadyn Fleischman, Herman; Karlie Gerlach, Wellfleet; Megan Vrbka, Staplehurst; Mikayla Martensen, Humphrey; Samantha Oborny, Garland; Emma Schmidt, Bridgman, Mich.; Emily Hatterman, Wisner; Alexis Jansen, Gretna; Holly Schacht, Orchard; and Jessie Lamp, Ashland. The Ag Sack Lunch Program is sponsored by the Nebraska Corn Board; the Nebraska Soybean Board; the Nebraska Pork Producers Association; Nebraska Beef Council; Midwest Dairy; Nebraska Poultry Industries; and Nebraska Wheat Board. For more information, call Brokaw at 402-432-2299. Many people regard a mouse as almost worthless. At the Edgerton Explorit Center, though, a mouse is worth $1.60. The bird that eats them every day probably feels it's a good deal. A hawk named Roy, who lives at the center, consumes three mice a day. The mice are shipped frozen to the science center in Aurora. That's just fine with Deb Miller, who takes care of Roy. This way, she doesn't have to raise mice. Many Swainson's hawks, of which Roy is an example, like grasshoppers. They also like to snack on small game birds, such as quail. "So every once in a while, he does get a treat," Miller said. Those were just some of the interesting facts Miller delivered Saturday afternoon at the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center. Miller brought three raptors to the presentation, which was attended by about 60 people. She also showed an American kestrel named Ted and a small Eastern screech owl. Miller will give the same talk at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 26. Every year, Swainson's Hawks do a lot of traveling. They head down to Argentina and then go north, making a round trip of 12,000 miles. In Aurora, Roy's house measures 6 feet by 6 feet by 8 feet. Miller has to have a special permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to care for the birds. Asked for a definition of raptor, one man in the audience suggested "thief." Another way of looking at the birds, Miller said, is that they control rodent populations. Many raptors are injured while dining on roadkill, she said. They're so wrapped up in their meal that they don't notice oncoming traffic. Roy was found in August of 2018 at Lake Minatare near Scottsbluff. He had a broken left wing and was very thin, possibly because of West Nile Virus. Roy weighs about 2 pounds. The kestrel totals 138 grams. The owl is even smaller. The hawk, who is almost 5, will live to be 20 or 25 years old. The kestrel is about 9 years old. The age of the owl is not known. The kestrel and owl will both live to be 12 to 16. Ted, who is part of the falcon family, is a speedster. He can dive at 50 to 60 mph, Miller said. The birds can also hover before they dive. Kestrels also have ultraviolet vision. A kestrel's idea of a delicious meal consists of dragonflies and locusts. He might also enjoy a lizard. Instead of building a nest, kestrels live in the cavity of a tree. American kestrels aren't as numerous as they used to be, Miller said. It's just a myth that owls can turn their heads 360 degrees. It's more like 270 degrees, Miller said. Humans can turn their heads 180 degrees without moving their bodies. Nocturnal birds such has owls have big eyes. How big? "If I look in his ear I see the back of his eye," she said. She also demonstrated that an owl flaps its wings quietly, which comes in handy for night-time hunting. Among other things, Eastern screech owls have a taste for lightning bugs. KEARNEY Nate Kauffman, senior vice president of the Federal Reserve brand in Omaha, will be the featured speaker during an economic forum set for April 17 in Kearney. In his role as senior VP, Kauffman serves as the banks lead economist and representative in the state of Nebraska, Kauffman provides strategic direction and oversight for the Omaha Branch, regional research, and economic outreach throughout the state. He serves as a local connection to the nations central bank and is responsible for briefing the Kansas City Feds president a member of the Federal Open Market Committee on regional economic and business activity. In addition, he is the Kansas City Feds principal expert in agricultural economics. He is a leading voice on the agricultural economy throughout the seven states of the Tenth Federal Reserve District and the broader Federal Reserve System. Kauffman oversees several Bank and Federal Reserve efforts to track agricultural economic and financial conditions and hosts the Kansas City Feds annual Agricultural Symposium. He also speaks regularly on the agricultural economy to industry audiences and the news media, including providing testimonies at both U.S. Senate and U.S. House Agriculture Committee hearings. Kauffman joined the Federal Reserve in 2012. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Iowa State University. Prior to receiving his Ph.D., Nate spent three years in Bosnia and Herzegovina coordinating agricultural economic development projects. Nate lives in Omaha with his wife and four children. The forum is planned for noon to 1:15 p.m. at the Younes Conference Center South. Lunch will be served. There is no cost to attend. However, seating is limited and advance registration is required. Register at https://frbkc.custhelp.com/ci/documents/detail/2/2023KearneyEconomicForumRegistration The Omaha Branch hosts these forums to share relevant updates on the economy and learn about local economic issues. Visit its website at https://www.kansascityfed.org/omaha/nebraska-economic-forums/ for more information on Nebraska Economic Forums. LINCOLN The Center for Great Plains Studies will host its 48th annual interdisciplinary conference focused on regional issues April 18-20 at the University of NebraskaLincoln. This years topic is Plant to Table: Food Production, Culture and Consequences on the Great Plains and will focus on three major categories: Indigenous food sovereignty movements; the long-standing significance of the meatpacking industry and related topics of labor, immigration, and health and safety standards; and the environmental impacts of food production and consumption. The event features a combination of keynote presentations, panels, hands-on workshops and dinner experiences, giving attendees a nuanced look at food on the Great Plains in the past, present and future. The conference is meant for a broad audience, including the general public, scholars, students, business owners, community leaders and lifelong learners. Tickets are available at https://go.unl.edu/gp2023. Featured speakers include: Sarah Vogel, author of The Farmers Lawyer, a memoir about her landmark class action lawsuit against the federal government on behalf of 240,000 family farmers facing foreclosure during the 1980s farm crisis. Taylor Keen, of Omaha, Creighton University instructor and founder of Sacred Seed, which educates about and celebrates Indigenous agricultural lifeways. J. Arbuckle, professor and extension rural sociologist at Iowa State University, focused on improving the environmental and social performance of agricultural systems Rose Godinez, senior legal and policy counsel for ACLU Nebraska, who advocates for meatpackers rights and safety Aubrey Streit Krug, director of ecosphere studies at The Land Institute, who will speak about building more just and enduring food cultures for the region Chef Anthony Warrior (Sicangu-Bad Nations and Absentee Shawnee/Mvskoke Creek), who will give two cooking workshops and create an Indigenous food tasting experience LINCOLN Teens 14 or 15 years of age who work on farms, or others who are interested in learning about tractor and farm equipment safety practices, can register for a safety training course offered at seven locations across Nebraska, including Grand Island, from May 22 through June 8. The course is sponsored by the University of Nebraska Extension and the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health. Students will complete the first day of the course by attending a hands-on event at one of two locations or online through the eXtension Foundation Campus website. The hands-on events are planned for May 22 in North Platte and May 30 in Grand Island. After completing the hands-on event or the online course and testing, the required driving test will be offered at seven locations across Nebraska from May 23 through June 8. Federal law prohibits children under 16 from using specific equipment on a farm unless their parents or legal guardians own the farm. However, certification received through the course grants an exemption to the law allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and to do field work with specific mechanized equipment. Aaron Yoder, associate professor at the UNMC College of Public Health, reports that a common cause of agricultural-related injuries and deaths in Nebraska is overturned tractors and ATVs and equipment entanglements. He emphasized that this course trains students to avoid these incidents and many other hazards on the farm and ranch. The hands-on event and the online course will cover the required elements of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program, including quizzes that students must pass to attend the driving portion of the training. Once a student is registered, the coordinators will send instructions, materials, course paperwork and a link to the online course if they do not attend one of the two hands-on events. The onsite driving training and exam will include a driving test, equipment operation and ATV safety lessons. Students must demonstrate competence in hitching and unhitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course. Instructors also will offer education on emergency preparedness, personal protective equipment, and safe behaviors and laws for ATVs, utility-task vehicles (UTVs) and other off-road vehicles (ORVs). Instructors for the course are members of the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, and in addition to Yoder, include professors Ellen Duysen and Risto Rautiainen; graduate student Sarah Tucker; and Nebraska Extension educators Randy Saner, Ron Seymour and John Thomas. The course costs $35 and includes educational materials and supplies. Participants can pay at the time of registration or before the driving exam. Only checks and cash are accepted. Hands-on training, driving dates, site locations and site coordinator contact information are below. Hands-On Safety Days (If not attending a Hands-On Safety Day, online course must be completed). May 22, North Platte: Lincoln-Logan-McPherson County Extension Office, 348 W. State Farm Road. Contacts: Randy Saner (randy.saner@unl.edu) and Vicki Neidhardt (vicki.neidhardt@unl.edu); 308-532-2683 May 30, Grand Island: Raising Nebraska, 501 E. Fonner Park Road. Contacts: Saner and Neidhardt. Tractor Driving Days May 23, North Platte: Lincoln-Logan-McPherson County Extension Office, 348 W. State Farm Road. Contacts: Saner and Neidhardt. May 31, Grand Island: Raising Nebraska, 501 E. Fonner Park Road. Contacts: Saner and Neidhardt. June 1, Gering: Legacy of the Plains Museum, 2930 Old Oregon Trail, Gering. Contacts: John Thomas (jthomas2@unl.edu) or Stacy Brown (sbrown7@unl.edu); 308-632-1480. June 2, ONeill: AKRS Equipment, 49110 U.S. Highway 20. Contact: Debra Walnofer (dwalnofer2@unl.edu); 402-336-2760 June 6, Hastings: Adams County Extension, 2975 South Baltimore Ave. Contact: Ron Seymour (ron.seymour@unl.edu); 402.461.7209. June 7, West Point: Cuming County Fairgrounds, W. Washington St. Contact: Mary Jo Lueckenhoff (mlueckenhoff1@unl.edu) or Melissa Hagemeister (mhagemeister5@unl.edu); 402-372-6006. June 8, West Point: Cass County Fairgrounds, 8400 144th St. Contact: Sandy Prall (sprall2@unl.edu); 402-267-2205. A registration form can be found online at: https://go.unl.edu/2023tractorsafety For more information, contact the administrator listed above at your driving site or contact Ellen Duysen at ellen.duysen@unmc.edu. A colorful panorama of stylishly accessorized hats, fashionable skirts and dresses, and a delicious assortment of flavored teas helped highlight a spirit of sisterhood at the 15th annual First Ladys Hats and Gloves Scholarship Tea on Saturday, March 18, at Claflins Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex. Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories, was the theme of this year's fundraiser that supports scholarships for outstanding Claflin students. Our theme aligns with Women's History Month, said LaKisha Warmack, Claflin's First Lady and the wife of the university's ninth president, Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack. It is a meaningful tribute to women who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling, including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts and more, she said. The honorees were: Tamika Felder, an award-winning, high-energy motivational speaker on a mission to educate, entertain and mobilize others to live life with purpose Vivian Glover, a part-time director of community arts and development at the Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center in Orangeburg who is also an independent producer and a producer for NBC News Tammy J. McCottry, founder and CEO of Tammy Media Group, LLC, a television, event management production, public relations and consulting company These women have dedicated their lives to telling stories, testimonies and advocated and created content and spaces for other women to share theirs, Warmack said. Your commitment and unwavering support of this event are greatly appreciated. As a woman, sometimes it is hard to find true, genuine friendship. The success of everyone should be an inspiration for others. We should uplift each other and make sure you are courageous, strong, extremely kind and above all, humble. Our 2023 honorees embody every single word. A trio of academically talented Claflin students was also honored during the event: Shamiyah Lemons, a freshman marketing major from Norwood, Ga; Payton Jackson, a junior political science major from St. Louis, Mo.; and Summer Edmond, a freshman mass communications major from Columbia were selected as the 2023 First Ladys Hats and Gloves Scholarship Tea Scholars. Each student received a $1,000 scholarship per semester for one year. They also received laptop computers donated by Emma Harvin, wife of Moses L. Harvin, 75, a former member of Claflins Board of Trustees. Mrs. Harvin is also president of One Source Office Products in Rockledge, Fla. We know these extraordinary young visionaries will achieve their dreams, Warmack said. We hope that after they graduate, they will return to Claflin as honorees at this event. Arischa Conner Frierson, a 1998 Claflin graduate, was the mistress of ceremonies. She is best known for her recurring role in Hulu's Emmy Award-winning limited original series, Dopesick, with Michael Keaton. Some of her other credits include co-starring in the Apple TV+ series, "Swagger," directed by Reggie "Rock" Bythewood (CBS); "The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey" with Samuel L. Jackson, and a recurring role on "Players," now streaming on Paramount+. She's also appeared on "All American" (The CW), "The Resident" (Fox) and "Mike" (Hulu) as Dr. Maya Angelou. Before her break into TV and film, Frierson flourished on the theatre stage, earning her a Broadway World Regional nomination for Best Actress. A HatTITUDE contest concluded the festivities as participants showcased their dazzling hats and paraded past the podium much to the audience's delight. Three contestants forced a deadlock by receiving the loudest applause, and the competition ended in a tie. Four freshmen from South Carolina State Universitys Dr. Emily England Clyburn Honors College have each earned a $1,000 scholarship in the Pay it Forward competition sponsored by the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina. S.C. State students Rejoice Anaele, Princess Tisdale, Jadon Reed and Cleotilde Perdew won for their proposal to create a rural entrepreneurship and education pipeline in Orangeburg, St. Matthews and Ehrhardt. The students who were a part of this team to be just freshmen, they were all energized, they were excited, they couldnt wait to launch the project and theyve been a joy to work with, said Dr. Harriet Roland, dean of the Emily England Clyburn Honors College. Everybodys prompt, punctual, theyre responsible and accountable. Never once did I have to go back and say, You all havent done this yet. Everything just fell into place no problems with them. Roland, who advised the winning students on their project, also received $1,000 for her work. Pay it Forward is an academic competition for honors college students at S.C. State, Clemson University and the University of South Carolina. The competition challenges students to search for solutions to social and economic problems in the states rural areas. The presentation of these scholarships continues to show that our Honors College students are indeed the best and brightest in the state, S.C. State President Alexander Conyers said. So, this opportunity for them expands further than just the campus. Theyre competing with students statewide, and it tells me that our students, when given an opportunity, can compete at the highest levels and win. To view Anaele, Tisdale, Reed and Perdews winning proposal, visit https://tinyurl.com/2rsvw7ya. To view their winning video, visit https://tinyurl.com/362k5dpj. Daniel Charles Connelly, 21, of 153 Bizzell Road, Neeses, pleaded guilty to first-offense failure to stop for blue lights and first-offense possession of less than one ounce of marijuana. Circuit Judge Maite Murphy sentenced him under the Youthful Offender Act not to exceed one year during a recent term of court held at the Orangeburg County Courthouse. She also ordered him to obtain his GED, complete substance abuse counseling and undergo random drug/alcohol testing. She gave Connelly credit for having already served five days in jail. In other guilty pleas: Deangelo Maurice Deloach, 26, of 1101 Lexington St., Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle valued more than $2,000 but less than $10,000. Murphy sentenced him to 92 days, time served. Jacob Oneil Dennis, 24, of 206 Turner Lane, Round O, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen pistol. Murphy sentenced him to five years in prison, suspended to two years of probation. She gave Dennis credit for having already served 139 days in jail. Prosecutors dismissed Dennis charge of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent felony. Charles Coleman Driggers, 27, of 1465 Unity Road, Holly Hill, pleaded guilty to first-offense failure to stop for blue lights, first-offense possession of less than one gram of methamphetamine/cocaine base and first-offense possession of a controlled substance. Murphy sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended to 105 days in jail. She gave him credit for time served. She also ordered Driggers to enroll with the S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation Department or Job Corps. Stephen Christopher Driggers, 33, of 204 Sweetwater Road, St. Matthews, pleaded guilty to first-offense failure to register as a sex offender. Murphy sentenced him to 123 days in jail and gave him credit for time served. Carla Jacobs Dyson, 44, of 1673 Wire Road, Norway, pleaded guilty to four counts of forgery valued less than $10,000. Murphy sentenced her to four years in prison, suspended to two years of probation. She also ordered Dyson to pay restitution and undergo random drug/alcohol testing. Prosecutors dismissed Dysons eight additional counts of forgery valued $10,000 or less. Allison Leann Etheridge, 25, of 3920 Sharron St., West Columbia, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle valued more than $2,000 but less than $10,000. Murphy ordered her to pay restitution, complete substance abuse counseling and undergo random drug/alcohol testing. Dickey Jay Faircloth, 40, of 9760 Willie Road, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle valued more than $2,000 but less than $10,000. Murphy sentenced him to five years in prison, suspended to two years of probation. She also ordered him to complete substance abuse counseling and undergo random drug/alcohol testing. Prosecutors dismissed Faircloths charges of receiving stolen goods valued at $2,000 or less and first-offense possession of less than one gram of methamphetamine/cocaine base. Erdogan approves controversial bill removing lawmakers' immunity President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave his approval Tuesday to legislation that will strip the legal immunity of more than 130 parliament members, in a move widely seen as targeting pro-Kurdish lawmakers. GALLERY Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at the Presidential palace in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 29 February 2016. Istanbul (dpa) - Erdogans approval, reported by broadcaster NTV and other outlets, is needed for the bill, which has the power of constitutional amendment, to become law and paving the way to prosecutions.A two-thirds majority in parliament approved the measure last month.The United States and the European Union have expressed concerns over the immunity bill.The measure was widely seen as targeting the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), as more than 50 of their 59 members in the 550-seat house would be affected. However, the bill could have implications for all four parties in the legislative house.Turkeys Constitutional Court last week rejected an appeal against the legislation by lawmakers from the HDP and some from the centre-left Republican Peoples Party (CHP), which is split over the matter.The far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has largely backed the immunity bill, which was initiated by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The AKPs key founder, Erdogan, has repeatedly called for HDP members to lose their legal protection.Erdogan has alleged tight connections between the HDP and the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), something the legal party denies. COLUMBIA -- The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce -- in partnership with the Forestry Association of South Carolina, the Palmetto Agribusiness Council, and South Carolina Farm Bureau -- hosted the annual Spotlight on Agriculture and Forestry reception at City Roots Farm in Columbia. The reception highlighted the significant $51.8 billion economic impact agribusiness industries have in the Palmetto State. Laurie Funderburk, state executive director for the USDA Farm Service Agency, participated as the events first-ever woman keynote speaker. It is my pleasure to be the executive director of an agency that works hard to ensure farmers, livestock producers, and foresters are successful and rural communities are stronger and more resilient, Funderburk said. Our economic impact on South Carolina is substantial. For the fiscal year 2022, our farm loan programs provided more than $92.1 million in loan funding. Our farm programs gave more than $36.5 million in safety net and conservation program payments, and we supplied more than $69.6 million in disaster payments to South Carolina farmers. Over 100 attendees also heard from S.C. Department of Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers. It is great to talk about where agribusiness is in our state, Weathers said. But we are focused on the future ... We are focused on where this industry can go, the means by which we can get to the next level and what further collaborations we can foster to make it happen. The windshield is lot bigger than the rearview mirror, so at the Department of Agriculture, we are looking forward to what the future holds for South Carolina farmers. This years Spotlight on Agriculture and Forestry presenting sponsor was the Farm Credit Associations of South Carolina, including AgFirst, AgSouth and ArborOne. (TBTCO) - GS.TS Andreas Stoffers - Giam oc Quoc gia Vien Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) tai Viet Nam cho rang, neu cham trien khai thue toi thieu toan cau, mot mat Viet Nam se khong nhan uoc muc chenh lech thue 8%, tuong uong voi vai ty USD hang nam tu hon 100 cong ty FDI lon u ieu kien huong muc thue nay. Mat khac, moi truong au tu tai Viet Nam se bi anh huong do cac nha au tu se chuyen huong sang cac quoc gia khac co co che chia se loi ich lien quan en quy inh thue moi nay. A mishmash of positive thinking spiced with pan-Slavism, far-out conspiracy theories, and apocalyptic visions is a growing presence on Central European social media. Today, the web seems to have a problem with the circulation of far-right content. Far-right motifs can be spotted in places where one would least expect it, so the odds of stumbling upon one of the many entry points to ideological extremism have multiplied. This spread is also boosted by the world of conspirituality, a place where the borders of contemporary spirituality and conspiracy theories blur. Spreading extremist and disinformation messages through their own channels and cosmologies, conspiritual networks are seedbeds for the growth of extremism. In the first article in this two-part series, we traced the expansion of the U.S.-born, far-right conspiracy theory QAnon into European countries such as Italy and the Czech Republic thanks to conspiritual channels and narratives. But regardless of QAnons powerful structure of diffusion, our cross-border investigation also shows the presence of many other, perhaps lesser known, far-right, conspiritual themes and networks scattered in many corners of the digital space. As with QAnon, these ideas and networks multiply by connecting to regional narratives and national ideologies. Studying the different channels and forms of diffusion of the phenomenon, our investigation uncovered cross-border mechanisms that act to recycle disinformation narratives, subliminal messages from spiritual gurus, and modern-day pagan conspiracies used for Slavic revanchism. This post on the Telegram channel Somslovan.sk purports to elucidate the reasons for Anglo-Saxon hatred of the Slavic peoples. New Age Pan-Slavism In the Czech and Slovak Republics, conspiracy theories spread through different channels, but especially on the social network Telegram, which, in these countries, is used mainly by extremists, QAnon followers, and devotees of disinformation news streams. Telegram channels circulate, among others, the ideas and rhetoric of a modern-day revival of pan-Slavism, which foresees the unity of Slavic nations and their superiority to the alleged hegemony of Anglo-Saxon nations. In Central and Eastern Europe, QAnon, as in the United States, is linked to the belief in satanic and pedophile elites connected through the mechanisms of the deep state. But in the countries of this region, a striking feature is that QAnon is also perpetuated through pan-Slavic narratives in an attempt to adapt QAnons original message to local storylines and cultural contexts. Here, while conspiracy influencers benefit from QAnon as it mobilizes their fan base QAnon benefits in terms of diffusion from its communion with the pan-Slavic ideology. The conspiracies surrounding the death of Queen Elizabeth II may serve as an example of the direct connection between pan-Slavist and QAnon narratives. After the queens death, Czech Telegram accounts quickly began to announce that the Anglo-Saxon domination of humanity would imminently give way to the supremacy of the Slavs. One popular site used a simple bit of numerology to link the two historical events. The queens death occurred on the eighth day of September, 8.9, the sum of which is 17, which corresponds to the letter q, which stands for QAnon. In these channels, there is also talk of anti-Slavic racism, with the war in Ukraine allegedly being an anti-Slavic campaign or an attempt to divide the Slavic people. Telegram posts that fit this description are often shared alongside statements by Vladimir Putin saying, for example, that the West is in a losing battle to maintain its dominance. The aim is to portray Russia as a strong power that alone can end the rule of the weakened West. It is no secret that the key problem for the U.S. was and is Russia. For them, the Slavs are an inferior race but also a permanent obstacle to world domination, says Slovanske noviny (Slavic News, 6,700 followers), one of the Telegram accounts that promulgate pan-Slavist ideas that often combine with disinformation campaigns and conspiracies. Within the sphere of pan-Slavism, the Slavs are often portrayed as a nation on a spiritual and moral high ground in contrast to the consumerist and morally arid Western society. Slavs do not promote fascism, racism, and feminism. They do not live according to the commandments, but according to their conscience. They say what they think and mean what they say. They do not pray to the gods, but praise them and thank them for what they have. Slavs love their country, but they do not harm it, says one widely circulated post from Somslovan.sk (I am a Slav, a Telegram account with 2,000 followers). The Slovak influencer Liana Laga, whose Telegram channel is a melting pot of various anti-system conspiracies and introspective spiritual messages, also shared this post. Riding this rhetoric of greater good and moral superiority, new pan-Slavic movements have emerged and attracted attention. This is the case for the relatively new sect AllatRa and the connected international movement called The Creative Society, which has found thousands of supporters in the Czech Republic alone. Under the pretext of working for the global good, it promotes anti-system and pro-Russian tendencies, but also spreads conspiracies about alien civilizations and unscientific theories about global warming. Igor Mikhailovich Danilov explaining his philosophy in an interview on AllatRas YouTube page. Real People Versus Animals The Creative Society says it has supporters in more than 100 countries but seems to be most popular in Central and Eastern Europe. This fast-growing group runs a network of more than 200 social media accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers across all major platforms. Subtle promotion of pro-Russian and pro-Putin narratives blends with messages about the unification of the Slavs. The movement is shrouded in a cloak of secrecy with opaque ownership and funding. The Creative Society lies behindAllatRa, a Russocentric organization reportedly originating in Ukraine that produces content its website describes as interesting for all people who strive for self-improvement, for spiritual and cultural development, for strengthening better qualities in themselves and in the surrounding society. This sect spreads a dystopian vision of the world, which can supposedly only be reversed by The Creative Society, a project of the whole of humanity, which gives the opportunity to bring our civilization to a new stage of evolutionary development in the shortest possible time and in a peaceful way. The most visible face of AllatRa is a certain Igor Mikhailovich Danilov, who acts as a guru in videos posted by AllatRa and The Creative Society. Although he talks about the unification of humanity, he says that people who oppose the ideology of the Creative Society are animals: Only an animal can oppose, not a human being. We must secure such a beast. It cannot have the rights and status of a human being but of non-humans and traitors. If man opposes the Creative Society, he will lose the status of man forever. Only then will everything be right. AllatRa counts among such animals the elites, the so-called Archons, whose ranks include unspecified politicians, billionaires, and the media. These people, AllatRa says, distort the Truth, distort the meaning and concepts such as Love, Freedom. They stop at nothing, they even form satanic sects that use the knowledge of humanity that has been collected for spiritual purposes for centuries. AllatRa and The Creative Society promote skepticism about climate change, circulate conspiracy theories about extraterrestrial civilizations, and demand an alternative to capitalist and materialist society. Although its members often deny that AllatRa is a sect, aspects of the movement show otherwise. The movement has a leader, foundational texts, a coined terminology, and a dystopian vision of apocalypse in the form of volcanic explosions said to be coming this year when only a united world in the sole acceptable form of The Creative Society will save the world. While these groups are clearly pro-Russian and based on the idea of Slavic unification, they do not comment on the war in Ukraine. However, representatives from The Creative Society were at a protest demonstration against the Czech government, where it gave space in its interviews to well-known pro-Russian, disinformation and conspiracy spreaders such as Ladislav Vrabel, a Czech disinformation activist who organized the demonstration; David Formanek of the popular Telegram channel Open Your Mind; and Lubomir Volny, a former far-right member of parliament. The members of the movement do not realize that they are spreading pro-Russian ideas that they themselves might not want to spread. They are unknowingly spreading Russian influence into the Czech Republic, which is why it is necessary to draw attention to it, according to Jakub Ludvik, a doctoral student of religion who has been researching the sect for several years. This post on the Czech-based Open Your Soul Telegram channel quotes social media personality Gigi Young on coming new era of freedom, creativity, and deeper social bonds. A Bewildering Mixture of Messages In line with AllatRas ideological mix of alternative spirituality, feel-goodism, and extremist motifs, conspiritual influencers who built their popularity on promoting a healthy lifestyle and the love of nature only to later slip into anti-vax beliefs, COVID denial, and extremist tendencies, have also appeared on the Czech and Slovak internet. These are individuals or groups who, in pursuit of health and a strong belief in nature and themselves often subtly spread anti-systemic, pro-Russian, or extremist narratives. Moreover, in addition to their role as gurus, they sell their products, hold spiritual sessions, and build their own base of supporters in the offline world, benefiting economically from their disinformation campaigns. As they seek and supposedly offer miraculous solutions to the complex problems of humanity be they war, economic problems, or disease they can also draw benefits from a crusade against the system, science, and the mainstream media. That conspiritual thinking can enter the mainstream becomes apparent when you look at the career of Wim Hof, a Dutchman who promotes a regime of breathing exercises and bathing in ice water as a miracle cure for various diseases. And although there is no evidence that he is a fan of QAnon theory, Hof used vocabulary typical of QAnon believers when he addressed a crowd of 60,000 at the Czech multi-genre festival Colours of Ostrava in 2022: We are born equipped with everything we need to become captains of our souls, and its time to rise up as warriors of light. We dont need hospitals, we dont need the pharmaceutical industry. We are the power, Hof assured the crowd. Terms like army of love and warriors of light also part of the terminology used by conspiratorial influencers and QAnon supporters. Anthropologist Jan Kozak of Charles University in Prague is part of a group that researches the phenomenon of conspirituality. He sees a typical progression of ideas in the way of thinking spread by influencers, including Hof. It starts, he says, with a belief in the power of your body and the power of nature. This puts the believer in a position of stark contrast to a civilization with corrupted products like genetically manipulated foods, viruses, and vaccinations medical procedures that interfere dramatically with the body through modern technology. All of that falls under the term corrupt civilization that needs to be countered. Central Europe is no exception to the phenomenon of conspiritualist influencers embracing extremist ideologies. As mentioned, the Slovak influencer Liana Laga has many followers in her country and the Czech Republic. In her bookF*ck the System, Make Love: (R)evolution of Consciousness, she claims to offer a comprehensive solution to the corrupt world in the form of spirituality, love, and meditation, where the power of the individual will influence all of society, quoting among other conspiracy theorists David Duke, the former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Laga spreads anti-system conspiracy theories and QAnon beliefs among the 4,000 followers of her Telegram account, interspersed with invitations to her own meditation sessions, book promotions, and self-development quotes about love and faith. She also informed her followers of the magical number 17 linking Queen Elizabeths death with QAnon theory. This event triggers an official cleansing, a green light. The storm has arrived, Rest in hell. 8+9 =17Q, she announced. A similar scheme appears in the Czech conspiritual project Hovory ze zeme (Conversations from the Ground/Earth). Boasting 25,000 followers, it operates primarily on YouTube as a vehicle for a Czech couple, Marek Jelinek and Dominika Trojanova travelers who, through interviews with Czech new-age personalities about spirituality and love of nature, give the speakers almost unlimited space to spread conspiracy theories and disinformation narratives. Between discussions about how to love oneself, what love means, and whether there is a god, visitors to their site learn that COVID is a scam, one of many spread by mainstream media. One guest, David Formanek interviewed by Creative Society followers at the anti-government event started the website Otevri svou mysl (Open Your Mind). His Telegram channel has more than 18,000 followers, making it among the most popular in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Until Facebook blocked his account, it was one of the most popular conspiracy channels on that social media platform, offering translated conspiracy videos during the coronavirus pandemic. Branching out from his menu of conspiracies, anti-vax promotion, and theories about the deep state, in May 2022 he launched Open Your Soul, an offshoot of Open Your Mind. If you are interested in things between heaven and earth, spirituality, exopolitics, intuition, meditation, esotericism, mystery teachings, spiritual development, extraterrestrial civilizations, the history of humanity and Earth, and much more, this is the place for you, Formanek informs his followers. I want the site to focus on a practical and grounded concept of spirituality, bringing an expanded and higher view of the world and events around us. As part of this stew of ideas, Formanek conveys conspiratorial, anti-system, and disinformation narratives. I disseminate information from sources I trust, he informs his followers. I translate information that Im not sure is true but with which I identify the most. I am not a know-it-all. My point is to keep my mind open to different information and form a worldview based on that. Formaneks justification for this approach highlights a paradox, or cognitive dissonance that he and others like him exhibit. Their claims of open-mindedness clash with the reality that their beliefs are impervious to information from outside the sources they trust. And as they build networks capable of luring people attracted by the facade of spirituality and positive thinking, they operate as dangerous, and often underrated, entries to rabbit holes of disinformation and extremism. Guests on the popular Czech YouTube page Hovory ze zeme (Conversations from the Ground/Earth) talk about everything from natural foods to metaphysics to the COVID-19 scam. A Journey Into Alt-Reality As conspiratorial thinking finds evil in civilization or the system, alternative spirituality finds good in nature or man as an individual. Taken together, it creates a kind of balanced whole in which there is light and shadow. One gets an easy explanation for all of societys problems because they are the fault of civilization, especially its leaders, and one has an explanation for how to counter them, namely a return to nature and ones own abilities, Jan Kozak says, summarizing the allure of these beliefs. The conspiracy finds evil at the heart of civilization, dark forces that control politics and history. Contemporary spiritual movements are not interested in politics; rather they locate the source of good in the heart of nature, wisdom in ancient or remote civilizations like the Mayans and the Druids, and health in herbs and meditation. Together they work great: civilization bad, nature good. Each part focuses on the preferred half and they create a balanced whole in which there is light and shadow, evil is explained but there is a path to good, it is not hopeless. The path to goodness is a path to ones own powers, but also to the forces of nature, Kozak says. Those who find themselves in this rabbit hole may find it hard to get out. Conspirituality is like a fairy tale, where good tries to triumph over evil, with we creating the good and they creating the evil: a dichotomous worldview from which it is hard to escape. Leveraging on this dynamic, there are several entries to the digital rabbit hole that lead to powerful and very persuasive networks where ideological extremism coexists with anti-establishment views on health and illness and revanchist world visions. For a long time, the agenda of these networks and groups may have been regarded as innocuous. But in these digital spaces where Slavic culture is often associated with purity of soul and the golden days of yore, influencers and networks that spread ideas about the love of self and nature dont hesitate to connect this nostalgic and positivist approach with QAnon theories or other extremist conspiracies and ideologies. It is clear that far-right, conspiratorial ideologies tend to expand and wrap themselves in stories that are relevant and close to the cultures in which they want to take root. In the case of Central and Eastern Europe, the origins of conspiratorial ideas can often be found in projects of anti-Western disinformation or pro-Russian propaganda, which are then adapted to local audiences and made ready for dissemination through various channels. And as these channels often link to and support each other, the effect is to build international networks whose reach and impact may be difficult to assess but whose understanding remains crucial to combat radicalization at the national and international levels. With nods to QAnon and Donald Trump, Slovak influencer Liana Laga calls on her fans to drain the swamp and help lay the foundations for a new system. Sofia Cherici is a freelance multimedia and investigative journalist specializing in human rights and environmental and social issues in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Jan Zabka is a journalist at Hlidaci pes, a Czech investigative website. He reports on disinformation and the Czech media environment. This is the second article in an investigation by IrpiMedia, Transitions, and Hlidacipes.org, funded by the Collaborative and Investigative Journalism Initiative. Conspirituality, a crippling combination of narratives and self-reinforcing beliefs, in Italy and Czechia. It is the turn of the 20th century when a Russian woman in her fifties sets off from France to the East, leaving behind the Parisian jungle to greet a more familiar landscape made up of grassland, plains and no trees. She carries with her an incomplete manuscript. Between pages of scribbles and notes, the text concealed confused references to secret consultations and plans intended to bend the worlds order at the hands of a covert group of Jewish religious leaders. The articulated version of those papers will be known historically as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, an anti-Semitic forgery compiled in Paris at the end of the 1800s by agents of the Okhrana, the Russian secret police, only to be later disseminated in 20th-century Europe. In the years to come, they will be extensively used in Nazi propaganda and literature. The woman is Yuliana Glinka, an occultist and secret agent of the Russian government, according to historians Egil Asprem and Asbjorn Dyrendal. In Paris, Glinka inhabited the citys underground circles of Western esotericism, immersing herself in the Theosophists philosophical-religious doctrine of mystical and occult science. The fact that it was Glinka who brought the manuscript to Russia was no accident. Her story perfectly exemplifies the historical rapprochement of the worlds of heterodox spirituality and conspiratorial narratives a phenomenon referred to as conspirituality by sociologists Charlotte Ward and David Voas. According to Asprem and Dyrendal, Theosophic circles were responsible for the dissemination of conspiracy motifs in which murmured revelations about secret masters orchestrating sinister plans represented what Asprem calls a sort of irresistible literary trope for esoteric authors of the time. Today, traces and fragments of conspiracies with an extremist tinge have emerged from those subcultures of 19th-century salons and occult periodicals. From case studies of a counterculture, these fragments turned into a majority culture, says Nicola Pannofino, a professor of sociology at the University of Turin. Once perceived as niche phenomena relegated to the distorted reality of the digital hyperspace, they now pertain to the dynamics of political consensus and social mobilization. In their 2021 book Religione sotto spirito: Viaggio nelle nuove spiritualita, sociologists Stefania Palmisano and Pannofino defined this as the paradox of invisibility: non-institutionalized religious movements are often difficult to recognize, perhaps because they use channels of diffusion that are not strictly religious, or simply because we struggle to recognize unfamiliar symbols and customs. For this reason, they mostly remain undetected, leading to underestimating the phenomenon, Pannofino says. In modern times, the accelerated propagation of conspiracy theories has a lot to do with collective traumas. It makes us doubt the validity of the institutions, language, and categories with which we read the world on a daily basis, Pannofino says. It happened in 2001 with the terrorist attack on New Yorks twin towers; it happened again in 2020 when newscasts announced the beginning of a global pandemic. As part of an investigation by IrpiMedia, Transitions, and Hlidacipes.org funded by the Collaborative and Investigative Journalism Initiative we studied social media in Italy and the Czech Republic by poking into the online rabbit hole where New Age cosmologies of wellness and mystical feel-goodism communicate with a certain type of conspiracy that yields to extremism. By rummaging through dozens and dozens of Telegram channels, from QAnon propagandists to anti-vax campaigners to channels talking about magical energies and religious syncretism, we tried to understand how far-right narratives and ideologies circulate. We discovered that there is a widespread practice of disseminating extremist content and references that latch onto anti-establishment sentiments and disinformation movements, circulating in groups where unsuspecting users are exposed daily to ambiguous and borderline narratives. From Hollywood Satanism to Italian Qparenting Hello everyone. I havent posted anything on Reddit in a while, and I never expected Id have to post here. I hoped this day would never come, yet here I am. Thus begins a 19-year-old Italian users long testimony posted about a year ago on the QAnonCasualties forum, one of the main online support groups for QAnon victims that sprouted on Reddit. A community composed mainly of ex-believers and the formerly Q-adjacent: people who are somehow acquainted with the deceptiveness of the QAnon movement. The story summarizes the impossibility of his/her coexistence with Qparents, a term used to indicate parents who follow what the forum calls the Qult: Id prefer to get my parents under psychiatric care or similar, but Im not exactly sure if that would help them or just drive the conspiracy deeper into them seeing how much I oppose them. Im tired, enraged and disgusted. The post talks about their parents penchant for extremist propaganda, vaccine- and COVID-related conspiracies, and their parents obsession with natural healing, energy/frequencies, and more meta-physical nonsense: a crippling combination of narratives and self-reinforcing beliefs. Browsing through the pages of the Reddit forum, it becomes clear that this story paints a family picture that has become quite common: the internet is clogged with personal and family relationships torn apart by an exaggerated exposure to online realities where disinformation and extreme rhetoric thrive. A phenomenon where the spread of QAnon has become an uncanny symbol. QAnon in Brief Cosmology and Vocabulary QAnon is a complex conspiracy theory that the world is ruled by the so-called deep state, controlled by a cabal of satanic, cannibalistic pedophiles whose end game is to engineer a New World Order and take dominion over the earth. In QAnons cosmology, former U.S. President Donald Trump and his supporters are patriots fighting undercover against this evil system. Originally an American far-right theory, it began appearing in October 2017 on the anonymous, far-right online forum known as 4chan when a supposed high-ranking federal government official under the alias Q began posting encrypted clues to expose the conspiracy. Since then, the conspiracy has moved to various parts of the world, where it has supporters including in the Czech Republic and Italy. Affiliation with the QAnon conspiracy can be revealed by the use of a very specific vocabulary. Some key terms: White/Black Hats People who are positive figures from a QAnon perspective are called White Hats, while the bad guys associated with the deep state are Black Hats. The Great Awakening This is a social process where people finally expose the supposed evil nature of the deep state. The process was supposed to start in 2017 with the first Q clue. The Storm The anticipated event that QAnon is leading up to and in which the deep state is supposed to fall the moment when the crimes, mostly related to sex trafficking, of the Black Hats are exposed and proven. 1776 The year of the American Revolution. A reference to the idea that another American revolution is coming to overthrow the illegitimate government that seized power after Trumps supposed mandate. According to Asprems research, QAnon emerged in the United States from within the fundamentalist Christian environments and the far-right, where underground tales of ritualized sexual abuse, child sacrifice, and pedophilia taking place in Hollywood villas and in Democratic Party circles have been circulating since the years of the Satanic Panic in the 1970s and 80s. Eventually, QAnon took old themes from the American right-wing, Christian context, and reshaped them, Asprem says. According to Asprem, despite QAnons prophetic structure and hidden religiosity, its penetration into New Age circles is a more recent event which perhaps also allows us to explain the current extent of its spread. Underpinning the ideological communion that combines the mentality typical of certain contemporary spiritualities with the conspiratorial approach, there is the common adhesion to an alternate vision of social and political institutions, according to Pannofino. Amy Hale, a researcher of modern pagan and occult subcultures, says the alternative identity is also based on a drive to resist authority, which in some cases could be represented by large pharmaceutical companies or mainstream medicine. Such rhetoric is being used in conspiracy blogs or talk radio in the U.S. to manipulate readers and listeners and convince them they are a smart person, not average, too smart to be lied to by the people in power, Hale says. The Qult Goes Fishing The doctrine of Q circulates subtly and implicitly in numerous Telegram groups which, while not openly affiliated with Q, expose users to the the Word. These are groups where the declared intent is to share New Age content and alternative news, or where conspiracy theorists share views on the health dictatorship all channels where QAnons propaganda has more chances to take root and blend in. The potential spread of QAnon on Telegram is, in fact, very huge. According to TGStat, a catalog of Telegram channels, the most-followed channels based in the Italian or Czech/Slovak languages are mainly those that carry anti-vax and anti-hegemonic counter-information content, as well as groups openly focused on the cult of QAnon and other anti-system points of view. It is extremely easy to end up in a QAnon group just by joining one of the many New Age, anti-vax, or general disinformation channels that populate Telegram. By manually searching through the posts, we can see which groups have reshared content from a series of Q-affiliated channels or undeclared Q-adjacent environments. Some of the most followed telegram channels in Italy, according to TGStat. The Italian Telegram channel Il Grande Risveglio (The Great Awakening), with 14,838 subscribers, is, by its own definition, a Channel of Spiritual Growth, Awakening, Messages of Light from the Galaxy of the Ascended Masters, Galactic Brothers, and Beings of Light. But beyond its alluring spiritual-friendly facade, a series of posts on Q conspiracies alternate with health-centered fake news. Among posts raising questions of unremembered past lives or sharing insights on alchemical transformers, one could find in-depth QAnon propaganda in reshared posts of the small private Telegram group Codice Genesi (The Genesis Code) such as a small summary for the most reluctant in badly-translated Italian of Trumps role in the unfolding of the events of recent years. Trump is destined to join a military operation against the deep states 10-year plan for the fall of America, according to the post. More subtly, Il Grande Risveglio also shares posts from Truth Social Official, the Italian Telegram version of the Trump-funded American social network (not yet active in Italy) which is a well-known hotbed of QAnon propaganda. The original Truth Social shares links to access the entire QAnon world: the Telegram version of reality where encrypted messages are spread to reveal the secret plan of the deep state, or where secret documents supposedly taken directly from the alleged iCloud of President Biden are circulated. Some such posts are translated from Italian into other languages. This is the case for the Italian Telegram channel Liberaveritas, which has more than 6,000 subscribers and where exotic historical reinterpretations in a neo-pagan context are shared side by side with Q-signed mystical conjectures. Its content is being translated for others to distribute by a small Czech group called Co kdyby (What if), where conspiracies and QAnon-adjacent content is also shared. Recasting American Gods for the Old World In QAnons most recent cosmology, John F. Kennedy will suddenly appear from the skies of Dallas and anoint Donald Trump to become president again. According to Asprem, this is evidence of a political-religious mixture that is strongly rooted in QAnon in a sort of millennial American tradition. Given the strongly Americo-centric nature of the Qult, the ability of the movement to take root in geographically and culturally distant realities is surprising: All this does not seem very transferable to Europe and European concerns. But people are going to enter and pick up specific things of QAnon narrative that work everywhere, Asprem comments. For a movement strongly linked to American culture and politics such as QAnon, the adaptability of its theories and conspiracies is fundamental to its expansion. In the self-declared QAnon channels that promote doctrine outside of the American context, the type of cultural and political references that are shared change according to the context: a strategy that exploits the wave of populism and anti-system movements in different countries. A kind of Trojan horse for the QAnon invasion of Europe. In QAnons Czech and Slovak Telegram channels, the Qults rhetoric latches very well onto pro-Putin propaganda; in the Italian ones, the content and conspiracies surrounding the recent Italian elections have multiplied. When the Fratelli dItalia (Brothers of Italy) party emerged the winner of the elections, the face of its leader Giorgia Meloni appeared in a post by the group Il Risvegliodi_Q 1776 accompanied by the caption: I have never heard any politician explain so perfectly what we are up against and why we fight. When you watch this video, you will soon realize why the establishment is afraid of her. A few posts further back in the same group, Q drop number 3539 from 2019 is retrieved to suggest that the leader of the Lega party, Matteo Salvini, would fit Qs description of salvific patriots. Salvinis previous contradictory behaviors are justified by the need to infiltrate the system: Clearly if you have to infiltrate, you have to mix with the slime I know that for many it is difficult to understand but it is the art of war, the post explains, in an attempt to create a twisted apology for the alleged Italian patriot. On Telegram, dark narratives, vague concepts and terms are used and readjusted so that they can latch onto any anti-system rhetoric. For this reason, concepts such as the deep state or the golden age fit seamlessly into New Age or disinformation channels in a dangerous game of references and overlapping worlds. Il Grande Risveglio linking to Truth Social. The story of the anticipated golden age describes how an era lost in the past will be recreated as a utopia of the future after a huge conflagration, according to Asprem. It is a typical element of the millennial religions that await the advent of the kingdom of Christ on earth, but it also has something in common with much populist political rhetoric, like in the Make America Great Again movement. In Italy, we find references to this theme on such channels as QAnon Italia (with over 13,000 subscribers) and Il Risveglio_Q 1776 (over 11,000), but also on pro-Trump New Age channels Conoscenza al Confine and Fisicaquantistica.it. There is even a Telegram channel called Lera dellOro (The Golden Age) where QAnon material appears among news aligned with the soul and anti-vax vigilance. Most of the explicitly Q-adjacent groups now omit references to the origins of QAnons American cosmology, which referred to institutional pedophilia and included messages of Trump-as-savior, to embrace diverse geographical and spiritual horizons. The impression is that we should be careful with thinking that everybody who expresses some kind of sympathy with QAnon by, for example, having the Q symbol on a flag or T-shirts, will really believe in all the crazy stuff connected with QAnon, Asprem says. In some cases, they may not even know about them. The consequences of QAnons geographic and ideological expansionism are a dilution of its original message. The symbol Q has overcome its meaning to become the coat of arms of syncretic heterodoxies which are not necessarily affiliated with the Qult. And if it is true that the use of Q and its symbolisms is not always a sign of adherence, its also true that multiple web testimonies tell the stories of people who, while embracing QAnon theories, may ignore the origins of their beliefs or relinquish any affiliation to the Qult. QAnons content does not always come out as explicit and easily detectable: sometimes the references are intertextual, perhaps hidden within the rhetoric of a comment, rather than in Qs signature. It is one of the reasons why, investigating the phenomenon on Telegram, automated searches may not work. That it is subliminal and highly manipulative but doesnt have the usual features of a disinformation narrative is a fact. Ordinary monitoring wont catch it, you need to go through the content manually and know the symbols and terms they use, says one of the anonymous highly-skilled volunteers mainly doctors, academics, senior managers, analysts, and military veterans of the Czech Elves, a group inspired by elves doing similar work in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia to monitor and analyze the Czech disinformation landscape. I was a follower of classic conspiracy before QAnon, says an anonymous Italian ex-believer active on the QAnonCasualties Reddit community, but from 2015 to today I have been very detached from that world, as human stupidity explains many things better of malice and conspiracies. In my family I still have people inside, and I think they are Q-adjacent, but I prefer to avoid talking about these things to preserve my mental health. He entered the Qult as a Catholic traditionalist, but then says he detached himself from that environment only to see friends and relatives who were hooked on those ideas fall down into the abyss of the most absurd conspiracy. He explains that his familys conversion has also come about through Italian sites such as Byoblu, which has a Telegram channel with almost 100,000 subscribers, founded by blogger Claudio Messora, former communications chief of the Five Star Movement political party; or through controversial figures such as journalist Maurizio Blondet, another voice of the conspiratorial ultra-Catholic universe: Blondet has ruined so many Catholics, the user says. In effect, it takes just a peek into Comedon Chisciottes forum and Telegram chats (the channel has over 21,000 subscribers) or Byoblus Twitter and Facebook comments to spot the entry into QAnons rabbit hole where no filter exists for content shared by followers: from reshared posts from Insider Q Italy (a self-declared pro-Putin, pro-Trump QAnon Italian channel) to followers commenting with Gab links to the unofficial download of Truth Socials app. Is It Just Background Noise? The sociologists Ward and Voas were the first to describe conspirituality as a rapidly growing online movement. But, judging from the comments of scholars interviewed for this article, the notion that the spread of conspiracy is linked only to a mere distortion of modern history is an error of perspective. Conspiracies have changed the pace of history, not only in those 19th-century salons with a penchant for the occult described by Asprem, but also in Emperor Neros blaming Christians for the burning of Rome, or in the medieval obsession with the fight against the devil and the bloody witch hunts it spawned. Our investigation has shown how the convergence of conspiratorial and spiritual narratives is used by the extremist QAnon movement in Italy and the Czech Republic to attract and red-pill the so-called normies that is, to indoctrinate those who are not yet a part of the fold via a bombardment of disinformation and fake news, mixed with extremist ideologies, to suck users in. In trying to increase its reach in Italy and the Czech Republic, QAnon has changed the nature of its message and narratives, adapting them to suit the different tastes and political and cultural views of the European public. Latching onto the anti-system rhetoric of anti-vax, New Age and Wellness channels or fake-news-spreading alternative realities, QAnon has infiltrated the Telegram networks of these groups and spread extreme ideologies to users more or less unaware that they have come into contact with the doctrine of Q. A strategy which, rather than pursuing its own messianic vision of freeing the worlds population from the evil plans of the deep state, seems to have become a way to generate confusion and create very loud background noise to disrupt society. Sofia Cherici is a freelance multimedia and investigative journalist specializing in human rights and environmental and social issues in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Jan Zabka is a journalist at Hlidaci pes, a Czech investigative website, covering disinformation and the Czech media environment. The main illustration, QAnon Wall, is by Vincenzo Triolo. All images provided by the authors. Its a cube-shaped space, with windows at the front and green walls. Illuminated by lamps, it glows softly from the inside. A couple of foldaway tables line the perimeter, along with a few smudged mirrors propped up against the walls. A garment rack in the back is stuffed with puffy, velvety, shiny clothes of every conceivable color and style. Thats in addition to the duffel bags, grocery bags, purses and even a wagon filled to the brim with the same medley of Hollywood-worthy clothing articles. Its like walking into the most extravagant Goodwill youve ever seen. A blanket with cartoon sloths hangs over the back of an office chair. Thin black carpet covers the entire floor, and every square inch of it is dusted with glitter. Look close enough and youre bound to find the odd sequin or pink feather, too. On the back wall, theres a chalkboard covered in drawings and messages scrawled in red and yellow. Then theres all the lingerie on the floor. And the bottle of Jack Daniels on the table. And the beat-up cardboard box in the hallway unceremoniously christened the pastie spray box with black marker. Elsewhere in this Casper nightclub, someone is playing pop music at ear-splitting volume, and the bass is making the room shake like a railroad car. The smell of hairspray and bitter glue in the air is overwhelming. You can barely make out the lyrics: Will you be my sugar rush? Make me get high with just one touch? *** Its 7:20 p.m. About 10 minutes until curtain. The Keyhole girls clad in American flag-patterned bikinis, sailor caps and go-go boots are standing in the windows of The Void, striking pin-up poses to greet guests and the occasional passerby. Its late August, about 70 degrees, and the sun is still up. The Void, at this time, is a new nightclub and community space in Casper, and Keyholes sixth home venue in its roughly 10-year tenure. The establishment hosts events predominately geared toward young people think late mid-to-late teens and early twenties but some nights are adults-only. This is one of those nights. Back in the dressing room, there is the rustle of jewelry, the peeling of shoes off a sticky floor and the smell of adrenaline. Are my tassels on straight? says one in the group, but its so crowded with dancers it could have been anyone. Even if youre hugging the wall like a gecko, youre in someones way. Five minutes to go. Everyone crams into the room and squishes together for a pre-show group selfie, and for a precious moment, everything is still. Snap. The dancers disperse, exit the room, walk down the hall and line up behind a black sequin curtain: women of all shapes, sizes and ages, brought together by a shared love for burlesque. And a lot of hairspray, bobby pins and super glue. *** Misha Janet Majors Corkill-Bomgaars, 19, and Fay Mzzz. DeLight Hall, 43, emerge from their parked car just north of David Street Station in downtown Casper. The roommates walk down to Ash Street, cross Yellowstone and approach the west face of an enormous red-brick building on the corner. For them, its early in the day; Janet Majors and Mzzz. DeLight both work as night auditors. On this recent March evening, the sidewalks are empty and theres no traffic. Itd be quiet if it werent for the relentless wheeze and rattle of the wind. Up a short cement ramp are five inconspicuous metal doors. These doors dont have any handles, and they wont pry open, either. Its like a speakeasy: you just have to knock and wait around for someone to let you in. Suddenly, one of the doors in the middle swings open to reveal a big auditorium: theater four of The Lyric. Its freezing inside, and the lights are dim. At the bottom of several rows of retractable, red-tweed theater seats stands Fathom Swanson, madame of Keyhole Peepshow, on a black stage. Fathom is 35, with red hair often pulled back in a braid and a proclivity for T-shirt dresses. Behind her are two sets of curtains: a vintage red-and-gold set she got secondhand, and black sequin ones she made herself. Taylor Sutton Sour Crnich, 25, walks in wearing that cartoon sloth blanket draped over her head and shoulders like a cape. Theater four is Keyhole Peepshows new home venue, now that The Voids closed. Its not the first time the troupes had a home venue shutter the women used to perform at the Hall on Ash, the Wonder Bar and the Black and Gold Grille, all closed now. While theyd like to put down roots at The Lyric, the teams learned to predict the unpredictable. Home is wherever their curtains and tubs of costumes are. Tonight, Fathom has convened a team meeting to discuss the upcoming April show, as well as the next years worth of performances. But first things first: costume returns. To her left is a table piled high with theater paraphernalia. Blonde wigs. Bedazzled jackets. A vinyl leopard-print bag. An elegant white fur coat, the kind youd expect a rich old lady to wear around Manhattan. Much of what the team wears on stage is thrifted, handmade or some combination of the two and used until its literally falling apart. Fathom holds up a pair of black ankle boots for the team to inspect, like an auctioneer. The boots were left behind at Keyholes Christmas show four months ago. Shes been looking for their owner ever since. They were not at The Void when we got there, says Fathom. Any takers? No? The Lyric used to be a movie theater, and before that, an auto showroom and garage. Its now an event venue owned by a group that previously organized under the name citizens for a civic auditorium. There arent a lot of buildings in Casper that can accommodate multiple full-fledged theater productions, and the owners are hoping itll catch on as a space for concerts, plays and the like. The building also has storage units in the basement. Much of the establishment remains unchanged from its movie theater days bright red-and-purple carpet tiles and stage curtains of a deep sapphire blue. Not to mention the retractable seats. The Lyrics lobby has been completely neutralized, though, with gray walls, a gray floor and a gray countertop in the back. After 15 to 20 minutes of sorting costumes and shoes, its time to talk about the year ahead. This is what I have, says Fathom, reading out the schedule. Theyre booked for shows in April, June, July, September, October, December. And does anyone want to enter the Colorado Burlesque Festival? she offers. The deadline to apply is tomorrow at midnight. The festival is July 6 through July 8. And keep in mind, she continues, I will not be there. Shes out of town that week. Theres a murmur. Theyve never been to a festival before. Do they really want to go to their first one without Fathom? I dont know about that, says Janet Majors, giggling. I think you can be there, Fathom replies, offering an encouraging nudge. You gotta give us an instruction manual and make us all unaccompanied minor flags, Janet jokes. If you guys are down, Ill figure it out, Fathom says. And well see what happens. *** K. Rayne finds a bare stretch of wall in the hallway right outside The Void dressing room and slumps down, gasping for breath. K. is 33, a lifelong dance lover, and has been a part of the troupe for more than five years. A Keyhole vet, as the other dancers put it. She reaches down and tugs off her gold heels. Time for a break. Anjel Diabla Mares, 20, rounds the corner with the box of tips. She was recruited to the troupe by Janet Majors the two have been best friends since they were kids. Want me to dump these next to you? Diabla asks K. Rayne. Huh? she replies, mind rejoining body. Oh yeah. Diabla turns the box upside down and gives it a shake. A handful of crumpled up bills along with the bra K. Rayne (people know her this way inside and outside of burlesque) peeled off during the performance fall to the cold wood floor. K., still catching her breath, leans over and starts unfurling the bills. She stacks them and smooths them over. *** Fathom spreads a yellow-and-orange cloth over the dining table. The design on it is Art Nouveau, with red-headed women in dresses, surrounded by vines and birds and other nature imagery. One appears to be playing a lyre. My summertime goddess tapestry, says Fathom. Figured that was appropriate to have out. She picks out some white and blue napkins with swirly floral embellishments to go with it. The dining table takes up almost the entire length of the living room. Shes expecting 18 dinner guests. Its a few days after the August show, and everyone is invited to come celebrate. Its Fathoms way of saying thank you, and to cherish time together when things arent so hectic. Sometime, were gonna have to fit 20 at a table, Fathom says, placing a neatly folded napkin in front of every chair. Walter, Fathoms elderly rescue dog, stands wedged in the narrow walkway between the table and the wall, hardly moving a muscle. His reputation for being a perpetual tripping hazard has earned him the nickname Walt the Wall. Youre obstructing our workflow, dude, Fathom says to him. Fathoms west Casper house is always cluttered, and her front door is always open. The living room is crammed with antiques the kind with warm wood tones and brass accents. There are still Easter decorations up. In one corner hangs a framed glamor shot of Becky, her mother-in-law. Becky is wearing a cherry red vinyl jacket, and turning the collar out with her fingers. The background of the photo is various shades of hot pink, like shes inside of a lava lamp. A whiteboard sits askew on an armchair behind the couch. VOID, Fri/Sat. Call time 6 p.m. Show 7:30 p.m., it says. Not unlike drag, these days burlesque is on the cusp of being edgy and fringe, while also sort of mainstream. Keyhole Peepshow may be known for its two-hour, strictly 18+ shows. But the group is also glad to dance at family-friendly events, members will assure you, with no stripping or innuendo whatsoever. And Caspers not really sure how to feel about that. Last year, the team was asked to perform at a local museum during Casper Pride, for example. The audience was not happy when, at one point during the show, the dancers unbuttoned their collared shirts to reveal tank tops. Some people walked out. Caspers embrace of burlesque might be arms-length, says Fathom, but the community seems to be coming around. The team was recently asked to perform at a wedding. Whatever happens underground or not burlesque isnt going anywhere, she says. The art form has already weathered more than a century of ups-and-downs. And in its decade of existence, so has Keyhole Peepshow. These days, the troupe has a dozen or so regular performers, give or take. It wasnt long ago that the team had just four or five. Were like cockroaches, Fathom likes to say. We never die. Her immediate dream is to tour around Wyoming, so Keyhole can perform in old historic bars and theaters in places like Cheyenne, Rock Springs and Cody. That, and have the team dance at festivals. Suddenly Inkwell, one of Fathoms three cats, jumps up on the table. True witchs house, she says, shooing him off. Cats everywhere. Fathom sets the last plate down in the corner with a plunk. An hour later, and all 18 guests are packed around the table. The conversation melts between wardrobe malfunctions on Fridays show, favorite bands, Rocky Horror Picture Show, gas prices, Dita Von Teese, embarrassing high school memories. Rachel Pryor (29, stage name: Koi Monsoon) has brought her 4-year-old daughter, who is already asleep in her lap. After everyones eaten, Fathom, sitting at the head of the table, calls a meeting to order. Everyone goes silent. Fathom congratulates the team on a job well done. There were hiccups, to be sure, she says but thats to be expected the first time youre performing somewhere new. Fathoms hoping they can keep hosting shows at The Void long-term, but nothing is certain. She urges them not to get too comfortable. We always need to be on our toes, she says. *** Sutton Sour enters The Voids dressing room barefoot and damp. Mere seconds ago, she poured the bottle of Jack Daniels over her head at the end of her solo performance to Carrie Underwoods Before He Cheats. (She actually fills it with unsweetened tea less messy, less expensive.) Sutton wraps herself in a towel, puts her hair up, and takes a few breaths. Theres no time to waste: its almost the final act of the night, a group routine to Sexy Silk by Jessie J. One by one, the dancers change into matching black sequin and pink feather ensembles. Twenty-five-year-old Haley Custer, who goes by Jersey Mayfield, has saved Sutton some time by getting her black-and-pink bejeweled pasties ready for her. Theyre waiting in the pastie box. Thank you, baby! Sutton Sour calls out to her. *** Two days after the March meeting, Keyhole Peepshow is back in theater four at The Lyric. The lights are low, and the theater glows a soft red, like its inside a ruby. The dancers will put on another more-than-20-act performance in just a few weeks. And they could have an especially busy year ahead; Fathom has entered three group acts including the Sexy Silk routine to the Colorado Burlesque Festival. But no need to worry about that right now. The team is here to rewatch the Valentines Day show from last month, their first performance at The Lyric. They danced on that same black stage at the bottom of the theater. Everyones sharing popcorn, cookies and cupcakes. As a thank-you gift, Fathom passes out Valentines Day-themed goodie bags with things like loofahs and bath bombs in them. They sing along to But I Am a Good Girl and Before He Cheats, and crack up at Koi Monsoons, Lemi Twists and Jersey Mayfields Stepford Wives-themed act. Fathom puts on Janet Majors and Sutton Sours performance to More Than a Friend by GIRLI. Janet reaches for Suttons hand, and they stay quiet for almost the whole song, as if they just want a moment to be proud of their hard work. And each other. Their eyes stay glued to the screen the whole time. PHOTOS: Casper's Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Keyhole Peepshow Inside a Keyhole practice The legal battle around abortion access in Wyoming has been underway since July, when the states trigger ban went into effect. With the Life is a Human Right Act, lawmakers and anti-abortion advocates hoped to end that fight in their favor. But Ninth District Court Judge Melissa Owens decision Wednesday to issue a temporary restraining order blocking Wyomings newest abortion ban likely ended any chance that the legal showdown will wrap up soon. While many of the legal arguments remain similar this time around, one critical debate has risen to the surface: Is abortion health care? Unlike last years trigger ban, lawmakers included a findings and purposes section in the Life is a Human Right Act in which they lay out of the basis for the bill. They included the ideas that life begins at conception and that the Legislature has a fundamental duty to provide equal protection for all human lives, including unborn babies. Importantly, they also distinguish between abortion and health care. Abortion as defined in this act is not health care, the bill reads. Instead of being health care, abortion is the intentional termination of the life of an unborn baby. Abortion as health care The Wyoming Constitution is at the heart of the legal challenges to the states abortion ban. In 2012, Wyoming voters approved an amendment to the constitution guaranteeing each adult the right to make his or her own health care decisions. That amendment grew out of conservatives distrust of Obamacare, a major overhaul of the nations health care system designed to extend coverage to more Americans. The group suing the state which includes a handful of Wyoming women, abortion and health care providers, and others has relied upon Wyomings right of health care access to argue that the trigger ban and now the Life is a Human Right Act and another ban on medication abortion violate the state constitution. HB152 and SF 109 [the new anti-abortion laws], like the trigger ban, are unconstitutional intrusions into Wyomingites privacy and fundamental Constitutional rights rights of religious freedom, to make health care decisions, to self-determined family composition, and equal protection under the laws, among others, John Robinson and Marci Bramlet, the attorneys for plaintiffs, wrote in the lawsuit. Throughout their legal findings, the attorneys for the group lay out an argument that abortion is health care, citing definitions from Wyoming statute, the conclusions of medical groups that support abortion access such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association, and the testimony of doctors. They even point to the exceptions lawmakers carved out in the Life is a Human Right Act, which include medical judgement by physicians to prevent the death of the mother or to intervene if the pregnancy is likely to result in a lethal fetal anomaly. Despite the Criminal Abortion Bans attempt to redefine reproductive health care as not constituting health care, Wyoming has long-recognized abortion as health care, Robinson and Bramlet wrote. Abortion as feticide The insistence that abortion does not qualify as health care or fall under the purview of the health care access guaranteed by the Wyoming Constitution is central to the state and lawmakers defense of the ban. In the states rebuttal to the lawsuit, Jay Jerde, Wyomings special assistant attorney general, argued that the definitions of health care on which the pro-abortion group relies, and which Owens used to block last years trigger ban, do not include abortion. Plaintiffs have not explained how or why an abortion either maintains or restores the health of a pregnant woman, Jerde wrote. Instead, he asserts that the courts must use the Legislatures interpretation in the Life is a Human Right Act that abortion is not health care in deciding if the Wyoming Constitution protects the right to an abortion. In an amicus brief filed in support of the ban, lawyers for Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, the sponsor of the bill, House Majority Floor Leader Rep. Chip Neiman, Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Wyoming Right to Life, backed the Legislatures declaration that abortion is not health care by citing testimony from different medical organizations and doctors. (Owens denied that groups request to intervene in Wednesdays hearing.) Drs. Christina Francis and Donna Harrison from the American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, two anti-abortion medical groups, stated that abortion represents killing human beings. Opponents of HEA 88 [the Life is a Human Right Act] are counting on confusion of terms, they wrote. They can produce no circumstance in which the elective killing of in utero human beings as defined in HEA 88 would in any way benefit the life of a mother. What is constitutional? The Life is a Human Right Act aims to avoid the legal roadblock of the Wyoming Constitutions right of health care access by specifically separating abortion from health care, a point that Owens highlighted while announcing her decision to temporarily block the ban. The Legislature declaring that abortion is not health care takes away from the duty of this court to decide constitutional questions of law, and that violates the separation of powers, she said. But Jerde and the state argued that even if abortion can be considered health care, it is not covered by the Wyoming Constitution. In addition to allowing Wyomingites to make their own health care decisions, the 2012 right of health care access amendment grants the state the ability to restrict health care access to protect the health and general welfare of the people, a power Jerde argued the state was using by putting in place the abortion ban. Jerdes claim was supported by the amicus brief filed on behalf of Rodriguez-Williams and the others. The Wyoming Constitution does not protect a right to whatever health care a patient might want, but instead a right to make health care decisions, Frederick Harrison and Denise Harle, the lawyers for the group, wrote. In other words, a patient may choose between legal health care options without undue governmental infringement, not demand availability of illegal treatments. As a part of the states legal argument, Jerde also pointed to the intent of the Legislature and voters when the state passed the health care amendment in response to former President Barack Obamas signature Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) roughly a decade ago. Section 38 [of the Wyoming Constitution] cannot be reasonably interpreted as implicitly conferring a right to abortion because it was intended to push back on the federal governments implementation of the Affordable Care Act, he wrote. The states claims that abortion is not health care and that the Wyoming Constitution doesnt guarantee a right to abortion have questionable merit, according to Kenneth Chestek, a law professor at the University of Wyoming who also represents House District 13 as a Democrat. In the context of the legal battle, what matters is not how lawmakers define abortion in the Life is a Human Right Act, but how health care is interpreted under the Wyoming Constitution, Chestek said. The words of the Constitution are not the words of the Legislature. They are the words of the people who voted in favor of that language, he said. In 2012 when article 1, section 38 [of the Wyoming Constitution] was adopted and gave individuals the right to their own individual health care choices, the voters said, I want my health care to be my choice. What they thought health care meant is up to the individual voter. Amid contrasting views on abortion, it is the courts, and specifically the Wyoming Supreme Court, that determine the meaning of health care in the constitution, Chestek said. The same is true for the states argument that the 2012 health care amendment does not include a right to abortion. It was a broad interpretation because the fear was that all kinds of health care decisions would be taken over by the federal government and we dont want the federal government telling us how to get our own health care, Chestek said. Ultimately, it is the Wyoming Supreme Court that will again have to interpret the breadth of health care under the amendment, but Chestek said it would be difficult for the state to single out abortion since the federal right was still in place under Roe v. Wade at the time. Health care in that context still did include the right to abortion, he said. They cant retroactively say, Well, we didnt mean abortion back then, even though it was legal back then. That doesnt make sense to me. PHOTOS: Both sides of abortion debate gather for protest Abortion protest Abortion protest Abortion protest Abortion protest Abortion protest Abortion protest Abortion protest Abortion protest Abortion protest Abortion protest The Western wildlife experts testifying before Congress confirmed the recovery of grizzly bears and wolves, and cautioned against transferring control to states where legislators might disregard science-based management plans. At issue were two congressional bills to remove grizzly bears from the endangered species list in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. A third bill delisted the gray wolves. All three excluded the actions from judicial review. The hearing was livestreamed. While each of these bills is unique, they share the common thread of circumventing the scientific processes currently underway, said Steven Guertin, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service deputy director for policy. We believe that the administrative processes prescribed by the ESA and the Administrative Procedures Act, including public participation is the best path for adding or removing species from the Endangered Species Act," he said. "These processes under the law ensure that the integrity of the important goals of the ESA envisioned by Congress 50 years ago are maintained. Representatives from Wyoming and Montana, all three Republicans are key sponsors of the bills to delist grizzlies, were looking for different answers. Eastern Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale said Montana has the largest population of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states, with nearly 2,000 grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone and northern Continental Divide ecosystems combined. Western Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke has said the blueprint for delisting grizzly bears is in the work U.S. Fish and Wildlife did when he was Interior secretary. A federal court rejected that effort. Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman said wildlife advocates had spent too much time counting dead bears and not enough time counting live animals. It's not about the number that may have been taken pursuant to appropriate take permits, or pursuant to appropriate management. It's the number of live animals. So why would Democrats want to focus on death, Hageman said. That isn't even a factor to be considered under the Endangered Species Act. We on this side, however, we care about life and we care about the living species, and so does the Endangered Species Act. The governors of Wyoming Idaho and Montana have petitioned to delist the grizzly bear because the data shows that it is warranted as per the Endangered Species Act itself. Meanwhile, environmental litigants have been holding farmers, ranchers and the government hostage to their demands and for the purpose of protecting their own pocketbooks. One wildlife expert who supported the delisting of grizzlies before growing concerned about state legislators was Chris Servheen, the original Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Now retired, Servheen testified that after watching the Montana Legislature enact non-science-based management plans for wolves he withdrew his support from delisting bears. It is important that you know that I believed in and promoted the eventual delisting of recovered grizzly bears and wolves and turning them over to state management. I had faith in the wildlife professionals in state fish and fame agencies, Servheen said. He wrote the original management plan for grizzlies to be delisted as an endangered species. I believed that these state wildlife professionals would be good stewards to continue to carefully manage grizzly bears and wolves. This all changed in the past few years when state legislators in Montana and Idaho passed new laws to dramatically reduce wolf numbers and to place aggressive, indiscriminate wildlife killing methods into grizzly bear habitat. Servheen said it doesn't take much imagination to realize that if grizzly bears were delisted by congressional action and turned over to state management, that legislatures and governors would do the same thing to grizzly bears that they are currently doing to wolves. They would try to legislatively minimize grizzly numbers inside recovery zones and eliminate most grizzly bears outside recovery zones, he said. Rosendale invited Choteau rancher Karli Johnson to talk about the grizzly interactions north of the continental divide. Johnson told the Department of Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries that interaction with habituated bears are increasing, not only on her ranch, but also in Choteau proper. Livestock losses are increasing, Johnson said. She finds herself raising her children in proximity to a sow grizzly with cubs, who doesnt seem to be afraid while touring Johnsons outbuildings. Bears like this are becoming more and more common in our area with population targets having been met for what some people believe is as long as a decade if not two, Johnson said. The population is beyond the scope of the natural habitat and bears are being pushed out to scavenge on the fringe of human civilization. That sow grizzly bear and I don't want to raise our babies together. And we're being put in a position that we have to. And it's not safe for either one of our families to do that. And that's why today we're asking for additional management tools for both me and that sow grizzly bears so we don't have to raise our babies together. The discussion about delisting gray wolves was advanced by lawmakers from Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, who produced photos of human fetuses and asked Democrats if they would put human babies on the endangered species list. The Department of Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's delisted the gray wolf in the lower 48 United States through a process that included the best science and data available at over 6,000 wolves at the time of the delisting, and more than 7,000 wolves in the U.S. Currently, the gray wolf is an endangered species act success story, and it shouldn't languish on the endangered species list any longer, especially as such listings defies common sense and science, Boebert said. Those were the three words calypso icon David Rudder used to summate his feelings over his illustrious 40-year music career. Sensing the room of journalists wanting more from him he almost reluctantly continued. The community of Aranjuez has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons in recent times. Reports of murders, home invasions and robberies have become more commonplace. But when the Sunday Express visited the area on Friday, residents recalled a time when Aranjuez was so safe, they could sleep with their doors open. It was a close-knit community where everybody knew everybody and crimes were few and far between. Minister of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales and Couva South MP Rudy Indarsingh yesterday clashed over the issue of a water supply for people in underserved communities such as Couva South. During the verbal exchanges between them in Parliament, at the Red House, Port of Spain, Indarsingh charged that the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) had collapsed under Gonzales, while Gonzales countered that the United National Congress (UNC) had collapsed, and accused Indarsingh of having a penchant for bacchanal. I am struggling to understand the way our politicians think and act with regard to the issuance of firearm users licences (FULs) and lawlessness. Everyone knows the old saying that you cannot shape an old tree, you have to shape it while it is young and supple. When I was young, most homes had an employed father and a stay-at-home mother. If a child misbehaved, he or she would get a few strokes with a belt and that would be the end of the matter. The work of nearly 6,000 students from over 140 schools was highlighted in the recent 68th Annual Southern Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair. More than $100,000 was given out in checks, scholarships, prizes and trips for students and teachers. About 250 volunteer judges determined the awards by reviewing the projects and interviewing students. Valeria Toscano Pasos, a student participant from Flowing Wells High School, focused her project on examining the gut-to-brain signaling pathway associated with the maintenance of energy homeostasis and nutrient-induced satiation. I hope that my achievements in both the SARSEF Fair and JSHS (Junior Science and Humanities Symposium) inspire Flowing Wells students to engage in science and formulate their own projects, she said. Now, nine students will continue on to compete at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Texas. Those students include Andrea Romero, Ashley Valencia, Estefany Regalado, Jorge Covarrubias and Jimen Uribe Lin, all of Harvest Preparatory Academy; Hannah Feinberg and Jimmy Kwon of BASIS Tucson North; and Keona Kuo and Serena Rezende Tsao of University High School. Go to virtualfair.sarsef.org for a SARSEF virtual fair and review projects. Nominations for teacher awards Tucson Values Teachers is now accepting video nominations from students for its special edition of the monthly Teacher Excellence Awards. During Teacher Appreciation Week, running from May 8-12, TVT will surprise five pre-kindergarten through 12th grade teachers in Southern Arizona, based on video nominations submitted by students. To nominate a teacher for the award, students are asked to submit a video explaining why their teacher deserves to be recognized with the Teacher Excellence Award. Students can submit a nomination individually or as a group. All teachers in grades pre-kinder through 12 in Pima, Cochise and Santa Cruz counties are eligible to be nominated. The five winners will receive $250 cash from TVT, a $100 gift card to Amazon or Jonathans Educational Resources, TVT merchandise, flowers and a gift bag from Tucson Federal Credit Union. Visit tucsonvaluesteachers.org for more details on submitting a video nomination. Tanque Verde High students make trail The Tanque Verde High School community will soon be able to enjoy use of a new nature trail, as a group of students work on the final touches of a one-mile community trail in a section of desert adjacent to the campus. Otto Ross, a TVHS English teacher who started the Outdoor Adventure class this school year, said a group of students has worked on building the new trail for the past year. He noted that the class has had help from the Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists and Flagline Trails to help students with the design of the trail, taking into account erosion, wildlife and user experience. In a couple weeks, we will be having our final brushing trail day, where students will be volunteering their time to put final touches on the trail, Ross said. Once the trail is finished, the community will be able to use it for walking and mountain biking. Through the Outdoor Adventure class, students have also been able to attend various outings that include high ropes courses, rock climbing and kayaking. PHOENIX Its a simple proposal for Republican lawmakers: Rein in the powers of the Arizona governor to declare emergencies and keep them open so the executive can oversee recovery operations without legislative oversight. But a proposed constitutional amendment that is one vote away from being sent to the 2024 ballot for voter approval will have far-reaching impacts on how the state oversees disaster declarations and potentially impact millions of dollars in federal funding. Thats because it would require monthly Legislative approval for any emergency declaration. Only thing is, there are 41 currently open state disaster declarations. And each is dependent on having an emergency declaration in force, even if they are years old. Depending on how it is interpreted, the law could require regular a monthly legislative review of just a few of the current emergencies, including the border crisis declared by former Gov. Doug Ducey in 2021 that remains in effect. The proposal is rooted in the state of emergency called by Ducey early in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic swept the country. The ongoing emergency it lasted nearly two years incensed many Republicans who believe he overstepped his powers by restraining business and school operations for too long. Last year, the Republican-controlled Legislature passed and Ducey signed a measure sharply limiting public health emergencies, although it did not take effect until he left office. Any health emergency declared by new Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs is now limited to 120 days. After that, the Legislature would need to approve an extension every 30 days. But under the new proposal from Rep. Joseph Chaplik, R-Scottsdale, lawmakers would have to come back into session every 30 days for any governors emergency declaration to be continued. Chaplik and other GOP proponents of HCR2039 argue that the Legislature has a duty to review emergency declarations, which are most commonly issued after floods and wildfires. This bill will put the power to deal with these emergencies on a long-term basis back in the hands that it always should have been in the first place, the primary branch of government, the Legislature, Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, said during the House vote early this month. Democrats call the proposal a recipe for political skullduggery to be injected into declarations that are best handled by the executive branch. They worried at a state Senate hearing on the voter referral this past week that injecting partisan politics into the process that maintains declarations for decades-old items like the statewide drought declaration that has been in force since 1999 could hamstring the system. If this federal funding was dependent on us getting together every 30 days to argue over whether or not the drought is real and upends the whole practical approach to dealing with the drought, were never going to actually get to the problem, Sen. Juan Mendez, D-Tempe, said. Were just going to keep fighting about whether or not the problem exists. The new proposal, approved by the Senate government committee Wednesday on a party-line vote, covers all emergency declarations. Of the 41 state declarations now in force, half are more than a decade old, according to the state Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. Another 18 federal disasters remain open and would not be affected. Whether the law covers all open state disasters or just those currently happening in the so-called incident period, like the drought and border crisis, is open to some interpretation. The measure now goes to the full Senate The House approved HCR 2039 along party lines earlier this month, so Senate approval is all that is needed to get it on the ballot. Unlike other legislative efforts Hobbs has been able to veto, she has no say on referendums the Legislature sends to the ballot. Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, said it makes sense for the Legislature to have oversight of lingering emergencies. He noted that the Free Enterprise Club of Arizona, a major proponent of the voter referral, pushed similar legislation last year. And he said its not partisan as it would affect whatever governor was in office, regardless of party. It is our job as Legislature to have a say and have a voice on behalf of our constituency when it comes to these things, regardless of who that governor is, Hoffman said. Thats why I like this measure. But Sen. Priya Sundareshan, D-Tucson, said that emergency declarations last a long time because in many cases they are required to be in place to qualify for federal funding. Our understanding and the interpretation is that you do need that active state of emergency declaration in order to be able to access the federal disaster funding Sundareshan said. Allowing the Legislature to weigh in or rescind a state of emergency is something that would have some pretty grave consequences. Thats actually true, according to information from DEMA, which handles state emergency declarations. Federal funding for disasters is linked to a state emergency declaration. And more to the point, they must be maintained for funding to continue to flow, according to DEMA. It also can and often does take years, sometimes even decades, for a disaster to be closed. That because while a flood or fire may happen over a short period of time, the actual damages can take months or years to assess, sign contracts for repairs, do the work and close the books. That is followed by an audit, which adds even more time. The oldest active statewide emergency disaster declaration is from 1991 and provides federal cash for search and rescue operations. The 1999 statewide drought declaration is the next-oldest. Disaster declarations for flooding from 2006 and two from 2010 also remain open. In the past 10 years, $273 million in federal funding has helped the state recover from floods, fires and other emergencies. Sundareshan said the voter referral just goes too far and puts federal funding at risk for no good reason. To require the Legislature to reauthorize these states of emergencies every 30 days or at all is excessive, she said. It simply adds to the bureaucracy while taking away our ability as legislators to participate as citizen legislators by going back to our communities and back to our districts and back to our other jobs. Hoffman had a completely different take, saying it was the job of the Legislature to act as a check on the executive, even if that means coming back to work each month when the Legislature is not in session. The way that our founders here in Arizona formed the state, the way that our founders at the federal level O formed this country, they intended for the Legislature to be the most powerful branch of the government, Hoffman said. The following is the opinion and analysis of the writers: These are our stories the stories of three public school teachers in Tucson. They are the stories of how our love for our students crashes headlong into the painful realities of being overworked and underpaid. They are the stories of the dignity we are denied when we cannot afford health care for our families. Only 27% of Arizona classrooms are staffed by a teacher who meets standard requirements. In almost every school in the state, there are classrooms without a teacher, classes taught by long-term substitutes or by a virtual teacher, and classes combined into one massive classroom. As teachers, we are asked to take on extra classes. We step up because we know that students need us, but we are exhausted. It is disgraceful and harmful. On top of it, we are unable to adequately care for our own families. Not only are we overworked and stretched thin in the classroom, but we cannot afford health care for our own children and families. It is shameful and embarrassing. My name is Cindy Gambone. I teach physics at Sunnyside High School because teaching is my calling. My take-home pay is $2,600/month. My options for health insurance are $836 per month for a reasonable deductible or $302 per month for a $6,000 deductible. Despite taking on an additional part-time job in the evenings and weekends, health care remains unattainable. Recently, my son accidentally cut his thumb with a kitchen knife. I knew he would need stitches, but without insurance, my son stayed in bed with his thumb wrapped tightly and elevated for three days until I found a sliding-scale clinic. I am ashamed that I put my son at risk, but I simply couldnt afford insurance. Even though this profession brings me joy, I know I will have to pursue another occupation soon. My name is Lydia Mendoza. I am one of only 133 TUSD employees (2%) who choose to cover their children with the health insurance plan that offers copays for primary care visits. The family care plan costs me $681 per month, leaving me with only $2,374 in take-home pay. I am lucky that my rent is only $797 per month, because otherwise I couldnt make it all work. I sign up for every extra teaching duty, such as summer school or after-school tutoring, to make ends meet. Just like Cindys situation, when I was starting teaching 25 years ago, I couldnt afford the family health plan. I was a single mom and I prayed every day that my kids didnt get sick. My name is Natalie Mast. My wife and I both work at TUSD and both our kids got really sick this year. Our 3-year-old was diagnosed with sudden onset Type I diabetes and our 6-year-old is being treated for Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome. We chose the mid-level deductible plan because we couldnt afford the option that Lydia pays for. So, along with 278 other TUSD families (4%), we pay a lot of money for a health care plan that we thought would protect our family. But the stack of medical bills on our counter says otherwise. This past year, we paid nearly $10,000 in medical bills on top of the $3,750 in insurance premiums. We have a teacher shortage because thousands of teachers are leaving the profession each year. Teachers are leaving because we are asked to put aside the needs of our own families to stay in this job. We are calling on decision-makers at all levels to address the poor quality and sky-high costs of our health care. Something must change. Arizona Education Associations Educators Budget calls on the state to invest $600 million in health care for teachers and school staff. We need this investment. Our families, our schools and our students deserve better. The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: Just imagine the spectacle: Government officials traipsing through libraries pulling forbidden books from the shelves and accusing librarians of grooming vulnerable readers to undermine the nation. It represented, their boss explained, part of an immense conspiracy, to destroy America, reader by reader. But this doesnt describe the impact of pending or recently enacted laws in Arizona, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma or several other states to prohibit access by students to books about sex or race. This occurred in 1953 when a pair of what critics dubbed junketeering gumshoes traveled to Western Europe to purge the State Departments U.S. Information Agency libraries of anti-American literature. Seventy years ago, headline-grabbing politicians werent concerned with non-binary pronouns, gender fluidity, critical race theory, drag shows, or wokeness as existential threats. Instead, the specter of international communism threatened the Republic. In 1950, Sen. Joe McCarthy (R-Wisconsin) charged that Democrats had employed hundreds of Communist agents in the State Department who had lost China and Eastern Europe to the Soviet Union. Even after Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, took the helm in 1953 and fired many of those falsely accused by the senator, McCarthy continued to see Reds everywhere. That February, he claimed that nearly 200 USIA libraries in 64 countries, which were wildly popular with foreign readers, had stocked their shelves with subversive literature. When Dulles tried to preemptively appease the senator by issuing a directive that banned overseas libraries from stocking books by controversial persons, including Communists, fellow travelers, et cetera, McCarthy listed Henry David Thoreau and John Steinbeck as et ceteras. Who, he asked, had chosen these authors? To uncover the villain, in March, McCarthy dispatched his chief of staff, Roy Cohn (Yes! That Roy Cohn. A closeted gay man who supported purging gays from government service and later became Donald Trumps political mentor) and Cohns friend, David Schine, on a whirlwind tour of European capitals. In each city, they scoured library shelves for contraband, removing books by 75 authors, including Ernest Hemingway, Howard Fast, Mark Twain, Theodore Dreiser, Langston Hughes, Upton Sinclair, Lillian Hellman and Dashiel Hammet. When Dulles ordered all USIA libraries to sanitize their collections, embassy staffers burned some of the suspect books in ways reminiscent of Nazi book burnings. At home, some local officials joined the action. In the early 1950s, Congressional investigators accused cheap paperbacks and lurid comic books, including Wonder Woman and Batman of encouraging homosexuality and juvenile delinquency. This prompted the American Legion and Scout troops to collect offending comics for public immolation. In 1953, the Indiana State Textbook Commission banned "Robin Hood" from schools, noting that taking from the rich and giving to the poor sounded like communist propaganda. In San Antonio, Texas, the mayor ordered "Moby Dick" and "The Canterbury Tales" removed from libraries because some editions contained illustrations by an accused Communist. Sen. McCarthys 1954 political humiliation during televised hearings into his claim the U.S. Army was riddled with Reds short-circuited the library purge movement. At least until recently. Lately, politicians, mostly from Republican-leaning states, bereft of any real policy proposals, have re-discovered demon books. With communists in short supply, these culture warriors conjured new bogeymen, such as critical race theory and wokeism, targeting Americas youth. Unwilling or unable to specify the precise nature of the threat, several presidential hopefuls have raised the alarm. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis boasts that because of stringent state laws limiting textbook content and classroom discussion Florida is where woke goes to die. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warns that our internal threats especially those trying to corrupt our kids with toxic wokeness are more serious than our external threats. Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley proclaims that wokeness is a virus more dangerous than any pandemic. Wham, bam, take that Covid! New educational guidelines in several states forbid primary and secondary schools from assigning books that deal with many aspects of sexuality or presenting history that makes students feel uncomfortable or guilty about their race. The Oklahoma Senate recently passed a measure banning books with a predominant tendency to appeal to prurient interest in sex from all public libraries. To retain market share in Florida, one publisher of social studies texts revised its account of the pivotal 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott that spurred a civil rights revolution to eliminate any reference to race or segregation. It states: one day Rosa Parks rode the bus. She was told to move to a different seat. She did not. She did what she believed was right. To avoid offending students, a Texas school district decreed that forcibly enslaved Africans shipped to the United States be called immigrants. In Tennessee, another district banned from its curriculum the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic Holocaust novel "Maus" as it used the word bitch and depicted a partially nude anthropomorphic mouse! Given this, is it surprising that several conservative pundits and politicians describe rioters assaulting Congress on January 6, 2021 as sightseers? Ultimately, McCarthy, like his progeny, was a performer, not a legislator. As a contemporary quipped, he couldnt find a communist in Red Square nor distinguish Karl Marx from Groucho. But he understood the politics of resentment and rode that horse until it gave out. Only when fellow Republicans sensed he had lost the publics attention did they join Democrats in condemning him. He died a broken man in 1957. But can we gamble that the current fever will burn itself out without irrevocably damaging our democracy? PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) For Milan Brunet-Sabastia, magic is about more than pulling a rabbit out of a hat. It is a meticulously practiced craft that creates a sense of joy and curiosity for its spectators that lingers long after a tricks execution. Although magicians are known to never reveal their tricks, Brunet-Sabastia is looking to pass the torch to the next generation through Pensacolas first magic school, La Maison of Cards or the house of cards which will begin at The Rex Theatre this month. Brunet-Sabastia was first introduced to magic during a show in his home city of Paris, France, as a shy 10-year-old boy. That launched his lifelong obsession with unraveling how the magician orchestrated the tricks right before his eyes. I remember that was when I fell in love with the craft of magic, Brunet-Sabastia said. Magic was an outlet for me. Fueling his interest, his mother purchased him his first magic starter kit, where he went on to teach himself some of the top as seen on TV tricks, learning tricks of increasing complexity one by one. Even though he refused to give up until he had mastered each trick he took on, he remembers times when he longed for a mentor to help him along the way. Now, Brunet-Sabastia knows how to work his audience, watching in delight as volunteers slowly open the palm of their hand to see rubber balls mysteriously stuffed inside, or have the card that they handpicked out of a deck predicted by Brunet-Sabastia without fail. Brunet-Sabastia will still maintain his career in medical technology sales management, but he is starting the magic school in his spare time to transfer knowledge over to the next generation. The school will cater to two different age groups, children 8 to 12 and then ages 13 and up (including adults) over eight weekly sessions. In addition to learning one major trick per class, Brunet-Sabastia wants student will take with them confidence, problem-solving and communication skills that they can carry with them into any career. I know how much magic helped me growing up. It is a way to give back, Brunet-Sabastia said. I want this kid (student) to be the life of the party. The 8-to12-year-old class will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. on Mondays starting March 20. The 13 and up class will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays starting March 21. Classes for ages 13 and up are independent and can be joined at any point in the session if there is availability. Once the first 8-week session wraps, the next session will begin. The 8-week session is $295 per student plus a $45 magic kit that students can keep after the course is complete. Sibling discounts are available. Brunet-Sabastia can be reached at 850-501-7692 or at maisonofcards@gmail.com. Information and updates can be found on the La Maison of Cards Facebook page and website. BALTIMORE (AP) Sol Davis wants to get rid of the gift shop. The store used to sell everything from magnets to menorahs, but the executive director of the Jewish Museum of Maryland is looking to install an audio and video studio instead. I want to use this place, this platform, as a space for imagining the Jewish future, Davis said. Up till now, the museum has largely focused on history but is looking to move toward more contemporary models, especially in the art sphere. Being a history museum is more of a choice, not really a necessity, Davis said. But the history of the institution is rich. Born from the Jewish Historical Society of Maryland, the museum opened its first exhibition in the basement of Lloyd Street in 1966 and now boasts an expansive campus. Its flanked on either end by two of the oldest synagogue buildings still standing in the country, according to Synagogue Stories, a museum documentary. The Lloyd Street synagogue, finished in 1845, was restored with help from the Maryland Jewish Historical Society and opened to visitors in 1964, and Bnai Israel, which has owned the neighboring synagogue since 1895, is still active and open for services. Being a culturally specific museum means still honoring that past, yet creating space for conversations, exhibitions and collections that sift through history to cobble together something new. The curatorial shift is clear in recent exhibitions like A Fence Around the Torah. Curated by Liora Ostroff along with a panel of five others, the exhibits 2D visual pieces, as well as multimedia and site-specific works, tackled what safety means within the Jewish context, examining the ways that boundaries can encourage safety yet also promote exclusion. The exhibit spurred episodes of Disloyal, the podcast the museum produces, which talks about the political, cultural, and spiritual trends that are shaping the world today through a distinctively Jewish lens, according to its website. Ostroff was the first curator in residence for the museum, which does not have a full-time curator position. For Leora Fridman, curator of the upcoming exhibition Material/Inheritance, it was important to put together risk-taking Jewish contemporary art art that typically wouldnt be shown in a Jewish space. Running until June 11, Material/Inheritance will have works from 30 New Jewish Culture fellows whose works speak to queerness, identity and the complicated feelings about cultural and racial identity. Performances from artists whose work doesnt hang on walls, such as musical acts and lectures, will play an integral role in the exhibits opening and closing. I want people to know we are reinventing what these kind of events look like, Fridman said. The collaboration between the museum and the New Jewish Culture Fellowship has been growing since Davis assumed his position in January 2021. The partnership has helped attract new audiences a necessity for the institutions growth. Communications director Mark Gunnery said the museum has been gauging part of that visitorship through digital analytics, as all of their new exhibits are available to see online. They have also seen a 46% increase in Instagram followers and 600% increase in YouTube views over the last year and a half good steps forward in engaging as a truly 21st century museum, Gunnery said. Its a perpetual concern for Jewish people that younger Jewish people become engaged in Jewish life, Davis said. The curator in residence program has brought on co-conspirators in his fight for an intergenerational audience. The museum has seen other changes on its staff as well. Archivist Maggie Hoffman was hired shortly before Davis, and since 2021, the team has also welcomed Gunnery; Zoe Reznick Gewanter, a director of public programs; and Aimee Pohl, a reference assistant. The Lloyd Street Synagogue is going through changes, too. It currently houses an exhibit that tells the story of its history, but that will soon be rehomed since the team reinterpreted the show into the Synagogue Stories documentary. The synagogue isnt shutting down completely, though. Davis hopes that it can host people and events, possibly in the synagogues beth midrash, or place for study. As long as its structurally able, I would like to activate it, he said. The work of the Jewish Museum of Maryland expands beyond the Lloyd Street corridor. Hoffman had never worked in a Jewish museum before joining the staff in 2020. When they began their genealogical research years ago, they discovered their great-great-granduncles first job in the United States was as a rabbi at Bnai Israel when it was located at Exeter and Fayette. Learning about my ancestors has been a privilege, and Im honored to hold a position where I can help researchers draw family connections of their own, Hoffman said. Those archives also offer context to present issues, and the museums collection of materials and records are preserved so Jewish history in Maryland is not forgotten. Its an imperative part of imagining the future. Davis said he knows there is a road ahead thats paved with difficult conversations and threats to the community as antisemitic hate crimes have risen; 2021 saw the highest number of antisemitic incidents on record in the country, according to the Anti-Defamation League. But Davis sees the existence of the museum as one of the most simple ways to combat hatred: Creating a space for Jewish culture to thrive is a response to antisemitism. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) From the floor, the vaulted ceiling of St. Marys Episcopal Cathedral is obscured by layers of scaffolding. Up 25 feet, workers are chipping off century-old plaster, damaged from years of water leaks, in a steady tapping that reverberates through the nave. The interim dean, Rev. Gary Meade, hopes by August that the $1.4 million project will be finished. It also includes shoring up the bell tower, patching myriad roof leaks, replastering and painting and ultimately power-washing years of grime from the facade of a building that holds pieces of the citys soul. Besides attending to structural issues that have concerned parish leaders for years, the restoration stands as a symbol of the cathedrals rebirth. Were focused on construction. And by that, I mean not just the reconstruction of the building, but were focusing on rebuilding the parish family, said Meade, 61. As interim, he has been asked to stay 18-24 months. The whole point of my being here is, hopefully, I can be the bridge to the next permanent dean, he said. That, in part, means helping the congregation reflect on where it is and what it wants to become. The restoration, funded by a deceased parishioner, is a large, reassuring piece of the puzzle. Its a great gift, said Pat Kelly, head of the cathedral council. Separate expenditures are planned to reconfigure the cathedrals pipe organ, dismantled and moved during construction, and extend a wrought-iron fence across the front of the cathedral. The building has a lot of plaster damage and paint deterioration, said Carter Hord, architect for the project. There is water infiltration from the tower. Its a gothic revival building, so it has this tower right at the crossing, where the transept crosses a portion of the nave. Were working on the upper part of the tower. The membrane roof that was on the tower was blown off, and the wood underneath that part of the framing was rotten, he said. For weeks now, the cathedral at 700 Poplar Ave. has been wrapped in the general contractors bunting, a street-level barrier between it and the city it has served for more than 100 years. We want to get the word out. We put banners up on the outside of the fencing saying, Yep, were open. Were just fixing some holy holes, Meade says. It is working on restaging the weekly breakfast it has hosted inside cathedrals walls. Construction has made that impossible. But as a sign of the unsteadiness, Meade is the fourth interim dean since early 2019, when longtime dean Rev. Andy Andrews left. In the time, giving dropped precipitously, from nearly $800,000 in 2018 to $432,000 in 2022, when the cathedral operated at a $138,000 deficit. It has operated in a deficit in four of the past five years, according to financial records. In 2018, expenses exceeded income by $189,464, the largest of the period, shortly before Andrews left. During the COVID-19 pandemic with a pared-down staff and outreach, it cost more than $500,000 to run the cathedral, the seat of bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee. St. Marys has never been a wealthy community, said Melissa Bridgman, a member for nearly two decades. When our beloved Andy Andrews left, we lost half the parish immediately. In the past several years, the cathedrals status, based on its financial self-sufficiency, was reduced from a parish to a mission church. To turn the tide, Bridgman said, the council has worked hard to get spending in line. We are only doing what we can pay for. We are being creative. Gary and I are meeting very soon to figure out how, given the constraints of the construction, we can pick that Saturday breakfast up again. We have not done that since the construction began, she said. Meade conservatively counts 126 active members, guessing the membership could be at least half as many more. I havent found them enough yet to put on my list. But its always a moving target, trying to figure out whos a member and who is not, he said. Every congregation, Bridgman says, is having trouble getting people back in the worship space after the pandemic. There are still people who just got used to staying at home on Sundays, she said. That also has affected giving. Meade arrived Feb. 1, months after the cathedral board halted a search for a permanent dean. He is not privy to the details. Kelly, senior warden, said it was better for her not to comment. The interim dean before Meade, Rev. Jean Vargo, left early last fall. Until Meade arrived, the congregation was served by a number of priests, including Bishop Phoebe Roaf. If a priest was not available on Sunday, communion could not be served. The rest of the time, we would just have morning prayer, Bridgman said. For more than ten years, Kelly said, the parish knew it had a large restoration project on its hands from the water-weakened structural supports. The dampened plaster and paint have been crumbling in the ceiling and walls for decades. The angel dust would sometimes come down on you as you were sitting in the pews, Kelly said. Its hard to express the relief people feel that the restoration is finally being done, Bridgman said. If youve ever owned a home, you know that if you do not do necessary repairs and maintenance, your house is going to fall down and so much more for a cathedral built of stone and a metal roof. There were condensation issues with the duct work and the expensive organ pipes. Its just all quite a lot, Bridgman said. Through the years, the cathedral has earned the status of a community shrine. It was the gathering place for an ecumenical group of clergy supporting the city sanitation workers in 1968. Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association or MIFA, the community action agency was founded at the cathedral after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and incorporated in the cathedrals crypt. Long before that, the Episcopal nuns who started St. Marys School for Girls were among the martyrs of the yellow fever epidemic in 1878 because they stayed behind to tend the sick. In his mind, Meade is planning a poignant service in the newly restored nave for Sept. 9, the denominations feast day for martyrs, known in the church as Constance and Her Companions. The small congregation in the meantime is worshiping on Sundays in the Sisters Chapel, the small space where the sisters met for church in the yellow fever days. It was built in 1887, a memorial given by Col. Robert Bogardus Snowden, brother of the lone surviving nun, Sister Hughetta, in honor of their mother. I think it is important that the community is aware of these kinds of things, said Hord, the architect. We have to take care of our churches. They are the rocks in our community. Physically, they are important, and spiritually, they are important. He credits the churches in citys core for the rebirth of Downtown after Kings death. When everyone else left, he said, the churches stayed there. They were the anchors that sort of held the city together and allowed it to slowly come back and flourish again. DETROIT Ford Motor Co.s electric vehicle business has lost $3 billion before taxes during the past two years and will lose a similar amount this year as the company invests heavily in the new technology. The figures were released Thursday as Ford rolled out a new way of reporting financial results. The new business structure separates electric vehicles, the profitable internal combustion and commercial vehicle operations into three operating units. Company officials said the electric vehicle unit, called Ford Model e, will be profitable before taxes by late 2026 with an 8% pretax profit margin. But they wouldnt say exactly when its expected to start making money. Chief Financial Officer John Lawler said Model e should be viewed as a startup company within Ford. As everyone knows, EV startups lose money while they invest in capability, develop knowledge, build (sales) volume and gain (market) share, he said. Model e, he said, is working on second- and even third-generation electric vehicles. It currently offers three EVs for sale in the U.S.: the Mustang Mach E SUV, the F-150 Lightning pickup and an electric Transit commercial van. The new corporate reporting system, Lawler said, is designed to give investors more transparency than the old system of reporting results by geographic regions. The automaker calculated earnings for each of the three units during the past two calendar years. Model e had pretax losses of $900 million in 2021 and $2.1 billion last year, and it is expected to lose $3 billion this year. In the past two years Ford has announced it would build four new battery factories and a new vehicle assembly plant as well as spending heavily to acquire raw materials to build electric vehicles. By the end of this year, the company based in Dearborn, Michigan, expects to be building electric vehicles at a rate of 600,000 per year, reaching a rate of 2 million per year by the end of 2026. Last year, the pretax profit margin for Model e was minus 40%, Lawler said. To get to a positive 8% by the end of 2026, the company expects economies of scale spreading costs over more vehicles sold to be worth 20 points of the improvement. Design and engineering improvements will bring 15 points, battery cost reductions 10 points and 3 points will come from other areas including federal tax incentives and raw material price reductions. Wells Fargo analyst Colin Langan calculated that Ford would need $15,000 in cost savings per vehicle to get to an 8% profit margin. He asked what gives Ford confidence it can reach that number. It just seems like quite a big number, he said. Lawler replied that Ford is looking at a whole new way of designing vehicles, focusing on energy efficiency, including aerodynamics. Every decision is about optimizing energy efficiency so that we can get the smallest battery possible to hit the range target that we have for that vehicle, he said. Ford also will simplify its manufacturing process, maximizing common parts in next generation of EVs, saving over the current generation of repurposed internal combustion vehicle underpinnings. There is a significant amount of opportunity in there to identify efficiencies and drive those home, he said. Fords disclosure of the losses shows ugly industry truths that only Tesla is making a profit on electric vehicles, CFRA analyst Garrett Nelson wrote in an investor note. EVs are likely to be a material drag on near- and intermediate-term earnings, he wrote. He maintained a buy opinion on Ford shares but cut his one-year share price target by $1 to $16. Ford Blue, the unit that sells internal combustion and gas-electric hybrid vehicles, made just over $10 billion before taxes during the last two years. Ford Pro, the commercial vehicle unit, made $5.9 billion during those years, the company said. For this year, Ford expects Ford Blue to post a $7 billion pretax profit, modestly better than last year. Ford Pro is expected to earn $6 billion before taxes, nearly double its earnings last year, Lawler said. Ford was to present the new structure, announced last March, to analysts and investors on Thursday. Other business units include corporate, Ford Credit and Ford Next, a new business incubator. Shares of Ford slipped 1.2% in trading late Thursday. Lawler said the company is changing the way it does business, not just doing an accounting exercise. After 120 years, weve essentially re-founded Ford, he said. Were embracing technology and competitive disruption in our industry, fundamentally changing how were thinking, how were making decisions, and how were running the company. One of the stories within the constellation of narratives that make up Anthony Doerr's novel "Cloud Cuckoo Land" takes place aboard an interstellar space ship called the Argos, which carries a group on humans on a decades-long journey to a potential new home. What Doerr discovered to his surprise as he began to work on the story, was how much research he ended up having to do to be able to tell this part of his novel's story. "One section is set in Constantinople in the 1500s, which of course required me to do a lot of research into what it was like to live in that place and that time," Doerr said. "The second section is set in modern-day Idaho, and as I live here, I figured there was a lot about that world I knew innately. "But I hadn't really grasped how much research it would take in order to construct a plausible future," he said, laughing. "Of course, there is a lot of pure invention going on, but you also need to have it grounded in fact things like, how would you feed the population aboard a ship that's going to be traveling for decades? What would a library of the future look like? What sort of climate change would require people setting out into space?" Doerr will talk about such topics when he comes to Tulsa as the next speaker in the University of Tulsa's Presidential Lecture Series. His talk will follow his creative journey that led to "Cloud Cuckoo Land," his 2021 best-selling novel. "It's not going to be just me talking," Doerr said. "I'll have slides to show, and I'm always changing that up. This is my first time to come to Tulsa, and since this book is all about libraries, I've been reading up on the McFarlin Library (at TU) and will try to fold some of that into the talk. I was surprised to learn that it's kind of the center of James Joyce studies, and I'm looking forward to seeing the Special Collections there." The lecture series is sponsored by the Darcy O'Brien Endowed Chair, the McFarlin Fellows, the Office of the Provost and the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities. Doerr is the author of two short story collections, a memoir and three novels, including "All the Light We Cannot See," which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, spent nearly four years on the New York Times best-seller lists and like "Cloud Cuckoo Land" was a finalist for the National Book Award. "I can remember the moment when I got the first spark of the idea that would become 'All the Light,'" Doerr said. "I was on a train, and heard this man complaining about his cell phone not finding a signal, and I had this epiphany about a story that would center around radio. "But for 'Cloud Cuckoo Land,' there wasn't any one moment like that," he said. "It was more of an accretion of things, certain ideas I wanted to explore and the different ways to do that." Those different ways include the parallel stories of Anna and Omeir, two youngsters living in the year 1452, who find themselves through no effort of their own on opposite sides of an impending war; the young girl Konstance aboard the Argos, whose imagination is ignited by hearing an ancient story from her father; and Zeno, an elderly man directing a group of children rehearsing a play at an Idaho library, and Seymour, the troubled young man with a bomb in his backpack and a gun in his pocket, who is determined to make some kind of explosive statement. What links all these disparate characters and places together is "Cloud Cuckoo Land," a tale about a man in ancient Greece who seeks ways to transform himself into a donkey, a fish, a bird. This tale is one of Doerr's inventions, although the name itself comes from a passage in Aristophanes' comedy "The Birds," and its perseverance through time and space is emblematic of Doerr's theme of stewardship. "One of the things I wanted to do with this novel was to suggest to folks that, while we may not think of ourselves as connected with people in other places and other times, we truly are," he said. "And because of that, we need to take care of the things that truly matter, whether it's this world that we share, or the cultural creations that bring us together. "Each of the main characters in 'Cloud Cuckoo Land' all feel as if they are living at the end of time," Doerr said. "The people in Constantinople in the 1400s were convinced that the siege by the Ottomans in 1453 was the end of the times. Konstance is flying through space because the Earth was becoming uninhabitable. I remember my parents talking about the threat of nuclear war and being told to hide under their desk. And yet we see time and again how human culture, human ingenuity, will survive. It's something that should give us a bit of hope in these troubled times." Coffee lovers and their doctors have long wondered whether a jolt of java can affect the heart. New research has found that drinking caffeinated coffee does not significantly affect one kind of heart hiccup that can feel like a skipped beat. But it did signal a slight increase in another type of irregular heartbeat in people who drank more than one cup per day. And it found that people tend to walk more and sleep less on the days they drank coffee. Coffee is one of the most common beverages in the world. In the U.S., two-thirds of Americans drink coffee every day, more than bottled water, tea or tap water, according to the National Coffee Association, a trade group. Coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant, which is widely regarded as safe for healthy adults at about 400 milligrams per day, or roughly the equivalent of four or five cups brewed at home. Coffee has been associated with multiple health benefits and even a lower risk of dying, based on large studies that observed participants behavior. Despite research that has shown moderate coffee consumption doesnt raise the risk of heart rhythm problems, some professional medical societies still caution against consuming caffeine. In the latest experiment, researchers outfitted 100 healthy volunteers with gadgets that continuously monitored their heart function, daily steps, sleep patterns and blood sugar. The volunteers, who were mostly younger than 40, were sent daily text messages over two weeks instructing them to drink or avoid caffeinated coffee on certain days. The results were reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. This type of study, which directly measures the biological effects of drinking or not drinking caffeinated coffee in the same people, is rare and provides a dense array of data points, said study co-author Dr. Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, who specializes in treating heart arrhythmias. Researchers found that drinking caffeinated coffee did not result in more daily episodes of extra heartbeats, known as premature atrial contractions. These extra beats that begin in the hearts upper chambers are common and typically dont cause problems. But they have been shown to predict a potentially dangerous heart condition called atrial fibrillation. They also found slight evidence of another kind of irregular heartbeat that comes from the lower heart chambers, called premature ventricular contractions. Such beats are also common and not usually serious, but they have been associated with a higher risk of heart failure. The researchers found more of these early beats in people on the days they drank coffee, but only in those who drank two or more cups per day. The volunteers logged about 1,000 more steps per day on the days they drank coffee and they slept about 36 minutes less, the study found. There was almost no difference in blood sugar levels. One interesting result: People with genetic variants that make them break down caffeine faster experienced less of a sleep deficit, while folks with variants that lead them to metabolize caffeine more slowly lost more sleep. Because the study was performed in a small number of people over a short period of time, the results dont necessarily apply to the general population, said Dr. Dave Kao, a cardiologist and health data expert at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study. However, the study is consistent with others that have found coffee is safe and it offers a rare controlled evaluation of caffeines effect, Kao added. Co-author Marcus cautions that the effects of drinking coffee can vary from person to person. He said he advises his patients with heart arrhythmias to experiment on their own to see how caffeine affects them. Theyre often delighted to get the good news that its OK to try coffee and drink coffee, he said. From coffee to cola: The most popular nonalcoholic beverages in the US ranked Ranking the most popular nonalcoholic beverages #7. Diet beverages #6. Milk #5. Fruit beverages #4. Tea #3. Sweetened beverages #2. Coffee #1. Water Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. If youve spent time scrolling on social media in the past few years, its likely youve come across an account called Zillow Gone Wild. This popular page, known for posting the most interesting and outrageous homes the real estate website has to offer, has become a social media sensation, with each post garnering tens of thousands of likes from users. What you might not know, however, is that the man behind Zillow Gone Wild is from Tulsa. Samir Mezrahi started Zillow Gone Wild in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, December 2020. Since getting its start a few years ago, Mezrahis account has gained millions of followers whom he calls Zillionaires across multiple social media platforms. It just keeps growing, and Im having a lot of fun with what Im doing, Mezrahi said. I can see people really enjoy it. Mezrahi was born and raised in Tulsa. After moving to California for a few years, he and his family returned for his senior year at Memorial High School. Mezrahi said he always had an interest in homes, but it wasnt until moving to California and seeing interesting architecture there that his fascination began. After graduation, Mezrahi enrolled in the University of Oklahoma, where he studied accounting and supply chain management. Upon earning his degree, Mezrahi set his sights on New York City, moving there in the winter of 2005. He worked briefly as an accountant, left that position and was hired at Buzzfeed, which was a new company at the time. Im lucky I used to be an accountant, but it wasnt very fun and I probably wasnt so good at it, then I got a job at Buzzfeed, Mezrahi said. I joined the social team, which there wasnt much of back then. With many people working and spending more time at home during the peak of the pandemic, the social-media savvy Mezrahi saw an opportunity to start Zillow Gone Wild. In the deep pandemic times, a lot of companies were telling their workers they could work from home, which meant more people were on their phones scrolling TikTok or Instagram, Mezrahi said. One thing I like to do is browse Zillow, and I thought a lot of people might also like to do that, too maybe theyre hoping to move somewhere or are just looking for fun. When I decided to start the account, it completely took off from the start. Then, a few weeks later, Saturday Night Live did a sketch on Zillow, which made me feel like I was really onto something. From the start, followers on social media started pouring in, Mezrahi said. Within the first few weeks, there was a Sunday where I gained about 100,000 followers, Mezrahi said. Family, friends and old classmates were excited and surprised to learn that Mezrahi was the face behind the account they were constantly seeing in their newsfeeds, Mezrahi said. The excitement has been really cool I talk to people and theyre like, Oh, thats you? Mezrahi said. Ive seen a lot of random old friends sharing my stories to Facebook, even though I havent spoken to them in so long. Its fun to be in the space because a lot of people think of me as the weird homes person, so Im always getting tagged and messaged. These tags and messages play an important role in Zillow Gone Wild, Mezrahi said. His process for finding new listings to share is somewhat collaborative with his huge following. People often send Mezrahi strange homes theyve found online themselves, hoping to be part of his next feature. People are so into their local markets, so theyre always sending me wild homes, Mezrahi said. Im mostly combing through messages just to see if anything catches my eye. If a bunch of people are sending me the same home, then I know theres got to be something interesting there. Its so fun because I never know what kind of new things Ill see. When selecting homes to post on Zillow Gone Wild, Mezrahi said he has criteria in place. He always wants to post something new that his followers havent seen before, and he wants his account to remain an enjoyable, happy place for people to scroll through. I always try to find something new, and I do try to keep it positive and fun a lot of people will send me hoarder houses or homes from someone whos clearly going through a hard time, but thats not really my idea of wild, Mezrahi said. Theres a home in Phoenix where a guy turned his whole first floor into a putting green. Thats the kind of stuff I love to see and find interesting. After over two years of running Zillow Gone Wild, Mezrahi said hes seen his fair share of outrageous and extravagant Zillow listings. A quick scroll through the Zillow Gone Wild Instagram page showcases a Colorado home with a 200-million-year-old, 35-feet-high rock formation inside of it; a California midcentury modern home in perfect condition; and a Nevada Jungle Palace compound with animal enclosures and a bird sanctuary. One of the wildest homes Mezrahi has seen, however, is a Tennessee mansion being sold for $1.5 million. The only catch? The house was literally on fire, Mezrahi said. The lead picture of the listing was just a huge flaming fire burning the house you can see the fire trucks in the photo. I think the people who made the listing were kind of joking with it, and no one got hurt, but it was pretty shocking to think that someone took a picture of it on fire and was like, We should use that. Certain states, like Pennsylvania, Michigan and especially Florida, seem to have a wealth of interesting homes for Zillow Gone Wild to feature, Mezrahi said. Florida has a lot of homes that seem like theyre rentals for the theme parks, so youll see massive mansions with Harry Potter rooms, Star Wars rooms and arcades, Mezrahi said. Mezrahi said he plans to keep pursuing Zillow Gone Wild while continuing to work at Buzzfeed. With a subscription newsletter on Substack and a new video series where he visits some of the wild homes he features, Mezrahi has no plans of slowing down. I want to keep visiting the homes in person, because a lot of people have other questions about the homes, so being able to take exclusive pictures and go deeper is a lot of fun and something I want to keep doing, Mezrahi said. Follow Zillow Gone Wild on all platforms @zillowgonewild. It all starts with the wood. That wood could be something familiar, such as maple or spruce, or something more exotic, such as sapele from Africa or buckeye burl from California. But whatever wood is chosen, it has to sing. Ben Liggett holds up the body of a guitar he's in the process of constructing. It is a model he calls "Pragmatist," which has a shape reminiscent of the iconic profile of the Fender Stratocaster. The guitar's top is made from buckeye burl, known for its unique and wide-ranging colors; this particular piece has a distinctly aquamarine cast to it. The rest of the guitar's body is constructed out of birds-eye mahogany. "Listen," Liggett says, as he gives the guitar's top a tap with his index finger. The wood responds with a soft yet definite tone an almost bell-like tone. "And then," he says, flipping the guitar body over and giving the back an equally forceful tap. This time, the tone is lower in pitch but just as resonant. Even though the finished product will be fitted out with all sorts of electronics, and the music it produces will likely have to pass through various effects of pedals and amplifiers before it will be heard by an audience, it still matters that wood from which a guitar is constructed is capable of making its own unique music. That is part of the art of instrument making, which Owasso resident Ben Liggett has been doing for about a decade. His company, Liggett Guitars, creates custom-built electric and acoustic guitars, as well as creating custom inlays for fellow luthiers or musicians. "You may have seen country artists in the '50s and '60s who would have their names inlaid in the necks of their guitars," Liggett said. "I think it was Merle Travis who started that, and it was a big thing for a while. And I've been asked to do that a few times." Liggett's interest in guitars began as a teenager, when he took up bass guitar. "It was just a hobby, something I did for my own enjoyment," he said. "I was in a band for a while, but it wasn't a very enjoyable experience not because of the other people in the band, but because I was never comfortable with performing. I have great respect for people who are full-time musicians, but it just wasn't for me." Neither, Liggett confessed, was school. He knew he wasn't the college type. "I've always been someone who likes working with my hands, making things," he said, and chose instead to study machining at Tulsa Technology Center. After graduating, he got a job making parts for tools used in the oil and aerospace industries. But after a few years, the drudgery of making the same objects over and over got to be too much. "When I was at Tulsa Tech, we had a certain amount of freedom to make things we wanted to use," Liggett said. "Some friends of mine and I made this workshop vise that I still use today. I also made a brass hammer that I still use. "Besides," he said, "Machine shops tend to smell of burnt grease, and dealing with metal shavings in your hands is not a very enjoyable experience. I wanted to do something that would allow me to be creative, and guitars seemed to be the answer." Liggett went to the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery in Phoenix, a five-month immersive course in instrument-making in which students had to build one acoustic and one electric guitar. "The first few weeks I was there, I was surrounded by all these people talking about guitar parts, types of wood, pickup wiring," he said. "I remember thinking, 'If this ever starts getting old, I'm out of here.'" Liggett paused, then grinned broadly. "It's never gotten old." Liggett returned to Tulsa and went to work at Bishline Banjos, which is run by Rob Bishline, himself a graduate of the Roberto-Venn School. He worked there until February 2020, when Bishline closed the shop, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "It was a very amicable parting we just decided to go our separate ways to do our own things," Liggett said. "Of course, going into business for yourself full-time right at the start of a pandemic wasn't what you'd call an ideal business plan, but that's the breaks." Liggett Guitars come in four base models: The Pragmatist; The AbstracT, a single-cutaway model that looks a little like a Fender Telecaster that went through a taffy-pulling machine; the Galaxy, which dispenses with the traditional headstock to create a more space-age look; and a new model Liggett calls the Sumi, a thin-bodied, single-cutaway design. While Liggett's designs involve original, even somewhat avant-garde, elements, he acknowledges that there is a reason why it seems that a few basic shapes dominate the guitar world. "A lot of it has to do with ergonomics," he said. "A guitar has to be comfortable to hold and play, and there are certain shapes that lend themselves to that." Liggett also works to make his guitars as thin as possible, to keep the weight down. He also creates hollow spaces, or chambers, within his seemingly solid-body guitars, in part because of weight but mostly to give the instrument additional resonance. Liggett said his business is equally divided between doing custom inlay work for others and creating custom-built guitars. "When I was at Roberto-Venn, one thing I learned from a lot of custom guitar makers we met and worked with was that it takes a good 15 or so years before you get known," Liggett said. He chuckled, then said, "So I guess that means I have about another 12 years to go." But his guitars are beginning to become known in the music world. "I'm a big fan of Emil Amos, who has a solo project called Holy Sons," Liggett said. "When I was at luthier school, I listened to his albums a lot and reached out to him to say I'd love to build a guitar for him. "Emil also works as a drummer for groups like Om," he said, "so when people would ask what I was working on, I'd tell them I'm building a guitar for my favorite drummer." Trent Morrow remembers as a youngster inviting friends from school to visit the store his family owned. "But when I told them where the store was," Morrow said, "none of them would come, because they were too afraid of the neighborhood." And, at the time of which he is speaking, Morrow could understand the trepidation his friends and their parents might have about venturing to what has come to be known as "the very large corner of Lewis and Admiral." The family business, Ziegler Art & Frame, was an outpost of respectability in the center of what was considered from the 1970s through the 1990s as Tulsa's "red light" district a place known for dive bars, strip clubs, adult bookstores, a once-proud movie theater reduced to showing X-rated movies and rampant criminal activity. "To be fair, it could be a little scary to come here back then," Morrow said, laughing. "But it wasn't always that way. My grandfather, who started the business, grew up in this neighborhood. He started out as a wholesale frame-making business, and my dad decided to open a retail business a few years later. "It was always the plan that we would ultimately move the business south," he said. "But property was relatively cheap here, and Grandpa just kept buying buildings. We ended up linking them all together, and after a while it just became too hard to leave." Today, Ziegler Art & Frame continues to occupy some 20,000 square feet of retail space on the northwest corner of Lewis Avenue and Admiral Boulevard, which is considered the epicenter of the Kendall Whittier District. Morrow, now one of the co-owners of the business, said they coined the description "The very large corner of Lewis and Admiral" for a series of radio ads that were designed to encourage those seeking just about any sort of object associated with the visual arts, from custom framing to colored pencils, to pay a visit to the neighborhood. Those ads, and the Ziegler-Morrow family's determination to remain in the neighborhood, are among the reasons why Ziegler Art & Frame is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. "So we've seen a whole lot of changes around here," he said, laughing. "That's probably putting it mildly." A long history If any neighborhood in Tulsa can be said to have a history with a capital "H," it is Kendall Whittier. The neighborhood was the first suburban Tulsa neighborhood, dating back to 1909; it would get its name from the two elementary schools that served the area and later merged into a single school. By the 1920s, it was a thriving suburban neighborhood connected to downtown Tulsa by trolley, and to much of the rest of America by Route 66, which opened nearby in 1926. In 1928, the Circle Cinema opened, and through much of the 1930s, '40s and '50s was a mostly self-contained neighborhood of working-class families. Then, in the mid-1960s, Interstate 244, also known as the Crosstown Expressway, more or less cut the Kendall Whittier neighborhood in half and did not include any exits that would funnel traffic directly into the area. Families began moving south and east, businesses began shutting down and less savory elements of society began moving in. It was about this time that Kendall Whittier Inc. was established. It began as an outreach effort by several churches in the neighborhood to assist the area's residents in a variety of ways. It has developed into a nonprofit organization focused on helping deal with food insecurity issues. But it wasn't until the 2000s that the ongoing efforts to restore and revitalize the Kendall Whittier neighborhood truly began to be noticed beyond the district's boundaries. Main Street success These efforts included the remaking and reopening of the Circle Cinema, 10 S. Lewis Ave., in 2004, which turned the city's last surviving pre-1960 movie house into a showplace for independent art films; and the establishing of the Tulsa Girls Art School, 2202 E. Admiral Place, as a place to provide at-risk female students with the training and skills to pursue careers in the visual arts. Both these ventures helped to encourage people to visit the area, whether to take in the latest critically acclaimed film or to view a show by some potential rising stars in the art world. But it was the formation of Kendall Whittier Main Street in 2010 that really helped to draw new and positive attention to what has become one of the fastest growing, and most ethnically diverse, neighborhoods in the city. *** Kendall Whittier Main Street is part of Main Street America, a national program aimed at reviving historic areas of cities and towns, to build civic pride and to bolster local economies. "The Main Street Program has four basic tenets," said Jessica Jackson Seay, the current Executive Director of Kendall Whittier Main Street. "The first is organization, which involves raising money and working with our many volunteers. Then there is design, which encompasses place-making, historic preservation and things such as that. Promotion is about events, social media, all the ways that can be used to encourage people to come visit your district. And all that leads to the fourth tenet, which is economic vitality." Kendall Whittier Main Street's success in meeting all those benchmarks resulted in its winning the 2020 Great American Main Street Award for turning an area of decades-long blight into a lively hub for arts and culture. The organization would host dozens of public events throughout the year, encouraging people who might still associate the neighborhood with its checkered past to see for themselves the sort of place Kendall Whittier had become. According to its website, Kendall Whittier Main Street has helped attract some 60 local businesses to the area, including retail shops such as Whitty Books, 2306 E. Admiral Blvd.; Jo and June Vintage Shop, 2413 E. Admiral Blvd.; and Stemcell Science Shop, 2415 E. Admiral Blvd.; restaurants and breweries that include Calaveras Mexican Grill, 2326 E. Admiral Blvd.; Heirloom Rustic Ales, 2113 E. Admiral Blvd; Mr. Taco, 130 N. Lewis Ave.; and She Brews Coffee House, 1 N. Lewis Ave.; and a variety of arts-related businesses, from artist Marjorie Atwood's street front studio, 2310 E. Admiral Blvd., to Mythic Press, 2015 E. Third St., to TPC Studios, which specializes in event planning and product branding services. In 2019, the neighborhood became the new home of the Tulsa Farmer's Market, which moved into the area because of the ongoing construction at its previous home on Cherry Street. At the time of the move, Tulsa Farmer's Market executive director Kim Hutto said, Kendall-Whittier felt to us the way Cherry Street did 25 years ago. It was really going through a transformation, and we wanted to be a part of that. The location also brought us even closer to some of the citys food deserts, so it all felt like things were perfectly aligned, she said. And the merchants in the area were so welcoming, it seemed like everything just fell into place. Unfortunately, both the Farmer's Market relocation, and the Great American Main Street Award, happened right around the time that the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak. "We went from doing about 20 public events and festivals to zero," Jackson Seay said. "Our focus became doing what we could to help the businesses stay in business. That also led us to reconsider what we had been doing, and decide that perhaps we should do fewer events, but do them on a larger scale." These events include three Los Festivales & Mercados, April 29, July 15 and Sept. 16, which reflect the neighborhood's vibrant Mexican and Latin American communities, as well as Amps on Admiral outdoor music event, June 3; the Kendall Whittier Arts Festival, Oct. 23; and Small Business Saturday, Nov. 25. With all that is going on here, Jackson Seay said, there are some things that Kendall Whittier still lacks. "We really need more food options," she said. "We have a lot of great food trucks in the area, but it would be nice to have more lunch and dinner places in the neighborhood." That is one of the goals of Regenerate/Reimagine, a nonprofit organization that works to use public art for economic development. It has partnered with Kendall Whittier Main Street for a program to bring together local artists with local food entrepreneurs. Jackiez Gonzalez, the program's director, said she was drawn to the Kendall Whittier neighborhood not long after coming to Tulsa four years ago, as part of the Tulsa Remote program. "It's a neighborhood I care a lot about, being Mexican myself and seeing what a strong Mexican community is here," she said. "I wanted to do something that would support the community, and I began asking people about what businesses they thought Kendall Whittier needed. "And just about everyone focused on food," Gonzalez said, laughing. Gonzalez said a call for aspiring restaurateurs brought in more than 20 applicants that were ultimately winnowed down to five. These were paired with local artists, who set about designing such things as brand logos and storefront renderings for a potential storefront business. "That way the chefs could focus on what they do best," Gonzalez said. In early February, a tasting event for the five finalists was held, where they offered samples of their goods and visitors voted for their favorites. "We will narrow it down to two finalists, who will each be given a full-scale pop-up space, and from that we'll select the winner," she said. "One thing that has been great about this whole process is that it's really been a reflection of the diversity of this community. Our finalists include Venezuelan food, Mexican food, Moroccan food, a vegan bakery and wings." And while the Kendall Whittier of today may be far removed from the Kendall Whittier of the 1970s and '80s, Jackson Seay said she doesn't mind if there remain a few echoes of those "bad old days." "It's certainly part of the neighborhood's history, and it kind of adds to the funkiness of this part of town," she said. "Kendall Whittier has become very much an arts-oriented neighborhood, with all kinds of creative businesses here. And a little funkiness is not a bad thing at all." Lets start with a mom story. Decades ago, Tim Blake Nelson was a student at Brown University. Mom Ruth Kaiser Nelson inquired about his summer plans. I said I was going to come home and stay in that house with her where I had grown up and get a job and be in Tulsa for the summer, which seemed pretty appealing to me, Nelson said. Mom was apparently thinking beyond that summer. She asked Tim what he wanted to do after college. He talked about becoming a Latin teacher or professor, or perhaps an underwater archeologist. What about acting? she said. You did that in high school. That feels unlikely, he replied. Mom wisdom: Now is the time when you have no family to whom youre responsible, she said. You dont even have a girlfriend. And you can go do anything and be anywhere and take a chance. Why dont you try to get on at one of these summer theaters? Thats what he did. And then I returned to college that fall with a completely different mindset, he said. I was going to pursue acting in college. By the time I was a senior, I was still majoring in classics, but I was intent on going to graduate school as an actor. Im one of those rare people whose parent encouraged that he go into the arts. Also rare: entering the arts and achieving what Nelson has achieved. An actor, playwright and filmmaker with more than 100 screen credits, Nelson was asked what qualities he possesses that helped him make it. I think undeniably with people who succeed in the arts, there is a measure of talent, but thats only part of it, he said. One also has to play well with others, particularly in the collaborative arts. One has to continue to challenge him or herself, and one has to be there fully when the opportunities present themselves. Nelson embraced a new challenge and became a novelist in 2023. His debut, City of Blows, is a group portrait of four men grappling for control of a script in a radically changing Hollywood, alias the City of Blows. When writers give advice on their craft, they suggest writing what you know. Nelson knows Tinseltown, though he had to research other locales in the book. The industry stuff I know intimately, and I certainly leaned on my decades of experience, he said. Nelson returned to his hometown to attend a Feb. 8 book launch event, presented by Magic City Books, at Congregation BNai Emunah. Organizers set 420 chairs in front of the stage, and there was a body in every chair. Quotes from Nelson in this story are from a book launch Q&A moderated by Jeff Martin and from an interview that took place the following day. Near the end of the next-day interview, Nelson was asked if there was anything he wanted to say he hadnt gotten an opportunity to say yet. Ill be very open with you that its very difficult to get people to read a novel even people who love to read, because we are more and more distracted by the immediate and the easily consumed with more and more screens in front of us, he said. And so I just hope people will take the time to give this book a try because I think theyll find it engaging. I think as gratified as I will be during this entire process was the turnout in Tulsa on a cold, rainy night to listen to two guys talk about a book. And thats why I love Tulsa. An acting career: 'Maybe I could do this' The movies Nelson watched while growing up in Tulsa were mostly Westerns that aired Sunday afternoons on TV. He saw first-run movies in theaters, but not art films. My first encounter with art films was watching Sergio Leone Westerns, which I do consider art films because they are so subjectively made, he said. Nelson, asked if he saw any movies that made him say I want to be on movie screens, again referenced Leones Westerns. I really loved watching Lee van Cleef, he said. And I did envision that as one of the most rarefied lives imaginable, to be able to travel the world, such as going to Italy or Spain to shoot a Western set in the United States, as an ideal sort of life." At the book launch event, Martin asked Nelson if he was initially resistant to Western roles. Being from Oklahoma and all, a person wouldnt want to get typecast. The question led to Nelson telling a story about feeling blessed to have any kind of career. He prefaced it by saying he did a lot of theater at Holland Hall and, when sharing the story, he name-dropped two teachers, Karen Henry Clark and Ron Palma, who encouraged him in his endeavors. Every single person in this room can probably point back I hope, anyway to teachers who are incredibly meaningful to them, he said. Even with that support, I didnt imagine having a career as an actor because I just thought, 'well, Im kind of sawed off at 5-foot-5 and a half.' That half inch is very important to me, he said. And I wasnt going to win any beauty contests. I just thought (an acting career) just feels so remote and unlikely to me. So I thought I was gonna be a Latin teacher or a Latin professor or maybe an English teacher, again going back to Karen Clark and Ron Palma because they meant so much to me and I thought I want to do that for other kids. When Nelson pursued acting in college, he met kids from New York and Los Angeles and Chicago who had been exposed to theater and film in ways he wasnt because back then, we didnt have an institution in this city like Circle Cinema, which is just an incredible place. Its the Magic City Books of cinema in Tulsa. I met these kids, though, who had been exposed in that way, and I thought, 'oh, maybe I could do this.' And there are weird-looking people in movies. You need them to make the lead look more handsome and tall. It was only then that I realized maybe this is possible. So any career at all was appealing to me. Nelson pursued post-graduate studies at Juilliard. In a past Tulsa World interview, he said he and fellow Tulsan Jeanne Tripplehorn tried out the same day for Juilliard: We had two of us from Tulsa (picked for) a class of 20, out of more than 1,000 auditioning for the slots. Nelsons first listed credit on IMDb is for recurring characters on The Unnaturals, a sketch comedy show that aired around the dawn of the 1990s on Ha!, one of the first cable comedy channels in the U.S. Ha! merged with The Comedy Channel to form Comedy Central. I was on that with this wonderful comedic actress who ended up on Saturday Night Live, Siobhan Fallon, and also with Paul Feig, who has become one of our leading comic directors, Nelson said of his Unnaturals experiences. Though uncredited, Nelson made his first film appearance in a shot-in-Tulsa motion picture. He auditioned for a spot in Francis Ford Coppolas The Outsiders and became an extra in Rumble Fish, a Coppola film shot immediately after The Outsiders in 1982 (the same year Nelson picked up his high school diploma). Nelsons first speaking role in a film came in Nora Ephrons directorial debut, 1992s This is My Life. At the starting line of his career, he was in a cast with Dan Aykroyd and Carrie Fisher. What was most exciting for me was to be on set with Julie Kavner, Nelson said of the films star, best known for playing the lead characters sister in the TV series Rhoda and for voicing Marge Simpson in The Simpsons. I think shes a beautifully natural actor. Smart. Kind. Funny. And just so gorgeously watch-able. And then Nora was going to put her at the center of the movie. It was incredibly exciting. Even more exciting was to be on set with Nora Ephron. Even gifted actors need to catch a break along the way. For Nelson, that break is the obvious one the 2000 Coen Brothers film O Brother, Where Art Thou? It opened the floodgates for things to come his way. And it hasnt stopped, he said. But something else did. I pretty much stopped having to audition after O Brother, Where Art Thou?' came out, he said, acknowledging that he disliked auditioning. I know a few people who like to audition, but Im glad I did it for 10 years, which I did do. Most of all, it taught me to appreciate getting work at all. If I had the success immediately coming out of drama school that O Brother brought me, I dont think I would be as appreciative of the career that I have. Its called acting for a reason, but Nelson Ivy League-educated, ultra-literate seems nothing like his character in O Brother, Where Art Thou? Guess what? Delmar was no dummy. One of the most important lessons I learned at Juilliard was to advocate for the characters I play and always to look up to them and not down on them, Nelson said. So I never considered Delmar to be stupid or dimwitted or dull, but rather to be innocent of knowledge. My wife and I had just had our first son, Henry, and I saw that in him. His fascination with the world was my guide with Delmar. And Joel and Ethan wrote the character that way because they also advocate for the characters they write. So all of that made it easy to close any distances between Delmar and me. Talking about the personal impact of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Nelson said it was a life-changer and, bonus he learned a lot of life lessons. There was a period there when I feel that I became complacent, he said. Ive now been doing this long enough to where I can see a kind of trough in my acting. Some jobs I had mainly jobs with James Franco on his smaller indie films, and then working with Daniel Day Lewis brought me out of that trough, because I suddenly understood I had become complacent and I had taken a lot for granted, and I felt like I kind of had it figured out as an actor and that made my work less interesting. Im now committing more to roles than I ever have, and that makes the work a lot more exciting. In the aftermath of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Nelson appeared in 18 films released between 2002 and 2006, including Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. He did that one for Henry. Said Nelson, A movie I was going to direct fell through, and I called my agent and said, Look, I now have this free summer. Is there anything you can find me? Two days later, my manager and agent called and they said, Well, we have an offer for you to do 'Scooby-Doo 2.' I was on the phone in my sons room. ... And I said, somewhat derisively, Scooby-Doo 2? And then Henry (then age 6) looked up at me, and he said You can be in 'Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? And I said All right, Im going to do this. But I also feel incredibly lucky to have been in what I consider one of the great young adult movies ever made, which was Holes, and I wouldnt trade that for anything because it was so well directed by Andy Davis, and I got to work with Jon Voight and Sigourney Weaver and it was a young Shia LeBeoufs first movie, and that was a real high point. Nelson is, like Ryan Reynolds, among actors who have been in projects that sprang from both the Marvel and DC comic book universes. As a kid, Nelson was more into Archie and Doonesbury than superhero comics. His DC-linked project was the 2019 HBO series Watchmen, a spin-off from Alan Moores acclaimed graphic novel of the same name. Watchmen was nominated for 26 Emmys and won 11. Im just proud to have been a part of what is now considered to be a landmark TV series, and I give all credit to Damon Lindelof and Tom Spezialy and Nicole Kassell and, of course, Regina King, who were leading that show, he said. To be able to play a supporting role was an honor and also to represent the state of Oklahoma in a story about Tulsa that emanated from the race massacre and had characters who were grappling with that in constructive ways. Nelson is a two-time Marvel character. He was Samuel Sterns in 2008s Incredible Hulk starring Edward Norton, and he was the Mole Man, the Fantastic Fours first villain, in 2015s Fantastic Four. Hell soon reprise one of the roles. At the end of Hulk, my character, Samuel Sterns, Mr. Blue, is irradiated and is set up to become the Leader, Nelson said. They didnt make Hulk 2. And so I thought, 'well, thats that.' And then I got a call about a year ago saying Would you like to come back into the MCU? It was all very mysterious. And I said Yes. And I didnt know what it could possibly mean because I hadnt heard they were going to do a Hulk standalone movie with Mark Ruffalo. And the producer called me and said, Well, we want to bring back the Leader as the villain for Captain America. So, Sterns will return in Captain America: New World Order, starring Anthony Mackie as the Sam Wilson version of Captain America in 2024. Look for Nelson also in Dune 2 later this year. I actually wish that more people were going to movie theaters, Nelson said during his book launch event. I still go to the movies because I think there is no substitute for that sound and the big screen and being with strangers in the dark. I really do like going to movie theaters with people I dont know. Its a collective experience. Writing a novel? Thats a solo mission. Novice novelist Nelson has written and published three plays produced off-Broadway in New York, and he has directed five films, including four that he wrote. When I started writing a novel, I didnt put any pressure on myself that it be something anybody else would ever see, because I have never written a novel before, he said at the book launch event. I also grew up in a household that venerated books. We had a substantial library in our house. We were always reading. We were always expected to talk about what we were reading. I certainly didnt want to sully the form with an effort that wasnt creditable. Continuing, Nelson told a story about being in a play in which the playwright had included an inadvisable line. Does the world really need another play?" Somebody in the audience where we were performing it shouted 'no.' So I always had this admonishing voice in my head: Does the world really need another novel? Nelson kept typing anyway and, again, if nobody ever lays eyes on this novel, thats OK. Removing that pressure on me helped the process immensely, he said. About three-quarters of the way through the original draft, Nelson decided he might have something worth publishing. It was exciting to get the first hardback in the mail, he said. I was utterly floored by that. I have to give a lot of credit to my mother, who just passed away. She taught my siblings and I to appreciate what a book really means. And so to be able to hold one of my own is incredibly meaningful. About that library in Nelsons childhood home: He said it was two full walls of books, and it was in a room that doubled as an office for his mother. All those books could be seen from the vantage point of the dinner table in the next room. It was both intimidating and enticing, and it instructed all of us to respect the power and importance of the written word, Nelson said. Nelson said his father loved writers like Ernest Hemingway, John OHara, John Cheever and Raymond Carver. His mother loved William Faulkner. Different strokes. We were told to read books by my parents, Nelson said. The books my father was recommending were far simpler. It was The Old Man and the Sea, a little bit of (John) Steinbeck and John OHara short stories. I read a lot of those. And then as we got older it, was, OK, you can start to choose what you are going to read. And we had this library. Young Tim scoured the library for something he might like and chose Peter Benchleys Jaws. Just about everyone this side of Amity and back has seen Jaws, but the book is racier than Steven Spielbergs film. I was just entering puberty at that point and, man, that was crazy, Nelson said. Hooper, the marine biologist, he is getting it on with the wife of Roy Scheiders character in the book. ... And then I thought, 'well, I like these books.' So I started looking for books that looked like that. So I read (Peter Maas') Serpico. Nelson said he was introduced to Portnoys Complaint when he was 15 and that changed his life. Thats a little raunchy, too, but the prose, I just couldnt believe what I was reading, Nelson said. And this wasnt an author who was important to my parents. My father later got into Roth because I had recommended him. Then I just devoured everything I could read by Philip Roth. And then that led me to Saul Bellow. To read Philip Roths prose is so muscular and exciting. Nelson suspects he has always wanted to try to write a novel. It just took if you start the clock from the time he was 10 45 years and a lot of reading to get to this point. Factor in life experiences, too. I really believe that had I tried to do this in my 20s, 30s or 40s, it really wouldnt have worked, he said. His book about the complications of getting a film made owes its existence to the complications of getting a film made. When he started writing the novel, he had three screenplays he was trying to get made. If any of them had gotten a greenlight then, he probably wouldnt have tackled the novel, which was three years in the making. Martin asked interesting questions at the book launch event, including this one: Who did Nelson first ask to read the novel? The answer was a friend, fantastically talented actor and former Juilliard classmate David Aaron Baker. What I love about David Aaron Baker is hes as smart as most people I know, and hes probably also the most unpretentious person I know, Nelson said. In telling the book launch crowd about Baker, Nelson said Tulsa used to be a test market (and maybe thats still the case) because of its middle-of-the-country status. The people here are smart, cool, authentic, he said. Thats the way I like to think of us. I think of David that same way, and hes from Normal, Illinois, which to me feels like an adjunct of Tulsa. He is always my first reader for everything plays, screenplays. I said, well, David, Ive got a big one for you. Nelson said Baker read it and said This works. I was engaged. Youve got to put this out. One of the reasons Nelson wrote the book is to capture Los Angeles from an insiders point of view. Chronologically, the setting is what we all just endured. Nelson recalled being in Los Angeles as the COVID-19 pandemic was on its way. He was there for about two weeks doing promotion for Watchmen and the film Just Mercy. I looked around at this place about which I was writing, hopefully in a deep way, he said. And there was the approach of COVID, there was the Me Too movement, and, even pre-George Floyd, BLM Black Lives Matter and also wildfires. I thought, 'well, I have to specify when this takes place, and its right now.' So I went back and revised the timeline of the book and then kept writing forward through that as COVID really became something. Nelson hopes that, 20 years from now, people will look at the novel as kind of an archive (even through there are satirical aspects) of that specific moment of time in Hollywood. Nelsons takeaway from writing the book? I want to write another one, he said. And Im already doing that. Im not sure when Ill finish it because Ive got a lot of other stuff going on, but I think Ive written over half of it. Nelson said he feels more productive than ever, but what excites him most is his two oldest sons are beginning to create (youngest son is interested in international relations). And they are Vesuvian in their offerings in that the ideas keep coming and theyre explosive and hot and surprising and suffused with lava and fire, he said. If I dont write another word, it really will be enough for me just to watch them do it. On a windy afternoon last week, the Cherokee Nations principal chief stood near a 355-foot tower and dialed a number on his cellphone. Until then, Chuck Hoskin Jr. would have needed to drive more than 10 miles out of town to find the nearest signal. Kenwood, an unincorporated community of about 1,000 people 20 miles east of Pryor, didnt have cell service. Hoskin first noticed the gap in cell service when he visited Kenwood as the tribes secretary of state back in the mid-2010s. I was really surprised even then, and thats been a number of years ago, that they didnt have the kind of connectivity that most of us take for granted, Hoskin said. And its kind of weighed on me ever since. Not just an inconvenience, the lack of cell coverage limited the towns access to emergency services, health care, online education and Cherokee language programs, Hoskin said. To bring cell service to the community, the Cherokee Nation built its own cellphone tower with federal funding from the American Rescue Plan. Hoskin dialed AT&T executive Chris Sambar on Wednesday to ceremonially initiate the high-speed wireless service. Sambar called it one of the fastest, clearest signals in the country. We are proud to be working with the Cherokee Nation, Sambar said. Our purpose is to connect people to greater possibility. And this new cell tower will open doors for Kenwood. Kenwoods new cellphone tower is the first to be owned by the Cherokee Nation. But it wont be the last, Hoskin said. There are still communities across Cherokee Nation that arent celebrating, that are still left behind, he said. So we are actively mapping out where those communities are. The tribe will work with AT&T to copy and paste the kind of project they did together in Kenwood, with the Cherokee Nation building the towers and AT&T providing the cell service, Hoskin said. Were going to not rest until we achieve connectivity across the reservation, he said. 2021 video: Oklahomas broadband investment plans Sitting down to lunch with his new Tulsa friends, the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine had a question on his mind. He was a bit curious to know why two women, both of them Oklahomans, would be so interested in Ukraine, recalled Mary Woolslayer, who along with her friend Mary Dotson was invited to dine with the ambassador and others after a Tulsa speaking event a few years ago. The pair, who had started a grassroots effort to send humanitarian aid to the nation, were happy to fill him in, she said. And it led, in turn, to a question for the ambassador. I just said You dont have anything you can give us, do you any old clothes or anything? Woolslayer said. And he was like Well, no, I dont have anything with me. Recalling the moment recently, Woolslayer couldnt help laughing. Shed been half-joking, she said, and really hadnt expected the ambassador to donate to the cause. But all other times when she and Dotson have asked that same question of friends and fellow Tulsans its been in all seriousness. And more recently, its come with an extra sense of urgency. Since February 2022 and Russias invasion of Ukraine, Dotson and Woolslayer have taken their efforts to another level to support the country theyve grown to love, shipping out box after box of donated medical supplies and other items, with volunteers helping to sort and pack. And by all indications, the need for relief is not going away anytime soon. The war shows no signs of ending, and now tensions between the U.S. and Russia are rising after the recent downing of a U.S. drone. We never thought we would still be helping our Ukrainian friends at this date, Dotson said. And we dont know how long we will be needed. But the need is real of that there is no doubt. I have received many messages of thanks from hospital workers that we are shipping what is needed, Dotson said. They have sent me photos showing them sharing supplies with soldiers going back into the field. The pair, whose efforts have been acknowledged with certificates from the Ukrainian government, have a history of supporting those in need locally. They joined up to help Ukraine following a visit to the country a decade ago. After 2014, when the fighting that led to the invasion first broke out, they founded a nonprofit to help: Heartland to Breadbasket. In 2021, the year before the invasion, they shipped a total of 33 boxes of aid to Ukraine. Last year, it was over 150. So far in 2023, in just three months, theyre at 92 already. On pace for their biggest year by far, the women are thankful, they say, to have a better place to stage their operation space provided by Woodland Acres Baptist Church. Before the kindness of the church, we packed all the boxes in Marys garage, and prior to that we packed little boxes from my garage, Woolslayer said. Eye-opening trip Woolslayer said Dotson deserves most of the credit for the effort. She is the grandmaster of all this, and she swept me into service. I didnt even know where Ukraine was before I met Mary Dotson, and thats the truth. She is one thousand percent committed to this. For Dotson, that commitment traces back two decades to when she lived in Des Moines, Iowa. Des Moines is a sister city of Cherkasy, Ukraine, and she was able visit the country more than once through that program. Dotson fell in love with the Ukrainian people, who were still emerging from Soviet communism and trying to gain their economic footing. They were just a wonderful, bright, educated people whose system had failed them, she said. Later, after moving to Tulsa, Dotson met Woolslayer through the Committee for Foreign Relations Tulsa chapter, a group that meets monthly over a shared interest in global affairs. Dotson, who by then was already sending what aid she could to Ukraine, invited Woolslayer to take a trip there with her. It was eye-opening, Woolslayer said. Motivated by the level of need they encountered, she began helping Dotson in her efforts. They had no idea then the turn things would eventually take, with Russia launching a full-scale invasion last year. But the groundwork theyd already laid allowed them to immediately begin supporting relief efforts on a larger scale. We really upped our game, Woolslayer said, adding that they couldnt do it without their many dedicated volunteers and donors. The items, packed in large boxes at the church and shipped by pallet, go to a charity that supplies a military hospital in Kyiv, as well as a womens center in Cherkasy that has become a haven for refugees. Woolslayer said its hard to believe its been a year since Russia invaded. When the news broke she called Dotson immediately. We cried together over the phone, Woolslayer said. We knew it was coming, Dotson said. But it still was difficult. The women say they have long wanted to go back to Ukraine. But considering how much a trip would cost them, they figure the money is better invested in sending more aid boxes. Maybe one day, though, the opportunity will come again, and old friendships can be renewed in person. My heart goes out to them so many of the people Ive met whose children are now soldiers, Dotson said. They were other things, teachers, different kinds of professionals. They are soldiers now. The women say they will need much more help to keep the effort going this year. For more information, email Dotson at marydotsonmail@gmail.com. RENO, Nev. State lawmakers nationwide are responding to the deadliest overdose crisis in U.S. history by pushing harsher penalties for possessing fentanyl and other powerful lab-made opioids that are connected to about 70,000 deaths a year. Imposing longer prison sentences for possessing smaller amounts of drugs represents a shift in states that in recent years have rolled back drug possession penalties. Proponents of tougher penalties say this crisis is different and that, in most places, the stiffer sentences are intended to punish drug dealers, not just users. There is no other drug no other illicit drug that has the same type of effects on our communities, said Mark Jackson, the district attorney for Douglas County, Nevada, and president of the Nevada District Attorneys Association, which is pushing for stricter penalties for fentanyl-related crimes. But the strategy is alarming recovery advocates who say focusing on the criminal angle of drugs has historically backfired, including when lawmakers elevated crack cocaine penalties in the 1980s. Every time we treat drugs as a law enforcement problem and push stricter laws, we find that we punish people in ways that destroy their lives and make it harder for them to recover later on, said Adam Wandt, an assistant professor of public policy at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. Since 2020, drug overdoses are now linked to more than 100,000 deaths a year nationally, with about two-thirds of them fentanyl-related. Thats more than 10 times as many drug deaths as in 1988, at the height of the crack epidemic. Ingesting 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, meaning 1 gram about the same weight as a paper clip could contain 500 lethal doses. Before this years legislative sessions began, a dozen states already adopted fentanyl possession measures, according to tracking by the National Conference of State Legislatures. This year, in one legislative chamber of liberal Oregon and one chamber of conservative West Virginia, lawmakers have agreed upon tougher penalties. In her State of the State speech this March, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, called on lawmakers to adopt a drug trafficking bill that includes tougher fentanyl sentences. In Nevada, where Democrats control the Legislature, a bill backed by Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford would give one to 20 years in prison for selling, possessing, manufacturing or transporting 4 grams or more of fentanyl into the state, depending on the amount. Its a change for Ford, who has supported criminal justice reforms including a sweeping 2019 law that, among other provisions, raised the threshold for such penalties to 100 grams. It would also remove fentanyl from the states Good Samaritan law, which exempts people from criminal drug possession charges while reporting an overdose. What weve learned is that lowering the thresholds for all drugs was overinclusive, Ford said. Harm reduction advocates are pushing Ford and others to rethink their support, arguing the thresholds for longer penalties can sweep up low-level users not just the dealers the law is aimed at as well as some who may not even know they are taking fentanyl. They warn that the states crime labs test only for the presence of fentanyl, not the exact amount in a mixture of drugs. Thus, people with over 4 grams of drugs containing a few milligrams of fentanyl could be subject to trafficking penalties, they say. Rosa Johnson runs a needle exchange where she meets people who could face consequences should the stricter fentanyl bill pass. For the dozens of people that show up each day, it is rare for them to cite fentanyl as their drug of choice. But its also rare that fentanyl test strips come back negative, with the drug being laced in a lot of things, Johnson said. Meanwhile, Nevadas Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, a former sheriff, has vowed to introduce tougher legislation that would make possession of any amount of fentanyl the same felony threshold as fentanyl trafficking. Both Republican-led chambers in South Carolina have passed fentanyl trafficking measures with bipartisan support, although lawmakers havent agreed on which version to send the governor. Senators also unanimously approved a bill allowing alleged drug dealers to be charged with homicide in overdose deaths. House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford slammed colleagues for selling a false bill of goods. While Republican Rep. Doug Gilliam said he understood concerns about ambiguity, he said lawmakers had to send a strong message to drug dealers. A Senate subcommittee heard emotional testimony from family members of people who died of a fentanyl overdose. Among them was Holly Alsobrooks, co-founder of an advocacy group that also supports more fentanyl test strips, opioid antidotes and rehabilitation centers. While Alsobrooks said there is no perfect solution, she said the fentanyl trafficking measures are the best answers she has heard. We are fully behind this bill, she said. And if people go to jail, theyre going to go to jail. The opioid antidote, naloxone, may be in a pharmacy near you soon. Two advisory committees to the US Food and Drug Administration have voted unanimously to rec 10 most common barriers to seeking treatment for substance use disorder Understanding barriers to seeking treatment #9. No openings in a program #8. Treatment would not help #7. Did not have time #6. Did not feel a need for treatment at the time #5. Did not want others to find out #4. Could handle the problem without treatment #3. Might cause neighbors/community to have negative opinion #2. Did not find a program that offered the type of treatment wanted #1. No health care coverage and could not afford cost Other reasons 10 essential documentaries on the opioid crisis 10 essential documentaries on the opioid crisis The Crime of the Century Recovery Boys 7 Days: The Opioid Crisis in Arkansas Do No Harm: The Opioid Epidemic Heroin(e) This Might Hurt The Pharmacist Warning: This Drug May Kill You The Trade Dr. Feelgood Unhappy trails: Third District Congressman Frank Lucas said the Biden administrations America the Beautiful initiative has prompted him to no longer support efforts to designate the old Chisholm and Western trails as National Historic Trails. America the Beautiful is a loosely defined endeavor to include 30% of the nations land and water in various types of conservation programs by 2030, and part of global undertaking called 30 by 30. About 12% of the United States is currently considered protected, and while the Biden administration says it would like to see more parks and outdoor recreation areas, the 30% mark would also include voluntary conservation measures by private land owners and local government projects. Lucas said 30 by 30 has become one of the predominant topics at public forums in his district. These concerns raised during my town hall meetings, coupled with President Bidens Fiscal Year 2024 Budget which request for $25.5 million to develop a Conservation and Stewardship Atlas to enact 30 by 30, causes me great concern, Lucas said in an email to constituents. Dots and dashes: U.S. Sen. James Lankford accused the Biden administration of circumventing Congress in its foreign trade negotiations and of redefining made in America to include rare minerals obtained through Japan and other countries. Fifth District Congresswoman Stephanie Bice was one of 42 House members to make all 548 roll call votes last year. U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin backed renewed federal funding for brain aneurysm research. Mullin and Lankford chided the Bureau of Land Management after the agency said about 6,600 federal mineral leases are not being used, rather than than the 9,000 it said had been erroneously cited during the first two years of the Biden administration. Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World Read what is in the news in Vietnam today: Society -- A seventh-grade student drowned while two others are missing after swimming at a beach in Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam on Saturday. -- Police in Ho Chi Minh City are investigating a case in which a man allegedly let a three-year-old boy with hands tied use meth after a video of his acts went viral on social networks. -- Work on Nam Ly Bridge in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City was resumed on Saturday after four years of suspension due to bottlenecks in site clearance. The project, requiring an estimated investment of VND919 billion (US$39 million), is expected to be completed within 14 months after the site clearance is done. -- Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park J.V. Co. (VSIP) on Saturday signed memoranda of understanding with nine Vietnamese provinces to develop industrial parks. The move was made following the success of the VSIP model in Binh Duong Province, just outside Ho Chi Minh City. -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has inspected the progress of the T2 passenger terminal project at Phu Bai International Airport in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue and asked contractors to quickly complete it and put it into operation. The project management board informed that the project is now some 95 percent complete. -- The National Tourism Year 2023 kicked off in the south-central province of Binh Thuan on Saturday evening with a drone light show, a hot-air balloon show, and a low-altitude fireworks display. The National Tourism Year 2023 will feature more than 200 events to boost local tourism development. Business -- Vietnams automaker VinFast on Saturday announced the opening of its store in Rennes, marking its presence in the West of France. This is the third VinFast store in France and the 11th in Europe. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Read what is in the news in Vietnam today: Society -- A seventh-grade student drowned while two others are missing after swimming at a beach in Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam on Saturday. -- Police in Ho Chi Minh City are investigating a case in which a man allegedly let a three-year-old boy with hands tied use meth after a video of his acts went viral on social networks. -- Work on Nam Ly Bridge in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City was resumed on Saturday after four years of suspension due to bottlenecks in site clearance. The project, requiring an estimated investment of VND919 billion (US$39 million), is expected to be completed within 14 months after the site clearance is done. -- Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park J.V. Co. (VSIP) on Saturday signed memoranda of understanding with nine Vietnamese provinces to develop industrial parks. The move was made following the success of the VSIP model in Binh Duong Province, just outside Ho Chi Minh City. -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has inspected the progress of the T2 passenger terminal project at Phu Bai International Airport in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue and asked contractors to quickly complete it and put it into operation. The project management board informed that the project is now some 95 percent complete. -- The National Tourism Year 2023 kicked off in the south-central province of Binh Thuan on Saturday evening with a drone light show, a hot-air balloon show, and a low-altitude fireworks display. The National Tourism Year 2023 will feature more than 200 events to boost local tourism development. Business -- Vietnams automaker VinFast on Saturday announced the opening of its store in Rennes, marking its presence in the West of France. This is the third VinFast store in France and the 11th in Europe. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Despite sanctions imposed many years ago, many tourist areas illegally built on forest and agricultural land in Vietnams Central Highlands keep operating given poor management by relevant agencies. The situation is happening in Dak Lak and Dak Nong Provinces. The Doan Thanh Horse Farm tourist area in Cu Ebur Commune, Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province, which belongs to Doan Thanh Land Company, is still operating and advertising its services on Facebook despite multiple violations. Occupying four hectares of agricultural land, the tourist area has many illicit facilities, namely a swimming pool, a restaurant, a horse ranch, and statues, and provides unlicensed tourist activities such as camping, off-road racing, and outdoor activities. Another unlawfully built resort was detected on a one-hectare hill zoned for growing perennial crops along National Highway No. 14 in Truc Son Commune, Cu Jut District, Dak Nong Province. Pham Ha, 40, the owner of the land plot, sought permission to convert its purpose of use in late 2021. Although the land use conversion has not been approved, he has already built houses and planted trees to build a resort. Similarly, Tran Van Quyet, residing in Gia Nghia City, Dak Nong Province, started the construction of a resort on agricultural land and forest land near the Dak R'tih hydropower reservoir in Nhan Co Commune, Dak R'Lap District in late October 2021. An official from the Nhan Co Commune Peoples Committee confirmed he had required Quyet to stop the violations. However, this resort was almost completed and some people already stayed at the venue as of mid-March. Violations persist despite penalties The leader of the Nhan Co Commune People's Committee attributed the poor management to the lack of human resources. Quyet resides in another locale, which also makes it difficult for him to handle the illegal construction, the official added. Meanwhile, the People's Committee of Cu Ebur Commune said it had required Doan Ngoc Vy, director of Doan Thanh Land Company, to stop the construction of the Doan Thanh Horse Farm tourist area in late 2022. On January 13 this year, the People's Committee of Buon Ma Thuot City issued a decision to impose a fine of VND11.5 million (US$489) upon the company, but the tourist area is still open. "We had a meeting and agreed that we will not accept Doan Thanh Horse Farm's violations, and local authorities will take more assertive measures in the coming time, a leader of the Buon Ma Thuot City People's Committee said. Regarding the resort next to National Highway 14, the owner had been twice fined a combined VND23.5 million ($1,000), said Nguyen Anh Tu, chairman of the People's Committee of Cu Jut District. All transactions related to the land plot were also suspended so that the owner can correct his wrongdoings, Tu added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Despite sanctions imposed many years ago, many tourist areas illegally built on forest and agricultural land in Vietnams Central Highlands keep operating given poor management by relevant agencies. The situation is happening in Dak Lak and Dak Nong Provinces. The Doan Thanh Horse Farm tourist area in Cu Ebur Commune, Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province, which belongs to Doan Thanh Land Company, is still operating and advertising its services on Facebook despite multiple violations. Occupying four hectares of agricultural land, the tourist area has many illicit facilities, namely a swimming pool, a restaurant, a horse ranch, and statues, and provides unlicensed tourist activities such as camping, off-road racing, and outdoor activities. Another unlawfully built resort was detected on a one-hectare hill zoned for growing perennial crops along National Highway No. 14 in Truc Son Commune, Cu Jut District, Dak Nong Province. Pham Ha, 40, the owner of the land plot, sought permission to convert its purpose of use in late 2021. Although the land use conversion has not been approved, he has already built houses and planted trees to build a resort. Similarly, Tran Van Quyet, residing in Gia Nghia City, Dak Nong Province, started the construction of a resort on agricultural land and forest land near the Dak R'tih hydropower reservoir in Nhan Co Commune, Dak R'Lap District in late October 2021. An official from the Nhan Co Commune Peoples Committee confirmed he had required Quyet to stop the violations. However, this resort was almost completed and some people already stayed at the venue as of mid-March. Violations persist despite penalties The leader of the Nhan Co Commune People's Committee attributed the poor management to the lack of human resources. Quyet resides in another locale, which also makes it difficult for him to handle the illegal construction, the official added. Meanwhile, the People's Committee of Cu Ebur Commune said it had required Doan Ngoc Vy, director of Doan Thanh Land Company, to stop the construction of the Doan Thanh Horse Farm tourist area in late 2022. On January 13 this year, the People's Committee of Buon Ma Thuot City issued a decision to impose a fine of VND11.5 million (US$489) upon the company, but the tourist area is still open. "We had a meeting and agreed that we will not accept Doan Thanh Horse Farm's violations, and local authorities will take more assertive measures in the coming time, a leader of the Buon Ma Thuot City People's Committee said. Regarding the resort next to National Highway 14, the owner had been twice fined a combined VND23.5 million ($1,000), said Nguyen Anh Tu, chairman of the People's Committee of Cu Jut District. All transactions related to the land plot were also suspended so that the owner can correct his wrongdoings, Tu added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Department of Planning and Architecture of Ho Chi Minh City has put forward to the municipal Peoples Committee a plan to roof the sidewalks on Le Loi Boulevard in District 1. Le Loi Boulevard, which connects key destinations in the city center such as Ben Thanh Market, the Municipal Theater, and Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street, has been reinstated since August 2022 after it was blocked for the construction of Ben Thanh Terminal and tracks of metro line No. 1 for eight years. However, the boulevard has lacked shelters to protect pedestrians from sunlight and rain while its current state is not suitable for planting trees to shade the sidewalk as before, according to the architecture departments proposal. Therefore, the department proposed installing a roof from 5.5 meters to 6 meters wide on each side of the route. The estimated cost of the roofing is about VND20-30 billion (US$850,160-1.27 million), with the Peoples Committee of District 1 tasked with choosing funding from either household businesses along the boulevard or the local government budget. The Peoples Committee of District 1 has also sought the municipal authorities approval for turning Le Loi Boulevard into a promenade to attract tourists, thus boosting local economic development. As per the plan, Le Loi Pedestrian Street is designed to start at the intersection with Nguyen Hue, the first pedestrian street in the city, and end at the Quach Thi Trang Roundabout in front of Ben Thanh Market to create a commercial and shopping street. The pedestrian street would open from 4:00 pm to 2:00 am on weekends, including areas for cultural products-events, tourism services, and trade and catering services. It would be divided into three areas, including a 240-meter modern street section along which double-decker food carts would be put, a 120-meter nostalgic stretch featuring old-style food carts, and a 120-meter span for events. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Department of Planning and Architecture of Ho Chi Minh City has put forward to the municipal Peoples Committee a plan to roof the sidewalks on Le Loi Boulevard in District 1. Le Loi Boulevard, which connects key destinations in the city center such as Ben Thanh Market, the Municipal Theater, and Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street, has been reinstated since August 2022 after it was blocked for the construction of Ben Thanh Terminal and tracks of metro line No. 1 for eight years. However, the boulevard has lacked shelters to protect pedestrians from sunlight and rain while its current state is not suitable for planting trees to shade the sidewalk as before, according to the architecture departments proposal. Therefore, the department proposed installing a roof from 5.5 meters to 6 meters wide on each side of the route. The estimated cost of the roofing is about VND20-30 billion (US$850,160-1.27 million), with the Peoples Committee of District 1 tasked with choosing funding from either household businesses along the boulevard or the local government budget. The Peoples Committee of District 1 has also sought the municipal authorities approval for turning Le Loi Boulevard into a promenade to attract tourists, thus boosting local economic development. As per the plan, Le Loi Pedestrian Street is designed to start at the intersection with Nguyen Hue, the first pedestrian street in the city, and end at the Quach Thi Trang Roundabout in front of Ben Thanh Market to create a commercial and shopping street. The pedestrian street would open from 4:00 pm to 2:00 am on weekends, including areas for cultural products-events, tourism services, and trade and catering services. It would be divided into three areas, including a 240-meter modern street section along which double-decker food carts would be put, a 120-meter nostalgic stretch featuring old-style food carts, and a 120-meter span for events. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! (Bloomberg) -- Credit Suisse Group AG faces the threat of a possible probe and disciplinary action over how top managers ran the bank in the lead-up to its collapse and takeover by UBS Group AG, Switzerlands banking regulator told NZZ am Sonntag. Most Read from Bloomberg CS had a cultural problem that translated into a lack of accountability, Finma President Marlene Amstad told the Sunday newspaper. Often it was not clear who was responsible for what. This favored a negligent handling of risks. Whether to start fresh proceedings remains an open question, she said, adding, were not a law enforcement agency, but were exploring options. A spokesman for Credit Suisse declined to comment. The government-brokered purchase of Credit Suisse by UBS last weekend has been widely criticized by both politicians and ordinary citizens in Switzerland. Finma, in particular, has come under scrutiny for whether it shouldve done more to prevent Credit Suisses collapse. Amstad refuted the suggestion that Finma didnt intervene early or aggressively enough to tackle Credit Suisses problems, pointing to the six enforcement proceedings against the bank in recent years. We intervened earlier, and very intensively, where there were breaches of supervisory law. But especially when we act harshly, it usually doesnt become public, she told NZZ. Imagine if it had become known that we were already working on CSs restructuring order in November or that we had asked CS to prepare alternative solutions for the case that had just occurred. Echoing comments from Switzerlands finance minister Saturday, Amstad said the idea of nationalizing the bank was dismissed considering there are few good examples of that option to point to and it wouldve meant the government assuming all of Credit Suisses balance sheet risks. Story continues Read more: Credit Suisse Wouldnt Have Lasted Another Day, Minister Says Likewise, Amstad also pushed back against the notion that undue pressure was put on Switzerland, saying, the Swiss authorities decided for themselves which solution was best. To address concerns about the merged bank being too big to fail, Amstad said in the future, UBS will face progressively higher capital and liquidity requirements. Switzerland has been criticized for failing to give Finma the proper tools with which it can punish bankers and dissuade bad behavior. Amstad said she welcomes discussion about giving the regulator new powers such as the ability to fine individuals or banks. When it comes to the responsibility of individual decision-makers, however, it is evident that there are gaps that need to be closed, Amstad said. Senior Managers Regime Finma CEO Urban Angehrn gave a separate interview to Swiss weekly SonntagsZeitung, echoing points made by both Amstad and Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter. Like Amstad, he stressed that Finma lacks a Senior Managers Regime that would allow the watchdog to more quickly identify responsibility or place blame, which means that afterwards, there are no more excuses. He defended Finmas record in corralling Credit Suisse. Weve had quite an effect over the years. We pushed the limits of our mission, he said. But, as the federal councilor said: You cannot regulate away a crisis of confidence. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Denmark threw away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at Kazakhstan and suffer an early blow in Euro 2024 qualifying. Kasper Hjulmand's side were semi-finalists at the last Euros and were handed a relatively kind draw for this qualifying campaign, beating Finland 3-1 in Thursday's opener. Atalanta sensation Rasmus Hojlund scored a hat-trick in that game and then grabbed another two goals in the first half on Sunday, seemingly setting up another routine win. But Baktiyor Zainutdinov pulled one back from the penalty spot with 17 minutes to play, and Kazakhstan were back level through captain Askhat Tagybergen's spectacular long-range strike four minutes from time. That was not the end of the scoring as substitute Abat Aimbetov nodded the winner, although he was sent off in stoppage time. Denmark will surely still back themselves to come through the group particularly if Hojlund maintains his remarkable form but this was an unexpected setback. "I have to be careful what I say right now," captain Simon Kjaer told TV2. "We run after instead of acting. We run after and not ahead with the ball. That's the difference in the second half, I think." Asked why he needed to be careful, Kjaer said: "It is embarrassing. We win and lose together. Today we lose together. You cannot be 2-0 up and losing 2-3. You cannot. I don't know what it was. "It was many things. It wasn't good enough. What exactly happened in the situations I'm a little unsure about, and I don't want to say things I'm not sure of. "We must take responsibility for the criticism that will come. And then we must move on." (Bloomberg) Vladimir Putin said Russia is preparing to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, escalating a confrontation with the US and its allies. Most Read from Bloomberg Ukraines foreign ministry on Sunday called the move another provocative step of the criminal Putin regime and asked for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council. The European Unions foreign policy chief called hosting Russian nuclear arms in Belarus an irresponsible escalation that could result in more sanctions. The head of the UNs nuclear agency will travel to the Zaporizhzhia plant on Wednesday, the second time Rafael Mariano Grossi has crossed the front line in Ukraine to reach the facility, occupied by Russia for the past year. Key Developments Putin Says Russia to Place Tactical Nuclear Arms in Belarus Ukraine Wants UN Security Council Meeting On Putin Nuclear Plan Aging Shadow Fleet Carrying Russian Oil Poses Disaster Risk Russia Seeks 400,000 More Recruits as Latest Ukraine Push Stalls (All times CET) Russia Blames Ukrainian Drone for Blast (7:40 p.m.) Russias Defense Ministry said it intercepted a Ukrainian drone, preventing an attack on its territory. Russian aerial defenses destroyed the navigation system of the drone, which came down in Kireyevsk, about 230 kilometers (142 miles) south of Moscow in Russias Tula region, the ministry said on its Telegram channel. The Tu-141 Strizh unmanned aerial vehicle was stuffed with explosive substances, the official said, according to TASS. Three people sustained fragmentation wounds and five residential buildings were damaged, the newswire reported. Russias claim couldnt be verified, and Ukrainian officials didnt comment on the incident. Images on social media showed a large crater. Story continues IAEA Head to Visit Zaporizhzhia Plant: TASS (5 p.m.) Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the UNs International Atomic Energy Agency, will travel to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Wednesday, TASS reported, citing Renat Karchaa, adviser to the head of Russias Rosenergoatom. A regular rotation of the IAEA mission at the plant, which has been occupied by Russia for a year, will take place at the same time. The UN nuclear agency announced Grossis visit on Saturday without specifying which day it would take place. EUs Borrell Threatens More Sanctions on Russia (3:35 p.m.) Stationing Russian nuclear arms in Belarus, as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Saturday, would mean an irresponsible escalation & threat to European security, Josep Borrell, the European Unions foreign policy chief, said on Twitter. The EU is ready to respond with more sanctions, he said. Frances foreign ministry also condemned Putins agreement to deploy nuclear arms in Belarus, calling on Moscow in an emailed statement to show a sense of responsibility. Kyiv Calls for Urgent UN Security Council Meeting (2:35 p.m.) President Volodymyr Zelenskiys government has called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council over Russias move to station nuclear weapons in Belarus. Ukraine expects effective actions to counteract the Kremlins nuclear blackmail including from permanent members of the council, Ukraines foreign ministry said in a strongly-worded statement. The Russian presidents vow to station Russian nuclear arms in Belarus is yet another step by the criminal Putin regime, the ministry said. Russian Hackers Blamed for 300-Plus Cyber Attacks (1:30 p.m.) Russian hackers have attacked Ukraines civil infrastructure websites, especially those of government agencies and local authorities, for more then 300 times since the start of 2023, according to Ukraines computer emergency response team. The segment is particularly vulnerable due to the lack of adequate cyber protections, the response team said. A year ago, Ukraines security and defense sites were the most popular targets for hackers. Putin Says Russia, China Not Creating Military Alliance (10 a.m.) While Russia is cooperating with China in military and technical matters, its not setting up a military alliance with Beijing, President Vladimir Putin said in comments broadcast on state television on Sunday. The nations continue to hold joint drills, and all interactions are transparent, Putin said in a new segment of the interview shown on Saturday, in which he announced plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Putin also accused the West of building a new axis similar to that of Nazi Germany. The comments came days after Chinese President Xi Jinpings first visit to Moscow since the start of the war in Ukraine. Russia, China and Iran this month held a fourth round of naval exercises in the Arabian Sea, while China, Russia and South Africa conducted naval drills in February. Kremlin Has Made Belarus A Nuclear Hostage, Ukrainian Official Says (10 a.m.) Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the Ukrainian Security and Defense Council, said the Kremlin has made Belarus a nuclear hostage by announcing it will place tactical nuclear weapons in the country for the first time. It maximizes the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society, Danilov said in a Twitter post. Actor Orlando Bloom Visits Ukraine for UNICEF (9:45 a.m.) UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom arrived in Ukraine to support children, the agencys Ukraine branch said. The British star of the Lord of the Rings franchise visited a so-called childrens spot in Kyiv a safe place where Ukrainian children can play, study and receive psychosocial support. Bloom also visited Ukraine for the UN childrens fund in 2016, when he visited Slovyansk in the Donetsk region. Aging Fleet Carrying Russian Oil Poses Disaster Risk (9 a.m.) The aftermath of EU sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine mean a vast shadow fleet often well past its logical use-by date is ferrying Moscows crude oil around the globe. The biggest concern is that some older vessels the global fleet is now the oldest in almost two decades may not be properly inspected and maintained, leading to an environmental catastrophe at sea. Five Civilians Killed Across Eight Regions Early Sunday (8 a.m.) At least five civilians were killed and 25 injured after Russian attacks on eight Ukrainian regions early Sunday morning, the Ukrainian militarys media center said. Among the targets of a missile attack were two apartment buildings in Avdiivka. More than 130 settlements were shelled with various types of weapons, including mortars, artillery, multiple-launch rockets and the S-300 air defense system, Lancet UAV, and tactical aircraft. More then 60 infrastructure targets were hit. In their ground operations in Ukraines Donbas, Russian troops to press in the areas of Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Maryinka directions. Ukrainian army repelled more than 85 attacks within the past day, its General Staff said on Facebook. Nuclear Escalation Risk Seen as Low by US Group (7 a.m.) The announcement of the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus is irrelevant to the risk of escalation to nuclear war, which remains extremely low, said analysts at the US-based Institute for the Study of War. Putin is attempting to exploit Western fears of nuclear escalation, the think tank said in an overnight report. Russia has long fielded nuclear-capable weapons able to strike any target that tactical nuclear weapons based in Belarus could hit. ISW said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko offered to host Russian nuclear arms as early as November 2021, and that a Russian arms deployment there may be part of a broader effort to deepen Russian control over Belarus. White House: No Reason to Adjust US Nuclear Position After Putins Move (7 a.m.) US officials are aware of Putins announcement Saturday on a plan to locate strategic Russian weapons in Belarus and will monitor the implications, said Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the National Security Council at the White House. We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon, Watson said by email. We remain committed to the collective defense of the NATO alliance. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. FILE PHOTO: A person holds a smartphone as Tik Tok logo is displayed behind in this picture illustration By Kanishka Singh and Leah Douglas WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on Sunday lawmakers will move forward with legislation to address national security worries about TikTok, alleging China's government had access to the short video app's user data. In the United States, there are growing calls to ban TikTok, owned by China-based company ByteDance, or to pass bipartisan legislation to give President Joe Biden's administration legal authority to seek a ban. Devices owned by the U.S. government were recently banned from having the app installed. "The House will be moving forward with legislation to protect Americans from the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party," McCarthy said on Twitter. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew appeared before a U.S. House Committee for about five hours on Thursday, and lawmakers from both parties grilled him about national security and other concerns involving the app, which has 150 million American users. In Thursday's hearing, the TikTok CEO was asked if of the app, has spied on Americans at Beijing's request. Chew answered, "No." Republican Representative Neal Dunn then referenced the company's disclosure in December that some China-based employees at ByteDance improperly accessed TikTok user data of two journalists and were no longer employed by the company. He repeated his question about whether ByteDance was spying. "I don't think that spying is the right way to describe it," Chew said. He went on to describe the reports as involving an "internal investigation" before being cut off. McCarthy, a Republican, said in a tweet on Sunday, "It's very concerning that the CEO of TikTok can't be honest and admit what we already know to be true China has access to TikTok user data." The company says it has spent more than $1.5 billion on data security efforts under the name "Project Texas" which currently has nearly 1,500 full-time employees and is contracted with Oracle Corp to store TikToks U.S. user data. Story continues Rather than appease lawmakers' concerns, Chew's appearance before Congress on Thursday "actually increased the likelihood that Congress will take some action," Representative Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, the Republican chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, told ABC News on Sunday. Former U.S. President Donald Trump lost a series of court rulings in 2020 when he sought to ban TikTok and another Chinese-owned app, WeChat, a unit of Tencent. Many Democrats also have raised concerns although have not yet explicitly backed a U.S. ban. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington, additional reporting by Leah Douglas; Editing by Scott Malone and Cynthia Osterman) (Bloomberg) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva postponed a business trip to China because of illness, potentially setting back his plan to strengthen relations with his countrys largest trading partner. Most Read from Bloomberg Lula was admitted to a hospital in the capital of Brasilia on Thursday due to flu-like symptoms, according to a statement from his press office. He was diagnosed with bacterial and viral bronchopneumonia due to influenza A, and treatment was initiated. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message to the Brazilian leader on Sunday, wishing him a speedy recovery, China state television reported. Xi said he hoped Lula would visit China at the earliest convenient date, according to the report. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Sunday that China understands and respects Lulas decision and that it would stay in communication with Brazil about Lulas planned visit. The Brazilian presidencys medical service recommended the 77-year-old leader postpone the China trip until the cycle of viral transmission ends, according to the statement. Lula was scheduled to meet with Xi, but Brazil notified China of the postponement and is seeking an alternative date for the trip, it said. Finance Minister Fernando Haddad will also no longer travel to China, the ministry said in a statement. Read More: Brazil Pushes China for Closer Farm Ties Ahead of Lulas Visit Brazils delegation includes hundreds of agribusiness leaders and government officials, many of whom are already in China, as part of an effort by Lula to gain greater access for his countrys exports of commodities. The trip had also been seen as an opportunity for Lula to make peace with an agriculture industry that was largely supportive of the previous president, Jair Bolsonaro. Story continues Lulas health has been a recurring concern. The president had laryngeal cancer in 2011 and has since been monitored by doctors, who removed potentially pre-cancerous patches from his vocal cords last year. (Adds Xi Jinpings comments in the third paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. This is a locator map of Israel and the Palestinian Territories. (AP Photo) TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Israeli officials said Sunday the United Arab Emirates has pardoned an Israeli woman after initially sentencing her to death for drug possession, a case that tested the nascent ties between the two countries. Fida Kiwan was arrested in early 2021 with half a kilogram (over 1 pound) of cocaine that she claimed did not belong to her, Israeli media reported. The UAE, which has harsh drug laws, later commuted the death sentence to life in prison. Lior Haiat, a spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry, said Kiwan had returned to Israel overnight Saturday after the pardon. The office of Israel's ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, said the pardon came following a request by Herzog to UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who agreed as a gesture of good will, to release her. There was no immediate comment from officials in the UAE. Kiwan's arrest came shortly after Israel and the UAE normalized ties under U.S.-brokered agreements known as the Abraham Accords. Ties between the countries have flourished since, with trade growing and Israeli tourists flocking in droves to glitzy Dubai. According to Israeli media, Kiwan, who is said to own a photography studio in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, came to Dubai for work at the invitation of a Palestinian acquaintance. She was arrested a short while later after a search of her apartment turned up the drugs. The United Arab Emirates maintains the death penalty for several offenses, including drug smuggling. However, executions remain rare in the federation of seven sheikhdoms, with the last death sentence carried out by firing squad in 2017 against a man convicted of abducting, raping and killing an 8-year-old boy. An explosion in Russia reportedly injured three people, including a 16-year-old girl, on Sunday. Russian authorities blamed a Ukrainian drone for the blast 175 kilometres south of Moscow. The explosion occurred shortly after 3:00 pm local time in the town of Kireyevsk in the Tula region, about 300 kilometres from the border with Ukraine. Ukraine has not commented on the explosion. It reportedly damaged three residential buildings, four houses and created a crater around five metres deep. The Russian state-run news agency Tass claimed the explosion was caused by a Soviet-made Tu-141 drone, which was reintroduced in Ukraine in 2014 after it was retired from service in 1989. Similar drone attacks have been common during the war, although Ukraine hardly ever acknowledges responsibility. Last Monday, Russia said Ukrainian drones attacked civilian facilities in a town in Russia-annexed Crimea. Ukrainian forces said several Russian cruise missiles were destroyed, but did not specifically claim responsibility. In December, the Russian military reported several Ukrainian drone attacks on long-range bomber bases deep inside Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said the drones were shot down but acknowledged that their debris damaged some aircraft and killed several soldiers. Emergency UN meeting over Russia's nuclear plan Sunday's explosion comes as Kyiv called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to counter the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail after Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus. Russia has said the plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus comes in response to the West's increasing military support for Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko prior to talks at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence, outside Moscow in February. - AP Photo In a television interview, Putin said the plan was triggered by a UK decision to provide Ukraine with armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the United States. Story continues He noted that Washington has nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned the move in a statement Sunday. Ukraine expects effective action to counter the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail by the UK, China, the US and France, it said, adding these countries have a special responsibility regarding nuclear aggression. The world must be united against someone who endangers the future of human civilization." VIENNA, Va., March 24, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) ("Spire" or "the Company"), a leading global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, was notified today by the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") that the Company is not in compliance with Rule 802.01C of the NYSEs Listed Company Manual ("Rule 802.01C") relating to the minimum average closing price of the Companys Class A common stock required over a consecutive 30 trading-day period. The notice does not result in the immediate delisting of the Companys common stock from the NYSE. The Company intends to notify the NYSE within 10 business days of its intent to regain compliance with Rule 802.01C. The Company can regain compliance at any time within the cure period if, on the last trading day of any calendar month during the cure period, the common stock has a closing share price of at least $1.00 and an average closing share price of at least $1.00 over the 30 trading-day period ending on the last trading day of that month. The Company intends to consider available alternatives, including, but not limited to, a reverse stock split, subject to stockholder approval at the Companys next annual meeting of stockholders, to regain compliance. During this time, the Companys common stock will continue to be listed on the NYSE, subject to the Companys compliance with other NYSE continued listing requirements. About Spire Global, Inc. Spire (NYSE: SPIR) is a leading global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, offering access to unique datasets and powerful insights about Earth from the ultimate vantage point so that organizations can make decisions with confidence, accuracy, and speed. Spire uses one of the worlds largest multipurpose satellite constellations to source hard to acquire, valuable data and enriches it with predictive solutions. Spire then provides this data as a subscription to organizations around the world so they can improve business operations, decrease their environmental footprint, deploy resources for growth and competitive advantage, and mitigate risk. Spire gives commercial and government organizations the competitive advantage they seek to innovate and solve some of the worlds toughest problems with insights from space. Spire has eight offices across the U.S., Canada, UK, Luxembourg and Singapore. To learn more, visit www.spire.com. Story continues Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "will," "shall," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "target," "continue," "could," "may," "might," "possible," "potential," "predict" or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Companys ability to regain compliance with Rule 802.01C within the applicable cure periods. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this communication, and on the current expectations of the Companys management. These forward-looking statements are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual circumstances or events are difficult or impossible to predict and may differ from these forward-looking statements. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of the Company. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item 1A. of the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as well as other documents the company has filed or will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If any of these risks materialize or the Companys assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied in these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that the Company currently does not know or that the Company currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect the Companys expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this communication. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Companys assessment to change. Spire undertakes no obligation, and does not intend, to update the information contained in this press release, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Companys assessment as of any date subsequent to the date of this communication. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230324005388/en/ Contacts For Investors: Benjamin Hackman Head of Investor Relations Benjamin.Hackman@spire.com For Media: Kristina Spychalski Director of Communications Kristina.Spychalski@spire.com HA NOI Twelve start-ups working in the areas of clean energy and circular economy in Viet Nam successfully completed their training in the Green Tech Incubator programme in the Demo Day on Friday. The incubator was established as part of the Digital Transformation Centre Project, a German Government-funded initiative being implemented by GIZ and the National Innovation Center (NIC) of the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Its purpose is to support start-ups in overcoming barriers to business development and tackle the challenges of Viet Nam's circular economy. As urban populations are expected to grow to 66 per cent of the global population by 2050, cities are increasingly facing socio-economic and environmental challenges. Resource over-exploitation, increased industrialisation and urbanisation, and energy-intensive lifestyles have led to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and negative consequences for the environment and people. Therefore, transitioning towards a circular economy is essential for achieving more sustainable development. Viet Nam has recognised the importance of investing in circular economy and renewable energy as part of its development strategy for 2021-30. The Green Tech Incubator, which focuses on the circular economy and energy challenges in Viet Nam, was established to identify talents with innovative and practical solutions, supporting start-ups at the pre-seed and seed stage. The 12 start-ups were selected from hundreds of applications, surpassing more than 40 potential start-ups and underwent four months of intensive training and support. At the Demo Day, each start-up shared an overview of their business and presented their holistic and sustainable approach to balancing social, economic, and environmental development. The top six start-ups were selected and granted funding ranging from US$1,000 to$ 5,000/start-up, along with continued mentoring from prominent companies like SAP and AWS. Through the Green Tech Incubator, start-ups were given the opportunity to connect with global organisations, investors and corporations. This programme fostered an encouraging environment for start-ups to generate positive changes and address the energy-related challenges present in Viet Nam. VNS CAN THO The Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI) has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Syngenta Vietnam Limited to research and develop plant varieties, especially purebred rice varieties. Accordingly, Syngenta will finance the institutes research on the best purebred rice varieties from now till 2025. The two sides will also cooperate in the fields of plant protection, covering the research, testing and evaluation of pesticides. To satisfy requirements in the transformation of the rice sector, the institute has adjusted its research strategy, its Director Tran Ngoc Thach said, adding that apart from productivity, resilience to insects and quality, attention has been paid to issues regarding fertilisers, greenhouse gas emissions and tolerance to the environment during the research of rice varieties. Viet Nam exported 7.13 million tonnes of rice for US$3.4 billion last year, up 13.8 per cent in volume and 5.1 per cent in value year on year, making it among the top three rice exporters globally, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. This year, Viet Nams rice export is estimated at about 6.5-7 million tonnes thanks to higher demand for Viet Nams quality rice. VNS HA NOI Secretary of the Ha Noi Partys Committee inh Tien Dung on March 24 asked for continued support from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (WHC) for a project to restore Kinh Thien Palace in the Thang Long Imperial Citadel in Ha Noi, which was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. He made the suggestion at a reception for the WHCs director, Lazzarre Eloundou, who is on a visit to Viet Nam to attend a conference entitled Promoting the role of world cultural and natural heritage in sustainable development in Viet Nam. Dung said as a "Heritage City" with an extremely rich and diverse cultural heritage fund, Ha Noi has received great attention and help from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in cultural conservation and development. He affirmed that the cooperation between Ha Noi and UNESCO has contributed to promoting the cultural heritage and values as well as the unique images of Ha Noi and the country and people of Viet Nam to friends and the international community. According to the official, Ha Noi has strictly implemented the Government's commitments to the World Heritage Committee, especially those relating to expanding the archaeological excavation area in the Thang Long Citadel, and researching the value of architectural monuments of the Pre-Nguyen Dynasty on the central axis of the Forbidden Citadel of Thang Long. The archaeological findings and research results have provided authentic evidence that has prompted the city to decide on the restoration of the main space of Kinh Thien Palace, Dung said. This year, Ha Noi will take the first steps in the roadmap to restore the main space of Kinh Thien Palace, thereby, helping people and international tourists have more opportunities to learn about the cultural history of Viet Nam through the visualisation of the majestic and splendid main hall architecture representing the Thang Long Imperial Citadel a symbol of the eternity of the country, the official said. For his part, Lazzarre Eloundou highly appreciated the commitment of the Ha Noi administration in preserving and promoting the heritages. He affirmed that Viet Nam has been playing an active role in conserving world heritages and hopes that Vietnam will continue to promote its role. He also said that his centre will exchange and coordinate with the Ha Noi administration in the restoration of Kinh Thien Palace. VNS As Bangladesh celebrates its 52nd Independence and National Day on March 26, we must take a moment to reflect on the nations remarkable achievements since it declared independence from Pakistan in 1971. This is a day of joy for us, to commemorate the birth of our nation and to remember the struggle of our freedom fighters for liberation from oppression. Bangladesh has come a long way since its independence. The past five decades have been a period of tremendous progress for us, and the country has made remarkable steps in terms of economic development, social progress, and international recognition. We have achieved remarkable success in various areas, from health to education and infrastructure to poverty alleviation. Our country is now a vibrant democracy and a leader in the region in economic growth. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the last 14 years have been a period of remarkable economic transformation for Bangladesh. The country has achieved miraculous economic growth and has become one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. The economic outlook of Bangladesh has improved significantly, and our country has become a middle-income nation, much to the delight of its citizens. According to the World Bank, the countrys GDP per capita has more than tripled from US$511 in 2005 to $1,664 in 2020, and is currently estimated at $3,104. The country has achieved impressive economic growth rates of over 6 per cent annually since 2010. It has achieved several of the Millennium Development Goals, including reducing its poverty rate from 44.2 per cent in 2005 to 24.3 per cent in 2018, and is now less than 20 per cent. This economic growth has been accompanied by a vibrant presence in the international arena. Bangladesh has been leading in global platforms such as the United Nations, the G20 and the Non-Aligned Movement. It has also successfully negotiated trade agreements with major global players such as the EU, the US and China. The country is also making strides in the areas of education, health and infrastructure. The government has invested heavily in primary education, resulting in a significant improvement in literacy rates. Healthcare facilities have also been improved, with the government launching a number of initiatives, such as the Health Inclusion Projects and the community health centres at the very grassroots level. The country has made significant strides in reducing infant and maternal mortality rates, improving access to clean water and sanitation, and expanding access to education. As we mark the 52nd Independence and National Day of Bangladesh, we pay homage to the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who has been and still is the rock of our nation. Our achievements in the last 14 years are an embodiment of the unfulfilled dreams of Bangabandhu. He had envisioned a prosperous, self-reliant, and progressive Bangladesh. His daughter and current Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, has been instrumental in realising the dream of her father. She has been the driving force behind many of the initiatives that have made Bangladesh a success story. We are proud to note that the golden jubilee of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Viet Nam falls in 2023. Bangladesh was the first country in South Asia to recognise and establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level with the then Interim Revolutionary Government of Viet Nam, leading from the south. In the last five decades, both countries have made immense progress in bilateral trade and investment. The bilateral trade between the two countries increased significantly in 2022, and the trend continues even in 2023. Viet Nams exports to Bangladesh in 2022 have reached USD 1.3 billion, and Bangladeshs exports to Viet Nam in 2022 have reached $110 million. As we celebrate this day, let us remember the sacrifices of the millions of martyrs who laid down their lives for the cause of an independent Bangladesh. Let us also pay tribute to the vision of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the strong leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Let us take pride in the progress made by Bangladesh in the last five decades and be optimistic about its future. On our national day, we also express our sincere gratitude to Viet Nam for the strong diplomatic relations between the two countries. We look forward to further strengthening the ties of friendship and cooperation between Bangladesh and Viet Nam in the coming 50 years and beyond. Let us strive together to build a better world, a world of peace, progress and prosperity. Long live Bangladesh-Viet Nam friendship! Happy Independence and National Day of Bangladesh! VNS THUA THIEN-HUE Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the opening of the fifth National Start-up Festival for students in Hue City, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, on Saturday. Expressing his delight at the robust start-up spirit and aspirations of students, PM Chinh said that start-up and innovation is an important resource for each country, especially during the era of globalisation, international integration and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He highlighted the Party and State's great attention and efforts to encourage and support start-up and innovation activities, which have helped spread the start-up campaign across the nation and among people from all walks of life, especially the youth. He noted that after nearly five years of implementation, the project to support pupils and students' start-ups until 2025 has attracted nearly 2,600 start-up projects and more than 4,000 start-up ideas and projects in the field of vocational training. To date, the country has attracted more than 60 adventure funds, while over 3,000 start-ups have been launched successfully, and nearly 100 universities have included start-up into their curricula. At the same time, 98 incubators have been set up in schools. The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union at all levels have organised more than 3,000 start-up contests, drawing nearly 370,000 youngsters with nearly 14,000 ideas, while assisting nearly 16,000 start-up projects at a cost of nearly VN700 trillion (US$29.75 million). However, the Government leader held that the growth of Viet Nams start-up ecosystem has yet to meet the potential, while the youth have still faced many barriers and difficulties in implementing their start-ups. He asked ministries, sectors and localities to continue to create favourable conditions, environment and legal foundation for youngsters to launch start-ups. It is necessary to review, amend and supplement mechanisms and policies to encourage and protect the youth during the start-up and innovation process, while giving them assistance in capital, infrastructure, human resources and tax policies, and associating start-ups in schools with the settlement of current issues, he said. He also stressed the need to promote the growth of incubators and start-up support centres for students. The PM asked ministries, sectors and localities to support start-up and innovation activities, and strengthen the commercialisation of youngsters' products. Universities and training facilities should boost the growth of the start-up ecosystem in the education-training sector, he requested. PM Chinh also asked the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to continue to inspire youngsters and spread the desire for start-up and innovation among them, thus nurturing start-up and innovation ideas of pupils and students. He underlined that the Party and State always welcome all start-up and innovation ideas to deal with bottlenecks in various sectors, especially digital transformation, artificial intelligence, blockchain, Internet of Things, green, digital, circular economy, nano economy, and aerospace technology, thus catching up with developed countries in the world. The annual festival, part of the project to support pupils and students in launching their start-ups, will last until March 26 with various activities including exhibitions on start-ups, forums and conferences on supporting start-ups in high schools, and the final round of a start-up contest for students. VNS HCM CITY Cuba and HCM City are cooperating to improve the quality of community healthcare. The citys Department of Health last week had a virtual meeting with the primary health care board of Cubas Ministry of Health. Attending the meeting, Ailuj Casanova Baroto, head of Cubas primary health care board, said Cubas public healthcare system is recognised as one of the most effective systems in the world. The system is operated by the Ministry of Health to guarantee that all Cuban residents can easily access it. It focuses on disease prevention and enhancing education of public healthcare. Community health centres are an important part of the countrys public healthcare system, which have been established in urban and rural areas nationwide. It estimated that there is one community health centre for 1,000 households. The community health centres provide healthcare services, such as vaccinations, regular health checks, and care for pregnant women and newborns. Medical staff at community health centres are trained to diagnose and treat basic illnesses and provide disease preventive measures. Groups of specialised doctors of hospitals periodically cooperate with community health centres to give medical examinations and treatment to local residents. Cubas public healthcare system also pays attention to studying and developing new healthcare technologies and methods, ensuring the system always provides the best approaches in healthcare to people. Tang Chi Thuong, director of the citys Department of Health, said the Ministry of Health of Cuba is willing to support the city in implementing a project of community healthcare development. Cuba will send two specialised doctors to the city to carry out surveys and come to an agreement with the citys Health Department on content that needs to be developed in the coming time. The ministry expects to welcome the citys healthcare professionals to visit Cuba to learn about its public healthcare models. VNS The world of fantasy literature has seen amazing works such as Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and Twilight, but experts say very few Vietnamese writers are interested in the genre, which is relatively new to them. Seeing the vast potential for sales that promise many opportunities for fantasy writing talent to develop, some young writers have moved into the field and had initial success, but more efforts are needed to attract more readers. "This market has been built before thanks to many world-famous fantasy books imported, translated and published in Viet Nam. It is from this background that readers started to pay attention to Vietnamese fantasy works, the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper quoted Khuc Thi Hoa Phuong, director of Women's Publishing House, as saying. "However, the number of writers interested in this genre of literature in the country is unable to meet demand. The number of authors of the nineties generation, including those for fantasy, is still too small, and their works sporadic," she said. "It is our desire that fantasy writing will not only be expanded, but also attract writers with in-depth works. It means that the writers not only invest in a methodical one or two books, or a series of stories, but stick their whole life to writing them. By doing that, this new types of books will develop in a professional direction." Fantasy is a literary genre that opens up endless fiction with stories about the supernatural, magic or things only in the imagination. For the past 10 years, a limited number of young Vietnamese authors have boldly experimented with the style. Among such writers are Nguyen Nhat Anh with the series Chuyen xu Lang Biang (The Story of Lang Biang) and Phan Hon Nhien with Nhung oi Mat Lanh (Cold Eyes) and Chuoi hat Azoth (Azoth Beads). Some fantasy books have won prizes for young writers, such as UREM - Nguoi ang mo (UREM -The Dreamer) and Yagon - Nhung Ke Vo Cam (Yagon - the Emotionless) by Pham Ba Diep, and Nguoi Ngu Thue (The Sleeper) by Nhat Phi. Recently, Nguyen inh Tu, a writer specialising in detective novels, has also tried his hand at the fantasy genre with the novel Bai San (Hunting Ground). Publishers claim young readers have a taste for fantasy, so they have launched several writing contests to stir up interest and encourage authors to try the genre. But lift-off has been limited. According to Pham Ba Diep, part of the reason is that there are not many veteran writers interested in fantasy, while the younger ones do not have much experience, and their writing skills are not strong enough. Moreover, some publishers do not dare to risk investing in fantasy works, preferring love stories, which are seen as a safe bet, Diep said. Some publishers claim that not even professional writers in the country can meet the standards of a fantasy series that needs to be written in a long-form imaginative way with a logical, tight and clearly built universe. Vietnamese fantasy literature Vietnamese literature in the early 20th century saw many outstanding achievements in which fantasy writing flourished with authors and works such as The Lu with Vang va Mau (Gold and Blood); TchyA with Than Ho (God of Tiger) and Lan Khai with Truyen uong Rung (The Tale of Forest), which are among the best and earliest written fantasy books in modern Vietnamese literature. The period was a significant era for the country's modern literature, and fantasy at that time attracted great attention from readers and critics. In newspapers, fantasy stories were in instalments and much-welcomed by the public. Speaking on a talk show held recently by the Kim ong Publishing House to highlight the beauty of Vietnamese fantasy literature, Nguyen Thi Nam Hoang, a literary expert, said fantasy was a reflection of reality. "Literature always has its own explanation, making people more mature. Each fantasy writer of each period of time offers a unique experience. Lan Khai offers a story within a story. TchyA is a source of highly philosophical material, while The Lu brings out the poetic beauty of the mountains and taking journeys. Each brings their own atmosphere, customs and traditions," Hoang said. "Through the works we see magic and mysterious scenes, but they are also very real. Each work is a vivid and rich picture of nature." Meanwhile, writer Di Li said these works could most accurately be described as horror fantasy literature. According to Li, contemporary literature has lost its atmosphere because we no longer have "forests" to store the legends. "People have destroyed the very places where legends are kept. In fantasy works by The Lu, Lan Khai and TchyA, the writing style is a bit old but still attractive and lures readers. Fantasy literature has always been popular because it opens the imagination for readers to travel through the pages of a book," he said. "Readers are still looking forward to welcoming Vietnamese fantasy series that are more elaborately invested and attractive. However, the journey for fantasy books to find a stand and to conquer readers is still arduous and challenging." VNS By Luong Thu Huong The music video opens with stimulating electric guitar, and the rock band appears on the roof of an iconic Japanese iconic skyscraper at dawn, a new day about to come. Viewers might easily assume it is a music video of a Japanese rock band until they hear two vocalists singing in Vietnamese and Japanese. It is a scene from Vuot (Overcome), the debut track of Kurrock, the first Vietnamese rock band in Japan, who are winning both Vietnamese and Japanese rock enthusiasts hearts through their songs. Kurrock has six members, five Vietnamese (KJO, Heather, TroK, Sang, and Danna) and one Japanese (Daisuke). From different backgrounds, they share the same passion for music and established the band at the end of 2020. At their beginning, the band mainly covered popular songs such as Pretender, Neko or Little Thing, and have performed at many stages and live houses in Tokyo and Yokohama. Their first music video Vuot was released in August last year, two years after they debuted. As their first and "manifesto" song of the group, Vuot took the band about half a year to complete. Their elaborate efforts paid off when the song immediately received attention and positive feedback from the media and rock fans of both countries. Following the success of their first music video, the band released three further singles: Lanh (Cold), Redemption, Thoat (Escape) and most recently, another music video, Mong (Dreams). Thoat was voted as the most popular rock ballad in 2022, while Vuot was voted in the Top 2 most popular Vietnamese rock songs by VN Rock magazine. I already loved Japanese rock, but now that I know Kurrock, its like listening to Japanese music and understanding the lyrics, Nguyen Huu Phuc, a Vietnamese rock fan, said. Kurrock's ability to self-compose in multiple languages, self-produce all the audio-visual stages, and connect and understand Japanese and Vietnamese culture are all huge advantages for the young rockers. The combination of the two languages in the band's music video is distinctive and exciting. I was impressed with the backing sound, particularly the guitar solos, the strong and emotional voice of the two vocals, the elaborately created visuals and the meaning they wanted to convey. I look forward to their next videos, YouTuber Roselia said. The bands music features typical elements of both Vietnamese and Japanese music, distilled and interwoven to create their distinctive sound. With lyrics written in Vietnamese and Japanese to speak out to Vietnamese expatriates in Japan, Kurrock wishes to touch the hearts of audiences in both countries. Discussing the production process of their first music video, Vuot, band leader KJO said it was filmed while Japan was still applying many restrictive measures to prevent the pandemic spreading. Director Watanabe Tomonori therefore decided to have the whole band perform on a green screen, then remotely direct the post-production in Viet Nam. The video is set on the rooftop of the Nagoya Mode Gakuen skyscraper at dawn, with a view of the bustling Shinjuku district. The backdrop expresses the idea of "a new day coming". "Not just the debut music video, we consider it a landmark of the band, confirming that our ability does not only stop at audio production. Through the music video, we want to send the audience a message: Vietnamese expats in Japan as well as in other countries can create quality art," KJO said. Kurrock hopes that the music video can encourage the spirit of daring, passion and being consistent with what we believe in, no matter how different the circumstances. The bands songs are inspired by their personal experiences as Vietnamese living in Japan, conveying their stories, moods, memories, philosophy, feelings, and determination to see life positively despite many difficulties. Their most recent song, Mong, is a reminder for everyone who feels like theyre not good enough for their dreams. Stop making excuses, stop questioning yourself. Get up and do the thing. You might not have all the answers now, but its okay, as long as you keep doing what feels right to you, the answers will come along, said Kurrock vocalist Heather. One of the big stages that the rock band has performed on is Club Citta with a capacity of 1,300 guests, where many famous bands have appeared such as Nirvana, Green Day, Radiohead, Black Sabbath, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Since September 2022, the band has been selected to regularly perform at Guilty Live Stage, a famous live house in Tokyo, in the heart of Shibuya, and become key artists at community stages such as the Vietnam Festival in Tokyo or OneAsia Festival 2022. Despite their initial successes in Japan, the band have always aspired to contribute to their homeland. At the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, they conducted their first Viet Nam tour at five venues as a greeting and gratitude to the domestic audience. They were featured at the countdown programme held in Ecopark urban area in the northern province of Hung Yen in January that was attended by 20,000 people. The band plan on releasing their first album featuring Vietnamese-Japanese songs this year and will perform in events celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Japan. Kurrock will deepen the beauty of Japanese-Vietnamese music, and at the same time perfect the compositions in a way that is easier to receive and share," the band leader said. We are exerting more efforts in conquering the Japanese market and nurturing the ambition of winning international markets as well by composing English songs. We hope to receive a positive response from the audience. VNS by Nguyen My Ha Before Monday, the winner of the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor Ke Huy Quan was known among cinema circles in Viet Nam as Quan Ke Huy. Born in Sai Gon (now Ho Chi Minh City) to parents of Chinese ancestry who left the country in 1978, he was just seven when he left with his family on a boat. There was a wave that drove hundreds of thousands of ethnic minority Hoa (Vietnamese people of Chinese origin) to leave Viet Nam following border conflicts in the southwest and north. After spending a year in a refugee camp, he arrived in the US, where at 11 years of age, he was picked to play in Steven Spielberg's film Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom alongside Harrison Ford. After two roles that shot him to child stardom in the US in 1984 and 1985, roles were few and far between. But he didn't sit there to wait for the roles to come. During the long acting hiatus, he worked as a stunt coordinator and went to the University of Southern California to study for a degree in acting. Little did people know that he even came back to Viet Nam in 1996 to act in an action film called Hong Hai Tac, or Red Pirates, alongside other actors including martial artist-actor Ly Hung and actress Truong Ngoc Anh. As people say, one cannot choose your place of birth, but you can choose where to settle. And for Quan and his family, their chosen destination was the US. As soon as his name was voiced at the Oscars, several online newspapers in Viet Nam quickly uploaded the news, saying an American of Vietnamese descent became the first Asian man to win an Oscar in an individual category. Arguments over identity and ethnicity soon broke out online. The overall sentiment was positive and happy for him. But many cinema fans were quick to say that Quan never tells the public that he is Vietnamese. His online biography only says he's American with Chinese roots and that he speaks English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Vietnamese. Others say he was born in Viet Nam and as a result he's Vietnamese by birth, which was true until he left the country. Today, many children of expats living in Viet Nam could be born to foreign parents, but they are not Vietnamese by birth as Viet Nam does not have a law giving newborns citizenship as a birthright. In the US, where the "right of the soil" has been thoroughly followed, children born in the US have citizenship. It explains the reasons why many pregnant women from other countries want to give birth to their children on US soil. Leaving legal matters aside, one may apply to be a citizen of a certain country due to better living or working conditions, but a homeland in one's heart stays private to each individual. Quan has not mentioned his ties with Viet Nam nor ties to his birthplace, yet his Oscar win is a huge deal to the Vietnamese community with Chinese roots even in the US. Some feel proud of him, saying he's making all the sufferings and contributions of the community worthwhile. Others feel that they only bear the Chinese surname, but they speak Vietnamese among themselves and consider themselves Vietnamese at heart. Just last week, here in Ha Noi, we met one such person. He was one of the Vietnamese 'boat people' with Chinese ancestry leaving Viet Nam in 1978 at 19 years of age, just like Quan and his family. Hong uc Thanh was born in Sai Gon in 1958 to Chinese parents in a large family of nine children, he was doted on with everything a wealthy family could give to the youngest boy. The difference between them is that Thanh was rescued at sea by a Norwegian ship and he ended up settling down in a small town near Oslo and has been living there ever since. Self-taught in the art of drawing on finished porcelain, Thanh unconsciously revived a school of painting, which he was later told by Chinese masters, belonged to a lost school of art known as Lingnan. We should applaud those overcoming so many adversities to become successful like Quan or Thanh. Being Vietnamese or Chinese should not matter so much. It's up to the individual person to discuss his/her home country as he/she sees fit, and not for us to speculate. It was coincidence that we spoke with Thanh, the artist who paints on ceramics and fine bone china, who now keeps coming back to Viet Nam to spread his craft and find new apprentices. These days, Thanh splits his time between Taiwan and the Bat Trang Ceramics village in the suburbs of Ha Noi. He was getting ready for an exhibition next week when he communicated with a Bat Trang master artisan for the first time. Thanh said that when he lived in Norway, he didn't miss much the life he left behind as a teenager. "I was the youngest and got all the love and care from my family, I didn't know how to care for others," he said. Now his extended family lives all over the world, including in Europe and America, and he said he kept returning to Viet Nam to teach his art, and all of his three children have chosen a different way to earn a living. Thanh's attempt to go back to Viet Nam to find peace of mind is not unique. Among those who would rather put the painful days at sea behind them, there are others who returned on a soul-searching quest, looking for some kind of closure, or peace perhaps. One of our colleagues has reunited with her childhood neighbour, who now resides in the US; a musician came back to Ha Noi to take her loved ones' ashes to reunite with them in Canada; and another former 'boat people' returned to help disadvantaged children find homes. The stories of these people are all around us. If people want to acknowledge their personal Vietnamese heritage or not, it is surely up to them and not for others to pontificate on. We, as observers, can only wish them good luck. Finally, whether it is realising the 'American dream' like Quan Ke Huy, or searching for the meaning of art by returning to Viet Nam like Hong uc Thanh, these are their choices and we should respect them. VNS As soon as Nguyen Gia Trung Hieu, representing Flamingo Redtour at the Hanoi Tourism Festival 2023, put the flyers of the travel packages on the table, the interest of local visitors in the travel packages started to grow. Hieu said that about 80 people visited the booth and got information about tours within one hour on the festival's first day. The travel demand is increasing as the summer season approaches. This year, the demand for traveling to destinations such as Phu Quoc Island and the Northwest Region is high," he said. Although the prices of flights to some domestic destinations are skyrocketing, those who book a tour through our company will be able to enjoy a preferential price," he told The Hanoi Times. Hieu is introducing tours to local visitors at the booth. Photos: Do Huong/ The Hanoi Times During the festival, Flamingo Redtours JSC will introduce thousands of domestic and international tours with prices ranging from VND2.2 million (US$93.9) to VND5 million (US$213.4) per person. "We will also offer gifts like cases, parasols, caps and shirts to attract more customers," said Nguyen Cong Hoan, director of Flamingo Redtours. This year's tourism promotion festival will feature 150 booths set up by tourism companies and airlines. Participating businesses will offer 1,000 new tourism products with various forms of promotions, as well as 15-30% discounts and gifts. To stimulate travel demand, another tour operator, Vietravel, is also offering a promotional program "Brilliant Summer, Maximum Sale Price" for inbound and outbound tours from April to May 2023, with discounts of up to 20% and high-quality services meeting four-star standards, according to Vietravel Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Le Huong. Vietravel's booth before the opening ceremony of the Hanoi Tourism Festival 2023 in March 24. Chu Thi Hong Tham, a 30-year-old bank employee in Hai Ba Trung District, is looking for information about the company's tours, hoping to find a package like the one she found before. Tham said: "I knew about the Hanoi Tourism Festival last year and successfully booked a trip to Can Tho [the largest city in the Mekong Delta region] with a reasonable price and good quality of services." "This time I'm looking for both inbound and outbound tours. I am interested in the price of the tour to Phu Quoc or Thailand, but the airfare from Hanoi to Phu Quoc is quite high, so I hope I can find a preferential price through promotional programs such as this festival," she told The Hanoi Times. "Meanwhile, a visit to Thailand, although an outbound trip, is more affordable," she added. Another visitor who loves to travel around the country, Nguyen Hoang, a 68-year-old resident of Hai Ba Trung District, also inquired about tour prices. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Hoang and his wife used to travel once or twice a month for two or three nights. "It will be my first trip after a three-year break from Covid-19," he said. "We are also considering traveling abroad. In the past, we have traveled to Thailand and South Korea." Hieu of Flamigo Redtour said popular destinations such as Thailand for the Songkran festival, known as a water festival in April, or Japan for the cherry blossom season, or China because of the Chinese government's open-door policy, received more attention from tourists in Hanoi. Local visitors pay attention to the price and discounts of tours. In order to meet the outbound demand of tourists like Nguyen Hoang and his wife, ANZ Travel Vietnam JSC participating in the festival has introduced tour packages with a 30% discount and vouchers. As a major tourism company in Hanoi, Hanoi tourist Corporation will introduce many stimulus products on the upcoming holidays of Reunification Day (April 30) and Labor Day (May 1), especially for tourists buying tours at the on-site festival with special discounts. Besides, Director of the Hanoitourist travel agency Le Hong Thai said that the company will introduce 20 new tours, exploring Hanoi heritage destinations such as Kim Ngan Temple and Heritage House 87 Ma May Street in Hoan Kiem District. Deputy Director of the Hanoi Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion (HPA) Nguyen Thi Mai Anh said that this year's Hanoi Tourism Festival 2023 has many new programs to promote and introduce many of the capital's cultural heritage sites to international visitors. In particular, domestic and international visitors attending the event will have more opportunities to explore cultural heritage sites such as the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hanoi Old Quarter and sub-districts of Ba Vi, My Duc, Soc Son and Son Tay and other attractive places. Visitors will also participate in various activities at booths showcasing typical products from handicrafts and old villages in the capital, including bamboo rattan from Chuong Conical Hat Village, lacquer from Ha Thai Village, and embroidery from Quat Dong Village at the Octagonal House. They can also enjoy Hanoi food at stalls around Le Thach Street. The event attracts a large number of visitors. The festival is part of a series of promotional activities connecting travel between the capital and other localities, including Thanh Hoa, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Bac Kan, Tuyen Quang, Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, Quang Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, Danang, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, and Bac Giang. Some 100 businesses from 12 districts and towns of the city attend the festival to introduce new destinations to more customers and strengthen linkages with other companies. With such activities, Hanoi authorities expect to enhance links between localities in promoting tourism, with a focus on Hanoi, which is seen as the central role to connect localities and attract tourists to the capital. The Hanoi Tourism Festival 2023 promotes the cultural values of heritage sites. Hanoi Times For Vietnam, it is a good opportunity for domestic enterprises to become companions, to grow alongside and to develop. From a wider perspective, it should be the lifeline for the planet. Greener owing to FDI? The 2022 FDI report with the key topics of green growth and digital transformation released on March 10 gives ample clues on the green economy in Vietnam. The foreign direct investment (FDI) into green growth in 2022 increased by 70% against that in 2020. Since the end of 2021, several green projects have emerged, such as the first carbon-neutral toy factory, and a project using 100% of renewable energy for jewelry production. This trend is irreversible, but how far it will go is a different story. First, in the global supply chain, Vietnam is a rising star in such industries as apparel, footwear, and consumer electronics, but green manufacturing has only been blinking rather than becoming mainstreamed in those industries. Uncertainties in the global economy and worries over an imminent recession will be major hurdles for greenization in these industries. The most probable scenario is that enterprises tap niche markets, turning out environmentally-friendly products from a zero-emission process to target the better-off. Even if that scenario comes true, it is unlikely Vietnamese enterprises will take the lead. Second, the report points to numerous objective difficulties that make FDI incentives in Vietnam and several other countries less appealing. The U.S. and major European countries have issued new policies to lure back important and high added value industries into their economies. The average profit margin at FDI enterprises has plunged from 11.5% to 7.8% in the 2011-2018 period. Despite such setbacks, representatives of U.S. and EU investors at the launch of the FDI attraction report were bullish on new investment worth trillions of U.S. dollars expected to flow into green energy, logistics and infrastructure in Vietnam. The excitement with clean energy and Vietnams sovereign commitment on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will expectedly usher in exports of clean energy technologies from the U.S. and the EU into Vietnam, as such economies are launching huge subsidies to maintain their leading technology positions in the direct competition with China. It looks like that given such promising visions, Vietnam is being viewed as a market with more potentials than challenges. Third, it is unlikely the FDI flow into the green economy will change the status quo. As long as obstacles in terms of the economic structure, infrastructure, supporting industries and labor quality remain unchanged, Vietnamese enterprises can hardly partake in and benefit from the green economy. To be frank, the two green projects mentioned above are merely symbolic of a commitment to support Vietnams greenization by Denmark, a leading country in this respect in Europe. Although this process will pick up speed in the coming time, Vietnam, as it were, is simply standing on the shoulders of giants. Vietnams approach seen from energy transformation Vietnam has made considerable achievements in renewable energy. A report by the UK-based Ember in 2022 stated that Vietnam, alongside the Netherlands and Australia, has switched over 8% of its energy demand to wind and solar power in 2020-2021. To date, despite reliance on imported equipment and technology, Vietnamese enterprises are still dominant players in clean energy. Data released by HSBC in January show that investment into renewable energy in Vietnam is mostly locally sourced. Specifically, data from the Mekong Infrastructure Tracker platform showed that some 60% of renewable energy projects in Vietnam are developed by domestic companies, some 27% by partnerships between Vietnamese firms and international investors, and a mere 12% by outside investors. Such a predominant role is poised to change. A report by the Ministry of Planning and Investment noted that in 2020, over US$5.1 billion of FDI was pledged into power generation and transmission, accounting for 18% of the total and 38 times higher than that in the five preceding years. A question surfaces over whether regulations in the Investment Law and related by-laws are sufficient to govern a special industry like energy. Is it necessary to issue more prescriptive regulations to ensure energy security? Vietnam is still in the early stages of clean energy development, and is a fertile land for foreign investors, and as such, the building of a transparent legal corridor guaranteeing legitimate interests of investors will be beneficial. First, apart from self-supplied energy projects, it is necessary to spell out the proportion of foreign-invested renewable energy in the total demand in each period. This should be the basis for licensing projects and for determining the proportion of local stakes in renewable energy joint ventures with international investors. Regulations on FDI encouragement for specific localities should also be taken into prudent consideration, especially for offshore wind power, alongside the oversight of transfer of stakes to foreign partners. It should be noted that there have been warnings over the rapid development of offshore wind power outstretching master zoning plans like what has happened to solar power. This approach should also apply to other green economic sectors. Areas of investment priority must be established, and suitable to be lent to the countrys development strategy so as to prep for infrastructure, manpower, and availability of domestic enterprises in the supply chain. In the green economic map, the position and the role of local enterprises must be envisioned with an aim to make the most of foreign capital and technology on one hand, and to create development space for domestic enterprises on the other hand so that they can grow and get their hands on new technologies, and to compete on level ground with FDI rivals. Greenization should be viewed as the means for the economy to achieve efficiency and sustainability, not the end to achieve at all costs by wooing foreign investors with strong incentives in order to have a green label. More problems behind green energy transformation Staying calm with the green economy, especially renewable energy like solar and wind power is not just an issue for Vietnam. We have been aware of waste from solar panels and wind turbine blades, but have not formulated treatment methods. Ecological impacts from solar and wind power have not thoroughly researched, partly because such impacts have not been seen clearly, and partly because the raptures at renewable energy have pushed aside worries over the exploitation of these resources. More importantly, if renewable energy is tapped to increasingly satisfy a demand beyond the reasonable level, it cannot be a sustainable approach. The Renewables Global Status Report (REN21) issued in mid-2021 pointed out that the fossil energy ratio remained the same after a decade. Research published by the International Energy Agency in late February warned that the top one percent emitters release greenhouse gases 1,000 times higher than the bottom one percent, and 85% of the top ten percent emitters live in developed economies. As such, a big question for rich countries and developing economies is how to change or choose a growth model. If the scale of each enterprise in particular and the economy in general is expanded via consumption promotion, which means higher energy demand and an increasing waste volume, then the future of this planet will be just lips service via the wind blade. HCMC The Government is weighing increasing the duration of visa-free stay for international tourists to 45 days from the current 15 to attract guests from abroad. If approval is forthcoming, foreign tourists who come from countries to which Vietnam unilaterally gives a visa waiver can stay in the country for up to 45 days, instead of the current 15. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh recently chaired a meeting of the Governments Standing Committee to look into visa exemptions for foreigners and tentative immigration policy changes. Members of the Governments Standing Committee agreed at the meeting that the validity of e-visa would be increased from no more than 30 days to no more than three months and that the e-visa would be either single or multiple-entry one. E-visas might be issued to citizens of all foreign countries and territories. The Governments Standing Committee assigned the Ministry of Public Security to coordinate with the Ministry of Justice and other relevant agencies to make preparations and send immigration policy change proposals to the National Assembly session, expected to be held in May. WACO Facing a potential indictment, Donald Trump took a defiant stance at a rally Saturday in Waco, disparaging the prosecutors investigating him and predicting his vindication as he rallied supporters in a city made famous by deadly resistance against law enforcement. With a hand over his heart, Trump stood at attention when his rally opened with a song called Justice for All performed by a choir of people imprisoned for their roles in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Some footage from the insurrection was shown on big screens displayed at the rally site as the choir sang the national anthem and a recording played of Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The extraordinary display opened Trumps first rally of his 2024 Republican presidential campaign. He then launched into a speech brimming with resentments and framed the probes, including a New York grand jury investigation, as political attacks on him and his followers. You will be vindicated and proud, Trump said The thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited and totally disgraced. Trump's event at the airport grounds in Waco was part of a broader effort by the former president to use the potential indictment as a rallying cry for supporters to maintain his status as the GOP frontrunner in what is expected to be a crowded primary. It came one day after Trump raised the specter of violence should he become the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges. Trump declared his innocence in the Manhattan investigation into a hush money payment made during the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to keep her from going public about a sexual encounter she said she had with Trump years earlier. A grand jury hearing the case is expected to meet again on Monday. Trump said the Manhattan district attorney was investigating him "for something that is not a crime, not a misdemeanor, not an affair. Some of Trump's recent rhetoric, including at the rally, has echoed language he used before the Capitol insurrection by a mob of his supporters seeking to stop the transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden, who won the presidential election. Trump declared Saturday that his enemies are desperate to stop us" and that our opponents have done everything they can to crush our spirit and to break our will." He added: But they failed. Theyve only made us stronger. And 2024 is the final battle, its going to be the big one. You put me back in the White House, their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again." Trump could be indicted soon by a Manhattan grand jury investigating a $130,000 payment that Trumps longtime lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, made as Trump was in the throes of his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump later reimbursed Cohen and his company logged the reimbursements as a legal expense. Cohen has already served time in prison after pleading guilty to campaign finance charges and lying to Congress, among other crimes. Trump's eyebrow-raising choice of venue in Waco for his first rally came amid the 30th anniversary of a 51-day standoff and deadly siege between U.S. law enforcement and the Branch Davidians that resulted in the deaths of more than 80 members of the religious cult and four federal agents and has become a touchstone for far-right extremists and militia groups. Trumps campaign insisted the location and timing of the event had nothing to do with the Waco siege or anniversary. A spokesperson said the site, 17 miles from the Branch Davidian compound, was chosen because it was conveniently situated near four of the states biggest metropolitan areas Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio and has the infrastructure to handle a sizable crowd. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said before Trumps arrival that he was the one who had suggested Waco as the venue. Any suggestion Trump had picked the city because of the anniversary was "fake news. I picked Waco! he told the crowd. Trump did not make any direct references in his speech to Waco's history, telling the crowd of thousands that he told Patrick he wanted to hold his rally in a place with overwhelming support, not one of those 50-50 areas," and said he told Patrick, Lets go right into the heart of it." At several points, Trump criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to run for president and is seen as his strongest potential challenger for the GOP nomination. Trump called his onetime ally disloyal and said he was dropping like a rock. Audience members were holding red and white signs handed out by the campaign that said Witch Hunt," Trump 2024 and I stand with Trump. Hours before Trump arrived, hundreds of his supporters began streaming into the airport past vendors selling merchandise including Trump flags, bumper stickers and action figures. Among them was Eugene Torres, 41, who said he was unfazed by the prospect that Trump could be indicted. Its just another political attack on him to keep him from running and winning this race again, said Torres, who is from the Texas coast city of Corpus Christi. Alan Kregel, 56, traveled with his wife from Dallas to see Trump in person for the first time. While he voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, he said he felt the former president's "methods and vocabulary" often detracted from his policies. But now, two years out of office, he said he is more supportive of Trump than he was before. Hes an innocent man, just persecuted," said Kregel, arguing an indictment would help Trump win in 2024. Trump has spent weeks now railing against the New York probe and in a post on his social media site on Friday warned of potential death & destruction in such a false charge" if hes charged with a crime. In a move that seemed designed to preempt a formal announcement, he claimed last Saturday that he would be arrested the following Tuesday. While that did not happen, Trump has used the days since to try to shape public perception echoing a strategy he has used before, including during special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Trump has also repeatedly invoked violence, urging his supporters to protest, and used increasingly racist and dehumanizing rhetoric as he has launched ever more personal attacks against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. On Friday, a powdery substance was found with a threatening letter in a mailroom at Bragg's offices, authorities said. Officials later determined the substance wasn't dangerous. Even before the threatening letter was sent to Bragg's office, Democrats warned that Trump's remarks had the potential to incite violence. The twice-impeached former presidents rhetoric is reckless, reprehensible and irresponsible. Its dangerous, and if he keeps it up hes going to get someone killed, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said. In addition to the Manhattan case, Trump is also facing an investigation in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election as well as federal investigations into his handling of classified documents and possible obstruction, as well as his efforts on Jan. 6. Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Paul Weber in Waco, Texas, Michael R. Sisak in New York and Sagar Meghani in Washington contributed to this report. Mother Neff State Park received the 2023 Lone Star Legacy Award, honoring its well-documented pasts historic significance as an iconic space in its community. However, as natural disasters and questions of funding have hampered parks across the state in recent years, Mother Neffs future is yet to be told. As I like to say, you know, Mother Neff gave birth to the state parks system, park Superintendent Melissa Chadwick said. She had Pat Neff and he had such a drive had to have back then to be able to get the state parks board even going or even thought about. The park was one of seven to apply for the award from the Texas Recreation and Parks Society. The park must be a minimum of 50 years old to qualify and meet specific criteria, in this case being associated with historic events and sites, and being home to unique natural features. The oldest parts of the park and some of its original structures have been off limits in recent years, in need of repairs from repeated flooding, while a newer entrance and campgrounds have maintained access on higher ground. Chadwick said the award came as a surprise, but it will fuel conversations for years to come when visitors ask what it means to be a Lone Star Legacy. She said it gives park staff a chance to share the stories and history that live within the park. Then youre able to share that story of the historic significance of Mother Neff State Park and how its influence really helped probably drive and open Pat Neffs eyes to be able to go, Hey, these spaces are important, and we need to do what we can to start providing these public spaces for people, Chadwick said. Mother Neff State Park, Texas first official state park, opened in 1937, but its original 6 acres were deeded to the state in 1916 by Isabella Neff, former Governor and Baylor University President Pat Neffs mother. As automobiles gained popularity, travelers realized the need to stop and rest along their journey, many stopping along the road to camp and picnic in lieu of mainstream motels. Pat Neff realized the need for wayside stations for travelers, and in 1923 he convinced the Legislature to create a formal state parks board. Neff and the board campaigned around the state in search of land donations to be reserved as parks, and pursuant to his mothers wishes, the 6-acre pecan grove about 10 minutes west of Moody on the Leon River became Mother Neff State Park, along with surrounding land Pat Neff and a neighbor donated. Also he saw the real true value in people needing to get away and connect with the outdoors and recharge, and much like we are today were seeing theres so many health benefits in being connected to nature and having those resources available, Chadwick said. Not only did Neff acquire land around the state for parks, but he was also integral in bringing them to life. Much of the parks original infrastructure, including carved stone steps and multiple stone buildings, was built by the U.S. Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC hired men in search of work during the Great Depression to create state parks in exchange for $30 per month plus housing, and many would send what they earned home to their families. Many of the structures they built, including a stone tabernacle, rock tower and recreation hall, are still intact at the park. But many are also in need of repairs to reopen to the public. The caretakers cottage, which Pat Neff stayed in for weeks at a time and was built by the CCC, is rented out often to park guests, and most of the facility is still the original material. Chadwick said the building would be used to house government meetings and gatherings when the governor would stay there. It actually stirred up some controversy when it was being built because it was one of the biggest caretaker residences at that time, but he wanted to be able to have diplomats and dignitaries and stuff like that come down and visit and gather and have meetings, she said. In 2015 the park got its most recent facelift, a $6.5 million project adding a new limestone headquarters and a 20-site camping loop, on higher ground than the flood-vulnerable historic section. Chadwick said the park draws guests from around the world, some as far as Australia, to explore its 400 acres. Carole Bourdages and Endre Amesse were visiting from Quebec on Thursday, and headed out for a hike in the early afternoon before rain arrived. Bourdages said on their trip through the southern United States, the pair wanted to experiment with a few state parks and ended up at Mother Neff. Really, its clean. Its the cleanest Ive ever seen, Bourdages said. Its perfect and its small too, so its quiet. Chadwick said the park closed for less than a week when COVID-19 struck, but the crew stayed on deck the whole time. The pandemic brought day-use records as guests could enjoy the park and naturally disperse among its trails while socially distancing from others. She said visitation has likely doubled or more since the newest part of the park opened in 2015, despite other losses to the park. From 2015 to 2021 the park has had over 30 major flooding events, resulting in damage to the most historic part of the park that lies in a flood plain between Lake Proctor and Lake Belton. During the heaviest flooding events water can raise high enough to leave only the peaks of the CCC rock tabernacle and recreation hall visible. Miraculously, the structures have stood the test of time, but they remain closed to the public due to flood damage. When the corps was building the park they actually knew this area is going to flood, so they raised the elevation in this spot and that spot knowing, Hey, were going to have water in here, Chadwick said. I just dont think they ever fathomed were going to be between two reservoirs basically. The bridge on State Highway 236, which spans the historic edge of the park and crosses the Leon River, reopened in October after a year and a half of construction, Chadwick said. During heavy flooding the old bridge would catch debris rushing by, causing backups in and around the riverbed. She said the park had a half-mile log jam removed near the old bridge in 2017, but she watched another form in 2021 when heavy floods washed over the park again. The newly formed jam is on the parks to-do list, Chadwick said, and with the bridge open nearby and grant opportunities ahead the park hopes to see some progress in that area soon. Weve had a lot of work done down here. Its a constant work in progress and it depends on Mother Nature and how she cooperates with us on what we can do and when we can do it, Chadwick said. The vegetation through the flood zone took a hit as well, washing out and weakening many native trees. Chadwick said one of the main reasons why the original part of the park remains closed to visitors is the risk of a dilapidated tree falling. Obviously most of our attention is spent up top but were trying to just keep this so when we are ready to roll and ready to do something we wont have to do as much work, hopefully, she said. It is difficult to compete for funding in the face of huge disasters, like Hurricane Harvey and COVID-19, and the park already received the $6.5 million facelift in 2015, but there is lots of hope for Mother Neff in the future, Chadwick said. Theres hope, you know definitely with the new funding with Proposition 5, so were definitely excited about that opportunity, she said, referring to a referendum that passed in 2019 to dedicate proceeds from a state sporting goods sales tax to parks and historic sites. Currently park planners are looking at the 142 acres the park acquired in 2012 to determine its best use, Chadwick said. Given their unique and historic nature, she said it is difficult to estimate how much it will cost to one day undertake repairs to the CCC structures. For now, the basin known as the wash pond finally has caught some water again, the grasses swept away by floods are sprouting again and bluebonnets are filling the park more than they have in years. BEAVER LAKE In a couple of nondescript gray buildings south of Plattsmouth near Beaver Lake, with nothing more than a yellow Union Pacific Plymouth Industrial Locomotive to advertise their contents, is the huge Wimmer Railroad Collection, welcome to every railroad buff who ever dreamed of ridin the rails. For this, while certainly not a secret, is a wonderful world of railroad nostalgia; a 10,000-piece of Americana collected and saved in rural Sarpy County by Bill and Judy Wimmer. Bill Wimmer, the 2007 Railroader of the Year and a 50-year veteran of Union Pacific and the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, began collecting signage, lanterns, dining car china, uniforms, model trains and hand carts from every depot or station about to meet its fate with wrecking ball. More than 10,000 pieces of railway paraphernalia ended up in the Wimmers building, including paraphernalia from Japan, a handcart powered by legs from Ireland and a handmade wooden model of locomotive from Austria. Looking over the vast collection, Ben Justman, executive director of the Sarpy County Museum, said that it is considered to be one of the finest in the country. And were just thankful the Wimmers thought of us when they decided to donate it, Justman said. Justman visited the Wimmers collection recently, along with members of the museums board and other interested parties, to take a look at the collection that will soon be a main attraction at the Sarpy County Museums new location in Papillion, at the crossroads of 90th Street and Nebraska 370. Were hoping this will be a catalyst to grow the museum we are hoping to build in Papillion, Justman said. That will be a centralized location for Sarpy County of about 2,800 square feet, in which we will integrate the Wimmers collection. Justman and the museum made the announcement of the museums expansion last October. Justman said that the Wimmers lifetime efforts to build the collection was remarkable, and their donation as a gift for all the people of Sarpy County was equally so. Its this kind of thing that is so important for the STEM education of the countys students, Justman said. Not only STEM (the acronym for science, technology, engineering and math) but STEAM (the acronym for science, technology, engineering, art and math), too. The railroads were built with STEM skills and if one looks at these trains, posters and all the accouterments, the china and uniforms, you see the art. Its going to be wonderful for students to see all of this. The museum hosts occasional tour opportunities of the Wimmer collection. Interested parties should email museum@sarpymuseum.org to inquire about opportunities. DES MOINES Iowa Republicans have pushed forward a bill that would change how county supervisors are elected in three Democratic-leaning counties, including Black Hawk County. The House on Tuesday debated a bill passed by the Senate that would require Iowas five counties with 125,000 residents or more to elect their supervisors by equal-population, rather than being elected countywide. Senate File 443, which was temporarily deferred, was amended in the House to instead only apply to three counties Black Hawk, Johnson and Story that are home to Iowas three public universities. Rep. Dave Deyoe, R-Nevada, the bills floor manager, proposed the amendment as a compromise between House and Senate Republicans in an effort to narrow the scope of the bill and come up with votes to pass it. Deyoe, who lives in Story County, said the change would allow more diverse representation on county boards and provide rural voters with a stronger voice in the states urban centers. I think its more democratic and its the way were elected to the Iowa Legislature for gosh sake, Deyoe said during floor debate. He said electing by district provides county representation thats closer to the people, and that in the future lawmakers should look at requiring county supervisors to be elected the same statewide. But, at this time (Im) trying to get the votes to at least get a start on this to start making this change, Deyoe said. Varied by county Currently, counties can choose one of three ways to elect supervisors countywide by district; countywide without district residence requirements for members; or from equal-population districts in which voters of each district elect a single member. Black Hawk, Johnson and Story counties elect supervisors at large. Iowas two largest counties Polk and Linn already elect by districts. Lucas Beenken, a policy specialist with the Iowa State Association of Counties, said the association believes district and election decisions should be left up to individual counties. We think this should rest with the voters of each county to decide how theyre represented, Beenken said. Its kind of a unique component where the voters actually get to decide how theyre represented. The bill would also require counties to fill a supervisor vacancy by special election. Bill criticized Democratic Rep. Ken Croken of Davenport decried the move as a partisan power grab to only benefit the majority party in the upcoming county elections. Democratic Rep. Adam Zabner of Iowa City home to the University of Iowa argued the only reason to amend the bill to focus on the three counties is because it was politically convenient for Republicans, who expanded their majorities in the House and Senate in the last election, to take away power from the voters in the Democratic-leaning counties. Republicans dominated elections across Iowa during last years midterm elections. GOP candidates at the top of the ballot won in all but a handful of counties on Election Day, while support for Democrats continues to be concentrated mostly in urban areas. Democrats represent a majority of county supervisors in Johnson and Black Hawk counties, whereas the three-member Story County Board of Supervisors is comprised entirely of Democrats. Caleb McCullough of the Courier Des Moines Bureau and Jami Martin-Trainor contributed reporting. Iran-backed fighters are on alert after a drone strike killed and wounded several Americans. US strikes were in response to an Iran-made drone attack last Thursday that killed an American contractor and wounded five more. US retaliatory strikes targeted places that store food products and other service centers in Eastern Syria. Iran-backed fighters were on alert last Saturday for US strikes that hit Eastern Syria. An Iran-made drone attack killed a US contractor, and five more were injured last Thursday, based on sources. Iran Expects US Retaliatory Strikes Opposition activists mentioned the incident, and the fighters were located in Eastern Syria, reported Republic World. Sources say it was calm for militants a day after rockets were aimed at a base with US troops in the eastern sector of the country. Before that, rocket attack airstrikes hit three locations in Deir el-Zour bordering Iraq, stated the activists. The Center revealed the aerial strikes by the US hit locations storing food items with other service centers found in Deir el-Zour. It was not mentioned the US attack killed seven and wounded seven but no nationalities of the people. Another source said the seven killed were Iranians, cited TRT. Military actions by the US are seen as an attempt to cause tremors and prevent the Saudi-Iran deal from further unifying rival powers in the region. On Friday, US President Joe Biden said the US will respond against Syrian locations with groups linked to the Revolutionary Guard of Iran, noted AP News. After the Thursday drone attack, the US responded in kind. Biden said in Ottawa that Iran's proxies must be ready for more retaliation. Late Friday, the Iranian Consultative Center in Syria told the US it would regret its decisions and remarked it wouldn't be just a simple retaliation that will happen. Read Also: Ex-Saudi Intel Chief Doubts US Intentions on Iran-Saudi Talks US Strikes Eastern Syria Territories A total of 19 died from several US attacks in three locations with an arms depot in Harabesh, Deir el-Zour city, with two military sites in two towns, Mayadeen and Boukamal, said the Observatory. The Israelis have launched airstrikes in the area where Iran-supported militias and Syrian forces hold the area where the supply route of Iran was targeted. US officials stated two attacks were made simultaneously against US forces last Friday in the country. A rocket assault at the Conoco plant with US troops protecting it with one injured soldier stabilized. In another attack, several drones were projected at Green Village in the Deir el-Zour province with a US base, where only one drone was not shot down. No injuries were reported, and details about the military operation were not also disclosed. The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, has been accused of drone attacks in the Middle East. US officials say the drone is from Iran, but there is no proof to back their claims. A drone struck a coalition base in Hasakeh. Iran has a regional network to fight the US and Israel, which are proxy forces. But the US occupied Syria in 2015 to fight the Islamic State group with Kurds in Syria. Joe Biden has ordered strikes against Syria in February and June 2021 with August 2022 too. Iran-backed fighters are bracing for a similar US strike in Eastern Syria as hostilities escalate again despite the Saudi-Syria deal. Related Article: Saudi Arabia, Syria Agrees on Reopening Consulates After 10 Years Button club to meet WATERLOO The Black Hawk Button Club will meet from 1 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday at St. Pauls United Methodist Church. The church is located at 207 W. Louise St. The program is a 45 minute video from the National Button Society on Lacey Glass buttons. Anyone interested in the art, history and preservation of buttons is welcome to attend. For additional information, call (319) 415-9380. UnityPoint named top place to work WATERLOO For the second consecutive year, UnityPoint Health has been recognized as one of the top places to work in healthcare in the country by a national industry publication. Recently, Beckers Healthcare included UnityPoint Health on its 2023 list of 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare. The list highlights hospitals, health systems and healthcare companies that are committed to advocating for diversity in the workplace, promoting work-life balance, and boosting employee engagement. UnityPoint Health, which provides care across Iowa, western Illinois and southern Wisconsin, is the only health system in Iowa and Wisconsin to be named to this years list and is one of only a handful of health systems in Illinois to be included. Thrift store sets ribbon cutting WATERLOO Cedar Valley Thrift and Outreach Outlet will be holding a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. The new store is located at 1109 E. Fourth St. The center will be offering an array of services to support those in need, including a jobs center, affordable clothing, household items and a food pantry. Those attending are asked to bring one item for donation. There will also be a light meal served to-go. Foundation sets annual breakfast WATERLOO The Waterloo Schools Foundations Sparking Academic Excellence breakfast will be held 7 to 8:30 a.m. on April 27 at the Waterloo Convention Center. The celebration showcases all of the exciting things happening in Waterloo Community Schools. District spokesperson Akwi Nji will be the emcee and Waterloo Schools Foundation Executive Director Hannah Luce will give an introduction. A keynote presentation will be given by Edita Begic and Superintendent Jared Smith will give a state of the district address. Four students will share how they have benefited from academic opportunities through the district and funding from the foundation. Other highlights include displays and student/staff representation from all 19 schools as well as music provided by Waterloo students. Tickets are $25 per person and corporate sponsorships start at $250. Visit www.wcsfoundation.org/our-events to reserve a seat and for more information. Email info@wcsfoundation.org or call (319) 939-9550 with any questions. Road closed for new roundabout WATERLOO Beginning April 3, the West Ninth Street and South Street intersection will be closed to allow the contractor to perform work related to a mini-roundabout. There will be a signed detour in place. Closure is expected to be in place until Sept. 1. For questions regarding the project, call Traffic Operations at (319) 291-4440. Bremer County to test warning system WAVERLY The outdoor warning systems throughout Bremer County will be tested beginning at 11 a.m. on April 4. In the event of threatening weather, the tests will be delayed to the next day without threatening weather. Tests are performed to assure all outdoor warning systems are functioning properly. When an outdoor warning system siren sounds on a day other than a test, residents are advised to tune to local broadcast media as soon as possible. Media outlets will be forwarding information regarding imminent threats. Typical Bremer County threats include severe weather, but might also include a chemical/hazardous material incident, or possibly a terrorist threat. Outdoor warning systems are intended to warn citizens located outside of their homes. NOAA All-hazard radios are encouraged for warnings and information inside the home. Emergency notifications may also be received through the Alert Iowa notification system. Sign-up for notifications at the Bremer County Emergency Management web page. For additional information, contact the Bremer County Emergency Management Agency at (319) 352-0133. Workshop held on land conservation HAZLETON The Buchanan County Conservation Board is holding a conservation workshop for landowners from 5 to 7 p.m. on April 6. The event will be held at the Fontana Park Nature Center. Representatives from the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide presentations on the Conservation Reserve Program, Conservation Stewardship Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program. A DNR forester and Pheasants Forever farm bill biologist will give presentations on Forest Reserve, the Iowa Habitat and Access Program and how they interact with landowners participating in federal conservation programs. The event will wrap up with a presentation from Buchanan County Conservation Board on its custom prairie and tree planting services. A block of time will be left at the end of the presentations for participants to ask questions or inquire about specific private land conservation programs. WATERLOO Multiple people were injured in a three-vehicle accident on Saturday. The Black Hawk County Sheriffs Office was called to U.S. Highway 218 and Orange Road around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Sheriffs Office said a Pontiac van was stopped in traffic in the northbound lane of 218 attempting to make a left turn onto Orange Road. Behind the Pontiac was a Chrysler van, waiting. A Dodge Ram truck also traveling northbound failed to stop and rear ended the Chrysler, causing it to move forward and hit the Pontiac. Two passengers from the Chrysler were taken by ambulance to MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center in serious condition. Two other passengers in the Chrysler suffered minor injuries and were evaluated at the hospital and released. Minor injuries were reported from both the Pontiac and the truck. The investigation is ongoing. La Porte City Police, Evansdale Fire, Mercy One, Waterloo Police and Waterloo Fire assisted on the scene. INDEPENDENCE The next Independence Community School District superintendent will arrive with experience in the second-largest district in Iowa. The district announced Thursday the selection of Cynthia Phillips for the position. Trent Grundmeyer, whose firm led the search process, confirmed Phillips is the executive director of high school education in the Cedar Rapids Community School District and also a member of the Benton Community Schools Board of Education. Shell officially begin July 1 and replace Superintendent Russell Reiter, whos retiring after five years with the district and a 37-year career in education. I am honored and excited for the opportunity to serve the Independence Community School District, said Phillips in a news release. I was truly impressed with the district and community. I look forward to working with the students, staff, families, and community members of the district to move its mission forward in educating people to be lifelong leaders and respectful, responsible citizens. Phillips began her career as an educator in 1998. She has been in her current role since 2019. Previously, she served as principal of North Polk High School in Alleman and AHSTW High School in Avoca. She was among 18 people who applied for the job after the Independence Board of Education began its search in January. Close to half were given the opportunity to go through an initial screening interview with the board. Phillips and two other finalists were chosen and interviewed Tuesday before she was offered the job. Ben Petty, superintendent of the BCLUW Community Schools, and Erik Smith, shared superintendent of the AGWSR and Gladbrook-Reinbeck community school districts were the other finalists. Independence had a very strong pool of candidates and it shows that the district is an attractive place to be. Its seen growth and has really great facilities, said Grundmeyer. The board was unanimous in the end on its decision and we think Cynthia will really serve the district well. Phillips was offered a three-year contract. Her exact salary was not immediately available, although a job listing had the pay range at $160,000 to $180,000. The Independence district has a $24.4 million budget and three schools East and West elementaries and the Junior Senior High School. Its approximate enrollment is 1,400 kindergarten through 12th-grade students, per its latest school performance profile. The district runs the Early Childhood Center, as well. Tips for going alcohol free, and more videos to improve your life Here are some tips if you're thinking of giving up alcohol, money moves to make in your 50s and beyond, and more videos to improve your life. The event will take place from 8:30 am to 4 p.m. May 4 at the West Des Moines Marriott located at 1250 Jordan Creek Parkway. With the need for residents and businesses to reduce their use of fossil fuels sooner rather than later, this one-day workshop focuses on current and future energy trends in Iowa. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from and network with energy experts, consultants, industry professionals and government agencies with the goal of elevating the energy conversation in Iowa. Past attendees have noted they really enjoyed this event, Dan Nickey, IWRC associate director, said in a news release. Weve received a lot of positive feedback to connect and share additional ideas and information. The event will open with keynote speaker Robert Bryce, who is the host of the Power Hungry Podcast and has been writing about energy, power, innovation and politics for more than 30 years. The author, journalist and film producer will present on Renewable dreams, hydrocarbon realities and the real fuels of the future. Breakout sessions will occur throughout the day. Event registration is currently open online at iwrc.uni.edu/iowa-energy-efficiency/workshop. Tickets are $75 per person. IAEE members receive discounted tickets at $60 per person. If cost is a barrier to attendance, scholarships are available on a case-by-case basis. Contact Dan Nickey at daniel.nickey@uni.edu for more information. The IWRC has provided environmental services, including technical assistance and industry training, as well as research and development, for over 30 years. The IWRC is a part of the University of Northern Iowas Business and Community Services, which builds a better Iowa through handson technical assistance for economic and business development, entrepreneurship, environmental improvement and enhanced sustainability. For more information, go online to iwrc.uni.edu. WATERLOO Cedar Valley residents took to the streets Saturday morning to show the fight for voting rights is not over. The Waterloo Commission on Human Rights held a reenactment commemorating the Selma to Montgomery March of 1965. The march was led by the Rev. Abraham Funchess Jr., director of the human rights commission, and began with words from him at Lincoln Park in downtown Waterloo. Nothing has happened in this country without some kind of demand that came from those who were on the periphery of the community, on the margins of society, he said. There were three marches in Selma to protest Jim Crow laws that prevented Black Americans from exercising the right to vote. The first march, known as Bloody Sunday, happened March 7, 1965, and was led by John Lewis. Once the marchers arrived at the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge, more than 60 of the peaceful protesters were injured in a confrontation with Alabama law enforcement officials. The second march, two days later, was led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and was known as Turnaround Tuesday because once they arrived at the end of the bridge, King led the group in prayer and returned to Selma. Larry Stumme, a Cedar Falls pastor, was there on Turnaround Tuesday and spoke at the reenactment. He said he was in Chicago with 20 other ministers when they saw what happened on Bloody Sunday on the television. The group of pastors then took a train down to Selma to take part in Turnaround Tuesday. Little did we know that it was going to be the beginning of something the greatest movement in United States history for voting, Stumme told the crowd. The third march occurred March 21, 1965, when protesters walked about 50 miles to Montgomery. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was presented to Congress on March 17 and was signed into law in August. But Stumme said there is still work to be done today. We are the new Florida or the new Mississippi here in Iowa, and we have to fight, he said. Its going to take all of us to stand up and be willing to go like we did back 58 years ago. He referenced a law passed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2021 that shortened early and Election Day voting. Voters now have 20 days of early voting instead of 29, and polls close at 8 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. Stumme also focused on the Cedar Valley, citing a 2018 24/7 Wall St. report that stated the Waterloo and Cedar Falls area was the worst place for Black people to live in America. The Cedar Valley now is ranked sixth. The problems are still here, he said. The thing is, the other cities have gotten worse, not that weve gotten better. So we have to fight in this community. We have to fight in this community to improve this community. DES MOINES Nearly 600 Iowa high school students attended Iowa Jobs for Americas Graduates annual Career Development Conference for learning, guidance and employment. IJAG partnered with schools and employers statewide to host workshops, competitions and a career fair for students, grades 10-12 on Thursday. The 24th annual Career Development Conference, presented by The Wellmark Foundation and held in Des Moines, featured more than 20 Iowa-based employers who provided mentorship and education to future leaders about career pathways. Employers included John Deere, UnityPoint Health Iowa, MidAmerican Energy, Holmes Murphy, the Des Moines Fire Department, Collins Aerospace, TransAmerica, Alliant Energy and more. Through this collaboration were able to expose students to high-demand careers, like health care, that they may not have otherwise considered for their future, said Laura J. Jackson, executive vice president of health equity, access & improvement and chair of The Wellmark Foundation board of directors. Helping iJAG students see their potential in these areas and providing the resources they need to succeed will positively impact their future health and quality of life. The statewide organization is committed to helping young people find their purpose and passion. Middle school and high school students are hand-selected annually by school administrators to participate in specialized, year-round career education and exploration, project-based learning, job training and other related experiences. Our program creates so much positive impact for our stakeholders, said Wendy Mihm-Herold, president and chief executive officer for iJAG. From leading career development curriculum in local classrooms to helping employers fill immediate hiring needs and create a pipeline for the future, iJAG also aids local and state workforce development efforts, reduces unemployment and increases postsecondary attendance through increased graduation rates. Students that participate in iJAG are more likely to graduate, attend a postsecondary institution and find a job as compared to non-participants. The mission of iJAG is That Kid, No Matter What to reflect the organizations commitment to removing barriers to personal, professional and academic achievement. Visit ijag.org to learn more. MADISON, Wis. Just two days before he drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, killing six people and injuring more than 60, Darrell Brooks Jr. posted bail for charges of domestic violence. He had been accused of using his SUV to run over the mother of his child, and a pretrial assessment found Brooks was at high risk of reoffending. But a court official set that bail at a mere $1,000 cash at the request of prosecutors, who later called their recommendation a mistake. For the parade killings, Brooks was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Brooks quickly became the poster child for a Republican-backed push to enact tougher bail policies. The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature is asking voters to ratify a constitutional amendment that would make it harder for violent criminals to get out of jail on bail. GOP lawmakers in other states also are scrambling to make it harder for defendants to get out of jail before trial after branding themselves as tough on crime in the 2022 midterm elections. Their efforts led to a fierce fight with Democrats over public safety and the rights of criminal defendants. Recent Democratic overhaul measures in states such as Illinois and New York have sought to eliminate cash bail and lessen pretrial detention on the premise they do more harm than good, especially to marginalized groups. But Republican lawmakers in at least 14 states have introduced some 20 bills so far this year to do just the opposite. Their proposals include increasing the number of non-bailable offenses, requiring more people to pay cash bail and encouraging or requiring judges to consider a defendant's criminal record when setting bail. Criminal justice experts and advocacy groups warn the Republican-backed measures aren't supported by research and could worsen crime rates and disparities between rich and poor. Bail is meant to ensure a defendant returns to court and isn't supposed to be a punishment, since the defendant hasn't yet been convicted. "Cash bail is not a benefit to defendants or to public safety," said Shima Baradaran Baughman, a law professor at the University of Utah who studies bail. "When people are detained before trial even for a few days, they are dramatically more likely to reoffend later," Baughman said. "In other words, it is much safer to the public to release most people before trial than to detain them." Defendants jailed before trial are much more likely to plead guilty to charges often accepting deals that sentence them to time already served that end their detainment, researchers from Harvard, Stanford and Princeton found in a 2018 study. The same study found higher unemployment rates for pretrial detainees after they're released. It's not uncommon for defendants who can't make bail to lose their jobs and even their homes while in jail awaiting trial. While Republicans seeking to widen the use of bail acknowledge people are legally presumed innocent before trial, some say they believe most defendants are ultimately guilty and that society would be safer if more are locked up. Georgia Sen. Randy Robertson, a longtime sheriff's deputy and former state president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said he is "extremely confident" that most arrestees are guilty. In February, the GOP-led Georgia state Senate passed a Robertson proposal that would add 53 offenses to a current list of just seven charges that always require cash or property bail. The new offenses include passing a bad check, which can be a misdemeanor or a felony, and such misdemeanors as reckless driving or fighting in public. The measures in Georgia, Wisconsin and elsewhere worry Insha Rahman, vice president of advocacy and partnerships at the Vera Institute for Justice. "When you are setting money bail on all kinds of offenses and judges can't release people, you are absolutely treading on presumption of innocence," she said. Rahman, a former public defender who helped design bail laws in New York and other states, said the best research supports ending cash bail and offering personalized release conditions for most defendants. People who pose a "clear and immediate" threat to public safety are the exception, she said, and should be detained until trial. "All money bail does is privilege the amount of money someone has in their pocket, not public safety," Rahman said. Democratic bail changes in Illinois ran into roadblocks when the state Supreme Court halted a new law that would have eliminated cash bail beginning Jan. 1. Prosecutors and sheriffs from 64 counties sued, challenging the measure. The Supreme Court heard arguments on the lawsuit last week. Baughman, the Utah law professor, said the Illinois law would likely both release more people before trial and improve public safety. "We are the only country in the world that forces defendants to pay money to obtain a constitutional right of release before trial," she said. "Poor defendants and people of color are most harmed when cash bail becomes the norm in a jurisdiction." It is unusual for a clause in an act of Congress to develop a cult following, but Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act has. The clause explicitly says that the internet should not be treated like print or broadcast media, which means internet platforms do not bear any liability for third-party content. This strongly contrasts with the treatment of traditional media. If someone takes out an ad in a newspaper or writes a letter to the editor that wrongly accusing someone of being a thief or a murderer, the paper can be sued. So can whoever took out the ad or authored the letter. The same applies to a television or radio station. They could be held liable for carrying an ad or promoting defamatory claims, as is now happening in the lawsuits that Dominion and Smartmatic are pursuing against Fox News. But Section 230 means that Facebook or Twitter can circulate, without any concern, the same material that would lead to a large defamation suit against a newspaper or television station. It is hard to see how that can make any sense, especially since these and other internet platforms have a much larger reach than any newspaper or television station. The obvious defense of the differing treatment also is clearly wrong with a moments reflection. The defense is that we cant expect a platform such as Facebook or Twitter to monitor the billions of items posted daily. That is true, but also beside the point. We dont have to write the law so that social media platforms are responsible for items as they are posted. We can write the law so that they are responsible for defamatory material that they opt not to remove after it has been called to their attention by the party claiming defamation. If this still sounds like an impossibly difficult lift, familiarize yourself with the Digital Millennial Copyright Act of 1998. This act requires internet platforms to remove infringing material promptly after it has been called to their attention by the person alleging infringement. Facebook, Twitter and the rest can deal with this one and promptly remove material that is alleged to be infringing. In fact, they take the DMCA very seriously, likely over-removing content, because copyright law provides for statutory damages that can be many times the size of any actual damages to the person whose copyright was infringed. We can structure a law for internet liability for defamation by third parties along the same lines. The person claiming defamation would have to contact the platform and clearly specify which material is defamatory and why. The platform then has to decide whether the complaint is serious enough to warrant removal. The logic of applying defamation to platforms should be obvious. The platforms can gain benefits from carrying the material. This is most apparent when the material is a paid ad. But even when it is free content, it may attract an audience to the site. The internet platform clearly can make a decision as to whether the material is defamatory and should be removed. As we see from recent debates over carrying election-related material, Facebook, Twitter and other platforms always make this sort of decision. There also is the issue that someone defamed should be able to pursue a case against all the parties responsible for their harm. If John Smith, with a post office box in Ames, Iowa, does a major Facebook ad campaign wrongly calling someone a murderer, that person is likely to have a difficult time collecting damages against the alleged John Smith. On the other hand, Facebook, responsible for wholesaling the lie, can be easily found and has the deep pockets to pay actual damages. Repealing Section 230 allows for the suit to be directed against Facebook. Many issues would have to be debated in a repeal. For example, would we want to retain Section 230 protection for smaller sites or those that did not take ads or sell personal information? We could slice and dice a repeal thousands of different ways. But the critical step is to have the debate, and for that, we need to overcome the cult of Section 230. God did not command that the internet be treated differently from all other media. We need to have a serious discussion of the extent to which it is appropriate and desirable. I dont have all the answers to the troubles of the day, But neither did our ancestors and they persevered anyway. (Workin on a World, Iris DeMent) In this fast-paced, increasingly complicated world nearly everyone is talking or posting or rallying. But almost no one is listening. With the whirlwind of social medias daily barrages and breaking news bandying about the latest bleak statistics in gun violence, teenage suicide, genocide, social restrictions, etc., etc., it is hard to remember we live in the most prosperous country in the most successful and progressive time in all of history. We have attained more than our ancestors could have dreamed of, as well as having the time to enjoy it. And we might be able to do so if only we could stop worrying and arguing and shaking our heads long enough to shake off our own grim predictions. In Stephen Coveys Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, a blueprint for the Leader in Me program which has enhanced so many young lives in our communities, Habit No. 5 states: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. So, consider not only what we want from a given situation, but what the other party wants as well. Novel idea. Last February, in Middlefield, Ohio, the students at Cardinal High School decided to put on a play, cast the roles, and began rehearsals. The play they chose, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, debuted on Broadway in 2005 and won two Tony Awards. The students did not rehearse long however, as the play was shut down by the district because of protests from parents. The problem: The script contained mild sexual innuendo and a reference to gay dads. In one of the truly positive uses of social media, the news of the plays cancellation went viral, gaining ational coverage. It was not long until the original producers of the play discovered their work being maligned. But instead of lawsuits and protests, instead of derogatory name-calling or righteous fury, these original creators worked to alter the script so the students could perform it. They listened to the objections, and came up with substitutions for offensive words, for instance good Lord, became good grief. As long as the alterations did not change the plays meaning they were willing to work to compromise, while holding the line on altering the essence of the play or the arc of the story. By working together and trying to understand others viewpoint, by showing empathy instead of passing judgment, together they came up with a solution. The end result: a kinder play. The school district reversed its decision and the show went on. As it should. Shutting down others point of view, trying to force opposition to shut-up or give up never works. Censorship does nothing but drive the censored underground, as surely as Prohibition sprouted speak-easies. Is there anything more tantalizing than forbidden fruit? Ask Eve. And ask any teen-ager which books they most want to get their hands on. Of course, there are great causes to stand up for and work to advance. But are we willing to die on the hill of our beliefs, winning the battle only to lose the war? If we truly seek solutions, it is time to change the trajectory of our storylines, in our homes, in our state and our country, time to listen more and talk less. In this big, wide, diverse world we daily witness hypocrisy and infringement on others rights. And yes, there are (many!) laws being passed in our state and our country that do not take into account differences in people and beliefs. The pendulum swings, yet, as always, the show will go on. With high stakes and much worthy of protest, despite Paul McCartneys Let it Be, we cannot and should not let it be. Yet, the real words of wisdom are not in that song; they are: seek first to understand. Close Ukraine Resistance March 2, 2022: Ukraine Resistance Zwastika March 13, 2022: Zwastika Pelosi in Taiwan August 3, 2022: Pelosi in Taiwan Russian Oil April 17, 2022: Russian Oil Putin the Pariah May 15, 2022: Putin the Pariah Conservative Priorities July 9, 2022: Conservative Priorities Brittney Griner August 7, 2022: Brittney Griner UK's Sunak Emperor Putin October 4, 2022: Emperor Putin The blind eye October 13, 2022: The blind eye Protests in China November 30, 2022: Protests in China Ukraine Atrocities April 10, 2022: Ukraine Atrocities Adam Zyglis Wins 2022 Overseas Press Club Award for Best Cartoon Here is a portfolio of 12 Adam Zyglis cartoons on international affairs from 2022. These cartoons earned him The 2022 Overseas Press Club Award for Best Cartoon. His citation from the judges: "Zyglis submitted a portfolio of consistently high-quality cartoons tackling a myriad of issues with spark and ingenuity. Employing simple ink lines, impressive caricatures and minimal dialogue, Zyglis brilliantly channels the old masters of art and editorial cartooning to take on the global crises of today." Ukraine Resistance March 2, 2022: Ukraine Resistance Zwastika March 13, 2022: Zwastika Pelosi in Taiwan August 3, 2022: Pelosi in Taiwan Russian Oil April 17, 2022: Russian Oil Putin the Pariah May 15, 2022: Putin the Pariah Conservative Priorities July 9, 2022: Conservative Priorities Brittney Griner August 7, 2022: Brittney Griner UK's Sunak Emperor Putin October 4, 2022: Emperor Putin The blind eye October 13, 2022: The blind eye Protests in China November 30, 2022: Protests in China Ukraine Atrocities April 10, 2022: Ukraine Atrocities New world order News sources have alleged collusion between China and Tedros Ghebreyesus, director of the World Health Organization (WHO), during the early coronavirus outbreak in January 2020. Subsequently, the WHO has been consistently wrong on COVID: Asymptomatic spread? Wrong. PCR testing? Wrong. Mortality rate? Wrong. Quarantining healthy people? Wrong. Natural immunity? Wrong. Vaccine efficacy? Wrong. Vaccine injury? Wrong. Now, the Biden administration plans to sign the proposed WHO pandemic international agreement that could surrender U.S. sovereignty during other future politicized pandemics. In response, 17 U.S. senators have introduced legislation identifying the proposed WHO pandemic accord as an international treaty, thus requiring a supermajority vote in the Senate. Online fact-checkers claim the WHO treaty wont undermine national sovereignty while ignoring 307 International Health Regulation amendments that would grant the WHO authority to require medical examinations, proof of prophylaxis, proof of vaccine; mandate contact tracing, quarantine and treatment; create a system of global health certificates (vaccine passports), and allow the WHO to override decisions made by sovereign nations regarding health measures. International networks of unelected financial elites are pushing digital IDs, central bank digital currency, and the WHO pandemic treaty to replace freedom with global collectivism. They must be stopped. Jeffery Fischels, Cedar Falls Grassley/Cheney 2024 Presumption: President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris should win the Democratic nomination. The Republicans should provide their team that hopefully will provide a robust challenge and nation-reunifying team. Only one truly qualified, time tested and strong GOP conservative team exists that will serve all America. They are: Iowa U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley for president, and former Wyoming U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Cheney for vice president. My advocacy, with the help of others regardless of ideology, started in the early 1950s. Today, I am a liberal Democrat and an unapologetic civil rights movement offspring. My political activity has always been to unite all Americans and others to fight for rights and justice for all. The civil rights movement made our nation better regardless of race, creed, color, sex gender, gender identification, ideology, age, wealth, poverty, education, etc. Our primary concern is we are Americans first. On April 4, regardless of party affiliation lets brainstorm: How can we float the Grassley/Cheney team as the GOP choice. Note: April 4 is the 35th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. assassination. Is it a coincidence that 35 is also the minimum age to seek these offices? Vernon Weems, Waterloo Indoctrination LGBTQ Books Alleged Target screams the headline in Tuesdays edition of The Courier. Oh my gosh, its the end of freedom of speech as we know it. Lets see, many parents dont want books in their public school libraries to be sexually explicit, or to include books with LGBTQ themes or gender-affirming care. I dont think these books are being banned in the state of Iowa, only the public schools. So, if parents feel its so important that their children read these books, go to the public library or your local book store, bring it home and read it to your kids, then discuss it. Dont allow them in the schools where my children or grandchildren might check them out. I know this is a hard concept for some to follow, but if you want your children to be educated in all things sexual, do it in the safety of your home. Teach your children to be kind to everyone instead, and quit preaching your agenda to everyone else. Do you wonder why many parents would rather opt to send their kids to private schools instead of being subject to the indoctrination of the students in public schools? Gary Fober, Cedar Falls Best and brightest? Diverting public monies for public schools? Parental school choice! Barring parents from being able to choose if their child can receive gender affirming care? Criminal act! Not allowing trans individuals the freedom to use a restroom consistent with his/her gender? Criminal act! Not allowing educators to discuss issues of systemic forms of sexism and racism? Criminal act! Mask mandates? Back off, Hitler! Gary Hart once said that were no longer electing the best and the brightest among us. Ive provided several exhibits of that for all of you. Gary Priebe, Cedar Falls The Chinese embassy in Canada calls Biden's claims unfounded. US President Joe Biden, in his Canadian trips, calls Beijing a threat to international order. Beijing says it stands for peace and stability; it is the hegemon Washington acting to sow divisiveness The Chinese embassy in Canada calls out disunifying rhetoric of Joe Biden's claims as false, not factual. It's a rehash of accusations that it calls senseless hype that will not go well for the Biden administration. Chinese Embassy Calls Joe Biden's Claims Detrimental An unidentified Spokesperson of the consulate gave the official reaction of Beijing to what is seen as undermining by Washington. Categorically the stand of China is that the US and its willing allies agree to continue the effects of Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice, reported by The Global Times. The West practices politicization of blocs and arbitrary when it comes to many aspects of the law. National interference is done to get their way, but world peace, security, and development are compromised. Focus on development without conflict with cooperation for all parties, preferring a win-win scenario for all that is a component of world peace and global development as goals, noted Xinhua Net. Everything ties into sustaining international order, remarked the embassy representative to the allegations of Washington and Ottawa. They are both pushing Beijing as the primary threat to the west-led international order and conduct destructive acts allegedly. Read Also: Iran-Backed Fighters On Alert Aftermath of US Strikes in Eastern Syria Canada Realizes Its Buying into Unfounded Biases The official claimed that the approach of China to keeping out of the national affairs of other nations and internal affairs is upheld. It does not interfere in Canadian affairs, remarked the official cited in the Daily Sabah. All activities of these embassies are lawful and based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations with the bilateral consular agreement between China and Canada, mentioned Chinese Embassy. The Chinese representative urged them to end such biases, which are counterproductive. Ask to allow Chinese consulates and personnel to do duties and stop besieging China and its intentions. Stated that Beijing is governed by the rule of law with specific departments dealing with Canadian nationals Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. They are accused of conspiring against the country's national security based on law. In contrast, the holding of Huawei's Meng Wanzhou for almost three years in Canada was a violation of the law because of an accusation. Beijing and Otawwa have problems that can be avoided, but the other party causes the issues. Instead of patching up differences, a few Canadian officials resorted to uncalled-for remarks that made ties worse. It would be better to resolve them for mutual interests. Governments should find a way to resume beneficial interactions and end disputes for better cooperation. Beijing does not want a dispute but a win-win to get the best out of bilateral ties. The Chinese embassy derided Joe Biden's inflammatory rhetoric as untrue during the Canada visit by the US leader, adding that Ottawa is sacrificing something more by following Washington. Related Article: Vladimir Putin Announces Transporting of Nuclear Weapons to Belarus; Here's the US Response Stretching out on the world's best beach won't come easy. Baia do Sancho is accessible only by boat or via ladders descending down steep cliffs to the golden sand below. The beach is in Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago some 220 miles (354 kilometers) off the coast of mainland Brazil, part of the country's Pernambuco state. Visitors to the islands arrive by plane or boat. Getting there takes some doing, but what awaits tenacious travelers is worth the effort, according to its new Tripadvisor ranking. Baia do Sancho is the world's best stretch of shoreline for 2023, according to the travel site's annual list of the world's best beaches, which was released on Tuesday. Last year, Baia do Sancho was No. 7 on the list. The beaches list is part of Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards, which are determined based on millions of reviews submitted by travelers over the course of 2022. Tripadvisor looks at the quality and quantity of ratings in determining the rankings. The rest of the best The Caribbean earns three spots in the 2023 top 10, including No. 2 Eagle Beach in Aruba, No. 5 Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos and No. 9 Varadero Beach in Cuba. Last year, Grace Bay and Varadero beaches were ranked first and second, respectively. Eagle Beach was No. 5 in 2022. The top 10 list also includes one beach in the United States -- Maui's Ka'anapali Beach at No. 10. The beach ranks first on Tripadvisor's separate list of top 10 US beaches for 2023. Ka'anapali didn't make it into the top 10 on the global list in 2022 and was No. 17 on the US list last year. Located on the island's western shore, Ka'anapali boasts three miles of white sand and a famed cliff diving ritual at Puu Kekaa, or Black Rock. Each evening at sunset, torches along the cliff are lit by a diver who then plunges off the rock in a reenactment of a feat by Maui's King Kahekili. Europe has three beaches in the 2023 top 10 -- Reynisfjara Beach in Vik, Iceland, at No. 4, Praia da Falesia in Olhos de Agua, Portugal, at No. 6 and Italy's Spiaggia dei Conigli at No.8. Only one of the three also appeared in 2022's top 10 -- Spiaggia dei Conigli in Sicily was No. 10 in 2022. The white crescent and shallow turquoise waters of Spiaggia dei Conigli on Sicily's Lampedusa island are a sharp contrast to the black sand, deep blue water and striking geometric basalt column formations of Reynisfjara Beach, which appeared in "Game of Thrones." Australia earns one slot in the top 10, with No. 3 Cable Beach in Broome, located in Western Australia's Kimberley region. One of Broome's most sought-after experiences is a sunset camel ride along this 14-mile (22-kilometer) stretch of Indian Ocean coastline. Cable Beach was No. 11 on last year's global list. No. 7 Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island (Swarag Dweep) in the Andamans represents India on the list. The beach drops one slot from its No. 6 ranking in 2022. Top 10 beaches in the world for 2023, according to Tripadvisor 1. Baia do Sancho - Fernando de Noronha, Brazil 2. Eagle Beach - Aruba, Caribbean 3. Cable Beach - Broome, Australia 4. Reynisfjara Beach - Vik, Iceland 5. Grace Bay Beach - Turks and Caicos, Caribbean 6. Praia da Falesia - Olhos de Agua, Portugal 7. Radhanagar Beach - Havelock Island, India 8. Spiaggia dei Conigli - Sicily, Italy 9. Varadero Beach - Cuba, Caribbean 10. Ka'anapali Beach - Maui, Hawaii *** Top 10 beaches in the US for 2023, according to Tripadvisor Tripadvisor has a separate list devoted to US beaches. In the United States, Hawaii had the strongest showing with three beaches in the top 10, while Florida and California both had two. Beaches in Georgia, Oregon and Maine were also among Tripadvisor's top 10. 1. Ka'anapali Beach - Maui, Hawaii 2. Siesta Beach - Siesta Key, Florida 3. Driftwood Beach - Jekyll Island, Georgia 4. Hanalei Beach - Kauai, Hawaii 5. Ho'okipa Beach Park - Maui, Hawaii 6. Henderson Beach State Park - Destin, Florida 7. Cannon Beach - Cannon Beach, Oregon 8. Coronado Beach - Coronado, California 9. Ogunquit Beach - Ogunquit, Maine 10. La Jolla Cove - La Jolla, California The Kremlin supported Medvedevs proposals https://t.me/boris_rozhin/81352 on software piracy. I agree with Dmitry Anatolyevich. We are dealing with pirates those who robbed us, those who seized our assets, stole our assets . The phrase pirated content should be perceived under a different sauce (c) Peskov The case when the demands of various pirate parties in the West can be implemented in Russia without any pirate parties. You can start with the legalization of torrent trackers whose owners did not support Ukraine. It is also worth supporting projects that distributed scientific articles from Western scientific journals and other specialized literature for free. Well, in general, it is necessary to revise approaches to the concept of copyright at the state level (this requires a revision of the current legislation). The State Duma and deputies here can act as instigators of structural changes. Copywriting in the Western sense must be sent to the trash. Medvedev calls to pirate Western films and music. First he calls our dear partners bastards, then he quotes Stalin, and now he calls for pirated films and music! Whats next? Offer to rename the police to the police?! Seriously, moving away from Western interpretations of copyright is a break with another system of dependence on the West. WtR We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Longer breaks good for students like me I THINK its nice we could be getting longer winter and spring breaks with the exception of a shorter summer in the proposed calendar from Albuquerque Public Schools. I feel this way because school can be stressful and makes me feel like I could use some time to myself. The first few weeks of the second semester have been stressful for me, but now that spring break is coming up it makes me feel relieved that I get time to myself and to get my attitude ready for the rest of the year. If the new APS calendar gets passed, itll give me more time to myself to reflect, prepare for school again, and improve (on) what I need to improve on. Getting extended breaks during school would be twice as better than what the breaks are now, which would probably make me and other students feel better. If the calendar does get accepted, it could also benefit myself and other students to accomplish things theyve been meaning to do. Whenever Im on break I personally try to get as much done to the best of my ability, like chores or homework. Sometimes I cant finish everything in a single break so I have to put it off to the side. With a longer break I could most certainly get everything done that Ive been meaning to do. More time to myself would do me better in the end because sometimes things can be very time-consuming or hard to do and would take more time. David Peinado, Albuquerque Changes will create healthier teenagers REORGANIZING THE instructional school year is a major step in the right direction for Albuquerque Public Schools. Longer instructional school years put less pressure on teachers and students to reach quotas and crunch lessons. A main stressor at Del Norte High is students having to cram weeks worth of information into a few block days to keep on track with the schools schedule. Extending instructional time can create more time for students to grasp concepts, catch up on work and get one-on-one help if needed. By creating lower-stress cultures, New Mexico students will have more energy for recreation, family time and mental health. Along with the schedule change, APS is considering a later start time for schools, which will create a less frantic daily routine, setting students up for productive days. Teens circadian rhythms differ from our adult counterparts. The CDC recommends eight to 10 hours of sleep per 24 hours for people aged 13-14, however only about 22% of teens actually get that, (according to) CDC.gov. If teens were able to get in sync with their natural sleep cycles, we would have an easier time with memory, emotional regulation and paying attention in class. Later start times will create more stable individuals who can succeed in academics, leading to a healthier New Mexico. Finn Griego, Albuquerque EU agrees to lift Belarus sanctions in bid for closer relations EU foreign ministers decided Monday to lift the bulk of the bloc's sanctions against Belarus, in recognition of democratic progress made by the former Soviet state, paving the way for closer relations - despite lingering human rights concerns. GALLERY Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko (C) with his youngest son Nikolai (R) during a Victory Day parade in Minsk, Belarus, 09 May 2015. Brussels (dpa) - Belarus has been called Europes last dictatorship, but its dealings with the European Union and the United States have warmed since Minsks release of political prisoners and the countrys contribution to a deal on the Ukraine crisis.In October, following a broadly democratic presidential election, Brussels suspended travel bans and asset freezes against 170 people - including President Alexander Lukashenko - and three entities until February 29. Washington also offered sanctions relief to nine Belarusian entities.EU foreign ministers agreed Monday to permanently lift the suspended sanctions once they expire at the end of the month."There is an opportunity for EU-Belarus relations to develop on a more positive agenda," they said in a joint statement, acknowledging positive steps taken over the past two years.The Belarusian Foreign Ministry welcomed the decision - which must now be put into law - as an opportunity to strengthen collaboration and regional stability.This rapprochement "clearly proves that only dialogue is the most effective tool for settlement of disputes," ministry spokesman Dmitry Mironchik said in a statement."This decision marks an important phase on the way towards full normalization of relations and opens new possibilities for broadening comprehensive interaction between Belarus and the EU," the statement added.The ministers decided, however, to keep an existing arms embargo in place for 12 more months, along with restrictive measures on four people thought to be involved in the disappearance of regime critics 15 years ago.Despite the recent signs of progress out of Minsk, rights groups worry that serious shortfalls remain in the areas of democracy and human rights, including the existence of the death penalty, a practice opposed by the EU.Member states had been divided over the best course of action, with some believing that sanctions relief will improve the situation in Belarus, while others preferred to retain some leverage over Minsk."This is clearly not a rosy or perfect picture, far from that," said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, adding that ministers had "agreed on a critical engagement - where some might underline more the critical, some might underline more the engagement.""I think that what we have on the table today is a good compromise," added Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, whose country had lobbied for keeping sanctions in place.The remaining measures will make it easier to ratchet up pressure on Minsk if the situation deteriorates again, an EU diplomat noted on condition of anonymity.Belarus is one of six former Soviet states with whom the EU has sought closer relations, under its Eastern Partnership programme.The policy has strained relations with Russia, notably in the case of Ukraine where the attempt to forge closer ties between Brussels and Kiev triggered the countrys current crisis. Russia attempts to recover the debris of the US MQ-9 Reaper drone in the Black Sea. The debris could allow Russia to reverse engineer the US UAV. The US was forced to crash the MQ-9 Reaper drone after it was intercepted by two Su-27 fighter jets. Russia got the best of Washington when it lost a US MQ-9 Reaper drone in the Black Sea with super-secret components that will benefit Moscow. Rostec, a Russian official state corporation, stated that the defense industry of Moscow would look over the Reaper drone's debris. US MQ-9 Reaper Drone Loss Compromises the Biden Administration Reports stated that the drone wreckage would "be stripped down and studied to the last bolt," according to the Russian News agency TASS. An official said that to develop a better platform, Russia must know what its opponents have and more. These include UAVs, artillery, armored units, and other weapon systems that can be obtained. For this reason, Moscow wants to get the remains and reverse engineer to develop a better one. But a Ukrainian expert, Oleksandr Karpyuk, claims Russians cannot do that, Eurasian Times reported. Karpyuk said there had been talks about how Moscow or Tehran would start replicating the systems. He added that Russians and Iranians need the technology to begin with. He added the Reaper has a satellite link that allows the US to operate it a continent away. There is a need for a satellite constellation to ensure a constant link to the drone at all times. He mentioned that Tehran had already replicated drones from other countries, including the Shahed, which is similar to the Harpy made in Israel 20 years ago. Read Also: Russia To Replace Su-24 with New Su-34 Fighter Bombers Harpy is capable of looking for electronic countermeasure hardware and security equipment, and it can land and take off anytime. Compared to the suicide version made by Iran for one use only. Karpyuk remarked the Shahid has Controlled Reception Pattern Antennas (CRPA) installed in it which started in the 2000s. The Israelis gave Russia the tech and mean to build the Orlan-10 UAVS, cites Everything RF. Updates to Iran's UAV guidance systems are due to Moscow sharing the technology stolen from other drones. Russia's Attempt To Retrieve the UAV Heard in Radio Chatter Details alleged that radio hobbyist heard the exchanges on the radio of the Russian military talking about the MQ-9 Reaper for eight hours when it went down in the Black Sea. The UAV was allegedly hit by a Russian fighter, mentioned in the New York Times. Contained in the audio were the Russians discussing any parts of the drone left but none of the sensitive equipment. These drones are for gathering information though they can equip other equipment. Defense Secretary Mark Milley stated that measures are taken to ensure the information is irrecoverable. The drone is out to Russian reach in the Black Sea at depths of 4,000 to 5,000 feet. A video of the downing of the UAVs by the Pentagon was posted, showing a collision with two Su-27 jets. The US denies it was forced because they crashed it, but some think otherwise. No one knows if Russia already retrieved the US MQ-9 Reaper drone with the super-secret equipment, but it could be harrowing for the US if the Russians recover it, per Airforce Technology. Related Article: 'Reaper Killer': Russian Su-27 Flanker Outperforms USAF F-15 Art experts have often pigeonholed New Mexican wood carving into categories of folk art and/or Hispanic colonial art. A new exhibition at the New Mexico Museum of Art argues otherwise. We look at it as modern and contemporary art, said Christian Waguespack, the museums head of curatorial affairs. They havent been given their due. These artists used the simplest of tools chisels, hammers and sandpaper pairing them with local wood, including cedar, aspen, mesquite and cottonwood to fashion saints, religious figures, trees, animals and more. Often grouped with the New Mexican santeros (saint carvers), many of these figures expand well beyond the category of religious imagery, moving into deep human emotions. Jose Dolores Lopez (1868-1937) of Cordova drew on the traditions of the early santeros such as Jose Aragon and Jose Rafael Aragon. He presented his work in its original unfinished state after learning there was more of a market for unpainted figures. He influenced a generation of carvers. Their style was to work with the nature and imperfections of the wood, incorporating the twists and turns, the knots and cracks, to create unique pieces that would never be reproduced, Waguespack said. This exhibition will offer a look at the unique pieces ways these modern and contemporary New Mexican artists work in harmony with their materials and with the natural environment. Patrocinio Barela (1900-1964) was a key figure in this genre, with 35 of his bordering-on-Surrealist sculptures featured in the show. Barela took a modernist approach, following the grain of the wood using the natural forms, curves and bumps to shape his pieces. Born in Bisbee, Arizona, Barela spent most of his life in Taos. Barela rose to art world celebrity in the 1930s, an unlikely prospect for someone of his background. He had left home at age 11 following the death of his mother and sister to travel around the Southwest in search of work. He ended up as a laborer in Denver before getting married and settling in New Mexico in 1930. Asked to reconstruct a damaged wooden bulto (a devotional carving), Barela then began making his own wooden sculptures. In contrast to traditional bultos, made from multiple individually carved elements, his creations radically reinvented the genre, as they were directly carved from a single piece of wood. His prodigious output soon caught the eye of Russell Vernon Hunter, artist and state director of the Works Progress Administration, who signed Barela up for the Federal Art Project. By the summer of 1936, Barelas sculptures were on display at the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe. In September, they appeared in New Horizons in American Art at New Yorks Museum of Modern Art. In the wake of the exhibition, Time magazine crowned Barela its Discovery of the Year. Theyre very abstract, very organic shapes, Waguespack said. His work is very surreal. Theyre very imagined and fantasized. They go in and out of being recognizable. Thats one of the things that made him so popular with modern artists. The artists carvings are motivated by his own metaphysical relationship to Christianity. In showing religious subjects through an abstracted style, he intended for his works to provoke the viewers imagination into entering a spiritually symbolic vision. Barelas death cart features no skeletons. Instead, his Carreta de la Muerte (1953) contains a mysterious, abstracted figure crawling atop the cart like a ghost. Death carts are popular in New Mexico, Waguespack said, but hes got his own spin on it. Hes taking something that is pretty standard, but he makes it pretty much his. Death carts originated in medieval Europe before crossing the Atlantic, he explained. Barelas Worries (c. 1950) exposes the contorted agony of its inner torment through the figures twisted limbs. Michael B. Ortegas La Muerte (1986) adds a touch of humor to its grim subject. The details all come from the natural formation of the wood, Waguespack said. The face is grotesque, but almost funny in a way. Hes kind of making fun of death. Ricardo Lopezs Tree of Life (1980) turns the story of Adam and Eve into a celebration of nature, its branches alighted by birds. These artists decided to focus on the natural aspect, Waguespack said. In this one, the tree is front and center. I thought it was important to have this exhibit here, Waguespack continued. I dont think these materials have been brought together this way. It was to give this work its moment in the sun. After much soul-searching and visiting with everyone involved during the day and night since last August, it became clear to see that Coronado Park just got up and moved itself only one block away. But now with the new doorways cut out of the chain link fences underneath the freeway, it has also extended its claims from the busy liquor store to the area at the northeast end of Mount Calvary Cemetery. Compared to the number of complaints, law enforcement has seldom been instructed to make someone take down his tent. But even then the tent that was ordered down was put back up again on the very same day and within the same area. The hypothermia/homicide deaths. The ever-present fentanyl mixed with animal tranquilizers. The countless empty vodka containers. The continual absence of portable toilets. The human and guard dog waste found everywhere. The out-of-control people. The degradation of young women. The stolen bicycles. The illegal fires. The firing off of handguns. And of course the dangerous drugs being transported to and from the citys homeless shelters at this routine bus stop have all given the green light of normalcy to the new homeless persons arrival from day one. Concerned citizens have hauled away about 10 pickup truck loads of trash every week without fail. Over 150 used syringes were picked up on one day recently. A new unofficially sanctioned camp area has been knowingly allowed to be established close to the open doors of the citys nonprofit contractors properties, as was hoped for. It may be that there will always be those who refuse to believe the danger is increasing. Who can say? In any case it must be said again and still again that this continued allowance of new tent cities will only bring more campers here who have lost their self-control and also further connect the already troubled extended Downtown Business District with the crippled International war zone neighborhoods. Arent the struggling small businesspeople in need of protection? Why are their employees frequently on their guard? Why have more people than ever given up on calling the Albuquerque Police Department? Without calls being made and such delayed responses the complete paperwork cant be there to accurately show Albuquerques dangerous conditions. So back again we go armed only with clothing, food and a large number of available empty beds at our rehabilitation centers. Back we go without the mental health drugs, pipe attachments, fentanyl paper, needles, cookers, or any of the other paraphernalia the citys contractors constantly supply for the homeless mans daily use. Back again armed only with the ability given to us to impart sobering conviction and genuine inspiration that can reach the conscience and will of the repeat offender who has been labeled mentally ill. We have found that people from the old sinner to the person who in his mothers womb can be born again and given a priceless future. But doesnt another question need to be answered? How can we say to the new homeless person who has been knocked down, welcome to New Mexico when we continue to say with our actions come to Albuquerque and get knocked down to the place where you cant get up again? The legislative session can feel all-consuming for those of us inside the Roundhouse. But like most New Mexicans, you have likely spent the last 60 days focused on making sure your families were healthy and safe core values I carried with me every time I stepped onto the floor of the House. You have placed your trust in us as your representatives to consider the nuances of our states tax system, our more than $9 billion budget, and the best policies to promote health, wellbeing and opportunity for all New Mexicans. So as the dust settles on this years session, an important part of our job as lawmakers is to communicate what we accomplished and how it will impact you. As your speaker of the House, my hope is that our last two months of work will make life easier for your family now and lay the groundwork for transformational change in the future. That starts with our bipartisan state budget, which uses our unprecedented revenues to invest wisely in the needs of New Mexicans today and tomorrow while securing historic levels of reserves to ensure we can withstand a rainy day. We made big investments in our students, schools and teachers, from early childhood to higher education, so kids of all ages from across our state can get the quality education they deserve. To address climate change, we also invested in environmental regulation and our just transition to clean energy. To protect the safety of our communities, we took a holistic approach, investing a record amount in behavioral health while making sure our law enforcement officers and criminal justice system have the resources they need to combat crime now. We took important steps to reduce gun violence with a safe storage law to protect kids from tragic accidents and a bill to close the straw purchase loophole, so that those who are not legally allowed to have guns cannot get them on the black market. Our bipartisan tax reform package will offer needed financial relief to New Mexicans now by lowering personal income and gross receipts taxes, increasing the Child Income Tax Credit for working families and providing income tax rebates for all. It will also further long-term goals by funding drug and alcohol treatment, making clean energy more affordable for everyday New Mexicans and supporting the growth of our economy. And while other state legislatures rolled back fundamental freedoms, New Mexico passed critical bills to protect them. The New Mexico Voting Rights Act will enhance the security of our elections and ensure all those who are eligible can exercise their constitutional right to vote. House Bill 7 and Senate Bill 13 will safeguard access to life-saving gender-affirming and reproductive health care for all New Mexicans and make sure our state remains a safe place for all who seek and provide that care. To be sure, not everything that we were rooting for crossed the finish line this time, but we are not deterred. Some of our most important legislative victories like our transformational investments in early childhood education took time and tenacity to become reality. My colleagues and I will continue fighting for policies that benefit working families, improve the safety of our kids and communities and protect your fundamental rights. The U.S.-Mexico relationship needs a reset. Relations were already strained when then-presidential candidate Donald Trump made comments that Mexico sends us rapists and criminals. He then turned up the rhetoric by saying that he would build a border-wide wall to prevent undocumented crossings and have Mexico pay the bill. He continued his jabs by threatening to close the border if Mexico did not do more to prevent Latin American asylum seekers from crossing into the U.S. He then threatened to take the U.S. out of the North American Free Trade Agreement if it couldnt be reworked into the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. After Trump lost his reelection, the downward spiral in the binational relationship seemed to have slowed down. However, in the last few weeks, the animus level between the two countries is again on the rise. Since taking over the House, Republicans have espoused a tough line on immigration and border security. On March 3, four Americans traveling to Mexico for a medical procedure were kidnapped and two were murdered in the Mexican border city of Matamoros. This has ignited a powder keg, and the insults and accusations are flying across the border. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and some of her hard right-wing colleagues have called for the U.S. to put together incursions into Mexico to strike at drug-producing labs and cartel strongholds. In the Senate, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has stated that he will introduce legislation to designate cartels as foreign terrorist groups, and allow the U.S. to use military force against them. Even Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, a border state, has sponsored a bill to authorize the U.S. military to use force against nine separate cartels in Mexico. Crenshaw also stated publicly that Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) appears to care more about cartels than his own people. Needless to say, AMLO did not view these actions and rhetoric positively. He fired back that fentanyl is a U.S. problem, caused by the decay in its society. He stated that fentanyl is not being produced in Mexico. He also publicly stated that Mexico would not allow any foreign government to intervene in its territory, and that Mexico is not a colony of the United States or one of its protectorates. He threatened to work against the reelection of the people in Congress that are proposing the legislation. As a final jab, he stated that Mexico was a safer country than the U.S. and more democratic. Does this sound like two good neighbors that share so much history and have so much at stake? The two countries trade approximately $1.7 billion dollars of products and services every single day. In 2021, Mexico was the U.S.s No. 1 trading partner, and 16% of total U.S. exports are bought by Mexico. More than 300 million people cross the U.S.-Mexico border every year. I would hope that the U.S. Congress understands the importance of Mexico to our nation and the consequences a military attack inside that country would create. We are just emerging from a devastating pandemic that caused supply chain disruptions and a generational economic upheaval across the world. Mexico was a strong partner to the U.S. during this crisis in terms of producing and supplying Americans with everything from food to consumer products. Many companies leaving Asia to protect their supply chains are choosing to establish operations in Mexico, and U.S. suppliers will supply them with raw materials and components. Warehouses on the U.S. side of the border will distribute these products. From Mexicos standpoint, AMLO should not provide ammunition to politicians or Americans who are anti-Mexico to begin with. Mexico does produce fentanyl. The cartels are indeed in control of portions of the country and the economy. Whether Mexico is more democratic than the U.S. is a matter of opinion. It is true that if we didnt have people using illegal drugs in the U.S., the power of Mexican cartels would be diminished, and greater safety would be achieved in Mexico. However, it is out of line for the Mexican president to accuse the U.S. of social decay, when the same case could be made against his country. The U.S. accounts for 39.3% of all foreign direct investment in Mexico, almost triple that of Canada (10.3%), Mexicos second-largest investor. It behooves the Mexican government to strive for public safety and to diminish the strength of the cartels. Upon assuming office, AMLO said that his approach to Mexicos drug issue was hugs not bullets. This strategy has been a failure. Our two nations need each other, and neither is moving away in the near future. We need cooperation, not rhetoric or grandstanding for political purposes. As Rep. Crenshaw stated when he was interviewed about his controversial legislation, If I could choose one country outside the U.S. and just make it 10 times better, it would be Mexico. Its one of our most important trading partners. Its our most important ally. Its right here in our hemisphere. We need Mexico to be successful. Jerry Pacheco is the executive director of the International Business Accelerator, a nonprofit trade counseling program of the New Mexico Small Business Development Centers Network. He can be reached at 575-589-2200 or at jerry@nmiba.com. With $3.6 billion at its disposal, the New Mexico Legislature had the chance of the century possibly the last century to enact sweeping reforms of the states tax structure. The idea, seemingly as professed publicly by those from across the political spectrum, is to diversify the state economy to be less reliant on the vagaries of oil and gas prices. Unfortunately, even with a positively mind-blowing 42% single-year budget surplus on top of robust spending growth in recent years and a large state and local government structure to begin with, the New Mexico Legislature abjectly failed to address our states problematic tax structure. That means that New Mexicos job-killing taxation of business service inputs will continue. And, while the gross receipts rate reduction is welcome, it is simply not a game-changer. In fact, GRT rates will remain higher in Albuquerque and most other cities than they were when Bill Richardson left office at the end of 2010. Worse is the fact the bill contains numerous tax increases, and even more were considered. Shockingly, the original House version of the bill included major personal income tax hikes. When Richardson left office and throughout the Martinez era, New Mexicos top income tax rate was 4.9%. That top rate was increased to 5.9% for married couples making more than $315,000 in 2019 during Lujan Grishams first year in office. As originally formulated by the House, the bill would have added two new income tax rates of 6.5% and 6.9%. The 6.5% rate would have kicked in at the relatively low level of $200,000 for married couples. This provision was amended out, but the inclusion of an income tax increase in the first place reflects the Democrat-controlled Legislatures broader failure to grasp the opportunity at hand. As the final bill was crafted provisions to raise the capital gains and corporate income taxes were retained in the legislation. So-called sin taxes on alcohol and cigars were included as well. If the goal is to diversify the New Mexico economy, you cant do much worse than to raise capital gains and corporate income taxes. Perhaps the only thing worse is raising these taxes while the Legislature boosts spending by 14% and has a $3.6 billion surplus at its disposal. While the tax hikes may be the worst part of the bill for businesses, the fact is that numerous other provisions of the legislation are deeply problematic. Subsidies for electric vehicles and charging stations are included. If these technologies are truly the wave of the future, why spend tax dollars on them? The same can be said for subsidies for energy storage systems. As if those unnecessary subsidies arent bad enough, the Senate added massive film subsidies to the legislation. The current $110 million cap on annual film subsidies would be nearly doubled to $210 million. Worse, with another 5% subsidy boost for projects outside of Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Conceivably, some films could attain reimbursement of 40% of their taxable expenses. Overall, New Mexico politicians are on the verge of squandering a unique chance to use a $3.6 billion surplus to diversify and improve the economy. Sadly, the Legislature has failed. Gov. Lujan Grisham will have a chance to wield her line-item veto pen. Hopefully, she, too, sees the problems inherent in enacting economically harmful tax hikes while also attempting to diversify the economy. The Rio Grande Foundation is an independent, nonpartisan, tax-exempt research and educational organization dedicated to promoting prosperity for New Mexico based on principles of limited government, economic freedom and individual responsibility. Higher alcohol tax will help reduce its use I BELIEVE an additional 3% tax on alcohol would be a very good thing for our state. Though many people can enjoy it without problems, there are a lot of people who can and will hurt others or themselves. One of the main reasons that I support this is its always been a very big problem here, and Ive seen this firsthand in my family and in some of my friends as well. But mainly the reason Im behind this tax is that many sales would go down due to the fact many people will not be able to afford it anymore, this would create a better driving environment for the people that are learning and also the people who may not be as abled. Did you know 36.7% of all fatal crashes in the last decade in New Mexico involved alcohol, Bernalillo (County) being the worst? This is a big problem and should be looked at to help better our society. Aden McGrew, Albuquerque Editors note: N.M. lawmakers settled on a 20% alcohol tax increase that would impose about a one-cent per drink increase on beer and roughly a two-cent per drink increase on spirits. Reasons for a new state plane simply do not fly NINE MILLION dollars for a new plane for the state? Why? One reason given was it could also be used by Cabinet secretaries and other public officials in the sprawling and largely rural state the fifth-largest in the nation. What would be so urgent that these elected officials couldnt drive? And as far as providing air service for the students at school for the visually impaired in Alamogordo, use charter air service. Give an economic boost to these companies spread out across the state. The reasoning for purchasing a new plane has not been well thought out. Michael Turri, Angel Fire Lack of common sense holds our state back I HAVE read with dismay the inability of the N.M. legislature to make meaningful changes to the issue of malpractice insurance, the Sunshine law, CYFD and pyramiding gross receipt taxes. Because weve always done it that way! seems to be the rallying cry of so many New Mexicans, and this despite hand-wringing over why this state is so far below the curve. I think the truth is many, many people in this state enjoy the benefits of no changes lets just keep on keeping on. I was also upset by the woman who wrote a letter bemoaning her difficulties in getting benefits she never once mentioned even though she had no money she has had two more children in the interim, thus increasing the chances of never getting out of poverty and diminishing the possibility of a better life for her children. Has anyone in any of these agencies she contacted even suggested she could/can still have helped/help herself in many ways? I think these issues irritate many because its a general lack of common sense by so many in this state. Anne Burtnett, Albuquerque Anesthesiologist bill is bad for patient safety I HAVE been a board-certified registered nurse anesthetist for over 10 years. As a New Mexican, I am writing to strongly urge you to oppose Senate Bill 35, which is proposing to allow anesthesiologist assistants, otherwise known as AAs, to practice in more areas and with less direction in New Mexico. In addition to our brilliant physicians in New Mexico, there are also several equally talented, qualified and wise non-physician clinical specialists such as: chiropractors, CRNAs, dentists, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and podiatrists. However, AAs arent among this group because they are not clinical specialists. They are clinical assistants. There are only 2,000 AAs in the United States. No branch of the U.S. military utilizes AAs. They are legally bound to work under the medical direction of an anesthesiologist. The close direction requirements could be because AAs only complete a two-year program learning to technically assist an anesthesiologist after earning an unspecified bachelor degree. AAs have not had the extensive education or experience to make safe and sensible clinical decisions. They are simply trained to assist those who do. In anesthesia, emergencies arise in an instant. Seconds count. As a CRNA, I first and foremost have the responsibility to ensure patient safety. SB 35 supports grossly unsafe yet extremely expensive anesthesia. ANNE P. COUSINS, DNPA, CRNA, Rio Rancho Editors note: SB 35 passed the Legislature and awaits the governors action. HB 73 will revolutionize the cancer care here FACING A cancer diagnosis is terrifying. Ive been diagnosed three times in my life and have gone through nine months of chemotherapy and two seven-week rounds of radiation. During my fight, I was scared I wouldnt be around for my family. However, I was lucky my treatments worked and kept the cancers I was fighting from growing, but for others that is not the case. New Mexicans diagnosed with cancer this year could benefit from targeted therapies learned through something called biomarker testing. Scientific advances have made cancer much more treatable and improved the odds of survival. Using biomarker testing, oncologists can better understand cancer cells and pinpoint which treatments will work best for patients. Thanks to the targeted therapies doctors prescribe based on biomarkers in certain cancers, patients across the country are thriving today. While many people are lucky to benefit from targeted therapy, too many people in New Mexico still cant. Their insurance wont cover the biomarker testing they need to determine the best treatment for their diagnosis. Thankfully, the N.M. Legislature passed House Bill 73 this legislative session, expanding access to biomarker testing. The bill now sits at Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams desk, awaiting signature. As a three-time cancer survivor and volunteer with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Im urging the governor to sign this bill and help ensure New Mexicans can learn the best strategies to treat their illness. Joyce Graves, Gallup CATCHES OF THE WEEK Analeigh Tapia, 6, of Santa Fe caught a 14-inch rainbow trout at Alto Lake using PowerBait on March 12. At Elephant Butte Lake, Alex Flores of Las Cruces caught a 16-pound flathead catfish using shad cut bait March 15. Kris Flores of Las Cruces caught an 18-pound striper using shad cut bait March 15. Hayden, Ira, Cheyvonne and Scott Trowbridge of Chinle, Arizona, caught a 41-pound blue catfish using cut shad bait March 14. Justin Alford of Albuquerque caught and released a 7-pound largemouth bass using a black-and-silver, square-billed crankbait March 12. Max Maldonado, age 12, of El Paso, Texas, caught a 4-pound, 8.6-ounce smallmouth bass using a silver-and-blue Rapala lure March 11. At Lake Roberts, Emmy Valles, 6, of Silver City caught a 14-inch rainbow trout using a rainbow-pattern spoon March 18. Noah Valles, 9, of Rio Rancho caught a 12-inch rainbow trout using a crawdad-pattern lure March 18. Jonathan Newman of Fort Worth, Texas, caught and released a 21-inch rainbow trout at Morphy Lake using a brown-trout-pattern Thomas spoon March 13. Lilee Peacock, 8, of Clovis caught her first fish, and a total of four trout, at Ned Houk Ponds using salmon-peach PowerBait on March 14. Virginia Chavez of Los Lunas caught a 25-inch rainbow trout on the Pecos River using worms March 19. Nate Kornetzke of Albuquerque caught a 17-inch brown trout on the Rio Chama using an articulating black streamer fly below Abiquiu Lake on March 15. Jared Fishburn of Farmington caught an 18-inch brown trout on the San Juan River using a size-20, red annelid fly March 14. Joseph Vigil of Albuquerque caught an 18-inch rainbow trout at Tingley Beach using salmon-peach PowerBait on March 14. At Ute Lake, Ryan Fought of Tucumcari caught a 4-pound walleye at using a Rough Neck Tackle Green Craw on March 13. Jayden LeClear, 16, of Clovis caught a 25-inch, 6-pound walleye using a crankbait March 3. If you have a catch of the week story, send it to funfishingnm@gmail.com. NOTES FROM GAME & FISH Northeast fishing report Cabresto Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Charette Lakes had no reports from anglers this week. Streamflow on the Cimarron River near Cimarron on Monday morning was not measured due to ice. Fishing for trout at Clayton Lake was fair to good using worms and PowerBait. Conchas Lake had no reports from anglers this week. At Costilla Creek, the Valle Vidal is closed to fishing until July. Cowles Ponds had no reports from anglers this week. Coyote Creek had no reports from anglers this week. The Eagle Nest Lake surface is closed to all activities due to deteriorating ice conditions. For updated lake conditions, visit the parks webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594. Eagle Rock Lake had no reports from anglers this week. National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access on the Gallinas River. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information. Hopewell Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Lake Alice is closed due to unsafe ice conditions. Lake Maloya had no reports from anglers this week. Los Pinos River had no reports from anglers this week. Maxwell Lake 13 had no reports from anglers this week. Monastery Lake has been freshly stocked with trout and reopened for fishing. The Benedictine Monastery Lake is part of the Departments Open Gate Program. Please visit our website for more information about this property. Fishing for trout at Morphy Lake was good using Thomas spoons. Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Monday morning was 62 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using worms and olive Woolly Bugger flies. Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 50 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow using streamer flies, Woolly Bugger flies and San Juan worm flies. Fishing for trout at the hatchery was slow to fair using egg-pattern flies and Kastmaster lures. Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 619 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow to fair using PowerBait and nightcrawler worms. Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Monday morning was not measured due to ice. Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Monday morning was not measured due to ice. Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Penasco on Monday morning was not measured due to ice. Fishing for trout was good using pink and purple nymph flies. Fishing for trout at the Santa Cruz Reservoir was good using bright-yellow PowerBait. Shuree Ponds is closed to fishing until July. Springer Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Storrie Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Stubblefield Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for walleye at Ute Lake was slow to fair using crawdad-pattern jigs and crankbaits. Fishing for white bass was slow vertical jigging using jigging spoons and Berkley Gulp Minnows. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass was slow using crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Fishing for crappie was fair to good using live minnows at night with lights in 15-20 feet of water. The main lake water surface temperature was in the upper 40s and the water was clear. Northwest fishing report Abiquiu Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Streamflow on the Animas River below Aztec on Monday morning was 369 cfs. Fishing for trout at the Albuquerque Area Drains was fair to good using salmon eggs and peach PowerBait. Fishing for all species was slow at Bluewater Lake. Brazos River had no reports from anglers this week. Canjilon Lakes had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for crappie and pike at Cochiti Lake was fair to good using white swimbaits. Fishing for catfish was good using nightcrawler worms and chicken liver. El Vado Lake is closed due to dam construction project. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Parks webpage or call 575-588-7247. Due to deteriorating and dangerous ice conditions, Fenton Lake is now closed for ice fishing. Going onto the ice or throwing objects onto the ice is strictly prohibited. The park will remain open for day use and camping. For updated lake conditions, visit the parks webpage or call the park office at 575-829-3630. The city is in the final stages of repairs at Grants Riverwalk Pond and stocking will resume soon. Heron Lake had no reports from anglers this week. At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near Jemez Monday morning was 122 cfs. Fishing for trout above Fenton Lake was fair to good using pink Trout Magnet lures. Due to the rising popularity of fishing in Valles Caldera National Preserve, the National Park Service will begin charging a fee for its fishing permits starting April 1, 2023 to support the management of its fishing program. The new fee schedule will be $20 for an annual pass ($10 for youth 12-17) and $5 for a 7-day pass ($3 for youth 12-17). A State of New Mexico fishing license is also required to fish within Valles Caldera. For more information visit nps.gov/vall. Laguna del Campo had no reports from anglers this week. Lagunitas Lakes had no reports from anglers this week. Lake Farmington had no reports from anglers this week. Stocking efforts have been suspended at McGaffey Lake due to extremely low water levels and unstable ground conditions. Lake conditions will be monitored and stocking will resume once conditions improve. Fishing for pike at Navajo Lake was fair using large streamer flies and jerkbaits. Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 226 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Monday morning was 491 cfs. Anglers reported the water clarity below El Vado Lake was murky. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was good using black streamer flies. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiu upstream 7 miles to the base of Abiquiu Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of two trout only. Rio Grande had no reports from anglers this week. Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1) had no reports from anglers this week. San Gregorio Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Monday morning was 289 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was fair to good using midge-pattern flies and red annelid flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters section was fair to good using PowerBait and black-and-gold Panther Martin spinners. Seven Springs Brood Pond had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout at Tiger Park Reservoir was good using olive, beadhead streamer flies. Fishing for trout at Tingley Beach was good using homemade salmon-peach PowerBait. Fishing for trout in the catch-and-release pond was good using black-and-olive, leech-pattern flies. Trout Lakes had no reports from anglers this week. Southwest fishing report Fishing for trout at Alumni Pond was fair to good using chunky cheese PowerBait, Velveeta cheese and black Pistol Pete spinner flies. Fishing for bass was fair to good using gold, gray and green streamer flies. Bear Canyon Lake had no reports from anglers this week. The department is conducting a boater and angler improvement project at Bill Evans Lake from February to April. Improvements include the installation of a new concrete boat ramp and dock; improvements to the existing boat ramp; the installation of rock, fishing jetties; road improvements; and regrading the north camping access area. Anglers should expect road and lake closures during construction. For current conditions, contact the departments Fisheries Management Division at 505-476-8055. Anglers are encouraged to visit surrounding lakes such as Bear Canyon Lake, Lake Roberts and Trees Lake for alternate fishing locations. Fishing for crappie and white bass at Caballo Lake was fair using curly-tail grubs. Fishing for largemouth bass at Elephant Butte Lake was good using black-and-silver, square-billed crankbaits and silver-and-blue Rapala lures. Fishing for white bass was fair to good using small, chartreuse jig heads with soft plastic baits and white, weighted black-streamer flies. Fishing for striped bass was fair using small swimbaits with a jig head. Fishing for crappie was good using small, dark-colored jigs and live minnows. Fishing for catfish was good using live minnows and cut bait. Fishing for trout at Escondida Lake was good using salmon-peach PowerBait. Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Monday morning was 796cfs. Fishing for trout at Glenwood Pond was good using salmon eggs and orange PowerBait. Fishing for trout at Lake Roberts was good using rainbow-pattern spoons, yellow-and-black Panther Martin spinners, crawdad-pattern lures and nymph flies from a boat. Fishing for trout was fair using PowerBait from the shore. Percha Dam had no reports from anglers this week. Quemado Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for all species was slow at the Rancho Grande Ponds. Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Monday morning was 0 cfs. Fishing for walleye was fair to good using cut bait near Elephant Butte Lake. Snow Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout at Trees Lake was good using PowerBait and worms. Fishing for trout at Young Pond was fair to good using corn, midge-pattern flies and black-and-white streamer flies. Southeast fishing report Fishing for trout at Alto Lake was good using worms. Bataan Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on Berrendo Creek. Fishing for bass was fair to good using red-and-black Senko worms. Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Monday morning was 5 cfs. Blue Hole Park Pond had no reports from anglers this week. Bonito Lake is closed until further notice by the City of Alamogordo due to fire damage. Bosque Redondo Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout at Bottomless Lakes was fair to good using green PowerBait. Brantley Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout at Carlsbad Municipal Lake was fair to good using lime green PowerBait. Chaparral Park Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Corona Pond had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout at Eunice Lake was fair to good using corn-flavored PowerBait. Fishing for trout at Green Meadow Lake was good using worms fished beneath a bobber. Greene Acres Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout at Grindstone Reservoir was good using marshmallows, garlic PowerBait and salmon-peach PowerBait. Fishing for trout at Harry McAdams Park Pond was good using homemade dough bait. Fishing for bass was fair to good using purple plastic worms and creature baits. Fishing for trout at Lake Van was good using PowerBait. Fishing for trout at Oasis Park Lake was good using PowerBait. Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Monday morning was 57 cfs. Perch Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Rio Bonito had no reports from anglers this week. Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Monday morning was 51 cfs. Rock Lake Hatchery Kids Pond had no reports from anglers this week. Santa Rosa Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Sumner Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Timberon Ponds had no reports from anglers this week. Editors note: In the nine months since Roe v. Wade was overturned, New Mexico has emerged as a safe haven for those seeking abortion. This is the third installment in a series about abortion access in the state. The first can be found here and the second can be found here. New Mexico is one of six states plus Washington, D.C., where there are no restrictions on when an abortion can be done during a pregnancy. But the only clinic in the state to provide the procedure after 24 weeks stopped doing so earlier this year. Southwestern Womens Options in Albuquerque had been a destination for people seeking to get an abortion in the third trimester since 2010, when two doctors who used to work with Dr. George Tiller joined the clinic after Tiller was assassinated in his hometown of Wichita, Kansas. Both have since retired but another doctor continued to specialize in the procedure until recently. A spokeswoman for the clinic said the third trimester program was put on hold on Jan. 2 but declined to answer any other questions about it, the organization or its services. Adrienne Mansanares, the CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, said across the country theres not a robust landscape of providers who will do abortions during the third trimester. And a Planned Parenthood spokeswoman added that its difficult to get an accurate number of those who do because many dont advertise those services out of concern for their safety and security. With Southwestern Womens Options no longer offering the procedure, the closest clinic that does so is in Boulder, Colorado another state that has no restrictions on abortion. Planned Parenthood usually refers patients there or to California which allows abortions after viability (usually 24 to 26 weeks) in order to save a pregnant persons life or to preserve their general health (including mental health). Abortion funds also refer patients to providers in the District of Columbia which has no restrictions on abortion or Maryland which allows abortions after viability in order to save a pregnant persons life or health or if the fetus has suffered or will suffer a serious health issue. Abortion after 21 weeks is very rare less than 1% of all abortions, according to 2020 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That is the most dire of circumstances for that pregnancy , Mansanares said. Theyve got the nursery room painted, theyve picked out a name. This is a pregnancy that had been planned and theres been some kind of a fetal anomaly that had been detected. Pro-life protesters Several days a week protesters from a variety of anti-abortion groups gather in front of Southwestern Womens Options, which has become New Mexicos highest profile clinic. Activists speak through a bullhorn and hold signs offering to adopt a baby, quoting Bible verses and more. A case with replicas of fetuses at different ages has been set up on the sidewalk. Among the best known pro-life missionaries are Tara and Bud Shaver and their group now called Abortion Free New Mexico. They moved to New Mexico because of Southwestern Womens Options. The couple had been living in Wichita, Kansas, working for an anti-abortion group called Operation Rescue when a gunman killed Dr. Tiller in the foyer of his church. When two doctors who worked for him moved to Dr. Curtis Boyds facility in Albuquerque, the Shavers followed. Our part whenever we first moved here in 2010 was really to do investigative research and undercover projects and just to kind of paint the picture of what the abortion industry looks like, Tara Shaver said in an interview last week. She said they would obtain 911 calls with personal identifying information redacted and use them to show people the kinds of injuries that could occur in an abortion facility. They have filed complaints to the state Medical Board and succeeded in getting it to launch formal reviews into providers from Southwestern Womens Options. Their ranks of volunteers conducting prayer vigils and protests on sidewalks outside of clinics grew after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, Shaver said. They document when ambulances come and go. We really want to make doing abortions in New Mexico as uncomfortable as possible and we want to document the reality of whats happening in these places, Shaver said. The pro-abortion side says that abortion should be safe, legal and rare. But theyre never safe for the unborn child. Shaver called Southwestern Womens Options pause of abortions after 24 weeks a small victory, certainly, for the third trimester babies and said she does not believe there should be any exceptions for fetal abnormalities. If their baby has a fetal abnormality then were going to be there and support them through the whole process, she said. If their baby is not going to survive very long outside the womb at least shes going to have a chance to hold her baby, bond with him or her and have a chance to meet them as opposed to taking their life prematurely, and always wondering what may have been. Doctors death Dr. Carmen Landau had been listed on Southwestern Womens Options website as its specialist in third trimester abortions as recently as August. She was in the early stages of launching another abortion care facility when she died in mid-October while attending a conference for the National Harm Reduction Coalition which focuses on the overdose crisis in Puerto Rico. In a statement, a spokeswoman for Southwestern Womens Options said its pause in third trimester abortions is unrelated to Landaus death. Our hearts remain with her family, Robin Sikes wrote in a statement. Landaus family did not respond to requests for an interview. But in a statement published shortly after her death they said it was sudden and unexpected and that she had been a beloved and badass mom, sister, wife, and dear friend. She devoted her professional life to providing abortion care and reproductive health care fiercely and courageously defending her patients self-determination and dignity , the statement reads. As an internationally celebrated physician, Carmen mentored countless health care providers on centering patients and providing trauma-informed and affirming care with true integrity. Others in the medical community are mourning her, too. When Dr. Amber Truehart, the medical director at the UNM Center for Reproductive Health, moved to New Mexico in August 2021 she said Landau welcomed her with open arms. She was a great person, Truehart said. She was a big loss just to Albuquerque in general. Editors note: In the nine months since Roe v. Wade was overturned, New Mexico has emerged as a safe haven for those seeking abortion. The Journal published a series about abortion access in the state. The first can be found here and the second can be found here and the third can be found here. In the past two years, New Mexico has taken steps to protect or expand abortion services. In 2021, the Legislature repealed a state law that criminalized abortion but had been moot while Roe v. Wade stood. This meant it didnt go into effect when Roe v. Wade was overturned about 15 months later. Governor signs bill repealing abortion ban Measure triggered passionate debate on women's autonomy, unborn children In August, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order designating $10 million of her capital outlay funds to develop a reproductive health care clinic in Dona Ana County. Governor plans to expand abortion access Lujan Grisham issues executive order for construction of clinic in Dona Ana County In the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers passed House Bill 7, which prohibited jurisdictions from denying, restricting or discriminating against a persons right to use or refuse reproductive health care. Those who pushed for ordinances restricting abortion in five cities and counties in eastern New Mexico say they want to challenge the law up to the U.S. Supreme Court. Lawmakers also passed Senate Bill 13, which shields doctors and nurses from civil and criminal investigations by other entities in states where abortion is banned. It codifies an executive order Lujan Grisham issued days after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Responding to anti-abortion laws in neighboring states, New Mexico lawmakers adopt proposal intended to protect health care providers Democrats in New Mexico move to reinforce abortion rights following 2022 Supreme Court decision More coverage Sara Keller is focused on cultivating community. This is exactly why she finds her role at Nusenda Credit Union as vice president of Community Engagement a perfect fit. Its why Nusenda Credit Union is once again the title sponsor for the New Mexico Spelling Bee. Nusenda Credit Union has a long-standing history in Albuquerque. Prior to taking on its new name, the credit union was derived from Albuquerque Public Schools in the early 1930s. Being able to lead the way as a sponsor of the spelling bee falls in line with our efforts within the community, Keller says. We are really rooted in education. Over the years, our community impact strategies have evolved, yet education has been at the root of it. Keller says spelling bees are pivotal to many because it gives an opportunity for a student to identify their passion. Its imperative that every New Mexico student has an equitable access to high-quality education, she says. The spelling bee is a wonderful feeder for a New Mexico student to represent the state at a national level. They get the opportunity to showcase what theyve been able to get with a New Mexico education. As Nusenda steps in as the sponsor, it makes it possible for students from every city or town in New Mexico to have the opportunity to compete. As a child, Keller participated in her school-based spelling bee. Though she never advanced. I had a lot of stage fright and that might have been one of the reasons that stuck with me, Keller says. As an adult, I realized what a wonderful life skill it taught me. I do a lot of speaking in front of audiences today. Having that stage fright as a child helped me overcome it as an adult. Keller says Nusenda runs grant programs and sponsorships throughout the year. One of the grants is the Financial Education Innovation Award, which is given to recognize educators who go above and beyond to improve financial well-being across New Mexico. The program began in 2018 and the awards demonstrate Nusendas ongoing commitment to strengthening communities and investing in innovative solutions that improve education, health, social and economic outcomes. Supporting educators and fostering programs that promote financial opportunity are core to our commitment to making a positive difference in New Mexico, says Joe Christian, Nusenda president and CEO. We are grateful for the educators and organizations that are bringing new ideas to life and pleased to sponsor their work. This year, Nusenda plans to award a total of $20,000, with $15,000 designated for an organizational effort and five $1,000 classroom educators awards. The winners will be announced in April to celebrate Financial Literacy Month. These awards invest in organizations and educators who are impacting New Mexicans financial well-being in unique ways, Keller says. Keller says the sponsorship program must align with one or more of the five focus areas education, health care, environment and wildlife, the arts and community services. Nusenda Credit Unions sponsorship program is designed to support events, limited-time programming, or annual fundraising activities. To be awarded sponsorship funding, these activities should: Be impactful and address the needs of the community they serve. Have long-lasting benefits from the success of the event or program. Demonstrate that goals are aligned with one or more of the credit unions five focus areas. Bring together a wide variety of people across sectors, geographies and cultural communities to experience engaging programming and discussions that inspire, equip or connect them to lead change more effectively. Strengthen foundation and nonprofit networks in New Mexico. A tornado slammed Mississippi on Friday sundown, killing at least 25 people, destroying many houses and structures, and cutting off supply to around 100,000 residents. US President Joe Biden expressed prayers for the victims of the Mississippi tornado and vowed to extend help to them. Authorities advise residents to remain cautious and monitor weather forecasts as Mississippi tornado and storms progress. A tornado hit shortly after sunset Friday amid a major storm that brought twisters, torrential rain, wind gusts, and hail to the South, killing at least 25 individuals in Mississippi and one in Alabama. The Mississippi tornado formed as a result of the storm system and touched down in Mississippi, wreaking havoc on cities and towns throughout the state. Rolling Fork, a small village 60 miles northwest of Jackson, has mounds of wreckage where houses formerly stood. The Mississippi tornado hit rural regions as it headed northeast. The damage inflicted by the tornado was verified by the National Weather Service. It occurred around 60 miles northeast of Jackson, Mississippi. The devastation was recorded in Silver City and Rolling Fork as the tornado roared northeast at 70 mph without slowing down, passing through Winona and Amory on its way to Alabama late at night, according to CBS News. Heartbreaking Mississippi Tornado Onslaught Images Images on a local news show several vehicles were flipped over and damaged, fences were torn down, and trees were uprooted due to the Mississippi tornado. During and after the tornado, photographers and "storm chasers" caught footage of widespread destruction, including whole neighborhoods reduced to charred heaps of wood and rubble, trees peeled off their leaves, and vehicles crashed into one another, per The New York Times. One water tower got wrecked, and emergency workers said that broken power lines made it hard for some people to get to the site. Drone footage shows the destruction in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, after a deadly and powerful storm system hit late Friday. At least 23 people were killed in Mississippi, and one was killed in Alabama. Emergency officials said dozens more were injured. https://t.co/7iBwPIS5E5 pic.twitter.com/zjLBMR1olE The New York Times (@nytimes) March 25, 2023 Read Also: Donald Trump's 'Death and Destruction' Warning Poweroutage.us reported that just under 100,000 people in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee were without electricity, with some of the hardest-hit districts almost entirely having no access to power. In a tweet late on Friday, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves stated that rescue crews were working and that additional medical help was on the way. Governor Tate Reeves underscored that residents in Mississippi Delta need prayers and "God's protection" amid the Mississippi tornado. He also advised the public to stay alert and monitor the weather forecast when terrible storms slammed over the South overnight. President Joe Biden Promises Aid For Mississippi Tornado Victims United States President Joseph Biden met with state and local officials. The POTUS said he is "praying for those who have lost loved ones" and "for those whose loved ones are missing." In a statement, President Joe Biden noted that he had talked with Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, and Representative Bennie Thompson. Biden also said that he had contacted Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, as reported by CNN. President Joe Biden conveyed his sympathies and the "full support" of the federal government "as communities recover from the effects" of the Mississippi tornado. In addition, Joe Biden mentioned that he spoke with Deanne Criswell, Administrator of FEMA, who has already sent emergency response troops and resources to assist search-and-rescue groups, evaluate the damage, and concentrate the US government's help where it is most urgently needed. The National Weather Service has cautioned locals that "dangers remain even after the storms move on" as recovery efforts proceed. Saturday morning saw the end of a local tornado watch, according to experts. It was predicted that there will be more thunderstorms, but they wouldn't be very bad, per NDTV. Tornadoes, famously unpredictable meteorological phenomena, often occur in the United States, particularly in the southern and central regions. Related Article: Arkansas OKs Legislation Limiting Transgender Bathroom Usage @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Twenty-five participants. This is the number of New Mexico spellers who will compete in the New Mexico State Spelling Bee on April 1. The event is sponsored by the Albuquerque Journal and Nusenda Credit Union and will be held at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Over the course of four months, 243 schools in 23 school districts around the state put on their own qualifying rounds in hopes that their student would make the cut. After intense competition among the 23 District Bees, 61 District Champions progressed to the online State Qualifying Bee held on Feb. 28. This is where top champions ranging from fourth through eighth grade successfully spelled words such hauberk, gudgeon and contemporaneous. According to Pamela Chavez, New Mexicos coordinator, the 25 champions will get one month to study the 28-page Words of Champions and participate in the state bee. The winner will go on to represent the state at the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 29-June. 2, in Washington, D.C. It takes a lot of hard work to get to this point, Chavez says. The teachers and the coordinators in every location squeeze in the time to get these children ready. This years event will be in person, which marks the first time it will be held with an audience since before 2020. Last year, everything was online, Chavez says. We had about 54 district winners from around the state. It was a big state bee for us. Chavez says the school bees were held in the fall of 2022 and all the organizers hustled to get them done before winter break. It didnt work out that way, Chavez says. Some didnt have the means to get it done in time. On Acoma Pueblo, there was a water break and they had to postpone. When I read about whats happening in the state, there are issues like power plant and fires that hinder the access for these students. All of the events impact whether these school bees can be held. We have to remain as flexible as we can because New Mexico is such a rural state. There will be a new winner that will represent New Mexico this year. Last years champ, Garrick Tam, aged out of the competition. As an eighth-grader at Cleveland Middle School in 2022, Tam worked his way through a list of 25 words online before being crowned the winner. In the months prior to the competition, Tam often found himself studying for the competition. This meant an additional three hours of school time to prepare for the competition. Competing was less stressful because we werent up on a stage in front of an audience, Tam says. The National Spelling Bee began in 1925 when nine newspapers joined together to host a spelling bee. Nearly a century later, their literacy effort would reach 11 million students each year. Albuquerque has a long-standing history with the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Albuquerque listed as a partner in 1949, and in 1950 the Albuquerque Tribune was listed with the speller Anavi Martinez. The Albuquerque Journal has been a title sponsor since 2008, when the Albuquerque Tribune shuttered. According to Scripps, this years national bee will be overseen by Corrie Loeffler, who is a longtime Scripps National Spelling Bee executive and three-time national competitor. She served on the Scripps National Spelling Bee staff for 16 years, where she led the development of all educational and contest materials for the storied academic competition across the school, regional and national levels. Loeffler competed at the national level in 1994, 1995 and 1996 representing Merced County, California. This program opened my eyes to the world when I was young and taught me how big I could dream, Loeffler says. I was a speller, then a volunteer, then joined the Scripps National Spelling Bee team and have worked over the years to evolve the national competition. I have learned from everyone Ive worked with, and in many ways, I have been studying my whole life for the bee. I am humbled to lead this program as it teaches new generations of spellers to dream big. Ivanna Nevarez, a fifth grader at Southern Heights Elementary School in Hobbs, comes from a family of Spanish speakers. When she was in kindergarten, she spoke more Spanish than English. But that did not stop her from winning her schools spelling bee this year and the year before. She thinks spelling in English is easier than spelling in Spanish. Because Spanish has more letters sometimes, Ivanna, 11, said. Bonnie Salazar, who taught Ivanna in fourth grade, said that when attempting to spell words in English, pronunciation may be the biggest challenge facing students whose first language is Spanish. Letter sounds in Spanish are not the same in English, she said. There are no short or long vowels in Spanish. She said Ivanna succeeds because of her work ethic. She is very determined, Salazar said. She has high standards for herself. Need to succeed Are spelling bees a valuable tool in helping students such as Ivanna learn English? Do students who speak English and another language do better in bees? The New Mexico State Spelling Bee, sponsored by the Albuquerque Journal and Nusenda Credit Union, is part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Students competing in the April 1 state bee had to first win in school-level and district-level bees. Garrick Tam, 15, who speaks English and Cantonese, won last years New Mexico spelling bee. In fact, Tam, who started competing in bees in third grade, won his school contest every year and won at the district level four times. He does not believe speaking two languages helped or hindered him in bee competition. I spoke English first, and I am just comfortable spelling words out in English, said Tam, a student at College and Career High School, a dual-credit school that is part of Albuquerque Public Schools. Now too old to take part in the Scripps bees, Tam does appreciate the benefits of the competition. It helps your vocabulary a lot, and that helps your writing improve, he said. I know that because of all the essays I do in school. And you meet people who have the same mindset as you, a mindset that you want to succeed. Even if you lose, you say I can do better next time.' Rules for words Claudia Stovall is the English-learning coordinator at Puesta del Sol Elementary School in Rio Rancho. Of the 600 students in the kindergarten-through-fifth-grade institution, she said 106 are English learners, the most in any Rio Rancho school. Stovall, a judge in her schools spelling bee, said no English-learners took part in Puesta del Sols spelling bee this school year. Spelling bees provide a positive goal, a good place for them to display their hard work, she said. But a lot of them get nervous. It is hard for them to speak in public. It depends on where they are on their journey (into English). If they are new, they might not want to participate. If they are older, they may want to try. Stovall said two of the schools dual-language students did compete in the school spelling bee. The spelling bee has likely benefitted those two students, she said. We are focusing on not memorizing words but at looking how the word is made up, vowel patterns and the like. Spelling bees also focus on the root of words. Is it Latin? Is it Greek? Learning the rules that govern words is very helpful. Consolation prizes Sixty percent of the 380 students at Hobbs Southern Heights Elementary School are English-language learners. There are 120 students in the schools dual-language programs. Natalie Smith is a fifth-grade teacher in the dual-language program. She is school spelling champ Ivanna Nevarezs teacher this year. She said she does not think of spelling bees as a primary tool in teaching children to speak English. But its fun, she said. The kids like the competition and it introduces them to words they would not ordinarily see. Smith said 10 students, more than half her class, competed in the school spelling bee. They were excited to participate and were disappointed when they were eliminated, she said. Ivanna was eliminated in the district competition. I was very nervous this year because I studied hard to make it up there, Ivanna said. Although losing was difficult, Ivanna understands there are consolations. I like reading poems, and (spelling bees) help me with reading, she said. Tough journey The Sandoval Academy of Bilingual Education (SABE) in Rio Rancho is a state public charter school with 230 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. We have students whose first language is English and students whose first language is Spanish, said Jackie Rodriguez, SABEs executive director and principal. All the kiddos are learning in a dual-language immersion program. Bilingualism is our mission. Two of the schools students, a fourth grader and a sixth grader, made it to the district-level spelling bee competition this school year. The sixth grader, Sophie Otero, 12, won the district competition and will compete in the state bee. Sophie was born in this country, but lived several years in Colombia before moving to Rio Rancho a few months ago. Her first language is English, but she also speaks Spanish. It was a tough journey, but Im glad I made it, she said of qualifying for the state bee. She competed in Spanish spelling bees in Colombia. Words come to me easier in English, Sophie said. It is easy, too, in Spanish, but I would say I prefer spelling in English. Sophie said the bees develop vocabulary, which she appreciates. I read a lot, in both English and Spanish, she said. I read mostly biographies and history, things that really happened, World War II and the Holocaust. Alice Banks, SABEs spelling bee coordinator, said the biggest challenge facing students is writing and spelling bees improve writing skills. Bees also help with learning habits and confidence standing up in front of a crowd, making a presentation, Banks said. They encourage persistence and working hard, all those things that are, in my opinion, more important than learning how to spell words. Maybe next time The first language of the spelling bee coordinator at Eva B. Stokely Elementary School in Shiprock is not English, or Spanish, or Navajo. It is Cebuano, a language spoken in the Philippines. I started speaking English when I was maybe 10, said Ma. Leonora Abing, who is Filipino. (Ma. is an abbreviation of Maria, which is customary in the Philippines.) It is hard for me to think in English. What word will I use? The kids will say Miss Abing, I dont know what you are saying.' Abing, whose written use of English is impeccable, is laughing as she tells the story. Her students are Navajos who speak English with occasional Dine (Navajo) words mixed in. She believes spelling bees give them a firmer grasp of English. Eva B. Stokely participated in its first Scripps bee this school year. Abing took three students to the district bee in Kirtland, but none advanced to state. Maybe next time we can do it, she said. My champs were very excited and nervous at the same time. I could see it in their eyes. The spelling bee will allow our students to develop a range of cognitive skills, including the ability to handle pressure. The Literacy Project is a collaboration of the Albuquerque Journal, KOAT-TV and KKOB News Radio. The stories explore issues and seek potential solutions to New Mexicos ongoing literacy crisis. Difficult conversations about driving, home care, nursing homes and hospice can be so easy to postpone. But the longer you wait, the harder it becomes. The earlier you discuss aging issues with your loved ones, the better. Do it when theyre healthy and younger, said Michele Moore Wright of Home Care Assistance of New Mexico. About everybody that calls says, Ive never been through this; I dont know what to expect, she said. We plan for our children and we plan for ourselves, but we dont understand when our parents are aging. I think whats hard is a lot of us delay the conversation until theres a crisis, added Leslie Montoya, a medical social worker with Legacy Home Health and Hospice. Then its harder to make those decisions. The earlier we talk about it, the easier it is. The American Association of Retired Persons offers a newsletter about negotiating these tough issues. Spend time with your loved one observing and gathering accurate, specific information about your concerns before you even begin a conversation, it states. If you want to talk about driving, ride along first to make valid observations. Worried about their safety at home? Stay with them for a few days to get a real sense of the situation. Is the mail piling up? Are they having trouble navigating stairs? Are they able to prepare healthy meals? Talk with the people who see them regularly and try to be objective. Caregivers can sometimes weave in conversations about aging after watching a movie about a subject like dementia or a news report about serious injuries or health problems. If you see a movie about dementia or somebodys dying, say, What would we do in that situation, Moore Wright said. Dont get discouraged. If you dont get anywhere, keep trying. You bring it up before you need the conversation. Giving up the keys Driving is a big conversation. Surrendering the car keys means surrendering your independence. Assure your loved one that you or someone else will drive them where they need to go so that they dont feel stranded. It helps to put yourself in your loved ones shoes, Montoya said. Were all going to deteriorate. Were all going to pass away. Sometimes I think the person bringing it up has the hardest time talking about it. Say, Im worried about you; I dont want something to happen to you. You could ask them to limit their driving to daytime or at certain times of day, she suggested. Or ask family members to help. You dont want to isolate them in their home, Montoya added. You have to be flexible. Accompanying your relative to a doctor appointment can offer reinforcement. Health questions When it comes time to talk about nursing homes, say, I want to make sure you get your needs met, Montoya said. Join your relative on the internet to research the options. Some facilities offer meals and medical care. We have our social workers meet people where theyre at, Montoya said. Bringing up hospice is hard, she added, but at that point, elders have usually had conversations about it with their doctor. They may want to sign a Do Not Resuscitate document. Ask, If you had a diagnosis, would you prefer to be at home, do you want to be on life support? Do you want to be kept alive artificially? Moore Wright said. Its not a one-way conversation, so ask how they think they are doing and what adjustments theyve thought about. Have compassion for their situation and understand that change is hard for everyone. The unknown can cause fear and discomfort for all of us at any age. Its normal to want to avoid change, so tell them that you understand their feelings of reluctance, fear, anger or hopelessness, and that you want to help make change easier for them. Sometimes people just need acknowledgment that this is hard to deal with. Ask your loved ones whether they want a funeral and if they want to be cremated. If they do want a service, what kind? Say, What do you want to do when the time comes?, Montoya said. I really want to honor your wishes. How can I support you? Who do I need to call to make the transition as peaceful as possible? Give your loved one the opportunity to think and talk. Its their life, not ours. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller is two for two on vetoes in 2023 after successfully fending off a City Council sweep of future personnel savings. The Democratic mayor now has issued 10 vetoes prevailing on eight of them since the current, conservative-leaning council was seated in January 2022. The latest disagreement arose over budgets and comes as the council has increasingly questioned the Keller administration over certain expenditures. The council in February approved moving $12 million from the citys coffers including the salary and operational savings departments had accrued from July through December, the first half of the fiscal year into a reserve. Councilor Brook Bassan pushed for the money shift, saying it would help the city brace for potential financial challenges in the coming fiscal year. She said the council could still dole out the funds to departments on a by-request basis. But Kellers administration resisted the move. Chief Administrative Officer Lawrence Rael argued that it would demoralize city departments to pull money they expected to have in their budgets in the middle of a fiscal year. The mayors team presented an alternative: leave the $12 million already accrued alone and focus instead on collecting personnel savings the city realizes from April through June, the final quarter of the fiscal year. Turned out the council liked that idea, too. It ultimately approved the mayors plan on top of the $12 million reserve. That was all too much in Kellers eyes. While the mayor did not continue fighting over the $12 million, he vetoed the fourth-quarter savings proposal his administration had proposed. The two competing amendments when combined would severely limit our ability to close out the year and effectively deliver expected services and programs, Keller wrote in his veto message. The council needed six votes to override him during last weeks meeting, but mustered only four: Bassan, Renee Grout, Dan Lewis and Louie Sanchez. BOOK BATTLE: City councilors have for months grilled Keller administration officials about a handful of specific projects, including a book about the citys pandemic response commissioned by the Arts and Culture Department. Called City at the Crossroads, the book was written by former Journal columnist Joline Gutierrez Krueger without the newspaper leaderships knowledge but also includes an introduction penned by Keller and a foreword written by his wife. The books publication caught councilors unaware, with two Lewis and Sanchez each calling for investigations into the project. A report from the citys inspector general is expected later this spring. Councilor Sanchez raised the issue at last weeks meeting, specifically asking about where sales revenue goes. Arts and Culture Director Shelle Sanchez replied that the book which a department spokeswoman said cost the city $73,239 was not intended to pay for itself, and that proceeds go into the One Albuquerque Fund, a city-supporting foundation. Thats $2.35 per copy sold, Director Sanchez said. How much is it so far? I believe at this point, somewhere between 80 and 100 books have been sold through Amazon and other booksellers, so that would be about $200 that has gone into the One Albuquerque Fund, she told the council. Jessica Dyer: jdyer@abqjournal.com KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukraines government on Sunday called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to counter the Kremlins nuclear blackmail after Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus. One Ukrainian official said Russia took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. Further heightening tensions, an explosion deep inside Russia wounded three people Sunday. Russian authorities blamed a Ukrainian drone for the blast, which damaged residential buildings in a town just 175 kilometers (110 miles) south of Moscow. Russia has said the plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus comes in response to the Wests increasing military support for Ukraine. Putin announced the plan in a TV interview that aired Saturday, saying it was triggered by a U.K. decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the United States. He noted that Washington has nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews, he said. Ukraines Foreign Ministry condemned the move in a statement Sunday and demanded an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. Ukraine expects effective action to counter the Kremlins nuclear blackmail by the U.K., China, the U.S. and France, the statement read, saying these countries have a special responsibility regarding nuclear aggression. The world must be united against someone who endangers the future of human civilization, the statement said. Ukraine has not commented on Sundays explosion inside Russia. It left a crater about 15 meters (50 feet) in diameter and five meters deep (16 feet), according to media reports. Russian state-run news agency Tass reported authorities identified the drone as a Ukrainian Tu-141. The Soviet-era drone was reintroduced in Ukraine in 2014, and has a range of about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles). The explosion took place in the town of Kireyevsk in the Tula region, about 300 kilometers (180 miles) from the border with Ukraine. Russias Defense Ministry said the drone crashed after an electronic jamming system disabled its navigation. Similar drone attacks have been common during the war, although Ukraine hardly ever acknowledges responsibility. On Monday, Russia said Ukrainian drones attacked civilian facilities in the town of Dzhankoi in Russia-annexed Crimea. Ukraines military said several Russian cruise missiles were destroyed, but did not specifically claim responsibility. In December, the Russian military reported several Ukrainian drone attacks on long-range bomber bases deep inside Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said the drones were shot down, but acknowledged that their debris damaged some aircraft and killed several servicemen. Also, Russian authorities have reported attacks by small drones in the Bryansk and Belgorod regions on the border with Ukraine. On Saturday, Putin argued that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has long asked to have nuclear weapons in his country again to counter NATO. Belarus shares borders with three NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging ground to send troops into neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Both Lukashenkos support of the war and Putins plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus has been denounced by the Belarusian opposition. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, tweeted Sunday that Putins announcement was a step towards internal destabilization of Belarus that maximized the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society. The Kremlin, Danilov added, took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over the ones it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them will be completed by July 1, Putin said. Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there. The U.S. said it would monitor the implications of Putins announcement. So far, Washington hasnt seen any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. In Germany, the foreign ministry called it a further attempt at nuclear intimidation, German news agency dpa reported late Saturday. The ministry went on to say that the comparison drawn by President Putin to NATOs nuclear participation is misleading and cannot be used to justify the step announced by Russia. ___ Kirsten Grieshaber contributed to this report from Berlin. Walt Disney Pictures Movie Rumor has it, the next 'Star Wars' installment is now without a screenwriter after a pair of scribes who were previously hired to pen the movie left the project. Mar 23, 2023 AceShowbiz - Damon Lindelof has left the new "Star Wars" movie. The 49-year-old screenwriter had been set to write the secret sci-fi project alongside Justin Brett-Gibson, but the pair are now no longer involved. While details about the plot are still kept secret, it is rumored that "Ms. Marvel" director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will remain behind the camera on the flick. Further information about the movie will be unveiled at the Star Wars Celebration next month in London and insiders suggest that the film has a chance of being the next big screen project in the franchise following 2019's "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker". In recent years, Disney has prioritised building the "Star Wars" universe on television with hit shows such as "The Mandalorian" although a number of new film projects are in development. The reasons behind the departures of Lindelof and Brett-Gibson have not been disclosed but the "Lost" creator had hinted at difficulties in an interview last month. He told SlashFilm, "I will just say, that for reasons that I can't get into on this Sunday morning, on this day, the degree of difficulty is extremely, extremely, extremely high. If (the film) can't be great, it shouldn't exist." "That's all I say, because I have the same association with ('Star Wars') as you do, which is, it's the first movie I saw sitting in my dad's lap, four years old, May of '77. I think it's possible that sometimes when you hold something in such high reference and esteem, you start to get in the kitchen and you just go, 'Maybe I shouldn't be cooking. Maybe I should be just eating.' We'll just leave it at that point." You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity The 'Law and Order' actor dishes out some relationship advice as he talks about his marriage life with wife Coco Austin with whom he shares daughter Chanel. Mar 26, 2023 AceShowbiz - Ice-T believes a healthy sex life is important to a strong relationship. The 65-year-old rapper has settled down with Coco Austin since 2002 and he admits that it's important to have a good sex life. "They say when sex is good, it's ten percent of the relationship. When it's bad, it's 90 percent of the relationship. So, if it's good, it's a cherry on top of the relationship. And when it's bad, it's all you can think about," the music star - who has Chanel, seven, with Coco - told E! News. Ice-T also likened marriage to shooting a film. He explained, "Getting married is like casting for a movie. You got to pick somebody who's ready for all the scenes. Now, there's gonna be fun scenes. There's gonna be sad scenes. There's gonna be tough scenes. There's gonna be fight scenes. A lot of people don't sign up for the whole movie. They just sign up for the good part." The rap star thinks Coco, 44, is a perfect partner for him. He said, "The fact of it is, Coco and I are almost like identical. Coco's an outgoing chick. She's borderline exhibitionist. She likes to show herself. She's fun like that. I dig that. So, you gotta find somebody who you really like them as themselves." Ice-T also recognises that there's an emotional connection between himself and Coco. The rapper suggested that he doesn't take anything for granted - even after two decades of marriage. He explained, "You have to stay in tune with it. It's like a plant. You have to water it, like every once in a while, Are you still happy?' Because the problem with humans is we keep evolving." You can share this post! Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday lauded the Karnataka governments decision to scrap the four per cent reservation for Muslims under the 2B Other Backward Classes (OBCs) category, saying the quota on religious lines was constitutionally invalid. Addressing public gatherings at Gorata village in Bidar district and Gabbur in Raichur district, he slammed the Congress for introducing the four per cent reservation for Muslims for vote bank politics. The Union Minister pointed out that the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government also tried to do away with the injustice to the Scheduled Castes by introducing a new internal reservation. The entire 2B category was only for the Muslims, and the BJP government scrapped it, saying that it was not constitutionally tenable, and divided the four per cent quota equally among the two dominant communities of the state: Vokkaligas in the 2C reservation category and the Veerashaiva-Lingayats in the 2D reservation category. This rendered 2B obsolete, while the Vokkaligas reservation increased from 4% to 6% and the Lingayats from 5% to 7%. The BJP never believed in appeasement. So, it decided to change the reservation, Shah said, strongly defending the decision. The BJP abolished the four per cent reservation given to the minorities and gave two per cent to the Vokkaligas and two per cent to the Lingayats, Shah said. The reservation for minorities is not constitutionally valid. There is no provision in the Constitution to grant reservations based on religion. This Congress government did it for its appeasement politics and gave reservations to the minorities, he added. The media was never biased towards BJP; rather, there is a big social media and mainstream media group that impatiently attacks BJP and its leaders. The media was always biased towards the ruling party of the time. Since the BJP is ruling India now, the media naturally supports it. The BJP does not control all media. That can never happen in a democratic country like India. If it did, you would be living in a dictatorship. If we believed we were living under a dictatorship, I wouldnt be writing this editorial. Yes, the BJP influences some media outlets that toe its line. Media, whether print or electronic, is a costly proposition that requires a lot of resources. So when they do not toe the line of the ruling party of the day, the government can and most of the time does try to block the flow of these resources, mostly in the form of advertisement revenue, directly by stopping government advertisements to these non-compliant media and indirectly by inciting other private industries and trade to follow suit. No media house wants or can withstand this for long. When the government changes, even the media changes. But in the near future, Congress will have no such privilege; they really need to fight for their existence by all means. Most media moguls also have many other business interests, for which they must always need some obligations or support from the governments of the day. So it goes against their grain not to be supportive of the ruling party in their media presentations. Same goes with most of the journalists, who feel it convenient to fall in line either to enjoy some inducements or at least to avoid any harassment in the discharge of their journalistic activity. This applies to all ruling parties, whether the present BJP or the Congress in earlier decades. Only the inducements and threats might be sometimes overt but most of the time more covert and subtle. Very few media houses and journalists show some spine to stand up for their professional independence and courage of conviction. If the BJP has dedicated media barons as their flag bearers, then we should know that the nexus of Congress is also very strong, as you cant imagine. They have their people everywhere; even the paid historians who have written the history in the NCERT childrens books are in their favor. They too have their nexus with editors and writers who threw the word like ISI for RSS in the media when Congress was at high pitch. When Congress was in power, almost all pro-BJP (or even centre-right ideologues) journalists were thrown out of their jobs due to pressure from the ruling party. Many journalists were arrested for their anti-Congress voices. No opposition was ever kind to the media because they blamed them for being the ruling partys lap dogs. Remember the great venerable Ramnath Goenka, frustrated and broken by repeated I-T raids and ED investigations, who ultimately had to fire Arun Shourie twice from the Indian Express, which was once the best Indian newspaper in the 1970s and 80s? That was the team Goenka the owner, Shourie the editor, and S. Gurumurthy the fearless journalistthat brought political heavyweights like Indira Gandhi down on her knees and even took on corporate honchos like Dhirubhai Ambani. Very little centre-right ideology then existed in Indian media, and that too in minor publications. Almost all the mainstream media houses were thoroughly infiltrated and coerced into towing the Congress line, sometimes just through ideology and relationships and not even money power. The Congress party owned and controlled virtually every mainstream media outlet in India, including the Hindustan Times, The Times of India, NDTV, CNN-IBN, The Hindu, Tehelka, Outlook, and others. When the BJP came to power, the first thing they straightened out were anti-BJP campaigners. I have a small media house, which is considered to be a parallel media. We dont fit into mainstream media either by our reach or by our size, but still, the constructive criticism we make is accepted by the BJP and its leaders. We were never under pressure to speak the truth, be it against the BJP. PM Modi rather volunteered, saying the media should offer constructive criticism so that the ruling party can improvise on various fronts. There is a stark gap in trust among supporters of political parties in news outlets. Patterns of news consumption differed among supporters of the ruling BJP and opposition parties. It is claimed that most readers of English newspapers support the Congress, while consumers of Hindi news seem to lean towards the BJP. The proportion of individuals that mostly read the newspaper in English is around 3%, but among this tiny segment, the Congress enjoys the most support. This is not the case among readers who read newspapers in other languages. We have to believe that the Modi government is well received in the Indian news media. The media is made up of people who deal a lot with politics or politicians. And its natural that they are still toward one or the other ideology. We are in a very complicated political environment where deciding what is right and what is wrong is difficult. Every event has multiple facets, and it depends on the reporter as to what he sees and what he wants to show. But calling journalists prestitutes, bazaru, bikau, darbaari, or party workers is not new in Indian politics. What people need to understand is that they are served what they want to buy, and the media needs to realize that they still need a balance. JB Financial Group holds an annual shareholders' meeting at the headquarters of Jeonbuk Bank in March 29, 2019. Newsis Minor shareholders' voices getting louder through proxy voting By Anna J. Park More than seven out of 10 listed Korean companies are set to hold annual shareholders' meetings throughout this week and market watchers are paying particular attention to JB Financial and KT&G, whose annual meetings are expected to become the settings of proxy fights initiated by activist funds. JB Financial Group is facing a showdown in a proxy battle with Align Partners, a local activist fund, at its annual shareholders' meeting on Thursday. Align Partners is the financial giant's second-largest shareholder with a 14.04 percent stake. As a key shareholder, the activist fund has been urging the group to increase dividends since early this year. Yet the group's shareholder return policy announced in early February, deciding to pay 715 won ($0.55) of dividend per share, failed to satisfy the activist fund's demand, prompting it to submit a shareholder proposal urging the group to pay 900 won in dividends per share. JB Financial's board, as well as Samyang Corp., the largest shareholder of the group holding a 14.61 percent stake, are opposed to Align's demand to increase the dividend allocation for the sake of bolstering the financial group's capacity to absorb losses. Thus, the fate of the agenda is to be decided through a proxy contest at Thursday's shareholders' meeting. While two representative global proxy voting advisors Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis issued opinions in favor of JB Financial's side, it won't be an easy proxy battle to predict, as the gap between JB Financial stakes held by Samyang and Align Partners is only 0.57 percentage point. KT&G's shareholders' meeting slated for Tuesday is also expected to witness a proxy fight among shareholders, as Singapore-headquartered activist fund Flashlight Capital Partners (FCP) initiated a set of shareholder proposals. The activist fund submitted a total of 10 proposals, including a share buyback, cash dividend allocation and recommendations of independent directors. On a similar note, DB HiTek, Taekwang Industrial Co., and Namyang Dairies are facing proxy contests during their shareholders' meetings slated later this week, initiated by either by minor shareholders' associations or an activist fund. According to the Korea Securities Depository (KSD), 1,839 companies, which constitute 73.2 percent of 2,509 listed corporations that settle accounts in December, will hold their annual shareholders' meetings from Monday to Friday. Out of 1,839 corporations, 445 are listed on the benchmark KOSPI, 1,247 companies listed on the tech-heavy Kosdaq market, while the remaining 120 companies are listed at the KONEX market, an acronym for the Korea New Exchange, which was established to support startups, as well as small and medium-sized (SMEs) businesses. Actor Jonathan Majors was arrested Saturday in New York on charges of strangulation, assault and harassment, authorities said. On Sunday, an attorney for Majors said theres evidence that he is entirely innocent. Defense attorney Priya Chaudry released the following statement to TMZ: Jonathan Majors is completely innocent and is probably the victim of an altercation with a woman he knows. We are quickly gathering and presenting evidence to the District Attorney with the expectation that all charges will be dropped imminently. New statement from Jonathan Majors attorney, saying they have evidence + two written statements from the woman recanting these allegations https://t.co/Ixx8KHgiyg pic.twitter.com/yxePL7ot7h philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) March 26, 2023 New York City police said that Majors, star of the recently released Creed III and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, was involved in a domestic dispute with a 30-year-old woman. Police responded around 11 a.m. Saturday to a 911 call inside an apartment in the Manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea. The victim informed police she was assaulted, a spokesperson for the NYPD said in a statement. Officers placed the 33-year-old male into custody without incident. The victim sustained minor injuries to her head and neck and was removed to an area hospital in stable condition. Majors was no longer in police custody as of Saturday night, the NYPD spokesperson confirmed to The Associated Press. Chaudhry said Majors is provably the victim of an altercation with a woman he knows and blamed the incident on the woman having an emotional crisis. Chaudhry said there was evidence clearing Majors, including video footage from the vehicle where this episode took place, witness testimony from the driver and others who both saw and heard the episode, and most importantly, two written statements from the woman recanting these allegations. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Alabama has committed $537 million in federal funds for high-speed internet under plans state lawmakers and Gov. Kay Ivey approved last year and during a special session this month. About one-fifth of addresses in Alabama lack access to high-speed internet, and about three-fourths do not have access to the speed officials consider the standard for the next decade. Alabama has chipped away at filling those gaps with a state-funded grant program for five years, but the federal money far exceeds that state funding. The money allocated is one-fourth of the $2 billion Alabama received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a pandemic relief bill Congress passed two years ago. The federal government allows states to use the ARPA money for internet access, water and sewer projects, and other needs the pandemic did not cause. The Alabama Legislature allotted $277 million to broadband last year and another $260 million this month. The money will provide grants to companies that install the fiber-optic cable and other equipment needed to deliver broadband internet to areas that do not have it. Alabama allocated last years $277 million into two grant categories: $82 million for middle-mile projects, those that extend or fill gaps in fiber networks; and $192 million for last-mile projects, which will connect to the homes, businesses, schools, and other places to allow people to subscribe to high-speed internet through a private provider. The Legislature did not specify how the state will use $260 million approved this month. But officials say Alabama has a framework in place to send it where it is needed. I think weve done a lot more preparation on the front end, said state Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Cullman, one of the Legislatures top advocates for broadband access. I think our state will go quicker and more smoothly than some because of the preparation that weve had. The planning and the mapping, knowing who has and who doesnt. In 2018, Alabama set up the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund, a state-funded grant program. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) administers the program. Alabama has awarded 109 grants totaling $88.6 million. Through this program, over 22,000 previously unserved addresses now have access to high-speed internet, and nearly 60,000 more unserved addresses are expected to have access to high-speed internet in the next two years, Mike Presley, chief of communications for ADECA, said in an email. Once all Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund projects awarded to date have been completed, access to broadband service will be available to more than 82,000 Alabama households, businesses and community institutions that currently have no option to subscribe. ADECAs website carries news and information about the grant programs, including a list of the grants awarded so far. Ivey announces grants from the state program when they awarded, including nine grants totaling $25 million she announced this month. Much work remains to make high-speed internet available throughout the state, a need that public officials say parallels the rural electrification projects of the 1930s and 1940s. Officials say broadband is a necessity because of its value for work, school, business, and health care. The pandemic put new emphasis on the need to fill the gaps. Connectivity is the great equalizer, Senate Majority Leader Clay Scofield, R-Guntersville, said last year when the middle-mile project was announced. And I truly believe it will bring our most vulnerable communities into the 21st century. Broadband is the new utility, Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, said. It is the new power. It is the new water. The money from ARPA can help the state reach the unserved areas, expanding on what the state grants have done. The preparation that Shedd mentioned for using the federal funds includes the Connect Alabama Act, which the Legislature passed in 2021. It created the Alabama Digital Expansion Authority, a board to oversee broadband development. Shedd and Scofield are the co-chairs. In January 2022, the state released the Alabama Connectivity Plan and the Alabama Broadband Map to spell out the scope of the expansion effort and identify where access is lacking. The Alabama Connectivity Plan said 19 percent of addresses in the state did not have access to what the state defines as broadband, a minimum download speed of 100 megabits per second and upload speed of 20 megabits per second, or 100/20. The plan says faster internet, 100/100, is a better standard for new projects, and Alabama requires that in its state-funded grants. Only about 25 percent of the addresses had access to 100/100, according to the Alabama Connectivity Plan. The Connectivity Plan estimated it will cost $4 billion to $6 billion to make 100/100 internet available to all the areas that do not have 100/20 access now. The plan sets a 10-year goal of delivering access of 100/20 to 98 percent of addresses with the capability of being increased to 100/100 in a cost-effective way. The $82 million middle-mile project state officials announced last year was a grant awarded to Fiber Utility Network, a partnership of eight rural electric cooperatives. Officials said it would connect more than 3,000 miles of new and existing fiber networks over three years. The remainder of the $277 million from last years broadband allocation will go to $192 million in grants for last-mile projects. The U.S. Treasury Department approved the states plan for using those funds in January. According to Presley at ADECA, none of the funds have been awarded yet. He said ADECA is working diligently to set up the grant program, which he said will be a competitive program similar to the state-funded grants Alabama has issued since 2018. The state program provides grants of up to $5 million or 80 percent of the cost of a project. Eligible projects are those that connect unserved areas, middle-mile projects, and projects to connect to a hospital, school, public safety building, or economic development site. They generally must be finished in two years. Shedd notes an example where reliance on federal funds can add some steps to getting the money where it is needed. For example, he said the state has about $85 million in last-mile projects ready to go but does not have the funding in the state grant program. But he said those grant applications would have to be repeated to qualify for the federal funds. If we cant find state funds to do it with, we may have to do that, Shedd said. But these projects will all have to reapply and be rescored using the federal guidelines instead of the state guidelines. The plan for using the ARPA funds, including the large allotments to broadband, won almost unanimous approval in the Legislature. Rep. Arnold Mooney, a Republican from Birmingham, voted against the plan. Mooney said at a budget committee meeting that he had received conflicting answers when he asked whether the $260 million would be used for middle-mile or last-mile projects. Shedd said that has not been decided. The bill allocating the money says it will be used consistent with the Alabama Connectivity Plan as approved by the Alabama Digital Expansion Authority. Thats a decision were going to have to make with the ADEA board, Shedd said. I dont think we know yet. The bill was just approved and we havent met. We will be working on it hard and quickly. Shedd said discussions about the need to expand broadband were in the early stages when was elected to the Legislature in 2013. Shedd said he took special interest in broadband partly because of his experiences as chairman of the Cullman County Commission from 1977 to 1985. When I first came to Montgomery as a legislator a little bit of talk was starting, Shedd said. Sen. Scofield was pretty much the leader in the broadband discussion and had an interest in it. I was chairman of our county commission in Cullman County for eight years and during that time we were developing rural water lines throughout Cullman County. I got to realizing that broadband was like rural water. And of course before that it was like rural electricity. Shedd said he believes collaboration between the governor, the Legislature, ADECA, and the private sector have put Alabama in good position to use the ARPA money and other funding that becomes available to promote broadband expansion. He said grant programs are essential to reach areas where it would not otherwise be feasible for private providers to spend the money to extend the fiber and other equipment needed. Its money thats being spent to get access that would not happen otherwise, in my opinion, Shedd said. Second of all, its a great investment in that once the providers build the lines and do all the infrastructure to provide internet, its theirs and that means the state doesnt have to maintain it. So if it was a state agency or state operation, not only would be spending money for building it, but wed be spending taxpayer money maintaining it. So I think thats a strong and great asset to the state for what were doing. When it comes to taxes, Alabama is all over the map. The Yellowhammer State leads the United States in local sales tax, but a big driver of that fact is the states nation-low property tax rate. RELATED: Alabama has the highest local sales tax in the nation The average Alabamian paid just $632 in property taxes in 2020, according to a recent report from the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. Thats by far the the lowest in the nation, and just over a third of the national rate. [Cant see the map? Click here.] In general, states in the Northeast pay the most in property taxes, with residents in Washington, D.C., paying the most. D.C. property taxes per capita were more than $4,200 in 2020, or nearly 7 times higher than Alabamas rate. Many states in the Southeast join Alabama with relatively low property tax rates - nine of the bottom 10 states for property taxes are in the South, depending on your definition of the region. But none of them come close to Alabama. The state with the second lowest property tax rate in 2020 was Arkansas, with a per capita rate of nearly $800. Thats $166 more than in Alabama. And if Alabama land and property owners are happy paying the lowest property taxes in the nation, theres some good news - its not likely to change any time soon. Alabama property tax rates on things like homes, farmland and timberland are protected by the state constitution, making them very difficult to raise, according to PARCA. So local governments are forced to turn to other means to raise money. That means higher sales taxes, including taxing groceries - Alabama is one of just three states, including Mississippi and South Dakota, that still does that. Another way local governments in Alabama get around low property taxes? Traffic enforcement and speed traps. You can read all about that here. Still, Alabama remains a low-tax state. According to PARCA, the state ranked 50th out of 51 states and Washington D.C. in all taxes combined per capita in 2020, ahead of only neighboring Tennessee. Do you have an idea for a data story about Alabama? Or questions about Alabama that data may be able to answer? Email Ramsey Archibald at rarchibald@al.com, and follow him on Twitter @RamseyArchibald. Read more Alabama data stories here. Alabama is not done with severe weather just yet. More strong to severe storms will be possible starting later Saturday night in Alabama, and multiple waves of storms will be possible through the day on Sunday along a slow-moving warm front. South and south-central Alabama will be the places to watch for the upcoming waves of storms. North Alabama could see rain and even a storm or two, but widespread severe weather isnt expected this time around. The severe weather risk for Sunday for part of Alabama has been raised to a Level 3 out of 5, mainly out of concern for large hail, according to the National Weather Service. There will be a Level 2 risk overnight for parts of the state (see that map at the top of this post). Here is the severe weather outlook for Sunday: There will be a Level 3 out of 5 risk for severe weather on Sunday in the areas in orange. A large part of the rest of the state could also see severe storms on Sunday. Tonights storms could come less than one day after the last round of storms, which began Friday night in north Alabama and continued into Saturday in south Alabama. At least three tornadoes have been confirmed so far from those storms in north Alabama, and one person was killed in Morgan County. South Alabama was also hit with several severe storms during Saturday afternoon. Tonights storms could be big hail producers and could also bring damaging winds. There will also be the possibility of a tornado, though the probabilities of those are not as high tonight as they were last night. South Alabama will have the higher probabilities for seeing severe storms tonight and Sunday. The threat for isolated severe storms cant be ruled out farther north into central Alabama as well, according to the National Weather Service. NOAAs Storm Prediction Center has a Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe weather for part of south and south-central Alabama through the overnight hours tonight. A Level 2 risk means that scattered severe storms will be possible. More of south Alabama and part of central Alabama has a Level 1 risk, which means that isolated severe storms will be possible. A Level 3, or enhanced risk, will be in place on Sunday for parts of south and south-central Alabama, which means that numerous severe storms will be possible. The National Weather Service in Birmingham said the severe weather outlook over the next day is complex and could involve multiple rounds of storms in some places. Forecasters as of Saturday think there could be two main waves of storms. The first could begin later tonight and last into Sunday morning. Then another round of storms could develop on Sunday afternoon and last into Sunday night. There could also be storms that develop in between. Areas that get multiple storms could also have to deal with flooding, the weather service said. Here is a look at what the National Weather Service offices were expecting as of Saturday evening: SEVERE WEATHER UPDATE (THREAD): Strong to severe storms possible beginning late tonight & lasting into Sun night. Damaging winds & large (2+ inch) hail are the primary threats. While the tornado threat seems conditional tonight, it may increase Sun evening. #mobwx (1/6) pic.twitter.com/bQyB3ldZRS NWS Mobile (@NWSMobile) March 25, 2023 (1/3): We have a complex forecast over the next 36 hours as multiple rounds of potentially severe thunderstorms are possible late tonight through late Sunday night. The overall threat is highest across the southern half of Central Alabama. pic.twitter.com/TFfUJqLCfd NWS Birmingham (@NWSBirmingham) March 25, 2023 Guards inside in the Walker County Jail, a north Alabama facility at the center of recent claims that an inmate died of hypothermia, were already facing a separate suit over allegations they assaulted a teenager five years ago, strapped him into a restraint chair and left him outside in only his underwear. Jaden Gilbert argues in state court that he was beaten and strapped to a restraint chair and placed in the yard, exposed to the elements, in April of 2018, as punishment following an incident where he tried to stand up for another inmate. He sued in 2020. Two guards, according to the complaint, determined to maximize the terror and emotional distress to be experienced by Mr. Gilbert, a minor, carried him outside onto the yard which was dark and exposed to the elements and left him unattended in the restraint chair. Attorneys for the jail and the guards tell a different story. They say Gilbert was aggressive and their use of force was necessary. Violent and aggressive behavior like this is not unusual for Gilbert, reads the response on behalf of the jailers, who claim they acted in self-defense. Attorneys for Gilbert ask the judge to order the county to implement policies to prevent guards from such behavior. Attorneys for both sides did not comment for this story. Circuit Judge Doug Farris dismissed Walker County from the lawsuit in January. The attorneys for the guards told the court they plan to argue to dismiss the case, but right now both sides are still collecting evidence. In Alabama and nationwide, restraint chairs have been involved in controversial court cases involving inmate deaths and injuries in recent years. There is no state data on the frequency of how often the chairs are used in jails or for what purposes. This suit was filed two years before the Walker County Sheriffs Office faced a prominent suit alleging the jail left a mentally ill man, Anthony Mitchell, in a frigid cell without water or access to medical care as he suffered from hypothermia, leading to his death. An initial complaint in that federal suit also alleged Mitchell was placed in a restraint chair. That claim about the chair has since been dropped from revised complaints. According to Gilberts suit against the jail, another inmates toilet was overflowing and he called for help by pressing an intercom button. Officer Jason Mechalske responded and got into an argument with that man, Brandon Williams. Mechalske then called his supervisor, Lt. Charles Hannah, and, according to the suit, the two officers forced Williams into a restraint chair. Defendants Hannah and Mechalske assaulted Mr. Williams while he was bound and restrained in the chair and unable to defend himself in any manner, the complaint alleges. Gilberts attorneys argue that Gilbert was then punished for standing up for Williams. Gilberts attorneys say he watched the officers beat Williams, who was in a nearby cell and called out for help, according to the complaint. The officers reacted by punishing him, too, the complaint alleges. Hannah and Mechalske have argued that they are immune from being sued as state agents. Correction officers have dangerous and violent jobs, but this Plaintiff and others believe that they should be at risk for injury or death by not ever allowing them to defend themselves, reads a motion to dismiss from 2020. In a footnote, the motion called Gilberts suit frivolous and stated that if the case goes to trial, the defendants will show that Gilbert became aggressive and threatened Lt. Hannah, forcing him to use his baton. They also say that when Mechalske came to help, Gilbert was aggressive, and the officers decided to put him in a restraint chair. Gilbert was arrested for robbery with a deadly weapon in 2017 and 2018, according to court filings. Hannah got mad and told Gilbert to come out. He walked into Gilberts cell, unprovoked, and slapped him in the throat as Gilbert tried to exit the cell, the complaint states. The officer told Gilbert to walk toward the booking area and hit him with his baton as he was walking, the suit contends. Hannah then called a code red, without provocation and Officer Mechalske came running after them and tackled Gilbert to the ground where the officers then handcuffed Gilbert, then lifted him to his feet, and Mechalske, again tackled him to the ground where the officers assault him further. The complaint alleges the jail has received numerous complaints about excessive force and improper conduct by Officer Mechalske. The officers then forced Gilbert into a restraint chair wearing only his underwear, the suit says, and placed him in the yard at night. In a third lawsuit involving the Walker County Jail and a second involving a restraint chair, a former inmate, now deceased, sued the jail, serving as his own attorney, alleging he was denied mental health treatment, assaulted and left, sitting in his urine, in a restraint chair. Joshua Clayton Little filed complaint pro se on March 30, 2020, Nobody should be put through what I had to endure, said Joshua Clayton Little, in his complaint against the jail, filed in federal court. I had some health and mental problems. I asked for help, he argued, saying an officer then responded by assaulting him. He put me in a restraint chair and left me. I had pee all over me. My eyes swolled shut. Its all on camera. The Daily Mountain Eagle reports Joshua Clayton Little passed away on June 26, 2021, in Nashville at the age of 35. A spokesperson for Walker County Jail did not respond to requests for comment. David Shers ComebackTown to give voice to the people of Birmingham & Alabama. Click here to sign up for newsletter. (Opt out at any time) Todays guest columnist is Ryan Hankins. The purpose of expanding Medicaid is to provide access to medical care for a population of adults who dont have employer-provided insurance and whose incomes are too low to qualify for a subsidy on the healthcare exchange. Policymakers have long worried about the cost of expanding Medicaid. Others have suggested that providing access to care is not a cost of that should not be borne by society. The dirty little secret is that society is already paying these costs. Fundamentally, adults without medical insurance have two choices: dont seek medical care or seek very expensive, very inefficient medical care through local hospital emergency departments. In the first scenario, health concerns are ignored, leading, among other things, to lower quality of life, the potential spread of sickness, loss of productivity, and ultimately increased mortality. Society bears all these costs. In the second scenario, adults seek care through a local hospital emergency department. Such care is expensive and inefficientand like the above scenario, also borne by society. The cost of this care is passed on through increased insurance premiums, hospital fees, and demands on public dollars. Alabama and Alabamians are already paying the price. Are we getting a good deal? Expanding Medicaid would change this calculus, allowing people currently without health insurance to access medical care in a more efficient and affordable way. While advocates have long argued for the state to expand Medicaid, the constant refrain of skeptics and opponents has been that we cant afford it. For most of the last decade, those skeptics and critics were correct. For much of the 2010s, the state relied on one-time revenue sources to balance its books, particularly the General Fund. As awful as the BP oil spill was, the resulting settlement helped the state to fund its prisons, mental health services, and, yes, Medicaid for another year. The same goes for the tobacco settlement. In those years, the state could barely afford to meet current obligations. The idea of expandinganything, was laughable. However, times have changed. The Rolling Reserve Act, which the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) helped develop, a growing economy, and new tax revenues from online sales have stabilized both the Education Trust Fund and the General Fund. Meanwhile, laws passed as part of the federal governments COVID response have created new financial incentives for Alabama and the other 9 non-expansion states incentives not available to the 40 states which have expanded. New information requires a new assessment. And this is what PARCA provided last year. Our assessment found that expanding Medicaid in Alabama would cost approximately $225.4 million per year. At the same time, though, the state could reduce or reallocate current dollars spent on certain health services that would be covered under expanded Medicaid. Alabama pays between 28% and 100% of the cost of these services now. Under expansion, Alabamas share of these costs would drop to 10% of the cost. This change would result in as much as $163.8 million in current annual spending that could be reduced or reallocated to other services. Moreover, new federal incentives mean that for the first two years of expansion, the federal government would increase its share of current costs for current Medicaid enrollees by five percentage points, from about 72% to about 78%. While this incentive would be in place for only the first two years, we project it would reduce current state Medicaid expenses by approximately $619 million, $103.24 million annualized, in that time frame. Taken together, while expansion would cost $225 million per year, it would also allow the state to reduce or reallocate $266 million in current annual expenses for a net of $41 million per year. Medicaid is no panacea, and expansion does not solve all problems. Alabama Medicaids actual benefits provided remain stingy. Reimbursements to medical providers are far below the true costs of services, resulting in far too few providers accepting Medicaid. There are those who voice opposition because of the impact on the federal budget and debts. However, standing up for this principle doesnt stop Alabama taxpayers from paying for the benefits provided to low-income residents in the states that have expanded Medicaid. It does, however, deny health coverage to low-income residents of Alabama. At the same time, it prevents additional available federal money from flowing into Alabama to pay medical providers. When Medicaid expansion was first proposed, it would have been very difficult for Alabama to fund the program. However, times have changed. The financial structures have evolved. New data have emerged. While there may be good reasons to not expand Medicaid, that Alabama cant afford it is no longer one of them. Ryan Hankins is Executive Director of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. He has lived in Alabama since 2000. Ryan Hankins is Executive Director of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. He has lived in Alabama since 2000. David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. Hes past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP). Click here to sign up for our newsletter. (Opt out at any time) Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, left, smiles, as Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks to reporters at a restaurant in the southern port city, Tuesday. Courtesy of Prime Minister's Secretariat For challenges facing humanity, mayor urges all member states to be part of solution By Jung Min-ho BUSAN Not all nations have something to boast about at an Expo world fair. When Joseon, the last dynasty of Korea, participated in the event for the first time in Chicago in 1893, it displayed traditional garments, kites and pottery among other small items in a tiny exhibition space that was less than 85 square meters in area. Wealthier countries, meanwhile, showed off their latest inventions such as the world's first moving walk and the original Ferris wheel, an 80-meter structure intended to rival the Eiffel Tower, the centerpiece of the previous Paris Expo in 1889. Korea's rise from that humble beginning the story of overcoming Japan's colonial occupation, war, extreme poverty and many other formidable challenges that followed is still an inspiration to the world and the ability to share that experience firsthand is the biggest strength of the country, as Busan seeks to host the World Expo in 2030, according to Park Heong-joon, the mayor of the southeastern port city. "After meeting many leaders around the world while promoting our Expo bid, I learned that each nation has its unique problems. Some are struggling with food shortages, while others are suffering from the poor quality of public healthcare services or a dearth of energy," Park told reporters at a recent meeting. "As a country that has experienced the very same issues in the past several decades, Korea is in the best position to help them find solutions." His remarks come as Busan attempts to differentiate itself from other bidders Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, Italy's Rome and Ukraine's Odesa ahead of an official visit by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), an organization that supervises the Expos. Its delegation is scheduled to travel to Seoul and Busan for an inspection from April 2 to 7. In the run-up to a vote to select the host country of World Expo 2030 at the governing body's general assembly in November, the city's bid promotion committee plans to concentrate its resources on highlighting the Busan Initiatives, through which it offers long-term support for countries seeking to emulate Korea's economic development by providing training and know-how rather than, say, financial aid for one-time construction projects. Cho You-jang, director-general of Busan's committee for the Expo 2030 bid, speaks about the city's port development plans for the international event in Busan, Tuesday. Courtesy of Prime Minister's Secretariat "More than two thirds of the member states fall into the category of developing countries, which hold the key to the outcome," said Cho You-jang, director-general of the committee. "Many countries in Africa and Central and South America show great interest in learning about Korea's social and economic model, while Pacific island members are deeply concerned about climate change, one of the main issues we offer to resolve through the Busan Initiatives." Such efforts by Busan aim not only to garner support for the right to host the 2030 event, but also to change the very nature of it. Expos used to be a platform where some of the most advanced technologies were showcased. Over the past century, however, that role has been increasingly played by tech- or economy-focused events like the Consumer Electronics Show. Thus, future Expos should rather serve as a platform where different visions and ideas are shared and visionaries can connect and address issues facing humanity, the mayor said. "Given the opportunity, Busan will seek to transform it into a platform where every country presents solutions for different yet shared challenges. While they prepare themselves for Expo 2030 and beyond, Korea and Busan will continue to work with countries and cities around the world as their reliable partners," Park said. This photo shows an envisioned floating community near the coast of Busan / Courtesy of OCEANIX, BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group World's 1st sustainable floating community next to Expo venue Busan's efforts have already begun to turn one of its ports, North Port inside the Port of Busan, into a venue for tens of millions of expected visitors during a six-month period, with a futuristic opera house under construction and the authorities planning to expand and improve the area's infrastructure. But one of the highlights of the project will not be found on land. In collaboration with U.N.-Habitat, a United Nations agency working for a better urban future, the city government plans to create space for a floating community near its shore by 2030. Named as Oceanix Busan, the objective of building the prototype is to find out whether such floating communities can be possible, affordable and sustainable when countries around the world may have to adapt to rising sea levels amid climate change, city officials said. When completed, the community will have room for some 300 people, which, in theory, can be expanded easily to house 10,000 or more residents. An aerial view of North Port area inside the Port of Busan after the completion of development as the venue for World Expo 2030 / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan Government Foreign Minister Park Jin, right, speaks with Moroccan Ambassador Chafik Rachadi, who serves as Dean of Arab Diplomatic Corps in Seoul, during an Iftar dinner hosted by Korea's foreign ministry in commemoration of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at a hotel in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs By Kwon Mee-yoo Foreign Minister Park Jin hosted an Iftar dinner, Friday, emphasizing the significance of solidarity as Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan in Korea. "Ramadan is more than just a month of fasting. It is a time of solidarity. Over the past three years, we have come to realize all the more fully the deep meaning of the human connections in our world, reminding us that no one is an island," Park said ahead of the dinner. "All humanity shared a shared plight and this fostered in us a sense of shared destiny, an affinity. Yet there are still countless individuals around the world who endure immense suffering be it due to poverty, disasters or conflict." The minister continued on to express sympathy for people in need, particularly those impacted by the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria and affirmed Korea's steadfast support for the affected region. During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset and fasting during the period is one of the five pillars of Islamic values. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has hosted the event since 2004 to promote cultural understanding, but it was halted from 2020 to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign Minister Park Jin delivers a speech during an Iftar dinner hosted by Korea's foreign ministry in commemoration of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at a hotel in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs F*** you! Youre not wanted here. Youre harming people by asking that question. Were going to disrupt you. -- Group of Portland State University (PSU) social workers to Philosophy Prof. Peter Boghossian for conducting a Socratic exercise on campus. Prof. Peter Boghossian posted a video of a discussion he had with a group of social workers at Portland State University (PSU). He was doing what he calls street epistemology (approaching epistemological issues not in stuffy classroom in real conversations but on the street). He displayed a sign that said There are two genders and invited passers-by to respond to the sign. When a group of people began yelling insults at him from the top of the building, Boghossian invited them to have a conversation. About 15 people soon emerge from the building and approach him. Boghossian was polite to a fault. The group was often not. 19-minute video One spokeswoman begins by stating that they were curious what he was doing down there, to which Boghossian replied that he was conducting a critical thinking game. The extraordinary insincerity of the group is illustrated by her statement. If one is curious about what is going on one approaches and says, Can you tell us what is going on? One does not shout from the rooftop F*** you. Go away! When Boghossian brings up the fact that they said F*** you! and hurled insults at him, none of them deny it. One spokesperson for the group explained that some of their trans students were triggered by the sign because they didnt know the context for the sign. However, if one doesnt know the context one asks, Whats the context? One does not yell F*** you! Go away. Ironically, Boghossian was inviting the passers-by to state their views and provide any context for that sentence they wanted. Thats what the group wanted wasnt it? Further, Boghossian never made the statement that there are two genders. When a teacher holding a class-debate writes on the whiteboard, Russia is the enemy of the United States, they have not stated that Russia is the enemy of the United States. They have merely indicated the debate topic. It would be useful if university people could distinguish between unasserted sentences and asserted statements so that childish conflicts could be avoided. One Caucasian male explains the real basis for their objection: What does it look like to other people? 5 white men putting on a sign that says there are only two genders. You could have been Westboro Baptist Church. This person has not, apparently, mastered the distinction between looks and is from in his 2nd grade English language reader. If he were really worried about whether Boghossian were from Westboro Baptist Church, he could have asked, Are you from Westboro Baptist Church, to which Boghossian would have explained, No, Im doing an exercise in street epistemology. Mystery eliminated! Someone else says that Boghossian is representing the white race. That is silly. Since the aforementioned young man is white, is he representing the white race? Really? All of it? At another point a woman asks Boghossian if he is trying to cause trouble. The answer is not difficult. No, hes doing street epistemology. Its called thinking. The groups central claim is that Boghossians exercise is harmful. Boghossian asks them what is harmful about it but none of them ever manages to say what the harm is. They do repeat their claim that Boghossians exercise is harmful, that people felt bad and the like, but repeating a thesis is not justifying it. A woman states that some people went home because they saw his sign. However, that does not show that anyone was harmed. It may show that they think they were harmed but thinking one has been harmed is not the same thing as being harmed. When a psychiatrist probes into a patients past the patient may feel they have been harmed and resist when, in fact, the psychiatrist is helping them. Have todays social workers forgotten this? One particularly comical exchange occurs when a woman sanctimoniously asks Boghossian if he knows about the view, which she wrongly regards as settled fact, that gender is a social construction. Boghossian is a philosophy Ph.D. who teaches gender studies. He will know far more about that controversial theory than any of them and there are plenty of scientific reasons to question that social construction of gender theory. One woman asserts the platitude that were talking about real humans and their lived experience and positionality and their identities and adds that were here to advocate and elevate those who might be harmed by this statement. Again, that presupposes rather than provides an account of how Boghossians sign harms anyone. The entire group continually demonstrates that they do not understand what a reflective investigation is, that is, the distinction between asserting that P and asking, reflectively, what P means or why a rational person should believe that P. Another woman says that the harm is that gender minority people might feel suicidal ideation when they see messages like this all throughout their lives. This is supposed to be a safe space where people can feel safe in their own identities. First, one cannot have a genuine university that is a safe space but that is another discussion. Second, her own statement undermines her attempted explanation. Boghossian did not put that message on the sign all throughout their lives. He did it one afternoon and the remedy for that is to approach Boghossian and ask, Do you think there are only two genders? to which Boghossian would reply, I am only doing street epistemology, not stating my own views. One does not help people by turning them into psychological invalids who cannot face a challenging message. Ironically, one HARMS them by doing that. The group never grasps that Boghossian does not assert theses. He is imitating what Socrates (fifth century BC Athens), in Platos Socratic dialogues, did, namely, asking people questions about their beliefs. Just as Socratess countrymen were not very happy at being asked to justify their beliefs, this group was not happy with Boghossian because they manifestly cannot explain or justify their beliefs. When, after taking the groups questions for some time, Boghossian starts asking them some questions, many of them walk away. They can question you but you must not question them. Not a single person in the group has any idea whatsoever what Boghossian was doing. None have any idea what a reflective inquiry is and literally none have any idea how to formulate a thesis and defend it. At one point several people enthusiastically say they wanted to find out what Boghossian thinks, as if, in a what is supposed to be a free country, that is any of their business, but none of them, except in a trivial sense, ever tried to find out what Boghossian was doing on the sidewalk. They came to lecture and hector him. Their most honest moment was when at the beginning they yelled F*** you! Were going to disrupt you. They succeeded in their lifes mission. They learned nothing, just like the un-reflective buffoons who executed Socrates in 399 B.C. Photo credit: YouTube screengrab Santa Clara County (SCC) residents earn the title for longest duration living under the strictest COVID rules in the nation. SCC's public health department (SCC DPH) director, Sara Cody, became the face of lockdown the spokesperson to declare the nation's first Shelter-in-Place (SIP) order on March 16, 2020. SCC was first in the nation to enter lockdown, lowest for in-person schooling, highest in restrictions, highest in punitive fines, and last to ditch school mask mandates. While frequently lauded by her proponents for touting "safety first," she knew that "the efficacy of face masks and physical distancing hadn't been established yet." Instead, Cody used intrusive surveillance to "proactively" find and fine violators, followed by legal action to compel compliance. When Calvary Chapel in San Jose's Pastor Mike McClure declared church "essential" in May 2020, he made himself a beacon for God's people seeking community and a target for SCC's compliance unit. He made headlines for accruing $2.8M in fines for "obeying God over men" (Acts 5:29) while protecting religious freedom and providing hope to congregants suffering isolation and anxiety. In response to churches' 1st Amendment lawsuit, SCC countersued Calvary Chapel and other churches for violating public health orders. While other churches settled with the county after accruing daily fines, Calvary requested legal dismissal. County lawyer WIlliams retaliated by pressuring Calvary's bank to issue a loan default based on the county's $2.8M fines. McClure sued Williams for unlawful retaliation, and their case is ongoing. As a result of the back-and-forth lawsuits, we recently learned SCCs coercion and surveillance techniques. Starting August 2020, SCC deployed its 50-employee compliance team for stakeout at the adjacent church to log daily descriptions of unmasked attendants hugging unmasked congregants without proper distancing. Starting November 2020, officers were permitted by a judge to observe indoor weekly private Bible studies, youth events, and "Manna for Mamas," where they observed personal events to tally mask status of attendees, any distancing violations, and singing. Over a six-week period starting November 2020, compliance officers recorded 51 hours of on-site surveillance, for which each officer was paid $219 per hour. SCC also monitored cellular mobility data combined with a virtual geographic boundary around Calvary Chapel to electronically count daily church visits. Although the SCC Board of Supervisors purchased SafeGraph data in early 2020 to evaluate general SIP compliance, SCC used Point-of-Interest (POI) precision to count daily visits to individual buildings on Calvary's property. The extrapolation of SafeGraph mobile phone visits to actual visits used a statistical model by Stanford Law School's Daniel Ho that cost taxpayers $800 per hour. His numbers matched those collected by the in-person surveillance team. Cody's SCC was known to have the most punitive business fines and most aggressive restrictions in Silicon Valley. Although all seven Bay Area counties authorized public health with the power to levy fines for violating their orders, most relied on local law enforcement to cite violators. However, SCC wanted to weaponize churches, small businesses, and individual residents (via an anonymous COVID violator reporting hotline) to enforce their mandates, and sent their compliance officers for a "proactive" "enhanced Black Friday COVID-19 Business Compliance effort," where they slapped surprise fines worth $450K on 181 of 427 businesses visited that weekend. Restaurant inspectors measured distances between tables, checked receipts to confirm that alcohol was always served with food, and levied fines for playing "loud music with lyrics." After citing a violator, they visited frequently to verify compliance, potentially issue recurring fines, and concurrently served lawsuits against small businesses with unpaid fines. This contrasts with nearby counties favoring an "education and warning first approach." That same November weekend, SCCDPH pushed restrictions more stringent than mandated by the state. This included SCC's mandatory home quarantine after traveling 150+ miles and 10% indoor capacity limits compared with California's 25% capacity. Williams cites travel to highcase load Los Angeles as the rationale for the 150-mile quarantine rule, as the Board of Supervisors confirmed that SafeGraph monitoring of the SCC border showed significant resident travel to Southern California during the Thanksgiving holiday. The real effect of imposing a 150-mile limit was restricting travel to lowcase count Tahoe, and SCC schools required students to attest to no 150-mile travel prior to returning to school. Schoolchildren were heavily restricted with a contact sport ban, mandated pre-event extracurricular PCR testing, a close contact quarantine decision tree (which rewards mask-wearing and the "fully vaccinated" with shorter quarantines), and mandatory school masking. Excessive, unjustified restrictions enacted by Cody were an assault on children, small businesses, and churches. Cody thought Supreme Court rulings don't apply to SCC, so the U.S. Supreme Court needed to order "Outlier" SCC to lift its ban on churches, making SCC dead last in the nation to stop blocking in-person church. By her own testimony, Cody strictly enforced mandates on people of faith and most small businesses while exempting favored groups, and she "spent taxpayer money supervising 900 contact tracers and conducting a Contact Tracing Study and the efficacy of masking to stop transmission [in infected persons without including a control group]." Even one of the Board of Supervisors expressed "concern about the way [SCC] is addressing [this mandate] relative to the science." Now that SCC is suing businesses for violating public health mandates for uncollected fines, Cody's SCCDPH will never admit that her draconian policies were wrong. Image via Needpix. I have rarely heard it mentioned in the mainstream media, but, according to reports, during the 1990s in communist China, thirty thousand members of Falun Gong were rounded up and executed. The founder of Falun Gong, Li Hongzhi, fled China and now lives in the U.S., while in China members of the order went underground. According to Freedom House, "Falun Gong practitioners across China have since [July 1999] been subjected to widespread surveillance, arbitrary detention, horrific torture, and extrajudicial killing abuses which continue today." Nonetheless, there are still some 100 million practitioners worldwide, and the movement continues to grow. Information concerning the repression of Falun Gong is a Chinese state secret, with severe penalties for anyone attempting to obtain data. As the Falun Data Infocenter puts it: "The CCP has also used political and financial influence around the world to either keep journalists silent, or drive false narratives about Falun Gong." With total control inside China and compliance by foreign journalists, the Chinese Communist Party has driven a false narrative that minimizes the number of Falun Gong practitioners and hides data on the number of those abducted, tortured, killed, and killed for their organs, thus totally obscuring the record. At the same time, Chinese and foreign media continue to suggest that the victim is the abuser: the false idea that Falun Gong is a cult with dangerous potential. For anyone who has studied the history of or practiced Falun Gong, the enormity of this continuing abuse and misinformation is obvious. Falun gong is a benign practice of meditation, exercise, and moral instruction with no political ties of any sort, but it is often represented, even by well-meaning Western journalists, as a "cult" or as a right-wing anti-CCP organization, as in a recent article in the Guardian, relying heavily on statements by Media Matters. According to the article, Falun Gong and its associated media, including the Epoch Times, have engaged in "conspiracy narratives" targeting Democrats and the Chinese Communist Party and of "links" between Joe Biden and the CCP. In fact, a great deal of evidence is emerging in the Comer investigation to show that those links are far from being conspiracy narratives. (See also a 2020 New York Times article, which labels Falun Gong "a leading purveyor of right-wing disinformation.") If those journalists would do their homework, beginning with studying Falun Gong websites and the book Zhuan Falun by Li Hongzhi, instead of relying on the well funded Chinese "zero out" campaign, they would realize that Falun Gong is an uplifting instruction based on traditional, conservative Chinese practices. The story of the Chinese government crackdown on Falun Gong is a classic example of totalitarian intolerance of competing ideas, and it involves both propaganda and physical terror. A careful examination of the record proves that the response of the communist Chinese regime is not very different from that of ancient regimes toward their own enslaved peoples. Despite their vast power, totalitarian leaders are fearful and at times even paranoid, as was Stalin, and the flip-side of fear is repression. In reality, Falun Gong is a complex spiritual practice involving qijong-like exercises, positive thinking, and moral belief based on truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. As a practitioner myself, I know how Falun Gong can transform an individual from illness to health, confusion to knowledge, and intolerance to open-mindedness. It is obvious to me how a totalitarian regime would view Falun Gong as a threat, as indeed it would be to any form of deceit, corruption, or intolerance. As Falun Gong spread in China during the 1990s, at one point with 60 to 100 million followers in China alone, the practice became a threat to a government that had once encouraged it as a healthy "money-saving" vehicle and a social safety valve for a dissatisfied citizenry. Yet within months, beginning in July 1999, perhaps 100,000 followers were arrested and 30,000 executed. Even now, nearly 4,000 practitioners were arrested in 2021 (latest figures). It is critical to consider the magnitude of this repression, with between two and four million Falun Gong followers "detained" in forced labor camps between 2000 and 2008 alone. Chinese policy toward Falun Gong is similar to the more widely publicized repression of Uyghurs, 1.5 million of whom have reportedly been detained in China, with hundreds of thousands of others subjected to forced sterilization, forced abortion, and religious suppression, and with the razing or damaging of 16,000 mosques. Like totalitarian regimes of the past, the CCP appears willing to employ the most ruthless tactics in order to secure its hold on the country. Though Falun Gong is not a political movement, the exponential growth of Falun Gong during the 1990s might well have pressured authorities to change, and as soon as China's leaders recognized this threat, they suppressed Falun Gong with a heavy hand. One could hardly be truthful, compassionate, and forbearing and lend one's support to a communist regime governed by a few thousand members of the political elite intent on benefiting from their rule at the expense of the general population. Falun Gong teaches a form of gentleness and goodness that threatens the lies and violence of any totalitarian government. One must ask: if the Chinese communists are willing to imprison millions of ethnic and religious minorities and to murder tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, what are they capable of in the future? How many lives are they willing to expend in a takeover of Taiwan? And once Taiwan is taken, how many Taiwanese will they imprison and execute? In the event of a war with Japan or with the United States, how many are they willing to see die, on both sides? And if Chinese communism were ever to achieve world domination, what kind of future could we expect? As Christians, probably something not unlike what the Uyghurs and Falun Gong have already experienced. At the same time, the specter of Chinese repression should open our eyes to the remarkable value of our own system of democratic capitalism. The CCP has diminished Falun Gong in China, but, like all religious and spiritual practices, Falun Gong has found a safe home in America, at least in principle, though the Biden administration continues to restrict religious practice, to challenge religious rights in the courts and in agency practices, and to unleash the power of agencies like the Justice Department and IRS against the open practice of religion. Many of the same tactics adopted in communist China are accepted by progressives in our own country, including the encouragement of birth control and abortion, even late-term abortion and infanticide after birth. For the present, there is still a difference between totalitarianism and democracy as practiced in the USA. Now is a time when American citizens, media, government, and corporations need to see clearly that communist China is a totalitarian government and to recognize what it is capable of. China's record toward Falun Gong, a violent repression that continues today, is one element in a string of crackdowns and arrests. We do not need to send a balloon over China to understand the nature of their regime, but we do need to recognize the enormity of its abuses and take appropriate actions to defend ourselves. Jeffrey Folks is the author of many books and articles on American culture, most recently Heartland of the Imagination (2011). Image: tookapic via Pixabay, Pixabay License. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has picked a hill to die on and it's a lulu: Saving TikTok's hugely profitable U.S. market share. Which is an odd thing for an avowed socialist. According to Axios: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D-N.Y.) first and only TikTok video has gone viral and in it, she outlines her case against banning the Chinese-owned social media app as its fate hangs in the balance. Why it matters: With more than 150 million monthly active users in the U.S., TikTok is one of the most popular smartphone apps in the country. Lawmakers are pressing forward with bipartisan efforts to facilitate a ban in the U.S. amid scrutiny surrounding the firm's relationship with the Chinese government. Her video can be viewed from any device here. Which is weird stuff. In her video, Ocasio-Cortez claimed that efforts to ban TikTok -- hearings have been going on in Congress -- are dreadfully wrongheaded. TikTok is under fire these days for collecting data on Americans that could be shared with China, which has laws requiring it; embedding code to spy on 30 state governments; and just generally instituting mayhem, as I described here, here, and here. Nothing good comes from TikTok and in Congress, Democrats and Republicans actually agree on this and are moving on a bipartisan basis to get rid of it. But not AOC, who released her first video, on TikTok no less, to defend TikTok to all those other "influencers" out there. She argued that since all social media companies collect data on their users, TikTik should be able to do it, too, because fair is fair, which isn't much of an argument when the data could go to red China, which reportedly is creating dossiers on all Americans. Prior to that video, she had nothing to do with TikTok, but for some reason, she opened an account there and decided to shill for the company itself. This is strange. Her video was loaded with factual errors, or maybe intentional disinformation, too. Falsely, she claimed that the bid to shut TikTok out of the U.S. market is "unprecedented" which it isn't. Axios noted that a comparable website was shut out by President Trump for spying for the Russians. Trump attempted to get rid of TikTok, too, but the 2020 election cut his term short. What could be happening here? Maybe she really does believe that the problem is all of them, as she claims, but why getting rid of one is a problem for her rather contradicts her claimed message. Or, as Axios suggests, maybe she is playing to the crowd, knowing how popular TikTok is among young people, with all its "influencers." Maybe she's hearing from her voters. Or, maybe she doesn't understand any of this, other than, if Trump wanted it banned, it must be good and worth defending. The fourth possibility is the most intriguing: Maybe there's some red Chinese-linked campaign funding involved. It could explain the sudden interest in opening a TikTok account and making her pitch on that matter, as if there weren't more important things on a busy socialist's mind than TikTok. It could be any of these, all of them, or none of them. Why is she doing this? What does she have to win? What does she have to lose? Image: Screen shot from shareable TikTok video. During the campaign, we often heard that the Biden approach was going to be more humanitarian. That was then, and this is now, or another story about people found in a truck or train. This is the story: Two undocumented immigrants [sic] died Friday afternoon after being trapped inside of a train car a few miles east of Knippa. There were 15 people trapped inside the car in need of immediate medical attention, according to a statement from the Uvalde Police Department. Five of those individuals were flown to San Antonio hospitals, while five others were sent to area hospitals for treatment. U.S. Border Patrol was able to reach the group after receiving a call at 3:50 p.m. notifying them that people traveling by rail were "suffocating" inside of a train car "911 got a call don't know if it was from a family member or one of the migrants who were locked in the shipping container," Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin told Texas Public Radio. McLaughlin said that the train was locked and baking in the sun on the tracks for three hours. The initial reports are reminiscent of a tragedy that occurred June 27 in which 53 people died in an abandoned tractor trailer near Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. The incident was the single deadliest migrant smuggling case in U.S. history, claiming victims who were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. What an outrage to say the least. This is what happens when you create an incentive for people to come north unconditionally. The poor people in that train car probably heard that there was a window to get into the U.S. So jump on the train because the U.S. is the next stop. As someone who came here legally with my parents, I find this appalling and as inhumane as it can get. What is humanitarian about encouraging people to get into trucks and trains and die along the way? Bring back "Remain in Mexico," because that was the real humanitarian policy. PS: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain. We know that electric vehicles, whose manufacture requires rare earth minerals mined by third-world children, aren't clean. We also know that electric vehicles, which get their electrical charge from coal-fired plants and emit more carbon dioxide than conventional vehicles, aren't green. We also know that electric vehicles, as recent storms and heat waves have indicated, aren't reliable Now we learn that even at $70,000 a pop, complete with tax savings and government subsidies, green vehicles aren't profitable, either. According to Breitbart News: Ford Motor Company says its electric vehicle (EV) unit, Ford Model e, is losing billions of dollars, and should be viewed as a startup company. Model e has lost $3 billion before taxes over the last two years, and is expected to lose another $3 billion this year as the company invests in the new technology, according to a report by Associated Press. In 2021, Fords Model e unit had pretax losses of $900 million. And in 2022, that number was $2.1 billion. Ford reportedly believes Model e will be profitable before taxes by late 2026, with an eight percent pretax profit margin. Three billion dollars is a lot of money to lose, even for a company like Ford. Breitbart described it as "bleeding red ink." With that many negatives, all of which contradict the claims that electric vehicles are the wave of the future, why the heck are these things still being made? Yet Ford, and probably all the others, keep losing it, because Joe Biden's politics demand that they keep investing in and making electric vehicles. Too bad about the little kids in the mud pits mining cobalt in the People's Republic of Congo or those nasty losses on the quarterly earnings report. They're losing money. By way of creative explanation, the company argued that its electric vehicle division is actually a startup, so losing money is natural: As everyone knows, EV startups lose money while they invest in capability, develop knowledge, build (sales) volume and gain (market) share, Ford Chief Financial Officer John Lawler said. Which seems a little after-the-fact, actually. If I had to guess, I suspect the EV unit losses made Ford want to isolate it, calling it a "startup" so they can collect data on how this unit is doing and get rid of it on that basis when the best opportunity comes. Ford's other vehicles seem to be selling reasonably well, but its electric vehicles are money losers, sucking out all of the company's capital and affecting even its conventional car business (there were layoffs at its conventional business a few weeks ago), so calling the EV unit a "startup" looks pretty on paper for the shareholders and more importantly, their political overseers. In real life, they'd call their EV operations a pariah unit and shut it down and move on to something more practical that buyers actually want. But somehow, they keep plodding on. It may well be that Ford's executives privately know that the unit is a money pit and want to get rid of it, but their board members are all still enamored of greenie ideology and continue to fancy that EVs are the wave of the future. They're looking at their peers, who also have money-losing EV units and don't want to be the odd man out. Meanwhile, getting rid of the green unit would draw the ire of Democrat politicians in Washington, who would find some way to 'get them' if they should stray from the dominant orthodoxy. Each little statement of trouble reveals that green vehicles are unsustainable, costing companies billions and consumers huge dollars, to save the earth, which isn't happening. Every claim about green vehicles is false now, yet they are still being made. With losses like Ford is seeing, it suggests that the entire auto industry is heading off a cliff. Image: Greg Gjerdingen, via Flickr // CC BY 2.0 Paris is burning. This time, its not the Nazis; its the French people themselves, who are protesting Macrons plan to reform the French pension system by pushing back retirement from age 62 to age 64. Macron further inflamed the situation (yes, pun intended) when he appeared on French TV to explain why his plan mattered. When the appearance began, he wore a very expensive watch; by the time it ended, the watch had disappeared. The French were not amused. France is currently embroiled in one of its periodic huge protests, where the French people take to the streets, as theyve done periodically since the French Revolution. Because of the ritual regularity with which they protest, its not always easy to figure out when the people are bravely protesting genuine attacks on national identity, security, and moral principles, and when theyre focusing solely on specifically French work-related issues. However, its clear that the most recent protest is work-related, which is why it hasnt gotten a lot of coverage in America. France has a pension system thats long been the envy of American workers. Theres a state system (i.e., their Social Security) for everyone, a compulsory wages system for those who work, and a voluntary private pension for those who really plan on enjoying their retirementwhich currently begins at 62. Its long been a famously generous system and, currently, almost 15 million people are living off their pensions. Image: Macrons vanishing watch. Twitter screen grab. However, what the French people dont want to acknowledge is that the times are changing. Three big changes have affected Europeans cradle-to-grave care. The first concerns America. With the end of the Cold War, America is no longer a major contributor to Europes economy (and thats even though America, now that Trump is gone, once again funds NATO). Suddenly, Europes much-vaunted soft socialism isnt so wonderful anymore. Second, people are living longer. Pension funds were set up for an age when people reliably died soon after they retired. They werent intended to support people for decades. Third, France has a large immigrant populationroughly 10% of the population. Of those, around 32% are Europeans who have relocated to France, while approximately 41% come from Africa (mostly Algerians). I wasnt able to find welfare statistics for French immigrants, but the largest concentrations of immigrants are in the banlieues around Paris, where the unemployment rate is 20.7% (compared to a national average of 8.6%), and the poverty rate is 26.5% (compared to a national average of 6%). You can guess that a lot of taxpayer money goes there. All these factors mean France has less money than before, and the government must cut spending. President Emmanuel Macrons plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, however, has sparked protests across France. And that brings us to President Macrons vanishing watch: Social media users were outraged by a recent clip of French President Emmanuel Macron appearing to hide a luxury wristwatch during an interview, as pension-related protests in France intensify. Macron appeared to take off his watch under a table during a TF1/France 2 interview. Twitter users speculated that the president removed his watch to appear less wealthy. The Elysee Palace made a statement to French newspaper L'Independant dismissing the rumors, saying that Macron wanted to avoid hitting the watch on the table. "The President does not take off his watch for the sake of hiding it but because he had just banged it loudly against the table," the translated statement said. "The noise is clearly audible just seconds before the start of the video shared on social media." Initial social media posts valued the watch at 80,000: Macron while asking for sacrifices from the French people realizes he is wearing a 80,000 watch and like a magician makes it disappear under the table. Unworthy. pic.twitter.com/zRiQWFAR1M RadioGenova (@RadioGenova) March 24, 2023 In fact, the watchs actual value is around 2,400 or $2,900which is still significantly more than the average person can spend on a watch, which is the problem. People dont like seeing a manifestly wealthy person announce that, for the good of the country, other people are going to get less money. Thats one of the reasons for the French Revolution, which saw a monarchy and aristocracy spending like mad, even as they tried to control government spending on the public. By removing his watch, Macron reminded the people of the economic chasm between themselves and the wealthy minority who control their lives. During perilous economic times, its the wise politician who hides his wealth. The Crimean War of 18531856 of the Russian Empire with Great Britain, France, and Turkey began as the Russo-Turkish War. The reason for it was the decision of Tsar Nicholas I to introduce Russian troops into Moldavia and Wallachia, which were under the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire. The refusal of Russia to withdraw its troops from Moldavia and Wallachia led to the declaration of war by Turkey. Russia sought to strengthen its influence in the Balkans and Transcaucasia, to push its borders with the Ottoman Empire farther south, and wanted to establish control over the Christian holy places in Palestine, which were under the control of the Ottoman Empire. The Orthodox then lived not only in the Holy Land, but also in Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Wallachia. Russia sent troops into Moldavia and Wallachia to "protect the co-religionists." The idea of defending the "Russian world," popular in the Russian Federation lately, was not very convenient for the multinational Russian Empire in those years. Therefore, instead of the ideology of "defense" of Greeks, Armenians, Bulgarians, and Serbs, the idea of support for Orthodox co-religionists was put forward. Similar imperial arguments were put forward by the Russian Federation to protect ethnic Russians in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics of Donbass during the intervention in February 2022. During the war in the middle of the century before last, the Russian Empire sought to destroy the rival Ottoman Empire as a single state; become suzerain of the Turkish vassals Bulgaria, Moldavia, Serbia, and Wallachia; and establish control of the Bosporus and Dardanelle straits. Nicholas I mistakenly believed that a military alliance between Great Britain and France was impossible. However, a strong Western anti-Russian coalition was created. In his plans of conquest, Putin misjudged the West as much as Nicholas I misjudged the Anglo-French alliance. Nicholas I counted on the support of Prussia and Austria, but they respected neutrality and helped isolate Russia on the world stage. Russia lost the Crimean War. It could not effectively support 10 million Orthodox Christian subjects of the Sultan, was unable to control the holy places in Palestine, and did not achieve access to the straits and was forced to lose the lower Danube. It was forbidden to have a naval fleet and build military fortifications on the Black Sea. The geopolitical messianic concept of holy Russia was a practical expression of Russia's imperial expansion to the East. Of the Crimean War, the opposition publicist and philosopher Alexander Herzen wrote: "Russia is seized with the syphilis of patriotism." Before this war, Russian poetry named new capitals that were destined to become part of the Russian Empire: Tsargrad (Constantinople that is, Istanbul) and Jerusalem. It was these imperial fantasies that led England and France to participate in the war on the side of the Ottoman Empire. As usual in Russia, during the Crimean War, nationalism reached a degree of great-power chauvinism, an ideology of national superiority and dislike for foreigners. In Russia, chauvinism is based on a "collective narcissism" rooted in the people's consciousness. The concept of "collective narcissism" was introduced by psychoanalyst Erich Fromm and sociologist Theodor Adorno in the 1940s. "The narcissistic factor ... implies a constant and sometimes violent demonstration that the follower belongs to his group, that he is better, higher and purer than those who are not included in it. At the same time, any criticism or self-criticism is dismissed as a narcissistic loss and causes rage," Adorno wrote. In Humble: Free Yourself from the Traps of a Narcissistic World (2022), Daryl Van Tongeren showed that Russia is the world leader in collective narcissism: 60.8 percent of respondents believe that their country has significantly influenced world events. In such a society, most of its members share the belief that their country has a particularly high value and significance. Such narcissists demand privileged treatment, which breeds xenophobia and chauvinism. The political reason for Russia's defeat in the Crimean War was the alliance against it of the major Western powers, England and France, which were militarily and technically far superior to Russia. The war in Ukraine repeats the main features of the Crimean War: Russia lit the fire of great-power chauvinism in Ukraine and once again found itself facing the superior forces of Western countries. Image via Public Domain Pictures. The MSM in the southern isles of New Zealand are patting themselves on the back; the transactivists are whooping; and the mayor of our capital city, Wellington (Green party); and Labor M.P.s are high-fiving for refusing to tolerate a rather forthright atheist pro-woman woman, Posie Parker, who is fighting for women's rights in this intolerant transgender/multigender world. We sent her packing because we hated what she was saying. She could only respond from afar after being escorted out of New Zealand. The intolerance and hate on full display are reminiscent of the Antifa and BLM protests and regular attempts to shut down free speech, by government and the MSM in the U.S. In New Zealand, one is not allowed to hold views opposing mainstream thought, and one cannot propose another narrative, another way of looking at things. It is impossible to present reason. In the U.S., you can do that and have people support you, given the size of the population and the strong Christian foundation. Even some of the U.S. Catholic bishops are starting to get a backbone. Here, anyone, I mean anyone, who questions the COVID-19 narrative for origins, vaccine mandates, adverse reactions, or mask effectiveness is an extremist and a conspiracy theorist. Anyone. If we question LGBTQI++++++...forget it. We do not have a constitution; we have a toothless Bill of Rights, which the transactivists violate every day with their accusations of bigotry and slander against well reasoned, educated, and caring Christians brave enough to make even a side comment on Twitter or Instagram, or like a Facebook post of Tucker, or have a MAGA hat in the background of a video call. Unfortunately, I am unable to even peep, as I am a government employee. Like many in the U.S. who are afraid of what is happening in high schools and colleges and Ivy League institutions, I now genuinely fear for our country. Our current opposition leaders in the National Party support the WEF and the U.N. 2030 goals and stifle their own M.P.s. The Christian M.P.s have been silenced. If National is elected in this year's general elections, they will only make it worse for families. If Labor continues, it will be just horrid. We are in 1984. It is frightening. We have an amazing National Anthem. One line in particular is our only hope: "God defend our free land." Philip Johnson is the pseudonym of a frazzled government employee, observing the world from his couch. Image: Pezibear via Pixabay, Pixabay License. Naval officers salute in tribute to 46 sailors killed aboard the ROKS Cheonan in a torpedo attack blamed on North Korea, during a ceremony to commemorate the 13th anniversary of the sinking, at the Navy Second Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday. Yonhap An Afghan woman who has spoken out against the Taliban has been left fearing for her life after the Home Office denied her a new visa and suggested she should return to Afghanistan. Maryam Amiri, who lives in Glasgow, is calling on the Government to reconsider its decision, saying her husband, who is also from Afghanistan, worked for British forces and it would not be safe to make either of them return. Her MP, Alison Thewliss (Glasgow Central), said the Home Offices advice that Mrs Amiri could return to life in Afghanistan was dangerous and that it did not reflect the changes in the country since her first visa was issued in 2016. The Home Office decision notice, seen by the PA news agency, said Mrs Amiri does not qualify for leave to remain under the five-year or 10-year partner route, despite having qualified for two shorter visa periods since 2016. It said Mrs Amiri does not meet the minimum income requirement and that the Home Secretary has not seen any evidence that there are insurmountable obstacles to Mrs Amiri and her husband continuing family life together in Afghanistan. The Taliban took back power in Afghanistan in 2021 with the withdrawal of Western forces. Human rights groups and international observers have since raised concerns about access to education and work for women and girls under the regime, and there have been concerns for the safety of those who supported western forces. The Home Office advises against travel for British nationals. Mrs Amiri told the PA news agency: I have always been vocal against the Taliban and their brutal regime. I disagree with the decision of the Home Office to send me back to Afghanistan where the women are not secure especially for a woman activist who has always been vocal against the Taliban. She added: I feel threatened and am scared of losing my life if I go back. Mrs Amiri said she has dreamed about going to university for years, but now she is due to start a course in September she fears she will not get the chance. She also said she wishes to continue with community work in Glasgow and aspires to become a Member of the Scottish Parliament. She said: I have put my life in trouble by opposing the Taliban and their activities. My family has already been threatened with persecution because I oppose the Talibans decisions on womens rights. So, its really risky for me to go back. Alison Thewliss raised concerns for Mrs Amiris safety (Richard Townshend/UK Parliament/PA) Ms Thewliss said she had concerns for Mrs Amiris safety if she returns, especially given her stance on womens rights. You know what the Taliban are like. It would count against her. It would be a danger for her, Ms Thewliss said. Her husband had supported the training of UK forces. Her husband has a British passport. Those would seem to me to be two very sensible reasons as to why he cant return. Shes come here on a spousal visa. And in the normal course of things these get renewed. The Home Office seem to have taken no account of the fact that the situation in Afghanistan has changed dramatically from 2016 and their response reads very much as if nothing has happened. Its just bizarre for them to say within the response that theres no reason why you cant go back to Afghanistan and support yourself as you did prior to your arrival in the UK. I mean, of course she cant. The SNP MP was strongly critical of the Home Office for saying it has not seen any evidence that there are insurmountable obstacles to Mrs Amiri or her husband returning to Afghanistan. She said: If they were to follow that guidance they would be in serious danger. I know from lots of casework that I do the risks that people face. The idea that you can just send people back and everything will be fine, thats just not sensible, not practical. Its dangerous and the Home Office should really know better before putting something like this out. She added: I think her case highlights just the lack of care, the lack of attention, the lack of professionalism in the Home Office. Ms Thewliss has raised Mrs Amiris case with the Prime Minister in the Commons, where she said the Home Office had advised Mrs Amiri should return to Afghanistan. The MP said: She is married to a man who worked for British forces and her family is currently being persecuted in Afghanistan. She added: Can the Prime Minister think of any barriers or hardships Maryam might face in returning to a country where there is not even any means of applying for a visa? Rishi Sunak said it would not be appropriate for him to comment on an individual case. A Home Office spokesperson said: All visa applications are decided on individual merits. We dont routinely comment on individual cases. Michael Gove said he believed Boris Johnson was telling the truth when he told the Privileges Committee he did not think he was breaking Covid rules when attending leaving dos in No 10. The Levelling-Up Secretary said he accepted Mr Johnsons evidence that he saw thanking departing staff during the pandemic as part of the job of leading the country through the crisis. The former prime minister endured more than three hours of questioning on Wednesday at the hands of MPs as they investigate whether he misled Parliament with his assurances over so-called partygate. Mr Johnson attended a number of leavings dos in Downing Street, having been pictured toasting employees and giving speeches when households were banned from mixing. The former Conservative Party leader told the panel of MPs he honestly believed that these events were lawful work gatherings and that he regarded it as essential for him to thank departing staff who had worked on the UK Governments handling of coronavirus. Mr Johnson, who assured MPs while he was prime minister that all guidance was followed in completely in No 10, could face suspension from the House of Commons or even a by-election if the committee finds him in contempt of Parliament. Mr Gove, asked on BBCs Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme whether he believed the former prime ministers evidence, said: Yes, I did. It came after he was shown a clip from the broadcasters Question Time programme which aired on Thursday evening. Presenter Fiona Bruce asked the audience who out of them believed Mr Johnsons rationale for attending farewell events for staff while strict social distancing rules were in place, but not one person raised their hand. Mr Gove said all of us had at some point told a white lie or an untruth but said he accepted the former British leaders explanations. What was Boris argument? He was working incredibly hard, every hour that the Lord sent in order to try and do the right thing, said Mr Gove. He believed that saying thank you to people who were leaving in the cramped and confined circumstances of 10 Downing Street was part of that job. Did he attend those events in a spirit of self-indulgence? No, he did so in order to show his gratitude to those who were working with him. Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove said he believed Boris Johnsons testimony to MPs (Jeff Overs/BBC) It will be for the Privileges Committee to decide, for Members of Parliament to decide. But I worked with Boris during that period and I am inclined to give him not just the benefit of the doubt but to believe that when he places his hand on his heart and he said he did not think he was breaking the rules, I do believe him. Mr Gove served in Mr Johnsons cabinet and came to be seen as a key figure despite having helped torpedo his Conservative leadership ambitions in 2016 by quitting as his campaign manager and standing for leader himself. In July, fellow Leave campaigner Mr Gove was sacked after privately telling Mr Johnson he should stand down in the aftermath of partygate and the furore over his handling of sexual misconduct allegations made against his former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher. A day after Mr Gove was sacked as levelling-Up secretary, a position Prime Minister Rishi Sunak later restored him to, Mr Johnson resigned from No 10. Mr Johnson was fined by the Metropolitan Police as part of the forces partygate investigation. Both he and Mr Sunak, the-then chancellor, paid 50 fixed-penalty notices for attending Mr Johnsons birthday bash in the Cabinet room on June 19 2020. The Privileges Committee is set to publish its findings after the Easter break on whether Mr Johnson committed a contempt of Parliament. Boris Johnson and Michael Gove as they tour of the DCS Group, Stratford-upon-Avon, while on the EU referendum campaign tour (Andrew Parsons/PA) The panel of MPs, chaired by Labours Harriet Harman but which has a Tory majority, can make a recommendation on any punishment but the ultimate decision will lie with the full House of Commons. Sanctions could range from a simple apology to ordering that Mr Johnson be suspended from Parliament. Any suspension of 10 sitting days or more could trigger a recall by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat. Later on Sunday, Mr Gove told Channel 4s The Andrew Neil Show that Mr Johnson should accept the result of the committees findings. The family of a 32-year-old father believed to have been shot dead in a targeted attack in Manchester have said he was his mothers pride and joy. Zikel Bobmanuel, whose youngest child is six weeks old, was pronounced dead at the scene in Welland Street, Openshaw, at around 2pm on Saturday with officers saying he died from gunshot wounds. Police have arrested a 33-year-old man on suspicion of murder in connection with the shooting. Zikel Bobmanuel is believed to have been shot dead in Manchester (Family handout) Mr Bobmanuels family have said: Zikel was many things to many people, he was a good friend, a hard-working colleague, part of a large extended family, but ultimately, he was his mothers son, her pride and joy. He held the heart of his girlfriend in his hand and was a hands-on father to his beloved children, the youngest just six weeks old. Zikel was happy and fulfilled, he was working hard to provide for his family and was never more content than when he was spending time with them. It is difficult to comprehend that Zikel has died under such tragic circumstances and the shock is profound. We are devastated beyond belief and find it hard to comprehend life without him. We would like to thank everybody for their kind words and the comfort their support has given us and respectfully ask for some privacy at this difficult time. Greater Manchester Police detectives are hunting a second man who is thought to have escaped in a vehicle. The force believes it was a targeted attack. Detective Superintendent Simon Hurst, said: Our thoughts are with Zikels loved ones at this heart-breaking time. As our investigation continues, specially trained colleagues are supporting them. Since yesterday afternoon, we continue to build an in-depth timeline of events leading up to Zikels death and we are following a number of positive lines of enquiry. Although we currently have one man in custody, work is ongoing to ensure that those involved are brought to justice. I would like to thank members of the public that have already shared information with us. Any information, regardless of how small, may be the key to receiving answers for Zikels family. Whilst officers are gathering evidence from the scene and the surrounding area, anyone with information, CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage is asked to contact police via 101 quoting incident 1771 25/3/2023. Always dial 999 in an emergency. The co-chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) junior doctors committee has accused the Health Secretary of trying to pinch pennies after fresh strikes were announced in a row over pay. On Sunday, Dr Robert Laurenson apologised for the disruption further walkouts will cause but said he does not think they will put patients lives at risk. It comes after the BMA announced on Thursday that a 96-hour walkout will take place for shifts starting between 6.59am on Tuesday April 11 and 6.59am on Saturday April 15, as it claimed that Cabinet minister Steve Barclay has failed to make any credible offer. Health Secretary Steve Barclay has been accused of trying to pinch pennies over junior doctors pay (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Dr Laurenson told Sky News Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme: We have a healthcare crisis at the moment, we have 500 excess deaths, 500 British people dying needlessly a week in winter, and were trying to address real healthcare crises. And so were trying to approach this from a perspective of doctors looking after patients and wanting to deliver high-quality healthcare, and Mr Barclay is just trying to pinch pennies. I think, if you were to ask the ordinary person on the street would they be happy to pay a doctor, 7pm on a Friday night, 19 an hour, I think youd get a resounding Yes, thats reasonable. He added: Were very happy to get around the table. So, next week will mark six months since we started our formal trade dispute, and Mr Barclay has only come to the table twice. Its really very difficult to be able to talk to someone who doesnt even want to invite us in, and indeed on Wednesday he left the room. He asked us what we would like to talk about, we presented our opening position on what we think would constitute full power restoration and how wed like to work with him. But he didnt ask us any further questions. On demands for a 35% pay rise, Dr Laurenson said: So, doctors have lost 26.1% over the last 15 years in real terms and what were asking for is for that to be restored. So were asking for it to go back to a cost-neutral point of view from 2008, and what that looks like is about a 5 to 10 an hour increase. At the moment doctors start on 14 an hour and were just asking for that to be restored to 19 an hour. 11-15 April will be the next round of Junior Doctors strike action in England. The Government is still refusing to make a credible offer or any offer at all to resolve our dispute. Read more: https://t.co/QLr4vbxHF9 pic.twitter.com/PTP86e9HjK Junior Doctors (@BMA_JuniorDocs) March 23, 2023 Asked if their pay demands are too high, he said: So, I think 1 billion for 75,000 junior doctors, to be able to try and treat the massive workforce crisis and to be able to deliver high-quality care so that people this country, I think thats value for money. He added: This strike action, yes, it causes disruption and Im sorry for that, but it just demonstrates that we have 9,000 vacancies in secondary care, we have 6,000 fewer GPs, and its very difficult for patients to access healthcare that they deserve. On Thursday, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: Further strikes will risk patient safety and cause further disruption. The Health and Social Care Secretary met the BMAs junior doctors committee yesterday in the hope of beginning constructive talks to resolve the current dispute. The BMA placed a pre-condition on these talks of a 35% pay rise. That is unreasonable. Our door remains open to constructive conversations, as we have had with other health unions, to find a realistic way forward which balances rewarding junior doctors for their hard work while being fair to the taxpayer. The BMA later denied it had placed a pre-condition on talks of a 35% pay rise. Former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng offered to facilitate setting up a meeting between a fake foreign firm and former prime minister Boris Johnson during a sting interview. Mr Kwarteng was caught up in a hoax organised by campaign group Led By Donkeys in which he was approached about providing political advice to a bogus company it alleged existed in South Korea. During the phoney interview with someone claiming to work for the company, the Conservative MP looked to sell himself by highlighting his experience serving briefly as chancellor and also as a business secretary and energy minister. In a clip posted on social media on Sunday, Mr Kwarteng described Mr Johnson as the best campaigner you will ever see during the conversation with the hoax company. Told by the fake employee they hoped to meet the former Conservative Party leader during a future visit to the UK, the Spelthorne MP said: Im sure you will. I mean, lets talk. Im sure we can try and arrange that. He added: Im not promising anything but he is someone I know. Hes a great guy. Mr Kwarteng indicated he would take on external consultancy work for the firm for a rate of 10,000 per day. Former health secretary Matt Hancock, in a separate interview, said his daily rate was the same five-figure sum. There is no accusation of wrongdoing, with MPs permitted to seek employment outside of Parliament as long as they abide by transparency and lobbying rules. Mr Kwarteng is heard telling the phoney outfit: I would say (out of) my generation in the UK, there are very few people who have had the breadth of experience Ive had across business and politics at this level. Speaking from his office in Parliament, he suggests that as a senior politician in a Government with a healthy majority that he should be able to travel internationally for any consultancy work. Told board meetings could take place in Europe and South Korea, he said: I can do that. Im very flexible. MPs FOR HIRE the former Chancellor pic.twitter.com/Q3xQlKxZSj Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) March 26, 2023 He said he could make himself available for one-off Zoom meetings at a minutes notice. The former business secretary told the interviewer they seemed extremely professional and would be very interested to see what you have to offer. While serving as chancellor to former prime minister Liz Truss, Mr Kwarteng sent the value of the pound tumbling and mortgage rates soaring with his September mini-budgets unfunded tax cuts, which included plans to abolish the tax rate for Britains highest earners. Following the fallout, he was sacked by Ms Truss, lasting only 38 days in the job. The sting by anti-Brexit group Led By Donkeys saw it create a company called Hanseong Consulting, including setting up a website which contained made-up testimonials and paying for a so-called fake virtual office in the South Korean capital Seoul. It then approached 20 MPs from across the political divide about serving on its non-existent international advisory board. Five of those were said to have progressed to an online interview stage, including Mr Hancock and four Tories: Mr Kwarteng, former defence secretary Sir Gavin Williamson, former minister Stephen Hammond and Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, an influential backbench body. Mr Kwarteng has been approached for comment. The SNPs incoming leader must clear out the rot within the party, Scottish Labour warned. Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie has urged Nicola Sturgeons successor to lead with transparency and openness amid controversy around the SNPs membership numbers. It comes as figures revealed by the SNP showed the party had lost 30,000 members in just over a year a claim it had previously denied. Earlier this month, the party confirmed it now has 72,186 members who were eligible to vote. The resignation of both the partys chief executive Peter Murrell and communications boss Murray Foote followed. And as leadership candidates Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan wait to find out if they have been chosen by SNP members as the new leader, Ms Baillie accused the party of secrecy and spin. Her comments come as Police Scotland probes the partys finances, specifically how 600,000 of campaign funds had been spent. She also called for questions to be answered into the two ferries which are now five years late, and the cost has nearly tripled to 300 million. Ms Baillie said: The next SNP leader needs to clear out the rot festering in this party. After 16 years in government, the SNP have become arrogant and out of touch, with an increasingly loose relationship with the truth. Scottish Labours deputy leader Jackie Baillie (Andrew Milligan/PA) In the party and in government we are seeing more and more proof of secrecy, spin and outright lies. Sunlight is the best disinfectant we need real transparency and openness to end the culture of cover-up at the heart of the SNP. An SNP spokesperson said: The new SNP leader will be focused on delivering the priorities of the people of Scotland, including tackling the Tory cost-of-living crisis, improving public services and strengthening the economy. The pro-Brexit, pro-cuts Labour Party has become little more than a pale imitation of the Tories under Keir Starmer. Its completely out of touch with Scotland and has nothing to offer. With no change on offer at Westminster, its clear independence is the only way to escape Westminster control and deliver real change for a strong, fair and prosperous future. On Monday afternoon, the next SNP leader will be announced following a five-week campaign. They will then be elected as first minister in Holyrood on Tuesday, subject to parliamentary approval and then sworn in at the Court of Session the following day. This photo, provided by Incheon International Airport, shows the airport west of Seoul. Korea Times file Korean police are trying to capture two Kazakhstanis who fled Incheon International Airport on Sunday, after they were denied entry into the country for unspecified reasons, officials said. The two individuals, aged 21 and 18, respectively, climbed over a fence near a runway at around 4:20 a.m. after breaking a terminal window to get out of the airport, according to the airport police. They had been waiting for a repatriation flight after being denied entry into Korea on Friday. The reason for their denial of entry remains unclear. "At the moment, we have identified who they are, and we are tracking them," a police officer said on condition of anonymity. The two were able to escape from the airport despite the airport's various security measures, such as advanced monitoring technology and barbed wire lining the fence. Police are currently checking security footage to track the two Kazakhstani nationals. (Yonhap) The sale of laughing gas to the public will be banned as part of a wider crackdown on anti-social behaviour, a Cabinet minister has confirmed. Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said the scourge of nitrous oxide is turning public spaces into drug-taking arenas and is helping fuel anti-social behaviour that ministers are determined to stamp out. The ban comes despite an assessment by the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) concluding it would be disproportionate to bring in an outright ban given the level of harm associated with nitrous oxide. But Mr Gove said he agrees with a view pushed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman that tougher action is required. Mr Sunak is due to outline a series of hard-hitting measures on Monday designed to clamp down on low-level crime, with plans for offenders slapped with community orders to be cleaning up their own graffiti or vandalism within 48 hours. Downing Street said the plans will include perpetrators wearing jumpsuits or hi-vis jackets while they carry out punishments, which could include washing police cars or carrying out unpaid work in shops. Announcing the laughing gas ban, Mr Gove told Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: I think any of us who have had the opportunity to walk through our parks in our major cities will have seen these little canisters, these silver canisters which are examples of people not only despoiling public spaces but also people taking a drug which can have a psychological and neurological affect and one that contributes to anti-social behaviour overall. He said ministers have not yet decided at what drug classification level laughing gas would be set, only that the Government wants sales restricted for its appropriate purpose. Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said laughing gas has become a scourge on public spaces (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Nitrous oxide is included as an anaesthetic in medical and dental contexts and as a gas for whipped cream. Mr Gove added: We cant have a situation, we mustnt have a situation where our parks, our public spaces become drug-taking arenas. And that is why we need to crack down on new manifestations of drug-taking and these laughing gas canisters are an increasing scourge. The senior Conservative minister denied that his defence of the Governments tougher laughing gas rules could be seen as hypocritical given he has previously admitted to taking the Class A drug cocaine. The former journalist said he has learned through his own experience that it is a mistake to regard drug-taking as somehow acceptable. Current legislation bans the knowing or reckless supply of nitrous oxide for inhalation, with dealers facing up to seven years in jail. But there have been calls for a ban on all direct consumer sales. The drug is typically released into balloons from small silver canisters and then inhaled. Prolonged use can cause vitamin B12 deficiency, anaemia and nerve damage. Doctors previously warned that using laughing gas could lead to spinal injuries. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been critical of the presence of discarded laughing gas canisters in public areas (Leon Neal/PA) According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 36 deaths in Great Britain associated with nitrous oxide between 2001 and 2016. The Prime Minister addressed the issue in his New Year speech, highlighting the blight of discarded nitrous oxide canisters in childrens playgrounds. Mr Sunak is expected to announce the trial in 10 areas of a concept called immediate justice, with the aim of rolling it out across England and Wales next year. The plan is set to include new funding for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to ensure those responsible for offences that blight communities are punished as soon as possible. Mr Gove said it will be backed with 160 million of new funding as well as increased police presence in hotspot areas where crime is a particular problem. He revealed that the proposals will also include increased drug testing for those caught regularly engaging in crime and anti-social activity. Along with clean-up schemes for offenders, the Mail On Sunday reported that Mr Sunaks anti-social behaviour crackdown is set to include doubling on-the-spot fines from 400 to 1,000 for those caught fly-tipping. Those littering or spraying graffiti could be hit with 500 fines, rising from the current 150 maximum, the newspaper said. Labour said it wants to see tougher rules applied on laughing gas. Shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell told Sophy Ridge: I think we want to see it banned as well because I think it does cause a huge amount of littering, of disruption and of anti-social behaviour challenges as well. But Ms Powell said the Governments anti-social behaviour plan amounts to nothing. A laughing gas ban will not stop people using it and risks driving it into criminal hands, an expert has said. As part of a wider crack down on anti-social behaviour, ministers are looking to clamp down on the sale of nitrous oxide, despite an assessment by the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) concluding it would be disproportionate to bring in an outright ban. The Drug Science Scientific Committee is among the groups criticising the same old tired drug policy by the Government. Meanwhile, the National Police Chiefs Council said it backed the move, as it would give them the ability to seize and dispose of nitrous oxide. David Badcock, the organisations chief executive, told the PA news agency: Im very disheartened to hear that the Government now looks like theyre going to ban nitrous oxide, its going completely against its own advisory panel and the advice they gave. A blanket ban on nitrous oxide is completely disproportionate to the harms that are caused by nitrous oxide and would likely deliver more harm than good. The Government should be concentrating on much more serious elements of drug policy that are causing harm, like alcohol for instance. Whats the point in the ACMD when the very best scientists and experts have looked at the evidence and advised what to do and they completely ignore it? Its the same old tired drug policy that the Government just continue to put out without looking at the evidence, the same old Government rhetoric on the war on drugs. It wont stop young people using it, banning any substance just drives it into criminal hands and the inherent risks associated with the black market come into play, I dont think it will stop people doing it. Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said the scourge of nitrous oxide was turning public spaces into drug-taking arenas and was helping fuel anti-social behaviour that ministers were determined to stamp out. Current legislation bans the knowing or reckless supply of nitrous oxide for inhalation, with dealers facing up to seven years in jail. But there have been calls for a ban on all direct consumer sales. The drug is typically released into balloons from small silver canisters and then inhaled. Prolonged use can cause vitamin B12 deficiency, anaemia and nerve damage. Doctors previously warned that using laughing gas could lead to spinal injuries. Steve Rolles, senior policy analyst at the Transform Drug Policy Foundation, said: This Government appears determined to double down on the political theatre of get tough drug policing as part of its anti-social behaviour crack down. But criminalising possession of nitrous oxide will increase health and social harms associated with it, creating new costs across the criminal justice system. To reduce risks, this Government should sensibly direct resources towards risk education for vulnerable groups, and restrict sales of the bigger nitrous canisters that have no legitimate use. To reduce litter, it could adopt a recycling deposit scheme for nitrous canisters. Jane Slater, campaign manager at Anyones Child: Families for Safer Drug Control said: Criminalising possession of nitrous oxide will only give more young people criminal records, make using it more dangerous, fuel organised crime activity, and cause further harm to our families and communities. If this Government is serious about addressing the problems with nitrous oxide then it would listen to the experts who are recommending a health-led approach supported by better use of existing controls. Chief Constable Richard Lewis, National Police Chiefs Council lead for drugs, said:Policing would support making possession of nitrous oxide, without a legitimate reason, a criminal offence, as opposed to just supply and intent to supply. Officers would welcome the ability to seize and dispose of nitrous oxide, as well as provide warnings and carry out arrests, depending on the situation. A spokesperson for the Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, said: The problems caused by nitrous oxide in our local communities are no laughing matter. Councils are concerned that not only does it lead to a plague of anti-social behaviour but there is growing evidence that it can cause serious health problems for those who use it. Working with the police, councils have taken steps in their local areas to try and tackle this issue with the limited powers they currently have. A ban on nitrous oxide is a good step forward. We now await more details from Government about how this would be enforced and what support there will be for council trading standards teams. Ellen Daniels, of the British Compressed Gases Association, said: We welcome the Governments new measures around the misuse of nitrous oxide and look forward to seeing more details on how the ban will be implemented. As a trade body, and experts in the sector, we have been campaigning for almost three years for a change in the law that would drive down nitrous oxide abuse and protect the public from the dangers of its misuse. Misusing nitrous oxide can cause permanent damage to the central nervous system including loss of peripheral feeling, loss of motor control and paralysis. In some cases, it can be fatal. The Levelling-Up Secretary has refused to guarantee that HS2 will terminate at Euston, saying he did not know where the final London destination would be. Michael Gove, quizzed on where the upgraded rail route could end in the UKs capital, said there was a debate about whether it should be Euston or Old Oak Common, a west London suburb. The Government announced earlier this month that it will prioritise having initial HS2 services running by 2033 between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street as part of measures designed to cut costs. It means services will not stop in Euston in central London for years to come, with passengers expected instead to travel for half an hour on the Elizabeth Line. But Mr Gove on Sunday could not confirm that the tracks linking Old Oak Common and Euston station would ever be built. The senior Conservative, asked on Channel 4s The Andrew Neil Show whether he could guarantee the train route would end in central London, said: There is a debate about whether or not it should be Old Oak Common or Euston. Old Oak Common is going to be a major area for regeneration but we want to make sure as many people as possible can benefit not just from the additional rail infrastructure but also from the regeneration that HS2 can bring. So the Old Oak Common area is a part of north-west London that requires levelling-up. Pressed on whether HS2 would go to Euston, the Cabinet minister replied: I dont know what the final decision will be about where the terminus will be. Reports surfaced in January that the Euston element of the high-speed line might never be completed despite preparatory works having started around the major station. But Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was quick to attempt to quash such rumours. HS2 construction is already under way at Euston (HS2/PA) Mr Hunt said at the time that he did not see any conceivable circumstances in which HS2 would not run to its planned central London terminus at Euston. Complexities around the Euston site meant high-speed services were already due to temporarily start and end at Old Oak Common, with passengers using the Elizabeth line to travel to and from central London. A full business case for HS2 published by the DfT in April 2020 stated that the target timeframe for services launching between Old Oak Common and Birmingham was 2029-2033, whereas for trains between Euston and north-west England the range was 2031-2036. Transport Secretary Mark Harpers announcement earlier this month on prioritising Old Oak Common to Birmingham services was interpreted as meaning that route may not now enter central London until the 2040s. But Mr Goves remarks will cast doubt on whether the Euston connection will ever be given the green signal. As part of Mr Harpers announcement, it was also confirmed that the construction of the Birmingham to Crewe leg of HS2 will be pushed back by two years. Mr Gove said it remained Government policy for the line to be built as far as Manchester in the north of England. Odours from other peoples sweat may be able to help treat social anxiety, new research suggests. The study found that social anxiety was reduced when people underwent mindfulness therapy while exposed to what is commonly referred to as body odour taken from the underarm sweat from volunteers. Social anxiety is a mental health condition where people worry excessively about participating in social situations. Lead researcher Elisa Vigna, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, said: Our state of mind causes us to produce molecules (or chemo-signals) in sweat which communicate our emotional state and produce corresponding responses in the receivers. The results of our preliminary study show that combining these chemo-signals with mindfulness therapy seem to produce better results in treating social anxiety than can be achieved by mindfulness therapy alone. Having social anxiety can affect interactions, for example within the workplace or relationships, but also in everyday situations such as shopping or holidays. This could result in people worrying excessively about contact with others. According to the NHS website there are currently a number of treatments available for the condition, including cognitive behavioural therapy, guided self-help and antidepressant medicines. The study involved collecting sweat from volunteers, and then exposing patients to chemo-signals (body odour) extracted from these sweat samples, while they were being treated for social anxiety. The samples were collected from people who were watching short clips from movies that had been chosen to elicit particular emotional states such as fear or happiness. Researchers did this to see if the specific emotions experienced while perspiring had differing effects on the treatment. The happy clips included material from Mr Beans Holiday, Sister Act, and others, while the clips from fearful movies included content from horror films such as The Grudge. Once the sweat had been collected, researchers recruited 48 women, all of whom suffered from social anxiety, and divided them into three groups each of 16 people. Over two days, they all underwent mindfulness therapy for social anxiety. At the same time, each group was exposed to the odour samples or to clean air. The study found that the women who had been exposed to the odour samples responded better to the therapy. Patients who undertook one treatment session of mindfulness therapy together with being exposed to human body odours showed about 39% reduction in anxiety scores. Whereas in the group receiving only the therapy, there was a 17% reduction in anxiety scores after one treatment session. Ms Vigna said: We were a little surprised to find that the emotional state of the person producing the sweat didnt differ in treatment outcomes sweat produced while someone was happy had the same effect as someone who had been scared by a movie clip. So there may be something about human chemo-signals in sweat generally which affects the response to treatment. It may be that simply being exposed to the presence of someone else has this effect, but we need to confirm this. The findings of the pilot study were presented at the European congress of psychiatry in Paris. The mother of murdered Ellie Gould has called for a 25-year starting point for overkill and for strangulation, after her daughters killer was sentenced to a minimum of 12 years and six months in prison. Thomas Griffiths, then 17, stabbed Ellie Gould, also 17, to death at her home in Calne, Wiltshire, in May 2019, after she ended their relationship, and then arranged the scene to make it appear as though she had inflicted the fatal wounds herself. The Government this month announced plans for killers with a history of coercive or controlling behaviour against their victims to face tougher sentences. Ellie Gould was stabbed to death by Thomas Griffiths in May 2019 after she ended their relationship (Family handout/Wiltshire Police/PA) It said the use of excessive or gratuitous violence, sometimes referred to as overkill, is also set to be made an aggravating factor in sentencing decisions for murder. The law will be changed after recommendations made by Clare Wade KC in an independent review into domestic homicide sentencing, which was commissioned in 2021. Ellies mother, Carole Gould, who co-founded the campaigning organisation Killed Women after the death of her daughter, told Sky News Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme: My husband came home in the afternoon and found his beloved daughter in a pool of blood on our kitchen floor. Its horrendous and the sentence for that is 12-and-a-half years 12-and-a-half years for the brutal murder of our precious daughter. That is the justice system when it comes to violence against women and girls. And, as a result of this Clare Wade review, were hoping to push through much tougher sentencing, and what Id be saying to the Government now and (Justice Secretary) Dominic Raab is Youve not quite cut it yet just offering aggravating factors for overkill and for coercive controlling behaviour is not going to level up the sentencing. What we want and we will be asking (justice) minister (Edward) Argar to consult on is a 25-year starting point for overkill and for strangulation because we have to remember that this is very much gendered violence, and its just not being recognised in the courts how dangerous these perpetrators are. Thomas Griffiths has been sentenced to a minimum of 12 years and six months in prison for stabbing his former girlfriend Ellie Gould (Wiltshire Police/PA) Ellie, a keen horse rider, bravely attempted to fight Griffiths off after he attacked her with a kitchen knife at her family home. He put his hands around her neck before stabbing her at least 13 times. Domestic homicide is defined as a death that occurs due to violence, abuse or neglect by a partner, ex-partner, relative or member of the same household. Controlling or coercive behaviour was introduced as a criminal offence in the Serious Crime Act 2015 and can include economic, emotional or psychological abuse and threats alongside physical or sexual violence. More than half (51%) of the murder cases looked at in the Wade Review involved controlling or coercive behaviour. Earlier this month, Mr Raab said: This Government will do everything we can to protect vulnerable women and keep in prison for longer those who attack or threaten them. The changes I am announcing today will mean longer jail sentences for those who kill women in the home by taking greater account of the specific factors involved, whether it is controlling and coercive behaviour or cases involving particular savagery known as overkill. John Lewis would be helped to remain staff-owned by a proposed law to be tabled in Parliament, according to an MP. Former minister Gareth Thomas said his plans would act as rocket fuel for mutual companies, while staving off the need to give up decision-making powers to investors. Reports last week suggested John Lewis is considering ending its 100% staff-owned structure, with the partnerships chairwoman Sharon White exploring plans to sell a minority stake in the business to raise cash. Labour MP Mr Thomas plans to introduce the Co-operatives (Permanent Shares) Bill on Wednesday, aimed at helping companies with the same ownership structure as John Lewis to remain owned firmly by British people. The chair of the mutuals all-party parliamentary group told the PA news agency: It is the route to help John Lewis stay completely employee-owned. At the same time, it would potentially help co-operatives and mutuals access significant capital to invest in their businesses, expand the services they offer, and more. It will allow co-operatives and mutuals to issue shares that would not change the governance structure of their business. The return for the investor is similar to a traditional loan or a bond in that way. There is a dividend or interest return, but crucially what you dont give up is significant ownership rights. Gareth Thomas, Labour (Co-op) MP for Harrow West (UK Parliament/PA) He added: Basically it is rocket fuel for the co-operative and mutual sector. It would help to provide significant capital investment for them over time without risking fundamental changes in the way their business operates. The Harrow West MP said similar legislation had been introduced in Australia in the last few years, adding: Mutuals over there are raising significant sums of capital via this route and investing it in for example retirement housing in the case of one. He claimed attempts to introduce similar powers recently had been scuppered by the Government, telling PA: I still dont understand why the Treasury and why Treasury ministers are not interested in this issue because it is holding British businesses back, it is holding British businesses like John Lewis back, it is holding back the expansion of co-operative and mutual businesses. Mr Thomas insisted that mutuals and co-operative companies helped to ensure there was healthy economic competition, adding: What mutuals bring is because they are not having to generate a profit to pay external investors or external shareholders, they do not have to worry to the same extent about those people. They can concentrate on quality of service and quality of products. He went on: We need a mixed economy, we dont need every big business to be owned by shareholders, often overseas shareholders. It is essentially British people who own this great British business and we want it to stay like that. My Bill on permanent shares is the route to do that, to keep it owned firmly by British people, for British customers. A John Lewis Group spokesman said: Weve always said we would seek partnerships to help fund our transformation and exciting growth plans. Weve done this with Ocado in the past and now with abrdn. Our partners, who own the business, will be the first to hear about any developments. Rishi Sunak is facing potential Conservative rebellions over his Illegal Migration Bill as MPs prepare to go through the legislation line by line. The controversial legislation designed to put a stop to migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats returns to the House of Commons for its committee stage on Monday. The Prime Minister is facing objections to the terms of the Bill from two wings of his party, both the liberal and the right. Right-wing MPs have signalled that it does not go far enough, with some calling for ministers to take the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to drive through tighter border controls. Others on the liberal wing want to see Mr Sunak commit to establishing safe routes via which asylum seekers can come to Britain. Under the legislations proposals, it would see asylum seekers arriving through unauthorised means being detained without bail or judicial review for 28 days before being swiftly removed to their home country or a safe third country such as Rwanda. In preparation for two days of debates on the small boats law, tens of would-be Tory rebels have put their names to amendments designed to tighten rules around blocking deportations and migrant accommodation in Britain. As of Sunday, close to 30 Tories had put their name to an amendment to the Bill that would stop the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) from preventing removals from taking place. It comes after the ECHR last year granted an injunction, via its Rule 39, that effectively grounded a flight sending asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda. Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been in what she called constructive negotiations with the Strasbourg court to secure a higher legal threshold for any injunction under Rule 39 to be imposed on any future deportation flights. The Illegal Migration Bill is designed to crackdown on small boats crossing the Channel (Gareth Fuller/PA) It is understood the discussions have also involved the European court taking the UK High Courts decision into account when considering any future Rule 39 orders. In an amendment sponsored by Tory Devizes MP Danny Kruger, he wants the provisions in the Bill to operate notwithstanding any orders of the Strasbourg court or any other international body. Former minister Andrea Jenkyns, one of its backers, tweeted that she had signed amendments with the intention of strengthening the bill and stopping the European Court of Human Rights laws superseding British law. Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove was asked on Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme if the rebels ECHR amendment would be considered by the Government. It follows reports that Downing Street officials are preparing to meet with a gang of rebels on Monday to discuss their concerns about the legislation. Mr Gove suggested Home Office ministers were open to further talks about the strength of the Bill. Home Secretary Suella Braverman has recently returned from a trip to Rwanda where Britain wants to sent migrants who enter the country unlawfully (Stefan Rousseau/PA) He said: I know that the immigration minister Robert Jenrick has been working incredibly hard to make sure that this legislation works, has been talking to MPs who may be in a position to ensure that every aspect of this Bill works. Downing Street said Mr Sunak is continuing to engage with backbenchers over the legislations proposals. A Home Office source said the legislation contains a marker clause relating to ECHR deportation orders. It is understood the clause allows for initial negotiations with Strasbourg to conclude before ministers consider setting out further legal measures. Mr Sunak and Ms Braverman have both stressed that they think the draft law complies with international obligations and that Britain would not need to exit the European Convention on Human Rights to introduce the plans. But in a letter to MPs following publication of the Bill earlier this month, the Home Secretary conceded there is a more (than) 50% chance her legislation may not be compatible with the convention. Separately, Tory MP Tim Loughton has proposed an amendment that would force the Home Secretary to declare safe and legal routes by which asylum seekers can enter the UK. It has been signed by former Brexit secretary David Davis and Dame Diana Johnson, the Labour chairwoman of the Home Affairs Select Committee. The Prime Minister said a 160 million plan will stamp out anti-social behaviour once and for all as he pledged more police patrols and swifter punishments for those blighting communities. Rishi Sunak will use a home counties visit on Monday to announce the UK Governments anti-social behaviour action plan. In proposals heavily briefed beforehand, it will include trials of swifter justice measures and increased policing in areas of England and Wales deemed to have high amounts of low-level crime. Laughing gas will be banned, drug testing of criminals will become more prevalent, on-the-spot fines for graffiti and fly-tipping will be increased and more money will be ploughed into youth centres as part of a bid to eradicate behaviours spoiling Britains neighbourhoods. Mr Sunak said: Anti-social behaviour undermines the basic right of people to feel safe in the place they call home. The public have rightly had enough which is why I am determined to restore peoples confidence that those responsible will be quickly and visibly punished. This action plan maps out how we will tackle this issue with the urgency it deserves and stamp out these crimes once and for all so that wherever you live, you can feel safe in, and proud of your community. Under so-called Immediate Justice proposals, the aim is for perpetrators behind anti-social activity to carry out repair and clean-up works within 48 hours of being handed community orders. Offenders will be made to wear high-vis vests or jumpsuits and work under supervision while picking up litter, removing graffiti and washing police cars as punishment for their actions. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce the anti-social behaviour crackdown during a visit on Monday (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Victims of anti-social behaviour will be given a say in how criminals are disciplined to ensure justice is visible and fits the crime, according to the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities. In what is being called Hotspot Policing, some areas will trial having enforced police patrols. Officials said those areas will see an increase in police presence, alongside other uniformed authority figures such as wardens, in problem areas including on public transport, high streets and in parks. In total, 16 areas will conduct trials of either Immediate Justice or Hotspot Policing, with four police and crime commissioner jurisdictions Northumbria, Cleveland, Derbyshire and Durham trying out both. The intention is to roll out the measures across England and Wales from 2024. Under what the Government is calling a zero-tolerance approach, laughing gas will also be banned. Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove confirmed the move on Sunday, arguing that the scourge of nitrous oxide was turning public spaces into drug-taking arenas and helping to fuel anti-social behaviour. The drug is typically released into balloons from small silver canisters and then inhaled. Current legislation already prohibits the knowing or reckless supply of nitrous oxide for inhalation, but Mr Gove suggested it was likely to be included under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Laughing gas is to be banned as part of the crackdown (Gareth Fuller/PA) The move comes despite an assessment by the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) concluding earlier this month that the health and social harms of nitrous oxide are not commensurate with control under the 1971 law. In a statement, Mr Gove said anti-social behaviour was a stain on too many communities across the country. He said: We will deliver tougher, quicker and more visible justice to prevent thuggish behaviour in town centres and we will ensure young people have the opportunities and activities available to them to succeed all backed by new investment. Mr Gove announced on Sunday that the plan was being backed by 160 million of funding. He also told broadcasters that the clampdown on anti-social activity would include increased drug testing for those caught engaging in crime and anti-social activity. His department said that currently only suspected criminals who have committed certain offences can be tested in police detention without additional requirements. Ministers are pledging to expand the range of trigger offences to include crimes linked to violence against women and girls, serious violence and anti-social behaviour. Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said the anti-social behaviour plan was being backed by 160m of funding (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: It has always been my priority to give police the powers they need to deliver a common-sense approach to cutting crime, which puts the law-abiding majority first, and thats what this action plan delivers. Other measures to be announced by Mr Sunak include: A reporting tool for the public to log anti-social behaviour and receive updates on any action to tackle it. Increased fines for graffiti and littering, rising to up to 500, and up to 1,000 for fly-tipping. Landlords and housing associations being given more powers to evict unruly tenants who create persistent noise. Reopening empty shops by giving councils new powers to quickly take control and sell off empty buildings. Setting up an anti-social behaviour taskforce jointly led by the Home Secretary and Levelling Up Secretary. An additional one million hours of youth services in areas with the highest rates of anti-social behaviour to increase early anti-offending measures. Tackling the practice of cuckooing or home invasion by considering the scope of a potential new criminal offence. Making it an offence for criminal gangs to organise begging networks, which officials say are often used to facilitate illegal activities. The levelling-up department said 5 million would be invested in making parks and green spaces safer with new CCTV, as well as providing money to repair equipment, playgrounds and plant more trees and flowers. The United Nations refugee agencys representative to the UK has warned that the Governments Illegal Migration Bill effectively extinguishes the right to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees. The controversial Bill, aimed at tackling Channel crossings, returns to the House of Commons on Monday for its committee stage, and MPs will scrutinise it over two days. Vicky Tennant, of the UNHCR, told Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme that the proposed legislation is in breach of international law and the UKs obligations under the International Refugee Convention. But the Home Office said it is satisfied that this legislation is within the bounds of international law and is compatible with the Refugee Convention. A view of small boats and engines used to cross the Channel (Gareth Fuller/PA) Ms Tennant said: Well, were very concerned that this sets a global precedent, it effectively extinguishes the right, as youve said, to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees. We know that those coming across the Channel broadly reflect the nationalities of countries affected by crisis, by persecution globally. So were talking about countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Albania, several of these, as Ive said, countries that are producing high numbers of refugees. She added: We think the focus of attention really needs to be on the asylum system, on asylum processing, getting that working properly so people are able to present their claims. If theyre not refugees decisions can be made quickly, they can be returned to their own countries, and if they are refugees, then theyre able to embark on that integration journey. We think thats in everyones interests, not just the refugees interest, but also the interests of the British public. The Bill aims to stop people claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means, but the UNHCR has called it an effective asylum ban. Pressed on what action the UNHCR might take if a country is found to be in breach of international law, she said there is no sanction as such but claimed violations have an impact globally. Ms Tennant added: You know, we have to remember that the vast majority of refugees are hosted in countries neighbouring their own. So more than 69/70% are in countries neighbouring their own. Now, if youre a country like Turkey, hosting more than three million refugees or Bangladesh hosting, you know, just short of a million refugees with all the impact that has on your economy, on your infrastructure on your services. And then you look at a country like the UK much further away, much less impacted, many fewer refugees, that sends a really unfortunate signal. So we believe that if this goes ahead, if other countries were to follow suit, it really would have a very significant impact on refugee protection globally. A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dungeness, Kent, after being rescued by the RNLI (Gareth Fuller/PA) Home Office guidance states that the Illegal Migration Bill will change the law so that those who arrive in the UK illegally will not be able to stay here and will instead be detained and then promptly removed, either to their home country or a safe third country, such as Rwanda. A Home Office spokesperson said: The UK has a proud history of providing protection for those who genuinely need it through safe and legal routes offering safety and protection to almost half a million men, women and children since 2015. More routes to safety for vulnerable people across the globe will be created but the rise in illegal migration must be stopped first. People who come to the UK illegally will be liable for detention and prompt removal. The asylum system is being reformed at the same time. Shorter interviews, simpler guidance and more decision makers will help clear the asylum backlog by the end of the year. The worlds largest airliner returned to Glasgow on Sunday for the first time since September 2019. Middle Eastern carrier Emirates said its reintroduction of an Airbus A380 for flights between the Scottish city and Dubai is due to sustained demand. The double-decker four-engine jets can carry 517 passengers. Emirates has previously operated Glasgow-Dubai flights using Boeing 777s, which have 302 seats for passengers. Emirates has not operated an A380 at Glasgow Airport for three-and-a-half years (Mark Runnacles/PA) The airlines UK divisional vice president, Richard Jewsbury, told the PA news agency: The return of the A380 is purely demand driven. Weve seen sustained demand from the Scottish market. Dubai is the number one destination but were seeing really good flows down to Australia, Thailand, the Indian subcontinent which is very popular particularly for VFR (visiting friends and relatives) traffic and the Indian Ocean. Its about growing the capacity back. As we go into the summer period were expecting more visitors and inbound traffic from around the network. Glasgow Airport operations director Ronald Leitch said the airlines Glasgow-Dubai route continues to be a tremendous success story for Scotland, and the reintroduction of an A380 is a huge vote of confidence for Glasgow and the wider region. The flight on Sunday landed at Glasgow Airport at 12:38pm. The vast majority of A380s around the world were put into storage at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, fuelling speculation they would never return due to the existence of more fuel-efficient aircraft. But their ability to carry more passengers than all other commercial planes means the model is making a recovery. Mr Jewsbury claimed the suggestion that A380s could be permanently grounded was always ridiculous. He said: I think the A380 always has been and will continue to be in high demand. Its a really superb product. Very spacious, very comfortable, very quiet. Its one that customers go out of their way to fly on. Were seeing demand running hot across the network at the moment so we need the capacity the A380 provides. Emirates has 80 of its A380s in service, out of a fleet of 116. In the UK, the airline is already operating the jets at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester, with Birmingham flights resuming in July. Figures from aviation analytics company Cirium show A380s are expected to be used for 5,857 commercial passenger flights across all airlines this month. That remains 40% below the total for March 2019 before the virus crisis began but represents an 80% increase from a year ago. Earlier this week, Lufthansa became the latest airline to confirm it will reactivate its A380s this summer, with flights on the Munich-New York and Munich-Boston routes. Aviation consultant John Strickland, of JLS Consulting, said one of the reasons the plane is popular with passengers is that even if you sit in economy theres a much greater sense of space. But some airlines have not announced plans to bring their fleets out of long-term storage while Air France permanently retired its A380s in May 2020. Mr Strickland believes the current demand for air travel means some carriers may regret not giving themselves an option to use the planes. In sheer capacity terms, I think airlines who had them could largely use them, he said. Emirates use of the aircraft on flights to Dubai makes it much easier for the airline to fill connecting planes to Africa, Asia and Australia, he explained. British Airways has a dozen A380s which are deployed on routes between London and US destinations such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and Dallas, as well as South Africa for holidaymakers seeking winter sun. The airline is very happy to have that capacity back, Mr Strickland added. This combined photo shows Chun Woo-won, left, the grandson of late former authoritarian leader Chun Doo-hwan, streaming live on his Instagram on March 16, and Chun Doo-hwan lying with his grandchildren. Captured from Internet By Lee Hae-rin Chun Woo-won, grandson of the late former authoritarian leader Chun Doo-hwan, who has been making online revelations on his family's criminal activities, plans to arrive in Korea on Tuesday to apologize to the victims and bereaved families of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement, the younger Chun said, Sunday. The 27-year-old Woo-won, currently based in New York and son of Jae-yong, second son of the former Korean dictator, posted his flight itinerary to Korea on his Instagram account (@hope.with.jesus). He wrote, "I will go to Gwangju as soon as I get there (Korea). I don't know anything and don't know where to reach the bereaved families. Please help." The e-ticket shows that he will depart New York's John J. Kennedy International Airport on Monday and arrive at Incheon International Airport at 5:20 a.m., the following day. This captured image from Chun Woo-won's Instagram shows the flight itinerary of Woo-won from New York to Korea. The grandson of late former authoritarian leader Chun Doo-hwan wrote on Sunday that he plans to apologize to bereaved families and victims of the bloody suppression of the pro-democracy movement in Gwangju in 1980. Captured from Chun Woo-won's Instagram The Tri-Cities scored a massive economic development win this month when a European fertilizer firm selected Richland for its first-ever plant to make carbon-free fertilizer out of air and water. Atlas Agros vision for north Richland comes with an equally massive power requirement. It told Richland officials it needs up to 350 megawatts, or enough electricity to power the city three times over. Atlas agreed to buy 150 acres at the Horn Rapids Industrial Park from the Port of Benton for its proposed $1.1 billion plant. The site is on land formerly owned by the Department of Energy, near the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. As billed, Atlas could turbocharge local efforts to build a green economy in the Tri-Cities thats independent of federal spending on cleaning up the Hanford nuclear site. Signing the purchase and sale agreement signals both parties believe the plant stands a good chance of succeeding. But it does not guarantee it will be built. Atlas needs electricity to power electrolyzers to produce hydrogen and then ammonia to make nitrogen fertilizers. The process is based on existing synthesis technology, which Atlas said it has refined. Atlas Agro will need up to 350 megawatts to produce fertilizer at its proposed $1.1 billion plant in north Richland. Above, Gina Zejdlik, Atlas Agro director of policy and government relations, left and Dan Holmes, Atlas Agro North America executive director, stand at the 150 acres on the northern edge of Richland Need for power Its electrical requirements translate to 1 1/2 to 3 times the power consumed by the entire city, said Clint Whitney, Richlands energy services director. As the local energy utility, the city would be responsible for providing power to the fertilizer plant. The company mentioned new nuclear as its power source, but has offered no details of what that means or how or where it will be generated. The Bonneville Power Administration caps new large users at 10 megawatts. The federal marketing agency did not respond to a request for comment on the project. Whitney stressed that BPA is not obligated to serve Atlas. Energy Northwest, which generates electricity for BPA at the 1,200-megawatt nuclear plant north of Richland as well as other facilities, said it could not elaborate on its discussions with Atlas, but hinted at advanced nuclear reactors. We are energetically pursuing the deployment of a X-energy advanced reactor at the end of the decade, Greg Cullen, vice president for energy services and development, told the Herald. Energy Northwest is actively engaged with potential utility and industrial customers on the feasibility of new nuclear technologies serving their energy needs, he said. Atlas Agro plans to build the first-ever carbon-free fertilizer production plant for a cost of $1.1 billion on 150-acres on the northwest corner at the intersection of Stevens Drive and Horn Rapids Road near the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland. Buying power Whitney said there are three ways to meet Atlas requirements. Atlas could contract to purchase power on the open market, where costs have soared. Richland could contract to buy the power on the open market. Atlas could apply for BPAs expensive New Resource rate, currently more than twice its lowest Tier 1 rate. Whitney said it is too early to identify a preferred option, but he said the city is committed to protecting existing customers. For example, if the city entered a power contract to serve Atlas and the project didnt move forward, it doesnt want to be left responsible for the cost. Thats where the attorneys are going to come in and help us, he said. Sales agreement Atlas and the port signed a 25-page purchase and sale agreement that spells out terms under which Atlas will buy property at the corner of Stevens Drive and Horn Rapids Road. The agreement, released after the March 7 meeting, offers details that were not included in port commissions original public discussion. The contract indicates Atlas will need 280-330 megawatts of continuous power to produce fertilizers without emitting carbon. The lower figure reflects adding an energy storage facility to the power package. A single megawatt can power 400-900 homes, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. At the low end, Atlas is seeking enough power to run 132,000 homes, more than the Tri-Cities combined. The details Atlas, operating as Pacific Green Fertilizer Corp., has until Jan 31, 2026 to complete the pre-development steps needed to construct the facility, which would have a combined footprint of 1 million square feet. The land: Atlas will pay nearly $9.1 million for 150 acres within a 260-acre port-owned property. The price is $1.39 per square foot for 6.5 million square feet. Atlas can buy additional land for $2.09 per square foot. It was required to place $400,000 in an earnest money account with Chicago Title Insurance Co. in Kennewick. Atlas has one year to confirm the property suits its needs and the project is feasible. After that, the deposit is nonrefundable. The purchase agreement automatically terminates if Atlas fails to notify the port the property has been approved for development. Rail access: The port agreed to work with Atlas to extend a rail spur from the nearby Southern Connection, aka the port-owned railway that connects Richlands industrial areas to the BNSF Railway and UP networks in Kennewick. Atlas will pay for rail construction. The project will generate 10 rail car trips per day, 25 truck trips and required reliable access to barge ports. The Port of Benton operates a barge facility near the Triton Sail Park. It is chiefly used to move decommissioned nuclear reactors to the Hanford site. Jobs: Officials said Atlas will support 1,000 jobs in the community, but the plant itself will employ 160 people, including 20 professionals, 100 technical/skilled workers, 20 semi-skilled workers and 20 unskilled workers. The construction project will require hundreds of workers. Why Richland? Dan Holmes, executive director for North America, said it is eager to meet demand for no-carbon fertilizers from agriculture, which is a significant contributor of carbon emissions. Taking carbon out of fertilizers helps the industry, he told the port commission. Richland is envisioned as the first plant in a network of such plants built to serve local agriculture around the country. Atlas scouted sites in Washington and Oregon. But Richland was the clear winner thanks to support from the city of Richland, Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC) and Washington Department of Commerce. This is the place where the project most likely will be built, he said. The state of Washington is eager to see it succeed, said Brian Young, the Department of Commerces clean technology sector lead. The state agency aided Atlas with the site selection process and visited the companys leaders in Oslo when Gov. Jay Inslee visited the region in 2022. He said fertilizers are generally produced in the region where its is consumed. A billion-dollar effort to drive down carbon intensity got us very excited, he said. Young said the state has not offered direct incentives to land the project. The state has incentives around manufacturing and sales tax deferrals on equipment and it can help with some of the federal funds available for clean tech innovators. He praised local officials at the city, port and TRIDEC for rallying to support Atlas. Its never a done deal until it is built, he added. Former Republican Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said his trip on Monday to New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary and votes second overall in the GOP presidential nominating calendar, will help him decide whether to "get into the battle" and launch a 2024 GOP presidential campaign. Christie said that a key to that decision will be whether he sees a pathway to victory over former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Christie will headline a town-hall style event Monday evening at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, which for over two decades has been a must-stop for actual or potential White House contenders from both major parties. Word of the town hall and a dinner later in the evening with close friends and supporters in the Granite State was first reported earlier this month by Fox News. The former two-term governor, who unsuccessfully ran for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination and who is considered one of the best communicators in the GOP, has repeatedly said for well over a year that he is "thinking" about making another bid for the White House in 2024. FIRST ON FOX: CHRISTIE TRIP TO NEW HAMPSHIRE SPARKS MORE 2024 SPECULATION Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signs the iconic wooden eggs after speaking at 'Politics and Eggs' at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, on March 21, 2022 in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Christie told Fox News Digital ahead of his trip that he plans "to go up there and talk to people in New Hampshire who I know are the best-informed voters in the country about things that I think are important in the world and in our country right now and to see how they react to that, and see that what they think about things that I think are important." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP When asked if a positive response from voters will further encourage him to run again for the White House, Christie said "theres no question that if you find that youre connecting with people that makes you more encouraged to want to get out there and try to get into the battle." CHRISTIE ARGUES THAT REPUBLICAN PARTY ISN'T DOMINATED BY TRUMP However, he emphasized that he and his wife Mary Pat "havent made any decisions yet, and I think this is all part of that process. Having gone through it before, theres a lot less mystery to it than there was to me the first time." Christies said he will make a 2024 decision in the next 45 to 60 days. He explained that the three factors going into his decision will be "seeing a pathway to winning believing that you have something at that moment to offer the country that it needs to hear," and whether he would have the support of his family. "If I answer yes to all three of those questions, then Ill run. If I answer no to one of them, then I wont," he said. Trump became the first major Republican to declare his 2024 candidacy when he launched his third straight campaign for the White House in mid-November, soon after the 2022 midterm elections. He remains the clear front-runner in the latest GOP presidential nomination race polls. DeSantis remains on the 2024 sidelines as of now, but is widely expected to enter the race, and polls suggest he would be Trumps top rival. In an interview this past week on Fox Nation, the Florida governor said "stay tuned" when asked about his political future. When asked if he can compete with Trump and DeSantis, who enjoy larger national followings and bigger war chests, Christie said "thats what were trying to figure out." WHO'S IN AND WHO'S ON THE SIDELINES YOUR GUIDE TO THE 2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION RACE "I think the most important thing is to go out there, be authentic, be yourself, and see how people react to that," he said. Pointing to New Hampshire, where there is a heavy presidential primary emphasis on candidate-to-voter connections and retail politics, Christie said "war chests and name ID" dont matter as much. "Those kinds of things this early on are really not that important. What matters more is how you connect to voters and what you have to say. If thats something that resonates with them, theyll move in your direction," Christie said. Christie placed all his chips in his campaign for president seven years ago in New Hampshire. However, his campaign crashed and burned after a disappointing and distant sixth-place finish in New Hampshire, far behind Trump, who crushed the competition in the primary, boosting him towards the nomination and eventually the White House. Christie became the first among the other GOP 2016 contenders to endorse Trump and for years was a top outside adviser to the then-president. However, the two had a falling out after Trumps unsuccessful attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to President Biden. He reiterated his message that "we lost in 2018, in 2020, in 2022, all with Donald Trump leading the way. Theres a lot of concern being expressed by donors about that and their desire that our primary is robust and that there are alternatives there that could possibly win in a general election." Christie huddled with many of the larger donors in the conservative movement who were attending an American Enterprise Institute conference in Sea Island, Georgia, two weeks ago. "Ive had a lot of interesting conversations with donors over the course of the last few weeks," he shared. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez posted her first TikTok video Saturday. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez discussed calls to ban TikTok in her debut on the app. The New York Democrat said the bipartisan push to ban TikTok in the US "doesn't feel right to me." AOC said America needed stronger data and privacy protection laws rather than a TikTok ban. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said TikTok should not be banned in her first video on the app Saturday. The New York Democrat started her video by saying: "This is not only my first TikTok, but it is a TikTok about TikTok. Do I believe TikTok should be banned? No." "I think it's important to discuss how unprecedented of a move this would be. The United States has never before banned a social media company from existence, from operating in our borders," Ocasio-Cortez said. "And this is an app that has over 150 million Americans on it." Her video, which has had about 3 million views and 545,000 likes, came two days after TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress. Several politicians did not appear interested in listening to full answers from the executive, as the hearing quickly devolved into a bloodbath of "yes or no" questions. The debate around TikTok's potential threat to national security started in 2020 when the Trump administration attempted to force a sale of the Chinese-owned app. A potential ban of TikTok also centres on concerns around data privacy, the spread of misinformation, and the safety of minors. "They say because of this egregious amount of data harvesting, we should ban this app. However, that doesn't really address the core of the issue," Ocasio-Cortez said. The New York Democrat noted that major social media companies like Meta also collect "troves of deeply personal data." She pointed out that the US doesn't have "significant data or privacy protection laws," before mentioning the European Union's data privacy law, known as the General Data Protection Regulation. "So to me, the solution here is not to ban an individual company but to actually protect Americans from this kind of egregious data harvesting that companies can do without your significant ability to say no," Ocasio-Cortez said. She said issues that posed a significant risk to national security usually triggered a classified briefing for Congress, which had not happened. "So why would we be proposing a ban regarding such a significant issue without being clued in on this at all? It just doesn't feel right to me." Ocasio-Cortez concluded: "I think a lot of this is putting the cart before the horse because our first priority should be in protecting your ability to exist without social media companies harvesting and commodifying every single piece of data about you, without you, and without your consent." Read the original article on Business Insider President Biden felt the wrath of the Twitter ratio Saturday after he claimed "MAGA" Republicans want to cut federal funding for border security. "MAGA House Republican proposals would slash funding for border security a move that could allow nearly 900 pounds of fentanyl into our country," the president tweeted. "We need more resources to secure the border. Not less." Bidens tweet included a photo of himself shaking hands with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, which was taken from his first and only trip to the border in El Paso, Texas, in January. Photos taken by Getty showed Biden briefly spoke with CBP officers sitting inside a mobile X-ray truck on the Bridge of the Americas border crossing. The post was quickly noticed by Republicans and Twitter users overwhelmingly "ratioed" the post, giving it far more negative replies than retweets and likes. BORDER PATROL UNION RIPS BIDENS BORDER VISIT, SAYS EL PASO CLEANED UP JUST IN TIME President Joe Biden speaks with Customs and Border Protection police on the Bridge of the Americas border crossing between Mexico and the U.S. in El Paso, Texas, on Jan. 8, 2023. BIDEN SAYS MORE IMPORTANT THINGS THAN BORDER VISIT, DESPITE 59 TRIPS TO DELAWARE, 8 STOPS FOR ICE CREAM READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Biden took a brief trip to El Paso in January after facing fierce criticism for not visiting the border since taking office while thousands of illegal immigrants continue to flood into the U.S. undetected every day. In December, after nearly two years in office, the president said he hadnt visited the U.S.-Mexico border because "there are more important things going on." At the time he had already taken 59 trips to Delaware and stopped for ice cream at least eight times. Fox News Digital previously reported that Border Patrol agents seized more than 800 pounds of fentanyl between ports of entry this fiscal year, which began in October amid continued concerns about the lethal drug getting into the U.S. The head of the U.S. Border Patrol told lawmakers earlier this month the agency does not have operational control of the U.S. southern border and also said migration levels were at "crisis" levels in some places. It was also revealed this week that Border Patrol had reached one million migrant encounters already for fiscal year 2023. Biden released his budget proposal on March 9, and while House Republicans have yet to release a plan, the president has taken aim at a proposal from the House Freedom Caucus. President Joe Biden walks down the stairs of Air Force One with first lady Jill Biden after arriving in Canada to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "MAGA House Republicans put out extreme budget proposals that would eliminate funding for over 2,000 border patrol agents undermining our ability to combat drug trafficking," Biden tweeted on Tuesday. "My budget keeps our borders secure while expanding legal pathways for migrants seeking asylum." Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., blasted Biden's claim, tweeting, "A total fabrication. In your 2024 budget proposal, you call for billion-dollar cuts to border security operations and ICE. By the way, it took you 80 years to get that picture." Fox News' Adam Shaw contributed to this report. This photo provided by the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office shows Dr. Tomasz Kosowski, who was arrested on a first-degree murder charge Saturday, March 25, 2023, by Largo Police, in Florida. The Tampa-area plastic surgeon is accused of killing a lawyer missing since last week from a firm that represents former co-workers the doctor has been suing in a business dispute. (Pinellas County Sheriffs Office via AP) A Tampa-area plastic surgeon has been charged with murder, accused of killing a lawyer missing since last week from a firm that represents former co-workers the doctor has been suing in a business dispute. Largo police arrested Dr. Tomasz Kosowski on a first-degree murder charge on Saturday in the disappearance of Steven Cozzi, who was last seen Tuesday at Blanchard Law, the firm where he worked. Police said Sunday that while Cozzi's body has not been found, they have evidence that he was killed by Kosowski. They said Cozzi's wallet, phone and keys were found in the law office along with a significant amount of blood in the bathroom. They say a suspicious person and car were seen at the office, leading them to Kosowski. A search of the doctor's Tarpon Springs home found evidence that led to his arrest, police said. They did not elaborate. Kosowski, 44, who goes by Dr. K, was being held without bail on Sunday at the Pinellas County Jail. Court and jail records do not indicate if he has hired an attorney. Blanchard Law has been representing Kosowski's former employer and co-workers in a lawsuit he filed against them four years ago and is ongoing. Jake Blanchard, the firm's principal partner, did not immediately respond Sunday to an email and phone message seeking comment. In the lawsuit, Kosowski said he began working for Laufer Institute of Plastic Surgery in 2016, mostly doing breast reconstruction surgery. He said the woman Laufer Institute assigned to do his insurance billing didn't file claims and lied to his patients, costing him tens of thousands of dollars and resulting in negative reviews of him to be posted online. Dr. K's promising young career has essentially been obliterated by the woman's actions, Kosowski lawsuit says. Through no fault of his own, his career was put directly in jeopardy and his reputation has been deeply tarnished. He left Laufer Institute in 2018 and had set up his own practice. Laufer Institute did not immediately return a call seeking comment Sunday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine during a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday. Erdogan highlighted the importance Turkiye attaches to the immediate cessation of the Russia-Ukraine conflicts through negotiations and thanked President Putin for his positive stance regarding the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, according to a statement from Turkeys Directorate of Communications. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July, allows Ukrainian grain exports to safely travel through the Black Sea. Russia agreed to renew the deal for another 60 days last weekend but warned that any further extension would require the easing of Western sanctions, according to Reuters. While Turkey has largely maintained economic ties with Russia throughout its yearlong war in Ukraine, Ankara ordered companies last month to halt the transit of goods to Russia that are sanctioned by the U.S. and European Union, Bloomberg reported. Erdogans appeal for a cease-fire and negotiations come on the heels of a similar call for an end to hostilities made by China and Belarus earlier this month. However, the two countries efforts were largely eyed with skepticism by the West, as both appear to have drawn increasingly close to Russia. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A Northern California man is accused of conspiring with a Pakistani man to hunt and smuggle an endangered wild sheep from Pakistan to the United States, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Sacramento. Prosecutors allege big game hunter Jason Keith Bruce, 49, of Galt and Pir Danish Ali, a 43-year-old CEO of a Pakistani hunting outfitter and guide company, began their conspiracy to hunt a Ladakh urial in Pakistan and to smuggle the resulting trophy in February 2016. Bruce hunted as a client of Pirs company, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Shortly before the hunt, Pir told Bruce a recent survey showed a local population of only 180 of the Ladakh urial. The Department of Justice said the defendants agreed they would get the trophy to the U.S. by bribery as well as fraudulently telling Customs and Border Patrol and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that the sheep was another species using forged documents purporting to be issued by Pakistani authorities. Bruce paid Pir $50,000 for the hunt of the Ladakh urial, according to officials, and Pir shot the animal. Bruce flew into San Francisco International Airport from Pakistan on March 29, 2018, carrying the Ladakh urial trophy along with seven other trophies in his personal baggage, authorities said. Customs stopped Bruce and alerted federal wildlife officials, who seized the trophy. Prosecutors said further investigation of the incident revealed that, between 2013 and 2018, at least 25 hunters who had hunted with Pirs company presented forged documents to import at least 97 hunting trophies into the U.S. Bruce faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of smuggling with a maximum additional year and $50,000 fine for a charge of violation of the Endangered Species Act. Both Pir and Bruce face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of the conspiracy. EXCLUSIVE: Republican senators are calling President Joe Bidens nominee for the U.S. District Court of Colorado "unqualified" for the job after the jurist was stumped by Sen. John Kennedys, R-La., questioning at his confirmation hearing last week. Kato Crews, a magistrate judge, failed to answer Kennedys query on how to "analyze" a Brady motion, nor was he able to "define what a Brady motion is" when asked point-blank to do so. A Brady motion is a legal process in which a criminal defendant can force the prosecution to provide any evidence in a case that might prove the former to be innocent. A federal law passed in 2020, and co-sponsored by Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., requires all federal judges to affirm that prosecutors are obligated to hand over any potentially exculpatory evidence to the defense. Its named after the landmark Supreme Court case Brady v. Maryland, which held that withholding evidence that might otherwise prove someone to be innocent is a violation of ones due process rights. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said of Crews inability to answer the question, "Skill and merit are low on Joe Bidens priority list. The only requirement that matters is political fealty to the party line." SEN. KENNEDYS QUESTION ON LEGAL PROCEDURE STUMPS BIDEN JUDICIAL NOMINEE IN FRONT OF SENATE COMMITTEE Left: U.S. District Court Judge nominee Kato Crews. Right: Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. His colleague on the panel, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, accused the Biden administration of being willing to "sacrifice" knowledge of the law to advance their own politics. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "I would be hard-pressed to hire a law clerk who couldnt answer Senator Kennedys questions," Lee told Fox News Digital. "But this administration is willing to sacrifice understanding of fundamental tenets of the law and a basic understanding of the Constitution in exchange for woke identity politics." Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital that Bidens nominees should be treated the same as any other job applicant when being considered for a role. BIDEN JUDICIAL NOMINEE REFUSES TO SAY WHETHER RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IS WRONG Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) heads to a meeting with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol on November 16, 2022 in Washington, DC. "This is yet another example of the Biden administration advancing an unqualified candidate who is incapable of answering even basic, fundamental questions about core legal concepts," Scott said. He added, "In any other job, a candidate failing to answer this simple of a question would be immediately disqualified. Why should Congress operate any differently?" During Crews confirmation hearing on Wednesday, he was asked by Kennedy how he would analyze a Brady motion. INTERNET SHOCKED AT BIDEN JUDICIAL NOMINEE'S FAILURE TO ANSWER SIMPLE QUESTION ON LEGAL PROCEDURE UNITED STATES - JULY 20: Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah., speaks during the news conference in the Capitol on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, to announce legislation which would require the president to consult with congressional leaders and obtain congressional authorization before exercising certain national security powers. "Senator, in my four and a half years on the bench, I dont believe Ive had the occasion to address a Brady motion in my career," the judge said. Asked what a Brady motion is, Crews replied, "In my time on the bench, Ive not had the occasion to address that, so its not coming to mind what a Brady motion is." He later added that he believed it was "something regarding the Second Amendment." Kennedy has been known to stump judicial nominees with straightforward process questions before. In January, Spokane County Superior Court Judge Charnelle Bjelkengren told Kennedy that "Article V is not coming to mind" after being asked what that article does in the U.S. Constitution. A trio of House Republican committee chairs say the House of Representatives could soon take up legislation to strip state and local prosecutors of the authority to prosecute former presidents in response to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs potential indictment of former president Donald Trump. In a letter to Mr Bragg, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, and House Administration Committee Chair Bryan Steil rejected arguments the Manhattan prosecutor gave in response to the trios demand that he give evidence before their panels about the ongoing investigation into Mr Trump. Mr Braggs probe could result in the twice-impeached ex-president becoming the first former US chief executive to face criminal charges over hush money payments he made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016. Last week, Mr Braggs office slammed the 20 March demand for his testimony as an unprecedented inquiry into a pending local prosecution which only arose after Donald Trump created a false expectation that he would be arrested the next day and his lawyers reportedly urged [Congress] to intervene. Your letter treads into territory very clearly reserved to the states. It suggests that Congresss investigation is being conducted solely for the personal aggrandizement of the investigators or to punish those investigated, and is, therefore, indefensible, said Leslie Dubek, who is Mr Braggs general counsel, in a response sent to the chairmen on Thursday. In response, Jordan, Comer and Steil said their inquiry is legitimate because the potential criminal indictment of a former President of the United States by an elected local prosecutor of the opposing political party (and who will face the prospect of re-election) implicates substantial federal interests. They added that Mr Braggs work falls under the jurisdiction of Mr Jordans House Judiciary Committee because that panel and Congress has a specific and manifestly important interest in preventing politically motivated prosecutions of current and former Presidents by elected state and local prosecutors, particularly those tried before elected state and local trial-level judges. Therefore, the Committee on the Judiciary, as a part of its broad authority to develop criminal justice legislation, must now consider whether to draft legislation that would, if enacted, insulate current and former presidents from such improper state and local prosecutions, they said. Because your impending indictment of a former President is an issue of first impression, the Committees require information from your office to inform our oversight. The ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland,. has condemned his GOP colleagues actions as nonsensical interference committed at the behest of Mr Trump, who faces multiple criminal investigations into his conduct being overseen by Mr Bragg, as well as Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis and a federal special counsel, Jack Smith. These Committee chairs have acted totally outside their proper powers to try to influence a pending criminal investigation at the state level, Mr Raskin added. Because the Senate has a Democratic majority and the White House is held by President Joe Biden, a Democrat, its highly unlikely that any bill shielding ex-presidents from prosecution could ever be enacted into law. But House Republicans have vowed to use their authority to protect Mr Trump even as the criminal investigations into his conduct move closer to the charging stage. A spokesperson for Democrats on the House Oversight Committee told The Independent the trio GOP committee chairs who signed the letter to Mr Bragg believe former President Trump is above the law. This outrageous position is further evidence of former President Trump and MAGA extremists hold on Congressional Republicans, he said. With additional reporting by agencies Ukraine has demanded an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over Vladimir Putins plans to place tactical atomic weapons in Belarus, saying Minsk was being used as a nuclear hostage. In one of his most pronounced nuclear threats since the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian president said construction of facilities for the weapons would be completed by 1 July. He said Russia was following the lead of the United States, which has nuclear weapons based in Europe and Turkey, and Britain, which is providing Ukraine with armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. But Nato on Sunday criticised his dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric. Russias reference to Natos nuclear sharing is totally misleading, a spokesperson said. Nato allies act with full respect of their international commitments. Russia has consistently broken its arms control commitments, most recently suspending its participation in the New START Treaty. Belarus Lukashenko with Putin at a previous meeting (AP) Oleksiy Danilov, a top security adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, said Mr Putins plan would also destabilise Belarus. The Kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage, he said. Ukraines foreign ministry called for an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council and asked the international community to take decisive measures to prevent Russias use of nuclear weapons. putins statement about placing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus a step towards internal destabilization of the country maximizes the level of negative perception and public rejection of russia and putin in Belarusian society. The kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. Oleksiy Danilov (@OleksiyDanilov) March 26, 2023 But analysts at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said the risk of escalation to nuclear war remains extremely low. Mr Putin argued that Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko wants nuclear weapons in his country again to counter Nato. Belarus shares borders with three Nato members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging ground to send troops into Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its own territory; moving part of the arsenal to Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there. The US said it would monitor the implications of Putins announcement. Germany called it a further attempt at nuclear intimidation. Further heightening tensions, an explosion deep inside Russia wounded three people on Sunday. Russian authorities blamed a Ukrainian drone for the blast, which damaged residential buildings in a town some 177km (110 miles) south of Moscow. Russian state-run news agency Tass reported that authorities had identified the drone as a Ukrainian Tu-141, a Soviet-era device reintroduced in Ukraine in 2014. Similar drone attacks have been common during the war, although Ukraine hardly ever acknowledges responsibility. On the battlefield, Russian forces hit military targets in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherso, causing significant Ukrainian casualties. Kim Hwang-sik, a former Korean prime minister, lays a flower to honor anti-imperial Japan Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun in a ceremony commemorating the 113th anniversary of his death, held in Jung District, Seoul, Friday. Ahn assassinated Ito Hirobumi, the first Japanese resident-general of Korea, at Harbin Station Oct. 26, 1909. Kim serves as chair of the Ahn Junggeun Memorial Association. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seog Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said the country planned to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus in retaliation for the U.K.s decision to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Russia falsely claimed these rounds have nuclear components. Putin said the construction of the storage facilities for the weapons in the Russian-allied country, which borders Ukraine and three NATO countries - Latvia, Lithuania and Poland - would be completed by the beginning of July. UKRAINE WAR THROWS WRENCH IN MASSIVE RUSSIAN ARMS DEAL AFTER THEY MISS DELIVERY, INDIA SAYS He told a Russian state television show that the country wouldn't be violating the international agreement on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons with the construction because he said the U.S. frequently deploys its nukes in NATO countries. Russia stationed troops in Belarus along the border with Ukraine a year ago under the guise of routine military exercises before invading in February 2022. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP UN DENOUNCES ALLEGED TORTURE, HUMAN SHIELDS, OTHER WAR CRIMES IN UKRAINE CONFLICT It's not the first time Putin has used nuclear weapons as an intimidation tactic against the West, which has continually provided Ukraine with monetary and tactical support following the invasion. Just last month, Putin said he would be suspending his nation's participation in a nuclear arms treaty, threatening to resume testing of nuclear weapons. "The elites of the West do not hide their purpose. But they also cannot fail to realize that it is impossible to defeat Russia on the battlefield," Putin said almost exactly a year after the invasion started, which has dragged on much longer than Putin expected due to Ukraine's resolve and Western support. The Associated Press contributed to this report. One of the South Carolina residents who was killed by members of a drug cartel in Mexico was described during a funeral service in Lake City Saturday as someone strong in personality, strong in beliefs, soft-spoken yet when he had something to say he made himself heard. Shaeed Woodard, 33, died in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, after he and three longtime friends were kidnapped March 3 by men later identified by the Gulf drug cartel as members who went rogue on innocent Americans. Woodards homegoing was held at Good News Deliverance Temple Church in Lake City, where several speakers talked about the need to rely on God during trying circumstances and not become bitter amid such a heartbreaking situation. Shaeed Woodard died in Mexico after he and three friends were ambushed by members of a drug cartel. A cousin, Nisheeka Simmons, said Woodard was beloved by all who cared to know him. Our family is tight knit, she said. Pastor. Hue Samuels said no one can say what God will do, but Woodard gave his life to Christ so theres hope. Samuels said Woodards service was the hardest he had ever preached, harder than the time he was the only Black man preaching to 500 white people. Woodard as a boy began all his sentences with Hmm and loved Honey Buns. He was goaded by his brothers, but they left him alone when he got mad. Brother Shaeed went to Mexico and God called him home, he said. You dont know when God is going to call your name. Also killed in the ambush was Zindell Brown. Eric Willliams was shot in the legs and survived and LaTavia Washington McGee of Myrtle Beach was unharmed physically. The four friends knew each other from childhood in Lake City, and were traveling together so McGee could have cosmetic surgery, where she had been treated before. They were found in a dilapidated house outside Matamoros March 7, four days after they were kidnapped. A Mexican woman, described as a church worker, was shot and killed as she stood on the sidewalk during the confrontation. No firm details have been released on why the foursome was targeted. One report said they were caught in the crossfire of rival drug cartels. Another that they were mistaken for Haitian drug smugglers. Dr. Colleen McNicholas, chief medical officer at Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, poses for a portrait inside an exam room at Planned Parenthood Friday, March 10, 2023, in Fairview Heights, Ill. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. (AP) Dr. Colleen McNicholas is fresh off performing two abortions when a ringing phone quickly stops her. Oh, ugh, she said, eyes widened, before she darted off to another room. Just the day before, 58 women had abortions at the Fairview Heights Planned Parenthood clinic, 15 miles east of St. Louis. But the new day is still stacked with appointments; as many as 100 abortion and family planning patients might walk through the doors. Every day is busy now. Hundreds of women travel each week to the southern tip of Illinois to secure an abortion, something that is no longer available to millions living in a 1,800 mile stretch of 11 Southern states that have mostly banned pregnancy terminations since the Supreme Court stripped away constitutional protections for women to end pregnancies. But another barrier awaits them once they reach the clinic in one of the country's most abortion-friendly states. Anti-abortion advocates in neon hazard vests frantically try to wave passersby down at the gates, hoping to talk them out of what they are about to do. The clinic's waitlist for abortions has only grown from two days to nearly three weeks after the Supreme Court ruling last June even after staffers started working 10-hour shifts and they opened the clinic on Saturdays. With every piece of litigation, with every new constitutional amendment, with every new abortion restriction in a state that has some access, we are on this teeter-totter of what can we do here to make more space for the people who are going to be fleeing their home state? McNicholas said. With 10,000 abortion patients expected this year at the clinic, there's talk of opening on Sundays. Staff developed an emergency plan that would convert some patient rooms, normally reserved for birth control consultations or vasectomies, to make more room for abortions. A recreational vehicle has been retooled into a mobile clinic that can travel along the state line for doctors to provide abortions. That still wont be enough to keep up, McNicholas predicted. Shes eyeing a proposed six-week abortion ban in Florida which could send even more women from the South seeking abortions up north. And shes closely watching how a Texas judge will rule on a case that seeks to keep the abortion pill mifepristone off the market. Any additional decision has the potential to really change demand again, she said. Its like crisis management every day of the year. Months before Roe v. Wade was overturned, Planned Parenthood and the nearby Hope Clinic had already been grappling with a surge of patients from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and elsewhere after Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, signed a bill into law that effectively shut down several abortion clinics in his state and led to long waiting lists in neighboring states facilities. Together, the clinics launched a new regional logistics center in January 2022 dedicated to helping out-of-state patients book hotels, flights, gas money, bus rides or rental cars to either facility. Just six months later, on June 24, the Supreme Court ruled that abortion was not a constitutionally protected right. Within hours, states such as Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas began enacting trigger laws that banned abortions. Now, about 70 women call the center every day for help getting to an abortion clinic in southern Illinois, said Kawanna Shannon, the director of patient access at the Planned Parenthood clinic. When they reach the line, a navigator first goes over what they can pay toward their abortion. There are other details: How will the patient get to the area? Does she have money for food while she stays there? Will she need child care? When someone cannot afford to pay for hotels, bus tickets or plane rides, the center books the travel for the patient and works with more than 30 nonprofit groups around the country that solicit funds for abortion access to fund the trip. The work doesnt end there. A staffer is available around-the-clock to answer desperate calls from patients who run into travel issues. Workers raced to arrange a ride to the airport in the middle of the night for one patient to flee her abusive partner. They troubleshoot when a car breaks down on the trip to southern Illinois. They navigated canceled flights during a crushing winter travel season to make sure one woman made it back to her family on Christmas day after an abortion. Its not going to slow down, Shannon said. We are really taking care of the entire Southern region. All the (patients) in the South are really coming to southern Illinois because were the closest. Almost all of them need some type of help be it travel, be it procedure costs. Two hours south of the Planned Parenthood clinic, two new abortion clinics opened in Carbondale, Illinois, late last year to give women living in banned states a closer option. After reading the Supreme Courts leaked draft opinion last May, Andrea Gallegos, the director of the Alamo Clinic, said she hopped on Google and started looking for liberal-leaning cities in rural, southern Illinois. Illinois was just a state that really stood out in this sea of states that would more than likely ban abortion, Gallegos said. It seemed like a good choice to try and get over there. The Alamo Clinic relocated to the area from Oklahoma last November. Three doctors in a rotation travel from Montana, Tennessee or Texas weekly to perform about 30 abortions daily at the clinic, which will terminate a pregnancy before 18 weeks. Gallegos says fewer than 5% of patients who come to the clinic are from Illinois. Most patients coming to the Fairview Heights clinic are no longer from the region, either. During the final six months of last year, the clinic saw 2,042 abortion patients from outside of Missouri or Illinois up from just 314 the six months before. Women are now seeking abortions later in their pregnancies at the Planned Parenthood clinic, which offers the procedure through 26 weeks. About one-quarter of patients need a second trimester abortion, McNicholas said. But the hardest change to deal with has been the steady increase in children who are coming to the clinic, hoping to end a pregnancy that was the result of a rape or abuse. What you use to see was maybe one or two 10-and 11-year-olds a year, she said. Now youre seeing a couple a month because theyre coming from all over the country. Just sitting with that knowledge that this many people are experiencing so much trauma ... There are times where its really hard. ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for public health reporting. The AP is solely responsible for all content. A U.S. ban of TikTok would be a devastating blow to many of the small businesses that have turned to the app to build audiences and customer bases instead of pricey marketing campaigns. (Matt Cardy / Getty Images) When Lauren Wyman felt crushed under the weight of her corporate finance job in 2019, she found solace in launching a small goth and alternative clothing business. She initially made Facebook and Instagram accounts for her shop, Dark Mother Clothing , but generated only $5,000 to $6,000 in sales the first year. Wyman, 32, joined TikTok at the start of the pandemic, launched new products and posted a couple of videos that went viral. In 2022, she grossed $217,000. A part of what people have done on this app is created their own slice of the American dream that is preached so much about, said Wyman, whos based in Arizona, whether its opening a small business or people who are no longer facing homelessness, people who are able to retire, creators who are now allowed to pursue their creative pursuits. Now, creators worry the platform might be taken away from them. TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew testified in front of lawmakers Thursday, trying to convince them that TikTok is not a national security threat. But he was largely unsuccessful in making the case that TikTok was out of the reach of Chinese influence, observers say. The Biden administration has recently increased efforts to force a sale of TikTok by its owner ByteDance, which is a Chinese company subject to Chinese law the same thing Trump sought to do in 2020 with a TikTok ban that was blocked by federal courts. On March 15, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States reportedly gave ByteDance an ultimatum : Sell TikTok or face a ban in the United States. A recent bill introduced in the Senate that would enable the Biden administration to ban TikTok has bipartisan support. An outright ban of the app would be a devastating blow to many of the small businesses that have turned to TikTok to reach potential customers instead of shelling out for more traditional and pricey forms of marketing. Kellis Landrum, co-founder of Los Angeles marketing agency True North Social, said Facebook and Instagram are pay-to-play platforms that dont give as much of a return on investment. TikTok offers the broadest organic reach of any of the channels right now, Landrum said. If you're very successful on TikTok, that's probably most of what you're focusing on because [as] a small business, you can't afford to attack marketing on a bunch of different fronts at the same time. Elyse Burns, who runs a stationery and home goods design company she launched in college in 2015, said shes seen a direct correlation between her TikTok videos and sales. After posting a video featuring a shipment of day planners that got 2.9 million views in June 2022, she sold more than 2,000 day planners in two days. I can look at my sales and see like that month, I had a viral TikTok, Burns said. Last year, she did $1 million in sales through her website, which receives traffic from TikTok and Instagram. She devotes four hours a day to those two platforms but has since expanded to doing wholesale and opening a storefront in Durham, N.C., to diversify her revenue. Through her business, which she now runs full time, shes been able to pay off most of her student loans and purchase a house. Christina Ha experienced a similar phenomenon with her New York cat cafe and rescue organization, Meow Parlour. In late 2020, she started posting videos of her retired parents interacting with some of her foster kittens. When she posted a video about her parents sewing cat beds to support her rescue work, her audience clamored to buy them. She raised $20,000 in one week. It was insane and kind of unexpected, Ha said. When I look back at the video, it probably wasnt my finest work. A video she posted this month captioned, A day in the life of my 76-year-old dad, got 10.2 million views and another $30,000 in cat bed sales. Shes also received a flurry of visitors to Meow Parlour who have signed up to foster and adopt cats and become monthly donors to the nonprofit. TikTok is so, so, so amazing. The community is extremely supportive in a way Ive not found on other social media platforms, Ha said. Even businesses such as garbage can cleaning and carpet repair have found audiences on TikTok. Josh Nolan, who runs Carpet Repair Guys in the San Francisco Bay Area, said he joined TikTok after nearly two decades of doing carpet repair after a technician told him he needed to get on social media. The results were astounding. When he started moving content that he posted on Instagram and Facebook to TikTok, they were "just going through the roof in the numbers, Nolan said. Nolan still uses Yelp and Google AdWords to bring in business, but he hears from customers all the time that theyve watched TikTok or YouTube videos of him doing carpet repairs, he said. He now has more than 850,000 followers on the app and makes some additional income through brand sponsorships. I'm not off the truck yet. I'm still on the job on my knees fixing carpets, but it's been good side money, Nolan said. It's paid for some vacations for my family, and it's just really an exciting thing for someone who never looked at himself as like a social media content creator. I'm just a blue-collar contractor. But yet you've got this resource here at your disposal. Last fall, TikTok partnered with American Express on its #ShopSmall Accelerator program to help small businesses during the holiday shopping season. A week after the Senate bill to give the federal government the power to ban the app was introduced, TikTok launched an initiative highlighting small-business entrepreneurs who have found explosive success on the platform, allowing many to quit their day jobs. That is what Wyman hopes to do, but the uncertainty of TikTok now gives her pause. Wanting to take the leap but also being scared, that you go from ... having over 125,000 followers [TikTok and Instagram combined] down to having only 17,000 [on Instagram], thats a large risk to take, she said. As part of the company's campaign to change lawmakers' minds, TikTok paid for a group of TikTokers to travel to Washington ahead of Chews testimony to protest the potential ban of their beloved app. Chew himself posted a TikTok appealing to the masses a few days before his testimony. I can tell you without question that the next generation of Black business owners are going to come from the TikTok platform, said Baedri Nichole, a bakery owner from Columbus, Ohio, who was part of the TikTok-organized news conference. If you ban TikTok, then you put at risk putting a cap on the ambitions of a whole generation of wealth creators. Without access to TikTok, small-business owners say they would probably focus their efforts on Instagram, where they already cross-post content from TikTok. But many are lukewarm about the Meta-owned platform. Instagram hasnt really done much for me as a creator or a small business, Wyman said. Ive used their tools, Ive tried their ads. The platforms are nowhere near the same in terms of their audience, their engagement. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Samuel Quinoz, 27, recently arrived in Tijuana from Oaxaca, Mexico, and is hoping to get his child and partner to the United States. He was deported from the U.S. five year ago. He and his family have no place to stay in Tijuana while they figure out the system. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) Top Democrats are warning President Biden against restarting the controversial practice of detaining migrant families who cross the U.S. southern border without authorization. "I urge you to learn from the mistakes of your predecessors and abandon any plans to implement this failed policy," Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and 17 other senators wrote in a letter sent to the White House on Sunday and shared exclusively with The Times. Family detention, the senators argued, is "ineffective and impractical as an immigration management tool." As he prepares for an expected 2024 presidential campaign, Biden has tried to distance himself from the left, showing more willingness to crack down on illegal immigration and approving a GOP-backed bill to block an overhaul of the District of Columbia's criminal code. The Senate Democrats' letter amounts to an attempt to warn Biden against taking that effort too far. The missive is also an indication of the potential of immigration issues to divide Democrats as Biden tries to reduce the large number of migrants seeking to enter the U.S. and claim asylum. Most of the letters signatories just over one-third of the Senate Democratic caucus come from the party's progressive wing, includingCalifornia's Alex Padilla and former presidential candidates Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Some moderates, including Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Catherine Cortez Masto, added their names too. Resuming family detentions would represent a significant shift from Biden's previous positions. The president ended the practice and unwound a series of Trump-era immigration restrictions during the first few months of his administration, vowing a more humane approach. "I'm not making new law. I'm eliminating bad policy," he declared on his first day in office. In recent months, however, Biden administration officials studying how to manage the record number of migrants showing up at the southern border have discussed the possibility of once again locking up migrant children and their parents. During fiscal year 2022, 2.76 million immigrants crossed the U.S. border illegally, shattering the previous annual record by more than 1 million, according to Customs and Border Protection data. "No decisions have been made" about family detention, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said. But the internal debate and Biden's decision, in February, to dramatically curtail access to asylum for people who cross the border illegally are likely to undermine the administration's efforts to refashion U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement into a more progressive institution after four tumultuous years under former President Trump. Biden has reversed many Trump ICE policies, including mass work site raids, and enacted some new policies, including limiting arrests of pregnant women and expanding sensitive areas such as playgrounds where arrests are generally off-limits. Under Biden, ICE has generally avoided high-profile arrests of immigrants in the country illegally, including families, that were more common under Trump. One of the administration's most significant decisions, however, was winding down the detention of families in ICE facilities. "The best part of the administration's immigration policy over the first two years is that they ended family detention," Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), told NBC's "Meet the Press" on March 19. "If the administration does go down this path, I am afraid the president will become the 'asylum denier-in-chief.'" Former Presidents George W. Bush and Obama used family detention as they, too, struggled with a surge in border crossings, but a court settlement prohibited the detention of children for more than 20 days. Trump sought to detain families indefinitely as part of his hard-line border policy but was blocked in court. ICE has detained families at two facilities near the border: the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, which can hold up to 2,400 people, and the Karnes County Family Residential Center near San Antonio since 2014. During his presidential campaign, in June 2020, Biden tweeted that, "Children should be released from ICE detention with their parents immediately. This is pretty simple, and I can't believe I have to say it: Families belong together. His administration followed through by initially converting the so-called Family Residential Centers to 72-hour staging centers in March 2021. Previously, families would be detained for weeks after being arrested crossing the border without authorization. The agency stopped housing families in detention by December 2021 and converted both detention centers to holding facilities for single adults. Under current policy, families have been released into the U.S. as they await a court hearing. Authorities track these migrants using an ankle bracelet monitoring device or mandated check-ins. In the letter, Durbin pointed to studies that show the negative health effects of family detention on the well-being of children. He also argued that detention has failed in deterring migrants from attempting to cross the border. The implementation of the detention policy corresponded with an increase in encounters of children and individuals in families an average of 57% per year between 2015 and 2019, according to the Department of Homeland Security. "We understand that your Administration faces significant challenges particularly in light of Congressional failure to pass immigration reform to manage an influx of asylum seekers arriving at our southern border," the senators wrote. "However, the recent past has taught us that family detention is both morally reprehensible and ineffective as an immigration management tool. We look forward to working closely with your Administration on more thoughtful and humane responses to such challenges." The Democrats' letter will not necessarily find a sympathetic ear in the Oval Office. The end of Title 42, a Trump-era policy set to expire in May that gives border agents the power to expel migrants without a legal process, could lead to a spike in border crossings, some Biden administration officials worry. The president has sought to end Title 42 but has faced legal challenges from officials in Republican-led states who argue that ending it would result in a surge of migrants to the U.S.-Mexico border. The Supreme Court ordered the administration to keep the policy in place until it rules on the states lawsuit. The administration, however, plans to allow the public health emergency for COVID-19 that underlies Title 42 to expire May 11. After that announcement, the Supreme Court took arguments scheduled in the case off its docket. As part of its planning, the administration recently rolled out a policy proposal that would limit asylum access for immigrants who cross into the U.S. without authorization and fail to apply for protections on the way to the southern border. That proposal will not take effect immediately and will go through a regulatory process to allow public comment. After that time, the policy is set to be in place for two years following its effective date. It is the latest Biden administration proposal to deter migrants from entering the U.S. without authorization and to bring down the numbers of migrants crossing the southern border. The U.S. and Canada reached a deal last week to allow each country to turn back asylum seekers who cross the northern border without authorization in another effort to crack down on illegal crossings. A senior Democratic aide told The Times the administration was making it more difficult for Democrats to negotiate immigration reform, including providing permanent legal status for the roughly 3.6 million Dreamers, or immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children who have been shielded from deportation through Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. "Rolling out a Trump-inspired transit ban before even demanding that Republicans come to the table to protect DACA recipients is ruining any possibility of compromise on this issue," the aide said. In January, Biden announced migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti and Venezuela would be returned to Mexico and ineligible for a legal entry program if they attempt to cross illegally. Illegal border crossings from those four countries plunged from 84,190 in December to 2,050 in February, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. WACO, Texas (AP) Facing a potential indictment, Donald Trump took a defiant stance at a rally Saturday in Waco, disparaging the prosecutors investigating him and predicting his vindication as he rallied supporters in a city made famous by deadly resistance against law enforcement. With a hand over his heart, Trump stood at attention when his rally opened with a song called Justice for All performed by a choir of people imprisoned for their roles in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Some footage from the insurrection was shown on big screens displayed at the rally site as the choir sang the national anthem and a recording played of Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The extraordinary display opened Trumps first rally of his 2024 Republican presidential campaign. He then launched into a speech brimming with resentments and framed the probes, including a New York grand jury investigation, as political attacks on him and his followers. You will be vindicated and proud, Trump said The thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited and totally disgraced. Trump's event at the airport grounds in Waco was part of a broader effort by the former president to use the potential indictment as a rallying cry for supporters to maintain his status as the GOP frontrunner in what is expected to be a crowded primary. It came one day after Trump raised the specter of violence should he become the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges. Trump declared his innocence in the Manhattan investigation into a hush money payment made during the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to keep her from going public about a sexual encounter she said she had with Trump years earlier. A grand jury hearing the case is expected to meet again on Monday. Trump said the Manhattan district attorney was investigating him "for something that is not a crime, not a misdemeanor, not an affair. Some of Trump's recent rhetoric, including at the rally, has echoed language he used before the Capitol insurrection by a mob of his supporters seeking to stop the transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden, who won the presidential election. Trump declared Saturday that his enemies are desperate to stop us" and that our opponents have done everything they can to crush our spirit and to break our will." He added: But they failed. Theyve only made us stronger. And 2024 is the final battle, its going to be the big one. You put me back in the White House, their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again." Trump could be indicted soon by a Manhattan grand jury investigating a $130,000 payment that Trumps longtime lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, made as Trump was in the throes of his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump later reimbursed Cohen and his company logged the reimbursements as a legal expense. Cohen has already served time in prison after pleading guilty to campaign finance charges and lying to Congress, among other crimes. Trump's eyebrow-raising choice of venue in Waco for his first rally came amid the 30th anniversary of a 51-day standoff and deadly siege between U.S. law enforcement and the Branch Davidians that resulted in the deaths of more than 80 members of the religious cult and four federal agents and has become a touchstone for far-right extremists and militia groups. Trumps campaign insisted the location and timing of the event had nothing to do with the Waco siege or anniversary. A spokesperson said the site, 17 miles from the Branch Davidian compound, was chosen because it was conveniently situated near four of the states biggest metropolitan areas Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio and has the infrastructure to handle a sizable crowd. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said before Trumps arrival that he was the one who had suggested Waco as the venue. Any suggestion Trump had picked the city because of the anniversary was "fake news. I picked Waco! he told the crowd. Trump did not make any direct references in his speech to Waco's history, telling the crowd of thousands that he told Patrick he wanted to hold his rally in a place with overwhelming support, not one of those 50-50 areas," and said he told Patrick, Lets go right into the heart of it." At several points, Trump criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to run for president and is seen as his strongest potential challenger for the GOP nomination. Trump called his onetime ally disloyal and said he was dropping like a rock. Audience members were holding red and white signs handed out by the campaign that said Witch Hunt," Trump 2024 and I stand with Trump. Hours before Trump arrived, hundreds of his supporters began streaming into the airport past vendors selling merchandise including Trump flags, bumper stickers and action figures. Among them was Eugene Torres, 41, who said he was unfazed by the prospect that Trump could be indicted. Its just another political attack on him to keep him from running and winning this race again, said Torres, who is from the Texas coast city of Corpus Christi. Alan Kregel, 56, traveled with his wife from Dallas to see Trump in person for the first time. While he voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, he said he felt the former president's "methods and vocabulary" often detracted from his policies. But now, two years out of office, he said he is more supportive of Trump than he was before. Hes an innocent man, just persecuted," said Kregel, arguing an indictment would help Trump win in 2024. Trump has spent weeks now railing against the New York probe and in a post on his social media site on Friday warned of potential death & destruction in such a false charge" if hes charged with a crime. In a move that seemed designed to preempt a formal announcement, he claimed last Saturday that he would be arrested the following Tuesday. While that did not happen, Trump has used the days since to try to shape public perception echoing a strategy he has used before, including during special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Trump has also repeatedly invoked violence, urging his supporters to protest, and used increasingly racist and dehumanizing rhetoric as he has launched ever more personal attacks against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. On Friday, a powdery substance was found with a threatening letter in a mailroom at Bragg's offices, authorities said. Officials later determined the substance wasn't dangerous. Even before the threatening letter was sent to Bragg's office, Democrats warned that Trump's remarks had the potential to incite violence. The twice-impeached former presidents rhetoric is reckless, reprehensible and irresponsible. Its dangerous, and if he keeps it up hes going to get someone killed, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said. In addition to the Manhattan case, Trump is also facing an investigation in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election as well as federal investigations into his handling of classified documents and possible obstruction, as well as his efforts on Jan. 6. ___ Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Paul Weber in Waco, Texas, Michael R. Sisak in New York and Sagar Meghani in Washington contributed to this report. Ukraine is calling on the United Nations to hold an emergency session following Russian President Vladimir Putin's threat to place nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus. Putin announced the move on Sunday, framing it as a warning to Western countries. Ukraine's government called on the U.N. to counter Russia's "nuclear blackmail," arguing Putin had made Belarus its "nuclear hostage." Putin said the construction of the storage facilities for the weapons in the Russian-allied country, which borders Ukraine and three NATO countries - Latvia, Lithuania and Poland - would be completed by the beginning of July. Putin argued that Russia was only adopting the policies of the U.S. and other Western countries with the deployment. PRESIDENT BIDEN MAKES SURPRISE VISIT TO KYIV. UKRAINE, MEETS WITH PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. "We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews," Putin said on state television, according to the Associated Press. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP UN DENOUNCES ALLEGED TORTURE, HUMAN SHIELDS, OTHER WAR CRIMES IN UKRAINE CONFLICT Ukraine's Foreign Ministry urged members of the U.N. Security Council to act against Putin. "Ukraine expects effective action to counter the Kremlins nuclear blackmail by the U.K., China, the U.S. and France," the statement read. "The world must be united against someone who endangers the future of human civilization." The move comes just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a trip to Moscow last week. Xi and Putin referred to one another as "dear friends" throughout the visit, though China maintains that it is neutral in the conflict with Ukraine. Putin's move is only the latest of his nuclear escalations. He also announced plans to suspend Russia's participation in an arms treaty with the U.S. last month. "The elites of the West do not hide their purpose. But they also cannot fail to realize that it is impossible to defeat Russia on the battlefield," Putin said when withdrawing from the treaty. Fox News Brie Stimson contributed to this report. The United Nations (U.N.) issued its latest climate change report which warned the "climate time bomb is ticking," sparking renewed calls for nations including the U.S. to take more aggressive actions to curb carbon emissions. The report, published Monday by the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), concluded that sustained global fossil fuel usage has caused the world to warm 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, close to the 1.5-degree emergency threshold, and has pushed the world closer to a point of no return. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the report represented the most stark warning for humanity yet. "The climate time bomb is ticking. But todays IPCC report is a how-to guide to defuse the climate time bomb. It is a survival guide for humanity," he said. "As it shows, the 1.5-degree limit is achievable. But it will take a quantum leap in climate action." Following the report, news outlets highlighted the findings and included comments from additional climate experts and environmentalists who said the report should be a final warning and that "there is no more room for compromises." And White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday called the report a "sobering report on the state of our climate." DEMOCRATS BLAMING CLIMATE CHANGE FOR HURRICANE IAN AT ODDS WITH SCIENCE, EXPERTS SAY However, the IPCC's report is just the most recent in a long string of cataclysmic climate change warnings and calls to action from the U.N. dating back decades. The international body first called attention to emissions-caused climate change during its 1972 First Earth Summit in Sweden and zeroed in on the issue in the late 1980s when it began issuing its first major warnings about global warming. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "The ticking time bomb stuff I mean, they really are running out of extreme rhetoric," Steve Milloy, a senior legal fellow at the Energy & Environment Legal Institute, told Fox News Digital in an interview. "What's the rhetoric going to be like next time or is it just going to be the same? I guess it could just be the same. We could have another stark, stark warning." "Since they never report that they've been wrong before, it doesn't really matter. They just go on to the next one," he continued. "This is an elitist-driven scare. It's very important to the green energy industry, to the greens and to Democrats, but it's not really important to anybody else. I think people are kind of getting bored with it." BIDEN CONSIDERING TEARING DOWN KEY GREEN ENERGY SOURCE OVER ECO CONCERNS In 1989, Noel Brown, the former director of the U.N. Environment Program, told The Associated Press that entire nations would be wiped off the face of the Earth by 2000 if warming trends aren't reversed. He added that if warming wasn't reduced, humanity could expect "more ferocious storms, hurricanes, wind shear, dust erosion." A paper carton mill is pictured in Canton, North Carolina, in 2014. One year later, the IPCC published its First Assessment Report which stated with certainty that human activity, namely the burning of fossil fuels for energy, "will enhance the greenhouse effect, resulting on average in an additional warming of the Earth's surface." The report also predicted that increases in emissions could cause "irreversible change in the climate which could be detectable" by 2000. The IPCC continued publishing reports with stark warnings and bold predictions throughout the 1990s and 2000s. "Emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols due to human activities continue to alter the atmosphere in ways that are expected to affect the climate," the agency's Third Assessment Report published in 2001 stated. "There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities." REPUBLICANS DEMAND BIDEN'S ENERGY SECRETARY RETRACT 'UNSERIOUS' COMMENTS PRAISING CHINA In 2007, the IPCC released its Fourth Assessment Report which gave the world eight more years to reverse warming and emissions trends to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Seven years later, the Fifth Assessment Report stated the increased emissions were "increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems." "Time is running out. The more we delay, the more we will pay. Climate change is accelerating and human activities are the principal cause, as documented in a series of authoritative scientific reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change," former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wrote at the time. "Climate change poses sweeping risks for economic stability and the security of nations." Then, in 2019, U.N. General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garcia said "11 years are all that remain to avert catastrophe," giving the Earth until 2030. During the same event, Guterres said "we have no excuse not to act." And last year, the U.N. warned in a sustainable development report that, to avoid irreversible damage, global greenhouse gas emissions need to peak before 2025, decline 43% by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050. Despite the years of warnings, though, the world has continued to see increased carbon emissions and fossil fuel production. In 2022, energy-related carbon emissions reached an all-time high and global oil consumption is projected to reach an all-time high of 101.7 million barrels per day in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. By Lee Hyo-jin Woo Jong-soo, head of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police, has been recommended to head the National Office of Investigation, filling the vacant post after his predecessor resigned a month before beginning his term. Woo Jong-soo / Courtesy of National Police Agency The processes that have been adopted can be checkmated only through stout resistance by society and a show of statesmanship The conviction of Rahul Gandhi on the flimsiest of charges by a Gujarat trial court, and within 24 hours, as if it was on steroids, the Lok Sabha secretariat notifying his disqualification as an MP, are a natural denouement to the larger political tragedy that has unfolded under the current government. The processes that have been adopted can be checkmated only through stout resistance by society and a show of statesmanship by the political leadership. The survival of the system we have nurtured since Independence could be at stake. Nobody can seriously believe that crystal waters of justice have flowed uninterrupted in the defamation trial against Mr Gandhi in which matters were hurriedly got over after lying somnolent for four years in the course of which the complainant, a Gujarat BJP MLA, had sought a stay from the high court over his own complaint. For a start, it needs to be remembered that Mr Gandhi had not posed the Modi question -- which was at the heart of the so-called trial -- out of season. There was a definite context. As such, there was no question of being derogatory towards a community. Fearing action after high order corruption, under the nose of the government, two men with the Modi name had fled the country. They had not filed for defamation, which is specific to individuals, not groups. An altogether different Modi, the Gujarat MLA who had nothing to do with the matter, went to court, spuriously claiming that his communitys name had been besmirched. If the defamation law is made applicable to entire communities, then the Whos Who of the BJP will be on trial, without exception. Leaving aside legality, for the matter is deeply disturbing and compellingly political as it causes long-term injury to our diminishing democracy, the most striking feature of the current phase is unbridled repression let loose on Opposition leaders and dissenters of every description. In monstrous contrast is the rewarding with high-profile positions of corrupt politicians who swelled the ranks of the ruling party to bypass investigation. The list is long, but the government experiences no shame and exhibits deep self-love. Whats happening is instructive. Bearing menace, the Delhi police visits Mr Gandhis residence to question him on his remark that during the Bharat Jodo Yatra some women complained to him about being sexually assaulted. Was questioning at all called for? The signalling was that the State can do as it pleases even with significant Opposition figures. At Delhi airport, a senior Congress spokesman gets yanked off the plane by the Assam police, gangster fashion, for poking fun at the PM on the Adani affair. In Parliament, the address system is switched off for the entire Opposition for demanding an investigation in the Adani case. In the nations capital, scores of FIRs are registered by the police for posters demanding the end of Modi rule, recalling events in Beijing and Hong Kong. Even the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman have found it expedient to drop constitutional restraint and go at an Opposition leader -- Mr Gandhi. The law minister has called retired judges anti-national and rudely questioned the Chief Justice on the system of the appointment of judges. Whats happening? Are we on the way to becoming an armoured-car democracy? It is certainly a question of democratic morality, if not also of law, whether the highest court in the land should not take suo motu notice of the disgraceful goings-on. If the State seeks to make itself all-powerful through coercion of its citizens, their political representatives, civil society groups, the media, and state institutions, then it is on the way to subverting its present form and essentiality while pretences are kept up through outright propaganda. The Supreme Courts apparent lack of alacrity to step in when disturbing political and constitutional questions have arisen lead to anxiety. The Rahul Gandhi question will again test the Supreme Court because the issue is basic: Who is really on trial: Rahul Gandhi or Narendra Modi? When Mr Gandhi came to the Lok Sabha after his 4,000-km march spread over many months, raising matters of urgent public concern before adulating crowds wherever he went, the government turned nervous. Hackles were raised when the Congress leader went on to fire leading questions about billionaire Gautam Adanis presumed proximity to the leader of the government in the wake of the Hindenburg report. The Speaker had the core of the Opposition leaders speech deleted from the records. Suddenly, in India, we find we cannot criticise the PM. The treasury benches complained Mr Gandhi had insulted the PM. This was bogus but the Speaker fell into the trap of allowing a privilege motion against the Congress leader and the question came down to whether he would be suspended or expelled from Parliament. Subsequently, when Mr Gandhi criticised the Modi government from forums in Britain, in a carpet-bombing campaign led by the PM himself, the BJP sought to project the criticism of the government as anti-national activity. The ruling party has since then paralysed Parliament. It wants Mr Gandhi to apologise for airing anti-national views. The apology demand, although unheard of in a modern democracy, is now redundant. Mr Gandhi has been ejected from the House and may be jailed. Objective achieved. In the end it has boiled down to the billionaire Adani to whose fate the PM appears to have recklessly tied himself. All he had to do was concede the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the questions raised about the Adani business empire since these have brought up serious doubts about the functioning of Indias financial system. But any critical discussion of the Adani question is taboo. At a recent conclave by a media house, leading lights of the government spoke, the PM was interviewed, but no question was raised on the Adani crisis. Discussion of the subject is shut out in Parliament and the media. As a diversionary ploy, the government chose to try pummel and destroy Rahul Gandhi for his comments made overseas. Is this planned as its new Pulwama an effort to turn the debate around to prepare for the next election? Or, is it staring at its Waterloo? In 1920s Italy, Communist leader and famed European political thinker Antonio Gramsci was permitted to speak in Parliament only once. In spite of parliamentary immunity, on a trumped-up charge he was thrown into jail by fascist dictator Benito Mussolinis regime. The prosecutor had said at the trial: For 20 years we must stop this brain from functioning. The Congress has been at its weakest in decades and yet its outspoken leader and critic of Mr Modi seems to have brought the ruling establishment to a turning point. The Indian mission thanked the law enforcement agencies for their prompt response in the matter Washington: A PTI journalist was verbally intimidated and physically assaulted by Khalistan supporters protesting outside the Indian Embassy here, drawing a strong reaction from the Indian mission which said such activities underscore the violent and anti-social tendencies of these separatists. The US correspondent of the Press Trust of India, Lalit K Jha, was covering the pro-Khalistan protest when he came under attack. But the timely intervention by the US Secret Service and the local police saved him. "We have seen disturbing visuals of a senior Indian journalist from the Press Trust of India being abused, threatened & assaulted physically while covering the so-called Khalistan protest' in Washington DC earlier today," the Indian Embassy here said in a statement. "We understand that the journalist was first verbally intimidated, then physically assaulted, and fearing for his personal safety and well-being, had to call in law enforcement agencies, who responded promptly," the statement said. "Such activities only underscore the violent and anti-social tendencies of the so-called Khalistani protestors' and their supporters, who routinely engage in wanton violence and vandalism," it said. The Indian mission thanked the law enforcement agencies for their prompt response in the matter. The protesters not only obstructed this PTI reporter by coming in front of the camera and placing the Khalistan flag on his face and kept pushing him, but also threatened dire consequences. The reporter, apprehending physical harm, called 911 and ran towards the other side of the road for safety, looking for a police van. One of the protesters abused the reporter and was asking questions like you have to tell me what are you going to report? The organiser backed off as the reporter complained to the police about the potentially harmful activities of the protesters. Sometime later, two of the protesters came towards the reporters, who were standing near the Secret Service personnel. One of them told the Secret Service that the reporter be asked to leave my land which is federal property. They warned that if there is any violence and the reporter is physically harmed, they should not be blamed for this. Immediately the other protestor hurled abuses against the reporter, used unparliamentary words, and moved the two Khalistan flags that he had in his hand in such a way that its sticks hit the reporter's left ear with a bang. The Secret Service personnel asked the reporter if he was ok. The Secret Service warned the protester that this should not be repeated, and sought additional reinforcement from police personnel. The law enforcement official told the protestors that this was public land, and the reporter was all within his right to stand there and cover their protest. In their speeches, the protesters repeatedly pointed fingers towards the two reporters and used abusive words against them. While they prevented the journalists from doing their work, a group of protesters filmed the reporter covering their protest, took pictures and asked provocative questions. "This violence against @lalitkjha is outrageous and an assault on journalism. I condemn it in the strongest terms. Lalit is one of the fairest and most thoughtful journalists. Thank you to our security for protecting Lalit and the diplomats and consulate," Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna tweeted. At the Angelus, the pontiff mentioned the renewed [. . .] consecration of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He also turned his thoughts to the people of Mississippi and called for peace and reconciliation in Peru. Citing the Gospel episode of Lazarus, he urged the faithful to take away the stone" and remember the gift of life even when it seems that all hope has gone, Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Francis addressed the faithful gathered in St Peters Square for the Sunday Angelus prayer. In his address, the pontiff noted that, Yesterday, Solemnity of the Annunciation, we renewed the consecration of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in the certainty that only the conversion of hearts can open the way that leads to peace. To this end, he urged the faithful to continue to pray for the tormented Ukrainian people and to stay close also to the earthquake victims of Turkey and Syria. The proceeds of special collection taking place today in all parishes throughout Italy are destined for them. Earlier, Francis spoke about todays liturgy, the fifth Sunday of Lent, centred on the story of Lazarus in the Gospel of John. Lazarus was a "dear friend of Jesus", and his resurrection was the culmination of his signs. Thus, The message is clear: Jesus gives life even when it seems that all hope has gone. At the end of the Marian prayer, Francis turned his thoughts to the people of Mississippi, in the United States, "struck by a devastating tornado". Afterwards, as he greeted the many groups of pilgrims from Italy and the world, he addressed Peruvians, urging people to pray for reconciliation and peace" in a country that "is suffering a great deal". At the Angelus, he noted how, at times, we can "feel hopeless" or "meet people who have given up hope" because of loss, illness, disappointment, fault, serious error or betrayal. Indeed, sometimes life seems to be a sealed tomb: everything is dark, and around us we see only sorrow and despair. Yet, Today, Jesus tells us that [. . .] it is precisely in these moments that He comes closer than ever to restore life to us. He weeps with us, as he wept for Lazarus: the Gospel repeats twice that he is moved. Moreover, Jesus invites us not to stop believing and hoping, not to let ourselves be crushed by negative feelings. He approaches our tombs and says to us, as then: Take away the stone. Continuing his reflection, Francis cited Christ's call to take away the stones of pain, errors and failures, and not hide them. For tis reason, he urged the faithful not to give in to the pessimism that depresses you, to the fear that isolates, to the discouragement caused by the memory of bad experiences, to the fear that paralyses. I want you free and alive, I will not abandon you and I am with you! Do not let yourself be imprisoned by pain, do not let hope die: come back to life! This passage is a hymn to life, and we read it when Easter is near. This is the moment to take away the stone and to go out towards Jesus. The pope also reminded confessors not [to] forget that you too are sinners, and [that] you are in the confessional not to torture but to forgive. Last but not least, Francis urged the faithful to pray to Our Lady to bear witness to the hope and joy of Jesus so that she may renew in us the joy of not feeling alone and the call to bring light into the darkness that surrounds us. The Asian market is brimming with small-displacement motorcycles youve probably never heard of, one such entity being the Suzuki Thunder 250. Produced up until 2005, then discontinued in favor of the scaled-down Thunder 125, this thing came with a four-valve, 249cc single-cylinder engine good for up to 22 ponies at 7,500 rpm.Thats nothing to write home about, of course, but the creature does lend itself to customization like an absolute charm. As such, Deus Ex Machina of Bali really went to town when working on La Tigre a heavily revised 2003 MY Thunder 250 revealed earlier this month. The project was commissioned by a fellow named Gianluca, who sought a complete transformation with design influences from classic English bikes.First things first, Deus began by removing a huge chunk of OEM hardware, including (but not limited to) the fuel tank, cockpit equipment, and swingarm, as well as the subframe and everything attached to it. Once the donor had been dismantled, the guys tackled some good old fabrication work to give it a new outfit and silhouette.Aluminum was their material of choice for the bodywork, which is made up of a Triumph -inspired gas tank, classy side covers, and custom fenders. While La Tigres overalls were being manufactured from scratch, its 249cc thumper got taken apart, rebuilt, and vapor-blasted to look as good as new.Theres also a bespoke subframe mounted at the back, resting on adjustable piggyback shock absorbers and a replacement swingarm. Where the Thunders stock wheels had once been, we now see a fresh pair of 17-inch hoops linked to stainless-steel spokes. The rims are hugged by Shinkos dual-purpose 705 Trail Master rubber, measuring 130/80 up north and 140/80 at six oclock.For some extra stopping power, the Deus crew topped off the upgraded running gear with an aftermarket disc brake setup out back. Then they turned to the cockpit area, installing a Daytona tachometer and an all-new handlebar, which is in turn equipped with snazzy grips and the repurposed switchgear of a Yamaha XSR.Returning to finish the job in the powertrain department, the lads fitted a 32 mm (1.3-inch) PWK carb and a stainless-steel exhaust system that ends in dual reverse megaphone mufflers. La Tigres lighting goodies comprise Posh turn signals, a seven-inch LED headlamp, and a fender-mounted taillight assembly fashioned in-house.Having added a stunning cowhide saddle, it came time for Deus Ex Machinas experts to address the paintwork. Although the main color may appear to be black from afar, its actually a very dark shade of metallic-gray joined by silver patches on the tanks knee indentations. Bespoke Deus badges and gold accents round everything out, but it isnt known how much Gianluca paid in order for La Tigre to become a reality. Photo: Rivian Photo: Rivian Photo: Rivian I wasn't singling out NFS Unbound or anything like that; it just came to mind because I haven't played a lot of driving games with a heavy focus on story in recent years, and the Unbound simply popped up first.To be completely honest, maybe the lines I deem worthy as 'cringy' in NFS are nothing else but the side effect of me getting too old and cranky to stay up to date with Gen Z slang and whatnot. And just like any working man that pays his own bills, I can't be bothered with learning every newborn term from social media.So back in November, when I was trying Unbound for the first time and heard my young in-game sidekick incessantly crack wise jokes at Rydell, an older character, I think I rolled my eyes so hard my neighbors could hear casino slot machine sounds coming from my living room.And not because Rydell's 'I'm too old for this' attitude hit close to home (even though it did), but the dialogue seemed too forced, most probably to score some points with the 'Snapchatting' younglings.I'm not throwing jabs at the writers in any shape or form because, at the end of the day, they are merely employees taking orders from the 'suits upstairs.' All I'm trying to ask is if snappy adolescent one-liners meant to target a younger audience is all we're ever gonna get?Or can we move beyond focus-tested script writing and come up with an awesome story for once to prove that racing games aren't just about pressing the gas pedal and that they can become something much more?It's not like the gaming industry is lacking in narrative talent, but it seems like there's this status quo of simply getting by with a festival-based storyline like in Forza Horizon or in the upcoming Motorfest from The Crew franchise.It might just be a pipe dream at the end of the day, locked tightly between the inner lining of my skull, but because I'm passionate about story-driven games like Uncharted, The Last of Us, God of War, and so on, I would love to see a racing game with a story so memorable, that people won't know what hit them.Not to sound like a pedantic 'crazy cat lady,' but whether or not Henry Ford actually uttered the words "If I'd ask customers what they wanted, they would've told me a faster horse," it doesn't make them any less plausible. So why not apply this philosophy to racing games as well, especially now that they're getting turned into movies, just like Gran Turismo will be hitting theaters this summer?Now back to what started my one-way rant, Ubisoft's 'Ghostwriter' AI software that, in layman's terms, isn't meant to replace actual people but was created as a tool to help write NPC 'barks,' or pointless chatter.You know how in GTA, if you stand next to characters on the street, you'll hear them utter conversations among themselves or on the phone? Well, every dialogue line is painstakingly written by dozens of people, and when you have miles-worth of text inside a game like Assassin's Creed Valhalla, the time and effort to come up with every single word keep piling up, which in turn increases the overall production time.From what Ubi's saying about their in-house AI tool from their R&D department, La Forge Montreal, everything sounds peachy-keen. Ghostwriter could take care of the grunt work and create these NPC 'barks,' so less pressure will be put on the writers' shoulders.In turn, they could focus more on creating a truly engaging main story or even side ones instead of having to churn out tomes of non-essential chatter like police radio communications, for example.Grid Legends is a good example of a narrative-driven campaign, even though it fell a bit short for my taste, focusing on trivial things like beating the 'bad guy' in competitions just because it's what the 'good guy' does.Now, if you were to pair a newly-found narrative focus with the latest and greatest Unreal 5 graphics revealed recently, then it might just make racing movies obsolete because why would you simply watch something that looks that good when you could pick up a controller and actually play it?Whether this genre 'savior' will see the light of day anytime soon, who's to tell? But hope springs eternal, even though sometimes it's nothing more than "just a fool's hope," like Gandalf the White once uttered. Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kids toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones. Full profile ICE The geological simile is not arbitrary this Audi RS7 C7.5 has power outputs that could kick a dyno out of a speed shop and replace it with a Richter seismograph. Over the years, certain groups of Polish citizens have developed acute skills for turning tamed German sedans into ruthless hypercar slayers.By all means, the notorious carmakers from Europes PistonReich (thats Germany, the land of the crankshafts and the home of mechanics) have invented some pretty damn fine Lord of the Rings automobiles. And the RennSport supplements only add to a gearheads adrenaline overdose crave.To the east of this motorized Gondor lays the tuning Mordor of Poland, where brave Audis are thrown in the hell-flaming forges of extreme tuning. While the shell remains intact, the hearts of otherwise civilized daily-driver automobiles are forever corrupted into motoring master craft.In 2016, Audi was three years in its RS7 Sportback model a performance car with elegance, style, and discretion studies. Then the gremlins from PowerDivision got a hold of one example and injected it with their Super-Car Serum. If Captain America were a car, this would be it dont take my word for granted; play the video courtesy of Audi vlogging enthusiast Auditography and see for yourself.What came out was the worlds fastest RS7 C7. 1,133 PS and 1,250 Nm (1,118 hp / 922 lb-ft), courtesy of dramatic superpower-imbued powertrain tuning. PowerDivisions own hybrid turbochargers are primarily responsible for the vast eruption of raw torque and power. The two compressors bring forth an army of add-ons to support the high-performance numbers.Bespoke exhaust manifolds and downpipes (with catalytic converters delete), an air-to-air intercooler, high- and low-pressure fuel systems upgrades, an intake kit, and an upgraded throttle body. As if all these werent fiery enough, a water-methanol injection kit is added to cool the combustion chambers and cast the efficiency spell on the ignition stroke.But wait, theres more! Whats a hardware upgrade without its software magic formula? A Stage 4 mapping of the Engine Control Unit and a Stage 2 Transmission Control Unit update rule supreme over the metal and fire armada.All of the above carefully curated and minutely installed by mechanical mages of Poland make sense for a specific group of people. You might know them their heartbeat rates are expressed in Revolutions Per Minute, and they smell of burned rubber. They like to set brake discs on fire and synchronize their calendars to match the dragstrip season.For the rest of the world, the Polish tuners work is roughly described as 0-100 kph (62mph): 2.51 seconds, 100-200 kph (62-124 mph): 4.32 seconds. Lets compare these numbers with what Audi originally planned for the RS7.When the Germans extorted 553 hp and 516 lb-ft (560 PS / 700 Nm) from the twin-turbo V8, they thought they had planted another nail in BMWs and Mercedes coffins. After all, 3.8 seconds in the 0-62 mph sprint was a high grade for a two-ton luxury car.However, the Poles have developed a habit of putting multi-million-dollar state-of-the-art hypercars to shame with their piston witchcraft. Double the horsepower, add 80% more torque, and watch the likes of Bugatti and Koenigsegg send no-question-asked, lifetime full-membership admission invitations to their exclusive clubs.An upgrade kit for such performance levels is only a fraction of the price of a pompous speed-chasing hypercar, but it delivers very similar performance. And consider that the engine, gearbox, and drivetrain are still mechanically factory stock. But certain sections of the powertrain get the full-metal jacket treatment.For example, the turbochargers have friction-ignoring dual ceramic ball bearings for increased hardness and reduced wear and tear under extreme loads. The oversized compressor screws are carved from solid billet steel to withstand quarter-of-a-million-RPM duty and high boost levels. Refurbished housings and new shafts balanced on the Vibration Sorting Rig are one of the seven aces up the RS7s sleeve.With that newly-discovered performance, wouldnt it be an all-wheel-drive pity to keep the electronic speed limiter active? The Poles thought the same and offered a list of side options for the engine motoring augmentation. Chief of which is the cancelation of the 155-mph (250-kph) border-wall speed limit.While top speeds arent achievable on a daily basis, whenever and wherever, cool sound effects are. And what better way to shake the sleep off the neighbors than by revving the 1,1118-hp (1,133-PS) V8 into the redline at the red light? So, the rev limiter was thrown away, too (by appointment to the software tamers).Since theyve gone this far, deactivating the Start&Stop system was the next step on this highway toheaven. And, as a supreme gesture of courtesy, the Poles brag with the Activation of Pops&Bangs (with the compliments of this four-ringed Carmageddonian RS7 Sportback ). Building shook as shrapnel went flying Witnesses who attended Monday night's Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena described scenes of panic and confusion after they heard a loud bang and saw people injured by shrapnel, many of them seriously. GALLERY 22 people including children are killed in an explosion after a concert in Manchester, Britain. London (dpa) - Gary Walker, from the nearby city of Leeds, told the BBC he was injured by shrapnel as the explosion went off a few metres away while he and his wife were waiting for their daughters to come out from the concert. "We heard the last song go and then suddenly there was a massive flash and then a bang and smoke. I felt a pain in my foot and my leg," Walker told the broadcaster. "I turned around to my wife, who was standing at the side of me, and she said, I need to lay down. Shes got a stomach wound and possible a broken leg," he said. "Ive got a bit of a hole in my foot where Ive got a bit of shrapnel. I was surprised I got away so lightly." Walker said he saw metal nuts that he believed could have come from an explosive device. People at the venue were using tables as makeshift stretchers for the injured, he said.Emma Johnson, a caller to BBC Radio Manchester, said she and her husband were also at the arena to pick up their daughter and son from the concert. "It was definitely a bomb," Johnson said. "It was definitely in the foyer - about 15 feet (5 metres) away." "We were stood at the top of the stairs and the glass exploded - it was near to where they were selling the merchandise. "The whole building shook," she said. "There was a blast and then a flash of fire afterwards. "Fortunately for us, we were all safe to tell the story," Johnson said. "Were just so grateful to be home and safe. Im just praying for everybody else with loved ones there."Another witness, identified only by the first name Andy, said he had been waiting in the foyer for his wife and daughter when he was knocked to the ground by the force of the explosion. As he got up, he saw a scene "like something out of a war film," he told BBC Radio 5. "When I get up and look round, theres just bodies everywhere. I reckon 20 to 30 bodies. I cant say if some of them were dead but they looked dead. "They were covered in blood and were really seriously hurt," he said, adding that he saw "kids and teenagers just lying there screaming."Calvin Welsford, 18, from the south-western city of Bristol said he was in the front row as he heard a loud bang that "almost sounded like a gunshot." "I looked around and people were just spilling down, heading out of the building," he told the broadcaster. "I was actually having an asthma attack. It was sheer panic. Security told us we needed to leave but they were very caring. People were crying." By Arthur I. Cyr Japan and South Korea, two increasingly powerful nations, have reached an important agreement with far-reaching positive implications. On March 16, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan and President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea shared food and fellowship in a Tokyo restaurant, and reached a remarkable level of understanding. They agreed bilateral visits, suspended in 2018, will resume, reconfirmed sharing of intelligence information and put an end to a rather charged, tense four-year trade dispute. They also agreed on sustained collaboration regarding security. Additionally, in early March South Korea's foreign minister, Park Jin, announced that a foundation funded by Korean companies would compensate victims of forced labor during Japan's occupation of Korea. U.S. President Joe Biden immediately praised this generous South Korea initiative. The two nations share a complex, difficult history. Japan's long-term occupation of Korea in the twentieth century, which continued until 1945, included forced prostitution of Korean women and more general exploitation of the population. Totalitarianism has now faded, but legacies and painful memories continue. South Korea's Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that a comprehensive settlement of wartime compensation claims, reached in 1965, does not prevent individuals from seeking reparations. This opened the door for individuals to sue Japanese companies for compensation. In reaction, Japan announced that special trade relations with South Korea would end. Japanese companies would have to make a formal application, which can be quite cumbersome, for any technology-related deals with South Korea. South Korea retaliated. But this dispute has now ended. The two economies are world leaders in scale, production and overall effectiveness, but are notable for remaining surprisingly separate from one another. This directly reflects their extremely difficult history. South Korea's earlier chief executive, President Moon Jae-in, helped encourage the current progress. In August 2019, he took the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the death of notable former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung to underscore the importance of a 1998 Joint Declaration between Japan and South Korea, and the fundamental need for partnership. Kim's effectiveness in fighting South Korea's earlier harsh dictatorship marked him as a special target, and he survived at least five attempts on his life. One of the most dramatic incidents occurred in 1973 when South Korean government agents kidnapped him from a Tokyo hotel and took him to a ship, where they intended to kill him at sea. Donald Gregg, the highly experienced U.S. Central Intelligence Agency station chief in South Korea, acted decisively. After a U.S. helicopter flew low over the ship, and Gregg intervened personally, and forcefully, the kidnappers reluctantly released Kim. Gregg, whose intelligence career dates back to training commandos during the Korean War, later served as U.S. ambassador to Seoul during the George H.W. Bush administration and more recently provided outstanding professional leadership to the Korea Society based in New York City. Ambassador Gregg was also national security adviser to Vice President Bush. Most of his career was spent with the CIA. He personified the commitment and dedication of career professionals crucial to our success in the Cold War. Kim's courage and commitment to his country were rewarded when he was elected president of the Republic of Korea in 1997. Without hesitation, he moved to begin a rapprochement with the North Korean regime. This culminated in a dramatic summit meeting in 2000 with the leader of North Korea, beginning the fitful interchange with Pyongyang. Kim Dae-jung received the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership, which resonates well beyond Korea. Preoccupation with China should not distract from remarkable, positive developments in Asia. Arthur I. Cyr (acyr@carthage.edu) is author of "After the Cold War." Photo: British Royal Archives Photo: British Royal Archives Photo: British Royal Archives In the pre-war airliner sector, the Short Empire could still lay claim to being one of the most comfortable, luxurious, fastest, and downright fabulous ways to fly . A quad-engined flying boat that essentially acted like a transcontinental bullet train because that's roughly the same speed this slab of Northern Irish beef flew at.At a time when airliners were filling the skies like mad, the Empire helped set the standard that American companies like Boeing and Glenn. L Martin aspired to match, not the other way around like we're all used to. At least, that's in terms of luxury. Accident history is a completely different story. To understand the impetus for the Short Empire's creation, we need to understand what it was like to live in the British Empire in the late 1930s.By this point, most of Ireland had already told the British Monarchy to go take a hike. Not like that led to anything awful ever (not). Australia and New Zealand had also long since been on their own way before this point, with demonstrably less violence in those instances. But more to the point, there was still considerable territory in places like Africa, the Caribbean, and India, remaining within British influence and many others besides that people from Britain needed to travel back and forth from.Enter the Short Brothers Company, an aerospace manufacturer that may have started life in the Battersea district of London but ultimately made its name in scrappy, loveable Belfast. After spending the First World War building seaplanes like the Type 184 torpedo bomber, the company was well-suited to the flying boat-friendly atmosphere of the interwar airliner sector.Early contenders like the Short Kent and Calcutta biplanes may have been fairly luxurious for the day. But there was a sense these bi-winged ocean liners in the sky were totally last week by the turn of the 30s. It's here where we meet the second party in the Short Empire affair, Imperial Airways. Better known to most people as the predecessor group to British Overseas Airline Corporation, Imperial Airways was one of the go-to means of traveling the British colonies in the mid to late 1920s.Once difficult aerial jaunts like London to Calcutta and London to Rangoon became a near routine for Imperial around this time. What they required was a four-engined, ultra-luxurious, mono-wing flying boat airliner that made the journey just that little bit faster and smoother.What's the other aircraft type that pairs well with four engines? That'd be strategic bombers. As it happens, the Short Empire was developed in parallel with the Sunderland bomber. The extra Royal Air Force funding was no doubt a huge help in the whole affair.The finished Empire airliner left Short's Belfast factory and took to the skies for the first time on July 3rd, 1936. From day one, the design work of the Empire's lead engineer Sir Arthur Gouge was a cut above what the company had built before. Configurations that were designed for passenger service featured bespoke cabins fore and aft with comfortable, stitched leather-clad and adjustable seats.But what is it that British aristocrats loved to do more than anything else on overseas jaunts to the colonies? That'd be smoking, of course. That's why a portion of the forward fuselage in front of the two passenger compartments was dedicated to a cigar lounge with a capacity for six occupants during the day and four at night. You best believe the champagne was flowing throughout the aircraft during these overseas trips.Flights aboard Short Empires were often accompanied by up to 1.5 tons of mail. In a time before long-haul trucks could haul similar loads of mail, this was no small amount. There was even a spot on the crew rotation for a mail clerk whose only job was to catalog all the mail before it reached its relay at the end of the flight. Laden with up to 24 passengers plus all the mail, the Empire flying boat tipped the scales at 40,500 lbs (18,370 kg).Prohibition was already a thing of the past by 1936, so even American travelers returning to the States on Short Empires could join in on the fun when they reached their destination. Powering these 88-foot (26.82 m) long beast were four 28-liter (1,750-cubic inch) Bristol Pegasus nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines. In their initial configuration for the Short Empire, these engines produced 920 horsepower.This equated to a cruising speed in the region of 170 mph (273.5 kph). With a fair tailwind behind it, the old beast could muster a top speed of 200 mph (321.8 kph). In numbers common folks can appreciate, this speed meant trips like New York to London or vice versa could be completed in just 12 hours. Keep in mind this is in the late 1930s. It sure beats a cramped passenger ship you can't disembark for at least a few weeks.In gallivants to far-off places like Cairo, Egypt, the Short Empire operated as an ambassador of sorts as it looked to maintain its influence in North Africa and the Middle East. On routes to New York City, Empires would float across the paths of its American rivals like the Sikorsky S-42s, Boeing 314s, and Martin China Clippers in service with Imperial airways rivals like Pan Am.If not for having more pilot error-related mishaps and accidents than most would be comfortable with, the Empire would have been the crown jewel of flying boat airliners in service at the time. Thicker gauges of steel in the shipper undercarriage and hull, along with sleeve valve mechanisms instead of poppet valves, made subsequent models of the Empire, codename S.30s and S.33s, more reliable and sturdy than early models, codename S.23s.At the onset of the start of the Second World War, Short Empires joined their Sunderland bomber cousins in service with the RAF over Europe. While Sunderlands dropped up to 2,000 lbs (907.1 kg) of bombs or depth charges, Empires became dedicated military cargo planes and submarine hunters. Some were even equipped with gun turret pods. After the war, newly built Army and Air Force runways in Britain made the need for water-based airliners far less of a priority.The last transatlantic jaunt by a Short Empire took place in 1940. By 1947, the type was out of service entirely. But not before the type saw considerable service with airlines in Britain, New Zealand, and Australia. From then on, British aircraft in both the civil and military sectors were due to take back seats at the hands of superior American technology. But for a few fleeting moments, the airliner space among the soon-to-be Allied nations had a top rising star with a union jack across its bow.Check back real soon for more vintage aviation profiles right here on autoevolution. Photo: Arc kWh NEDC New European Driving Cycle Photo: Arc Photo: Arc Photo: Arc Arc is a UK-based company whose mission is to explore Earth in state-of-the-art style, combined with a promise to try to protect it. It prides itself on being a modern craftsmanship business, as its machines are hand built. Its solution for the future of mobility is the Vector electric motorcycle.The Arc Vectors journey started in 2018, but it has been anything but straightforward. The initial release was planned for 2020, but the manufacturer filed for bankruptcy in late 2019. Fast-forward to October 2020, and Arc founder Mark Truman announced he bought the assets for the bike and planned on reviving the company.April 2021 is when Arc officially announced the project was back on target. Almost two years have passed since then, and the company hasnt repeated the mistake of going dark.Arc claims its creation is the worlds most advanced fully electric motorcycle. Thats a bold claim, but maybe thats why this two-wheeler was so hard to bring to life.You dont need more than a glance at the Vector to understand its a thing of the future the founders background in design is definitely reflected in the bikes styling, which almost looks like a futuristic cafe racer. Its lines flow smoothly from front to back, but you might find the absence of a windscreen a bit unnerving. Moreover, the lack of a traditional dashboard definitely catches your eye, as the gas tank is connected to the headlights.But heres the crazy thing: this e-motorcycle doesnt have a traditional chassis. Instead, its built on an innovative full carbon fiber monocoque, which houses the battery. That also helps reduce the bikes weight, tipping the scales at just 240 kg (529 lbs.). Just wait until you hear about the rest of Vectors specs, and youll understand that the weight is very low.Another element that will catch everyones eyes is the front swingarm suspension, which replaces the classic telescopic forks. It also features center hub steering, reducing the steering angle for increased agility. Furthermore, the bike boasts Ohlins TTX suspension front and rear.I bet youre eager to hear about the bikes performance, so I wont keep you waiting. At the core of the Arc Vector is a 16.8battery, which will give you about 200 miles (322 km) of range in urban use or at slower cruising speeds. If you ride it on the highway, you can expect around 120 miles (193 km) of range. According to the) testing standard, which EV manufacturers often quote, the e-motorcycle offers a 362-mile (583 km) urban range.The powerful electric machine will take you to 100 kph (62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds, while the top speed is about 200 kph (124 mph). The engine uses a clutchless single-gear transmission, so all you have to do is twist the throttle and speed away it doesnt get easier than that.As a side note, I wonder how it feels not having a windshield and going that fast. We dont know exactly how much torque this bike produces, but you can be sure its a high number. Of course, the bike features traction control because all that power needs to be managed. Moreover, charging time is also really good Arc claims itll take only 40 minutes for the battery to juice up fully.Another element designed to keep you safe is the HMI (Human-Machine Interface) - it makes use of ARAS (Advanced Rider-Assistance Systems) to provide assistive information to the rider, enabling them to see, feel, and hear potential hazards around them.The time has come to discuss the price. Youd better sit down to prepare for this information the Arc Vector costs a staggering 90,000 ($110,900 or 101,900), excluding VAT. You might think, Who in their right mind would pay so much for a motorcycle, electric or not? Well, youd be surprised Mark Truman explains the product has received interest from a wide range of people, from 16-year-old crypto millionaires to members of royal families and more. As long as theres something new and exciting about a product (and the Arc Vector checks this box), I believe youll find customers.Youll enjoy several benefits when purchasing this bike for instance, every customer will benefit from a tailoring session with an Arc designer. Together, you can choose the ideal color and material finish for your bike. Moreover, ArC keeps sustainability in mind by using the best-suited materials and minimizing waste. But heres the best part: your measurements are taken so Arc can tune your Vector for a perfect geometry fit just like the company says, so you can be in it, not on it.Arc announced other products you could pair with the Vector motorcycle, such as the Origin armor and jacket system, which connect to the bikes HMI. Im not sure whether these products are currently available or remain as ideas, but Ill mention a bit about them just in case.The Origin jacket creates an immersive sensory experience via haptic feedback. Three modes are available: Urban Mode notifies you in case of danger, Sport Modes offers feedback on the bikes dynamic position by analyzing G-Force-related data, and Euphoric Mode allows you to play music through the haptics. The other product is the Arc Zenith helmet, which integrates a HUD (Head-Up Display). According to the company, it incorporates a rear camera, and its feed is displayed in the HUD.So, after such a tumultuous journey, whats the status of the Arc Vector electric motorcycle ? It seems the business wheels have started turning again, with no plan on stopping - the first customer bikes were delivered late last year, and first ride reviews have already been released. A quick glance at the companys Instagram page reveals that they are still delivering units to customers.Its hard to compare the Arc Vector with other e-motorcycles out there. The product took a long time to reach the market, but in an increasingly larger pool of two-wheeled EVs, it stands out from others with its advanced technology and premium finishes. Its clearly a very high-end vehicle, and its offered for an appropriate price. You can discover more information about the Arc Vector on the manufacturers website When the late Nicky Hayden got inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2018, the associations museum commissioned two custom projects to commemorate the occasion. Both were given to Analog Motorcycles of Harrison, Tennessee, and the donors have been supplied directly by American Honda. One of them a CBR1000RR was to gain the Kentucky Kids Repsol livery from MotoGP.Shop boss Tony Prust had free reign over the other build, though, so he chose to do things a little differently and pay tribute to Haydens early flat track racing days. Moreover, Analogs mastermind would go on to add an AMA Superbike-inspired twist when deciding upon the color scheme, but well get to that later.After weighing his options, the bike Tony went with ended up being a brand-new 2018 model from Honda s XR650L range. Analog got rid of its factory bodywork, tweaked the subframe, and undertook the painstaking task of fabricating a complete aluminum outfit from scratch. The fuel tank was the first item to be built, followed by an angular tail section with sizeable number plates on the flanks.At the back, the tail is equipped with a flush-mounted Denali taillight and LED turn signals, while the foam seat found up top comes courtesy of Dane Utech. Glancing northward, we find a high-mounted front fender and a flat fairing styled as a flat track racing number board.The latter features discreetly-mounted projector headlights, once again supplied by Denali, as well as blinkers identical to those found out back. In the cockpit, Analog installed a digital Motogadget speedometer and an all-new Magura handlebar, which flaunts premium master cylinders, Oury grips, and underslung mirrors.As far as the XR650L s electrical upgrades are concerned, the guys fitted an EarthX lithium-ion battery, Motogadgets acclaimed m-Unit control module, and fresh wiring all-round. Their customization work was no less extensive when it came to the running gear, and the bikes suspension is now made up of a high-grade Hyperpro monoshock and the repurposed forks of a KTM 690 Enduro.Unsprung territory is home to a pair of Sun rims measuring 19 inches in diameter at both ends, along with Buchanan spokes and Dunlop DT3 tires. Moving on to the powertrain department, were greeted by a Keihin FCR41 carburetor that breathes through K&N air filtration hardware. Theres a ceramic-coated exhaust system at the other end of the combustion cycle, terminating in a Cone Engineering muffler.Finishing off the performance mods with a hydraulic clutch from Magura, Analogs artisans turned their attention to the paintwork. The creature s color scheme draws inspiration from Nicky Haydens 2002 AMA Superbike-winning RC51, and it was seamlessly executed by regular collaborator Artistimo. Needless to say, the end result looks genuinely breathtaking from every angle. Often spied by the carparazzi in recent months, Toyotas new truck has also been leaked by design patents filed with the National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil. Greatly influenced by an electric truck concept from late 2021, the fourth-generation Tacoma switches to a brand-new platform shared with the larger Tundra.TNGA-F is the culprit, a body-on-frame platform introduced by the Land Cruiser 300 series. Also employed by the LX and Sequoia, this architecture was designed with electrified assistance in mind. Thats why the Tundra can be had with a hybrid V6 powertrain, and thats why TNGA-F vehicles dont feature V8 options.Expected to hit dealer showrooms before years end, the 2024 Tacoma in the shadowy teaser appears to be rocking huge wheels. There is a high possibility of the Tundras Capstone trim level to be adapted for the smaller truck, a luxury grade that comes exclusively with the i-FORCE MAX hybrid V6 powertrain. The mid-size pickup will reportedly get a combustion-only I4 turbo for lesser trim levels and hybrid-assisted setup.Sources close to the Japanese automakers U.S. division understand that a 2.4-liter turbo is the culprit, namely the T24A-FTS used by quite a few Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The Highlander sport utility vehicle makes 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet (420 Nm) at 1,700 revolutions per minute, whereas the hybrid-infused I4 of the Lexus RX 500h cranks out an impressive 366 horsepower and 406 pound-feet (550 Nm) on full song.If the all-new Tacoma does get I4-only powertrains, which is only natural given the V6-only range of its half-ton sibling, then look forward to a few truck-specific upgrades for the aforementioned T24A-FTS engine. General Motors did it as well with the 2.7-liter turbo I4 of the Colorado and Canyon, which differs in certain respects from the 2.7-liter turbo I4 of the Cadillac CT4 and CT4-V compact executive sedans. General Motors also offers the L3B engine in the Silverado and Sierra.Another novelty of the 2024 Tacoma comes in the guise of an eight-speed automatic transmission, replacing the six-speed automatic of the current generation. Hearsay suggests the manual tranny will be sadly discontinued.No fewer than 237,323 units of the outgoing Taco were sold in 2022 stateside, which is more trucks compared to the Colorado (89,197) and Canyon (27,819) combined. Pricing for the 2023 model starts at $27,750 sans freight for the SR with the Access Cab. At the other end of the spectrum, the TRD Pro off-road trim level comes exclusively as a Double Cab for $47,185 at the very least. EV Photo: Munro Live via YouTube BEV Photo: AC/edited by autoevolution Photo: AC/edited by autoevolution Alright, let's be real here. The useful range of the ultrasonics is about 36"... and that's pretty much exactly the area that's no longer covered in the vision-only setup's forward blind spot. Someone explain again how this is better when it quite clearly isn't? Seems terrible. pic.twitter.com/UeeGCmsy0g Jason Hughes (@wk057) March 24, 2023 Even if cameras were incredibly accurate in calculating distances from several objects, they would have to see these objects to be able to do the math. Thats precisely what ultrasonic sensors are for: to warn the driver about things they are unable to see. The front camera in Tesla vehicles is placed on the windscreen, with a similar view as the driver. There are no cameras on the front bumper, where ultrasonic sensors used to be. That means there is a blind spot in all Tesla products and it is right in front of them. Jason Hughes shared his concerns about how deficient Park Assist is by relying solely on cameras. In a Twitter thread, the Tesla Hacker started precisely by pointing out what I just wrote above. Ultrasonic sensors (high-resolution or not) cover the blind spot that bumpers and frunk lids create ahead of any vehicle. Hughes used a Munro Live video that states this blind spot in a Model S corresponds to three feet, and stressed ultrasonic sensors have a useful range of 36 inches. Three feet is exactly 36 inches (91 centimeters).As the Tesla Hacker said, there are several scenarios in which that could end badly. He shared a tweet from Mike, from CyberOwners, who tested if Park Assist could detect a small bucket in front of his Model 3 . It couldnt. He sat in front of the car, and it also could not spot him. Mike said his dog could walk in front of the. What if it was a toddler? Damaging the EVs affected by the really off decision Musk took should be the least of anyones concerns, even if Tesla owners are right to worry about that as well. Even if no one is hurt and nothing around them breaks, these BEVs are very likely to be.The video below is just one example. Kevin Chon tested Park Assist with a trash can, and the feature was unavailable most of the time. When it worked, it informed any obstacles in front of his vehicle were 33 inches away. When the BEV started to move, it went to 19 in but increased the distance to 23 in as if the car was going backward. It wasnt. It then said Park Assist was unavailable again. Chon leaves the vehicle and calculates his car is 3.5 feet, perhaps 4 feet away from the trash can. In the video description, he said he measured it to confirm the distance, and his Model 3 was 3.41 feet (41 in) away. Thats almost double the 23 in the feature informed.Several impressions about Park Assist with Tesla Vision are popping up. Although some may be positive about it, the general perception is that the system fails to deliver what it should. A recent post on a Facebook group dedicated to Tesla shows that pretty well. A user Ill name just as AC shared that his car was really close to an obstacle, as the pictures he took demonstrate. The Park Assist feature informed that there was something 24 in ahead of the. If AC trusted that, he would have to visit the closest Tesla Service Center. Too bad most Tesla owners have to wait weeks for an appointment.Musk is often praised as a genius, someone who sees what other people cant. That would be an incredible competitive advantage for the companies he runs, especially considering he makes crucial decisions without asking anyone about them. However, this alleged advantage vanishes when he ignores sensible advice. If he didnt, Tesla would have avoided the dangerous blind spot that ultrasonic sensors prevent.There are only two possible answers to that decision. Either Musk couldnt realize something so obvious that anyone with two working neurons would, or he thought it would reinforce the narrative that Teslas will become appreciating assets, or else, robotaxis. Remember: they should have done so by 2020 with a computer that was definitive and which is already obsolete.Either hypothesis is terrible for Tesla customers. Without ultrasonic radars which Hughes said cost only $100 their vehicles are not as accurate as those that do not rely on cameras to offer Park Assist. That includes all cars with this feature, regardless of what powers them. If the EV maker is serious about Tesla Vision, it should have cameras checking everything the sensors used to map.Summing it all up, the EV maker should find a way to place cameras on the front bumper. Not only at the front but also at the sides which would cover what the cameras placed on the wing mirrors cannot reach. I seriously doubt Tesla will ever make such a move: it would probably be more expensive and less precise than the ultrasonic sensors. It seems only Elon Musk cannot see that. 26 March 2023 08:00 (UTC+04:00) Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, who is on an official visit to the country at the invitation of Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh, has met with Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha. During the meeting, Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade emphasized that the OIC unequivocally supports Azerbaijans fair position on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict that has been going on for many years. He noted that Azerbaijan maintained close cooperation with the OIC on interreligious and intercultural dialogue and hosted a number of prestigious international events in this field. The recent conference on the global fight against Islamophobia held in Baku is a clear evidence of this, Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade emphasized. The OIC Secretary General hailed President Ilham Aliyevs exceptional services in strengthening of Islamic solidarity adding that Azerbaijan has achieved great success in this field. Hissein Brahim Taha underlined that the OIC General Secretariat is determined to further develop relations with the Caucasus Muslims Office and other relevant institutions of Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 March 2023 09:59 (UTC+04:00) South Azerbaijanis living in Europe took part in the rally under the "March of Freedom and Justice" slogan in Brussels in front of the building of the European Parliament, Azernews reports. Participants came from France, Germany, the UK, Scandinavian countries, Benelux countries, etc. The main motto of the rally is "Freedom! Justice! National Government!". The participants demand that the Iranian regime respect the rights of the country's multi-million Turkic population, stop the information attack against Azerbaijan in the Iranian media, and release thousands of Iranian Azerbaijani Turks who became the victims of the mullahcratic regime. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 March 2023 11:33 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavushoglu have held a telephone conversation, Azernews reports. During the conversation, the ministers discussed issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, as well as the current situation in the region. The parties also exchanged views on other areas of mutual interest. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The weight of historys judgment was, in a very real sense, on his shoulders. What really happened on that traumatic afternoon? How was that u By Joseph Yi On March 9, South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol administration announced a bilateral agreement with Japan to compensate former wartime laborers through a Seoul-backed public foundation, with voluntary contributions from Japanese companies. The opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) rejected the agreement as "the biggest humiliation in Korea's diplomatic history. The Yoon Suk Yeol administration seems to have ultimately chosen the path of betraying historical justice," said DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung. "The humiliating resolution will never be accepted by the public." Even as some left-leaning DPK members criticized Yoon's ruling People Power Party (PPP) as pro-Japan traitors ("chinilpa" faction), right-leaning PPP leaders implicitly criticized the opposition as pro-North Korea traitors. During a luncheon with PPP lawmakers on Oct. 19, 2022, President Yoon described North Korea sympathizers ("jusa" faction) as a national security threat and "impossible to work with." Yoon denied he was referring to the DPK, but other PPP politicians such as labor council chief Kim Moon-soo made the connection explicit. The reasons for Seoul's tortured relations with Pyongyang and Tokyo are complex and much debated. But one factor is rival, transnational campaigns that frame either the North Korean and Japanese governments as the greatest threat to the values and security of democratic South Korea, and stigmatize and suppress their alleged apologists. The anti-North campaign is supported by South Korea's political right and the "anti-Japan" campaign by the left. Members of each campaign propagate empirically credible information about their target regime's current or past human rights violations. Some also, at times deliberately, propagate selective or non-corroborated information to negatively frame the target regime, and its supporters. Non-corroborated claims include North Korean defector Lee Soon-ok's that she witnessed security officers killing Christian prisoners "by pouring molten iron on them one by one," and former comfort woman Lee Yong-soo, who said that she was forcibly dragged out of her home in the middle of the night by Japanese soldiers. Yonsei University professor Kim Jong-dae argues, "Any idea becomes akin to witchcraft when it is treated as something to be wholeheartedly believed in, rather than to be analyzed and examined critically." South Korean media often refrain from critiquing the claims of victims' advocates, especially those against Japan. Rather, they help tarnish the reputations of critical scholars, partly by disseminating misleading and selective information. For instance, after I coauthored a 2021 essay calling for "debating, not censuring" Harvard professor Ramseyer, who wrote a provocative thesis about comfort women contracts, the social science student council released an edited recording of my 2019 class lecture that "Korean historians are a bunch of nationalist liars," implying that I was a right-wing scholar at best and anti-Korean at worst. However, the full sentence, as originally recorded, states: "Lee Young-hoon he says that Korean historians are a bunch of nationalist liars." The 2019 class discussion was on paradigm shifts and I quoted Dr. Lee Young-hoon, author of the bestseller "Anti-Japan Tribalism." This tactic is reminiscent of that commonly used in China. Shanghai Aurora College's Song Gengyi lectured that estimates of the Nanjing massacre ranged from 500,000 to 300,000 to 30,000 to 3,000, but a student activist deleted the 500,000 statement from the video clip. In both countries, the mainstream media widely disseminated the selectively edited quote (Yi in Korea, Song in China), without asking for an explanation or rebuttal from the targeted professor. Activists and their media allies justify these tactics as necessary to combat the larger evil that is North Korean communism or Japanese fascism. Stigmatization of dissenters is often followed by bureaucratic-institutional suppression. In 2015, the right-leaning Park Geun-hye administration deported Korean-American Shin Eun-mi, who had favorably spoken about her visits to North Korea and challenged some defector testimonies. In 2016, invoking the National Security Law, a court sentenced a college professor to a suspended prison term for sharing with his students excerpts from the memoir of North Korea's founder, Kim Il-sung. Since 2017, the right-wing suppression of pro-DPKR discourse has been surpassed by left-wing suppression of pro-Japan scholars who challenge the dominant narratives on forced laborers and comfort women. Invoking criminal defamation laws, prosecutors have demanded prison sentences of one and a half years for Yonsei University professor Lew Seok-choon and three years for Sejong University's Park Yu-ha. President Yoon's inaugural address on May 24 2022 called for healing national divisions and supporting individual freedoms, especially intellectual ones. To fulfill the twin goals of unity and freedom, President Yoon and DPK Chairman Lee should help retire stigmatizing labels such as chinilpa and jusapa. They could further reform the National Security Act to allow the free distribution and discussion of official North Korea propaganda, including Kim Il-sung's autobiography, and appoint judges who will not repress dissenting scholarship on colonial historiography. Reducing legal restrictions on public discourse and encouraging open, rational debate empower citizens to develop nuanced, informed views and support corresponding policies. The public may come to agree with Prof. Hazel Smith's claim that North Korea is "oppressive" but "not uniquely oppressive" and that contemporary North Korea is comparable to China and Vietnam during their early market openings; Ikuhiko Hata's that the Japanese military brothel system incurred human rights violations, but not uniquely, compared to the brothels that served the U.S. military in post-1945 South Korea and U.S. and Korean soldiers in Vietnam; and Bruce Cumings' that the Japanese colonial regime in Korea was often repressive, but perhaps not uniquely so, compared to the regimes that came before (Joseon) and afterward (Kim Il-sung, Syngman Rhee). A more nuanced view of their neighbors may support more humanitarian and economic cooperation with North Korea, and compliance with past and current bilateral agreements, the products of long negotiations, with Japan. Ultimately, the people of South Korea shall decide how to relate to their neighbors, and free, open debate shall empower them to do what is in their best values and interests. Joseph Yi (joychicago@yahoo.com) is associate professor of political science at Hanyang University, a member of Heterodox Academy and founding member of Heterodox East Asia Community (HEAC). The U.S. Forest Service's Kern River Ranger District has taken its share of criticism in recent weeks over its orders to close forest land a Bakersfield and Kern continued to have some of the nation's worst air quality between 2018 and 2020, according to a new report that neverthele Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Oregon Coast Singing Sands to Booming, Squeaking Sands: How to and Where to Find Published 03/17/23 at 7:13 PM By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Oregon Coast) [UPDATED] -- One of the oddest, even very rare finds along the Oregon coast (and throughout the world) are what is known as singing sands: along with booming sands, humming sands or squeaking sands. Singing and booming sands are such a rarity that scientists usually say only 20 to 27 places around the globe are capable of the unique aural phenomenon. Among that list, the Oregon coast never makes it. (Photo Oregon Coast Beach Connection) Yet it has been documented here on these beaches, and there are references to it dotted throughout the region's history that seem to hint it had been heard some places, such as the Cannon Beach area and Rockaway Beach. An article in Coos Bay's paper The World in 2003 talks about it being heard in the sands of the south Oregon coast. Photo Oregon Coast Beach Connection What sound do these booming, singing or squeaking sands make? And how do you find them on the Oregon coast? Booming sands are more of a low groan, a bit like a cello, while singing sands sound more high-pitched and even more musical. The latter is sometimes equated to human voices, a violin or other sounds, while booming sands can sometimes sound like a propeller-driven airplane. Squeaking sands aren't as rare, but still very infrequent, and scientists say these can be heard along many beaches of the world. Oregon Coast Beach Connection has heard the wacky little squeak noise at Manzanita, the foredunes of Cannon Beach and even at Lincoln City. There is this video above showing the squeaking sound in Cannon Beach. The super-rare kinds, booming and singing noises, do happen at the Oregon National Dunes Recreation Area between Florence and Coos Bay. In fact, it's really the only place they've been documented on the Oregon coast. Yet it's rare to extremely rare, enough that one future member of Oregon Coast Beach Connection talked to the US Forest Service (USFS) in the late '90s and discovered only a couple of employees had heard it, but not since the '70s. Calling the same office in recent months, no one at the USFS had even heard of it. Cue Sand Master Park owner Lon Beale in Florence: he has heard it numerous times in various parts of that 40-mile stretch of dunes, but that's over 20 years of his business residing there. Finding them is a moving target in time and space, Beale told Oregon Coast Beach Connection. They happen only under certain conditions and that changes. Defining Singing to Booming Sands Beale said he heard it for the first time in Death Valley in the '70s, but the first time he heard it on this coast was in 2002. Sandboard riders would cut along the dunes and it would start that small avalanche of the two layers rubbing against each other. Each time it would sound like a dinosaur roaring, he said, doing a Jurassic Park-style roar. Amazing. He said as all other scientists say it's basically two layers of sand against each other: one damper layer underneath and the drier layer at top. What needs to be happening is there has to be a layer that's dry, and of course a lot of places on the Oregon coast are damp, so you won't hear anything, Beale said. Sometimes it sounds like a booming, sometimes a violin. I've also heard it sound like planes flying overhead. Really depends on how much sand is moving over how much sand. There was one time, Beale recalls, where you could hear the roar for a couple of miles, though that one was in California. How frequent are these singing sands along the Oregon coast dunes? Beale said it differs wildly. One season they'll hear it maybe ten times, then they may not hear it for years. So it's rare here, to be sure. Other sandy locales he's been to it can be a regular occurrence, but here the moisture is too high. How to find singing sands or booming sands? It's only going to happen along the Oregon National Dunes Recreation Area, for one. Then you need an area that's been undisturbed by people, left alone for a good while, Beale said, because people walking or riding those dunes cause the small avalanches to happen and thus expend its noise possibilities. Places like Cleawox Lake or Honeyman State Park are too populated to hear it. I haven't heard it in Honeyman for 15 years, he said. Thus, go deeper into the dunes. Get away from the wind, he said. If you're seeing footprints, that's not the place to do it. But on the backside of the dune might be perfect conditions. We find that after a good windstorm, if it fluffs up the sand so it's holding a lot of air between the grains, and then you walk on it, that could do it. That's probably the best conditions. He added you don't necessarily have to wait for summer, just keep a look out for four or five days in a row of dry weather. Too much moisture on that top layer will prevent it. Most guys who sandboard with us have heard it at one time, just from walking over the sand, Beale said. He imitates the droning noise: That uhhh...uhhh sound. What Causes Singing or Booming Sands? Hear the difference between singing and booming sands. Finding a science expert on this even in this country was near impossible, and those from other nations didn't respond or were MIA. The actual mechanisms behind the noises are not well understood, but the two groups who understand it the most have formed somewhat angry factions over some details in the physics. What is known is that the sand grains have to be well-rounded, and the degrees of moisture between the layers has to be within certain ranges in relation to each other. Andrew Valdez, a park ranger with the National Park Service at Great Sand Dunes (GSD) in Colorado came to the rescue, explaining that it has to be what's called the slipface of a dune, the part that is not exposed to wind. Sand has to be silicate (and not gypsum, for example), and that top layer has to be dry so it will slide down. The slipface develops over a former dune flank and when mass quantities of sand slide down a slipface, air is compressed sending energy through the dune and it gets reflected off surfaces such as the former flank, Valdez told Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Different sounds are produced by different densities in the sands and varying grain sizes. Valdez points to the research of N.M. Vriend at Cal Tech. You also need large slipfaces with density differences in the subsurface, he said. According to Vriend, those density differences act like a guitar's sound board to amplify the sound. Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Rare Find: Loggerhead Turtle Body Washes Up on N. Oregon Coast Covered in Marine Life Published 03/19/23 at 8:30 PM By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Manzanita, Oregon) A bit of a rarity hit a north Oregon coast beach sometime Friday night or so. A 75-pound loggerhead turtle was found on the southern end of Manzanita's sands Saturday morning, washed up after clearly being dead for some time. (All photos Tiffany Boothe / Seaside Aquarium) Seaside Aquarium, as part of its work with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, responded to the incident, recovering the body and documenting the find with plenty of photos. A beachgoer found the body that morning, sending them pictures along with the location. From those photos, the aquarium was already able to determine it had been dead for awhile. Seaside Aquarium's Tiffany Boothe said having been deceased for a long time its shell had garnered considerable amounts of marine life. This ocean-going turtle had a whole ecosystem traveling with it, she said. When cleaning its shell so a positive identification could be made, live gooseneck barnacles, skeleton shrimp, and even nudibranchs were found. While the Oregon Coast is no stranger to sea turtles, the species usually encountered are Olive Ridleys. Loggerheads are quite rare for this area. Oregon Coast Beach Connection has covered these loggerhead discoveries a few times over the past 15 years, and indeed they seem to be found roughly every few years. Seaside Aquarium has documented about five in 20 years, while other loggerheads have appeared further south along the coastline as well. In a 2007 article, aquarium manager Keith Chandler told Oregon Coast Beach Connection that when he brought a loggerhead turtle up to Seattle Aquarium for rehabilitation, they told him they had not seen one in 20 years. (Above: sea life found on the turtle) The vast majority of the time, loggerheads show up already dead when they hit these beaches. However, a couple have still been living when they arrived, but normally die shortly after rescue attempts. Boothe said the loggerhead turtle is an endangered species, though they can be found throughout the globe. All species of turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and thus are protected under the law. Nudibranch found on the turtle's shell For this loggerhead turtle found in Manzanita, a necropsy will be performed to discover the cause of death. There are nine distinct populations around the planet she said. In the Pacific there are two different populations which both nest exclusively in the Japanese Archipelago, Boothe said. Juveniles forage, develop, and mature in the East, West, and Central Pacific. Some of the most productive foraging grounds can be found off the coast of Baja California. One of the biggest threats to loggerhead sea turtles is marine debris. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that said that foraging loggerheads will react to biofouled plastic the same way they do to the smells of prey in the wild. The scents of such manmade materials bring them, cause them to chow down on the plastics, which is often fatal for the animal. Loggerheads are built for warmer waters, and once they accidentally get caught in the cooler currents of this region they often get hypothermia. Only when distressed do loggerhead sea turtles come up onto the Oregon coast or Washington coast, Boothe said. Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW A loggerhead found in Rockaway Beach years ago More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Vernal Equinox Monday is Official Spring for Oregon Coast, Washington Coast: Science Curiosities Published 03/19/23 at 5:23 AM By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Astoria, Oregon) Ya gotta love vernal equinox. It's the first day of official spring. It contains some engaging astronomical aspects in that this is the day when both the north poles and south poles of the Earth are at an equal distance from the sun whereas any other day of the year one is always tilted closer. (Above: Long Beach, Washington - Oregon Coast Beach Connection) Plus, on the Oregon coast and Washington coast, it means more and more sunlight, and often increasingly warmer days even at the end of March (though it's often known to get rainy during the two spring breaks). However, there are some real intricacies that come about for the region that may surprise you. According to Jim Todd, astronomy expert at Portland's OMSI, March 20 is the big day of the official switch of seasons. The vernal equinox brings true equilibrium to the Earth: those poles are both 92.6 million miles from our family star. The whole thing really kicks in at 2:24 p.m. here in the Pacific Northwest, the exact instant the sun stands directly over the Earth's equator. Above: Coos Bay area as seen from space, from the ISS Todd said the term vernal comes from the word green, and equinox means equal night. Both are derivatives of Latin. Equinox also represents the idea that the hours of night and daylight are absolutely equal on this date. However, there's a caveat there keep reading. If you're on the Washington coast or Oregon coast, as well as Portland or Seattle, you'll get to witness the stellar fun. As seen from Portland on March 20 and 21, the noon sun will reach its mid-point in the sky near 45 degrees from the southern horizon, Todd said. On the day of an equinox, it is a good day for finding due east and due west from your own backyard. Just go outside around sunset or sunrise and notice the location of the sun on the horizon with respect to familiar landmarks. Oceanside at night, Oregon Coast Beach Connection Todd said the Earth's axis is tilting at 23.4 degrees in summer, giving us the sun's rays more directly then and keeping things warm. When winter comes, we here in Oregon and Washington have titled away from the sun, which means the sun has to go through more layers of atmosphere, thus cooling its rays. Therein lie some weird possibilities, if you think about what if there was no tilting action of the Earth. If the Earth rotated on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun, there would be no variation in day lengths or temperatures throughout the year, and we would not have seasons, he said. Now there's a kooky little hitch in all this. The more scientifically exact moment of equal day and night actually happened on March 17, at least for Portland. The exact times and dates of that 12-hour effect differ somewhat for the Washington coast and Oregon coast, because of their positions away from Portland or from the inland areas closest to them. Towns on those coastlines have about a 7-minute or less difference in sunset / sunrise times than the valley towns closest to them. And those differences change considerably the farther north you go into Washington or down towards the south Oregon coast. The fact that Portland is near the 45th parallel factors in. March 17 as the date was when the region around the parallel had 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night. Sunrise was at 7:18 a.m. and sunset at 7:19 p.m. On March 20, sunset in Seattle, Washington will be 7:22 p.m. Sunset in Moclips is 7:29 p.m. For Portland, Oregon, exact sunset is 7:23 p.m. It's 7:28 in Seaside on the north Oregon coast. For Bandon, it's 7:30 p.m., while in Medford sunset occurs at 7:24 p.m. At the 45th latitude North, the time it takes for the sun to fully rise and set, which is several minutes, is added to the day and subtracted from the night, and therefore the equinox day lasts a little longer than 12 hours, Todd said. Another reason why the day is longer than 12 hours on an equinox is that the Earth's atmosphere refracts sunlight. Now, those hours after dark will start shrinking faster and faster. This will continue through September 25, when the autumnal equinox begins. Even so, and this is very true even in winter, there's another fun fact for the Washington coast and Oregon coast: as you can see by these times, if you want just a few extra minutes of daylight, head to the beaches. Another intense surprise: Sunset Science: Dusk Isn't What It Seems on Oregon, Washington Coast Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted The Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce for the first time in more than two decades is synchronizing its watches -- metaphorically, of course. The Beaumont City Council on Tuesday awarded the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce $75,000 for the development of a Strategic Economic Development Plan. At-large Council member Albert "A.J." Turner was absent from the meeting. Chamber President and CEO Steve Ahlenius said that it has been 23 years since Beaumont has had a Strategic Economic Development Plan. "In doing a Strategic Economic Development Plan, it is critical that you tap into a lot of different parts of the community, because there are different things that are important for different elements of the community,"Ahlenius said. "We envision this as a starting point because you have to understand which industries to go after, who to recruit for this and how to diversify the economy." Ahlenius said that obtaining council funding was the first step in working to develop the plan. "We needed to secure the money," Ahlenius said. "The next step is that we've got a group of consultants that we're going to ask to submit proposals in terms of how they would go about leading this and making this happen." Ahlenius said that four consultants have expressed interest in working with the chamber to to create the plan. Now, all of the interested firms will undertake the formal process of submitting their proposals, then the Economic Development Committee division of the chamber will conduct interviews and choose a consultant. RELATED: 7 questions with...new Beaumont Chamber of Commerce President Steve Ahlenius Throughout the process, Ahlenius said one key things to determine is not only what the strengths of the city are, but also what gaps are present in terms of local industries and the economy. "Then how big are those gaps?" Ahlenius said. "And can we close those gaps in such a way that we make Beaumont competitive in going after those specific industries?" The second piece to determine, according to Ahlenius, is how the chamber and city can support local small businesses and start-ups. "Seventy-five percent of all jobs created are created by existing businesses are already in the community," Ahlenius said. "We see that as a real emphasis in terms of how we support and grow local small businesses in Beaumont." Ahlenius said the chamber also will be looking to determine workforce needs and where demands are headed over next several years and how to use that information to make Beaumont more competitive. "What's key for us, from the chamber perspective, is that we're inclusive in terms of all different parts of the community and the city in terms of hearing what's important to them in terms of economic development because economic development can mean lots of different things to lots of different people," Ahlenius said. "What's driving us is the belief that a job changes everything for a person, for a family. If we can create opportunities where we're creating good paying jobs with benefits, that can change the trajectory of a family in Beaumont, and that's what we want to see happen. So we want to make sure that we are building the foundation to create that opportunity for this community." Ahlenius said he expects the process of choosing a consulting firm and creating the strategic economic development plan to take up to nine months. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two people found dead in a railroad car in south Texas were Honduran men, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement Saturday, indicating it was investigating the case as possible human smuggling. We will continue to address the serious public safety threat posed by human smuggling organizations and their reckless disregard for the health and safety of those smuggled, department spokesperson Nina Pruneda said in the statement. Pruneda declined to comment beyond the statement, which said the investigation is ongoing but did not say whether any of the migrants were in custody. The two dead were among 17 people 15 men and two women found Friday in what Union Pacific railroad said were two rail cars near Knippa, Texas, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) west of San Antonio and less than 100 miles (161 kilometers) from the U.S. border with Mexico, according to Prunedas statement. Union Pacific said in a statement Saturday that it is working with authorities to determine what happened and how the migrants boarded the train. The statement said the company is deeply saddened by the loss of life. Safety is our focus, and we have strict policies in place to prevent unauthorized access of our trains, the statement from company spokesperson Robynn Tysver said. Four of the survivors found in the cars were taken to hospitals, Pruneda said. Their nationalities and conditions were not released. University Health in San Antonio tweeted that two male survivors were in critical condition Saturday. Spokesperson Leigh Strope from Christus Health in San Antonio said one survivor was hospitalized there in undisclosed condition. Officials at other hospitals in the area either had no patients from the train or did not respond to messages seeking comment Saturday. Uvalde police Chief Daniel Rodriguez had said dispatchers received a 911 call about 3:50 p.m. Friday from an unknown person seeking help for numerous undocumented immigrants suffocating inside of a train car. Rodriguez told local media it was believed the call came from inside one of the two rail cars where the migrants were found, a shipping container where the two dead men were found and a freight car. A suspected cause of the deaths has not been released. Highs in the area neared 90 F (32 C), and shipping containers often get much hotter than the surrounding temperature. Last summer, more than 50 migrants died after dozens of people were found in the back of a sweltering tractor-trailer that had been abandoned on the outskirts of San Antonio. The tragedy was the nations deadliest smuggling episode on Americas southern border, which led to officials vowing to step up policing efforts. Migrants routinely travel through Uvalde, leading to high-speed vehicle pursuits that put schools in the area on lockdown. After the Robb Elementary School massacre in Uvalde last May, when a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers, Texas lawmakers concluded in a report that the frequency of the lockdowns may have led to a diminished sense of vigilance about security. On the other side of Texas, a 17-year-old was charged Friday with kidnapping two migrants whose rescue this week from a Houston hotel by FBI agents ended in gunfire that killed another suspect. The migrants were stopped on a highway northwest of Houston on Saturday and were forced into another vehicle by the kidnappers, according to a prosecutor. Officials have said little about what happened between then and Thursday morning, when the FBI says its agents rescued two migrants following the shooting in north Houston. Nothing can succeed without winning people's hearts Two developed countries are undergoing social turmoil due to reforms. Over a million people took to the streets across France last week to protest President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform plan. In South Korea, too, tens of thousands of people gathered in Seoul over the weekend. They rallied against President Yoon Suk Yeol's labor reform proposal and one-sided diplomatic concessions to Japan. Many Koreans may find it a little difficult to understand French people's fury over increasing the retirement (pensionable) age from 62 to 64, as Koreans cannot receive pensions until 65. After all, a recent survey shows the average Korean adult wants to work until 73. The two countries are so different that they are not easy to compare. In France's pension system, workers pay nearly 30 percent of their salary as annuity insurance and get more than 60 percent of their working-age income in pension payments. Koreans' pension premium rate is 9 percent, and its income replacement rate is 40 percent. The cultural, historical, and consciousness gaps between the two peoples are even wider. French people think the last third of their lives is for travel, new hobbies, and other leisurely activities with money they paid or that is being paid by their working family members. Koreans cannot save much while young, personally or institutionally, mainly because of their children. And they want to work until their health allows them to live independently from their children. One common element of the two pension systems is their sustainability or lack thereof. Like other European nations, France does not accumulate pension funds, but collects premiums and pays pensions annually. President Macron says payment will exceed revenue this year and pensioners will outnumber premium payers by 2030. Korea's pension fund will dry out in 2055, five years earlier than projected. And Korea's increase in pensioners is 2.4 times faster than France's. Some commentators here praise Macron's courage to push ahead with the unpopular reform and call for leaders to follow in his footsteps. Nothing could be more misleading, however. The French public's anger, of course, reflects their time-honored belief about work and life and social solidarity across generations. There is no generational divide in repelling the unpopular reform. Their opposition is also based on hard calculations. The opponents say the French pension system is not in a crisis and its finances will improve in a decade. There are at least two more common things between the two countries. First, French protesters, including unionists, are urging Macron to increase taxes on big businesses and rich individuals to plug pension holes. In Korea, President Yoon's labor reform plan that seeks to increase weekly working hours to 69 benefits entrepreneurs more to line their pockets. But Korean workers are no longer so gullible or willing to sacrifice their health for the sake of their employers to buy the government's logic for more flexible work. Second, the French rejected Macron's top-down style, which skipped the parliamentary vote to avoid disapproval at the House. The situations here are strikingly similar. Most Koreans oppose the 69-hour workweek and Yoon's way of resolving pending issues with Japan. Still, the president and his administration will not budge, packaging them as "decisions for the future." Are these leaders halfway across the globe forgetting they are elected officials, not monarchs? It's true Korea's low birthrate and rapid population aging pose more serious problems than any others, including France. To borrow the idea from the French people, however, the solution lies not in paying more and getting less while fattening employers' pockets. The answer could be how to force businesses to make people want to bear and raise children by increasing their wages and giving them more time. Both French people and Koreans want their presidents to focus on what their people think and want at present, not go a few centuries ahead of their time. No ambitious projects can succeed without winning the hearts of the people first. Union flags where the sign had been The sign that had been in place at Mill Park An Irish language sign installed in a predominantly Protestant village has been removed by angry residents within days of being erected by a local council. The signage first appeared in Mill Park in Tobermore on Thursday morning to the surprise of everyone who lives there including elected representatives. By Saturday it had disappeared with two Union flags left in its place. DUP councillor Anne Forde said she is aware that residents have taken matters into their own hands as she warned Mid Ulster District Council against replacing the stolen post. "A lot of people were very angry about this and many residents have been voicing their opposition to an Irish sign being put up in a Protestant village, she told the Belfast Telegraph. "I didnt want to get into any disputes about this, but people are very unhappy. "Everyone was shocked, I was shocked myself. "Its caused a whole hullabaloo. The sign that had been in place at Mill Park The elected representative accused the local authority of failing to carry out proper consultation before placing the Irish sign at Mill Park. "I had no say over it and either did anyone who lives here, she said. "I did not know it was going there until it appeared. Ms Forde said the council needs to think very carefully before replacing it and acknowledge that it has acted in a provocative manner. "This is not a village that speaks Irish, she said. "Most residents dont accept the Irish language needs to be taught in Northern Ireland. "I dont know what way the council will deal with this going forward, but replacing the sign is a waste of ratepayers money because its obviously not going to get staying there. "The council needs to accept that putting the sign there was not acceptable its a Protestant village and no one was informed. Firefighters battling a major gorse fire in April 2022. Pic by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images. Firefighters have battled a major wildfire in the Mourne Mountains. Emergency crews have been at the scene in Spelga Dam throughout Sunday after a large gorse fire broke out. Appliances have been dispatched from Rathfriland, Newry, Warrenpoint and Newcastle. A Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) Spokesperson said: The incident has now been scaled back, however some NIFRS resources will remain in attendance to monitor the situation overnight. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Members of the public have been urged to avoid the area. A search of the vehicle revealed a significant sum of cash, a quantity of white powder and prescription medication concealed in a specialist hide (PSNI/PA) A man has been arrested and drugs worth more than 100,000 have been seized by the paramilitary crime task force in east Belfast. Detectives also seized 30,000 in cash after stopping a car on Montgomery Road during a proactive operation. A search of the vehicle revealed the significant sum of cash, a quantity of white powder and prescription medication concealed in a specialist hide, police said. A 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drugs offences and possessing criminal property and remained in custody on Sunday. A PSNI spokesman said: This operation demonstrates the continuing commitment of the paramilitary crime task force to protecting communities and dismantling the supply of illegal drugs linked to East Belfast UVF. Those involved in the so-called drugs trade are putting money straight into the hands of paramilitaries, whose only concern is financial gain and control. They care nothing about those lives and relationships that get ruined along the way. I would encourage anyone with information, or concerns, to contact us on 101. Information can also be provided, anonymously, to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Man arrested and more than 100,000 worth of drugs and 30,000 cash seized by the Paramilitary Crime Task Force as part of an investigation into the supply of illegal drugs linked to East Belfast UVF. Police have seized class A drugs with an estimated value in excess of 100,000 and 30,000 in cash as part of an investigation into the activities of the East Belfast UVF During an operation on Saturday, officers stopped a car on Montgomery Road in the east of the city. A search of the vehicle revealed a significant sum of cash, a quantity of white powder and prescription medication concealed in a specialist hide. A 36-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of drugs offences and possessing criminal property. He remains in custody at present. Detective Inspector Maguire said: This operation demonstrates the continuing commitment of the Paramilitary Crime Task Force to protecting communities and dismantling the supply of illegal drugs linked to East Belfast UVF. Those involved in the so-called drugs trade are putting money straight into the hands of paramilitaries, whose only concern is financial gain and control. They care nothing about those lives and relationships that get ruined along the way. Police have asked anyone with information to contact them via 101. Former Prime Minister Theresa Mays handling of Brexit did more damage to the Union than the IRA, the DUPs Sammy Wilson has claimed. Speaking to GB News, Mr Wilson said the former Conservative leader was to blame for the issues Northern Ireland is now facing with the Windsor Framework. He said: She [Theresa May] made an agreement with the EU that there would be no hard border and no checks at all. And no arrangements put in place to monitor trade between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. Once she had done that and once we were in that box, then it was always going to be be impossible and very difficult for future Prime Ministers to get that changed. Mr Wilson claimed that Ms Mays actions had damaged the Union more than the actions of republican paramilitaries during the Troubles. And then of course, we're left with a situation we have now today. Don't forget, terrorists tried to drag us out and bomb us out of the Union. And yet, the Union's been put in far more jeopardy by the actions of a Conservative Prime Minister, as opposed to the acts of the terrorists who bombed us for 35 years, he said. He also criticised former Prime Minster Boris Johnsons handling of the NI Protocol, along with Rishi Sunaks Windsor Framework. I still believe that Boris Johnson should have stood by his promise or if he had been given agreement that this would be a temporary arrangement, he said. "Then, as soon as he had got the trade agreement with the EU, he should have pushed to have that temporary arrangement replaced with something which was workable, and which kept the integrity of the United Kingdom. So Theresa May put us in the position. Boris Johnson didn't fight hard enough to get us out of that position. And of course, Rishi Sunak has tried to change it, made some minor changes to it, but the fundamentals are what Theresa May agreed. But SDLP accuses DUPs Campbell of twisting party leaders words Colum Eastwood has accused a DUP MP of twisting his words after the SDLP leader was accused of adopting the same language as the IRA which forced thousands of Protestants from their homes in Londonderry. The Foyle MP had used his SDLP conference speech in Derry on Saturday to call on Sir Jeffrey Donaldsons party to get back to work or get out of the way. Mr Eastwood also warned the largest unionist party here that it needs to come to terms with the significance of that massive majority in favour of the Windsor Framework. East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell took issue with the nationalist leaders comments which he said echo what the IRA did to unionists on the west bank 50 years ago. This is appalling and inappropriate given that thousands of unionists fled their homes in Londonderry 50 years ago and Colum Eastwood on the same location tells us to get out of the way, he said. Hes bound to be aware about the ground on which he stands when he makes such insensitive comments. Mr Campbell was referring to the mass exodus of thousands of Protestants from the west bank of the Foyle as a result of intimidation. DUP MP Gregory Campbell. (PA). Some experts claim as many as 10,000 residents left their homes either voluntarily or by force between 1969 and 1974. It is estimated the number represents 90% of the Protestant population living in the area who fled over the four-year period. I was the generation of unionists where neighbours were forced from homes just because they were Protestant, Mr Campbell added. Colum should be more aware of his history; indeed his party should at long last speak up and recognise that the SDLP and Sinn Fein were silent as many Protestants were physically forced to get out of the way. A spokesperson for the SDLP insisted Mr Campbell was taking the party leaders comments out of context. Gregory Campbells twisted distortion of the SDLP leaders comments bear no relation to reality, they said. His time would be better spent convincing his MLAs to get back to work for all the people of Northern Ireland. Addressing delegates on Saturday, Mr Eastwood insisted the SDLP is here to stay while acknowledging a bruising electoral contest which saw it lose four seats at Stormont last May. The adversity we face now is nothing compared to the adversity this party has shouldered in the past, he said. We are a party that is ready to get back to work and we will win again. Meanwhile, delegates at the Traditional Unionist Voice conference in Cookstown were told that to accept the Windsor Framework is to accept that Northern Ireland will never again be a full part of the United Kingdom. Leader Jim Allister described the formal ratification of the treaty on Friday as a day of shame as he accused Foreign Secretary James Cleverly of signing away British sovereignty. Weve become colonial rule takers from our colonial masters in Brussels, he added. The North Antrim MLA described the so-called Stormont Brake as a fraud, a con, a fake as he warned that accepting the deal could put NI on a trajectory to Irish unity. The only MoT the Stormont Brake would pass is the master of trickery, Mr Allister added. That is the evil genius and intent of the protocol and the Windsor Framework. Elsewhere, the Green Party NI confirmed it will be standing more candidates than we have ever stood before in upcoming elections. Councillor Malachi OHara used his first party conference as leader to criticise the regions dysfunctional politics. The hope that we all had of moving to more normalised politics from 1998 onward has not materialised, he told party members in Belfast. Honduras Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina Garcia, left, and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang pose with documents following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, at a ceremony in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Sunday, March 26, 2023 (Greg Baker/Pool Photo via AP/PA) Greg Baker Honduras has established diplomatic ties with China after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is increasingly isolated and now recognised by only 13 sovereign states. Foreign ministers from China and Honduras signed a joint communique in Beijing a decision the Chinese foreign ministry hailed as the right choice. The diplomatic victory for China comes as tensions rise between Beijing and the US, including over Chinas increasing assertiveness towards self-ruled Taiwan, and signals growing Chinese influence in Latin America. Honduras foreign minister Eduardo Enrique Reina Garcia, left, and Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang shake hands following the announcement (Greg Baker/Pool Photo via AP) Greg Baker The new China/Honduras relationship was announced after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments made separate announcements that they were severing ties. China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since they split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its one China policy. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and refuses most contacts with countries that maintain formal ties with the island democracy. It threatens retaliation against countries for even increasing contacts. Chinas foreign minister Qin Gang said the establishment of ties proved that adhering to the one China policy was winning peoples hearts and was the general trend. We inform sternly the Taiwan authorities that engaging in separatist activities for Taiwan independence is against the will and interests of the Chinese nation and against the trend of history, and is doomed to a dead end, he said. The Honduran foreign ministry said in a statement on Twitter that its government recognises only one China in the world and that Beijing is the only legitimate government that represents all of China. It added that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan. Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu told a news conference on Sunday that Taiwan had ended its relations with Honduras to safeguard its sovereignty and dignity. Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu speaks following the announcement (Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AP) Uncredited Mr Wu said that Honduran president Xiomara Castro and her team always had a fantasy about China and had raised the issue of switching ties before the presidential election in Honduras in 2021. Relations between Taiwan and Honduras were once stable, he said, but China had not stopped luring Honduras. Honduras had asked Taiwan for billions of dollars of aid and compared its proposals with Chinas, Mr Wu said. About two weeks ago, the Honduran government sought 2.45 billion US dollars from Taiwan to build a hospital and a dam, and to write off debts, he added. The Castro government dismissed our nations longstanding assistance and relations and carried out talks to form diplomatic ties with China. Our government feels pained and regretful, he said. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen said her government would not engage in a meaningless contest of dollar diplomacy with China. Over these past few years, China has persistently used various means to suppress Taiwans international participation, escalate military intrusion, and disrupt peace and stability in the region, she said in a recorded video. Her office spokesperson Olivia Lin said in a statement that relations between the sides had lasted for more than 80 years. Analysts have warned over the implications of the newly formed ties between China and Honduras. Political analyst Graco Perez in Honduras said Beijings narrative would highlight the benefits, including investment and job creation, but that is all going to be illusory. Mr Perez noted that some other countries had established such relations, but it didnt turn out to be what had been offered. For decades, China has funnelled billions of dollars into investment and infrastructure projects across Latin America. That investment has translated into rising power for China and a growing number of allies. The ministry of foreign affairs in Beijing (Ng Han Guan/AP) Ng Han Guan In Honduras, it has come in the form of construction of a hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by the Chinese company SINOHYDRO with about 300 million US dollars in Chinese government financing. Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen first took office in May 2016. Taiwan still has ties with Belize, Paraguay and Guatemala in Latin America, and Vatican City. Most of its remaining partners are island nations in the Caribbean and South Pacific, along with Eswatini in southern Africa. Despite Chinas campaign of isolation, Taiwan retains robust informal ties with more than 100 other countries, most importantly the United States. The US does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but has maintained that Taipei is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific. Rescuers are continuing the search for four people missing after an explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania which killed three people (Ben Hasty /Reading Eagle/AP) Ben Hasty Rescuers are continuing the search for four people missing after an explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania which killed three people. Crews using dogs and imaging equipment continued to scour the rubble after the blast that happened just before 5pm on Friday at the RM Palmer plant in the borough of West Reading, about 60 miles (96km) north-west of Philadelphia. West Reading Borough Chief of Police Wayne Holben said the death toll rose with the discovery of a third body at the site on Saturday. The Berks County Medical Examiner and Coroner also confirmed three fatalities. Three people were confirmed dead after the explosion on Friday evening (Jeff Doelp/Reading Eagle/AP) Jeff Doelp Borough Fire Chief Chad Moyer said four people remained missing as emergency personnel continued searching for victims and state and local fire investigators examined the scene to determine a cause. Due to the violence of the explosion and the amount of time that has passed, the chance of finding survivors is decreasing rapidly, he said. However, please be assured that our primary goal is accounting for all missing individuals and reuniting them with their loved ones. Earlier, Mr Holben said one person was pulled alive from the rubble overnight and that provides hope that others still may be found. Officials said dogs and imaging equipment were being used to look for signs of life during the careful removal of debris. The blast destroyed one building and damaged a neighbouring one. Roads near the site will be closed until 8am on Monday, Mr Holben said. Mayor Samantha Kaag said of the explosion site: Its pretty levelled. The building in the front, with the church and the apartments, the explosion was so big that it moved that building four feet forward. Emergency personnel at the scene in West Reading, Pennsylvania (Jeff Doelp/Reading Eagle/AP) Jeff Doelp Reading Hospital said it had received 10 patients, of whom one was transferred to Lehigh Valley Hospital and another to Penn State Health St Joseph Medical Centre. Two were admitted to Reading Hospital, and the others were later discharged, officials said. UGI Utilities said crews were brought in after the blast caused a gas leak that was helping to fuel the fire. We did not receive any calls regarding a gas leak or gas order prior to the incident, but we are co-operating with the investigation and part of that will be to check all our facilities in the vicinity, UGI spokesman Joseph Swope said. RM Palmer said in a statement late on Saturday that everyone at the company was devastated by the tragic events and focused on supporting our employees and their families. We have lost close friends and colleagues, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all who have been impacted, the company said, expressing gratitude to the extraordinary efforts of first responders and the support of the Reading community, which has been home to our business for more than 70 years. Utility company crews were brought in after the blast caused a gas leak that was helping to fuel the fire (Ben Hasty/Reading Eagle via AP) Ben Hasty The company said it is anxious to get in touch with its employees and their families but its email, phones and other communication systems are down, and it is relying on first responders and disaster recovery organisations to provide information to affected families. It added that it would be providing additional information and making contact with employees, impacted families, and the community as soon as possible. Mayor Kaag said people were asked to move back about a block in each direction, but no evacuations were ordered. She had issued an emergency declaration only to allow more resources for first responders. Borough manager Dean Murray said some residents were displaced from the damaged apartment building. Governor Josh Shapiro, who visited the site along with the emergency management agency director, vowed any and all commonwealth resources needed to support ongoing recovery efforts in addition to the extensive assets that have already been deployed. A team of structural engineers and search dogs from a state urban rescue taskforce have been assisting, and additional personnel arrived on Saturday, he said. A state police fire marshal is also assisting in the investigation, he said. Chocolate maker RM Palmer said everyone at the company is devastated by the tragic events (Ben Hasty/Reading Eagle/AP) Ben Hasty Philip Wert, vice president of West Reading Council, said the building had been constructed in the late 1950s or early 1960s, and officials had to access our archive to pull the blueprints in order to get a better layout of the building and the mechanicals and the utilities, where things are The silver lining in all this is someone was found alive, someone was found alive that was in rubble, not knowing whether they were going to live or die, and fortunately we found that person and theyve got a second chance, and hopefully fingers crossed were going to find more, he said. Frank Gonzalez stood on a hill overlooking the blast site, watching the rubble being cleared. He said his sister, Diana Cedeno, was working at the plant at the time of the blast and was among the missing. Its not good. Its just stressful waiting, not knowing, he said, expressing frustration at what he perceived as a lack of communication from authorities about the search. We keep reaching out, bugging, keeping her name alive just in case she is in there and says her name. He said his sister has two adult children, including a son who is deployed overseas. She has a side job decorating for parties and has also been studying for ministry at her church, he said. Mr Gonzalez said his son and nephew had also worked at the plant, but that his son had quit a few months ago because he said he didnt like the smell of the gas that was in there. Four people are still missing after Fridays explosion (Michael Rubinkam/AP) Michael Rubinkam His son and nephew had complained about the smell to plant supervisors, who told them Its all right. We got it. Its being handled. Dont worry about it, he said. Frank DeJesus said his stepdaughter, Arelis Rivera Santiago, a Palmer employee, was working in the building next door at the time of the blast. The ceiling caved in, and she had to crawl under machinery to make it out, he said. He added that he rushed to the scene to find her shaking and crying hysterically and she was still too shaken to speak about what had happened. Plant employees, including his stepdaughter, had complained about smelling gas throughout the day on Friday, he said. Everyone complained about smelling gas, and they kept making them work, he said. The supervisors told them it was nothing. It was being taken care of. A message was sent earlier to RM Palmer seeking comment about the blast. Smoke rises from the RM Palmer plant in West Reading (WPVI-TV/6ABC/AP) Uncredited Doug Olexy was home from work and checking email when the blast shook his house, rattling windows and making the walls vibrate. It sounded like a bomb went off, he recalled. I mean, all of our houses shook. Ive never heard as loud of an explosion in my life. He and his neighbours ran out on to the street immediately afterwards and were met by thick black smoke. At first, Mr Olexy thought it was a train derailment because there are tracks nearby. Then he learned it was the Palmer plant, which he called a West Reading institution. Everybody knows Palmer chocolate, he said. RM Palmers website says it has been making chocolate novelties since 1948 and now has 850 employees at its West Reading headquarters. Its Facebook page included entries earlier this month advertising Easter treats such as chocolate rabbits and the newest milk chocolate hollow in its bunny family as one with jelly beans inside. Shirked questions and vacant gazes make for little action from politicians Last year, my wife and I had occasion to look after a wee bearded dragon named Marvin for a couple of weeks. Dont be alarmed, everyone survived unscathed although when I heard there was a dragon coming to stay, I thought maybe some distant aunt had been invited. I was reluctant; Im not a big animal guy. I cant read animal behaviour and so they freak me out and then I freak them out and then one of us usually ends up biting the other. Im joking but only about the biting. The rest of this is true. Dogs read my panic. Then they panic. Then I panic, and around we go. But as it was, Marvin and I immediately got on great. I liked watching him hunt for locusts in his tank; he liked listening to me talking about Stings album The Last Ship. Or, if he didnt, he was well-mannered enough to keep his complaints to himself. When Marvin neared the end of his little stay with us, I wont lie, I was genuinely upset to see him go. Id come in to see him every morning and Id say, Hey, Marv, and he would paw the glass and generally make a bit of a fuss of me and anyone who knows me knows I love that. Marvin, if youre reading this, we miss you and we hope youre keeping well. We have tickets to see Sting later this year and theres one here for you if you fancy it. You could say I became a bit of a lizard person. Speaking of lizard people, I saw a video from a couple of years ago as it was doing big business again on Twitter this week. It features US President Joe Biden being confronted by a US Air Force veteran. It was sort of staggering and made me think: If this was Biden a couple of years ago, whats he like now? Joe Biden being confronted by the veteran The veteran approaches the decrepit old bran flake at some PR event and introduces himself as a veteran. Theres an awkward silence in which Biden should probably say, Thanks for your service, but he doesnt say anything. Instead, he stares through the veteran in much the same way that Marvin would stare through me when I told him we had no more locusts. Biden continues to stare blankly, with the sort of smile that suggests he might, like Marvin, benefit from a little moisture sprayed on him in warm conditions. The veteran asks Biden a legitimate question: why should someone who voted for the prosecution of the devastatingly damaging wars in Iraq and Afghanistan now be allowed to be president of the US? Biden says nothing. After laughing at his political ineptitude and social inertia the first time, it is actually sort of harrowing on a second watch. The veteran exclaims that he has lost multiple friends and colleagues and claims that they were sent into these countries and given orders which included the harming of civilians and destruction of cities. Biden says nothing. One of Bidens aides says that Bidens son is a veteran. The veteran in this video then says that Bidens son was there for a year and that he, the veteran, isnt there to go after Bidens son. Biden springs into life, like someone just walked in and said, Hey, Marv. When the veteran says he isnt attacking Bidens son, old Joe says, You better not be. You better not. Marvin the bearded dragon Again, he stares through the man before him, with the gaze of someone who should be wondering when the next little pot of apple sauce is being served, not someone who should have access to the worlds greatest military power. Its scary and sort of mind-numbing then when the veteran restates his question and crispy Joe is ushered away like hes forgotten to make his bed back at the retirement home. There was a time when an appearance like this would be very damaging for a politician, but we are now living in a time when stuff like this happens daily, especially among the British, American and Irish establishments, and yet nothing happens. When was the last time a politician really answered a difficult but legitimate question in a situation like this? I cant remember. But I cant forget the image of BoJo hiding in a fridge to get away from such a question. I used to laugh at the notion that they could be lizard people, but having gotten to know a lizard, I can say that there are certain similarities. If you ask a lizard a difficult question, they mostly dont answer, much like a politician. If you dangle something consumable in front of a lizard, they get quite excited, much like a politician. If you raise your voice to lizard, they hide under the first rock they see, much like a politician. Marvin the bearded dragon Ill take the blame for comic panel show Last December, I got in touch with some of my comedy chums and we put on a panel show reviewing the year, 2022. It was a geg. That show was Never Mind The Mock Blame. The panel show you never knew you needed. The whole point is to have a raucous, rude, unbridled panel game that lets people see their favourite comedians in a different way. We had no name for it and when I was asked what we were calling the event, I literally said Call it something like Never Mind The Mock Blame so people know its a panel show. Now, due to demand, we are running an even bigger one in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on June 10. It is going to be special and its already sold out! If you missed your tickets, all I can say is ah gee! Thats a Nineties phrase Im trying to revive. It is hosted by Aaron Butler and features Shane Todd, Paddy McDonnell, Micky Bartlett, William Thompson, Dave Elliott, and me, Ciaran Bartlett. Team captain William Thompson says: "Team captains normally take their role seriously, seeing it as something requiring the utmost professionalism and sportsmanship. Not me, I just try to annoy Paddy McDonnell as much as I can. The show basically entails two teams of three comedians ripping shreds off each other while vaguely competing to answer questions about everything thats happened in 2023 so far. Williams opposite number is rival Team Captain comedian Paddy McDonnell. McDonnell admits he had no idea what he was in for last time. I wasnt sure how this would go, but after the first few questions, I knew we were onto a winner and I absolutely loved it. As comedians, we like to milk everything, so we filmed the first show and put it on our Patreon accounts. The video has gone public and is available on Youtube, and via socials. Keep an eye out for the next one too! Jeju City in the early 1900s. Robert Neff Collection By Robert Neff Over the last couple of decades, Jeju has often been called the Island of World Peace. But in the spring of 1903, it was anything but peaceful to the small Japanese community at least according to the Japanese press. In January, 53-year-old Hong Jong-u was appointed as magistrate (governor) of Jeju Island. Many people might have viewed his appointment as a promotion or reward, but to Hong it was a demotion a form of exile in order to remove him from the capital and politics. Yep, despite being so far away from the capital, Hong still managed to entangle himself in an international incident with his policies on Jeju. Hong Jong-u during his stay in France. Public Domain - Wikipedia The Chinese authorities declared that the issue was a Korean problem and sent both Kim's corpse and his killer back to Korea for justice. It was a brutal justice. Kim's corpse was hacked into pieces and displayed throughout the country, while Hong was promoted and given various positions of power. It is somewhat ironic that Hong, who was very conservative, would play a role in protecting a progressive a progressive that would become a leading figure in modern Korean history. According to Brother Anthony of Taize: "Hong Jong-u was the presiding judge of the high court known as Pyeongniwon. This was the time of the conservative crackdown on the members of the Independence Club at the end of 1898 and among those on trial was a young student, Yi Seung-man, better known in later times as Syngman Rhee. Hong and Rhee were diametrically opposed. At that time, Rhee might easily have been sentenced to death, yet Rhee later wrote how amazed he was to find Hong determined to save his life; instead, he was sentenced to 100 blows on the buttocks and life imprisonment. He also wrote that Hong gave orders to be gentle when the beating was performed, so that after the 100 blows his skin was not even broken." Hong had a very interesting career and, depending on your political slant, was either a heroic assassin or a cowardly murderer. Hong befriended Kim Ok-kuin (one of the leaders of the failed Gapsin Coup in December 1884) in Japan and together they arrived in Shanghai on March 27, 1894. The following day, while Kim was resting Hong suddenly pulled out a revolver and shot him four times, killing him instantly.The Chinese authorities declared that the issue was a Korean problem and sent both Kim's corpse and his killer back to Korea for justice. It was a brutal justice. Kim's corpse was hacked into pieces and displayed throughout the country, while Hong was promoted and given various positions of power.It is somewhat ironic that Hong, who was very conservative, would play a role in protecting a progressive a progressive that would become a leading figure in modern Korean history.According to Brother Anthony of Taize:"Hong Jong-u was the presiding judge of the high court known as Pyeongniwon. This was the time of the conservative crackdown on the members of the Independence Club at the end of 1898 and among those on trial was a young student, Yi Seung-man, better known in later times as Syngman Rhee. Hong and Rhee were diametrically opposed. At that time, Rhee might easily have been sentenced to death, yet Rhee later wrote how amazed he was to find Hong determined to save his life; instead, he was sentenced to 100 blows on the buttocks and life imprisonment. He also wrote that Hong gave orders to be gentle when the beating was performed, so that after the 100 blows his skin was not even broken." A Korean prison in the late 19th century. Robert Neff Collection As can be seen, Hong was a man of action even if one act conflicted later with another. Hong, who had spent several years in France, was inclined to be pro-French and according to the Japanese press, when he assumed his position on Jeju he acted "in concert with, or by the advice of, French missionaries, he enjoined upon the inhabitants of the island the necessity of not renting houses to Japanese subjects; not selling objects of daily necessity to them; and not buying goods from Japanese merchants." Anyone violating the above would be imprisoned. Doubling down on his demands, Hong also declared that any Korean found attending the Japanese school on the island would be beheaded. The 1,500 Japanese residing on the island became rightfully concerned and sent a missive via a Japanese fishing boat to the Japanese authorities in Mokpo asking for immediate assistance. It warned that if help were not received soon, the Japanese residents on the island would be forced to flee. Some Japanese newspapers reported a detachment of Japanese police and a warship as being sent to the island to help quell the "alleged outrages" but one English-language newspaper in Japan (The Japan Weekly Mail) denounced these claims as "much exaggerated." Administering punishment in the late 19th or early 20th century. Robert Neff Collection The claims that the "ex-assassin governor" had issued a statement pointing out that Jeju was not open to trade and so the Japanese had no right to be on the island whereas the French missionaries enjoyed special privileges granted from the Foreign Office in Seoul were unfounded. The editor of The Japan Weekly Mail noted that there were no official reports in Tokyo of these outrages save that there were some minor commercial issues. If there was unrest on the island, it was not reported in the Korea Review (published in Seoul by Homer Hulbert) which was fully fixated on the French missionary problems in northern Korea and would have undoubtedly been thrilled to add these alleged incidents to its pages. Hong may not have been as bad as the Japanese press portrayed him, but he was definitely not a beloved governor. According to Jo Jae-gon (the author of "That is why I shot Kim Ok-kuin"), Hong had a large number of pine trees cut down and levied the people with heavy taxes of money. His abuses became so severe that the islanders petitioned the Korean government to recall Hong, but their pleas went unanswered. Perhaps, as Brother Anthony suggests, Hong "was probably intent on securing funds for a bleak future." Mokpo in the early 20th century. Robert Neff Collection The former Hollyoaks stars film has been selected for Five Films for Freedom, the worlds widest-reaching LGBTQIA+ digital campaign and will see it screened for free to audiences across the world. The 41-year-old Belfast actor told Showbiz Life: My family loved it. Im just fortunate that my parents are two rock stars. And I grew up in a house where we were all loved out. And I dont take that for granted. My niece is four and shes seen it. My nephew is nine and hes seen it. "I love that it is a film that you can just watch with, like the entire family. Theres nothing to be afraid of. Its just a feel-good story about your family and about love and listening to each other. The short film is about a young boy from west Belfast who wants to wear a dress to his Holy Communion. Parents Maria and Dermot are keen to do what is best for Johnny, but their different opinions almost pull the happy family apart. Gerard, who played Kris Fisher in Hollyoaks from 2006 to 2010 and also starred in The Fall, came out as non-binary last year, saying: I dont want anyone who has always referred to me as he/him to start overthinking it or worrying about it too much (trust me, Ive already wasted far too much time doing that). Being referred to as they/them will make me smile, but I certainly wont get angry or offended if Im referred to as he/him. Im just me. A scene from the short film Just Johnny Reflecting on the film being included in the new campaign, Gerard said: Im so proud. Its the fact that its been beamed out all around the world and is accessible to people in countries where youre killed for being gay. Im really proud that we made a film, which is so Northern Irish, where the accents are strong. "And the humour is Northern Irish and people just get it all around the world and find comfort in watching it and going Oh, that persons like me. Im just really honoured that our film has been included in it because I think its always nice to obviously do things that people like and enjoy and watch. But I kind of feel like this is important. Gerard has also paid tribute to Derry Girls and Game of Thrones for helping put Northern Ireland on the map as a film-making nation. They added: Derry Girls has had a massive effect. And obviously you have people like LISA MCGEE as a writer, but we now have the best editors and the best crew. Northern Ireland as a film industry is like a force to be reckoned with. "The big turning point was Game of Thrones, and they trained so many people. And then people were going on to work on things like The Falls, Bloodlands, Derry Girls and all of the movies that are being shot. As a film-making community we collectively just get better and better and better and better. "The crew that we had on Just Johnny were amazing. We had the same costume designer that works on Derry Girls. You do stand on the shoulders of other peoples success. And Lisa would be one of those people, they said. Sam Neill attends the AMEX Gala Party for The Power of the Dog during the 65th BFI London Film Festival in 2021 Dave Benett/Getty Images for Net Peaky Blinders star Sam Neill has revealed he found an Orange march "weirdly frightening" growing up in Northern Ireland. The actor who played Ulster-born hardman Major Campbell in the hit series was born in Omagh before the family moved to Tyrella, Co Down when his dad was an officer in the Royal Irish Fusiliers based at nearby Ballykinlar. But it was when they moved next to live in barracks in Armagh for a couple of years that he witnessed his first band parade. He said: Down the hill towards the Mall is the site of the one and only remotely sectarian memory I have. Read more Actor Sam Neill reveals IRA bombed grave to help fulfil dying wish of relative Sam Neill attends the AMEX Gala Party for The Power of the Dog during the 65th BFI London Film Festival in 2021 Dave Benett/Getty Images for Net My best friend, James Morris, and I ran down to watch a parade it must have been 12 July that we could hear in the distance. It sounded exciting, but as we got closer it became stranger and weirdly frightening. It was all loud drums and sweaty florid faces, orange sashes and bowler hats, and an alarming sense of common purpose that Id never seen before. We ran away. Sam Neill in Peaky Blinders with Helen McCrory This was a peaceful time in the North; the Troubles were still some years away. I dont believe I ever heard the words Protestant or Catholic, and if I had they wouldnt have meant anything to me. At least, not until we went to New Zealand. At my school it was important that we beat St Bedes, a Catholic school a few miles away, at rugby. Other than that, I have no comprehension of any of that bloody nonsense. None of it made sense, then or now, to me. Sam (75) has spoken about his early life growing up in Northern Ireland in his new book Did I Ever Tell You This? but he refused to apologise if anyone was offended by his grotesque caricature as Major Campbell in Peaky Blinders. He said: I played that hideous Ulsterman Major Campbell in Peaky Blinders. I never had more fun playing a character than him. Someone suggested I should apologise to some people from the North for that grotesque caricature, but I unreservedly do not. Sam Neill's autobiography "Ive never been afraid to play bad people. I think theyre fun. And, you know, every bad guy has his reasons. Theyre damaged. Something happened to them. When I had to play Major Campbell in Peaky Blinders, I pictured him growing up as an only child in some grim rectory in Ulster, a small boy without a mother, beaten daily by a brutal man in a dog collar. He also said that a brutal sex assault carried out by his evil character in the BBC series was a tough acting assignment made easier by his late co-star Helen McCrory. Actor Sam Neill in Jurassic Park with Laura Dern Sam explained: Easily the most difficult bed scene Ive ever done was in Peaky Blinders. My character, the hideous Major Campbell, rapes Aunt Polly, played by Helen McCrory. It is deeply disturbing, and I was anxious about how we would go. For one thing, this was acting out a situation, a crime, utterly beyond my imagination. By the time we shot this I knew Helen very well. The trust was there, which allowed us to go to the extremes. Helen McCrory was one of the greatest people Ive ever worked with. A grand actress and a fine person. Drag performer claims his controversial piece on late royal will be a hit Belfast-bound performer Linus Karp has claimed that his controversial stage act about the late Princess Diana will be welcome in Northern Ireland. The Swedish-born performer will be in drag to portray the tragic Royal who died in a Paris car crash in 1997 in his one-man show, which includes a plot to kill the late Queen as well as puppetry showing sex between King Charles and Camilla. But former DUP stalwart Jim Wells described Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, which will be staged at is at Belfasts Accidental Theatre on Friday and Saturday, as "crass". He said: "It's not that long since the Queen passed away so it's crass to be doing this type of play in that sort of situation. "Also, many people in Northern Ireland remember Princess Diana with affection and she's still held in the highest esteem and frankly if rate payer's money is being used for this play, many people would find that offensive on every level. "It's an untold and untrue story because it's rubbish. Is this really the sort of thing we should be supporting in Belfast?" Jim Wells Linus, who said his mother-in-law is from Belfast, told Sunday Life he was expecting a "backlash" but argued that his play "pays homage to Princess Dianas legacy of LGBTQ+ allyship" and it is billed as "queer as possible" and he also labelled her a "gay icon". He explained: "She remains a cornerstone of queer culture 25 years after her death for many reasons, not least her genuinely trailblazing HIV and AIDS activism. "Especially over the last two years, as a theatre-maker, I want my work to be as queer as possible. As queer people, we grew up with 95 per cent, if not more, of everything being heterosexual. "The show does not shy away from absolute chaos with puppetry, drag and off-screen shenanigans making it a one-hour immersive queer experience. "I'm overjoyed with how well it's been received. I mean, we've had some comments like, 'Oh, this is so distasteful,' and I'm not going to say that it's the most tasteful thing but it is done with a lot of love and very much it's a celebration. "I don't think it's a disrespectful show. I think it's more of a loving celebration in a very silly way. If you have a sense of humour, whether you are pro or anti monarchy, I do think the show can be enjoyed." Princess Diana Critics have accused the show of mocking the death of Diana and it also has her armed and breaking into Buckingham Palace in a plot to kill the late Queen. It was awarded an estimated 17,000 from Arts Council England but its hosts here also get local support with Belfast City Council confirming: "We support Accidental Theatre through our small grants scheme." Linus agreed his show is "controversial" but countered: "I also think it's better to kick up than kick down. I feel like it's a group of people we should be able to call out on their behaviour." He told Sunday Life that any opposition or protest to his show is "not something I'm worried about" and added: "It's almost like it's more important to do it now, because of that." Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story is at Belfasts Accidental Theatre on March 31 and April 1 Creep who sexually abused teen boy posts expletive-laden message in bizarre video A shameless paedophile who sexually abused a besotted teenage boy has uploaded a bizarre dance video to social media telling her haters she doesnt give a f***. Perverted mum-of-two Eleanor Moore posted the video in which she cavorts around a kitchen with middle fingers raised while singing to her TikTok and Facebook followers. The clip was uploaded just weeks after the creep narrowly avoided jail at Dungannon Crown Court where she was convicted of sexual touching and sexual communication with a teenage boy. The video, soundtracked by the Big Sean rap song I Dont F*** With You, sees Moore sing the lyrics: (name), this song is for you. I dont f*** with you, you lil stupid ass b**** I aint f*****g with you. You lil dumb a** b**** I aint f****g with you, I got a million trillion things Id rather f*****g do, than to be f*****g with you, lil stupid a**. I don give a f***! (repeats) The video was captioned: To all my haters, this one is for you. Eleanor Moore Brazen paedo Moore also posted images of her teenage victim on social media days after being spared jail for sexually abusing him in January. Moore uploaded couple-style snaps of the pair to her Facebook account two days after walking out of Dungannon Courthouse on January 20 where she was handed a three-year probation order for abusing the child. She was also slapped with a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for five years. Astonishingly, the images were also shared by Moores mother, who posted a message online in defence of her paedophile daughter, saying the affair had wrecked her family. She added: Hello everyone. I do not support anyone who abuses children. Everyone has a right to their opinion. I just want to tell you [mine]. Eleanor Moore is my daughter. I just want to let you all know that social services were aware of the contact between the victim and Eleanor, as [were] the parents. They [Moore and the teenage boy] were not allowed to be on their own. They [the parents] should have stopped it, so now my family is wrecked. [There] is more to this story, but I will leave it alone. Just to say, the child is 18 in July. Read more Paedophile mum posts images of victim two days after jail let-off Incredibly, friends and relatives expressed sympathy for Moore in comments underneath the post, with her mother thanking well-wishers for their support. Moores sentencing sparked outrage on social media, with many questioning why she had escaped with a probation order rather than being handed a prison term. The Public Prosecution Service was asked if it intended to appeal but did not respond. Moore was in and out of police custody several times in the lead up to her conviction after repeatedly being caught with her teenage victim in defiance of her bail conditions. Eleanor Moore The former care worker (29), who now works for a well-known housing and social care provider, breached bail at least five times while she was being prosecuted for abusing the boy. The pervert even contacted him after her bail conditions had been relaxed so she could socialise over the Christmas period. Under the terms of her SOPO she is now barred from access to, or communication with, children under 16 including for work and is prohibited from entering into a sexual relationship without informing authorities. Sunday Life approached Moore about her crimes shortly before her sentencing, but she lied about meeting with her victim, denied being herself and ran away from our reporter. Asked if she would like to apologise to the boy and his family, she screamed Go f*** yourself as she fled before her associates made threats against our reporter. Dungannon Crown Court previously heard how social services alerted police to concerns about Moores contact with the boy early last year. She was arrested and then bailed on the condition she had no contact with her victim, but she breached this order multiple times. Examination of her phone later revealed sexual communication with the child. After she was arrested for breaching her bail terms, a detective told a court: There is a high risk of child sexual exploitation as he appears besotted. Son of victim hits out at rogue trader who swindled 60k from vulnerable elderly customers The van owned by Stephen Stewart after he 'went to get materials' Everyone needs to see this mans face, declared the son of a pensioner who was fleeced by cowboy tradesman Stephen Stewart. A leopard doesnt change its spots, said Robert, who didnt want to use his real name. I dont believe his supposed apology, but I am a big believer in karma and hell get his comeuppance in the end. Roberts dad was one of the 59 pensioners hoodwinked by rogue painter and decorator Stewart, who confessed to 55 charges under trading standards legislation. But the 90-year-old sadly died before he saw justice done. Trading under the names NI Home Improvements and S.S. Services, 49-year-old Stewart, originally from Larne but now living in a hostel in Belfast, admitted 50 counts of reckless commercial practice, three of misleading commercial practice, and two of aggressive commercial practice. His crimes were committed between February 2019 and July 2021. Antrim Crown Court last week heard how Stewart left behind a trail of vulnerable OAPs feeling annoyed, hurt, angry, embarrassed, upset and manipulated after they handed him cash upfront for work that was either not done or done to a shoddy standard. The transactions ranged between 80 and 3,500, amounting to almost 60,000 none of which will ever be paid back. The van owned by Stephen Stewart after he 'went to get materials' Stewart cold called at pensioners homes, identifying work supposedly needing done, demanding either deposits or full payment upfront before giving them illegible or hard to read receipts and a leaflet explaining their alleged rights to refunds. Roberts dad was one of those who was sucked in by Stewarts empty promises and fake smile. On the day we found some kid up in dads roof pretending to repoint the chimney, Stewart rushed back in his big white van, claiming he had been away getting materials for the job, but when we opened it up it was basically empty, said Robert. The police were on the scene really quickly and he even tried to spin them a line of b******t, but they were having none of it and made him hand back a 1,000 cheque dad had written. Whats really galling is that when we went through the bank statements, we discovered multiple cash transfers. He was frogmarching him down to the bank to do that, and that really angers me. If I had known I would have been absolutely livid. Essentially, Stewart took the money and disappeared. It preyed on dads mind but he never spoke about it. He was just too embarrassed and ended up, we think, about 1,500 out of pocket. Stewart is just a pig with no regard for the elderly at all. In court on Thursday Judge McCormick said because he had already spent 464 days in jail while the case progressed, she handed Stewart a one-year sentence, suspended for three years. The defence admitted there was no prospect of anyone getting their money back, but added that Stewart is remorseful and wanted to apologise. The court was also told he was determined to restart his business. But Robert said: I do not believe his apology. Theres absolutely no way anyone should employ him. Why doesnt he find a different job, go pack some shelves or do something good for a change. Sian Brooke spent time with police here to get into character BBC/Gallagher Films/Two Cities T Actress Sian Brooke, star of new BBC cop drama Blue Lights based on the PSNI, has spoken of being out on patrol with real officers here to prep for her role. The Sherlock star plays mum-of-one Grace, a 40-something former social worker who has decided to retrain as a policewoman, and also sought advice from her dad a retired copper. She revealed: I went out on a night patrol with the police in Belfast, which was pretty exciting. But I also asked my dad for advice on all the terminology because he was in the force for many years. There are similarities, but being a copper in Belfast is a bit different from being one in the Midlands! My dad never had a gun, like the police in Northern Ireland do, and the job has a very different effect on their home lives. Read more Co-creators of new BBC drama set in Belfast discuss heroic role of police service John Lynch (front), who plays bad boy James McIntyre in Blue Lights, with his cronies BBC/Gallagher Films/Two Cities T Some officers in the PSNI are unable to tell their family members what their job is and have to check under their car before they go to work every morning. I didnt experience any of that with my dad. Before finding fame as an actress, Sian even considered following in her father's footsteps in the thin blue line. She said: I actually thought about being a police officer before I started acting. Some people are a bit intimidated by a police uniform, but I saw the behind the scenes of life as a police officer when I was growing up. New drama series Blue Lights was written by former BBC Northern Ireland journalist Declan Lawn and his ex-Beeb colleague Adam Patterson, who have quickly grown a stellar reputation in the TV and film industry since their breakthrough hit series The Salisbury Poisonings in 2020, followed by Netflix movie Rogue Agent. Now this six-parter sees trio of rookie frontline response PSNI officers trying to learn the ropes while working under intense pressure. Sian Brooke plays cop Grace BBC/Gallagher Films/Two Cities T Sian's character Grace is joined by over-zealous Tommy (Nathan Braniff), desperate to prove he has what it takes to make it as a cop, and Annie (The Digs Katherine Devlin), who is struggling to settle into the job. Sian (43) said: I was drawn to Grace from the moment I read the scripts because shes just so determined and resolute. Shes a single mum to a teenage son, and shes leaving everything shes ever known behind to change her career, which takes real guts. I think its quite inspiring to see a woman like that on screen. The series follows the fortunes of the three recruits as they have to quickly put their fears and naivety to one side and try to adapt to the dangers of policing in Belfast. Sian continued: Yes, and in the first episode, Grace and her police partner, Stevie [played by Marcella star Martin McCann], are called to a situation where a woman whose son has got mixed up with a notorious local family is threatening her neighbours with a knife. Sian Brook and Martin McCann in Blue Lights BBC/Gallagher Films/Two Cities T It quickly turns into a very dangerous situation, and Grace ignores normal protocol in a bid to help this lady. Grace is a compassionate person, and she comes in with a fresh approach, which is a real bone of contention for her partner and superiors! Northern Ireland has been no stranger to police dramas being filmed here, including Line of Duty, Bloodlands and Hope Street, but Sian said there is room for one more and argued that Blue Lights presents a fresh twist on the genre. She explained: I love the way it highlights the complexities of Belfast. I think people may have a preconceived idea of what Belfast is like, but this show might surprise them. The writers, Declan and Adam are from the city, and they always say, Its not a show about Belfast; its a show from Belfast. Martin McCann, Sian Brooke, Katherine Devlin and Richard Dormer @Press Eye/Darren Kidd We have these gripping moments, which are sometimes truly heart-wrenching, and then in the next sentence, theres a bit of dark comedy. Among those gripping moments in the first episode is a high-speed car chase involving Grace and Stevie, which Sian admitted was "pretty scary, because we were racing down these narrow country lanes. She added: But we actually had a pod on the roof where the stunt driver sat to operate the car. We had to make it look like we were driving and we had a dummy steering wheel, but we had none of the responsibility, thankfully! Blue Lights starts on Monday at 9pm on BBC1 and will also be available as a box set on iPlayer. UK Humza Yousaf to tell PM to bring fairness back to the way whisky is treated Shutterstock.com The Bible tells us, The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged (Deuteronomy 31:8). However, trusting in this is more than a notion, especially when we feel we arent receiving a specific blessing in our lives. We begin to grow weary and distant because we dont understand how God is working in our lives and why things are going in the direction theyre going in. While you may be weary or beginning to lose your confidence, your attitude should be one of confidence that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His Will and timing. Here are six reasons God might not be blessing your life. Youre Only Focused on Receiving a Blessing We often say, Im so blessed when were sharing pictures from our most recent vacation, updating everyone on a recent promotion or sharing our new relationship status. Without even thinking, well equate these happy moments or personal successes to God showering blessings on us. However, these pleasures and successes are not Gods highest priority. God wants us to be happy but the truth is, our happiness and success arent Gods end goals. While its right and good to be thankful for the tangible blessings in your life, you shouldnt fail to see that blessings from God dont always make you want to shout Im so blessed. When you pray, acknowledge God for your blessings and not just those that make you feel good. God is Making You Wait As difficult as waiting can be, it builds spiritual muscles in a unique way. Isaiah makes this truth clear: But they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount with wings as eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31). This is a glorious promise but our discontented hearts find it difficult to wait. One great thing about waiting is that it allows us to pray without ceasing. When our thoughts turn to worry, fear, discouragement and anger, we are to consciously and quickly turn every thought to prayer and every prayer to thanksgiving. Another great thing about waiting is that it increases our faith. We wait and God works! The Blessing isnt in His Timing Everything that happens in our life happens in Gods perfect timing. Our God is a merciful God. Sometimes we forget this when we get so caught up in the pain were experiencing, the people weve lost and the things we dont have. We start focusing on all the ways that God hasnt measured up to our standards and find ourselves disappointed time and time again. Instead of focusing on the blessings weve been given, we focus on what God hasnt done for us. This is human, but it doesnt mean its right. It also doesnt mean that God has abandoned us. It means that what He wants for us is in His time. Not ours. And sometimes Gods plans are bigger than our own. You might pray for love to come into your life at a certain time, but if it had, God wouldnt have been able to make you more strong and independent. If things had fallen into place at the college you prayed for, you may not have attended the school that shaped so many of your future friendships and dreams. Just because God isnt blessing your life in the way we want Him to doesnt mean He doesnt love you. Your Heart is too Worried One reason you may not be experiencing a blessing is because youre dwelling on worry. Worry, feeling uneasy or troubled seems to plague multitudes of people in our world today. Its human nature to be concerned about the bad situations in our world and in our personal lives, but if were not careful, the devil will cause us to worry beyond whats reasonable. While its human nature to worry about the things that are going on in our personal lives and in the world around us, its important that you dont dwell in worry. John 15:7 says, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. The Blessing isnt Gods Will For Your Life John 15:7 says, If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. So that means if we tell God what we want, He will give it to us, right? Well, not exactly. If youre wondering why things arent going according to your plans, heres the short of it. We arent aware of Gods Will. Its important that we pay attention to the word abiding in this verse which means to live in, dwell in and remain in. When you have an intimate relationship with God, you begin to know His heart and have a clearer sense of the things we should be asking for and what His Will truly is for you. What Youre Asking For isnt to the Glory of God One of the first questions you should ask is if your request glorifies God? If the answer is no, that may be one of the big reasons you arent receiving that specific blessing. One of the most important questions we face in prayer is whether our petition is for our own selfish interest, pride or attainment, or whether it is really to the glory of God? Answers to prayer are supposed to honor God and bring glory to Him. This is one of the main reasons we offer prayer in the name of Christ. Jesus assured His disciples that if they remained in Him and His words remained in them, whatever they wished would be given to them. Prayer that is offered in the name of Christ and to the glory of Christ is prayer that God can answer. All of us have had been through periods where we felt we werent experiencing blessing. Sometimes days, weeks, or even years will go by at a time and we still find ourselves wondering, when is God going to bless us? The important thing to remember is that God hasnt forgotten about you or abandoned you. If youre confused and hurting, the Lord doesnt expect you to cover it up with a smile. Tell Him what youre really thinking and feeling. Also, dont worry if you feel like your requests to God arent being heard. If we pray in the Will of God, we can be sure that God will answer. As we praise Him for His faithfulness, seek His Will and glory, pray faithfully and wait patiently until Gods time, He will come. Lesli White is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth with a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications and a concentration in print and online journalism. In college, she took a number of religious studies courses and harnessed her talent for storytelling. White has a rich faith background. Her father, a Lutheran pastor and life coach was a big influence in her faith life, helping her to see the value of sharing the message of Christ with others. She has served in the church from an early age. Some of these roles include assisting ministry, mutual ministry, worship and music ministry and church council. Pexels.com One of the best Christian marriage quotes that captures marriage was by Mignon McLaughlin when he stated, "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." Marriage isn't about the big dreams, the house, the cars, the three children, the white picket fence, all neatly packaged with admirable careers to support it all. In God's Kingdom, a strong and successful marriage is falling in love with the same person as we give that person our all unconditionally. Marriage requires faith in our mighty God and faith in our spouse. It requires waking up every morning and being willing to give 100 percent of our attention, love, and effort, especially when it's hard. Because when we do, God takes our union to His potter's wheel to mold, bend, shape, and refine us into His Holy image, and what a beautiful reflection we become. Faith in Marriage Quotes Here are 15 beautiful quotes to strengthen your marriage and relationship with Christ. As you read through these, allow God to move in your heart to permit Him to show you what areas of your union need His strength, healing, and faith. Write them down so that you can easily find these for reference. Or, better yet, add one to a note, a card, or text and send it to your spouse. "Have a good and godly marriage that shows the world Christ's love through how you sacrificially love and serve one another." John Stange "Marriage is over in an hour, and yet it takes a lifetime to be really married." E. Stanley Jones, Victorious Living "No matter how many rules we make for ourselves, rules don't create godly relationships. Only leaning on our faithful Father and longing to please Him with everything we do will set the stage for a beautiful romance!" Eric Ludy "Staying married, therefore, is not mainly about staying in love. It is about keeping a covenant. "Till death do us part" or "As long as we both shall live" is a sacred covenant promisethe same kind Jesus made with His bride when He died for her." John Piper "To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless." G.K. Chesterton "The man who sanctifies his wife understands that this is his divinely ordained responsibility Is my wife more like Christ because she is married to me? Or is she like Christ in spite of me? Has she shrunk from His likeness because of me? Do I sanctify her or hold her back? Is she a better woman because she is married to me?" R. Kent Hughes "Fix your eyes on Jesus and the plans He has for your life. Look ahead, and run after Him with all your heart. Then look around. Whoever has kept up with you, marry that person."Debra Fileta "Great marriages don't happen by luck or by accident. They are the result of a consistent investment of time, thoughtfulness, forgiveness, affection, prayer, mutual respect, and a rock-solid commitment between a husband and a wife." Dave Willis "A Christian marriage is [not] one with no problems or even a marriage with fewer problems. (It may well mean more problems.) But it does mean a life in which two people are able to accept each other and love each other in the midst of problems and fears. It means a marriage in which selfish people can accept selfish people without constantly trying to change themand even accept themselves because they realize personally that they have been accepted by Christ." Keith Miller "We should be able to look at our spouse in the face and say, 'You complete me.' This completeness of husband and wife is why the apostle Paul can say that to love your spouse is to love yourself (Ephesians 5:28). The two really are one, and this means so much more than sentiment. It means they are one flesh." Steven Wedgeworth "To solve a marriage problem, you have to talk with each other about it, choosing wisely the time and place. But when accusations and lengthy speeches of defense fill the dialogue, the partners are not talking to each other but past each other. Take care to listen more than you speak. If you still can't agree on a solution, consider asking a third party, without a vested interest, to mediate." R.C. Sproul "In God, there is no hunger that needs to be filled, only plenteousness that desires to give." C.S. Lewis God's Blessing Upon Marriage Quotes "Only when marriage and family exist for God's glory and not to serve as replacement idols are we able to truly love and be loved. Remember, neither your child nor your husband (or wife) should be who you worship, but instead who you worship with." Mark Driscoll "Lord blesses this beautiful couple with love and hope, we pray. Keep alive forevermore the vows they've pledged today. May you bless their dreams and visions, And keep them always safe. May peace and joy be with them now. On this their wedding day." Wedding Blessing "May your marriage always bring glory to God, a joy to one another, and blessings to your family for many generations to come. May love and laughter fill your hearts and your home for all at the days of your lives. May you face every challenge hand-in-hand and side-by-side, knowing that you'll conquer all obstacles with God's grace. May the world be forever a better place because the two of you fell in love. In Jesus' name, Amen." Dave Willis The strength and stability of a building's foundation keep it from collapsing. As any architect knows, there are specific steps a builder must take to form a foundation that will stand the test of time. So it is with marriage. Without a firm foundation, couples are subject to issues that can chip away at their commitment and eventually cause the relationship to crumble. With these quotes, you can build your firm foundation or reaffirm the foundation you already have. Courtesy of cferdophotography By David A. Tizzard By Steven L. Shields I've learned a few things about Gwangju over the past several years. First, the events in Gwangju in 1980 were horrifying. Second, many unanswered questions surround the tragic days and their aftermath. Lots of blame going in several directions. Lots of denials and counter-denials from many quarters. Finally, there are so many opinions and claims of evidence that not only are solid facts elusive, but the truth is even more elusive than that. Could it be there are more critical lessons still to be learned? I don't need to remind readers of what happened in Gwangju, both a long time ago and seemingly like yesterday. In the 40 years that have passed, the grief for many is still unresolved. At the same time, Korea is a much different, more egalitarian society than it probably ever was during its millennia-long history. Yet, there still is a vocal right wing that seemingly wishes time could be rolled back to the authoritarianism of the past. Indeed, democracy is a challenge when the voting public is divided on issues, as the recent presidential election showed. In 1980, the United States Peace Corps still had an essential and valuable mission in Korea. The Peace Corps had been in Korea since the 1960s, and many volunteers taught English in faraway countryside schools. More and more, though, by the late 1970s, Peace Corps workers dealt with challenging diseases still far out in the countryside where medical care was not readily available. Some volunteers worked with villages where Hansen's disease wreaked havoc. Tuberculosis was quite prevalent, too. A handful of Peace Corps workers and a few Western missionaries scattered in Gwangju and the surrounding villages. These folks became eyewitnesses to what began to unfold in May of 1980. The Peace Corps members were ordered to evacuate the city. United States government officials, charged with the safety of its citizens, believed their actions prudent. However, some refused to follow those orders and were later ejected from the Peace Corps and Korea. In fact, in the aftermath of Gwangju, then-president Chun Doo-hwan demanded the U.S. shut down all Peace Corps operations in the country. In recent years, some Peace Corps volunteers have written and published their memoirs of those tragic several days. They have done so at great personal pain and emotional suffering over what they saw and experienced. One former Peace Corps volunteer in Gwangju in May 1980, reflecting on his recently published book and suggesting how we might understand how Korea changed, argues that without diminishing the significant loss of life, continuing to argue over the numbers of the dead is a challenge moving forward. Paul Courtright, now a university professor and a widely experienced epidemiologist, was a young man in 1980 just trying to help people who were hurting. Now four decades later, he suggests we must understand how "5.18" changed Korea. There are some parallels, he believes. The lessons that might be learned could help find ways in which Korea could help mediate the situation in Myanmar, for example. Professor Courtright reminds us that although Gwangju was a focal point of the events as they unfolded in the region, there are dozens of stories about how the citizens in outlying villages were responding in solidarity with the city folks. He related the story of Namyoung, where he was living and working at the time. He tells how the villagers descended on the local police station, broke into the armory, and began issuing weapons and ammunition so they could join the fight. A few students argued with the villagers and suggested they would probably be killed if they went against better-trained military forces. But, a wise grandfatherly gentleman suggested to put the weapons back would mean others could use them. He suggested, and the villagers agreed, the weapons should be destroyed. There are perhaps dozens of similar stories that have yet to be told. Courtright's and other eyewitness accounts differ widely from Chun Doo-hwan's accounts, which are considered "official." During the events in May 1980, an older woman begged Courtright to tell their stories. She said, "We have no voice. You need to give voice to our struggles." In the odd and sometimes unfortunate twists of the "news cycle," Gwangju got quickly pushed off the front pages of US news, replaced by the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in Washington state. The volcano blew on the same day as Gwangju. The general U.S. public, had they been more aware of what was happening in Korea, may have demanded more transparency and accountability from the U.S. government concerning the role of U.S. military and diplomatic forces in Korea at the time. While acknowledging the complexity of the issue, Courtright continues to harbor disappointment with how the U.S. government responded to Gwangju, as evidenced by their continued support of Chun's coup d'etat and military dictatorship. The California State Assembly recently passed a resolution recognizing May 18 in the state as a commendation of the democratization of Korea. All the members of the State Assembly had read Courtright's memoirs. The resolution was passed unanimously a rare occasion in democratic government. Paul Courtright still struggles with what he calls Chun's "false narrative." But perhaps when that generation passes, the younger generations might be able to look at Gwangju and find how Korea shifted from dictatorship to full-blown democracy. Korea could be a model for other nations who struggle with the same questions. His book, "Witnessing Gwangju: A Memoir" was published in 2020 by Hollym International and is available in a Korean-language edition. Rev. Steven L. Shields (slshields@gmail.com) has lived in Korea for many years, beginning in the 1970s. He is the president of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea. He served as copy editor of The Korea Times in 1977. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect The Korea Times' editorial stance. Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. NORTH ADAMS Mayor Jennifer Macksey says Police Chief Jason Wood has been relieved of duty and is no longer running the department. In a statement Saturday, Macksey said she lost trust and confidence in Chief Woods ability to lead the North Adams Police Department. Wood has been with the force for 20 years, rising through the ranks until he became its chief in 2019. Wood has been on paid administrative leave since March 8, two days after police were called for a domestic incident, involving Wood and a married couple. Wood will continue on paid leave through June and will no longer be on the citys payroll after that. He has been notified that I will not be renewing his contract, Macksey wrote in her statement. Wood declined to comment on Saturday. A paid administrative leave status means one continues to receive a paycheck and performs work from home. But Mackseys order on Saturday means Wood has been relieved of duty, though he will continue get paid until his contract expires in June. Lt. Anthony Beverly was named to lead the department for the time being, while Macksey said she works on long-term plan. In her statement, Macksey said more details about that plan would come at a later date. In a response to a follow-up question, Macksey indicated to The Eagle that the March 6 domestic incident was not the reason Wood was relieved of duty. She did not elaborate. Previously, Macksey said the March 6 incident was not a criminal investigation. Today, she confirmed the investigation into that incident was finished. The Eagle obtained the investigative file and police report from the March 6 incident. Authorities redacted the report, which renders an incomplete look into what happened. But the report does reveal that a North Adams man called police on March 6 and told them hed found out something about his wife and Wood and that he believed the chief was coming to his home. The police report also stated that Chief Wood said he was aware and that the situation was blown out of proportion, however, it doesnt look good. The report indicated Wood told police he had no intention of going to the mans house. State Police took the call to avoid a conflict of interest for the North Adams Police Department. State Police reported back to local police that the call was handled, things were calm and that there was nothing criminal that had taken place. The police report called the situation a domestic incident related to Chief Wood. Macksey put Wood on paid administrative leave pending the result of an internal investigation. The investigative file contained emails between Wood and the wife of the man who called police. The emails were exchanged after the March 6 incident. In a March 11 email, the woman wrote Wood: This is a mess an absolute mess. Im sorry that me and you had to end like this. The woman told Wood she did not want him to lose his job. The woman further wrote, [redacted] was in our personal time not at work. We were best friends ... Im not going to screw you over now. Wood worked for the department for 20 years. He was hired as a patrolman in 2003, was promoted to sergeant in 2014 and was appointed to be an acting lieutenant in 2017. In 2019, Wood became chief. Owner Nicholas Felix is looking to chefs from Berkshire County, New York City, Boston and beyond who will take a one- or two-week gig, which they and he might consider a test-run, audition or stage. gettyimagesbank South Korea and Israel agreed Tuesday to jointly invest $10 million in the development of key technologies for the smart mobility sector over the next three years, Seoul's industry ministry said. The two nations signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that calls for the joint push for research and development programs in the smart mobility field, including autonomous driving, electric vehicles and shipbuilding, with the $10 million fund over the next three years, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The signing ceremony took place during the bilateral "innovation day" forum held in Tel Aviv on the day, which was organized by the ministry and the Israeli Innovation Authority meant to discuss cooperation on advanced technologies and explore joint business chances, it added. "The two nations can become global leaders in the sector together, as South Korea is the world's mobility powerhouse and Israel has more than 500 research centers and startup firms in the future vehicles field," ministry official Lee Min-woo said. South Korea and Israel signed an agreement on industry technology cooperation in 1998, and have jointly spent $77 million on around 196 projects. (Yonhap) One of the most mysterious things about faith is that we cannot see spiritual activity, but we know it is happening. We read about angels and demons all throughout the Bible. Colossians 1:16 tells us that visible and invisible was created through God and for Him. The book of Job has many discussions on the topic, and Revelation tells us of thousands upon thousands of angels who will one day be worshiping Jesus, as well as the demons who will be punished into their eternal destiny. Today instead of looking at the bright side of spiritual beings, we are going to take a deeper study into understanding the dark. What can we learn from Scriptures about demons? Demons Are Limited and God Is Omnipotent What is a demon? The Bible teaches us that a demon is a spiritual being that was once an angel (Revelation 12:3-4). When Satan went against God, he took 1/3 of the angels with them, hence the fact that Satan has demons. When we think about Colossians 1:6 (that all things were created through and for God) this makes complete sense. Satan and the demons were originally created by the Lord, never intended for evil, but God allowed Satan and the demons to fall. The Lord never sins, (2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 7:26, 1 John 3:5). We can take such a great comfort in knowing that our God truly reigns omnipotently over all. He even rules over all evil. The demons have to get permission from the Lord. Demons Know Jesus Is Lord You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder (James 2:19). We see Jesus encounter with Legion (many demons) whom He casts out. Mark 5 tells the account of a possessed man who meets Jesus. He had lived in the tombs and was wild and had to be chained down, but he broke the chains and no one could control him. Night and day he would cry out and cut himself. We read of an incredible moment in Mark 5:6-8, which says, When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In Gods name dont torture me! For Jesus had said to him, Come out of this man, you impure spirit! The demon recognized Jesus as God. Then in verse 10 the demon says, And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. This reveals that demons fear Jesus because they know He is God. Ponder too that this was before Jesus ever died or rose. They knew who was in charge. They knew who was the Lord. Demons Cannot Possess Believers in Jesus We can rest assured that demons cannot possess those sealed with the Holy Spirit. There are no examples of believers being controlled by a demon anywhere in Scripture. Got Questions tells us, Notice that in all the New Testament passages dealing with spiritual warfare, there are no instructions to cast a demon out of a believer (Ephesians 6:10-18). Believers are told to resist the devil (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9), not to cast him out. The resisting is done in spiritual warfare, by prayer and resting in the identity of the child of God. We lean on the Holy Spirit, not our flesh, to have victory against such powers of darkness. The above article continues, Demonic influence and oppression are realities for Christians, no doubt, but it is simply not biblical to say that a Christian can be possessed by a demon or demonized. 1 John 4:4 tells us clearly that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. We do not have to live in fear because we were bought by the blood of Christ and we are His. The attacks of the enemy are very real, but we can have a comfort and a confidence in knowing that we have the Holy Spirit in us and are able to use the full armor of God. Demons Focus on the Body of Christ Even though Christians cannot be possessed by demons, they do love to wreak havoc in the lives of believers everywhere. Have you ever heard jokes like, The demons are in the sound system or I hope that is not a wolf in sheeps clothing. The truth is that demons love to try to divide and distract the global churchs great mission of sharing the gospel of Jesus. They want to bring down those who are making an impact for Christ. 1 Timothy 4:1 says that some within the body of Christ will follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. That is a terrifying thought that demons are teaching their own material. The truth is that if it is not of God or in line with His Word, then it is Satans. There is sin and there is holiness. You cannot be kind of sinful or kind of holy. You either are sinful or you are holy. This is why it is always vital that we test what others say with the Bible and pray about anything confusing or seemingly off for the Holy Spirit to guide us. Maybe you have had moments where you believed that you had an encounter with a demon? Spiritual attack is real, but we do not have to fear. God tells us to fear not 365 times in the Bible. Every day we can pray for discernment, pray for protection, pray for strength, pray for the Spirit to fight in our weakness, and pray for us individually and the body of Christ as a whole to stand firm and put on the armor of God and not allow the enemy to have any kind of foothold. What Will Happen to the Demons? Thankfully, like a story with a happy ending, we are given a glimpse into the eternity awaiting all believers in Scripture. This includes having the confidence of knowing that the Devil and his demons will be put away for good. Jesus already defeated Satan through His death and resurrection, but right now we share the gospel and await Jesus return. Matthew 25:41 says that, Eternal fire is prepared for the devils and his angels. We can take hope that their time is limited, and it is running out. Photo credit: Getty Images/francescoch Emma Danzeys mission in life stems from Ephesians 3:20-21, inspiring young women to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. She is wife to Drew for over two years and mom to baby Graham. Drew and Emma serve with Upstate CRU college ministry in South Carolina. Emma is an avid writer for Salem Web Network and provides articles on the Bible, life questions, and on the Christian lifestyle. Her article on Interracial Marriage was the number 1 viewed article on Crosswalk for the year 2021. All the glory to the Lord! She had the joy of hosting Her Many Hats podcast where she explored the many roles that women play while serving One God. Most recently, Emma has released her first Bible Study Book, Wildflower: Blooming Through Singleness. Today Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 47F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Tonight Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 47F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Tomorrow Rain showers early with overcast skies later in the day. High 57F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. BIG RAPIDS Among the many rumblings surrounding the proposed Gotion, Inc., electric vehicle battery component manufacturing facility project in Mecosta County, is the idea that 200 to 300 Chinese nationals will be brought to the area for the initial startup of the plant and will be housed at Ferris State University. In an email to the Pioneer, Big Rapids Township treasurer Penny Currie stated that during a meeting in October, she spoke with Gotion Global Vice President Chuck Thelen regarding the question of bringing in Chinese nationals for the initial startup. He (Thelen) voluntarily acknowledged the company would bring 200 to 300 Chinese nationals to our area to initiate the startup of the plant, citing that they would have the necessary extensive knowledge to initiate the beginning stages of the plant, Currie said. When asked where these folks would live, he simply stated we would build housing for them. When we questioned where, he ceased talking about the topic. Currie said shortly after the meeting, they were made aware of the suggestion that Ferris State University could house them. When the question was posed to Thelen regarding that possibility, she said, his answer was that FSU would do whatever necessary to partner with Gotion. Due to NDAs (non-disclosure agreements), she said, he was unable to give a direct answer. So, again the question was posed to the Big Rapids Township supervisor (Bill Stanek), who has also signed an NDA, and he refused to give a decisive answer. During a town hall meeting in December, she said, FSU President Dr. Bill Pink, also under an NDA, stated he knew nothing of an agreement between Gotion and FSU for housing. News Services/Social Media Manager at Ferris State University, Sandy Gholston, referred the Pioneer to a YouTube message from Pink addressing the rumors about housing. In the video, Pink states that he has been made aware of rumors and falsehoods regarding the university, and warns listeners that any information they hear should be considered as to whether it is first hand knowledge or second, or third hand information. Let me give it to you firsthand, Pink said. As president of this university, I can tell you that no one has had a conversation with me about FSU housing anyone on this campus. I have had no meeting that has said that. If that meeting would have happened, I would say that. I have heard the rumor about the idea of FSU housing these individuals, he said. I think if that was true, I would know it, because I would be the one approving it, and I can tell you none of it is true. We are a partner. We are a partner to companies around the state, a partner to companies around the country. As we become partners and as we do our work, it is important for us to prepare the workforce for a state that is on the move when it comes to all industries because that is what we do. Pink stressed that it is always important to get to the truth, and if the truth is subject to question, one should go to the source. That is why we are putting this out, so the people in this region and this state will know this is where FSU sits on this, he said. Always come to the source to find the truth. Thelen said that initially his best guess as to what they would need for the start up was around 200 to 300 experienced operators to train the employees that would be working at the facility because they typically want 10% of the workforce. He said he has since been corrected in that assessment. It will be roughly between 20 and 30, so we are looking at about 25 people, Thelen said. The expectation is they will be here for up to 9 months because when you bring over equipment you need, you have to train the operators and train the trainers. They will be helping to educate the workers on how to operate the equipment, and then go back home. He said the startup crew will come from the plant in China, and possibly from plants in India, Vietnam and Germany. I have also heard the implication that the jobs will be filled by a bunch of Chinese, he added. Anyone that comes over will be in addition to those 2,350 jobs. They are not taking American jobs. They are not taking an active role in production. They are here to set up and do training and then they are gone. Currie said the suggestion that FSU will be housing the Chinese nationals has been posed a number of times, and she finds it curious that it is just now being addressed by the university. The direct question to FSU needs to be, Has anyone affiliated with FSU had any conversation in this regard to Mecosta (County) Development (Corporation), Michigan (Economic) Development (Corporation), The Right Place, etc.? she said. Regarding the question of housing workers on the FSU campus, Thelen said he did have a conversation with former president David Eisler before he left the university. I said something about having to bring people over to build the plant, and he volunteered that we could possibly use the conference rooms and whatever we needed over there, Thelen said. I mentioned there may be a need for housing, and he said we could talk about maybe a temporary housing conversation, but we have no agreement whatsoever. I have not had this conversation with Dr. Pink and he does not know of this conversation, he said. This was just between David (Eisler) and myself. Currently, there is no definitive plans for housing any workers that come to the area to work on the construction of the facility or for the startup of the plant. Thelen said in regards to the fearmongering that is happening concerning the Communist Party within the company, he reiterates the official statement that Gotion High Tech is a publicly traded, international company with a diverse board of directors including citizens from Germany, the USA and China. The majority of board votes is owned by the VW Group. I heard something earlier that was contrary to that, but that is wrong, he said. The voting majority of the board members are German, with a couple from the U.S., as well. The official statement from the company is that within the Gotion, Inc., North American organization which is responsible for the Big Rapids plant ownership "that there is no CCP (Chinese Communist Party) organizational influence. No person on the team is a CCP member. There is no CCP organizational influence to the North American Gotion organization. There is not a slim chance of influence from any political party to Gotion, Inc. We follow regional and federal regulations and requirements within all of our NA facilities that have been operational since 2015. Gotion Inc., has current operations in California and Ohio, servicing our NA customers and is on contract with the U.S. Department of Energy for the USADC group to assist the establishment of NA battery standards." We have been here for eight years. We have two facilities. No one has ever raised a question about this, Thelen said. Because I want the community to feel comfortable about us, our lawyers are putting together a declaration for the CFIUS review. That declaration is voluntarily submitted. Additionally, he said he has spoken with Republican Congressman John Moolenaar and made him aware and agreed that it would be appropriate for him to request a Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States review, as well. We welcome that because we want to make sure there are no improprieties, he added. Thelen said he, along with other stakeholders, will continue to address the communitys questions in a variety of venues in the coming months. Updated 10 a.m. March 27 to indicate FSU President Dr. Bill Pink used the term "university" not "company" in his remarks. Tonight's rundown: Talking Points Memo: Joe Biden continues to decline with the world watching and remains out of the press reach Presidential Historian Larry Cook weighs in on how Bidens relationship with the press compares to past presidents US Special Forces have been confirmed to be in Ukraine OReilly describes Democrats hosting the DNC in Chicago as Crazy Arrogant The trial of Fox News gets underway 58% of Americans are now living paycheck to paycheck even as inflation begins to cool off Smart Life: Utilizing Kelly Blue Book when searching for a new car This Day in History: FDR dies in office Final Thought: what to do when someone is disrespectful to you In Case You Missed It: Read Bill's latest column, "Reason to Believe" Join 'Team Normal!' Order your gear now at BillOReilly.com! Pre-order Bills next bestseller Killing the Witches NOW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Our government is preparing to monitor every word Americans say on the internetthe speech of journalists, politicians, religious organizations, advocacy groups, and even private citizens. Should those conversations conflict with the governments viewpoint about what is in the best interests of our country and her citizens, that speech will be silenced. While the Twitter Files offer a glimpse into the governments efforts to censor disfavored viewpoints, what we have seen is nothing compared to what is planned, as the details of hundreds of federal awards lay bare. Research by The Federalist reveals our tax dollars are funding the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) technology that will allow the government to easily discover problematic speech and track Americans reading or partaking in such conversations. Then, in partnership with Big Tech, Big Business, and media outlets, the government will ensure the speech is censored, under the guise of combatting misinformation and disinformation. AI and ML Technology Will Monitor Everything We Say and Read The federal government has awarded more than 500-plus contracts or grants related to misinformation or disinformation since 2020. One predominant area of research pushed by the Department of Defense involves the use of AI and ML technology to monitor or listen to internet conversations. Originally used as a marketing tool for businesses to track discussions about their brands and products and to track competitors, the DOD and other federal agencies are now paying for-profit public relations and communications firms to convert their technology into tools for the government to monitor speech on the internet. The areas of the internet the companies monitor differ somewhat, and each business offers its own unique AI and ML proprietary technology, but the underlying approach and goals remain identical: The technology under development will mine large portions of the internet and identify conversations deemed indicative of an emerging harmful narrative, to allow the government to track those threats and adopt countermeasures before the messages go viral. With AI and ML identifying in real-time the origins of supposed influence operations and how the messages spread, the government will have the ability to preempt the amplification of the speech, squelching even true reporting before the general populace has an opportunity to learn the news. To appreciate fully the danger this poses to free speech requires Americans to consider the use of that technology with these seven additional details. 1. Everything Everywhere All At Once First, the AI and ML technology under development will mine every conceivable mode of conversation for the government. Consider, for example, the databases monitored by just a few of the companies the government is paying to develop this AI and ML technology. PeakMetrics, the recipient of a $1.5 million award, tracks millions of news sites, blogs, global social platforms, podcasts, TV and radio, and email newsletters. Omelas Inc., which received more than $1 million in taxpayer money, culls data from the most influential newspapers, TV channels, government offices, militant groups, and more across a dozen social networks and messaging apps, thousands of websites, and thousands of RSS feeds. Alethea Group, which received a Phase I award of nearly $50,000 to develop a machine learning tool for proactive disinformation/misinformation detection, assessment, and mitigation, boasts it covers data sources including mainstream and fringe social media platforms, peer-to-peer messaging platforms, blogs and forums, state-affiliated media sites, gray propaganda sites, and the dark web. Newsguard, awarded $750,000 by the DOD, offers two databases, including its unreliable reliability ratings database of thousands of news and information websites and a second database of purported hoaxes. Primer, which scored a $3 million award to develop its technology, offers a database that looks to news and media data sources, publicly captured images, the dark web, cyberattacks shared by the general public, and classifiedpresumably for government clientsand unclassified data sources. Primer also partners with Flashpoint, which adds Telegram, Reddit, Discord, and the deep and dark web to the databases mined. 2. Were Talking Americans, Not Just Russian Bots It is also important to recognize that the AI and ML technology under development will not just mine foreign or state-connected actors, but will monitor everyones speech. Both the government grants and the web pages of the monitoring companies confirm this reality. We also know from the Twitter Files that the government and its fellow residents in the Censorship-Industrial Complex view the speech of Americans as related to foreign influence operations merely because the viewpoint matches what they claim is an adversarys perspective. And we know the government pushed for the censorship of ordinary Americans. By its nature, AI and ML technology has unlimited potential to flag problematic speech on any imaginable subject. Here, the past is prologue: Speech need not involve terrorism, acts of war, or even our electoral process for our government to consider it within its purview to fact-check. (It also need not be false; see point 4). The Twitter Files and recent events provide Americans a glimpse into the breadth of the topics the government may deem harmful narratives worthy of censorfrom elections, to vaccines, to runs on grocery stores. Underlying the governments obsession with silencing misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information is the Great Power Competition perspective of foreign relations, under which China and Russia represent a constant threat to Americas power, influences, and interests. With the government viewing foreign relations through the Great Power Competition paradigm, speech on any topic, touching even tangentially on Americas power, influences, and interests, will be fair game for censorship efforts. 3. The Great Power Competition Renders Everything Fair Game for Censorship While to convincingly prove this reality requires a deeper exposecoming soonon the Great Power Competitions connection to the governments focus on misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information, last week Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, showcased the current thinking inspiring our leaders. During a conference call with the Federal Deposit and Insurance Corporation about the Silicon Valley Bank bailout, Kelly asked whether there was a way to censor information on social media to prevent a run on the banks. Kellys question was couched in a concern that foreign actors would be doing this, Rep. Thomas Massie told Public, but, according to Massie, Kelly didnt suggest the censorship should be limited to foreigners or to things that were untrue. The move from the censorship of terrorism to the silencing of supposed interference in elections to censoring posts about bank runs follows naturally from the shift in foreign relations paradigms from the War on Terror to the Great Powers Competition. The latter views anything affecting American power or influence as fair game. We also saw this shift with the Department of Homeland Securitys Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) proposal to consider financial misinformation within its purview. The governments censorship efforts wont stop at supposed financial misinformation, however, because anything and everything journalists report and citizens discuss affects Americas power, influence, and interest. So, the governments development of technology to monitor the entirety of the internet foretells a much more dangerous threat than apparent on the surface. 4. The Government Brands True Speech Misinformation The threat to free speech stemming from the governments monitoring of the internet is further increased by our overlords willingness to brand true speech misinformation, disinformation, or mal-information and then seek to censor it. The Twitter Files also exposed this reality, with our government and its lackeys seeking the censorship of true facts that might lead to vaccine hesitancy or reveal runs on grocery stores. That our government would seek to silence true speech on such matters gives Americans reason to fear further censorship of true information. 5. Faulty Analysis and Biased Censors The Twitter Files also revealed that censorship demands by the government, think tanks, and academic institutions relied on faulty misinformation analyses, including ones that identified innocent Americans as foreign actors. Also, many of those involved in the disinformation industry maintain left-leaning bias and a penchant for targeting conservatives. In furthering its plans to monitor the internet for supposedly harmful narratives to silence, the government is continuing to work with biased groups, including ones that pushed faulty analyses, adding to the threat to free speech. 6. The Governments Partners Are Poised to Censor The governments push to develop AI and ML technology to mine the internet is even more terrifying knowing that a Censorship Complex has already been built. The Twitter Files revealed the breadth and depth of the complex, with every alphabet-soup federal agency working with the social media giants and an array of think tanks and academic institutions, and with the legacy media providing an assist when censorship requests went ignored. While Elon Musk may have exited Twitter from the group, the Censorship Complex still stands tall and ready to silence the speech of those who dare dissent. This public-private collaboration makes the governments move to monitor the internet even more threatening to free speech. 7. Those Who Could Warn the Public or Stop the Plot Are All-In The threat is further heightened because those with the power to warn the public and demand the government stop silencing Americans speech are complicit. The corrupt medias coverage, or lack thereof, of Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenbergers congressional testimony on the Censorship Complex proves this point. So too does the Democrats pathetic performance during the hearings, when they exposed themselves as enemies of free speech. With Democrats, the legacy media, and many Republicans all in on the governments efforts to censor misinformation and disinformation, it will be extremely difficult for the public to recognize the risks free speech facesespecially since those trying to sound the alarm have already been falsely branded purveyors of disinformation. A chance remains, though, that enough ordinary Americans will hear the message before it is too late and demand Congress close the Censorship-Industrial Complex. Margot Cleveland is The Federalist's senior legal correspondent. She is also a contributor to National Review Online, the Washington Examiner, Aleteia, and Townhall.com, and has been published in the Wall Street Journal and USA Today. Cleveland is a lawyer and a graduate of the Notre Dame Law School, where she earned the Hoynes Prizethe law schools highest honor. She later served for nearly 25 years as a permanent law clerk for a federal appellate judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Cleveland is a former full-time university faculty member and now teaches as an adjunct from time to time. As a stay-at-home homeschooling mom of a young son with cystic fibrosis, Cleveland frequently writes on cultural issues related to parenting and special-needs children. Cleveland is on Twitter at @ProfMJCleveland. The views expressed here are those of Cleveland in her private capacity. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told French media outlet CNews on Friday morning that more than 900 fires were reported in the streets of Paris on Thursday night -- in one of the most violent days of protests in a while. "There were a lot of demonstrations and some of them turned violent, notably in Paris," Darmanin said. He said more than a million people marched yesterday. Police warned anarchist groups were infiltrating marches across Paris and other demonstrations. Men wearing hoods and facemasks were seen smashing windows and setting fire to trash piles and, in some cases, burning buildings. Chaos on the streets of Paris France on pic.twitter.com/CCxRmBmsxT Wall Street Silver (@WallStreetSilv) March 23, 2023 JUST IN: Protests in France are NOT LETTING UP, videos from Paris emerge showing what looks like a war zone.. WHY IS THE MEDIA HIDING CIVIL UNREST? pic.twitter.com/OP64Km1UCT Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) March 23, 2023 JUST IN: Paris is being overrun by protestors.. Are we witnessing the beginning of a revolution? pic.twitter.com/EQwBilJNdp Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) March 23, 2023 Architectural beauty coupled with social unrest in one powerful picture! Victory to the workers #France #Protests #Paris pic.twitter.com/ncM9dCpztw The Auld Reekie Group Ltd (@ARSC_Edinburgh) March 23, 2023 Violent crackdown on protesters in France - imagine the media coverage if this happened in a country we are told to hate pic.twitter.com/RJ9Jg7FP85 Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) March 24, 2023 The level of police brutality in France is beyond shame. Why is western media silent on this? French police violently beat up protesters.pic.twitter.com/oNcnT9Hb2g Hassan Mafi (@thatdayin1992) March 24, 2023 Darmanin said 457 people were arrested last night, and 441 security forces were injured. He praised the police for their brave actions. #UPDATE A total of 457 people were arrested and 441 security forces injured on Thursday during nationwide protests across France against President Emmanuel Macron's pensions reform, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin says https://t.co/MvoQGpNlbc pic.twitter.com/ENWiNtde6N AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 24, 2023 Meanwhile, the demonstrations and violence have caused a significant fuel shortage, impacting gas stations nationwide. Other disruptions have been reported due to widespread strikes across many sectors of the economy, such as garbage piling up in the streets of Paris because trash collectors are protesting pension reforms. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen accused Macron of sparking conditions for a "social explosion." "Consciously, the government is creating all the conditions for a social explosion, as if they were looking for that," she told AFP. Le Pen's sentiment was shared with the Wall Street Silver Twitter account, which asked, "is France is on the brink of civil war?" Recall earlier this week. We penned a note asking if "European Spring" had arrived. France is so dangerous right now that even King Charles III of Britain postponed his visit. And let's not forget that massive protests are scheduled for Germany early next week. This all comes as a banking crisis spreads across the Western world. One of the most important findings of the Twitter Files was an email from Stanfords Virality Project (the favored disinformation experts of the Biden White House, the CDC, and the US Surgeon General), which discussed the potential removal of True content which might promote vaccine hesitancy. This would include stories of true vaccine side effects information that is not mis or disinformation but may be malinformation that is exaggerated or misleading. The Virality Project, like its clients and supporters within the US government, was concerned that these true social media posts could fuel [vaccine] hesitancy. 5.Just before @ShellenbergerMD and I testified in the House last week, Virality Project emails were found in the #TwitterFiles describing stories of true vaccine side effects as actionable content. pic.twitter.com/dKxTnxDc3a Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) March 17, 2023 As the Twitter files have exposed the censors to sunlight, and as evidence of the public-private censorship efforts have been exposed in Louisiana v. Biden (which we discussed at length here), questions have remained about the specific content the posts and the videos that caught the governments interest. We now have more answers. We have obtained just a sampling of the CDCs Weekly Social Listening Report, distributed by the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), a division of the CDC whose focus of late has been awarding billions of dollars in funding to further COVID-19 vaccines for children. What do these reports reveal? That the CDC was very interested in tracking (and likely curbing) misinformation that would either contribute to vaccine hesitancy or cause doubts about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. To compile these reports, the government conducted what it called social listening that involved the daily monitoring of social media and private messaging apps to track emerging misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine. Heres their methodology from a late November 2021 report: The CDC put together this research by targeting specific keywords and hashtags and to report back on how those trended. It targeted rallying cries like #righttochoose and Medical freedom and personal choice and no mask messages that relate to the right of the individual to choose and labeled those Anti-Vax. Discussions about vaccine injury and learning the risk of vaccines (#learntherisk), spurred in large part by COVID-19 vaccine mandates all across the country, were also considered Anti-Vax. More problematic, and more concerning for those who oppose government censorship, was the fact that the CDC was targeting true content as part of the broader social media misinformation trends. On TikTok, for example, the account MuumboJumbo had legitimate questions about who was spreading COVID-19. As we have known for quite some time, vaccination does not prevent transmission. Yet here was the CDC, stating this TikTok user promoted COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy by saying theres no way to know who is spreading COVID-19, vaccinated or unvaccinated. It turns out that after that video was posted, user MuumboJumbo was banned from TikTok. Coincidence, or something else? TikTok user do0rs also made it to the disinformation list. This was for diminishing the threat of the omicron variant while making a political assertion against one of the two major parties in the U.S. According to what appears to be her new account, this user was suspended (by our calculation, sometime after posting the offending video). As to the political party she criticized? Its safe to assume it was the Democrats - meaning the CDC is now keeping tabs on social media users critical of the party in power. The TikTok Misinformation Trends also included a woman (another suspended account) who celebrated the stay of COVID-19 vaccine mandates and comedian Tyler Fischer who joked that he got the Freedom variant in Texas. Heres his offending video. Safe to say the CDC doesnt have a sense of humor: Reprinted with permission from TheNewAmerican.com. The Biden administration is petitioning federal courts to deny users of marijuana the ability to exercise their natural right to keep and bear arms and the arguments they are making are just astounding. Heres a bit of background, as published by Reason magazine online: [The Biden administration is filing briefs in defense] of the federal law that makes it a felony for cannabis consumers to possess firearms. That law, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) argues in an appeal brief filed last week, is consistent with this Nations historical tradition of firearm regulationthe constitutional test established by the Supreme Courts 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. To make its case, the government cites laws passed in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries that prohibited people from carrying or firing guns while intoxicated, which it implausibly argues are analogous to the gun ban for marijuana users that Congress imposed in 1968. Did you catch that? Joe Bidens Justice Department insists that old laws prohibiting drunk people from firing guns in public are persuasively and philosophically analogous to the White Houses aim to disarm anyone who uses even under medical supervision marijuana. Beyond the case mentioned above, the White House is using similar arguments to uphold similar laws or overturn decisions striking down such laws in other jurisdictions. The ultimate aim of all of the lawsuits is to disarm anyone using cannabis, based on the spurious and illogical claim that owning a gun if you smoke weed is the same as firing a gun in public if youre drunk. Thats not an exaggeration. The Biden Justice Department is making that claim. Really. Heres the Justice Departments arguments, as set out in its briefs in the case, again according to Reason: As early as 1655, the DOJ notes, Virginia prohibited shoot[ing] any gunns at drinkeing [events]. A 1771 New York law likewise barred firing guns during the New Years holiday, a regulation that was aimed at preventing the great Damagesfrequently done on [those days] by personsbeing often intoxicated with Liquor.' In 1731, Newport, Rhode Island, forbade the firing of any gun or pistol in any tavern at night, a time and place where people were at a heightened risk of drinking to excess. Readers are probably able to distinguish immediately those historical statutes from the law disarming pot smokers simply for smoking pot. First, the earlier laws prohibit the firing of weapons in public by people who are intoxicated. Second, none of those old laws disarm the person a priori. They simply forbid someone from firing a weapon at a public event while the person is drunk. Thats it. Thats still a crime, or at least good grounds for a suit for negligence against the drunk guy shooting the gun in public! An accurate analogy would be to disarm a person who drinks alcohol, whether that person ever gets drunk or not and whether he is ever drunk in public or not, simply because firing a weapon while intoxicated is potentially dangerous. Patrick Wyrick, a federal judge in Oklahoma, pointed out these significant differences in an opinion handed down in the 2023 case of United States v. Harrison: First, the restrictions imposed by each law only applied while an individual was actively intoxicated or actively using intoxicants. Under these laws, no ones right to armed self-defense was restricted based on the mere fact that he or she was a user of intoxicants. Second, none of the laws appear to have prohibited the mere possession of a firearm. Third, far from being a total prohibition applicable to all intoxicated persons in all places, all the laws appear to have applied to public places or activities (or even a narrow subset of public places), and one only applied to a narrow subset of intoxicated persons [public officers]. Importantly, none appear to have prohibited the possession of a firearm in the home for purposes of self-defense. Heres how Reason reveals the ridiculous assertions put forward by the feds: The governments 11th Circuit brief wisely eschews the DOJs earlier reliance on what Wyrick called ignominious historical restrictions that disarmed slaves, Catholics, loyalists, and Native Americans. Those precedents, the government had argued, showed that legislators have the authority to withhold gun rights from any group they deem untrustworthy. But the DOJ is still arguing that the people protected by the Second Amendment are limited to law-abiding, responsible citizens, a category that it says does not include cannabis consumers or anyone else who breaks the law, no matter how trivial the offense. Do you trust the government to determine trustworthiness? Does trustworthiness have any bearing whatsoever on the right of the people to keep and bear arms? Does the Second Amendment grant to the federal government the authority to disarm someone it deems untrustworthy? Lets see. The Second Amendment reads: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Samuel Johnsons Dictionary of 1786 defines infringe as to violate, to breach a contract. Pretty simple. There is no provision in that amendment for the disarmament of people who arent responsible or trustworthy. Lest we think that such restrictions are reasonable and thus not constitutionally offensive, we must be constitutionally consistent. We cannot treat the rights protected by the Constitution as a buffet, some sort of convenient a la carte menu of provisions to be enforced or ignored according to a party or practice with which we dont agree. Finally, constitutionalists must look upon every regulation on the natural right of the people to keep and bear arms as an act of tyranny and treat it accordingly. Laws against using a firearm while intoxicated (or high) already exist, and we need not violate the Constitution in order to protect people from such acts. To punish someone for a potential crime simply because he does something that sometimes contributes to the commission of a crime is unconstitutional, illogical, and un-American. A partially disassembled 4680 structural battery pack from a Tesla Model Y, built in Austin, Texas, is displayed under a sheet of plexiglass in Auburn Hills, Michigan U.S. March 3, 2023. Reuters-Yonhap Following EV price declines, Korean battery trio follows CATL to produce affordable LFP-type batteries to secure profit margins By Kim Yoo-chul The global electric vehicle (EV) market has enjoyed robust growth despite continued supply chain challenges. Supply disruptions during peak periods of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine had a short-term effect on the industry because EV sales rebounded from the second half of 2022. Earlier predictions of growth in EV sales were not very convincing. However, strong policy support in both the U.S. and China, as well as continued technological improvements, have helped overall EV demand remain bullish. Research firms expect the battery value chain to increase almost 10-fold between 2020 and 2030 to reach as much as $140 billion in annual revenues. But such policy changes the provision of up to a $7,500 tax credit for EV purchases in the U.S. and even the EU's recent unveiling of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), aimed at weaning the continent off Chinese critical materials for use in EVs are impacting the growing EV market. Because entry barriers are rising again and the market is seeing signs of consolidation with just a few players controlling major stakes, leading Korean battery producers LG Energy Solution (LGES), Samsung SDI and SK On are facing increasing challenges. Regarding these challenges, it is too early to say which of these Korean manufacturers should strictly focus on deliverables as the market has yet to be fully consolidated. China's CATL and BYD are increasingly being challenged by the Korean battery trio in terms of volume guarantees from promising clients. This means that the industry's leading players are still in the process of differentiating their products to win more customers, raising the possibility that the industry may enter a "boom-bust" cycle earlier than expected. "It's quite fair to say that the battery industry is engaged in a fierce race for market share. Demand for EVs will remain strong in the next few years, however, I would say Korean battery manufacturers should focus on improving their fundamentals as the boom-bust cycle, previously seen in the semiconductor industry during painful consolidation, is set to come earlier than thought," a senior manager at U.S.-headquartered investment bank in Seoul, said. SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks during a conversation with game designer Todd Howard (not pictured) at the E3 gaming convention in Los Angeles, California, June 13, 2019. Reuters-Yonhap After exits and bankruptcies, a new order has prevailed in the global semiconductor industry with Samsung, SK, Micron Technology, Kioxia and Western Digital controlling both the DRAM and NAND flash-type chip markets. The key benefits of this consolidation is that all the leading players are positioned to pursue greater benefits as they should avoid traditionally-painful periods of losses. As batteries are considered a national security issue, some executives and fund managers claim that the battery industry will not remain highly cyclical. Mismatches between supply and demand as well as macroeconomic uncertainties can be attributed to the level of industry volatility, however, since the beginning, Washington has been asking Seoul's battery companies to share the specifics of key data related to manufacturing and operations for supply chain resilience amid the U.S.-China technology war. Tesla's price cut, CATL's shift to profits "LGES, Samsung SDI and SK On should be fully aware that the recent price cuts by Tesla and China's BYD, the largest EV manufacturer in China, are the beginning of at least a medium-term trend because the global EV industry is moving toward maturity. This is quite good news for customers; but, this may be good news or maybe not-that-good news for manufacturers," said Jang Chung-hoon, an analyst at Samsung Securities in Seoul. LGES is one of Tesla's top battery suppliers. He stressed EV price cuts will become a trend not just a short-term fad as the EV king Tesla is simply a "cost-leader" and is clearly setting its tone for the price decline trend. Because the industry is seeing massive production ramp-ups, the industry is also seeing significant cost declines. Tesla's progress in terms of reducing its anode production investment compared to Korean and Chinese battery manufacturers is accelerating the industry's drive to reach early economies of scale. Another point of concern from the standpoint of the Korean battery trio is that global lithium production is expanding rapidly. This means that battery producers cannot justify any rise in battery manufacturing costs to automakers. "I would say that the Korean battery trio will put more focus on profits over market share. The core factor behind CATL's impressive 17.2 percent profit margin that it generated last year from its battery business was because of the popularity of quite cheaper LFP-type batteries. I would recommend LGES, Samsung SDI and SK On to win long-term contracts with their key clients through the stable provision of LFP-type batteries," the senior manager said. A worker stands outside a Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) factory in Ningde, Fujian Province, China in this undated file photo. Reuters-Yonhap Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, takes a look at products at Samsung Electro-Mechanics' MLCC plant in Tianjin, China, Friday. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Baek Byung-yeul Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, visited China for the first time in three years to inspect Samsung Electro-Mechanics' multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) plant at a time when demand for the key component of electric vehicles (EV) is increasing, the company said Sunday. His visit drew particular attention as it came amid the U.S. government's intensifying efforts to curb the growth of China's chip industry by regulating semiconductor production by non-Chinese firms there. The Korean tech giant said Lee visited the northeastern Chinese city of Tianjin on Friday where Samsung Electro-Mechanics' plant is located to check how the business is performing and meet with Samsung Group employees working in the region. The Tianjin factory, which began operations in 2021, is one of the major production bases that supply MLCCs used in IT devices and cars, along with the company's Busan factory. An MLCC is a core component of electronic devices, controlling the stable flow of currents within electric circuits. Samsung Electro-Mechanics began developing and manufacturing MLCCs from 1988 and constructed the Tianjin factory in 2018 to meet the fast-growing demand for the products. While the traditional internal combustion engine-powered cars used between 3,000 to 10,000 MLCCs, electric cars, which have more electronic devices, require up to 20,000 MLCCs. Samsung Electro-Mechanics produces a variety of power MLCCs used in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), anti-lock brake systems (ABS) and powertrains. Lee stressed the importance of accelerating MLCC product development for vehicles as a promising future business during his visit to Samsung Electro-Mechanics' Busan plant in 2020 and 2022. "Samsung is trying to foster its Busan plant as an advanced research center that develops and produces core materials for MLCC and will keep operating its Tianjin plant as its major MLCC plant," the group said. Lee Jae-yong, center, chairman of Samsung Electronics, inspects Samsung Electro-Mechanics' MLCC plant in Tianjin, China, Friday. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics A solicitor representing two people arrested on suspicion of murder in the Kerry Babies case has said they completely maintain their innocence. A man and woman were arrested on Thursday in connection with the death 39 years ago, but were released without charge. A file will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Kerry solicitor Padraig OConnell said people are jumping to conclusions. Mr O'Connell said: "The allegation against both in respect of the alleged murder has been totally and absolutely repudiated repeatedly, both under intense interview and subsequently by me as their mouthpiece. "There isn't a question under any circumstances that there is any admission to criminality by my clients at all... they are upstanding people." Mr O'Connell said he has "serious concerns" about aspects of media coverage related to the arrests. Advertisement He said he doesn't believe it should be in the public domain that somebody has been arrested on suspicion of murder. "Who [his clients] went into a garda station out of the blue, having been arrested at their home place, brought to separate garda stations... and under intense scrutiny in the context of interview, which I totally respect the gardai and State have to interview alleged suspects... they denied vehemently, completely and absolutely any criminality." A man who viciously attacked two strangers in an unprovoked assault on a dancefloor while intoxicated on a mixture of drink and cocaine has avoided going to jail. Eunan Maguire assaulted friends Aaron Pearson and Aaron Bradley at Sky Nightclub in Donegal town in Co Donegal in the early hours of March 10th, 2019. He left one of his victims with a broken jaw and the other with a scar for life. Both victims gave heart-wrenching victim impact statements of how the attacks have changed their lives forever. Judge John Aylmer said the attacks were without provocation, and he placed them in the mid-range of such offences saying the extent of the victims injuries received from the "purposeful uppercut" were only a matter of chance. He added that before mitigation he said both assault causing harm charges merited sentences of three years each. Advertisement Maguire, now aged 25, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the men when he appeared at Donegal Circuit Court. CCTV CCTV footage of the double assault showed the construction worker from Glenview, Ardara knocking both men to the ground with two single punches before fleeing the dancefloor. Both men had to receive hospital treatment for their injuries in the aftermath of the attacks. Medical reports on the damage suffered by both victims was read out in court. Mr Bradley received an "upper cut" from the accused and has a scar on his chin from where he was cut having had to receive several stitches. His friend Mr Pearson suffered a fractured jaw as a result of the punch from Maguire and had to have a metal plate and screws fitted into his jaw and still finds it difficult to eat. Maguire, who was and continues to live in London, was contacted by Donegal town gardai in July after CCTV was viewed, and he admitted to being involved in the incident and indicated he wanted to sort it out. The court heard how on the night in question Maguire had taken both cocaine and a considerable amount of alcohol. His barrister, Mr Sean Magee, told how his client had come from a steady home and was supported in court by his mother, although his father had passed away in 2020. Advertisement However, the death of his older brother Tomas in a car accident in Australia when the accused was just 16 had had a profound effect on him. Unlike his siblings, he had not undergone grievance counselling but had instead taken to alcohol to cope with his brother's loss whom he was very close to. Mr Magee said this period lasted for several years until his early 20s as he "lost his way in life". However, Mr Magee said that through the support of his family and his partner whom he hopes to marry, he no longer takes drugs and only drinks occasionally and is saving for a deposit on a house. "He described this incident as a real wake-up call for him," added Mr Magee who stressed that his client was extremely remorseful and apologetic. He added that when he viewed the CCTV footage of the incident and heard of the injuries to the men, his "behaviour had sickened him". He had contacted Mr Pearson by Facebook message apologising and asking if they could "sort it out". References Three references, one from Ardara GAA Club, one from family friend and Senator Eileen Flynn and one from his employer, were handed into court. Advertisement Mr Magee said that his solicitor, Mr Frank Dorrian, had been put in funds of 20,000, to offer to the men as a token gesture for his wrongdoing. Investigating Garda Claire Ramsay said that both men had prepared victim impact statements but could not make it to court because of work commitments. Aaron Bradley said he suffered a "horrendous attack" which had changed his life forever. He added "This has been mentally, physically and financially draining. Medical bills, medication and prescription expenses, loss of wages for two months, on returning to work I was very limited to what I could carry out." He said he had to undergo an operation to get plates and screws fitted into his jaw and that he finds it difficult to eat and still experiences a lot of pain and numbness especially in the cold weather. Mr Bradley added that his life will never be the same again after the unprovoked attack. He said "I have experienced lifestyle changes, my parents and family also suffered a lot of anxiety during this time. I have suffered from the feeling of isolation, depression and overall negative impact on the quality of my life. I suffer from fear, anxiety, shock and the feeling of being unsafe when I am out with my friends and on most occasions I had to come home early." Advertisement Aaron Pearson said he had been an outgoing, confident and sociable person who had never been involved in any altercation. He said the psychological impact of the assault has had longer lasting effects on his mental health. He added "I find myself suffering from anxiety, flashbacks, and no longer feel comfortable in large crowds. I no longer feel safe in nightclubs, so my social life has suffered. "It is frightening to me to think that there are people out there who think it is ok to strike you because they find violence exhilarating. The scar on my face is a constant reminder of that night, and I am very conscious of it. I feel when other people look at me, they are passing judgement on my character and my confidence is undermined. Physical impact "The scar itself is sensitive and shaving around it is uncomfortable and time-consuming. I have grown a beard to cover it, a look which I don't particular like." From a physical point of view he said his jaw continues to cause him pain especially when he is eating. And he concluded "I feel I will carry the psychological and physical impact of this assault which was totally unprovoked for the rest of my life. Advertisement "I wish for the accused to reflect on his actions and the consequences of assaulting me and others." Passing sentence, Judge John Aylmer said the assaults were carried out without provocation when Maguire was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine. He initially said the charges deserved sentences of three years each before mitigating factors were considered. The mitigation included that Maguire had pleaded guilty at an early stage, had no previous convictions and had not come to the attention of gardai since. He was also a hard-working individual who had risen to a managerial level within the construction company he had worked and had managed to come up with the sum of 20,000 to offer as a token of remorse for his actions which had been accepted by the men. He also accepted a report from a psychiatrist that the accused was suffering as a result of the tragic death of his brother in Australia. Judge Aylmer said that because of all these factors he was reducing the sentence to one of two years in prison. He then said he had the option to consider if he could suspend all or part of this sentence because Maguire had no previous convictions and had not offended since. He agreed that this was one of the rare occasions that the court agreed that all of the sentence could be suspended. He ordered Maguire to be of good behaviour for the next two years. The court was also told a civil case is currently underway on behalf of one of the victims. A United States Air Force (USAF) military transport aircraft made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport on Saturday evening after the crew reported a problem with one of the planes engines. Two Lockheed Martin HC-130J Hercules aircraft were due to make a technical stop at Shannon en route to Europe from Bangor in the US state of Maine. Shortly before the two turbo-prop aircraft were due to land in Shannon, the crew of the first flight, using the callsign Reach-5708, reported they were declaring an emergency. The crew told air traffic controllers they had a "precautionary engine shut-down". There were 21 personnel on board the aircraft while the crew confirmed they had to shut down their No.2 engine. Shannon Airports Fire and Rescue Service was alerted and crews mobilised to holding points alongside the runway ahead of the aircrafts arrival. Advertisement The flight landed safely at 7.04pm and was pursued along the runway by airport fire crews. The pilot confirmed the landing was normal. The aircraft was then directed to a remote stand accompanied by emergency vehicles. The second USAF aircraft was placed in a holding pattern briefly to allow the emergency flight land and vacate the runway. Operations at Shannon were otherwise unaffected. Just last month, another US military transport plane diverted to Shannon Airport after the crew declare an emergency over the Atlantic. The Lockheed Hercules C130J was making its way to the USAF air base at Ramstein in Germany at the time. At around 6.15am, while the turboprop aircraft was still west of Ireland, the crew declared an emergency and requested clearance to divert to Shannon Airport. The crew confirmed they were experiencing a pressurisation issue with their aircraft. Its understood there were six personnel on board. The flight landed safely at 7.03am and was followed along the runway by airport and local authority fire crews who also accompanied the aircraft to its parking stand. Ukraines government has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to counter the Kremlins nuclear blackmail after Russian president Vladimir Putin revealed plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus. One Ukrainian official said that Russia took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. Further heightening tensions, an explosion deep inside Russia wounded three people on Sunday. Russian authorities blamed a Ukrainian drone for the blast, which damaged residential buildings in a town some 175km south of Moscow. putins statement about placing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus a step towards internal destabilization of the country maximizes the level of negative perception and public rejection of russia and putin in Belarusian society. The kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. Oleksiy Danilov (@OleksiyDanilov) March 26, 2023 Russia has said the plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus comes in response to the Wests increasing military support for Ukraine. Advertisement Mr Putin announced the plan in a television interview that aired on Saturday, saying it was triggered by a UK decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. The Russian president argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the United States. He noted that Washington had nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews, he said. Ukraines foreign ministry condemned the move in a statement on Sunday and demanded an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. Ukraine expects effective action to counter the Kremlins nuclear blackmail by the UK, China, the US and France, including as permanent members of the UN Security Council, which have a special responsibility to prevent threats of aggression using nuclear weapons, the statement read. The world must be united against someone who endangers the future of human civilisation. Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defence Council, tweeted on Sunday that Mr Putins announcement was a step towards internal destabilisation of Belarus that maximised the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Mr Putin in Belarusian society. The Kremlin, Mr Danilov added, took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. Advertisement Ukraine has not commented on Sundays explosion inside Russia. It left a crater about 15 metres in diameter and five metres deep, according to media reports. Russia's deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus directly violates the Constitution of Belarus and grossly contradicts the will of the Belarusian people to assume the non-nuclear state status expressed in the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Belarus of 1990. Already pic.twitter.com/ahSC8KVceT Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) March 25, 2023 Russian state-run news agency Tass reported that authorities had identified the drone as a Ukrainian Tu-141. The Soviet-era drone was reintroduced in Ukraine in 2014, and has a range of about 620 miles (1,000km). The explosion took place in the town of Kireyevsk in the Tula region, about 180 miles (300km) from the border with Ukraine. Similar drone attacks have been common during the war, although Ukraine hardly ever acknowledges responsibility. On Monday, Russia said Ukrainian drones had attacked civilian facilities in the town of Dzhankoi in Russia-annexed Crimea. Ukraines military said several Russian cruise missiles were destroyed, but did not specifically claim responsibility. In December, the Russian military reported several Ukrainian drone attacks on long-range bomber bases deep inside Russia. The Russian defence ministry said the drones were shot down, but acknowledged that their debris had damaged some aircraft and killed several servicemen. Advertisement Russian authorities have also reported attacks by small drones in the Bryansk and Belgorod regions on the border with Ukraine. Mr Putin argued on Saturday that Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko had long asked to have nuclear weapons in his country again to counter Nato. Belarus shares borders with three Nato members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging ground to send troops into neighbouring Ukraine on February 24th, 2022. Both Mr Lukashenkos support of the war and Mr Putins plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus have been denounced by the Belarusian opposition. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over the ones it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them would be completed by July 1, Mr Putin said. Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there. Advertisement The US said it would monitor the implications of Mr Putins announcement. So far, Washington had not seen any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. In Germany, the foreign ministry called it a further attempt at nuclear intimidation, German news agency dpa reported late on Saturday. The ministry went on to say that the comparison drawn by President Putin to Natos nuclear participation is misleading and cannot be used to justify the step announced by Russia. Former UK cabinet ministers Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng told a fake overseas company looking for MP advisers their daily rate for consultancy would be 10,000 (11,340). In a sting operation set up by campaign group Led By Donkeys, Mr Hancock and Mr Kwarteng both set out six-figure sums for what they would expect to be paid to advise a non-existent firm in South Korea. There is no accusation of wrongdoing, with MPs permitted to seek employment outside of Parliament. Mr Hancock, asked whether he had a daily rate during an online interview, said: I do, yes. It is 10,000 sterling. The Conservative former UK health secretary, who was stripped of the party whip by British prime minister Rishi Sunak after he was announced as a contestant in last years series of ITV reality programme Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!, later said he had an hourly rate of around 1,500. Advertisement A spokesman for Mr Hancock said the West Suffolk MP had acted entirely properly and within the rules. Former Tory chancellor Mr Kwarteng, when asked the same question, said: I would say as an MP, obviously I dont need to earn a kings ransom. But I wouldnt do anything less than for about 10,000 dollars a month. Mr Kwarteng, whose mini-budget in September sent the value of the pound tumbling and mortgage rates soaring, went on to clarify that he would prefer the rate to be in pound sterling. Told by a fake employee of the company they were considering offering between 8,000 and 12,000 per day, with the intention for him to attend six board meetings a year, Mr Kwarteng said: OK yes, were not a million miles off. We can work with the numbers. Labour accused Tory MPs of using their taxpayer funded offices to line their own pockets, calling the behaviour shameful. Led By Donkeys, an anti-Brexit group, said it created a sham company called Hanseong Consulting, setting up a website and paying for a so-called fake virtual office in the South Korean capital Seoul. MPs FOR HIRE: a Led By Donkeys undercover investigation Watch the trailer pic.twitter.com/TOPxuhmbr9 Advertisement Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) March 25, 2023 It said, after consulting the register of MPs interests, it approached 20 MPs from different parties asking if they would join the phoney firms international advisory board. The group sold the company as one with aims to expand into the UK and Europe, asking any would-be advisers to attend pretend board meetings held in a mix of locations, including allegedly in South Korea. According to its preview video posted on social media, Led By Donkeys said 16 of the MPs approached were Tory, two Labour, one a Liberal Democrat and the other an independent. Out of those contacted, five are said to have progressed to an online interview stage, including Mr Hancock and four Tories: Mr Kwarteng, former UK education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson, former minister Stephen Hammond and Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, an influential backbench body. Mr Brady, according to the video, said he was thinking something like 60,000 as an annual rate for assisting the firm. In a statement sent to PA news agency, the senior Tory said he made clear to those behind the hoax that any work would have to fall within the terms of the Code of Conduct. Mr Hammond is seen in the video published on Saturday, but no details of what was said has been aired as yet. Advertisement Former UK chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng was one of the Tory MPs who spoke to the fake firm (Victoria Jones/PA) Led By Donkeys said Mr Brady had turned down the opportunity to take discussions any further. MPs are permitted to have second jobs on top of their role representing constituents. But external employment opportunities for those in Westminster has come under the spotlight in recent years, following former Tory cabinet minister Owen Patersons suspension from the Commons for breaching lobbying rules in 2021. He later quit Parliament following a furore after Boris Johnsons administration attempted to rip up the standards body that dished out the punishment. All five MPs who held a so-called interview with the campaigners have been approached for comment by PA news agency. A spokesperson for Mr Hancock said: The accusation appears to be that Matt acted entirely properly and within the rules, which had just been unanimously adopted by Parliament. Its completely untrue to suggest any wrongdoing and therefore absurd to bring Mr Hancock into this story through the illegal publication of a private conversation. All the video shows is Matt acting completely properly. Sir Graham Brady said he made clear any external employment had to be transparent (Victoria Jones/PA) Mr Brady said: Having decided to leave the Commons at the next election, I have received a number of approaches regarding future opportunities. I did have an exploratory discussion with someone purporting to be recruiting an international advisory board for a South Korean investment house. Advertisement I made it clear that any arrangement would have to be completely transparent and that whilst a Member of Parliament, I would only act within the terms of the Code of Conduct. I also made it clear that whilst I could be flexible in attending international meetings in person, this would be subject to some important votes or commitments in Westminster. Thangam Debbonaire, Labours shadow Commons leader, called on Mr Sunak to strip the Tories caught up in the sting of the whip. She said: Being an MP is a full-time job. Tory MPs should not be using their taxpayer funded offices to line their own pockets. This is shameful at any time but particularly during the cost-of-living crisis. She added: Labour will put an end to MPs raking in thousands of pounds on the side and act to restore trust in politics. Ukraines top security official has denounced the Kremlins plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus, saying that Russia was taking its ally as a nuclear hostage. But Moscow said it was making the move in response to the Wests increasing military support for Ukraine. Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the plan in a television interview that aired on Saturday, saying it was triggered by a UK decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. putins statement about placing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus a step towards internal destabilization of the country maximizes the level of negative perception and public rejection of russia and putin in Belarusian society. The kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. Oleksiy Danilov (@OleksiyDanilov) March 26, 2023 Mr Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the US. He noted that Washington had nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. Advertisement We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews, he said. Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defence Council, tweeted on Sunday that Mr Putins announcement was a step towards internal destabilisation of Belarus that maximised the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Mr Putin in Belarusian society. The Kremlin, Mr Danilov added, took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. Mr Putin argued on Saturday that Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko had long asked to have nuclear weapons in his country again to counter Nato. Russian president Vladimir Putin said construction of storage facilities for the weapons would be complete by July 1 (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Belarus shares borders with three Nato members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging ground to send troops into neighbouring Ukraine on February 24th, 2022. Both Mr Lukashenkos support of the war and Mr Putins plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus have been denounced by the Belarusian opposition. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over the ones it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them would be completed by July 1st, Mr Putin said. Advertisement Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there. The US said it would monitor the implications of Mr Putins announcement. So far, Washington had not seen any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. In Germany, the foreign ministry called it a further attempt at nuclear intimidation, German news agency dpa reported late on Saturday. The ministry went on to say that the comparison drawn by President Putin to Natos nuclear participation is misleading and cannot be used to justify the step announced by Russia. Nato on Sunday criticised Vladimir Putin for what it called his "dangerous and irresponsible" nuclear rhetoric, a day after the Russian president said he planned to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Putin likened the move on Saturday to the US stationing its weapons in Europe, while insisting that Russia would not violate its nuclear non-proliferation promises. Although not unexpected, the plan is one of Russia's clearest nuclear signals since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine 13 months ago, and Ukraine called for a meeting of the UN Security Council in response. While Washington, the world's other nuclear superpower, played down concerns about Putin's announcement, Nato said the Russian president's non-proliferation pledge and his description of US weapons deployment overseas were way off the mark. "Russia's reference to Nato's nuclear sharing is totally misleading. Nato allies act with full respect of their international commitments," Nato spokesperson Oana Lungescu said in emailed comments to Reuters on Sunday. Advertisement "Russia has consistently broken its arms control commitments," Ms Lungescu said. A top security adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Oleksiy Danilov, said Russia's plan would also destabilise Belarus, which he said had been taken "hostage" by Moscow. Experts said Russia's move was significant since it had until now been proud that unlike the United States, it did not deploy nuclear weapons outside its borders. It may be the first time since the mid-1990s that it has done so. Mykhailo Podolyak, another senior Zelenskiy adviser, on Sunday scoffed at Putin's plan on Twitter. "He admits that he is afraid of losing & all he can do is scare with tactics," Mr Podolyak write. Washington appeared to see no change in the potential for Moscow to use nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine, and it and Nato said the news would not affect their own nuclear position. "We have not seen any changes in Russia's nuclear posture that would lead us to adjust our own," Nato spokesperson Ms Lungescu wrote. Tactical nuclear weapons refer to those used for specific gains on a battlefield rather than those with the capacity to wipe out cities. It is unclear how many such weapons Russia has, given it is an area still shrouded in Cold War secrecy. Ukraine urges UN meeting Advertisement Ukraine's foreign ministry called for an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council after Putin's announcement, and it asked the international community to "take decisive measures" to prevent Russia's use of nuclear weapons. "Russia once again confirms its chronic inability to be a responsible steward of nuclear weapons as a means of deterrence and prevention of war, not as a tool of threats and intimidation." The European Union joined the chorus of condemnation on Sunday, with its foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urging Belarus not to host the weapons and threatening further sanctions. Analysts at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said the risk of escalation to nuclear war "remains extremely low". In Washington, Rep Michael McCaul, the Republican chairman of the US House of Representatives foreign affairs committee, said he regarded Russias plan as disturbing and designed to intimidate the West. "I think this is saber-rattling on the part of Putin basically to try to frighten," Mr McCaul told the Fox News Sunday programme. "These tactical nukes are disturbing." Putin decries a Western 'Axis' Putin said Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko had long requested the deployment. There was no immediate reaction from Lukashenko. While the Belarusian army has not formally fought in Ukraine, Minsk and Moscow have close military ties. Minsk allowed Moscow to use Belarusian territory to send troops into Ukraine last year. Advertisement Putin on Sunday also denied Moscow was creating a military alliance with Beijing and instead asserted that Western powers are building a new "axis" similar to the partnership between Germany and Japan during World War Two. He has often portrayed the Ukraine war as Moscow fighting a Ukraine in the grip of supposed Nazis, abetted by Western powers menacing Russia. Ukraine - which was part of the Soviet Union and itself suffered devastation at the hands of Hitler's forces - rejects those parallels as spurious pretexts for a war of conquest. On the battlefield, Russian forces hit military targets in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, causing significant Ukrainian casualties, Russia's defence ministry said on Sunday. Russia's TASS news agency cited a law enforcement source and the emergency services as saying on Sunday that a Ukraine-operated drone had caused an explosion in the centre of the Russian town of Kireyevsk in the Tula region, hurting three people and damaging three residential buildings. Russia has said in the past that Ukrainian drones have flown into its territory and caused damage to civilian infrastructure, an assertion Kyiv denies. Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said Russian forces had destroyed two apartment buildings in a missile strike on the eastern city of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region. He said there were no casualties. Ukraine's General Staff said on Sunday Ukrainian forces had repelled 85 Russian attacks over the past 24 hours across the eastern front, including the Bakhmut area, the scene of brutal fighting in the last few months. Reuters could not immediately verify the battlefield reports. A defiant and incendiary Donald Trump, facing a potential indictment, held the first rally of his 2024 presidential campaign on Saturday in Waco, Texas, a city made famous by deadly resistance against law enforcement. In an extraordinary display, Mr Trump opened his rally by playing a song, Justice For All, that features a choir of men imprisoned for their role in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol singing the national anthem and a recording of the former president reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Some footage from the insurrection was shown on screens. Former president Donald Trump arrives at a campaign rally at Waco Regional Airport (Nathan Howard/AP) You will be vindicated and proud and the thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited and totally disgraced, the Republican former president said early in his speech. Advertisement Thats whats happening. Mr Trumps rally at the airport grounds in Waco comes as he has berated prosecutors, encouraged protests and raised the prospect of possible violence should he become the first former president in US history to face criminal charges. Some of his recent rhetoric, including at the rally, has echoed language he used before the Capitol insurrection by a mob of his supporters seeking to stop the transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden, who won the presidential election. Mr Trump declared his enemies are desperate to stop us, and our opponents have done everything they can to crush our spirit and to break our will. He added: But they failed. Theyve only made us stronger. And 2024 is the final battle, its going to be the big one. You put me back in the White House, their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again. Former president Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally (Nathan Howard/AP) His eyebrow-raising choice of venue in Waco comes amid the 30th anniversary of a 51-day stand-off and deadly siege between US law enforcement and the Branch Davidians that resulted in the deaths of more than 80 members of the religious cult and four federal agents and has become a touchstone for far-right extremists and militia groups. Advertisement Mr Trumps campaign insisted the location and timing of the event had nothing to do with the Waco siege or anniversary. A spokesperson said the site, 17 miles from the Branch Davidian compound, was chosen because it was conveniently situated near four of the states biggest metropolitan areas Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio and has the infrastructure to handle a sizable crowd. Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick said before Mr Trumps arrival that he was the one who had suggested Waco as the venue. Any suggestion Mr Trump had picked the city because of the anniversary was fake news. I picked Waco he told the crowd. Mr Trump did not make any direct references in his speech to Wacos history, telling the crowd he told Mr Patrick he wanted to hold his rally in a place with overwhelming support, not one of those 50-50 areas, and said he told Mr Patrick, Lets go right into the heart of it. But as far as the eye can see, he immediately added, the abuses of power that were currently witnessing at all levels of government will go down as among the most shameful, corrupt, depraved chapters in all of American history. Advertisement Audience members were holding red and white signs handed out by the campaign that said Witch hunt and I stand with Trump. Mr Trump repeatedly railed against the investigations on Saturday, declaring prosecutorial misconduct in the ongoing criminal investigations but also decrying past probes, including the release of his tax returns by Democrats in the US House after a prolonged legal battle. It probably makes me the most innocent man in the history of our country. Mr Trump said. Friends of mine say that. The former president said he has had bad publicity, but his poll numbers have gone through the roof. At several points, Mr Trump criticised Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to run for president and is seen as his strongest potential challenger for the GOP nomination. Mr Trump called his one-time ally disloyal and said he was dropping like a rock. Hours before Mr Trump arrived, hundreds of his supporters began streaming into the airport past vendors selling merchandise including Trump flags, bumper stickers and action figures. There were no signs of counter protesters near the long line of Trump supporters waiting to get inside. Among them was Eugene Torres, 41, who said he was unfazed by the prospect that Mr Trump could be indicted. Advertisement Its just another political attack on him to keep him from running and winning this race again, said Mr Torres, from Texas. Donald Trump arriving at the campaign rally at Waco Regional Airport (Nathan Howard/AP/PA) Alan Kregel, 56, travelled with his wife from Dallas to see Mr Trump in person for the first time. While he voted for Mr Trump in 2016 and 2020, he said he felt the former presidents methods and vocabulary often detracted from his policies. But now, two years out of office, he said he is more supportive of Mr Trump than he was before. Hes an innocent man, just persecuted, said Mr Kregel, arguing an indictment would help Mr Trump win in 2024. The rally had already been organised before it became clear that a grand jury in New York was drawing closer to a possible indictment as it investigates hush money payments made to women who alleged sexual encounters with Mr Trump during the height of his 2016 campaign. Mr Trump has denied the womens claims. The grand jury investigating the hush money payments is expected to meet again on Monday in New York. Mr Trump has spent weeks now railing against the probe and in a post on his social media site on Friday warned of potential death and destruction in such a false charge if he is charged with a crime. Advertisement In a move that seemed designed to preempt a formal announcement, he claimed last Saturday that he would be arrested the following Tuesday. While that did not happen, Mr Trump has used the days since to try to shape public perception. Trump has also repeatedly invoked violence, urging his supporters to protest, as he has launched ever more personal attacks against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. On Friday, a powdery substance was found with a threatening letter in a mailroom at Mr Braggs offices, authorities said. Officials later determined the substance was not dangerous. Even before the threatening letter was sent to Mr Braggs office, Democrats warned that Mr Trumps remarks had the potential to incite violence. The twice-impeached former presidents rhetoric is reckless, reprehensible and irresponsible. Its dangerous, and if he keeps it up hes going to get someone killed, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said. In addition to the Manhattan case, Mr Trump is also facing an investigation in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election as well as federal investigations into his handling of classified documents and possible obstruction, as well as his efforts on January 6. The United Nations refugee agencys representative to the UK has warned that the British Governments Illegal Migration Bill effectively extinguishes the right to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees. The controversial Bill, aimed at tackling Channel crossings, returns to the House of Commons on Monday for its committee stage, and MPs will scrutinise it over two days. Vicky Tennant, of the UNHCR, told Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme that the proposed legislation is in breach of international law and the UKs obligations under the International Refugee Convention. She said: Well, were very concerned that this sets a global precedent, it effectively extinguishes the right, as youve said, to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees. Advertisement We know that those coming across the Channel broadly reflect the nationalities of countries affected by crisis, by persecution globally. So were talking about countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Albania, several of these, as Ive said, countries that are producing high numbers of refugees. A view of small boats and engines used to cross the Channel (Gareth Fuller/PA) She added: We think the focus of attention really needs to be on the asylum system, on asylum processing, getting that working properly so people are able to present their claims. If theyre not refugees decisions can be made quickly, they can be returned to their own countries, and if they are refugees, then theyre able to embark on that integration journey. We think thats in everyones interests, not just the refugees interest, but also the interests of the British public. The Bill aims to stop people claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means, but the UNHCR has called it an effective asylum ban. Pressed on what action the UNHCR might take if a country is found to be in breach of international law, she said there is no sanction as such but claimed violations have an impact globally. Ms Tennant added: You know, we have to remember that the vast majority of refugees are hosted in countries neighbouring their own. Advertisement So more than 69/70 per cent are in countries neighbouring their own. Now, if youre a country like Turkey, hosting more than three million refugees or Bangladesh hosting, you know, just short of a million refugees with all the impact that has on your economy, on your infrastructure on your services. And then you look at a country like the UK much further away, much less impacted, many fewer refugees, that sends a really unfortunate signal. So we believe that if this goes ahead, if other countries were to follow suit, it really would have a very significant impact on refugee protection globally. A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dungeness, Kent, after being rescued by the RNLI (Gareth Fuller/PA) Home Office guidance states that the Illegal Migration Bill will change the law so that those who arrive in the UK illegally will not be able to stay here and will instead be detained and then promptly removed, either to their home country or a safe third country, such as Rwanda. World No-one with concern for fellow humans should back... Read More It claims the Bill will stop illegal migration into the UK by removing the incentive to make dangerous small boat crossings and speed up the removal of those with no right to be here. The Bills other objectives are to crack down on the opportunities to abuse modern slavery protections, by preventing people who come to the UK through illegal and dangerous journeys from misusing modern slavery safeguards to block their removal and ensure the UK continues to support those in genuine need by committing to resettling a specific number of the most vulnerable refugees in the UK every year. The Home Office has been approached for comment. By Martin Henkelmann From the bustling streets of Seoul to the winding roads of Berlin, Germany and Korea share a long history that goes back to 1883 when the Treaty of Chemulpo (present-day Incheon) was signed. This was part of Germany's industrialization and efforts to expand influence and trade in other regions of the world. However, due to historic twists and turns, the partnership between the two countries became especially relevant again only until the Korean War in 1953. Back then, Germany which was still recovering from World War II, delivered a field hospital to Korea. In the 1960s, miners and nurses from Korea built a strong bridge between the two nations. With Korea's rapid economic growth, the economic partnership between Germany and Korea gained further significance. Especially, the Free Trade Agreement between Korea and the European Union, which entered into force in 2011, has further strengthened the economic bond between Germany and Korea. Germany is Korea's largest trading partner in the European Union (EU) and Korea is Germany's third largest trading partner in Asia. The trade volume has grown significantly, reaching about $34 billion in 2022, 25 percent of the total Korea-EU trade volume. Not only the automotive sector, but machinery, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods have also gained importance. The economic and cultural relations between Germany and Korea are becoming increasingly intertwined and widened, with the rise of K-pop, movies, food and cosmetics that are particularly popular among the younger generation. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, center, and Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, second from right, pose with executives from German and Korean companies, during the Korean-German Business Round Table event at Grand Hyatt Seoul in this November 2022 file photo. Courtesy of Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry As we look forward to the next level of the bilateral relationship, there are numerous opportunities for collaboration that can be identified. Firstly, the energy sector offers promising prospects as Germany has long been a leader in renewable energy technology, and Korea is rapidly catching up. The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), as the host of the official secretariat of the Korean-German Energy Partnership in Korea, is already noticing successful partnerships and collaborations emerging. Another area for collaboration is digitalization. We have been globally witnessing a rapid transformation, bringing numerous opportunities for businesses to increase efficiency and competitiveness. Such success of digitalization efforts depends on collaboration and knowledge sharing. Incheon International Airport serves as one of the best examples of efficient and reliable airports in the world, particularly in terms of baggage handling. In fact, its advanced baggage handling system originates from Germany and has been integrated seamlessly into Korea's quick and efficient operation. Such collaboration and knowledge sharing in the digitalization of German high-tech systems and Korea's efficiency can bring significant benefits to businesses and industries. Furthermore, Germany is home to some of the world's leading biotech companies, whereas Korea has also emerged as a major player in the industry in recent years. There is much potential for collaboration as the two countries have strong research that can lead to further breakthroughs and innovations. As we celebrate the 140th anniversary of this relationship, it is evident that the economic partnership between Germany and Korea will continue to flourish. Such confidence to jointly explore innovative and ambitious goals can only derive from the responsibility of governments, people and companies. It is our duty to ensure that such collaboration prospers and benefits all parties. Businesses from both countries not only bring high-quality goods to the market but also make significant social contributions and betterment in the communities where they operate. The writer is the president and CEO of the KGCCI. Contacted by CBD on Sunday, Landis expressed dismay at the messages, telling us she had no idea who was behind them. Josh Landis was sacked from ClubsNSW after a political intervention earlier this year. Credit: I would never, ever speak to someone like that. Im a mother and a level-headed person, she said. We hear things got rather wild at the Landis residence on election night make of that what you will and an apology has since been given. The moral of this story: always keep your phone close, and never text while mad. Doms party Now that Chris Minns has led NSW Labor back to power after 12 richly deserved years in the political bin, its time for the Liberals to do some standard post-election finger-pointing. A few surprising names are already starting to shoulder the blame Gladys Berejiklian (too busy with Optus to stand with Dom), Peter Dutton (why wasnt he ever on the campaign trail?) and of course Scott Morrison because hes still always getting blamed for things. While relations between Dominic Perrottet and the former PM were never sunny, the premier did draft in several of Morrisons former staff ahead of the campaign. Chief among those was Morrisons favourite political fixer Yaron Finkelstein, all smiles as he trailed Perrottet into the Hilton Hotel on Saturday night, drafted in to help the premiers re-election bid to the disgruntlement of some colleagues. Theres also former Morrison spinner Ben Wicks, in charge of the darker side of media management for the Liberal campaign. Morrisons old personal photographer Adam Taylor wound up shooting for Deputy Premier Paul Toole. Morrison did make an appearance on the hustings on Saturday to support Shire-based MPs Mark Speakman and Eleni Petinos. The latter is at risk of losing her safe seat after suffering a 14 per cent swing. By evening, Morrison was too busy with his ritual Saturday curry night to show up at Doms wake. Perhaps he was tired from Friday, when he and wife Jenny Morrison attended the opening night of Opera Australias harbourside production of Madama Butterfly, and hung out with distant royal Peter Phillips, son of Princess Anne. Both Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull were also at the opera on Friday but, of course, had better things to be doing on Saturday night. Howards end The one former Liberal PM to show up was John Howard, who entered the Hilton to loud cheers and the strains of AC/DCs Thunderstruck shortly before Perrottets concession. Former prime minister John Howard was among the Liberal luminaries at the partys election night function. Credit: James Brickwood Not all Liberals are happy with the party constantly wheeling out Howard when things hit the fan, with one referring to the Liberals elder statesman as a kiss of death, noting his appearances at unsuccessful campaigns across the country. We reckon thats probably a Liberal problem, not a Howard problem. Doms party otherwise lacked any real representation from MPs past or present although we did spot former NSW Liberal leader Kerry Chikarovski giving Perrottet a comforting hug on arrival, while ex-federal member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman quietly snuck in around the time of the premiers speech. Puntaholics anonymous We brought word recently that Sportsbets incredibly generous odds on the Liberals retaining Wakehurst led to a frenzied flurry of bets from punters who just knew, deep down, that independent Michael Regan was looking rather good. Loading And so, a silver lining for some Liberal-aligned hacks licking their wounds on Saturday night at the loss of both government, and that blue ribbon seat, were a few very generous payouts, with one ex-politico boasting of a $26,000 windfall, and rumours flying of even luckier punters winning in excess of $100,000. Who wouldve thought that the only cheer that went up at the Hilton is us losing Wakehurst? a lucky insider told CBD. Packer returns It was only a matter of time before James Packer, prodigal nepo baby of the storied media dynasty, finally came home. On Sunday, a private jet travelling from Saudi Arabia touched down in Sydney, delivering Packer, his wife Erica and two daughters. Now unburdened from the Crown empire, the billionaire has a growing network of property interests awaiting him in Australia hes recently bought a stake in a luxury Potts Point apartment redevelopment, and is investing in townhouses in Geelong with Wolf of Wall Street Jordan Belfort. Much has changed since Packer was last in Australia not least an inquiry finding Crown unfit to hold a casino licence, which was later followed by his divorce from the gaming giant after a takeover by US private equiteers Blackstone. Sondheim and Lapine (who is credited with the book) take this idea of using fairy tales to examine very adult concepts of sexual awakening, narcissism, parent-child relationship, moral responsibility and the importance of community by interweaving Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel with a generic fairy story of a baker and his wife who are having trouble conceiving. The action kicks off when the baker and his wife learn about a curse on their family from a witch and accept her challenge to bring her four objects: The cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn, and the slipper as pure as gold. Once obtained the witch would then lift the curse on the bakers family and allow the wife to fall pregnant and restore the old womans youth and beauty. Maria Mercedes as the Witch, James Millar as the Baker and Samantha Clarke as the Bakers wife. Credit: West Beach Studio This begins a race against the clock (they have three midnights to carry out the task) in which the baker and his wife collide with the breakneck narratives of Cinderella, Rapunzel and gormless impoverished Jack and his milky-white but somewhat clapped-out cow who, in one of many marvellously theatrical touches, has wheels for back legs. Instead of shooting for realism, Menzies and his team cook up lots of bits of business that delighted the audience on the night I saw the show, such as Rapunzels hair being so long it was broken in two and needing an extra body to get it out the window, to the infatuated prince and grannys bed morphing in the body of the wolf, which is ripped open by the baker to release the undigested granny and Little Red Riding Hood. Just an hour after waking, comedian, broadcaster and writer Sue Perkins is sporting false eyelashes behind her black-rimmed glasses. I wont lie, she says. I havent fully scraped off the make-up from last night. My mate Claire, who does my make-up, she sort of spot-welds them on. I do find it hard to get them off. Sometimes, they peel off in the night and you wake up and think theres a spider on the pillow. Perkins, cheerful, witty and sitting box fresh, as she says, in her London house, is rarely home. Her free time, sandwiched between presenting, writing and performing in TV and radio comedy programs, travel shows, panel quizzes, sitcoms, podcasts and ratings-busting reality TV institutions such as The Great British Bake-off, is filled with adventuring. Sue Perkins balances curiosity and humour. Credit: Her latest shows, two-part travel series Sue Perkins Big American Road Trip, and the second serving of trans-Tasman comedy panel show Patriot Brains, both premiering on Viceland in April, have fed her maniacal love of driving in new vistas. I failed my driving tests so many times I wasnt deemed fit to drive on a public road in the UK until I was 30, she says. So, when I finally got my licence, I really made up for it. Ill go anywhere. I will happily drive to Scotland for a night and then drive back. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. April hit list: Hot, new and just-reviewed places to check out, right now. See all stories . The stylishly revamped Saint Hotel has the potential to be St Kildas saving grace, with five venues to open over two soaring levels punctuated by an atrium. A year of work and a budget of between $3 million and $4 million has ripped a nightclub and South-East Asian restaurant out of the hotel and replaced them with a steakhouse powered by a Josper grill and an upscale front bar plus two upstairs bars to open soon, as well as a street-level bottle shop coming later with 12 bar stools. Saint Bar greets guests before they explore the rest of the venues spaces. Sharyn Cairns The megavenue, licensed for 430 people, joins other recent St Kilda arrivals Rufio on Carlisle Street and Loti on the foreshore, and the reopening of Cafe Di Stasio, somewhat stemming the areas hospitality losses, including Andrew McConnells Supernormal Canteen. Could this be St Kildas year? Saint Hotel general manager Mrinal Beekarry and executive chef Gary Lai, both formerly of The Atlantic, say the pubs 1915 heritage was a major drawcard for them to join the project, led by James D. Field and his father James M. Field, both in the construction business. Ive always loved having fun with fashion. In the family album is a picture of five-year-old me astride my first bicycle, posing while draped in dozens of plastic bracelets and necklaces. Id donned every piece of jewellery I owned before the photograph was taken. Coco Chanel clearly didnt know what she was talking about. My fashion love affair shifted when the size of my body fluctuated wildly in my early 20s, when food choices evolved beyond what Mum cooked for dinner and I discovered beer. My size fluctuated around childbirth, and again when I became disabled in my 30s. Jamila Rizvi: Its with cold clarity that I am witnessing the rise (again) of the waif-thin model. Credit: iStock As a result, Ive periodically lost the freedom and delight I usually get from dressing up. I am, after all, a child of the Americas Next Top Model generation, raised on lite yoghurt and diet everything. Body angst is my special subject. But through all those changes, I have been able to take going to a shop and finding clothes in my size for granted. For a shamefully long time, I was blissfully unaware of the fat-phobia and discrimination perpetrated by the labels I loved. Fast-forward to today, and its with cold clarity that I am witnessing the rise (again) of the waif-thin model, and fashion built for her body and hers alone. Keen social media users might have noticed last week that far-right hawker and One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts could have a new fan: omnipresent billionaire and Twitter owner Elon Musk. Roberts was addressing the Senate chamber on what he considers to be the looming threat of the World Health Organisation, the body that co-ordinated the international response to the pandemic (no surprises there). Elon Musk (left) and Malcolm Roberts. Credit: In the roughly two-minute speech, he took issue with vaccine mandates, Bill Gates, and what he said was the capitulation by Australia to the health body, which he expressed in the following terms: the Albanese government continued the Morrison governments campaign to sign away Australian sovereignty. He also said, referring to the WHO, that Gates bought the WHO and they now recommend these [vaccine] products. It is that simple. And that Gates is their current sugar daddy. Last week I did a sweep of some of the marginal seats in Sydneys outer-western suburbs. NSW Labor lost a swag of seats there in the 2011 wipe-out and desperately needed to win them back. The week of pre-poll is a good time to visit key seats there is a limited number of booths open and you have a much better chance of finding a candidate or a voter who has time to talk to you. At the Revesby YMCA, I found Kylie Wilkinson, who last night wrested the seat of East Hills from the Liberals. Wilkinson set up a womens shelter to support women and children fleeing domestic violence, has been Canterbury Bankstowns Volunteer of the Year, and is a director of several local community organisations. Chris Minns with Kylie Wilkinson at Panania polling station in the East Hills electorate. Credit: Nikki Short In person, shes a classic Aussie, reticent about her own achievements but happy to discuss the touch footy club. The mother of six is an exemplar of the group that quietly get things done; middle-aged women. We saw this during the pandemic, when it was (mainly) women who rolled up their sleeves and homeschooled the kids, while running the home and completing their own work. This group doesnt have the time or inclination to sit around in dingy halls, making factional deals and plotting the next round of branch-stacking. Theyre too busy. From East Hills, I went to Parramatta, where Donna Davis snatched the seat from the Liberals with a 20.6 per cent swing to the ALP. Davis has been on Parramatta Council since 2017 and the mayor since 2022. She has been involved in numerous community organisations and been president of the local P&C. Another busy woman just got busier. Obamas land in Sydney Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Police have refused to comment on the number of times a man was shot by officers, or whether they called paramedics to help him, after a shooting in Far North Queensland. Officers attended a domestic violence incident at a Love Street property in Mareeba, near Cairns, about 11.30am on Saturday after reports of a 27-year-old man threatening self-harm. The man allegedly had a woman with him and refused to let her leave, police said. Negotiators were called, but about 3.30pm, police claim the man, who was allegedly armed with a knife, advanced on tactical officers. A junior Queensland police officer was allegedly asked if she had found her bra by a male colleague after female staff at a trivia night had been asked to remove their underwear. Queensland Police says it is investigating the incident, which comes just a few months after a damning inquiry into the service aired cases of misogyny, sexism and racism within its ranks. Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll conceded after a recent inquiry there was misogyny, racism and sexism within the service. Credit: Internet A formal complaint has been made over the incident, in which female officers were asked to remove their underwear during a trivia night. A senior officer is then alleged to have approached a junior female officer the following day, and, in front of staff, asked her if she had found her bra. Merkel: Europe must stay united on refugee crisis German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on her European partners Sunday to find a common solution to the refugee crisis. GALLERY "I am very optimistic that the European path will be successful," Merkel said, stressing it was not time to think about alternatives such as national border closures. Berlin (dpa) - Merkel said in a television interview with broadcaster ARD that she is using all her power to find a European solution and to address the causes behind the migration, especially in Syria.Merkel said she had no "plan B" for a national solution to the refugee crisis if Europe fails to reach an agreement with Turkey to slow the flow of refugees into Europe."I am very optimistic that the European path will be successful," she said, stressing it was not time to think about alternatives such as national border closures.Merkel said keeping Europe united and demonstrating humanity were her top priorities and urged Germans to have patience."This is a very important phase in our history," she said.A special migration summit is planned for March 7 between the European Union and Turkey - the last stop for many migrants before reaching Europe. The 28-country bloc expects steps from Ankara to curb the flows.Europe has been struggling to deal with a migration surge that brought more than 1 million people to the continent in 2015. Many are asylum seekers fleeing the war in Syria, but economic migrants have also joined their ranks. Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, left in front row, tours the multilayer ceramic capacitors production line run by Samsung Electron-Mechanics in the Chinese city of Tianjin in this photo provided by Samsung, March 24. Yonhap Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong has visited a semiconductor components manufacturing site in China run by a Samsung affiliate, the company said Sunday, in the first such trip to the neighboring country in three years. Lee visited the manufacturing facility in Tianjin, operated by Samsung Electro-Mechanics, on Friday and checked the multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) production line, Samsung Electronics said. It marked Lee's first visit to a Samsung plant in China in three years as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted business trips. Lee last visited Samsung Electronics' key chip plant in Xian in May 2020. Samsung Electro-Mechanics mainly develops and manufactures advanced electronics and mechanical components, including chip parts, such as MLCCs, that control the flow of the current in a circuit and semiconductor substrates. The Tianjin MLCC line went into operation in 2021. One of south-east Queenslands most congested highways the M1 from Brisbane to the Gold Coast is expected to see a decline of up to 60,000 trips daily, with construction of the 16-kilometre Coomera Connector set to begin. As the first sod of soil was turned on the second M1 on Sunday, the state government said the $2.16 billion Connector would ease congestion and also support 1000 jobs during its construction. The $2.16 billion project will support 1000 jobs during construction. Credit: Queensland Government The project is touted as Queenslands biggest single road project, with stage one expected to start between Shipper Drive in Coomera and Helensvale Road at Helensvale. Up to 60,000 daily trips will be taken off the M1, the state government says, as more motorists use the Connector to travel between Coomera and Nerang. Have we created a world where we cannot trust anyone? Where the digital divide has become a chaotic chasm, where the technologically adept are safe but the rest of us have to fend for ourselves? Not only is the answer yes, but it is getting worse. The disrupters trumpet this as progress. It is not. It is almost medieval in its brutality and entrenches inequality. Nobody dares question the trajectory, nor to interrupt the disrupters. Judging by the reaction to my column two weeks ago about how my wife and I were targeted by a most persuasive scammer claiming to be from our banks anti-fraud unit, there is a deep vein of distressed victims desperate for some action from regulators. Underpinning our attempted scam was spoofing software that hides the true origin of a text message, which can purport to be sent from another number in our case, our bank. It is rife. Asked whether Robert provided information to Milo that helped Synergy 360 and its clients win government contracts, the former ministers spokesman said Services Australia had confirmed that its review of the projects did not look at ministerial involvement. This is because there wasnt any, the spokesman said. Mr Robert has not been contacted by Services Australia, the NDIA or any person conducting any review. Mr Robert has not received or been asked to provide input to any report prepared for either agency. Milo made no comment when asked on Friday if he gained information from Robert that could be passed on to clients to help them win bids for government projects. Asked last year whether he was lobbying for his clients to win government contracts, Milo said: We support any government review and continue to operate within the same stringent procurement policies that apply to all professional service providers. Services Australia and the NDIA set up a taskforce to look into 95 contracts worth $618 million and signed between July 2015 and December 2022 involving clients and contacts of Milo after the revelations about the relationships by this masthead last November and December. Former head of the federal public service Ian Watt. Credit: Photo: Alex Ellinghausen The leaked emails revealed several meetings between Robert, as a minister, and Synergy 360, a firm whose shareholders are his close friends, Milo and political fundraiser John Margerison. The emails lifted the lid on the political access that Synergy 360 offered its clients, with one email from the firm to a potential client asking for an up-front payment such as $100,000 before any meeting with ministers could be arranged. The Watt review looked at a period that included Roberts first stint as minister for human services, from September 2015 to February 2016, and his second stint in the portfolio as minister for government services and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) from May 2019 to March 2021. Of the 95 contracts, many were found to comply with procurement rules but 28 were found to be inconsistent with good practice, with 19 of these raising so much concern that they required further investigation. But the review was constrained from the beginning because it did not consider the behaviour of Robert as minister or Milo and Synergy 360 as consultants, focusing instead on the decisions within the Australian Public Service and the two agencies, Services Australia and the NDIA, which manages the NDIS. Loading There were no examples of clear misconduct related to the procurements, Watt concluded. However, there were clear examples of poor practices and seemingly too close relationships between APS officials and suppliers that were not properly managed. Conduct was sometimes well below usually acceptable practice. Government Services Minister Bill Shorten, who asked the agencies to review the contracts, said the findings were extremely serious and needed further investigation. The scope of the review was high-level but Dr Watt and the Taskforce were unequivocal that there were severe deficiencies in a number of these contracts, he said. This is unacceptable. There was a pathology of very poor decision making which raises more questions than answers. We need an investigative body with the power to compel witnesses and evidence to look into these matters. Infosys became a crucial supplier to Services Australia when it won a contract in November 2019 to deliver an Entitlement Calculation Engine to process income support payments, a bid helped by Milo and Synergy 360 at the time Robert oversaw the agency as minister for government services a cabinet ministry then prime minister Scott Morrison appointed him to in May of that year. The leaked emails show Robert met Milo and Infosys at several points before and after Services Australia finalised the contract in November 2019. Documents reported by this masthead last November suggested the minister met Milo and Infosys executives on June 26 in Sydney, then held a meeting with Infosys executives on November 19 in Sydney. He met Milo on December 30 on the Gold Coast, leading Milo to file a report to clients saying he provided feedback from the minister to Infosys about how the Services Australia project was tracking. Robert also travelled to Melbourne on February 1, 2020, to speak at an Infosys conference at the Australian Open where the companys top executives, such as chief operating officer Pravin Rao, were meeting clients. Loading Watt was the secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet from 2011 to 2014 after being named to the post by then prime minister Julia Gillard and holding the position for more than a year after Tony Abbott took office. He was previously secretary of the Department of Defence and the Department of Finance. His findings are being treated as a warning to all public service chiefs across the commonwealth because the federal government spent $80 billion on procurement last financial year, signing more than 90,000 contracts in circumstances that are also exposed to potential conflicts or failures. Watt identified problems with single sourced contracts that lined up the potential supplier in some cases, Milo and his consulting firm without going to a full tender to take competitive bids for the work. Labor has thundered into power in NSW with a surprising force that validates the partys federal strategy, heightens the dangers for the Liberals in a looming Victorian byelection and sends a warning to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton about the risk of losing city voters. The strength of the Labor victory proved the wisdom of campaigning not only on the promise of renewal after 12 years of Coalition rule but on ideas like giving healthcare and essential workers a wage rise. Chris Minns win in NSW sends a warning to federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton about the risk of losing city voters. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen/Janie Barrett The incoming premier, Chris Minns, campaigned without hoopla with messages about wages and the cost of living, as well as a halt to privatisation, all done in a way that promised a smooth transition rather than a revolution. In other words, he offered the people of NSW what they had seen from Canberra since the last federal election in May: a middle-of-the-road leader who was dismissed for running a small target campaign and then increased his popular support after taking power. TikToks Australian boss says the popular app, which faces growing calls to be banned or restricted, is a victim of fearmongering about the rise of China and does not pose a national security risk. TikTok Australian general manager Lee Hunter insisted the apps parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance, has no ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), even though the firms editor-in-chief also reportedly serves as its Communist Party committee secretary. TikTok Australia general manager Lee Hunter believes the app is getting singled out unfairly. Credit: James Brickwood The federal government is set to announce a ban on TikTok on government devices within days, and the Biden administration is threatening a total ban in the US unless the app is sold to a new owner. We are a hot topic at the moment, were something thats getting a lot of attention but the truth of it is were getting singled out unfairly, Hunter told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Weve curated a selection of key stories as part of the NSW election. NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has bowed out of the contest to replace Dominic Perrottet as Liberal Party leader following the governments thumping election defeat, fuelling speculation he will eventually attempt a switch to federal politics. In a short statement on late Sunday afternoon, Kean said he had decided not to throw his hat in the ring for the NSW Liberal leadership, cutting the pool of potential contenders to four. Matt Kean wont contest the Liberal leadership. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone Right-wing Liberal Party stalwart and frontbencher Anthony Roberts, outgoing Sports Minister Alister Henskens, caretaker Attorney-General Mark Speakman and outgoing Environment Minister James Griffin are in the mix following Perrottets decision to stand aside. I have a young family and I would love to spend a little more time with them, Kean said. The election result will enable me to do that. Weve made it to the end of the first full day of counting (well done). Things moved much more slowly today than they did on Saturday night. Today, we called two seats: Willoughby and Winston Hills, which have been kept by the Liberals. There are still eight key seats that are too close to call. It looked more certain earlier this morning when Terrigal had fallen to Labor but a new booth reported its numbers and forced a significant swing to the Liberals. The following seats are too close to call: Goulburn, Holsworthy, Kiama (Labor leads by just 752 votes there), Miranda, Oatley, Pittwater, Terrigal and Wollondilly. Check out our full page with details of each yet-to-be-called seat here. Labor still needs to win at least one of these seats to get a majority its currently sitting on 46 seats. Thats where well leave you this evening. Thanks for your company today. Angus Thomson and Angus Dalton (or the Angii, as theyre affectionately known around here) will guide you through the day tomorrow as counting resumes. Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto is on track for a victory in Monday mornings vote to expel Moira Deeming from the Liberal party room, despite the numbers narrowing over the weekend. Liberal MPs say the ballot determining the controversial MPs future, to be held at 10am, is an early test for Pesutto despite Deeming claiming she would back the current leadership team if the vote fails. Gatecrashing by neo-Nazis at the Let Women Speak rally led Opposition Leader John Pesutto (right) to move to expel Moira Deeming (left) from the Liberal party room over her involvement in the rally. Credit: In an 11th-hour plea to colleagues on Sunday, Deeming said in an email: My offer to publicly back the current leadership team, if the vote to expel me fails, still stands. There are 31 members in the state Liberal party room, meaning Pesutto needs at least 16 votes for his motion to expel Deeming to succeed. He has found support for his motion from the partys moderate faction, while those opposing it tend to be more conservative or former leadership rivals. Latest News ANZ makes rate changes The bank hikes its basic variable home loan for new customers, cuts three-year fixed rates New broker inspired by solving 'big puzzle' for clients Move from banking career motivated by greater choices The Property Council of Australia has elected Michael OBrien (pictured above right), managing director of QIC real estate, as its new national president, to drive real estate investment and business strategy for QIC. The 30-year property industry veteran takes the reins from David Harrison, Charter Hall managing director and group CEO. Elected as national vice presidents of Property Council Australia were Tarun Gupta, Stockland managing director and CEO, and Deborah Coakley, Dexus EGM of funds management. Gupta joined Stockland in 2021, bringing with him more than 25 years of property industry experience, including at Lendlease, where he was most recently group chief financial officer. Coakley, meanwhile, is responsible for managing Dexuss funds management business. She has been a change leader across the property sector, human resources, and in consulting, having worked at Deloitte and Qantas, and as a past president of the Property Council capital markets division. OBrien said he was honoured to be elected president of the Property Council of Australia and he was committed to further elevating the organisations respected advocacy work. It is a privilege to be elected by my industry peers to this important role, and to represent an industry that creates more jobs for Australians than any other, OBrien said. The property sector shapes how we live, how we work, and our opportunities, and it underpins the strength of our economy, providing jobs in every city, region, and town in Australia. "I look forward to promoting our thought leadership on real solutions to Australias housing, planning, investment and net zero challenges. As a property champion of change, I will also ensure the increasing and welcome diversity of our industry is reflected in our leadership on creating inclusive workforces and workplaces. Mike Zorbas (pictured above left), Property Council of Australia CEO, said OBrien brings to the team deep insight from across the sector and around the country. OBrien is a change agent whose interest in tackling the housing supply and affordability crisis, planning our cities better, smarter investment settings and showcasing the globally recognised sustainability credentials of Australias property sector, is inspiring, Zorbas said. Both OBrien and Zorbas acknowledged Harrisons contributions to the Property Council. Harrison successfully championed the industry and the Property Council through one of the most challenging periods in recent memory, OBrien said. He and our board worked tirelessly so the sector could underpin Australias economic resilience through the pandemic, working with governments to keep tenants viable, to keep construction open, and to implement the confidence-creating HomeBuilder program. He said that contribution was Harrisons legacy that served as the engine room for job creation as the industry worked through the recovery and showed itself to be the engine room for job creation. Harrison is a compelling leader, Zorbas said. His insight and passion to advance the industry are remarkable. We are grateful for his impressive commitment and achievements on our behalf and will continue to prize both in the years ahead. Harrison will assume the role of immediate past president and will remain a member of the Property Council board for a further two years. Got a new appointment in your own organisation? Tell us about it in the comments section below. Latest News ANZ makes rate changes The bank hikes its basic variable home loan for new customers, cuts three-year fixed rates New broker inspired by solving 'big puzzle' for clients Move from banking career motivated by greater choices Home builder Catapult Homes is helping low-deposit buyers and investors realise their homeownership dreams sooner by offering a house and land opportunity in Queensland via property-buying platform Coposit. Were thrilled to be working with Coposit on making our exceptional house and land offerings available to a whole new range of buyers, said Tim Fowler, Catapult Homes director of project sales. Coposits property-buying platform fast-tracks homeownership by allowing buyers to purchase a new-build property for just $10,000 then pay down the deposit in interest-free weekly instalments, called coposits, until the house is built. Being able to offer Australian property buyers house and land for the very first time in Queensland, with as little as $10,000, is quite the achievement, Chris Ferris, CEO of Coposit, said. We hope to offer many more house and land projects in the sunshine state as 2023 continues. The first of Catapults projects on offer through Coposit is North Harbour a residential development that has received accreditation for its environmental sustainability, located in the fast-growing suburb of Burpengary East in the Moreton Bay region. Situated along 9km of the Caboolture River, this breathtaking natural setting is currently home to a community of 1,400 families, some of whom have resided in the greater Moreton Bay area for generations. Data from industry experts RPM Group showed that housing supply remains a challenge in Queensland, despite construction in the state approaching record levels, with a total of just 17,583 lots registered in 2022, well below the 10-year average of 22,517. With the cash rate continually rising for property buyers and reducing their borrowing capacity, in particular, for house and land purchasers in South-East Queensland, the market is a challenging place, Fowler said. We want to give home buyers every possible advantage to overcome these rate rises. North Harbour is a standout estate in the region due to its ideal ratio of 90% owner-occupiers to 10% investors. The region has an incredibly low vacancy rate of only 0.3%, where one can expect a return of nearly 5% from day one. Catapult Homes said it is offering to match the Coposit $10,000 minimum deposit requirement, with a price lock to 2024. That price lock means buyers can rest assured that their sale price is locked in once they sign their contract, giving them the opportunity to spend on upgrades or a whitegoods package of their choice, to the value of $10,000. Catapult Homes said it will extend its offering at three other Queensland developments in Deception Bay, Toowoomba, and Heathwood in the coming months. Use the comment section below to tell us how you felt about this story. Eastar Jet, a Korean budget carrier resumed flights starting with a domestic route, three years after it suspended operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and a court-led restructuring. Korea Times file Eastar Jet, a Korean budget carrier, said Sunday it resumed flights starting with a domestic route, three years after it suspended operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and a court-led restructuring. It resumed 20 flights between Gimpo, west of Seoul, and the southernmost island of Jeju, including the first Jeju-bound ZE205 plane that departed at 6:50 a.m., the air carrier said. Eastar Jet said it plans to hold promotional events for passengers boarding the flights for the day. Eastar Jet will operate 10 Gimpo-Jeju flights from Sunday through Tuesday before increasing the flights to 12 a day, or 168 per week. Eastar Jet, a China-focused carrier, had operated 23 planes covering 38 domestic and international routes before it suspended most of its flights over the pandemic in March 2020. It obtained an air operator certificate (AOC) from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in February to restart the services. It plans to increase the number of its chartered planes to 10 from the current three by the end of this year. In 2021, Eastar Jet applied for court receivership after failing to find a strategic investor. Jeju Air, a leading South Korean low-cost carrier, dropped its plan to acquire the troubled airline. In November 2021, local property developer Sung Jung Co. acquired the entire stake in Eastar, but it handed over its stake to a private equity fund in January this year. Eastar Jet aims to achieve 146 billion won ($112 million) in sales this year, its CEO Cho Joong-seok said earlier. The company reported 551 billion won in sales in 2019 before the pandemic broke out. (Yonhap) All the Knowledge in the World: The Extraordinary History of the Encyclopedia BY Jing Tsu Author: Simon Garfield Publisher: William Morrow : Simon Garfield Pages: 390 Price: $29.99 : 390 Also Read FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2023: Obstacles India will face on its home turf Govt approves installation of 'Statue of Knowledge' dedicated to Ambedkar Hockey World Cup 2023: Teams, schedule, venues and everything one must know Dollar steadies as investors heed hawkish reminder from New Zealand US Dollar rebounds as investors heed hawkish reminder from New Zealand According to Denis Diderot, perhaps the most famous encyclopaedist of the 18th century, the goal of an encyclopaedia is to assemble all the knowledge scattered on the surface of the earth. More than 270 years later, the size of that task grows still, as new knowledge continues to be created. In All the Knowledge in the World, Simon Garfield offers a delightful curated sampling of what seekers before and after Diderot have tried to actualise. Historically, encyclopaedias have been thick tomes for a reason: They are made to encompass all knowledge, leaving nothing to guesswork. But not all apparent factoids have been invested with enlightened insight or accuracy. The best the first volume of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, published in 1768, could do with woman was: The female of man. See Homo. Still, fledgling entries performed an important function: They bookmarked a train of thought to be continued, a placeholder for other knowledge builders to fill in. The most important service encyclopaedias provide is establishing an infrastructure for expanding on what we know, tentative dirt roads that eventually connect to superhighways. In a nod to the usual organisation of its print subject, the books content a playful history of the genre is arranged in alphabetical order (Backstory, Chalcenterocity, Damask Silk, etc.). From Pliny the Elders Naturalis Historia in the first century AD to Wikipedia in this one, the desire to gather, organise and link human knowledge has, by Garfields count, long mirrored a drive for a complete omniscience. For centuries, encyclopaedias have empowered aspiring savants. No one now remembers what was in the pages of the lavishly printed 18th-century German Grosses Vollstandiges Universal-Lexicon Aller Wissenschafften und Kunste or other once famous comparable works. By necessity, encyclopaedias had to stay current in order to be of use. Repeated edits, corrections and elaborations overtook the old and ushered in the new. Advances in knowledge and rivalries among authors meant that no edition acquired lasting sway until the Encyclopaedia Britannica Garfields de facto protagonist. The brainchild of William Smellie, a recovering alcoholic and polymath Presbyterian; Colin Macfarquhar, a printer; and Andrew Bell, an engraver endowed with a famously large nose, it became the gold standard. Perhaps it was inevitable that a man with an enormous nose would engage a man with such a surname, Garfield writes with characteristic humour in reference to Bell and Smellie. Augmented by technological innovations like the printing press and the internet, collecting knowledge has not always been a harmlessly nerdy pursuit. Such compendiums, Garfield reminds us, at times extended the reach of colonial conquest with a bookish arm. To be cited in an encyclopaedia is to submit to a certain worldview. You might say that our current dependence on AI-powered search engines requires a similar submission to the biases and assumptions of those who write the algorithms that determine how information is generated and presented. Chinese and Western ways of systematising troves of knowledge did not meet until the Dewey Decimal System was introduced into China in 1910. The Chinese librarian who helped promote it in the 1920s and 1930s worried that when the day came for the East and the West to deepen their mutual understanding for lasting peace, they might not be able to locate each others books on the same bookshelf. With few exceptions, the history of the encyclopaedia depends on the alphabet for organising its content. So much so that although Garfield includes the Great Compendium of the Yongle Reign a colossal medieval Chinese encyclopaedia that reputedly stacked 820 feet tall he does not mention its departure from the norm. The topics in the Great Compendium were grouped according to a two-tiered classification based on the sound and rhyme of their first written Chinese character. The Chinese used their distinctive writing system to capture their knowledge universe. Like the Great Compendium, glossaries and dictionaries were organised by character-led subject divisions that reflected an orderly world set to moral imperatives. In the 21st century, as the digital medium erodes that of print, knowledge access highlights a different priority. The idea of encompassing all information persists, but now the process prioritises speed over slow accumulation. (Think of the origin of wiki Hawaiian for quick in Wikipedia.) Instant recall is no longer a matter of prestige when it is easier to upload information to the cloud than to commit it to memory. In both traditions, new knowledge added bulk. Inclusion meant individual volumes grew into sets of books. The encyclopaedias growing size eventually imperilled its claim to make information easy to access and use until the age of Wikipedia, when the infinitely expandable space of the internet made it at least technically feasible to accommodate the deluge of data coming from all sides and at all times. To offer seamless connectivity to the passengers flying out of Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) here, Akasa Air on Sunday launched two flights to Goa and Ahmedabad. With Akasa Air, the airport now has three airlines connecting Lucknow with Goa, CCSI said in a statement. The other two airlines connecting the two cities are AirAsia and Indigo, it said. Akasa Air is also launching a new flight connecting Lucknow with Ahmedabad, taking their weekly departures from the airport up to 35, the statement said. The daily non-stop flight from Lucknow airport to Goa will depart at 14:15 hrs and to Ahmedabad at 21:00 hrs. Over 18,000 passengers travel in over 128 flights, both domestic and international, from Lucknow airport on a daily basis. Also Read Akasa Air to launch Goa operations from Panaji on Wednesday: Co-founder Goa lawmakers, oppn leaders want to name new airport on Manohar Parrikar Akasa Air to start services to Guwahati, Agartala from Bengaluru On rising demand, Akasa Air to start Bengaluru-Pune flights from Nov 23 Akasa Air to start flights from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, Goa from Wednesday Billionaire mining tycoon Anil Agarwal fights to clear Vedanta's debt Bharti-backed OneWeb's 36 satellites successfully launched from Sriharikota Paytm gets extension from RBI for resubmission of PA license application Social commerce the way to tap growing online buyers from smaller towns Consumer, tyre firms wary as prices of crude derivatives are yet to fall Later during the day, Bharti-backed OneWeb, the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, confirmed the successful deployment and contact of 36 satellites launched by NewSpace India (NSIL). The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Sunday successfully launched its heaviest payload rocket, LVM3, carrying 36 OneWeb satellites from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This was the second mission for Network Access Associates, United Kingdom (a OneWeb Group Company), as part of a deal with NSIL to launch 72 satellites to LEO. The first set of 36 satellites was launched on October 23. The lift-off took place on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. OneWebs satellites separated successfully from the rocket and were dispensed in nine phases over a period of an hour and 14 minutes, with signal acquisition on all 36 satellites confirmed. In my work I have seen the power of connectivity bringing benefits to all, wherever they are. Yet half the worlds population does not have access to fast, reliable connectivity. Todays launch represents a major step towards closing the digital divide. OneWebs global constellation will play a pivotal role in realising this dream, said Sunil Bharti Mittal, Executive Chairman of OneWeb. This is OneWebs 18th launch and third this year. With this the company's overall constellation count has gone up to 618 satellites. The OneWeb constellation design calls for 588 satellites for global coverage. Additional satellites have been planned for resiliency and redundancy. By year-end, the firm will be ready to roll out global coverage, enhancing its existing connectivity solutions that are already live in regions north of 50 degrees latitude, as it brings new areas online by partnering with leading providers. Also Read ISRO to launch 36 OneWeb satellites onboard LVM3 later this month Isro launches 36 OneWeb satellites in first commercial launch for LMV-3 Bharti-backed OneWeb to launch 36 satellites with Isro by March end Bharti-backed OneWeb confirms deploying 40 satellites after SpaceX launch What made GSLV Mark III's last mission special? Korean fund house Mirae Asset eyes Rs 1.5 trillion AUM by December Steelmakers press for higher auto contract prices after three quarters Lexus India looks to expand customer base to de-risk biz; expand sales From soft drinks to soaps, Ambani's Reliance unveils big price war plan Zydus recalls over 55k bottles of generic drug used to treat gout in US This launch is a very important milestone for Isro as we demonstrated the successful launch of a second consecutive commercial payload of OneWeb. This valued customer trusted our capability and we have proved it in a very short span of time. This launch has created a new record in Indian space history. With this launch of LVM3, through the NewSpace India Ltd, Isro is confident of handling many more such launches on demand for both LEO and GEO missions in the future. I wish OneWeb great success in globalising the completed constellation, said Somanath S, Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, Isro. According to industry experts, this will aid in addressing the issue of low fixed broadband penetration and bridge the digital divide in the country's most remote areas. This mission marks OneWebs second satellite deployment from India. Once activated, OneWebs coverage solutions will bring secured connectivity to enterprises, towns, villages, municipalities and schools, including the most remote areas across the country. This is the most significant milestone in the history of OneWeb, as we reach the satellites needed for global coverage. Over several years we have remained focused on our commitment to deliver a network that will provide connectivity for our customers and communities that need it most. With todays satellite deployment, facilitated by our expert team and our partners at ISRO and NSIL, we are realising this central ambition and are even closer to changing lives at scale, said Neil Masterson, Chief Executive of OneWeb. Etihad Airways resumed flight services between Kolkata and Abu Dhabi on Sunday after three years, a statement said. The airlines will operate two flights a day, four days a week -- Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday -- from Kolkata to Abu Dhabi, the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport said in the statement. The first flight will depart Kolkata at 4.15 am and reach Abu Dhabi at 7.55 am local time. The second one will leave Kolkata at 9.05 pm and reach its destination at 12.45 am local time, it said. From Abu Dhabi, there will be one direct flight to Kolkata four days a week. It will depart Abu Dhabi at 9 pm local time and reach Kolkata at 3.20 am. Etihad Airways will operate an Airbus A320 aircraft on the route, offering eight seats in business class and 150 in economy class, it said. On the inaugural day, 152 passengers travelled from Abu Dhabi to Kolkata, while 126 passengers travelled from Kolkata to Abu Dhabi, it added. Also Read Calicut-bound AI flight lands in Abu Dhabi after flames detected mid-air Etihad Airways expands in India; Kolkata-Abu Dhabi service to begin in 2023 Abu Dhabi seeks Indian investments, invites start-ups to establish hubs Abu Dhabi Investment Authority to invest nearly $400 million in Lenskart Vistara airlines commences daily Mumbai-Abu Dhabi flight operations Our focus on satcom; leave Moon, Mars to others: Sunil Bharti Mittal DGCA seeks details from Nepal authorities on AI, Nepal Airlines incident Only 15% insolvency cases reach resolution during October-December 2022 CoC stares at liquidation as IIHL, Torrent pause bidding for next round Akasa Air launches two new flights from Lucknow to Goa, Ahmedabad With the recommencement of services to Kolkata, Etihad will now fly to 14 destinations across the region -- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives, the airlines earlier said. Last week, low-cost carrier Air Arabia launched its services between Kolkata and Abu Dhabi, flying three days a week. It is also operating an Airbus A320. Etihad had stopped its services between Kolkata and Abu Dhabi following the COVID-19 outbreak. Kolkata has direct flights to two other west Asian destinations: Dubai and Doha. The Hindujas latest move has put Indian lenders, with an exposure of Rs 24,000 crore, in a spot as it was the formers revised offer that led to a call for a second auction and litigation by Torrent, which had placed a bid of Rs 8,649 crore in the first auction. Torrent has moved the Supreme Court and plans to wait for the apex court verdict before participating in any fresh auction. The Hinduja group is learnt to have backtracked from making a minimum Rs 8,950-crore offer for Reliance Capital (RCap) a deal that it had belatedly put forth in December, after Torrent Investments emerged as the highest bidder for the bankrupt firm in the challenge process. During the meeting (on Friday), the Hinduja group backtracked from its stand and informed that its bid in the previous round should be considered as Rs 8,110 crore (made during the challenge process), instead of its revised offer of Rs 8,950 crore. The Hindujas had submitted the offer after Torrent was declared as the highest bidder in the Challenge Mechanism," said a person close to the development. A banking source said there was an informal meeting of a few lenders of Reliance Capital with the bidders the Torrent group and the Hinduja group on Friday when the latter changed its stand. The meeting of RCaps committee of creditors (CoC) is scheduled for Monday. Neither the Hinduja group nor Torrent commented. With this, the lenders are faced with the possibility of significant losses in interest cost due to the delay on account of the toppling bid, the source said. Also Read Hinduja Global Solutions approves buyback of 6 mn shares at Rs 1,700 each HDFC Bank is now ten times bigger than the crisis-struck Credit Suisse Hinduja sweetens offer for RCap to counter Torrent group's winning bid NCLT extends Reliance Capital debt resolution deadline to January This Chris Wood owned stock hit a 52-week low. What's worrying the Street? Torrent Investments unlikely to participate in 2nd auction for Reliance Cap TII, Premji Invest sign share purchase agreement to acquire Lotus Surgicals Private equity firm TPG sells 7.6% stake in Campus Activewear for Rs 806 cr India aspires to take technical textiles market to $40 bn in 4-5 yrs: Goyal RIL names V Srikanth as new CFO; Alok Agarwal as Senior Advisor to Chairman The Supreme Court has issued notices to all parties in the appeal filed by Torrent and will hear the matter in August. In the meanwhile, it has allowed the lenders to conduct a second Challenge Mechanism (base price set at Rs 9,500 crore set by the CoC) or conduct negotiations, which will be subject to its final order in the appeal filed by Torrent. The valuation of the company fell after the Union Budget removed tax exemption on insurance policies with a premium over Rs 5 lakh. The valuation of all life insurance companies are down since the Budget presentation. Reliance Capital owns a 51 per cent stake in Reliance Nippon Life Insurance and a 100 per cent stake in Reliance General Insurance. With this, the RCap resolution process has almost stalled and has delayed the resolution, which started in November 2021. This also means that the lenders cannot hand over the company to any bidder until the apex court passes a judgment in the RCap matter; none of the bidders is interested amid this uncertainty, said the source. The lenders to RCap had earlier submitted before the NCLAT (National Company Law Appellate Tribunal) that the CoC is being prevented from discovering the best price in the corporate insolvency resolution process and the NCLT acted more than its jurisdiction at a stage where even signed plans were not placed before the CoC for consideration. If a second auction is conducted, it will also be fraught with the same challenge of a toppling bid being submitted by the losing bidder after the auction. Hence, the lenders will have to come out with a fool-proof solution to give certainty to bidders and revive interest in the resolution process, the source said. In limbo In its written submission before NCLAT, Vistra ITCL (India) RCaps secured lender said: The NCLT has usurped the jurisdiction of the CoC by holding that the CoC has to vote on the Rs 8,640-crore plan of Torrent and the Rs 8,110-crore plan of IndusInd International Holdings (IIHL), part of the Hinduja group, and that CoC has no jurisdiction to negotiate even on the figures. The RBI said in a letter that PPSL can continue with its online payment aggregation business while it awaits the Centre's approval for past investments from its parent firm One97 Communication (OCL) into PPSL, under FDI rules. Paytm Payments Services Limited (PPSL) on Sunday announced that it had received an extension of time from the Reserve Bank of India for resubmission of its payment aggregator (PA) license application. Other directions included seeking necessary approval for past downward investment from Paytm into PPSL to comply with the governments foreign direct investment (FDI) guidelines, and not onboarding new online merchants. On November 26, the company said that the RBI had rejected its application for a PA license. The central bank said that PPSL was required to re-submit its PA application within 120 calendar days. During this process, PPSL can continue with its online payment aggregation business for existing partners, without onboarding any new merchants. As per RBIs letter, on receipt of approval from the government, PPSL will have fifteen days to submit the application seeking authorisation for PPSL to operate as an online PA. However, if any adverse decision is taken by the government, then the same shall be informed to RBI immediately. Also Read RBI pauses onboarding of online merchants by Paytm Payments Services RBI hikes repo rate by 35 bps to 6.25%, cuts FY23 GDP forecast to 6.8% RBI MPC: Here is what experts have to say about the policy announcement Here's why Macquarie has double upgraded Paytm's stock to 'Outperform' Risk-reward favourable for Paytm; may rise more than 100% in 1 yr: Analysts Social commerce the way to tap growing online buyers from smaller towns Consumer, tyre firms wary as prices of crude derivatives are yet to fall OneWeb offering can match mobile services rates of west, not India: Mittal Technical issues at Lufthansa delay operations at Frankfurt airport Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals announces merger with Butterfly Furthermore, for the companys offline business, OCL can continue to onboard new merchants and offer them payment services including All-in-One QR, Soundbox, Card Machines, etc This continues to have no material impact on our business and revenues, since the communication from RBI is applicable only to onboarding of new online merchants and we can continue to provide payment services to our existing online merchants, the company stated. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday lit into the Congress, alleging that it never remembered those who fought and sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Hyderabad from the brutal' Nizam rule. Addressing a public gathering after inaugurating the Gorata Martyrs' Memorial and statue of the country's first Home Minister late Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Gorata village in the district, Shah also slammed the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Telangana government for "hesitating" to celebrate the Hyderabad Liberation Day. Recalling the horror of Gorata on May 9, 1948, the Union Minister said 200 people were massacred by the brutal" Nizam even though the country had become independent. More than 200 people were massacred here in Gorata by the brutal Nizam but due to its appeasement policy, the Congress never remembered those who fought and sacrificed their lives for Hyderabad liberation only for its greed for vote bank, Shah said. Paying his obeisance to Sardar Patel, he said had there not been Patel, Hyderabad would not have been liberated. Hitting out at the Telangana government, Shah said, The Telangana government is hesitating to celebrate the Hyderabad Liberation Day, but the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to celebrate the day in a grand manner. Also Read Nobody will stay in power forever: Owaisi slams Shah over riots remark After Mhadei diversion, Rs 5,300 cr grant to K'taka raises hackles in Goa JK villagers to get rifles, Shah meets BJP leaders over Jammu attacks Amit Shah assures proactive steps to address demand for 'Frontier Nagaland' Himanta says Assam govt considering withdrawing AFSPA from two more areas Cong in Telangana holds 'deeksha' protest against Rahul's disqualification Rahul Gandhi updates Twitter bio, describes himself as 'Dis'Qualified MP' Mumbai: Five women hospitalised after fire breaks out in high-rise flat Kharge slams BJP, asks why is ruling party pained if fugitives criticised Covid cases hit five-month high, weekly deaths at 29, highest since Dec He pointed out that the BJP had celebrated it last year in Telangana and this year too they will celebrate the day. Shah appealed to the people to form a BJP government in Karnataka so that it can build a grand martyrs' memorial at Gorata at a cost of Rs 50 crore which will attract tourists not only from Karnataka but also from across the country who will be told about the story of the people of Gorata. The Congress unit of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Sunday began a day-long Sankalp Satyagraha' here with party leaders gathering in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue near here to protest against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha following his conviction in a defamation case. Senior party leaders like local MP Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Pradesh Congress Committee president Ranglal Halder and Campaign Committee chairman of Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress, TSG Bhasker assembled in front of the statue near Aberdeen Bazaar here since morning and raised their voices against the ruling party at the Centre for "conspiring against Rahul Gandhi. Addressing the gathering, Rai Sharma said Whatever happened in the last few days with Rahul Gandhi ji is extremely painful. Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. The disqualification will bar Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting polls for eight years unless a high court stays his conviction. In Port Blair, party leaders were seen carrying placards criticising the NDA government Speaking to PTI, Campaign Committee chairman of Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress, TSG Bhasker, said, In the coming months, Assembly elections are due in six states, and therefore out of fear the BJP is trying to corner Rahul Gandhi ji with such conspiracies. I am not a legal expert, but with due respect to the judiciary, the sentence awarded to him seems to be too much. Pradesh Congress Committee president Ranglal Halder said the movement to gather support in favour of Rahul Gandhi would be intensified in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Also Read China's approach to India same as Russia's to Ukraine: Rahul Gandhi Indian embassy in China celebrates Gandhi Jayanti at Beijing's art museum Don't betray India, says Anurag Thakur to Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders Rahul means Bharat, Bharat means Rahul, says UP Congress chief Khabri Will unite India like Bapu united country against injustice: Rahul Gandhi Plea in Supreme Court seeks 'Ram Sethu' be declared as national monument Jharkhand Cong stages 'Sankalp Satyagraha' against Rahul's disqualification Will restore scrapped 4% quota for Muslims in Karnataka, says Cong All political parties should come together to defeat RSS & BJP: CPI MP Amit Shah lights into Cong for forgetting those who fought for Hyderabad All I can say is that truth always wins in the end and we will certainly emerge victorious from this situation very soon, he added. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation for Rs 545 crore-worth projects related to connectivity, healthcare and higher education at Rangia in Kamrup district. Reiterating his government's commitment to develop world-class infrastructure in the state, he directed officials to ensure timely completion of all projects. "As we observe 'A Day dedicated to Development', I inaugurated & laid the foundation for 23 projects worth Rs 545 cr at Rangia today," Sarma tweeted. "I have directed officials to ensure timely execution so these initiatives bear the fruits of development & prosperity for people of Assam," he added. Sarma said he started the day's programme by inaugurating a four-lane link road that will connect Rangia to National Highway 31. He said the government is committed to invest over Rs 10,000 crore in the 2023-24 fiscal to create world-class infrastructure in Assam. Also Read Assam's govt schools to get new infrastructure: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Himanta Biswa Sarma launches Mission Lifestyle for Environment in Assam Assam CM Himanta announces projects worth Rs 856 cr for Morigaon district Assam police instructed not to fire upon civilians: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Assam gets approval for 12th medical college with a new one at Nalbari Previously neglected areas now role models for country, says Jitendra Singh Railways to operate Vande Bharat Metro from Jammu to Srinagar: Vaishnaw ICMR brings ethical guidelines for AI in biomedical research, healthcare National parties should support regional ones against BJP, says Akhilesh Rs 6,000 aid for farmers by Maharashtra govt insufficient: Telangana CM Inaugurating a 47-bed ICU at Rangiya Model Hospital, Sarma said, "Assam is witnessing a silent revolution in healthcare. We are determined to bring quality healthcare infrastructure closer to our towns and villages." Underlining health and education as "front wheels of Assam's developmental journey", he also inaugurated a post-graduation block at Rangiya College, thereby upgrading it to a PG institution. With this, fewer students will have to leave home for studies, the CM added. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday claimed Rahul Gandhi rightly called the "absconders" associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi "thieves" but the BJP is projecting his remarks as anti-OBC. He claimed not a single person from Other Backward Classes (OBC) turned "absconder" after taking the country's money. "Absconders are those people who are associated with the BJP and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. Rahul Gandhi has rightly called them thieves. What crime has he committed by raising the issue of Rs 20,000 crore in Adani's (industrialist Gautam Adani) companies," Singh asked while talking to reporters. After Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as an MP after a court in Surat convicted him in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark, BJP staged protests across the country claiming the Congress leader had insulted the OBCs. "Tell me the name of any OBC who had run away to foreign countries by taking away the nation's money. To hide the theft, the BJP has put forward OBCs. Not a single OBC person has turned absconder after taking the country's money but the BJP has termed Gandhi's statement as against OBC. They should apologise to the nation," Singh said. Queried on Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as the Wayanad MP, Singh said Congress leaders are not afraid of such tactics and slammed the Union government. Also Read Rahul Gandhi convicted in Modi surname defamation case: What we know so far Rahul Gandhi disqualified from Lok Sabha one day after conviction Rahul Gandhi gets two-year jail term in Modi surname defamation case Stage set for Digvijaya Singh vs Shashi Tharoor for top Congress post Rahul will be seen in new avatar after Bharat Jodo Yatra: Digvijaya Singh Assam CM Sarma inaugurates, lays foundation for Rs 545-crore projects Previously neglected areas now role models for country, says Jitendra Singh Railways to operate Vande Bharat Metro from Jammu to Srinagar: Vaishnaw ICMR brings ethical guidelines for AI in biomedical research, healthcare National parties should support regional ones against BJP, says Akhilesh The Rajya Sabha MP alleged the BJP, RSS, and PM Modi want a "Russia, China-like democracy" in India by putting Opposition leaders in jails by filing false cases against them and disqualifying them from membership (of parliament). "This is the model of democracy of BJP, RSS and Modi," he said. Singh questioned the chronology of events ahead of the Surat court's verdict on Thursday and Rahul's disqualification as Lok Sabha MP. "In 2019, Rahul Gandhi delivered a speech at Kolar in Karnataka, but a defamation case was filed in Surat. The moment Rahul Gandhi posed questions to Modi in parliament on February 7, the BJP team responsible for spreading falsehood became active and the case in Surat court was expedited. "A stay on proceedings by the high court got vacated. Though I have full regard for the judiciary; a person- a judge- is posted and the hearing gets completed on February 27 and the verdict was out on March 23, and within 24 hours Rahul's Lok Sabha membership ended," he claimed. Singh said the Opposition supported Congress as they understood the chronology of events and the Grand Old Party is grateful to them. "As I heard, the judge was given a double promotion as per my information," he claimed. Singh questioned the source of "Rs 20,000 crore" to (businessman Gautam) Adani. "The company's director was from China. From which company?....It should be probed and a joint parliamentary committee should be constituted," the Rajya Sabha MP said. He said Congress workers will take to the streets against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi. "Rahul Gandhi belongs to that family which has sacrificed for the country's freedom. The entire Nehru-Gandhi family was in jail. What was the role of RSS at that time?" Singh questioned. Responding to a query about Rahul Gandhi's 52 per cent attendance in Parliament, Singh claimed "Mikes are stopped in Parliament. Parts of Rahul's speech were expunged. He is present among the people in the entire country. Tell me whether any BJP leader had walked in the country for 4,000 ks?" He shot back at a reporter who questioned how could ageing Congress leaders contest polls, especially when the BJP has rolled out a youth policy recently. "Did you know the age of the Prime Minister or Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan?" Singh asked. The Congress veteran, who walked in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, also challenged the concerned reporter to match steps with him if he can and advised him not to ask such questions. Later, Singh and other leaders of Congress staged a protest against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification under Mahatma Gandhi's statue in the Phoolbagh area. A customer pays for a beverage with Apple Pay at a coffee shop in Seoul on March 21. Yonhap By Kim Jae-heun A 32-year-old surnamed Kim living in Gangseo District, Seoul, recently started using a credit card issued by Hyundai Card to use Apple Pay, which began its service here on March 21. After using it for nearly a week, Kim feels there are not many restaurants and coffee shops that have adopted the service yet. "Convenience stores are the only places that support Apple Pay. Small restaurants and coffee shops in my town do not have near field communication (NFC) terminals installed at their stores," Kim said. "I feel like it needs more time for people to use Apple Pay conveniently here and there." A 59-year-old housewife surnamed Choi was also disappointed to learn she cannot yet use Apple Pay at any of Shinsegae's affiliated stores. "I didn't know I wouldn't be able to use Apple Pay at Shinsegae Department Store or Emart until I read news about it. Many housewives shop for groceries at Emart and it is inconvenient that the discount store doesn't support the payment system. It definitely needs to adopt the service as soon as possible," Choi said. Over one million people registered for Apple Pay on the first day of its launch, but many were disappointed by its usability. A number of people experienced a server error when using Apple Pay on the first two days, while many restaurants and coffee shops still did not have near field communication (NFC) terminals to enable payments. Shinsegae has not revealed any plan to support Apple Pay at any of its affiliated retailers including Starbucks Korea, the country's largest coffee house chain. Even some of the credit cards issued by Hyundai Card, a local partner of Apple Pay, cannot be linked with the mobile payment service. Its premium American Express Card that Hyundai Card has an exclusive partnership with does not support Apple Pay. Nor do the Diners and UnionPay brand cards that Hyundai Card offers. "We will continue to expand the number of NFC terminals," the CEO of Hyundai Card Chung Tae-yong said on social media on March 23 after receiving many complaints that there aren't enough stores with NFC terminals. "Many (restaurants and coffee shop) franchise firms are actively considering the service based on the initial response (from consumers)." The Congress in Goa has planned to hold 'Satyagraha' on Sunday at Mahatma Gandhi Statue in Old Goa to protest against the disqualification of party leader Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha. Congress Media Cell Chairman Amarnath Panjikar on Saturday said that on Sunday morning, "the party will hold 'Satyagraha' to protest against the injustice meted out to their leader Rahul Gandhi". "We request everyone to join in large numbers as the democracy of India is in danger," he said. Condemning the move to disqualify Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha, the Congress on Friday had said the country is heading towards dictatorship. Goa Congress president Amit Patkar said that the BJP was rattled to see the success of Bharat Jodo Yatra by Rahul Gandhi. "From this incident, the picture is very clear that our democracy is under threat. This is the murder of democracy. India is heading towards dictatorship. We condemn whatever has happened today," Patkar had said on Friday. Also Read Goa lawmakers, oppn leaders want to name new airport on Manohar Parrikar Rahul Gandhi convicted in Modi surname defamation case: What we know so far GFP, AAP slam Goa collector's circular seeking funds for event on Jan 26 Cong to file disqualification petition against 8 Goa MLAs who joined BJP Congress state prez alleges BJP govt 'failed' to protect wildlife in Goa ED attaches assets worth Rs 33.06 crore in money laundering case Delhi logs 139 fresh coronavirus cases, positivity rate drops to 4.98% "Time and again, we and our leader Rahul Gandhi was telling that democracy is under threat and attack. The way the BJP government used all institutions to disqualify Rahul Gandhi... it is a sad day for our country," he said. Patkar said that Rahul Gandhi had raised burning issues during his Bharat Jodo Yatra. Rahul Gandhi, who represented Kerala's Wayanad constituency in the Lower House of Parliament, was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in connection with a 2019 speech. --IANS sbk/pgh The Punjab and Haryana units of Congress held a day-long 'Sankalp Satyagraha' here on Sunday to protest against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha, with party leaders hitting out at the BJP-led Centre alleging that it was behaving in a dictatorial manner. Both units organised separate events at the state headquarters as part of the protest that saw the participation of many senior leaders. Speaking to reporters, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring alleged that the action against Rahul Gandhi was taken because the BJP-led Centre was "scared" of his next speech in Parliament on the Adani issue. In February, Rahul Gandhi led a blistering opposition attack in Lok Sabha over the Hindenburg report, claiming that the meteoric rise in Gautam Adani's fortunes happened after the BJP came to power in 2014 as he rose in the global rich list from the 609th to the second spot eventually. Warring said a "tearing hurry" was shown by the Lok Sabha Secretariat in disqualifying Rahul Gandhi allegedly at the behest of the BJP-led government, which he alleged was behaving in a dictatorial manner. "Earlier, ruling parties used to listen to opposition voices. Even when Congress-led UPA was in power, opposition was heard. But now, opposition leaders who question the government are treated as enemies," Warring said. Also Read Congress in Goa to hold Satyagraha to protest Rahul's disqualification Punjab's ex-FM Manpreet Singh Badal joins BJP soon after quitting Congress Maha Assembly: Oppn walks out to protest Rahul Gandhi's disqualification Cong in Telangana holds 'deeksha' protest against Rahul's disqualification Rahul Gandhi convicted in Modi surname defamation case: What we know so far Bharti-backed OneWeb's 36 satellites successfully launched from Sriharikota Delhi excise policy scam: SC to hear K Kavitha's plea against ED summons It's wrong, says Ghulam Nabi Azad on Rahul Gandhi's disqualification Crackdown on Amritpal: 197 released, 7 detained under NSA, says police Delhi govt hospitals carry out mock drills to assess Covid-19 preparedness Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, nearly 24 hours after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case, an action the Congress slammed as the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) "vindictive politics" and vowed to fight against it legally and politically. The disqualification will bar Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting polls for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction. Senior Haryana Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the party will take a call on the legal aspect of the disqualification, but there is a political aspect to it too, he said. "I have been a lawyer too, but nowhere have I seen such tearing hurry being shown in disqualifying membership of a lawmaker in this manner. In democracy, the voice of opposition cannot be muzzled like this," Hooda, the former chief minister, who is Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Haryana, told reporters after the day-long 'Sankalp Satyagraha'. The Congress organised a day-long 'Satyagraha' on Sunday in solidarity with Rahul Gandhi in front of Gandhi statues at all states and district headquarters. Hooda slammed the BJP over its charge that Rahul Gandhi insulted the OBC community with his 2019 Modi' remark for which he has been convicted in a criminal defamation case and said Congress respects OBCs. Congress' Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda said the BJP rivals have condemned Gandhi's disqualification. Hitting out at the BJP-led Centre, Hooda alleged that institutions in this country are being weakened and opposition is being targeted. Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan said Rahul Gandhi has been raising his voice against the BJP-led Centre on various issues. "They want to silence his voice, but they are mistaken," said the Haryana Congress chief. Speaking to reporters, Punjab's Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said it is time for "all democratic forces to get together". Bajwa said institutions are being attacked in the country and opposition is being targeted. "Whosoever raises questions in public interest are either not given answers or their voice is suppressed," he said, adding that if the government thinks they can silence Congress' and Rahul's voice, who had raised the Adani issue, they are mistaken. Bajwa said it was time for the opposition to join hands. Today, it is Rahul Gandhi who has been disqualified, going by current indications, tomorrow it can be top leaders of other opposition parties too. On Rahul Gandhi, he said, "he will continue to raise his voice on issues which are in public interest and concern millions of people of the country. They (govt) cannot silence him for speaking the truth". Senior Punjab Congress leaders, including Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Rana K P Singh, were also present in the demonstration. The Congress has said that Rahul Gandhi is not alone and millions of Congressmen and people irrespective of their political affiliations will join him in this fight for truth and justice. Countering the BJPs charge that Rahul Gandhi insulted OBCs with his remark for which he has been convicted in a criminal defamation case, Priyanka Gandhi asked how a leader whose family has given its blood to nurture democracy and who has walked from Kanyakumari to Kashmir with a message of unity could insult the country or a community. Raising the pitch against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over Rahul Gandhis disqualification from Lok Sabha, the Congress held protests across the country on Sunday, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accusing the government of trying to silence a martyrs son for raising the voice of people. The BJP, however, slammed the Congress and asked if it was agitating against the countrys Constitution or the law under which Rahul Gandhi was convicted or to justify his remarks against the entire backward community. We have remained silent but not anymore, she said, alleging that the Prime Minister and other BJP leaders have repeatedly insulted her family members but no cases were filed against them. With several other parties condemning the government, Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the issue had brought the Opposition together and this unity would grow as days go by. Kharge, who led the Sankalp Satyagraha protest outside Delhis Raj Ghat after the police refused permission to hold it at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial, asked why the BJP was feeling hurt if fugitives Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi were being criticised. Also Read Rahul Gandhi convicted in Modi surname defamation case: What we know so far Rahul means Bharat, Bharat means Rahul, says UP Congress chief Khabri Priyanka Gandhi to address Congress' women's convention in Bengaluru today Want to implement promises as soon as possible: Priyanka Gandhi in Shimla Sonia, Priyanka join Rahul Gandhi for Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra in Delhi Congress leaders in Haryana, Punjab protest Rahul's LS disqualification Bharti-backed OneWeb's 36 satellites successfully launched from Sriharikota Delhi excise policy scam: SC to hear K Kavitha's plea against ED summons It's wrong, says Ghulam Nabi Azad on Rahul Gandhi's disqualification Crackdown on Amritpal: 197 released, 7 detained under NSA, says police Lodging their protest against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha, Congress leaders on Sunday held a 'Sankalp Satyagraha' here. The Congress leaders and workers gathered at the Ridge and protested against the move. The party would launch a statewide protest against the alleged attempt of the BJP government to "kill democracy" and "muzzle" the voice of the people from Monday, said Congress leaders. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had on Friday maintained that a conspiracy had been hatched to defame Rahul Gandhi, who has been raising the issues of public concern. Gandhi undertook a march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, and is the only leader who is raising the true voice of the people and keeping democracy alive, he had stated. Opposition is very important for a healthy democracy but the BJP has "throttled" democracy by not allowing the Congress leaders to speak inside Parliament as well as outside, Sukhu added. Also Read JKPCC holds Sankalp Satyagraha against Rahul's disqualification from LS Rahul Gandhi convicted in Modi surname defamation case: What we know so far Congress in Goa to hold Satyagraha to protest Rahul's disqualification Rahul's disqualification: Cong to observe day-long Satyagraha across nation Sankalp Satyagrah: Gujarat Congress functionaries detained while protesting Rahul's disqualification will 'put in more steel' in Congress: Chidambaram Sankalp Satyagrah: Gujarat Congress functionaries detained while protesting JKPCC holds Sankalp Satyagraha against Rahul's disqualification from LS PM urges people to opt for organ donation, says working on uniform policy KCR's BRS to back Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka Assembly elections Delhi government-run hospitals carried out mock drills on Sunday to assess their COVID-19 preparedness, amid a spurt in the number of coronavirus cases in the city. The Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital, which was a mainstay in the national capital's fight against Covid-19, carried out a two-hour-long mock drill. "We assessed the patient response time. When a patient is brought to the hospital, how long does it take for us to shift him to a room. "For critical patients who need to be shifted to the ICU, we have a red corridor. We checked whether all the ventilators and oxygen points were functioning. We have around 450 beds for coronavirus patients," Dr Suresh Kumar, the medical director of LNJP Hospital, told PTI. The senior doctor said the bed occupancy at the LNJP hospital was zero in the last one month. The scenario has changed in the last few days, the doctor said. "A 54-year-old patient is on a ventilator. He has diabetes while another 36-year-old patient is on oxygen support. He is suffering from pneumonia," he said. Also Read Hospitals across India hold mock drills to verify Covid readiness LNJP director asks people to wear masks, take Covid-19 precaution dose Researchers identify new mitochondrial disease in identical twins BF.7 coronavirus variant not worrisome for India: Scientist Rakesh Mishra Delhi hospitals to conduct mock drills today to check Covid readiness Fire breaks out again at Kerala's Brahmapuram Waste Treatment Plant PM Modi lauds Isro's LVM3 injecting 36 satellites into intended orbits BJP giving OBC colour to Rahul's remark to hide theft: Digvijaya Singh Assam CM Sarma inaugurates, lays foundation for Rs 545-crore projects Previously neglected areas now role models for country, says Jitendra Singh By afternoon, the mock drill had been conducted at other hospitals too, including the Satyawadi Raja Harish Chandra Hospital (SRHCH). "The mock drill lasted for about an hour. All Covid preparedness parameters were assessed," a senior doctor at the hospital told PTI. Though SRHCH is not a Covid facility, instructions were issued to ensure all logistics measures and health infrastructure are ready to deal with any eventuality, he said. "During the drill, we checked bed and oxygen availability, staff requirement and other ancillary factors as would be required if Covid patients are to be attended in future." Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital also carried out a mock drill from 11 am to 2 pm, its medical director Dr SK Arora said. "We had 15 dummy patients. Five with Severe acute respiratory infections, five had influenza-like illnesses and the remaining were paediatric and gynaecology patients. The drill was aimed at gauging the preparedness of all departments in handling such cases. We have 40 beds for Covid patients," he said. Delhi recorded 139 coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 4.98 per cent on Saturday, according to data shared by the health department. A day earlier, the city logged 152 Covid cases with a positivity rate of 6.66 per cent. It logged 117 cases with a positivity rate of 4.95 per cent on Thursday. The city had recorded Covid cases in three-digit figures last October. The Delhi Police has denied permission to the Congress for holding 'satyagraha' at Rajghat to protest against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha, officials said on Sunday. In a letter, the Delhi Police said the request was rejected due to law and order and traffic reasons and prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed in and around Rajghat. A senior police officer told PTI that while permission for holding the satyagraha has been denied, adequate security arrangements have been put in place. The Congress has announced plans to hold a day-long satyagraha in front of Gandhi statues at all states and district headquarters on Sunday to protest against Gandhi's disqualification. Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. The disqualification will bar Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting polls for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction. Also Read Rahul Gandhi convicted in Modi surname defamation case: What we know so far Congress in Goa to hold Satyagraha to protest Rahul's disqualification Rahul's disqualification: Cong to observe day-long Satyagraha across nation Rahul Gandhi disqualified from Lok Sabha one day after conviction LIVE: Cong to observe day-long Satyagraha after Rahul's disqualification Delhi's minimum temperature a notch below average at 15.8 degrees Celsius LIVE: Cong to observe day-long Satyagraha after Rahul's disqualification ISRO's LVM3 rocket carrying 36 satellites blasts off from Sriharikota Pull up your socks for 2024 elections: Raghubar Das tells BJP workers Rahul's disqualification: Cong to observe day-long Satyagraha across nation Family ID -- a database of families with unique identification numbers -- will be the next big technology-based intervention in robust delivery of services and schemes to people in Uttar Pradesh after Aadhaar and direct benefit transfers (DBT), the state's Social Welfare Minister Asim Arun said. 'Family ID' was launched in January this year on a pilot basis for which registration is voluntary. According to official figures, around 44,000 people have enrolled themselves so far on the official website "familyid.up.gov.in. Family ID is a 12-digit unique identification number carrying details of a family, serving as a central repository of family attributes to automatically determine their eligibility for government schemes and extend benefits to the missing beneficiaries, Arun said. The database will be used by around one-and-a-half-dozen departments such as education, social welfare and labour that dole out DBT, he said. "One of the major initiatives of the Uttar Pradesh government is the Family ID which uses the ration card number for identification of a family. We get details of a family either through a ration card or a family register. They get an Aadhaar card which takes information from 17 departments and we get to know if a beneficiary has taken Kisan Samman fund or student scholarship, among others," Asim Arun told PTI in an interview. "We also get to know which families have not availed the benefits or have been left behind. There are still many families which are not aware of the government benefits and miss those," he added. Also Read PAN-Aadhaar link status: Are your cards already linked? Learn how to check PAN-Aadhaar Link: A step by step guide to link two cards before deadline Verify Aadhaar before accepting it as proof of identity, says UIDAI Aadhaar enrolment for newborns to be expanded to all states in few months Those not linking Aadhaar with election card will stay in voters' list: Gov Death whisperers: Elephant poaching for ivory remains unabated Congress to hold fast on Monday to condemn disqualification of Rahul Gandhi Air India, Nepal Airlines aircraft almost collided; 2 controllers suspended CIAL airport resumes operations after 2 hrs lag due to helicopter crash Andaman & Nicobar Cong protest Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha disqualification Scheme targeting would "drastically improve" with the Family ID in coming years, the minister said. "So far, DBT and Aadhaar have been two major technical interventions which have yielded very good results. Now, with the Family ID coming along, we are hopeful that most of the inefficiencies that remain will get erased and we will have a very robust system of service delivery to the people on the ground," the minister said. Asked if any similar models elsewhere inspired the Family ID initiative, he said the Uttar Pradesh government studied Karnataka's 'Kutumba' initiative. The Kutumba initiative has been developed as an Integrated Social Information System (SIIS) consisting of a social registry, integrated beneficiary management systems, beneficiary registry, a payment platform and a grievance redressal system, according to its website. The project aims to achieve suo motu delivery of benefits and services by checking entitlement, identifying eligible residents and thereafter sanctioning/approving the service or scheme. Asked about concerns regarding data privacy and security, the Uttar Pradesh minister said the government is "extremely cautious" about protecting people's information and like the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID), the Family ID would not aggregate any data on its servers. "Data privacy and security are important for us. We are not aggregating any data on our servers. The 17 departments that access this data have API (application programming interface) access. "This is the example which NATGRID also follows for passports and other services. NATGRID does not have any database of its own. Same is the case with Family ID. For data privacy, we are extremely cautious that details like Aadhaar numbers are not published online," Arun said. The Jharkhand unit of Congress party staged a day-long 'Sankalp Satyagraha' here on Sunday to protest against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha. Senior Congress leaders including Jharkhand ministersRameshwar Oraon and Banna Gupta assembled at Bapu Vatika at Morabadi ground in Ranchi to lodge their protest, saying BJP-led Centre is scared of Gandhi's "vociferous voice" on Adani issue. Talking to media persons, Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur said, "The haste shown by the Lok Sabha secretariat in disqualifying Rahul ji, shows that BJP government in Centre is scared of his vociferous voice on Adani issue." Rahul Gandhi was on Friday disqualified from Lok Sabha following his conviction by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case. The disqualification will bar 52-year-old Gandhi from contesting polls for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction and sentence. Thakur said, "Through the disqualification, Centre has made its effort to silence the voice of Rahul ji. But, they are mistaken. His voice cannot be silenced. We will be agitating from block to district level across the state for truth and justice." Congress national secretary Deepika Pandey Singh said, "It's also a fight for common man, whose hard-earned money is being put at risk to benefit a particular corporate House by Centre." Reacting on BJP's Sankalp Satyagrah, BJP Jharkhand president Deepak Prakash told PTI, "It's nothing but a drama staged by Congress. The Congress leaders are shedding crocodile tears to gain political mileage. It's a court's judgement and they should respect it. If they (Congress) don't find it appropriate, they also have option to challenge it in higher court. Also Read Harpal Singh Bilari-led BKU faction to support Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra After 6 days in Punjab, Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Himachal Rahul dons 'pheran' in Kashmir's cold as Bharat Jodo Yatra comes to close Winter Session: Sonia Gandhi chairs Congress Parliamentary Party meeting Selja, KC Venugopal front-runners for Cong Prez post after Gehlot snub Will restore scrapped 4% quota for Muslims in Karnataka, says Cong All political parties should come together to defeat RSS & BJP: CPI MP Amit Shah lights into Cong for forgetting those who fought for Hyderabad IPL 2023: Bairstow ruled out, uncapped Short named as replacement in PBKS Cong in Telangana holds 'deeksha' protest against Rahul's disqualification The Punjab Police has arrested a woman from Patiala for allegedly sheltering fugitive radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his aide, officials said on Sunday. According to a senior police official, Amritpal and his aide Papalpreet Singh had allegedly stayed at the residence of Balbir Kaur in Patiala's Hargobind Nagar on March 19. Kaur allegedly sheltered Amritpal and Papalpreet for five to six hours before they moved to Shahabad in Haryana's Kurukshetra district, the police said. Amritpal has been on the run since March 18 when the police launched a crackdown against him and elements of 'Waris Punjab De', an outfit headed by him. The elusive preacher himself gave the police the slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Punjab's Jalandhar district. On Saturday, CCTV camera footage purportedly showing Amritpal, dressed in a jacket and trousers and speaking on a mobile phone, emerged in Patiala. Also Read Fugitive Amritpal Singh's 'close aide and financer' arrested: Report Air India urination case: Delhi Court sends accused to 14-day custody Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh's uncle, driver surrender: Police Amritpal Singh arrested by police, claims legal advisor to Waris Punjab De Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh on run, will be arrested soon: Police India's highways infra to match US by 2024, work underway, says Gadkari 346 infra projects show cost overruns of Rs 4.46 trillion, says report IIT Madras, IISER come up with new method to detect milk adulteration Congress begins day-long Sankalp Satyagraha at Rajghat in support of Rahul India summons high commissioner of Canada over actions of separatists In the footage, the 'Waris Punjab De' chief could also be seen holding a bag with a white cloth covering his face. Papalpreet could also be seen in the footage. In a second footage from the same spot, a sunglass-wearing Amritpal could be seen speaking on the phone while walking on the street. Kaur is the second woman to be arrested for allegedly sheltering Amritpal. Earlier, a woman identified as Baljit Kaur was nabbed for allegedly harbouring Amritpal and Papalpreet at her home in Shahabad. The police in Khanna also arrested on Saturday a man identified as Balwant Singh for allegedly sheltering Amritpal's associate Tejinder Singh Gill alias Gorkha Baba. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Payal) Harsimrat Singh said Singh, a resident of Khuli Khurd village, has been booked under Section 212 (harbouring offender) of the Indian Penal Code. Gill, who was part of Amritpal's private security setup, was arrested on Wednesday. He was sent on police remand till March 27. The Punjab Police had said a phone recovered from Gill contained pictures of the flag, emblem and currency of Khalistan and videos of firearms practice by young men allegedly chosen for the radical preacher's Anandpur Khalistan Fauz. The incriminating material showed the sinister designs of the nascent militia force and the enormous threat it would have posed for peace and harmony in Punjab and national security, the police had said. With the Khalistan sympathiser continuing to remain untraceable, the police said efforts are underway to nab the fugitive. Asserting that the nearly 15 months long recruitment process wastes candidates' prime years besides taking a heavy toll on their physical and mental health, a Parliamentary Committee has asked the UPSC to reduce the civil services examination's selection cycle. In its latest report, the panel also asked the Union Public Service Commission to examine the reasons for the low turnout of candidates in the civil services examination. The examination is conducted annually by the UPSC in three stages -- preliminary, main and interview -- to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice said according to the data provided by the UPSC, the average time taken for civil services examination from the date of issue of notification to the date of declaration of the final result is nearly 15 months. "The Committee is of the opinion that the duration of any recruitment examination should not ordinarily exceed six months as long and protracted recruitment cycles waste prime years of a candidates' life besides taking a heavy toll on their physical and mental health. The Committee, accordingly, recommends that UPSC should take steps to reduce the duration of the recruitment cycle significantly without compromising the quality," the report said. On the low turnout, it said out of approximately, 32.39 lakh candidates who had applied for examinations conducted by UPSC in 2022-23, only 16.82 lakh candidates, (51.95 per cent) actually appeared for examinations. Also Read ChatGPT cleared Google interviews but could not clear UPSC exam: Report Over 377k candidates selected for govt jobs by UPSC, SSC in last 5 yrs UPSC launches mobile app for examination, recruitment-related information Mumbai Angels raises $ 2mn funding for recruitment automation start-up BPCL's former Chairman Arun Kumar Singh to be the next head of ONGC Martyr PM's son who walked for unity can never insult country: Priyanka India's digital public infra story worth showcasing: Cisco India President Congress workers in Himachal protest disqualification of Rahul from LS Rahul's disqualification will 'put in more steel' in Congress: Chidambaram Sankalp Satyagrah: Gujarat Congress functionaries detained while protesting For instance, 11.35 lakh candidates applied for the civil services examination in 2022 but only 5.73 lakh candidates (50.51 per cent) actually appeared for the examination. The Committee recommended UPSC furnish the details of examination fees collected from the candidates during the last five years. "The Commission may also provide the details of expenditure incurred by it on the conduct of the examinations for the same period. The Committee also recommends UPSC to examine the reasons for low turnout of candidates and share the findings thereof with the Committee," the report said. The panel has recommended forming an expert committee to assess if the present scheme of recruitment through civil services examination provides an equal opportunity to both English-medium-educated urban candidates and non-English medium-educated rural candidates. While UPSC has changed the pattern of civil services examination from time to time on the basis of recommendations made by various expert committees, no study has been commissioned to assess how such changes impacted the aspirants, nature of recruitment and administration at large, it said. The panel said an expert group or committee should be appointed to assess the impact of changes made in the scheme, pattern and syllabus of civil services examination in the last ten years on the quality of recruitment and administration at large. "The expert group so constituted may assess if the present scheme of recruitment provides an equal opportunity to both english-medium educated urban candidates and non english medium educated rural candidates," said the report tabled in Parliament recently. This group may also assess whether the existing pattern of preliminary and mains examination provides a level playing field for all candidates irrespective of their academic background, it said. The Committee is of the considered opinion that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and UPSC should consider making further changes in the scheme and syllabus of civil services examination in the light of the findings of the impact assessment study, the report said. The panel was also apprised that the UPSC releases the answer key of the preliminary test of the civil services examination only after the completion of the entire process of the said examination. In other words, the Commission is depriving the candidates of an opportunity to contest the answer key before progressing to the next stage of the examination, the report said. "This practice not only demoralises the candidates but also compromises the validity and fairness of the examination process. Although recruiting agencies exercise utmost caution to ensure that the answer key is foolproof, the possibility of errors cannot be ruled out. "The Committee, therefore, recommends that UPSC may take steps to publish the answer key right after the preliminary stage of the civil services examination and allow candidates to raise objections," it said. The Committee said UPSC may also collect feedback from the candidates and effect improvements in the examination system from time to time to ensure more transparency, fairness and candidate friendliness. Seen is a captured image from a campaign video, produced by Hyundai Motor Group promoting Busan's bid to host World Expo 2030. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group By Baek Byung-yeul Hyundai Motor Group and residents of Busan have launched an all-out campaign to promote the city's bid to host World Expo 2030 as the automotive giant unveiled a promotional video showing Busan citizens introducing the southern port city's unique qualities in 15 different languages, Sunday. The automotive giant released a video titled "Busan Citizens Invite You All," which introduces Busan's strong will and capabilities to host the international event in the languages of the 15 member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). The BIE is an intergovernmental organization in charge of overseeing and regulating the World Expo event, which is held every five years. Hyundai Motor Group also unveiled 16 one-minute short-form videos produced only in each member country's language so as to attract votes from the BIE member countries. "We made these videos that show Busan citizens promoting their city's suitability and competitiveness for World Expo 2030 ahead of the BIE's inspection visit to Busan from April 2 to 7," the automotive group said. "The move is also aimed at attracting support from BIE member countries around the world and creating enthusiasm for hosting the event in Busan at home and abroad." The group added that the videos can be watched on its official YouTube channel and Facebook. The group will also screen the videos during a supporting event for Busan's bid at Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square next month and Seoul Mobility Show 2023, which will take place in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province from March 31 to April 9. When Busan citizens introduce the city in the videos, major tourists spots of the city are also clearly visible in the background such as Gukje Market, Jagalchi Market, Yongdusan Park, Marine City, Busan Cinema Center and Hyundai Motorstudio Busan. A Busan citizen promotes the city's bid to host World Expo 2030 in Spanish in this campaign video. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group Telangana Chief Minister and BRS leader K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday said the Rs 6,000 assistance for farmers announced by the Maharashtra government was inadequate. Speaking at a rally in Loha tehsil in Nanded district, around 450 km from Mumbai, Rao suggested that the Maharashtra government decided to give this financial aid to farmers only after he addressed a rally in Nanded last month. "I came here only once and a provision to give each farmer Rs 6,000 per year was found in the Maharashtra budget. Why was it never done earlier? "This aid is like sprinkling water on a fire. We do not want it. We want Rs 10,000 should be given to farmers per acre who can utilise it for investing in agricultural activities," the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader said. He claimed the Telangana government under him improved the condition of farmers over years. "Some eight-nine years ago, Telangana was in bad condition. Farmers were committing suicide in large numbers. But we changed the governance and reduced their burden. If Telangana can improve why a state like Maharashtra which has more resources, cannot improve?" he asked. Rao reiterated the "Ab Ki Bar, Kisan Sarkar" slogan suggesting a change in the Central government in the 2024 polls. Also Read Asaduddin Owaisi welcomes BRS; BJP calls it KCR's 'misadventure' Delhi excise scam: SC to hear K Kavitha's plea on ED summons on March 24 Start with Gujarat if you can: TRS dares BJP to 'impose' Hindi across India BRS for India, journey of million km begins with single step: KCR Telangana polls are a do-or-die battle for a demoralised, divided Congress Anurag Thakur pitches for larger airport at Himachal's Dharamshala Measures taken by IIFCL to keep bad loans under check: Parliament panel Cong' Satyagraha brazen display of arrogance, insult to Mahatma Gandhi: BJP LVM3 rocket performed very well, suited for Gaganyaan, says Isro chief Centre approves nearly Rs 700 crore for NH widening project in Karnataka Former Lok Sabha MP from Maharashtra Haribhau Rathod, ex-MLAs Shankar Dhondge and Harshvardhan Jadhav, and local political leaders joined the BRS in the presence of KCR at the rally on Sunday. On February 5, KCR had said in Nanded that the time has come for peasants to take the reins of the country and held the Congress and BJP "kasoorwar" (guilty) for the plight of farmers in the country in the last 75 years. But rather than being steered onto a beach in Bangladesh, India or Pakistan for dismantling, the 1997-built tanker is collecting heavy fuel at the Russian port of St Petersburg. The oil tanker Turba normally should have been melted down by now. The 26-year-old vessel hasnt had a full inspection since 2017, according to a database dedicated to promoting safe shipping. It also lacks industry standard insurance and sails under the flag of country with a poor standing for the oversight of maritime safety. Theyre an environmental disaster waiting to happen, said Lars Barstad, chief executive officer of the management unit of Frontline, one of the largest owners of supertankers. The aftermath of European Union sanctions on Russia mean that the Turba has been enlisted into a vast shadow fleet carrying Moscows oil around the globe. Its continued operation is a stark reminder that Group of Seven sanctions on Moscow carry an environmental risk. The big concern is that some older vessels the global fleet is now the oldest in almost two decades may not be properly inspected and maintained, leading to a catastrophic accident at sea. Right now, though, shipowners are squeezing a few more years out because theres money to be made. The sanctions imposed on December 5 are forcing vessels to sail thousands of miles further, boosting demand and freight rates. In normal times, owners start to consider demolishing tankers when theyre about 15 years old. By year 20, the ships fate to be sold for scrap is usually sealed. Also Read Russia bounces back to become India's second-largest crude supplier in Sep India's Russian oil imports cross 1 million barrels a day in December Podcast: What will guide oil prices in 2023? Analysts see pressure on RIL, OMC's profitability amid firm oil prices India imported more Russian crude oil than ever in January, shows data Taiwan loses ally of eight decades after Honduras recognises China World may split into rival economic blocs, it'll make all poorer: IMF chief Elon Musk offers Twitter employees stock grants of $20 billion: Report Imran Khan lays down 10-pt road map for Pakistan's economic revival Planets on parade: 5 will be lined up in night sky this week Inspections At least 40 vessels hauling Russian oil to China and India between early December and early February lacked insurance from members of the International Group of P&I clubs or routine safety-management certificates, according to data from Equasis, the maritime safety database. Three, including the Turba, didnt have something called classification that would demonstrate how seaworthy they are. Port authorities scrutinise older ships more closely. The increased expenses, and the lack of customers, would in normal times encourage owners to sell them for scrap. Some of the ageing ships are transferring their hazardous cargoes on the high seas, often in international waters off Greece or Africa. Tankers that should have been scrapped by now are doing loads of transfers of millions of barrels without proper insurance, said Adi Imsirovic, director of the Surrey Clean Energy consultancy. High-risk Half-a-dozen tanker brokers and owners said they didnt have a means to contact Scoot, which doesnt appear on a Seychelles corporate register. The average age of the tanker fleet is now 12 years, according to data from Clarkson. Almost a third of vessels are older than 15, and the ranks of aging vessels is forecast to expand rapidly in coming years, said Svein Moxnes Harfjeld, CEO of DHT Holdings, an oil tanker firm. Approval by a member of the International Association of Classification Societies which the Turba lacks, according to Equasis means an audited international body of surveyors will have checked a vessel to monitor that its hull is structurally sound, and its propulsion, steering and power systems are functional. Plan to place nuclear weapons in Belarus: Putin Given the lack of clarity around ownership, its likely the new operators dont have the same levels of experience and professionalism associated with the Russian fleet, Ben Luckock, co-head of oil trading at Trafigura, said. Although not unexpected and while Putin said the move would not violate nuclear non-proliferation promises. US has reacted cautiously to Putins statement, with a senior official saying there were no signs Moscow planned to use its nuclear weapons. Russia will station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday, sending a warning to Nato over its military support for Ukraine and escalating a standoff with the West. Nato on Sunday criticised Russia for its dangerous and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric. Ukraines top security official on Sunday denounced the Kremlins plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus, saying that Russia was taking its ally as a nuclear hostage. But Moscow said it was making the move in response to the Wests increasing military support for Ukraine. Honduras has cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, Chinese state media reported Sunday, paving the way for the Latin American country to establish a formal relationship with Beijing. The announcement by Honduras's foreign ministry on Saturday, which was reported by China's CCTV, comes amid rising tensions between Beijing and the United States, including over China's increasing assertiveness toward self-ruled Taiwan. The move leaves Taiwan recognized by only 13 sovereign states. Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen first took office in May 2016. China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since the sides split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its One China policy. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and refuses most contacts with countries that maintain formal ties with the island democracy. It threatens retaliation against countries merely for increasing contacts. Taiwan still has ties with Belize, Paraguay and Guatemala in Latin America, and Vatican City. Most of its remaining partners are island nations in the Caribbean and South Pacific, along with Eswatini in southern Africa. Also Read Chinese military holds large-scale joint strike drills aimed at Taiwan China's military sends 39 warplanes, 3 ships toward Taiwan in 24 hours China no longer comfortable with status quo on Taiwan: Antony Blinken China sends 71 warplanes, 7 ships toward Taiwan in 24 hrs to display force Chinese representative met with protests on official visit to Taiwan Russia to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, says Vladimir Putin Russia 'largely stalled' in Bakhmut, moving to defensive strategy, says UK Despite China's campaign of isolation, Taiwan retains robust informal ties with more than 100 other countries, most importantly the United States. The U.S. doesn't have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but has maintained that Taipei is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific. Addressing the public rally at Minar-i-Pakistan on Sunday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman challenged the ruling party to put forward a plan to rescue Pakistan. Pakistans ousted PM Imran Khan held a massive rally on Sunday and presented his partys 10-point roadmap for the cash-strapped countrys economic recovery, including sops for the diaspora. The internet services were snapped in parts of Lahore. All major roads leading to the rally site were blocked by police I challenge that the incumbent rulers dont have the ability or the intention [to save the country], he said. Pakistans broadcast media blacked out the coverage of the event under the pressure of the PML-N-led government backed by the powerful military establishment. Khan asserted that the country needs to take difficult decisions to improve its tax collections and exports. Announcing the 10-point programme, Khan said that overseas Pakistanis will be motivated to invest in Pakistan to attract foreign direct investments to avoid going to the IMF again and again. We will facilitate all those who would export and bring dollars into the country, he added. Also Read Imran Khan found guilty of corrupt practices by Pak EC; disqualified Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan blames govt, spy agency for shooting Why are the police trying to arrest Imran Khan? All that you need to know Toshakhana case: What's behind the arrest drama at Imran Khan's residence Imran Khan says PM Shehbaz Sharif will have to take trust vote: Report Planets on parade: 5 will be lined up in night sky this week Sri Lanka, India to begin passenger ferry service by end of April Darjeeling prepares second Tourism Working Group Meeting of G20 on April 1 Putin taking Belarus as nuclear hostage, says Ukraine security official Starlink rival OneWeb completes fleet to offer global broadband coverage There is a need to increase the tax base to achieve progress, he said and also proposed giving loans to young people to start businesses and reviving the mortgage scheme. Overseas Pakistanis will bring their dollars to the country provided they are given incentives, he said, adding that only 2.5 million Pakistanis out of 220 million pay taxes. Khan said his government would promote tourism, and the minerals sector would be focused on generating revenue. His government would increase agriculture productivity with the cooperation of China. The government would take measures to stop money laundering, he said, adding that the current account deficit would be curtailed as well. A group of Khalistan supporters gathered in front of the Indian mission here and many of their speakers tried to incite violence, but timely intervention by an alert US Secret Service and local police prevented a repeat of London and San Francisco incidents of vandalism at the mission. Separatist Sikhs, who gathered outside the Indian Embassy in downtown Washington DC on Saturday, heralded abusive language and openly threatened Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu. The Ambassador was not in the embassy at the time of the protest. Some of the speakers were seen inciting fellow protestors to indulge in violence and break the windows and glasses of the building across the road. In their speeches, most of the protestors were seen trying to incite violence not only in India but here as well, including physical damage to the Indian Embassy property. Sensing that things might go out of control, the Secret Service and the local police quickly brought in reinforcement and more forces were deployed and at least three police vans were placed in front of the Embassy. At one point of time, five protesters quickly crossed the road and were about to break into the temporary marker of the embassy property near the pole unfurling the tricolour before they were asked to leave. Also Read Man arrested after Khalistani groups vandalised Indian High Commission Indian Embassy, Nepal govt sign MoUs for projects in education, healthcare Not hiding coronavirus infections or death figures, claims China: Report Indian embassy in China celebrates Gandhi Jayanti at Beijing's art museum Rishi Sunak supporters speak out as UK economy spirals under Liz Truss Donald Trump to rally supporters in Waco ahead of possible charges Honduras cuts diplomatic ties with Taiwan, paves way for ties with Beijing Russia to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, says Vladimir Putin Russia 'largely stalled' in Bakhmut, moving to defensive strategy, says UK Secret Service personnel, who were closely watching this, in no time rushed to the spot and asked the protesters to go back to the designated protest area, before any untoward incident could happen. It appeared that the protesters had come prepared to do something similar like damaging Indian properties at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco and the Indian High Commission in London. This PTI reporter saw separatists bringing two bundles of wooden sticks that were kept in the park that has the status of Mahatma Gandhi in front of the embassy. The wooden sticks were similar to those which were used to break the door and windows and smash the glasses of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. While one bundle was used to display the separatist flag, the other bundle of about 20 sticks was kept aside. The top commander of Ukraine's military said on Saturday that his forces were pushing back against Russian troops in the long and grinding battle for the town of Bakhmut, and British military intelligence says Russia appears to be moving to a defensive strategy in eastern Ukraine. The Bakhmut direction is the most difficult. Thanks to the titanic efforts of the defence forces, the situation is being stabilized, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi said in a post on Telegram giving a synopsis of a telephone call with Adm. Sir Tony Radakin, Britain's chief of defence staff. The seven-month fight for Bakhmut, where Russian forces have closed in on three sides, is the longest battle of the war, with Russia deploying both regular soldiers and fighters of the mercenary Wagner Group. Russian forces must go through Bakhmut to push deeper into parts of the eastern Donbas region, though Western officials say the capture of the city would have limited impact on the course of the war. Britain's Defence Ministry said in its latest intelligence update that Russia's assault on the Donbas town of Bakhmut has largely stalled. This is likely primarily a result of extreme attrition of the Russian force. Russia is likely shifting its focus toward two other sectors, which suggests an overall return to a more defensive operational design after inconclusive results from its attempts to conduct a general offensive since January, the UK ministry wrote on Twitter. Also Read Six-month long battle for Bakhmut takes centre stage in war in Ukraine Russian shelling hits Ukrainian town, kills 1; Bakhmut battle rages Operations to defend Bakhmut will continue: Ukraine's President Zelenskyy Zelenskyy visits front-line city of Bakhmut; Putin meets troops in Kremlin Nato chief fears Russian-Ukraine war could widen into a wider conflict However, the Ukrainian military cautioned that a change in strategy was not yet clear and that Bakhmut remained Russia's main point of attack for now. A spokesman for Ukraine's eastern forces, Serhii Cherevaty, said the Russian forces were still hitting the town with artillery and airstrikes, although the number of daily clashes had dropped to fewer than 20, down from 30 to 50 not long ago. The coming week will tell, Cherevaty said on Ukrainian television. Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Donetsk province, where Bakhmut is located, said one civilian was killed in the fighting on Friday and another civilian was killed elsewhere in the province. Russian rockets hit the town of Kramatorsk during the night, but caused no injuries, Kyrylenko said. On Saturday, Russian artillery struck Chasiv Yar, a city west of Bakhmut, and Toretsk to the south, killing two civilians, the Ukrainian presidential office said. Two people were killed and six injured in Russian firing on the southern Kherson region, the local administration said. By Thomas Seal OneWeb Ltd. launched the final 36 satellites of its initial 616-satellite constellation, allowing the rival of Elon Musks Starlink to offer global broadband coverage this year. Its the fruition of an enormous amount of hard work, and obviously weve been through some geopolitical issues over the last year or so, and the team has proven to be extremely resilient and caught up, Chief Executive Officer Neil Masterson said in an interview ahead of the launch, which used space agency Indian Space Research Organisation. OneWeb now has enough fast-flying spacecraft in orbit to offer broadband to businesses and government customers in the lower 48 US states in May, and ultimately global coverage by the end of 2023, Masterson said. The launch took place in Sriharikota, an island off the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It concludes a tumultuous chapter for the satellite venture that was founded a decade ago by serial space entrepreneur Greg Wyler. The company filed for bankruptcy in March 2020 after being shut out of credit markets by the economic turmoil caused by Covid-19, and was rescued by the UK government and Indian telecom tycoon Sunil Mittals Bharti Group. It has since attracted investment from SoftBank Group Corp. South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Systems Co. and US firm Hughes Satellite Systems Corp. Another major shareholder is French satellite firm Eutelsat SA, which agreed to merge with OneWeb last July pending regulatory clearances and a shareholder vote. The group is vying for a role in a multi-billion euro European Union satellite project dubbed IRIS. OneWeb has $900 million in contracted revenues and plans to break even by 2025, Masterson said. The London-based company has also started planning for a second, more sophisticated wave of several hundred extra satellites, which could cost as much as $4 billion and be operational by 2028. LVM3-M3????/OneWeb ???? India-2 mission is accomplished! All 36 OneWeb Gen-1 satellites injected into the intended orbits In its 6th consecutive successful flight, LVM3 carried 5805 kg of payload to Low Earth Orbit@OneWeb @NSIL_India ISRO (@isro) March 26, 2023 OneWeb expects to send out information to potential Gen 2 suppliers in the second quarter, Masterson added. Space Race The launch is a milestone in a new space race to girdle the earth with thousands of low-flying spacecraft for broadband, which has sparked deals between existing players. OneWeb is the second biggest low-earth orbit or LEO system after Starlink, the fleet operated and launched by billionaire Musks Space Exploration Technologies Corp., which has more than 3,000 satellites in orbit. Amazon.com Inc. is planning its own thousands-strong system called Project Kuiper. Masterson downplayed any rivalry with SpaceX, saying Musks firm targets consumers while OneWeb is targeting enterprise and government clients. Hes also a SpaceX customer: OneWeb has used Musks rockets to send up its own satellites, after a launch with Frances Arianespace SA was derailed following Russias invasion of Ukraine a year ago. --With assistance from Bibhudatta Pradhan. China and Honduras will establish diplomatic ties at the ambassadorial level effective immediately, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement, calling it the right choice for the central American country. Taiwan said the Honduran decision was regrettable and hurtful, and linked it to the promise of financial support from China. Taiwan and Honduras ended more than eight decades of diplomatic relations as the central American country said it now recognises the island as part of China. Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen (pictured) first took office in May 2016. Honduras said there is only one China and Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory. The Peoples Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing all of China, it said in a statement on Twitter. It did not include any mention of reasons behind the decision or financial aid. For a long time, our belief has been to support the long-term and substantive development of our allies through forward-looking and pragmatic approaches to the best of our ability, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said. We will not engage in a meaningless money-diplomatic contest with China. Hondurass bid to switch official ties to Beijing was driven by financial issues and debt, Reuters reported earlier. The move means Taiwan now has full official diplomatic relations with just 13 countries, mostly around the Caribbean. That cuts the number of friends that can take up issues for the self-run island in international forums like the UN, where it lacks a seat. Also Read Chinese military holds large-scale joint strike drills aimed at Taiwan Taiwan votes on lower voting age, mayors, city councils in local elections China's military threats will further divide both sides: Taiwan President Taiwan's Prez Tsai says no backing down to aggressive threats from China Taiwan extends compulsory military service from 4 months to 1 year in 2024 World may split into rival economic blocs, it'll make all poorer: IMF chief Elon Musk offers Twitter employees stock grants of $20 billion: Report Imran Khan lays down 10-pt road map for Pakistan's economic revival Planets on parade: 5 will be lined up in night sky this week Sri Lanka, India to begin passenger ferry service by end of April The move comes before Tsai starts a visit this week to allies such as Guatemala and Belize, and stops in the US. She has used her nearly seven years in office to garner support from nations who are willing to defy China, which has pledged to bring the island under its control. The Honduran government wanted $2.45 billion in financial aid from Taipei, and compared Taiwans monetary support with Chinas, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said on Sunday. Taiwans severance of diplomatic relations with Honduras is part of a series of Chinese attacks and threats, Taiwanese Presidential Office spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan said. These measures cannot change the fact that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other, nor can they destroy the will of the people of Taiwan to love freedom and democracy. bloomberg In this file photo taken on March 10, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a meeting to launch the Maos a Obra (Let's get to work) platform, which aims to resume unfinished public works, at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia. AFP-Yonhap Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has canceled his trip to China after contracting pneumonia, the presidential palace said on Saturday. Lula, 77, was admitted to a hospital in the capital of Brasilia with flu-like symptoms and was diagnosed with "bacterial and viral bronchopneumonia due to influenza A," the palace said in a statement, quoting a medical note signed by Dr. Ana Helena Germoglio. The leftist leader's health was reassessed on Saturday and, despite improvement, he was advised to "postpone the trip to China until the cycle of viral transmission ends," the medical note said. His press office later confirmed that the trip had been canceled. Chinese authorities have been informed, "with the reiteration of the desire to schedule the visit on a new date," the palace said. Lula had been expected to leave for China on a multi-day visit on Friday or Saturday, but the trip was pushed back on Friday. A delegation composed of ministers, senators, lawmakers and hundreds of businessmen including more than 100 from the agricultural sector had been set to accompany Lula during his first state visit to Brazil's biggest trade partner since taking office in January. The trip's cancellation is "bad news" for the government as the visit was "an opportunity for Lula to reconnect with business elites, especially in the agribusiness, who have been very much pro-Bolsonaro," said Oliver Stuenkel, a political scientist from the Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank. The Brazilian president and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping were scheduled to meet next Tuesday. Trade, investment and climate change were on the agenda and 20 bilateral agreements had been expected to be signed, according to a statement Thursday from the presidential palace. Lula, who rarely postpones or cancels trips due to health reasons, traveled to Argentina in January and the U.S. in February, marking a departure from Brazil's foreign policy under former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who showed little interest in international affairs or travel abroad. The cancellation "will raise questions about to what extent Lula can sustain the very intense diplomatic activism" seen in the first three months of his presidency, Stuenkel said. Pedro Brites, an international relations expert at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, said the postponement of the trip was a lost opportunity to switch the focus to more positive issues for the government "after a turbulent week." In this file photo taken on May 18, 2009, Brazil's president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, left, applauds with China's President Hu Jintao during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Lula da Silva has canceled his trip to China after contracting pneumonia. AFP-Yonhap Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Russian Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev during their meeting in Moscow, March 25. AP-Yonhap Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans on Saturday to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, a warning to the West as it steps up military support for Ukraine. Putin said the move was triggered by Britain's decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over those it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them will be completed by July 1, Putin said. He didn't say how many nuclear weapons Russia would keep in Belarus. The U.S. government believes Russia has about 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons, which include bombs that can be carried by tactical aircraft, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery rounds. Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the United States, noting that the U.S. has nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. "We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews," Putin said, speaking in an interview on state television that aired Saturday night. "We are going to do the same thing." Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to the Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there. Some hawkish commentators in Russia long have urged the Kremlin to put the tactical nuclear weapons close to the weapons to send a signal to the West about the readiness to use them. The U.S. said it would "monitor the implications" of Putin's announcement. "We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon," National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. "We remain committed to the collective defense of the NATO alliance." Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine had Soviet nuclear weapons stationed on their territory but handed them over to Russia after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. A serviceman of the 18th brigade services a helicopter after a mission on the frontline, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at an airfield in Donetsk, Ukraine, March 25. Reuters-Yonhap Monday, March 20, 2023 at 6:57PM Photo: Samsung Samsung now has more than one OLED TV. The tech giant expands its Quantum Dot OLED to introduce the more affordable S90C. This gets a scaled-back version of Samsung's object-tracking sound, and it won't get the S95C's near-flush wall mounting or external connection box. It still offers the punchy QD-OLED image, AI-based HDR mapping, Dolby Atmos audio, and syncing with Samsung soundbars. The Samsung S90C starts at USD 1,899 (around CAD 2,595) for a 55-inch model and goes up to USD 3,599 (~CAD 4,918) for the 77-inch variant. Samsung plans to release a 65-inch set soon. Samsung also adds a 55-inch and 65-inch model for the more premium S95C. That's available at USD 2,499 (~CAD 3,415) and 3,299 (~CAD 4,508), respectively. It gets a slightly brighter 2,000-nit output and a 144Hz refresh rate for compatible PC games. Source Monday, March 20, 2023 at 6:38AM Image: Apple iOS 16.4 is expected to launch in the coming weeks, and with it comes some of the typical midcycle upgrades. Let's do a quick rundown of what's coming. A branch of computer science called artificial intelligence (AI) is focused on building intelligent machines that behave and act like people. From e-commerce to medical and agribusiness, AI is present in the majority of top businesses. For individualised suggestions, market analysis, criminal identification, and simulated reality, businesses rely on AI. To create Ai applications, a professional group is necessary. We must first find trustworthy data, analyse it, feed it to the machine, and then teach it how to understand. So, there are countless prospects for those who enjoy working with information and artificial intelligence. Let's go through the steps on how to begin a career in artificial intelligence Steps to Begin a Career in Artificial Intelligence Study the Fundamentals of Programming Creating step-by-step directions for a system to execute is the process of programming. Given that it is utilised to develop the strategies that fuel these innovations, develop Machine Learning models, and implement AI solutions, it is a necessity-have talent for anyone working with AI. Keep up-to-date on the most Recent Developments Keep up with the most recent developments in artificial intelligence because it is continuously changing. Reviewing pertinent blog content and publications, going to conventions, and enrolling in courses on recent advancements in the sector are all ways to accomplish this. Educational Requirements Although AI engineering is still a young field, it has the possibility of leading to a wide range of career opportunities. For admittance into the field of artificial intelligence engineering, a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, such as computer technology, computational science, statistics, or data science, is the absolute mandatory threshold. Acquire Technical Abilities You'll see that a lot of AI professions depend on knowledge of computing and programming skills. Many persons interested in this industry learn how to program as one of their very first talents. Moreover, be prepared to work with various software applications. Statistical Knowledge To understand sophisticated algorithms, you will be required to have a solid grasp of probability and statistical concepts as an AI specialist. In its most basic versions, today's AI models rely on discovering patterns in vast volumes of data. You must be knowledgeable about the statistical techniques used to extract data-driven insights as a piece of technical knowledge. Know about the possibility of AI Careers AI is a solid career path for quite some time and as the use of AI in many disciplines keeps on growing, the need for competent experts to handle the jobs produced by this growth is also booming. Although many AI experts have predicted that this technology will eliminate a significant number of human occupations, many experts have predicted that it will create a wide range of interesting and rewarding future job prospects. Obtain Certifications Taking Artificial Intelligence Courses or enrolling in certificate programmes will enable you to improve your skills at a reduced cost. You can study for grad and post-graduate degrees in artificial intelligence. With a variety of platforms, which offers online training courses, you can obtain online credentials at your own pace. Seven-seaters are all about practicality. For the Filipino family, it has to be safe, reliable, but most of all, offers comfort and joy with... Former U.S. President Donald Trump holds his hand over his heart during a 2024 campaign rally in Waco, Texas, March 25. AFP-Yonhap Facing a potential indictment, Donald Trump took a defiant stance at a rally Saturday in Waco, disparaging the prosecutors investigating him and predicting his vindication as he rallied supporters in a city made famous by deadly resistance against law enforcement. With a hand over his heart, Trump stood at attention when his rally opened with a song called "Justice for All" performed by a choir of people imprisoned for their roles in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Some footage from the insurrection was shown on big screens displayed at the rally site as the choir sang the national anthem and a recording played of Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The extraordinary display opened Trump's first rally of his 2024 Republican presidential campaign. He then launched into a speech brimming with resentments and framed the probes, including a New York grand jury investigation, as political attacks on him and his followers. "You will be vindicated and proud," Trump said "The thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited and totally disgraced." Trump's event at the airport grounds in Waco was part of a broader effort by the former president to use the potential indictment as a rallying cry for supporters to maintain his status as the GOP frontrunner in what is expected to be a crowded primary. It came one day after Trump raised the specter of violence should he become the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges. Trump declared his innocence in the Manhattan investigation into a hush money payment made during the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to keep her from going public about a sexual encounter she said she had with Trump years earlier. A grand jury hearing the case is expected to meet again on Monday. Trump said the Manhattan district attorney was investigating him "for something that is not a crime, not a misdemeanor, not an affair." Some of Trump's recent rhetoric, including at the rally, has echoed language he used before the Capitol insurrection by a mob of his supporters seeking to stop the transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden, who won the presidential election. Trump declared Saturday that his "enemies are desperate to stop us" and that "our opponents have done everything they can to crush our spirit and to break our will." He added: "But they failed. They've only made us stronger. And 2024 is the final battle, it's going to be the big one. You put me back in the White House, their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again." Supporters stand by a fence as former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during his Make America Great Again Rally at the Waco Regional Airport Center in Waco, Texas, March 25. EPA-Yonhap Trump could be indicted soon by a Manhattan grand jury investigating a $130,000 payment that Trump's longtime lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, made as Trump was in the throes of his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump later reimbursed Cohen and his company logged the reimbursements as a legal expense. Cohen has already served time in prison after pleading guilty to campaign finance charges and lying to Congress, among other crimes. Trump's eyebrow-raising choice of venue in Waco for his first rally came amid the 30th anniversary of a 51-day standoff and deadly siege between U.S. law enforcement and the Branch Davidians that resulted in the deaths of more than 80 members of the religious cult and four federal agents and has become a touchstone for far-right extremists and militia groups. Trump's campaign insisted the location and timing of the event had nothing to do with the Waco siege or anniversary. A spokesperson said the site, 17 miles from the Branch Davidian compound, was chosen because it was conveniently situated near four of the state's biggest metropolitan areas Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio and has the infrastructure to handle a sizable crowd. Texas Gov. Dan Patrick said before Trump's arrival that he was the one who had suggested Waco as the venue. Any suggestion Trump had picked the city because of the anniversary was "fake news. I picked Waco!" he told the crowd. Trump did not make any direct references in his speech to Waco's history, telling the crowd of thousands that he told Patrick he wanted to hold his rally in a place with overwhelming support, not "one of those 50-50 areas," and said he told Patrick, "Let's go right into the heart of it." "But as far as the eye can see," he immediately added, "the abuses of power that we're currently witnessing at all levels of government will go down as among the most shameful, corrupt, depraved chapters in all of American history." Audience members were holding red and white signs handed out by the campaign that said "Witch Hunt," "Trump 2024" and "I stand with Trump." Hours before Trump arrived, hundreds of his supporters began streaming into the airport past vendors selling merchandise including Trump flags, bumper stickers and action figures. Among them was Eugene Torres, 41, who said he was unfazed by the prospect that Trump could be indicted. "It's just another political attack on him to keep him from running and winning this race again," said Torres, who is from the Texas coast city of Corpus Christi. Alan Kregel, 56, traveled with his wife from Dallas to see Trump in person for the first time. While he voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, he said he felt the former president's "methods and vocabulary" often detracted from his policies. But now, two years out of office, he said he is more supportive of Trump than he was before. "He's an innocent man, just persecuted," said Kregel, arguing an indictment would help Trump win in 2024. Trump has spent weeks now railing against the New York probe and in a post on his social media site on Friday warned of "potential death destruction in such a false charge" if he's charged with a crime. In a move that seemed designed to preempt a formal announcement, he claimed last Saturday that he would be arrested the following Tuesday. While that did not happen, Trump has used the days since to try to shape public perception echoing a strategy he has used before, including during special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Waco Regional Airport, March 25, in Waco, Texas. AP-Yonhap Jonathan Majors has been arrested on charges of strangulation, assault, and harassment. The 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' actor was apprehended by police in New York City on Saturday (25.03.23) over an alleged domestic dispute with an unnamed woman, but he has insisted he did nothing wrong. A statement from the New York Police Department (NYPD) said: "On Saturday, March 25, 2023 at approximately 1114 hours, police responded to 911 call inside of an apartment located in the vicinity of West 22nd Street and 8th Avenue, within the confines of the 10 Precinct. "A preliminary investigation determined that a 33-year-old male was involved in a domestic dispute with a 30-year-old female. The victim informed police she was assaulted. "Officers placed the 33-year-old male into custody without incident. The victim sustained minor injuries to her head and neck and was removed to an area hospital in stable condition." A spokesperson for the 'Last Black Man in San Francisco' actor - who is believed to be no longer in custody - insisted the star has "done nothing wrong" and is determined to clear his name. The representative said: "He has done nothing wrong. We look forward to clearing his name and clearing this up." According to TMZ, the woman - who was taken to hospital with a laceration behind her ear and redness and marks to her face - got into an argument with Majors in a taxi while returning home from a bar in Brooklyn on Friday (24.03.23). Sources told the outlet the unnamed female confronted the Creed III' actor when she saw another woman had texted him and she tried to get a glimpse at his phone, infuriating the stat who allegedly then lashed out. The pair spent the night separately before the woman reported a crime to police the following morning. In this image from video released by Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, center, prepares to speak at a press conference after Honduras announced severance of diplomatic ties with Taiwan, in Taipei, Taiwan, March 26. AP-Yonhap Honduras formed diplomatic ties with China on Sunday after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is now recognized by only 13 sovereign states, including Vatican City. The announcement reported by Chinese state media CCTV came after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments made separate announcements that they were severing ties. "The government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes the existence of only one China in the world and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents all of China," Honduras's Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on Twitter. It added that "Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan." Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Sunday that Taiwan had ended its relations with Honduras to "safeguard its sovereignty and dignity." Wu said that Honduras President Xiomara Castro and her team always had a "fantasy" about China and had raised the issue of switching ties before the presidential election in Honduras in 2021. Relations between Taiwan and Honduras were once stable, he said, but China had not stopped luring Honduras. The Honduran administration had asked Taiwan for billions of dollars of aid and compared its proposals with China's, Wu said, as he detailed work Taiwan had done to help develop its former ally. "The Castro government dismissed our nation's longstanding assistance and relations and carried out talks to form diplomatic ties with China. Our government feels pained and regretful," he said. Honduras Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina, second from left, and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, second from right, sign documents during a ceremony establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on March 26. AFP-Yonhap Chattanooga Police said two people were shot at the Red Roof Inn in the 2400 block of Williams Street on Saturday night. A suspect was caught in the case and was being held in another Tennessee jurisdiction. The incident happened at 6:56 p.m. After responding to a report of a shooting, police found two people suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds. Both victims were transported to a local hospital. Police investigations continue. Chattanooga Police ask anyone with any information regarding this incident to call 423-698-2525 or submit a tip via the Atlas One App (formerly the CPD Mobile App). A man in the parking lot of 7/11 at 3725 Jenkins Road told police he just got out of jail for panhandling. An officer asked the man what he was doing in the parking lot and he said he was panhandling to get money because he has diabetes. The man asked for a ride to the Community Kitchen and the officer transported him without incident. * * * Police spoke with the owners of The Flaming Rooster at 3202 Brainerd Road and it was determined that they didnt have the proper permits for their after-hours gathering to go past midnight. They said the person that was renting their venue, the promoter of the event, had booked their venue at around 4 or 5 p.m. due to a last minute issue with their previous venue, and they were not aware of the permits required to host the event. They were made aware of how to get these permits for their next event, and the event was ended and all parties left the building/surrounding area without incident. There were no significant incidents or problems that occurred in relation to the event being held. Both owners were very cooperative with police and thankful for their presence in the area while the event was being held. The owners ensured that there was armed security within the building and in the parking lots, as well as at the front door checking the party-goers for weapons and other illegal items prior to entering the building. * * * A woman was warned by the Cookout Restaurant at 5001 Brainerd Road not to return because she was begging customers for money. She came back to use the bathroom and walked off the property afterward, pretending such a return was okay. An officer tracked her down and warned her not to return or she would get a trespassing warrant. * * * Officers saw several vehicles in the parking lot at a location on Lee Highway as well as several people entering the building through the rear entrance. Police said this address has historically been an after-party spot that would open at approximately 3 a.m. on the weekend. This venue has no permits on file for special gatherings after midnight. An officer spoke to the owner and co-owner and they said the venue is a recording studio. The owner said he had to be moved out of the building in a few days. Police told him the building needed to be vacated due to the violations. * * * A woman on Hixson Pike told police the tire on her vehicle was slashed and she feels it was a neighbor. There was no evidence the neighbor slashed the tire. An officer saw the front driver side tire was flat and there was a cut in the sidewall. The cut was a T shape and not a clean slash consistent with being slashed by a knife. It is undetermined if the tire was slashed. The woman said it cost approximately $100 for a new tire. * * * A woman on N. Hill Lane woke up and found the back passenger side window of her vehicle was broken out. She said the car had been gone through, but there was nothing of value left in the vehicle and nothing was taken. Another vehicle on scene was left unlocked and had also been gone through. Nothing of value was taken out of that car either. * * * A man told police his vehicle had been damaged in a car wash on Lee Highway. He said the track stopped and a car hit him from behind. The mans vehicle had several scuffs and abrasions to the back of it. He said it had also taken his vehicle out of alignment and water was now getting inside. The manager of the car wash showed police video of the event. It showed a Honda Civic stop with its brakes applied near the end of the car wash and it sat there for nearly a minute before the mans vehicle came up behind it, but stopped without hitting that vehicle. A Chevy Tahoe was then pushed into the back of the mans vehicle multiple times before the equipment was stopped. At the point of impact, the Tahoe's windshield was completely covered in soap and had the large ceiling brush coming down blocking any view of the upcoming issue. The manager briefly spoke with the driver of the Honda Civic. The Civic and the Tahoe left. Since the man didnt notice the damage right away it is believed that none of the other drivers knew there had been damage done to one of the involved vehicles when they left. The manager said his machinery was undamaged and he doesnt believe it malfunctioned in any way. * * * Police were called to Exxon at 702 Central Ave. where a white four-door sedan had struck a gas pump causing damage to the pump. The driver was described as a black male, 30's and skinny. The driver left after striking the pump. * * * An elder with St. Phillips Lutheran Church at W. 25th Street called police in regards to two or three people behind the church who like to set fires and the church would like them removed. Police spoke with two people who were camped behind the church. One of them said she lives at the camp near the Community Kitchen and was hanging out with her boyfriend. The boyfriend said two unknown women told him he was allowed to stay back there, as long as he kept the area clean, while he waited for approval to live at the homeless camp. The officer asked him if there was anywhere he could stay until then and he said yes. They both packed their belongings to leave. * * * A person called police and said while parked at City Cafe at 7641 Lee Hwy., someone entered their car and stole a blank money order for $50. * * * A woman told police she had two checks stolen from her local post office at 7610 E. Brainerd Road. The two checks were then whitewashed, forged and cashed. The first check was originally written out to Athena Annuity and Life in the amount of $15.31. The check was then forged and cashed in the amount of $9,000 from a currently unknown cash-check store. Another check was again cashed in the amount of $9,800 and made out to a different person. That particular check was originally made out to TN American Water in the amount of $77.20. * * * An officer was on a separate call on Quinn Adams Street regarding package thefts and was speaking to a woman as a potential witness to those thefts when she said a package of hers was also stolen. The package contained $120 worth of clothes and was in her mailbox. The woman and other victims of theft in the area believe a local homeless man is responsible for the thefts but there is no evidence at this time that he is responsible. * * * An officer initiated a traffic stop on Center Street on a black Ford Mustang with no tag, traveling at a high rate of speed. The driver was asked to step out of the car and he said he was in a rush to get back home and just bought the car a month ago from a "crack head" for $1,000. He stated that it has a rebuilt title so he has been working on getting it fixed so he could register the vehicle. He didnt have insurance. He said it was his only way of transportation. The man gave consent to search his vehicle, where nothing illegal was found. The officer gave the driver a warning for his tag, high rate of speed and lack of insurance. The Bachelor fans who watched Zach Shallcross pursue Rachel Recchia on The Bachelorette know that Zach is related to Patrick Warburton. The Bachelors famous uncle has yet to appear in his season, though he seemed like the perfect special guest. Based on teasers for the finale, it doesnt look like Zachs final two women will get to meet him. Patrick Warburton | Young Hollywood/Getty Images Rachel Recchia met Zach Shallcross famous uncle, Patrick Warburton Zach Shallcross was one of Rachel Recchias contestants awarded a hometown date during The Bachelorette. Rachel traveled to Anaheim, CA, to meet Zachs family, including his famous uncle Patrick Warburton. The actor is known for his distinctive voice, which he lent to characters such as Kronk from The Emperorors New Groove and Joe Swanson in Family Guy. When Zach became the Bachelor, it seemed only natural that Warburton would appear in his season. So my Uncle Pat, funny enough, he was more nervous than I was, Zach said on the Jennifer Hudson Show while discussing becoming the Bachelor. He was actually kind of nervous about it because hes always been just Puddy or Kronk in whatever his shows are, and now hes like, Ive gotta be Patrick Warburton.' Patrick Warburton doesnt appear in the sneak peek for The Bachelor finale In The Bachelor Season 27 finale, Zachs final two women, Kaity Biggar and Gabi Elnicki, will meet his family in Krabi, Thailand. A sneak peek for episode 10 shows Zachs parents and sisters, talking with the Bachelor, but Patrick Warburton is nowhere to be found. Its possible that if Warburton does appear in the finale, ABC might want to keep it a surprise. However, it seems more likely that the network would promote his appearance on the show. Its strange that Zachs famous uncle hasnt had any screen time on The Bachelor. One reason could be the finales filming location. Although Krabi, Thailand, is a beautiful spot, its also pretty far to travel for a guest appearance on The Bachelor. Warburton is a busy man, and traveling to Thailand might not have worked for his schedule. So far, fans have not seen Patrick Warburton on Zachs season of The Bachelor. However, it turns out that an entire group date, hosted by Warburton, was cut from episode 2. According to Reality Steve, the group date involved the women putting on a puppet show for Zach. However, none of this group date activity made it into the episode. During his Daily Roundup podcast, Reality Steve stated, The whole thing is bizarre. This is a group date filmed in front of an audience that Patrick Warburton was part of, and theyre just choosing not to show it at all. Only the cocktail party portion of the date was shown, and the reason still isnt clear. The Bachelor Season 27 airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheets YouTube channel. SEAL Analytical, a Porvair company brand, is a world leader in the design, development, and manufacture of Automation, including Discrete Analysers, Continuous Segmented Flow Analysers, Robotics and Pre-Sample treatment equipment. SEALs instruments are specifically designed and optimised for use with environmental samples. SEAL analysers are also widely acknowledged as the best-in-class and instrument of choice for monitoring nutrients in water & wastewater, seawater, soils & plant tissue, as well as the quality control of industrial products, fertilizers and tobacco. SEALs Ingenuity Solves Common Lab Problems. For over 50 years SEAL Analytical has provided alternatives to the laboratory tasks consuming the largest share of a technicians task time. 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SEAL understands the importance of Governmental approved methods in the Environmental Sector. We work closely with the USEPA, ISO, SEPA and the UKAS and have obtained written approval for both Continuous Segmented Flow Analyser and Discrete Analyser methods. In-House Technical Experts. The depth of knowledge in SEAL Analytical in-house Technical Team of chemists, engineers and software programmers sets us apart from all others in the industry. Our team is available to support all your chemistry, hardware and software needs. Progress is continuing on extensive repair projects on Indian Road. Cherokee Nation is investing nearly $2 million in Tribal Transportation Program funds to help county commissioners in Cherokee and Sequoyah Counties expedite the projects. Samsung Electronics likely headed for first quarterly loss in nearly 15 yrs: analysts One of the most stressful parts about planning to go to college is figuring out exactly how youll pay your tuition. Its an intimidating and scary process, especially because tuition costs keep rising yearly. One man is at a standstill with his youngest daughter, who is upset after finding out shell have to take out more in student loans than her two older sisters. He has three daughters. The eldest is 27, the middle child is 25, and his youngest is 18. He and his wife had their first two daughters biologically and adopted their youngest when she was seven. When his two oldest daughters were born, his wealthy in-laws opened a college fund for each of them. His parents and, eventually, he and his wife contributed to the accounts as well, but mostly his in-laws did the bulk of the funding. The problem is that my wifes parents passed before we adopted our youngest daughter, and therefore they did not set up a fund for her, he explained. My wife and I created one for her when we adopted her, but with less time and without my in-laws help. His two eldest daughters went to a state school. The oldest one was able to pay for the first three years of school through her fund, then took out loans for the last year. His second daughter was able to cover her transfer from community college to a state school, then used student loans to go to graduate school. Unfortunately, his youngest daughters college fund will only cover three semesters at the private school she wants to go to. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Did you know there was once a woman who lived during the Civil War who was a spy, actress, and author in her lifetime? Her name was Isabella Boyd, and she was one of the most famous Confederate spies during the Civil War. Born in West Virginia in 1844, Isabellas family had deep Southern roots. Born to a tobacco farmer and shopkeeper, Isabella attended school as a teenager before the Civil War broke out. She graduated from the Mount Washington Female College of Baltimore when she was 16. The following year, the Civil War began. The Union had taken over her hometown of Martinsburg, Virginia. Her involvement in the war happened early on, and she did something practically unheard of. When Union soldiers heard Isabellas family supported the Confederacy and had Confederate flags in their home, one soldier began verbally attacking her mother. So what did Isabella do? She grabbed a pistol and shot the soldier, killing him. This incident gave Isabelle a ton of respect amongst the Confederate states. As a result, she was acquitted of her crime and returned home, where she became even more involved in the war. Union soldiers stayed around Isabellas house and were told to keep an eye on her. She used this as a way to advance the South. She soon became a messenger for Confederate generals, listening to whatever secret information she could sneakily get from Union soldiers and passing it on. Isabella got more and more daring throughout her espionage years. However, that doesnt necessarily mean that she always got away with everything. She was arrested at least six times. Her most famous moment as a spy was when she helped Confederate General Stonewall Jackson in 1862 with information on Union officials that she had learned by listening to them speak through a keyhole in her hotel room door. At one point, she literally arrived on a battlefield to deliver news to General Jackson. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Unsplash/Juliette F On Saturday, Mar. 11, German Synodal Way at Frankfurt flushed several bishops on blessing the same-sex union. These bishops include Bishop Franz-Josef Bode of Osnabruck and Bishop Heiner Wilmer of Hildesheim. Bishops in German Who Plans to Allow Same-sex Unions in their Churches On Tuesday, Mar. 14, Bishop Franz-Josef Bode of Osnabruck stated that the Synodal Way, which ended in Frankfurt on Mar. 11, gave them the momentum they needed for meaningful improvements in their diocese. The Catholic News Agency reported that Bishop Boden currently holds the position of vice president of the German Bishops' Conference. He also said that all couples who are unable or unwilling to marry in a church but wish to put their relationship under a church blessing are encouraged to contact them. Bishop Boden noted that lay people would soon be able to baptize infants and regularly preach at sermons. Another German prelate, Bishop Heiner Wilmer of Hildesheim, extended his support by informing the staff in his diocese: "It is of tremendous significance to me that LGBTQ individuals are accompanied liturgically, pastorally, and spiritually. He is reportedly happy to see that the Synodal Way has approved the formation of a task force to develop a handout for blessing celebrations for s same-sex couples and remarried divorcees. According to the Catholic World Report, a resolution to develop and grant Church blessings to same-sex unions was approved by the German bishops and other delegates of the Synodal Way on Friday of the previous week, Mar. 10. The gathering title is "Blessing ceremonies for couples who love each other." As mentioned, just nine of the 58 bishops voted against the measure, while 11 refrained from voting either way. Also Read: Church of England's General Synod Meets to Address Same-Sex Proposals; Archbishop Urges Unity About Synodal Way As per First Things.com, the Synodal process will seek measures to strengthen Christian witness and started in December 2019. Because it is thought to be so crucial for the Church's continued existence, the organizers moved swiftly to implement a decentralized, regional, and online model at the beginning of the pandemic. As part of the process, focus groups are held to discuss the following topics: Authority and division of power within the Church; The existence of priests in modern society; The role of women in church ministry and offices; Flourishing relationships, including living love in sexuality and partnership. Accordingly, it is essential to note that three of these four themes concern individuals hired by the Church and, as a result, more or less clerical topics. Despite the urgent plea made by Pope Francis, the subject of evangelization still needs to be cut. There is some discussion of evangelization in the papers generated by the Synodal Method; nevertheless, how it is discussed varies. Before the Church can move forward with evangelization, the majority of those who took part in the Synod, including bishops as well as other participants, believe that the institution of the Church needs to transform its way of life and methods of operation, if not in their beliefs and professions of faith. Although Pope St. Paul VI authored Evangelii nuntiandi 45 years ago, the Germans think that a great deal of progress needs to be made before they can get to the first responsibility and primary vocation of the Church. Related Article: Cardinal Hollerich Emphasizes Synod as Symphony, Conversion During Conclusion of Asian Continental Assembly on Synodality Unsplash/Olivia Snow Britain's House of Commons allowed a criminalizing law in praying outside the abortion clinic. A monetary penalty would be imposed for each violation committed. Criminalization of Praying Outside Abortion Clinics On Mar. 7, the House of Commons in Britain passed legislation to construct "buffer zones" across the country. The act prohibits behavior that "interferes with any person's decision to access, provide, or facilitate the provision of abortion services" near abortion clinics. The Catholic News Agency reported that the too-broad clause of the bill would make a wide variety of activities illegal, including the practice of silent prayer. Any infraction would result in a monetary penalty being assessed. Yet, the amount of the fine is theoretically uncapped. Auxiliary Bishop John Sherrington of Westminster, the lead bishop for life issues for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, made the statement on Wednesday, Mar. 15. He said that the prayer was a lament. It's possible that in some "zones" across these territories, expressing specific ideas or peacefully preaching to the Gospel of life may now be considered a criminal act. On the other hand, an amendment that would have protected silent prayer and communication based on mutual consent within impacted buffer zones was rejected by parliamentarians, which caused particular alarm among the bishops in England and Wales. The vote to reject the proposal came in at 299 to 116. Also Read: Police Officer Suspended For Praying Outside Abortion Clinic Receives $75K As Settlement Some of the Pro-life Activists' Illegal Praying Cases Outside An Abortion Clinic According to Christianity Today, earlier in January, Adam Smith-Connor was observed kneeling and praying in silence while facing the rear of an abortion facility when he was out in public in Bournemouth, UK. The community safety force officers inquired as to what he was doing, and he responded that he was "praying for [his] son, who has passed away." A video of the event shows the cops offering their condolences before stating that Smith-Connor, a 49-year-old physical therapist and veteran of the British army, was "in contravention" of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO). In the end, he had to pay a fine. The PSPO in question is a municipal law passed in October 2022 and established a "safe zone" encompassing several city blocks around the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) abortion clinic. The law makes it illegal to demonstrate by yourself or with others, and it includes prayer as an element of demonstration in its definition of the term. In a release from Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADFI), a conservative legal group assisting him, Smith-Connor revealed that the abortion that occurred nearly three decades ago was regarding the deceased son he had mentioned to the police. Smith-Connor was the one who paid for the abortion, but she deeply regrets her decision and believes that abortion is harmful to women, kids, and families. As per the Angelus News, The legislators who voted to introduce the buffer zones to the Public Order Law rejected an amendment that would have exempted prayer and consensual talk from its provisions. As mentioned, after being accused of violating a Birmingham council protection order by praying in front of an abortion clinic, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, co-director of March for Life UK, and Father Sean Gough, priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, was acquitted in February of all charges against them. She had been accused of breaking the order by praying in front of the clinic. The final vote took place the day after a pro-life woman was detained for the second time in Birmingham for praying silently in what is believed to be a municipal buffer zone law violation. Related Article: Priest Arrested for Silently Praying in Protected Area Outside Abortion Clinic Unsplash/Norbu GYACHUNG Cornerstone Church in Michigan, the largest worshipping congregation of United Methodists, recently decided to leave the denomination due to their different viewpoints regarding those who identify as LGBTQIA+. Even though Cornerstone Church is grateful to the United Methodist Church, they believe that leaving the denomination is a healthy step for their congregation. Cornerstone Church Decision on Leaving United Methodist Church's Denomination A report from Fox 17 stated that the decision was announced on Sunday, Mar. 19, by Cornerstone Church, which has its main location in Caledonia and two satellites in the Grand Rapids area. It was made when the United Methodist Church discussed the denomination's future, with the church's connection to LGBTQ+ individuals serving as the primary topic of discussion. According to a spokesperson for the United Methodist Church's Michigan Conference, since the formation of The United Methodist Church more than 50 years ago, members have been engaged in a heated debate to define church beliefs and relationships with LGBTQIA+ persons in the church. This debate has been going on for decades, and the interpretation of the Scriptures held by United Methodists is at the heart of this disagreement. On the other hand, the denomination's ability to conclude has been hampered by the pandemic, which has resulted in the United Methodist General Conference being postponed for three years. Policies of the Church can only be modified by convening a worldwide meeting of the General Conference, which did not occur when the COVID pandemic was going on. In the meantime, many local Methodist congregations quit the denomination altogether, with some joining the Global Methodist Church, which adheres to more traditional beliefs. Seven churches in Michigan have already gone their separate ways, and the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church anticipates that another twenty-three churches will do the same by June. The Cornerstone Lead Pastor, Ken Nash, said, "We are grateful for the United Methodist Church. While our hearts are heavy today, we believe this is a healthy step for Cornerstone as we navigate ministry in these complex times." As per the Human Rights Campaign, Policies that are now in place within the United Methodist Church, which is estimated to have 10.4 million members, are significantly discriminating against members of the LGBTQ community. Moreover, numerous religious leaders, especially pastors in the local area, not only accept gays and lesbians as church members but also advocate for their fundamental civil rights. Also Read: Judge Refuses to Dismiss Jonesboro Congregation's Case to Leave United Methodist Church United Methodist Church's Exit Plan For Churches According to Christianity Today, it has been almost four years since the United Methodist Church approved an exit plan for churches that wished to break away from the worldwide organization over conflicting attitudes about sexuality. This action set in motion what many feared would be a modern-day division within the church. Data from the General Council on Finance and Administration revealed that 1,831 United Methodist churches out of 30,000 nationwide had been granted the right to disaffiliate since 2019. However, international departures from the 12,000 United Methodist churches worldwide remained unknown. The plan for churches to break their affiliation with the denomination gives them until Dec. 31, and many have already made it clear that they want to leave the denomination. After making payments toward apportionments and pension costs, these churches can retain ownership of their facilities. Others are attempting to force the issue through the civil justice system. Related Article:Asbury Church to Disaffiliate with United Methodist Church Due to Disagreement on LGBTQ+ Inclusion Pexels/Sora Shimazaki 36 United Methodist churches located in Iredell County, North Carolina, had filed a lawsuit seeking to disaffiliate themselves from the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church congregation. According to WFMY News, however, the lawsuit was dismissed by Judge Richard L. Doughton of the Iredell County Superior Court. The conference had filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in January, arguing that involving the state in church business violated the religious protections that have been given by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Judge Doughton agreed with the conference's argument and granted their motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The WNCC Expressed Gratitude The Western North Carolina Conference (WNCC) has expressed gratitude for a recent ruling that reinforces the separation of church and state, particularly in matters that have already been resolved through The United Methodist Church's internal adjudicative process, according to Fox 8 WGHP. The agreement that unites United Methodists worldwide to help and uphold one another for true discipleship and the ministry of Jesus Christ is emphasized in the WNCC statement. It emphasizes that United Methodist congregations are not independent; rather, they hold their churches and real estate in trust for the benefit of the denomination and its different missions. The WNCC, consisting of over one thousand local churches, fresh expressions, and campus ministries, works in collaboration with camps, retirement communities, food ministries, children's homes, and persons with disabilities across the western half of North Carolina. The statement quotes the apostle Paul, who reminds us that the body, though it comprises many members, is one, each member belonging to all the others. According to another source, Religion News, the conference recently argued that the First Amendment prevents civil courts from becoming involved in religious debates that require an examination of religious doctrine and practice. They also argued that churches do not have standing because a regional association within the denomination does not have members. It is unclear why the judge agreed to dismiss the case, but the Western North Carolina Conference was pleased. In the Western North Carolina Conference, 41 United Methodist congregations have already been permitted to leave the denomination, and an additional 190 churches are expected to be approved for disaffiliation in May. The National Center for Life and Liberty is representing 36 congregations who are suing to leave. David Gibbs III, the primary attorney, has previously filed a lawsuit on behalf of 100 congregations belonging to the Florida Annual Conference and is currently in negotiations with a number of other conferences. Gibbs remained silent for a while. Also Read: Cornerstone Church Severs Ties with United Methodist Church Denomination No Statement Yet Have Been Released by the Attorneys The Charlotte Observer attempted to contact the lawyers representing 36 churches who did not respond regarding a lawsuit. Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, could not be reached for comment. Reverend James Howell, a long-time Myers Park United Methodist Church minister, expressed his embarrassment over the church's extensive debate on LGBTQ rights. He stated that most church members welcome everyone and do not judge or exclude others. The church strives to be welcoming and does God's work in the world. Related Article: Asbury Church to Disaffiliate with United Methodist Church Due to Disagreement on LGBTQ+ Inclusion Pexels/Dex Planet Bishop Joseph Han Zhi-hai of Lanzhou, a province in north-central China, has called for unity among Catholic clergy in China. In his letter to the Vatican Fides agency on the 20th anniversary of his ordination as Bishop, Han suggested that all Catholic churches in China should register with the government. Han believes this will end their division as state-sanctioned and underground churches. He emphasized that the disunity and heartbreak between brothers were hurting and tormenting them the most. Han is a bishop recognized by both the state and the Vatican. The Vatican has long disputed the appointment of bishops and other religious matters with China. Bishop Urges Chinese Catholics Not to Be Afraid and Leave Underground Catholic Church According to UCA News, Han writes that when he became Bishop 20 years ago, he expressed his desire to join the state-sanctioned church and called on other bishops to do the same. He believes that in the intervening years, the church in China has made progress in living openly in full communion with the Universal Church within the framework of Chinese law. Han cites the growth of his diocese, including the construction or renovation of 20 churches, the training of more than 20 priests, and the growth of three congregations with 136 religious sisters. He acknowledges that there are still difficulties but believes that they can be faced with the help and closeness of the whole church. Before 2018, the Catholic Church in China was divided into two groups: the government-controlled Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and the Underground Catholic Church loyal to the Vatican. In the article Bitter Winter, members of the latter group, including bishops, priests, and laypersons, were persecuted for their beliefs, and their existence was uncertain. In 2018, a deal was reached between the Vatican and China to gradually merge the Underground Church into the Catholic Patriotic Association, creating one unified Chinese church. Bishops would be jointly selected by the Chinese Communist Party and the Vatican and appointed by the Pope. While the Vatican claimed that the Underground Church no longer existed after the deal, guidelines were issued in 2019 allowing Catholic conscientious objectors to remain outside the Patriotic Association if their conscience required it. Also Read: Chinese Priest Urges Pope To Speak In Defense Of Orphans In China Following Closures Of Catholic Orphanages Proposing Improvements to the Agreement Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican secretary for Relations with States, was interviewed by Colm Flynn for EWTN News. According to CCS, Gallagher stated that Vatican diplomats are currently working to negotiate improvements to the provisional agreement signed with Beijing in 2018 regarding the appointment of bishops. He acknowledged that the current agreement could have been a better deal, as the other party was only willing to agree to certain things. Gallagher also noted that the timing of the agreement was not ideal and that the Chinese government had used it to pressure the Catholic community, particularly the Underground Church. Despite these challenges, he emphasized that the Vatican is committed to moving forward and seeking the best possible outcome for the Church in China. Related Article: CCP Demands Chinese Schools Teach Communist Propaganda And Party Line Pexels/ jimmy teoh Pope Francis has returned three ornately carved fragments from the Parthenon to Greece from the Vatican to correct wrongdoings. The sculptures were showcased at the Acropolis Museum, which was purpose-built to house the marble in view of the fifth-century monument. The Return of The Three Parthenon Fragments According to The Guardian, the return of the artifacts, which had been part of the Vatican Museums' holdings for over two centuries, is historically significant and positively impacts multiple levels. The repatriated fragments are a small part of a much larger collection of works removed from the temple over 200 years ago and are still held by the British Museum. The fragments' homecoming marks a step towards reuniting artworks regarded as the high point of classical art. Greece's Culture Minister, Lina Mendoni, described Pope Francis' decision to return the Parthenon fragments as heroic, saying it shows how the pieces of the Parthenon can be reunited to heal the wounds caused by rough hands many years ago. The delicate task of reinstating the relics involved gloved workers on a mechanized ladder removing the plaster casts that had been in their place. In the final fragment, the head of the bearded man was inserted among the sculpted relief panels, some of those present were moved to tears, and a moment of silence was followed by applause. During a recent visit to Athens, Bishop Brian Farrell, the Vatican's secretary for promoting Christian unity, led a delegation that returned three fragments of the Parthenon to Greece. The return of the fragments was discussed during a visit by Pope Francis in 2021. The pieces had been held in the Vatican Museums for over 200 years. In the article on Aljazeera, Farrell referred to the return of the fragments as a "cultural and social gesture of friendship and solidarity" towards the people of Greece. He expressed the Vatican's happiness to fulfill Greece's "legitimate wish" to return the fragments to their origin. The return of the fragments is seen as putting pressure on the British Museum to settle with Greece. Athens launched a campaign for the return of the Parthenon sculptures held at the British Museum 40 years ago. Also Read: Historic Alabama Church To Be Used As Museum Celebrating 'Christian Impact' On Community Hopeful This Move Will Inspire Others to Return the Other Fragments Greece is hopeful that the return of the Parthenon fragments by the Vatican will encourage other overseas institutions also to give back Parthenon sculptures to their rightful place and home. BBC reported that around 50% of the Parthenon's original sculptures have survived, and almost half are held at the British Museum. The culture minister of Greece, Lina Mendoni, praised the Vatican's gesture and drew attention to similar moves made by the government of Sicily and the Republic of Italy a few months earlier. She hoped this would inspire others to follow suit in restoring the unity of the Parthenon. During the ceremony, dignitaries, including the leader of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Ieronymos, exchanged handshakes and smiled for the cameras. Archbishop Ieronymos expressed his wish that other institutions would follow in the Vatican's footsteps, stating that Pope Francis had shown that such a gesture was possible and significant. Related Article: Vatican To Return but in the form of 'Donation' 3 Parthenon Sculpture Fragments To Greece In Historic Gesture County sues Greg Locke for zoning, noise ordinance violations; preacher plans to countersue Tennessees Wilson County has filed a lawsuit against Pastor Greg Locke and Global Vision Bible Church for zoning violations and excessive noise, but Locke says the church wont be bullied and he will counter-sue the county. The lawsuit, filed Thursday, outlines a nearly four-year history of county inspectors issuing stop work orders to the church for unpermitted building construction and property redevelopment, with the church allegedly refusing to comply, The Tennessean reported. The complaints have increased in number and the frequency from neighbors who suffer from the excessive noise, drainage from the property, and other issues, the lawsuit states. The county has carefully framed the lawsuit by not seeking an injunction against Global Vision, which expanded its property in May 2020, to avoid a clash over religious practice protections, The Tennessean noted. Locke, who gained notoriety for speaking out against Planned Parenthood and being a supporter of former President Donald Trump, has been involved in deliverance ministry. As his profile grew nationally, so did the number of visitors to Global Vision on Sundays, with many traveling from other states, the newspaper said, adding that an online petition calling for Wilson County officials to implement a noise ordinance due to Lockes church has garnered over 1,800 signatures. The lawsuit argues that Global Vision Bible Church should be ordered to remove all buildings from the property and be permanently enjoined from placing any other buildings on the property until there is full and strict compliance with the Wilson County Zoning Ordinance and the Wilson County Strormwater Regulations. In response to ongoing complaints about noise from Global Vision, the church erected a new tent intended to reduce sound levels. However, the countys lawsuit states that it continues to receive complaints. Locke asserted that his church is not in violation of any ordinances and will continue to hold services, according to Church Leaders. He said he plans to address the lawsuit during Sundays service at the church. While the congregation hasnt met in one of the church buildings for over three years, it is still listed in the lawsuit, he was quoted as saying. Let me be plain: we will counter-sue the county. We will keep having services. We will not be bullied and we will continue to do all we can to minimize sound, be good neighbors and serve the community. Locke has constantly stated that evil forces have been working together to silence him and his message of spiritual warfare and deliverance. 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 Trump and then against ongoing coronavirus lockdown orders that kept some churches closed for over 1.5 years. Last November, YouTube removed Lockes personal account from the platform weeks after shutting down his churchs account. In 2021, Facebook removed Lockes announcement that he would hold church services during the COVID-19 lockdowns in defiance of government orders at the time against social gatherings of no more than 10 people. At the time, Facebook accused Locke of promoting a crime. As Locke was gearing up for the release of his new film Come Out in Jesus Name, he told The Christian Post earlier this month he took his political views too far the past few years and he now understands that his platform was meant to highlight deliverance ministry instead. Once an avowed cessationist, Locke said he now fully embraces the gifts 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," Locke in an interview with CP. Hotel Rwanda hero to be released from prison Paul Rusesabagina, the real-life hero of the movie Hotel Rwanda, which told the story of a man who saved the lives of 1,200 people during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has been released after the Rwandan government commuted his sentence of 25 years on terrorism charges. Rusesabagina, a U.S. resident who was sentenced in Rwanda in 2021, has been released from prison in the capital of Kigali. U.S. Embassy officials moved him to the residence of Qatars ambassador, NPR reported Friday, citing sources in the Biden administration. The 68-year-old Belgian citizen is expected to soon return to his family in Texas. Rusesabagina is a critic of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who has led the nation since 2000. He was charged in 2020 with several criminal offenses, including financing terrorism, arson, kidnapping and murder. Rusesabagina is suspected of being a founder or a leader or sponsor or member of violent armed extremist terror outfits ... operating out of various places in the region and abroad, Rwanda's Investigation Bureau spokesman Thierry Murangira told reporters at the time. In 2020, after boarding a plane in Dubai for Burundi, Rusesabaginas family claims he was kidnapped and taken to Rwanda instead. Subsequently, he was arrested and put on trial for his affiliation with the Rwanda Movement for Democratic Change, a group that opposes the rule of Kagame. Rusesabagina acknowledges his leadership role within the organization but denies any connections to the armed wing, the Forces for National Liberation. This case has caused tension in the relationship between Rwanda and the United States, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussing the matter with Kagame during his visit last year. According to Kagames spokesperson, Stephanie Nyombayire, the resolution of the case was a product of the shared desire to improve relations between the U.S. and Rwanda, NPR said, adding that the government of Qatar also played a role in negotiating his release and commuting the sentences of 18 other prisoners who were convicted alongside him. Rusesabaginas actions during the genocide brought him international fame and numerous human rights accolades. He has not lived in Rwanda since 1996 after surviving an assassination attempt. In 2005, then-President George W. Bush awarded Rusesabagina the highest civilian award, the Civilian Medal of Freedom. Actor Don Cheadle portrayed the Rwandan hotel manager in the 2004 Oscar-nominated film, Hotel Rwanda. The movie recounts how Rusesabagina, a Hutu man married to a Tutsi woman, influenced and bribed military officials to help approximately 1,200 people who sought refuge at Mille Collines Hotel in Kigali, Rwandas capital city, escape the violence. About 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in the 1994 genocide, many hacked to death with machetes, which began in April of that year and lasted for over three months. Under the auspices of international organizations and agreements, Rwanda, a small landlocked country in central Africa, was ruled by Belgium between 1922 and 1962. Known as Ruanda-Urundi at the time, the nation was granted independence in 1962 as two separate nation-states, Rwanda and Burundi. Foreign financial reporting: When church and ministry money travels to foreign countries Researchers at the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, writing for the International Bulletin of Mission Research, estimate that $55 billion will be spent on foreign missions in 2023. That may seem like a lot, but the same researchers also estimate that Christian religious leaders will embezzle $62 billion in 2023. Foreign mission organizations are notorious for their lack of transparency. Gospel for Asia, which raises millions of dollars to support missionaries, doesnt disclose to donors important financial information such as total annual revenue, total annual expenses, or compensation for highly paid executives. Compounding the problem, American tax laws are poorly understood and poorly enforced, often resulting in noncompliance. If a church operates a mission project in a foreign nation with a foreign bank account and the foreign account exceeds $10,000, the church is required by the Bank Secrecy Act to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR). To make matters worse, if a church or ministry reports a foreign bank account, the report is confidential and cannot be revealed to church or ministry donors. Corrupt religious leaders can engage in international money laundering and the existence of their foreign bank accounts are shielded by privacy laws. Australian charity rules Some countries such as Australia have stricter laws regarding foreign reporting and foreign expenditures for churches. In 2022, Hillsong Church employee Natalie Moses turned whistleblower. Moses served as Fundraising & Governance Coordinator for Hillsong Global Corporate Group. According to Moses' statement of claim, Brian Houston, the founder and former senior pastor of Hillsong "announced that $10,000 would be given to persons who were his former interns and who had sought to start a 'Hillsong' Church in Bucharest, Romania." Moses responded by informing a supervisor that direct cash payments to individuals in Romania by Australian non-profit organizations were prohibited. To avoid violating Australian law, Hillsong Global LLC (an American non-profit limited liability company) transferred the funds. Meanwhile, Hillsong Global does not file a Form 990 disclosing its foreign spending because American churches and church-integrated auxiliaries are exempted from filing the non-profit information return. Moses raised additional concerns that Hillsong was failing to comply with Australian laws. Australia has adopted Four External Standards which regulate foreign non-profit spending and reporting. Australian churches are not exempt from these standards. The Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission requires foreign financial records to be "complete, accurate and legible." Australian churches and ministries should compile a list of all foreign third-party organizations they collaborate with. Non-profit organizations are expected to document criminal and illegal activities committed by employees after misconduct is discovered. Unfortunately for Australian Christians, these complete records are not available for church donors. Instead, they must be made available to government officials that request them. The Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission provides basic financial information for Australian churches and ministries, but good luck finding Hillsong Churchs foreign missions expenditures. (Photo: Hillsong Church Ltd. reporting no foreign expenditures for 2021.) Canada and the United Kingdom also have searchable charity registries with minimal financial data. Foreign financial investments and spending disclosures on 990s In the United States, non-profits (except for churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship) are required to file a Form 990 which discloses total revenue, total expenses, and compensation of highly paid executives. 990s help concerned donors evaluate the financial effectiveness of an organization. The disclosed information also helps journalists to follow the money when investigating a charitys operations. The following photos of 990s provide examples of large religious ministries revealing foreign assets and expenditures. When a non-profit responds with yes to the questions on Page 3 lines 14a through 16, it must also fill out Schedule F describing activities outside the United States. A review of line 14a will show if a non-profit has offices or employees overseas. (Photo: Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana discloses foreign offices and expenditures.) Form 990s (page 5 lines 4a and 4b) may indicate if a non-profit organization has foreign bank accounts or foreign investments. (Photo: Liberty University disclosed foreign investments in the Cayman Islands for fiscal year ending June 30, 2015. Liberty no longer reports foreign investments.) Ministries often use country codes to disclose foreign accounts and investments. (Photo: In 2020, Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana, an affiliate organization of TBN, disclosed foreign accounts in the United Kingdom and Spain.) Page 10 line 3 discloses financial assistance and grants given to foreign individuals and foreign organizations. (Photo: Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana discloses foreign grants and assistance in 2020.) Foreign investments are sometimes disclosed in Schedule D. The following photo lists Trinity Broadcasting Network investments in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. (Photo: Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana 2020 Form 990) Schedule F, which contains lists of foreign grants and foreign benevolence donations, is where the most detailed information about foreign financial transactions is disclosed. Several years ago, Matthew and Laurie Crouch restructured Trinity Broadcasting Network. Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana ceased to be the parent organization of TBN. That role was transferred to Trinity Broadcasting of Texas. Meanwhile, most of TBNs foreign financial transactions continue to be performed by Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana. Trinity Broadcasting of Texas didnt report any foreign financial accounts in 2020. The photo above reveals that Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana sent a check for over $3.5 million to a mystery organization in 2020. Even stranger, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) doesnt require non-profits to disclose the names of organizations receiving grants overseas, hence the first two columns in the photo above are greyed-out. Meanwhile, the IRS has the power to request additional information and penalize non-profit organizations filing incomplete 990s. Trinity Foundation is encouraging the IRS to take aggressive action in response to incomplete 990 information returns. The Christian organizations spending the most money or providing the most assistance in foreign nations tend to be disaster relief ministries and foreign mission agencies. (Photo: Each year churches across America collect shoeboxes of Christmas gifts which are sent to Samaritans Purse and distributed globally through the Operation Christmas Child project. The value of Christmas gift boxes is included in line three shown in the picture above Samaritans Purse 990s.) In 2020, Samaritan's Purse distributed 9,123,202 Christmas gift boxes in more than 100 nations. According to a 2020 audit of Samaritans Purse, the total Operation Christmas Child project cost $284.6 million. This total includes the processing and distribution cost of the project which would be included on other lines of Form 990. Home and world missions While churches and associations of churches are exempt from filing 990s, some mission organizations voluntarily file. In the Southern Baptist Convention, home missions (mission work performed in the United States) are performed through the North American Mission Board. International mission work is performed through the International Mission Board, which is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Neither missions organization files a Form 990. Other sources for financial information are annual reports published on mission board websites and membership profile pages on the ECFA website, which feature a very limited set of financial information but dont provide detailed foreign financial reporting. There is one compelling reason for missions organizations avoiding transparent financial reporting. Since 1985, the Southern Baptist Convention has mobilized to send missionaries and plant churches among unreached people groups. Missionaries are being sent to places where it is often dangerous to serve publicly. However, this should not be used as an excuse for avoiding financial reporting entirely. Church and ministry donors have a responsibility to check out the organizations they financially support. But, how can they make responsible decisions if there is not enough financial information available to evaluate the effectiveness of the organization? What is the average cost to send a missionary to serve in Southeast Asia? How much is the average cost to plant a church among an unreached people group? The answers to such questions might inspire more people to support world missions. Exorcism versus deliverance: What's the difference? Both the Bible and everyday experience show believers that evil is very real. But when it comes to Christians and demons, there are often theological and denominational differences on the subject, especially when it comes to ministry. Mike Signorelli, the pastor of V1 Church in New York City, says the first thing to remember is that deliverance from demons is very different from the Catholic practice of exorcism. In an appearance on the Playing With Fire podcast with Billy Hallowell, Signorelli said exorcisms are primarily done by Catholic priests in rituals that are widely considered by most Protestants to be extra-biblical. Oftentimes, these rituals will include the use of crucifixes, holy water" and mostly chanting done in Latin, he said. Signorelli reminded believers of the biblical warning that Satan often comes as an angel of light. I would really warn anyone listening against seeking out an exorcism from a priest because that intermingling that happens between those rituals and the usage of all these objects end up actually creating a worse condition than you come in," he said. Ive had to do many deliverances after somebody has received an exorcism from a Catholic priest, he added. So what does that deliverance look like? Signorelli who considers himself a student of deliverance ministries such as those of Derek Prince and John Eckhart said while its not quite like the movies, there are a few common signs. He referred to the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, when Jesus went into the synagogue in Capernaum and began to teach. There, He commanded an impure spirit to come out of a man. As it was in the first century, Signorelli said there will often be an outward manifestation or physical evidence of a demon being agitated before leaving a persons body. He said theres often, though not always, physical healing that accompanies a deliverance. He pointed to the 13th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus healed a woman who had been crippled for 18 years by a spirit. The ESV translates the phrase as a disabling spirit, while the NIV describes the woman as crippled by a spirit meaning, according to Signorelli, there are people with physical and biological conditions that are rooted in a spirit of infirmity. Pointing to scientific findings that show stress sends cortisol levels up and trauma results in cardiovascular problems, Signorelli said those are consistent with what Ephesians 6 describes as other realms affecting our physical realm. Although I dont have a complete and total understanding of all this, you are seeing the effect of these realms interacting, he said. Signorelli added that while he has a lot of empathy and compassion for those who think it might be theologically inaccurate or disrespectful to say a Christian can have a demon, he explained that not everybody who claims to be Christian actually is one. Lets apply wisdom first and foremost, he said. Wisdom says it is possible to go to church every Sunday and think youre going to Heaven because you go to church. He said the assumption that attending church makes someone a Christian is like thinking that if one stands in a garage, they become a car. Signorelli said he's done outreaches in Central Park attended by over 200 people, and there, he'd share the Gospel accompanied with deliverance." Just as it was during the Billy Graham era of stadium crusades, he said, society is still living in an era of signs and wonders that often accompany the greatest miracle. I cant tell you how many times somebody has been delivered first, then received the Gospel second, he said. Sometimes the miracle happens first and then the greatest miracle, which is salvation, happens second. Earlier this year, Signorelli made a YouTube video that went viral for warning parents of the demonic content in Disney Pixars Turning Red. The pastors video condemned the spiritual practices of ancestral worship and what he said looked like satanic rituals in Turning Red. Beyond the spiritual aspect of the animations, Signorelli pegged the themes in the film as a secular humanistic worldview that says there is no wrong or right anymore. I believe that every parent not just a pastor, but a parent has a mandate to actually screen material because every single device you have in your home is a portal, either a window into the things of God or, unfortunately, things that I believe are demonic, Signorelli said in an interview with CBN News. Samaritan's Purse deploys 1,000 volunteers to Florida to help residents recover after Hurricane Ian The Evangelical Christian charity Samaritan's Purse has deployed 1,000 volunteers on the ground in southwest Florida to help residents recover from Hurricane Ian and to make it clear that God loves them. Samaritans Purse CEO, the Rev. Franklin Graham, told The Christian Post that around 1,000 volunteers were deployed to southwest Florida, specifically in Fort Myers, Punta Gorda and Englewood, the areas hit hardest by the hurricane. According to the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service, a project of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fort Myers had a record storm surge of 7.26 feet above ground level. The response has been pretty strong and we just hope that it will hold up, Graham said, warning that if theres another news event and then people quit talking about Florida, then it gets even tougher to try to find volunteers to come. I think right now, well be there through the winter and possibly through the spring. ... Theres just that much need right now. Everything that we do, we want to do it in the name of Jesus Christ, he stressed. I want people to know that God loves them, he hasnt forgotten them. Many times in storms like this, people think that maybe Gods mad at them and hes judging them. No, I want them to know God loves us. I want them to know that the anchor that we can hang on to in these storms is Jesus Christ, who will take us not only through this storm and the next storm but it will take us through the storms of life that all the way until we get to heaven and I want people to put their faith and trust in him. Graham reflected on the devastation he witnessed when visiting southwest Florida earlier this week: People in these homes lost everything they owned, all of their furniture, their bedding, their pillows, their clothing, everything was soaked in this salt water and just ruined and so the only thing they can do is take it out to the street and the federal government comes in, FEMA, and theyll haul that stuff out. On Sept. 28, Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour near Cayo Costa, Florida. The National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service categorized it as the fifth-strongest hurricane on record to strike the United States and the "strongest hurricane to hit Florida since Michael in 2018." Graham said what Samaritans Purse volunteers are doing at this stage is helping people put their roofs back on and to get mud out their homes. In that mud out process, you have to take the sheetrock off the wall so that air can get through the studs and then electrical wiring is going to have to be replaced, especially those sockets that got soaked in salt water, those wires are going to have to be pulled out, Graham said. Its just going to take time, were not going to be able to fix it right away but our volunteers are there to help these families as much as we possibly can so we can help them get back on their feet. Graham also praised Citygate Ministries, a church in Fort Myers, for providing assistance to Samaritans Purse as the organization works to minister to those impacted by the hurricane. They have allowed Samaritans Purse to park their trucks and all of their equipment there. They took half their church, their Sunday school rooms and stuff and made that available for volunteers to sleep in, Graham said, expressing gratitude that the church allowed Samaritans Purse to use its kitchen so that we could cook and feed volunteers. Graham recalled a conversation he had with the pastor of the church, who saw the devastating storm as an opportunity just to love people and to share with them Gods love. Samaritan's Purse opens field hospital in Turkey as earthquake death toll surpasses 40K International Christian aid charities have bolted into action to support those impacted by last week's 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria last week and killed tens of thousands of people, with a leading Evangelical aid agency establishing a field hospital. The North Carolina-based Samaritan's Purse deployed a 52-bed emergency field hospital near Antakya in southern Turkey to help fill the void after a major hospital in the region was damaged by the Feb. 6 earthquake. Over 40,000 people were killed, and tens of thousands need medical care. The field hospital is equipped with a pharmacy and two operating rooms and is located in the parking lot of the 1,100-bed hospital that is longer in operation after the earthquake. On Monday, Samaritan's Purse said doctors and nurses had treated dozens of patients in the first hours of the field hospital's opening. "Our Emergency Field Hospital is now open, and our medical team has already treated earthquake injuries like broken bones, wounds and infections," said Samaritan's Purse President Franklin Graham, the son of the late legendary evangelist Billy Graham. "People are suffering, and we are there to meet their physical needs in Jesus' Name. Please pray for everyone affected and for our Disaster Assistance Response Team as they meet these emergency needs." Samaritan's Purse will also bring supplies to the most-impacted areas, including tarps, blankets, and solar lights. The charity plans to have more than 100 Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) specialists on the ground, helping at hospitals or other areas where there's a need. Charles Franzen, director of humanitarian and disaster response at the Evangelical humanitarian organization World Relief, said his organization offers relief to the region through longstanding partnerships with local churches and organizations. World Relief is the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals. While World Relief is not on the ground in Turkey or Syria, the organization has mobilized relief efforts through its close partnerships with other agencies, according to Franzen. World Relief has partnered with some of these local agencies for over a decade. One of those partnerships is with Tearfund Germany, formally World Relief Germany, which partners with churches in more than 50 countries to deliver emergency aid. When World Relief Germany became Tearfund Germany, Franzen said the newly named organization took over those partnerships. But World Relief still maintains close relationships with those partnerships. Another route World Relief is taking to get aid into the needed areas is through longstanding membership in the Integral Alliance, a coalition of 21 Christian humanitarian and development organizations. Four agencies out of the 21 are actively involved in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, he said. "They're involved in all the different issues that are involved, their shelter and recovery, cash, food support washes, all of the different things that they can do in the immediate aftermath of the disaster," he continued. Gulsums, the deputy director of the Christian media ministry SAT-7 on the ground in Turkey who didn't want her last name identified, said the network has been helping survivors of the earthquake since the tragedy began. She said the people there are "shocked, sad and angry." "We started to actually give numbers to emergency services, bank accounts of emergency services in Turkey," she told CP in an interview. "And if people want to send help, we just try to give them information." SAT-7 directs people to municipalities to help them obtain resources such as clothes, food and water, Gulsums said. In addition to information, the media ministry invites people to call with prayer requests, and the staff prays for them. SAT-7 also provides parents with the name of a trauma psychologist featured on the network who counsels kids experiencing mental health issues due to the earthquake. "We are a holistic TV channel," Gulsums said. "We are not only talking about God, but we also try to help the society, the parents, and the kids." The death toll from the earthquake has surpassed 40,000 35,418 in Turkey and more than 5,800 in Syria. The earthquake's impact has also extended beyond Syria and Turkey. Residents of Lebanon felt the aftershocks of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, with municipalities asking people in Beirut and neighboring cities to evacuate homes and buildings, especially those already damaged by the Beirut explosion of August 2020. According to a statement from St. Rafka Mission of Hope and Mercy, a Christian charity, residents have been forced to evacuate their homes in the midst of a devastating snowstorm in the region. Father Andre YS Mahanna, who heads up the organization, expressed gratitude for a team of U.S. doctors who will fly to Lebanon to help the group's relief efforts from Feb. 16 to Feb. 23. "This historical visit also comes as a response to the economic disasters and medical crises that have severely affected millions of people in the region," he said. "The real disaster in Lebanon remains that people have no fuel for warmth or electricity, meagre food supplies, no medical supplies or access to affordable healthcare, and over one million children have not returned to school since the Christmas Break," Mahanna said. "Help from US doctors is critical if we are to address the crisis in Lebanon and the Middle East." The group has also opened a relief fund to help people in Lebanon and the Middle East by providing food, medications, tents and temporary housing, blankets, fuel for warming homes, emergency surgeries if needed and school education. St. Rafka Mission of Hope and Mercy is also inviting people in the U.S. to join them this week for a week of prayer, solidarity and acts of charity for Lebanon, Turkey, Syria and Iraq. Supreme Court refuses to hear evangelists complaint against university barring him from preaching The United States Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a traveling evangelist who was barred from preaching at the University of Alabama for failing to obtain a permit. In an order released Monday, the Supreme Court declined without comment to hear arguments in the case of Rodney Keister v. Stuart Bell et al., allowing a lower court ruling against Keister to stand. Erik Jaffe, an attorney for Keister, said in a statement quoted by The Associated Press on Monday that he was disappointed with the high courts refusal to hear the preachers case. Whether public sidewalks remain traditional public forums with full First Amendment protection for free speech, regardless of their proximity to a university or other restricted-use property, remains an important and unsettled issue, marked by inconsistent and unpredictable decisions, stated Jaffe. We hope that the Supreme Court eventually steps in to rationalize and expand constitutional protections in this area, even if they passed on this current opportunity to do so. Keister, the founder of a Pennsylvania-based ministry known as Evangelism Mission, is known for traveling to various college campuses to preach to students and hand out religious pamphlets. In March of 2016, Keister attempted to preach on a sidewalk at the Tuscaloosa campus of the University of Alabama, but was told by campus police that he needed to have a permit. Keister filed suit against the university, with a district court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit siding with the school. From there, Keister filed his first appeal with the Supreme Court in 2018, only to have the highest court in the land declined to hear arguments. In 2019, Keister filed an amended civil rights suit against the university, only to have a federal judge rule against him in 2020 and a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit unanimously ruled against him last year. As state-funded entities, universities like the University of Alabama are subject to the First Amendment, ruled the appeals court panel in March 2022. Nevertheless, the First Amendment does not guarantee a private speaker's right to speak publicly on all government property. Rather, the government, similar to a private-property owner, enjoys the power to maintain its property for a lawfully prescribed use. The panel concluded that the sidewalk was a limited public forum, which meant an area where only particular subjects may be discussed or that only certain groups may use. Among other distinctions, universities have a particular mission to educate, continued the ruling. So when it comes to their campus and facilities, universities generally may issue reasonable regulations that are consistent with that mission For this reason, university public-speaking venues often qualify as limited public fora. 'Unmasking Gender Ideology' panel warns 'women are going to lose' rights if trans ideologues win CP event tackles dangers of transgenderism, how the Church should respond DALLAS, Texas What is a human being? And what does it mean to be a human being? Those were the central questions considered at The Christian Posts conference, "Unmasking Gender Ideology: Protecting Children, Confronting Transgenderism," where several professionals from various fields with experience fighting gender ideology came together to share their insights. A crowd of more than 170 people attended the event co-sponsored by First Baptist Dallas on March 23 for the conference, which tackled a number of topics, including the dangers of gender ideology and its impact on the Church, the indoctrination and medical abuse of children in the name of gender-affirming care, and the plight of incarcerated women who are required to share prison cells with men due to gender self-ID laws. View Photos The event was hosted by CP's award-winning social commentator and podcaster Brandon Showalter, who underscored the urgency of facing gender ideology in the Church. Showalter pointed to the very origins of mankind in Genesis 1:27 where God made both man and woman in His image as an illustration of transgender ideologys grave assault on the Gospel itself. These are not secondary or tertiary doctrinal matters, said Showalter. They are primary. Get your free book 'Exposing the Gender Lie' here Mary Rice Hasson, J.D., a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, was among the speakers in the events first panel and warned this ideology is a global event that is shaping our world from language to the fields of law and healthcare. Calling the movement a danger to women, Hasson pointed to the decline of religion as playing a key factor in the spread of the trans movement. All of sudden, you had a culture that was still looking for meaning but didnt have an answer and was much more willing to believe," said Hasson. So now were facing a situation where a basic concept like sex we know what it is, its the difference between male and female, its a biological term sex in the law is being redefined to mean gender identity. Since the coming out of former Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner as Caitlyn Jenner in 2015, transgenderism has grown exponentially, particularly in the West. According to UCLAs Williams Institute, the number of young people who identify as trans has doubled just in the last few years, while one in five people who identify as trans are between 13 to 17 years old. And because of the subjectivity of gender identity, Hasson said the transgender movement poses a dire threat to women in particular. Gender identity is a feeling, she explained. Its completely subjective cant test for it, cant prove it, its got to be declared. When you make that a legal category, what youre doing is youre ensuring that women, in particular, are going to lose all those rights that go with sex discrimination laws. That threat toward women might be most acute, perhaps surprisingly, in the American prison system. In trans-affirming states like California, biological men including serial sex offenders are allowed to transfer to womens facilities. Amie Ichikawa, who served five years in a California state prison and now heads the Woman II Woman prison advocacy group, told the panel that while prison was not wonderful prior to the 2021 passage of Californias Senate Bill 132, which allowed incarcerated men to be housed with women if they self-identified as women, things have rapidly gone downhill. Ichikawa told the story of one serial rapist who, before the passage of SB132, mutilated himself and declared himself to be a woman for the sole purpose of being housed with female inmates. Along with bringing distinctly male politicking including distinctions of race, gang affiliation and crime level into the womens facility, this inmate was serving time for the violent rape of a mother and daughter. At one point, he asked the president of the women's advisory council if he could get a job in the electrical shop, she recounted. Years later, we found out he electrocuted his victims. Now, said Ichikawa, the implementation of SB132 has changed culture radically: she has personally heard from some 200 women who need to talk to someone, so she provided her personal cell phone number for them to contact. Ichikawa said she and her formerly incarcerated partners are dedicated to holding the line and making sure we dont abandon our sisters inside. So how did we get here? Jennifer Lahl, who spent 20 years in clinical nursing and is the founder and president of the Center for Bioethics and Culture, said the shift has taken place even as the medical profession has been completely transformed. Whereas traditionally the profession involved a relationship between doctors and patients, now in the Google era, doctors have become healthcare providers and patients are now clients or customers. Now weve become consumers of medicine, said Lahl. I walk in, I show up, I say, Doctor, Ive done the Google search, heres what I want, heres what I have. ... Another factor, according to Lahl, is that medical ethics is no longer a required course in med school. Medicine like academics, like the media, like the cultural elites has been captured, she said. Much of that has occurred in the name of gender-affirming interventions, or a pattern of what panelist Dr. Andre Van Mol described as junk science pushing out decades-old research. There's decades of literature showing overwhelming probability in a gender dysphoric minor of underlying mental health problems, of adverse childhood experiences, bad family dynamics and a way over-representation of autism spectrum dysphoria, and that these all predate the gender dysphoria, Van Mol explained. "There's always a more honest answer to gender dysphoria, gender confusion in a minor than chemical sterilization and surgical mutilation," he added. "What they need is to address those underlying issues, and it comes with mental health evaluation and treatment. According to recent data, the number of minors in America receiving a diagnosis of gender dysphoria tripled from 2017 to 2021, with more than 42,000 receiving the diagnosis in 2021. On the social media platform TikTok, which is especially popular among younger people, the hashtag trans has logged 50.2 billion views, nearly doubling within the space of a year. More European nations, he added, are turning away from this junk science and instead telling minors who are experiencing gender dysphoria to undergo comprehensive psychological evaluation and therapy. This approach, said Van Mol, is a more holistic method of addressing what tends to be a deeply complex condition. There's always a more honest answer to gender dysphoria or confusion in a minor than chemical sterilization and mutilation, he said. What they need is to address those underlying issues. Given the multifaceted dynamic of transgenderism, how can the Church respond in a way thats both truthful and helpful? Jeff Myers, Ph.D., the president of Summit Ministries and co-author of a recent e-book with Showalter, titled Exposing The Gender Lie, said Christians must first acknowledge the urgency of the issue and the threat it poses. We realized we can't be silent on the issue of gender ideology because it is an attack on the very idea of truth itself, said Myers. He said hes very concerned about transgenderism and pointed to some 6,500 catalogued biological differences between males and females. The idea that you can be a boy and become a girl is a lie; it is a lie about biology and it is a lie about personhood, he said. Myers pointed to the teaching of the postmodern view that words are reality a teaching that stretches back nearly three decades, when university students were being taught that no objective reality exists, only knowable perceptions. So instead of saying people should seek the truth, now people say you should speak your truth, he explained. So if words have no relation to reality, then words like male and female dont matter anymore. That application, said Myers, underpins the entire ideology of transgenderism, which twists language to threaten the livelihoods of those whose very job is to communicate facts and data. Youre a journalist, youll get fired if you dont do this, he said. If you refer to biological men who identify as women as transgender women, you must use that terminology. If youre in the corporate world and dont do it, youll be fired. Panelist Julia Jeffress Sadler, a licensed professional counselor and bestselling author of Pray Big Things, said that mindset is why Christians must be equipped with Gods Word in order to respond effectively. I personally do not see a ton of kids who have really strong faith and upbringing and are assured of their salvation personally struggling with transgender, thats not what I see, she said. But they dont know how to defend the truth; they don't know how to use the Bible to explain the reality that were male and female. Lahl echoed that sentiment, stating her conviction and perhaps summing up the battle itself that transgenderism isnt simply a political or cultural attack but one that is satanic in its origins. I don't believe in transgenderism, she said. I think thats a lie from the devil. In Houston, family-owned restaurants are plentiful, but few have a unique, 100-plus-year history like Christie's Seafood & Steaks. The namesake restaurant of Istanbul-born Greek immigrant Theodore Christie changed hands in 1967, when the restaurateur made a fateful offer to two of his employees to purchase the thriving business. The catch? They would have to change their last names to Christie. Cousins James Priovolos and Steve Zoes, also Greek immigrants, were loyal, hard-working members of Theodore's staff. Without any children of his own, he hoped the duo would agree to the unusual stipulation and carry on his legacy. The young men proudly accepted, forever linking them to their employer and cementing their place in the restaurant's rich history. Christie's Seafood & Steaks is now the oldest restaurant in Houston. Christie's Seafood & Steaks By the time the new Christies took the restaurant over, it had already earned quite a reputation, with roots in Galveston dating back to 1917. Theodore's original concept was a sandwich shop called Christie's Cafe within Galveston's Tremont Hotel, and a fried trout sandwich, served on toasted po'boy bread, was its claim to fame. In 1939, Theodore opened a full-service restaurant at 6703 South Main Street in Houston. The much larger Christie's had three dining rooms and was churning out upwards of 10,000 fish sandwiches per week. "They called it Christie's famous trout sandwich," said Maria Christie, general manager and daughter of James Christie (formerly Priovolos). "It's just like the one we have on the menu todaysame seasoning and breading, but now we use Gulf snapper instead of trout." E. Joseph Deering/Houston Chronicle archives The location on South Main would remain in business for 45 years, and at the time of Theodore's death in 1968, James and Steve were operating multiple Christie's locations, including outposts on Bellaire Boulevard, South Post Oak and Westheimer. Steve's retirement caused the partners to scale back, eventually leaving only the Westheimer location for James to manage. And when James passed in 2013, his children took charge. "We all grew up in the restaurant," said Maria of herself and her four siblings. "It was only natural that we would end up in the restaurant businessand three of us, myself, Terry and George, did." Maria's sisters, Roula Christie, the host of 104.1 KRBE's popular morning show, and Kathy Christie, take on supporting roles, but Maria says "the restaurant runs through their blood too." Lawless and Son/Houston Chronicle archives Christie's has a hefty focus on seafood today, but Maria says a peek at vintage menus brought in from longtime customers revealed the selection was much larger in years past. "There were omelets, enchiladas, shrimp curry and ham sandwiches," she said, citing that it wasn't until the 1970s that the menu was simplified to include mostly seafood. "Today, people know us for our fried shrimp," she said. "We peel and devein it, butterfly it, bread it with our housemade breading and serve it with our own garlic remoulade sauce." Christie's Seafood & Steaks Fresh fish is equally sought after. Christie's simple grilled snapper filet is offered everyday with a vegetable and salad for $31.95. Maria claims their prices can't be beat, but that doesn't mean they skimp on quality. "We look at all of the deliveries, and if we don't like the way something looks, we send it back and let customers know we don't have that specific thing that day." A great many regulars have passed through the retro building on Westheimer for fried shrimp, the 1917 famous fish sandwich, and much more, but former President George H. W. Bush is arguably the most famous among them. His dish of choice was the oyster stewa piping hot combination of heavy cream, butter and fresh oystersthat still graces the menu. Blood may be thicker than water, but in the case of Theodore Christie and his chosen successors, the opposite has proven to be true. "None of this was planned, it just happened," said Maria, who wouldn't have it any other way. "My family loves feeding Houstonians." It's a great time to honor the beloved Houston institution and its highly publicized 1917 famous fish sandwich, as Christie's celebrates its 105-year milestone anniversary in 2022. In a city more famous for its growth than its dedication to historic preservation, a property like 109 Stratford Street, listed last month for $2.4 million, can feel like a rarity. The gated Montrose mansion is not just very old compared to other properties on the marketit is listed by the Harris County Appraisal District as being built in 1910, though it may have been 1909, according to listing agent Gayle Kennedy of Keller Williams Realty Metropolitanit sits on three full lots in the middle of the Avondale East historic district and retains much of its historic style and even some original architectural details. TK Images For example, once visitors get beyond the imposing neoclassical columns that frame expansive porches off both the first and second floors, they reach a leaded glass door with side panels that Kennedy says are most likely original to the house. Inside, a formal living room still has the original marble fireplaceone of three in the homeand light fixtures as well as the original hardwood floors. Adjacent to the living room is a parlor that connects to a formal dining room, which is separated from a family room by an original pocket door. The main stairway is lit by a stained glass window that is not original, but light fixtures that are. TK Images TK Images TK Images TK Images The main home, which has five bedrooms, may retain so much of its historic style in part because it has had so few ownersjust five in its 113 years, according to Kennedyone of which she just learned about after meeting with an 85-year-old man who lived here between 1938 and 1945 with his grandparents. Two of those owners were members of the same family who between them occupied 109 Stratford for around 80 years. The current owners, who have lived there for nearly 20 years, have overseen updates to the property, but have largely left its character intact. Some of those updates include a modern kitchen, remodeled in 2014, that includes a center island and wood accents that match the hardwood floors, and a 2008 addition to the property that added a wheelchair-accessible marble-tiled bathroom with a shower, a dressing area, a home office and an elevator. A carriage house and garage, built in 2005, includes a 900-square-foot apartment, which, along with the main home's third-floor bedroom and kitchen, provides ample room for guests to have their own space. TK Images TK Images Landscaped grounds cover much of the three lots that belong to the property, along with several picnic tables and swings. The three-lot propertya total of 18,000 square feet between themis among the most grand on Stratford Street. However, it's hardly the only remarkable home. The district was developed in the early twentieth century just as wealthy Houstonians were starting to move into the area and it was designed to be upscale and exclusive, according to the city's Historic Preservation Manual. The Avondale subdivision was named for Stratford-on-Avon, Shakespeare's hometown, and the surrounding streets held to the same theme. It was not cheap to build therea home on Stratford Street was required to cost at least $3,750but given the listing price of 109 Stratford, it sounds like a deal now. TK Images TK Images TK Images TK Images TK Images TK Images TK Images TK Images The submission and acceptance of grants with a value over $900,000 to fight domestic violence and drug trafficking will be discussed during the Webb County Commissioners Court meeting on Monday. An item submitted by the Webb County Sheriffs Office is asking to approve the submission of a grant application to the Office on Violence Against Women in an amount estimated at $375,000 to enhance investigations relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence through a grant-funded investigator and to sustain legal advocacy efforts by the Casa de Misericordia Domestic Violence Shelter. Violence against women is among the most intractable and deadliest criminal justice problems in the United States, especially domestic violence and in the South Texas area. According to published statistics, the number of American women between 2001-12 who were murdered by current or ex-male partners in the United States was 11,766. That's almost double the amount of casualties lost during wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Women who will be victims of severe violence by an intimate partner in their lifetimes are 1 in 4. With this grant, Casa Misericordia Domestic Violence Shelter and the Webb County Sheriff's Office seek to continue their coordinated, collaborative efforts to assist victims of domestic violence to receive improved, enhanced services to assist them with needed recovery, restitution, privacy, justice and dignity in the local Laredo/Webb County community. Another item posted for discussion and possible action is the authorization and acceptance of a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Grant in the amount of $530,150 for the continued salary and fringe benefits of seven Task Force Investigators. There is no cash match requirement for this grant, however, the District Attorney's Office requests additional funding in the form of cash match to cover expenditures in excess of the grant award. The cash match in the amount of $118,998 is requested each year through the county's budget process. There is evidence that trafficking in narcotics and dangerous drugs exists in Laredo, Texas, and that such illegal activity has a substantial and detrimental effect on the health and welfare of the people of Texas, it reads in the agenda. This grant will be utilized to gather and report intelligence data relating to trafficking in narcotics and dangerous drugs, conduct undercover operations, and engage in other traditional methods of investigations with the goal to disrupt the illicit drug traffic in Laredo by immobilizing targeted violators and trafficking organizations. Other topics to discuss during Mondays meeting will be the submission of a grant to fund the position of Victims Coordinator for the Domestic Violence Unit; a resolution to recognize April 2023 as World Autism Awareness Month and as Sexual and Awareness and Prevention Month; and a partnership proposal for the collaboration and publishing of a Webb County book, second edition. German EU commissioner faces parliamentary scrutiny in new role EU lawmakers interrogated gaffe-prone European Commissioner Guenther Oettinger about his past blunders on Monday during a special session about his new job overseeing budget and human resources for the commission. GALLERY Brussels (dpa) - Members of three budgetary and legal committees quizzed the German commissioner about his financial and personnel plans in the new role, which he was assigned after the resignation of vice president Kristalina Georgieva.During his tenure as commissioner of digital economy, Oettinger used the term "slitty eyes" to describe Chinese people, talked about "forced gay marriage" in Germany and said women would be unable to reach top jobs if it werent for preferential quotas.Critics have said the derogatory language disqualified the commissioner from overseeing personnel matters in Brussels."It was and is not my intention to hurt anyone with my comments," Oettinger told lawmakers on Monday. "I explicitly regret these past remarks."Oettinger has also come under scrutiny in Brussels for flying in a Russian honorary consuls private plane on official business.Oettinger flew in Klaus Mangolds private jet to Budapest to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban on May 18, according to his own accounts.The flight was later deemed "not a conflict of interest," according to a European Commission spokesman.Under European Commission rules, top officials are not allowed to accept gifts of more than 150 euros (158 dollars), a threshold that the value of the chartered flight exceeds.Mondays hearing will not likely affect Oettingers position as commissioner. The parliament cannot oust individual members of the European Commission but can remove the entire commission with a no-confidence vote. At least 25 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Mississippi as a massive tornado ripped through several towns on its hour-long path. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves was joined by federal officials during a news briefing Sunday in Rolling Fork, where more than a dozen people were killed during the storm, which decimated the small town. "The help is on the way I think thats critically important," Reeves said. "What weve seen over the last 36 hours in Mississippi is on one hand heartbreaking, on the other hand, inspiring and quite frankly makes me damn proud to be a Mississippian." The governor, along with Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson and Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, toured Rolling Fork with Mayor Eldridge Walker and saw the damage first-hand. "We walked down the streets of this town, seeing devastation on both sides of the road," Mayorkas said. Walker thanked the volunteers and the response from state and federal leaders. He said his priority is making sure Rolling Fork residents have their immediate needs taken care of, something he says is happening. "We want to thank you for all youre doing for the families of this community and making sure the city of Rolling Fork will come back bigger and better than ever before," Walker said. "We have volunteers away from as far away as Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana. We have them here helping out and we are thankful for what everybody is doing in this devastating time." Mayorkas said while touring the damage, he and Thompson spoke to someone from Houston, Texas, who traveled to Mississippi to help. "One can see photographs of this devastation, but its nothing compared to seeing it in person," Mayorkas said. "It's inspiring to see the people of Mississippi come together but not just the people of Mississippi but the country, to come together in such inspiring (ways)." Mayorkas and Criswell pledged their agencies will be in Mississippi for as long as it takes to restore the tornado-ravaged communities. "We are here, not just for today, but for the long haul," Mayorkas said. Walker, who is not only the mayor, but also a funeral director, said some of the people who died during the tornado were his friends. "Now, I'm helping (their families) make it through in this traumatic time," Walker said. "We were all taught that a family that prays together, stays together. This is a family. A family of strength, and this is what we need to bring this community back together." The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said fatalities have been reported in Sharkey, Humphreys, Carroll and Monroe counties. Multiple state agencies and partners are working together to help in the response and recovery efforts, MEMA said. Bottled water, potable water tankers, tarps, portable restrooms and hand washing stations, are among the resources that have been brought in to help residents and responders. President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration for Mississippi early Sunday, making federal funding available to affected areas. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KYIV, Ukraine - Oksana Leontieva was late for work. The 36-year-old doctor was due at Ukraine's top children's hospital, where she treated patients with cancer and other serious diseases. But first she had to get her son to kindergarten. An air raid siren was blaring across Kyiv, which meant, according to school rules, that Oksana, a widow and single mom, could not drop him off. It was Oct. 10. The alerts had been sounding for months, but there had been no strikes in the Ukrainian capital since the early weeks of Russia's invasion. Most people went on with their lives. "I may be late for the morning meeting," Oksana texted her colleagues at 7:25 a.m. "Issues with accepting kids." Finally, the school staff relented. Oksana told Hrysha, a blond, dark-eyed boy, goodbye. She put the car in gear and pulled out. By October, more than seven months after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a column of tanks rumbling toward Kyiv in a failed takeover attempt, an easy calm had settled over the city. Businesses reopened. After a quiet summer, displaced families flocked back from abroad, hoping to restart their lives. That morning, as people bustled through their routines, dozens of Russian missiles streaked low and fast across a clear sky, tracking west across Ukraine from the Caspian Sea and other launch sites. A little after 8 a.m., two missiles hurtled downward toward Kyiv's leafy Shevchenkivskyi district. One slammed into a busy intersection, ripping a massive crater in the concrete as it erupted in a ball of fire. In an instant, the blast incinerated Oksana Leontieva's car. She was just a mile from the hospital. The strike at the junction of Volodymyrska Street and Tarasa Shevchenko Boulevard was part of a barrage of more than 80 missiles and drones targeting the entire country. At least 19 people were killed. It was the first wave in what would become months of relentless Russian strikes aimed at cutting electricity, heat and water during winter. In Kyiv, the strikes hit far from military targets: a playground, a pedestrian bridge, an office tower. After the blasts, thousands of people packed into subway stations for shelter. Putin, grave-faced in Moscow, said the assault was retaliation for an explosion that crippled a strategic bridge linking Russia to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula that Russia annexed illegally in 2014. Russia would deal harshly with further threats, Putin vowed. "No one should have any doubt about that," he said. The attack highlighted Ukraine's urgent need for air defense systems that might have saved Oksana and other civilians like Vira Hyrych, a journalist who died when a missile struck her apartment building in Kyiv in April 2022. It also underscored the war's human cost far from the front lines, robbing 5-year-old Hrysha of his only parent, and depriving Ukraine of a pediatric hematologist who provided children with lifesaving treatment. Olha Daschakovska, a doctor who worked with Oksana at Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital, described her death as "murder." "Russia took childhood not just from her son, but from other patients she could have cured," Daschakovska said. - - - A young widow in wartime In February 2022, as Russian troops bore down on Kyiv, the staff at Okhmatdyt hospital hunkered down. Some slept in their offices for weeks. While most patients were moved to the basement during air raid alerts, Oksana and her colleagues stayed on the floor where they treated patients with life-threatening immunodeficiencies. Leaving those sterile rooms, where children spent months recovering from bone marrow transplants and other procedures, would be as dangerous as a potential airstrike. The Kremlin's invasion marked the second earthquake in less than a year for Oksana. In August 2021, her husband, Artem, died suddenly of an aneurysm, at age 37. After his death, Oksana juggled caring for Hrysha with long hospital shifts. Colleagues said that she smiled and joked less, but was managing. Her father, Hryhorii Leontiev, said Oksana thought about leaving Ukraine when the invasion began. But she knew that she would need to start her career over, perhaps as a nurse not a doctor. Moreover, she would always be a foreigner, a solo parent far from her family. Hryhorii said that staying was a practical decision. "She wasn't a hero," he said. "She was just considering the situation." In the meantime, she worried how Hrysha was coping with his father's death. Oksana put out photos of her husband in the apartment. Daschakovska said that Hrysha did not want his mother to go work after his father died. "He was scared that she wouldn't come home," she said. In the moments after the massive blasts in Kyiv on Oct. 10, Hryhorii Leontiev tried to call his daughter, but she did not pick up. He tried to tell himself that the cell network might be down. Then he saw photos on social media showing that a car resembling hers had been hit, on a route he knew she might take. He hurried to one of the blast sites. Several burned-out vehicles were behind a police cordon. An investigator confirmed the license plate. "What can I say?" the man said. There were human remains on the front seat. "Could it have been your daughter who was driving?" Hryhorii knew it could not have been anyone else. But he did not know about Hrysha. Just tell me, he demanded: "Were there any remains in the child's car seat in the back?" The man said the car was too badly burned to know. Hryhorii called the kindergarten. No one answered. The staff was probably sheltering in the basement with the children. It wasn't until an hour and a half later that he was able to confirm Hrysha was there. "If he had died, my wife and I probably wouldn't have survived," he said. "That was the hardest part." - - - 'Will I be alone?' On a winter day four months after the Oct. 10 strikes, Hrysha dumped out a jumble of small plastic soldiers on a play table in his kitchen. After Oksana's death, Hryhorii and his wife, Ninel, moved into Oksana's compact, tidy flat in a Kyiv high-rise. Staying in familiar surroundings, they thought, might make things easier for Hrysha. Hryhorii noticed his grandson played with the soldiers constantly after his mother's death. The boy says he wants to go to the front. "Those are bad soldiers," he said one afternoon, referring to figures he designated as Russians. Hrysha knows the missiles are coming from their side. The soldiers smash together. Airplanes fly. Hrysha used a calendar with cuddly kittens and bunnies to show off how he can count the days. He pointed to his birthday, which was circled: Oct. 5. "But it's far away," he said wistfully. His grandfather pointed at Oct. 10, the day of the strikes. What happened then, he asked? "I'm not going to tell you what happened that day," Hrysha said. After Oksana died, her older brother, who has three children, offered to adopt Hrysha. But Hryhorii decided it would be best if he and Ninel, who are in their 60s, adopted him. Oksana's friends and colleagues helped them navigate Ukraine's complex adoption process, including medical checks. "Now we have sort of a second youth. We get to be Mom and Dad again," Hryhorii said. "But of course we can't be Mom and Dad. He had a mom and dad, and he remembers them." Once Hrysha asked him if Ukraine's soldiers would come home when the war ends. "Yes, they will," Hryhorii replied. "Will Mom come back too?" he asked. Hryhorii said Hrysha struggles to understand her death. "Mom was here, then she was gone," he said. "She's somewhere." Hryhorii regularly consults psychologists from Oksana's hospital, who reassure him about his grandson's response. But Hryhorii has noticed Hrysha fears being left alone. He has asked relatives and other people: "Are my grandparents old?" "Yes, they're old," they replied. "Are they going to die? Will I be alone?" the boy asked. Around New Year's, Hrysha became focused on 2022 becoming 2023. Then 2024, 2025. He asked his grandfather: "When it's 2030, how old will I be? How old will you be?" And 2040, 2050? When Hryhorii told Hrysha he might not be around in 2050, he stopped short. "I realized that I shouldn't have said that because of the way he looked at me," Hryhorii said. Hrysha couldn't understand that he would be an adult by then. "Will I be alone?" he asked. At night, Hrysha wants to sleep with his grandparents. "Hug me, please," he will say. "Are you dreaming about something? Is something scaring you?" Hryhorii will ask. Hrysha says no. But he tosses in his sleep. - - - Anger, and hopes for justice In the bone marrow transplantation unit at Okhmatdyt Hospital, the staff has not yet been able to replace Oksana, who had more than 15 years of training. "It's not so easy to grow up a doctor," said Oleksandr Lystysia, a physician who heads the department. For Oleksandr, her death feels personal. They worked together for a decade. He and his wife, who is also a doctor at Okhmatdyt, have a child around Hrysha's age. Oleksandr is angry. "By killing Oksana the Russian people also killed the patients who could be cured and treated by Oksana," he said. At Okhmatdyt, the war is felt in other ways, too. Donor cells used in pediatric transplants would normally be flown to Kyiv, but now must be driven because Ukraine's airspace is closed. Some doctors have moved abroad. Daschakovska, Oksana's colleague, thinks about what happened while in her car. Kyiv "is like an illusion," she said. "It is safe, but it's not safe." She said it is more important than ever for Ukraine to improve its medical care, and generally make the country better than before. "We just really need to make sure that all these people's lives - Ukrainians lost and all of this - we need to make sure it's not for nothing." Hryhorii, who was born in Russia ("unfortunately," he says) and served in the Soviet military before moving to Ukraine in 1991, hopes someone will be brought to justice in the attack. Perhaps the pilot who fired the missiles can be tracked down. "How many of the Hitlerites were caught by the Mossad? They caught the last one in the 1990s," he said, referring to Israeli intelligence agents' global hunt for former Nazis after World War II. "I think it will be the same. I hope so." Ukraine's security service has opened a criminal case into the attack, which officials deemed an act of terrorism because it targeted civilian sites. Such cases may become part of Ukraine's effort to prosecute war crimes by Russian troops, either in local courts or global tribunals. On March 8, Hryhorii and Hrysha attended a ceremony where President Volodymyr Zelensky presented them with an Order of Merit award in Oksana's name. Hrysha, wearing a hoodie emblazoned with the colors of the Ukrainian flag, shook hands with Zelensky and U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who was visiting Kyiv that day. In the months since Oksana's death, people have asked Hryhorii: What if Oksana had taken a different route that day? What if she had driven a bit faster or slower? "But it's a meaningless conversation," he said. "It was a one-in-a-million chance, but there it is." Even as they focus on Hrysha, Oksana's parents grapple with their own grief. Ninel doesn't show much emotion, but she cries at night. Hryhorii said the shift from grandparent to parent has not been easy. A grandparent, he explained, can indulge a child. A parent,must educate; must be more strict. "We're always struggling to find this middle ground," he said. It can be trying. He and Ninel are in a school chat group with parents their children's age. Kids are different today than they were when they were raising their own. And like any 5-year old, Hrysha is peevish at times or complains about going to school. But, Hryhorii said: "A child is a child." "Hrysha is our salvation - that we have to take care of him," he added. "We need each other now." Every year, millions of monarch butterflies make their way across North America to spend winters in the same forests of central Mexico's Michoacan state - a phenomenon that remains an evolutionary mystery. But in just one year, the population of monarch butterflies wintering in those hillsides dropped 22 percent, according to a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Mexico report released last week. Monarch butterflies are considered one of the world's oldest and most resilient species. Their life cycles depend on optimal conditions: temperatures between 55 and the low 70s when they migrate, an abundance of milkweed when they mate, and some rain during the winters. But climate change has scrambled the consistent weather patterns they rely on, and more butterflies are dying. Monarch butterflies are known as experts of climate adaptation, but it's becoming much harder for them as global warming and logging hurt habitats where they breed and spend the winter. In 2022, the species was entered into the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species as "endangered." Activists say restoring monarch habitats is critical - as is slowing down global warming. "It's not just about conserving a species, it's also about conserving a unique migratory phenomenon in nature," Jorge Rickards, the general director of WWF Mexico, said in last week's report. "With 80% of agricultural food production depending on pollinators like monarchs, when people help the species, we are also helping ourselves." Michoacan's Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is considered the prime location for the monarchs. They are able to cluster in the dense forests of the nearly 140,000-acre reserve and shelter from winds, rain and low temperatures. The population of butterflies is calculated by the number of acres they cover when gathered on tree branches. The monarch population fell from 7 acres down to 5.5 acres in one year; they once covered more than 45 acres. The population has declined steadily over the past 25 years, mostly because of a huge loss of habitat in the biosphere reserve. Between March 2021 and April 2022, the loss of monarch-friendly forest in the reserve tripled from 46.2 acres to over 145 acres, said Gloria Tavera, conservation director of Mexico's Commission for National Protected Areas, the Associated Press reported. More than half the tree loss was due to sanitary logging - the removal of dead or sick trees weakened by lack of water and therefore more vulnerable to pests and diseases, fires or storms, according to another WWF report released last week. Some conservationists think that loss of habitat in Mexico is leading many of these eastern monarch butterflies, which reside in the northeast United States and southern Canada, to winter instead along the West Coast of the United States. More than 330,000 butterflies were tallied in California and Arizona this year, the highest number in the last six years. A possible explanation is that many of the monarchs that usually winter in Mexico are now choosing to migrate with their western counterparts, which have long wintered along the West Coast, Emma Pelton, a conservation biologist at the Xerces Society, told CBS News. "It's a sign we have a second chance. But I think one thing it's not is that all is well or that we all made human actions that magically made it all better," Pelton said. Droughts, frost and "extreme temperatures" across the United States are killing the monarchs' food source - milkweeds - and causing their habitats to dwindle, the director of Mexico's nature reserves, Humberto Pena, said at a news conference last week. The effects of climate change are particularly bad on the West Coast, where severe weather events have repeatedly battered California. The western monarch population dropped from 10 million butterflies in the 1980s to just 1,914 butterflies in 2021, the IUCN said. Humans have long helped destroy the monarch butterfly habitats of Michoacan, which has a long history of illegal logging. In 1998, the residents of the Crescencio Morales farming community set fire to monarch butterfly habitats to make space to log the land, village leader Erasmo Alvarez Castillo told the AP. It didn't take long for the drug cartels and illegal loggers to come in and profit off their community. And so in the early 2000s, in an effort to kick them out, residents began reforesting the hillsides. With no help from the police, the farmers took up arms and set off on a long and arduous fight to protect their village and conserve the butterfly habitats. The Mexican government eventually outlawed logging in the area. But the ban only worsened tensions between local loggers and conservationists. Between 2005 and 2006, 461 hectares of land were lost to illegal logging. Homero Gomez Gonzalez was a former logger who became a conservationist and was one of central Mexico's most prominent defenders of the monarch butterfly. In an interview with The Washington Post in December 2019, he said he began working with scientists and conservationists from the WWF to put Michoacan's Rosario sanctuary on the map and bring in tourism. "We were afraid that if we had to stop logging, it would send us all into poverty," he said. A month after talking to The Post, he was found dead, sending shock waves through environmental activist communities across North America. It was quickly suspected that illegal loggers were behind his death. On Jan. 23 this year, Crescencio Morales introduced its first class of state-trained and approved "community guard" forest rangers. Worried about heightened cartel-related violence and a farmers' revolution after the town declared itself an autonomous, self-governing municipality, the government decided to equip and professionalize the existing community force, and help the 58-strong squad protect the monarch population. Illegal logging continues to plague the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, but Crescencio Morales - once home to the region's worst illegal logging - has seen numbers drop by 3.4 percent this year, the AP reported. But forest degradation and loss of habit impact far more than the butterflies. The biosphere reserve also serves as the main freshwater source for 5 million people in Mexico City. Its biodiverse ecosystem is home to 132 species of birds, 56 species of mammals, 432 species of vascular plants and 211 species of fungi, according to the WWF. Activists stress that climate change has to be tackled in order to protect the orange and black insects. "If you're talking 20, 30, 40 years out, we're not going to be talking about monarchs any more," Chip Taylor, the founder of Monarch Watch and a professor at the University of Kansas, told The Post in 2020. "The migration will disappear unless we solve climate change." The Washington Post's Kevin Sieff contributed to this report. SAN FRANCISCO - As Congress weighs an unprecedented ban of the wildly popular Chinese-owned TikTok over supposed security concerns, millions of Americans are downloading Chinese-designed apps to their phones that pose greater privacy risks with no outcry from lawmakers or regulators. Known as mobile virtual private networks, or VPNs, the apps create a virtual tunnel through the internet that disguises a user's virtual and physical location, in theory rendering them anonymous to the websites they visit, the communications providers that take them there, and advertisers and government snoops trying to suck up information along the way. But experts have warned for years that everything the VPNs hide, they can see themselves. That means users who are working not to reveal who and where they are as well as what they are doing online are surrendering that very information to the VPNs. Some VPNs have the capability to see even more, including encrypted email content and banking information, because they have been placed in a highly trusted position on user devices. Some of the most popular VPNs have misled consumers about their practices while disguising their origins, ownership and locations, including apps based in China or controlled by Chinese nationals, according to corporate records reviewed by The Washington Post as well as interviews and researchers. "You have a bunch of lazy people calling themselves VPNs who are making money from your data, just like Google," said Dennis Batchelder, whose company, AppEsteem, evaluates app safety for antivirus companies. "I would have reservations about VPNs based in any country that can tell your company they want to grab your data." Under Chinese law, tech companies can be compelled to turn over everything they have to government authorities that prize domestic and international surveillance - one of the main alarms congressional critics raise about TikTok. Concerned about the potential prosecution of women seeking abortions through shoddy VPNs, two Democrats, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Rep. Anna G. Eshoo of California, last year asked the Federal Trade Commission to take action "particularly on those that engage in deceptive advertising and data collection practices." They wrote to the FTC chair that the industry "is extremely opaque, and many VPN providers exploit, mislead, and take advantage of unwitting consumers." But other members of Congress generally have been silent about the risks posed by VPNs, even from Chinese providers, while championing restrictions and outright bans on TikTok, which has far less access to what users do online. That may be in part because TikTok is an extremely visible target and a single brand, while scores of VPNs crowd into the app stores and change names, addresses and owners from year to year. "We just tend not to focus on things until they become big," said former Google government relations executive Adam Kovacevich, now head of trade group Chamber of Progress, adding that the TikTok fight could launch a broader debate on Chinese technology. VPNs would, however, be covered under a broader bipartisan bill introduced by Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and endorsed by the White House that would require the Commerce Department to evaluate foreign tech and recommend bans to the president. "Congress needs to ditch the existing whack-a-mole strategy with technology from adversarial nations and create a more systematic process to examine national security risks and act on them," Thune, a Republican, told The Post. Warner said Chinese VPNs were the sort of apps that cry out for a systemic review like that proposed in the bill, which would allow the Commerce Department to examine apps on national security grounds. "This is exactly why Congress needs to pass the Restrict Act," Warner told The Post. "The secretary of commerce should be able to review and impose mitigation measures as needed to protect Americans from these apps, but she currently lacks the ability to do so under current law." TikTok has powerful, big-spending American companies as rivals, including Meta's Facebook and Google's YouTube. No big U.S. companies have consumer VPNs as a major line of business. On the contrary, Apple and Google profit from VPN apps by taking a cut of the sale price on their app stores and by selling them ads. Turbo VPN, for example, is among the first results that show up when searching the Google Play app store for "VPN." It has been downloaded more than 100 million times. The parent company of Turbo VPN, Innovative Connecting, has a Singapore headquarters and a Cayman Islands registration. It has had multiple Chinese nationals as directors in the past few years, records show. As with many of the apps, there is no way to prove who or where the real owners are. The computer version of Turbo VPN was among several services that AppEsteem found last year to be installing root certificates, which allowed them to tell the computer to trust any application that it authorized. It could have vouched for a fake email or chat program to extract content from the real ones, but there is no evidence it ever did so. Turbo did not respond to an email seeking comment. Two more of Google's first six listed VPNs are owned by an entity called Signal Lab. While many might associate that with the privacy-protecting Signal app for communication, there is no connection. Signal Lab has a website that gives no sign of what company is behind it. It lists an address near Los Angeles that is used by hundreds of entities. The only way to reach Signal Lab is through a Gmail address, where a Post query has remained unanswered for weeks. Employees told longtime researcher Simon Migliano, who writes for Top10VPN.com, that it really operated from Hong Kong. Signal Lab's privacy policy says its VPNs do not keep logs of user activity. But its terms of service prohibit sending any communication that is "objectionable," a term that could be applied to much of the internet. It reserves the right to monitor activity to investigate "any possible violation" of the terms of service. Put together, that means it could monitor any user's activity for anything suspected of being objectionable to anyone. Apple's App Store presents similar issues. Of the first 10 results for "VPN" in a recent search, one was based in Hong Kong, and three more were owned by Boston-based Aura, now parent of a VPN called Hotspot Shield. Hotspot Shield drew a complaint to the FTC in 2017 from the Center for Democracy & Technology, which said that while Hotspot claimed in ads that it kept no records of users' true internet protocol addresses, it gave those addresses to commercial partners. Hotspot, which the center claimed installed tracking cookies on user computers, said deep in its privacy policy that it did not consider IP addresses or device identifiers to be personal information, even though both can be tied to a specific user. The FTC took no public action against the company. Aura has raised multiple rounds of venture capital and this month hired actor Robert Downey Jr. as a pitchman. It did not respond to an interview request. Another of Apple's top 10 results, VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy, is connected to a company with a Chinese history. Apple records say those are owned by Mobile Jump of Singapore, which once boasted a headquarters in Dongsheng Science and Technology Park in Beijing. Singapore records show that Mobile Jump is owned by Free VPN, which is owned by VPN Super, which has the same Redwood City, Calif., address as a U.S. company named Super Unlimited. The address belongs to a law firm that a partner said offers mail drop services for hundreds of companies. Super Unlimited's president is Tanuj Chatterjee, who used to be a top executive at Aura, the owner of Hotspot Shield. Chatterjee posted on LinkedIn six months ago that what he described as one of his apps, VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy, had become the top free app in Apple's store, ahead of TikTok and Instagram. Chatterjee confirmed that Super Unlimited owned the big VPNs and said that when it acquired them, they "had no legal connection to China at that time." "Neither we nor any of our subsidiaries have any connection with China whatsoever; no shareholders, operations, code, servers, data, or team members are in China or affiliated with China," he said by email. Consumer advocates say Apple and Google should be keeping out the more questionable VPNs, especially those that violate the big companies' policies against obscuring ownership or misleading users on privacy, or at least provide warnings to users. "It should be that the app stores want people to come and not find things that are super suspicious. There should be a market incentive to do that," said Mallory Knodel, chief technology officer of the Center for Democracy & Technology. "I'm a little confused why they don't do more." Apple declined to discuss any of the apps mentioned in this story. In an emailed statement, it said that "VPN apps are powerful tools that can be used to track user internet traffic, so we have strict guidelines for what developers of VPN apps must do in order to be on the App Store." Google also declined to discuss specifics. "Google Play has policies in place to keep users safe that all developers, including VPN apps, must adhere to," said spokesperson Ed Fernandez. "We take security and privacy claims against apps seriously, and if we find that an app has violated our policies, we take appropriate action." Both companies have argued that their grips on the app market should not be loosened out of antitrust concerns, another subject of congressional debate, because they are protecting consumers through their product approval process. But app makers, regulators and legislators have pointed to failings in the vetting process, which have not flagged imitators and scams in multiple categories. Evidence in an antitrust suit by Epic Games showed that even Apple employees decried the weakness of its defenses, which a lead engineer described as "bringing a plastic butter knife to a gunfight." Malware from China and U.S. government contractors has sneaked into seemingly benign apps for years. In 2021, The Post reported that nearly 2 percent of the biggest moneymakers on Apple's store were scams. The VPN business is bigger than most categories of apps, with paid versions often charting among the highest revenue among productivity apps. "It's disgraceful the lack of due diligence that they do in this area," Migliano said of Apple and Google. He said he first raised the issue with Apple in 2019. The big app stores have a critical role with VPNs, both Migliano and Knodel said, because of the difficulty getting objective information: Many review sites are completely or partly owned by VPN providers, including Migliano's. Migliano found more than 200 million installations of VPNs with Chinese ties, many of which were hidden as the brands became more popular. Some abandoned Chinese headquarters from one iteration to the next, while others replaced executives. Free VPNs are most likely to run afoul of best privacy practices, experts said, because they have an extra financial incentive to capture information about users in order to sell relevant ads. Consumer Reports did a deep dive two years ago into whether popular brands had privacy audits that users could read, leaked their IP addresses or exaggerated the security they could provide. The nonprofit magazine also noted that some VPNs that had claimed to keep no logs managed to produce them when confronted with legal papers, and it raised questions about some owners and executives. Among those it highlighted was ExpressVPN, one of the most popular for browsing Chinese websites. That is now owned by Kape Technologies, which grew out of a company known for spreading malicious software and which has employed as executives both the convicted CEO of collapsed crypto exchange Mt. Gox and Daniel Gericke, a former U.S. intelligence operative who admitted hacking U.S. networks while working for the United Arab Emirates. Donald Trump's relentless attacks against Ron DeSantis and his recent polling gains over his top GOP rival are rattling some close allies of the Florida governor, according to people with knowledge of the situation, tempering their expectations about the presidential primary. Pollsters and strategists attribute a recent shift in momentum to Trump supporters returning to his corner - forgetting their dissatisfaction over key midterm losses and remembering what they liked about his record as president. Polls show Trump has opened up double-digit leads over DeSantis, while Trump's attacks on DeSantis have resonated with Republicans, some recent focus groups conducted by anti-Trump GOP strategist Sarah Longwell show. The 2024 contest is just beginning and the dynamics could change when DeSantis engages in the race as an official candidate. But the early measures of public support suggest Trump is building his political strength amid criminal investigations, including a possible indictment by the Manhattan district attorney. The former president has used increasingly ominous language to describe the situation, echoing his language before the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He warned Friday of "potential death & destruction" if he's charged and had previously urged a "PROTEST" over his potential arrest. On Saturday, Trump held the first mega-rally of his 2024 campaign, in Waco, Texas, amid the 30th anniversary of a deadly federal raid there that fueled the growth of the anti-government militia movement. Trump aides said the timing and location was unrelated, and rooted in a desire to appeal to evangelicals, with a revival this week at nearby Baylor University, and to appear in a large and centrally located venue in a state that votes on "Super Tuesday," a key date in the nominating competition. "When they go after me, they're going after you," Trump told a crowd of thousands in a roughly hour-and-a-half speech in which he sought to cast himself as the victim of one "phony investigation after another." Behind him, supporters held up signs that read "WITCH HUNT." Trump made an extended attack on DeSantis, at one point giving a mocking portrayal of DeSantis begging for his endorsement in Florida's 2018 gubernatorial primary. But the audience appeared most engaged when Trump was railing against targets that unify the Republican base - President Biden, the "fake news," "gender ideology." Trump spoke of "demonic forces" and reiterated a dark refrain that, "for those who have been wronged and betrayed . . . I am your retribution." DeSantis has moved toward entering the race but is not expected to officially join until at least May. Some of his political aides as well as at least one executive appointee close to the governor, among others in his circles, have adjusted their thinking about the contest, according to the people with knowledge of the discussions, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private talks. Whereas some allies had been anticipating a "coronation," as one person described the thinking of people close to the governor, more are now stressing that a DeSantis victory will require a lengthy, 50-state delegate fight. DeSantis's political team didn't comment on the matter. "There's no denying that former president Trump has an organization that's ready to go and a very high floor with upward mobility," said Jimmy Centers, a Republican operative based in Iowa who is not aligned with a 2024 candidate. He stressed that many primary voters in the state remain open to other contenders. "It's also just a result of folks knowing President Trump whereas other candidates have a lot of work to do." In four high-quality national surveys that have measured the field since winter, Trump has built his lead over DeSantis in the past few months. Trump leads DeSantis by 16 points in Yahoo/YouGov's survey this month (and in late February), up from one or two points in previous months. Monmouth University's poll swung from a 13-point lead for DeSantis in December to a 14-point lead for Trump now. A March Quinnipiac poll found Trump with a 14-point lead, up from a six-point lead he had over DeSantis in February, and a February Economist/YouGov poll saw Trump's lead grow from where it was in November. Early primary polls are often volatile, and the recent history of Republican primaries is bursting with examples of early leaders who never made to the ballot. Still, both rival teams are now adapting to the momentum shift, with Trump's campaign projecting confidence and DeSantis's campaign-in-waiting hunkering down for a drawn-out contest. "What's hurt DeSantis is he's gotten into a lane where he's trying to say, 'I'll be Trump but not Trump,' and most of these voters say, 'We want Trump,'" said John McLaughlin, a pollster for the Trump campaign whose latest findings track with the public surveys. "My only problem is the election is still 20 months out." Some DeSantis allies said the governor remains in a strong position and will have plenty of time to catch up. One person in touch with DeSantis's team said they have always been clear-eyed about the challenges of taking on Trump. Another person close to the governor's political orbit said DeSantis has "steel for a spine" and ridiculed the idea that DeSantis would "bend to silly smear tactics." Other supporters voiced public confidence. "Should he announce, I think you'll see him get a bump," said former Republican congressman Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania, an early Trump backer in 2016 who is now squarely behind DeSantis. "People in many states are just getting to know him, and campaigns are long." Yet concern is mounting among some on DeSantis's team about the toll of Trump's attacks, according to two people familiar with the discussions, with one saying Trump was "trying to kill him in the crib." The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private discussions. DeSantis aides have not settled on an approach to the aspersions cast on him by Trump. His wife and closest adviser, Casey DeSantis, has opposed responding in kind, according to people familiar with her perspective, with one saying, "She's not a down-in-the-dirt person." The governor has recently separated himself more sharply from Trump. He criticized his handling of the pandemic in an interview with conservative commentator Piers Morgan and he pointed out in a news conference the circumstances of the Manhattan case, which is related to a hush-money payment to an adult-film actress. The attacks set off intense backlash in right-wing media and among MAGA influencers. "DeSantis is quickly finding out that consolidating the anti-Trump vote in a GOP primary is like straddling a multilane highway," said Caroline Wren, a pro-Trump fundraiser. "Every position he takes moving forward will be viewed as a break from Trump, or following Trump, and will end up alienating certain factions of the party." Trump used the Saturday rally to roll out a Texas leadership team featuring many of the state's top elected Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton and a dozen current and former members of Congress. Patrick dismissed as "fake news" the suggestions that Trump chose Waco because of the deadly standoff anniversary and said he recommended the city when Trump called. At one point the crowd loudly cheered a homophobic smear from the guitarist Ted Nugent, who said he didn't approve of sending to money to a "homosexual weirdo" in Ukraine - apparently attacking Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who some in the GOP have increasingly villainized. Zelensky is married to a woman. Just before Trump spoke, attendees held hands to their hearts for a song that Trump recorded with the "J6 Prison Choir" - inmates charged with crimes in a pro-Trump mob's Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol as the former president sought to overturn his election loss. And Trump closed out his speech with music considered an anthem for QAnon, an extremist movement centered on baseless claims. Trump's continued criticism of DeSantis on Saturday came as Republicans widely expect the former president to deploy uglier attacks given his history of negative campaigning. Some of DeSantis's critics in Tallahassee have taken to calling him "JebSantis," according to lobbyists and former lawmakers familiar with the comments. The nickname is meant to identify DeSantis with Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor whose quest for the presidency in 2016 had major financial muscle and the air of inevitability until he was brought low by Trump. Bush has written and spoken effusively about DeSantis and attended his inauguration in January. Through DeSantis came off his landslide reelection in November with significant appeal to many Republican voters who want to move on from Trump, it remains unclear how well he can capitalize on their interest. In recent focus groups with Republican voters, Longwell said she has noticed two signs she considers worrying for the Florida governor. Some participants, she said, are starting to discuss DeSantis using phrasing from Trump's attacks, suggesting those efforts to define him are breaking through. And many Republicans who are interested in DeSantis say if he fizzles out, they'll revert to Trump rather than looking around the rest of the field. "He's got tons of DeSantis-curious voters, but he's trying to build this brand for himself as a fighter, and they're going to have to see him fight," Longwell said. "There's no going around Trump, just through." While DeSantis has no formal campaign to promote his presidential ambitions or tout his electability, Never Back Down, a pro-DeSantis group, is mobilizing supporters and is said to be a likely outside spending vehicle once the governor launches his bid. Never Back Down recently trumpeted support from two Republican state senators in South Carolina. While Trump's resurgence has intensified speculation that DeSantis could flame out like other early presidential favorites of years past, others emphasize that the tables could turn again on Trump. "The only polls that you should care about are the ones in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina in about December and January of 2024," said Dave Kochel, a veteran GOP strategist who worked on the presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush. Capturing the triumphal mood that has set in among Trump partisans, campaign adviser Boris Epshteyn took to former White House strategist Stephen K. Bannon's podcast, the most MAGA of all venues, on Wednesday to tell the faithful, "President Trump is not winning; he has won this race. This race is over." Officially, Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesman, was more measured - but only slightly. "President Trump will return to the White House, that's the only outcome," he said. In Waco on Saturday, McLennan County GOP Chairman Brad Holland - who said he expects "a battle out here in Central Texas" between Trump and DeSantis - said the possibility of imminent charges against Trump had only "heightened the enthusiasm" for the rally. Introductory speakers ranging from far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to former congresswoman Mayra Flores. All around the event, die-hard supporters cast Trump as an almost religious figure for the right. "JESUS IS MY SAVIOR, TRUMP IS MY PRESIDENT," flags and T-shirts declared. "I'm here because God gave me a dream that revival is coming to America," said Lindy-Ann Hopley, 37, who added she is confident Trump will weather the multiple investigations into his conduct because "the hand of God is on him." - - - Knowles reported from Waco, Tex. Emily Guskin and Jack Douglas in Waco contributed to this report. By Victor LaValle One World. 307 pp. $27 - - - Readers of Victor LaValle's horror-tinged novels are used to careening across a New York City seeded with supernatural creatures. In his new offering, "Lone Women," LaValle radically shifts setting, transplanting us to the starkest Great Plains frontier. But the author hasn't left beastly life back in Queens. When Adelaide Henry sets out in 1915 to homestead on a bare-bones Montana acreage, she's toting a loosely shackled steamer trunk that barely restrains a fitful demon. As in his previous novels that feature supernatural beings, LaValle gets coy in "Lone Women," teasing us by trickling details that gradually reveal Adelaide's intricate connection to the creature. Meanwhile, he adroitly intertwines the eerie fairy tale with early 20th-century historical realism. At the story's outset, Adelaide flees her Black farmers community in Southern California when her parents are violently killed under circumstances that LaValle leaves obscure, setting up the story's key mystery. After randomly plucking an abandoned homestead site off a real estate map, she heads to Big Sandy, Mont., a folksy small town where residents admirably offer her support for survival under forbidding conditions. Just to reach her nearest acquaintance, Grace, she has to ride nine miles by horse against incessant winds that whip the flatland like a vicious antagonist. "This land is trying to kill every single one of us," one resident warns early on. Big Sandy has a frontier Americana surface, skewed only by a slightly Gothic opera house that serves as a makeshift community square. Using historical research, LaValle vividly sketches the rural geography, as characters travel between the town and the isolated homesteads. Adelaide connects socially with men who work the land as cowboys or on threshing crews. But as the story progresses, she gravitates toward three independent women. She first befriends Grace and her young son, Sam, who are attacked by the Mudges, a family of itinerant outlaws led by four coldblooded adolescent boys. Soon after, Adelaide and Grace bond with Bertie and her romantic partner, Fiona. The group's ties are strengthened by their position as outsiders. Bertie is the only other Black woman in Big Sandy, Fiona is Chinese American and Grace, though White, is judged for being a single mother. In one particularly tender moment, Bertie combs and oils Adelaide's hair, as Adelaide sits between her friend's knees, recalling her lost mother's affectionate touch. LaValle also depicts racial prejudice in the community, primarily toward the Chinese and Japanese population. While drinking in the Blind Pig, Bertie's bar, the opera house owner refers to Fiona as Celestial, an anti-Chinese slur. Adelaide deals with repeatedly being mistaken for Bertie. But LaValle keeps these moments in the background and incidental to the story's larger concerns. These tenacious women have their hands full contending with scant resources, bands of predatory men and ultimately, the capricious and insatiable demon unleashed across the prairie. While the demon emerges into a more rounded and sympathetic figure, the youngest Mudge boy, Joab, snatches the true villain role as a 12-year-old sociopath equally composed with gun, noose or bare hands. The demon, on the other hand, is revealed to possess a vulnerable inner voice and yen for music. The character charms as a foil to the humorless Mudge crew, though LaValle slightly overindulges this "soothe the savage beast" trope. Yet he effectively employs the demon to develop the female characters. When Adelaide trusts her companions enough to confide her core family secret, others also have confessional reckonings, while the demon finds its own curious relationship to the circle. Throughout the story, Adelaide battles a second haunting presence, the persistent memory of her burdened mother declaring, "a woman is a mule." With this apparent allusion to Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God," LaValle subtly links "Lone Women" to an African American literary storyline envisioning a woman who unshackles herself from a societal yoke long weighed upon her. By replanting this narrative with small-town Southern roots into a Western self-reliance tale, while mixing in the deranged, the author has fashioned an eccentrically satisfying literary mash-up. Former President Donald Trump held his first 2024 presidential campaign rally on Saturday at the Waco Regional Airport, where he and his supporters were joined by several Texas conservatives, including Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt from Houston. The timing of Trump's rally made waves because it coincided with the 30th anniversary of the infamous Waco siege that lasted from Feb. 28 to April 19 in 1993. Dozens of people were killed in the deadly standoff between the Branch Davidian religious group and federal agents. One Branch Davidian minister, speaking with Robert Downen from The Texas Tribune, claimed this was intentional on Trump's part. "He's making a statement, I believe, by coming to these stomping grounds," the man said in a video Downen posted on Twitter. "The government, the FBI, laid siege on this community just like they laid siege on Mar-a-Lago and went in and took his stuff." The man was referring to how federal authorities found confidential government documents in Trump's Florida estate. But Texas' lieutenant governor disputes this claim. Footage taken from the rally shows Patrick taking credit for organizing the event in Waco. "You see all these stories that the [former] president chose this town because of an anniversary of an event that happened 30 years ago," Patrick said. "Well, let me tell you, that is pure bulls--t fake news. I picked Waco!" The rally began with a recording of the song, "Justice For All" by J6 Prison Choir, which was formed by a group of men convicted for their participation in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot in 2021. Multiple reports and video from the rally show Trump making an almost 90-minute speech during which he brushed off his legal battles, criticized his political opponents and promised "retribution" to those working against him and his supporters. "I am your warrior, I am your justice," Trump said, according to The Texas Tribune's William Melhado and Downen. "For those who have been wronged and betrayed I am your retribution." Predicting a return to the White House, Trump said he will strengthen border control enforcement and end Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "I will prevent World War III, which we're heading into," he said. C-SPAN also captured video of Trump saying that U.S. politicians are the greatest threat to the country. He specifically named Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and President Joe Biden. According to the Associated Press, Trump called the 2024 election "the final battle." "You put me back in the White House, their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again," he said in the AP article by Jill Colvin and Michelle Price. Trump also criticized his fellow prospective presidential candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantiswho has yet to officially announce such a bidand claimed DeSantis was "dropping like a rock" in the polls. Trump also did not shy away from addressing his legal troubles, which The Texas Tribune says involve a rape lawsuit, accusations of election interference, confidential documents found on his Mar-a-Lago property and the Jan. 6 insurrection. Trump is also facing a New York grand jury probe over alleged hush money he paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016. The investigation is led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has reportedly received multiple threats, a CBS News article reports. "This is really prosecutorial misconduct. The innocence of people makes no difference whatsoever to these radical left maniacs," Trump said of Bragg's investigation, per The Texas Tribune. At the end of the rally, he left his crowd of supporters with a vow to "make America great again." BERLIN (AP) A Sunday referendum in Berlin that would have forced the city to ramp up its climate goals failed because there weren't enough votes in favor of the proposal, the German news agency dpa reported. After about 98% of the votes had been counted, the supporters of the proposal were just ahead of the opponents of such a change in the law, according to an announcement by the city-state's election administration. However, that result only met one requirement for a successful proposal. The second requirement, a quorum of at least 25% of all eligible voters, was not met, dpa reported. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A group of Tennessee Republicans began this years legislative session hoping to add narrow exceptions to one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, armed with the belief that most people even in conservative Tennessee reject extremes on the issue. Tennessee law requires doctors to prove in court that they were saving a womans life when they performed an abortion. Surely, the lawmakers thought, they could win concessions that would allow doctors to use their good faith judgment about when abortion is necessary to save a womans life. But after a key anti-abortion group stepped in, the lawmakers had to settle for a stricter legal standard that moves the needle very little. Like lawmakers in several GOP-led states who started the year thinking about moderating the nations toughest abortion laws, Tennessee's lawmakers found no appetite among their colleagues for loosening the rules. During the first legislative sessions in most states since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, lawmakers on both sides are dug in. Republicans are moving to make abortion restrictions tougher. Democrat-dominated states are moving to protect access for their residents and, now, for the residents of other states arriving for care. Abortion is one of the most stark examples of the political divide between red states and blue states, even when we know that people generally favor the middle on abortion, said Gretchen Ely, a professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee. Last year's overturning of the 1973 Roe decision meant that state laws banning or restricting abortion if such a ruling arrived took effect. Many were met with legal challenges. Currently, bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy are in place in 13 states and on hold in another four because of court injunctions. Lawmakers in most states have introduced abortion-related legislation this year. Republican-backed measures include funding for counseling centers that discourage abortion, bans on medication abortions and other restrictions. Democrats' bills include expanding insurance coverage for abortion and knocking back restrictions implemented in the past. The legislative action comes after voters in six states conservative, moderate and liberal -- voted in referendums last year and abortion access proponents prevailed in all of them. Polling has shown the public was unhappy with the overturning of Roe even as they also support some abortion restrictions. But Mary Ziegler, a legal historian at the University of California, Davis School of Law, said anti-abortion groups are anticipating that abortion rights support will gradually diminish. Theres a belief that people will be more open to more and more stringent bans the further we get away from Roe v. Wade being the law, she said. Kelsey Pritchard, a member of the state affairs staff at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said those ballot measure losses motivated anti-abortion groups to get their message out more strongly. It was a wakeup call for how much work we have to do," she said. The ban currently implemented in Tennessee is among the most stringent. Instead of an exception for abortions to save the life of the woman, it includes an affirmative defense for doctors, placing the burden on them to prove an abortion was medically necessary. Now, a scaled-back proposal is moving through the Legislature. It removes the affirmative defense language but still doesn't grant access to abortions in the cases of medically futile pregnancies and lethal fetal anomalies. Doctors warned the new exemption will do little to relieve worries about being prosecuted. Tennessee Right to Life had already revoked its endorsement of one GOP lawmaker seen as a key tool for winning over conservative voters after Republican Sen. Richard Briggs called for changes while admitting that he voted in favor of the states so-called trigger ban because he didnt believe Roe would actually be overturned. Now the lobbying group warned that it could do the same with others who tried to weaken the ban. "This new amended bill only allows a woman to access an abortion if shes damn near on her deathbed, said Democratic Sen. London Lamar, who experienced her own near-fatal pregnancy loss several years ago. In Kentucky, a Republican bill to allow abortion in the case of pregnancies caused by rape or incest also made no headway. Other red states are looking to tighten the bans and restrictions already in place. Florida, which currently bans abortions after 15 weeks, is considering banning them them at six weeks gestation a move backed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to announce his candidacy for president in the coming months. Wyoming recently adopted a ban on abortions throughout pregnancy though its enforcement was halted last week by a judge as well as a separate law specifically to bar medication abortions, which are the most common method of ending pregnancies in the U.S. And South Carolina raised eyebrows when more than 20 GOP lawmakers sponsored a bill classifying abortion as homicide opening the door for women to face the death penalty, a step no state has yet taken. The bill has since stalled in the House amid backlash, with nine sponsors removing their names as supporters. Instead, lawmakers are advancing an abortion ban with some exceptions. In blue states, the push to protect abortion access continues. In liberal Oregon, there are no legal restrictions on when abortions can be provided. But the Legislature is considering a sweeping measure that would allow someone to bring a civil lawsuit against a government agency for interfering with reproductive health rights and also for minors to access certain gender-affirming care services without parental involvement. Dozens of people gave emotional testimony last week on the bill. With both chambers of the Minnesota legislature now under Democratic control, the state adopted a law to codify abortion rights that were protected under a 1995 state Supreme Court decision. Lawmakers have also pushed ahead with a measure to prohibit enforcement of laws, subpoenas, judgements or extradition requests from other states against people who get, perform or assist with abortions in Minnesota. Several other blue states enacted similar measures last year through laws or executive orders, including Hawaii, whose governor signed one last Wednesday. That brand of protections came largely in response to a 2021 Texas law that relies on private lawsuits to enforce abortion bans. Ballot measures to approve or ban abortions could also go to voters this year or next in several states, including Maryland and Missouri. But in at least one case, anti-abortion groups are playing a long game with those efforts. In Ohio, they're trying to keep a ballot question to guarantee the right to abortion off the ballot in November all while trying to get another question on the ballot. That question would amend the state constitution to require ballot measures have at least 60% approval to be adopted, rather than the current standard of more than half, making it harder for abortion rights amendments in the future to pass. ___ Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. AP reporters James Pollard in Columbia, South Carolina, Bruce Schreiner in Louisville, Kentucky, and Julie Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, also contributed. Pollard is a members of the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit service program that places journalists in newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Members of the Dragons of Hope breast cancer survivor/supporter dragon boat team accept a $5,000 contribution towards a fundraising campaign to purchase a new boat. From left, Janice Piper, team member, Suzan Cooper Rochon, owner of Perfect Fit Lingerie and Fashion, Lani Garry, team member, and Janet Twomey, team member. Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba hold PNP draws, this week Asheesh Moosapeta Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A This week four provinces held Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws. The PNP (as of the last immigration levels plan) is the main pathway for economic immigrants to enter Canada. The program exists to help spread the benefits of immigration across Canada, and to aid provinces in addressing specific labour and demographic challenges that they face. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration The PNP also has Express Entry aligned streams, known as an enhanced PNP nominations. These streams accept candidates in the federal Express Entry pool. Candidates can apply to a specific provinces enhanced PNP streams and (based on their eligibility) receive a provincial nomination or Notification of Interest (NOI). From here candidates will receive an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, almost certainly guaranteeing them an Initiation to Apply (ITA) to the specific enhanced PNP stream. Recently, the fifth and sixth Express Entry draws of 2023 were exclusive to candidates in enhanced PNP streams, issuing a total 1,366 ITAs. Provincial Nomination ResultsMarch 17-24 Ontario On March 23rd, the Ontario PNP (OINP) held a draw for their Skilled Trades stream, issuing 746 NOIs to candidates with CRS scores ranging from 250-489. Candidates who received an NOI had created profiles in the Express Entry pool anywhere between March 23rd, 2022, to March 23rd, 2023. Draws under the economic streams of the OINP are targeted for specific professions, which have been specified within the OINP program updates. British Columbia The British Columbia PNP (BCPNP) held a draw on March 21st, issuing a at least 254 NOIs to candidates across 6 streams. Within the Skilled Worker International Graduate stream, the BCPNP held three targeted draws for early childhood educators and assistants, candidates in healthcare professions, and candidates in other jobs that are deemed priority occupations. Manitoba The Manitoba PNP (MPNP) held a draw on March 23rd, issuing a total of 566 NOIs (known under the Manitoba PNP as Letters of Advice to Apply). The breakdown of NOIs issued by stream are as follows: Occupation specific selection266 NOIs, targeting candidates in specific, in-demand professions, with a minimum CRS score of 612; All occupations200 NOIs, with consideration to profiles not selected in the specific profession draw, with a minimum CRS score of 672; International Education Stream52 NOIs; and Skilled Worker Overseas stream48 NOIs to candidates who were invited by the MPNP under a Strategic Recruitment Initiative, with a minimum CRS of 708. Saskatchewan On March 23rd the Saskatchewan PNP (SINP) held two draws, inviting candidates from both the Express Entry, and Occupations in-demand streams. 184 Express Entry candidates with a minimum score of 82 were issued NOIs. Comparatively, the Occupations in-demand stream issued 312 NOIs to candidates, also with a cut-off score of 82. To be eligible for the Occupations in demand stream, a candidates profession must NOT be included on the SINP excluded occupation list. A note on PNPs in the future As mentioned previously, the PNP today represents that primary pathway for economic immigrants to Canadaanticipated to play a larger role in Canadian immigration in coming years. In addition to the added consideration to the PNP, a recent meeting between the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) further emphasized the importance of these provincial programs. Following the meeting, it was announced that provincial immigration would now receive its own multi-year levels plan, allowing provinces to understand their immigration allocation years in advance, and being able to plan accordingly. In addition, following the meeting many provinces saw an increase in future immigration allocations: Alberta saw a significant increase in allocations, to 9,750 spots this year; Manitobas allocation for 2023 increased to 9,500 spots; Ontario noted an increase in allocations to 18,000 spots by 2025; and Saskatchewan will see an increase in allocations to 8,500 in 2025. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration The Collaborative Autism Movement (CAM) held its first annual Plunge for Autism event on March 18 at Beech Mountain Lake, Drums. More than 80 people plunged in the cold water to raise funds and awareness for autism. The event offered activities for non-plungers as well, including a 50/50 raffle, raffle baskets and music donated by ALV Karaoke. The event raised more than $20,000 for CAM. Corporate donors and participants from the community included Nucor Towers & Structures, which presented a donation of $4,820. Nucor matched employees' fundraising efforts of $2,410. Additional corporate sponsors included Mission Autism Clinics, which raised $2,755.50 and DeAngelo Contracting Services, which raised $2,566.47. State Rep. Mike Cabell was the top individual fundraiser. Collaborative Autism Movement (CAM) is a newly formed non-profit organization in Pennsylvania. CAMs mission is to collaborate with community partners to support inclusion and understanding of individuals with autism and to focus efforts on offering impactful resources to help support their needs in the community. With this fundraiser, CAM will provide individuals with autism spectrum disorder sensory haircuts and private photography sessions with their families in order to have a sensory friendly environment. School pictures and family photos are often challenging for individuals on the spectrum. Event organizers and CAM founder Krista DeAngelo acknowledged Nucor Towers & Structures, DeAngelo Contracting Services, Mission Autism Clinics, Beech Mountain Lake, ALV Karaoke, Lizzie McGran, Valley Regional Fire and Rescue, Valley Regional Media 26 EMS and all the volunteers who made the event possible. For information about CAM, call 272-207-4409 or email hello@camautism.com. Brenda Reimold and Dave Popiak emerge from the lake following the plunge. From left, are Joe Downey, state Rep. Mike Cabell, Jarrod DeAngelo, and Paul DeAngelo. (inside) State Rep. Mike Cabell, Theo Cabell, Jack Butler, and Julian Cabell. With the Polar Bear, from left, are Gina Wormuth, Michelle Brown, Sandra Fisk, Christine Schultz (polar bear), Ashley Brown, Steve Imboden, and Stu Eskin. Close Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Ransomware gangs didnt come out with any big new innovations last year, but what 2022 lacked in innovation it made up for in volume, according to a report by a financial services group. In its annual outlook on cyber threats, the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center, or FS-ISAC, reported that ransomware remained the biggest concern. The increase in attacks was likely due to the proliferation of the ransomware-as-a-service model, in which hacking groups provide affiliates with the malware and services necessary to carry out an attack, in exchange for a share of the criminal proceeds. The analysis of the financial services industry comes as other recent news on ransomware has been positive. Some cybersecurity experts have reported that ransomware attacks appeared to be declining though tracking overall incidents is difficult and that fewer companies are making extortion payments. Its still keeping us quite busy, said Teresa Walsh, FS-ISACs global head of intelligence. For us anyway, ransomware has not abated. FS-ISAC shares cyber intelligence among financial institutions around the world. Read More: Banks, finance firms battered by 22% surge in malicious bots Russias war with Ukraine had by far the most significant impact on the cyber threat landscape for financial services, the report found. The war has spawned a surge of hacktivist DDoS attacks, data leakage and website takeovers by groups aligned with either Russia or Ukraine, including some that targeted financial services company. Financial firms in countries that Russia considers hostile have been singled out for attacks and called out by name as targets on Telegram and other hacktivist forums, according to the report. While the attacks have yet to cause significant impact, they are notable in their ability to temporarily disrupt major businesses and governments while also garnering media interest. FS-ISAC also cited business email compromise in which criminals send an email that appears to come from a known source making a legitimate request as a major issue for the financial services sector, with members reporting a 300% increase from 2021 to 2022. The majority of the potential attacks shared with FS-ISAC were payroll diversion requests, according to the report. While email is the principal attack vector for these scams, fraudster tactics, techniques and procedures have begun to increasingly include the use of other media, such as WhatsApp, according to the report. Walsh said companies should have processes in place so that when an employee gets an email from the chief executive officer asking for money, they can verify that its really that person. FS-ISAC said the emergence of artificial intelligence tools will make detecting bogus communications and verifying identities more difficult, even as companies use them to bolster their own defenses. The use of mis-, dis- and mal-information potentially leveraging generative text engines to spread will continue to sow uncertainty, both politically and in the perceived impact of hacktivist campaigns, according to the report. Copyright 2023 Bloomberg. ORANGE, Ohio Domestic violence (felony), drunk driving, endangering children (cruelty towards a child), no drivers license, temporary protection order: Harvard Road Police arrested an East Cleveland man, 38, after a witness called 9-1-1 out of concern for three crying children in the car with him as he drove in reverse around the rear parking lot of Coopers Hawk Winery on the afternoon of March 17. The suspect pulled up to the witness, a Cleveland man, 26, and asked him for a lighter, saying he had just hit his son, 11 -- who was later holding his right arm in pain -- for acting out. The driver appeared impaired and as he drove over to the back of the Drury Inn & Suites with the children inside, the witness contacted police. Upon arrival, the driver was separated from the children and the older daughter, 8, showed an officer footage that she had taken on an iPhone, depicting her father driving his elbow into that of the boy in a prying motion, as if attempting to break one of the bones in the boys lower arm, police said. The girl said that prior to taking that and other videos, her father had punched the boy in the face with closed fists, possibly contributing to the bruises officers noticed. Police located the mother and owner of the car, a Middleburg Heights woman, 33, who said her son was autistic and gave police consent to look further at other iPhone footage, agreeing that harm was done to her children and later signing for a TPO. Medics arrived at the scene and took the mother and son to Ahuja Medical Center. Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services were contacted for the family, with the younger daughter, soon to turn 3. The suspect registered a .247 blood-alcohol reading on the Breathalyzer more than three times over the legal threshold of .08 BAC in Ohio, another basis for the child endangerment charge. Disobeying traffic device, impaired driving, open container, auto towed: Orange Place, Harvard Road A Painesville man, 36, was stopped after at 10:22 p.m. March 16 after a patrol officer saw him run a red light while in the left turn lane to go west on Harvard Road, then continue north on Orange Place. In speaking with the driver, the officer smelled alcohol and noticed possible signs of impairment, as well as two empty cans and one full White Claw on the drivers floorboards. Although he got the time of day and year right, the driver said it was Jan. 27 and thought he was in Solon -- where he was later taken to jail, with his 2017 Toyota Tacoma being impounded. He refused a Breathalyzer test. Police also held $35 for safekeeping, almost all of that in one-dollar bills. Threats: Orange Place Police responded to the University Hospitals Chagrin Highlands campus shortly after 7 a.m. March 17 and met with a Bedford woman, 44, who reported she has been involved in an ongoing workplace issue with a Cleveland woman, 57. That morning, the Bedford woman said she received a phone call from a woman identifying herself as the co-workers daughter and that she was going to beat her up. The Bedford woman wanted documentation and planned to pursue charges if the threats continued. The co-worker stated her daughter does not know the Bedford woman and did not make the call. Both workers said they would be speaking to their supervisor in hopes of resolution. Warrant: Lander Road When a Warrensville Heights man, 33, arrived at the police station to get a vehicle release on March 14, officers found an active warrant through the Ohio State Highway Patrol for failure to appear on a marijuana possession charge. For safekeeping, the mans mother came to the station to take possession of a .45 caliber Sarsilmaz handgun in his car, with prisoner custody soon transferred to state troopers. Get police blotters by email every weekday for free with our new Police Blotter newsletter. Sign up at cleveland.com/newsletters Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun. CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Ohio As the celebration of life service for Moreland Hills Mayor Daniel Fritz was about to begin Saturday (March 25), a severe thunderstorm and high winds caused a loss of electrical power, and a backup generator kicked on. But by the end of the 90-minute service, the rain had stopped, and the sun was shining. It was like Fritz was looking down from heaven and saying goodbye to all who came to pay a final tribute to him. I guess that is who Dan was, funeral director Ross DeJohn III told the standing-room crowd of more than 400 people that packed the chapel, cafe and foyer of the DeJohn Funeral Home and Celebrations Center. Fritz died suddenly on March 16 at age 55. His body was found that morning at Eldon Russell Park in Troy Township. The cause of death remains under investigation. DeJohn, president and chief operating officer of DeJohn Funeral Homes, said more than 800 people came through the funeral home Saturday including a two-hour visitation period that preceded the service and 563 people watched a livestream of the service via the funeral homes website. I have to say this is probably the largest funeral weve ever had here, DeJohn said. I dont think we can fit anyone else in the building. The crowd included many public officials and firefighters from surrounding communities who came to honor Fritz, a career firefighter/paramedic who had served as Moreland Hills mayor since 2000. Fritz, who grew up in Orange, also served as assistant chief of the Orange Village Fire Department and a captain of the Bedford Heights Fire Department. Most of those who spoke at the service mixed serious reflections about Fritz with humorous anecdotes, honoring the request of Fritzs wife, Colleen, to keep it light. But a couple speakers noted that Fritz, a 1986 graduate of Orange High School, was the go-to person for many when they had a problem or needed help with something. Many people have mentioned this week about Dan reaching out when they had troubles, said Orange Fire Chief Bob Wilson, who worked with Fritz for all 29 of Fritzs years in fire service. Its just unfathomable to me how he looked after each and every one of us. Someone even mentioned, and I agree, that if this were happening to somebody else, Dan was the guy we would go to for help. Dan would always have the answers, and he was calm and cool. I mean, hed be the one Id be talking to about this right now. Wilson, who shared several funny stories about working with Fritz, turned serious when he said its going to be hard to move forward without his longtime friend and colleague. Dan meant so much to so many, and that is evident here today with this turnout that we have for him, Wilson said, his voice cracking with emotion. Hes going to be hard to replace in Orange Fire, as he did so many things that its going to take several people to fill his role. But most of all, Im just going to miss my friend from being there to talk to. Rest easy, brother; well take it from here. Dan was a dichotomy Matt Barkett, who said he considered Fritz to be his best friend, asked, How many of us in this room thought, Ill call Dan, when they ran into a problem to solve or needed advice on something? That was often my answer, because I not only knew hed know who to call and what to do, but I knew that hed care and hed find a way to help, he said. Barkett said Fritz, a dedicated public servant, cared about everything, often to his own detriment. Dan was a dichotomy, he said. He engendered real trust and embodied responsibility, yet also struggled with real issues, including depression and anxiety. He was brave and strong, willing to run into a burning building to save someones life. But if a bat or a bee flew into his house, hed scream like a little girl. Barkett said Fritz loved his family, friends and the community, and always put them first. There are no words and no answers for this, he said. He was such a fixture, and you could always count on him to be there, and now that hes not, the world is off its axis. If I could, Id call Dan, and Id ask him what to do. Hed have an answer; he always did. Moreland Hills Mayor Daniel Fritz was a career firefighter/paramedic who served 29 years with the Orange Village Fire Department and 26 years with the Bedford Heights Fire Department. Fritz died March 16 at age 55. (Photo Courtesy of Orange Village) A very important force Larry Genova, a captain of the Orange Village Fire Department who recently retired as a lieutenant with the Bedford Heights Fire Department, also said Fritz was one of his best friends. We all knew the influence Dans dad (former Orange Fire Chief Fred Fritz) had on him, eventually committing to a life of community service, especially the fire service, Genova said. He became a very important force in both (fire) departments that he served. Dan always wanted to improve, not only himself, but the men and women he worked with, whether it was a new theory or a new technique or just improving the old way of doing things to make us all better and safer. Genova went on to share several humorous anecdotes about working with Fritz, noting Dan would want it no other way. In the end, no matter what, Dan loved each and every one of us and was proud to work alongside of us, he said. That was the thing about Dan; once you were his friend, you were pretty much stuck there forever. Genova said as he was preparing his remarks for the service, he heard the song, Second Chance, by Shinedown on the radio. He said he simply broke down and cried. The song is about throwing caution to the wind and going after what you truly want in life, and I believe Dan did that, he said. Today should be a call to everyone to make this their second chance and go after what you truly want. And along the way, make a difference, serve your fellow man, and be the friend that everyone needs. Pastor recalls last time she saw Fritz The Rev. Joyce Lawson, pastor of the United Methodist Church of Chagrin Falls, led several prayers in officiating the service. She noted she was Fritzs pastor for the past 8 years. Like you, I knew him as a friendly, outgoing, considerate, kind and caring man someone who often shared a word of encouragement and who regularly extended a helping hand, she said. Clearly, he was a good friend, or he wouldnt have so many friends. He was also a busy man who took seriously all of his many responsibilities while trying his best to balance and honor each one of them. Lawson spoke about the last time she saw Fritz, at the churchs 10 a.m. worship service on Feb. 5. That morning, she said, she led Fritz in a time of remembrance and reaffirming his baptism vows. You see, two Sundays earlier, the congregation had engaged in a similar experience, she said. Its something that I do about every three years. However, Dan was absent that Sunday, so he reached out to me by email and asked if I might help him reaffirm his vows at a different time. We settled on Feb. 5. I certainly dont know everything that was on Dans mind that morning, but I am certain he took seriously the reaffirming of his vows, she continued. It was meaningful to him. I heard it in his voice; I saw it in his eyes. I am thankful for those meaningful moments that I had with him. Lawson closed by saying, To recall Dans life, his character, his personality and many contributions is to know that there is much for which to be thankful. Son wishes for more time with dad The final speaker was Fritzs son, Jake, who thanked everyone for their outreach and support on behalf of his family. My dad was always an easy-going and fun guy, he said. He always knew how to joke around and have a good time, but he also knew when to crack down and get serious. And believe it or not, I think even given the circumstances of today, he would not want us to crack down and get serious; hed want us to joke around and have a good time. So Jake Fritz went on to share some funny memories of experiences he had with his dad. But he also spoke about how seriously his father took his career as a firefighter and how they shared a love of fishing, the outdoors and sports. Going to the same school as my dad (Ohio University in Athens) was one of the best decisions that I ever made because it just gave us another thing to bond about, he said. My dad helped shape me into the man that I am today, he continued. I could not have asked for a better dad growing up. Obviously, I wish that I could have had some more time with him. But Im going to leave everybody with this: There are people out there who are waiting to meet you and waiting to love you. No matter what you are going through, you are not alone. Just remember, the world is a better place with you in it. Thank you all again so much for being here today. And rest easy up there, Dad. I hope the beer is cold and the fish are biting, for once. Chagrin Valley Dispatchs final alarm The service opened with this message over the public address system from the Chagrin Valley Dispatch, in the form of a radio dispatch: It is with a heavy heart that we transmit the final alarm for Orange Village Assistant Fire Chief, Mayor of Moreland Hills and Bedford Heights Fire Captain Daniel Fritz, the dispatcher said. His selfless and compassionate dedication to the communities that he served and his brothers and sisters that he served alongside was steadfast and unwavering. His unexpected passing will leave an eternal void in the safety forces that he was a proud member of, as well as in the entire Chagrin Valley community. Our hearts go out to the Fritz family, members of the area police and fire departments and the many close friends of this dedicated public servant. Assistant Fire Chief Daniel Fritz, you will never be forgotten. May you rest in peace. The service concluded with firefighters walking in pairs to a table in the front of the chapel that contained a box with Fritzs cremated remains, photos of him and flowers, and saluting him. A final salute by all of the firefighters followed outside the building, including a brief bell service. As human beings, we measure life in years, and sometimes its really what people do with those years that means more, DeJohn said in his closing remarks. Fifty-five (years) is way too short; we know that. But this man sounds like hes done more in those 55 years than most people do in 95 years. DeJohn added, The greatest gift that every person in this building here could give this family is to continue to tell the stories. Keep those stories going for years and years to come, he said. CHESTERLAND, Ohio -- The Community Church of Chesterland, which plans to host a Drag Story Hour next Saturday, said its sign and building were vandalized Friday night. The Proud Boys, an all-male, neo-fascist organization, last week circulated notices encouraging protests at a sold-out drag brunch, to take place Saturday at Element 41 in Chardon, sponsored by the community church. The group reported minimal damage was done, but the churchs sign was destroyed. Cleveland.com has reached out to police on the investigation. The Community Church of Chesterland has a history of supporting and hosting Drag events successfully and peacefully, said a news release from the church and the Fairmount Group, a Chardon-based firm that produces LGBTQ and social justice events. However, the recent political climate around anti-trans legislation has emboldened hate groups to use inflammatory and dangerous rhetoric, which has led to violence in some cases. The Friday incident has led the church to take extra security precautions. Megan Carver, head of social justice and outreach at Community Church, said that the recent incident will not stop them from showing young people, trans people, closeted people, anyone suffering from ongoing oppression that there are people out here who will do hard things for them. Every time some tries to scare us back into the closet, its a reminder of why we do what we do, Carver said in a statement. By standing strong in the face of these attacks, were telling the community we serve that were there for them no matter what. And it will get better if we refuse to normalize this behavior as a justified reaction or response to members of the LGBTQ celebrating their own lifestyles. This incident follows the violent protests at a drag story time in Wadsworth this month. Neo Nazis clashed with LGTBQ+ supporters while drag queens read stories to attendees. The release noted that services at the Community Church would continue as scheduled. The church hopes to raise $10,000 to pay for extra security measures that include security guards and barriers. Tickets for the Drag Story Hour are free, but must be secured in advance. OPPOSITION Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party has set tough literacy conditions for selection into local authorities, Parliament and Senate, including need for community track record on local governance matters. According to an internal party document titled, Citizens And Community Consensus Candidate Selection Procedures seen by The Standard, relevant professional qualifications will be a prerequisite for candidates willing to stand for mayoral, parliamentary committee and council chairperson positions. Mayors, deputy mayors, council chairpersons and committee chairpersons at both Local Government and Parliamentary levels would also undergo an aptitude test to assess their ability to take the leadership positions. Parliamentary candidates should be able to read and interpret legislation and national policies, while council candidates must have the ability to read and interpret council legislation, administrative by-laws, and policies, according to the party guidelines. CCC deputy secretary for elections Ellen Shiriyedenga told The Standard in an interview yesterday that this would enhance efficiency and productivity in the governance system. For example, one cannot be the chairperson for the finance parliamentary portfolio committee when they do not have a strong background in economic or financial issues, Shiriyedenga said. Without professional experience in the field, one may not be able to comprehend the issues raised and will fail to address the problems arising. So, setting those literacy requirements is a way of ensuring maximum productivity. Zanu PF yesterday held its primary elections to select parliamentary and local authority candidates to represent the party in the upcoming elections set for July or August. President Emmerson Mnangagwa is yet to proclaim the election dates. In its document, the CCC said it had anchored its candidate selection on the grassroots to give ordinary citizens the authority to select representatives of their choice. Zimbabwe is no exception to the increased global sentiment for citizen inclusion and leadership accountability in all governance spheres, part of the CCC document reads. In response to this growing sentiment, the citizens movement seeks to present candidates that are a product of broad citizen consultations and inclusion in an effort to entrench the new culture of citizen engagement, participatory democracy and democratic accountability. In an interview with The Standard yesterday, CCC leader Nelson Chamisa said the community-based candidate selection process was to avoid imposing candidates on the electorate. Zanu PF looks for a leader who wants to lead the people, but we want a leader whom the people want, Chamisa said. Zanu PF wants its candidates to submit curriculum vitaes, but we focus on community track record what are the people saying about the leader they want? Zanu PF wants individuals with financial prosperity, but we are concerned with personality. We are putting emphasis on citizens participation. There will be no imposition of candidates. The power is with the citizens. Where there are ties between candidates, citizens will still be expected to decide on their own the best candidate. Standard CLEVELAND -- The book-burners are at it again. Or should I say, still? All over the country, people are trying to inflict their personal opinions and political outlooks on others by doing their best to ban, restrict or alter books they dont like from libraries, schools, bookstores, Amazon wherever they might be found. They dont simply want to oppose writing they dont like they want to make sure its never seen. OK, wait. Stop here for a moment. Take another look at those two opening paragraphs. My guess is that no matter your political persuasion, left or right, you thought, Yeah! Thats what those jerks on the other side are doing, all right havent they ever heard of the First Amendment?? Well, Ive got bad news for you. Your side is doing it, too. As a result, we have groups of parents storming into school board meetings or confronting library boards, objecting to books with story lines about same-sex romances and the awakening of LGBTQ+ feelings of all kinds. These include, but are not limited to, Gender Queer: A Memoir, the most-banned book in school libraries during the 2021-22 school year, according to PEN America, and This Book Is Gay, a nonfiction description of issues across the LGBTQ+ spectrum. On the other side, we had in 2021 both the all-powerful Amazon.com and Bookshop.org refusing to sell When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment. According to Amazons vice president of public policy, the company has chosen not to sell books that frame LGBTQ+ identity as a mental illness a characterization of the book that the books defenders dispute. We have efforts to remove from school libraries such acclaimed books as The Kite Runner, and two books by the late author Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye and Beloved, because of violence and sexual content. We have publishing houses reissuing heavily edited childrens classics by Roald Dahl, cleansing them of anything that might smack of insensitivity or exclusion, and revising James Bonds 1950 attitudes toward other races and cultures, among other things, in a coming reissue of the Ian Fleming novels on the occasion of their 70th anniversary. Censors from both sides of the aisle are trying to expunge books and language they find offensive. But it must be said that, while the conservative side might be more raucous, the liberal side has been more effective, given that they generally control the publishing industry, the major media and the bulk of academia. So in addition to Bond and Dahl rewrites, gone from the future issuing of Dr. Seuss books are six titles because, among other horrors, they include original ethnic and racial caricatures that the Seuss estate has deemed hurtful and wrong. We already know that the Mark Twain classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, has been largely consigned to the ash heap of academia. Even at the college level, professors have been threatened with discipline or dismissal for teaching it or quoting its language that includes the N-word. Reportedly, the publishing houses and the estates of Dahl, Fleming and Seuss support the changes perhaps, one can easily surmise, because they fear a backlash whipped up in the media were they to resist. In the case of Dahls books, the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph combed through titles such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and James and the Giant Peach, and found hundreds of changes. Language related to weight, mental health, violence, gender and race has been cut and re-written, the newspaper reported. Remember the Cloud-Men in James and the Giant Peach? They are now the Cloud-People. The Small Foxes in Mr. Fantastic Fox are now female. A mention of Rudyard Kipling has been cut and Jane Austen added. In a review of the changes, author Michael Washburn wrote that some of the changes had to be seen to be believed: In Dahls The Witches, the line, Even if she is working as a cashier in a supermarket or typing letters for a businessman becomes Even if she is working as a top scientist or running a business. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but they are lines, writes Washburn, that Dahl would never in a million years have written. The changes were wrought by Inclusion Ambassadors, whose job it was to make sure there remained nothing in the books that might offend anyone. They wouldnt even let Dahl get away with calling Augustus Gloop fat. In the new version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, hes enormous. None of this is to say that people on each side do not have reasonable points to make. In Dearborn, Michigan, a woman read to the school board a passage from a graphic novel that was in the school library called Flamer about a group of boys indulging in group masturbation that is far too graphic to repeat here. But then there is author Bill Konigsberg, who has written five books for teenagers, about suicide and labels and LGBTQ+ issues, and advocates the freedom to read books, even when they make some uncomfortable. Konigsberg, who is gay, said he didnt have those kinds of books when he was a kid, but having them would have helped him. These books save lives, he said. Ive spent a lifetime in journalism, and along the way have come to believe that the free flow of ideas and opinions is always better than censorship and withholding information and differing points of view. Thats the only way we learn and understand each other. We are free to avoid anything we dont like. But we shouldnt force that judgment on others. So what if When Harry Became Sally frames LGBTQ+ identity as a mental illness? Defeat that with a better argument. Or ignore it. But dont ban it. All this focus on censorship misses an important point: The accessibility and abundance of books of all types allows us to embrace the wonder of reading, wherever we might pursue it. We are guaranteed adventure and discovery not a safe space. Thats how it should be. Yes make sure books in schools are age-appropriate. Yes make sure parents are aware of what is there. But no dont ban, censor, whitewash or outlaw books just because you dont like the ideas in them. Ted Diadiun is a member of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. To reach Ted Diadiun: tdiadiun@cleveland.com Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions, comments or corrections regarding this opinion article to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The constitution of the state of Ohio, since 1851, has provided that, The General Assembly shall make such provisions, by taxation, or otherwise, as, with the income arising from the school trust fund, will secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the State. In those early days, much of that responsibility was delegated to local districts presumed to be better-situated to interpret their own local need. This was likely appropriate to an era with limited communication and transportation, as well as both agrarian and industrial development impacting expectations for schooling. Such localized focus, while perhaps practical, stood in the way of developing a true system committed to the mission of providing education, thoroughly and efficiently. This patchwork, intended to meet localized need, also proved vulnerable to development of racially and economically segregated communities (spurred by Federal Housing Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs home-loan policies). An overreliance on local property taxes (found inequitable by the Ohio Supreme Court in four DeRolph rulings) has further challenged the development of a system allowing co-existence of high-performing and low-performing schools/districts despite state attempts at accountability through defined academic content standards and measures of performance. Universal voucher bills being proposed in Ohios Senate and House posit a cure for inequity and poor performance through a move from a mission-driven state system to one that is market-driven, through the provision of vouchers. This change is alleged to level the playing field through a system of reliance on state-funded family choice. Citizens should ask some important questions about this new system. What is the current capacity of the education market? How many open seats are available at present in the category of chartered non-public schools in Ohio? What do we currently know about the quality of education in each of these less-regulated schools? We should be concerned about the possibility that the provision of vouchers will do nothing more than subsidize the tuition of families whose children are already attending such schools with no net gain for Ohio as a whole. And under current accountability structures (focused primarily on district schools, with scattershot data on others), it may be years before we even know the impact. Will this market-driven approach result in the development of new, high-quality options to meet the needs of a diversity of students (particularly those with unique needs), or will market forces simply replicate what is easiest and most attractive to the broad middle, leaving whatever remains of the existing system as the last resort for students outside the norm? This is not to say that development of publicly funded options in education is necessarily a bad thing. There are examples in other countries of the integration of private and parochial schools within their public education systems. Diverse options may well serve to enrich the systems as a whole. However, inclusion in such systems (and the receipt of public dollars) requires a system of accountability (curricular standards, regular inspections, achievement expectations). Ohio, however, seems poised to trust our children, perhaps our most precious resource, to the vagaries of an unregulated education market. Ohioans should be very concerned about proposed system improvements that threaten to throw the baby out with the bath water. Placing trust in parents to choose what is best presumes that the best will be available. The best is not likely to be available, or certainly not available to all, if the General Assembly neglects their responsibility to create a thorough and efficient mission-driven school-choice system. Susan Tave Zelman is a former Ohio superintendent of public instruction, and the co-author of The Buying and Selling of American Education: Reimagining a System of Schools for All Children. Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this opinion column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the state of Ohio, thanks to GOP-gerrymandered districts, has elected itself a jim-dandy General Assembly. Accordingly, the House of Representatives, 66-32 Republican (with one GOP vacancy), may decide to strangle Ohio democracy by trying to make it harder to amend the Ohio Constitution. Or, maybe the Senate will. Goal: To stymie a bid by voter-petitioners to entrench in the Constitution a right for women to choose abortion. (Ohios current heartbeat law, in its effects, would practically ban abortion in Ohio, if upheld.) The Ohio Bill of Rights says, All political power is inherent in the people. And legislators take an oath to support that. But it appears some GOP legislators think that constitutional pledge should read that political power in Ohio should be inherent only in a minority of the states voters. Backdrop: Since 1912, the Ohio Constitution has guaranteed voters the right to propose constitutional amendments. Petitioners must gather a specified number of voter signatures in 44 of Ohios 88 counties to qualify a proposed amendment for the statewide ballot. For 110 years, that was A-OK. Then abortion foes realized that a majority of voters (50% plus one) very likely would approve a voter-signature-initiated Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety amendment. It would, in effect, place in the Ohio Constitution the option of legal abortion in Ohio. That proposed amendment sparked House Joint Resolution 1, a constitutional amendment that the GOP-run legislature may put on the statewide ballot. HJR 1 would require future state constitutional amendments to win at least 60% of the statewide vote to pass. That is, if HJR 1 took effect, even if 59.99% of those voting on the reproductive/abortion-rights amendment voted yes, the abortion amendment would fail to pass -- if Ohio voters OKd the proposed 60% amendment before the proposed abortion amendment reached Novembers statewide ballot. HJR 1 also would require amendment-petition signatures from voters in all 88 counties, instead of the current 44, and it would abolish a 10-day period for gathering additional signatures if the initial batch submitted had fewer than the required statewide total, 413,487. Plainly stated, HJR 1 would make it close to impossible for voters to propose and pass state constitutional amendments. Consider this additional twist: The legislatures Republicans, in a bill that almost all of them backed late in 2022, virtually abolished August elections. But The Columbus Dispatch reported last week that GOP leaders are nevertheless considering calling an August special election just to put the 60% amendment on the ballot. If voters ratified that in August, it might effectively stymie the abortion rights amendment if the latter amendment passed in November by less than 60% of those voting in that autumn election. Possibly reinstituting August elections three months after abolishing them speaks volumes about General Assembly Republicans potential political panic over the abortion rights amendment. Plainly put, somebody, somewhere has likely shown the GOP polling suggesting the abortion amendment has traction in Ohio: Hence, HJR 1 and, complete coincidence, the incredibly restrictive rules on anti-HJR 1 witness testimony by House Constitutional Resolutions Committee Chair Scott Wiggam, a Wooster Republican. That calls to mind another promise the Ohio Bill of Rights makes The people have the right to assemble together, in a peaceable manner, to consult for their common good; to instruct their representatives; and to petition the General Assembly for the redress of grievances. (Italics added.) Those words should be stenciled on the wall of every Ohio House and state Senate committee room. Reason: The gerrymandering of the legislature has made it more out of touch than it already was. The winner of a given Republican primary in a Republican-gerrymandered district or winner of a Democratic primary in a Democratic-packed district is more likely than otherwise only attuned to the political pleas of her or his committed party members back home. In packed districts, theres no question which party will likely win the general election, though which party member will be nominated in the primary is an open issue. And given that the most committed, never-miss-an-election voters also tend to be ideologically rigid, that leads to the all-or-nothing General Assembly that mars the Statehouse today, stoking parliamentary acrobatics over constitutional amendments. Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens. To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@cleveland.com, 216-408-9474 Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this opinion column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. CLEVELAND, Ohio Sunday morning has been calm across Northeast Ohio following strong winds that left hundreds of thousands without power. According to the National Weather Service, winds in Parma reached 71 miles per hour while Geauga County saw 60-70 mile per hour winds. There were reports of downed power lines and trees throughout the region. A rapidly deepening low-pressure system was moving through the Great Lakes region yesterday afternoon and evening, said Mike Griffin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. And that storm system is what caused the strong winds everywhere. Griffin said Sunday would see mild 5-10 mile per hour winds from the southwest, while the aftermath of yesterdays storm still lingers. A First Energy outage map showed there were still over 100,000 outages, concentrated in eastern Cuyahoga and into Geauga counties, as of late Sunday morning. There was no word on how long it would take First Energy to restore power. Kirkland Fire Department told Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer there was a report of a tree falling on a chimney, but fortunately there were no injuries, and the home was still inhabitable. Kirkland also noted that there were some downed trees on powerlines and roads. Lakewood Police said there was no major damage reported as of late Sunday morning. As for the start of the work week, Griffin said that strong winds are not expected on Monday. Tomorrow will only be in the low forties. Then we do have a chance for scattered showers throughout the day tomorrow, he said. Expect the week to start with gray overcast skies, due to the expected rain. Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's former prime minister, speaks with colleagues during a parliamentary session inside the Senate Italy's two populist parties have shown they can find common ground in the first test of a possible political alliance, but experts believe a coalition government formed of Lega (League) and the Five Star Movement (M5S) would ultimately have a "short shelf life." The two parties' leaders managed to come together Friday to reach a deal to elect the speakers of both the upper (the Senate) and lower houses (the Chamber of Deputies) of parliament. Luigi Di Maio, the anti-establishment M5S party leader, put forward Roberto Fico to be elected as speaker of the lower house. And in return for its support for Fico, the center-right coalition led by Lega (the biggest party in the alliance), former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia and Fratelli d'Italia (and the smaller Noi con L'Italia) got their choice of Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati - a member of Forza Italia and confidante of Berlusconi - elected as Senate speaker. Italy held a general election on March 4 but no one party or coalition gained enough of the vote to govern alone. M5S was the single largest party, with 32 percent of the vote, but the center-right coalition got 37 percent, meaning that a period of intense negotiation is due to start to see if a coalition government can be formed. The election shocked Europe as M5S and Lega, which both ran on an anti-establishment, populist message, performed well while the former ruling Democratic Party did badly. M5S and center-right coalition? While political analysts saw the deal over the election of speakers (which could have been a more fraught and drawn-out process) as "audacious" and as a sign of potential cooperation for a coalition, they didn't expect the "entente" to last long. watch now "Is the agreement between M5S and NL (Lega, which was formerly known as Lega Nord) a prelude to a government coalition between these two forces, or even a broader coalition center-right-M5S?" J.P. Morgan economist Marco Protopapa asked. "In our view, the latter remains unlikely given the evident hostility towards Berlusconi of a large part of M5S MPs (and arguably an even larger part of M5S electors)," he said in a note Monday. "Perhaps, it could become a viable option only in the very unlikely case that Berlusconi were to take a step back from the leadership of Forza Italia (as, allegedly, asked by Salvini)," he said. Protopapa said that while J.P. Morgan recognized that "the relationship between the senior leaders of M5S and Lega has been fairly cooperative, with declarations of mutual appreciation" there were constraining factors that could prevent a "populist coalition" of Lega and M5S. "However, we note that (i) Salvini is pretty much acting as the leader of the whole center-right, and (ii) the significant constraints we discussed remain intact," he said, listing the sticking points as M5S' dominance versus Lega, some hostility across the respective electorates and ideological differences, among other risk factors. "In our view, a non-mainstream government M5S-NL could hardly be a proper political government," he added. Rather, if anything, it would be a temporary solution to make sure the country goes to a new election at the earliest possible date after the summer, he believed. More noise to come Tiger Qie, VP of Didi Chuxing and CTO of Didi's Ride sharing Business Group, speaks with CNBC's Arjun Kharpal onstage at the East Tech West event in, Guangzhou, China. Didi Chuxing, the Chinese ride-hailing company, is set to launch a so-called robo-taxi service in Shanghai "very soon." "We are going to launch a robo-taxi service in Shanghai very soon," Tiger Qie, Didi's vice president and chief technology officer of its ride-sharing unit, said onstage at CNBC's East Tech West event in Guangzhou, China. "The users can just hail self-driving vehicles through the Didi app." Qie said Didi is currently only able to fulfil 65% of user requests when it comes to rides, but the launch of driverless cars would help it plug the gap in supply and demand. He added that the deployment of self-driven vehicles wouldn't mean a stop to putting humans behind the wheel. "Autonomous vehicles and human-driven vehicles are going to co-exist," Qie said in a fireside chat with CNBC's Arjun Kharpal. Didi has grown rapidly since it was founded in 2012, with 550 million users currently registered with its platform. The company took over Uber's China business back in 2016, and has more recently started expanding abroad into countries like Australia and Mexico. J.P. Morgan has an optimistic outlook on Asian stocks, with South Korea and India positioned to perform particularly well going into 2020. "We're looking at an MSCI Asia ex-Japan index target of 750 at the end of first half. Year end, however, we're looking at 700," J.P. Morgan's head of Asia ex-Japan equity research, James Sullivan, said Monday. Still, J.P. Morgan said its 2020 year-end target for the index which tracks large and mid-cap stocks across Asian markets, including China, Korea, and India is roughly 8% above current levels. The investment bank said it is "bullish on Asian equities," explaining, "With aggressive policy easing this year, bottoming of the trade uncertainty-driven sentiment shock, and limited macro imbalances, growth looks set to bottom out in 4Q19 and improve in 2020." But Sullivan told CNBC that the environment could "get significantly more difficult" in the back half of the year. "You start to turn to the election season in the U.S., there's not going to be a lot of policy impulse as we go to that period of time," he said referring to the 2020 elections in November. But stocks in Asia could benefit as global tech demand recovers and companies resume investments. Korean and Indian equities, in particular, could benefit from these trends and "surprise" investors, Sullivan said. watch now France is experiencing one of its biggest strikes in decades as public sector workers protest against changes to the pension system. The main impact of the strike is being felt on the transport networks and schools. The French national rail company, SNCF, canceled 90% of its trains on Thursday; the Parisian metro closed 11 out of its 16 lines; and the Eurostar is operating with a reduced timetable. France's education ministry expects 55% of its teaching staff to go on strike nationwide. There are also about 250 official demonstrations scheduled across the country. According to the French newspaper, Le Monde, more than 180 000 people are taking to the streets in 30 different parts of France. Many of the main train stations, which usually see big crowds early morning, were empty. Workers either decided to stay at home or use alternative ways of transport. The Eiffel Tower and the Orsay Museum two of the biggest Parisian landmarks were shut because of staff shortages, according to the French agency AFP. A picture taken on December 5, 2019 shows a view of the Gare du Nord in Paris during a strike of Paris public transports operator RATP employees over French government's plan to overhaul the country's retirement system, in Paris, as part of a national general strike. JOEL SAGET | AFP | Getty Images Why are they striking? Prior to his election in 2017, President Emmanuel Macron vowed to reform France's pension system. He believes the current arrangement is unfair, complex and costly. According to OECD data, France's retirement system is one of the most expensive in the world, costing the government 14% of the country's GDP (gross domestic product). Macron is now pushing for a single, points-based system. At the moment, there are 42 different pension plans that vary according to profession and region, meaning some workers are entitled to a full pension before the general minimum retirement age of 62. The new system would mean that pensioners that contributed the same amount would have equal rights. Tomasz Michalski, professor of economics at HEC Paris business school, told CNBC Thursday that for every 10 euros that a worker earns in income, that person will get one point under the new system. "But how will these points be translated into benefits?," Michalski wondered. The full details of Macron's reforms have not yet been officially put to Parliament. Thursday's strike is pre-emptive action and does not have an end date, meaning it could last for some time. Philippe Martinez, leader of French trade union the CGT, told reporters that the strike will not end this evening. watch now Previous attempts to change the pension system have also been met with strong opposition from public sector workers. In 1995, President Jacques Chirac ended up caving into union demands after his pension reform plans faced weeks of demonstrations. Who are the winners and losers? However, not every worker is unhappy about the expected pension reform. Michalski, who's based in Paris, said that Macron's base, those with high-paying jobs, and also people that enter and leave the workforce often will be the "winners" of a point-based system. However, transport workers argue that the new system would mean they would have to work longer into old age or see their pension reduced. It is yet unclear how Macron might react to the strike action. Public support seems to be behind the strikers rather than the government one opinion poll predicted 69% of the public supported the demonstrations, according to the BBC. A demonstrator holds a sign reading "I want my retirement before arthritis" during a demonstration to protest against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019, as part of a national general strike. ALAIN JOCARD | AFP | Getty Images Guzman Y Gomez's co-founder and CEO Steven Marks. Guzman Y Gomez SYDNEY When Steven Marks landed a job at a top Wall Street hedge fund, he thought he had it made. Marks, then 23-years-old, was one of just two grads in his year to earn a place on legendary U.S. investor Steve Cohen's New York equities team a feat for a guy born on the wrong side of the tracks in 1970s Brooklyn. By 27, he was heading up a London trading desk, enjoying life off Chelsea's iconic Sloane Square. But, by 30, the sheen had worn off and Marks yearned for a fresh start. "People think you have to have one career, but that's just not true," said Marks. So, he decided to turn life on its head, and booked a one-way ticket to Australia with a dream of starting over. People think you have to have one career. But that's just not true. Steven Marks Co-founder and CEO, Guzman y Gomez From fund manager to founder Seventeen years on, Marks is the co-founder and CEO of Guzman y Gomez, the Australia-born Mexican casual-dining chain hoping to give the likes of Chipotle a run for its money. Marks started the business in 2006, a few years after relocating Down Under, and has since expanded to 115 locations across Australia, Singapore and Japan. But, as he told CNBC Make It in Sydney, it's a success story that started quite by accident. Guzman Y Gomez's signature burrito bowl. Guzman Y Gomez "I had these plans to build a hotel by the beach," recalled Marks. However, while struggling to get his plan off the ground, he stumbled across another idea entirely. "I really missed good Mexican food," said Marks, noting he'd been "spoiled" in New York. "They didn't know what good Mexican food was in Australia," he continued. "Most people thought black beans were olives." So Marks took it upon himself to show them, investing "everything" he had saved from Wall Street into creating a brand he believed couldn't fail. The reason you become an entrepreneur is because you think you're going to do something better. Steven Marks Co-founder and CEO, Guzman y Gomez "I poached the best staff from Latin American restaurants and brought in chefs from Mexico," he said. It was all part of a determination picked up early in life to do the best job he could, said Marks, who teamed up with Robert Hazan, an old friend from the States, to launch the venture. "I grew up very entrepreneurial and I knew I didn't want to just copy somebody else," Marks said. "The reason you become an entrepreneur is because you think you're going to do something better." Building a brand It wasn't an easy sell, however, Marks noted. "We really had to educate the market," he said, recalling running regular free burrito days to win customers. But, according to Marks, by doubling down on Sydney and creating locations in "triple A real estate," he was soon able to establish a strong following. Guzman Y Gomez's outlet in Wollongong, Australia. Guzman Y Gomez "I was obsessed with making people love the GyG brand," said Marks. "A lot of entrepreneurs make the mistake of going wide and spreading their business too thinly," he continued. "But I kept things concentrated in Sydney for the first few years." Lessons from Wall Street That approach soon caught the eye of investors, who were keen to back the growing GyG brand. However, Marks said his days on Wall Street had taught him to choose his investors carefully, and rather than take money from people who weren't aligned with his vision, he opted instead to keep hustling. "I believe pain is a privilege," said Marks. "The people who wanted to invest, I didn't want them to. So we just had to make it work, even when we were running out of money." Three years in, and with six restaurants to their names, Marks' patience paid off and he and his co-founder struck a deal with the team behind McDonald's Australia, whom he said shared his passion with and helped fuel the company's domestic and international expansion. "I can't stress more that the board needs to be aligned," Marks said. "That is so important." A U.S. homecoming TOPSHOT - Vehicles run on the Paris' ring road, the "Peripherique", on December 9, 2019 in Porte de Vincennes in Paris, during a strike of Paris public transports over French government's plan to overhaul the country's retirement system, as part of a national strike. French commuters experienced a chaotic journey getting to work on Monday as public sector workers entered a fifth consecutive day of nationwide strikes. The traffic lines totaled more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) getting into the French capital Monday morning, twice as long as the usual number; the Parisian metro had only 2 out of 16 lines fully working, and the national railway company SNCF also warned against severe disruptions in the suburbs of Paris. Nationwide, public sector workers have protested against government plans to update the pension system since Thursday. The strike has led to the closure of certain schools, cancellation of flights and a downturn in tourism and Christmas retail. Tweet 1 Monday starts a make-it-or-break-it week for the French government, according to different French media. The French government is due to unveil the outcome of consultations carried over the last months on Monday and to announce the final details of its pension reform plan on Wednesday. President Emmanuel Macron vowed in 2017 to change France's pension system, which is one of the most expensive across the world, according to data from the OECD. Macron wants to implement a single, points-based system. This would replace the current 42 different pension plans that vary according to profession and region, which means some workers are currently entitled to a full pension before the minimum retirement age of 62. The proposed system aims to make pensioners contribute the same amount and give them equal rights. watch now Ivanka Trump attends U.S. President Donald Trump's strategy and policy forum with chief executives of major U.S. companies at the White House in Washington, February 3, 2017. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters Steele since has become a target of President Trump and Trump's allies, who say Steele's dossier, which contains unverified and salacious claims about Trump, was a "hoax" that was used in 2016 to unfairly spark an FBI investigation of Trump campaign contacts with Russians. That probe bedeviled the Trump administration into this year and led to the IG's inquiry into the origins of the investigation. The White House had no immediate comment on either the IG report detailing Steele's "relationship" with a Trump family member, or the possibility that Ivanka Trump was that particular person whom Steele said he had some kind of contact with. Ivanka Trump is a senior White House advisor, as is her husband, Jared Kushner. The couple, who wed in 2009, have three children. ABC News reported that Steele and Ivanka Trump, who was a senior executive at the Trump Organization at the time they first met, kept in touch after their first encounter, and exchanged emails and discussed possibly working together after he left that spy agency and moved into private practice conducting business intelligence. watch now "The following year, the two exchanged emails about meeting up near Trump Tower, according to several emails seen by ABC News," the article said. "They suggest Ivanka Trump and Steele stayed in touch via emails over the next several years. In one 2008 exchange they discussed dining together in New York at a restaurant just blocks from Trump Tower." Years later, in 2016, Steele would conduct research into then-candidate Donald Trump and his possible dealings with Russians and in Russia. Steele's work, done on behalf of the private investigative firm Fusion GPS, was published less than two weeks before Trump was inaugurated as president in January 2017. Steele, in his interview with the IG Office's investigators, said that it was his firm's practice when doing reports or dossiers to "faithfully report everything a reliable source provided and not to withhold information because it was controversial." And "he denied 'tailoring' his reporting to meet the needs of his clients," saying that it was not good business practice to do so. "Steele called the allegation that he was biased against Trump from the start 'ridiculous,'" the report said. "He stated that if anything he was favorably disposed toward the Trump family before he began his research because he had visited a Trump family member at Trump Tower and 'been friendly' with [the family member] for some years," according to the report, which redacted the name of the Trump relative. "He described their relationship as 'personal' and said that he once gifted a family tartan to the family member," the report said. WATCH: Infowars heckler accuses Judiciary Chair of treason Rick Gates, former deputy campaign manager for Donald Trump, exits Federal Court in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018. Federal prosecutors on Tuesday backed a bid for former senior Trump campaign official Rick Gates to receive a sentence of probation for his crimes, citing his "extraordinary assistance" cases that led to convictions of other associates of President Donald Trump. Prosecutors said they will not oppose Gates' request for a non-prison sentence as long as the former Republican consultant and lobbyist continues to help them with investigations, according to a filing in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. Prosecutors noted that Gates, who is due to be sentenced Dec. 17, continued to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller and investigators even after receiving "pressure not to cooperate ... including assurances of monetary assistance." They did not detail who made those "assurances" of monentary help to Gates. Gates is a former business partner of Paul Manafort, who served for several months as chief of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Gates served on that campaign as well, and on Trump's inaugural committee. He later pleaded guilty in early 2018 to conspiracy, lying to Mueller's investigators and other charges. As part of his guilty plea, he agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, in their probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Gates later testified at the trials of Manafort, Trump's long-time friend Roger Stone and Washington lawyer Greg Craig, who had served under two Democratic presidents. Manafort and Stone both were convicted at their own trials. Manafort is serving a seven-a-half year sentence for multiple crimes related to earnings from his work for a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine. Stone is awaiting sentencing for lying to Congress and witness tampering. Craig was acquitted at trial of making false statements about his work for Ukraine. Gates' lawyers, in their own sentencing memorandum filed Monday that Gates' cooperation "likely represents the most extensive undertaking by any cooperating defendant in the work of" Mueller's office. "We submit that Richard Gates has accepted responsibility for his misconduct in every way possible and is deserving of a sentence of probation for a term to be determined by Your Honor," the lawyers wrote to the judge in the case. Prosecutors in their filing Tuesday wrote, "Since entering a guilty plea in February 2018, the defendant, Richard W. Gates III, has provided the government with extraordinary assistance," prosecutors wrote. "He met with investigators more than fifty times, providing truthful information to the Special Counsel's Office and several other prosecuting offices of the Department of Justice." Gates "should be commended for standing up to provide information and public testimony against individuals such as Manafort, Craig, and Stone, knowing well that they enjoy support from the upper echelons of American politics and society," prosecutors wrote in their court filing. "Although he is being sentenced now, Gates has committed to continue his cooperation with the government, and has agreed that the Court can make such continuing cooperation a condition of any probationary sentence that he may receive." At the Dead Sea, travelers slather thick, mineral-rich mud onto their bodies and bake under the sun. In India, hot stones are strategically placed along the spine. From Iceland to New Zealand, people luxuriate in steaming natural hot springs. And in Morocco? Travelers are buried alive in sweltering hot sand in the name of health and wellness. The desert dunes of Morocco. Yavuz Sariyildiz | Moment | Getty Images The connection shared by these treatments is heat and using the earth's natural elements to heal the body and relax the mind. A new wellness treatment? Not even close Though largely unknown in the West, sand hammams or sand baths are anything but new. "Sand hammams have existed for centuries," said Jana Chaair, the marketing manager at Desert Luxury Camp in Merzouga, a small Moroccan village known for its proximity to the undulating sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. The therapy is believed to have started in ancient Egypt and later practiced by the Greeks. Psammotherapy, or sand therapy, gets its name from the Greek word psammos-, which means "sand." Desert camps in Morocco are offering sand hammams, or sand baths, to travelers. Chantip Ditcharoen | Moment | Getty Images Today, sand hammams are reaching wider audiences as desert camps introduce sand bathing to guests in search of wellness in the African desert. What happens A shallow hole is dug in the hot sand near the desert camp. Guests recline face-up in the hole and are covered up to the neck with sand. Cocooned in the heat of the sand, the body starts to profusely sweat. This duration of the treatment is short usually no more than 10 minutes. When a specified time expires or guests can simply take no more guests are helped from the sand and wrapped in a warm blanket. Former nomadic tribesmen who settled in Merzouga are offering wellness tourism in the form of sand therapy. STR | AFP | Getty Images Guests can then move into another hole to start the process over again or retire to a nearby tent. In the tent, guests remain snugly wrapped in a blanket for around 45 minutes, during which time sweat and residual sand mix to form a mud-like coating on the skin. The treatment ends when the mud is showered off. A tourist is served water as he takes a sand bath in the dunes of the Merzouga desert. STR | AFP | Getty Images Guests are monitored "the entire time" they are buried, said Chaair. Minders set up umbrellas on the sand to protect guests from the sun and help them sip water to avoid dehydration during the treatment. It's the custom at Desert Luxury Camp to place less sand over the heart for "safety," too. Sand hammams are not advisable for anyone with blood pressure or heart-related medical problems, due to the intensity of the heat. Why travelers are doing this From back pain to stress relief, sand hammams are believed to have a number of wellness benefits. Footprints in the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Malcolm P Chapman | Moment | Getty Images Sweating detoxifies the body, and the sand grains exfoliate dry skin. The weight of the sand helps to relax the muscles and quiet the mind. Due to the sand's mineral composition, sand hammams are also used to combat skin conditions, such as acne, psoriasis and other medical ailments. "It is good for people suffering from rheumatism, arthritis and sciatica," says Chaair. Modern-day torture or curative wellness treatment? The answer depends on a traveler's ability to tolerate temperature fluctuations. It's hot uncomfortably so. And the sand is surprisingly heavy. Then to further shock the body system, a feeling of cold soon sets in. During the summer months, sand can reach a scorching 65 degrees Celsius (149 degrees Fahrenheit). GavinD | E+ | Getty Images "You feel very, very hot!" Chaair emphasized, added that most guests at Desert Luxury Camp can only tolerate two to five minutes in the sand. "But after a while your body starts to cool, and you sweat and start to feel very cold." When and where to try a sand hammam Sand hammams depend upon the sun to heat the sand, thus the warm summer months from June to August are the best times to sand bathe in Morocco. During these months, sand temperatures can range from 40 to 65 degrees Celsius (104 to 149 degrees Fahrenheit), says Chaair. Sand baths are popular on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. kyonntra | E+ | Getty Images Desert Luxury Camp introduced sand hammams when it first opened in 2007, and several other camps around Merzouga offer the treatment too. Treatments are complimentary there, while other camps charge as much as 30 euros ($33) per sand bath. The practice is also popular in parts of Egypt and in the resort towns of Ibusuki and Beppu on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. The Gharieni MLX Quartz bed at Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur uses warm alpha-quartz sand. Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group International luxury hotels are also getting in on the act, with several adding sand therapies to their spa menus, including the 60-minute desert sand scrub at the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara. The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur, also offers treatments on a hot sand therapy bed in a dedicated psammotherapy suite. The verdict HERTFORD, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: French President Emmanuel Macron gives a press conference at the NATO summit at the Grove hotel on December 4, 2019 in Watford, England. French government efforts to appease public sector workers with details of its pension reform look unlikely to end an ongoing nationwide strike. France has seen a pre-emptive nationwide strike over the last six days as public sector workers fear changes to their pension benefits. The French President, Emmanuel Macron, vowed at the time of his election in 2017 to update the country's pension system one of the costliest worldwide. However, Macron's plans have sparked the biggest public demonstration since he took power in 2017. Speaking after the French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced full details of the reform, Benoit Teste, national secretary of the French trade union Federation Syndicale Unitaire, told CNBC that "workers must amplify the strike, must increase it." Teste pointed to the concerns over a cut to pensions as the reason why the protests should carry on. Other trade unions, such as the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) and the trade union for railway workers UNSA ferroviaire, have also appealed for a continuation of the strike. "It is time for a universal pension scheme," Philippe said Wednesday. The government plans to consolidate the current 42 different pension regimes, which vary according to profession, into one. "We will put an end to the special regimes, gradually," Philippe said. U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smile during a meeting at the second U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi on Feb. 28, 2019. As U.S.-North Korea relations turn increasingly tense amid rising rhetoric, analysts warn that it could signal an end to diplomacy between the two countries. North Korean state media claimed Saturday that they had conducted a "very important" test at a rocket-testing site the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground that Pyongyang promised to dismantle after the first Trump-Kim summit in June 2018. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un risks losing "everything" if he acts in a hostile manner. He also reiterated that the reclusive country "must denuclearize as promised." To that, North Korean state media on Monday called Trump an "old man bereft of patience" and "heedless and erratic." Trump tweet: Kim Jong Un is too smart and has far too much to lose, everything actually, if he acts in a hostile way. He signed a strong Denuclearization Agreement with me in Singapore. He does not want to void his special relationship with the President of the United States or interfere.... "This test should be a wake-up call that more activities including possible long-range missile tests may be around the corner," Ankit Panda, adjunct senior fellow at the U.S.-based Federation of American Scientists, told CNBC in an email, referring to the test. Pyongyang also fired two short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast last Thursday. Analysts say it's still unclear whether both countries could reach a nuclear agreement by the end of December a deadline set by North Korea. Pyongyang could have set Washington the deadline in hopes of being offered fresh concessions to restart nuclear talks, analysts say. But that might not be the case, they warn. "Pyongyang, despite having placed an 'end-of-year' deadline in place in April, has basically closed the door on diplomacy with the United States entirely," Panda said. Former U.S. State Department official Mintaro Oba, who specialized in the Koreas during the administration of Barack Obama, agreed. Both countries have repeatedly failed to demonstrate the creativity and flexibility needed for a substantive agreement, he told CNBC Monday. "We will see a return to heightened tensions, or we'll see some smaller, face-saving arrangement that allows both sides to maintain the current diplomatic process through 2020 without any major concessions," Oba said. As India continues to prove itself a formidable force in the global digital innovation stakes, roles in technology are set to gain pace as the country's most in-demand jobs, according to LinkedIn's new emerging jobs report. Blockchain development emerged as India's fastest-growing profession for 2020, having recorded the highest growth rate over the past five years. It was joined in the top spots by other technical roles such as artificial intelligence specialist (the U.S.'s number one emerging job), JavaScript developer and robotic process automation consultant. To determine its list of Emerging Jobs 2020, the professional networking site crunched the data of its some 62 million users in India to determine the growth in hiring of each job between 2015 and 2019. It then identified the skills typically required for each role and in which cities the greatest number of jobs were concentrated. Hero Images | Getty Images The predominance of tech roles in this year's list reflects the country's fast rate of digitization. According to McKinsey, India is now the second-fastest digitizing economy after Indonesia. Meanwhile, the growing appetite for blockchain technology now makes it home to the world's sixth greatest number of blockchain patents. "This year's emerging jobs report is a window into the changing landscape of the Indian economy. The country is seeing a rise in digital transactions, and therefore industries are ramping up investments in Blockchain," said Ruchee Anand, LinkedIn's head of talent solutions and learning solutions for India. However, other less technical professions from customer success to digital marketing also found a place on this year's list, as businesses continue to value personable roles. "While tech jobs rule the list, it is also interesting to see soft skills such as account management and customer retention become critical, which underscores the importance of human intervention at every level of digitization," he added. Here are India's top 15 emerging jobs of 2020, the skills they require and where the most jobs are, according to LinkedIn. 15. Lead generation specialist A mixture of marketing and sales, a lead generation specialist is responsible for identifying prospective clients or customers. Top industries hiring for this role: Marketing and advertising, information technology and services, computer software, outsourcing/offshoring, internet Skills you need: Market research, email marketing, customer relationship management, business development, digital marketing Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Pune, Gurgaon 14. Front-end engineer A front-end engineer works with web designers to craft the visual elements of web applications and ensure that they work as they should. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, internet, marketing and advertising, electrical and electronic manufacturing Skills you need: Cascading style sheets, Bootstrap, JavaScript, HTML5, AngularJS Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai 13. Digital marketing specialist A digital marketing specialist uses data to identify target markets and generate digital and online marketing campaigns. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, internet, marketing and advertising, education management Skills you need: MySQL, HTML, search engine optimization, Google Ads, social media optimization, search engine marketing, Google Analytics Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, New Delhi, Mumbai 12. Python developer Python developers usually create back-end components, connecting web applications to other web services and making sure the front end works as it should. The role often also include data collection and analytics. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, internet, marketing and advertising, financial services. Skills you need: Django, Flask, MySQL, JavaScript, HTML Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad 11. Cybersecurity specialist Cybersecurity specialists keep computer information systems secure, primarily against cyber crime which includes phishing, denial-of-service attacks, malware, viruses, and hacking. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, computer and network security, accounting, management consulting Skills you need: Vulnerability assessment, security information and event management, penetration testing, information security, network security Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Gurgaon 10. Robotics engineer (software) Robotics engineers work behind the scenes to design and build automation software. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, automotive, industrial automation, electrical and electronic manufacturing Skills you need: Robotic process automation, UiPath, Blue Prism, Automation Anywhere, robotics, SQL Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Gurgaon, Chennai 9. Full stack engineer A full stack engineer is responsible for running a project from start to finish via a combination of front-end web development and software development skills. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, internet, marketing and advertising, financial services Skills you need: AngularJS, Node.js, JavaScript, React.js, MongoDB Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad 8. Customer success specialist Customer success specialists are expected to work proactively to understand core client needs and what an organization needs to do to meet those needs. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, internet, marketing and advertising, financial services Skills you need: Customer relationship management, team management, customer retention, Software-as-a-Service, account management Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Mumbai, New Delhi 7. Site reliability engineer Site reliability engineers are expected to bring a software engineering approach to system administration topics and ensure technical products, such as apps, run smoothly. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, internet, marketing and advertising, financial services, telecommunications Skills you need: Amazon Web Services, Ansible, Docker Products, Kubernetes, Jenkins Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad 6. Growth manager Growth managers use growth hacking techniques to get more buyers or users for their products or services. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, marketing and advertising, financial services, food and beverages Skills you need: Business development, team management, growth strategies, market research, marketing strategy, digital marketing Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Gurgaon, Noida 5. Back-end developer A back-end developer is in charge of building and implementing what a particular web application is meant to do the components that are indirectly accessed by a user through the shiny front-end. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, internet, financial services, e-learning Skills you need: Node.js, MogoDB, Javascript, MySQL Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Mumbai, New Delhi 4. Robotic process automation consultant Robotic process automation (RPA) is the process of creating software robots to automate manual business processes previously performed by humans. The role of an RPA consultant is to work with organizations to understand how their business can adopt RPA, and what the benefits may be. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, accounting, management consulting, information services Skills you need: UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism, process automation, SQL Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Mumbai 3. JavaScript developer While front-end web developers work on the styling of web applications, JavaScript developers build and implement the front-end logic that defines how those visual elements behave. A website's programming, development and implementation are the core elements of this. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, internet, financial services, education management Skills you need: AngularJS, Node.js, React.js, React Native, MongoDB Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad 2. Artificial intelligence specialist Artificial intelligence specialists helping machines to learn, so that they can understand their environment and take autonomous actions to achieve goals, rather than just absorbing information. Top industries hiring for this role: Information technology and services, computer software, internet, research, education management Skills you need: Machine learning, deep learning, TensorFlow, Python, natural language processing Where the jobs are: Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad 1. Blockchain developer As more industries look to increase their technological innovation, it seems fitting that one of the fastest-growing job roles is in artificial intelligence. Professional social platform LinkedIn looked at all its members with a public profile that have held full-time positions within the past five years. From this pool it then calculated the share of hiring and growth rate for each occupation between 2015 and 2019, to identify which roles would be on the rise in the coming year. LinkedIn's 2020 Emerging Job Report found "artificial intelligence specialist," which focuses on improving the ability of machines to learn, to be the fastest-growing job in the U.K., Spain and Germany. An AI specialist would apply to someone with skills in the application of AI, enabling computer systems to perform tasks without specific instruction. Other skills unique to this role include knowledge of machine-learning platform TensorFlow and of programming language, such as Python, the report noted. Industries hiring for this sort of role include IT, financial services, computer software and research. An AI specialist might have previously worked as a data engineer, data scientist, postdoctoral researcher or software engineer, Linkedin found. In France, it was the second fastest-growing role, while landing in fourth place in Italy. In both of these countries the role of data protection officer was seeing the biggest growth. A data protection officer ensures the handling of personal data complies with regulations and knowledge of these rules is a core skill of this role. A range of sectors hire for this role, including government and financial organizations, hospitals and health care, as well as IT services. Previous positions for a data protection officer would include a compliance officer, data manager or specialist and an information officer. Mariano Mamertino, senior Economist at LinkedIn, told CNBC that it was no surprise to see that these were the fastest growing jobs in Europe. He explained that cross-sector technological advancements explained why there were now 18 times more people hired as artificial intelligence specialists in the U.K. than in 2015, for example. Increasing data privacy concerns and the implementation of rules such as Europe's General Data Protection Regulation, explain the growing demand for data protection officers, said Mamertino. "But whilst tech roles dominate, the importance of the human touch persists," he added, noting the growth in customer-facing support roles, such as customer success specialist, across Europe to support the more tech-orientated roles. U.S. firms can work with Huawei on setting standards for next-generation technologies, the Department of Commerce said Monday, June 15, 2020. Telefonica Deutschland, one of Germany's top mobile carriers, has picked Huawei and Nokia to build out its 5G network. 5G refers to next-generation mobile networks that promise super-fast data speeds and low latency a short amount of time between the data being summoned and it reaching its destination. The move is a potential snub to the U.S. government which has been campaigning for its allies to keep the Chinese telecoms equipment giant out of their 5G networks. Washington maintains that Huawei represents a security risk because its equipment could be used for espionage by Beijing. Huawei has repeatedly denied this allegation. Countries have approached Huawei with mixed views. Japan and Australia have effectively banned the company from their 5G networks. Meanwhile, the U.K. has yet to make a final decision. The German government decided in October it would not exclude Huawei from its 5G networks. Instead, it introduced a draft proposal for security guidelines when it comes to 5G equipment. It could mean that equipment from vendors need to be certified. watch now Asian economies need to focus on propping up their domestic economies as China's slowdown looks like it's here to stay, said the chief economist and head of research at Australian bank ANZ, Richard Yetsenga. "For the region, it's increasingly about having business models which fit a world where China is growing much less quickly, and where trade is much less easy than growth support. That means increasing domestic demand, and that means getting domestic financial systems right," Yetsenga told CNBC on Thursday. The Chinese flag floats before the skyscrapers of multinational corporations on February 23, 2018 in Shanghai, China. Vincent Isore | IP3 | Getty Images Ten years ago, China began the structural adjustment as its economy grew at 12%, he said, noting it's never gone back to that rate of growth. "I think we all need to accept that China is slowing structurally we use the word 'structural' and really, we mean 'permanently,'" he said. "My expectation is, we say goodbye to (6% growth), it's very unlikely we ever get back to (6% growth). I think this is a permanent slowdown in China," said Yetsenga. The world's second-largest economy grew by 6% in the third quarter of 2019 from a year earlier it was the slowest economic growth in about 27 years, according to Reuters. Monetary transmission in Asia President of the European Council Charles Michel talks to the press as he arrives for the second day of a European Union Summit at the Europa building in Brussels on December 13, 2019. KENZO TRIBOUILLARD | AFP | Getty Images BRUSSELS European leaders have roundly declared that it's now time to get on with Brexit after U.K leader Boris Johnson secured an emphatic win in the country's general election. Johnson's victory is being interpreted as clarity on the U.K.'s departure from the European Union. The Brexit process has often paralyzed policymaking within the EU since negotiations began in 2017. Johnson has campaigned on the promise that the U.K. will leave the EU next month and then enter a transition period that is currently set to last until the end of 2020. Speaking to CNBC in Brussels, European leaders congratulated the former London mayor on his victory and asked for a speedy approval of the Withdrawal Agreement the document that outlines how the U.K. will leave the EU. "I would like to congratulate Boris Johnson on his victory. We expect a vote on the withdrawal agreement as soon as possible," Charles Michel, the European Council president who chairs European summits, said Friday. He told CNBC: "We are ready, we have decided what are our priorities," adding that it will be "important to keep this close cooperation with the United Kingdom." Xavier Bettel, the Luxembourg prime minister told CNBC Thursday that he would like the new parliamentary majority in the U.K. to agree to all the future relations "very quickly." The U.K. is set to leave the bloc by Jan. 31. After that, both sides will start detailing their future relationship. These negotiations are not meant to last beyond 2022. During this transition period, the U.K. will be able to sign trade deals with other countries, but European law will still be applicable. The U.K. will also be losing its voting rights in European meetings during this time. A new trade agreement Johnson has said that it is his aim to reach a trade deal with the EU within this transition period. However, there's uncertainty as to whether that will be possible due to the complexity of these talks. Michel Barnier, the EU's Brexit negotiator, has said that it is unlikely that the U.K. and the EU will put a trade deal together within 11 months meaning by the end of 2020, according to a leaked tape that the British newspaper The Independent obtained. The EU will have to be flexible in pick-and-choosing (the areas to negotiate), but the United Kingdom has to be flexible on timing. Pieter Cleppe Analyst at Open Europe think tank The former British ambassador to the EU, Ivan Rogers, said that it could take up to 10 years to conclude a trade deal. A recent deal negotiated between the EU and Canada took seven years to put together and it has still not been fully ratified. However, European leaders told CNBC that it will be possible to reach a deal. "In 11 months you can do a lot of things, if you have the political will," Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister told CNBC Thursday. Lithuanian Prime Minister Gitanas Nauseda told CNBC that there's a 90% probability that both sides will reach a trade deal during the transition period. watch now Swedish minister for European affairs, Hans Dahlgren, told CNBC that both sides of the English Channel might pursue a "basic" agreement given the restricted timeline. They are set to start their trade talks in the first quarter of 2020 and European leaders are preparing a common position so Barnier can start those discussions. "The EU will have to be flexible in pick-and-choosing (the areas to negotiate), but the United Kingdom has to be flexible on timing," Pieter Cleppe, head of the Brussels office of the think tank Open Europe, told CNBC Friday morning. "I don't think there's anything wrong in taking a bit more time," Cleppe added, in case the U.K. and the EU decide to continue their trade negotiations beyond 2022. British Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Boris Johnson speaks to supporters and press as the Conservatives celebrate election victory on December 13, 2019 in London, England. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images As the world wakes up to the news of a landslide victory for the ruling Conservative Party in the U.K.'s general election, CNBC takes a look at frontpage reaction from newspapers across the globe. 'Carrie on Boris Tory landslide and Corbyn's on his bike' The Sun Tweet 1 British tabloid The Sun pictured a "jubilant" Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds arriving in his west London constituency of Uxbridge this morning. It also referred to the "disaster" defeat suffered by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who announced plans to step down. 'Rejoice! Boris surges to landslide win' The Daily Mail Tweet 2 Another of the U.K.'s newspapers, The Daily Mail, showed Johnson on a "victory march" as the "Tories storm the North" and the Labour party's "Red Wall falls," referring to seats in the north of England and the Midlands which had traditionally voted for the leftist opposition. The Mail said voters delivered a "humiliating verdict on Jeremy Corbyn's brand of socialism." 'Johnson unleashed' The i paper Tweet 3 The i paper described the Conservative's victory as a "blue tide" sweeping the U.K. and how the leader of the Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, lost her seat in a "bleak night" for the centrist party. 'Labour in meltdown as Johnson seizes majority' The Guardian Tweet 4 Left-leaning paper The Guardian said Johnson was "triumphant after trouncing Labour with (its) pro-Brexit strategy" and that both of the major parties were "stunned" by the exit poll last night, suggesting a "decisive majority" for the Conservatives. 'Johnson's historic victory' The Telegraph Meanwhile, pro-Conservative paper The Telegraph, which once counted Johnson as a columnist, highlighted that the ruling party was set for its "biggest success since (Margaret) Thatcher", who won a landslide vote in 1987. 'Europa bye-bye' la Repubblica Tweet 5 Italy's la Repubblica went for a snappy headline in response to the Conservative victory, alluding to the fact that the Conservatives "absolute majority" means "the path for London seems clear: Brexit will happen on the January 31 2020," according to a translation. 'Los sondeos apuntan a una mayoria rotunda de Johnson' El Pais Tweet 6 "Polls point to a resounding majority for Johnson," was the translated headline from Spain's El Pais, mentioning that this looked to be worst result for the Labour party since 1935. 'British voters hand Johnson and Brexit a big win' New York Times An entrance to a closed McDonald's Corp. restaurant is barricaded near the famous West Lake, usually a popular tourist attraction, in Hangzhou, China, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. In many places, businesses were scheduled to resume work this past Monday, but a variety of data indicates progress has been slow as the virus remains an unresolved concern. Many local governments have also imposed strict restrictions on entering certain areas and requiring quarantines of at least two weeks for people who have returned from out-of-town. The new coronavirus that began to grab national attention in mid-January has killed more than 1,300 people in mainland China. More than half of the provinces delayed the resumption of work from the first week of February by at least a week in an effort to keep people from interacting and spreading the virus. BEIJING Two weeks after the Lunar New Year holiday was originally supposed to end, Chinese businesses are still getting up to speed as the country deals with disruptions from a highly contagious virus. "The lockdown measures, together with the substantial extension of the (Lunar New Year) holiday, have significantly delayed resumption of business and production," Ting Lu, chief China economist at Nomura, said in an email Friday. He noted that given unique factors in China's political economic system, many local government officials are making containment of the virus the top priority. "Poor coordination among local governments leads to excessive roadblocks which result in logistical nightmare for most enterprises," Lu said, adding that there's still a severe shortage of the face masks needed for employees to resume work at factories and offices. In other cases, people are working from home. Shenzhen-based Tencent extended its work-from-home mandate until the end of Friday, Feb. 21. Beijing-based artificial intelligence company Megvii has told employees to work remotely until Monday, Feb. 17. Here's a look at what some data indicates about China's economic activity so far: Daily power coal consumption of six major power generation groups on Wednesday was 42.2% lower from the same post-Lunar New Year holiday period last year, Morgan Stanley economist Robin Xing and his team pointed out in a note Thursday. That's up 3% from the prior day. As of Monday, work had resumed at just over half, or 57.8%, of coal mines, according to data from 22 key provinces disclosed by Cong Liang, secretary general, member of the leading party group of the National Development and Reform Commission. The number of people who have returned to major Chinese cities remains at about a quarter what it was a year ago, according to Lu's analysis of data from Baidu , an operator of a major map app and other apps. Cities with a low return rate include Guangzhou, the capital of China's largest province by exports. The Lunar New Year marks a rare period of the year in China when the majority of businesses are closed and millions of people return to their hometowns for about a week or more. This year, authorities have encouraged people to stay put or return to their places of work in phases. "Even though a significant share of China's manufacturing plants have resumed operation this week, many plants are still operating at far below capacity due to labor force shortages, Rajiv Biswas, APAC chief economist at IHS Markit, said in an email Friday. "Many migrant workers have still not been able to return to their workplace due to lockdowns of some cities as well as quarantine requirements for workers moving from one town to another," he said. "This is likely to heavily disrupt industrial output for the remainder of Q1 2020." There's also the worry that resuming operations at this point could lead to more infections, and further halts to business operations. In southwestern China, a factory belonging to Pangang Chongqing Titanium Industry had to close after three workers were infected on Monday, Feb. 10, the industrial park confirmed in a phone call, noting about 130 people were in close contact with the three confirmed cases. The factory is now under quarantine, and a notice from the committee said the company did not fully comply with virus prevention procedures before resuming production. MUNICH Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to Germany this weekend to discuss the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus, among other national security issues. Wang is slated to give a keynote speech at the annual Munich Security Conference, which begins Friday and runs through Sunday. He is expected to discuss Beijing's efforts to contain the flu-like virus, now named COVID-19. The virus has killed at least 1,384 people and sickened more than 64,453 worldwide. Follow CNBC's live blog on the coronavirus Since the deadly outbreak, Wang is the first Chinese senior official to travel overseas. While the majority of confirmed coronavirus cases are in mainland China, the virus has also been identified in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, India, Singapore, Nepal, Hong Kong, Macao, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Italy, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Australia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and the United Kingdom. Wang's trip to Munich comes as German auto manufacturers brace for production and sale setbacks from the deadly coronavirus. Cars, the nation's top export, are uniquely affected by the coronavirus since so many German carmakers have established several auto plants throughout China. His trip also comes on the heels of White House officials expressing doubts about the information coming out of China regarding the coronavirus. Researchers are skeptical that the official numbers from China reflect how contagious the virus truly is. China "also continues to rebuff American offers of assistance," a senior administration official told CNBC. An employee uses a flash grinder to smooth out the metal frame of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) on the production line at the General Motors Co. (GM) assembly plant in Arlington, Texas. Automakers working to restart manufacturing in China amid the coronavirus outbreak are trying to prevent operations elsewhere from being affected by supply shortages. General Motors confirmed Friday it is closely monitoring the supply chain for its highly profitable truck production in North America, spokesman David Barnas said in an emailed statement. He added that the automaker "does not anticipate any impact on full-size truck production at this time." Terry Valenzuela, president of a United Auto Workers chapter in Texas that produces GM's full-size SUVs, told CNBC on Friday it's possible that production there could be disrupted due to supply issues. The comments follow a report by The Detroit Bureau, an online industry news website, that union leaders in Flint, Michigan, warned of potential parts shortages at their plant as well as the SUV plant in Texas and another truck plant in Indiana due to the coronavirus. A social media post, which appears to have been taken down, reportedly said the parts shortage, including decal applications, could begin as early as this month with wider impact occurring if the issues progress into March. "We continue to monitor our supply chain and are in close communications with our Tier One suppliers to attempt to mitigate risks to production in North America," Barnas said. Vehicles that could be impacted if the plants were to be idled include the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks and Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade SUVs. CNBC's Jim Cramer said Friday business leaders he has spoken to are deeply worried about the coronavirus outbreak, citing as evidence the cancellation of the Mobile World Congress. "The people I know who were supposed to go there, it was kind of like a cruise I'm not going there. I'm not going to risk going to Barcelona," Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street." "You're not used to hearing these hard-bitten executives say, 'I'm personally, personally worried,'" he added. The world's largest trade show for the mobile phone industry had been scheduled for later this month in Barcelona, Spain. About 100,000 people attended in 2019. But organizers this year canceled the event on Wednesday, saying "global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances" made it "impossible" to hold it. LG, Sony , Ericsson , Nokia , Nvidia , Intel and Amazon decided not to attend before the official cancellation, putting pressure on organizers. More than 64,000 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus, and at least 1,380 people have died. The vast majority of cases are in China. As of earlier this week, Spain only had two confirmed cases of the coronavirus. The decision to cancel MWC speaks to the wide-ranging effects of the outbreak, the "Mad Money" host said. It was clear the coronavirus was impacting the business community, with factories shutting down as workers stayed at home and airlines canceling thousands of flights to China, for example. Cruise operators also have canceled trips, and some ships that had already set sail are under quarantine. But Cramer said the MWC cancellation sheds light on how executives are viewing the situation with regards to their own health, not just the welfare of their employees. "That has not been the story. Now we're at the, 'I don't want to get hurt [phase],'" he said. CNBC's Ryan Browne contributed to this report. U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks to U.S. troops in an unannounced visit to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, November 28, 2019. REUTERS/Tom Brenner A senior U.S.official said Friday the United States and the Taliban have reached a truce agreement that will take effect "very soon" and could lead to withdrawals of American troops from Afghanistan. The official said the agreement for a seven-day "reduction in violence" to be followed by the start of all-Afghan peace talks within 10 days is "very specific" and covers the entire country including Afghan forces. The developments come as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper met Friday in Munich with Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani. They spoke on the sidelines of an international security forum in Munich. A truce had been widely anticipated, and President Donald Trump has agreed in principle to the deal, which could lead to the start of significant U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, according to U.S. officials. The final details were hammered out in recent days by U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar. Khalilzad was in Munich and attended Pompeo and Esper's meeting as did Gen. Scott Miller, the commander of the U.S.-led international force in Afghanistan. People familiar with the plan's outlines say it calls for the successful conclusion of the weeklong truce to be followed within 10 days by the start of all-Afghan negotiations to set the road map for the country's political future. U.S. officials have brushed aside claims that a Taliban ultimatum forced their hand. And they noted that, despite Trump's campaign pledge to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan and elsewhere, the Republican president has nixed previous deals that appeared close in response to attacks on U.S. forces. Speaker of the House of Represenatives Nancy Pelosi speaks during a discussion at the Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2020 in Munich, Germany. "If you want to build a collective conscience of values and respect for human rights and the rest, don't go near Huawei and instead, let's internationalize and build something together that will be about freedom of information," she added. "This is the most insidious form of aggression, to have that line of communication, 5G, dominated by an autocratic government that does not share our values," Pelosi, D-Calif., told an audience at the Munich Security Conference. Her comments come after the Justice Department brought new charges against Huawei , accusing it of racketeering and plotting to steal trade secrets from U.S. companies. MUNICH U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday warned nations against doing business with Chinese telecom giant Huawei and called on other nations to work with the U.S. as the globe races to develop 5G networks. Pelosi's hard stance against Huawei represents one of her few areas of agreement with President Donald Trump. The Trump administration is working to isolate Huawei from developing a larger foothold in U.S. partner countries. The administration has specifically worked to keep members of the "five eyes" intelligence-sharing group the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand from working with Huawei. Last month, the Trump administration expressed disappointment after the U.K. announced it would allow Huawei to have limited access to some British 5G mobile networks. "The United States is disappointed by the U.K.'s decision," a senior Trump administration official wrote in a Jan. 28 emailed statement to CNBC. The official added that the Trump administration will work "with the U.K. on a way forward that results in the exclusion of untrusted vendor components from 5G networks." U.S. officials have long complained that Chinese intellectual property theft has cost the economy billions of dollars in revenue and thousands of jobs and that it threatens national security. China maintains that it does not engage in intellectual property theft. "I've been tracking China for 30 years on trade, intellectual property and the rest of it, and I tell you unequivocally, without any hesitation: Be very careful ... unless you want to end up with a society like China or an economy like China, which is not in the free enterprise mode," Pelosi said, reiterating that countries need to work with the U.S. on 5G development. A White House official told a small group of reporters on the sidelines of the Munich forum that the U.S. wants to develop partnerships with the telecom industry in order to counter Huawei's offerings. Robert Blair, White House special representative for international telecommunications policy, also called on the U.K. to take a "hard look" at its decision to use Huawei equipment. Vice President Mike Pence told CNBC last week that London's decision could jeopardize trade talks between the U.K. and the United States. "We're anxious to build our economic ties, but we have made it clear to Prime Minister [Boris] Johnson and to officials in the U.K., that as we expand opportunities to build out 5G across this country ... we want to see our companies meet the needs in the United States and U.K. and among all our allies without the compromise of privacy and the compromise of security that necessarily comes with Huawei and control by the Chinese Communist Party," Pence told CNBC's Wilfred Frost. Read more: Vice President Pence: 'We'll see' if UK decision on Huawei is a deal breaker for a trade pact When asked about the issue by CNBC on his first day as secretary of Defense, Mark Esper said he was "very concerned about Chinese technology getting into our systems or the systems of our allies." "Huawei is the poster child right now for that," Esper said, adding that the U.S. trade war with China is as much about national security as it is about the economy. In 2018, the Pentagon halted sales of Huawei and ZTE mobile phones and modems on military bases around the world, citing potential security risks. Huawei and ZTE have previously denied allegations that their products are used to spy on Americans. Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Block Island are classic New England islands. Framed by white sand beaches, these photogenic locations are dotted with Victorian architecture and Federal-style brick mansions built by sea captains and industrialists who profited from the once-thriving whaling trade. Lighthouses, dramatic bluffs and windswept dunes complete the alluring picture that keeps tourists coming every spring, summer and fall. A Victorian cast-iron hitching post on a quiet street in Nantucket. sbossert As there are no bridges to these islands, most visitors use the ferry service that runs throughout the day, taking one to two hours each way. Some also fly. And a handful get there by small cruise ships. Small-ship cruises are a convenient way to sample New England's enchanting islands. It eliminates the hassle of making round-trip ferry or flight reservations, which are often difficult to get in high season. Serving as both transport and hotel, small-ship cruises under 200 passengers or so are nimble enough to slip into picturesque yacht harbors and narrow channels, and dock or moor right in the heart of town. Islands and ports to see Nantucket is ringed by beaches, and its small cobblestone streets and early 19th-century architecture helped make the entire island a National Historic Landmark District. is ringed by beaches, and its small cobblestone streets and early 19th-century architecture helped make the entire island a National Historic Landmark District. Martha's Vineyard is beloved for its frilly, gingerbread-style Victorian cottages in Oak Bluffs as well as the dramatic headlands of Aquinnah. Gingerbread trim on a house in Martha's Vineyard. Ted Scull Block Island is known for its grand sea-facing Victorian-era hotels, such as The Atlantic Inn. is known for its grand sea-facing Victorian-era hotels, such as The Atlantic Inn. New Bedford was once the whaling capital of the world and the inspiration behind Herman Melville's classic American novel, Moby Dick, published in 1841. was once the whaling capital of the world and the inspiration behind Herman Melville's classic American novel, Moby Dick, published in 1841. Newport is famous for its extravagant Gilded Age mansions, some of which are open for touring. is famous for its extravagant Gilded Age mansions, some of which are open for touring. Bristol was the home of the Herreshoff shipyard that produced eight America's Cup yachts; today there's a marine museum that explores the history of boat building in the area. Seeing New England by small ship There are two cruise lines that spend a good part of each year cruising New England and its offshore islands American Cruise Lines and Blount Small Ship Adventures. American Cruise Lines is a US-owned, operated and crewed company with a fleet of 13 small, modern ships, including the 100-passenger American Star and 175-passenger American Constitution. The company's seven-night New England islands cruises start (and end) in Providence, Rhode Island. The itinerary includes stops at New Bedford, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and Block Island in Massachusetts; and Newport and Bristol in Rhode Island. American Cruise Lines serve regional cuisine, such as whole steamed lobsters and Cape Cod lobster pot pie. Courtesy of American Cruise Lines Cabins are spacious at 200 to 450 square feet, and most have balconies. Six roomy cabins are designed for single occupancy, a rarity in the cruise world. There is an onboard historian/naturalist and perks like a putting green and gym equipment on the sun deck. Fares start at $4,140 per person and include most guided excursions and cocktail hour in the evening, plus beer and wine at lunch and dinner. "There is nothing like island hopping in New England," said Charles B. Robertson, the company's vice president. "Only a smaller ship can truly deliver the experience of coming into Nantucket Harbor, Great Salt Pond or Vineyard Haven." Meanwhile, Blount Small Ship Adventures has a pair of US-flagged, 84-passenger ships the Grande Caribe and Grande Mariner which are homey yet utilitarian. Cabins are compact, a point reflected in the cruises' lower price. The overall vibe is casual, and the ships employ a BYOB policy. Free house beer and wine are available at lunch and dinner. The Grand Caribe navigates through Cape Cod Sound and Boston Harbor. Courtesy of Blount Small Ship Adventures Many are attracted to Blount for its legacy. Founded in 1966 by entrepreneur and inventor Luther Blount and still family-owned and operated today the company thrives on its heritage as an innovative boat builder and pioneer of coastal and inland cruises. The boats navigate waterways and visit places many other boats cannot. The line's six-night "Islands of New England" itinerary cruises between New York and Boston and starts at $2,259 per person, stopping at Block Island, Newport, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Plymouth. Seeing New England by large ship Ships that aren't registered in the United States and instead fly a foreign flag are subject to cabotage laws that require them to call, or stop, at a foreign port when sailing between two U.S. ports. For New England cruises, this often means a stop in Canada. As a result, several ships stop on one or two New England islands as part of fall foliage cruises (mostly to and from Boston, New York or Montreal) or when en route to Iceland or Europe. Many are too large to dock and instead anchor offshore and shuttle passengers to town in tenders. Mansion tours are popular in Newport, Rhode Island. shunyufan The all-suite, all-inclusive luxury 490-passenger Regent Seven Seas Navigator includes a stop at Martha's Vineyard on a 15-night cruise between New York and Reykjavik in June 2020, starting at $8,599 per person. Starting late August of this year, Norwegian Cruise Lines' 2,394-passenger Norwegian Gem will run a seven-night New England cruise out of Boston, which includes stops at Martha's Vineyard and Newport. Rates start at $972 per person for an inside cabin. The Cliffs at Gay Head, Martha's Vineyard. kickstand In 2021, Victory Cruise Lines' 202-passenger Victory I will begin seven-night cruises from St. John (Canada) to Boston, making stops at Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. These cruises start at $4,999 per person, and include a pre-cruise hotel night, daily excursions and alcoholic drinks. Tips Elon Musk reveals prototypes of the Tesla Solar Roof on October 28, 2016 Tesla Even with a record fourth quarter for its solar energy and storage systems business, Tesla's energy revenue declined by over $24 million in 2019, after several rounds of layoffs that started the prior year. The company is now under pressure to get the business going again. Tesla said, in its annual financial report on Thursday, that it's ramping up solar photovoltaic production at its plant in Buffalo, New York. "We have recently started manufacturing solar panels at this facility in collaboration with Panasonic," the filing states. CEO Elon Musk needs to increase headcount at the Buffalo plant, dubbed Gigafactory 2. If Tesla fails to employ 1,460 people there in April, it will have to pay a $41.2 million penalty to the state of New York or get an exemption. The mayor of Buffalo said, citing company officials, that there are currently around 1,100 workers at the plant. Empire state taxpayers doled out $959 million to build Tesla's factory, including equipment purchases, which is $209 million more than originally expected. In addition to his race against the clock in upstate New York, Musk is also in a battle with Tesla shareholders, who sued the automaker in 2017 over its $2.6 billion acquisition of SolarCity. They say the deal never should have happened and called it a bailout of Musk and his cousins, Lyndon and Peter Rive, who started SolarCity. Musk was co-founding chairman of SolarCity and its biggest shareholder at the time of the acquisition. He's expected to stand trial in Delaware's Chancery Court in March. Tesla told Reuters in September that the allegations were "based on the claims of plaintiff's lawyers looking for a payday, and are not representative of our shareholders." Since the acquisition, solar energy has been a relatively small and dwindling business for Tesla, in part because of delays in manufacturing and a longer development cycle than expected. Musk said last March that 2019 would be the "year of the solar roof." But even with the company rolling out new ways for customers to lease solar systems and with a new version of its Solarglass roof tiles promoted last year, solar energy and storage made up just 6.2% of the company's $24.6 billion in 2019 revenue. WATCH: Loup Ventures' Gene Munster and Roth Capital's Craig Irwin debate Tesla German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier addresses the opening speech of the 56th Munich Security Conference in Munich, southern Germany, on February 14, 2020. "Our closest ally, the United States of America, under the current administration, rejects the very concept of the international community," he said. "'Great again' but at the expense of neighbors and partners," Steinmeier added without naming Trump but referring to his "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan. In his opening remarks, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned that the United States would put its own interests first at the expense of allies. MUNICH Germany's president kicked off the annual Munich Security Conference on Friday by taking a swipe at President Donald Trump's "America First" foreign policy approach. "Thinking and acting this way hurts us all," he said. Attending Steinmeier's speech, delivered at the 56th Munich Security Conference, were Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. Adam Schiff along with other representatives, making it the largest U.S. delegation to attend the forum. Read more: Nuclear weapons and 5G among national security topics at Munich Security Conference Steinmeier also accused Russia and China of amplifying global insecurity in pursuit of "great power" competition. "In this scenario, the security of one is the insecurity of others," he said, adding that European leaders must create a unified policy to deal with increasing threats posed by Russia and China. The former German foreign minister also placed emphasis on the importance of NATO, the world's most powerful military alliance, which has been frequently dressed down by Trump. In December, Trump reiterated at the NATO leaders meeting that too many members were still not paying enough and threatened to reduce U.S. military support if allies do not increase spending. At the meeting in London, Trump singled out German Chancellor Angela Merkel for not meeting the 2% of GDP spending goal set in the 2014 NATO summit in Wales. Read more: What each NATO country contributes financially to the world's strongest military alliance "So we're paying 4[%] to 4.3% when Germany's paying 1[%] to 1.2% at max 1.2% of a much smaller GDP. That's not fair," Trump said at the time. Germany is only one of 19 NATO members that have not met the 2% GDP spending goal set at the 2014 summit. Steinmeier said that while Germany should continue to raise its defense spending, it should not be "the be-all end-all for our security." Correction: This article has been corrected to accurately reflect the names of the U.S. officials who were present at Steinmeier's speech. Officials are also looking to see whether the medical workers were exposed to the virus unknowingly within a clinical environment and whether they were wearing protective equipment at the time, Ryan said. "There are a whole lot of factors we need to look at, and we will be doing that with Chinese authorities." It appears infections among medical workers peaked in mid-January and have "rapidly" decreased since, Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's emergencies program, said at a news conference at the agency's headquarters in Geneva. "This may reflect increased levels of training, increased levels of protection and increased levels of awareness." World health officials are working with Chinese authorities to determine when the 1,716 health workers in the country were infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, World Health Organization officials said Friday. Earlier in the day, China's National Health Commission said that 1,716 health workers in the country had been infected with the coronavirus and six of them have died. It was the first time China published figures specifically relating to infected medical personnel. Dr. Sylvie Briand, head of WHO's Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness division, told reporters that the health workers may have been fatigued at the time they were infected and weren't taking proper protective measures because they were too tired. China has sent medical professionals from several regions to support those workers, she said. Later Friday, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters on a conference call that the notice from China of the health workers being infected was "concerning." She said there are currently no health workers in the U.S. that have contracted the virus. WHO is asking suppliers of protective gear to prioritize sending the equipment to regions most affected by the virus. Last week, WHO said it sent medical supplies such as masks, gloves, gowns and diagnostic tests around the world. It is discouraging stockpiling of protective gear, saying the limited number of items need to be saved for regions most affected by the virus. The price of protective gear has increased, while availability has decreased, WHO officials said. That could have a "knock-on effect" for other ongoing epidemics such as Ebola, Ryan said last week. On Thursday, world health officials said they were scrambling to determine just how widespread the new coronavirus is as Chinese authorities reported a surge in new cases after changing how they count confirmed infections. "How big is the iceberg?" Ryan said. "We do know, and we all accept, that there is transmission occurring at some level in communities. We've all seen those clusters, we've all seen those super spreading events." The flu-like virus has killed at least 1,380 people and sickened more than 64,000 worldwide as of Friday morning. World health officials have said the respiratory disease is capable of spreading through human-to-human contact, droplets carried through sneezing and coughing and germs left on inanimate objects. The coronavirus produces mild cold symptoms in about 80% of patients, they said. About 15% of the people who contract the virus have ended up with pneumonia, with 3% to 5% of all patients needing intensive care. Ryan said Thursday that officials are working on identifying the virus's natural host. Earlier in the week, WHO officials said the virus, which emerged from a seafood market in Wuhan, likely originated in bats and then jumped to an "intermediate host" before infecting humans. watch now The coverage on this live blog has ended but for up-to-the-minute coverage on the coronavirus, visit the live blog from CNBC's U.S. team. All times below are in Beijing time. 8:12 pm: China announces policies to support businesses hit by virus The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) issued a notice on Saturday urging banks to strengthen loans to the manufacturing sector at better rates, and to provide improved financial services for businesses making protective gear. The measures are part of a wider push in the last few weeks to aid small to medium-sized businesses that have been hurt by the coronavirus, which has stalled economic activity in much of the country. watch now 7:40 pm: China's foreign minister denies major risks to Chinese economy, says it will 'emerge stronger' from epidemic "We are confident that China will emerge stronger from the epidemic. Its pent up consumer demand and growth potential will be quickly unleashed and China will enjoy evermore sound and sustainable economic and social development," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told an audience at the Munich Security Conference. The minister expressed optimism even as confirmed cases of the disease surge past 66,000 and analysts have warned that the virus could tip China into a technical recession. 7:17 pm: Japanese officials say Americans infected with coronavirus won't be taken back to U.S. on charter flight Americans infected with the coronavirus won't be able to leave on a planned charter flight to evacuate U.S. citizens stuck aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan, country officials said Saturday. The plane, arranged by the State Department, will land in Japan on Feb. 16 and take an undisclosed number of Americans back to various air bases in the U.S., where they will be quarantined for a further 14 days. The cruise ship is the biggest cluster of infected people outside China, with some 285 confirmed cases out of 3,500 passengers and crew. 6:00 pm: First coronavirus death confirmed in Europe, French health minister says An 80-year-old Chinese tourist has died of the new coronavirus in a hospital in France, French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said Saturday, confirming the first fatality from the fast-spreading respiratory virus in Europe. France has 11 confirmed cases of the illness, with more than 63,800 cases around the world, the vast majority of which are in China. More than 1,500 people have died and cases have been identified in at least 24 countries. TweetFrance Until Saturday, the only deaths outside mainland China were reported in the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Japan. 4:23 pm: Chinese minister says coronavirus hit to Chinese economy will be 'temporary' and country will 'rebound' "The impact of the epidemic on the Chinese economy will be short term and temporary," Chinese foreign affairs vice minister Qin Gang said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. "When the epidemic is over, the subdued consumer demand will be released rapidly and the economy will rebound strongly." 4:18 pm: U.S. State Department will evacuate all Americans from Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined in Japan The State Department will provide a chartered aircraft to fly American citizens aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise directly from Japan to the U.S., it said in a statement Saturday. The aircraft is set to arrive in Japan on the evening of Feb. 16, and will land in the U.S. at Travis Air Force Base in California. Some passengers will then continue onward to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. All passengers will need to be quarantined in the U.S. for a further 14 days. Those symptomatic passengers unable to board the flight will "receive the required care in Japan," the State Department said, expressing its gratitude to Japan for its "extraordinary care and hospitality" and assistance. "Should you choose not to return on this charter flight, you will be unable to return to the United States for a period of time," the State Department said. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will make a final determination on this matter." watch now The cruise ship is the biggest cluster of infected people outside China, with some 285 confirmed cases out of 3,500 passengers and crew. 2:50 pm: China rail refunded $4.5 billion in tickets officials Chinese officials disclosed Saturday that travel during the latest Lunar New Year period was a fraction of previous years, as people stayed home and took advantage of refund policies that authorities enacted in an effort to limit the spread of the virus. China's aviation authority said since it first announced a ticket refund policy in late January, domestic and foreign airlines have processed 20 million tickets worth more than 20 billion yuan ($2.9 billion). The number of flights has been about a quarter of what it was last year, a representative said. China's railway authority said rail trips during the holiday travel period so far have been one-seventh of the 280 million it had anticipated, and that it has processed 11.5 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) in ticket refunds. 2:10 pm: China says it will tolerate more bad loans China's central bank says lenders will accept higher levels of bad loans in a bid to support firms affected by the virus outbreak, according to a Reuters report. It said that situation will be manageable as China has a relatively low bad loan ratio, the report said. He added that the problem will be manageable as China has a relatively low bad loan ratio. 12:55 pm: China bans insurers from offering virus-specific products China's deputy chair of the banking and insurance regulator, Liang Tao, said Saturday at a press conference that there are already more than 400 insurance products that can cover risks related to the new coronavirus pneumonia. "Due to the lack of pricing data, and for the protection against violation of consumer rights, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission prohibits companies from issuing such single-liability products," Liang said, according to a CNBC translation of his Mandarin-language remarks. 12:30 pm: 25,633 medical workers sent to Hubei so far A total of 217 medical teams comprised of 25,633 healthcare workers have been sent to the virus-hit Hubei province as of Feb. 14, according to state-owned media People's Daily citing China's National Health Commission. The majority of them are in Wuhan. On Friday, China said that 1,716 health workers in the country have been infected with the COVID-19 virus. 11:15 am: Trump trade advisor Navarro says drug production could start as soon as this month White House trade advisor Peter Navarro told Fox Business Network on Friday night Eastern time that testing and production of a coronavirus drug could start as soon as late February. He said on the show that the White House is "moving at Trump time" on a treatment drug and are hopeful testing and production could begin "as early as the end of the month, mid-March." Navarro told Fox Business Network a vaccine could be "hopefully as early as next November," adding that five large American companies are working to get 150 million doses of a vaccine ready. 10:40 am: US evacuating citizens aboard quarantined cruise ship off Japan The U.S. is evacuating its citizens and their families who are onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship off Japan that has been quarantined for almost two weeks, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited an official from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There will be two evacuation flights from Japan for around 380 people, the report said. At least 218 passengers on the Diamond Princess were confirmed to be infected. watch now 10:25 am: Support for companies to fight outbreak in China As of noon on Friday, banks and financial institutions have supplied more than 537 billion yuan ($76.9 billion) in credit to fight the virus, Liang Tao, deputy head of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, said Saturday morning at a press conference in Beijing. 9:30 am: China's foreign minister slams global 'overreaction' to virus China's State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China's efforts to control the epidemic have been comprehensive and that it's "under control," while slamming the "overreaction" of other countries, according to a Reuters report. In an interview with Reuters in Berlin, he said: "The epidemic overall is under control." ""We've taken such complete prevention and control efforts, efforts that are so comprehensive, that I can't see any other country that can do this," Wang said, adding that they would find it very difficult, according to Reuters. "But China has been able to do this." The U.S. should not take unnecessary measures that will affect tourism and trade, he said, according to Reuters. The U.S. was among several countries who placed travel curbs on Chinese citizens, or travelers who have been to mainland China. 8:50 am: IBM withdraws from RSA conference in San Francisco IBM says it's no longer participating in a major conference the RSA cyber security conference in San Francisco in February over virus fears, it said in a tweet. IBM tweet The conference is scheduled for Feb. 24 to Feb. 28. Earlier, Facebook announced it has called off its global marketing summit set for next month also in San Francisco, for the same reason, according to a Reuters report. Another major event, Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world's largest trade show for the mobile phone industry, was canceled this week over those fears. That decision came after many companies pulled out of the conference, such as LG, Sony, Ericsson, Nokia, Nvidia, Intel and Amazon. 8:05 am: China confirms 143 more deaths, 2,641 new cases China's National Health Commission reported an additional 143 deaths nationwide, as well as 2,641 new confirmed cases as of Feb. 14. That tally includes Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, where 2,420 new cases were reported, and 139 more deaths. That brings the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 66,492, and number of total deaths at 1,523, the authority said. All times below are in Eastern time. 3:03 pm: US health officials will check patients with flu-like symptoms for coronavirus U.S. health officials will monitor people with flu-like symptoms for the coronavirus in five cities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. The five labs are in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and New York City, but the agency hopes to expand the monitoring nationwide. Feuer 1:21 pm: CDC concerned with report of infected health workers in China A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official said the notice from China's National Health Commission about 1,716 health workers infected with the coronavirus was "concerning." Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters during a press briefing that there are currently no U.S. health workers infected with the virus. She also reiterated the possibility of community spread in the United States. Lovelace 12:11 pm: Chinese official to travel to Germany to discuss outbreak Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to Germany this weekend to discuss the deadly outbreak among other national security issues. Wang is slated to give a keynote speech at the annual Munich Security Conference. Since the deadly outbreak, Wang is the first Chinese senior official to travel overseas. His trip comes as White House officials express doubts about the information coming out of China. Macias 11:55 am: WHO and China investigate health workers infected with virus World health officials are working with Chinese authorities to determine when the 1,716 health workers in the country were infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus. It appears infections among medical workers peaked in mid-January and has "rapidly" decreased since, Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's emergencies program, said at a news conference at the agency's headquarters in Geneva. "This may reflect increased levels of training, increased levels of protection and increased levels of awareness." Lovelace 10:44 am: WHO reveals details on its mission to China Director-general of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news briefing he expects the WHO-led mission to China to arrive over the weekend. The team will include 12 international and WHO experts, Tedros said, as well as the same number of Chinese counterparts, though he did not identify individual members. He said the experts will visit three provinces to observe on-the-ground response efforts, but did not say if the mission will visit the epicenter of the outbreak, the city of Wuhan in Hubei province. "The goal of the joint mission is to rapidly inform the next steps in the COVID-19 response and preparedness activities in China and globally," he said. Feuer Read CNBC's coverage from the U.S. overnight: China tries to get back to work as Beijing sets a 14-day quarantine rule for arrivals. 10:14 am: Beijing authorities issue self-quarantine order for returning residents The U.S. government on Friday said it would increase tariffs on aircraft imported from the European Union to 15% from 10%, ratcheting up pressure on Brussels in a nearly 16-year transatlantic dispute over aircraft subsidies. The U.S. Trade Representative's Office said it remained open to reaching a negotiated settlement with the EU on the issue, but could revise its actions if the EU imposed tariffs of its own in connection with a pair of disputes over the subsidies. In a statement released late on Friday, USTR said it would make minor modifications to 25% tariffs imposed on cheese, wine and other non-aircraft products from the EU, including dropping prune juice from the list. It did not raise the tariff rates on those product, as it had suggested it might do in October. The higher aircraft tariff will take effect March 18. The U.S. action comes as U.S. President Donald Trump, emboldened by agreement on a Phase 1 trade deal with China, has trained his sights on restructuring the more than $1 trillion U.S.-EU trade relationship, raising the specter of another major trade war as the global economy slows. EU officials have said they want to negotiate with Washington but will not be bullied into submission. European planemaker Airbus said the U.S. move would hit U.S. airlines already facing a shortage of aircraft and complicate efforts to reach a negotiated settlement with the European Union in the longstanding dispute. Airbus said it would continue discussions with U.S. customers to "mitigate effects of tariffs insofar as possible" and hoped USTR would change its position, particularly given the threat of EU tariffs on U.S. products in its own case before the World Trade Organization. "USTR's decision ignores the many submissions made by U.S. airlines, highlighting the fact that they and the U.S. flying public ultimately have to pay these tariffs," the company said in a statement. EU officials had no immediate comment on Friday's news. The USTR had announced in December that it could increase tariff rates up to 100% and subject additional EU products to tariffs, following a decision by the WTO that EU launch aid to Airbus continued to harm the U.S. aerospace industry. The WTO in October had awarded Washington the right to impose tariffs on $7.5 billion of annual EU imports in its case against Airbus. Washington then slapped 10% tariffs on most European-made Airbus jets and 25% duties on products ranging from cheese to olives and single-malt whisky, from Oct. 18. Boeing, in a statement, said it was working with U.S. federal and state officials to "promptly bring the United States into full compliance" with WTO rulings. "The EU and Airbus could end these tariffs by finally complying with their legal obligations, ending these illegal subsidies, and addressing their ongoing harm. We hope they will," the company said in a statement. The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) said it remains strongly opposed to tariffs on European-origin wine and spirits, and urged U.S. and EU trade officials to negotiate an end to a trade dispute that was lowering revenues. A study commissioned by the group estimated that the 25% tariffs implemented in October could result in the loss of nearly 36,000 jobs in the beverage alcohol industry. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States said tit-for-tat tariffs on alcoholic beverages were hurting companies and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. It said new U.S. government data showed the U.S. spirit industry's exports to the EU, its largest export market, fell 27% in 2019 from a year earlier, and global exports of American whiskey declined 16% in the same period. "We urge both sides to resolve these disputes so that consumers can enjoy #ToastsNotTariffs," the group said. Chinese tourists are raring to travel again. But this time, the usual suspects Venice, Paris and Madrid, for example aren't their top picks. As China's reopening gains momentum after three years of Covid-19 restrictions, the country's travel-hungry citizens are emerging much changed, according to the Chinese Outbound Tourism Research Institute, an independent consulting company based in Germany. "The Chinese tourists we will welcome this year and in the coming years are very different from those who came before," Wolfgang Georg Arlt, founder and chief executive of COTRI, said at ITB Berlin, the world's largest tourism trade fair. In China as elsewhere, years of pandemic-induced lockdowns sparked a shift away from major tourist attractions toward "more nature-orientated, more outdoor-orientated tourism," Arlt said. He highlighted the emergence of trends like camping and glamping, as well as family-focused trips. Perhaps more significantly, many Chinese holidaymakers are still exploring the treasure trove of travel opportunities in their own country, he said. It used to be that if you were an important person in China, you had to travel internationally. Wolfgang Georg Arlt founder and CEO of the Chinese Outbound Tourism Research Institute "In the three years of the closure of the country, everybody had to travel domestically including the rich people which gave a boost to the domestic tourism industry," Arlt said. That could mark a significant change in the international travel market, to which Chinese tourists are outsized contributors. "It used to be that if you were an important person in China, you had to travel internationally. If you were traveling domestically, either you were too poor or you were too stupid to travel internationally," Arlt added. "This has changed now," he said. Plus "there has been an improvement in the quality and variety of the offers of domestic travel. So, for us, we have to compete not only with other international destinations, we also have to compete with the domestic market," said Arlt, who is also director of the Meaningful Tourism Center, a Hamburg-based sustainable travel consultancy. Gradual resumption of travel Chinese tourists made nearly 170 million outbound trips in 2019, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics. In the first half of that year alone, their outbound travel spend surpassed $127.5 billion, a study from Chinese travel booking site Ctrip.com found. This year, Chinese outbound travel is forecast to recover around two-thirds of those 2019 highs, with around 110 million border crossings from China, according to COTRI. However the hotel group Accor estimates around three in four Chinese travelers will remain within the country. "We anticipate that 70% to 80% of the travelers will still stay within China. Flight capacity is not yet at the levels of 2019," Karelle Lamouche, Accor's global chief commercial officer, told CNBC Travel. watch now Since the country reopened its borders in early January, a lack of flight capacity has left many would-be travelers stuck at home. In the week from Feb. 6 to Feb. 12, international flights out of China recovered only 9% of their 2019 levels, with 63% of those flights operated by Chinese carriers, according to data from Alibaba-owned travel booking site Fliggy. In the meantime, many Chinese citizens have been beleaguered by delays in passport renewals and visa applications, as well as some short-lived travel bans from countries such as Japan and South Korea. "Unless we have the passports, unless we have the visas," we can't be China-ready, said Ralf Ostendorf, director of market management at tourism site visitBerlin. Chinese outbound travel is forecast to recover around two-thirds of its pre-pandemic levels in 2023. Leopatrizi | E+ | Getty Images Because of those shortcomings, countries that can accommodate Chinese travelers' shifting needs have emerged as clear winners. Thailand, for instance, offers visas-on-arrival to fully vaccinated Chinese tourists who have travel insurance. "Thailand becomes the top destination for Chinese customers," said Simeon Shi, chief strategy officer and head of corporate development at Fliggy, noting that Thailand welcomed 180,000 Chinese tourists from January to mid-February. The country's Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said last month that he expects up to 15 million Chinese tourists to visit the country this year around half of all inbound arrivals. Tour groups and tailored trips Still, other traveler preferences may be stickier. Prior to the pandemic, the majority (55%) of Chinese tourists opted to book their overseas travel through group tour operators, even as acceptance of independent travel has grown. That trend is unlikely to go away anytime soon, said Shi even if the types of services they're looking for have slightly shifted. When they choose to go abroad, I think group tours will still be their first choice. Simeon Shi chief strategy officer and head of corporate development at Fliggy Rolls-Royce has been working on a Micro-Reactor program "to develop technology that will provide power needed for humans to live and work on the Moon." "All space missions depend on a power source, to support systems for communications, life-support and science experiments," it said. "Nuclear power has the potential to dramatically increase the duration of future Lunar missions and their scientific value." The new money builds upon 249,000 provided by the UKSA to fund a study in 2022. The UKSA will now provide 2.9 million (around $3.52 million) of funding for the project, which it said would "deliver an initial demonstration of a UK lunar modular nuclear reactor." In a statement, the government agency said researchers from Rolls-Royce had been working on a Micro-Reactor program "to develop technology that will provide power needed for humans to live and work on the Moon." LONDON The UK Space Agency said Friday it would back research by Rolls-Royce looking at the use of nuclear power on the moon. Rolls-Royce is set to work with a range of organizations on the project, including the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and Nuclear AMRC, and the University of Oxford. "Developing space nuclear power offers a unique chance to support innovative technologies and grow our nuclear, science and space engineering skills base," Paul Bate, chief executive of the UK Space Agency, said. Bate added that Rolls-Royce's research "could lay the groundwork for powering continuous human presence on the Moon, while enhancing the wider UK space sector, creating jobs and generating further investment." According to the UKSA, Rolls-Royce not to be confused with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, which is owned by BMW is aiming "to have a reactor ready to send to the Moon by 2029." Dhara Patel, space expert at the National Space Centre in Leicester, England, told CNBC that humans returning to the moon would need "a reliable power source" so astronauts could "live and work on our lunar neighbour for long-term missions." "Solar power would seem an obvious choice but the Moon's rotation results in a two-week day followed by a fortnight of darkness or night time not ideal," Patel went on to explain. "With little air and no liquid water on the surface, other renewable sources of energy aren't possible," she said. "Nuclear power could enable a continuous source of power regardless of the physical environment and conditions on the lunar surface." Using nuclear power on the moon, Patel noted, could boost the lifetime of lunar missions. "What will require careful consideration is the nuclear fuel that will be used to generate heat, how it will be responsibly sourced along with how efficiently the new technology will generate electricity from the process and manage the radioactive waste." "The extra funding from UKSA will hopefully allow Rolls-Royce to explore these areas and develop the best systems possible." The news out of the U.K. comes at a time when NASA is pushing ahead with its Artemis program, which is focused on creating what it calls a "sustainable presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars." NASA is working with international and commercial partners on Artemis. In July 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon. A local reacts to watching a wildfire advancing in Orjais, Covilha council in central Portugal, on August 16, 2022. Patricia De Melo Moreira | Afp | Getty Images A landmark U.N. report published Monday urged governments across the globe to embark on an urgent course correction to tackle the climate emergency, warning current plans were insufficient to prevent the worst of what the crisis has in store. The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said the unprecedented challenge of keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels had become even greater in recent years due to the relentless increase in global greenhouse gas emissions. This has resulted in more frequent and more intense extreme weather events that have caused increasingly dangerous impacts on nature and people in every region of the world, the report said. Deep, rapid and sustained greenhouse gas emission reductions across all sectors will be necessary if warming is to be limited by 1.5 degrees Celsius, the report says, noting that global emissions should already be decreasing and will need to be slashed almost in half by 2030. The 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature threshold is widely recognized as crucial because so-called tipping points become more likely beyond this level. Tipping points are thresholds at which small changes can lead to dramatic shifts in Earth's entire life support system. "Mainstreaming effective and equitable climate action will not only reduce losses and damages for nature and people, it will also provide wider benefits," IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee said in a statement. "This Synthesis Report underscores the urgency of taking more ambitious action and shows that, if we act now, we can still secure a liveable sustainable future for all." In short, our world needs climate action on all fronts everything, everywhere, all at once. Antonio Guterres U.N. Secretary-General The IPCC's Synthesis Report, approved during a week-long session in Interlaken, Switzerland, provides world leaders with a gold-standard summation of modern climate science. It is the first comprehensive report from the U.N. climate panel since the 2015 Paris Agreement and marks the closing chapter of the group's sixth assessment cycle. The findings, distilled from over 10,000 pages of research from six assessment reports, are expected to serve as a manual for tackling the climate emergency. watch now "The climate time bomb is ticking. But today's IPCC report is a how-to guide to defuse the climate time bomb. It is a survival guide for humanity," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday. "As it shows, the 1.5-degree limit is achievable. But it will take a quantum leap in climate action." Guterres described the report as a "clarion call to massively fast-track climate efforts by every country and every sector and on every timeframe." He added, "In short, our world needs climate action on all fronts everything, everywhere, all at once." Speaking at a news conference, the U.N. chief announced a plan to "super-charge" climate efforts through an "all-hands-on-deck Acceleration Agenda." This initiative must see governments "hitting the fast-forward button" on their net zero deadlines, Guterres said, with rich countries urged to commit to reaching net zero as close as possible to 2040 and emerging economies called on to reach net zero by 2050. COP28 climate summit The IPCC said Monday that there is more than enough global capital to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions if existing barriers are removed. The role of policymakers across the globe, the report's authors say, is crucial in reducing these barriers, while investors, central banks and financial regulators can also "play their part." "Today's message from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) synthesis report is abundantly clear: we are making progress, but not enough," U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said in a statement. "We have the tools to stave off and reduce the risks of the worst impacts of the climate crisis, but we must take advantage of this moment to act now," Kerry said. The report's findings also highlight the losses and damages the world is already experiencing and will likely continue to face in the absence of effective climate action. "Climate justice is crucial because those who have contributed least to climate change are being disproportionately affected," said Aditi Mukherji, one of the 93 authors of this Synthesis Report. "Almost half of the world's population lives in regions that are highly vulnerable to climate change. In the last decade, deaths from floods, droughts and storms were 15 times higher in highly vulnerable regions," she added. A vehicle drives past a dry, cracked lake bed on its way to Boulder Harbour in drought-stricken Lake Mead on September 15, 2022 in Boulder City, Nevada. Frederic J. Brown | Afp | Getty Images The IPCC's latest report comes ahead of the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in November. Each year, ministers representing countries across the globe gather at COP to discuss how to achieve the aspirational goal of the Paris Agreement curbing global heating to just 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050. The world has already warmed by around 1.1 degrees Celsius, scientists say, after over a century of burning fossil fuels as well as unequal and unsustainable energy and land use. The Dubai climate summit will see the U.N. publish a "global stocktake," the result of a two-year process that started at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. The purpose of which will be to assess how governments are doing with their efforts to tackle the climate crisis. Speaking in France's capital earlier this month, COP President-Designate Sultan al-Jaber said the conclusions of this assessment were already clear. "We are way off track," al-Jaber said. "The bottom line is this: the world needs to cut emissions by 43% in the next seven years to keep 1.5 alive." Al-Jaber, who serves as the chief executive of one of the world's biggest oil companies, was seen as a controversial choice to lead the COP28 climate talks in Dubai. He has since called on the energy industry to "up its game" to reduce emissions. 'Now or never' territory (The stream is slated to start at 2:30 pm ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a video above at that time.) Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday, where she is likely to face tough questions about the federal response to two bank failures earlier this month: California-based Silicon Valley Bank on March 10 and New York-based Signature Bank just two days later. According to prepared remarks, Yellen will tell lawmakers that in the hours after the banks collapsed, she and top Treasury officials determined that the situation posed a danger to "the broader banking system and the American economy" which merited emergency actions. These included guarantees on uninsured deposits at the failed banks, and the creation of new liquidity sources for smaller banks experiencing a rush of withdrawals. Thanks in large part to these actions, "aggregate deposit outflows from regional banks have stabilized," Yellen told a bankers group Tuesday. But while the trends are moving in the right direction, the amount of money banks borrowed in the week ending March 15 from the Fed's discount window set a new record at $153 billion, according to the Fed's weekly report, a sum that suggests the banking sector is not quite stable yet. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have said they want to know whether uninsured deposits at banks that fail in the future will be covered the same way they were at SVB and Signature. Yellen and her deputies have so far said any blanket guarantee of uninsured deposits would require extraordinary circumstances, and likely an act of Congress. There is precedent for such an act: In March of 2020, Congress authorized the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to lift the $250,000 limit on insured deposits in order to prevent bank runs triggered by pandemic conditions. Internet stocks are enjoying a good run this year they've "way outperformed" the S & P 500 over the last three months, according to Rosenblatt Securities senior analyst Barton Crockett. Morgan Stanley's analysts, too, are bullish on the sector but a more specific corner of internet stocks. "E-commerce growth is reaccelerating and back to gaining share of overall retail sales," the bank's analysts, led by Simeon Gutman, wrote in a note on March 19. The e-commerce market grew in 2020 as consumers shied away from brick-and-mortar stores and opted for contactless deliveries during pandemic lockdowns. A period of normalization then followed, according to Morgan Stanley , with the sector notching a streak of four consecutive quarters of declining penetration. Now, the bank said, e-commerce is growing again, taking a bigger share of overall retail sales in each of the past three quarters. "With e-commerce growth and penetration appearing to reaccelerate in 2H2022, this suggests a new baseline has been established off which e-commerce penetration increase will continue at a more normalized (and closer to pre-Covid) pace at around 100 basis point per year," the bank said. It estimates e-commerce penetration will increase by about 400 basis points by 2026. Stock picks The recovery in e-commerce growth is an opportunity for incremental sales growth and gains in market share, according to Morgan Stanley. "As consumers continue to shift their wallets to e-commerce (over brick & mortar), retailers will need to tailor their offerings to hold and expand their overall market share," the bank said. "In our view, large, scaled retailers with higher mixes of e-commerce, a proven ability to gain share, leading omni-channel platforms, and best-in-class distribution/fulfillment infrastructure are best equipped to take share as e-commerce penetration reaccelerates," it added. A less obvious play is online luxury fashion retail platform Farfetch . Morgan Stanley said the company is a "share taker" in a key underpenetrated e-commerce category: global luxury. The bank expects e-commerce's share of the global luxury market will grow to 32% in 2026 from 22% in 2021, which it said implies a $55 billion opportunity. On top of that, of all third-party e-commerce platforms in China a key luxury market Farfetch has the "strongest" partnership with brands, according to Morgan Stanley. "Farfetch's unique marketplace model is well positioned to take share from wholesale competitors (both brick and mortar and pureplay e-commerce players) as it allows brands greater control over pricing and better access to customer data," the bank said. "Together with its industry leading partnerships ( Alibaba , Richemont , Tencent , etc.), we see Farfetch as best positioned to capture the offline to online migration overtime, as China represents nearly all of the growth in the industry over the next 5 years," it added. The bank has given the stock a price target of $20 a whopping 300% upside to its last closing price of around $5 on Tuesday. Walmart also makes Morgan Stanley's list. The bank said Walmart is "best positioned" to cash in on the e-commerce growth, citing the retailer's "leading" scale, "best" omni-channel infrastructure, "best-in-class online grocery offering " and improving profitability in e-commerce. Rounding off the picks is Nike . The analysts said Nike has been transforming its traditional wholesale business into a digitally native, direct-to-consumer brand since 2017. The transformation has paid dividends, with 20% of the company's total sales in fiscal 2022 coming from its own digital channel. Nike expects the figure to rise to 40% over the longer term, according to Morgan Stanley, which implies e-commerce sales of $30 billion by 2027. "Higher e-commerce penetration would enable higher [earnings per share] growth than Nike has historically delivered and potentially means Nike merits a valuation premium to what it has historically garnered," the bank said. CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report. While Florida is often considered a popular retirement destination due to its warm climate and lack of state income tax, it isn't the absolute cheapest state to spend your golden years in. Rather, Alabama is the most affordable state to retire in, according to WalletHub's "2023 Best States to Retire." The analysis compared all 50 states across three key categories: health care, quality of life and affordability. For the affordability metric, WalletHub used data from the Council for Community and Economic Research, the U.S. Census Bureau and other various agencies. The ranking factored in elements such as general tax-friendliness, adjusted cost of living and annual cost of in-home services. While Alabama ranked first in affordability, it ranked 44th in quality of life and 50th in health care. But if money is your main concern, $1 million in retirement savings would be enough to sustain you for 22 years in Alabama, according to GoBankingRates data. However, that falls just shy of the typical 25 years or more that retirement can last. On the other hand, that same amount in retirement savings would run out much quicker in a more expensive state. In Hawaii, a $1 million retirement fund would be empty in a little over 10 years the fastest of any state, according to GoBankingRates. Despite ranking ninth in affordability, Florida came in at No. 4 for quality of life. Residents of the Sunshine State bear the sixth-lowest tax burden in the country, according to WalletHub, but Florida's cost of living has steadily risen over the past few years. A $1 million retirement reserve would last about 18 years there, per GoBankingRates. Here are the 10 cheapest states to retire in, according to WalletHub: Alabama Tennessee West Virginia South Carolina Wyoming Delaware Georgia Arkansas Florida Mississippi While affordability can be an important aspect to consider when deciding where to retire, there are many other elements to factor in as well. "The state that you live in should be a place that meets your new goals for this period of life," Dawn Carr, a professor and faculty associate at Florida State University's Pepper Institution on Aging and Public Policy, says in WalletHub's study. Former U.S. President Donald Trump at first rally since announcing his 2024 presidential campaign, at the Waco Regional Airport on March 25, 2023 in Waco, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images News | Getty Images Former President Donald Trump vowed to destroy the "deep state" during a campaign rally in this city Saturday, which is in the midst of the 30th anniversary of the federal siege of anti-government cult leader David Koresh's compound. "Either the deep state destroys America or we destroy the deep state," Trump said of the stakes of his bid for a return to the Oval Office. At the first major rally of his campaign, Trump spoke to thousands of boisterous supporters on the tarmac of a regional airport. Before his remarks, his red, white and blue jet circled the crowd before landing and pulling up behind his stage. He referred to the administration of his successor, Joe Biden, as the "Biden regime," accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of "prosecutorial misconduct" in investigating him and said "the Supreme Court didn't have the courage to right the wrong" of his 2020 defeat. "When this election is over, I will be the president of the United States," Trump declared. "You will be vindicated and proud, and the thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited and totally disgraced." "I am your warrior. I am your justice. And I took a lot of heat for this one, but I only mean it in the proper way for those who have been wronged and betrayed I am your retribution," he added. But Trump also took direct aim at his leading rival for the GOP nomination, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has not yet announced whether he will run. Trump bristled at DeSantis flirting with a run even though he helped him win the governorship in 2018. The former president ripped DeSantis his handling of the COVID pandemic and for past positions favoring cuts to Medicare and Social Security. He also said that the Florida governor's narrative of revitalizing the state is deceiving. "Florida has been tremendously successful for many years, long before this guy became governor," Trump said. "Florida has been successful for decades." In comments to reporters on his plane after the rally, Trump further tore into DeSantis saying, "He's got no personality. That tends to be bad for a politician." He added that if he hadn't helped him become governor he'd be "probably working at a cigar store or a law firm." Former US President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in Waco, Texas, US, on Saturday, March 25, 2023. Brandon Bell | Getty Images DeSantis' spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment Saturday night after the rally. Along with the physical backdrop of this small city on the Brazos River, within a three-hour drive of Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin, Trump is surrounded by the prospect of indictments in Manhattan, Atlanta and Washington, D.C., over questions about the hush money payment to a porn star, his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Trump walked on stage with the "Justice for All" video playing a choir of men incarcerated for their role in the Jan. 6 riot singing the national anthem, interposed with Trump reciting the pledge of allegiance. It included images of the insurrection as well. Trump has been railing against the government officials investigating him, with increasingly dark warnings about the "death and destruction" that could ensue should he be indicted. But much as it's impossible to ignore the obvious spectacle of an anti-establishment candidate stoking thousands of his supporters at the site of a showdown between federal agents and anti-government conspiracy theorists, there are more traditional political reasons why Trump picked Waco as the launch point for a new round of his trademark rallies. Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick said Saturday that he had suggested Waco when Trump called to seek his advice more than two weeks ago. "I didn't even know it was the 30th anniversary to be candid with you," Patrick told a small group of reporters. As he seeks the GOP presidential nomination for the third time in a row, Trump and his team well understand the importance of Texas in delivering delegates to the Republican National Convention. The state is second only to California in the number of delegates available, and it will matter more to the final count than the first four early states Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina combined. "It's guaranteed to be a crowd for him and it's part of I think the success they can have in going to red states," said one former Trump campaign aide. "It is intimidating. It's a show of force. Here's 10, 15,000, whatever, people in a room and nobody else can do that." Former US President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in Waco, Texas, US, on Saturday, March 25, 2023. Sergio Flores | Bloomberg | Getty Images Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stands while listening to the Ukrainian national anthem on his arrival at the European Parliament on February 09, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. NATO condemned Russia's "dangerous and irresponsible" nuclear rhetoric Sunday after President Vladimir Putin shared plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Putin announced the deal during an interview on Russian television on Saturday, and he said it will not violate non-proliferation agreements. He said the announcement is "nothing out of the ordinary" and that the U.S. has been doing something similar by stationing weapons in Europe, which a NATO spokesperson called "totally misleading." "NATO allies act with full respect of their international commitments," the spokesperson told NBC News. "Russia has consistently broken its arms control commitments, most recently suspending its participation in the New START Treaty." The New START Treaty establishes a limit on the number of strategic warheads that the U.S. and Russia are able to deploy. Putin announced in February that Russia was going to suspend its participation in the treaty. The NATO spokesperson added that there have not been changes in Russia's nuclear posture that have caused NATO to adjust its own. Following Putin's announcement Saturday, Ukraine called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday that it expects "effective actions" to address Russia's threats of nuclear aggression. "Russia once again confirms its chronic inability to be a responsible steward of nuclear weapons as a means of deterrence and prevention of war, and not as a tool of threats and intimidation," the ministry said in a statement. "The world must unite against the one who threatens the future of human civilization." In an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said there is no indication that Putin has followed through on the deal with Belarus or moved any nuclear weapons. He added that Putin has not suggested any intention to use nuclear weapons, "period," but that the U.S. is continuing to monitor the situation closely. Government officials around the world took to Twitter to condemn Putin's announcement Sunday. A Ukrainian national security official said in a tweet that Russia has taken Belarus as a "nuclear hostage," and that placing tactical nuclear weapons there will cause turmoil in the nation. "Putin's statement about placing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus a step towards internal destabilization of the country maximizes the level of negative perception and public rejection of russia and putin in Belarusian society," Oleksiy Danilov wrote early Sunday morning. The EU's high representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, wrote that the EU "stands ready" to enact further sanctions against Russia. He called Russia's announcement an "irresponsible escalation" and a threat to European security. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Putin is "too predictable" in a tweet Sunday. "Making a statement about tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, he admits that he is afraid of losing & all he can do is scare with tactics," he wrote. A Ukrainian border guard scouts with a monocular near the Ukrainian border with Russia and Belarus in November. The Ukrainian army has expressed alarm at the "growing threat" of a Russian offensive through Belarus. A top security adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that Russian plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus would destabilize that country, which he said had been taken "hostage" by Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision on Saturday, sending a warning to NATO over its military support for Ukraine and escalating a standoff with the West. Although the move was not unexpected and Putin said it would not violate nuclear non-proliferation promises, it is one of Russia's most pronounced nuclear signals since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine 13 months ago. Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, called it "a step towards internal destabilization of the country" adding it maximizes what he called the level of "negative perception and public rejection" of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society. "The (K)remlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage," he wrote on Twitter. Putin likened his plans to the U.S. stationing its weapons in Europe, and said Russia would not be transferring control of the weapons to Belarus. However this could be the first time since the mid-1990s that Russia has based such weapons outside the country. Another senior Zelenskiy adviser on Sunday scoffed at Putin's plan, saying the Russian leader is "too predictable." "Making a statement about tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, he admits that he is afraid of losing & all he can do is scare with tactics," Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted. Washington, the world's other nuclear superpower, played down concerns about Putin's announcement and the potential for Moscow to use nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine. "We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon. We remain committed to the collective defence of the NATO alliance," a senior U.S. administration official said. The official noted that Russia and Belarus had been speaking about the transfer of nuclear weapons for some time. Analysts at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a note late on Saturday that the risk of escalation to nuclear war "remains extremely low". "ISW continues to assess that Putin is a risk-averse actor who repeatedly threatens to use nuclear weapons without any intention of following through in order to break Western resolve," it wrote. However, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons called Putin's announcement an extremely dangerous escalation. "In the context of the war in Ukraine, the likelihood of miscalculation or misinterpretation is extremely high. Sharing nuclear weapons makes the situation much worse and risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences," it said on Twitter. Although the move was not unexpected and Putin said it would not violate nuclear non-proliferation promises, it is one of Russia's most pronounced nuclear signals since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine 13 months ago. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision on Saturday, sending a warning to NATO over its military support for Ukraine and escalating a standoff with the West. A top security adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Russian plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus would destabilize that country, which he said had been taken "hostage" by Moscow. Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, called it "a step towards internal destabilization of the country" adding it maximizes what he called the level of "negative perception and public rejection" of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society. "The (K)remlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage," he wrote on Twitter. Putin likened his plans to the U.S. stationing its weapons in Europe, and said Russia would not be transferring control of the weapons to Belarus. "We are not handing over (the weapons). And the U.S. does not hand (them) over to its allies. We're basically doing the same thing they've been doing for a decade," Putin said. However, this could be the first time since the mid-1990s that Russia has based such weapons outside the country. Experts told Reuters the development was significant since Russia had until now been proud that, unlike the United States, it did not deploy nuclear weapons outside its borders. Another senior Zelenskyy adviser on Sunday scoffed at Putin's plan, saying the Russian leader is "too predictable." "Making a statement about tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, he admits that he is afraid of losing & all he can do is scare with tactics," Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted. Washington, the world's other nuclear superpower, played down concerns about Putin's announcement and the potential for Moscow to use nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine. "We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon. We remain committed to the collective defense of the NATO alliance," a senior U.S. administration official said. The official noted that Russia and Belarus had been speaking about the transfer of nuclear weapons for some time. Tactical nuclear weapons refer to those used for specific gains on a battlefield rather than those with the capacity to wipe out cities. It is unclear how many such weapons Russia has given it is an area still shrouded in Cold War secrecy. Analysts at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Saturday that the risk of escalation to nuclear war "remains extremely low." "ISW continues to assess that Putin is a risk-averse actor who repeatedly threatens to use nuclear weapons without any intention of following through," it wrote. However, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons called Putin's announcement an extremely dangerous escalation. "In the context of the war in Ukraine, the likelihood of miscalculation or misinterpretation is extremely high. Sharing nuclear weapons makes the situation much worse and risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences," it said on Twitter. The nine weeks of the Denver mayoral runoff is an eternity. That is, unless you are one of the two combatants, or a senior advisor. WYOMING Governor signs measure prohibiting abortion pills Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has signed into law the nation's first explicit ban on abortion pills since they became the predominant choice for abortion in the U.S. in recent years. Gordon, a Republican, signed the bill on the night of March 17 while allowing a separate measure restricting abortion to become law without his signature. The pills are already banned in 13 states that have blanket bans on all forms of abortion, and 15 states already have limited access to abortion pills. Until now, however, no state had passed a law specifically prohibiting such pills, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. Wellspring Health Access, a group seeking to open an abortion and women's health clinic in Casper, said it was evaluating legal options. The clinic, which a firebombing prevented from opening last year, is one of two nonprofits suing to block an earlier Wyoming abortion ban. No arrests have been made, and organizers say the clinic is tentatively scheduled to open in April, depending on abortion's legal status in Wyoming then. The Republican governor's decision on the two measures comes as a federal judge in Texas there raised questions about a Christian group's effort to overturn the decades-old U.S. approval of a leading abortion drug, mifepristone. Medication abortions became the preferred method for ending pregnancy in the U.S. even before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the ruling that protected the right to abortion for nearly five decades. A two-pill combination of mifepristone and another drug is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. With the earlier ban tied up in court, abortion currently remains legal in Wyoming up to viability, or when the fetus could survive outside the womb. NEW MEXICO Governor signs bill overriding local abortion bans SANTA FE New Mexico's governor signed an abortion-rights bill on March 16 that overrides local ordinances aimed at limiting access to abortion procedures and medications. Reproductive health clinics in New Mexico offer abortion procedures to patients from states, including Texas, with strict abortion bans. The new law also aims to ensure access to gender affirming healthcare related to distress over gender identity that doesn't match a person's assigned sex. New Mexico has one of the country's most liberal abortion access laws, but two counties and three cities in eastern New Mexico have recently adopted abortion restrictions that reflect deep-seated opposition to offering the procedure. The bill signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham overrides those local ordinances. An additional bill working its way through New Mexico's Legislature would protect abortion providers and patients from out-of-state interference, prosecution or extradition attempts. Anti-abortion ordinances adopted over the past several months by officials in the cities of Hobbs, Clovis and Eunice, along with Lea and Roosevelt counties reference an obscure U.S. anti-obscenity law that prohibits shipping of medication or other materials intended to aid abortions. Separately, Democratic state Attorney General Raul Torrez has urged the state Supreme Court to intervene against local abortion ordinances that he says violate state constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process. Post-wildfire conditions result in poor recovery for fish ALBUQUERQUE Fishing in rivers and streams that cross through a national monument in northern New Mexico is off limits as wildlife managers look for ways make the area more habitable following a catastrophic fire and years of subsequent flooding. Managers at Bandelier National Monument issued a temporary fishing closure order on March 10, saying Rio Grande cutthroat trout and other species reintroduced following the 2011 blaze aren't recovering as expected. Water testing has shown a decline in the insect larva that the fish feed on, and the water temperature also is warmer because of the lack of shade in the burn areas. Biologists are considering alternative strategies for restoring the riparian habitat so the fish will have better chance of survival. Continued monitoring of the trout population will help to inform any park management decisions, officials said. The Las Conchas fire then the largest in New Mexico history burned so hot in some spots that it turned entire hillsides to ash, leaving behind only charred skeletons of what had been towering ponderosa pine trees. In 2011 and again in 2013, post-fire floods ravaged Bandelier and wiped out the native fish population. The National Park Service teamed up with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to return the Rio Grande cutthroat trout the only cutthroat trout native to the state to the area. NAVAJO NATION Ex-president Zah honored in funeral procession LOW MOUNTAIN, Ariz. Remembered as an inspirational, humble leader with a passion for education and commitment to his people, former Navajo Nation President Peterson Zah was honored on March 11 with a funeral procession that stretched for 100 miles 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. Zah died March 7 in Fort Defiance, Arizona, surrounded by his family and after a lengthy illness. He was 85. The procession passed through several Navajo communities, with people holding their hands to their hearts and displaying signs that declared Zah would be missed. 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 chairman's office. Under Zahs, 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. Zah 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. OKLAHOMA Judge extends agreement date for poultry lawsuit A federal judge is giving Oklahoma and nearly a dozen poultry companies, including the world's largest poultry producer, Tyson Foods, an additional 90 days to reach an agreement on plans to clean a watershed polluted by chicken litter. U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell on March 18 scheduled a June 16 status conference in Tulsa, saying both sides requested the extension. Frizzell ruled in January that Arkansas-based Tyson, Minnesota-based Cargill Inc. and other companies polluted the Illinois River, caused a public nuisance and trespassed by spreading the litter, or manure, on land in eastern Oklahoma, and that it then leached into the river's watershed. The ruling came from a 2005 lawsuit filed by Oklahoma. State Attorney General Gentner Drummond said productive discussions were underway with the companies, adding that the industry has made significant improvements in how it handles litter abatement. The January ruling had ordered the companies and the state to present an agreement by March 17 on how to remedy the pollution's effects, which includes low oxygen levels in the river, algae growth and damage to the fish population. The other defendants named in the lawsuit are Cal-Maine Foods Inc., Tyson Poultry Inc., Tyson Chicken Inc., Cobb-Vantress Inc., Cargill Turkey Production L.L.C., George's Inc., George's Farms Inc., Peterson Farms Inc. and Simmons Foods Inc. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Brad is the master of understatement, Carvey says, the kind of guy who can MacGyver a nuclear device out of a paperclip. And (Brad) was kind of the core voice for Garth, he says. Theres something very intoxicating about that understated lilt. Target Lady NBC This one is as simple as you might imagine: Wiig had an exchange with a cashier at a Los Angeles Target and a character was born. The clerk wasnt particularly wacky -- Wiig simply borrowed just the accent. Advertisement And presumably, the enthusiasm. Recently, the very rich discovered the secret to immortality, which means none of them will ever die again. This discovery it involves an expensive organic material extracted from aliens will have profound effects on society in the centuries to come. It also gives us an excuse to look back at the deaths of the wealthy in years past. Not all of historys millionaires died at the age of 90 when they ran short of their youth pills (a weak predecessor to the alien stuff, derived from kittens). Some, in fact, had their lives cut short by the silliest of reasons. It is at this stage of the journey that the Golden Road splits. The good took the right way through Weiden and Brnau, the bad through Wernberg and Waidhaus, which in the end proved to be the cheaper of the two. Despite the popularity of two routes Tomorrow is April Fools Day. But this is not a joke. New Milford Refugee Resettlement, now hosting an Afghan family, is preparing to welcome another family as soon as the middle of this year. They agree to become self-sufficient within about a year. It still takes money, especially for rent, utilities and transportation. You can help. On April 25 and 26, Give Local will make it easy. Any amount will make a difference, especially since a large number of donations generates bonuses from Give Local. Watch for details and, amid the jokes of April Fools Day, take this seriously. Eileen P. Monaghan New Milford This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LAKE CITY, S.C. (AP) Photos of a peewee football player flashed across a slideshow. The image of a smiling young man adorned memorial T-shirts. But the body of the American gunned down three weeks ago by the Gulf cartel in Mexico was kept shielded from funeral-goers. Over 100 people gathered Saturday to remember Shaeed Woodard at the first funeral service for the two people killed in the attack in the border town of Matamoros. The sendoff came at the end of a month that should have featured birthday celebrations for the man slain just days before he turned 34 during a tightknit group's road trip to help Woodard's cousin get cosmetic surgery. Instead, friends and family shuffled across the maroon carpeting of Good News Deliverance Temple on an overcast afternoon in Lake City, South Carolina. The 6,000-person town was thrust into the international spotlight in early March when Woodard and three friends with ties to the area were attacked over 1,400 miles away. On March 2, just a few miles across the border, a vehicle crashed into the group's van as they made their way to a medical appointment for Latavia McGee. Several men with tactical vests and assault rifles surrounded them and shots rang out. Woodard and Zindell Brown died; McGee and Eric Williams survived. The cartels Scorpions faction apologized in a letter obtained by The Associated Press through a Tamaulipas state law enforcement official. At the funeral, spiritual leaders rejected vengeful thinking. We are asking you to give us a clean heart. Because no cartel, no demon, no evil spirit, no hellmaker, no one... We wont seek retribution, Minister Dearest Price said. But, Lord, we ask you to deliver us from evil. There, Nisheeka Simmons read a letter poem for her cousin whose untimely departure brought everyone together in solidarity. She recalled his sweet nature, strength of mind, and the safety others felt around him. A handout featured another poem suggesting Woodard wanted to celebrate this birthday far different from before with music, laughter and jokes out on the open road. If any of you knew the outcome, you would have cautioned me to stay, the poem continued. But those plans were of my Master and could not be delayed. The day contained mixed emotions. Pastor Hugh Samuels shared words of consolation for the family shocked by the sudden loss of Woodard and heartened by the return of his cousin, McGee, who survived the brutal kidnappings. A reading from the Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes reminded attendees that there is a time to weep and a time to laugh and a time to mourn and a time to dance. Hands clapped and voices rang out during powerful medleys of songs. Samuels thanked God for bringing people together in Woodard's death, which he said should remind people of the future's uncertainty. Brother Shaeed and three others went to Mexico. But the Son of Man called Brother Shaeed down, Samuels said. We are not promised to walk out of this place today. You don't know when God is going to call your name. State Cemetery marked the final resting place for Woodard, whose body had been handed over to U.S. authorities on March 9 after crossing the international bridge to Brownsville, Texas. Since then, the Woodards have received an outpouring of support, said Colin Ram, an attorney for the family. Local officials' sympathy cards were read at the funeral. A nearby activist network promised to raise money. Ram pledged to guide them through the injustice's fallout. Make no mistake, what happened in Mexico was an act of terrorism that affected the lives of four Americans, of four South Carolinians, Ram told The Associated Press. ___ James Pollard is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. WASHINGTON (AP) Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Saturday he has been released from the rehabilitation facility where he had physical therapy for a concussion caused by a fall earlier this month. The 81-year-old Kentucky Republican said in a statement released by his office that he will work from home for the next few days. The Senate is scheduled to be on break for the weeks of April 3 and April 10. McConnell was at dinner on March 8 after a hotel reception for a campaign committee aligned with him when he tripped and fell. In addition to the concussion, he also had a rib fracture. He was released from the hospital on March 13 and, upon the advice of his doctor, moved to an inpatient rehabilitation facility for physical therapy and to continue his recovery. Concussions can be serious injuries and take time for recovery. Even a single incident of concussion can limit a persons abilities during that period. Im going to follow the advice of my physical therapists and spend the next few days working for Kentuckians and the Republican Conference from home," McConnell said in the statement. "Im in frequent touch with my Senate colleagues and my staff. I look forward to returning in person to the Senate soon. Almost four years ago he tripped and fell at his home in Kentucky, causing a shoulder fracture that required surgery. The Senate had just started a summer recess, and he worked from home for some weeks as he recovered. In his early childhood, he had polio and he has acknowledged some difficulty as an adult in climbing stairs. McConnell was first elected in 1984. In January, he became the longest-serving Senate leader when the new Congress convened, breaking the previous record of 16 years. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Fighter jets roared off the USS Nimitz as the nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier and its battle group began exercises with South Korean warships on Monday, hours after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles in an apparent protest of the allies expanding drills. The seventh missile test this month underscored heightening tensions in the region as both the Norths weapons tests and the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises have intensified in a cycle of tit-for-tat. The launches may have been timed for the arrival of the USS Nimitz and its strike group, including a guided missile cruiser and two destroyers, which engaged in air defense exercises and other drills with South Korean warships in waters near Jeju island. Jang Do Young, a South Korean navy spokesperson, said the drills were aimed at sharpening joint operational capabilities and demonstrating the U.S. commitment to defend its ally with the full range of options, including nuclear, in face of the Norths escalating nuclear and missile threats. The Nimitz strike group was expected to arrive at the South Korean mainland port of Busan on Tuesday. The United States has deployable strategic assets at the ready on every day, said Rear Adm. Christopher Sweeney, commander of Carrier Strike Group Eleven. We can continue to deploy those assets and we will. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the two North Korean missiles were fired from a western inland area south of the North's capital of Pyongyang from around 7:47 a.m. to 8 a.m. and traveled around 370 kilometers (229 miles) before landing at sea. Japans military said the missiles, which landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, flew on an irregular trajectory and reached a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers (31 miles). Japan has previously used similar language to describe a North Korean solid-fuel missile apparently modeled after Russias Iskander mobile ballistic system, which is designed to be maneuverable in low-altitude flight to better evade South Korean missile defenses. North Korea also has another short-range system with similar characteristics that resembles the U.S. MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said North Korea may dial up its testing activity further with more missile launches or even conducting its first nuclear test since September 2017. The South Korean and Japanese militaries denounced the latest launches as a serious provocation threatening regional peace and said they were working with the United States to analyze the missiles further. The U.S. Indo Pacific Command said the launches did not pose an immediate threat to the United States or its allies, but still highlighted the destabilizing impact of North Korea's illicit nuclear weapons and missiles programs. North Korea, which has weathered tightened U.N. Security Council sanctions since 2016 over its nuclear developments, didn't immediately comment on the launches. The United States and South Korea completed their biggest springtime exercises in years last week, which had included both computer simulations and live-fire field exercises. But the allies have continued their field training in a show of force against the North's rising threats. North Korea had also fired a short-range missile when the USS Ronald Reagan and its battle group arrived for joint drills with South Korea in September, which was the last time the United States sent an aircraft carrier to waters near the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has launched more than 20 ballistic and cruise missiles on 11 occasions this year as it tries to force the United States to accept its nuclear status and negotiate a removal of sanctions from a position of strength. The weapons tested this month included an intercontinental ballistic missile and a series of short-range missiles intended to overwhelm South Korean defenses as North Korea tries to demonstrate an ability to conduct nuclear strikes on both South Korea and the U.S. mainland. The North last week carried out what it described as a three-day exercise that simulated nuclear attacks on South Korean targets. The country's leader Kim Jong Un has condemned the U.S.-South Korean joint military drills as invasion rehearsals. The allies say the exercises are defensive in nature. The tests also included a purported nuclear-capable underwater drone that the North claimed can set off a huge radioactive tsunami and destroy naval vessels and ports. Analysts were skeptical whether such a device was a major new threat and Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement Monday that it considers the North Korean claims likely to be exaggerated and fabricated. North Korea, following some of its ballistic and cruise missile tests this month, also claimed that those weapons were tipped with mock nuclear warheads that detonated 600 to 800 meters (1,960 to 2,600 feet) above their sea targets, communicating them as heights that would maximize damage. North Korea already is coming off a record year in weapons testing, launching more than 70 missiles in 2022. It had set into law an escalatory nuclear doctrine that authorizes pre-emptive nuclear strikes in a broad range of scenarios where it may perceive its leadership as under threat. It appears North Korea might be practicing, or signaling that its practicing, the use of nuclear strikes, both preemptive and retaliatory, in a range of scenarios that are authorized in its nuclear doctrine, said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security. The problem is that continued testing helps Pyongyang perfect its technology, strengthen its nuclear weapons capability that threatens South Korea and Japan, increase the likelihood of miscalculation that could lead to inadvertent conflict, and accumulate political leverage ahead of future diplomatic talks with Washington. Following the Norths announcement of the drone test on Friday, South Koreas air force released details of a five-day joint drill with the United States last week that included live-fire demonstrations of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. The air force said the exercise was aimed at verifying precision strike capabilities and reaffirming the credibility of Seouls three-axis strategy against North Korean nuclear threats preemptively striking sources of attacks, intercepting incoming missiles and neutralizing the Norths leadership and key military facilities. ___ Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Brazils President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has canceled his trip to China after contracting pneumonia, the presidential palace said on Saturday. Lula, 77, was admitted to a hospital in the capital of Brasilia with flu-like symptoms and was diagnosed with bacterial and viral bronchopneumonia due to influenza A, the palace said in a statement, quoting a medical note signed by Dr. Ana Helena Germoglio. The leftist leaders health was reassessed on Saturday and, despite improvement, he was advised to postpone the trip to China until the cycle of viral transmission ends, the medical note said. His press office later confirmed that the trip had been canceled. Chinese authorities have been informed, with the reiteration of the desire to schedule the visit on a new date, the palace said. Lula had been expected to leave for China on a multi-day visit on Friday or Saturday, but the trip was pushed back on Friday. A delegation composed of ministers, senators, lawmakers and hundreds of businessmen - including more than 100 from the agricultural sector - had been set to accompany Lula during his first state visit to Brazils biggest trade partner since taking office in January. The trips cancellation is bad news for the government as the visit was an opportunity for Lula to reconnect with business elites, especially in the agribusiness, who have been very much pro-Bolsonaro, said Oliver Stuenkel, a political scientist from the Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank. The Brazilian president and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping were scheduled to meet next Tuesday. Trade, investment and climate change were on the agenda and 20 bilateral agreements had been expected to be signed, according to a statement Thursday from the presidential palace. Lula, who rarely postpones or cancels trips due to health reasons, traveled to Argentina in January and the U.S. in February, marking a departure from Brazils foreign policy under former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who showed little interest in international affairs or travel abroad. The cancellation will raise questions about to what extent Lula can sustain the very intense diplomatic activism seen in the first three months of his presidency, Stuenkel said. Pedro Brites, an international relations expert at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, said the postponement of the trip was a lost opportunity to switch the focus to more positive issues for the government after a turbulent week. On Wednesday, federal police cracked down on a gang accused of plotting assassinations and kidnappings of public officials including Sen. Sergio Moro, who was the lead judge in the Carwash trials which led to the arrest of prominent politicians including Lula. The then-former president spent over a year in jail before his conviction was annulled. In 2019, Moro became Bolsonaros Justice Minister. The leftist leader on Thursday suggested the police operation was a setup by Moro, prompting fierce criticism by opposition politicians and discomfort among allies. Rescheduling Lulas visit to China will be a challenge due to the very crowded agendas of both leaders, said Stuenkel, but he predicted Lula will really try to make this happen during the first half of the year due to the high domestic and international importance of the trip. Lula had been intending to normalize and strengthen ties with China after a rocky period of tensions under former far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro. Commercial ties continued but political relations with China soured during Bolsonaros term -- a particular low point came when Bolsonaros son Eduardo blamed the COVID-19 pandemic on the Chinese Communist Party in March 2020. You really dont want to mess with librarians. Theyre smarter than the rest of us. A lot tougher too. Behind that twee reputation are our soldiers of equity. Then theres what Connecticut Library Association President Douglas Lord refers to as their punk-rock, DIY mindset. And yet, efforts to ban and restrict books in public and school libraries didnt just set a new record in 2022; the challenges nearly doubled the high set a year earlier. Lets skip the subtext and just judge this issue by its cover: Some conservative groups are trying to censor books with LGBTQ+ and racial themes. They prefer their content as bland as a blank page. And they apparently forgot that librarians not only welcome, but embrace tough conversations. Librarians arent asking us to hush. They want to talk about this. So the Librarian Revolution advanced in January as Stamford became the first municipality in Connecticut to declare itself as a book sanctuary city. Alice Knapp, chief executive officer of Stamfords Ferguson Library, wrote an op-ed pledging a commitment to protecting endangered books, making them accessible to the public, hosting book talks, events, and conversations about diverse characters and stories, and educating others on the history of book banning and burning. A few weeks later, a public hearing was held on a broad bill sponsored by Connecticuts Senate Democratic Caucus that aspires to enhance mental health programming for the children of Connecticut in the wake of the pandemic. Its hard to conjure a more critical issue. But a minor subplot of the bill is language that calls for support of sanctuary libraries. The public testimony drew unanimous support from a crowd that notably included many experts in the mental health of children. Then came the Committee on Children hearing, where everything went by the book weve all read before: Every Democrat voted Yea and every Republican chose Nay. Republicans skipped the mental health crisis and jumped right on the library issue during the public hearing. It was unclear if some of them had ever been to a library before. State Rep. Anne Dauphinais, R-Killingly, seems to think theres a pornography section of the library. State Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco, R-Wolcott, asked for a clarification that libraries use computers. Fairfield Town Librarian Scott Jarzombek retorted by calling the vintage card catalogue system the original Google. Jarzombek and his peers repeatedly explained the nuanced process for content selection. Thats why we have librarians, most of whom have masters degrees. The thing that strikes me as the most funny is when people say, Oh, we know better than you about what belongs on the shelves. We know what children should be reading, Lord says. Lord may be the current president of the state association, but he calls peers such as Knapp and New Canaan Library Executive Director Lisa Oldham my personal hero librarians. When Alice is in the room I just shut up and listen to Alice, he says of Knapp (me too). I talked to Lord at the C.H. Booth Library in Newtown, where he is the director. Any time Im in a library Im reminded that my perennial life goal is to find more reading time (after Lord cites reading as the No. 1 leisure activity, he adds dryly, I think No. 2 is NASCAR). As Lord casually sprinkles in names such as Toni Morrison, John Steinbeck and Dr. Seuss, it feels comforting to be in their presence. Thats not true for everyone, as books by all three authors have been banned. Sounding like a textbook librarian, Lords quiet delivery almost masks that his words have serrated edges. If you dont like a program, dont go. If you dont like a book, dont check it out. But you have no right to tell other people what they can and cant do, he says. Lord is armed for the Librarian Revolution, firing back at cowardly snipes at librarians on social media. Its hard to describe how horrendously hurtful it is, he says. These are dedicated librarians who get up every morning thinking they want to improve the world. They want to help children and theyre being called names like groomers and names like pedophiles and theyre being accused of peddling pornography. What are we peddling to kids? Curious George. Peppa Pig. Lord is able to retain his sense of humor. Mention of Peppa Pig inspires a passable impersonation of the characters father, Daddy Pig (whose first name remains a mystery). If Lord were a book, it would come with spare illustrations. He strikes a pose as Rodins The Thinker and drums his fingers together like Dr. Evil. He has other causes to champion during this session, including an effort to make electronic books and streaming services more affordable for libraries. Lord points out that the public can purchase eBooks for an average price of $12.77, but libraries are charged $45.75 for the same product. For audio books, those prices translate to $27.28 and $69.76. And if you bristle at paying fines on overdue books, consider how the libraries get slammed. Publishers require libraries to pay again after an eBook or audio book is borrowed 26 times or two years lapse. Of course, this is an issue Republicans might embrace, as it would save taxpayer money. But sanctuary has become a triggering word for conservatives. We dont have porn, Lord says with a sigh. And folks, the notion of your kids using their library card to seek out porn between the pages is pretty laughable in 2023 or 1973. But the far right would rather accuse libraries of peddling smut than talk about whats really bothering them. They are afraid of kids with identity issues they find threatening becoming empowered through words and art they find at their local library. So they try to bully librarians. Librarians have no ego, Lord observes. And no one is stronger than the person who lacks hubris. But there is one thing that librarians are not, and Lord didnt need to go to Hartford to figure it out: Librarians are not good politicians. Of course, neither are too many politicians. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT It has been six months since the City Council pushed Mayor Joe Ganim's administration to revive the long-dormant fair rent commission to address tenant/landlord disputes and try to prevent court-ordered evictions. And while that has yet to happen, city officials this week said they have been working behind-the-scenes to get the fair rent group up-and-running again, but it became more complicated than envisioned last fall. "We're just getting it right," said Councilman Jorge Cruz. Cruz has been part of a working group of council members and city staff that has met a handful of times to review how fair rent entities in other municipalities operate to update Bridgeport's approach given the years that have passed since a local fair rent body was active. Thomas Gaudett, a Ganim aide involved in the revival project, said the legal, health and housing code departments have also been participating. He said the focus has been on updating the process for submitting and reviewing complaints, who should serve on the new board, and establishing support staff. According to the Hartford-based CTData Collaborative, between 2017 and 2021 Bridgeport ranked second in the state in terms of eviction filings. Looking at Bridgeport's website, Connecticut's largest city still has a fair rent commission to try and mediate those housing disputes before they land in court. But look closer and members' terms expired in 1997, 2004 and 2007. And, unlike all of the other active Bridgeport boards and commissions, there are no records of any meetings readily available without a dive into the municipal archives. With local real estate prices on the rise in recent years and having fielded more complaints for constituents about housing affordability, council members last October, aiming to get Ganim to appoint a new fair rent roster, reduced the membership from five to three. The council also granted its president the ability to step in and make those nominations should the mayor not act in a timely manner. But that was not the only reason the council and administration finally moved forward with re-establishing the fair rent group. During the 2021 legislative session, state lawmakers voted to require all cities and towns with populations of 25,000 or more to adopt an ordinance creating a fair rent commission by this coming July 1. "We're working on beating the deadline," Councilman Ernie Newton said. But, said Councilman Tyler Mack, who has also been involved, it was subsequently determined that fixing Bridgeport's fair rent commission was not as easy as just finding three new people willing to participate in it. He said it made sense to see how similar boards in other cities have been operating all this time that Bridgeport has been without one. "We don't want this to be an exciting thing and three months later it disappears again," Mack said. "We want this to be a sustainable commission that lasts." For example, he and Gaudett explained, an effective fair rent commission needs more than three members, so the number of seats will likely again be raised by the council to five or possibly seven. "It will make sense to have more diversity of thought when trying to adjudicate and find out actual solutions (to rent disputes)," Mack said. There is also a question of staff and whether the fair rent board will be aided by an existing employee or if a new position or positions need to be established and funded in the upcoming spring municipal budget season. It would be helpful to have someone with a real estate background," Gaudett said. "Someone to answer the phones and also advise the commission. Information compiled by the Hartford-based CTData Collaborative shows that Bridgeport between 2017 and 2021 had the second-highest number of total eviction filings in Connecticut 7,892 behind only Hartford's 10,082 filings. According to its municipal website, Hartford does have an operating fair rent commission. All along observers have noted that a fair rent commission cannot simply force landlords to give tenants a break and that such a body would be only one tool in ongoing efforts to address what has been referred to as Bridgeport's current affordable housing crisis. Gaudett, for example, noted he did not think the existence of a fair rent board would have mitigated the recently reported wave of evictions facing the city's low-income public housing authority. A fifth of its households, 502, are behind on $1.5 million total in rent payments. "I don't think the housing authority issues have to do with unfair rents," Gaudett said. The authority's developments are considered among the cheapest places to live in the city. The housing authority's situation has instead been blamed on other factors, such as tenants falling behind during the economic turmoil caused by the global COVID-19 crisis and the authority's own past collection failures that allowed that debt to accrue for too long. Carmen Colon, who as vice president of Bridgeport's YMCA organization works to combat homelessness here, said the city needs a fair rent board. "It just doesnt hurt us to try anything and everything that can be beneficial to our residents in our city," she said. Activist John Marshall Lee has for some time been publicly pressuring Ganim and the council to reconstitute the fair rent commission. He will believe that the administration is genuinely working on that when he sees it back up and running, Lee said this week. Given all of the developers and landlords who contribute to Bridgeport's politicians, Lee is skeptical there is a willingness to give low-income tenants a platform to have a louder voice. "I'm guessing it's unlikely to happen," Lee said. Newton said there is a clear need, at least in his East End district. "A lot of people have complained about how people have come from out of town, raised the rents," Newton said. And Gaudett argued a fair rent body benefits everyone, not just tenants, given it is supposed to be an impartial entity that weighs the evidence. "It can also protect landlords, by the way," Gaudett said. BRIDGEPORT A 23-year-old city man was critically injured early Saturday in a shooting outside a downtown hookah lounge, police said. Officers responded around 3:30 a.m. to the Hollywood Hookah Lounge on Main Street after receiving reports of gunfire, according to Bridgeport Police Capt. Kevin Gilleran. Gilleran said that a short time after officers arrived at the scene of the shooting, a man entered an area hospital suffering from gunshot wounds to his neck. The victim, Gilleran said, was listed in critical but stable condition. Gilleran said police are seeking the individual responsible for the shooting, who he described as a Black man who was wearing a green shirt at the time of the incident. Gilleran said the suspect allegedly entered a small black vehicle before fleeing south along Main Street. richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com; Twitter @RichChumney. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JERUSALEM (AP) The Israeli military said two soldiers were wounded, one severely, Saturday evening in a drive-by shooting in the occupied West Bank, the latest in months-long violence between Israel and the Palestinians. The attack was the third to take place in the Palestinian town of Hawara in less than a month. One soldier was seriously wounded and the second was in moderate condition, the military said. A manhunt was launched as forces sealed roads leading to Hawara. The armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the second largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization, has claimed responsibility for the attack, and Hamas, the militant group ruling the Gaza Strip, praised it. The resistance in the West Bank can surprise the occupation every time and the occupation cannot enjoy safety, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said. Violence has surged in recent months in the West Bank and east Jerusalem amid near-daily Israeli arrest raids in Palestinian-controlled areas and a string of Palestinian attacks. U.S.-backed regional efforts to defuse tensions have led to the meeting of Israeli and Palestinian officials in Jordan and Egypt respectively, where parties hoped to prevent a further escalation during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. On Feb. 27, when Israeli and Palestinian officials met in Jordans Aqaba, a Palestinian gunman shot and killed two Israelis in Hawara. Another shooting attack in Hawara took place as the parties met again in Egypts Sharm el-Sheikh, wounding two Israelis. Eighty-six Palestinians have been killed by Israeli or settler fire this year, according to an Associated Press tally. Palestinian attacks have killed 15 Israelis in the same period. Israel says most of those killed have been militants. But stone-throwing youths protesting the incursions and people not involved in the confrontations have also been killed. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek those territories for their future independent state. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WESTPORT With a new, joint counseling initiative, Westport, Weston and Wilton could be one of the first areas in the state to join together in offering mental health resources for ages 12 and up. The new partnership, called the Counseling Assistance Program, aims to help residents in the three towns quickly access quality mental health treatment, with particular consideration for low-income and under-insured residents. The partnership includes Positive Directions, a nonprofit offering prevention, counseling and recovery support to individuals and families struggling with substance use or mental health disorders. "Locally, human services departments have experienced an influx of inquiries from residents seeking mental health support services with long waitlists and other barriers preventing clients from pursuing treatment," said Elaine Daignault, Westport's human services director. By partnering, the three communities are able to share the cost and in turn offer more services than they might by themselves. "Cost sharing is an effective way to expand services and increase efficiency while enhancing community connections," Daignault said. The program is using American Rescue Plan Act funds to pilot the program and make it more affordable, she said. Approaching it regionally also lets them share knowledge and better connect residents to the resources they need. "I love collaborating with neighboring towns because collectively, we are stronger and wiser, ultimately building greater capacity across the state," she said. "While every community is unique, human services departments share similar challenges that are best addressed collaboratively and without reinventing the wheel." Mental health is the top priority Connecticut's Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is addressing in the region, according to Southwestern Connecticut's Regional Behavioral Health Action Organization. It's followed by suicide, alcohol use, cannabis, tobacco/electronic nicotine delivery systems, prescription drug use, heroin/illicit drugs, gambling and cocaine, Daignault said. Allison Lisbon, social services director for Weston, said mental health needs of residents have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. One in five U.S. adults experience mental illness annually and one in six youths between 6 and 17 experience a mental health disorder annually, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. "The complexity and severity of cases referred to human services departments include reports of financial insecurity, housing challenges, and steady requests for mental health resources," Daignault said. "More referrals from police, fire, EMS, and schools reveal alarming rates of untreated mental health conditions affecting the health and safety of entire households and neighborhoods." Lisbon said the partnership with these three towns was natural, due to the proximity, similar community needs and history of working together. Sarah Heath, Wilton's social services' director, said the town saw a need for more immediate and affordable mental health options about two years ago and started looking into contracting a counseling agency. "Many nonprofits have waitlists, so contracting with Positive Directions enabled us to accomplish both," Heath said. "Similar issues were found in Westport and Weston and we decided to contract with Positive Directions to provide mental health options for residents in need of counseling in a timely manner." The contract is being negotiated to officially start. She said the three-town partnership "shows our commitment to providing accessible and affordable counseling for our residents." Daignault said service personnel manage situations throughout the day, including calls to help youth, family conflicts, senior isolation and caregiver anxiety. She said human services staff provide short-term stability, but there is a need for more accessible and in-depth counseling so residents can have greater independence and improve their mental health. There will be a direct referral process within the three towns through Positive Directions, assigning people to a counselor, Daignault said. Though the program is just starting out, the three towns' human services departments fund seven hours per week of a Positive Direction's clinician's time. "Each individual referred through one of the 3Ws will have undergone an initial intake with Human Services staff to determine eligibility," she said. This eligibility is determined based on a person's financial need, the crisis situation and if it is an acute or chronic untreated mental health disorder, Daignault added. Once they are referred, they will receive two free counseling sessions, including a behavioral health assessment and initial treatment plan. After, if the person chooses to continue treatment with Positive Directions, they will use insurance or another method of payment, she said. Positive Directions takes most insurance and works with clients who may have financial struggles. Heath said the person or family will get an appointment within a week. "Ideally, the individual would continue with counseling at Positive Directions or receive a referral for other mental health supports which may, or may not, include medication management, support groups, and peer support," Daignault said. Daignault said interested residents should reach out to their town's human services department and request an appointment with a social worker. The social worker will determine what resources may help and make a direct referral for mental counseling with the client's permission if that's one of the desired approaches. "As we are all state licensed mental health professionals, we know how difficult it can be to reach out for help, and we are here for you to make this process as easy as possible," Heath said. As far as the three directors know, this is a unique initiative within the state. However, Daignault said all human services departments are collaborative, as they often refer to other agencies for services, and work together regionally to address common issues in the state. "Perhaps this pilot will garner positive results with an increase in access to mental health support, and other agencies may follow suit," Daignault said. "Although many municipalities may already have contracts with agencies to provide counseling referrals." Heath said she is hopeful that the program will be successful in helping residents seek counseling, and perhaps other towns can consider something similar. "I believe programs like this allow us to gather valuable information about the mental health needs of our community while minimizing costs by sharing services with neighboring towns," Lisbon said. After the murder of Tory MP Sir David Amess, one of the first people his family turned to for support was the redoubtable Ann Widdecombe. Amess, killed in his constituency surgery by terrorist Ali Harbi Ali in 2021, had been best friends with Widdecombe since she became a Conservative MP in 1987. Part of their bond derived from the fact they were both devout Roman Catholics, and Widdecombe is godmother to one of Amesss four daughters. At Amesss Westminster Cathedral memorial service, Widdecombe delivered an extremely moving eulogy. Still in demand as a speaker on the Tory constituency circuit, despite defecting to Nigel Farages Brexit Party and becoming an MEP in 2019, Widdecombe was due to speak at Amesss Southend West constituency association dinner last Friday. It was a sell-out. But after she revealed last week she was joining the Brexit Partys successor organisation Reform UK to campaign for a better Brexit, Widdecombe was told the invitation was withdrawn. Many association members were appalled by the decision to cancel as they know how close Widdecombe is to Amesss widow, Julia. David Amess (pictured) was killed in his constituency surgery by terrorist Ali Harbi Ali in 2021 After the murder of Tory MP Sir David Amess, one of the first people his family turned to for support was the redoubtable Ann Widdecombe (pictured) Last night Widdecombe declined to comment, but one senior Tory tells me: David was their MP for 25 years and would have wanted the Widdecombe visit to go ahead. I hear shes got five or six more Tory association events coming up and they havent cancelled her. Davids association has over-reacted. Discussing Boris Johnsons appearance before the Commons privileges committee, one Tory MP was overheard saying: Did you notice when Boris told the committee Hand on heart, I did not lie to the House, he kept both hands pressed firmly down on the table? One Tory MP was overheard saying: Did you notice when Boris told the committee Hand on heart, I did not lie to the House, he kept both hands pressed firmly down on the table? President Macrons increasingly regal mien prompted Charles Moore, the official biographer of Margaret Thatcher, to reveal what happened when he passed on a complaint from the Iron Lady to former French president Valery Giscard dEstaing. Lady Thatcher had been surprised that at lunch at the Elysee Palace, the President was served before her. You must understand, dEstaing told Moore, who described the encounter in The Spectator, French presidents are in the line of sovereigns. Before Nicola Sturgeon formally announced her resignation as Scotlands First Minister, she alerted the King to her intentions. She then informed those titans of Scottish politics, the two Green Party members of the Scottish Parliament. Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford was also alerted. But she pointedly neglected to give any advance warning of her decision to Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the Westminster government which the Scottish people kept faith with in the 2014 independence referendum. Hapless Scottish health minister Humza Yousaf could be announced as Scotlands First Minister today, as the ballot for the new leader closes at midday. Hes got a lot to learn. Meeting Ukrainian women in Edinburgh, Yousaf asked loudly: Where are all the men? There was an awkward pause, before they explained their men were back home fighting Vladimir Putins Russian army. Silence from the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on the 20th anniversary of the disastrous Iraq war, launched by his political hero Tony Blair. This is the same Starmer who in 2003, as a young Left-wing lawyer, wrote an article calling the conflict unlawful. Does he still think that? Or is he perhaps unwilling to say so because unlike his predecessors as Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn and Ed Miliband, who denounced the war he doesnt want to criticise Blair? At a music awards ceremony, a guest overheard Environment Secretary Therese Coffey saying she was 71. Keen to ingratiate themselves, they jumped in saying: Never. 71? You dont look it. Coffey (left) was not flattered by the compliment. She bit back: Im not 71 Thats the year I was born. My afro is not a cultural statement. Being half white English and half Afro-Caribbean, I have naturally thick curly hair. If someone wanted to wear a wig mimicking my hairstyle, I certainly wouldnt see it as cultural appropriation. If anything, surely, it would be cultural appreciation. But to the organisers of Abba Voyage a show that encourages audiences to come in fancy dress, but which has also specifically banned Afro wigs Id like to ask: which culture do they believe my hair belongs to? I am British. Are they denying my British heritage and my British culture? My afro is not a cultural statement. Being half white English and half Afro-Caribbean, I have naturally thick curly hair, writes Calvin Robinson (pictured) But to the organisers of Abba Voyage a show that encourages audiences to come in fancy dress, but which has also specifically banned Afro wigs Id like to ask: which culture do they believe my hair belongs to? I am British. Are they denying my British heritage and my British culture? It seems a lazy stereotype that theyre making in order to protect a demographic of people who dont need protection. Its quite patronising and entirely unnecessary. Permitting only certain hairstyles is not very diverse, either. Nor is it very inclusive, discriminating against big, bushy hair. And it is certainly not about equality if all ethnic hairstyles are equal, but some are more equal than others. This policy, therefore, fails on the Diversity, Inclusion and Equality checklist which, I assume, the organisers were trying to meet. The policy is ridiculous. It is time to move beyond such silly ideas and get back to letting people be people again. I hope audiences at Abba Voyage rebel against the ban, and we end up seeing hundreds of Afros in among the hen and stag parties dressed as Agnetha and Frida. The extent of the hippy crack problem first became apparent last summer in the wake of the Notting Hill carnival. As extraordinary photos of the clear-up revealed, amongst the 300 tonnes of rubbish dumped by revellers were skip-fulls of industrial-grade canisters of nitrous oxide. Designed for caterers to quickly and easily whip cream, they are instead now commonly used to get high. The craze for filling up balloons with nitrous oxide, then breathing it in, has been around for some years. The instant effect can be a buzz, including feelings of euphoria, calmness and fits of giggles hence the drugs nickname of laughing gas and hippy crack. But while nitrous oxide, which has the chemical formula N2O, had been viewed as a relatively harmless substance, concerns have mounted about the risks it poses to the health of a generation. As extraordinary photos of the clear-up revealed, amongst the 300 tonnes of rubbish dumped by revellers were skip-fulls of industrial-grade canisters of nitrous oxide Worried neurologists have warned they are seeing an increasing number of young people suffering from spinal cord and nerve damage. In the worst cases, those affected have suffered life-changing impacts including paralysis. This is because heavy, regular use of the drug may result in a deficiency of vitamin B12 and a form of anaemia. Severe vitamin B deficiency can cause serious nerve damage. A small but growing number of fatalities have also been directly attributed to the drug, with nitrous oxide named on 42 death certificates from 2010 to 2019. If nitrous oxide is inhaled through the mouth from a pressurised canister or in a confined space, it can also cause sudden death through lack of oxygen. Last year the family of Kayleigh Burns told how the 16-year-old had died after inhaling gas at a house party. An asthmatic, she was taken to hospital after collapsing. While the precise cause of Kayleighs death has not yet been revealed, her relatives joined a growing chorus of those calling for the drug to be banned or restricted. Its all fun and games while you are taking it but the long-term effect on your body can be very dangerous, adds Kerry-Anne Donaldson. The 25-year-old receptionist from London is in a wheelchair as a result of spinal damage caused by nitrous oxide which she started inhaling in 2017. Last year the family of Kayleigh Burns (pictured) told how the 16-year-old had died after inhaling gas at a house party Police officers carry canisters of nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas, confiscated from revellers planning to use it as a drug In the past decade, its popularity as a recreational drug has rapidly grown and half-a-million young people now use it regularly READ MORE: 'Hippy crack' nitrous oxide 'will be banned next week' as Government launch new 'hotspot' policing crackdown on anti-social behaviour Pictured: Revellers suck on balloons at a music festival, a common way people inhale nitrous oxide Advertisement I stopped doing it two years ago. But in those two years my body was breaking down because of all the balloons I did. Now I dont even remember how it feels not to have pain, it is way more dangerous than people think. Discovered in 1772, the anaesthetic and pain-relieving properties of nitrous oxide have been used in human and veterinary medicine for 150-plus years. Another use is as an aerosol spray propellant for caterers to make whipped cream. But in the past decade, its popularity as a recreational drug has rapidly grown and half-a-million young people now use it regularly. To counter this, the production, sale or supply of nitrous oxide for its psychoactive effects was made illegal in 2016. Today, sites offer nitrous oxide for sale (for example, a box of ten creamer cartridges each with 8 grams of nitrous oxide for 7), telling buyers it is for food production only and asking them to confirm they are over 18. Part of the concern is around the way users access the drug. In the past, most would buy it in small, single-shot metal canisters before transferring its contents into a balloon from which the gas is inhaled. But in recent months, experts say many have switched to super-sized tubes able to deliver 80 times the usual amount. Prices for these canisters, containing between 600 and 650 grams, start at 29.99 and they can be easily purchased online. These new large canisters are a real worry, says Stephen Ream, director of Re-Solv, a charity for solvent abuse advice and support. One young man we have been supporting was using ten a day. When you are doing the little ones, you know how many you are getting through, but when you use a big one, you lose track. The bigger canisters also bring the risk of serious cold burn injuries. Users often hold the canisters between their thighs when they fill balloons. As the canister is discharged it becomes freezing cold, meaning that it can cause a burn similar to frostbite on bare skin. More serious still are the warnings from medics such as Dr David Nicholl, 57, a consultant neurologist in hospitals across Birmingham for 20 years. Shortly before the Covid pandemic in 2020, he began seeing patients every couple of months with tingling in the hands or legs and difficulty in walking due to neurological harm. Now he says an epidemic of such patients is being admitted every week. Some people die, Dr Nicholl adds. I havent experienced that but in the last 18 months four or five have been left unable to walk. Its just tragic and totally avoidable. These are users who think everything is a bit of a laugh and have no idea they could end up not being able to walk for the rest of their life. The message is clear: the laughing gas epidemic is no laughing matter at all. For many years I deluded myself that the point of a comedian was to be funny. Then I saw Eddie Izzard perform or Suzy, as he now wants to be known and realised how wrong I was. What was delivered was a rant an hour of moaning about the Government, the Right, and anything that didnt conform to progressive oh-so-woke prejudices. It lasted only an hour for me because thats when I walked out. I had better things to do with my time. Izzard is just another of that phalanx of achingly dull, yawningly predictable knee-jerk Lefties along with the likes of Marcus Brigstocke, Mark Thomas and Nish Kumar who have built an entire career whingeing about the Tories. What was delivered was a rant an hour of moaning about the Government, the Right, and anything that didnt conform to progressive oh-so-woke prejudices, says Stephen Pollard (Izzard pictured in 2022) Perhaps Izzard is referring to the likes of Jim Davidson, but when was the last time you saw him on mainstream TV? (pictured in Janurary 2022) Thats why there is such a deep irony in Izzards latest claim, that Right-wing stand-ups tend to be sexist and racist comedians who we thought would have gone away, but theyre still there. First, there are only a tiny number of obviously Right-wing comedians. Theres Geoff Northcott, the UKs only declared Conservative comedian, and the wonderful Simon Evans, who ploughs a lonely furrow as a Right-wing regular on BBC panel shows. Perhaps Izzard is referring to the likes of Jim Davidson, but when was the last time you saw him on mainstream TV? The real irony, however, is the total lack of self-awareness that is so typical of those who parade their own supposed virtue as a badge of honour. Because when it comes to vicious jokes, to sheer personal nastiness, racism and sexism, its these Leftie comedians who are the real villains. The comedian Katherine Ryan has said its an open secret that a prominent man in the industry is a sexual predator but he has so far been able to escape identification. And hes not the only one. Sexual harassment is so rife in the stand-up sector that a group of female comedians two years ago formed a group called Get Off to combat it. Race issues have also proved a minefield for the Left. When Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak resigned from the Cabinet last year over Boris Johnsons leadership, Nish Kumar wrote: Balancing out the fact that I cant stand Javid or Sunak with the fact that I love to see a rich white man brought down by Asians. Izzard is just another of that phalanx of achingly dull, yawningly predictable knee-jerk Lefties along with the likes of Marcus Brigstocke, Mark Thomas and Nish Kumar (pictured) who have built an entire career whingeing about the Tories (file image) As for BBC regular Frankie Boyle, he seems incapable of behaving with common decency making vile sexist jokes about the Queen, Katie Price and Rebecca Adlington (pictured on New World Order) The story had nothing to do with race but, for Kumar, his moral superiority as a man of the Left made it acceptable to introduce that dimension. The BBC Radio 4 News Quiz is a byword for relentless insults against anyone vaguely Right-wing masquerading as humour. Michael Gove, for example, was described as a foetus in a jar who has a face that makes even the most pacifist of people reach for the shovel. In 2019, after a milkshake was thrown at Nigel Farage, Jo Brand joked on another BBC show: Why bother with a milkshake when you could get some battery acid? As for BBC regular Frankie Boyle, he seems incapable of behaving with common decency making vile sexist jokes about the Queen, Katie Price and Rebecca Adlington. Last year at a festival he joked about raping and murdering the TV presenter Holly Willoughby. Give me a Right-wing comedian any day, above the preening hypocrisy of Izzard and his fellow Lefties. Body mass index (BMI) has long been the go-to way of scrutinising whether we're in shape or not. But some believe it is firmly off the mark - and that there is a better means by which to measure fitness. British experts have revealed how Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) could actually be a strong indicator, with the hashtag #MetabolicHealth racking up 66 million views on TikTok. While your BMI is a measure of healthy weight, Penny Weston, a fitness, wellness and nutrition expert, told FEMAIL your BMR is the number of calories your body needs to carry out its basic functions. Your BMR can be used to help you gain, lose, or maintain weight because you can work out how many calories you burn and therefore how many you should be consuming. British experts have revealed how Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) could actually be a strong indicator of overall health than BMI, with the hashtag #MetabolicHealth racking up 66 million views on TikTok Penny said: 'BMI as a measurement is often criticised as it does not take into account muscle mass or bone density.' While it isnt possible to reset your metabolism but there are ways to increase your metabolic rate naturally, which include making changes to the way you eat, exercise and even sleep. According to Penny small things such as eating breakfast and doing exercise first thing on a morning can boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories throughout the day. Meanwhile Daria Tiesler, HPM Wellness founder and expert in Women's Health and Performance, reiterated this by describing the conditions you are at risk of developing if you have a poor BMR. The Barcelona-based wellness entrepreneur detailed how conditions such as PCOS, cancer, type 2 diabetes, thyroid problems and sleep apnea are all conditions that are related to poor metabolic health. She explained: 'Improving your metabolic rate can help improve your fitness in several ways.' Here the experts revealed how to improve your BMR... 1. TAKE A WALKFIRST THING IN THE MORNING... The more you engage your muscles, the faster your metabolism becomes. Penny explained that a 20 minute walk first thing in the morning will 'make a huge difference.' 2. ...AND TRY HIGH INTENSITY WORKOUTS She also recommended lifting weights because building muscle can help increase your metabolism and therefore burn more calories every day, even when you are at rest. She said: 'Lifting weights will also help retain muscle while reducing body fat.' Other cardiovascular exercises such as running, swimming, aerobics and walking stimulate your metabolism and can even temporarily suppress your appetite post-workout. Therefore she recommends trying exercises at home including burpees and mountain climbers, because these are high-intensity, full-body workouts that involve all of your major muscle groups. 3. GRAZE ON HEALTHY SNACKS (AND CUT DOWN MEAL SIZES) Penny recommended grazing on healthy snacks and eating five to six smaller meals throughout the day to keep a steady stream of energy in your body. Healthy snacks include nuts, fruits, veggies and yogurt. However, she warned: 'If you are snacking, just make sure your main meals are smaller as otherwise you will have too many calories.' Penny said there are some foods that may help slightly increase your metabolic rate, such as protein-rich foods, like meat, fish, eggs, legumes and nuts, which require your body to use more energy to digest them. She said: 'Also try iron-rich foods like meat, seafood, legumes, nuts, and seeds as minerals such as iron and selenium, which help your thyroid gland, which regulates your metabolism, to function.' 4. GET A FULL NIGHT OF SLEEP Penny also recommends making sure you get a good night's sleep to help improve your metabolic rate. She explained: 'A lack of sleep can reduce the number of calories you burn and also affect your appetite-regulating hormones so when you are sleep-deprived, you often feel hungry and eat more.' When people are sleep deprived they end up craving carbohydrates, which break down into sugars. Not only is excessive carbohydrate detrimental to our waistlines but a lack of sleep affects the body's ability to regulate insulin, therefore putting you more at risk of type 2 Diabetes. 5. TRY A RELAXATION EXERCISE LIKE YOGA Research has shown that an overactive nervous system and increased levels of cortisol can have a negative effect on our metabolic fitness. The surge of cortisol released when you are under stress temporarily pauses regular bodily functions, slowing your metabolism. This surge will also increase your appetite but can cause cravings for sweet, fatty and salty foods. A study published in the Journal Of Alternative And Complementary Medicine found that relaxed breathing (breathing deeply and extending the exhale) had a positive short-term impact on glucose processing. Tried and tested relaxation techniques from breathwork to yoga can indirectly give your metabolic health a positive boost. Yoga instructor Ema Rice explained why she encourages everyone to think about their metabolism over BMI. The Leeds-based yogi said: 'Your metabolism is what converts what you consume into what your body needs, so when it is functioning well, your skin glows, your shines and your immune system is strong. 'When it doesn't you can get a build up of toxins, which directly affects your health.' Ema recommends yoga flow sequences, which contain more movement that normal practice to get your blood pumping. Sun Salutations or asanas that massage the organs in the abs, where digestion takes place, are all great for boosting metabolism. These positions include spinal twists and plough poses for example. She explained: 'The movement from doing sun salutations gets the blood pumping, which means more blood travelling to your organs to get them functioning better. 'The asanas with twists massage the organs in the endocrine system and digestive system, which helps to regulate them (the organs), improve circulation, and get rid of toxins. 'So it's this improvement in the digestive and endocrine system that boosts the metabolism, meaning your body is breaking down what you consume and directing it to where your body needs it in the most effective time way.' When Imogen Carn lost her mum Vanessa to suicide in February 2020 it took everything in her to keep going. The 35-year-old first time mum was moving house when her sister called with the devastating news and remembers feeling like the 'earth just stopped spinning'. The mum, from Sydney, a former TV producer, admitted she stopped living for herself in that moment and only got out of bed every morning because her nine-month-old daughter Layla needed her. 'I couldn't envision a future without my mum, I was completely lost and not only that but I felt like I was going crazy. 'Grief can make you feel like you are losing your mind,' she said. Imogen Carn, pictured right, thought she was losing her mind after her mum Vanessa, pictured left, died at 62 Imogen describes her mum as being 'amazing, full of love' and obsessed with her three grandchildren Vanessa, who was 62, didn't leave a note when she died, which added to her daughter's despair. 'Shock carried me through the first year - she was the last person I would have expected to take their own life,' she said. 'At the funeral I was just existing. Then at the ten month mark I finally started to feel the reality and permanence of her death,' she said. The young mother found herself feeling completely alone, in denial and suffocated by guilt because she couldn't save her mum. She said her mum was her best friend and they spent hours on the phone, going on picnics together and always had some kind of mother-daughter date lined up. 'I learnt very quickly that suicide doesn't discriminate,' she said. Vanessa didn't leave a note before she took her own life - adding to her daughter's despair When Vanessa died Imogen felt like she had run out of good days, for a year she bore through each day, wondering how she was expected to exist without her. 'The fact I was a new mum just added more layers to it. How could I be a good mum if my own mum didn't even want to be alive,' she said. She leaned heavily on her partner, expecting him to fill her mother's shoes, while he worked to support their young family. 'It was unfair he was grieving too and he was working two jobs as I was on maternity leave,' she said, noting that they 'made it through' somehow. Her other friends leant in to help, but Imogen continued to feel isolated and alone. Imogen said her daughter Layla, who was nine-months-old at the time, forced her to get out of bed and 'exist' in the months after the shock death She has just written a book on grief, alongside her good friend Sally Douglas, who lost her mum at about the same time. The two women met online four months after Vanessa's death, after looking for some kind of connection, someone else who could recognise the grief they were going through. They met in a Sydney pub, between lockdowns, and hit it off immediately. 'We bonded over that mutual feeling of loneliness and wondered how many other people were feeling lonely too,' she said. They quickly started the Good Mourning podcast, after being left uninspired by resources for people moving through grief. Four months after losing her mum Imogen, right, met Sally Douglas, another young woman navigating the death of her mum Imogen reveals her top tips to support yourself through grief: Go Micro When someone dies, there can often be a lot of practical tasks you may not have been prepared for. Your to-do list may be mounting, and simple tasks can feel overwhelming. Its important to strip everything right back to basics. When everything feels too much, simply focus on putting one foot in front of the other and take things minute by minute, and dont be afraid to ask for help. Reach out Social support is crucial when you are coping with loss, as no matter how well-supported you may be, grief can still feel incredibly isolating and lonely. Reach out to someone close to you if you feel able to dont hold it in. Even spending a couple of minutes chatting or texting with a good friend can give you a much-needed lift. Talking to others about whats on your mind can help you process some of your feelings and thoughts. Speak to a professional Its helped us both massively on difficult days and theres no shame in getting some help. In Australia, you can call Griefline on 13 11 14 for free telephone support. Advertisement 'And it turned out there were a lot of people feeling lonely, looking for something relatable,' she said. She described hearing other people's experiences as cathartic and before long the women had been approached to write a book, a tool for others being suffocated by feelings of grief. It has been three years since Vanessa's death, and though Imogen admits she still has sad days, she now cries less than she laughs. She is no longer 'just surviving' and the good parts have started to outweigh the intense feelings of grief which manifested as rage and guilt. Sally and Imogen became friends immediately and started working on the Good Mourning podcast to help others with feelings of grief Imogen reveals how to help friends navigate through grief: If you're supporting someone coping with loss, its not always easy to know what to do or say, but you dont have to feel awkward. Good grief support starts with simply showing up and being there. Reach out If youre supporting someone, take a few minutes out of your day to send a text and let them know you are thinking of them. This simple gesture can mean so much to the person who is grieving. It can also be helpful including, No need to respond, at the end of your text. If the person grieving is feeling overwhelmed or exhausted, this simple gesture can take the pressure off them feeling that they have to respond. Say their name Just because their loved one is no longer here, that doesnt mean that the person grieving doesnt want to talk about them or hear their name. One of the best things you can do to support them is to show that youre keeping their memory alive. Ask questions, and share a favourite memory or a quality that you loved most about them. Be present and really listen One of the best ways you can support someone grieving is to be truly present. Even if you dont understand what it feels like to grieve, try to practise active listening with compassion and without judgement. You dont have to say anything or try to fix the sadness and upset, a listening ear, a cup of tea or a big hug can do the trick. Advertisement The 22.02.2020 remains the worst day of the young mum's life, but it no longer marks the end of good days.. She now recognises she can have nice days, without feeling guilty, and can have sad moments where she misses her mum without completely losing herself to grief. Imogen says she will likely use the Good Mourning book herself, when she goes through difficult periods - because she now recognises the importance of good tools in hard times. 'Grief is universal, death is universal, but we don't get given the tools to get through it,' she said. They were eventually approached by a publisher and wrote a book to help other people through difficult times Imogen said the most important lesson she learned when she navigated through life after her mum's death is the importance of living for something. 'In the beginning, when you have trauma, you have to live for someone or something outside of yourself,' she said. 'I had to survive for my daughter. I didn't want her to go through what I was, and lose her mum. Then as I moved forward I started to live for me again and found things in my own life which helped counteract the darkness,' she said. She said her mother's death forced her to leave her job in reality television production, where she worked on shows like The Voice and Big Brother to 'do something meaningful'. Imogen believes her mum's death catapulted her into her life's purpose - doing work which helped other people. The book is already available in Australia, New Zealand the UK and Ireland. It will be available across the US and Canada from May 9. Call Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 for 24-hour suicide prevention and crisis support. At first glance there is nothing remarkable about this 'unassuming' kitchen shelf - but a Bargain Hunt star saw something that got him very excited. Auctioneer Jeremy Lamond took this snap inside a home in High Wycombe, in the south of England, following an open market valuation of the property. The TV favourite shared his photo on Twitter, and asked his 3,330 followers if they could spot the rare items that eventually sold for an astonishing 131,250. So MailOnline asks, can you find the rare items in this image? Can you find the rare objects in this picture shared by antiques expert Jeremy Lamond? To the untrained eye, there is nothing especailly striking about the collectioin of kitchen items - including cook books, a glass of straws, a first aid kit, wine glasses, a toaster and a row of ceramic crockery - but there are some very impressive items hiding in plain sight. Jeremy Lamond is the Head of Valuations and Associate Director Woolley and Wallis Auctioneers, in Shropshire. He has appeared on the popular BBC One antiques programme numerous times over its 23 years on televison. Mr Lamond shared the image on Twitter in May last year after his visit to the property in popular commuter-belt town of High Wycombe, to the north-west of London. The average price of a property in High Wycombe is currently 438,936, according to RightMove - that would mean the sold items could be worth as much as a third of the value of the property itself. He posted: 'If you can see what I spotted on this unassuming kitchen shelf during an open market valuation somewhere in the south of England today, you will understand why I am so very excited.' Mr Lamond left his followers guessing, with one even asking if it was in fact the 'tin of shortbread biscuits' that carried the huge price tag. Others guessed at a variety of items in the photograph. Buit eventually the auctioneer revealed what the true 'find' was. Bargain Hunters Jeremy Lamond (left) with Tim Wonnacott (right). Mr Lamond shared a snap of a kitchen from a home in the south of England, and asked his followers if they could spot the rare items. Did you spot them? Mr Lamond confirmed that the two bowls found in a in a kitchen in High Wycombe sold for a premium inclusive 131,250 at auction He wrote: 'Chinese Daoguang bowls on this shelf which I first saw in a kitchen in High Wycombe.' And some of his followers managed to get the correct answer, as one replied: 'I was drawn to the two matching bowls - dont know why though.' One person was fairly accurate in their guess, as they wrote: 'Id say the 2 chines bowls dating from around 1820-1850.' While another only managed to find one of the rare bowls, as the auctioneer prompted the person to look again, writing: 'Spot on Mr G- not just onebut two!!' A fourth person seemed to have eagle eyes as they found the hidden bowl, as they wrote: 'One you can see all of by teapot the other cheekily peeping out of a dish on the other side.' The bowls contain reign marks underneath them, usually four or six Chinese characters, and is art commissioned for the Emperor or his imperial household Reign marks tend to be written in one of two very different-looking scripts: kaishu, or regular script, and zhuanshu, or seal-form script. Zhuanshu script is a much more angular-looking According to the MetMuseum, these bowls are from the Qing dynasty, which dates back to the periods from 1644 - 1911. They also have a very specific Daoguang mark, for the period between 1821 - 50. This is usually identifiable by reign mark records. And the Daoguang period used six-character mark, which was written at the base of the ceramic and escribed in zhuanshu, which is seal-form script. More specifically, these porcelain bowls were painted in blue underglaze and overglaze enamels, with engraved decoration. Reign marks are most commonly written in vertical columns and are read from top to bottom, and from right to left. While the museum in New York has acquired them, they are currently not on view. Liked this article? Read the three steps to unearthing unique furniture and design items for your home The other night I went out for dinner with a couple of girlfriends and one announced over sushi that she had woken up that morning with a grey eyebrow hair. It just sprouted overnight, she said, brows arched in disbelief. I knew how she felt because Ive recently been experiencing a horrible ringing in my ears tinnitus. No cure, no treatment, just hope against hope that it goes away. Your health really is your wealth, no matter what shirt you put on your back. As we plough through life, inevitably some of our screws and bolts will become loose, needing tightening, or fall out altogether and require replacing. As women were locked in battle with our bodies, thanks to an unforgiving society that seems to have big issues with the natural ageing process, making us feel constant pressure to jab needles in our face to try to look younger. jumper by Navygrey, Trousers by Zara, boots by Ivylee Copenhagen, bag by Bottega Veneta Against this background, its so important that we set aside a little time every day to look after ourselves take the vitamins, do the exercise, get the sleep. Then we can only cross our fingers and hope for the best. I think thats why I enjoy clothes so much because, whatever your age, theres nothing more joyful than dressing up the feel of a silk shirt on your skin or the softness of a nice knit; how a good dress can make you feel the best version of your feminine and attractive self. Its the colour of Greek tavernas and Van Goghs starry night The same applies to embracing the allure of certain colours. This week I want to celebrate cobalt blue the colour of Greek tavernas and Van Goghs starry night. Every spring Im drawn to this vivid shade, which evokes memories of balmy nights sitting chatting with a glass of rose in your hand and a wicker basket tucked by your bare feet. I love to wear it with lighter blues, like this jumper, above, in Harris Blue from Navygrey knitwear; or to pair Zara trousers like these with a simple white T-shirt. The latest collections show that cobalt is as strong a player as ever Balenciaga, McQueen and Off-White all punctuated their spring/summer presentations with it. So although friends might be plucking their greying eyebrows and I might be buying more vitamins than ever, while keeping my fingers crossed theres all the more reason to wear your best outfits whenever you can. So buy the shoes, enjoy your body and step out in your favourite clothes! Frame changers Sunglasses, 390, uk.lindafarrow.com With excellent craftsmanship since 1970, Linda Farrow was one of the first designers to treat sunglasses as an important fashion accessory. Its current designs are all fabulous too. Be inspired by Jackie O and think bigger when the sun finally returns. A classic cincher Belt, 150,. rixolondon.com London-based brand Rixo is well known for its prints, but the accessories also pack a stylish punch. The August gold metal belt has square chain swirls reminiscent of a Greek key. It glams up jeans and a shirt, and suits most occasionwear. Springs It-knit Cardigan, 95,. sezane.com Pared-back or statement, slim-fit or oversized, a cardigan is a trans-seasonal favourite. Sezanes Gaspard design has been a bestseller for the French label. Im a big fan of its softness and versatility. Come evening, wear it back to front and tucked into a pair of trousers. The Crown actress Erin Doherty has swapped British Royalty, playing Princess Anne in the Netflix Series, for criminal royalty in her latest role as the Queen of a notorious 19th Century shoplifting gang. She will star alongside Peaky Blinders actor Stephen Graham as Mary Carr, leader of all-female The Forty Elephants gang in upcoming Disney+ drama A Thousand Blows. The glamorous London criminal group got their name from their original base of operations in the London Borough of Elephant and Castle as far back as the 1870s. The Forty Elephants members were the wives, girlfriends and sisters of criminal gang The Elephant Mob to keep up a standard of living if their husbands got locked up. At first they started shoplifting from expensive London department stores such as Selfridges - getting away with scores of high-end fashion items in pockets sewn onto their dresses. Erin Doherty is starring as Mary Carr, leader of all-female The Forty Elephants gang in upcoming Disney+ drama A Thousands Blows The most famous 'queen', Alice Diamond (left), was the daughter of a docker and renowned for her row of diamond rings that doubled as a knuckle duster. Diamond's second-in-command Maggie Hughes (right) was known as 'Babyface' for her sweet looks and made a habit of cheekily shouting back at the judge when she was sentenced to jail: 'It won't cure me! It will only make me a worse villain!' Gang members walked through the department stores - which were at the time a new innovation in shopping - and lift clothing and jewellery and store them in their pockets, coats, skirts and hats, according the book Alice Diamond and the Forty Elephants by Brian McDonald. Author Beezy Marsh also carried out exclusive interviews with relatives and research for her fiction works Queen of Thieves and Queen of Clubs inspired by the notorious gang, published by Orion. They also had the foolproof strategy of storing pilfered items in their underwear - and at the time it was unheard of to search 'respectable women', blog Foreign Field writes in their review of the book. And this is why they were so successful, the gang members appeared to be 'respectable women' - being doted on by shop assistants as they were wearing expensive clothes - despite operating one of the most notorious organised crime syndicates in London. Selfridges in London, decorated for the coronation of George V in 1911 - 10 years after the death of Queen Victoria The gang's leader Mary Carr used several aliases including 'Polly' but she eventually became well-known by store management and the police. But as shop assistants watched her intently several other girls in the gang came in and pilfered expensive items. Their loot would be stuffed into these 'hoister's drawers', allowing the women to leave the stores undetected. Furs were rolled on the hanger and tucked into the women's undergarments when the store assistant was distracted, while jewellery and watches were swapped for fake versions and hidden under hats or in their hair. The gang's ringleaders appeared in a secret register of criminals, that is now kept by the National Archives, which then existed to help police track down the most persistent offenders. The women were completely faithful to their leader, known as the queen, who doled out harsh punishments and carried strict rules including not helping police officers by informing. A Hoisters' Code of loyalty dictated rules such as having an early night before 'going shopping', handing over all they pinched to the Queen in return for generous weekly wages, and never stealing each other's boyfriends (bad for morale). In the early half of the 20th century one queen, Diamond, regularly appeared in the press where she was once described as a 'tall and commanding figure with a cool demeanour'. Reporters claimed she was 6ft tall - despite police records from 1919 putting her at 5ft9in. When caught by police she replied: 'I don't know anything about it.' Ms Marsh said it 'was time to reappraise London's gangland' when she wrote The Queen of Thieves. 'It was not just a man's world, despite the countless column inches still spent poring over the phenomenon that was the Kray Twins,' she added. 'The other side of the story involves these feisty women and it is perhaps more fascinating given the limited powers such working class girls had to earn a decent wage.' When police switched on to the gang's methods they branched out, with trips to Southend, Brighton, Liverpool and Manchester. To evade discovery they posted the stolen items back to London or depositing a suitcase of loot at the railway station's left luggage office, to be collected later. The thieves' earnings allowed them to live like upper-class debutantes. They bought fur coats, jewellery and went dancing in West End nightclubs. The granddaughter of a member of the gang, who said she was taught how to steal in the 1970s, told Ms Marsh: 'My nan was always beautifully turned out. She and her friends looked like film stars when they went out down the pub. 'It gave them a life they could never have afforded. I don't think they felt bad about it. They enjoyed buying nice things with the money and putting on the posh. There was also kind of respect for them locally because people could get a nice dress or a pair of stockings cheaply. 'They didn't see anything wrong in it because these things were too expensive for most people to afford and shops had insurance. And I felt the same way,' she said. 'My gran liked to go for tea at the Ritz, especially if she could pinch someone's fur coat from the cloakroom on the way out. She was still hoisting well into her 70s.' A new member, who was just 19 years old, was caught with more than 40 items hidden on her person. Lilian Rose Kendall, known as the Bobbed-Haired Bandit because of her short fringe and side curls, specialised in smash-and-grab raids and took over the gang while Diamond was in prison They didn't keep hold of the black market items for long, selling it on to London's fences as soon as possible. At the time, a police detective in London said: 'Their methods were so remarkable that they had never been seen to take any goods and none of the taken property had ever been recovered.' After Mary Carr's death in 1924, her mantle was taken up by Alice Diamond, also known as 'Diamond Annie'. Alice Diamond, the original member of the Forty Elephants gang of shoplifters Alice, who was born in 1886 in Southwark into a criminal family, had already racked up a string of convictions by the age of just 17. In 1905 she was arrested for using a fake identity to gain access into an ammunition factory, from which which she was suspected of trying to steal explosives. She was 5ft 8in and on each hand she wore a few diamond rings which doubled as knuckle dusters - the police said she had a 'punch to be reckoned with'. Diamond Annie grew the gang outside of London and expanded the criminal enterprise to include protection, burglary and blackmail. Maggie 'Babyface' Hughes, Alice's closest ally in the Forty Elephants was tiny, under 4ft 11in, with brown hair and grey eyes, but her personality was less nondescript. With tattoos on both arms and a psychotic temper, Maggie was uncontrollable when drunk and she was almost always drunk. She also had a flair for the bizarre she drove a Ford V8 car with a periscope on the roof, so she could spot police before they saw her. As the Forty Elephants became well-known in Londons West End, they began to target stores across the country. In their powerful cars, it was easy to raid Bath, Brighton, Bristol and the Midlands, and get back before midnight to the South London lock-ups, where they stored their bounty. Peaky Blinders actor Stephen Graham, 49, portrays boxer Sugar Goodson By the Twenties, Maggies violent outbursts meant she spent most of her time in jail and, when she was out, she could no longer be trusted as an accomplice. Younger members of The Forty Elephants who did not look like wives of wealthy men were landed jobs as servants in upper-class houses with fake references. Whilst in the employment of the rich households the girls would steal valuables and, on occasion, seduce the husband and then blackmail them. The working class girls lived a life of luxury, having frequent and unrestrained parties accompanied by large quantities of champagne - although they they had a rule of 'no drinking before a raid'. Elephants stuck together to always give an alibi on the rare occasion they were arrested. Member Marie Britten broke the gang's 'no outsiders' rule when she married outside the firm - and in response Diamond accompanied by three other Elephants, went to the house with bats and razors. They threw rocks through the window and wounded Britten's father in law. They were then all given 18 months hard labour for malicious wounding. But while Diamond Alice sequestered her leadership to manage a brothel upon her release, a new leader took the post - Lillian Rose Kendal, the Bobbed-Haired Bandit. In one heist, she smashed her car through the window of jewellers Carrier in Bond Street and made off with a heft bounty. Despite police efforts to convict her for 15 years she continued to outrun them and leave no evidence behind. The gang continued to operate through the war but slowly faded until they ceased to operate in the 1950s. Her artery was bleeding, she said it was like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' As Rebecca Fogg stood in the bathroom of her Brooklyn apartment, finally ready for bed at 3am after working late, she had plenty of reason to feel her life was on track. Three weeks earlier shed been made vice president at American Express. This graduate of Harvard Business School was a high-flyer, moving up in the superfast city she loved. Yet questions were beginning to form. Fogg was 39 and single; her friends were married, having babies and moving to the suburbs. I was at this transition point where New York wasnt what it had been, and I didnt know what was next. What came next was a freak accident that blew Foggs life to pieces. When she turned on the tap, nothing happened. To check she had water she flushed the toilet a pressure appliance, like many in New York apartment blocks. Dazed and disoriented, Fogg saw blood splatters and thought, Whose is that? Then she saw a gaping wound on her right forearm But she was unaware that the water pressure had become low and the air pressure high. This turned her toilet into a porcelain bomb: suddenly it exploded, denting the ten-foot-high ceiling and blowing the tiles off the wall. Dazed and disoriented, Fogg saw blood splatters and thought, Whose is that? Then she saw a gaping wound on her right forearm. It was a partial amputation, known in America as a spaghetti wrist and in the UK as a full-house because multiple tendons, her main artery and main nerve were severed. Before pain or panic, Fogg remembers one last clear thought. I felt a kind of reckoning, she says, that the life Id been living was over, and this was the next life, however long it lasted. It happened in 2006. Fogg is now 56 and living that next life in London. We meet in the London Library, where she wrote her new book, Beautiful Trauma, the story of her accident and recovery. No misery memoir, it mixes the personal with the medical: Fogg set out to understand all she could about the anatomy of the hand, the nature of her injury and how we heal from trauma. Its a fascinating account of the human ability to survive. That survival instinct kicked in within seconds. Foggs severed artery was spraying blood. It was like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, she says. Her parents, who helped in the aftermath, had to throw out the rug and the bedspread. They found blood everywhere in her shoes, at the back of the wardrobe yet at the time, she felt no pain. Knowing no one would rescue her New Yorkers are used to loud noises she made the decision to call 911 before stemming the blood, packing her wrist in wet tea towels. Needing someone to let the emergency services into the lobby, she kicked on a neighbours door. Only when the paramedics arrived did the fear kick in That was a terror Ive never experienced before or since, Fogg recalls and only when she reached the hospital did she feel the pain. Fogg was 39 and single; her friends were married, having babies and moving to the suburbs. I was at this transition point where New York wasnt what it had been, and I didnt know what was next' Three weeks earlier shed been made vice president at American Express. This graduate of Harvard Business School was a high-flyer, moving up in the superfast city she loved In her book she describes the chemical reactions that, within milliseconds of the explosion, transformed her from a groggy corporate climber to a hypervigilant animal hellbent on survival. Natural opioids flowed into her spinal cord, adrenaline flooded her bloodstream, her heart pumped faster to prime her for action and her cerebral cortex the outer layer of the brain jumped in with lightning decision-making. Fogg needed an operation of about three-and-a-half hours, as surgeons attempted to repair her tendons and nerves (like overcooked pasta wrapped in wet toilet paper according to her consultant). Then came months of occupational therapy, without which her hand would forever be a block of wood. Early on, Fogg contacted an acquaintance who had also survived a life-threatening hand injury. He urged her to learn all she could about the hands anatomy so that she understood the healing process and appreciated every milestone. She was signed off work, with no idea if her hand would regain its function or feeling, staying first with her sister, then her mum, then at home, helped by a rota of friends. Understanding her anatomy helped on many levels. Youre feeling incapacitated. But I could still learn and that was a sense of progress, she says. It helped me understand the severity of the injury, and it showed me why the doctors couldnt promise anything. There was also awe in knowing how much her cells would be seeking to regenerate and her severed nerve ends would be grasping for a new connection. Its spectacular how hard your body is working to keep you alive all the time, she says. Whatever you do, youve got nature on your team. Help from people around her was also key. My dear friend Jen has so much going on in her life but she called me every single night, she says. Family and friends were really important but so were colleagues, neighbours and strangers. The tiniest gesture holding a door open at the right moment could make such a difference. She gives the example of her neighbours in her apartment block on the night of the accident. One packed a bag for me, someone put a shawl over me, she says. Then one man spoke to her, using his name and hers, and gently rested his hand on her head. I was like this balloon drifting away, and he pulled me back. It was like saying, You still belong to us. When you receive that kind of compassion, it means so much. At many points her recovery didnt feel like progress. There was a huge amount of sleeping and weeping. One big takeaway is that coping feels like falling apart, she says. You rarely feel you have everything in hand. However, as movement slowly returned to her fingers and she found ways to adapt to everyday tasks, Fogg realised there had been gains. Shed changed. Id gone through life with a very strong self-protective armour, she says. There was a freedom in having a layer ripped away. Life, she writes in her book, is a crapshoot (a game of dice). She didnt smoke or do drugs and always buckled her seatbelt, but her hand was blown half off by an exploding toilet. You cant protect yourself from being human, she says. It doesnt mean I dont worry but I work less to control things. Id gotten through something when at some points I didnt know how I would. It changed how I wanted to spend my life. Fogg returned to her job after five months, but it no longer held any attraction. She took writing classes, volunteered at the hospital that saved her then transferred to London to work in healthcare research and innovation. In 2018, she began her book. I decided this was one thing Id genuinely regret on my deathbed if I didnt do it. Now she is living in Southeast London and learning to play the fiddle. Her hand looks normal but for a pale, thin scar across her forearm. It can manage almost everything it did before, although there are gaps in spatial awareness. She has bitten on her fingers instead of a sandwich, and once grabbed a strangers knee on the Tube for balance, thinking it was her own. (Only when the woman jumped and glared did Fogg realise her mistake.) When Im falling asleep, it can be a little stingy, a little buzzy, she says. I never mind it. That pain reminds her of what she has been through and gained. It reminds her that we are built to survive. Have you found yourself out of breath carrying a crate of beer to a party? This could soon be a thing of the past when German brewery releases its world's first powdered beer. Stefan Fritsche, 56, CEO of the Neuzeller Klosterbrauerei near Berlin, promises that all you need is some water and a spoon to mix the drink - and a 'perfect' beer will be ready in just 90 seconds. Mr Fritsche flew over to London to allow MailOnline could put his instant beer to the test and see if the innovation really is 'the future of beer', as he claims. But first, what is powdered beer and why should we drink it over traditional bottled beer? 'Weird' beers like this were always the small brewery's specialty, the CEO revealed. Stefan Fritsche (pictured), 56, CEO of the Neuzeller Klosterbrauerei near Berlin, Germany, promises that all you need is some water and a spoon to mix the drink - and a 'perfect' beer will be ready in just 90 seconds The 'dryest beer', as it has been called, differs from other powdered beers released over the last few years as it is carbonated and contains alcohol. You can get the same amount of beer out of just 45 grams out of powder as you would out of a bottled beer weighing 1 kilogram After inventing products like potato or asparagus beer to anti-aging and bathing beer, Mr Fritsche realised that all them had one thing in common: massive transport costs due to the weight of the glass bottles and the liquid inside. He and the other 'innovative disruptors' at the brewery in eastern Germany set out to make the 'greenest beer out there'. It took them one and a half years and 350,000 to turn their dream into a reality. The 'dryest beer', as it has been called, differs from other powdered beers released over the last few years as it is carbonated and contains alcohol. You can get the same amount of beer out of just 45 grams of powder that you would from a bottled beer weighing one kilogram. Cutting away 95.5 per cent of the weight, the powder allows for lighter transport, as the glass and the water make up most of the weight, about 500 grams each. Mr Fritsche said: 'We are saving water, glass and fuel, so it's good for the environment, without compromising on taste. 'We have so many opportunities with the powder, as we can make it with alcohol, without it, with carbon dioxide and without, we can influence how much foam we want to have on top - there are endless possibilities.' MailOnline put the instant beer to the test to see if the innovation really was 'the future of beer', as Mr Fritsche claimed After inventing products like potato or asparagus beer to anti-aging and bathing beer, Mr Fritsche realised that all them had one thing in common: massive transport costs due to the weight of the glass bottles and the liquid inside Him and the other 'innovative disruptors' at the brewery (pictured) in eastern Germany set out to make the 'greenest beer out there'. It took them one and a half years and 350,000 until their dream became a reality The 'dryest beer', as it has been called, differs from other powdered beers released over the last few years as it is carbonated and contains alcohol While he doesn't know yet if the powdered beer will be cheaper than the bottled-up version, he said that by cutting down the transport weight of the beer it is possible once the powder production is optimised it could cost less in pubs. Mr Fritsche and his brewers can powderise any beer and want to share their knowledge with other breweries in the future, so the CO2 emissions currently caused by beer transports around the world can be cut significantly. He said: 'In Germany, the beer production and transport accounts for three to five per cent of the total CO2 emissions. For the whole world it accounts for half a per cent.' The beer-enthusiast admited that the powdered beer will taste different everywhere depending on the water that is used, but revealed that every big brewery is processing the water for a more consistent taste. When Mr Fritsche took over the reigns to the family brewery over from his father 20 years ago, he said it was important to him to 'sell alcohol ethically', by not publishing ads for the beers and printing a warning sticker on every beer bottle they sell. 'For us, it's more about the taste than about getting drunk,' he said. The beer-enthusiast admited that the powdered beer will taste different everywhere depending on the water that is used, but revealed that every big brewery is processing the water for a more consistent taste Chris Matthews (left) and Miriam Kuepper (right) got to taste-test the powder as Mr Fritsche brought an alcohol-free prototype from Berlin to London Chris Matthews and I got to taste-test the powder as Mr Fritsche brought an alcohol-free prototype from Berlin to London. The set up was simple; a glass, some still and sparkling water, a mixer and, most importantly, the beige-coloured powder. While he poured water into a beer glass with the brewery's logo on, he revealed: 'If I don't show people how it works, no one believes me.' I have to admit, I was sceptical at first, but my German father would never forgive me if I willingly missed the opportunity to try a beer 'from home', so I watched on as Mr Fritsche added a spoonful of powder into the glass and dipped a milk frother into the mixture. And he was right - the liquid in the glass soon turned from a milky colour to yellow and then the typical light-orange of a lager, complete with white foam on top. I was amazed - it actually looked like a normal beer fresh out of the tap in the pub. The taste was actually pretty good, too, and I could hardly tell the difference between the powdered beer and a normal one. It was delightfully bitter and refreshing, if only it was a little less flat. And he was right - the liquid in the glass soon turned from a milky colour to yellow and then the typical light-orange of a lager, complete with white foam on top Chris (right) and I (left) were amazed - it actually looked like a normal beer fresh out of the tap in the pub. The taste was actually pretty good, too, and I could hardly tell the difference between the powdered beer and a normal one. It was delightfully bitter and refreshing, if only it was a little less flat Chris, who looked deeply disturbed while the powder was being whisked around in the glass, said: 'There was something distinctly unsettling about seeing the powder swirl around as it was being concocted but once the beer and head had time to separate I was a little more reassured. 'The beer was certainly interesting. I was expecting it to be a little fizzier, but in fairness the water that was used may have gone flat. 'It tasted pleasantly bitter although it was surprisingly smooth as well, which wasn't how I thought it might feel. 'I'm not completely convinced it beats being served a cool, crisp lager from a pub on a summer's day. However, it was certainly an enjoyable experience and I'm glad I gave it a go.' I'm sure once the development on the powder is completed and it is properly carbonated, Mr Fritsche's prediction might come true, that we are looking back in five years and are wondering why we ever carried boxes over boxes of beer bottles around, when we could have the same experience packed into a little packet. Raven Owen (pictured) rose to fame with her parents and siblings on Our Yorkshire Farm. She recently returned to the homestead after completing her studies at York St. John University. Our Yorkshire Farm, which launched in 2018 on Channel 5, starred now-divorced couple Amanda, 48, and Clive Owen alongside their nine children. As well as working at the 2,000-acre farm, Raven - who just celebrated turning 22 - started to carve out a career away from the spotlight, revealing last November that she had earned First Class Honours in her biology degree. Since returning to Ravenseat, she has been sharing her adventures on Instagram, showing she is still involved with much of the work at the farm. When she's not working, the 22-year-old appears to enjoy a busy social life, and like many people her age shares photos on Instagram. Among the pictures she has shared with her almost 40,000 followers, are ones of her and friends enjoying evenings out. Prince Albert of Monaco last night attended the glittering Rose Ball without his wife Princess Charlene - amid rumours the pair may split after she was spotted without her wedding ring. During an appearance in Milan on Friday, 44-year-old Charlene's ring finger was noticeably bare, prompting speculation that the Monegasque royals may be planning a separation. However, later that day, the couple made a joint appearance at the Monte Carlo Woman of the Year awards, where Charlene appeared to be proudly wearing her wedding ring - pouring cold water on the split rumours. Last night, Prince Albert, 65, attended the Rose Ball without his wife, accompanied instead by his sister Princess Caroline of Hanover. The royal looked smart as he smiled for cameras, wearing a classic black two-piece suit and bowtie. Meanwhile, Caroline donned a silver sequinned maxi dress for the occasion, which she paired with strappy sandals and an elegant up-do. Prince Albert of Monaco (right) attended the Rose Ball last night without his wife Princess Charlene. He was instead accompanied by his sister Princess Caroline of Hanover (left) Charlene's absence may not have surprised everyone, as she also failed to attend the glitzy ball last year. On that occasion, Prince Albert was once again accompanied by Princess Caroline, as the pair attended the event together. The couple's joint appearance on Friday followed French magazine ROYAUTE claiming that the prince and princess are in the process of separation - a rumour which gained momentum when the article was repeated by gossip sites, which sparked speculation on social media. Rumours about the couple's marriage first circulated after Charlene was absent from Monaco for most of 2021 while having medical treatment in her native South Africa, and was admitted to a Swiss clinic to be treated for exhaustion on her return. She's now back in full swing with royal duties and public appearances, but French magazine ROYAUTE claimed that the Prince and Princess are in the process of separation. However, the Palace's press office said they 'formally deny the malicious rumours peddled by the magazine. A spokesperson said: 'I would like to formally deny the malicious rumors peddled by the French magazine Royaute. Please disregard this article which is totally unfounded.' On Friday, Princess Charlene broke cover for the first time since the rumours re-emerged, stepping out in a camel-coloured jumper Princess Charlene (pictured) was spotted out in Milan on Friday, without wearing her wedding ring, sparking more split rumours The royal couple married in July 2011 after the prince proposed with a handcrafted pear-cut diamond flanked by smaller diamonds designed by Paris-based Italian jeweller Repossi. Later, during the wedding service, the couple exchanged 18-carat white gold platinum rings by Cartier, with Princess Charlene laughing as she placed the ring on her husband's finger. However there have been reports of a rift between the Prince and Princess ever since their high-profile marriage. At the time, Charlene was dubbed the 'Runaway Bride' by the French media after allegedly trying to flee before the wedding, but the reports were always denied. Princess Charlene was noticeable absent from the Rose Ball last night, which he attended with Princess Caroline instead (pictured L-R: Christian Louboutin, second from left, Princess Caroline of Hanover, Prince Albert II of Monaco, and Stephane Valeri at the Rose Ball) And since her wedding day, the royal has often gone without either ring - and on occasion even worn different rings on her wedding finger. In the early days of marriage, the royal was often spotted showing off the dazzler, but since 2017 she's seldom been seen pictured wearing the rings - even at formal events. The much-anticipated Rose Ball was first thrown in 1954 by Princess Grace of Monaco, the American actress who married Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The event is currently presided over by the Sovereign Prince Albert II and Princess Caroline of Hanover. The funds raised go towards the Princess Grace Foundation, which assists young artists by providing scholarships. Harry and Meghan's recent appearance at an exclusive Hollywood club has been described a 'bold move' by a fellow member - who pointed out that the royal couple chose not to use the private celebrity door, reports Page Six. The Duke, 38, and Duchess, 41, of Sussex, visited San Vicente Bungalows, in West Hollywood, the same day it was revealed that the couple had been asked to vacate Frogmore Cottage earlier this month. Photographs of the couple show the couple smiling as they arrived at the club, which is reportedly a favourite among the rich and famous of Hollywood, in early March. Despite claims that the couple were 'furious' over the Frogmore news, Meghan beamed as she made her way out of the couple's chauffeured SUV, wearing a beige $1,610 Carolina Herrera cape coat accesorised with a pair of black $625 Christian Dior high heels. Meanwhile, her husband Harry looked casual in a pair of dark-wash jeans, navy sneakers, a navy sweater and a gray tweed blazer as he exited the car and made his way to the front door of the club, which is located a four-hour roundtrip away from the $14.7 million Montecito mansion he shares with Meghan and their children Archie, three, and Lilibet, one. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (both pictured) arrive at San Vicente Bungalows, in West Hollywood in early March But a source, described as a 'fellow club member' at San Vicente, told Page Six that the establishment boasts a private door that well-known people can use if they want to avoid attention. Describing the visit as a 'bold move', they added: 'I know that San Vincente has a back door for celebrities, so no one needs to see you coming and going. Theyre really all about privacy. 'They have way bigger stars than Harry and Meghan coming in and no one will ever know theyre there. But Harry and Meghan said, "we're fine" and that they didnt need to use it. And even when they left, they used the main entrance.' Their couple's upbeat demeanor appeared somewhat at odds with reports that had surfaced just moments before their arrival in which it was claimed that Meghan and Harry are being evicted from Frogmore Cottage - their only home in the UK - by King Charles. According to Page Six, the pair were issued with an eviction notice by Buckingham Palace just 24 hours after the release of Prince Harry's bombshell memoir Spare, in which he made several very damaging accusations against his family members, including claims that his brother, Prince William, threw him to the ground during a fight. His Majesty initially gave his son and daughter-in-law 'weeks' to pack up their grace-and-favour British home in the grounds of Windsor Castle after Harry released his memoirs, it was claimed, however a friend of the couple said that the deadline for their move has now been extended until 'after the Coronation' in May. After the reports about their eviction were published, the couple's favored royal reporter Omid Scobie published an article in which he quoted a close friend of the couple, who alleged that they viewed the eviction as a 'final and very cruel punishment' by Charles. 'It's like [the family] want to cut them out of the picture for good,' the insider continued. 'Harry and Meghan have until early summer to vacate. Initially they were given just weeks, but now they have at least until after the coronation.' Despite the couple reportedly being told they had to vacate Frogmore Cottage, they appeared happy as they were snapped later that day (pictured: Meghan Markle at San Vicente Bungalows) King Charles reportedly offered the keys to Frogmore to Harry's disgraced uncle Prince Andrew - who is apparently 'resisting' because he wants to stay in his larger Windsor Royal Lodge where he pays a reported $300-a-week for a state-subsidized 30-room mansion complete with 98 acres of land and a swimming pool. The Sussexes have reportedly started planning how to move their belongings to California, including an ornate ottoman bench and a chaise longue from the home they lived in until Megxit and stayed at following the Queen's death last September. Scobie has said that at least two members of the Royal Family are 'appalled'. He did not name them but the Sussexes are known to be close to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. However, the couple did not appear to show any sign of strain as they arrived at the west Hollywood club, which is said to offer a cloak-and-dagger level of privacy - one of the reasons it has become so popular with stars who wish to let loose without worrying about who might be watching. Frogmore Cottage (pictured) was home to Harry and Meghan until they stepped down as working members of The Firm in 2020 The venue is known for implementing incredibly strict privacy rules and many of its inner workings are shrouded in secrecy - save for the eye-watering $4,200-a-year membership fee for anyone over the age of 35. Those under that age are treated to a relatively cheaper price of $1,800 a year. For that sky-high price, members are afforded the utmost privacy; guests are forced to cover the camera lens on their phone with a sticker upon their arrival, are banned from speaking or posting about the venue on social media, and photography and videography of any kind is prohibited within the club. 'Posting images of the club on social media or discussing anything that members and their guests witness during their visit is also strictly forbidden,' reads SVB's website. The comments about the Sussexes come amid reports that the Sussexes would like to be part of the 'special family moment' when members of the royal family gather on the balcony at Buckingham Palace at the King's coronation next month. The Sussexes (pictured at Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee last year) are thought to want Prince Archie's fourth birthday, which is the same day as the coronation, to be recognised in some way According to a source, the couple, who have not yet confirmed they will attend the event, are hoping to be at the celebrations, and would like Prince Archie's birthday to be recognised in some way during the during the day. Sources also suggested they would also like to be included in some way when members of the royal family appear on the balcony at Buckingham Palace following the ceremony. Typically, balcony appearances are reserved for working members of the royal family, however it has been reported the couple believe they should be a part of that 'special family moment'. A source told OK! earlier this month that discussions are ongoing about the Duke and Duchess's involvement in the coronation, including the question of whether they and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will appear on the balcony. They said that the question is a 'sticking point' because typically, non-working royals don't appear, however they added: 'Harry and Meghan are keen that they too should be a part of that special family moment.' The actor arrived at One Canada Square in character as extras played royal fans Dominic West followed in his on-screen character King Charles's footsteps today as he arrived in Canary Wharf to film series six of The Crown - just days after the real-life monarch visited the area to carry out a royal engagement. West, 53, arrived in character to film scenes as King Charles in the final season of the hit Netflix show, which covers events from the late 1990s and early 2000s. It is unclear what event the cast were filming today, but signs held by extras and the number plates on the cars suggested it was a scene set in Canada, and could The actor, who played King Charles in series five and will resume his role in series six, had his hair parted in the style of the King and wore a camel coat as he stepped out of a car with blacked-out windows to screams from extras on set, before walking into One Canada Square in character. A video from Reuters showed the scene being filmed while also capturing a shot of the actor playing Prince Harry in series six. Earlier this week the real King, 74, arrived in Canary Wharf to open the European Bank for Reconstruction - and he too was greeted with applause as he carried out the royal engagement. The Reuters video showed crowds of extras who were dressed up to look like royal fans standing behind barriers and carrying signs gushing over Prince William. With umbrellas in their hands to shield from the rain, the extras, who were mainly girls and young women, also carried flowers and screamed to recreate the buzz of excited royal fans. As West stepped out of the car in character, the crowd's screams grew louder, as he waved to them and stepped onto the red carpet to walk into the building. Earlier this week, King Charles arrived in Canary Wharf to carry out royal engagements as he visited the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development headquarters. Upon arrival, he was also greeted with applause by staff members. Canary Wharf transformed into a Canadian city today as extras transformed into 1990s royal fans welcoming King Charles to the area in scenes in series six of The Crown Footage showed Dominic West stepping out of a car in character as King Charles as the crowd roared The set recreated a motorcade used during the visit to Canada to transport the King, who was the Prince of Wales at the time Extras were dressed up as adorign fans and held signs and flowers, and screamed as West (as Charles) got out of the car The extras carried signs expressing their love for Prince William as they waited behind barriers and screamed when Charles got out of the car A clip of the set showed an actor who appeared to be playing Prince Harry inside the lobby of One Canada Square While carrying out the visit at the bank's London headquarters, which was established at the end of the Cold War, he paid tribute to Ukraine and said he was determined to visit the country once more. 'I must go again before I get too old. I would like the chance to see Ukraine again,' the King said. As footage of The Crown set showed the day's goings-on, the video appeared to give a glimpse of the actor who has been cast as Prince Harry following a casting call last September. The unidentified actor first appeared on set in early March when the cast filmed scenes depicting the Queen's Thanksgiving service for her 50th wedding anniversary in Greenwich, south east London. A picture provided the first look at the new Harry, alongside The Duke of Edinburgh, played by Jonathan Pryce, and Queen, played by Imelda Staunton, wearing a striking blue outfit. Also in the picture was Princess Anne, played by Claudia Harrison, next to the Queen, in a lilac coat and hat. Prince Charles, played by West, stood next to Marcia Warren in the role of the Queen Mother. Prince William, played by Ed McVey, was seen waving as the actors playing Prince Edward and Prince Andrew were shown at the back of the group, alongside Annes husband Sir Tim Laurence. As part of the Golden Wedding anniversary celebrations, the Queen and Prince Philip attended a lunch at Banqueting House in London. At the event the Queen gave a speech in which she looked back at a remarkable fifty years. For eight years I ignored my routine invitations to have a mammogram. Writing this now, I can't believe my own stupidity. I was like a child plugging my ears with my fingers and singing to blot out the sound of something I didn't want to hear. I believed as I was getting older I'm 63 I had less chance of developing the disease. I thought I'd dodged the bullet. Of course, if I had done the research or asked questions, I would have seen that I was wrong. But ignorance was bliss. My mother had breast cancer when she was my age an extraordinary woman, she's soon to be 87 but at the time I couldn't cope with her illness and my strategy was to blank everything out. Added to this, I hate hospitals as I watched my father die in one when he was only 48. So on the rare occasions when I didn't overlook the succession of reminders to have my routine checks, I booked, then postponed, appointments. Then, finally, I cancelled and just stopped thinking about them altogether. It was a foolish thing to do, which is why I am writing this now: it's a cautionary tale, a warning to others, not to be too frightened, too harried by the demands of work to go to your appointments. Kelly Hoppen, 63, had consistently avoided her routine invitations to a mammogram - and was then diagnosed with cancer I find it hard to write this it is private, I feel vulnerable but I feel compelled to tell my story for the sake of other women. And if it wasn't for my executive assistant Jane, and a wonderful temp PA called Phoebe, things might have been different, and infinitely worse, for me today. One morning last September I woke up and resolved to have that long-overdue mammogram. I hadn't detected a lump; there were no warning signs. Perhaps it was just intuition, but something made me determined to finally go. And I actually asked Jane and Phoebe to make sure this time I didn't cancel, which in itself was odd for me. But on the day of the appointment I hit horrendous traffic. I even sent Phoebe a photo of the jam, I was stranded, stationary, and texted her to say I wouldn't make it in time. Would she phone and cancel? Remembering what I'd said before, she called me back and was insistent: she'd phoned the clinic and explained my predicament. And they said they'd see me whenever I got there. So that was that. No excuses. I arrived and sat nervously in the waiting room. Then finally I had that long-overdue mammogram. Everything looked fine, they said, and I left feeling that lightness that overcomes us when a weight is lifted. But the relief was temporary. Two hours later they recalled me telling me they needed one more image of my right breast. The designer recounts the horrifying ordeal of going from one medical professional to another for answers I froze and called my partner John immediately. I went back at once, for the second mammogram, and again was allowed to go home. But just a few hours later I was called again: they wanted to carry out an ultrasound scan, which would show up, more clearly, any abnormalities. I booked it for the next day and barely slept. By now, I was starting to panic. Next day I returned for the ultrasound, this time with John. I felt unnerved, anxious. And there was more. After the ultrasound they needed further clarification. They wanted to do a biopsy. And even though we'd reached this crucial point, I did not want to carry on. But John sat down with me, listened to the doctors and asked pertinent questions because I was too numb and deafened to ask them anything or to take in their answers myself. It was John who urged me to continue and the next few days during which I called my GP and booked to see an oncologist remain a blur. I couldn't think straight. But I continued to busy myself with work. It was a welcome distraction. Next, I went to see Dr Christina Choy at The London Clinic, who was extraordinary in every way. But by now my fears had escalated into terror. My thoughts were still confused; I took in nothing Dr Choy was telling me. But because John is the most loving and supportive of men, he stayed by my side, taking me to appointments, listening to doctors' explanations when I could not focus, buoying me up when my strength faltered and my mood plummeted; making me laugh when I wanted to cry. Kelly - whose mother had breast cancer - said she had been hoping to avoid dealing with her stresses about the illness It was a matter of days before I had the biopsy, the removal of a sample of tissue from my right breast, which felt as if a staple gun was piercing my numbed flesh. The ensuing five- day wait for the results was purgatory. Fear of the unknown haunted me. I couldn't sleep or think or eat. They took two more biopsies before they were certain more worrying and waiting and by now I knew something was wrong. But I continued to work, to keep busy, to exercise, and when I went back into hospital for the results John, as always, by my side my heart fell when they told me I had DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ). I had no idea what it meant, but I feared the worst. Then Dr Choy explained that I'd been very fortunate indeed: DCIS is the very mildest form of cancer. It was in two milk ducts and I was booked in to have the cancer cells removed from the ducts an awful procedure which made me feel very sore. Then they needed to do an MRI scan to check everything. After, there would be precautionary surgery to remove the tissue around the cancer and ensure it hadn't spread. Again, I baulked at having the MRI, but sweetly and patiently John talked me into it and was allowed to stay with me while I had the scan. Kelly says that 'cancer had been her biggest struggle' because there was suddenly something entirely out of her control It showed something potentially concerning in my left breast, too, so the surgery was postponed and once more I went through a biopsy. Fortunately, the results came back clear. A week later, I arrived for the operation to remove the tissue from my right breast. John was with me, of course; even by my side when they took me down to have the anaesthetic. So many medics and nurses asked me my date of birth I joked, 'You'd better buy me a good birthday present.' The wait for the test results was purgatory. Fear of the unknown haunted me. I couldnt sleep or think or eat I tried to be positive, but laughter masked fear. I was worried sick. I said to John, 'Will it look weird if they have to cut away some of my breast?' 'It won't matter. I always preferred the other one,' he joked, reminding me of what was really important. I had surgery to remove tissue from around the ducts and, although I was in a lot of pain for many weeks after, I felt I was on the home stretch. I'm usually the most upbeat person. I leap out of bed happily every morning, ready to grasp the day's challenges. But cancer had been my biggest struggle: suddenly, there was something I had to deal with over which I had absolutely no control. I told only close family my daughter Tash, stepdaughters Savannah and Sienna, my mum and brother and a few close friends. I didn't want to talk about it until it was all over. One thing I missed sorely was the comfort of having my mum with me more who doesn't want their mum with them when they're sick? but she is unwell and I found that very hard. When my thoughts were muddled my radiologist, Dr Susan Cleator, was incredible, and it was reassuring to have John there telling me, 'Kell, be thankful. They're being thorough.' As usual, he was right. He was my rock; always positive. I love him so much for that. And his daughters Helena and Erika sent me messages I'll always treasure. Helena's meant so much as she was so ill herself as a child. She dealt with endless medical appointments, always without complaint, and her words gave me perspective and strength. Suddenly, there was something to deal with I had no control over As tests and procedures followed each other, the waiting for results was easier to deal with than the wakeful hours I spent at night, re-living memories of my daughter over the years, thinking of everything I still wanted to say and do for her. Then I'd pull myself back into the now and try and be positive and visualise everything being OK. I remember, too, bumping into an old friend who'd also had cancer. He was back having treatment, which scared me, and he said, 'Kell, keep looking up. Be positive.' I'm naturally a fixer and organiser, no task is too big, so I struggled with not being in control. But working helped so much. Finally, the news came that the cancer had not spread I was overjoyed. But it wasn't over yet. Dr Choy wanted me to have the BRCA gene test to find out if I had an inherited tendency for certain cancers. Even then, I didn't want to know, and was almost ready to walk away until John persuaded me to stay. So, despite my terror of learning the worst, I had the test. There was a ten-day wait for the results. Meanwhile, a wonderful nurse told me I'd been extremely lucky my cancer had been treatable and caught early. 'If this table is the ocean that is cancer, you've just dipped your little toe into the water,' she explained. Kelly, pictured with Queen Elizabeth and Patrick Cox, says that instead of burying her head in the sand she now wants to know more Then the results came through from my BRCA gene test on a Friday night I will never forget. Because of my mum's cancer history I feared the worst. But when I was told I hadn't got it, a wave of euphoria washed over me. I can't describe how happy I was. There is something about a brush with serious illness that makes us reappraise our lives. I don't waste nervous energy getting stressed about things I can't control now; neither am I a workaholic. I've learned to delegate. I never thought I'd die, but for those long weeks my mind oscillated between hope and fear. It was traumatic. I wondered if I should stop taking HRT I've been on a form of it for about 12 years and when my hormone doctor Martin Galy said I should carry on, having discussed it with my oncologist at length, I was relieved. Now, instead of putting my head in the sand, I want to learn more. I've spoken to menopause expert Dr Louise Newson who has also been helpful and reassuring about HRT. Despite my terror of learning the worst, I had the test And throughout it all I have carried on working. Early in December last year I went to oversee a big interior design project in Dubai. Under my trousers, I had on the horrible white surgical socks I'd been told to wear. 'Is it OK to fly?' I asked Dr Choy, fearing a blood clot. She laughed and told me it was perfectly safe. I feel blessed that I have been able to work and keep busy. This has kept my mind tethered and anxiety at bay. I had a gut feeling I'd be OK; that the results would come back clear. Even so, every now and then a pang of doubt would hit me and I'd take a deep breath. When Dr Choy gave me the good news that all was well, for the first time, I broke down in tears. It was such a relief. I was told at the same time I wouldn't need to have radiotherapy. I was overjoyed because the prospect of it had terrified me. Then, just a month ago, I had another check-up. Everything clear. So now I feel safe to say I'm through it. There's just a 10 to 15 per cent chance that the cancer will come back. I'll deal with it if so, and I have vowed never to skip a mammogram again. I have my next one booked for September and you can be assured that I'll be there. I wanted to wait until I was completely sure that I was out of the woods before I told my story, and I'm doing so now to encourage other women never to miss a screening. My own foolishness will stay with me. Now, I intend to get checked twice a year. And I'd urge other women to follow my example. Never think you're invincible. Never be too scared. Now it is over, I feel relieved, but each day when I wake up and see the scar on my right breast I wonder about what might have been if I had not gone for that mammogram. And I remind myself to be positive and that stress needs to be managed. I have huge respect, both for the medical institutions who treated me every nurse and doctor has been so dedicated and for all women who are going through breast cancer. In the past I've said, 'Live life to the full. Be present.' Now I mean it more than ever. So please, don't follow my example. Overcome your fears and get checked, even if you are frightened. I was hugely fortunate. Although I'd neglected my check-ups, I was lucky that my cancer was detected early. Had it not been, I might have faced a less happy outcome. Actually, I might not be here writing this cautionary tale now. Newlywed couples usually have to wait weeks to receive wedding photos - but now a pair of entrepreneurial young mates have launched a service to have content ready to go the very next day. Olivia Epifano and Victoria Scuteri, from Melbourne, joined forces to launch Brandtique Bridal after noticing a gap in the Aussie wedding market. With social media constantly at fingertips and consumer patience growing thin, the 23-year-olds believe hiring an outsider to record all the content from the day takes the load off the bridal party and guests alike. The duo thought of the idea after attending weddings themselves and noticed the bridesmaids were working overtime to document every second. 'Two of the bridesmaids weren't really a part of the wedding because they were too busy trying to get behind the scenes of the bride. It was very messy and unorganised,' the pair told FEMAIL. 'We realised that while photographers capture the couple no one actually captures candid moments, guest reactions or funny things in weddings. So we thought, 'Why don't we change that?".' And their brand is in serious demand, with more than 200 inquiries flooding their emails and 20 per cent of those locked in for 2024 and 2025. Olivia Epifano (right) and Victoria Scuteri (left), who've had success in business before, joined forces to launch Brandtique Bridal - a service where professional content creators capture the entire day for social media And so far their brand is in hot demand, and claimed to have received over 200 inquiries with 20 per cent of those locked in for 2024 and 2025 They're no strangers to business however. Olivia owns The Lavish Lash Lounge and has turned over a staggering $1.7million with her clever The Lash Lifter, while Victoria owns Destino The Label selling jewellery and candles that sell every 10 minutes. The two friends met at university and started working on group projects together then graduated at the top of the class before parting ways. Then over dinner they decided to come together and start a business as they knew they were onto something unique. 'When we started doing our research we realised that America and Europe had started launching the concept and it was working. We made it our mission to be the first in Australia to do it! We know that when it comes to trends Australia eventually follows what America does,' the pair said. Olivia (right) and Victoria (centre) thought of the idea after attending weddings themselves and noticed the bridesmaids were working overtime to document every second Newlyweds will wake up the morning after their wedding to more than 1000 photos and videos from their sacred day to relive it all over again, and see the moments they may have missed The brand claims to be Australia's 'first bridal content creation boutique', and as an agency the business also offers a vast range of additional services from photography, videography, social media management, and even website design. Newlyweds will wake up the morning after their wedding to more than 1000 photos and videos from their sacred day to relive it all over again, and see the moments they may have missed. Olivia and Victoria's goal is to capture two weddings every weekend or just over 100+ weddings in our first year. The service can also be used for hens nights. What's included in the bridal packages? The social media wedding packages start from $2200 Newlyweds will wake up the morning after their wedding to more than 1000 photos and videos from their sacred day to relive it all over again, and see the moments they may have missed GOLD TIER: Initial consultation 8 hours of content capturing Hour consultation to brainstorm ideas and plan content pillars 1000+ pieces of content shared folder within 24 hours One 60-second edited video Investment $2200 PLATINUM TIER: Initial Consultation - 8 hours of content capturing 1 Hour consultation to brainstorm ideas and plan content pillars 1200+ pieces of content - shared folder within 24 hours One 60-second edited video 5 additional edited reels as per your request to sounds Option of posting live to your social media accounts on the day. Investment $2600 Advertisement And so far brides have nothing but good things to say about the concept. Sam, 30, said: 'Victoria and Olivia did such an amazing job on my wedding day and my bridesmaids were happy that they didn't have the pressure of doing this. 'My husband and I just stayed in bed for hours going through the photos and videos the girls did. We loved see our guest reactions and seeing how much fun they had at the wedding.' Sofia, 29, from Melbourne said: 'The next morning my husband and I were able to go through all the photos and videos, we spent hours reliving, laughing and crying over some special moments that the girls from Brandtique Bridal were able to capture. 'The moments were captured so seamlessly that I missed on my wedding day due to everything being so overwhelming.' A Nepalese man who shoved a glass into his anus needed to get it yanked out by surgeons. The constipated 47-year-old, who wasn't named, waited three days before seeking medical attention and initially denied inserting it on purpose. He later confessed to medics he had used the 12cm-long glass for 'self-gratification purposes' when drunk. The married man from Kathmandu only sought help after unsuccessfully trying to remove the glass himself. Writing in the Journal of Nepal Medical Association, medics claimed he had been unable to defecate for two days but was still able to pass wind. The constipated 47-year-old, who wasn't named, waited three days before seeking medical attention and initially denied inserting it on purpose. The married man from Kathmandu only sought help after unsuccessfully trying to remove the glass himself The man eventually confessed to medics he had used the 12cm-long glass for 'self-gratification purposes' when drunk. Initial attempts to remove the glass from the man's rectum at hospital proved unsuccessful. Left with no other option, the man's stomach had to be cut into to allow the team to get closer to the object While the man reported being in pain, his abdomen was not swollen and he also had no anal injury or bleeding. The date of incident was not revealed in the case report by doctors at Nepal Medical College and Teaching Hospital. Upon examination, his mood and behaviour patterns 'were normal' and he had no history of psychiatric illnesses. X-ray scans showed a water glass in an inverted position in the upper rectum and colon. Revealed: The risks of putting things in your anus People most commonly shove objects into their rectum for sexual pleasure. This is partly to do with the number of nerves in the anus making it highly sensitive, and for men can simulate the prostate, an erogenous part of the male reproductive system. The insertion of objects into a rectum, also known as anal play, carries a number of risks. As well as getting stuck objects, they can also potentially perforate the bowel which can be deadly as material from the digestive tract can spill into other parts of the body, causing an infection. The NHS advises that anyone exploring anal play do so safely, and use an object with a flared base to prevent it from getting lost inside. Advertisement Doctors ruled out performing a sigmoidoscopy a procedure allowing medics to look inside the sigmoid colon by using a flexible tube with a light on it over fears the cup would break 'on removal'. But initial attempts to remove the glass from the man's rectum at hospital proved unsuccessful. Asked to lay flat on his back with his legs in the air, surgeons tried to pull the cup out manually. However they failed because the glass 'could not be grasped for removal' and there was 'significantly high risk of glass breakage which could, in turn, lead to injury to the bowel', medics said. Left with no other option, the man's stomach had to be cut into to allow the team to get closer to the object. Doctors felt the glass in the colon but again were unable to extract the glass through the anus 'as the glass was high up, inverted and tightly wedged'. Surgeons then decided to undertake a sigmoid enterotomy where an incision is made into an intestine and successfully retrieved the cup that way. Following surgery he had a pelvic drain inserted, often used to prevent the accumulation of fluid following operations, as well as to monitor whether there is any leakages. After five days the man was able to start defecating again, while the drain was then removed on the sixth day. He was discharged a week after surgery and a follow-up appointment two months later revealed there were no complications. Discussing the issue of rectal insertions generally, the medics noted that most cases where men get objects stuck inside their rectums are men between the ages of 30 and 40. They added that items such as soda and beer bottles, deodorant containers, wooden or rubber objects, bones and batteries had all been previously reported as being found lodged in patient's backsides. A 2021 study by The Royal College of Surgeons of England, found the incidence of objects having to be removed from rectums by the NHS is on the rise. Cases were growing particularly quickly among men Most patients are usually drunk when the items are inserted, doctors said. Retrieving objects stuck in the rectum was first logged in medical literature back in the 16th century. NHS doctors are no stranger to dealing with similar incidents, with data analysis last year finding about 400 'foreign' objects are pulled from English anuses each year. This was estimated to cost the taxpayer roughly 340,000 a year for things like drugs for performing procedures, and the manpower of NHS staff. People most commonly shove objects into their rectum for sexual pleasure, with medics noting these incidents is 'rising'. This is partly to do with the number of nerves in the anus making it highly sensitive, and for men it can also stimulate the prostate, an erogenous part of the male reproductive system. For women it can also indirectly stimulate parts of the vagina. But the insertion of objects into a rectum, also known as anal play, carries a number of risks. As well as getting stuck objects, they can also potentially perforate the bowel which can be deadly as material from the digestive tract can spill into other parts of the body, causing an infection. Brits with Long Covid are being charged up 280 for 'counselling' sessions which promise to 'remove' their symptoms, MailOnline can reveal. The In the Clear clinics, which offer an alternative therapy called the Boulderstone Technique, operate out of Brighton, Tunbridge Wells, Earl's Court and Birchwood. The 'Boulderstone Technique' invented by a math teacher-cum-alternative healer claims to draw on 'ancient knowledge' to unblock 'inner tension' which stops the flow of the body's energy. Apart from Long Covid, the clinics also claim to be able to beat allergies. They do this by holding the customers head as they recline on a treatment couch. Then the customer repeatedly touches a glass vial containing the allergen until they become 'at peace' with it. The In The Clear Clinics, which offer an alternative therapy called the Boulderstone Technique which they claim can help treat Britons with Long Covid A poster at the In the Clear clinic at Brighton even said common Long Covid symptoms like fatigue, loss of taste and smell, and brain fog could be 'removed' through the technique Experts and MPs slammed the clinic, accusing those behind it of using the 'language of charlatans' and of taking advantage of people whose lives had been derailed by Long Covid. Long Covid refers to symptoms caused by the virus that persist long after the initial illness has cleared. Disputed estimates suggest it affects about two million people in the UK. This includes about 600,000 Brits who have had Long Covid symptoms for more than two years, according to Government figures. While the condition is still not well understood, commonly reported symptoms include suffering breathlessness, fatigue, muscle aches and brain fog. Read more: Covid cases jump by 14% in a week as officials warn up to one in SEVENTEEN people might be infected in worst-hit parts of country Office for National Statistics (ONS) analysts estimate that almost 1.73million Brits were carrying the virus on any given day in the week to March 13. This a jump of almost 14 per cent on the week before, when approximately 1.52million Brits were estimated to be infected Advertisement There is no known cure for Long Covid and while the NHS does list several ways to alleviate the dozen or so symptoms attributed to the condition, the Boulderstone Technique is not among them. On the clinic's Long Covid section online, it claims that, through the Boulderstone Technique, 'we teach the body to overcome the legacy of Covid and other lingering illnesses, restoring vitality and energy in one to four, 30-minute, sessions'. And a poster put in the clinic's Brighton location even promises to remove Long Covid symptoms like fatigue, loss of taste and smell and brain fog The clinics also feature a patient testimonial from 'Jane', who says 'I've been great, really well, sleeping very well and eating a lot better. My sinuses are clear,' following treatment. Prices for a 30 minute session at the clinic are listed as costing 70. Professor Edzard Ernst, a world-renowned expert in complementary medicine at the University of Exeter, told this website there was no evidence Boulderstone Technique works for Long Covid, or for anything else. 'The Boulderstone technique is supposed to be counselling without words,' he said. 'It is unproven and, in my view, not based on plausible assumptions. 'Terms like "vital energy" are nonsensical words used by charlatans; they should make our alarm bells ring. 'There is no good evidence the Boulderstone technique helps patients suffering from long Covid'. Lib Dem MP and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus Layla Moran called for a crackdown on unscientific clinics taking advantage of Brits suffering from Long Covid. The clinic's general website features pictures of minimalist and soothing rooms with a massage table. Practitioners of the Boulderstone Technique also claim to be able to 'remove' allergies by holding a patient's head as they interact with the allergen contained in a glass vial The Boulderstone Technique was invested by John Boulderstone, a former math teacher. Here is pictured with Katherine Boulderstone (image taken from Instagram) FACT BOX TITLE Fact-box text Advertisement 'The Government should be cracking down on these unscientific clinics taking advantage of people whose lives have been derailed by Long Covid, but its the Governments lack of support for Long Covid research driving people to seek these alternative treatments,' she said. 'Millions of people in the UK have been affected by this debilitating conditionthe Government must urgently increase funding for Long Covid diagnostic and treatment pathways.' The Boulderstone Technique was invented by British math teacher John Boulderstone, who is part of the In The Clear team and listed as the director of the Bouldertsone Technique company, about 27 years ago. Other practitioners listed on the clinic's website, include a dancer, a former nursing student, and an artist. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the UK's advertising regulator said it could not comment on individual cases. However, they added that ads for any kind of therapy, be it alternative, religious, or emotional healing mustn't make claims about what they can treat without 'robust documentary evidence in the form of clinical trials'. A ASA spokesperson said: 'Ads for therapies mustnt claim they can treat Covid or long COVID unless they have robust evidence to justify their assertions.' MailOnline contacted the Boulderstone Technique clinic for evidence on its Long Covid treatments and the concerns of experts. Botox injections could impair the ability to recognise others feelings, research suggests. In a study that involved looking at happy and sad faces, the participants whod had the anti-ageing injections had altered brain activity in areas related to emotion. Roughly 900,000 Britons have Botox injections each year, where a compound called botulinum toxin is injected into areas of the face, such as the forehead and around the eyes and mouth. This procedure relaxes the muscles under the skin by blocking the nerve signals that cause them to contract, smoothing out wrinkles. However, this can also reduce the individuals ability to express emotions with facial expressions. In the study, scientists at the University of California and researchers from Botox-makers AbbVie performed brain scans on ten women before Botox injections in the forehead and again two to three weeks later. During the scans, participants had to attempt to recognise anger and happiness on photographs of faces. Roughly 900,000 Britons have Botox injections each year, where a compound called botulinum toxin is injected into areas of the face, such as the forehead and around the eyes and mouth Experts say the findings of the study show that the inability to smile or frown, which can be a result of Botox, also effects how individuals read other faces Results revealed that after the Botox there was altered activity in brain areas involved with emotional processing, such as the amygdala and fusiform gyrus. Experts say the findings of the study show that the inability to smile or frown, which can be a result of Botox, also effects how individuals read other faces. Speaking to New Scientist magazine, Dr Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos, researcher in human cognition at the University of South Australia, explained that mimicking expressions helps us to recognise them our facial muscles unconsciously copy the other persons frown or smile before sending signals to the areas of the brain that interpret the emotions. As Botox restricts this movement, this is disrupted. You might not be able to experience someone elses emotions as intensely or vividly as you would like to, he added. Dr Tijion Esho, who offers the jabs at The Esho Clinic, said: Theres no doubt Botox manipulates emotional communication. Some people want to make their face less expressive for work they think it makes seniors take them more seriously. We relate to others based on what we see in ourselves. If you cant see or feel yourself frown or smile, it makes perfect sense that youll struggle to see it in others. Drivers are angry they will be charged a 12.50 daily fee for polluting cars EXCLUSIVE: ULEZ zone will be expanded to cover nearly all of London this year Opponents of London's ULEZ expansion have launched a guerilla war against the very cameras that will be used to police the controversial scheme. Shopping bags and cardboard boxes have started to appear over the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras set up by Transport for London (TfL) across the capital. More than 300 ANPR devices have been recently installed, while a total of 2,750 are due to be added in time for the official ULEZ expansion launch date on August 29 later this year. A box placed over a camera by one vigilante was had the words 'stop electing idiots' printed on its side. Bag for strife: Saisbury's shopping bag is slung over a number plate recognition camera for the ULEZ scheme in London as a form of protest Instead of just blocking the camera, one vandal decided to share a message to the public about their feelings towards the ULEZ scheme The scheme aims to reduce air pollution in London, and drivers whose cars do not meet minimum emissions standards are charged a 12.50 daily fee for entering the zone. But, it has been revealed that the Met Police and British Transport Police will have access to the cameras for crime-fighting purposes, sparking privacy fears from campaigners. Read more: The victims of Sadiq Khan's ULEZ expansion: From the woman facing 650 annual costs to visit sick relative to the tradesman looking at 3,000 bill and the grandmother whose grandchildren now can't visit Sue Chapman (pictured), 63, from Tenterden, drives more than 100 miles - sometimes every week - to visit her schizophrenic family member in Tooting The ULEZ is just one of a range of measures introduced while Sadiq Khan has been London Mayor. Other green schemes include the many Lower Traffic Neighbourhoods (or LTNs) that block traffic moving through back roads, and the roll out of miles of cycle lanes throughout the city. Critics say London mayor Sadiq Khan's decision to expand the zone to cover the majority of land within the M25 unfairly targets the poor and many have taken to social media to applaud the vandals who have been covering the cameras. Chris Rose tweeted: 'Absolutely love that locals in London have covered the money grabbing ULEZ cameras with cardboard boxes and bags for life.' Another user even suggested tying 'a small weight to bag handle, ensuring the bag doesn't get blown off'. While Elliana Eaton wrote: 'This is brilliant!! Taxing the poor yet again. Cannot believe its coming in this August for Greater London. 'So many people (especially elderly) are going to become so isolated. Plus all the people trying to earn a living on poor pay. Just outrageous.' Not everyone was in favour of the bags covering the cameras, with Twitter user Scott asking: 'Who wants to live in a city full of dirty air?' It's one of the latest attacks on the scheme, after four cameras in Abbey Wood, Greenwich, were photographed with their wires cute and lenses painted black. Photographs have emerged of a camera in west Sutton, which also had its wires cut, and another in Catford, Lewisham, with a lens painted black in a bid to obstruct its view. Others also show cameras ripped from their perch and thrown on the ground. By blocking the view of the camera, the vandals hope that drivers who do not meet minimum emissions standards won't be charged the 12.50 daily fee for entering the zone Farmers in tractors in Orpington, southeast London, paraded the streets today (pictured) as they joined the growing protests against Sadiq Khan's Ulez expansion Bagged for life: Two heavy-duty shopping bags cover ANPR cameras on either side of a road in London Photographs have emerged of a camera in west Sutton which had its wires cut Despite the camera's being installed at a rapid pace in most areas, they have not yet been put in place in Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon, whose councils are looking to challenge the mayor in court over the proposals. Yesterday farmers banded together to join the growing protests against Sadiq Khan's Ulez expansion. Tractors paraded through the streets of Orpington today as locals slammed the Labour Mayor of London 's extreme plan, which is attempting to make the air cleaner. Orpington MP Gareth Bacon MP said he would 'do everything in his power' to prevent Khan's Ulez charge from coming to Orpington. He said: 'Not only is the mayor taxing people who do not vote for him, but he will also end up making the poor poorer and punishing those on lower incomes who can least afford to buy a newer car to avoid the daily charge.' Londoners can apply for a means-tested grant of up to 2,000 to scrap their non ULEZ-compliant cars or motorcycles. But the decision to push ahead with the expansion during the cost-of-living crisis has been met with outrage. It comes after Honslow council was accused of hypocrisy after backing the expansion - then asking for an exemption for its own 400 vehicles. Hounslow council deputy leader Katherine Dunne wrote to the London mayor last summer raising concerns that it would not be able to make all its vehicles ULEZ compliant by the August 2023 deadline. The council is one of 16 outer London boroughs that have supported the mayor's plans to expand the zone, and already has 37 ULEZ cameras installed on its streets. Newly-installed ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) cameras in south London have been vandalised Mr Khan has been facing staunch criticism recently over branding some ULEZ opponents as 'far-right' and 'Covid deniers'. Poll Do you agree with the ULEZ expansion? Yes No Do you agree with the ULEZ expansion? Yes 355 votes No 6673 votes Now share your opinion During a heated People's Question Time in Ealing, west London, he said: 'Let's be frank, let's call a spade a spade... 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, 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.' It also emerged that the mayor has asked Transport for London to look into using ULEZ cameras to charge car users in a 'pay-as-you-drive' scheme in the capital. The ultra-low emission zone is to be expanded in August to cover the whole of Greater London - seen here in purple Mr Khan has previously revealed he wants to impose a network of 'Singapore-style' toll roads throughout London as part of efforts to improve the capital's air quality. He said the 'nearest comparator' for his road user charging plans was Singapore, which has 'electronic road pricing' which uses sensors attached to gantries over main roads to capture number plates. These sensors track at what time drivers are using certain roads and charges them a toll based on these factors, for example rush-hour traffic on a busy road being more expensive. But this change is not currently possible in London as 'the technology is not there' However, cameras introduced as part of the ULEZ expansion could be used to monitor the distances drivers travel, where they are travelling and the level of emissions their vehicles emit - with fears drivers may be charged by the mile. A van was snapped with 'Stop ULEZ' blasted on its bonnet as hundreds of activists campaigned in Trafalgar Square last month Some protestors were armed with signs demanding for the Mayor of London to be sacked Protestors took to the streets of London in February calling for the proposed 'Khanage' to be halted In the crowds was Piers Corbyn (pictured) - brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn In February and March protestors have been taking to the streets of London, calling for the proposed Ultra Low Emission Zone 'Khanage' to be halted. Hundreds of activists have campaigned in Trafalgar Square amid backlash against the plans that will see Londoners paying 12.50 per day for driving polluting cars. Among the crowds was Piers Corbyn - brother of the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - who held an information poster reading 'BREAK Sadiq Khan!', 'Can't pay! Won't pay!' Others were armed with signs demanding for the Mayor of London to be sacked, with children also spotted holding posters against the scheme. The protests come as the city braces itself for the ULEZ to be extended as part of a mission to tackle climate change. 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. D.B. writes: I received an email from Ryan Hirons, a motoring journalist with the website Carwow, offering a valuation of my car. I clicked the link on the email and entered the details requested. A day later, I received a valuation and an invoice for 99, and was told that if I do not pay then the debt will be passed to a collection agency. Tony Hetherington replies: Do not pay a penny. This is a scam based on lies and false claims. If any debt collection firm touches it, tell me. Bogus: The email links to a firm based on Lavender Hill, of the 1951 film fame The first lie is that the email you received did not come from Ryan Hirons at Carwow. It may look authentic. It says: 'Many used cars are becoming an appreciating asset find out if the car on your drive is worth more than you paid for it.' And there is a link which says simply 'Value my car'. Clicking on the link took you to a website called car-rate.co.uk. But Carwow denies any involvement in this. It told me: 'We can confirm that the email did not come from Carwow's employee Ryan Hirons, and that neither Carwow nor Ryan Hirons has a connection to car-rate.co.uk or to its owners.' So, following in your footsteps, I clicked through to the car-rate website myself. 'What's your car worth right now?' it asks. All you need do is enter your car's registration number. What it doesn't say is that there is a 99 fee. To discover this, you need to know that you are not just looking at a fixed web page, but one that scrolls down to reveal the hidden small print. I wanted to discuss this with car-rate, but it provides no phone number. I emailed the address on the website, but it bounced back with an automatic message saying 'the recipient's domain does not exist'. Not to worry though, as the car-rate website gives its address 83 Lavender Hill in South West London. This turned out to be home to a genuine company called Idea Space, which provides desks and work facilities for small businesses. But as soon as I mentioned car-rate, the helpful chap at Idea Space told me: 'They are not here. We have had people calling for them but they are just mis-using our address.' This left me with one place still to investigate. Car-rate's invoice to you shows a different address, 56 Shoreditch High Street, which is an office block in East London. This is the address of Wise, an FCA-regulated payment transfer company which offers ways to move money between different currencies and countries and the signs are that this scam is operated from the Republic of Ireland. Again, there was no trace of car-rate in Shoreditch, but it does have an account at Wise. If you had paid the 99, your money would have gone to sort code 23-14-70, account number 71245295. I gave all the details of the scam to Wise, which told me: 'Whenever we detect activity violating our Acceptable Use Policy, we take the appropriate steps to stop this from happening.' Wise is now investigating. I hope this means the account will be shut down and any payments arriving for it will be returned to the victim. Is it fair to get parking ticket at a care home? M.M. writes: As a chiropodist, I treat residents at a Horsham retirement home. The exact car park arrangements have never been clear, but the management instructed me to park in any space. This worked well until, unknown to me, UK Car Park Management was appointed. Nobody in the building said a word about changes, but a few days later I received a Parking Charge Notice demanding 60. My appeal was rapidly dismissed with a warning that if I did not pay, the penalty would be 100. I paid up, to protect myself against court action, but at 90 years of age I do not like being taken advantage of. Taken advantage of: Parking was good at the Horsham retirement home until UK Car Park Management was appointed Tony Hetherington replies: I asked Saxon Weald, who run the home, to comment. They say residents received a letter from UK Car Park Management explaining the new rules and penalties. There was also signage in the car park, though you told me you had already read this in the past and had no reason to realise things had changed. UK Car Park Management refused to comment, but I understand the company relied on residents to warn visitors that they needed to follow new restrictions, though clearly your patients did not do so and you have paid the price. Is this fair? Of course not, but the Government abandoned its scheme to make car park firms act more fairly. Meanwhile, operating a car park, or simply controlling the cameras that monitor someone else's car park, is a licence to print money. 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. HSBC bankers eager for a trip to Texas may have to put their cowboy boots away after the Lone Star State added the lender to its eco-sanctions list. There are a number of reasons this is eyebrow-raising not least because few people knew that Texas has been cracking down on companies which are, in its view, too anti-fossil fuels. Glenn Hegar, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, has described HSBC's new, greener energy policy as a 'prime example of a broader movement' in the financial sector to push a 'social agenda'. Sign language: The blacklisting could prohibit Texas's governmental entities from investing in one of Europe's biggest banks This blacklisting could prohibit Texas's governmental entities from investing in one of Europe's biggest banks. Given HSBC's track record for being slammed for its supposedly anti-environmental policies, this development is practically a badge of honour. Other big names being targeted include Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, Fidelity, Abrdn and UBS. You can't please everyone. Kromek increasingly relevant in troubled times You may have been worried by news of a leak at a nuclear power plant in the US state of Minnesota and the temporary displacement of 2.5 tons of uranium in Libya (recovered a few days later). For London-listed tiddler Kromek, these reminders of our 'unsafe world' mean its biohazard and radiation technology is becoming increasingly relevant, according to research from Equity Development. Every cloud, eh? 'King of Mining' building up Critical stake Congolese copper miner Critical Metals has been harping on to anyone who'll listen about its deal-making plans and its keenness to expand. But only eagle-eyed mining investors will have noticed that Critical Metals might have more of a headstart than many of its tiny-cap peers. The 14.5 million group's largest shareholder is founder Russell Fryer, who has almost 20 per cent of the shares. But in the last few months, former JP Morgan vice-chairman Ian Hannam, widely known in the City as the 'King of Mining', has built up a personal stake worth almost 10 per cent of the company. Sounds like the connections of a master rainmaker could come in handy for Fryer and his Congo colleagues. Wickes fix for high street? Could Wickes be the next DIY retailer to attempt to fix up the high street? Chief executive David Wood said last week he was 'curious' about the idea of opening mini or 'local' stores which B&Q and Ikea are already trialling in the wake of an 11 per cent drop in profits. Bringing hammers and screws to the masses, rather than waiting for them to visit huge retail park outlets, could be a boon for towns. It may also appeal to a new demographic Wickes is targeting younger customers who want to make small repairs in homes they rent. Keep the stores open late and maybe shoppers can pick up a kebab and a measuring tape while heading home from the pub. Shell has revived the sale of its stake in a controversial Berlin oil refinery. The PCK Schwedt refinery is Germanys fourth-largest and supplies 90 per cent of Berlins fuel. The German government took over control of the refinery from Russian-state oil giant Rosneft last year. Shell had originally put its 37.5 per cent stake up for sale back in 2021. Russia links: The German government took over control of the PCK Schwedt refinery from Russian-state oil giant Rosneft last year. Shell originally put its 37.5% stake up for sale in 2021 But the process was scuppered by uncertainty over the future of the refinery after Russias invasion of Ukraine last February. The sales relaunch was made possible after the German government last September put the German unit of Rosneft under a trusteeship as part of a wave of European sanctions on Russia following Moscows invasion. That included Rosnefts 54.17 per cent of the Schwedt refinery. Shell is understood to have shared information about the refinerys operations, costs and revenues with potential buyers. The refinery has operated at a reduced rate in recent months as it struggles to replace crude oil supplies delivered from Russia through the Druzhba pipeline, which were halted as part of the EU sanctions. An American politician is trying to ban Rio Tinto from building a copper mine at an Arizona site considered sacred by the Apache. Democratic Congressman Raul Grijalva has introduced a bill called the Save Oak Flat From Foreign Mining Act. The proposal bids to permanently protect the area, which is central to the history and religion of the San Carlos Apache tribe. Mining ban: Congressman Raul Grijalva (pictured) has introduced a bill called the Save Oak Flat From Foreign Mining Act in a bid to block a copper mine at a sacred Apache site in Arizona Grijalvas intervention is the latest in a years-long campaign to force Resolution Copper a group that is majority-owned by Rio out of the region. The protests have gained steam since 2020, when Rio blew up two 46,000-year-old sacred Aboriginal sites in Western Australia while expanding an iron ore mine. On Monday, an independent investigation the company commissioned in the wake of the Juukan Gorge disaster said it still had more work to do to protect indigenous cultural heritage at all its mines around the world. FTSE 100- listed Rio was slow to apologise for the destruction of the Juukan Gorge sacred sites and the fallout triggered an Australian parliamentary inquiry, a boardroom clearout and a rethink of local heritage laws. Following the scandal, then-chairman Simon Thompson promised that the company would never again violate sacred sites. Chief executive Jakob Stausholm has made a point of investigating the companys toxic culture and practices. But the business has not yet abandoned its plans for the Arizona mine. Campaign groups and politicians including 75-year-old Grijalva argue Rio would be making the same mistake again by destroying Oak Flat, where the ground itself is sacred for the Apache tribe, flying in the face of its promises after Juukan Gorge. The techniques the firm is considering using to build the mine could destroy the entire area and turn it into a two-mile-wide crater. The mine has been contested over recent years after a last-minute piece of legislation in 2014 transferred the land from federal control to Resolution Copper. Grijalva said: Turning Oak Flat into a political bargaining chip was an assault against tribal sovereignty that never should have happened. Doing it on behalf of a foreign-owned mining conglomerate, with a documented record of destroying indigenous sacred sites and human rights violations, makes it just that much more unconscionable. Roger Featherstone, director of local non-profit the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition, said that if Rio and Resolution Coppers minority owner, BHP, were committed to never destroying a sacred site again, then one would think that this inappropriate and unworkable project would be put to rest once and for all. A Resolution Copper spokesman said: We are putting significant effort into deepening our dialogue with Native American tribes, including our chairman of the board, chief executive and other senior leaders spending time to meet with and listen to tribal leaders, elders and community members. Tens of thousands of bankers are in line to lose their jobs following the 2.6billion rescue of Credit Suisse by UBS. Fears are that as many as 40,000 jobs could go, as UBS looks to cull overlapping roles and reduce Credit Suisses investment bank. Collectively the new group employs more than 120,000 people Credit Suisse has 50,000 staff, while UBS employs 74,000 workers. Borrowed time: Bankers at Credit Suisse in Canary Wharf are fearing the worst after its rescue by UBS Up to a third of these jobs could be gone, with Credit Suisses 17,000 investment bankers expected to feel the brunt of the losses. The fallen Swiss banking giant employs 5,000 at Canary Wharf, and UBS has 6,000 at Broadgate in the City. UBS snapped up Credit Suisse on Sunday night in a 2.6billion rescue deal aimed at staving off a new financial crisis. City veteran David Buik, of trading exchange Aquis Exchange, said: There will be cherry picking with Credit Suisse likely to lose more jobs. 'I would expect 2,000 jobs [in London] in total to go. Since the merger at the weekend, bankers have been arriving at Credit Suisse in Cabot Square, Canary Wharf, fearing the worst about looming job losses. To add insult to injury, the Swiss government yesterday banned the lender from paying deferred bonuses awarded before 2022. One banker who was furious at the merger said he was spending 60 per cent of my time working and 40 per cent doing my CV and reaching out to recruiters. Another added: Ive cried twice in my career. One during my first week in investment banking when I thought what the hell have I let myself into?, and once today. And the global picture looks even bleaker, with a third of the combined 120,000 staff at Credit Suisse and UBS set to be cut as UBS looks to significantly reduce the combined groups investment banking arm to avoid duplicate roles. UBS will also close branches and reduce staff in administrative positions, sources said. Credit Suisse employs 50,000 people around the world, while UBS has 74,000 staff. Credit Suisse chairman Axel Lehmann and chief executive Ulrich Koerner said they were working to identify which roles might be impacted. The bank held a town hall meeting at 9am on Monday, featuring Koerner. According to staff, they were encouraged to continue working during the period of upheaval. A spokesman for the Swiss Bank Employees Association yesterday said: The takeover threatens job cuts on a scale that the labour market in the banking sector cannot absorb. It called for redundancies to be put on hold until the end of the year. And as Credit Suisse staff fear being made redundant, recruitment firms and rival banks are receiving an unprecedented number of calls from those looking for jobs. A London-based headhunter said he took calls all weekend, particularly from those in Credit Suisses equity division which has a big overlap with UBS. A firm in Singapore handled questions from some 30 Credit Suisse private bankers about available jobs on Monday, and a recruiter in Hong Kong has been talking to more than 20 senior investment bankers since last week. The president of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset said the merger had avoided unthinkable consequences for Switzerland and the world had Credit Suisse been allowed to fail, Wall Street banking shares bounced back yesterday as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen signalled that the US government stood ready to rescue depositors at more smaller lenders if needed. Yellen told an industry conference that further measures could be warranted if any new banking collapses threaten the banking system. Shares in San Francisco-based lender First Republic surged more than 32 per cent, having collapsed over recent days over fears for its financial health. Support: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told an industry conference that further measures could be warranted if any new banking collapses threaten the banking system The rebound came amid reports that JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon led talks with other big banks aimed at investing in First Republic. Fears for Americas regional banks have been in focus over the last couple of weeks amid the fall-out from the collapse of Californias Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank. In Europe, the crisis claimed the scalp of Credit Suisse, swallowed up in a cut-price 2.6billion rescue by Swiss rival UBS. The US government has already weighed in to stabilise the American banking system, guaranteeing billions of dollars worth of deposits at SVB and Signature. In her comments yesterday which drew a standing ovation from delegates at the American Bankers Association conference in Washington Yellen signalled more help could be on the way. She said that overall the situation is stabilising and that the US banking system remains sound. Just Eat is cutting 1,700 jobs and will no longer employ its delivery riders in a major U-turn from its chief executive. The takeaway business said self-employed known as gig-economy workers will deliver food in the UK. Employed riders have been given six weeks notice with pay. Just Eat saw business boom during the pandemic when restaurants were closed, but in recent months customer numbers have fallen. Job cuts: Just Eat said self-employed known as gig-economy workers will deliver food in the UK. Employed riders have been given six weeks notice with pay It operates a combined system of employees and self-employed delivery workers, after being the first food delivery company to employ riders in December 2020. Boss Jitse Groen has previously blasted the gig economys impact on workers and called for more regulation on the sector. But an industry source said Just Eat had been delivered a slice of humble pie after yesterdays embarrassing U-turn. A Just Eat spokesman said it was reorganising and simplifying its delivery operation as part of the ongoing goal of improving efficiency. Short-sellers are turning on Ocado after the online grocer posted an eye-watering 501 million loss. More than 6 per cent of the company's stock is now out on loan the highest level in almost five years to hedge funds, which will make money if its share price falls. This puts it at the top of the Financial Conduct Authority's list of the 'most shorted' stocks in London and indicates that the boost the group received from the pandemic is well and truly over. Ocado's shares soared when shoppers turned to ordering their weekly groceries online during lockdown. But the reopening of bricks-and-mortar stores, workers returning to the office and a cost-of-living crisis that is seeing ordinary Britons opt for discount supermarkets have put Ocado on the back foot. Upmarket: But Ocado says it now must price-match Tesco items Shares have fallen by almost a third since this time a year ago, when only 0.52 per cent of its stock was being shorted. Now nine groups are targeting Ocado, including BlackRock, in a bet that is worth 225 million. Seven firms have increased their positions since the end of February, when the FTSE 100 group posted a huge loss for the previous financial year. Ocado also said it needed to lure in shoppers by price-matching with Tesco on more than 10,000 products a policy it had ditched two years previously. It will update the market again next week about first-quarter trading at its 50-50 joint venture with Marks & Spencer, laying bare whether Ocado, which has only 2 per cent of the UK's grocery market, is keeping up with rivals. The current short positions are still far below a peak reached in 2016 when more than 21 per cent of Ocado's shares were on loan to hedge funds. In that year, many groups targeting the company underestimated the progress it was making with automation technology in its 'solutions' business, where it designs and makes state-of-the-art robotic warehouses. Independent retail analyst Richard Hyman said: 'If you look back before the pandemic then Ocado was often massively shorted this is a return to form. I think the thing is that the market doesn't have any of the confidence in Ocado's business model that the leadership team and founders have.' While the grocery arm still makes the vast majority of the group's revenues, Ocado continues to plough cash into developing this high-tech arm. It has signed lucrative contracts with other retail giants such as France's Casino, Kroger in the US, and Coles in Australia. However, analysts are sceptical about the speed with which this business is growing. Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said: 'It's a game of two halves with Ocado. The whole case is predicated on the other half of the business, which we won't be hearing about next week. Ocado has become something of a 'jam tomorrow' stock and there's been an evaporation of patience in the market.' Ocado declined to comment. Fearsome: Lord Tyrie was the inquisitor in chief of the 2008 crisis Andrews Tyrie is famous for being inquisitor-in-chief during the post-mortem on the last financial crisis. Owlish and headmasterly, with a quizzical and beady eye for detail, he gained a fearsome reputation for forensically skewering his victims as Conservative chair of the all-party Treasury Select Committee of MPs. Now elevated to the House of Lords as an independent peer, the architect of a number of major regulatory reforms in the financial services sector takes a keen interest in the latest bout of banking turmoil. The recent collapses of Credit Suisse and Silicon Valley Bank and now the wobbles over Deutsche Bank are 'a warning to remain vigilant and not to let our guard down', he says. 'The main things we have to guard against are short memories, groupthink and surrender to vested-interest lobbying.' As for the next crisis, he admits he has no crystal ball. 'However, one prediction I will make is you can't abolish the business cycle, which former Chancellor Gordon Brown suggested when he told us he had put an end to boom and bust.' We have to guard against short memories, groupthink and surrender to vested-interest lobbying Tyrie, 66, is speaking in the Commons meeting room where he used to hold court and where hours earlier Boris Johnson had given evidence to another group of MPs over claims he misled Parliament about lockdown parties in Downing Street. Halfway through the former Prime Minister's televised testimony, committee members and Johnson had to break for 15 minutes to vote on a new Brexit trade deal for Northern Ireland. Tyrie reckons Johnson was saved by the division bell during his lengthy but interrupted grilling because the pause gave him a breather from relentless questioning. 'If a witness is avoiding a question, the only tool available is to point it out intelligently, and to press from different angles over a sustained period in a cross-examination,' he says. He believes 'a decline in standards' links the 2008 financial crisis with the state of political discourse today. Tyrie also chaired the Parliamentary Commission on banking standards in 2012 which recommended a number of reforms in the way banks are run that were designed to prevent another blow-up. The most significant of these was the introduction of individual responsibility, especially over the management of risk. 'We were engaged in a clean-up operation on standards,' he recalls. 'Now the political community of both major parties is rightly engaged in a clean-up operation of political discourse. 'Trust was one of the serious casualties in the banking crisis, which was caused by a lack of basic standards in business conduct. That is exactly what has been at stake in politics.' 'Politics and political discourse have been damaged by a decline in standards.' Tyrie had another albeit brief insight into how regulated sectors such as financial services work when he was the chair of the Competition and Markets Authority for two years until mid-2020. His reformist agenda made him unpopular and he resigned in frustration at its limited role as a consumer protector. But it was his part in the autopsy of the 2008 crash that made him as big a name in the City as he was in Westminster. Born in Essex, Tyrie grew up in Southend, the son of a successful Basildon shopkeeper. He saw at first hand the damage done to his father's business by the three-day week, power cuts and 'extremely high' levels of taxation in the 1970s. He was a special adviser to two successive Chancellors Nigel Lawson and John Major and MP for the safe Tory seat of Chichester for 20 years before standing down at the 2017 General Election. But he never served in Cabinet. Some senior Tories, said to be bored of his inquisitorial style, reportedly nicknamed him 'Andrew Tiresome'. Others who saw him in action were more positive, praising his independence of mind. One of his most memorable and masterful eviscerations was of The Co-operative Bank's Paul Flowers. He famously asked the Methodist minister and former chair of the UK's eighth largest lender to estimate 'roughly' the size of the bank's balance sheet after a 1.5 billion hole in its accounts. A flustered Flowers blurted out a figure of 3 billion. Tyrie archly reminded him that the actual number was 47 billion. 'He seemed to know little about his bank,' Tyrie reflects. A few days later in November 2013, The Mail on Sunday caught Flowers on film buying Class-A drugs from a dealer in Leeds, earning him the sobriquet 'The Crystal Methodist'. Tyrie compared the 2008 financial crisis to a runaway train that nobody saw coming because they were too busy examining their own bit of the track. 'In the last crash everybody got it wrong,' he recalls. This time regulators are 'better equipped to look at the bigger picture,' he insists. 'Regulation is less siloed but it defaults all to easily to a back- covering, box-ticking exercise. What's required is an open frame of mind and qualitative judgment. 'Regulation is in better shape than it was but regulators themselves need to be constantly watched as well. 'Even if you don't spot the crash, you can at least think through creatively how you're going to handle the effects of it to mitigate the damage.' But the response to the latest bank blow-ups from the Swiss authorities arranging a shotgun marriage between stricken Credit Suisse and its larger rival UBS has been to rip up the carefully crafted rule book and go back to bail-outs and back-stops. 'Plan A didn't survive first contact with the enemy,' notes Tyrie. 'But regulators have worked well together and at pace to try to stem contagion from Credit Suisse and they deserve a good deal of credit.' However, the sheer speed of modern-day bank runs cannot be ignored either. 'The panic phase in modern financial crises appears to have been concertinaed into an acute and very painful brief period which is particularly difficult to plan for,' he says. Tyrie admits that people say there is 'an element of the disruptor' in him but argues that he is most interested in finding solutions to problems. He believes better, more effective regulation is the key. Britain's strength in financial services should not be taken for granted He says: 'My impression of regulators is that in these organisations, the overwhelming majority of people are full of good ideas. 'We have to find ways of releasing those energies and find a way of getting their ideas more seriously considered. 'That's something I have learned, scrutinising and working with regulators . 'I recognise that whatever I've done over the years is only a drop in the bucket,' he adds. As with banks, he is guardedly optimistic about the future of the City. He says: 'Britain's strength in financial services should not be taken for granted. 'The current success of the sector came very quickly as a result of a small number of reforms in the 1980s.' But he warns: 'That success can disappear just as quickly as it arrived, and take much of the industry with it.' Smith could be released on parole as soon as April 24 Western Sydney locals divided on whether should be released A man who bundled the body of his stepdaughter into a suitcase before setting the corpse on fire is just weeks away from being released from jail in a move that has the community where she was murdered up in arms. Robert Smith is serving a minimum 12-year sentence for manslaughter and for being an accessory to the murder of six-year-old Kiesha Abrahams in 2010. Smith was jailed in 2013 alongside Kiesha's mother, Kristi Abrahams, who was convicted of murder and jailed for at least 16 years. Kiesha died in her bed at their Hebersham home in Sydney's outer west after being knocked unconscious by her mother when she refused to put her pyjamas on. The couple did not seek medical help after Kiesha was beaten and instead put her in the shower and then to bed, where she died. Despite the brutal crime, the NSW State Parole Authority (SPA) formed an 'intention to grant parole' and plan on releasing Smith as early as April 24, sparking protests in Mount Druitt. Robert Smith (left) is currently serving a maximum 16-year sentence for manslaughter and being an accessory to the murder of Kiesha Abrahams in 2010 butthe NSW State Parole Authority (SPA) has made their intention clear to grant his release next month Kiesha (pictured) died in bed at their Mt Druitt home in Sydney's west, after being knocked unconscious by her mother before being put to bed, where she died On Monday, protesters took to the streets to demand he is not granted parole after the State Parole Authority (SPA) stated their intention to do so. Congregating outside the home of Smith's mother in Bidwill, Alison Anderson, once a devoted supporter of Kristi Abrahams turned one of the most vocal in the fight for justice, led the calls to keep him behind bars. Ms Anderson told Daily Mail Australia the sentence imposed on the couple wasn't enough and no matter how much rehabilitation Smith has he should never be released. 'It should be life for a life, I don't care how much so-called rehabilitation it takes, his papers should have been stamped never to be released,' Ms Anderson said. 'I say no parole for child killers. 'They should never be released, he has taken a life and he needs to rot in hell in there.' Many locals are applauding Ms Anderson's protests for justice for Kiesha, calling her 'a champion' and 'the voice for Keisha'. On Monday protesters lead by Alison Anderson (pictured) took to the streets to demand he is not granted parole after the State Parole Authority Congregating outside the home of Smith's mother in Bidwill, where he will stay if he is to be granted parole, protesters demanded he is not released from prison However the decision to potentially grant Smith parole has also triggered anger among locals, with some insisting he has done his time while others feel he should never walk free. On the street where Smith will live with his mother if he is to be granted parole, local Tash Taylor told Daily Mail Australia that the community needs to stop taking their anger out on his mother. 'Our courts are far too lenient but it's not his mother's fault,' she said. 'It's horrible she's the centre of this for something she didn't do.' On the street where Smith will live with his mother if he is to be granted parole, local Tash Taylor told Daily Mail Australia that the community needs to stop taking their anger out on his mother (pictured- the home where Smith will stay if he is to be released) Smith and Abrahams were arrested in 2011 at Shalvey, a short walk from where the little girl's body was found in dense bushland. On April 11, they went to check out the location where she was buried on what would have been Keisha's seventh birthday. But little did they know police were waiting in Freya Crescent, Shalvey for the pair to exit the park and place them under arrest. Residents on Freya Crescent said they still recall that night and can't believe it has been over a decade. One man, who has lived on the street for two decades said the area has always been a police hotspot, with late-night arrests a relatively frequent occurrence. Smith and Abrahams were arrested in 2011 at Shalvey, a short walk from where the little girl's body was found in dense bushland On April 11, they went to check out the location where she was buried on what would have been Keisha's seventh birthday before being arrested by police on Freya Crescent, Shalvey (pictured) The local, who spoke under the guise of anonymity, said he remembers that night as cops lined the streets waiting for the couple to exit the park. 'I remember waking up to it was just like wow what is happening,' he said. 'I can't believe it was that long ago but police being here isn't unusual, so it wasn't like we realised how big that arrest was at the time'. The man, however, said he was glad Smith was set to be released as he 'deserves a second chance'. 'It's good that he's going to be getting out, he's done his time and deserves a second chance and all that,' he said. 'It is time for him and others to get on with their lives.' Yet just a few houses up the street, a woman said she believes Smith should have been given a sentence to reflect the years he 'stole from that little girl'. 'I am surprised he only received a 16-year sentence and is being released after only 12,' she said. 'That girl would be 18 years old now and I believe the punishment should reflect at least the years he took from her, so it should have been more like 80.' Smith hid Kiesha's body in a suitcase inside a wardrobe for five days before taking it to bushland at Shalvey (pictured), not far from their home Smith doused Keisha's body in petrol and set it alight before burying the charred remains While the community isn't in agreeance on whether or not Smith should be released, the State Parole Authority (SPA) made it clear they intend to grant parole. Because Smith's non-parole period has now ended, the SPA had to consider his freedom. The SPA is obliged to begin assessing if an inmate is suitable for release 60 days before the date they are eligible and must make a final parole decision no later than three weeks before the inmate's eligible release date. When the five members of the SPA met to discuss Smith's potential release, they came to the consensus that they intend to free him on parole. The matter will now go to a public review hearing on April 4 which will be held in open court. Victims and the state will be allowed to have their say before a final decision is handed down. 'A final parole decision will not be made until the Authority considers all the available information before it, including any submissions that may be made at the review hearing,' the SPA said. If parole is formally granted, Smith could be released from jail as early as April 24. Abrahams (pictured) initially said she had put Keisha to bed in their Hebersham home at about 9.30pm but had disappeared by the following morning Abrahams called police to tell them her daughter was missing, sparking an extensive search in Sydney's western suburbs that caught nationwide attention before her remains were uncovered Kiesha became a well-known face after she was reported missing by Abrahams and Smith in August, 2010. Abrahams initially said she had put Kiesha to bed in their Hebersham home at about 9.30pm but had disappeared by the following morning. She then called police to tell them her daughter was missing, sparking an extensive search in Sydney's western suburbs that caught nationwide attention. Abrahams and Smith made emotional pleas at the time, but police were not convinced of their story and a lengthy murder investigation followed. Eight months after Kiesha was reported missing, police arrested Abrahams and Smith in 2011. Abrahams was charged with murder after human remains were discovered in bushland at Mt Druitt on what would have been Kiesha's seventh birthday. Smith hid Kiesha's body in a suitcase inside a wardrobe for five days before taking it to bushland at Shalvey, not far from their home. He then doused her body in petrol and set it alight before burying the charred remains. Abrahams was jailed for 22 years and Smith was jailed for a minimum of 12 years and a maximum of 16 years at his sentencing in 2013. Illicit vape dealers are allegedly intimidating small shop owners into selling them their businesses - and threatening violence if they do not comply. The tactic - believed to be used by groups with links to organised crime - offers them a legitimate shopfront to sell their nicotine-filled vapes, which are often illegally imported from China. One cigarette-shop owner even told Daily Mail Australia that her car tyres had been let down and her wheel nuts removed after she challenged one of the alleged gangs. The shop owner, who asked to remain anonymous amid fears for her safety, said the situation was 'completely out of control'. 'I took my car in for a service earlier this year and my mechanic said to me somebody must really hate you you have five wheel nuts missing off your car",' she said. 'I have a late model BMW which gets serviced on a regular basis because I drive lots of miles. Theres no way in the world those wheel nuts came off by themselves.' The shop owner (pictured) - who asked to remain anonymous - alleges that gangs in the illicit vape trade have removed the wheel nuts on her car after she resisted their demand to sell her store to them The woman, who owns ten tobacconists across Queensland and employs around 50 people, said there had been a five-fold increase in the number of illicit vape shops operating in the area. 'In January this guy came into one of our shops and stood over the girl behind the counter, telling her to go and tell her boss - me - that if I didnt sell him the shop, he would run me out of town,' she said. 'He said he had started up in other towns and driven other shops out of business. He said they dont survive and he ends up buying the shop anyway.' The shop owner, who is in her 60s, said she had contacted the police but was told they could do nothing. 'I asked a detective superintendent how can I protect myself and he said "we cant do anything until they hurt you",' she said. The health inspectors dont even go into those shops they are scared of them.' An estimated 90 million vapes have been imported into Australia in the last year alone - with most coming from China She added: 'I've heard of another guy who complained [about the intimidation] who was rung up and told "if you dont shut your mouth Ive got a bullet for you".' Currently, the only way to buy vapes legally is through a prescription from your doctor. However, convenience stores across the country are making a fortune selling unregulated vapes filled with nicotine but not labelled that they have the highly addictive liquid in them. Importers often do not disclose their nicotine content to get them past inspectors - with an estimated 90 million vapes being imported illegally into Australia in the past year. Often, these are bought by children, with schools and parents asking for stronger regulation to combat the surge in vaping. The shop owner (pictured, right) said she has asked the police for help but was told: 'we cant do anything until they hurt you' Last month, the Queensland shop owner was driving her sick husband to a hospital appointment when she noticed her tyre pressure warning gauge was on. 'Six weeks prior to that I had new tyres put on my car,' she said. 'We called into the service station and all of them were half-flat.' The next day, her tyres were let down again - an act of intimidation she firmly blames on the gangs. Her adult son was also recently followed and watched by a group of angry-looking men after he helped out at one of her stores. 'I'm now very aware of my surroundings all the time,' she added. 'These guys just want to intimidate people and they believe they are above the law. 'A shop will be raided and within five hours they will be trading again. They are making millions of dollars its all about money. Its just beyond belief this is happening in Australia.' The woman wrote to Health Minister Mark Butler but is yet to receive a response. 'He hasnt even acknowledged my email. And they created this black market. It wasnt the Queensland Government although they have helped it it was the federal government who created it by being greedy,' she said. She has even considered buying body cameras for her staff but decided against it because she does not want to 'put the fear of god' in them. Weve just got to make sure that these guys are shut down,' she said. Theo Foukkare, CEO of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores whose members sell cigarettes' in shops, said he had heard of some retailers who had been on the receiving end of threats and intimidation. We've heard of people who come in and say "if you dont stock our products Ill burn your shop down",' he said. 'Other retailers have been told "if you dont sell me your business, Ill open up next door and put you out of business". There are these types of tactics that are happening which, generally, law-abiding retailers dont want anything to do with it and in a lot of cases they give in out of fear. He added: 'The gangs just want a legitimate business that fronts as a retail store selling illegal products to unsuspecting Australians.' Vaping has been branded a 'public health menace' by Health Minister Mark Butler The Australian Association of Convenience Stores counts British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International, and Imperial Brands among its manufacturing members. The association, which also represents petrol station retailers, advocates for the legalisation and regulation of vapes. The fines associated with importing and selling nicotine vapes are extremely weak currently,' said Mr Foukkare. 'We now have scenarios where organised criminals who trade in illicit goods have switched their attention to nicotine vaping products because they can make more money than illicit drugs and not really feel the wrath of the law. Mr Foukkare estimates that 90 million vapes were imported illegally in the last year alone, with the vast majority coming from China. When you can land them at $5 a pop, you can sell them anywhere from $35 to $50 at retail so you can start to work out where the margin is and why the attractiveness is there,' he said. Mr Foukkare blasted the current situation where many importers of illegal vapes were getting around it by not disclosing their nicotine content. 'This then comes through to a wholesaler who sells it to anyone who will buy it,' he said. 'The other challenge that we have is that anyone who will buy it generally has no morals or ethics so they sell it to children as well. 'The products that they are selling are 100 per cent unregulated no electrical safety standards, no maximum nicotine content, no ingredients disclosure and they are generally only available through cash so they are avoiding GST. 'Legitimate retailers are getting screwed every day.' Mr Foukkare slammed the response of the authorities. 'The police dont do anything thats part of the problem. They just say its a federal government issue and the federal government says it is a state problem because its managed by the state tobacco act so you can quickly see why we have a s*** show,' he said. It comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government is said to be weighing up a crackdown on the vaping industry. Health Minister Mark Butler pledged to 'stamp out the public health menace' by bringing in a raft of measures, including banning vape flavours, placing warning labels on individual product packaging and introducing permits for importers bringing vapes into the country. However advocates of vaping strongly oppose further restrictions. The Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association argues that e-cigarettes remain an important tool which can help smokers quit. Rents in beachside suburbs of Sydney and the Gold Coast have surged by more than 40 per cent in a year. New PropTrack data showed weekly increases of more than $600 in some postcodes. The return of international students and the massive shift to Airbnb has seen rental vacancy rates in some cities fall to just one per cent, affecting both house and unit rents. When it came to renting a house, Clovelly in Sydney's eastern suburbs had the biggest jump of 46.5 per cent or $633 to a mid-point of $1,995 in the year to February, up from $1,362. Middle Cove on Sydney's lower north shore saw its rents soar by 44.7 per cent or $525 to $1,700, up from $1,175. When it came to renting a house, Clovelly (pictured) in Sydney's eastern suburbs had the biggest jump of 46.5 per cent or $633 to a mid-point of $1,995, up from $1,362 On Sydney Harbour, Rose Bay in the eastern suburbs saw its rents rise by 42.9 per cent or $600 to $2,000, up from $1,400. The Gold Coast also became more dearer for tenants, with Paradise Point rents surging by 50 per cent or $425 to $1,275, up from $850. At nearby Surfers Paradise, rents rose by 41.1 per cent or $430 to $1,475, up from $1,045. A short drive away, Clear Island Waters, a canal suburb, saw its rents rise by 40 per cent or $400 to $1,400, from $1,000. The Gold Coast had three suburbs in the top 10 for rent increases, with the other seven in Sydney. Both areas have a tight rental vacancy rate of 1.3 per cent. SQM Research managing director Louis Christopher said landlords were now listing houses on Airbnb and Stayz to capitalise on tight rental vacancies, reducing the supply of available stock for long-term leases. 'You'll see there right now, that there are more properties available on the short-term leasing market than what there are on the long-term leasing market in the city of Brisbane,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'You'll be shocked at the numbers. This is crazy. There has been this massive move towards short-term leasing on standard suburban stock, your standard, three-bedroom home.' The Gold Coast also became more dearer for tenants. At Surfers Paradise (pictured looking from Currumbin Alley beach), rents rose by 41.1 per cent or $430 to $1,475, up from $1,045 Demand for short-term leases had surged since Australia reopened to international students in late 2021, shortly before overseas tourists were allowed back in again. 'That demand would come from not just renters but it would come from overnight business people, holidaymakers, university students or anyone who just needs a property for the short term,' Mr Christopher said. The sharper rises in apartment rents occurred in regional areas north of Sydney. Soldiers Point in Port Stephens saw its weekly rents rise by 42.1 per cent or $163 to $550, up from $387. The Newcastle suburb of Glendale had a 50 per cent increase in rents, with the $150 rise taking rents to $450, up from $300. Brisbane's outer north had one entry, with the Bribie Island suburb of Banksia Beach, in the Moreton Bay area, seeing a 35.6 per cent or $160 increase to $610, up from $450. Sydney had seven spots in the top 10 for rent increases, with the New South Wales Hunter region having two positions and Brisbane having one. At South Granville, in Sydney's west, the median apartment rent surged by 58.2 per cent or $163 to $443, up from $280 - making it the suburb with the biggest percentage increase from a lower base. Roads and trucks have changed the way they do business, but old-time cowboy culture is alive and kicking Ranches in states including Wyoming, Texas, Arizona and Nevada honor the tradition of the cattle trade Photos taken over two years depict the sometimes harsh lives of cowboys working across the West Advertisement Photographer Rob Hammer has spent the last two years photographing modern-day cowboys working the cattle ranches of the western United States. Taken in states including Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada, his photographs show in sometimes graphic detail how today's cowboys straddle the line between observing old customs of the cattle trade and embracing new technology. The ranches he chose to photograph 'can be anything,' said Hammer, 'from a family that has a small herd of cattle, to some of the most historic ranches in the country that are that are up to 1.8 million acres.' His series documents the many aspects of a cowboy's work - from the birth and branding, to the herding and sale of cattle. Some of those events are almost ceremonial to ranchers. Branding, for instance, can take place throughout spring and is one of the highlights of a cattleman's year. Branding day is a social occasion, when friends and family gather to eat and drink, and cowboys have an opportunity to demonstrate the tricks of their trade. 'It's a ritual but it also becomes kind of a sport because it's a day they get to put all their skills into action,' said Hammer. 'A cowboy will chase down a cow. One cowboy will throw a rope around their head, and then another cowboy will throw the rope around the heels, and then they'll drag it to the fire to brand.' Rob Hammer photographed ranchers and cowboys across the western United States over the last two years. Pictured is a cowgirl riding her horse through sage brushes on a ranch in Smith Valley, Nevada Branding day is a social occasion, when cowboys have the opportunity to exhibit their rope skills. Here a calf has been roped by one cowboy as another prepares to lasso its heels An iron is heated over a fire ahead of cattle branding. The process allows ranchers to keep track of their stock for organizational purposes and is of historic importance to many One cowboy brands a cow with an iron as another uses a knife to remove its testicles. Larger cows can be hard to restrain and require multiple ranch hands to brand 'If you're gonna be a cowboy you were born to be one': The son of a cowboy working on Diamond A Ranch in Seligman, Arizona, sits on the bed of a truck with bloodied hands Hammer visited ranches in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada to document the working lives of cowboys Hammer, who is originally from upstate New York but has lived in San Diego for a decade, says he became curious about the West and its traditions over the course of various road trips. 'I had the idea of this project and didn't really know how to go about it,' he said. 'But I fell in love with the land and just photographed horses, and one thing kind of led to another.' He recalled one day in Nevada when he chanced upon a cattle auction. He got to know some of the cattlemen, and was invited to an upcoming branding. He explains that branding a cow enables ranchers to claim and keep track of their cattle, which is important for organization and their eventual sale. Despite modern alternatives, like ear tags and RFID chips, branding remains popular to this day. Ear tags can be removed by thieves and chips can slip underneath an animal's hide. But beyond being practical, branding is traditional and makes for good marketing. Brands carry significance and some have belonged to certain ranches for as many as 150 years. As part of the procedure, male cows will have their testicles removed and will be administered medication via a gun to the mouth. As part of the branding day ritual, some ranchers take the cattle's testicles home, where they are then skinned, battered and deep-fried - and turned into 'Rocky Mountain Oysters' for eating. 'I went to the branding and met some more people and that led from one thing to another to another to another, and here I am a year and a half or two years later, and I've been to ranches, massive ranches, all over all over the West,' said Hammer. The Diamond A ranch is Arizonas largest and oldest cattle operation. It consists of 725,000 acres spanning 75 miles from north to south and runs more than 7,000 mother cows. Ranchers gather around television screens at a bull auction. The bulls up for sale are paraded outside and potential buyers can bid for them from indoors A cowboy uses a branding iron to mark ownership of a cow - a traditional way to organize a herd The testicles removed from branded cows sit in a plastic container. At the end of the day they are often deep-fried and turned into 'Rocky Mountain Oysters' for eating Roping is a cowboy's bread and butter. It sees them throw a rope tied with a lasso knot over an animal's head or rear legs to work on it or separate it from the herd Hammer said he became enamored with modern cowboys during road trips through western states. The project was born when he started photographing horses Bulls are castrated during the branding to prevent reproduction and to simplify the management of the herd In some seasons cowboys will spend full days herding and pushing cattle across the open range 'You're born a cowboy. If you're gonna be a cowboy you were born to be one and that kid, he's the son of a cowboy on the Diamond A ranch in Arizona,' said Hammer of a young boy, photographed sitting on the bed of a pickup truck with bloodied hands. Hammer described a bull sale, where cattle were bid on by ranchers indoors who study the animals on TV screens - an example of how technology has trickled into the industry. 'You can actually go see those bulls in person if you want to outside, but for the sake of organization and speed, they're viewed on the television,' he said. 'Each bull has a number on it and they'll decide beforehand which bulls they're interested in. Then they go inside and bid.' Photos in the series also show saddle maker Doug Cox from Nevada at work. 'He's got one that sells for $168,000. He's making them for working cowboys. who can be in the saddle all day for the rest of their life,' said Hammer. Cox was trained by legendary saddle makers Bob Kelly and Ray Holes - who in 1936 began crafting 'Visalia' style saddles, popular among horsemen in California. Custom saddle maker Doug Cox at work in his shop in Gardnerville, Nevada. Some of Cox's custom saddles, decorated in ornate silver, sell for nearly $200,000 A boy dressed in jeans and a hat plays with a cattle feeding gun used to administer medicine to cows A group of cowboys on horseback coral calves into a pen from the open range so they can be sorted and roped Out of respect for tradition, on some ranches cowboys spend nights out in teepees, as was the norm before trucks and roads made navigating land easier Cowboys drink coffee as they await breakfast in the chuck wagon on Four Sixes ranch in Texas Other images in Hammer's series were taken during calving season, when the calves are born, which usually happens during winter. The cold temperatures make it a brutal time of year for ranchers who have to be on standby through the day and night. 'You have to monitor the mother at all hours of the day, if possible, because they give birth in the middle of the night. That calf can come out of the mother and freeze to the ground and die. So it's a really stressful time of year for ranchers and cowboys,' said Hammer. However, roads and cars have transformed the harsh reality of a cowboy's work. Hammer described how some days they will be on horseback for as many as 12 straight hours, pushing herds of hundreds of cows across the open range. 'Traditions have changed,' he said. 'It used to be that the cowboys would go out onto a ranch during the spring and they would sleep out in these teepees for months and months at a time. 'They would have a chuck wagon there and they would be fed and that's where they stayed. That's where they lived. But now, because of technology and trailers and roads, they can drive to a lot of the places on these maps that they couldn't before, and were only accessible by horseback,' he added. Cattle are herded from the open range into pens, where individual cows can be singled out for branding or organization Technology has changed life on the ranch. Trucks, trailers and roads now give ranchers superior access to parts of their land A horse is photographed during snowy winter on a ranch in Wyoming A flock of geese fly over a snowy ranch on which around a dozen horse graze in Nevada Some ranches, including the Four Sixes Ranch in King County, Texas, pay homage to the heritage by setting up teepees for the cattlemen. Four Sixes is one of the largest ranches in Texas and spans nearly 150,000 acres. 'The guys will still sleep out in their teepees on the chuck wagon for a week or two or three at a time. But it's a dying tradition that I think is really sad to be going,' he said. Hammer described how he once met legendary cowboy Boots O'Neal on Four Sixes. Boots told him when he started out working on ranches as a child he would spend five to six months at a time sleeping in the teepees. Now the costs incurred by setting up tents and wagons are hard for many ranches to justify. 'But these guys love the tradition so much,' said Hammer. 'They'll continue anyway.' Frustrated parents have spoken out about violent incidents at a high school where a metalwork teacher allegedly assaulted a student in the classroom this week. Michael Kable, 62, was charged after being filmed allegedly assaulting a disruptive student at Maitland Grossmann High School on Tuesday afternoon. Thousands of supporters have signed a petition supporting Mr Kable, some claiming that he had suffered verbal and physical abuse from students for years. He admitted to Daily Mail Australia: 'At the end of the day, I did the wrong thing'. Now, two parents have come forward to complain about their children allegedly being brutally attacked by their peers at the school. One family reported a schoolgirl to police after she allegedly punched their son in the head 15 times during class. A mother - who cannot be named for legal reasons - told Daily Mail Australia her son was in a class on March 8 when a disruptive female student was told to leave the room. Outraged parents (one pictured) have come forward to share their stories from Maitland Grossmann High School - where a teacher allegedly assaulted a student this week As the child was walking out, 'she couldn't walk past his chair, so she (allegedly) grabbed his head at the back and went to slam his head on the table', the parent said. 'When he resisted, she punched him around 15 times.' Despite two teachers being in the classroom, the parent said no-one intervened or called an ambulance. 'He had a concussion,' the parent said. 'I had to come pick him up and take him to hospital.' The girl was suspended from school and the matter was reported to police. A NSW police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the girl attended Maitland Police Station on March 20. She was dealt with under the Youth Offenders Act - which sees children given warnings and cautions rather than being dealt with via the court system. Mr Kable (pictured) is accused of grabbing a student and pulling him across a desk in a classroom Meanwhile, another parent of a student at the school said he is 'still waiting on police to follow up' after his son was allegedly attacked by fellow students on two separate occasions. In the first incident, his son was allegedly assaulted by two boys on a bus, with a girl who rushed in to help also allegedly being punched in the head. 'She didn't know him at all.. The school said they would deal with it,' the father wrote online. 'Three months later the boys' friend assaults my son [again].' Despite the alleged incidents, the father claimed staff told him they wanted his son to continue travelling on the bus and could not stop him from being allegedly bashed. 'I have to drop him in a carpark next to a private area so he doesn't go near the public section as they can't stop the [alleged] assaults,' he said. '[This] second time the boy is serving 10 days suspension and [I'm still] waiting on police to follow up.' The other parent Daily Mail Australia spoke to, whose son was allegedly assaulted by a girl, said school staff were 'fully supportive' after coming forward with the claims. But the parent claimed the school's hands are tied by departmental policies that prevent them from expelling students or intervening in fights - which could see staff potentially lose their jobs. The parent claimed said the once-prestigious school - which she also attended - has declined in the past 12 months after the NSW Department of Education introduced new zoning policies, requiring children to go to schools within their district. She said the school has since had an influx of children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who need greater support for learning disabilities and behavioural issues. Due to staff shortages within the industry, she said teachers are stretched thin trying to manage the new system. 'It is unfair on both teachers and students,' she said. 'The kids playing up have behavioural issues or intellectual disabilities and they cant keep up with the class work, so they are disengaged, making it hard for the teachers and behaviourally normal students trying to learn, she said. 'If there is violence, those kids need to be expelled or more placed into more academically appropriate classes with better staff-to-student ratios so they can get the support they need.' In a statement, a NSW Department of Education spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'Staff at the school take their duty of care seriously and intervene when an incident occurs. We refute allegations that suggest otherwise.' 'Incidents of violence at Maitland Grossman High School are isolated. When they do occur, the school takes strong action and provides support,' the spokesperson said. 'Maitland Grossman High School provides a caring and supportive learning environment for all students. 'It is resourced to support students both academically and for their wellbeing, including for students with additional learning needs.' This week, the school burst into the headline's as the video allegedly involving Mr Kable went viral. Mr Kable was handed an apprehended violence order and charged with common assault on Tuesday night after video of the scuffle - alleged to have begun over a paper fight in the classroom - emerged. Michael Kable is pictured outside his home on Thursday, sporting a broken knuckle (pictured), after he allegedly assaulted a student in class earlier in the week A petition has been launched to support Mr Kable after he was charged common assault and was given an apprehended violence order Maitland Grossmann High School (pictured) hit headlines this week after a video of a teacher allegedly brawling with a student went viral In the footage, the teacher could be seen holding handful of paper balls that appear to have been thrown at him by a student during class. The teacher then can be heard saying 'do you understand me? Stop doing it', before the student throws another paper ball at him. Mr Kable appears to then allegedly grab the student by his shirt and pulling him over a desk - before another student then threw another desk toward him. More than 5,000 people have signed a Change.org petition claiming the video did not show the context of the altercation; that Mr Kable was being 'defamed' and had regularly suffered physical and verbal abuse from students. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on outside his home on Thursday, Mr Kable said he is appreciative of the support but: ''At the end of the day, I did the wrong thing.' While he insisted there are two sides to every story, Mr Kable noted lawyers had advised him not to speak about the matter. The Department of Education is investigating. Mr Kable is due to appear before Maitland Local Court on 2 April. Technology is coming for Australian jobs, but white collar workers have a lot more to fear than blue collar workers, according to a visiting Canadian expert in the area. Dr Andrew Miller, who will address the Urban Development Institute's Congress in Perth on Tuesday, said artificial intelligence (AI) was not coming for most physical jobs. He said technology, such as ChatGPT - which uses AI algorithms to generate human-like text - is going to have profound effects on how work is done. 'But it's going to change the world of work for white collar folk who spend a lot of time typing, people who use the computer a lot,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'But for people who work with their hands, AI is going to be less capable of doing that,' he said, adding that robot deliveries could soon be common in Australia.' Technology is coming for Australian jobs, but white collar workers have a lot more to fear than blue collar workers, Dr Andrew Miller (pictured with a robot delivery vehicle in Tokyo) said A trial run of driverless trucks in Melbourne last November was described as 'job-killing' by truck driver Luke McCrone, but Dr Miller said such technology will not lead to an overall loss of jobs. 'Maybe you no longer have a driver who's taking a load a long distance, but the truck will need to be loaded, it will need to be secured, it will need to be kept safe, it'll need to be weighed,' he said. 'There's all sorts of work that still needs to be done in logistics and shipping, but less of it in simply operating the vehicle from place to place. 'People will be doing less of that and more of these other things that as of yet, only a human can do.' A company called Wing can deliver up to 250 items from Coles to addresses in Canberra (pictured) In November 2022, driverless trucks travelled at 80km/h in a highway's 'fast lane' in Melbourne (pictured, one of the driverless trucks) Dr Miller, who works as senior leader in urban solutions for the multinational group Hatch, does not like the use of the term 'autonomous vehicle' for driverless cars. 'If something is autonomous, it implies that it makes all the decisions. So an autonomous car, if there is such a thing, you would get in it and it would drive you where it thought you needed to go,' he said. 'But an automated car is one where it does the drive, you tell it where you want to drive to and it does that driving. 'The driving task is automated but it is not autonomous. It's not making choices for you.' Regardless of what people call the technology, it is coming, though some people fear and resist it. Dr Miller compared it to the job of elevator operators, which existed in, for instance, the Grace Brothers department store in Sydney's Pitt Street Mall until about 30 years ago. Dr Andrew Miller said people driving their own cars will go the way of jobs for elevator operators (pictured) But at a time further back, when elevator operators were common everywhere, 'the idea of going into an elevator where there wasn't a professional there to drive it, so to speak, was ridiculous,' Dr Miller said. 'We have to look at (1960s-set TV series) Mad Men to remember a world like that where there were elevator operators,' he added. 'And that is how it was going to be with [automated] driving. People will one day find it hard to believe that they didn't have cars that could drive themselves.' Having goods delivered by drones might seem like something from science fiction, but it already exists in Canberra, where a company called Wing can deliver up to 250 items from Coles. Dr Miller was not surprised that Wing chose Canberra to start from as it is 'a city that is not as dense, people are less spread out so it is cheaper to send it through the air than to try and find a ground path'. He thinks for very dense cities, such as Sydney or Melbourne, on the ground robot delivery would make more sense than using drones, but said big changes have to be made to Australian cities to accommodate the technology. 'Since the robots are going to be using the footpaths, they shouldn't have to fight pedestrians for that space. Make the footpaths bigger so that there's space for humans and robots,' he said. Robo-taxis, such as the one pictured, are already being used in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and, closer to home, in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen He also said bike lanes should be made bigger so there could be space for cyclists and e-scooter riders and also robots and that the extra space was going to have to come from private cars. 'You don't want people driving through your city from A to B anyway. Look at what Paris is doing. Look at what Barcelona is doing,' he said. 'The future of great global cities is one where we take space away from private cars ... and more for people to get out and move and in the future for robots to get out and move.' If the lack of space for cars makes it less desirable to drive, it will create an opening for robo-taxis which are already being used in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and, closer to home, in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. 'These are things that are happening right now. They're not happening in Australia because Australia has not made it it's business to create such things and maybe that's the right decision,' Dr Miller said. 'It's not for me to tell Australia what it should and shouldn't do. My point is is that if this is a thing Australians wanted, they could have it in short order. 'That's what I would tell the Prime Minister, you've got to work with the state governments and city governments to make cities less hospitable to private cars and more hospitable to everything else.' Drone technology (pictured) can work well in a less-densely populated city such as Canberra He said proper regulation is vital, though, and the Uber model of setting up and asking for permission later is not the right way to do things. 'The credo of Silicon Valley was move fast and break things, (that) it's better to want change and so you just go ahead and change things, you don't wait for permission because that takes too long. 'And that is a perfectly fine motto when it comes to software development, but it allows you then (to move) physical objects at high speeds through crowded spaces. 'You absolutely don't want to break things when you're moving things around in (a crowded) space,' he said. Top American universities including Harvard and Yale are peddling 'woke hysteria' by charging thousands of dollars for diversity, equity and inclusion courses that push controversial ideas which critics argue have 'no place in America'. Some of the country's most revered institutions, including four out of the eight Ivy League universities, sell expensive 'DEI Certificate' programs which cover topics from microaggressions and unconscious bias to white privilege. Harvard charges $12,400 for an online course that offers 'critical knowledge and skills to address bias and marginalization'. At Yale, the $3,600 'Fostering Inclusion and Diversity' program includes lessons on 'combating unconscious bias'. Dozens more institutions around the country also offer the courses, which are mostly taken online. Some can be completed in just a few days and many are targeted at business executives and individuals looking to break into the burgeoning DEI industry, which is worth an estimated $8 billion per year. There is growing concern that colleges and universities are being permeated with left-wing ideologies at the expense of open debate and free speech. The issue reached boiling point earlier this month when a federal judge was abused by students at Stanford Law school as its Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion watched on but failed to intervene. Harvard University (pictured) charges $12,400 for an online course that offers 'critical knowledge and skills to address bias and marginalization' Tracie Denise Jones (left) teaches diversity and inclusion management for the Harvard course while Lisa Nishii (right) wrote Cornell's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Certificate program Cornell University's online certificate costs $3,699 and includes courses on 'counteracting unconscious bias' and 'fostering an inclusive climate' Stanford's Graduate School of Business offers a $1,500 course titled 'Leverage Diversity and Inclusion for Organizational Excellence'. Mike Gonzalez, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation think tank, told DailyMail.com: 'There's no place for this in American society, period. Least of all in a university, which is supposed to be devoted to truth discovery.' Gonzalez said the courses push an 'ideological, political strategy' and produce 'political commissars', adding: 'The sad thing actually is people could make good money out of this certificate because we have created this industry of nonsense.' Jenna A. Robinson, president at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, told DailyMail.com that most DEI training and education is 'really run by activists rather than truth-seeking academics'. 'I do not expect that these courses are academically rigorous at all,' said Robinson, who reviewed some promotional material. 'I think they are probably a cake walk and so they are selling the piece of paper.' She said many university faculties across America are left-leaning to a 'really considerable extent', adding: 'I think that the zeitgeist on campus and the faculty opinions on campus are all leaning in that direction anyway and so makes them more likely to offer and embrace these kinds of courses.' 'I do think that they are cashing in on the current trend,' Robinson said. Harvard's 'Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Leadership Graduate Certificate', offered through its Extension School, comprises four courses billed at $3,100 each. 'You will gain critical knowledge and skills to address bias and marginalization and to foster an inclusive corporate culture,' the course summary states. It provides the 'skills and tools you need to facilitate dialogue, address unconscious bias, and build an inclusive organizational culture'. The certificate takes between one year and 18 months to complete and participants can earn credits through courses which include 'Psychology of Diversity', 'Populism and the Erosion of Democracy' and 'Sex, Gender, and Sexuality'. The course website's featured faculty includes Tracie Denise Jones, who is also an assistant dean for DEI at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Jones, who teaches diversity and inclusion management, says 'Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are not just words, they are intentional actions that we take everyday in our personal and professional lives'. At Yale (pictured), the $3,600 'Fostering Inclusion and Diversity' program includes lessons on 'combating unconscious bias'. Penn's course is fronted by Adjunct Assistant Professor Ufuoma C. Abiola (left), who is described as a 'proven DEI thought leader'. Yale's 'Fostering Inclusion and Diversity' course is led by Heidi Brooks, who has a doctorate in psychology At the University of Pennsylvania (pictured), another Ivy League institution, the 'Certificate in Social Difference, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion' course costs $9,368 plus $576 in fees The University of Pennsylvania, another Ivy League institution, charges $9,368 for its 'Certificate in Social Difference, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion'. Participants also pay a $576 online services fee to enroll. A course summary states: 'Today more than ever, there is an urgent need to identify and address the social histories and contexts of structural inequities such as systemic racism, sexism, classism, queerphobia, xenophobia, and other forms of institutional discrimination.' The course includes teaching about intersectionality, how to properly use 'the vocabulary of social difference, diversity, equity, and inclusion'. Students come away prepared to 'contextualize difference and structural bias within mainstream professional contexts'. Penn's course also teaches how to 'grapple with systemic practices that uphold historical relationships to various forms of power in society'. Jenna A. Robinson, president at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, told DailyMail.com that most DEI training and education is 'really run by activists rather than truth-seeking academics' Penn's faculty is fronted by Adjunct Assistant Professor Ufuoma C. Abiola, whose university profile describes her as a 'proven DEI thought leader'. Yale offers a three-week online program titled 'Fostering Inclusion and Diversity' for $3,600. It promises it 'delivers the skills leaders need to build more inclusive and diverse teams'. The course, which involves five hours of work per week, teaches the 'known and unknown barriers to building inclusive and diverse teams, such as making the business case and combating unconscious bias'. Senior lecturer Dr Heidi Brooks fronts the Yale course. Cornell University's online certificate costs $3,699 and includes courses on 'counteracting unconscious bias' and 'fostering an inclusive climate'. The course price was discounted to $2,589 on Friday as it recruits students for its April intake. The material states: 'Despite decades of legal and social reform aimed at reducing discrimination in the workplace, inequality continues to be a significant problem in all societies and most workplaces.' Cornell's course is led by Professor Lisa Nishii, who has also written three other DEI-related courses for the university, along with others about HR. She is an 'expert on inclusion in organizations', her biography states. These courses can qualify individuals for plum jobs in both the private and public sector as DEI managers. Many organizations have established new DEI departments in recent years that dictate policies around hiring and diversity training. The US Air Force recently launched a hiring spree for DEI managers on salaries up to $180,000 per year whose responsibilities include 'ensuring a culture of inclusion' and achieving the military's 'inclusion mission'. Concerns about left-wing bias at American universities reached boiling point earlier this month when a federal judge was abused by students at Stanford Law school as its Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Tirien Steinbach, watched on but failed to intervene Gonzalez said many of the nebulous terms used in DEI have been 'corrupted' and added: 'Inclusion now means exclusive, it excludes people with certain beliefs. It's the same thing with diversity and equity. 'Equity is the worst - equity means that the government and the private sector must treat people unequally according to their race.' Robinson said DEI generally is 'a lot of jargon... it's almost like a group therapy session and not a lot of substance of education.' She added: 'DEI doesn't work the way that we want it. It doesn't make companies better run, it doesn't make them more hospitable, it certainly doesn't make them better performing or more profitable and so I think that what they are really selling is virtue signaling. 'A lot of companies right now want to do that, they want to signal that they are inclusive and diverse and all of those things and I am sure that there is demand for these kinds of programs but I think there's probably not really any valuable substance to them.' Mike Gonzalez, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation think tank, told DailyMail.com: 'There's no place for [DEI] in American society, period. Least of all in a university, which is supposed to be devoted to truth discovery' A DEI certificate offered by Georgetown University costs $8,490 - with six courses billed at $1,415 each. Each of the courses involves three day-long classes. The courses include 'Theoretical Foundations of Diversity and Inclusion' and 'Cultural and Social Group Identities: Expanding Self-Awareness'. Portland State University charges $2,196 for its DEI certificate program. The course includes four modules: DEI Fundamentals; Privilege, Bias, and Unconscious Bias; Microaggression; and Allyship. Within the modules, classes teach ideas like 'the impacts of privilege among dominant groups' and how to 'identify one's own bias and unconscious bias against non-dominant groups'. Further study includes learning to 'identify various types of microaggression' and 'the impacts of microaggression on non-dominant populations'. Other examples include the University of North Carolina, whose course costs $714, the University of Washington, where a certificate requires the completion of three courses of two and a half hours that cost $325 each. Rutgers University offers a DEI certificate for $1,200 that's made up of four two-and-a-half hour courses held over Zoom. The construction boss son of an elderly widow whose house was sprayed with litres of blood-red paint has shut down suggestions his mum's upmarket home might've been attacked by a disgruntled tradie. Narelle Green, who is in her late 70s, had her $2million two-bedroom home vandalised during the early hours of Monday morning, leaving Mrs Green shaken and neighbours mystified. The picture-perfect cottage in Leichhardt - a suburb in Sydney's inner west best known for its Italian delis and trattorias - was drenched in oil-based red paint which took a four-man cleaning team an entire day to remove. Now her son, 52-year-old Niklas Green, has told Daily Mail Australia the family is still at a loss to explain just who was responsible for the flagrant act of vandalism. 'We've got no idea,' he said. 'We had the police down and they think that it was done with pistol guns and perhaps they got the wrong address. But, yeah, nothing.' The bizarre paint attack came just a few years after Mr Green's construction company Green Core did a full renovation of his mum's property back in 2019. But Mr Green shot down any suggestion that the paint spray could have been a revenge attack from a disgruntled sub-contractor. Niklas Green (pictured) said his mother was 'shocked' by the brazen vandalism but that the local community had rallied around her Mr Green said he and his brother Lee had worked on the property. 'He (Lee) and I paid for it is what we did. We gave mum the money and mum paid for it. She paid all the contractors herself,' he said. Mr Green (pictured) said the police thought the house might have been sprayed with 'water pistols' but that they had no idea about motive Asked if he had any outstanding payments he said: 'Not that I'm aware of, mate. We've dragged the chain on getting people paid over the years but we've got everyone paid.' Mr Green's construction website revealed the extent of the work done on the home. 'The works included all new bathrooms, kitchens, services, roofing, ceilings etc to complete a full interior and exterior renovation,' the Green Core website noted. Daily Mail Australia is in no way suggesting Mr Green or Green Core's work on the property had anything to do with this week's attack. Mr Green said the attack on the home came as a shock - and a mystery - to everyone in the family. 'Mum's lived on her own for about 30 years so we don't know. I've got a brother and sister and we all wracked our brains but no idea to be honest with you,' he said. Mr Green said his mother was shaken up at first but that she has seen an outpouring of support from the local community. 'She was shocked by it. But one real positive to come out of the whole thing is the number of people who have asked how she is. 'The local community has really rallied around her.' Mr Green said his mother did not want to comment. It is unclear whether the house will need a new paint job but when Daily Mail Australia visited this past week a painstaking day-long clean-up operation was underway. Vandals sprayed litres of blood-red paint across the pristine white walls of a house where an 'old widow' lives Daily Mail Australia visited on Wednesday while the clean-up operation was underway Despite starting around 9am, the four-man cleaning team were still going late into the afternoon using power hoses, scrubbing brushes and micro-fibre cloths. 'It's oil-based red paint and it stains like buggery,' one of the cleaners said. The incident has completely baffled Mr Green's neighbours in Leichhardt - with locals offering up numerous theories, but few answers, as to why the house was brazenly attacked. One lady living several doors down, who did not want to give her name for fear of being targeted herself, said she was 'completely mystified' by the attack. 'I was the one who rang the police after my husband called me on his way to work in the morning,' she said. 'The poor lady was really shaken up and upset. What a sad and horrible thing to do to an old lady - especially for a lady who lives on her own. 'We've never seen anything like it - it's a pretty friendly street. To do that to an old widow who lives on her own is just disgusting.' Another neighbour in the suburb known fondly as Little Italy because of its Italian delis and trattorias, was more blunt. 'Scum - utter scum,' he said. 'My wife saw it on Facebook so I went and had a look. It's disgusting. She's a lovely girl and I don't know why they would have done it but they're scum.' The man, who is new in the area, said he would install CCTV outside his home. An elderly man living across the road said he thought it was 'youths' who were responsible. Neighbours were left 'completely mystified' by the attack with one branding the vandals 'scum' 'It happened in the middle of the night. When she woke up in the morning it was there. I reckon they filled those plastic water guns with paint and sprayed it,' he said. 'How else would they have shot it up that high? It's on the roof. There's a big jacaranda out in front of the house so they would be well hidden while they were doing it. 'She's lovely, very friendly. We know her to say hello. Often she's out walking with her daughter. Another neighbour said: 'It's cowardly and totally baffling,' 'They must have targeted the house for some reason, even if it's a case of mistaken identity. Like if it was kids being stupid there's an empty old hotel across the road they could have sprayed.' A customer in the Billy Lou Kids Shoe shop at the end of the street said she was 'shocked' by the act of vandalism. 'It's a lovely area, very family-oriented from little kids to teenagers,' she said. 'It's a friendly area too - people look out for each other. But you can have rat bags anywhere. Another added: 'It's a really nice, quiet area. I haven't known anything to happen like this in the past.' There was an outpouring of anger at the vandals and support for the victim on social media. One user said it was 'like a murder scene'. 'It's vile and hurtful to the poor resident,' they wrote. The house (pictured) is worth an estimated $2million Another said she hopes the police 'arrest whoever is responsible'. 'How awful and frightening for those living there,' she wrote. 'I walked past this afternoon and was just gobsmacked.' Police remained tight-lipped over possible motivations for the vandalism. 'Officers from Leichhardt Police Area Command received a report of vandalism on Monday (20 March 2023),' a NSW Police spokeswoman said. 'Inquiries are continuing into this incident.' A judge has sensationally struck out the ABC's third truth defence as the broadcaster fights allegations it defamed an ex-army commando by implying he was under investigation for war crimes in Afghanistan. Heston Russell is suing the ABC over stories published in late 2021 that claimed an Australian platoon was under investigation over its operations in the Middle East. The TV report and two online articles, which featured Mr Russell's name and images of him, included allegations from a US marine he indirectly witnessed Australian soldiers execute a hogtied prisoner in 2012. In February, the Federal Court found Mr Russell had been defamed and ruled the matter should proceed to hearing to determine whether there were any defences available to the ABC and its two journalists, Mark Willacy and Josh Robertson. Now, the commando has had another win in his David and Goliath battle after Justice Michael Lee on Friday struck out the broadcaster's truth defence - a decision which is made if the material tendered discloses no reasonable cause of action or defence. Former special forces veteran and founder of veterans support organisation Voice of a Veteran Heston Russell is suing the ABC for defamation Representing the ABC, Nicholas Owens told the court the extent of Russell's argued involvement for the alleged murder was his role as the commanding officer on the Qarabagh mission. 'The only way we put it is that his involvement was based on his legal and factual status with effective command and control over the troops, [over] the commando who committed murder on that mission,' Mr Owens said. 'If that falls outside what your honour meant by "involved", we have to withdraw that. 'When we say Mr Russell was present, we mean he was present on the mission - he was the commanding officer on this mission on the ground. That doesn't mean he was physically proximate to every member of the platoon during the mission.' Mr Russell's counsel Sue Chrysanthou said the defence was 'utterly hopeless'. 'In my 20-year experience as a defamation barrister, this is the worst defence I have ever seen,' Ms Chrysanthou told the court. A former travel agent who won government contracts to house migrants in hotels during the UK's migrant crisis is now making millions from the taxpayer - and enjoying a luxury globetrotting lifestyle, MailOnline can reveal. Debbie Hoban, boss of Leeds-based Calder Conferences, was paid 2.19m last year alone, up nearly tenfold from just 230,000 in 2021, and is now one of the most prominent private firm bosses making huge sums of money out of the UK's crippling asylum seeker crisis. She now lives in this magnificent 3m country farmhouse and enjoys a string of exotic trips to events like the Abu Dhabi grand prix after her company landed a government asylum seeker contract. And the main reason for the tripling in profits to more than 6m last year for Calder Conferences has been the lucrative Home Office contracts awarded to it and other companies now costing the taxpayer 6m a day. Calder is among a host of firms now being paid to house small-boat arrivals and other asylum seekers in almost 400 hotels around Britain. Debbie Hoban (pictured) was paid 2.19m in 2022, up nearly tenfold from 230k in 2021 She now lives in this magnificent 3m country farmhouse, pictured here Mrs Hoban is now one of the most prominent private firm bosses making huge sums of money out of the UK's crippling asylum seeker crisis The news came as Home Office data uncovered by the BBC showed the sheer scale of the migrant accommodation crisis, with a total of 395 hotels all over the country are being used to house 51,000 asylum seekers due to a severe shortage of official accommodation. The total bill for taxpayers comes in at more than 6.8m a day. At least 42 of the 48 English counties now have hotels accommodating migrants, according to recent reports. The number has risen by more than 10,000 in less than three months after the Home Office emptied the Manston processing centre in Kent and dispersed thousands of Channel migrants to hotels across the country. In November, Manston, a former RAF base, became dangerously overcrowded with 4,000 migrants - more than double its capacity - after more than 30,000 migrants made the Channel crossing in the last five months of 2022. Official documents show that Mrs Hoban's company received 20.6m from the Home Office in 2021, increasing to 97m in 2022. Turnover for the year ending February 2022 rose from 5.98m to 23.66m and pre-tax profits trebled to 6.3m. The contract represents a bumper payday for Mrs Hoban, a mother-of-three who previously to building up this business in recent years ran a low-profile independent travel agency. Mrs Hoban, 63, now lives with her husband, Peter, 60, in a sprawling converted grain mill in West Yorkshire. The vast and spectacular home - with a triple garage and screened off with extravagant wrought iron gates - was transformed by the couple, with four bedrooms, a swimming pool and jacuzzi and a basement wine cellar. The couple also linked an adjoining mill owner's cottage to the house via a glass spiral staircase - with the finished project bagging an award at the 2018 ICF Builder Awards. Steve Bailey, of contractor Landmarks (UK) Ltd, said of the development in 2018: 'A once damp, cold, drafty and structurally unstable building of the past is now a safe, warm, cozy magnificent home, and will be for many generations in the future.' Social media shows Mrs Hoban enjoying lavish trips, including feasting on oysters and Champagne, and placing her at the F1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. She also jetted to Dubai, Bhutan and India's Taj Mahal on family jaunts. She and her husband jointly own Calder Conferences Ltd through another firm called Depho Estates Ltd, which as well as the couple themselves, lists their sale executive son Freddy, 26, and daughter Harriet, a 24-year-old paralegal, as co-directors. Peter Hoban, 60, and Debbie pictured together. The pair now go on exotic trips like the Abu Dhabi grand prix Mrs Hoban now lives with her husband, Peter in a sprawling converted grain mill in West Yorkshire The couple linked an adjoining mill owner's cottage to the house via a glass spiral staircase Elder son Jack, 28, resigned as a director in 2019, according to Companies House records. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain. 'The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable there are currently more than 51,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer 6 million a day. 'The Home Office is committed to making every effort to reduce hotel use and limit the burden on the taxpayer.' Home Office sources suggested the revenues earned by Calder were mainly from finding bridging hotels for Afghan refugees who arrived following the Taliban takeover in 2021. It comes as Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, visited Rwanda on the weekend as she tried to restart her stalled plan to send Channel migrants to the country. Official documents show that Mrs Hoban's, pictured here enjoying a holiday, company received 20.6m from the Home Office in 2021, increasing to 97m in 2022 The vast and spectacular home was transformed by the couple, with four bedrooms, a swimming pool and jacuzzi and a basement wine cellar Pictured is the swimming pool and jacuzzi in the couple's 3million farmhouse It's not the first time that Calder has been involved in government business. In 2020, they were reported to have had secret talks on behalf of the Ministry of Justice to help house up to 2,000 prisoners in a Butlin's holiday camp in Skegness to ease the jails crisis during the pandemic. Acting on the MoJ's behalf, representatives from Calders met with Butlin's bosses and discussed a 10m scheme to place the low-risk prisoners in the leisure accommodation. But senior government officials scrapped the plan before it got much further. MailOnline approached Calder Conferences, but were told 'We decline to comment.' It's been praised for its good schools, convenient transport links, variety of high street shops and being surrounded by stunning scenery. And locals in Wadhurst were eager to praise the East Sussex town for its community spirit this week after it beat 71 other locations to be named the UK's best place to live. Judges for the Sunday Times said the small market town of less than 5,000 people offers 'pretty much everything needed for modern life in miniature'. Famous faces to have lived in the town include Davina McCall who sold her Grade II-listed property in the town for 6.25million in 2019 after living there for ten years. Guitar legend Jeff Beck, who died in January aged 78, also resided in Wadhurst. And, speaking to MailOnline on the streets of the town on Friday, a series of residents paid tribute to its 'friendly and supportive' population and 'family orientated' feel. Sharon Goldsmith grew up and went to school in Wadhurst, and her three children - who also live and work in the town - are now the fourth generation to have done so. Helen Geraghty, 56, is a retired journalist who moved to Wadhusrt 20 years ago and can now often be seen picking up litter in the town while she walks her spaniel, Missy Natasha Pope, 31, praised Wadhurst's 'family-friendly' feel and said it was 'nice being in the countryside' - while her three-year-old son, Isaac, added: 'I love all the shops that sell sweets' Anneka Desrosiers, 37, grew up in Wadhurst and runs Southern Cross Travel, an independent travel agent in the village which her mother set up in 1986 Wadhurst in East Sussex has been named as the overall best place to live in the UK Davina McCall sold her Grade II-listed property in Wadhurst for 6.25million in 2019 Guitarist Jeff Beck with his wife Sandra Cash at home in Wadhurst in 2006. He died in January Now working in a local supermarket, she said: 'It's so peaceful and quiet here, and every day I eat my lunch in the local churchyard where my grandparents were laid to rest. Regional winners of the best place to live 2023 While Wadhurst was crowned the UK's best place to live 2023 by The Sunday Times, a winner was also selected for each English region as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These winners were: Scotland - Dunkeld, Perthshire The small town was praised by judges for combining 'stunning' Highland scenery with 'Scandi sophistication'. Wales - Ruthin, Denbighshire Judges said it offered the 'very best of small town living' with food and craft markets, pop-up restaurants, cafes and independent shops. Northern Ireland - Donaghadee, Co Down The town, which is where BBC daytime TV drama Hope Street is filmed, was praised for its clean seas, beautiful views and 'lively community.' East of England - Saffron Walden, Essex Judges said 'youthful vigour' was being injected into the market town as young families move in and new bars, shops and restaurants open. London- Crouch End, Haringey The area's grand Victorian houses are home to celebrities and the 'lively North London suburb' has a market town feel, judges said. Midlands - Leamington Spa, Warwickshire The tech hub has well-tended parks, good schools, excellent transport links and will get even more of a revamp when a Creative Quarter is launched. North and North East England - Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear The town was said to be 'catching up fast' with its affluent neighbour Tynemouth after 'years in the doldrums' - with cheaper houses and connections to Newcastle which are just as good. North West England - Liverpool Judges said there are 'lots of reasons to be optimistic' about the city from Eurovision to its reputation for science and technology and grand projects such as the new Everton stadium and film studios. Waterloo was singled out for seaside while Toxteth was praised for its 'cultural and community vibe.' South East England - Chichester, West Sussex While Wadhurst was crowned best place to live in the UK, Chichester - which has more Ukrainian refugees per head than any other UK city - was praised for its good schools and transport links and was still deemed worthy of inclusion separately. South West England - Cirencester, Gloucestershire The heated outdoor swimming pool was marked out as a particular highlight of the capital of the Cotswolds. Advertisement 'I'm chuffed that the town has won this award and been noticed by the outside world.' Helen Geraghty is a retired journalist who moved there 20 years ago when her former area of Blackheath in South East London became too pricey - and, having visited once when it snowed, fell in love with how picturesque it was. She can now often be seen picking up litter in the town while she walks her spaniel, Missy. The 56-year-old said: 'I started doing it during the pandemic when I noticed the odd bit of rubbish lying about and just continued. 'I think the pandemic was when people realised quite what a great place it was. Because we have every kind of local shop we could need and they are always well-stocked, there was no panic buying, and everyone came together at a tough time.' Judith Lock, a 75-year-old retired teacher, moved to the town from near Canterbury in Kent six years ago to be near one of her two children. The grandmother-of-three said: 'We've met lots and lots of friends and people are happy to help if there are ever any problems.' Anneka Desrosiers, 37, grew up in Wadhurst and runs Southern Cross Travel, an independent travel agent in the village which her mother set up in 1986. She said: 'It's an amazing accolade and I am so proud. It's the community that makes it so special. People are friendly and supportive. 'When my mum passed away, I was so touched by the number of people who came out to pay their respects.' She added: 'It's amazing that Wadhurst has won this award. I feel very proud and my mum would be, too.' Aubrey Knight, 35, is the manager of La Petite France cafe and he also praised the community spirit. He said: 'While the businesses here may notionally be 'rivals', we really aren't and work together. 'We buy all the products we use from the local independent shops, and they come here to eat. And we know all out customers and everyone is so friendly.' And mother Natasha Pope praised the town's 'family-friendly' feel. The 31-year-old insurance broker said: 'It's very family orientated, and it's nice being in the countryside, especially with young children,' Her three-year-old son, Isaac, added: 'I love all the shops that sell sweets.' Judges for the Sunday Times have praised the Wadhurst Warriors, a group of fathers who began fundraising for the town's primary school in 2004 and now raise money for the whole village, were praised as the 'stars of the show'. The judges also pointed out that the town which is the smallest winner of the award in its 11-year history has many activities available for children, a farmers' market, clubs, classes and a community cinema at the Community Hall. Wadhurst Warriors chairman Chris Poulton said the group organises events such as fetes, fireworks nights and putting up Christmas decorations- and the money raised is used to help those in the village who need it, such as the Girl Guides and local school. He said: 'We do believe Wadhurst is the best place to live and that is down to us all working together to make it a place where everyone can be supported. Aubrey Knight, 35, is the manager of La Petite France cafe in Wadhurst and said: 'While the businesses here may notionally be 'rivals', we really aren't and work together' Judith Lock, a 75-year-old retired teacher, moved to the town from near Canterbury in Kent six years ago to be near one of her two children, and said she had 'met lots and lots of friends' Sharon Goldsmith grew up and went to school in Wadhurst, and her three children - who also live and work in the town - are now the fourth generation to have done so Judges praised Wadhusrt for the many activities available for children and the farmers' market Judges said Wadhurst offers 'pretty much everything needed for modern life in miniature' Locals in Wadhurst have been eager to praise the East Sussex town for its community spirit Judges for the Sunday Times have praised the small market town of less than 5,000 people The council described Wadhurst as a 'lovely, lovely place to live with a great community feel' 'We don't do it for ourselves, we do it for the community. Being recognised is great but the more we can give back to the community the better. 'Recognition can just be someone coming up to us and saying thank you.' A parish council spokesperson said: 'This is really exciting news. Wadhurst is a lovely, lovely place to live with a great community feel. 'What makes it really special is the community. We have lots of different village clubs and a really active community. 'We are all helping each other out and during Covid that really came to the forefront, with lots of groups helping to get food and medicine to people. 'I would say to someone thinking of moving here that it's a great place to live, you have the best of both worlds. 'You have easy access to towns and cities but if you want a rural lifestyle it is perfect.' Paula Lee, 58, who owns the @ONE homeware shop on the high street, said: 'I would agree completely - it is a lovely place to live and it has got a good sense of community. The town, winner of the Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide, houses Wadhurst Castle Many activities are available in Wadhurst for children while there is also a farmers' market The town has clubs, classes and a community cinema which is held at the Community Hall Wadhurst has been praised for its good schools and convenient transport links The town has a variety of high street shops and is surrounded by 'stunning scenery' Picturesque properties in Wadhurst which has been named the best place to live in Britain The variety of shops on the high street in Wadhurst was praised by Sunday Times judges 'I am not surprised - I think you would be hard-pushed, certainly in the South East, to find somewhere better. 'There are some really lovely shops, it is a well-rounded high street - there is a nice independent butcher, grocers and a nice community spirit. 'The countryside in this area is just outstanding. There is lots of walking and lots of sporting activities in an area of outstanding natural beauty.' Sam, 50, who runs Wadhurst Flowers but did not want to give her surname, said: 'It is a lovely place to live. It still maintains a village feel, even though we are only five miles from Tunbridge Wells. 'The residents use their high street, which is fantastic. It is a beautiful area of outstanding natural beauty and there are trains into London and to the coast. We are very lucky.' Ruthin in Denbighshire was identified as the best place to live in Wales, Dunkeld in Perthshire was named as the best place to live in Scotland, and Donaghadee in Co Down was placed top in Northern Ireland. A winner was also selected for each region in England. The Sunday Times Best Places To Live guide is released online on Friday and an edited version will be available in the paper on Sunday. Daffodils next to the road in Wadhurst which has been named the best place to live in Britain Wadhurst has been praised for convenient transport links in and out of the Sussex town Shops and restaurants in Wadhurst are pictured after it was named the UK's best place to live Clubs, classes and the community cinema were also praised by judges Wadhurst was championed for good schools, convenient transport links and variety of shops A cafe in the High Street of Wadhurst, which has been named as the overall best place to live Wadhurst is town of fewer than 5,000 people the award's smallest ever winner This year's list includes more new entries than ever before. They include Poundbury, a village on the edge of Dorchester in Dorset which was planned by King Charles and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. At the time critics branded it a 'toy town' but judges said its affordable homes, renewable energy and emphasis on walkability suggest it was ahead of its time. Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield have all made a return - suggesting people may no longer be dashing to the country as cities return to life following the lifting of coronavirus restrictions. Expert judges visited all the locations and assessed factors ranging from the quality of schools and transport links to broadband speeds, culture, access to green spaces and the health of the high street. Helen Davies, editor of Best Places To Live 2023, said: 'When times are tough, where we live matters more than ever. 'Attractive surroundings, good neighbours and a comfortable home are the best defences when the stresses of modern life seem overwhelming. 'This guide is a celebration of towns, cities and villages that are each a fantastic place to live in 2023 from Orkney to Felixstowe, the Chew Valley to Manchester city centre. 'Whether you're downsizing, trading up or getting on to the property ladder, there will be somewhere to suit you.' A teenager who was allegedly tortured by three girls claimed she had a 'gut feeling' something bad was going to happen when she was invited over as footage emerges of vigilantes appearing to trash the home where she was held. The 13-year-old girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was allegedly tied up, burnt, stabbed and stomped on at a home in Tewantin, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, on March 11. Three girls - aged 14, 13 and 12, charged over the incident two days later with the trio to front Maroochydore Children's Court. The alleged victim broke her silence alleging the girls had threatened to kill her baby brother if she told anyone about the incident. Her comments come as vigilantes appear to have taken matters into their own hands with videos showing one of the alleged attacker's house being trashed. The 13-year-old girl, who can't be identified for legal reasons, was allegedly tied up, burnt and stomped on at a home in Tewantin, on the Sunshine Coast, on March 11 The 13-year-old told A Current Affair that she had been invited to their house for a party but had her suspicions something was off. 'I had a feeling in my stomach, like a gut feeling that I shouldn't go, but I just ignored it because I thought some of my close friends were going to be there,' she said. She alleged one of the girls threatened to kill her 'multiple times' when she arrived at the house. The teenage girl allegedly had bottles broken over her face, and knives thrown at her during the five-hour-long ordeal. She alleged the teenage girls threatened to kill her daughter's three-year-old brother if she told anyone about what had happened to her. The mother said she was left horrified at the sight of the injuries on her daughter prompting her to take the 13-year-old to hospital. She claimed the alleged attackers insisted on going with her daughter. The 13-year-old girl spent a week in hospital recovering from her injuries. Her interview comes as vigilante groups appear to have taken matters into their own hands, posting videos of themselves inside the home where the alleged torture occurred. In one video a group of masked teenagers turning over a bed in one of the rooms while their accomplice jumps around on it Vigilante groups threatened to burn down the home of the alleged female ringleader accused of torturing a 13-year-old girl (pictured after alleged attack) in a terrifying four-hour ordeal Several videos have circulated on TikTok showing the house of one of the alleged attackers being trashed by outraged people. In one video a group of masked teenagers can be seen turning over a bed in one of the rooms while their accomplice jumps around on it. Another video showed a coffee table overturned, ornaments shattered on the floor and glass windows broken in. A third video showed a different person kicking in the front door of the house while their friends laughed and cheered them on. Online supporters have published an address for the eldest girl with threats to firebomb the house, throw bricks through its windows and attack the accused teen. On Thursday, Queensland Police said they had now launched a probe into the threats and warned would-be vigilantes to stand down in a statement to Daily Mail Australia. 'People who do attempt to take matters into their own hands can very well have any weapon turned on themselves and could face harm,' said a spokesman. 'In some cases, they could themselves face legal recourse dependent on their actions.' Multiple social media accounts in the name of the alleged ringleader have been bombarded with sinister threats. 'Let's go - only a one-hour drive,' posted one on a post revealing the alleged ringleader's home address. 'Me and the tribe about to rock up on her doorstep.' Another posted ominously: 'No longer a house, just a pile of ashes.' An election night bloodshed has a moderate Liberal warning the party against lurching further into the margins as it picks itself up from a bruising defeat. Chris Minns turned the state red in a thumping election victory that ended the Coalition's 12 year reign in NSW. The only state not lead by a Labor majority is Tasmania, led by Jeremy Rockliff, with the next election not due until 2025. The NSW election win comes a few months after the release of the Liberals' internal review of last year's federal election, which found former prime minister Scott Morrison and the party were considered 'out of touch' by voters across the country. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was warned the NSW election result showed the Liberal Party was lurching too far to the right All Australian mainland states and territories are governed by Labor governments, with Tasmania being the outlier as the only Liberal-run state Authored by former federal director Brian Loughnane and senator Jane Hume, the report found a lack of policy agenda and deteriorating support among women also contributed to the Liberal Party's worst result since 1946. Peter Dutton has also been keen to reshape his image after being elected unopposed as Liberal leader when Mr Morrison - who made no secret of his Pentecostal Christian faith while he was in office - stepped down after the bruising election loss. Since then, the opposition leader been keen to remake himself in the eyes of those Australians who think of him as the tough ex-cop turned immigration and defence minister who pursued hard line policies in sensitive areas such as asylum seeker arrivals. In his first press conference after becoming the party's leader, Mr Dutton promised to pursue an agenda that appealed to a broad range of people in the style of traditional Liberal politics. 'Under my leadership, the Liberal Party is not... the "Conservative Party", not the "Moderate Party". We are Liberals - we are a broad church,' he said at the time. 'We will have policies that appeal to Australians across the board. Those Australians that believe, as I do, that we need to keep our country safe and keep the economy strong so that we can help families, help small businesses and help them grow.' But whether Mr Dutton has softened his conservative 'hard man' image enough to return the Coalition to power at the next federal election remains to be seen. Following the NSW election, moderate senator Andrew Bragg warned his party against using the result to justify lurching further to the extreme end of politics. Ousted NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet breaks cover for the first time since conceding defeat on Saturday night 'One of the most important lessons here is that we have to be a party that doesn't go to the margins and that doesn't seek to inject division into the mainstream,' he told ABC radio. 'But the Liberal Party has held on to the bulk of its metro seats, on the north shore, in the eastern suburbs, parts of the inner west.' 'These are the areas that were wiped out in the last federal election and I think that's an important distinction.' Mr Dutton was notably absent from the Liberals campaign trial. In juxtaposition, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese featured heavily. The Australian National University's Ian McAllister, who researches Australian political science, said the Liberal Party at the next federal election would face the issue of 'underlying gravity'. 'There's a gradual movement of women away from the Liberal Party. And the longer term shift of young people away from the Coalition, which is huge by electoral standards,' Professor McAllister said. 'I'd be amazed if this wasn't being replicated at a state level.' Chris Minns turned the state red in a thumping election victory that ended the Coalition's 12 year reign in NSW Saturday's Labor win isn't the only upcoming poll the federal Liberals - and the Albanese Labor government - will be watching closely. The following weekend, on April 1, voters in the Melbourne seat of Aston will vote in a by-election triggered by the retirement of sitting MP and former Liberal cabinet minister Alan Tudge. That is where Mr Dutton says his focus remains. And there's good reason for him to prove he can win on a federal level, even if just for the symbolism at this stage of the electoral cycle. In 2001, then prime minister John Howard, under electoral stress because of the new GST, unexpectedly won the Aston by-election. And later the November federal election. Mr Dutton would have hoped for a NSW Coalition win. But for him, a win in Aston matters more. Sam Boughton likes to call the people in his electorate 'legends' but he may just carve his own bit of political legend into history by being the first Labor candidate to win the NSW seat of Terrigal. Despite needing a hefty swing of more than 12 per cent to claim the Central Coast seat off Liberal Adam Crouch, Mr Boughton, 31, could take his spot in NSW parliament with a two-party preferred swing of over 13 per cent. 'I could never have envisaged this happening,' Mr Boughton, who works as a physiotherapist in aged care on the Central Coast, said. 'I'm quite shocked.' At a small but enthusiastic gathering of Labor faithful on Saturday night, Mr Boughton thanked those who helped him threaten the Liberals' long-held seat. Sam Boughton (pictured voting on Saturday) may win the NSW Central Coast seat of Terrigal for Labor 'So many amazing people come together like this and rally behind me,' he said. It's not just the electoral map that Mr Boughton could shaking up. With his striking good looks, Mr Boughton poses a severe challenge to the old saying that 'politics is showbusiness for ugly people'. A keen surfer, his Instagram page boasts majestic shots and video by professional photographer Dave Crowley showing Mr Boughton confidently riding through the middle of barrels and the turquoise waves breaking over his head. Unfortunately he had other water breaking over his head in the middle of March when a mains burst over his house, which hampered his campaigning for a day or two. Mr Boughton and his partner Katie live in the area and boast strong community ties, something he brought to the fore during his campaigning. 'I know this area like the back of my hand,' Mr Boughton wrote on his campaign website. 'I have spent years working as a physiotherapist where I have met a range of people from across the community. 'I have heard what is important to my community; good schools, adequately funded and staffed healthcare, and the protection of our unique environment.' Mr Boughton (pictured with partner Katie) campaigned on his strong local ties to the area Leading up to Saturday's poll, Mr Boughton posted numerous social media shots of himself with people he met on the hustings usually labelling them as 'legends'. 'Too many legends to fit in one post,' he wrote on Friday. Mr Boughton attended Terrigal, Holgate public schools along with Central Coast Adventist School before completing his education at the University of Newcastle. Terrigal has been held by the Liberals since it was created in 2007. The seat of Gosford had previously covered Terrigal and was held by the Liberals even as Labor held power at the state level. Chris Hartcher was the long-serving Liberal MP for Gosford from 1988 until the change of name in 2007 and continued as the member for Terrigal from 2007 to 2015. After Mr Hartcher was revealed to have allegedly accepted a number of questionable campaign donations, he did not stand in the 2015 state election, which first elected Mr Crouch. Mr Boughton defeated Adam Crouch who had held the previously stronghold Liberal seat of Terrigal since 2015 While she might be considered a near saint within Liberal circles, Gladys Berejiklian largely withheld her miraculous popular touch from Dominic Perrottet during his electoral hour of need. Ms Berejiklian, who quit politics under a corruption cloud over her links to ex-boyfriend Daryl Maguire in 2021 but remained admired over her handling of the Covid pandemic, was a notable absentee from much of the NSW election campaign. She was considered so popular that retiring Health Minister Brad Hazzard likened her to Catholic saint Mother Teresa on Saturday night, saying she was too hard an act to follow for Mr Perrottet, who led the Liberals to an electoral thumping after 12 years in power. Ms Berejklian, who now works as an executive for telco giant Optus, noticeably skipped her old party's campaign launch and all other election events. Her sole appearance during the campaign was posing for a photo with former NSW deputy premier Stuart Ayres and his wife federal Liberal Senator Marise Payne on March 15 after the trio had dinner at a Chinese restaurant. Former Premier Gladys Berejiklian was a notable absentee during the NSW election campaign Mr Ayres, who took the fall for the scandal surrounding former Nationals leader John Barilaro claiming a plumb trade posting in New York, posted the photo to social media. Despite his close friendship with Ms Berejiklian, the happy snap wasn't enough for him to hold his marginal Sydney seat of Penrith, which was claimed by Labor on Saturday night. Paradoxically, the photo only served to highlight the awkward relationship between Mr Perrottet and Ms Berejiklian with the media asking the now former premier on March 16 if he was miffed his predecessor seemed to be keeping her distance from him. 'Not at all,' Mr Perrottet snapped. 'It's great to have Glad as part of the campaign and as I said yesterday she was a great premier of NSW and to see her campaigning in Penrith I know will make a real difference.' When asked if he would like Ms Berejiklian campaign with him in his own Sydney seat of Epping, Mr Perrottet awkwardly attempted to shrug off the suggestion. 'If Gladys came to Epping that would say something,' he said, pointing out his seat, unlike Penrith, wasn't marginal. Mr Perrottet asserted that Ms Berejiklian had been a 'great supporter of mine' and that they had a 'close' relationship, although party insiders say they have not kept in contact since she left politics. Ms Berejiklian's sole appearance was on social media posted by former Liberal deputy leader Stuart Ayres with his wife Liberal Senator Marise Payne after the trio had dinner at a Chinese restaurant These sources say a rift developed between Mr Perrottet and Ms Berejiklian over the daily press conferences she held during the Covid period. Reportedly Mr Perrottet refused to attend the conferences as he felt they made the government look like a one-woman-band. 'Some ministers within the government took the incredibly misinformed view she was conducting the press conference at which she repeatedly came under intense fire to promote herself,' the Daily Telegraph quoted a source as saying. 'The reality was she believed it had to be done and was the best way forward for the state and her constituents.' When asked during a televised debate whether watchdog Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) had treated Ms Berejiklian unfairly Mr Perrottet said 'no'. This contrasted with former prime minister Scott Morrison's staunch defence of her as he called her treatment 'an absolute disgrace'. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet (pictured centre with wife Helen) said he accepted full responsibility for seeing the Coalition fail to win a fourth term of office in NSW In his concession speech on Saturday night, Mr Perrottet bracketed Ms Berejiklian with other former Liberal premiers Barry O'Farrell and Mike Baird as the giants whose 'shoulders' he had stood on. 'Each of those leaders have left an indelible mark on our great state,' he said. 'Their legacies are strong, and New South Wales is a much better place for their leadership. 'From my perspective, I couldn't have asked for better examples of leaders to learn from. I want to thank my Coalition colleagues for all of the support they have shown me as premier of this state and during the campaign.' Mr Perrottet, who announced he was standing down from Liberal leadership, said he took full responsibility for the thumping defeat. Although counting continues, Labor looks set to cruise past the 47 seat majority it needs to form government in its own right and could claim up to 50 electorates. ICAC's finding on its investigation into Ms Berejiklian, who insists she did nothing wrong, are yet to be released. A man has been arrested after four bin men were attacked by thugs wielding axes and a metal pole in two coordinated attacks, with three further suspects remaining at large. Staffordshire Police said the two shocking attacks happened within about half an hour of each other on Tuesday morning in two suburban areas of Stoke-on-Trent. The force was first called to Fairhaven Grove just after 11.15am on Tuesday when a bin lorry was damaged and a refuse worker in his 50s taken to hospital with head and facial injuries when punched and hit with a metal pole. Then, at 11.50am at nearby Birches Head Road, three axe-wielding men attacked three bin men and smashed up their wagon. That second attack left a bin man being taken to hospital with head, face and torso injuries while two others were treated at the scene. At 11.50am at Birches Head Road three axe-wielding men attacked three bin men - police at the scene The two refuse workers taken to hospital were both later discharged and the attacks saw Stoke-on-Trent City Council stop bin collections for that day. A 27-year-old man, from Stoke-on-Trent, has now been arrested 180 miles away in Suffolk, on suspicion of violent disorder and possession of a bladed article in public. Investigations to find three people suspected of involvement in the second attack were continuing, said officers, and the attacks are being treated as linked. Meanwhile, safety concerns have been raised with the city council over the attacks, says the GMB union which represents Stoke-on-Trent's refuse workers. Senior organiser Colin Griffiths from the union said: 'This is a disgraceful attack on key workers serving their community.' Earlier this week, the Stoke-on-Trent City Council described the attacks as 'completely unacceptable' and a spokesperson said their thoughts were with those injured. A council spokesman said: 'It is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. 'Our thoughts are with those who were injured and their loved ones, and we would like to praise and thank our crews for doing their jobs and supporting our city. 'We are supporting the ongoing police investigation. Our teams work tirelessly to provide a public service and should not have their safety put at risk.' On Friday night Staffordshire Police said: 'A man has been arrested after a number of refuse collectors were assaulted in Stoke-on-Trent. 'We were first called at 11.18am on Tuesday (21 March) to Fairhaven Grove in Birches Head following reports of violence. 'A man assaulted a refuse collector and damaged a bin lorry. The victim, a man in his 50s, was taken to hospital by ambulance with head and facial injuries. He has since been discharged. 'We were then called to Birches Head Road at 11.47am. It was reported that three men had assaulted three men who were working as refuse collectors at the time. 'One man was taken to hospital with facial, head and torso injuries. He has since been discharged. Two others received medical treatment at the scene. We are treating both incidents as linked. 'A 27-year-old man, from Stoke-on-Trent, has been arrested in Suffolk this afternoon (Friday 24 March) on suspicion of violent disorder and possession of a bladed article in a public place. 'Enquiries are ongoing to trace the other three suspects involved in the second incident.' A baby has been rushed to hospital after cops were called to a 'major incident' at a luxury apartment and hotel block. Police and paramedics rushed to Avani Adelaide Residences on Franklin Street in Adelaide at about 6.30am on Sunday morning. Emergency services are understood to have been responding to a mental health incident. Police and paramedics rushed to Avani Adelaide Residences on Franklin Street in Adelaide at about 6.30am on Sunday morning A baby was rushed from the luxury aparthotel to hospital and was conscious. The baby did not require oxygen. A man, believed to be the father, accompanied the infant out of the building. Another person was also taken to hospital on a stretcher. Up to 80,000 migrants are expected to arrive in Britain by boat next year Callous people smugglers have started using longer, wider boats that can carry 100 migrants prompting fears of mass drownings in the English Channel if the huge dinghies capsize. The news comes as up to 80,000 migrants are expected to arrive in Britain by boat during 2023. At least 45,755 landed here last year a 62 per cent increase on the 2021 total of 28,426. The average number per boat in 2022 was 41, compared with 28 in 2021. But now a French official, who did not want to be named, has told The Mail on Sunday that huge, 42ft-long inflatables are being bought online from China, shipped into Belgian ports such as Zeebrugge and Ostend and then taken by road to Calais where they are inflated and have engines attached. He said: These only cost a few hundred pounds and they break very easily at sea as they are poor quality. The new boats, above, from China, are much longer and wider than those currently used, below A picture of the older type of narrow boat used 'The SNSM [the French equivalent of Britains RNLI] is concerned because if a boat full of 100 migrants becomes stranded at sea, the SNSM cannot rescue all of them as its boats can only hold 60 people. Officials fear that if accidents occur at sea this year, more migrants will die. The biggest single small boat tragedy so far in the Channel occurred in November 2021, when at least 27 migrants died after their boat sank. More than 400 migrants perished in the Mediterranean in April 2015 when their boat sank off Libya. In a separate development, experts warned that the building of a new migrant detention centre in France will fail to reduce the numbers crossing the Channel. Plans for the centre in Dunkirk, were announced as part of a deal that will see the British Government give 500million to their French counterparts. But French politicians and charities say the existence of 25 similar facilities in France has so far failed to stop the problem. Under European law, the French government cannot send anyone back to war-torn countries where their lives may be put at risk. Migrants from these countries are usually released, with many attempting to cross the Channel by boat again. Nikolai Posner, of French migrant charity Utopia 56, said: These migrants have come through a war zone like Libya. Do you think they are going to be deterred by a detention centre? A Home Office spokesman said: The unacceptable number of people risking their lives by making these crossings is placing an unprecedented strain on our asylum system. Last night the Home Office said Channel migrants will be moved out of hotels and into old RAF sites and disused ferries. News that 1,500 migrants were to be moved to the former RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire recently met with local opposition. One of the 42ft-long inflatables with capacity for 100 people, pictured carrying dozens of migrants in the Channel. The boats are said to be of poor quality I live in Rochdale AND Rwanda... I know which migrants would prefer, writes SIMON DANCZUK Very few of those criticising the Governments policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda know anything about the country. I do. I have a home in the African nation and spend much time there with my fiancee, Claudine. I categorically believe its fine for Britain to send illegal immigrants to Rwanda. Its certainly better than sending them to Rochdale the Greater Manchester constituency I represented as a Labour MP for several years, and where I still have a home. Rwandans are proud, welcoming people with strong energy, agriculture, trade, hospitality and financial service sectors. The country also specialises in dealing with the type of people who would be sent from the UK. The fact is that the people flown to Rwanda will have greater opportunities than if dumped in places such as Rochdale, which has been Government policy for some time. 'I categorically believe its fine for Britain to send illegal immigrants to Rwanda. Its certainly better than sending them to Rochdale' Those opposing the Home Secretarys policies often dont have to live with the consequences of illegal immigration. Towns such as Rochdale have limited resources. The NHS is over-stretched, schools are full and theres a long waiting list for social housing. I also know that, because of the influx of illegal immigrants into the area, it is losing its identity and traditional Lancashire character. The Governments Rwandan strategy is a humane way of dealing with people-traffickers. It will reduce the number of cross-Channel economic migrants and alleviate pressure on struggling towns. Many Labour MPs believe in open borders. Some, too, shamefully downplayed the child sex abuse perpetrated by British Pakistani grooming gangs, such as happened in Rochdale. Perhaps this is one of the reasons so many in Labour oppose the UKs Rwandan immigration policy. The country is exceptionally strong on law and order, with a zero tolerance approach to any sort of crime. If Labour is serious about winning back seats in the North, it would do better to drop its woke attitude towards criminals, immigration and diversity, and start supporting the Governments Rwanda policy. But I wont hold my breath. The Partygate investigator who triggered a row by applying for a job as Sir Keir Starmer's Chief of Staff was in negotiations with Labour for around a year, The Mail on Sunday has been told. There was outcry when it was revealed earlier this month that Sue Gray, who conducted an inquiry into Boris Johnson's behaviour in Downing Street during the pandemic, would be switching to a party political role. Officials speculated about whether the civil servant had been leaking Government information to Labour something her friends categorically deny. Senior advisers to Sir Keir urged him to U-turn on the plan. This newspaper has also established that on November 7 last year when Ms Gray is understood to have been in discussions with Labour she sent a letter to Harriet Harman, chairman of the Commons Privileges Committee which last week cross-examined Mr Johnson about whether he misled MPs over gatherings held in Downing Street during the Covid lockdowns. Sue Gray, the Partygate investigator who triggered a row by applying for a job as Sir Keir Starmer's Chief of Staff, was in negotiations with Labour for around a year, The Mail on Sunday has been told Labour leader Keir Starmer delivers his speech at the Welsh Labour Conference at Venue Cymru on March 11, 2023 In the letter, Ms Gray warned the committee that the identities of No 10 officials who gave evidence on Partygate should be kept confidential. This appears to contradict claims made last week that Ms Gray had no dealings with the committee while in talks with Labour. The Guardian quoted Labour sources as saying that Ms Gray was not involved in advising on evidence for the committee. Last night, a Government source said: 'One of Sue Gray's managers has told Cabinet Office officials that they believe secret contacts with Labour began well before last November [and] may have been going on for over 12 months. It all appears to have been done ''off the books''.' This is longer than previously thought. Mr Johnson has also drawn up a rebuttal of some statements made in his cross-examination, including the claim that he saw more than one leaving party which broke the rules. Handout file photo dated 13/11/20 issued by the House of Commons showing the then prime minister Boris Johnson (right) at a leaving gathering in the vestibule of the Press Office of 10 Downing Street, London, when rules were in force for the prevention of the spread of Covid If Mr Johnson is suspended for ten days, a recall petition could be triggered, letting voters in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency decide whether to force a contest. Sir Keir's spokeswoman flatly denied that Ms Gray had been in talks with Labour for about a year, saying: 'As is well documented and Keir has said, the chief of staff vacancy only arose in autumn 2022.' A Labour source did not dispute that Ms Gray wrote a letter to Ms Harman but insisted it was with the approval of the Cabinet Office and Ministers. A hiker has tragically died after plummeting 30 metres and paraglider has been seriously injured during at horror weekend at a popular mountain in Queensland. The woman, believed to be aged in her late 20s, was hiking Mount Beerwah, in the Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast, with a friend when she fell to her death down a 30m drop about 1.40pm on Saturday. Authorities spent the night working to recover the body, with the woman yet to be formally identified by police. The fatality came just hours after a paraglider had to be rescued after being blown into a cliff. A woman has died and two others have been injured during a horror weekend at the Mount Beerwah, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast (pictured) Queensland Ambulance crews are pictured at the scene on Saturday after a recovery mission was launched to locate the woman A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said the paraglider was jumping from a path known as the Organ Pipes when he was knocked back into the side of the mountain. '[It appears] hes launched and was blown back by the wind and hit the mountain,' she said. The man, aged in his 50s, suffered significant injuries to his head, chest and spine and fractured his legs. He was airlifted to Royal Brisbane Hospital in a serious condition. Emergency services winched an injured male hiker to safety after he lost his footing and fell several metres into a gorge A paramedic was lowered down to assist the man before he was airlifted to Sunshine Coast Hospital In a third incident, emergency services were called to the mountain about 4.45pm on Saturday after a male hiker fell 10 metres into a gorge. The man, aged in his 20s, is believed to have been walking along the northern track when he lost his footing and plunged several metres. A RACQ LifeFlight helicopter - which had been deployed to recover the woman's body - was redirected to help winch the hiker to safety. A paramedic was lowered down the cliff to treat the man for a dislocated shoulder before he was secured onto a stretcher and lifted into the chopper. He was taken to Sunshine Coast Hospital for treatment. Incoming NSW Premier Chris Minns has spent the morning with his family after Labor ended the Liberals' 12-year reign in power by winning the state's election in a landslide on Saturday night. Mr Minns arrived at Cafe 959 in Kogarah, in Sydney's south, just after 11am on Sunday with his wife Anna and their three sons. The family ordered coffees and hot chocolates for the kids. Mr Minns' second eldest child Nicholas, 12, asked for a flat white but his dad was quick to deny the request. Previously sitting on a razor-thin margin of 0.1 per cent, Mr Minns comfortably retained the electorate, increasing his margin to about 20 per cent. Chris Minns (was spotted out on Sunday morning at a cafe with his family after storming to victory at Saturday night's state election Mr Minns walking to get a coffee with his family after winning the NSW election On Saturday night, the Labor party achieved an early win against the 12-year Coalition government. The ABC has forecast a likely majority Labor government, with the Opposition set to claim at least 47 seats, including Parramatta, Penrith, and East Hills. Shortly after 8pm, all major broadcasters had called the election in Labor's favour after a ripple swing indicated a Coalition government was impossible. In his commission speech, outgoing Premier Dominic Perrottet announced he would be stepping down as the Liberal Party leader, leaving the position vacant. Asked on Sunday morning who he thought should take on the top job, Mr Perrottet remained coy. 'It's a matter for the party, they'll work it out,' he said. Outgoing NSW premier Dominic Perrottet appeared in good spirits on Sunday morning despite his party's crushing loss at the election Mr Perrottet was in good spirits, despite his party suffering a crushing defeat. He was seen leaving his home in Sydney's north west suburb of Beecroft at about 9.30am this morning alongside retiring Pittwater MP Rob Stokes. The outgoing Liberal leader said he was looking forward to spending more time with his family and appeared to have shrugged off his bruising defeat. 'I'm feeling good,' Mr Perrottet said. 'It's going to be great, a lot of time I've missed so it's going to be good to be home.' Mr Perrottet said he was heading to the office before going for a morning run with Mr Stokes. Mr Perrottet said he was looking forward to devoting more time to his family With around 55 per cent of the vote counted in Pittwater, Liberal candidate Rory Amon could lose the seat to Teal independent Jacqui Scruby. Counting will resume on Monday. In his concession speech on Saturday night, Mr Perrottet said his party needed a 'fresh start' and that he would be standing down as leader of the NSW Liberal Party. He praised Mr Minns, telling the small crowd he believed the new premier would 'lead with the same decency of the same integrity that he has led with so far'. 'Ultimately, I ask everybody across New South Wales, whatever your political persuasion, to get behind him. I feel a profound sense of gratitude to have been able to serve the people of New South Wales,' he said. 'Make no mistake, we have made history. We have been a government for the longest time is our party was for. Our government has achieved so much in so many ways.' In his victory speech, Mr Minns was introduced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, amid a raucous crowd chanting 'Labor, Labor'. He also paid respect to the outgoing premier, thanking him for running a civil campaign which could serve 'as a model for the way democracy is done right across this country'. Prison chiefs in West London were forced to rename a "weapons amnesty" campaign after realising inmates didn't understand the word 'amnesty'. Ahead of an inspection of cells at HMP Feltham, prisoners were invited to hand over potentially deadly items without facing any punishment. Virtually nothing was handed in voluntarily, despite inmates sitting on a plethora of home-made weapons including sharpened toothbrushes, broken toilet seats, nails and pool balls in socks. A report into the jail last week noted: 'A weapons amnesty was advertised with negligible results. It was later realised that people did not understand the meaning of "amnesty".' The front gate of HMP Feltham, also known as Feltham Young Offenders Institution, a prison for male juveniles and Young Offenders Institution in Hounslow, London The word comes from the Greek word 'amnestia', meaning to pardon and forget. HMP Feltham said the strategy had been renamed, adding: 'Steps have been taken with other amnesties to take time to explain this.' The report by the Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) said: 'Weapons continue to be fashioned from sharpened pieces of plastic including prison-issue cutlery, toothbrushes and toilet seats. 'Finds of sharp objects, such as screws, nails or plugs in socks, are less common.' The report also found that some prisoners carried weapons because it was 'habitual in their lives prior to custody'. It added: 'They [said] they feel safer as they fear other young adults carry weapons. Staff try to identify prisoners with this mindset [and] the police advise the prison about young adults who are habitual knife-carriers.' HMP Feltham is home to just under 400 inmates aged between 15 and 21. Violence at the institution has increased, with inmates now given 'yellow cards'. These lead to a loss of privileges which can include visits and canteen orders. In the past year there have been 24 violent incidents at the jail per month double the 12 occasions in the previous year. Daniel Andrews will take a four-day trade trip to China, the first Australian leader to visit since the coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan. The Victorian Premier will leave on Monday meet with senior Chinese officials about education, trade, and cultural issues. He will visit Beijing and the Jiangsu and Sichuan provinces before returning to Melbourne on Saturday morning. Mr Andrews has been accused of being to close to China's dictatorial government after joining Beijing's controversial Belt and Road Initiative. The Morrison Government used newly created powers to tear up the agreement in April 2021 on national interest grounds. Daniel Andrews will take a four-day trade trip to China (pictured on a previous trip), the first Australian leader to visit since the coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan The Belt and Road broadly aims to foster infrastructure projects around the region, and in Victoria's case 'increase the participation of Chinese infrastructure companies in Victoria's infrastructure construction program'. However, it is criticised as a soft power grab by China to increase its influence on developing countries, and trap them in debts that force them to do Beijing's bidding. Mr Andrews said China was Victoria's largest and most significant trading partner and it was important to strengthen that relationship even further. 'This is not the first trip that I've made to China and it won't be the last,' he told reporters on Sunday. 'We think that's really important for Victorian jobs and exports.' Mr Andrews said he spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was very positive about the trip. The Victorian premier denied the relationship between Canberra and Beijing was strained after the $368 billion AUKUS submarine deal. 'I'm not here to be a commentator on the China-Australia relationship... nor am I here to talk about defence or strategic issues or foreign policy issues,' he said. 'My job, the job I have always done, is to make sure that more Victorian companies can get access to the biggest market in the world.' Chinese President Xi Jinping is not expected to be on the itinerary for Mr Andrews' visit Mr Andrews said other premiers around the country have also flagged their own trips to China. 'I look forward to being the first Australian leader to visit China since the onset of the global pandemic continuing our long-held relationship with China on trade and culture, and further strengthening our deep ties,' he said. There are about 42,000 Chinese international students in Victoria, and Mr Andrews wants to bring more back after most went home during the pandemic. This will be the premiers seventh visit to China since the Labor government came to office, with previous trips in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and two in 2019. The media was not invited to travel with the premier for this week's trip. A Met Police officer assigned to investigating gay serial killer Stephen Port allegedly shared a photograph of one of his victims to a police WhatsApp group. Port, 47, was sentenced to a whole-life order at the Old Bailey in 2016 after he went on a year-long killing spree, claiming the lives of four men and committing multiple rapes. The sexual predator, obsessed with drugging and raping young men, killed Anthony Walgate, 23, Gabriel Kovari, 22, Daniel Whitworth, 21, and Jack Taylor, 25, by giving them lethal overdoses of the date-rape drug GHB from June 2014 to September 2015. A whistleblower claims that the image showed the body of Port's victim Daniel Whitworth, 21, lying wrapped in a sheet in a graveyard, and was circulated to a group called Hunters and Gatherers, The Sun reports. The source said: 'It was an appalling thing to do. There was a mixture of disbelief and disgust when phones started to ping with the picture.' A Met Police officer assigned to investigating gay serial killer Stephen Port , 47, (pictured) allegedly shared a photograph of one of his victims to a police WhatsApp group. Port is serving life in Belmarsh prison for drugging, raping and killing four men, who he met on a gay dating app, between June 2014 and September 2015 The image shared on WhatsApp purportedly showed Port's victim Daniel Whitworth, 21 The shocking claim was made just days after a damning report described the Met Police as 'broken' and its 'rotten' ranks are riven with racism, misogyny and homophobia. It also follows just months on from Scotland Yard agreeing to pay tens of thousands of pounds in compensation to the loved ones of three of Port's victims after an inquest revealed a string of fatal blunders by detectives meant the killer evaded justice for longer. There have also been claims homophobia played a part in the botched investigation. The body of chef Mr Whitworth, his third victim, was found with an apparent suicide note that had been faked by Port and included a confession to the murder of another of his victims three weeks earlier. It was only after the death of Port's fourth victim that the deaths were treated as suspicious. In this month's damning report against the Met, the force was described as institutionally racist and corrupt as well as misogynistic and homophobic. Baroness Casey, who spent a year examining the Yard's culture and practices, said there was a 'rot' at its heart that allowed racism to go unchallenged and predatory behaviour to 'flourish'. Commenting on this latest claim, Met Commander Jon Savell said: 'We have worked hard to ensure the service we provide is better while understanding we have more to do.' MailOnline has contacted the Met Police for further comment. A school friend of the Princess of Wales is campaigning to clear her late father's name after he suffered decades of blame for Britain's worst Falklands War disaster. Emma Sayle said her father Colonel Guy Sayle died 'haunted and penniless' aged 76 last year after he was made a 'scapegoat' for the deaths of 32 Welsh Guards on the support ship Sir Galahad when it was bombed by Argentine warplanes. Now a book by historian Crispin Black, who survived the attack as a young Welsh Guards officer, backs Ms Sayle by claiming that recently declassified military files absolve her father. The Welsh Guards under Sayle were among 56 men killed in the attack on Sir Galahad and sister ship Sir Tristram on June 8, 1982. The family of the late Colonel Guy Sayle are campaigning to clear his name after he faced decades of blame for the loss of life aboard RFA Sir Galahad in the Falklands War. Pictured: Colonel Guy Sayle and his daughters Emma and Georgie HMS Sir Galahad pictured during the More than 100 troops were wounded, some burned almost beyond recognition, including Welsh Guard Simon Weston, who was then aged 20. For decades Sayle was accused of putting his troops at risk after he refused to disembark over fears his men would be dropped without vital kit 15 miles from Bluff Cove, where the rest of the battalion had landed the previous night. But Black's book Too Thin For A Shroud reveals that Task Force Commander in Chief Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse reported at the time that Sayle's actions had been 'justified and prudent'. Ms Sayle, 44, said last night: 'This is our Hillsborough moment.' She called for a full independent inquiry and a public apology. Ms Sayle, a rowing partner of Kate Middleton, whom she met at Downe House school in Berkshire, said: 'Dad had to live with this for 40 years, it haunted him. 'That's not something I'm prepared to forget, especially as he died last year penniless in church accommodation.' Sayle's ex-wife Malvin, 71, blamed naval officers for accusing him in books and interviews. She said: 'I started getting calls such as "How can you stay married to a murderer?", "Why don't you just f*** off and die?". 'I was spat at, people crossed the street when they saw me.' 8 June 1982: Survivors of the RFA Sir Galahad air attack coming ashore in life rafts at San Carlos Bay, as the supply ship blazes in the background Kate Middleton (L) and Emma Sayle (R) pictured together, lunching in West London Lieutenant Colonel Ewen Southby-Tailyour claimed in his memoir that Sayle disobeyed his order to leave Sir Galahad. But Black claims this must be untrue since Sayle was above Southby-Tailyour in the chain of command. Last night, Southby-Tailyour, 81, accused Black of 'rewriting history' and said he stood by his account. Other senior naval figures backed him over Black's claims. Insiders say winning back floating voters who have abandoned the Conservatives since Boris Johnson's reign may be Rishi Sunak's best hope of winning a General Election. Polling expert and Tory peer Robert Hayward said some ex-Conservative backers were already returning to the fold as they were 'beginning to like Rishi'. The claims come amid alarm within Labour after a Deltapoll survey last week put Sir Keir Starmer's party ahead by just ten points its lowest lead for months. But a separate survey showed Labour's lead back up to 26, and there are increasing signs Sir Keir is looking to Scotland to make up votes. Insiders say winning back floating voters who have abandoned the Conservatives since Boris Johnson's reign may be Rishi Sunak's best hope of winning a General Election Polling expert and Tory peer Robert Hayward said some ex-Conservative backers were already returning to the fold as they were 'beginning to like Rishi'. Pictured: Boris Johnson Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar told MP colleagues last week that the party which currently has just one seat north of the border was now on course to gain 14 seats. Lord Hayward said a huge group of disillusioned former Tory voters amounting to ten to 15 per cent of regular voters could hold the key to a Sunak victory at the next General Election. He said since 2019 they had 'left the party in droves but they haven't necessarily gone somewhere else'. However, he said these voters will need to be 'convinced that they like the Tory Party again' and admitted the balance of probability still pointed to a Labour victory. A mother whose 15-year-old black son was forcibly restrained by two 'rent-a-cop' rangers in Superdrug has said she finds it 'impossible to believe' that 'race had nothing to do with it'. Kirsty Buchanan, who is a former Number 10 aide, called for a probe into the use of private security guards after her son was pushed to the floor by two 'street rangers' last week. After they followed him into the store, Kirsty's son was detained by the two men on the floor of the shop in Chichester, West Sussex, while he was 'shopping for shampoo'. Footage released by Kirsty on Twitter showed the two rangers holding the teenager on the ground while they handcuffed him before the arrival of police. While police said in a statement this week that they arrested two teenage boys, aged 15 and 16, Kirsty says her son did not shoplift or assault a shop worker, nor was arrested for doing so. The boy's mother Kirsty Buchanan was once political editor at the Sunday Express and is a former adviser to Theresa May and Liz Truss. She has now called for a probe into the use of private security guards She also questioned assurances from Sussex Police that the incident was not to do with the boy's race in a piece in The Times today. Kirsty, who is white, said: 'I find it impossible to believe that if I had gone into Superdrug to buy some Cantu that I would have been followed by these rangers, who are increasingly being hired to police our high streets which raises serious questions for all of us.' 'I doubt I would have been slammed to the floor and handcuffed for simply taking the mickey out of their ridiculous power-trip behaviour, and I feel fairly certain that my insistence that I had been assaulted, corroborated by eyewitnesses at the scene, would have carried weight with the attending police officers.' The mother described the ordeal her son went through as 'kafkaesque' and her son says his arm was grabbed before he was slammed to the floor. Kirsty said that while she wouldn't presume to know what it is like to be black and wanted to avoid putting her family in the spotlight, she felt she had no choice but to speak up. 'Every mothers strongest instinct is to protect their child but over the years I have grown to understand there is simply no way to shield my children from the most corrosive effects of racism. 'I am astonished and appalled by the frequency with which they are subjected to disgusting racist abuse online and face to face. And I worry about how cynical they have become about my well-meaning but utterly futile attempts to secure justice for them.' The boy was forcibly detained by two men on the floor of the shop in Chichester, West Sussex Posting the video to Twitter earlier this week, Kirsty said: 'This is my 15-year-old black son who was followed while he shopped for shampoo by two council workers called rangers. He was sat on and handcuffed by them. When Sussex Police arrived, guess who they arrested?' She has since said: 'There needs to be a thorough review of the use of these security guards on our streets because they are on our streets and are completely unregulated. 'What is the process of due diligence by which they are hired? What is the training procedure? What is their remit?' she said, according to The Times. After the incident, Sussex Police released a statement which said officers were called to the shop shortly after 3.30pm to reports of an altercation in Superdrug involving a group of teenagers and a member of retail staff. The force confirmed a 15-year-old boy from Worthing was arrested yesterday on suspicion of assault while a boy aged 16 from Chichester was arrested on suspicion of assault, possession of cannabis, and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress. Both boys have since been released on bail. It added in a statement: 'On arrival, officers discovered a 15-year-old boy from Worthing had been detained in handcuffs by privately employed civilian security staff.' The force also said that the act of handcuffing an individual by civilians must be justified, adding: 'There is no law in the UK that prevents civilians carrying handcuffs. A police vehicle outside Superdrug in Chichester following the incident on Wednesday 'Anyone who does carry handcuffs should be aware that their use could constitute a crime, unless they can show that using them was reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances. 'A full and thorough investigation is ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of what happened; this includes reviewing footage and taking witness statements. 'Sussex Police has been in contact with the 15-year-old's mother and contact will be maintained as the investigation continues. 'Anyone who witnessed the incident, the events leading up to it or has any relevant footage is asked to contact police online or via 101, quoting Operation Ashridge.' The two men are 'rangers' for the Chichester Business Improvement District, which works in partnership with the city council. The BID said they act as 'the eyes and ears on the street and a reassuring presence for those in the front line of petty crime'. The BID describes itself a business-led initiative which is 'independent from local authorities and other statutory agencies and delivers projects over and above the baseline services provided by them'. Ms Buchanan urged the BID to contact her about the 'behaviour' of the rangers, telling it on Twitter: 'You surely cannot condone the way they have treated my son?' She has since questioned the role of private security guards. Ms Buchanan claimed to the Daily Mirror that the rangers were aggressive towards her son and his friends, saying: 'What I have been told is the ranger pushed him and my son pushed back... they put plastic handcuffs on him - the police then arrived and arrested my son.' Ms Buchanan was once political editor at the Sunday Express and was also an adviser to Theresa May from 2017 to 2019 when she was prime minister and an adviser to Liz Truss when she was justice secretary in 2016 and 2017. She said she did not hear from her son for an hour and a half while he was being held at Worthing Police Station. Ms Buchanan also said that her son had regularly experienced racist incidents and has been stopped and searched many times. The men involved were 'rangers' for the Chichester Business Improvement District in the city She tweeted on Wednesday night: 'So @sussex_police have a policy of not holding minors. My son is still in custody and has yet to be interviewed. 'I have been told by a senior officer Superdrug camera footage has not been recovered by police yet. Why on earth not?' She later revealed that her son - who is due to sit exams in a few weeks' time - was let out of police custody at 1.15am in the morning before heading home. Superdrug claimed female staff were assaulted and the store had to be shut due to damage. In an updated statement to MailOnline, Superdrug said on Friday: 'The Chichester BID rangers are not employed by Superdrug. 'We cannot comment on the actions of individuals not trained or employed by Superdrug. But we do have a zero-tolerance stance to violence and aggression and actively encourage civility and kindness in our stores. 'We cannot provide any further commentary at this stage, as this is a Police matter, and we are offering our full assistance to Sussex Police.' A Chichester District Council spokesman said on Wednesday: 'We have been made aware of an incident that took place in Chichester city today and we want to clarify that no Chichester District Council staff were involved.' Chichester BID is an organisation set up in 2012 and funded by local, business-rate payers to 'invest in local improvements', according to its website. A spokesman said this week: 'Chichester BID is aware of an incident that occurred on March 22 at the Superdrug store on East Street, involving a group of young people and two rangers. 'Together with Blayde Security, who provide our security services, we are cooperating fully with Sussex Police, who are investigating the matter. We are taking this very seriously. 'We want to reassure traders, residents and visitors to Chichester city centre that we are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all.' Sussex Police, Chichester BID and Superdrug have all been contacted for updated statements by MailOnline. * Did you see the incident or do you know the rangers? Email tips@dailymail.com * A grieving wife has shared her husband's touching final words before he tragically lost his battle with cancer when infection took over his body. Melbourne entrepreneur and millionaire property developer Jonathan Hallinan, 47, sadly passed away on Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer. He was given a bone marrow transplant in 2021 but sadly it was not enough to save him. Mr Hallinan, who was the founder and managing director of construction group BPM Corp and had an estimated net worth of $866million, is survived by his wife Mikka Hallinan and their three children. In a heartfelt post to Instagram, Ms Hallinan said her husband had died peacefully at the Royal Melbourne Hospital after 'spending two days sharing "beautiful goodbyes" with his close family'. Mikka Hallinan shared the touching last words her husband Jonathan spoke before he tragically lost his battle with cancer on Thursday Mr Hallinan was the founder and managing director of construction group BPM Corp, as well as Strings of Life cafe and Grandmaster Recorders 'Jonnie passed in the storm [Thursday] morning,' she wrote. 'In his own words, Jonnie said he was going home'. Ms Hallinan said her husband had found 'a deep comfort in faith' while sick in hospital. 'Now he is home to his eternal bliss as he called it,' she said. Ms Hallinan said a doctor had broken the bad news to Mr Hallinan last week that a drug trial he was hoping to take part in wouldn't be possible. The doctor said his body was too busy fighting off an infection and he had 'overall unwellness from the level of his disease in his body'. She said her and Mr Hallinan's family had been by his side during his final days, before he 'left us for the sky, in true Jonnie style, arriving with a bang'. 'It was an absolute privilege to have been his wife and to have been able to love him and blend his family with my own,' she said. Ms Hallinan admitted she was experiencing emotional pain but had found comfort in knowing she had helped her husband find 'true freedom'. The couple eloped in November, with Ms Hallinan sharing they wanted to spend 'the latest part of Jonnie's recovery from cancer as husband and wife She also spoke of Mr Hallinan's admirable reputation among family and friends. 'Those who knew him also know that he packed so much accomplishment, adventure, achievement and fun into such a short time he was here, leaving an impact and legacy behind in more people than he would have ever imagined,' she said. Ms Hallinan added in an Instagram story on Sunday that she would continue to share the couple's memories with her followers. 'We shared so much of our journey with so many of you all, including those struggling to come to terms with the loss of Jonnie, people in the cancer community and those battling their own adversities,' she said. 'So I'm going to continue sharing the things I'm doing to help navigate through these difficult times and maybe they can help some of you too.' Mr and Mrs Hallinan with their three kids before his tragic death The couple eloped in November, with Ms Hallinan sharing they wanted to spend 'the latest part of Jonnie's recovery from cancer as husband and wife'. They got married just a day before he started his last round of cancer treatment, and celebrated at their South Yarra penthouse. In his last post to Instagram in December, Mr Hallinan shared that a setback in his health had been 'taking absolutely all the strength Ive got left'. 'It is important for me to preserve all remaining energy for myself and my family,' he wrote. 'I appreciate your understanding when I havent gotten back to you, or am not responding to your calls or cannot see you. Its not personal, I am just at my limit'. Honduras has formed diplomatic ties with China after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is now recognized by only 13 sovereign states, including Vatican City. The announcement reported by Chinese state media CCTV came after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments made separate announcements they were severing ties. 'The government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes the existence of only one China in the world and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents all of China,' Honduras's foreign ministry said in a statement posted on Twitter. It added: 'Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan.' Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu said on Sunday Taiwan had ended its relations with Honduras to 'safeguard its sovereignty and dignity'. Mr Wu said Honduras President Xiomara Castro and her team always had a 'fantasy' about China and had raised the issue of switching ties before the presidential election in Honduras in 2021. The announcement reported by Chinese state media CCTV came after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments (pictured, president t Tsai Ing-wen) made separate announcements they were severing ties Honduran President Xiomara Castro (right) and her son and secretary Hector Manuel Zelaya are pictured at the Dominican Foreign Ministry building in Santo Domingo on Friday Relations between Taiwan and Honduras were once stable, he said, but China had not stopped luring Honduras. The Honduran administration had asked Taiwan for billions of dollars of aid and compared its proposals with China's, Mr Wu said, as he detailed work Taiwan had done to help develop its former ally. 'The Castro government dismissed our nation's longstanding assistance and relations and carried out talks to form diplomatic ties with China. Our government feels pained and regretful,' he said. Our government feels pained and regretful Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu Taiwan's presidential office spokesperson Olivia Lin noted in a statement that the relations between both sides had lasted for more than 80 years. 'China has suppressed Taiwan's international space for long and unilaterally endangers the region's peace and stability,' she was quoted saying in the statement. Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen first took office in May 2016. Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen first took office in May 2016 China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since the sides split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its 'one China' policy. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and refuses most contacts with countries that maintain formal ties with the island democracy. It threatens retaliation against countries merely for increasing contacts. Taiwan still has ties with Belize, Paraguay and Guatemala in Latin America, and Vatican City. Most of its remaining partners are island nations in the Caribbean and South Pacific, along with Eswatini in southern Africa. President Tsai is set to begin a 10-day trip on Wednesday including visits to Guatemala and Belize. Her delegation will also stop in New York and Los Angeles, Ms Lin said last week. Taiwan's vice foreign minister Alexander Yui earlier said the purpose of Ms Tsai's trip was to highlight the island's friendship with the two Latin American countries. Despite China's campaign of isolation, Taiwan retains robust informal ties with more than 100 other countries, most importantly the US. The US does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but has maintained that Taipei is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific. A British women's rights activist has fled New Zealand after she was pelted with eggs and doused in tomato sauce in the middle of her speech. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who also goes by the name 'Posie Parker', caught the flight out of Auckland Airport on Sunday. Keen was forced to cut her 'Let Women Speak' tour short following the incident at Albert Park, in Auckland's CBD, on Saturday. She was due to give an address when she was mobbed by counter protestors and covered in tomato soup before being taken away under police protection. Ms Keen-Minshull shared a photo to Twitter showing her waiting at the airport with a police escort as she made her frantic escape from the country. She launched into a tirade comparing her critics to Orcs from the fantasy movie trilogy 'Lord of the Rings' and took aim at 'corrupt media'. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who also goes by the name 'Posie Parker', caught the flight out from Auckland Airport on Sunday She had been due to give an address on women's rights when she was mobbed by counter protestors and then taken away under police protection 'A long campaign to assassinate my character, started by a group of jealous spiteful women in the UK, that I had ambitions besides stopping the mutilation of children and the erasure of women's rights,' she wrote. Ms Keen-Minshull had to be taken to a police station following the humiliating attack at her speaking event where she told officers she feared for her life. 'The end result was that I spent most of my day with the protection of police who genuinely believed I was lucky to be alive,' she wrote. 'The advice was that I should go home. I was never the things that I have been accused of. 'I don't even believe they believe it, they just say it because they cannot accept a woman walking her own path and wants other women to find their feet and walk theirs.' Controversial anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen was doused with tomato sauce at her Auckland rally on Saturday Ms Keen-Minshull said it may have appeared she had 'lost a battle today' but promised 'we will win this f***ing war'. 'The powerful are seeking to silence us, we must continue to speak,' she wrote. 'They are afraid of us. So much love to the women of New Zealand, we see you. The world is talking about you.' The 48-year-old said she genuinely feared for her life during the event. 'I genuinely thought if I fell to the floor I would never get up again, my children would lose their mother and my husband would lose his wife,' she wrote on Twitter. 'My security saved my life today, no words can express my gratitude.' One of 2,000 counter-protesters, in support of trans people, ran towards Ms Keen-Minshull and poured a bottle of tomato soup on her head as she was on stage preparing to address the crowd. Footage showed the controversial activist struggling to get through the crowd to escape with her security. The crowd quickly became violent with supporters and protesters pushing against each other, while a metal barrier was pushed down by screaming counter-protesters. 'Oi Posie, bugger off,' one of the signs in the crowd read. The anti-trans activist attempted to speak but she was consistently drowned out by screams and chants of 'go home'. British anti-transgender rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson in Canberra on Thursday before she flew to New Zealand Counter-protesters quickly took over the rally, chanting 'trans rights are human rights'. Police filled out the crowd, attempting to help the British activist escape as signs from counter-protesters read 'trans pride' and 'real feminists support ALL women'. Another sign read 'Protect trans lives'. Controversial Liberal candidate Katherine Deves shared a video of the carnage to her Twitter, saying she was 'utterly appalled' by the crowds. Ms Keen-Minshull had visited New Zealand after touring around Australia with her appearances sparking backlash from transgender rights activists across the country. Neo-Nazis clashed with LGBTQI+ rights protestors in Melbourne while rogue senator Lidia Thorpe tried to gatecrash her appearance in Canberra. Extraordinary video showed the moment the former Greens senator was restrained by police while Ms Keen-Minshull addressed a few of her supporters in Canberra on Thursday. Lidia Thorpe (pictured) has attempted to storm the podium during British trans critic Posie Parker's speech for the Let Women Speak rally outside parliament house on Thursday Draped in an Aboriginal flag, Senator Thorpe made a beeline toward Ms Keen-Marshall, before she was intercepted and taken down. She crawled along the lawn and made her way toward a group of more than 100 pro-trans counter-protesters. The independent 'black sovereignty' movement senator later claimed she was 'pulverised' by police and said Ms Keen-Minshull - who she referred to as 'filth' - should not be allowed to speak on Aboriginal land. After Ms Thorpe's attempted disruption of Ms Keen-Minshull's speech - reminiscent of her laying down in front of a float at Mardi Gras last month - the former Greens senator blasted the decision to let the controversial speaker into the country. 'We do not tolerate this kind of filth being on Ngunnawal and Ngambri country, let alone the Nazi support that these people have,' she said. 'They are racist, they are homophobic, they are destroying people's lives. This country should be ashamed that they even let people like this into this country.' A teenage girl has died after the allegedly stolen car she was travelling in crashed into a Mercedes SUV. Emergency services were called to Mahoneys Road in the north Melbourne suburb of Thomastown about 1.10am on Sunday after an allegedly stolen Kia Cerato and the Mercedes collided. Police and ambulance crews started performing CPR on one of the passengers of the Cerato - a 19-year-old girl from Mill Park- but she could not be revived. A Reservoir girl, 21, who was a passenger in the Cerato was taken to Alfred Hospital in a serious but stable condition with upper body injuries. A man and a woman, both in their 30s, from the Mercedes were taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital in stable conditions. A woman has died after the driver of the allegedly stolen car she was travelling in fled the scene of its crash in Melbourne. Picture: Nine News The man is being treated for upper body injuries while the woman suffered lower body injuries, including cuts and abrasions on her legs. Investigators believe another person was driving the Cerato but left the scene before police arrival. Footage taken at the scene shows the Mercedes sideways in the middle of the street with debris scattered across the road. Mahoneys Road is expected to be closed until later on Sunday morning while the scene is examined. Anyone who witnessed the collision, with information or dashcam vision is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Officials said the man was not officially arrested but rather the 'subject was transported to a local hospital for mental evaluation' A passenger on a Delta flight from LA to Seattle has been arrested after he opened the plane's emergency exit door and deployed its slide as it taxied down the runway. The incident happened Saturday morning around 10am on a flight that was just pulling away from the gate at LAX. In footage posted by one of the plane's passengers, the man is seen handcuffed on the tarmac as police hold him back. 'Holy sh*t. Just as my flight was leaving the gate at LAX a man ran up from the back of the plane & opened the door. Flight attendants tried to stop him but he deployed the slide and jumped out,' wrote Gillian Sheldon, a passenger. It is the latest horror on board as US flight, following a United passenger threatening mass murder and trying to open the emergency exit earlier this month. A passenger on a Delta flight from Los Angeles to Seattle was detained by airport police Saturday morning after he opened the plane's emergency exit door during taxi Police officers boarded the flight from LA to Seattle and detained the 'unruly passenger' According to local media reports, the Los Angeles Airport Police responded to the incident and detained the man. 'Due to the circumstances, FBI has been notified,' said Los Angeles Airport Police Captain Karla Rodriguez. In a video posted to Twitter by Sheldon, an unidentified man is seen on the tarmac outside of the plane with his hands behind his back, seemingly handcuffed. An officer escorts the man around a patrol car. The man appears in a striped red and blue sweater with black pants and black shoes. As the bald man with a beard and glasses is walked around the tarmac, flight attendants on board can be heard speaking over the plane's PA system. 'The captain is speaking with air traffic control and officers out there,' one flight attendant says. 'Once we have more information we will be making an announcement.' After the man opened the exit door, the plane returned to the gate and the passengers were escorted off and transported to another plane. One passenger on board shared her experience on Twitter and included pics and video In a video posted to Twitter by Gillian Sheldon, an unidentified man is seen on the tarmac outside of the plane with his hands behind his back, seemingly handcuffed The incident happened on a Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Seattle One airport official said the man was 'transported to a local hospital for mental evaluation' Thank you @Delta for taking such good care of us from this flight. What a crazy experience!' wrote Sheldon in a tweet Saturday According to local outlets, the man was not arrested after he opened the door. One official said he was 'transported to a local hospital for mental evaluation.' In a statement after the incident, Delta said they worked quickly to fix the issue. 'Delta flight 1714 operating from Los Angeles to Seattle returned to the gate due to an unruly passenger, the statement reads. 'The aircraft was holding to taxi for takeoff when the passenger exited the aircraft and was initially detained by Delta staff ahead of being arrested by local law enforcement.' 'Customers are being re-accommodated on a new aircraft and we apologize for the inconvenience and delay in their travel plans,' it continued. Thank you @Delta for taking such good care of us from this flight. What a crazy experience!' wrote Sheldon in a tweet Saturday. A Liberal and Labor politician joined forces to endorse a letter that an Australian man believes saved him from the prospect of execution. West Australian father-of-two Luke Cook made a final appeal to escape execution after a Thai court sentenced him and his wife to death in November, 2018 over an alleged plot to smuggle half a tonne of crystal meth through the country. His appeal was put together independently of Mr Cook by a Melbourne legal group Capital Punishment Justice Project, who examined his case and made a submission that there were plenty of holes in the evidence against him. To add official weight to the appeal, the group managed to get the signatures of Liberal Senator Dean Smith and then NSW lower house MP Chris Hayes, who retired at the 2022 election. 'It is likely I would still be on death row in Thailand if I didn't have the support from the Australian parliamentarians against the death penalty and also the Capital Punishment Justice Project,' Mr Cook told The West Australian. Luke Cook (right) and wife Kanyarat Wechapitak (left) spent four years in Thai jail facing the death penalty accused of attempted drug smuggling Luke Cook, 39, and his Thai wife Kanyarat Wechapitak were both facing the death penalty over the alleged drug smuggling and had spent four years in Thai jails leading up to their final appeal in Thailand's Supreme Court in September 2021. The couple were arrested at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport in December 2017 and accused of picking up $300million worth of meth from a Chinese trawler in international waters and bringing it back to Thailand to smuggle to Australia. Thai Police had alleged the couple threw the narcotics overboard when they spotted a patrol boat but 50kg of the drug - in four yellow sacks marked with red Chinese characters - washed ashore in Rayong in June 2015. It was alleged that Mr Cook was a member of the Hells Angels bikies, an allegation he has always strenuously denied, and was acting on the orders of another Hells Angel Wayne Schneider, who had been murdered by his fellow gang members in 2015. Mr Cook (left) and Ms Wechapitak (right) were arrested at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport in December 2017 Mr Cook admitted driving Antonio Bagnato, who was accused of the murder, to the Cambodian border as he fled Thai police. However, Mr Cook said he did so under duress and had never met Schneider and was not a bikie. Following the acquittal, Mr Cook and his wife were deported back to Western Australia and now live in the coastal city of Mandurah, south of Perth, where he sells boats. Former NSW Labor MP signed the document compiled by Capital Punishment Justice Project that was submitted to the Mr Cook's final appeal against execution Next month, he intends to travel to Canberra to thank the two politicians who he credits with making the Thai court take seriously the dossier put together by the Capital Punishment Justice Project, that argued his conviction should not stand. The document, known as an amicus brief, also argued there were breaches of international laws in the ways the case had been handled. It is believed to be the first time two Australian politicians have signed such a document for someone facing execution. 'I'm sure it wasn't an easy choice,' he said of Mr Hayes and Senator Smith. 'I'm sure a lot of their colleagues were telling them they were committing political suicide by getting involved in such a thing. They obviously morally felt it was the right thing to do.' Mr Cook, who protested his innocence throughout, said the ordeal of spending four years behind bars, along with four months in solitary and having just a litre of water to use each day, had filled him with anger but he had found the capacity to forgive. Donald Trump has rattled close aides of Ron DeSantis who think the Florida governor will have to campaign far harder to win the GOP nomination, reports say. Recent polls have shown Trump holding on to a commanding lead, with a Morning Consult survey showing the ex-president leading DeSantis by 28 points, 54-26. It is the biggest lead Trump has seen since announcing his third run at the White House, though recent polls from Quinnipiac and Yahoo/YouGov showed him leading DeSantis from 14-15 points. Sarah Longwell, a Republican strategist who is anti-Trump, attributes the shift to Trump's supporters returning to him, as well as his barrage of attacks on DeSantis. Advisors to DeSantis, according to the Washington Post, have said the governor's candidacy - which many believed would begin in May - has gone from a dead-cert 'coronation' to a lengthy, 50-state fight for delegates. Those close to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (pictured right) worry he may face a stiffer challenge from former ally Donald Trump (pictured left) as it looks like he won't give up his mantle as GOP presidential nominee without a fight Recent polls have shown former President Trump increasing his lead on Governor DeSantis DeSantis' confidants said they still think he can catch up, with ex-GOP Rep Lou Barletta saying he'll get a bump in the polls once he formally enters the race. 'People in many states are just getting to know him, and campaigns are long,' Barletta said. A source close to DeSantis said he has 'steel for a spine' and won't bend the knee to Trump's attacks, which they called 'silly smear tactics. But at least one person familiar with discussions around DeSantis' campaign said they believe Trump is 'trying to kill him in the crib' and suggested the DeSantis team doesn't have a plan to hit back. They spoke about the governor's wife Casey DeSantis, who one source said is 'not a down-in-the-dirt person.' Some of DeSantis' critics in Florida have come up with a damning nickname for him: 'JebSantis.' The remark refers to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who was regularly a source of Trump's ridicule during the 2016 campaign. Bush has already endorsed DeSantis. 'DeSantis is quickly finding out that consolidating the anti-Trump vote in a GOP primary is like straddling a multilane highway,' Caroline Wren, a pro-Trump fundraiser, said. 'Every position he takes moving forward will be viewed as a break from Trump, or following Trump, and will end up alienating certain factions of the party.' At least one person familiar with discussions around DeSantis' campaign said they believe Trump is 'trying to kill him in the crib' and suggested the DeSantis team doesn't have a plan to hit back. Some of DeSantis' critics in Florida have come up with a damning nickname for him: 'JebSantis.' The remark refers to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (pictured upper middle), who was regularly a source of Trump's ridicule during the 2016 campaign. Bush has already endorsed DeSantis Sources spoke about the governor's wife Casey DeSantis (pictured left), who one said is 'not a down-in-the-dirt person' when it comes to responding to Trump DeSantis has not yet formally launched a 2024 run for presidency but is widely expected to do so at the end of Florida's legislative session. Mike Pence, who also has not formally launched a run, came in third at seven percent, followed by former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley at four percent. Former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., received three percent of support from those surveyed, though she is also not in the race. But DeSantis fared slightly better against Biden than did Trump. Asked about a hypothetical matchup between Biden and DeSantis, respondents favored the current president 43 to 41 percent. Former President Trump has now taken a 28-point lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to new polling DeSantis has not yet formally launched a 2024 run for presidency but is widely expected to do so at the end of Florida's legislative session In a hypothetical match up between Biden and Trump, Biden is ahead 44 to 41 percent. The survey was conducted March 17 to March 19, just as news broke that Trump is expecting to be indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Some 3,400 potential Republican primary voters responded and the poll has a margin of error of two percentage points. Trump world has consistently lobbed attacks at DeSantis after he his reticence to come to the former president's defense after news of his looming indictment. DeSantis on Monday, after a two-day delay, attacked the investigation of GOP rival Trump. The Manhattan DA has been investigating the $130,000 'hush' payment to Stormy Daniels. Trump reimbursed former fixer Michael Cohen for the payments. DeSantis said he didn't know 'what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair', then accused Bragg of ignoring rising crime in New York. At the same time, he parroted some of Trump's attacks, calling Bragg a 'Soros-funded prosecutor' a reference to a $1 million donation that the billionaire gave to a Color of Change during Bragg's 2021 election. 'What I can speak to, is that if you have a prosecutor who is ignoring crimes happening every single day in his jurisdiction, and he chooses to go back many, many years ago, to try to use something about porn star hush money payments,' DeSantis said, bringing up the substance of the case a second time. 'You know, that's an example of pursuing a political agenda and weaponizing the office,' he added. Trump picked up on the dig at his hush money payment and raged on Truth Social: 'Ron DeSanctimonious will probably find out about FALSE ACCUSATIONS & FAKE STORIES sometime in the future, as he gets older, wiser and better known when he's unfairly and illegally attacked by a woman, even classmates that are 'underage' (or possibly a man!). I'm sure he will want to fight these misfits just like I do!' DeSantis finally laid out the differences between himself and Trump in an interview with Piers Morgan published Tuesday. 'Well I think there's a few things. The approach to COVID was different. I would have fired somebody like Fauci. I think he got way too big for his britches, and I think he did a lot of damage.' 'I also think just in terms of my approach to leadership, I get personnel in the Government who have the agenda of the people and share our agenda. You bring your own agenda in you're gone. We're just not gonna have that. So, the way we run the Government I think is no daily drama, focus on the big picture and put points on the board and I think that's something that's very important.' The child's mom Kelly Pirozzi was unloading her car when the beast attacked him This is the distressing moment an Arizona toddler is mauled by a coyote as his mom stands nearby - before it escapes and attacks another child in a nearby playground. Authorities are still hunting for the beast after it terrorized the city of Scottsdale, north of Phoenix, on Wednesday. Kelly Pirozzi, the mom of the toddler, told ABC News she was standing on the driveway of her stunning $2.1 million four bed, five bath home when the animal attacked her 21-month-old son, biting down on his arm before she was able to tear him free. 'It happened so quickly,' the surgeon said, revealing the youngster thankfully only suffered minor bite marks in the horrific ambush. Terrifying footage caught the lead up to the attack, where the 21-month-old toddler unwittingly found himself as the target of a bloodthirsty coyote The wild dog was seen pouncing on the child after he wandered into the shadows The 21-month-old victim, center, was thankfully left relatively unscathed and suffered only minor bite marks Pirozzi, a podiatric surgery specialist in the area, was able to capture footage of the attack on her home security camera. While turning her back to unload her car, the mom's 21-month-old son slowly wandered towards their $2.1million Scottsdale home. But a coyote locked on to him from inside the bushes and it is seen steadily moving towards the child as he steps into the shadows. After pouncing towards him and clamping down on his arm, Pirozzi said the animal eventually released him from its grip after he yelled out in terror. The video later caught the coyote eerily trawling the area as it returned to the scene. Kelly Pirozzi, right, a podiatric surgery specialist in the Scottsdale area, said the attack 'happened so quickly' The attack occurred while Pirozzi was unloading her car at her Scottsdale, Arizona home But following the attack, another toddler in a playground near an elementary school was also set upon by a coyote just half a mile away. Officials believe the same coyote was behind both attacks, with the second victim suffering several 'scrape marks on his stomach', according to Darren Julian, and urban wildlife specialist with Arizona Game and Fish. With the strikes happening in quick succession, Julian warned parents in the area to be 'extra vigilant' while the menace is still on the loose. Arizona's Game and Fish Department said in a statement that this 'coyote shows little fear of people and may have been illegally fed in the past.' The body added that it is patrolling the area with help from Scottsdale police. However, despite officials so-far failing to locate the wild dog, the wildlife specialist insisted that coyote attacks are rare, with the latest incidences the first in the Phoenix area since 2017. Officials also warn that feeding coyotes can make them lose their fear of humans, and increase the risk of attacks. People living in areas where the wild dogs roam have also been told to keep pets indoors, with the creatures known to prey on smaller dogs, cats, or other small mammals. Republicans are accusing Joe Biden of taking nearly 14 hours to tell Congress about the strike by Iran proxies that killed an American contractor and injured US troops. The GOP sources, speaking to NBC News, believe the president waited to alert them to the strike - which he authorized a retaliation for - to push through amendments to a proposed repeal of the AUMF bill which allows him to authorize military force. The drone attack took place at around 6:38 a.m. ET on Thursday. Congress did not learn about it until about 8 p.m. that evening, the insiders claimed. Republicans said they believe the Biden administration wanted to let the Senate vote on amendments including ones that would affect the president's ability to authorize force on Iran. One of the amendments the sources cited was proposed by Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican from Alaska, which many believe won't get a vote. It would keep the president's ability to 'respond rapidly and decisively to threats by the Government of Iran or its proxy forces.' Republicans are accusing President Joe Biden of taking nearly 14 hours to tell Congress about the strike by Iran proxies that killed an American contractor and injured servicemen They also pointed out that Central Commander General Michael 'Erik' Kurilla spoke before the House of Representatives Thursday with knowledge of the strike but did not mention it during testimony. 'Prior to his posture testimony, General Kurilla was aware of the facts... It would have been inappropriate for him to mention the attack during the hearing given that the Families of the killed and wounded had not yet been notified,' a CENTCOM spokesperson said in a statement. National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby had said he believed Kurilla's testimony came before the attack, which no longer lines up with the timeline or CENTCOM's statement. Aides to both a Republican and a Democrat in favor of repealing AUMF said it was unlikely the delay had anything to do with the bill, however. 'Biden responded under the authorities provided to him by Article II of the Constitution, as the Administration publicly has taken action against Iranian aggression numerous times in Syria alone over the last year,' the aides tell NBC News. 'This only further underscores our point that the 1991/2002 AUMFs are not necessary to defend our personnel in the region against such threats,' the aides added.' Iranian militants launched another attack on US forces in Syria after President Joe Biden ordered US forces to strike back in a tit-for-tat battle in the Middle East. Speaking in Canada, President Biden issued his first comments Friday on the U.S. air strike in Syria in retaliation to a drone attack on a coalition base that left an American contractor dead and wounded six other Americans, including five servicemembers saying the country was prepared to act 'forcefully' to protect its people. The GOP aides suggested that Biden delayed so that amendments to a bill repealing the AUMF could go through, including one pushed by Senator Dan Sullivan Aides to both a Republican and a Democrat in favor of repealing AUMF said it was unlikely the delay in announcing the strike had anything to do with the bill, however His remarks, at the top of a joint press conference in Ottawa with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, came after the Pentagon launched an investigation of the drone attack and an air defense system that failed to stop the drone, which crashed into the facility. And it came amid nearly simultaneous reports that forces linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps had launched additional attacks targeting U.S. forces Friday, with one attack carried out with a rocket and the other with multiple drones. The number of casualties from the latest round of attacks has not been disclosed. 'Make no mistake, the United States does not does not, emphasize seek conflict with Iran, but be prepared for us to act forcefully to protect our people,' Biden said Friday. 'That's exactly what happened last night. We're going to continue to keep up our efforts to counter terrorist threats in the region and partnerships with Canada and other members of the coalition to defeat ISIS,' he said. Biden referenced the 'several American casualties,' and said: 'One of our citizens tragically died that attack.' President Joe Biden offered condolences for the American contractor killed in Syria and said the U.S. 'does not seek conflict with Iran,' after ordering an attack on Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-backed sites Pentagon spokesman Air Force Gen. Pat Ryder, appearing shortly after Biden spoke, said the Defense Department was 'assessing' the reports of a new rocket attack targeting American forces near gas fields in Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria. According to multiple reports, the conflict escalated Friday when two separate attacks were carried out by Iranian proxy forces against two US military bases, injuring multiple servicemembers. Multiple Iranian drones were used in one of the attacks, an official told Fox News, and the other was a rocket attack. Biden also provided new details about his decision to order military action, amid a series of attacks and counter attacks that have raised fears of an escalating conflict. He said he gave the order aboard Air Force One. 'On the flight up yesterday, I spoke to our national security team and ordered an immediate response that last night, US military forces carried out a series of crash targets in Syria targeting those responsible for protecting our personnel. My heart and deepest condolences go out to the family of the American we lost and wish the speedy recovery for those who are wounded,' he said. The president said he was 'grateful for the professionals in our service members who so ably carried out this response'. CNN reported Friday that the latest attack by Iranian-backed proxies, near Conoco oil fields, resulted in the injury of a U.S. servicemember who is now in 'stable' condition, according to a U.S. official familiar with the situation. Another attack at the Green Village in Eastern Syria involving three Unmanned Aerial Vehicles did not result in injuries. Air Force Gen. Pat Ryder addressed that attack in a press briefing. 'This morning, Iranian-backed groups launched 10 rockets that targeted coalition forces at the Green Village in northeast Syria. The attack resulted in no injuries to U.S. or coalition personnel and no damage to U.S. equipment or facilities,' Ryder said. 'Our current assessment is that this these rocket attacks were conducted by IRGC-affiliated groups, that this rocket attack was done in an effort to retaliate for last night's attacks,' he said. 'Again, they did not cause any damage at the coalition facility. As far as any type of future action, I'm not going to talk about or preview potential future operations other than to say we will always reserve the right to respond appropriately if our forces are threatened.' The Iranian-made drone that killed an American contractor and injured five U.S. servicemembers never fired a missile at the U.S. facility where the attack occurred, crashing into the facility, the Pentagon said Friday. The drone was 'of Iranian origin,' Ryder told reporters, citing forensics and intelligence analysis, as new information was still coming in about the attack on the facility and the U.S. 'precision strikes' that followed. 'It did not fire a weapon to my knowledge,' he said when asked whether the drone was able to fire a weapon at the facility or if it had crashed. His comments follow a report in the New York Times that the main air defense system on the base was not 'fully operational' at the time of the attack. Biden spoke during a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, amid reports of an other counterattack by militants the Pentagon says are backed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters that an Iranian-made drone crashed into a U.S. facility in Syria, killing a U.S. contractor and injuring five U.S. service members 'My understanding is that there was a complete sight picture in terms of radar,' Ryder said. He said U.S. Central Command would be undertaking a review to 'take a look at what if any other type of mitigating actions need to be taken.' 'This is a dangerous part of the world. The work that we do is inherently dangerous. That's why you have the military and these types of places that mean these types of operations. We've seen rocket attacks or attacks in the past for these kinds of groups. Ryder repeatedly pointed to groups backed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as being behind the attack. 'The fact is that these IRGC back groups conducted this attack and unfortunately, we had an American killed,' Ryder said. Ryder would not respond directly when asked why there may not have been a contingency to shoot down the drone. 'We take a variety of measures to safeguard our people. But again, it's an inherently dangerous place. And we'll get we'll look into the details of that,' Ryder said. He also underlined what the White House said earlier Friday, amid fears of escalation against a major power in the region. 'We don't see conflict or war with Iran. Our focus in Syria is on the enduring defeat of ISIS,' he said. That came after the White House said Friday that the U.S. is not seeking a conflict with Iran after President Joe Biden launched a retaliatory air strike over an American contractor killed in Syria by a drone strike. Activists said the U.S. bombing killed at least four people. A suspected Iran-made suicide drone killed a contractor and injured five U.S. servicemembers on Thursday at a maintenance facility on a coalition base near al-Hasakah in northeast Syria. Biden responded by deploying 'precision airstrikes' against facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, killing 11 pro-Iranian fighters. The Iranian-backed fighters responded by shooting off three rockets Friday morning. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Friday morning, 'We don't seek a war with Iran. We're not looking for an armed conflict with that country or another war in the region' According to an American defense official, the U.S. counterstrikes were conducted by F-15 fighter jets flying out of al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. The U.S. F-15s struck three locations, all in the vicinity of Deir el-Zour, said a U.S. official. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby appeared on the U.S. morning shows Friday and was asked on CNN if the U.S. could consider the recent attacks an 'act of war.' 'We don't seek a war with Iran. We're not looking for an armed conflict with that country or another war in the region,' Kirby said. 'We do seek to protect our mission in Syria, which is about defeating ISIS, and we do seek to protect our people in our facilities against these Iran-backed groups,' Kirby added. He couldn't give details about the identity of the U.S. contractor besides confirming that he was an American citizen. 'We're trying to give the family some time and space here to grieve,' Kirby explained. On MSNBC's Morning Joe, Kirby said it was clear the Iran-backed group resented the U.S. presence in the region. 'They don't want to see the United States' presence in Iraq, they don't want to see it in Syria and they're retaliating, they're acting out to limit our ability to go after ISIS in both those countries and to try and force our hand to leave,' Kirby said. He also said that the three rocket strikes launched at the US base at the Al-Omar oil field didn't do any damage. 'It is not uncommon when we take a retaliatory strike like this for them to answer right back with some ineffective rocket fire and these were largely, completely ineffective,' Kirby said. 'Nobody was hurt, no U.S. casualties at all.' 'It was sort of an instinctual reaction that get from these militant groups whenever we do this kind of thing,' he continued. 'But that said, we obviously are going to stay vigilant for any other responses from Iran or from their militant groups in Syria, in Iraq.' U.S. Army Gen. Michael 'Erik' Kurilla, the head of the American military's Central Command, warned that its forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. 'We will always take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing.' President Joe Biden (pictured) ordered the retaliation strike on a munition warehouse, a control building and an intelligence-collection site A music fan has captured the bizarre moment he shared with paramedics who rushed to help him after he broke his leg at a festival. Jake Daenell, 27, suffered a fractured femur bone on Saturday when he was injured in a heaving crowd at heavy metal festival Knotfest at Sydney's Centennial Park. Mr Daenell, from Wagga Wagga, shared a video to TikTok showing the moment he was attended to by paramedics while continuing to rock out to the music. In the short clip, Mr Daenell can be seen lying on the ground as paramedics treat him after being crushed by a crowd in a 'wall of death'. One paramedic appeared to be amused by Mr Daenell's upbeat attitude The wall of death is a kind of mosh pit where the audience splits itself down the middle before the two sides run toward each other, slamming together when they meet. At the start of the clip, Mr Daenell can be seen been wincing in pain but still bopping his head and singing along with a raucous tune. Paramedics can be seen holding his leg and working to attach intravenous equipment to assist in the treatment of his injury. One of a the paramedics appears amused by Mr Daenell's upbeat attitude, smiling and subtly nodding her head to the music. Mr Daenell told Daily Mail Australia he suffered a spiral fracture to the femur bone in his left leg and was taken to St Vincent's hospital. Mr Daenell in hospital before undergoing surgery for his fractured femur 'I had a metal rod inserted to have the bone screwed back in place,' he said. He underwent surgery for the injury on Saturday night, and will need physiotherapy to be able to walk properly again. Mr Daenell said he'd never been involved in a wall of death and Knotfest had been the first musical event he'd attended in some time. He said his favourite band, Bad Omens, were playing at the time and he had 'wanted to make the most of it.' He said it had been 'terrifying' to be thrown to the ground and 'buried by a pile of bodies'. Footage shows the crowd moments before Mr Daenell was thrown to the ground and crushed by patrons. Mr Daenell kept in good spirits despite fracturing his femur bone after being crushed by a crowd Mr Daenell said he was grateful for fellow festival goer Blake Hemphill who carried him through the crowed after noticing his injured leg. He also thanked the paramedics who can to his rescue - Tim Timmer, Emma Stevens and Manil Hada. In another video, Mr Daenell shared vision of the scene before he was crushed by revelers in the wall of death. Under a menacing sky, the crowd forms a large circle with a few dancing in a clearing in the centre as the music builds. Yelling can then be heard as festival-goers storm the empty space, and Mr Daenell's camera becomes obscured by bodies before he is knocked to the ground. Mr Daenell filmed the moments leading up to him being crushed in a 'wall of death' Mr Daenell is pictured in hospital with his half-brother Mr Daenell's TikTok followers shared their condolences as well as their admiration for his ability to go on with celebrations despite his injury. Some commended the music-lover for 'Still rocking in pain'. 'Pov when you literally in pain but ain't missing out,' one commented. 'Dude this is so metal tho,' another said. The 2023 Knotfest was headlined by heavy metal stalwarts, Slipknot. The line-up also featured genre legends Parkway Drive and Megadeath, along with Trivium and Swedish heavy metal staple, Amon Marth. The festival was first announced in mid-2012 and backed up a promise of a 'dark carnival experience' complete with circus big-top tents, amusement park rides and drum circles made of junkyard cars. The festival has since toured every year to countries around the world, including Japan, Mexico, Germany, France, Brazil, and Argentina. The family of a man gunned down by police after a four-hour siege deny he was armed with a knife and are demanding body-cam footage be released. Officers were called to a home in Mareeba, 65km west of Cairns, at around 11.30 on Saturday morning after receiving reports of a domestic violence incident and threats of self-harm. Aubrey Donahue, 27, spoke with police negotiators who allege there was a woman also inside the Love Street home and that he refused to let her leave. Tactical officers gained entry to the home at 3.30pm and claim they opened fire on Mr Donahue when he came at them with a knife. But relative Victoria Van Schie is disputing those claims. The family of Aubrey Donahue (pictured), who was killed by police after a four-hour siege deny he was armed with a knife and are demanding body-cam footage be released Aubrey Donahue spoke with police negotiators who allege there was a woman also inside the Love Street (pictured) home and that he refused to let her leave 'There was no DV (domestic violence) situation as has been reported to date... we want police to release the body cam footage to us, we will review it,' she told The Courier Mail. 'He had his whole life ahead of him and it's been stolen. 'He had no knife. He had his mobile phone in his hand.' Tensions have flared between the community and police since the fatal shooting with squad cars pelted with objects and officers verbally abused on the street. At a town meeting on Sunday, Mr Donahue's mother, Desley, told the crowd of 100 people that police have kept her in the dark about what happened, the Cairns Post reported. 'My son has got bullet holes in his body. I'm his mother, and they (police) aren't telling me anything,' she said. 'I thank you all for coming. I don't know what me and my kids would do without your support.' Amid the furious anger in the area after the shooting, Detective Acting Superintendent Sonia Smith said the 'police are working really hard on the ground at the moment in the community of Mareeba. 'We're using our police liaison officers to engage with the community, engage with the family and engage with anybody who's affected by this.' Tensions have flared between the community and police since the fatal shooting with squad cars pelted with objects and officers verbally abused on the street. Pictured is a community meeting about the shooting An investigation is being conducted by independent officers from the Ethical Standards Command who travelled to Cairns and Mareeba on Sunday. The investigation is also being overviewed by officers from the Crime and Corruption Commission and they are conducting that investigation on behalf of the state coroner. Superintendent Smith said 'It's really important that an independent and thorough investigation is undertaken. 'The crime scene is the responsibility of the officers from Ethical Standards Command and they will ensure that a thorough examination is made.' NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has decided he is not keen to replace Dominic Perrottet as Liberal leader after his party's landslide defeat. Mr Kean was the heavy favourite to replace the ousted premier, who resigned on Saturday night as Labor stormed to victory. 'I have a young family and I would love to spend a little more time with them. The election result will enable me to do that,' he said in a shock statement. NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has decided he is not keen to replace Dominic Perrottet as Liberal leader after his party's landslide defeat Mr Kean said he a young family and would love to spend a little more time with them - which losing the election would enable him to do if he wasn't leader 'Tommy recently turned three and now is the time for me to hang out and be a dad, while also continuing to serve my wonderful Hornsby constituents and the Liberal Party, though not as leader and not as part of the leadership team. 'I want to thank Dominic Perrottet for his service to the people of NSW and thank my community for their ongoing support. I will continue to work hard for Hornsby every single day.' Mr Kean is a moderate member of the Liberal Party, making it harder for him to gather support, but was still expected to have the numbers. He won over many party members with a strong campaign, despite losing ground in his own seat - something very few Liberals managed to avoid. Some MPs in Sydney's north may have him to think for helping hold off teal candidates, and he led a strong fundraising effort. Outgoing Sport Minister Alister Henskens, from the right wing faction, was expected to considering opposing Mr Kean and is the new frontrunner. He may have a clear run to opposition leader with Stuart Ayres toppled in the seat of Penrith by a massive swing on election night and Attorney-General Mark Speakman likely lacking enough support. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, NSW Treasurer Matt Kean and the Liberal candidate for Riverstone Mohit Kumar visit Saumyya and Rakhi Bharadwaj during the campaign Mr Kean watched the electoral bloodbath unfold from the ABC election night panel, and was asked if he would throw his hat in the ring. 'No, it is too early, I haven't thought about it. I've been thinking about ensuring we win this election,' he replied. 'It has been a really difficult job as the treasurer, and also as the energy minister at this time. 'This is not an easy portfolio, full of culture was, vested interests and different viewpoints.' Mr Kean also mentioned his family as a reason he may not contest the leadership, as he did in his announcement on the dot of 5pm on Sunday. 'Seeing what Dom Perrottet has had to carry, it does make you think about the impact it does have on your family, it makes you think about the impact it has on you,' he said. 'I was a junior minister when Gladys Berejiklian was the Premier, during that campaign, and now I have been by Dom's side during this journey, I have seen how demanding the job us.' Outgoing Sport Minister Alister Henskens, from the right wing faction, was expected to considering opposing Mr Kean and is the new frontrunner Some insiders said before his announcement that he was worn out by the long campaign and may prefer to contest a federal seat instead of becoming NSW leader. The seat of North Sydney was won by teal independent Kylea Tink last year and the Liberals hope to win it back at the 2025 election. Mr Kean also had an ugly on-air spat that night with One Nation candidate Tania Mihailuk, who told him to quit politics. 'If you are the opposition leader the Liberals are out for generations, out for generations. Please be the opposition leader, we will do better,' she said. 'Matt Kean had huge swings against him in his own seat, you have cost your own party government. 'You should be thinking about resigning. Resign.' One Nation failed to win any seats in the NSW lower house, despite talking up their chances in the leadup to the election. Party leader Mark Latham was even more scathing of Mr Kean, holding him personally responsible for the Coalition's election loss. 'Matt Kean deserted the conservative western Sydney base and we filled it. Kean destroyed the government,' he claimed. NSW One Nation leader Mark Latham and former Labor, turned One Nation MP Tania Mihailuk both took huge shots at Mr Kean on election night Mr Latham, who as federal Labor leader in 2004 lost to John Howard and has since expressed much more right wing views, blamed Mr Kean's moderate policies. 'His green energy plan has been a disaster, driving up electricity bills and, as treasurer, he's got the state buried in debt,' he claimed. 'So he's got two massive policy failures and has betrayed the Liberal Party base that don't want to support someone from the green-left.' Mr Kean responded with a devastating spray of his own, highlighting Mr Latham's controversial history. 'Mark Latham once described climate sceptics as "dangerous ideologues devoid of reason and intellectual substance",' he said. 'He said men "use domestic violence as a coping mechanism", he intimidated a female swimming instructor, [and] broke a taxi driver's arm.' Children as young as eight have been subject to strip-searches by police. Over the past four years 3,000 youths have been targeted in England and Wales, shocking new figures reveal. Some 24 per cent were between 10 and 15, and a few were below that age - the youngest being just eight years old. Black children were six times more likely to be targeted than the broader population, and in one instance a child was strip searched four times without informing their parents. The findings are set to emerged in a report being officially published by Children's Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza, tomorrow. She ordered the study after the 'Child Q' scandal came to light last March. In that case a 15-year-old black schoolgirl was strip-searched by police while on her period after being wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis at school. Scotland Yard apologised and said the strip-search at the girl's school in 2020 without another adult present 'should never have happened'. The Children's Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza, ordered the study after the 'Child Q' scandal came to light last March There were protests last March (pictured) after it emerged a 15-year-old black schoolgirl was strip-searched by police while on her period after being wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis at school After those revelations Dame Rachel requested figures for strip-searches by the Metropolitan Police force which showed in August that more than 600 children underwent 'intrusive and traumatising' searches over a two-year period. The latest findings across England and Wales will heap pressure on police - and Scotland Yard in particular following Louise Casey's investigation that concluded the force is 'institutionally racist'. Dame Rachel told the Sunday Times: 'The police really need to get their act together on this. We've had a report on the Met but the data that I'm going to share tomorrow I think is almost more shocking. 'My hope was that Child Q was the only child that this would have ever happened to in a school. But the data I am about to release smashed that to smithereens. What we need now is a commitment from the top. 'It's about police chiefs themselves, it's about the Home Office that sets the parameters and it's about the training of staff because what I have been hearing about some of the practices that are being used is keeping me awake at night. 'The shocking thing about the strip-searching of children is that we didn't know. But we have now spoken to a lot of case studies about the problem ... I can't tell you how many children have called us up and parents who have brought this up. 'There is this one case where a boy was strip searched four times and four times his mother picked him up from the police station but nobody told her, including him, that he had been strip searched.' Woman taken away shouted 'we will not let this happen' A woman protesting against an anti-abortion march in Sydney has been arrested by police who warned about a repeat of violence outside a Mark Latham event. Footage of the tense moment shows two police officers lead her away as she shouts: 'This is not America, we will not let this happen'. The woman can be heard asking why she was being singled out when she had done nothing wrong as officers wrestled with her outside St Mary's Cathedral. 'This should not be happening in 2023 ... I came along here today to have my say about what happens to my body,' she said. 'I was approached by multiple men surrounding me, accusing me of doing the wrong thing by being here today.' A woman (pictured) protesting against an anti-abortion march in Sydney has been removed by police who warned about a repeat of violence outside a Mark Latham speaking engagement Police just told the woman shes under arrest for breaching the peace after an altercation with anti-abortion rally participants in front of St Marys Cathedral. pic.twitter.com/9FWa81izRe Nabil Al-Nashar | (@NabilAlNashar) March 26, 2023 The woman said she was protesting 'to speak for every woman that does not have control over her body. This is what happens to women in Australia.' An organiser of the Day of the Unborn Child rally, Paul Hanrahan, called for calm on Thursday after police expressed concern in light of clashes between rainbow rights activists and counter-protesters outside the church One Nation NSW leader Mr Latham was due to speak at in Belfield. 'They have assured us the security of our group and our right to hold our event is their primary concern, and they will do everything in their power to ensure that,' Mr Hanrahan said via Facebook. 'We are not there to engage with any protesters but to carry our cross.' Participants are pictured on a Catholic Church rally from St Mary's Cathedral to the New South Wales Parliament House on March 26, 2023 in Sydney, Australia The University of Sydney Women's Collective said on Saturday evening it had cancelled plans to counter Sunday's Day of the Unborn Child march. 'This decision has not been made lightly ... as we believe it is the right thing to do for the safety of our collective and the ability for us to grow the movement against these far-right groups so that in future we can come out stronger,' it said on Facebook. 'On Tuesday night, 15 members of Community Action For Rainbow Rights were violently attacked by members of the Christian Lives Matter movement in Belfield. 'This was a horrific attack that was politically not religiously motivated and we extend our deepest solidarity to the members ... who were there.' The annual 'Day of the Unborn Child' service and rally (pictured) is led by the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher in conjunction with the Life & Family Institute of Sydney The collective said it was 'extremely hesitant' to call off its action because it didn't want to 'embolden the hateful recklessness of the anti-abortion, queer-phobic right'. There will be an open Sydney meeting of a rainbow coalition on Thursday at a location to be determined. According to its website, Christian group the Life and Family Institute helps organise the march from St Mary's Cathedral on March 26 each year as 'a prayerful and peaceful witness to the sanctity of human life'. The Catholic Weekly said the procession, accompanied by a mass, has been held annually for close to 20 years - except for 2020 due to Covid-19 lockdowns and 2021 due to wild weather. Germany's SPD to vote on Merkel talks to end political crisis Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) are considering a call from the centre-left party's leadership to launch talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel and end the nation's political gridlock following September's election. GALLERY SPD leader Martin Schulz Berlin (dpa) - SPD leader Martin Schulz was due to speak to 600 delegates attending Thursdays party conference in Berlin at 12 pm (1100 GMT). The SPD has been divided between backing a repeat coalition with Merkels conservatives or going into the opposition after the party suffered its worst result since 1949 in the September poll."Its not just about the SPD," Schulz said in an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland newspaper group ahead of what is likely to be a stormy party congress. "Its about how we meet our responsibilities for Germany and Europe."The SPD has been the junior member of a coalition led by Merkels Christian Democrats and their Bavarian-based Christian Social Union (CSU) allies for eight of the 12 years the chancellor has been in office.The SPDs three-day conference is also likely to represent a key test of Schulzs authority: Members are scheduled to vote later in the day on his performance as party president after he led the SPD into the September election trauma.After vehemently ruling out a rerun of the current coalition, Schulz back-pedalled and expressed a willingness to discuss a coalition, spurred by Merkels failure to build an alliance between CDU/CSU bloc, the environmental Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats.The SPD congress is also set to consider whether the party might agree to another way of backing the chancellor in office by supporting a minority government headed by Merkel.But after the collapse last month of Merkels attempts to broker a three-way coalition with the Greens and the FDP, an SPD refusal to rejoin the CDU-CSU in talks could plunge the nation into early elections.New elections could bring a worse result for SPD and the CDU/CSU than the parties saw in September.The SPDs youth wing, Jusos, has proposed a motion calling on the conference to rule out a rerun of the current alliance with the CDU-CSU.Jusos, which represents about 15 per cent of the total number of those attending the party conference, is calling for the SPD to back either a minority government or fresh elections.With no clear candidate to head up an election campaign and after plunging to just 20.5 per cent of the vote in the September poll, the SPD could end up with an even worst result if an early poll was called to end the deadlock.The question is how many of the other sceptical SPD members the Jusos wing can coax to vote against the partys leadership and back its motion. Agatha Christie's novels are the latest works to be rewritten to eliminate verbiage that has been deemed insensitive or inappropriate, it has emerged. Several of the passages in the author's Poirot and Miss Marple mysteries have reportedly been reworked or stripped altogether from new editions of the books. Publisher HarperCollins eliminated text containing 'insults or references to ethnicity', as well as descriptions of certain characters' physiques, The Telegraph reported. Ms Christie's works are the latest to undergo politically correct rewriting. It comes after books by Roald Dahl, Ian Fleming and Enid Blyton were edited over sensitivity concerns. Agatha Christie's novels are the latest works to be rewritten to eliminate verbiage that has been deemed insensitive or inappropriate, it has emerged. Ms Christie is pictured in 1950 Several of the passages in the author's Poirot and Miss Marple mysteries have reportedly been reworked or stripped altogether from new editions of the books. Pictured: David Suchet as Hercule Poirot and Toby Jones as Samuel Ratchett in Murder on the Orient Express New editions of Ms Christie's novels, reviewed by the newspaper, showed that editors have made 'scores of changes' to her books. The novels, penned between 1920 and 1976, were stripped of sections of 'unsympathetic' dialogue, apparent insults and character descriptions. For example, the word 'Oriental' has been removed from her 1937 mystery Death on the Nile, which follows sleuth Hercule Poirot as he investigates a murder on a luxury cruise. The publisher changed dialogue of character of Mrs Allerton, who was complaining about pestering children. The original text said: 'They come back and stare, and stare, and their eyes are simply disgusting, and so are their noses, and I dont believe I really like children.' The rewritten version reportedly reads: 'They come back and stare, and stare. And I dont believe I really like children.' In one Miss Marple novel, text has been changed from 'his Indian temper' to just 'his temper' when describing an Indian judge character who undergoes a fit of rage. Pictured: Joan Hickson as Miss Marple 'References to Egypt's Nubian people have also been from Death on the Nile, meaning phrasing like 'the Nubian boatman' now simply reads 'the boatman'. Pictured: A scene from the 2020 film adaptation of Death on the Nile The publisher also eliminated the n-word from character dialogue and Ms Christie's prose. Pictured: Agatha Christie circa 1965 References to Egypt's Nubian people have also been removed, meaning phrasing like 'the Nubian boatman' now simply reads 'the boatman.' A servant originally characterised as 'black' and 'grinning' is no longer identified by his race and instead described as 'nodding,' according to The Telegraph. Similar changes were made in the 1964 novel A Caribbean Mystery, which tells the tale of detective Miss Marple's holiday at a resort hotel in the West Indies. Phrases including 'such lovely white teeth' and 'beautiful teeth,' which were used to described a smiling hotel worker, have been removed. The book also no longer features text that described a female character as having 'a torso of black marble such as a sculptor would have enjoyed.' In later Miss Marple works, text has been changed from 'his Indian temper' to just 'his temper' when describing an Indian judge character who undergoes a fit of rage. Similar changes were made in the 1964 novel A Caribbean Mystery, which tells the tale of detective Miss Marple's holiday at a resort hotel in the West Indies. Phrases including 'such lovely white teeth' and 'beautiful teeth,' which were used to described a smiling hotel worker, have been removed. Pictured: Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple in A Caribbean Mystery 'Natives' are now described as 'locals' and, in the 1920 Poirot novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles, the description of a character being 'a Jew, of course' has been removed. The publisher also eliminated the n-word from character dialogue and Ms Christie's prose. Ms Christie's novels have been altered in the past. Her 1939 book was retitled And Then There Were None after its original name featured a racist term. MailOnline has approached HarperCollins and Agatha Christie Limited, the company understood to handle licensing for her works, for comment. An arrest has been made following the mysterious death of a man who was left outside a Melbourne hospital with serious injuries. Police rushed to the scene on Sunday after a man was dropped off at Casey Hospital, in Berwick, in Melbourne's southwest, around 7.30am. The man had suffered life-threatening injuries and neither he nor the person who left him have been identified. A man was dropped off at Casey Hospital, in Berwick, in Melbourne's southwest, around 7.30am with life-threatening injuries Police said on Sunday they had a man in custody in relation to the incident Doctors treated the man at the scene but he died soon after. Victoria police on Sunday afternoon confirmed they had a man in custody. 'Police have arrested and are currently interviewing a male,' a police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be determined. Anyone with any information is urged to contact police immediately. Michael Gove today vowed more 'visible' policing in anti-social behaviour 'hotspots' and a ban on nitrous oxide as part of the government's new crime drive. The Levelling Up Secretary confirmed that so-called 'Hippy Crack' will become illegal, pointing to the impact on local areas and littering. The comments in interviews this morning came after Rishi Sunak pledged to put 'community justice' at the heart of the clampdown. It will mean giving victims and local residents a say in what punishments are meted out such as placing vandals in shaming jumpsuits while they publicly repair the damage they caused. On-the-spot fines for those caught fly-tipping will more than double from 400 to 1,000, while those littering or spraying graffiti face being hit with 500 fines up from the current 150 maximum. The PM told the Mail on Sunday ahead of the launch of the package: 'The community fightback starts now.' Michael Gove confirmed that so-called 'Hippy Crack' will become illegal, pointing to the impact on local areas and littering In recent years there have been growing concerns about the impact of nitrous oxide on a user's health as well as the 'epidemic' of the silver canisters (pictured) littering public spaces The comments in interviews this morning came after Rishi Sunak (pictured) pledged to put 'community justice' at the heart of the clampdown The government's advisory committee recently recommended the government stops short of a blanket block on nitrous oxide. Asked on Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme whether 'Hippy Crack' would be banned, Mr Gove said: 'Yes. 'I think any of us who have had the opportunity to walk through our parks in our major cities will have seen these little canisters, these silver canisters which are examples of people not only despoiling public spaces but also people taking a drug which can have a psychological and neurological affect and one that contributes to anti-social behaviour overall.' He said ministers had not yet decided at what drug classification level laughing gas would be set at. Mr Gove added: 'We want to make sure the sale and use can be restricted for its appropriate purpose. What is Nitrous Oxide and is it illegal? Nitrous Oxide, has been nicknamed 'laughing gas' due to the euphoric and relaxed feeling people who inhale it can sometimes feel. The substance - also known as 'hippy crack' - is normally bought in pressured canisters, commonly transferred to a container, e.g. a balloon, from which the gas is inhaled. Although possession of laughing gas is not illegal, English law prohibits its sale to under-18s if there is a chance they will inhale it. The effects of nitrous oxide: Feelings of euphoria, relaxation and calmness. Dizziness, difficulty in thinking straight and fits of giggles/laughter. Sound distortions or even hallucinations. In some people, a headache can be an unwanted immediate effect. Risks include: Unconsciousness or death from lack of oxygen. This occurs when the available oxygen for breathing is effectively pushed out by the nitrous oxide. Advertisement 'We can't have a situation, we mustn't have a situation where our parks, our public spaces become drug-taking arenas. And that is why we need to crackdown on new manifestations of drug taking and these laughing gas canisters are an increasing scourge and one that has been reported to me as a constituency MP.' Ministers are also considering plans for suspects to be tested for drugs as part of a 'hotspot' policing strategy, which comes in response to shocking evidence that half of all crime is carried out in just five per cent of areas. Community patrols will also be given a funding boost to help tackle the menace. There are also likely to be new laws against nuisance begging and a ban on the sale and possession of nitrous oxide laughing gas to combat the scourge of empty metal canisters littering the streets where youths congregate, as well as enhanced powers for landlords to evict problem tenants. Mr Sunak said: 'Dropping litter, fly-tipping and graffitiing show an unacceptable lack of respect for everyone else in a community. While many up and down the country work so hard to make communal areas such as high streets, town squares and parks look beautiful, a small minority tarnish them through their selfish, thoughtless actions. It's not right and it's not fair. 'Women and girls should feel safe walking home at night. Parents should feel able to let their children play without fear. Everyone should be able to feel pride in the area they call home. So we will give police the powers they need to tackle this scourge and Mail on Sunday readers will get a chance to have their say over what punishments they think fit the crimes. 'To those who inflict this blight, let me warn you: the community fightback starts now.' No 10 hopes the changes, which come into effect later this year, will add to the political momentum gathering behind Mr Sunak since he struck a post-Brexit deal with the EU over Northern Ireland and legislated to tackle the small-boats crisis. The policies have coincided with a narrowing in Labour's opinion poll lead, while private research by the Tories indicates their reputation on law and order remains one of their few potential trump cards to win over swing voters ahead of next year's expected Election. But Labour is likely to accuse the Tories of stealing one of its flagship ideas. The party pledged last year to create 'community and victim payback boards' to strengthen local involvement in sentencing, reduce antisocial behaviour and stop more serious offending. The new Government measures, which will include extra funding for police and crime commissioners, is intended to ensure that crimes are more swiftly and visibly punished, with the aim that offenders will start work within 48 hours of receiving an order. The plan will be tested in ten areas before being rolled out across England and Wales next year. The most eye-catching element is the proposal for offenders to wear jumpsuits or high-vis jackets while cleaning up graffiti, picking up litter or washing police cars. The 'Community Payback' scheme, under which more serious offenders are sentenced to do unpaid work such as cleaning up public places, will also be extended. No 10 is also planning to change the rules so money from fines will be reinvested into clean-up and enforcement activity to offset some of the 732 million councils spent on litter and fly-tipping last year. Nitrous Oxide ban 'won't stop kids using it' A laughing gas ban will not stop people using it and risks driving it into criminal hands, an expert has said. As part of a wider crack down on anti-social behaviour, ministers are looking to clamp down on the sale of nitrous oxide, despite an assessment by the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) concluding it would be disproportionate to bring in an outright ban. The Drug Science Scientific Committee is among the groups criticising the 'same old tired drug policy' by the Government. David Badcock, the organisation's chief executive, said: 'I'm very disheartened to hear that the Government now looks like they're going to ban nitrous oxide, it's going completely against its own advisory panel and the advice they gave. 'A blanket ban on nitrous oxide is completely disproportionate to the harms that are caused by nitrous oxide and would likely deliver more harm than good. 'The Government should be concentrating on much more serious elements of drug policy that are causing harm, like alcohol for instance. 'What's the point in the ACMD when the very best scientists and experts have looked at the evidence and advised what to do and they completely ignore it? 'It's the same old tired drug policy that the Government just continue to put out without looking at the evidence, the same old Government rhetoric on the war on drugs. 'It won't stop young people using it, banning any substance just drives it into criminal hands and the inherent risks associated with the black market come into play, I don't think it will stop people doing it.' Advertisement More commonly known as laughing gas or 'hippy crack'- which is held in a small metal canister - the harmful substance is inhaled using balloons and is described as causing a feeling of relaxation and dissociation from reality. In recent years there have been growing concerns about its impact on a user's health as well as the 'epidemic' of the silver canisters littering public spaces. In the United Kingdom, nitrous oxide is the second most prevalent drug among young adults aged 16 to 24 years, after cannabis, according to the European Union drugs monitoring agency EMCDDA. A ban on the sale and possession of the substance will be announced as part of the Government's Department of Levelling Up's new strategy to target anti-social behaviour on the country's streets. Home Secretary Suella Braverman is also expected to review drug laws to include the prosecution of anyone found with nitrous oxide in public. A person in possession of gas canisters must be able to provide a legitimate reason for using them, such as food preparation (most commonly whipped cream canisters) or medical use. There will also be restrictions on the amount of canisters available to buy for legitimate use so that recreational users have limited access to them. The cartridges are normally consumed by filling party balloons, from which the gas is then inhaled, but more recently users have been inhaling directly from dispensers or cartridges, which poses a high risk of severe cold burns and lung injury. It also affects several brain and spinal cord networks. Smaller nitrous oxide canisters - which are legitimately used in the catering industry - have been widely used for recreational drug-taking for at least a decade. The small, silver cartridges contain four litres of the colourless gas, but the larger types - which cost just 25 - can hold between 322 litres and 5,500 litres. One in 11 people aged 16 to 24 said they had taken laughing gas in 2019-20, according to the Crime Survey of England and Wales. Some bricklayers are now earning over 125,000 due to shortages as industry bosses fear the government's target of 300,000 new homes a year will be missed unless more bricklayers are trained. Bosses say the training surge is needed as there are now just 70,000 bricklayers. Hodgkinson Builders boss Ian Hodgkinson, 59, said there needs to be more emphasis on training and encouragement on choosing bricklaying as a career. 'I started as an apprentice and worked my way up,' Mr Hodgkinson, who runs the Derby-based business, added. 'Now I run around 80 bricklayers. 'Some of the juniors can earn 1,000 a week. The more senior 2,500 a week.' Some builders are now earning over 125,000 due to shortages as industry bosses fear the government's target of 300,000 new homes a year will be missed unless more bricklayers are trained (stock image of a bricklayer) According to The Sun, Downing Street will relax visa rules for builders to boost numbers. A campaign by the publication, called Builder Better Britain, is backed by Apprenticeship minister Robert Halfon. Mr Halfon claims the government is helping make people's dreams of owning a house a reality. He said this was as a result of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill which would speed up the planning system, and the 11.5billion that had been put into building affordable homes. But average house prices have increased almost twice as much as the wages of the average UK worker over the past fifty years. A campaign by the publication, called Builder Better Britain, is backed by Apprenticeship minister Robert Halfon (pictured) And despite calls for young people to give up their Netflix account in order to get on the property ladder, Sky found last year that it would still take 450 years of doing so to save up enough for a deposit. The average deposit was 54,000 in 2021 - 16,000 more than an annual salary was at the time. For perspective, Sky found that simply giving up Netflix would have as much impact on your chances of purchasing a house as choosing to buy nine fewer eggs a month. In 1996, just 33 per cent of Brits needed to save more than six months' worth of their salary for a deposit, that is now 78 per cent. A man has died after getting into a brawl with bouncers at a pub. Police were called to the Kealba Hotel in Melbourne's St Albans about 2.50am after the 24-year-old from Mill Park was involved in an altercation with the venue's security guards. Officers desperately tried to revive the man who became 'unresponsive'. 'Police arrived and commenced CPR but the man died at the scene,' Victoria police said. Homicide Squad detectives are now investigating and will await the results of a post-mortem to determine the cause of death. Police were called to the Kealba Hotel (pictured) in Melbourne's St Albans about 2.50am after the 24-year-old from Mill Park was involved in an altercation with the venue's security guards. Among the lines of inquiry are whether the man's death could have been caused by a medical episode. It is not yet known what caused the early morning fight. A witness told 9News the man had been refused entry to the bar earlier that night and had been 'acting erratically and banging on the doors'. Detectives cordoned off the Sunshine Ave venue on Sunday as forensic specialists combed the scene for evidence. A State Emergency Service tent was set up at the scene to shield the man's body. A State Emergency Service tent (pictured) was set up at the scene to shield the man's body As of Sunday night, no charges have been laid as the investigation continues. The bar was reopened on Sunday night. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Kealba Hotel for comment. Anyone with any information about the man's death is urged to contact police immediately. This is the shocking moment a shop owner is attacked by hammer-wielding thugs as he tries to defend himself against a robbery. The footage, caught on CCTV, was captured in St Albans, Hertfordshire, on March 19 last week. It shows Muhammad Fahad, 40, trying to defend himself as two men, both armed with hammers, rush into his business Fone Citi. The first suspect runs behind the counter where Mr Fahad is stood and grabs him. Mr Fahad, a father to three young girls, can be seen looking shocked while grappling with the robber to fend him off. It shows Muhammad Fahad, 40, trying to defend himself as two men, both armed with hammers, rush into his business Fone Citi The second then man enters the shop carrying a duffle bag and starts collecting ten phones from the front display shelf. Mr Fahad, who bought the business in January, said he 'thought of his daughters' during the attack. He added: 'When I talk about it I want to cry. I feel very emotional about it all. Those people don't understand how difficult it is to run an independent business. 'I took a loan out to establish it and work for a better future for my daughters. I invest everything into the business and don't take a penny for myself. 'When the attacker said to me "don't push us, we will kill you" or something like that, my three daughters came to mind and I gave in. Coming to work every day is not easy.' Mr Fahad, whose daughters are nine, seven and two years old, received minor injuries to his hand including bruising but no bones were broken. He said his colleague is now too nervous to return to work so he has to work seven days a week. Despite owning another shop in Wembley, London, Mr Fahad said nothing like this had ever happened to him before. The second then man enters the shop carrying a duffle bag and starts collecting ten phones from the front display shelf Mr Fahad, whose daughters are nine, seven and two years old, received minor injuries to his hand including bruising but no bones were broken He added: 'I moved to St Albans because I thought it was a safe place. I now get scared whenever people come into the shop. I'm struggling but I will continue and fight for justice.' His two eldest daughters wrote him get-well cards and each gave him 5 from their money boxes to help with his financial losses. In one card, Ayeza wrote: 'To Papa, I hope you are feeling okay and I just want to make sure that you know I love you and I will always love you. 'I hope you are feeling okay in the hospital and I hope your hand is feeling okay.' Hertfordshire Police are now appealing for information to help identify the pair, described as men in their early twenties wearing black clothing and balaclava masks. Detective Sergeant Mark Chipchase, from the St Albans Local Crime Unit, said: 'We are carrying out enquiries into the incident which was a frightening ordeal for the shop staff. 'It took place in the middle of the day and so we are asking for any witnesses or anyone with information about it to get in touch.' Violence broke out across France last week in opposition to pension reform bill Diners shared a romantic glass of wine by the fire as demonstrators rallied across France in protest over President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform. A video posted on TikTok shows couples dining at Place de la Victoire, in the southern wine-growing region of Bordeaux on Thursday, as rioters set fires in the streets. The diners, chatting away and scrolling on their mobile phones, seem unfazed by the violence erupting near the restaurant. The footage comes as police and activists fought violent pitched battles across the country last week that saw hundreds of protesters - some armed with machetes, axes and gasoline bombs - oppose the bill to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. The nationwide rioting forced King Charles to postpone his trip to Paris, as Macron 'feared a Marie Antoinette moment'. Video shared with MailOnline shows couples dinning at Place de la Victoire, in the southern wine-growing region of Bordeaux on Thursday, as rioters set fires in the streets The fire outside the cafe came after days of violent protests nationwide over President Macron's pension reform. Protesters set fire to Bordeaux's historic town hall ahead last week, but the blaze was quickly put out by firefighters. The building's ornate wooden doors were torched as over a million protestors rioted across France. France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said 'far-Left' rioters have been using mortars to fire explosives at the police amid the intensified violence between security forces and protesters. Three police vehicles were completely burned out yesterday and multiple officers injured in Sainte-Soline in western France. In the same region, a protester with trauma to the head was fighting for his life on Sunday following clashes with police during a demonstration over water storage facilities. The 30-year-old man was among three protesters admitted for emergency treatment after the protest on Saturday. The other two were a 19-year-old woman with a facial trauma and a 27-year-old man with a broken foot. A special inquiry had been opened 'to determine the exact nature' of their injuries and 'the circumstances' leading to them, French prosecutors said. Four more protesters were injured but not hospitalised, while 29 policemen also sustained injuries, two of whom had to be taken to hospital, the prosecutor's office said. Campaigners in Sainte-Soline were trying to stop the construction of giant water 'basins' to irrigate crops, which they say will distort access to water amid drought conditions. The authorities said 6,000 protesters took part, while organisers said there were up to 30,000 people. Once they arrived at the construction site, which was defended by around 3,000 members of the security forces, clashes quickly broke out between the more radical activists and police, AFP correspondents said. Protesters threw projectiles including improvised explosives, while police responded with tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets. The Human Rights League, a French watchdog, on Sunday accused the police of resorting to 'unrestrained and indiscriminate use of force on all people present'. Its 22 observers on site recorded 'massive and indiscriminate firing of tear gas' by police at the crowds, it added. This included tear gas fired at elected officials protecting injured people and 'several cases of the force impeding the intervention of rescue services', it said. The police responded that its members had faced 'extremely violent individuals' and had applied 'proportionate use of force, massively using tear gas'. Officers had not seen any officials, and were 'attacked by people armed with incendiary devices' as the injured were to be evacuated, police added. It comes as a 'humiliated' Emmanuel Macron had to ask King Charles to cancel his trip to France the first state visit of his reign earlier this week. The monarch was due to arrive in Paris with the Queen Consort today for the four-day trip with the highlight being a state banquet at Versailles on Monday. But the French President's aides feared the event could stir up revolutionaries across the Channel, given the chateau's links to the 1789 Revolution and the last king of France Louis XVI and his wife Marie-Antoinette, who were guillotined in 1793. Experts told MailOnline that Charles III would have been determined to cross the Channel to show 'you cannot give in to the mob' as anarchists smash and burn cities and Paris became submerged in tons of uncollected rubbish. But Mr Macron telephoned the monarch this morning to ask him to stay in the UK after a call to 10 Downing Street with the same advice. People sit in a bar as riot police stand guard during a demonstration against the French government's pension reform The footage comes as police and activists fought violent pitched battles across France last week that saw hundreds of protesters rally against the bill to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. Pictured: Firefighters extinguish rubbish set on fire by protesters in Paris on Thursday France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said 'far-Left' rioters have been using mortars to fire explosives at the police amid the intensified violence between security forces and protesters. Pictured: Protests yesterday in Sainte-Soline in western France Protesters set fire to Bordeaux's historic town hall ahead last week (pictured), but the blaze was quickly put out by firefighters. The building's ornate wooden doors were torched as over a million protestors rioted across France People look at the Bordeaux town hall in flames during a demonstration on Thursday More than 3,000 members of the security forces were deployed, with 'at least 1,000' potentially violent activists, including some from Italy, present, officials said. Read more: French minister says protesters are firing MORTARS to fire explosives at police as riots that topped King Charles' state visit continue Advertisement Video footage showed protesters advancing in clouds of tear gas, police vehicles burning and people hurling projectiles at police lines. Suspected anarchists and other protesters have been recorded setting fire to rubbish, smashing shop windows and launching stones and fireworks at officers. Mr Darmanin said two critically injured people - one of them a police officer, the other a protester - were transported by helicopter for hospital treatment. He said 23 police officers and six demonstrators suffered lighter injuries. But protest organizers said they counted some 200 injured demonstrators, and that about 40 of them had deep cuts they said were caused by police projectiles. Macron's government used a controversial executive power to adopt the pensions bill without a parliamentary vote, sparking spontaneous protests in major cities. In the days since, videos of police actions that appeared on social media appearing to show police knocking over or hitting demonstrators. Motorized French police officers from the BRAV-M respond to a garbage fire Rubbish bags pile up on the street, due to waste collectors going on strike in France A long procession set off in in Sainte-Soline late yesterday morning, comprising at least 6,000 people according to local authorities and around 25,000 according to the organisers Criticism from human rights watchdogs mounted on Friday over the alleged brutality of French police in handling protests. French authorities arrested more than 450 people on Thursday in the most violent day of demonstrations since the start of the year. In the days leading up to Thursday's protests, rights groups had expressed worries over what they termed 'arbitrary' detentions and the excessive use of force by police. But security officials have defended their actions, saying they are responding to violent rioters and anarchist groups who frequently infiltrate French demonstrations to provoke clashes. France's Human Rights League has accused the authorities of 'undermining the right of citizens to protest by making disproportionate and dangerous use of public force'. The Council of Europe - the continent's leading human rights watchdog - warned that sporadic acts of violence could not justify 'excessive use of force by agents of the state'. More than 3,000 members of the security forces were deployed in Sainte-Soline yesterday Protesters set fire to rubbish in the streets of Bordeaux on Thursday in a demonstration against pension reform Protesters stand next to riot police during a demonstration in Paris on Friday President Macron on Friday condemned the violence and said security forces have worked 'in an exemplary manner'. Mr Darmanin said on Friday that 11 internal inquiries had been opened into alleged police brutality in the past week. Paris police chief Laurent Nunez insisted last this week there had been no 'unjustified' or 'preventive' arrests. But he said security forces did detain people from groups constituted 'with a view to commit violence'. He defended the police's motorbike unit, known as BRAV-M, which critics have called to be disbanded, as being one 'particularly well adapted to dispersing' such groups. The move is a protest against Harry's revelation he killed 25 Taliban fighters A Russian artist has said he will create a sculpture using human blood in a protest to Prince Harry announcing that he killed 25 Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. Andrei Molodkin plans to take blood donated by Afghans for the sculpture and project it on to St Paul's Cathedral later this week. The Duke of Sussex revealed in his controversial memoir Spare earlier this year that he killed the fighters while serving in Afghanistan. He wrote: 'So, my number: Twenty-five. It wasn't a number that gave me any satisfaction. But neither was it a number that made me feel ashamed. 'Naturally, I'd have preferred not to have that number on my military CV, on my mind, but by the same token, I'd have preferred to live in a world in which there was no Taliban, a world without war.' He also wrote: 'While in the heat and fog of combat, I didn't think of those twenty-five as people. You can't kill people if you think of them as people. You can't really harm people if you think of them as people. They were chess pieces removed from the board, Bads taken away before they could kill Goods.' A Russian artist plans to project a bloody sculpture onto St Paul's Cathedral in a protest against Prince Harry Harry revealed in his book earlier this year that he killed 25 Taliban fighters while fighting in Afghanistan The prince has attracted criticism for the revelation, including from Russian artist Mr Molodkin. He told Sky News the remarks in Harry's book had made him 'very very angry.' He also said that he planned to 'drench St Paul's Cathedral in the blood of the Afghani people.' Mr Molodkin added: 'They read they are just 'chess figures'... for some prince hunting by helicopter. 'How he told it, for him it's like a computer game.' The artist said that four Afghans in Calais had donated their blood for the projects and he expects five more based in the UK to do so too. Around 1,250ml of blood will be used inside a sculpture of the royal coat of arms. Mr Molodkin plans to project an image of the sculpture onto St Paul's cathedral alongside a video of Prince Harry. Andrei Molodkin said Harry's comments about killing Taliban fighters made him 'very, very angry' Mr Molodkin previously made a similar sculpture of Vladimir Putin using the blood of Ukrainian soldiers He claimed the Afghan donors for the project were 'very angry' about Harry's comments. The sculptor is a former Soviet Army soldier and now lives in the south of France. He previously made a huge portrait of Vladimir Putin using blood donated by Ukrainian soldiers. Mr Molodkin says he is unable to return to Russia as he fears he would be imprisoned by Putin's regime for his work. But there was snow in Scotland this morning, pictures of the A939 showed Temperatures are set to hit 14C next week as Britain is finally greeted by some Spring weather. But widespread showers, and even snow in some areas, are expected before the sunny spells arrive. Colder air is making its way to all parts of the UK bar the southwest today, according to the Met Office, while north and east Scotland and northeast England will be rainy. And the A939 in north east Scotland, which connects Aberdeen to the Cairngorms and runs from Nairn to Ballater, was pictured covered in snow this morning. It will begin to turn milder from Wednesday, and London and Manchester could see temperatures of 14C by Thursday. Temperatures are set to hit 14C next week as Britain is finally greeted by some Spring weather The A939 in north east Scotland, which connects Aberdeen to the Cairngorms and runs from Nairn to Ballater, was pictured covered in snow this morning Tomorrow will see light winds and sunny spells for most, despite a few showers along the coast of east Scotland and east England The Met Office says: 'Temperatures are expected to be generally above normal.' Meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: 'The showers will be distributed mainly in the north and along the North Sea coast, although it will be a cold start for Monday. 'We keep that chilly air, albeit with drier conditions on Tuesday. 'On Wednesday, it is likely to change again with low pressure pushing in from the West and the initial band of rain will likely fall as snow in places, mainly northern hills, before it turns back to rain because we will be seeing milder south-westerly winds return. 'It will be an unsettled end to next week but with temperatures recovering.' Today the forecaster says there will be rain in the south and colder air everywhere except the far southwest with sunny spells. READ MORE: Hailstorms strike in central London as shoppers run for cover: Spring is put on hold despite 20C Easter hopes Advertisement And tonight could see wintry showers for north and east Scotland and coastal eastern England, with widespread frost in the north. But snow and frost in parts of northern Scotland could settle through the early hours of Monday, according to the forecaster. The rest of the UK is predicted to be relatively dry with clear spells, light winds and feeling pleasant despite the colder air. And tomorrow will also see a few showers along the coast of east Scotland and east England. On Tuesday, the east will start off dry but be met with wet and windy weather later in the day as it moves form the west. The forecaster adds that thunderstorms could be possible next week as the warmer weather arrives. On Tuesday, the east will start off dry but be met with wet and windy weather later in the day as it moves form the west Traffic on the snow covered A939 this morning, which is the first day of British Summertime And there is a continued threat of windy conditions into the end of the week, as Friday afternoon could see wind gusts of more than 40mph in the south of England A jogger running past water puddles on a blustery morning on Wimbledon common, south west London, yesterday Walkers dressed in waterproof jackets enjoying an afternoon stroll next to the harbour at the seaside resort of West Bay in Dorset on a cold afternoon yesterday with showery rain Most areas of the UK will see rain throughout the week and for some it could be heavy. And there is a continued threat of windy conditions into the end of the week, as Friday afternoon could see wind gusts of more than 40mph in the south of England. The predictions for April suggest the wet weather will remain, specifically in the south. Despite this, temperatures are expected the be close to the typical levels for the time of year. A family man secretly travelled to an assisted dying clinic in Switzerland, and listened to Frank Sinatra's 'My Way' as he passed away. Dan Tuckley spent over 20,000 to end his life on his own terms at a euthanasia clinic outside Basel, after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis last August. The 46-year-old spent one of his final evenings enjoying a luxurious meal - though he was unable to eat - with his family, who said he should have been allowed to die in his own country. Two days later he put on his favourite suit he administered a lethal dose as Frank Sinatra's My Way played in the background, The Mirror reported. Euthanasia is illegal in the UK and is punishable by up to 14 years' jail. On Tuesday an inquiry into assisted dying will open in Parliament. Dan Tuckley (Pictured with his sister Kate the day before he died) travelled to Switzerland with his wife and siblings to end his life at an assisted dying clinic - where he played Frank Sinatra's My Way as he died Dan Tuckley spent over 20,000 to end his life on his own terms at Pegasos (pictured), outside Basel, after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis last August The office manager was diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer Renal Medullary Carcinoma - last August. The cancer spread so quickly and his life expectancy dropped from one year to weeks. Having witnessed his own father die in a 'vegetative state, unable to speak', Dan was adamant about going out on his own term. He chose assisted dying after becoming unable to eat or drink without vomiting. His sister Kate told The Mirror: 'It would mean that he would kill cancer, and cancer would not kill him.' His wife Sarah said he should not have had to spend his last few days with 'so much stress and fear'. Due to fears of being caught by police Dan kept his decision secret from others including his mother Dawn, 75, who has a dementia diagnosis. Dan booked a 9,000 appointment at the Pegasos clinic and spent 12,000 to charter a private jet for him, his wife and his siblings. Pegasos, a nonprofit in the field, which has a facility in Basel (pictured) On September 22 a doctor added the treatment to his drip, while surrounded by his loved ones Dan pushed the button to administer it. Dan was cremated in Switzerland and his ashes were sent to the UK. Assisted dying is legal in certain circumstances in Switzerland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and some US states. Police later visited Sarah at her home in Derby to say they would not pursue Dan's death. As of the end of December 2022, there were 1,528 members of Dignitas from Great Britain, according to figures from the not-for-profit organisation, which assists dying patients with a 'self-determined end of life'. This has risen from 821 in 2012. Some 33 people from the UK had an assisted death at Dignitas in 2022 up on 23 people the year before. In December, it was announced that the Health and Social Care Committee would hold an inquiry into the law on assisted dying, examining 'different perspectives' in the often controversial and passionate debate, with a focus on the healthcare aspects. Supporters of legalisation argue people should be able to help terminally ill loved ones who are experiencing great suffering to end their lives. But a change in the law is opposed by many religious groups, who say it would undermine the value society places on human life. Dignity in Dying said while Dignitas has used both the terms GB and UK, their figures cover all four nations of the UK. Sarah Wootton, chief executive of the campaign group, said: 'It's immoral that we are outsourcing compassion to Switzerland for the few that can afford it. 'The increase in Dignitas's latest figures is concrete evidence that Britons are desperate for choice and control over their deaths.' A mother found her son lying dead in a ditch after tracing his iPhone to the spot where it emerged he had been struck by a banned hit and run driver. Josh Ashworth, 22, was walking home along an A-road when he was hit by a BMW driven by disqualified Cole Tresidder, a court heard. Tressider, also 22, was jailed for seven years and two months on Friday by a judge who said his decision not to report the collision led to Mr Ashworth's family finding him dead themselves. Prosecutor Steven Gosnell told how Mr Ashworth had been in contact with his family during the evening of April 22 last year. But when he failed to return home the next morning they began searching. Josh Ashworth, 22, was found dead by his own mother after being hit by a car in a hit-and-run In her victim statement, Mr Ashworth's mother Rachael (pictured with her son) described the horror of finding her dead son, who had sustained horrific injuries Tressider, 22, was jailed for seven years and two months on Friday. He did not report the incident to the police, leading to Mr Ashworth's family finding his dead body themselves Mr Gosnell said the victim's family and friends went to the location on the A52 after his iPhone showed it was stationary at the scene near Somerby Hill, Lincolnshire. Tragically, Mr Ashworth was found lying face down in a ditch by his own mother, Rachael, just after 7am, Mr Gosnell said. In a moving victim impact statement, Mrs Ashworth described the horror of going to look for her son and finding him dead. Mrs Ashworth turned to Tresidder and said: 'Why would anyone leave this beautiful human being on the side of the road?' She added: 'I could have been spared finding my son with those horrific injuries.' Mrs Ashworth said she had been 'haunted for days and days' while the family waited to discover if her son had remained alive for a period of time following the collision. The court heard it was eventually established that Mr Ashworth died instantly of a fractured skull. She described Josh as her 'beautiful, complex and loving son,' adding: 'My life as I knew it ended on Saturday 23 April.' Lincoln Crown Court heard Tresidder had fled the scene and failed to report the collision despite the damage to the BMW which he had abandoned nearby. Shortly before the collision Tresidder was seen by another vehicle whose occupants considered he was driving in excess of the speed limit, Mr Gosnell said. Lincolnshire Police collision investigator PC Godfrey Barlow also concluded Tresidder was driving above 60mph when he hit Josh, who was walking in the same direction towards Grantham. The court heard Tresidder handed himself into a local police station the day after the collision, after reading reports of a road fatality on social media. The defendant failed to provide a specimen to officers and said he did not report the collision - which he said he thought had been with a deer - because he was a banned driver and had no insurance. The court heard Tressider's ban related to a conviction for driving without due care and attention the previous December, when he crashed into parked cars in Grantham. On that occasion Tresidder was found to be in possession of 39 wraps of cocaine valued at up to 1,560 and over 1,000 in cash after trying to speed away from a police car. Tresidder, of Springfield Road, Leicester, had admitted a charge of causing death by careless driving and failing to provide a specimen. He also pleaded guilty to driving a black BMW while disqualified and having no insurance when the collision occurred on the A52 at Somerby Hill, Grantham, on April 22 last year. He also admitted possessing cocaine and with intent to supply on 8 December, 2021. Mr Ashworth had been in contact with his family during the evening of April 22 last year but failed to return home the next morning Passing sentence Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight said it had been reasonable not to expect a pedestrian on that stretch of road. But Judge Sjolin Knight told Tresidder his actions led to Mr Ashworth's family discovering his body themselves. 'Using a tracking App on his phone it was his mother who found Josh in a ditch by the A52,' Judge Sjolin Knight added. 'In her words "her beautiful boy dead by the side of the road".' Tresidder was jailed for 86 months and banned from driving for 77 months. He must also take an extended retest. Consumer champion Martin Lewis has said he will not re-apply to become a member of the House of Lords after being rejected last year as it 'won't make a difference'. The money saving expert said he would not enjoy sitting as a peer and added he already had enough influence as a public figure. Mr Lewis's application to become a cross-bench member was turned down in 2022 as he could not commit to enough time to the role. Although he planned to re-apply at the time, he now says he no longer wishes to become a peer. The broadcaster has now said he does not think being part of the House of Lords would make any difference to his influence given his considerable popularity on TV. Money saving expert Martin Lewis has said he will not re-apply to become a member of the House of Lords He previously said he was rejected as he was unable to commit enough time to a role in the Lords due to his busy work schedule and family life He told The Telegraph: 'I won't be applying for the House of Lords again. 'I'm not sure I would enjoy it. 'And actually, I've got to a point where in influence terms, I'm not sure it would make any difference to me. 'I'm not sure if I had the title 'Lord' it would have any more impact.' He also said that being titled 'Lord Lewis' could risk alienating members of the public who see him as relatable. Mr Lewis previously said that he would struggle to fit time spent in the Lords with his hugely busy work schedule and family life. He told the BBC's Political Thinking podcast last year that he told a Lords committee he would could not commit to all of the Lords sittings, usually held between 3pm and 10pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. He said: 'I said to them "look, I need to be straight with you in terms of the hours I can give. '"I'm very busy with my job, but most importantly I have a nine-year-old daughter and until she's 13, my most important job from 6.30pm until eight at night is to be with her and to put her to bed, maybe until she's 12, whatever".' Mr Lewis, whose net worth is estimated at around 120m, married TV presenter Lara Lewington, 43, in 2009 Mr Lewis said he thought he could begin his time in the Lords 'learning for three to five years with limited input' before 'gradually over the next five to ten years' devoting more time to Parliament and less to his other commitments. He added how this was 'a stumbling block' for the Commission, but revealed they had 'invited me to apply again in future'. However, the consumer expert is now unlikely to take a seat in the Lords as he continues his broadcasting career. Mr Lewis is set to begin co-hosting Good Morning Britain once a month starting in October. Shocking video shows the moment an off-lead bulldog mauled a fold of Highland cows and their young calves in a 'distressing' attack. The out-of-control black and white bulldog, called Winston, is seen running into the Glasgow field and biting at the legs and tail of one of the cows as it's owner tried to call it back. The cattle then desperately try to escape the dog and charge back at the canine when it turns its attention to their calves. One cow is filmed repeatedly striking the animal with its horns - causing it to flip in the air. The attack comes just days after an American Bully savaged a police horse once pictured with Queen Consort Camilla. Shocking video shows the moment an off-lead bulldog mauled a fold of Highland cows and their young calves in a 'distressing' attack The out-of-control black and white bulldog, called Winston, is seen running into the Glasgow field and biting at the legs and tail of one of the cows as it's owner tried to call it back Conor Ashe, who filmed the incident, said he was on a walk in Pollock Park when he heard a 'commotion with the cows mooing'. He ran back towards the commotion and saw an off-lead dog was in with the cows. 'It was hanging off the back of one of the cow's tails and it was going after the calves. It was stressful to watch because we couldn't do anything,' Mr Ashe, 27, said. 'It had already been on the leg of one of the cows for about a minute before I started filming so we were worried that it could kill or seriously injure one of them.' 'One cow was limping after the attack, I couldn't see if it was badly injured but it didn't look right.' Mr Ashe recalled how Winston's owner tried to call him back, but the dog 'wasn't paying attention.' 'I think he was scared to go get his dog in case he got attacked by the cows too,' he said of the owner. 'Once they eventually got the dog back they ran away. They didn't hang about to check if the cows were okay.' The passer-by reported the incident to staff at the Burrell Collection who said they would inform Park Rangers of the attack. Mr Ashe added: 'Everyone watching was pretty shocked.' The cattle then desperately try to escape the dog and charge back at the canine when it turns its attention to their calves Furious council bosses have described the incident as 'distressing' and reiterated that dog owners are 'expected to keep their dogs under close control while in the park' Furious council bosses have described the incident as 'distressing' and reiterated that dog owners are 'expected to keep their dogs under close control while in the park'. A spokesman for Glasgow City Council told the Record: 'This is a shocking incident that will have caused significant distress for the cattle and their very young calves. 'Dog owners are expected to keep their dogs under close control while in the park, which means they should respond immediately to any command. 'If a dog cannot be kept under close control then it should be on a lead at all times. We will be reporting this matter to the police.' Police Scotland said the incident has not yet been reported to them. MailOnline has approached Pollock Park and Glasgow City Council for comment. The Pollok Park Highland cattle are prizewinning animals, taking part in around seven local agricultural shows per year. Highland cattle were first brought to Pollok Country Park over 180 years ago in the early 19th century by the Maxwell family, who owned Pollok Estate and lived in Pollok House. The Pollok Park attack comes just days after officers seized an American Bully dog that savaged a veteran police horse in Victoria Park, Hackney, London, on Wednesday. Graphic footage posted to social media shows the attack and how the dog's owner appears powerless to control his animal after letting it off the lead. The bulldog, called Coco, is seen darting between the horses legs to bite it, at one point forcing it to drop to its knees. The horse, named Urbane, suffered multiple bloody wounds on its body and legs. The Pollok Park attack comes just days after officers seized an American Bully dog that savaged a veteran police horse in Victoria Park, Hackney, London, on Wednesday Veteran police horse PH Urbane, from Bow, was left with multiple injuries after the attack in Victoria Park The American Bully dog called Coco (pictured) left the horse with multiple injuries and has now been seized by officers PH Urbane, pictured here meeting the then-Duchess of Cornwall in 2019, was injured in the incident in Victoria Park Owner Hakan Niyazi, 24, claimed 'gentle' Coco had only reacted as she was 'intimidated' after encountering a horse for the first time when he took her out for a training session to socialise with other dogs at a park near his home. Mr Niyazi said the horse became 'skittish' when Coco approached it out of curiosity and then dog had then been 'defending itself' believing it was coming under attack. He now fears his pet, which was seized by officers, will be destroyed. Urbane was once befriended and stroked by Queen Consort Camilla during a royal visit in 2019. The horse appeared calm and gentle when pictured with Camilla. A government plan to turn the Dambusters squadron's HQ into a refugee detention centre may be scuppered, as the local council is now seeking listed status. West Lindsey District Council has applied for listed status for the officers mess in RAF Scampton, in Lincolnshire, in order to protect the important historic site. The 617 Squadron the Dambusters was formed at the airfield, from where 19 Lancaster bombers departed for the famous raid in 1943 to destroy three dams in the Ruhr valley, the industrial heartland of Germany, with 'bouncing bombs'. But plans to house around 1,500 asylum seekers at the building in RAF Scampton caused the council to take 'decisive action'. The council previously announced it had agreed a 300million plan to revive the site, with the scheme aiming to use the 800-acre location for aviation, heritage, tourism, education and research. The Home Office is considering turning RAF Scampton into an immigrant detention centre housing an estimated 1,500 asylum seekers. Pictured: The ATC tower at the first airshow held on September at RAF Scampton in 2017 80 years ago, a squadron of the mighty RAF bombers took off on one of the most daring missions of World War II the celebrated Dambusters Raid. Pictured: The 617 Squadron (Dambusters) at Scampton, Lincolnshire, in 1943 Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is this week expected to announce plans to turn RAF Scampton and RAF Wethersfield in Braintree, Essex, into asylum centres. The plan follows a drive from the government to end the use of hotels for migrants, which is costing nearly 7million a day. A host of historians, broadcasters and high-ranking RAF veterans previously joined forces and wrote an open letter urging Suella Braverman to reconsider the proposal They said her plan would erase the site's heritage, which would be a 'scandalous desecration of immeasurable recklessness'. In it, they write: 'Of course refugees need to be housed in a safe, functional and secure location, but do they need to be taken to a place where there is already an exciting and viable plan to safeguard its future and in a county where such investment is so desperately needed?' A group of four aircraft hangars at the site are already Grade-II listed. Sally Grindrod-Smith, the council's director of planning, regeneration and communities, said the authority was 'very concerned about the future of the former officers mess'. She added: 'The building appears to be deteriorating rapidly and without due care and attention this important historic feature of the site could be lost forever. The Dambuster raid: A Lancaster Bomber during the Second World War RAF Bomber crews of No 83 Squadron in front of a Handley Page Hampden bomber at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, October 1940. 'That is why the council has taken decisive action and made an application to Historic England to seek listed building status.' The Home Office recently said it 'continued to work across government and with local authorities to identify a range of accommodation options'. 'The government remains committed to engaging with local authorities and key stakeholders as part of this process,' a spokesperson said. Ministers could impose a legal block on Strasbourg judges blocking Rwanda deportation flights amid a Tory revolt. The government's Illegal Migration Bill is due back in the Commons tomorrow with Home Secretary Suella Braverman braced for attacks from both wings of the party. Up to 60 MPs are said to be ready to support an amendment that would expressly prevent UK courts from considering the views of the European Court of Human Rights in making decisions on cases. Ms Braverman is thought to be putting forward a compromise that would restrict Rule 39 orders. Those are used by Strasbourg to prevent the Government from acting when a human rights challenge is pending, often holding the process up for months or even potentially years. Mrs Braverman could insert a clause into the Illegal Migration Bill banning the application of the orders in the UK, if an exemption for Britain cannot be negotiated with the court itself. Visiting Rwanda earlier this month, Suella Braverman said she was hoping the Strasbourg court would agree to reform Rule 39 Up to 60 MPs are said to be ready to support an amendment that would expressly prevent UK courts from considering the views of the European Court of Human Rights in making decisions on cases. (File picture) The government's Illegal Migration Bill is due back in the Commons tomorrow with Home Secretary Suella Braverman braced for attacks from both wings of the party A Tory rebel source told the Sunday Telegraph Ms Braverman might be given 'breathing room to fix the loopholes' but that will 'depend on how strong she is at the Dispatch Box' tomorrow. MPs who have signed the key ECHR amendment include ex-Cabinet ministers Simon Clarke, David Jones and John Redwood. A meeting will be held in No10 tomorrow before the committee stage of the Bill kicks off in the afternoon. Ministers are also facing anger from Tories who feel the Bill is too draconian, with calls for child refugees to be exempted from deportation and guarantees of more safe asylum routes. The UN refugee agency's representative to Britain stepped up criticism today, warning that the legislation 'effectively extinguishes the right to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees'. Mr Sunak's plan for deporting Channel migrants to Rwanda is on hold pending a hearing at the Court of Appeal. The High Court has ruled the policy is lawful. The Home Office's inaugural flight to Rwanda was blocked at the 11th hour by Strasbourg judges who issued an injunction, known as a 'Rule 39' order. The Government's Illegal Migration Bill sets out plans to allow ministers to ignore Rule 39 measures unless Strasbourg agrees to rein in their use. Visiting Rwanda earlier this month, Ms Braverman said she was hoping the Strasbourg court would agree to reform Rule 39. She said the previous decision had been 'flawed and opaque', adding: 'That's why we have measures in our Bill that will address how the UK intends to comply with such orders in the future. 'But I've been encouraged by the Government's constructive discussions with Strasbourg, including around possible reforms to Rule 39.' The Bill is designed to tackle the small boats crisis that last year led to a record 45,756 migrants landing in the UK. Home Office projections suggest 85,000 might make the crossing in the worst-case scenario by the end of this year. There has been speculation that talks with Strasbourg could lead to a new framework being agreed on the use of Rule 39 orders. The UK is likely to demand the introduction of a high legal threshold on whether they can be issued in the first place. Even if that test is met, there should be an opportunity for government lawyers to seek a full court hearing, sources said. President Biden's pick to head the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has withdrawn himself from being considered - after facing criticism for his lack of aviation experience amid six high-profile near-miss collisions earlier this year. Phillip Washington's nomination was announced by the White House last year - a decision that was quickly met with pushback from Republican lawmakers questioning the 65-year-old's credentials. Washington has been the CEO of Denver International Airport since 2021. Also cited by critics against Washington's ascension to top aviation regulator are his potential legal entanglements, including questions about his connection to a corruption investigation in Los Angeles while heading the county's MTA. Since then, Washington assumed the role of chief executive of Denver International, with Biden tapping him for the all-important role this past July. Washington's current post is his only involving aviation in a more than four-decade career. The White House over the weekend confirmed Washington's withdrawal - which comes when the FAA is already feeling heat over a number of recent safety issues, as well airline service interruptions blamed on a recent January system outage. Phillip Washington, 65, is withdrawing his nomination after Republican criticism for a lack of experience The FAA has had a number of recent safety issues, with six serious runway incursions since January prompted the agency to convene a safety summit last week Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg late Saturday confirmed Washington's withdrawal from the running, which was first reported Saturday by Reuters. 'The partisan attacks and procedural obstruction he has faced are undeserved, but I respect his decision to withdraw and am grateful for his service,' Buttigieg said on Twitter. A White House official told CNN that Washington was withdrawing his name due to 'an onslaught of unfounded Republican attacks' from reps including but not limited to Texas Senator Ted Cruz. A rep further asserted to The New York Times that Washington had the right qualifications and experience to run the airline regulator. 'Unfortunately, an onslaught of unfounded Republican attacks on Mr. Washington's service and experience irresponsibly delayed this process, threatened unnecessary procedural hurdles on the Senate floor, and ultimately have led him to withdraw his nomination,' the spokesperson said. Officials added that the decision was ultimately Washington's - a 24-year Army veteran whose career, while involving transportation, have been largely confined to the ground. For years, he led Denver's Regional Transportation District and later the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority - where he found himself involved in public corruption investigation involving no-bid contracts awarded by his transit system to a nonprofit operating a sexual harassment hotline. Washington has since denied any wrongdoing in the matter, which is currently being investigated by the California attorney general's office. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation had been slated to vote on Washington's nomination Wednesday, but the postponed because 'they don't have the votes to report him out of committee,' a Republican aide told CNN. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg late Saturday confirmed Washington's withdrawal from the running, which was first reported Saturday The FAA is already feeling heat over a number of recent safety issues as well airline service interruptions blamed on January system outage affecting several airlines such as Southwest Washington had served as the CEO of Denver International Airport since 2021 - but apart from that has no aviation experience Calls to remove Washington from the running have been rife in recent months, and have come almost simultaneously with a slew of safety questions petitioning to a series of close-call safety incidents and mass closures seen from airlines such as Southwest. Senator Ted Cruz, ranking Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, said late Saturday that it has been clear since his nomination that 'Mr. Washington lacked the aviation experience necessary to run the FAA. 'The Biden administration must now quickly name someone to head the FAA who has an extensive aviation background, can earn widespread bipartisan support in the Senate, and will keep the flying public safe.' Cruz and other Republicans had said Washington, who retired from the U.S. Army in July 2000, needed a waiver from rules requiring civilian leadership to head the FAA. The Transportation Department's general counsel said Washington was fully qualified and did not need a waiver. Cruz noted Washington has only about two years of experience as an airport CEO and criticized Washington's inability to answer some aviation questions at his confirmation hearing. The White House insisted Washington was fully qualified. Cantwell had said he would shakeup the agency saying 'we feel that industry and FAA got too cozy.' A White House official had earlier told Reuters: 'Politics must not hold up confirming an administrator to lead the FAA, and we will move expeditiously to nominate a new candidate for FAA administrator.' The official said: 'An onslaught of unfounded Republican attacks on Mr Washington's service and experience irresponsibly delayed this process, threatened unnecessary procedural hurdles on the Senate floor, and ultimately have led him to withdraw his nomination today.' Washington was originally nominated in July but did not get a hearing from the Commerce Committee until March 1. The FAA has had a number of recent safety issues. In January, the FAA halted all departing passenger airline flights for nearly two hours because of a pilot messaging database outage, the first nationwide ground stop of its kind since the September 11, 2001, attacks. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board confirmied in a statement this past week that they are probing aseries of incidents that have spiked concern Baltimore International Airport on January 12: A Southwest Airlines flight had a 173-foot near-miss with an ambulance truck that crossed the runway without authorization John F. Kennedy International Airport: On January 15, an American Airlines flight nearly hit a Delta Airlines plane as the American Airlines flight which was taking off Seattle Tacoma International on January 26: Two Alaska Airlines planes scraped their tails on the tarmac as they took off, due to a software bug that left the pilots thinking their aircrafts were 20,000 pounds lighter An American Airlines plane was seen crossing the path of a Delta flight as it was about to take off. Air traffic control exclaimed 's***!' as they noticed the potential collision Austin International Airport on February 4: A Southwest jet headed to Mexico was given the OK to take off but apparently took too long. By the time it tried to begin its ascent, a Boeing 767 cargo plane was approaching its landing Ronald Reagan Washington International on March 7: Republic Airlines flight 4736 nearly collides with United Airlines Flight 2003 after it crossed a runway without clearance Hollywood Burbank Airport on March 18: A Southwest Airlines flight was told to 'go around' due to a helicopter on the runway. This is the second incident at the airport in a matter of weeks at the Southern California Airport On Wednesday, the FAA issued a safety alert to airlines, pilots and others about the 'need for continued vigilance and attention to mitigation of safety risks' after a series of high-profile near collisions. Six serious runway incursions have occurred since January that prompted the agency to convene a safety summit last week. Some industry officials think the White House could name acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen as a new nominee. Nolen, who was named head of the FAA's aviation safety office, has been the acting FAA administrator since April 2022 and has received backing from many Republicans in Congress. Washington had won support from a wide range of groups, including a number of aviation unions and a group of family members of some killed in a 2019 fatal Boeing (BA.N) 737 MAX crash. The FAA has been without a permanent administrator for almost a year. This was the second major Bide nominee to withdraw in recent weeks. Gigi Sohn, his pick for a key fifth seat on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), withdrew dealing a setback for Democrats who have been unable to take control of the telecom regulator for more than two years. During this time of uncertain leadership, hundreds have demanded the FAA address 'technology issues' affecting airlines that seem to have become more pronounced over the past year - including cancellations seen in January by the airline Southwest. The airline was forced to cancel thousands of flights earlier this year after a FAA pilot alert system failed overnight, prompting a nationwide halt to departures. Other challenges include the ongoing fallout from two 737 Max airline crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, which has forced the FAA to further analyze its safety procedures. The crashes, occurring in 2018 and 2019, respectively, claimed 346 lives. Russian journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, who staged a live anti-war protest on state television, has said the International Criminal Court's decision to issue an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin has given her 'some sort of hope' that resistance might be sparked within the country's elite. Ms Ovsyannikova worked for the Russian state broadcaster, Channel One Russia TV, for more than 10 years. In March 2022 she interrupted a live evening news broadcast by holding up a sign saying 'Stop the war, don't believe the propaganda, here you are being lied to'. Ms Ovsyannikova, who fled Russia and is now living in Paris, told BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: 'I think that this is the first signal that the Russian elite should take notice of, and perhaps some kind of resistance will start within the Russian elite, they might plot against him. 'This is some sort of hope for me.' Russian journalist Marina Ovsyannikova (pictured in Feburary), who staged a live anti-war protest on state television, has said the arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin has given her 'some sort of hope' The International Criminal Court issued an international arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin (pictured n March 16) last week Ms Ovsyannikova said she thought the arrest warrant was 'the first signal that the Russian elite should take notice of' She added: 'Over a long time I realised that Russian TV had become a brainwash. 'I also have Ukrainian roots, my father is from Ukraine. At one point it was like a huge emotional outburst, I didn't care what would happen to me.' She claimed that many working in Russia's state media share her opinions: 'This propaganda is made on a very high level. People who are working in the main channels, we don't really believe it. They have similar views to me. 'No more than 10%-20% of people are pro-Putin.' Ms Ovsyannikova was put under house arrest in August and faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of spreading fake news about Russia's armed forces under a law introduced earlier this year. After escaping Russia, she is now on Moscow's wanted list. Earlier today she described her dramatic escape from the country with her 11-year-old daughter in October last year: 'We changed about seven cars, the last one was stuck in the mud, it was not going according to plan. I was almost screaming, thinking it was better to go back to Russia and go to prison. 'But my daughter was saying "Get up, let's go, we have to cross the border".' Ms Ovsyannikova's son however did not support her stance. 'My son called me a traitor, of our family, of our country,' she said. 'I can say that for millions of families in the same situation, war ruins a lot of families and this is a real catastrophe. 'Russians are being destroyed by Putin, not only by being sent to war but on a psychological level. There is an apathy everywhere and millions of people don't know what the future holds.' Ms Ovsyannikova said she hopes that she will one day return to Russia. 'I can't go back now, but I do see my future with Russia. My family is there, my mother, and they don't want to leave the country. 'I will fight for that future even outside of Russia.' Ms Ovsyannikova has since taken up an invitation to seek asylum in France that was personally issued by President Emmanuel Macron. The journalist has also written a 200-page book about Putin's propaganda media that will be released in both English and French. Ovsyannikova interupted the programme to hold up a sign saying: 'They're lying to you here' and 'Stop the War!', on March 15, 2022 Her son, 18, has remained in Moscow with her ex-husband, an employee of state propaganda broadcaster RT. Just before she vanished, Ovsyannikova posted a video showing her ankle tag that she had to wear under home arrest. She said: 'Dear staff of the Federal Prison Service... Tag Putin with a bracelet like this. 'It is him, and not me, who needs to be isolated from society and tried for genocide of the people of Ukraine.' Chairmen of the Judiciary, Oversight and Administration Committees are demanding that Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg comply with their request for testimony and are accusing him of engaging in a 'politically motivated prosecution' of former President Donald Trump. In an eight-page letter, Judiciary's Jim Jordan, Oversight's James Comer, and Administration's Bryan Steil say they are now considering whether they will need to introduce legislation that would prevent presidents from being persecuted for apparently political purposes. Bragg responded to the latest with a Twitter post reiterating his initial argument that 'it is not appropriate for Congress to interfere with pending local investigations.' Scroll down to read the letter in full Republican leaders on key House committees are demanding that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (pictured on March 22 leaving his office) testify before their panels as they weigh legislation that could 'insulate' presidents from politically motivated prosecution The demand for testimony came after Donald Trump said last weekend that he would be arrested Tuesday in the Manhattan case involving his alleged $130,000 hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels (pictured right) The letter first sent last week seeking Bragg's testimony came after Trump said he expected to be arrested Tuesday in connection with the grand jury case for his alleged $130,000 hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump was not arrested and no indictment was handed down last week the grand jury did not even end up meeting in connection to the case at hand. Jordan, Comer and Steil claim that they have the authority to oversee this matter because any discussions with Bragg, the chairmen claim, could result in potential legislation. '[T]he Committee on the Judiciary, as a part of its broad authority to develop criminal justice legislation, must now consider whether to draft legislation that would, if enacted, insulate current and former presidents from such improper state and local prosecutions,' the three chairmen wrote in a Saturday letter to Bragg after he denied their request to testify and hand over materials. They added: 'These legislative reforms may include, for example, broadening the existing statutory right of removal of certain criminal cases from state court to federal court. Because your impending indictment of a former President is an issue of first impression, the Committees require information from your office to inform our oversight.' Bragg reiterated in response to the letter that 'It is not appropriate for Congress to interfere with pending local investigations.' 'This unprecedented inquiry by federal elected officials into an ongoing matter serves only to hinder, disrupt and undermine the legitimate work of our dedicated prosecutors,' the Manhattan District Attorney tweeted. 'As always, we continue to follow the facts and be guided by the rule of law in everything we do.' Bragg responded to the eight-page letter with a quick Twitter statement, claiming the request for testimony 'serves only to hinder, disrupt and undermine the legitimate work of our dedicated prosecutors' Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (left), Oversight Chair James Comer (center) and Administration Committee Chair Bryan Steil (right) are demanding that Bragg testify Bragg also issued a five-page response to the first letter last week, claiming their request for his testimony would interfere with ongoing law enforcement duties, violate state sovereignty and is an inappropriate use of congressional power. He offered to 'meet and confer', which the three chairmen said was insufficient in their response on Saturday. 'Your conclusory claim that our constitutional oversight responsibilities will interfere with law enforcement is misplaced and unconvincing,' the trio of Republican lawmakers said. 'As a threshold matter, whether your office is, in fact, fairly enforcing the law or abusing prosecutorial discretion to engage in a politically motivated indictment of a former President is a serious matter that implicates significant federal interests,' they added. The letter sent Saturday rejects Bragg's claim that his testimony would prove Congress is improperly interfering in state and local matters The House GOP also set its sights on two former prosecutors who resigned from the Manhattan DA's office over the handling of his investigation into former President Trump. Attorney Mark Pomerantz and Carey Dunne sought to prosecute Trump in 2022 and resigned after Bragg rejected their legal theories. The letter sent by Jordan last week, and signed by Comer and Steil, notes that the two 'resigned from the office over Bragg's initial reluctance to move forward with charges in 2022.' 'Bragg is now attempting to 'shoehorn' the same case with identical facts into a new prosecution,' the Judiciary chairman from Ohio added. 'Based on your unique role in this matter, we request your cooperation with our oversight of this prosecutorial decision.' Jordan concluded: 'The totality of these facts is that Bragg's impending indictment is motivated by political calculations.' 'The facts of this matter have not changed since 2018 and no new witnesses have emerged,' the letter continues. 'The Justice Department examined the facts in 2019 and opted not to pursue further prosecutions at that time. Even still, according to reporting, the investigation 'gained some momentum this year,' and Bragg's office 'convened a new grand jury in January to evaluate the issue.' The only intervening factor, it appears, was President Trump's announcement that he would be a candidate for President in 2024.' A British woman has been killed on the Costa Blanca in a suspected domestic violence murder. The 64-year-old was found dead inside her home in Orihuela Costa south of Alicante with stab wounds around 4am this morning. Her 69-year-old husband, also thought to be British, is understood to have been arrested as he tried to flee the scene. He is under police guard in hospital with a knife wound to the stomach. It was not immediately clear today how he had suffered the injury. A neighbour raised the alarm around 3.50am. Police responders found the victim's body shortly after they reached the property before arresting her partner. The 64-year-old was found dead inside her home in Orihuela Costa south of Alicante (pictured) with stab wounds around 4am this morning Local reports said the unnamed suspect had been included on a database after being accused of domestic violence in 2019, two years after the couple moved to Spain. His wife reportedly declined to press charges and the case was dropped soon after. Earlier this week it emerged a British man facing a murder charge over the frenzied stabbing of his wife at their Costa del Sol flat had died in hospital and is set to be given a pauper's funeral. David Cadwallader, 80, passed away less than a month after being remanded in custody following the brutal killing of his wife Lesley. Reports at the time said she had phoned the emergency services in a desperate SOS call to say she had been knifed four times before the line went dead. Her husband, who was thought to have Alzheimer's, was discovered lying on a bed at their beachfront apartment in Torremolinos and arrested after police forced entry with the help of firefighters. A judge decided to send him to prison while he continued to investigate him over the November 4 killing, although officials confirmed at the time he had been transferred to a specialist psychiatric wing. On Tuesday it emerged Mr Cadwallader had died at the start of December, although news of his passing has only just been confirmed. Donald Trump's lawyer in the Stormy Daniels hush money case tore into NBC host Chuck Todd during a furious clash Sunday morning over how the former president classified the payment in his personal records. Joe Tacopina accused Todd of being 'petty' and maintained that Trump was not aware his lawyer at the time Michael Cohen had paid Daniels during the 2016 campaign to remain quiet about their sexual encounter a decade earlier. In the same interview, however, Tacopina also distances himself from his client's repeated attacks on Bragg, claiming he can't advise the former president on his social media strategy. 'I'm not his social media consultant,' Tacopina said during an interview on NBC Meet the Press program. 'I think that was an ill-advised post that one of his social media people put up and he quickly took down when he realized the rhetoric and the folder that was attached to it.' Donald Trump's personal attorney Joe Tacopina became furious during an interview Sunday morning when talking about the Manhattan DA's case against his client for allegedly reimbursing his lawyer-at-the-time Michael Cohen for a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels Tacopina accused NBC host Chuck Todd of being 'petty' by asking why Trump's personal ledger didn't detail what the legal fees were for to Cohen at the time WATCH: Trump lawyer @JosephTacopina asks what Trump was "supposed to put in his personal ledger? 'Payment for hush money to quiet an affair I claim I never had'?"@chucktodd: "How about the truth?" "... You're being petty." pic.twitter.com/a3FMWykcnQ Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 26, 2023 Todd questioned whether Tacopina would advise a client to personally attack a prosecutor, specifically referencing a post Trump made with him holding a baseball bat alongside an image of Bragg. Trump has stepped up his inflammatory rhetoric against Bragg and the prosecutors investigating him. Bragg is specifically probing how the payments were documented on the books of the Trump Organization, a topic that led to the discord between Tacopina and Todd on Sunday. Todd questioning why Trump didn't 'tell the truth' is his personal ledger that the 'legal fees' he paid to Cohen at the time were actually a reimbursement for paying Daniel's a hush money settlement. This set off Tacopina, who began representing former President Trump earlier this year. 'But what was he supposed to put in his personal ledger?' Tacopina questioned. 'Seriously, what would he put in his personal ledger? 'Uh, payment for hush money to, um, quiet, uh, an affair I claim I never had so my family doesn't get embarrassed.' Is that what he should put in his ledger? There's nothing wrong with ' 'How about the truth?' Todd cut-in. 'You keep saying, what should be in the ledger? Should it be the truth?' 'Chuck, would you ever put a four paragraph sentence to a ledger?' the lawyer quipped. 'You're being a little bit petty when you're looking at this now, because there is no filing obligation,' Tacopina added. 'You can put whatever you want in your personal ledger.' Trump claimed last weekend that he expected to be arrested Tuesday in connection with Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's case regarding the 2016 payments. Trump's lawyer maintains that his client denies allegations of a sexual relationship with Stormy Daniels he also has called the $130,000 hush money a 'nuisance payment' that wealthy or famous people sometimes use to make a distracting situation disappear Republicans in the House insist that Bragg is overstepping his jurisdiction as Manhattan DA and say that he should keep his focus on prosecuting crime in New York City rather than pursuing 'politically motivated' cases. The grand jury, however, did not meet this week and no indictment was handed down despite several reports claiming the action was imminent. Trump's counsel maintains that he was not aware that Cohen made the payment, although the former attorney for the ex-president says that he was instructed to give the money to Daniels in exchange for her silence about the affair. Cohen is a key witness in Bragg's case, even though sources tell DailyMail.com he is having trouble convincing the grand jury to indict. Tacopina detailed that the payment Trump made to Cohen was not improper on the part of the former president. 'It was legal fees that was invoiced by Michael Cohen, who arranged this on his own, with his own money, initially,' he explained to Todd. 'Took out a loan, literally, resolved this without the president knowing, came back, and then sent a bill in for four times the amount over the course of a year it was paid off.' It would be 'a tragedy' if John Lewis ended its 100 per cent staff-owned structure, a former boss has said. Reports last week suggested the partnership's chairwoman, Dame Sharon White, exploring plans to sell a minority stake in the business to raise cash. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, who was managing director of the retailer until 2016, acknowledged the company's financial difficulties, but urged the leadership to think about what makes it 'special'. He told BBC One's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: 'It would be a tragedy if that occurred because I think John Lewis goes a bit beyond a shop.' The John Lewis Partnership is the UK's largest employee-owned business with its retail brands - John Lewis and Waitrose - owned in trust by its 80,000 partners. It has 34 John Lewis shops plus one outlet and 332 Waitrose shops across the UK. Former managing director of John Lewis, Andy Street, warned that ending its 100 per cent staff-owned structure would be 'a tragedy' Dame Sharon (pictured) is seeking to raise between 1billion and 2billion of new investment but John Lewis's partnership model means it is unable to raise equity and has instead been forced to sell bonds Mr Street continued: 'You can buy the same television in other places is the truth, but John Lewis was about actually a way of doing business, actually showing the market there was a better way almost, and in fact that's now potentially under threat. 'So I would urge the leadership of John Lewis to think about what's really at the heart of it, what makes it special, and hold on to that. 'You have to address the underlying point. This was ever the case in the John Lewis model over 150 years - if you can't go to the equity markets you have to trade your way through it. 'Some of the best retailers at the moment - Next, Primark, Selfridges - are proving physical retail can still do that, and that's really the challenge to John Lewis and Waitrose.' Dame Sharon is seeking to raise between 1billion and 2billion of new investment but John Lewis's partnership model means it is unable to raise equity and has instead been forced to sell bonds. The company reported an annual loss of 234million and warned of job cuts earlier this month. Queen of the High Street Mary Portas, 62, said she was 'speaking up on behalf of the British nation' in a letter addressed to Sharon White and its incoming chief executive Nish Kankiwal. Ms Portas said: 'Your task isn't to turn around just another mediocre retailer under threat of going under. You're fighting to save part of our collective cultural identity. 'But what's worrying me is that you might think your fight is purely financial. It's not.' John Lewis Partnership, which includes Waitrose and John Lewis stores, reported an annual loss of 234million and warned of job cuts earlier this month Mary Portas (pictured), 62, said she was 'speaking up on behalf of the British nation' in a letter addressed to the company's chairman Dame Sharon hired former chairman of Hovis Nish Kankiwala as John Lewis's first chief executive, in an attempt to revive John Lewis's fortunes Former minister Gareth Thomas said John Lewis could be helped to remain staff-owned by a proposed law to be tabled in Parliament. The Harrow West Labour MP plans to introduce the Co-operatives (Permanent Shares) Bill on Wednesday, aimed at helping companies with the same ownership structure as John Lewis to remain 'owned firmly by British people'. The chairman of the Mutuals All-Party Parliamentary Group told the PA news agency: 'It is the route to help John Lewis stay completely employee-owned. 'At the same time, it would potentially help co-operatives and mutuals access significant capital to invest in their businesses, expand the services they offer, and more. 'It will allow co-operatives and mutuals to issue shares that would not change the governance structure of their business. 'The return for the investor is similar to a traditional loan or a bond in that way. 'There is a dividend or interest return, but crucially what you don't give up is significant ownership rights.' He added: 'Basically it is rocket fuel for the co-operative and mutual sector. 'It would help to provide significant capital investment for them over time without risking fundamental changes in the way their business operates.' A John Lewis Group spokesman said: 'We've always said we would seek partnerships to help fund our transformation and exciting growth plans. 'We've done this with Ocado in the past and now with abrdn. 'Our partners, who own the business, will be the first to hear about any developments.' Michael Gove grilled on own drugs history as he confirmed ban on nitrous oxide Michael Gove today admitted it was 'worse than a mistake' to take cocaine as he was challenged over championing a nitrous oxide ban. The Levelling Up Secretary insisted it is not hypocritical for him to support making so-called 'Hippy Crack' illegal because he had 'learned' from his experiences. Mr Gove has previously acknowledged that he used cocaine. During the 2019 Tory leadership contest he said: 'I took drugs on several occasions at social events more than 20 years ago... I look back and think ''I wish I hadn't done that''.' Appearing on Sky News' Ridge on Sunday programme this morning, Mr Gove was asked whether he is 'really going to give people a criminal record for taking laughing gas' given his own history. Michael Gove today admitted it was 'worse than a mistake' to take cocaine as he was challenged over championing a nitrous oxide ban In recent years there have been growing concerns about the impact of nitrous oxide on a user's health as well as the 'epidemic' of the silver canisters (pictured) littering public spaces Mr Gove replied: 'Well, we want to make sure we deal with the scourge and it is the case that we need to be clear that there types of activity, particular types of activity that cause distress to others in public that are unacceptable...' Pressed that there was a 'bit of an issue' with politicians who have used drugs themselves being 'hypocritical,' Mr Gove replied: 'No, I think, it's because I've learned.' Challenged on what he had learned, the Cabinet minister said: 'That it is a mistake, worse than a mistake, to regard drug taking as somehow acceptable.' The wriggling came as Rishi Sunak pledged to put 'community justice' at the heart of an anti-social behaviour clampdown. It will mean giving victims and local residents a say in what punishments are meted out such as placing vandals in shaming jumpsuits while they publicly repair the damage they caused. On-the-spot fines for those caught fly-tipping will more than double from 400 to 1,000, while those littering or spraying graffiti face being hit with 500 fines up from the current 150 maximum. The PM told the Mail on Sunday ahead of the launch of the package: 'The community fightback starts now.' The government's advisory committee recently recommended the government stops short of a blanket block on nitrous oxide. What is Nitrous Oxide and is it illegal? Nitrous Oxide, has been nicknamed 'laughing gas' due to the euphoric and relaxed feeling people who inhale it can sometimes feel. The substance - also known as 'hippy crack' - is normally bought in pressured canisters, commonly transferred to a container, e.g. a balloon, from which the gas is inhaled. Although possession of laughing gas is not illegal, English law prohibits its sale to under-18s if there is a chance they will inhale it. The effects of nitrous oxide: Feelings of euphoria, relaxation and calmness. Dizziness, difficulty in thinking straight and fits of giggles/laughter. Sound distortions or even hallucinations. In some people, a headache can be an unwanted immediate effect. Risks include: Unconsciousness or death from lack of oxygen. This occurs when the available oxygen for breathing is effectively pushed out by the nitrous oxide. Advertisement Asked on Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme whether 'Hippy Crack' would be banned, Mr Gove said: 'Yes. 'I think any of us who have had the opportunity to walk through our parks in our major cities will have seen these little canisters, these silver canisters which are examples of people not only despoiling public spaces but also people taking a drug which can have a psychological and neurological affect and one that contributes to anti-social behaviour overall.' He said ministers had not yet decided at what drug classification level laughing gas would be set at. Mr Gove added: 'We want to make sure the sale and use can be restricted for its appropriate purpose. 'We can't have a situation, we mustn't have a situation where our parks, our public spaces become drug-taking arenas. And that is why we need to crackdown on new manifestations of drug taking and these laughing gas canisters are an increasing scourge and one that has been reported to me as a constituency MP.' Ministers are also considering plans for suspects to be tested for drugs as part of a 'hotspot' policing strategy, which comes in response to shocking evidence that half of all crime is carried out in just five per cent of areas. Community patrols will also be given a funding boost to help tackle the menace. There are also likely to be new laws against nuisance begging and a ban on the sale and possession of nitrous oxide laughing gas to combat the scourge of empty metal canisters littering the streets where youths congregate, as well as enhanced powers for landlords to evict problem tenants. Mr Sunak said: 'Dropping litter, fly-tipping and graffitiing show an unacceptable lack of respect for everyone else in a community. While many up and down the country work so hard to make communal areas such as high streets, town squares and parks look beautiful, a small minority tarnish them through their selfish, thoughtless actions. It's not right and it's not fair. 'Women and girls should feel safe walking home at night. Parents should feel able to let their children play without fear. Everyone should be able to feel pride in the area they call home. So we will give police the powers they need to tackle this scourge and Mail on Sunday readers will get a chance to have their say over what punishments they think fit the crimes. 'To those who inflict this blight, let me warn you: the community fightback starts now.' No 10 hopes the changes, which come into effect later this year, will add to the political momentum gathering behind Mr Sunak since he struck a post-Brexit deal with the EU over Northern Ireland and legislated to tackle the small-boats crisis. Michael Gove confirmed that so-called 'Hippy Crack' will become illegal, pointing to the impact on local areas and littering The policies have coincided with a narrowing in Labour's opinion poll lead, while private research by the Tories indicates their reputation on law and order remains one of their few potential trump cards to win over swing voters ahead of next year's expected Election. Nitrous Oxide ban 'won't stop kids using it' A laughing gas ban will not stop people using it and risks driving it into criminal hands, an expert has said. As part of a wider crack down on anti-social behaviour, ministers are looking to clamp down on the sale of nitrous oxide, despite an assessment by the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) concluding it would be disproportionate to bring in an outright ban. The Drug Science Scientific Committee is among the groups criticising the 'same old tired drug policy' by the Government. David Badcock, the organisation's chief executive, said: 'I'm very disheartened to hear that the Government now looks like they're going to ban nitrous oxide, it's going completely against its own advisory panel and the advice they gave. 'A blanket ban on nitrous oxide is completely disproportionate to the harms that are caused by nitrous oxide and would likely deliver more harm than good. 'The Government should be concentrating on much more serious elements of drug policy that are causing harm, like alcohol for instance. 'What's the point in the ACMD when the very best scientists and experts have looked at the evidence and advised what to do and they completely ignore it? 'It's the same old tired drug policy that the Government just continue to put out without looking at the evidence, the same old Government rhetoric on the war on drugs. 'It won't stop young people using it, banning any substance just drives it into criminal hands and the inherent risks associated with the black market come into play, I don't think it will stop people doing it.' Advertisement But Labour is likely to accuse the Tories of stealing one of its flagship ideas. The party pledged last year to create 'community and victim payback boards' to strengthen local involvement in sentencing, reduce antisocial behaviour and stop more serious offending. The new Government measures, which will include extra funding for police and crime commissioners, is intended to ensure that crimes are more swiftly and visibly punished, with the aim that offenders will start work within 48 hours of receiving an order. The plan will be tested in ten areas before being rolled out across England and Wales next year. The most eye-catching element is the proposal for offenders to wear jumpsuits or high-vis jackets while cleaning up graffiti, picking up litter or washing police cars. The 'Community Payback' scheme, under which more serious offenders are sentenced to do unpaid work such as cleaning up public places, will also be extended. No 10 is also planning to change the rules so money from fines will be reinvested into clean-up and enforcement activity to offset some of the 732 million councils spent on litter and fly-tipping last year. More commonly known as laughing gas or 'hippy crack'- which is held in a small metal canister - the harmful substance is inhaled using balloons and is described as causing a feeling of relaxation and dissociation from reality. In recent years there have been growing concerns about its impact on a user's health as well as the 'epidemic' of the silver canisters littering public spaces. In the United Kingdom, nitrous oxide is the second most prevalent drug among young adults aged 16 to 24 years, after cannabis, according to the European Union drugs monitoring agency EMCDDA. A ban on the sale and possession of the substance will be announced as part of the Government's Department of Levelling Up's new strategy to target anti-social behaviour on the country's streets. Home Secretary Suella Braverman is also expected to review drug laws to include the prosecution of anyone found with nitrous oxide in public. A person in possession of gas canisters must be able to provide a legitimate reason for using them, such as food preparation (most commonly whipped cream canisters) or medical use. There will also be restrictions on the amount of canisters available to buy for legitimate use so that recreational users have limited access to them. The cartridges are normally consumed by filling party balloons, from which the gas is then inhaled, but more recently users have been inhaling directly from dispensers or cartridges, which poses a high risk of severe cold burns and lung injury. It also affects several brain and spinal cord networks. Smaller nitrous oxide canisters - which are legitimately used in the catering industry - have been widely used for recreational drug-taking for at least a decade. The small, silver cartridges contain four litres of the colourless gas, but the larger types - which cost just 25 - can hold between 322 litres and 5,500 litres. One in 11 people aged 16 to 24 said they had taken laughing gas in 2019-20, according to the Crime Survey of England and Wales. Former US President Barack Obama was seen touching down in a private jet in Sydney for a scheduled speaking tour - taking wife Michelle along for the long ride. The Obamas' excursion Down Under comes days before Barack is set to speak at the city's 'An Evening with President Obama' - where Australians are spending $195 to hear about the politician's 'path to success'. The event will be held in the Emerald City Tuesday, with another slated for the next day in Melbourne. The pair looked casual as they disembarked, with Michelle wearing a cardigan and jeans, and Barack sporting a beige blazer. The duo was accompanied by a force of security upon their arrival, and received a personal police escort while exiting the airfield at Sydney Airport and being carted away. Apart from some high-profile individual appearances in the media - such as Barack being photographed on Ashton Kutcher's own private plane in LA Thursday - the outing served as one of the first times the couple have been spotted together in public in almost half a year. Former US President Barack Obama was seen touching down in a private jet in Sydney for a scheduled speaking tour - taking wife Michelle along for the ride for a rare joint public appearance The Obamas' Australia excursion comes days before Barack is set to speak at the city's 'An Evening with President Obama' - where citizens willing to dole out $195 can hear about the politician's self-professed 'path to success' Known to frequently fly private after forfeiting their rights to Air Force One in 2017, the pair were previously seen together casting ballots in October in Chicago, and during the formal unveiling of their official White House portraits in September. But in December last year, Michelle, 59, made waves with an interview in which the former First Lady admitted she 'couldn't stand' her husband for nearly ten years. Speaking to news station Revolt TV last December while peddling her new book, Michelle revealed the extent of that hatred - and how it boiled over while the couple's kids, Malia, 24, and Sasha, 21, were growing up. 'People think I'm being catty by saying this it's like, there were 10 years where I couldn't stand my husband,' she told a round-table forum of the phenomenon, which surfaced when the kids were around 10 and 7, respectively. 'For 10 years while we're trying to build our careers and, you know, worrying about school and who's doing what and what, I was like, 'Ugh, this isn't even,'' she said of the strains she felt at the time on her now three-decade marriage. 'Ten years we've been married 30,' she recalled, speaking to a panel that included Destiny Child star Kelly Rowland and Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles-Lawson. 'I would take 10 bad years over 30 - it's just how you look at it,' she said of how she and her husband eventually circumvented their marriage woes with time, while seemingly decrying other couples with less patience. 'And people give up [saying], 'Five years I can't take it,'' she said. The duo was accompanied by a force of security upon their arrival, and received a a personal police escort while exiting the airfield at Sydney Airport and being carted away Apart from some high-profile individual appearances in the media, the outing served as the first time the couple have been spotted together in public in almost half a year The couple has since stayed relevant thanks to a recent a spate of interviews given by Michelle, 59, to the media - one of which saw the ex-first lady admit she 'couldn't stand' her husband for nearly ten years starting soon after Barack's first term The pair were previously seen in public casting ballots during early voting last year in Chicago in October - however there does not seem to have been many public appearances of the pair together since that date Known to frequently fly private after forfeiting their rights to Air Force One in 2017, the pair was last seen together in October It is not clear where in the US the pair had been traveling from upon their arrival in Australia, but if they had departed from the West Coast, the trip would have taken at least 13 hours the pair looked casual as they disembarked, with Michelle wearing a cardigan and jeans, and Barack sporting a beige blazer Since the book's publication late last year, the pair had yet to be seen in public together - until now The interview was one of many in recent months meant to promote Michelle's new book The Light We Carry, which revealed many of the previously unknown difficulties of the pair's marriage, and 'how hard it is even when you are madly in love with the person, even when everything works out right'. 'You can establish systems and routines, anoint your various sleep, feeding and disciplinary gurus from the staggering variety that exist,' Obama wrote in one excerpt of the book, which is already a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. 'You can write your family bylaws and declare your religion and your philosophy out loud, but, at some point, sooner rather than later, you will almost surely be brought to your knees, realizing that despite your best and most earnest efforts, you are only marginally and sometimes very marginally in control.' Another portion of the book adds that 'dreaming, preparing and planning for family life to go perfectly in the end, you're pretty much just left to deal with whatever happens'. Since the book's publication late last year, the pair had yet to be seen in public together - until now. That said, in that span, Michelle has continued to offer insight into the couple's personal life through a new podcast created this month, where she revealed that she is now trying to be less 'critical' of her two daughters now that they are more than seven years' removed from the White House. 'I'm on the other side of parenting. I'm moving from mom-in-chief to advisor-in-chief,' she told anchor Hoda Kotb during another interview where her husband was not present. Before October, Barack and Michelle were seen publicly at East Room of the White House, in Washington, U.S., September, 7, 2022 Despite rarely being seen together, he couple has stayed relevant in recent months thanks to a recent a spate of interviews given by Michelle to the media - one of which saw her admit she 'couldn't stand' her husband for nearly ten years, starting soon after Barack's first term Speaking to Black news station Revolt TV last December while peddling her new book, Michelle revealed the extent of that hatred - and how it boiled over while the couple's kids, Malia and Sasha, now 24 and 21 and living in Los Angeles, were growing up Michelle has since continued to offer insight into the couple's personal life through her new podcast created this month, in which she revealed she has been trying to be less 'critical' of her two daughters now that they are more than seven years' out of the White House The podcast's first episode saw Michelle speak on how motherhood affected her 30-year marraige as her daughters got older while chatting to her first guest, Hoda Kotb (left), and she said it was much easier now that they're grown up The pair of excursions came just days after Dana J. Hyde, a political staffer who served Obama for eight years, died on a private jet following a controls malfunction 'That's a lovely thing - to be able to watch my girls fly and have the relief that "OK, I think I didn't mess them up."' The 59-year-old explained that she's now focused on not using a 'critical eye' with her daughters. 'Our kids just want our gladness. They don't need us to fix them,' she added. 'They don't need us to point out the thing that's wrong, first.' She added that it was 'hard on my daughters growing up in the spotlight,' but that she didn't want to seem 'ungrateful.' Since then, Michelle had conducted interviews with show business personalities - including Tyler Perry, Conan O'Brien, Gayle King, Hoda Kotb and David Letterman - while her husband has been seen schmoozing recently with various celebrity friends, including the recent one in LA, where both Sasha and Malia live. It is not clear where in the US the pair had been traveling from upon their arrival in Australia, but if they had departed from the West Coast, the trip would have taken at least 12 hours. If traveling over the Atlantic - such from the couple's home in Chicago - the trip would have taken even longer, at at least 17 hours. That said, despite being one of the fiercest opponents of climate change in US presidential history, Barack has a slew of jet-setting celebrity friends, and has been seen using Steven Spielberg's jet several times in the past. The pair of excursions came just days after Dana J. Hyde, an alumnus of The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the US - better known as the 9/11 Commission - died on a private jet owned by her husband's company. Hyde was a former Obama and Biden staffer, and served the former president's administration for his entire two terms. The Obamas did not publicly comment on her death, which came after the Bombardier jet's controls malfunctioned. Obama was photographed getting on Ashton Kutcher's jet at Los Angeles' Van Nuys Airport on March 16. He is no stranger to flying private since giving up Air Force One in 2016 A United States Marines veteran was shot and killed by a pair of Uber passengers he was driving while in the parking lot of a California 7-Eleven. Aaron Orozco, 38, died on Friday night after being shot in the upper torso at about at about 1:30am just outside of Los Angeles. His body was pushed out into the parking lot while one of the suspects fled on foot and the other stole and drove off in his Honda Pilot. Orozco was midway through his trip when he pulled over into the convenience store parking lot and the shooting took place. A store clerk witnessed the altercation and called police. A veteran of three tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, Orozco left behind a wife and two young children, and his wife Sandra said he'd started driving Uber at night so he could take care of their kids while she worked as a nurse. Sandra told FOX 11 it felt like she was living in a 'nightmare' since Orozco's death. Police are continuing to search for the suspects. A GoFundMe set up to support his family has raised more than $36,000 so far. Orozco served three tours of duty with the Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan He left behind a wife and two young children, who he was driving to support Orozco had been driving Uber for four years without trouble, his family said. Exactly what led to the altercation that resulted in Orozco's death on Friday night remains unclear. Police said he and the passengers became 'involved in a physical altercation' sometime during the stop at the 7-Eleven. His car was later found abandoned, and the have been identified only as being two black males. Sandra said she hadn't yet told her children about the death of their father. 'I haven't even told my kids yet, they still think dad is going to come through the door,' she told FOX 11. 'We were married for 10 years, but we've been together since high school, high school sweethearts.' 'It just seems like I'm in a nightmare. It doesn't seem real to me,' she added. Representatives from Uber said they were working closely with police in their investigation, and had blocked the suspect from using the ride sharing service. 'Our hearts are with Mr. Orozco Figueroa's family as they cope with this unfathomable tragedy, and we have reached out to offer our condolences,' they said in a statement to FOX 11. 'We banned the rider's account and are working with police on their investigation.' The company said Orozco's family and was eligible for survivor benefits they provide through an associated insurance company. The 7/11 parking lot where the shooting took place The father is pictured here with one of his children, in the image used by family on the GoFundMe page Police at the scene of the fatal carjacking His car was later found abandoned, and the have been identified only as being two black males Donald Trump's energetic crowd of fans fell notably silent when the former president started making fun of Florida governor Ron DeSantis at a rally on Saturday. Speaking to a crowd of MAGA supporters in Waco, Texas, Trump recounted how DeSantis once asked him for an endorsement so that he could win the Florida governorship. The former president even mocked DeSantis for making the request - imitating him in a pleading, crying voice. But unlike Trump's attacks on his other political rivals like Hillary Clinton or Ted Cruz, the crowd did not seem to laugh or cheer at his remarks - and instead were eerily quiet during the tirade. It was only after Trump hurriedly changed the subject and noted that he is ahead of other Republicans in polls for the 2024 presidential election that the crowd started to become animated and cheer again. Former President Donald Trump told supporters in Waco, Texas on Saturday how Florida Gov Ron DeSantis once begged him for an endorsement He claimed DeSantis came to him with 'tears in his eyes' and he appeared at 'massive rallies' for him. The two are pictured at one of the rallies in 2018 Conservative broadcaster Piers Morgan said the reaction was 'awkward' While in Waco on Saturday, Trump told his supporters how DeSantis came to him with 'tears in his eyes' begging for an endorsement 'while at almost nothing' in the polls in 2018. 'So he came and he really wanted, I said, "You can't win, can you?"' Trump recounted before acting out how DeSantis begged him for an endorsement in the Florida governor race. '"Sir, if you endorse me, I'll win,"' Trump imitated DeSantis in a pleading, crying voice, as the crowd remained mostly silent. '"Please, please sir, endorse me."' 'He said, "I don't think I can make it" because the other guy was rally popular. He was going to be the next president of the United States,' the former president continued, before suggesting he would have endorsed DeSantis' GOP rival Adam Putnam if he knew him better. 'I said, "Let's give it a shot, Ron,"' Trump said. 'I did rallies for Ron, massive rallies and they were very successful,' the former president said. 'So we got him the nomination. We then got him the election.' 'Two years later, the fake news is up there saying, "Will you run?" And he says, "I have no comment." 'I say, "That's not supposed to happen." Trump also trashed DeSantis over his record on Social Security and Medicare at the rally on Saturday, and bashed him for re-opening Florida early after Trump shut down the nation during the COVID outbreak. He even said DeSantis is 'not good' on crime, Mediaite reports, but got virtually no reaction from the crowd as he spoke. Conservative broadcaster Piers Morgan called the reaction 'awkward' in the aftermath, tweeting: 'It seems Trump supporters dont like him bashing a wildly successful Republican governor' Another user online wrote: 'Him ripping on DeSantis is only going to hurt him. Also, he and everyone should understand that Ron hasnt even entered the race. If he does, his numbers are going to skyrocket when it becomes a reality.' While a third added: 'That's as passive of a crowd as I've ever seen,' as another chimed in: 'Very low energy.' Another commented: 'Hes not doing himself any favors by criticizing DeSantis.' And a fifth Trump supporter admitted: 'Voted for Trump twice. His over the top sensitivity to legit competition from DeSantis is a huge turnoff. Give me maturity; we have some serious work to do to take back our country.' Trump also trashed DeSantis over his record on Social Security and Medicare at the rally on Saturday Some DeSantis supporters and Trump 'skeptics' are questioning whether he should run against the former president. DeSantis is pictured in Des Moines, Iowa earlier this month The Florida governor dismissed the attacks on him as 'background noise' in a recent interview with Piers Morgan Trump's remarks on Saturday were just the latest as the former president tries to go after his political rivals in the lead up to the 2024 presidential election. He has previously attacked DeSantis on his Truth Social platform, using the nickname 'Ron DeSanctimonious' The Florida governor then addressed the repeated attacks in a recent interview with Piers Morgan, saying the 'regular attempts to provoke him' are nothing but 'background noise.' Still, the Republican base seems to favor Trump over DeSantis, with the former president leading in all of the polls. A Morning Consult poll conducted March 17 through March 19, for example, found that Trump has taken a 28-point lead over DeSantis, who garnered just 26 percent of support from the GOP. He did, however, fare slightly better in a head-to-head against President Biden than Trump did. Asked about a hypothetical matchup between Biden and DeSantis, respondents favored the current president 43 to 41 percent. In a hypothetical match up between Biden and Trump, Biden is ahead 44 to 41 percent. Now, some in the GOP are questioning whether DeSantis is ready to face off against Trump. At a luncheon following the annual Red Cross ball in Palm Beach, Florida, a group of 16 prominent Republicans described to NBC News as a mix of DeSantis supporters and Trump 'skeptics' discussed misgiving about the Florida governor's political future. 'They liked him many of them might even support him,' the unnamed source said. 'But they thought on balance that his long-term future was better without him trying to take Trump head on.' There is a bipartisan push on Capitol Hill to ban TikTok despite warnings Democrats could lose millennial and Gen Z voters in 2024 if they take action against the highly popular video social media app. A large group of Republicans and Democrats have increased their calls for action to be taken against the platform after TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday. 'What the hearing made clear to me was that TikTok should be banned in the United States of America to address the immediate threat and we also need a national data privacy law,' the panel's Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers told CNN's Jake Tapper during an interview on the State of the Union program. 'I would say there is an immediate threat via TikTok from the Chinese Communist Party,' the Republican from Washington state added. 'That is the reason that I believe we need to ban TikTok immediately. It is a national security threat.' Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said Americans need to realize the threat TikTok poses that other social media platforms do not due to its ties to the Chinese Communist Party TikTok CEO Shou Chew testified to the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday - leading to an increased bipartisan call for the popular Chinese social media app to be banned 'It united Republicans and Democrats on the committee as to the urgent need for us to take action.' Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said that Americans need to realize the threat TikTok poses that other social media platforms do not due to its ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). And Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner told CBS Face the Nation on Sunday morning that another alternative solution to a ban is relocating the source code for TikTok to a country that isn't connected to the CCP. 'The politician in me thinks you're going to literally lose every voter under 35, forever,' Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo warned Democrats in a recent interview with Bloomberg about the repercussions if TikTok is banned. Rep. Krishnamoorthi said during an interview with ABC's This Week on Sunday morning: 'Good policy makes good politics.' 'And in this particular case we have to recognize that while TikTok is another social media app and we have a generalized concern about these social media apps it's different in kind from any other social media app because its parent company is beholden to the Chinese Communist Party,' he added. 'That is why on a bipartisan basis we've banned TikTok from all federal devices,' the Illinois Democrat explained. 'And that's why the FBI director, the Director of National Intelligence, the CIA director and the entire intelligence community believes that this is a severe risk to our national security and we have to deal with it.' Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner told CBS Face the Nation Sunday that another alternative solution to a ban is relocating the source code. He also said if TikTok goes away it will be replaced by another app because the market demands it McMorris Rodgers said in her Sunday morning interview: 'TikTok cannot be trusted, that they have repeatedly lied.So they cannot be trusted to protect our data. They cannot be trusted to ensure that our children's mental health is a priority.' 'I think there's a lot of creative activity that goes on on TikTok,' Warner told CBS host Margaret Brennan on Sunday. 'But I absolutely believe that the market if TikTok goes away the market will provide another platform. And at the end of the day, that could be an American company, that could be a Brazilian company, that could be an Indian company all those companies operate within a set of rules ' Brennan cut-in to ask Warner if he's worried about 'political costs' of banning the social media app. 'If at the end of the day, you could end up with a forced sale and that forced sale also makes sure that the core algorithm the source code resides someplace different than China, that could be an outcome that would be successful as well,' Warner explained. 'But at the end of the day, you cannot have American data collected, nor can you have the ability for the Communist Party to use TikTok as propaganda.' Violent clashes have erupted outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Newquay as anti and pro-migrant protesters came face to face. Police were forced to intervene as the violence broke outside the Beresford Hotel, which is currently being used to house around 200 migrants. Around 50 anti-migrant demonstrators gathered in the area today, while about 150 pro-migrant protesters were massed outside the front of the hotel. Two people have been arrested by Devon and Cornwall Police after violence broke out at around 1pm, and it is believed at least one person has been injured. At the demonstration today anti-migrant protesters held placards saying 'Illegal migrants given hotel rooms while local homeless left on the streets' and 'Close migrant hotels. House local people first. Stop immigration now.' Violence broke out at the demonstrations in Newquay, Cornwall, this afternoon with police having to intervene Anti-migrant protesters gather on the seafront outside the Beresford Hotel in Newquay on Sunday, March 26 Pro-refugee demonstrators - joined by black-clad anti-fascists - held signs saying 'Cornwall against racism - no place for hate!' and 'Refugees welcome here'. A reporter from local outlet Cornwall Live said they witnessed a local woman being assaulted by a member of the anti-fascist group, with the culprit disappearing into the crowd. Police were forced to intervene, with officers physically holding back migrant supporters from getting closer to the anti-migrant protesters. Pro-migrant demonstrators chanted at the rival group, shouting 'You're s**t and you know you are', 'Antifascists', 'Refugees are welcome here' and 'From the Tamar to the sea, refugees are welcome here'. Meanwhile, the anti-migrant group aimed insults back, shouting 'Why are you hiding your faces, you communists?', 'Are you hiding because you're peppered with acne?' and 'Masked up communists supporting illegal immigrants who grifted their way over here leaving their women and children behind'. The road in front of the hotel was closed by police while they tried to get control of the crowds. Two people were arrested on suspicion of assault, while two others were issued with dispersal anti social behaviour notices. Police said the majority of people acted peacefully during the protest. A woman from the group opposed to refugees told Cornwall Live: 'We are standing here peacefully. They took the road, which is legal. They are pushing their way through. Pro-migrant demonstrators gather outside the Beresford Hotel to counter the anti-asylum seeker protest A man stood inside the hotel makes a love heart gesture with his hands during today's protests Police try to stop anti-fascist protesters from getting closer to the anti-refugee demonstration 'There's two homeless men in the shelter you can see from here who have nothing. They are doing everything in that shelter. They've been to the council for help and got refused. 'We have people here getting everything paid for and humiliating our government by complaining that it's disgraceful. Everybody has a right to complain. 'We're protesting but not allowed to have our say. We're not listened to.' She added: 'The government is not listening.' MailOnline has contacted Devon and Cornwall Police for comment. A North Korean bodyguard faces the wrath of Kim Jong-un after the leader was spotted with mysterious white stains on his clothes at a missile launch. The dictator was photographed last week inspecting the launch of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) thought to be capable of reaching the US. However, propaganda pictures of the occasion captured strange white stains on his coat at the wrist and waist and another on his suit jacket near the buttons. While it appears Jong-Un may have scuffed his clothes on wet paint, it is feared that his staff will be punished for failing to protect him. Michael Madden, an expert on the North Korean elite, said those responsible faced demotions or hard labour, but execution could not be ruled out. Kim Jong-un seen with a mysterious white stain on his clothes at a missile launch Michael Madden, an expert on the North Korean elite, said it is most likely paint that caused the stains 'Personnel who have irritated the supreme leader are usually punished with demotions, hardship assignments or labour education', he said. READ MORE: Kim Jong Un's daughter will NEVER rule North Korea because he is losing his grip on power Advertisement 'It is unlikely that anyone will get shot over something like this - unless the leader is feeling particularly mercurial. 'But if he got angry about this then a few people will probably get sent to a construction site or a farm for a month or two to think about this minor transgression.' He continued: 'It is not unheard of to be sent away for execution. There are accounts of the leader's father, Kim Jong-il, having bodyguards and members of his personal staff sent to prisons and in one case to the firing squad for very minor offenses. 'One unconfirmed story is that a member of his personal staff sat at his desk and smoked one of his cigarettes. Kim Jong-il discovered this and had the man shot.' Mr Madden, who runs the North Korea Leadership Watch website, said that those responsible might write a letter of apology to minimise their punishment. But he said it was also possible that Jong-Un lets it slide 'since he is far less prone to mood swings and problems with emotional regulation than his father'. In any case, the analyst agreed that wet paint was the 'most likely culprit' for the stains. The North Korean leader was inspecting the launch of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, which is thought to be capable of reaching the US Mr Madden says personnel who have irritated the supreme leader are 'usually punished with demotions, hardship assignments or labour education' 'It appears to be white paint,' he said. 'Did Kim Jong-un not bring an extra jacket with him? Perhaps they had renovated the observation building prior to this ICBM event, repainting a wall or a doorway, and he swiped some wet paint when he arrived. 'A mistake any of us could make and have made. If that was the case, then it was Kim's fault for not noticing the wet paint, but also some blame would be apportioned to his lead bodyguard or his personal assistant for not warning him.' There were other possible explanations for the stains too. He added: 'One of my colleagues suggested it could be chalk dust if they used a blackboard during the missile drill - sometimes they bring in visual aids for Kim's events. 'They may well have brought one in to illustrate technical information and demonstrate various equations and data concerning missile ranges, detonations, speed, etc.' But the exact cause may never be known. This shocking video shows the moment turbulent winds sent a paraglider hurtling towards the ground. Eric Demarez, 60, an experienced paraglider, had been looking to land for several minutes, but kept getting stuck in rising currents of wind. Eventually, Eric managed to find a place he could descend but he went too low in his attempt to land. The wind over the Bauges mountains, near Chambery, France, was too turbulent and partially closed his parachute, sending him crashing into the trees. The trees broke the fall of the paraglider, who said he was in a 'dangerous' area and that a similar fall near a cliff could have killed him. Paraglider Eric Demarez, 60, hurtled through some foliage when his parachute was partially closed by strong winds on a trip in France The Lille-based radiographer was not badly injured and limped back to his car after crashing through the canopy of the trees Eric's camera captured the entire incident on video, including his peaceful time gliding before he attempts his descent. He can be seen crashing into trees, with branches slowing down his freefall, before hitting the ground. Once he has landed, his parachute can be seen tangled up in nearby trees. The paraglider says when he lands, 'Plus de peur que de mal,' or: 'More fear than harm.' Miraculously, Eric was not seriously injured and he was able to limp back to his car. The paraglider did suffer a minor internal muscle injury to his tibia. Eric, a radiographer from Lille, France, explained: 'The weather conditions were strong for me, so I tried to land but I was unable to go down. Pictures taken from before the terrifying descent into a forest, from the trip near Chambery in France An experienced paraglider, Eric realised quickly that he wasn't going to make it to his intended descent point 'We push the accelerator to move forward a little', the paraglider says, just moments before strong winds sent him cannoning towards the ground The radiographer from Lille descended quickly and was not able to avoid the trees below him as a result of strong winds The camera he was wearing shows the paraglider falling quickly through branches, which thankfully slow him down before he hits the floor Once the paraglider lands, the ropes and canvas of his parachute can be seen tangled up in nearby trees 'I have been very lucky,' Eric said while sitting on the floor after the dramatic descent into the forest 'When I finally found a place with no updraft, I went down too low. I still tried to reach the landing field. 'I then crossed a very turbulent area. My wing partially closed, I didn't react correctly, I lost control and I ended up in the trees. 'I was in a dangerous area, where I should not have been. I was exhausted and did not control my kite movements well. 'It was very fast, I did not understand anything, I don't remember ever being really scared. It was too fast. 'A similar fall near a cliff or on a rocky area could have been fatal, luckily, I passed through the trees, taking some branches with me. 'I was able to retrieve my wing, untangle my gear and return to my car... Limping!' A paedophile policeman who groomed and 'pressured' a 14-year-old girl into having sex with him and possessed sexually explicit images of babies has been jailed for five years. Disgraced PC Hussain Chehab, 22, who has since been dismissed from the Metropolitan Police, deliberately targeted his victim and had sex with her despite her asking him to stop, a court heard. He first contacted the child on Instagram - initially posing as a 16-year-old Russian boy - around a year before he joined the force. Chehab, who was posted at a secondary school in north London during his short-lived service in the Met, entered a relationship with his victim and first had sex with her in an abandoned factory. He also trawled the net for child images and instructed others how to groom children whilst attached to the school as a Safer Schools officer. Disgraced PC Hussain Chehab, 22, groomed a 14-year-old girl into having sex with him and possessed indecent images of children, including babies He was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court (file photo) on Friday for four counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15 and offences linked to indecent images of children During trial Wood Green Crown Court heard that when the girl broke off the relationship and began seeing a new boyfriend, jealous Chehab sent the boy nude photos which were seen by the boy's mother. He later sent his victim abusive messages, leading her to tell him she was 'suicidal', but she never reported him to police. His behaviour only came to light after a complaint from another young woman - which did not lead to any charges - led to the seizure of his electronic devices, which were found to contain a plethora of sexually explicit photos and videos of children as young as babies. They also found the videos, photos and messages which led to the charges relating to his previous victim. Of the hundreds of images found on his devices, 293 were Category A images the most serious and some were said to have been of children aged just two. Messages from a child abuse forum even showed he had 'instructed' others on how to groom children. Chehab was later arrested and was sacked without notice by the Met earlier this month, after a panel found him guilty of gross misconduct. He admitted four counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15, three counts of making indecent photographs of a child and one count of sexual communication with a child in an earlier hearing at the same court in north London. The counts of sexual activity took place prior to Chehab joining the police, but some of the other offences took place while he was a serving probation officer. Jailing Chehab, Judge John Dodd said: 'You had by March 2020 embarked on a career as a police officer. 'The training programme included a period working at a school. You were not there by your own choice, simply because of the rota. 'It seems that, at the same time, you were searching for and downloading images of children. 'Your behaviour towards the young victim was calculated. She has suffered as a result of the way you behaved towards her. 'It's clear that your behaviour has caused her much distress; not just her, but her family. 'You badgered her for images; images that, sadly, you did not keep to yourself. 'It was only when a member of the public rang the police in respect of their concerns in the summer of 2021 that your abuse of her came to the authorities. 'Officers acted with commendable speed and you were arrested. By that time you had become a probation officer for the Met Police service. 'At a time when police conduct is very much in the public eye... I should record that there was not a sign of any failure by the Met Police force to act swiftly once complaints were made. 'The only one at fault here, Mr Chehab, is you.' Chehab, whose family members were present in court, was jailed for a total of five years. The sexual activity offences took place between March and September 2019, before Chehab joined the Metropolitan Police the following year Paedophile Metropolitan Police Safer Schools officer PC Hussain Chehab, 22, (pictured left) has been jailed for five years over a string of child sex offences including having sex with a 14-year-old girl During the previous hearing at the same court in north London, no verdict was recorded for four additional counts of making indecent photographs of a child, which was ordered by the judge to be left to lie on his file. Marion Smullen, prosecuting, explained how Chehab 'deliberately' targeted the young woman after messaging her on Instagram. She said: 'Chehab would have been 18 at the time of the offences. He deliberately targeted and groomed the young girl. 'He first made contact when he messaged her on Instagram and pretended to be a 16-year-old boy from Russia. 'They met up a week later and went to a park. He built up a relationship and her trust. 'Eventually he told her his real name, but by that stage, she was under his influence. 'Chehab was highly manipulative. He pressured her to have sex with him. They first had sex in an abandoned factory. He didn't use protection. 'She asked him to stop, but he didn't.' Ms Smullen said Chehab once recorded the girl performing oral sex on him, and later shared it with others. She added: 'He promised to delete the recording, but didn't - and then showed it to other people. 'He would constantly ask for nude pictures and she gave into the pressure.' Ms Smullen explained the girl started to realise their relationship was 'wrong' when discussing it with a friend. She continued: 'When she started dating another boy, Chehab deliberately damaged their relationship. 'He sent a nude picture to the new boyfriend, which his mother saw. 'His mindset can be described in the messages he sent, that give a flavour of the situation between them. 'He sent a number of abusive messages. 'He sent a message saying: "Your friend situation with loving two guys, I get it. ''Girls like to get f***ed by an Alpha like him, then when they are on their period they go to the more sensitive beta".' In a later message, the victim was said to have told Chehab, 'I'm f***ing suicidal', due to her concerns about the fact he still had naked photos of her on his phone. Chehab told the girl he had deleted all the explicit photos and videos of her, and invited her to check his phone. But Ms Smullen said the content was 'hidden' behind a calculator app on his phone. 'The point I would emphasise is that the defendant was manipulative,' she said. 'I accept that he's a young man, but he was, at the time of the later offences, a serving police officer.' The court heard police received an anonymous complaint from another young woman in July of 2021 - over 'social media activity' - but that this didn't lead to any charges. However, these complaints did lead to the seizure of Chehab's computer and mobile phone. On both devices, explicit photos of the young woman were found, as well as hundreds of other sexual images of children, aged from 'babies' to 14 or 15 years old. However, none of the images or messages found on Chehab's devices were related in any way to the secondary school where he worked as a safer schools officer. Police also found the message trails detailing his previous relationship, and messages to a child abuse forum, in which he 'instructed others on how to groom children'. Chehab, who joined the Met in March 2020 and was attached to the North Area Command Unit, was arrested in August 2021 and placed on restricted duties, before being suspended from duty in October that year. But after admitting to his offences, he was sacked by a misconduct panel earlier this month. Sarah Ellis, in mitigation, said Chehab had 'voluntarily' completed online courses with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a charity which aims to prevent child abuse. The Judge jailed Chehab for a total of just under five years for the offences: concurrent terms of four years and two months for the sexual counts relating to his young victim, and another nine months for the charges relating to the images and videos found on his devices. He also issued a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and a 10-year restraining order to protect his young victim, who attended court with a family member. Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines, lead for policing in Enfield where PC Chehab served, said: 'Following his criminal conviction it is right that PC Chehab is formally dismissed from the Met. 'PC Chehab committed the vilest of offences and abused his position of trust in the most despicable of ways. 'It continues to be incredibly confronting to see officers convicted and dismissed for such behaviour, however we are committed to rooting out officers who do not belong in our ranks and it is abundantly clear that PC Chehab has no place in the Met. 'Some of the offences relating to the making of indecent photographs were committed while PC Chehab was in a role as a Safer Schools officer attached to a secondary school in Enfield between May 2021 and his arrest in August 2021. 'As soon as the initial allegations were made against him, PC Chehab was immediately removed from his role while the investigation took place. 'We have worked closely with the school concerned, and Enfield local authority, to ensure that there were no further unreported safeguarding incidents or missed opportunities. 'A review of the information provided to the Met prior to him joining as a police officer was carried out and nothing was found that could have indicated his offending. 'Likewise, prior to starting his role as a Safer Schools Officer he was also subject to further Child and Vulnerable Group Supervision vetting, in line with the current vetting standards for all those who work with children and young people.' She added: 'While no evidence has been found linking any of Chehab's offending to his role, we are continuing to work with our local schools, community forums and independent advisory groups to reassure them following the damage his actions will have caused.' Kyiv on Sunday said it was seeking an emergency meeting of the United Nation's Security Council to counter Russia's 'nuclear blackmail' after President Vladimir Putin announced his country would station tactical nuclear arms in Belarus. Putin claimed the deployment was similar to moves from the United States, which stores such weapons in bases across Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. Western allies called the analogy 'misleading' as these weapons are stored under the NATO agreement - although added the move does not change their considerations for the storage of nuclear arms. Belarus has been a long-time ally of Russia, even allowing it to launch part of its 2022 invasion from Belarusian soil, providing Putin's soldiers with the fastest route to the capital, Kyiv. Fears of possible nuclear strikes have risen since the invasion but experts believe that any Russian assault would likely involve small-size battlefield weapons, called 'tactical' as opposed to 'strategic' high-powered, long-range nuclear weapons. Putin announced plans to store nuclear arms in Belarus on Saturday in a broadcast television interview The war in Ukraine is now approaching its 15 month and has raised fears of a nuclear conflict The Ukrainian foreign ministry released a statement following Putin's announcement, saying: 'Ukraine expects effective actions to counteract the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail from the United Kingdom, China, the United States and France. 'We demand that an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council be immediately convened for this purpose.' On Saturday, Putin said Russia would station tactical nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus 'without violating our international agreements on nuclear non-proliferation'. The Ukrainian foreign ministry accused Russia of breaching its obligations, and of undermining the 'nuclear disarmament architecture and the international security system in general'. It called on 'all members of the international community to convey to the criminal Putin regime the categorical unacceptability of its latest nuclear provocations.' But Putin said the move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was 'nothing unusual'. 'The United States has been doing this for decades. They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies,' he said. Putin said he had spoken to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and they 'agreed to do the same.' Russia will start training crews on April 3 and plans to finish the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons by July 1. Damaged residential buildings due to Russian strikes in the frontline city of Avdiivka this week Ukrainian citizens in Avdiivka receive humanitarian aid as they struggle to survive in their war-torn city A Ukrainian serviceman at their artillery position in Zaporizhzhia on Saturday Germany and NATO said the analogy was deceptive. 'The comparison made by President Putin to nuclear sharing in NATO is misleading and does not justify the step announced by Russia,' an official in the German foreign office said. A spokeswoman for NATO said: 'Russia's reference to NATO's nuclear sharing is totally misleading. NATO allies act with full respect of their international commitments.' She also described Russia's announcement as 'dangerous and irresponsible'. The United States and NATO said separately they did not see grounds to change their nuclear posture. 'We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon,' the US Department of Defense said in a statement. Putin has previously said nuclear tensions were 'rising' globally but that Moscow would not deploy first. In February 2022, Belarus allowed the Kremlin to launch its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory. Thousands of soldiers had been deployed close to the Ukrainian border prior to the invasion, allegedly for training exercises, but the troops failed to leave when scheduled and later joined Putin's attack. Fears have since risen that Belarus may join its ally's offensive, but dictator Lukashenko said he would do so 'only if attacked'. On Sunday secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, Oleksiy Danilov wrote on Twitter that 'the Kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage.' He added that the move was 'a step towards the internal destabilisation of the country'. Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak added that '[Putin] admits that he is afraid of losing and all he can do is scare' people. The Russian leader said renewed discussions with Lukashenko on the issue were spurred by a British official's suggestion depleted uranium weapons be sent to Ukraine. Russia has 'what it needs to answer' if the West supplied Ukraine with such ammunition, he added. 'Without exaggeration, we have hundreds of thousands of such shells. We have not used them yet.' Stress from Ofsted inspections has been cited as a factor in the inquests of ten teachers over the last 25 years, it has been revealed. Charity Hazards Campaign has conducted the research alongside the University of Leeds, which may add to 'the outpouring of anger' among teachers over the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life in January. Mother-of-two Mrs Perry, 53, killed herself in January after Caversham Primary School in Reading was downgraded from outstanding to inadequate - an experience she called the worst day of her life. Mrs Perry was the principal of the Berkshire school for 12 years, and it had been ranked 'outstanding' since 2009, before three Ofsted inspectors arrived last November 15. Education unions last week demanded an immediate halt in inspections, the pressure of which has allegedly led to heart attacks, strokes and nervous breakdowns, The Observer reports. Ruth Perry (pictured) died while waiting for the publication of a negative Ofsted inspection of her Reading school Stress from Ofsted inspections has been cited as a factor in the inquests of ten teachers over the last 25 years, it has been revealed Health and safety expert Hilda Palmer, who carried out research for the Hazards Campaign, said: 'These figures are absolutely disgusting. When there are lots of suicides relating to one factor or one organisation, that needs to be investigated urgently.' A helpline for headteachers also reports that the majority of its crisis calls are about Ofsted. Andrew Morrish, a former school head and co-founder of support group Headrest, said some headteachers had 'left school in an ambulance' after being told their institutions were being downgraded. Mr Morrish added that the stress of being ordered to keep the school's status confidential until Ofsted's publication of its report often made matters worse. He said: 'If you're told it's inadequate, that can be devastating,' he said. 'But you mustn't tell your [junior] staff or your family. It can be two or three months until the report is finalised.' One former headteacher told the Observer they had resigned from a later job an Ofsted inspector after being dissatisfied with the way inquiries were carried out. Members of the National Education Union (NEU) at Parliament Green, Westminster, before handing in a petition calling to reform Ofsted to the Department of Education They said inspections were often carried out within minutes, with observations made on an electronic form while walking around the school. READ MORE HERE: 'Deeply sorry' Ofsted chief vows to carry on with school inspections despite backlash from teachers over death of head Ruth Perry who killed herself after visit Advertisement A second whistleblower said observations were often 'entirely subjective' while being presented as impartial. She described how lead inspectors 'would typically make up their minds within the first ten minutes' and reports would seek to justify that. She also relayed how one headteacher was left 'devastated' after being told their school was to be downgraded. In 2015, headteacher Carol Woodward hanged herself after Ofsted inspectors rated her school 'inadequate' when they visited during the chaos of a 2.5million expansion project. Mrs Woodward, 58, was found in the garage of her home in Plymstock, Devon in July of that year following a 'swift decline' in her mental health. Her daughter Lucy told the Mail on Friday that her mother's death had led to 'all-consuming and soul-destroying' grief for the family. She said those feelings had been wrenched to the surface by the news of Ruth Perry's death. 'I was devastated to read about it, not just because it resonated so much with the tragedy of my own mother's suicide, but because it seems that no lessons have been learned since then.' Ofsted's chief inspector Amanda Spielman said: 'We know that inspections can be challenging and we always aim to carry them out with sensitivity as well as professionalism. 'Our school inspectors are all former or serving school leaders. They understand the vital work headteachers do, and the pressures they are under. For so many colleagues, this was profoundly upsetting news to hear. 'This is unquestionably a difficult time to be a headteacher. School leaders worked hard during the pandemic to keep schools open and give the best education they could, while keeping vulnerable children safe. Since then, some children and families have struggled to readjust to normal life, and schools have had to respond with care and determination. School absence is high, mental health problems have increased, and external support services are unable to meet increased demand. 'The sad news about Ruth [Perry] has led to an understandable outpouring of grief and anger from many people in education. There have been suggestions about refusing to co-operate with inspections, and union calls to halt them entirely. 'I dont believe that stopping or preventing inspections would be in childrens best interests. Our aim is to raise standards, so that all children get a great education. It is an aim we share with every teacher in every school.' A prominent producer and Native American activist has been accused of faking her Cherokee heritage - with a leading tribal watchdog group now saying she usurped 'real American Indian voices and perspectives' for her own gain. The producer of several films featuring stars like Elliot Page, 56-year-old Heather Rae currently serves on the Academy of Motion Pictures' Indigenous Alliance, and once headed the Sundance Institute's Native American program. Born in California but raised in Idaho, Rae is perhaps best known for 'Frozen River,' a Sundance Award-winning film that was nominated for an Oscar, and 2005's Trudell, an acclaimed documentary that follows notable Native American John Trudell. Over the course of her career, Rae has been hailed for her self-professed Cherokee roots - named a top visionary by Variety back in 2009 and enjoying top spots in two of the world's most prominent film organizations' Native American factions. More recently, she was tapped to broker an apology from the Academy to the estate of Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American activist who famously rejected Marlon Brando's 1973 Best Actor Oscar in a bid to call attention to her and others' plight. However, her two surviving sisters unmasked her as an ethnic fraud following her death in October, revealing she was actually Hispanic. Heather Rae, a filmmaker who currently serves on the Academy of Motion Pictures' Indigenous Alliance and once headed the Sundance Institute's Native American program, has been accused of faking her Native American heritage The Oscar-nominated filmmaker (top left) recently brokered an apology from the academy to Sacheen Littlefeather (seen seated), the Native American activist who famously rejected Marlon Brando's 1973 Oscar in a bid to call attention to her and others' plight. The pair are seen with Bird Runningwater, co-chair of the Academy's Indigenous Alliance, last September Littlefeather sent shockwaves in the 70s when she delivered a speech about the way 'her people' were treated in Hollywood in lieu of Brando accepting the award. She was unmasked as a sham after her death in October at age 75 Now, according to claims from the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds [TAAF], it appears that Rae is the latest figure to be outed as a 'Pretendian' - a term for a person who falsely claims to have Indigenous ancestry - with the group providing census records and birth certificates that go back hundreds of years to support their claims. A report outlining that research charges: 'Heather Rae has built a long and impressive resume as a Cherokee producer, positioning herself as perhaps the central figure in Native American media production, sitting on boards and acting as a gatekeeper for Native artists. 'Yet even a cursory look into her family tree points to this career being built on a lie: Heather Rae is a white woman who is wholly lacking even the most minute bit of Native American ancestry, Cherokee or otherwise. Put simply, she has none. Zero.' The report proceeds to provide a 1969 divorce certificate from both of Rae's parents, Vernon and Barbara Bybee, in which they are listed as white. When venturing further down the figurative rabbit hole detailing Rae's bloodline, TAAF officials said that it becomes increasingly clear that neither parent sported any sort of ties to the tribe that their daughter now claims. Census records going back as far as the 1700s show that on her father's side, one ancestor arrived from England in Virginia before the Pilgrims. As for her mother - whom, according to Rae, was the source of her Cherokee heritage - documents show little to no evidence of any Cherokee connection whatsoever. The report adds of her distinctly 'Anglo-American' roots: 'Her father's side was primarily Mormons who have lived in Utah and Idaho since the mid-19th century. \ Records further show how Rae's ancestors lived in lands which were historically part of the Cherokee Nation, such as Kentucky and Tennessee, but were occupying the territory as white, European settlers. 'Rae's great-great-great grandparents, Byrum Lee Bybee (1799-1864) and Elizabeth Lane (1802-1867) were the first to make the move West as Mormon overland pioneers from Kentucky. The report proceeds to provide a 1969 divorce certificate from both of Rae's parents, Vernon and Barbara Bybee, in which they are listed as white. Census records going back as far as 1950 show Rae's white ancestry. This 1950 U.S. Census show how all her family members at the time identified as white Records show how Rae's ancestors lived in lands which were historically part of the Cherokee Nation, such as Kentucky and Tennessee, but were occupying the territory as white settlers Seen here are more documents that supposedly disprove Rae's claims concerning her heritage 'Her paternal grandmother, Ethel Harper Bybee, is the great-granddaughter of English immigrant and Mormon Pioneer Thomas Harper, who was a proponent of polygamy.' The document further details how Rae's earliest known patriarch hailed from England, and married a 16-year-old bride in Salt Lake City in 1883 while married to Rae's great-great-great grandmother, whose ancestors 'are almost entirely from the British Isles, and most were English.' 'She is truly an Anglo-American.' Her father's side - which Rae never claimed was responsible for her 'half Cherokee' heritage - were largely white Mormons, according to the report, which was published online on March 11. It also includes more than a dozen of documents dating back to the 1700s that all indicate that every person in Rae's family identified themselves as white. Documents cited by the agency - which is tasked with keeping tabs on the increasingly common 'Pretendian' practice - included divorce records, birth and death certificates, military registration cards, and even genealogical reports that show no semblance of any Native American DNA. The TAAF's director Lianna Costantino has since confirmed the report's legitimacy, and that her agency was responsible for the research. In a statement Sunday, the rep decried Rae for her alleged behavior, charging that her and others' actions harm the already disenfranchise Native American community. 'Being an American Indian person is not just about who you claim to be, it is about who claims you,' she said, before adding, 'It's much more than just race. We are citizens of sovereign nations. Being an Indian is a legal, political distinction.' Authors of the report did concede that there is a slight possibility that Rae's claim of Cherokee descent lies with her great-great-great-great grandmother on her mother's side, Jane E Lassiter (seen here), but said that records indicate that Lassiter was 100 percent white Rae - whose real last name is Bybee as well - had previously claimed she was half-Cherokee, saying that 'my mother was Indian and my father was a cowboy.' Several news outlets have repeated this claim, citing the producer as having a Cherokee mother. That said, authors of the report did concede that there is a slight possibility that Rae's claim of Cherokee descent lies with her great-great-great-great grandmother on her mother's side, Jane E Lassiter. Lassiter was born in South Carolina 1807 and died in Oklahoma in 1889. At the time, the area was considered Indian territory. Her father, Archibald Lassiter, born in North Carolina in 1775, was a white settler awarded Cherokee lands in Georgia as part of a 1832 lottery after 'the removal of Cherokees from their homelands,' the report states. This lottery, the TAAF writes, was 'only open to non-Cherokees.' The group adds that winning such a lottery, is anything, serves as 'definitive proof of the ancestor NOT being Cherokee' and shows Rae's family stories 'to have no basis in fact.' The group adds that 'even if Archibald was 1/8th Cherokee as claimed by his descendants,' it would make Rae only 1/2048th Cherokee. 'She has more Pennsylvania Dutch (early German immigrant) ancestry than that which is not a lot either compared to her British ancestry,' the report snipes. DailyMail.com reached out Rae's attorney Sunday for comment on the TAAF's claims and supporting research, but did not immediately receive a response. As previously mentioned, she was brought on by the Academy last year to broker an agreement between the motion picture giant and Littlefeather, who was blacklisted in Hollywood for appearing on Brando's behalf to decline his award while claiming she was Apache. Rae has three children - the oldest of which is 20-year-old Dexter star Johnny Sequoyah. The pair are seen here with Crystal EchoHawk, founder of IllumiNative - another Narrative American group where Rae works - at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival premiere Rae's 'Fancy Dance', which was partly funded by the Cherokee Nation The model's actions served to highlight Native-American activism that had been swirling at the time, with her defiant action since staying at the forefront of the collective American consciousness for decades after. However, in October, after similar hoaxes had already come to light, it was revealed that Littlefeather too was a pretender. 'It's a lie,' her sister Trudy Orlandi told the San Francisco Chronicle late last year after her death at age 75. 'My father was who he was. His family came from Mexico. And my dad was born in Oxnard.' Sister Rosalind Cruz concurred, 'It is a fraud. It's disgusting to the heritage of the tribal people. And it's just... insulting to my parents.' As for Rae - who has a tattoo of a Cherokee corn goddess and joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2016 - it remains to be seen how her status as a leading figure in the Native American activism scene will be affected by TAAF's revelations. Apart from 2016's Tallulah staring transgender actor Page, Rae has produced a variety of processive works - including a recent project, Fancy Dance, that was partly funded by the Cherokee Nation. The film is about a Native American woman who kidnaps her niece from the girls white grandparents, and premiered earlier this year at Sundance Film Festival. Such works show that Rae had continued to lean heavily her 'Indian' ancestry over the course of her multi-decade producing and directing career, despite not officially being an enrolled member of any tribal nation. In addition to the high-profile position she enjoys on the Indigenous Alliance - one of the most important organizations in the world when it comes to Native American outreach efforts - she also works as a 'narrative change strategist' for IllumiNative, an 'unapologetically ambitious and innovative Native women-led' racial and social justice organization. The group's mission statement, according to its website, to amplify 'contemporary Native voices' while challenging the 'invisibility' of Native Americans. She is is married to fellow Hollywood producer Russell Friedenberg, whom with she shares three children - the oldest of which is 20-year-old actress Johnny Sequoyah, who is currently starring in the ongoing reboot of Showtime drama Dexter. In 2009, Variety named her as a top visionary while noting her half-Cherokee roots. Rep. Ro Khanna said that he will not be pursuing a bid to replace retiring California Sen. Dianne Feinstein in 2024. The California lawmaker instead endorsed fellow California Rep. Barbara Lee, who is seeking to replace the longtime senator. Feinstein would be 91 at the time of reelection if she decided to go for yet another six-year term meaning she would be nearing 100 at the end of that term. 'I have concluded that despite a lot of enthusiasm from Bernie [Sanders'] folks, the best place, the most exciting place, action place, fit place, for me to serve as a progressive is in the House of Representatives,' Khanna told CNN's Jake Tapper during an interview with State of the Union on Sunday morning. 'And I'm honored to be co-chairing Barbara Lee's campaign for the Senate and endorsing her today,' he continued. 'We need a strong anti-war senator and she will play that role.' California Rep. Ro Khanna confirmed on Sunday that he will not make a bid to replace retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein Sen. Feinstein, 89, is the oldest woman in the upper chamber and her office announced she will retire at the end of her current term in 2024 In January 2021, Feinstein filed the initial Federal Election Commission paperwork required to seek reelection, but her office put out a statement last month claiming she won't be seeking another bid in 2024. Feinstein told reporters at the time of the statement that she had not 'released anything' about retiring from Congress after her office put out a statement announcing this was her last term. 'I haven't made that decision. I haven't released anything,' she told reporters when asked about her emailed statement. When a staffer mentioned the earlier announcement, she said, 'You put out the statement? I didn't know they put it out.' The 89-year-old lawmaker is unquestionably a political titan, particularly so in California . But recent reports have raised concerns about her cognitive abilities at this advanced age, and have hastened the push for her to retire. Alex Padilla, California's junior senator, confirmed to reporters at a Senate Democrats' weekly press conference last month that Feinstein had indeed informed the caucus at their Tuesday lunch that she would retire at the beginning of 2024. Khanna is backing Rep. Barbara Lee in her bid to succeed Feinstein in the upper chamber Feinstein told reporters last month that she did not announce plans to retire hours after her office sent out an emailed statement indicating just that 'You know, it would be impossible to write the history of California politics - it'd be impossible to write the history of American politics - without acknowledging the trail blazing career of Senator Dianne Feinstein,' Padilla said. 'I want to be clear, as she was clear with us in conference, she's not done yet. We have more than a year and a half left. She has chosen not to run again but she will serve out the remaining parts of this term.' Shortly after the announcement, Feinstein was hospitalized in early March with a bad case of shingles. Feinstein's hospitalization made her miss a key vote that resulted in a 50 to 46 decision to block a Biden administration rule allowing retirement fund managers to consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in investment decisions. 'I was diagnosed over the February recess with a case of the shingles. I have been hospitalized and am receiving treatment in San Francisco and expect to make a full recovery. I hope to return to the Senate later this month,' she said through her spokesman, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hailed Feinstein as a 'legend' during his Tuesday press conference. 'We're all glad she's remaining with us in the Senate, fighting the fight for the next year and a half,' Schumer said, alluding to the end of her term. He said she gave a 'heartwarming' and 'teary-eyed' speech at their caucus-wide lunch just before his remarks. 'And she got a standing ovation that lasted minutes and minutes and minutes, one of the longest I've ever seen, which shows the love and our caucus and our country have for this wonderful, wonderful leader,' Schumer said. Her departure lays the groundwork for a fierce battle to take her California seat. In an emailed statement on Tuesday, she confirmed she was retiring at the end of her current term after she was first elected in 1992. 'I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024, but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends,' she said. Democratic members of Congress Adam Schiff and Katie Porter have already announced they will be seeking her seat. Rep. Barbara Lee has similarly indicated she may run, though she has not made the formal announcement. The 89-year-old is the oldest woman in the Senate and has recently faced questions over whether she is up to the job 'I campaigned in 2018 on several priorities for California and the nation: preventing and combating wildfires, mitigating the effects of record-setting drought, responding to the homelessness crisis, and ensuring all Americans have access to affordable, high-quality health care,' she added. 'Congress has enacted legislation on all of these topics over the past several years, but more needs to be done and I will continue these efforts,' Feinstein added. Feinstein was a key part of the nation's first assault weapons ban and helped confirm the release of documents detailing the CIA's use of torture. But her approval among California voters has plummeted with just 30 per cent backing her performance in a poll last year. But decades earlier, Feinstein made a splash on the national political scene as San Francisco's first female mayor. She took on the job in 1978 following the assassinations of late Mayor George Moscone and Harvey Milk, then a colleague of hers on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Her successful tenure as mayor ended in 1988, and after a failed bid for governor in 1990, Feinstein ascended to the Senate in 1992 via special election. She and former Sen. Barbara Boxer became the Golden State's first female senators. A woman who worked five jobs a week to pay off her debt has turned her life around, and now runs a business creating portraits of celebrities on people's nails. Rachel Shuttleworth spiralled into debt after losing her job in her early 20s and took on multiple jobs to pay it off. But 16 years later, the 41-year-old owns a successful beauty business, creating jaw-dropping designs on nails. Images show the huge variety of art she has created, from life like portraits of celebrities like Nicki Minaj, to beloved Disney characters, from the classic Pinocchio to newer films such as Encanto. Other designs show off her intricate work, capturing characters like Chucky and Freddie Krueger in their full terrifying glory, and even Christmas favourites like Elf and Home Alone. Now the owner of Betty-Rose Beauty Boutique in Nelson, Lancashire, Rachel continues to push her creative boundaries, but it has taken her a lot of hard work to become a successful business owner. Images show the huge variety of art she has created, from life like portraits of celebrities like Nicki Minaj Even characters in Christmas favourites like Elf and Home Alone, and Santa from the Coca-Cola adverts, are part of her repertoire Other designs show off her intricate work, capturing characters like Chucky in their full terrifying glory Now the owner of Betty-Rose Beauty Boutique in Nelson, Lancashire, Rachel (pictured) continues to push her creative boundaries She previously worked five jobs to make ends meet, and struggled to find work after being on maternity leave. Speaking of the moment her creative spark blossomed into a business, she told The Sun: 'I had always been quite artistic in school, doing sketches and even artistic projects in Geography. 'My sister had done nails before, and I just said, do you know what, why don't I try it?But everyone just laughed at me.' Despite the nay-sayers, she stared her business as a mobile beautician, before renting a room in a salon and building up to owning her own salon. To enhance her creativity, she took a portrait course in London, and the results are the incredible designs she has become known for. Her amazing designs even capture the classic Disney favourites, such as characters from Alice in Wonderland One portrait can take her around four hours, while a full set can take up to eight Costs start from 150, which many consider to be a bargain given the time they can take and the complexity of the designs (Pictured - A portrait of Michael Jackson) One portrait can take her around four hours, while a full set can take up to eight. Costs start from 150, which many consider to be a bargain given the time they can take and the complexity of the designs. 'I would love to have more time', she said. 'My best design is Pinocchio, and the Disney designs in general'. Rachel has big plans going forward, dreaming of opening up a training academy and entering a nail competition to show off her dazzling designs. A man arrested on suspicion of blackmail after TV star Alison Hammond allegedly handed over thousands of pounds has been released on bail. The This Morning host reportedly told pals someone had demanded 3,500 from her, with the future Bake Off presenter handing over cash after a terrifying eight-month ordeal. West Midlands Police confirmed on Sunday it had launched an investigation into a blackmail plot against the ITV presenter. The force confirmed it had arrested a 36-year-old man from Warwickshire on suspicion of blackmail against a woman in her 40s. The man was questioned by police and has this evening been released on conditional bail, it added. Alison Hammond, pictured here at the Burberry British Diversity Awards last week, allegedly handed over 3,500 in cash The former Big Brother contestant, pictured here on This Morning in June last year, also allegedly handed over a 5,000 BMW West Midland's Police said on Sunday they 'take reports of this kind very seriously' and enquiries were 'progressing swiftly'. According to The Sun, the former Big Brother contestant also handed over a BMW worth 5,000. It's claimed the presenter reported the incident to police last week, with a colleague telling the publication Hammond revealed she had 'reached the end'. She allegedly showed officers from the force messages she had received from the man on Tuesday. The new Great British Bake Off host is said to have fought back tears and claimed that she had 'trusted' the man when speaking to a friend. It is claimed the man took advantage of Alison's kind nature and they forged an unlikely friendship. Things reached boiling point for Alison when she is said to have told a colleague last week: 'I had to realise I'd reached the end and go to the police.' MailOnline has contacted a representative for Alison for comment. Hammond, pictured here confirming her position as a host on the next series of Great British Bake Off, reported it to the police last week According to The Sun, a tearful Hammond had 'reached the end' and showed messages to the police Birmingham-born Hammond shares a teenage son called Aiden with her ex-husband Noureddine Boufaied. A former holiday rep, she first appeared on British TV screens as a contestant on the third series of Big Brother in 2002, which she later admitted she had only signed up for in a bid to clear a 3,000 debt. Her bubbly personality and warmth soon landed her a spot on This Morning after ITV bosses saw her potential. Her career has since gone from strength to strength, recently landing hosting jobs at the BAFTAs and on GBBO. A girl has been rushed to hospital on Sunday evening after a being attacked by a pack of dogs in Greater Manchester. Police have seized four dogs and arrested three people on suspicion of owning a dangerous dog. The attack took place just before 2.40pm on Sunday at an address in Carrington. The girl remains in hospital in a stable condition. The attack is understood to have taken place on Ackers Lane, Carrington in Greater Manchester The attack took place just before 2.40pm on Sunday at an address in Carrington A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said on Sunday: 'Shortly before 2.40pm today police were called to a report of a child who had suffered injuries caused by dogs at an address on Ackers Lane, Carrington. 'The girl was taken to hospital and is in a stable condition. 'Four dogs were seized by officers and have been taken away by specialist partners. 'Three people have been arrested on suspicion of owning a dangerous dog.' READ MORE: Experts reveal why deadly dog attacks are on the rise Advertisement The number of dog attacked recorded by police in England and Wales been on the rise over the past five years. Last year alone, the UK saw nearly 22,000 cases of out-of-control dogs causing injury, compared to the around 16,000 cases recorded in 2018, BBC reported. Despite the 37 per cent rise in recorded cases, the dog population in the UK is estimated to have only increased by 15 per cent. NHS data released last year revealed the number of Britons being mauled by dogs has grown dramatically since 2008 - a rate of 15 cases for every 100,000 of the UK population. In all, those requiring hospital treatment following a dog attack has more than doubled in the last 15 years - with over 10,000 people now requiring specialist medical care each year. Ten people were tragically killed as a result of dog attacks in 2022, compared to five deaths in 2021 and two in 2020. As a region, the north west of England has seen the highest total of fatal dog attacks in recent years, with four deaths since March 2020, MailOnline revealed earlier this year. Next closest with three deaths were the Midlands and Wales, while South Yorkshire saw two fatalities within the same period. Sunday's attack comes just two months after a dogwalker was mauled to death by the eight animals she was walking. Natasha Johnston, 28, died after a frenzied attack by the canines at the Gravelly Hill beauty spot in Caterham, Surrey, on January 12. She suffered 'multiple penetrating dog bites to the neck'. Eight dogs were seized at the scene although police confirmed that there would be no individual prosecutions. The local council claimed that Ms Johnston had not been licensed and had not been following guidelines on the safe number of dogs to walk at one time. The 28-year-old dog walker died after a frenzied attack by the canines at the Gravelly Hill in Caterham, Surrey on January 12 Shiva, an 11-st Leonburger, was among eight dogs with the victim - and was a troublesome puppy who chewed anything she could get her paws on A video captures the moment police restrain a vicious dog after it bites a child in front of onlookers in Tower Hamlets, London in February WHICH DOGS ARE BANNED IN THE UK? It is illegal to own four breeds of dogs without an exemption from a court. They are: American pitbull terriers Japanese tosas Dogo Argentinos Fila Brazileiro The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 bans or restricts certain types of dogs and makes it an offence to allow a dog of any breed to be dangerously out of control. The law also criminalises cross-breeds of the above four types of dog - meaning that whether a dog is prohibited will depend on a judgement about its physical characteristics and whether they match the description of a prohibited 'type'. Advertisement In February, a 13-year-old boy was bitten by a dog at a bus stop on Burdett Road, Tower Hamlets, east London. The incident was caught on video by stunned onlookers as police officers cautiously approached the brown dog with an animal control pole (Ketch-All poles). The video then pans to the injured child who is on the ground at the bus stop as he is being attended to by officers. The man filming the video is heard saying: 'It bit the poor kid, look.' Standing completely still, the video shows the moment that the dog is captured by the police as the control pole loops around its neck. Once it is caught, the dog attempts to fight back and resists with great force against the police officer. Another officer stands by at the ready with a fire extinguisher in hand. The crowds are eventually directed further away from the incident as the ambulance arrives to see to the boy. The young boy was reported to have been taken to hospital for his treatment, and thankfully his injuries are not life-threatening. Similarly, just last Wednesday officers seized an American Bully dog that savaged a veteran police horse in Victoria Park, Hackney, London. Graphic footage posted to social media shows the attack and how the dog's owner appears powerless to control his animal after letting it off the lead. The bulldog, called Coco, is seen darting between the horses legs to bite it, at one point forcing it to drop to its knees. The horse, named Urbane, suffered multiple bloody wounds on its body and legs. The Pollok Park attack comes just days after officers seized an American Bully dog that savaged a veteran police horse in Victoria Park, Hackney, London, on Wednesday Veteran police horse PH Urbane, from Bow, was left with multiple injuries after the attack in Victoria Park The American Bully dog called Coco (pictured) left the horse with multiple injuries and has now been seized by officers PH Urbane, pictured here meeting the then-Duchess of Cornwall in 2019, was injured in the incident in Victoria Park Owner Hakan Niyazi, 24, claimed 'gentle' Coco had only reacted as she was 'intimidated' after encountering a horse for the first time when he took her out for a training session to socialise with other dogs at a park near his home. Mr Niyazi said the horse became 'skittish' when Coco approached it out of curiosity and then dog had then been 'defending itself' believing it was coming under attack. He now fears his pet, which was seized by officers, will be destroyed. Urbane was once befriended and stroked by Queen Consort Camilla during a royal visit in 2019. The horse appeared calm and gentle when pictured with Camilla. Cheers rolled down The Mall as horse-drawn carriages ferried the Royal Family to the parade ground, followed by the Queen, riding side-saddle on her favourite mare, Burmese. It was Saturday, June 15, 1985, and England was celebrating the annual Trooping the Colour. Later that evening, after the horses were stabled and the regimental banners carefully stored, Patrick Magee and a female accomplice made their way up Buckingham Palace Road. Just nine months before, Magee had almost succeeded in killing the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, in Brighton. Now, just yards from Buckingham Palace, Britains most wanted man was about to plant the first in a series of deadly bombs. At 9.30pm, he halted by the Royal Mews, a rear entrance to the palace that houses the monarchs horses, carriages and vehicles. His target, however, was on the other side of the road: the six-storey Rubens Hotel, popular with foreign tourists. Few hotels can claim to be neighbours of the Queen, boasted its brochure. Half an hour earlier, Magee had phoned to book a 70 room with a palace view. At reception, he signed himself in as T. Morton and gave a false address in Watford. Lord Norman Tebbit with his wife Lady Margaret Tebbit, who was left paralysed after the IRA attack on the Grand Hotel, Brighton on October 12, 1984 Brighton bomber, Patrick Magee leaving the Maze Prison after being granted 10 days leave to spend with his family over the Christmas holidays Room 112 was compact and plain. Setting to work, Magee extracted a bright yellow Masters Of The Universe lunchbox from his case. Slotted snugly inside was a bomb containing 3 lb 9 oz of gelignite, three timers and a nine-volt battery plus two booby traps to ensure the device went off if anyone tried to open or move the lunchbox more than 0.4 in. It took little time to unscrew a plinth, connected to the wall, that lay under the bedside cabinet, then insert the lunchbox before replacing the screws. By fluke or by design, the hiding spot was beside a disused chimney, which would amplify the impact. The bomb was less powerful than the one that had all but destroyed Brightons Grand Hotel, killing five people as well as injuring many more, including the then Trade minister Norman Tebbit and his wife Margaret. But the Rubens device was nevertheless capable of bringing down one floor possibly two and exploding outwards, gouging a great hole in the building. The boom, moreover, would resound across Buckingham Palace, proving once again that the IRA could strike with impunity at the heart of the Establishment. After sleeping beside his bomb, Magee checked out on June 16. The device was timed to explode in six weeks, at 1pm on July 29. The British security services had no idea where Patrick Magee had gone or what he was up to. As far as they were concerned, he could have been in Bogota or Bordeaux. Having tracked him down to his home in Dublin, they had asked the Irish police to keep a sharp eye on him, but Magee had easily evaded their net and vanished. Ella O'Dwyer was arrested and charged in connection with the Grand Hotel, Brighton, bombing Peter Sherry, a convicted IRA terrorist, involved in the Brighton bomb trial The embarrassment potential was enormous. Public outrage had been averted only because no one outside a few members of the British police and security services knew they had even identified the Brighton bomber, let alone found him and lost him again. In case he had made it to Britain, Magees face and name were added on May 10 to a routine internal circular of wanted fugitives issued to all UK police forces. There was no mention that he was wanted for the Brighton bomb. In fact, by the time security forces discovered he was missing, the 33-year-old bomber had not only crossed the sea to Scotland but had also been renting a flat in Glasgow for ten weeks. To accompany him, the IRA had sent Ella ODwyer, a 24-year-old graduate from County Tipperary a clean skin not known to any police force. Posing as a polite young couple called Tom and Anne Smith, they paid their rent on time, kept to themselves and hauled their groceries and other supplies up the stairs in a shopping cart. They also put extra bolts on the door. A wise precaution, as they had soon amassed an arsenal handguns, automatic rifles, more than 130 lb of gelignite and other bomb components and turned an attic room into a workshop where they soldered wires and packed explosives. The landladys son, John Boyle, noted high electricity usage, but didnt appear to suspect anything. The plan? Along with two other IRA operators who would be joining them later Gerry Blute McDonnell and Martina Anderson they would be travelling to one English resort after another, leaving more than a dozen bombs in hotels and boarding houses. The devices would be primed to explode over consecutive days a remorseless chain of detonations that would sow panic, devastate tourism and further humiliate the security forces. Sixteen bombs over 18 days, with lulls on Sundays. It would be a chance to revive the infamous IRA graffiti in Belfast: Every night is gelignite. In addition to the Rubens device, three of the intended bombs appeared to shadow the Queen, who was due to visit Brighton on July 19, Great Yarmouth on August 1, and Southampton on August 7. At the very least, the royal itinerary would be plunged in chaos. Then, with the police overstretched and focused on the next bomb, the team would switch to assassination. Not Mrs Thatcher, who was now too well guarded, but other high-value targets, such as General Sir Peter De La Billiere. They would be giving the Brits a summer theyd never forget. Sunday, June 16. After planting his first bomb at the Rubens Hotel, Magees most pressing task was to shed the identity of T. Morton of Watford and become Alan Woods of Shipley, West Yorkshire. He did this in the simplest way possible by checking in as Woods at another hotel, this time in Finsbury Park, North London. Having covered his tracks, he headed back to the rented flat in Glasgow, where he and ODwyer had now been joined by their two colleagues, who introduced themselves to neighbours as Pat and Mary. Using wigs and hair dye to alter their appearance, the IRA unit occasionally split up for reconnaissance across England. Travelling by train and car, they visited hotels, boarding houses and beaches as they devised their bombing calendar. How the blast devastated the hotel in the 1984 blast only narrowly escaped by Margaret Thatcher Margaret Thatcher and her husband Denis, leaving the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton after visiting the victims of the IRA bomb explosion On June 20, Magee rented another flat the units London base at 53 Hackney Road in Londons East End. Using the name Alan Cooper, he paid an estate agent two months rent, then hid bomb-making equipment under the floorboards. The Rubens bomb was already planted and ticking. The bombs stored in Glasgow were largely ready. Next task: a rendezvous with a new member of the team. British security services and police were still clueless. So were the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Belfast, then enmeshed in an operation to uncover a suspected IRA smuggling route across the Irish Sea. Chief Inspector Ian Phoenix who worked in an RUC covert surveillance unit had just discovered that one of their chief suspects was about to board a coal boat bound for Scotland. This signalled something big might be brewing across the water. Known as the Armalite Kid, 29-year-old Peter Sherry was suspected of numerous shootings. On June 21, he landed in Ayr, a port on the south-west coast of Scotland, unaware that Phoenix and five other RUC officers had taken the ferry there ahead of him. The chief inspector had also alerted Strathclyde Police, so teams from both forces followed Sherry when he boarded two trains, disembarking in Carlisle. There, he booked into a hotel. By the following day, the Metropolitan Police Special Branch had taken over and were watching as Sherry met Patrick Magee at the station. Both men boarded a train for Glasgow. By a pure fluke, the Brighton bomber was finally back in police crosshairs. However, although officers had identified him, none of them knew why he was on the wanted fugitives list. A policeman leading victims away from the bombing at The Grand Hotel in 1984 To swoop, or not to swoop? The temptation was to storm the concourse, guns drawn and arrest both men. But when a commander at Scotland Yard was alerted one who knew Magees history he told the team to follow the pair instead. It was a courageous decision: Magee was notoriously slippery. To let him run, only to lose him again, might well have ended the commanders career. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard alerted Strathclyde Police Special Branch. So by the time the two IRA men arrived at Glasgow station, nine officers dressed in scruffy clothes led by Detective Sergeant Hamish Innes were ready and waiting. As thousands of people billowed across the vast concourse, a combined team of 20 English and Scottish policemen struggled to keep Magee and Sherry in sight, once losing them for a few heart-stopping minutes. READ MORE: New book forensically recreates the IRA attack on Brighton's Grand Hotel which Margaret Thatcher only narrowly escaped Advertisement They followed discreetly as the pair boarded a No 57 bus. After two miles, Magee and Sherry alighted in Govanhill, a quiet residential neighbourhood, and started to stroll at one point turning around to retrace their steps. It was a classic counter-surveillance technique known as dry-cleaning, a way of checking if they were being tailed. Det Sgt Innes and his partner were on the opposite pavement and kept walking. Sherry and Magee didnt appear to spot anything odd. After stopping at a cafe for five minutes another dry-cleaning exercise the suspects led the surveillance team directly to the two-bedroom flat Magee had rented at 236 Langside Road. Inside, Ella ODwyer, Martina Anderson and Gerard Blute McDonnell welcomed their comrades when they walked through the door. Magee brought Sherry up to speed on the imminent bombing campaign and on possible assassination targets. It was probably at this point that Magee handed over a diagram of the Rubens bomb, which Blute placed in a money-belt around his waist. The belt also contained a list of dates and locations of all the intended bombs. Soon, the IRA team would split up and crisscross England to ignite a trail of mayhem. As for Sherry, he was almost certainly expected to shoot the high-value targets. For now, however, it was time to relax, crack a few cans of Fosters and start preparing dinner. In a car parked across the street, Hamish Innes and a Met colleague kept their eyes fixed on the door of No 236. There were eight flats in the four-storey building, and no way of knowing which contained the IRA team. A plan was formulated. Plainclothes officers would knock on every door, identify the hideout and seize the suspects. There would be two officers minimum per flat, at least one of them armed, plus several more covering the street. But this raised a dilemma that American law enforcement might have found quaint: Strathclyde Special Branch didnt have enough guns, let alone officers trained in firearms. Thankfully, an appeal to all the unit commanders across Glasgow eventually rustled up 11 armed policemen. Meanwhile, Stewart Street police station the designated base for handling any terrorist incident was ordered to ready itself for newcomers by emptying all its cells of drunks, brawlers and other prisoners. The front page of the Daily Mail after the bombings shows how Thatcher narrowly escaped attack At around 7.40pm, the raid team assembled near 236 Langside Road. The officers were to knock on the eight flat doors simultaneously. Each of them knew the IRA men would probably be armed, that it could all go violently wrong. Even at this stage of the biggest manhunt in UK history, none of the officers had photos of Magee Strathclyde did not have any on file or knew that he was the suspected Brighton bomber. On the word go!, 17 policemen pounded up the staircase and formed little clusters outside the upper-floor flats. On the ground floor, three officers assigned to the flat on the right discovered that it was derelict so they joined Innes and two other officers at the flat on the other side of the corridor. Then knuckles rapped on seven doors. Patrick Magee and the rest of the IRA unit were seated at the kitchen table at the rear of the flat, finishing a dinner of potatoes, sprouts and steak. Hearing the knock, Magee thought it might be the landlord wanting to collect the rent. He opened the door. In the gloom, he saw two burly men. Straight away, he guessed they were police, and his brain swam. Maybe they were investigating a burglary or some other local matter. Maybe he could bluff it out. Can I help you? he asked, his tone amiable. Two officers grabbed him and hurled him into the passageway. More beefy hands emerged from the shadows and slammed Magee to the ground. Thatcher, helped by her husband Denis, leaving the Grand Hotel, Brighton following a bomb blast which ripped through the building causing severe damage and many injuries The bomber stared transfixed into the barrel of the gun pointed at his face while a blur of bodies hurtled over and around him, their number multiplying as more officers stampeded down the stairs. McDonnell emerged from the kitchen, a pistol tucked into his jeans. But before he could reach for it, they were upon him, pinning his arms and legs. The charge continued through the lounge into the kitchen, where Sherry, ODwyer and Anderson rose from their chairs, faces white, eyes wide as their plates. There was nowhere to run. With all the suspects immobilised, the officers caught their breath. The prisoners remained silent, ashen-faced. Even at Stewart Street police station, not one of them said a word. During questioning, Patrick Magee simply gazed at a spot high on the wall, as if it held the secret of the universe. News of the capture zinged across police forces and intelligence agencies. There were cheers and shouts in Scotland Yard. On the ferry back to Northern Ireland, Chief Inspector Ian Phoenix celebrated at the bar and was rolling drunk by the time he got home. Late that same night, police found McDonnells money-belt, with its list of dates and places. The Rubens Hotel had a tick beside it. Another piece of paper had a sketch of what appeared to be a booby-trapped bomb. Realisation dawned that this had been a fully-fledged active service unit on a bombing campaign. As London woke to a drizzly Sunday, police quietly evacuated the Rubens Hotel and sealed off Buckingham Palace Road. Then, for three hours, Derek Pickford, the Mets duty bomb doctor, his police driver and two handlers with dogs searched and sniffed through all the rooms. Nothing. It was the driver who finally noticed that the screws holding Room 112s bedside cabinet to the wall were loose. Leave it! said Pickford. He set up a portable X-ray and examined the base of the cabinet. There it was: an expertly concealed bomb. Quickly deducing that it would explode if moved just a fraction of an inch, he decided to disable it with a disrupter, a device that can destroy a bomb with an extremely powerful water jet without setting off the explosives. There was a sound like a shotgun blast, but the Rubens didnt blow up. The disrupter had worked perfectly. The four men returned to Room 112. The bedside cabinet was wrecked and there were some marks on the wall; otherwise, the room was intact. Scattered across the carpet were fragments of the last bomb ever planted by Patrick Magee. On June 23, 1986, one year after his arrest, Patrick Magee gazed ahead, expressionless, as a judge at the Old Bailey sentenced him to eight life terms, with a recommendation he serve at least 35 years. A couple of months later almost two years since Magees bomb had all but destroyed the Grand the rebuilding of the hotel on Brightons seafront was finally complete. Margaret Thatcher and Conservative Party chairman Norman Tebbit whose wife had been left paralysed by the blast were there for the reopening. Instead of dust and screams, there were balloons and cheers. Thatcher handed back the hotels Union Flag, which had been lent to her for safekeeping after the bomb. It will fly once again over the Grand Hotel, showing that, happen what may, the British spirit will once again triumph, she declared. The Brighton bombing became one of the great what-ifs. Had Mrs Thatcher been in her bathroom, or had the avalanche of rubble swerved another way, she could have died. For want of two minutes, or a few feet, history could have turned, and with it the fate of Northern Ireland, Thatcherism and the Cold War. The bomb also scrambled the relationship at the heart of Thatcherism. Political pundits still spoke of Tebbit as her heir, but he had been left in chronic pain from his injuries and had become querulous. What did change after Brighton, and it was very understandable, was Normans character. The physical injuries on his wife made him bitter . . . and harder to deal with, one aide recalled. [Mrs Thatcher] found it harder to work with him. They had blazing rows. Colleagues whispered, Norman is not the same Norman. Mrs Thatcher feared he was after her job; Tebbit, for his part, felt undermined, and suspected that critical stories about him in the Press emanated from Downing Street. None of this was apparent when they toured the restored Grand, trailed by TV crews. No one, not even Mrs Thatcher, knew that Tebbit was guarding a secret. He had come to realise two incompatible things. First, that he had the ability and possibly the support to become leader. But second, that his health and even more so that of his wife made it impossible. So he had decided to quit front-line politics to focus on caring for her. Quietly, without fanfare, the prospect of Norman Tebbit becoming Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was becoming alternate history. Also jailed for their part in the plot, the Glasgow IRA team subsequently had mixed fortunes. Ella ODwyer tried in vain to forge an academic career. Martina Anderson was elected to the European Parliament for Sinn Fein. Gerard Blute McDonnell returned to a low-key life in Belfast. Peter Sherry became a counsellor at an addiction clinic. The Brighton bombing support team? Never caught. Magee himself was freed early, along with other convicted terrorists, in 1999, as part of the price of the Good Friday Agreement. During his 14 years in prison, he had completed a BA and PhD, but struggled afterwards to find suitable work and became a labourer on building sites. Norman Tebbit said: If Id known when he was coming out, Id have gone there and shot him myself. He also expressed the hope that Patrick Magee would end up in a particularly hot corner of hell. Disgraced Stephen Bear is being less than 5 a week after getting a job packaging tea and coffee for his fellow inmates in prison. The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant, who is in prison after selling a private sex video of him and his ex-girlfriend Georgia Harrison, has got the job while behind bars in HMP Chelmsford, in Essex. The 33-year-old is reportedly being paid 3.60 to package the items, as well as 60p an hour to do wire-stripping during his 21-month sentence, The Sun reports. A source claimed the TV personality had received a 'big dose of reality', and is now trying to find ways to occupy his time at the Category B prison. It comes after he was allegedly moved to an isolation wing for 'vulnerable prisoners', with an insider claiming he was 'being treated with kid gloves'. Stephen Bear, pictured here outside Chelmsford Crown Court on March 3, is serving a 21-month sentence for selling private videos of him having sex with his ex-girlfriend An insider claims Bear, pictured here in his police mugshot, has now got two jobs to help pass the time while in prison It completes a fall from grace which has seen the former Ex on the Beach star go from renting a Rolls-Royce for his court appearances to making teabags. A source told The Sun that Bear, who earns 3 a week from his tea making exploits, has 'had a big dose of reality'. They said: 'He is trying to keep himself busy but the other inmates are laughing about him being the "tea boy". 'Bear is also doing a job pulling wires out from their plastics and that makes him 1.20 for a two-hour shift.' It comes the same day it was reported Bear had been identified as a vulnerable prisoner, with an insider saying: 'There's always a concern about high-profile prisoners. 'Everyone in here knows what he's done and how he fancies himself as a celebrity.' Two weeks ago it was claimed Bear was a 'broken man' and had been 'crying for days' as the reality of his situation dawned on him. A source close to the reality star said he had never imagined he would end up behind bars and he was 'completely unprepared' for a prison sentence, believing instead he would be spared by the judge if convicted. His ex-girlfriend Georgia Harrison, pictured here on Good Morning Britain on March 20, waived her anonymity and has spoken about the impact it had on her Bear, pictured here outside Chelmsford Crown Court, rented a Rolls-Royce and wore fur coats during his trial Miss Harrison, 28 a contestant on 2017's Love Island said she was unaware of the tape's existence until men began telling her they had seen it. She waived the right to anonymity afforded to her under the Sexual Offences Act, saying she felt compelled to as so many people knew of the video. Judge Christopher Morgan jailed Stephen for 21 months and gave him a restraining order not to contact Miss Harrison. The reality star was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register and will be subject to notification requirements for 10 years. Following the sentencing on March 3, the deputy chief crown prosecutor for East of England, Hannah Von Dadelszen, said that Bear will be forced to 'sell any assets he has' to pay back the 2,100 made on Miss Harrison's video. Despite his conviction and sentencing, his fiancee Jessica Smith has vowed to remain at Bear's side 'through thick and thin' as she claimed he did not receive a 'fair trial'. JK Rowling has slammed an ex-SNP councillor for 'having a right old laugh' after a women's rights campaigner was pelted with tomato sauce. It happened during a confrontation with pro-trans activists before she was due to speak at her rally. The Harry Potter author has now accused former Glasgow City councillor Austin Sheridan of being 'open' about not taking 'male violence against women' seriously after he tweeted a photo of a bowl of tomato soup. Mr Sheridan responded, 'I have never ever condoned violence against women', to which Ms Rowling sarcastically responded that it was 'entirely about your desire for tomato soup'. Posie Parker, real name Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, was covered in sauce at a rally in Auckland, New Zealand, on Saturday by activists against her gender critical views. She was escorted away by police before having the chance to speak. A video taken by New Zealand Herald columnist Shaneel Lal, who praised the fact she wasn't allowed to deliver a speech, showed counter-protesters taking over the area where the rally was taking place. Posie Parker, pictured with tomato sauce on her head, was targeted by pro-trans activists at a rally in Auckland, New Zealand JK Rowling has previously worn this t-shirt designed by Parker. It reads 'Nicola Sturgeon, destroyer of women's rights' Counterprotestors have taken over the Albert Park Rotunda and Posie Parker didnt get to say a single word. Thats us, Auckland. Thats us. pic.twitter.com/LZFmE7AZwu Shaneel Lal (They/Them) (@shaneellall) March 24, 2023 Rowling, who has come under fire from trans activists for her views on gender, hit out at the actions of the group, calling them a 'mob' and 'repellent'. On Sunday, Mr Sheridan tweeted a photo of tomato soup, with the caption, 'seems that you can't have a nice wee bit of tomato soup without transphobes getting all worked up about it' and the thinking face and crying with laughter emojis. This sparked Ms Rowling, who is campaigner against male on women violence and has previously spoken out about being a victim of domestic violence, to respond. Referencing Mr Sheridan's support for Humza Yousaf in the SNP leadership campaign, she wrote: 'We've all met "progressive" men who think male violence against women they don't agree with is a right old laugh. What's new is seeing them being this open about it. Maybe Humza will let you write his gags if you manage to get him elected.' Mr Sheridan responded by tweeting: 'I have never ever condoned violence against women or anyone for that matter. No matter what views people hold I expect everyone to observe the law and anyone who doesn't observe the law should be punished in the appropriate manner. 'I was saying it's ridiculous that people can no longer post what they are having for dinner or tea without transphobes jumping on it saying some of the most awful things. Not only is some of the stuff being said by GC people abhorrent, it's just down right peculiar. Anyway. Happy Sunday JKR.' However, Ms Rowling hit back again, sarcastically saying: 'The laughing emoji, the sly smirk emoji and the mention of '"transphobes", a mere forty-eight hours after a highly publicised mass attack on women, at which at least one was punched, absolutely confirm that this was entirely about your desire for tomato soup, Austin.' She added: 'However, you could always tweet again, denouncing the trans activists who punched and assaulted the women speaking up for their rights and point out that their violence is one of the reasons women fear their presence in our single sex spaces.' JK Rowling hit out at ex-SNP councillor Austin Sheridan after he tweeted a photo of tomato soup days after a women's rights campaigner was covered in it by pro-trans activists Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who goes by Posie Parker, had been on a trip to Australia and New Zealand for her Let Women Speak tour. Ms Keen-Minshull, who calls herself a 'women's right activist but not a feminist', believes it's impossible to change gender and campaigns to exclude trans women from female-only spaces. The mother-of-four from Wiltshire's views on gender have sparked chaos Down Under, and her talks have seen demonstrations from local trans activists in both countries. One Australian Green MP called her 'a c***', while neo-Nazis have also taken the chance to take part in a bid to stir up trouble. Speaking to MailOnline, she said she feels like 'public enemy No 1' and admits she fears for her safety after becoming 'a hate figure'. She said: 'I didn't realise how much women are hated by some parts of society before I came here. 'I feel like there are some great powers somewhere who don't want women talking. 'I can take being called a transphobe, but calling someone a Nazi? One of the politicians here called me a c***. They used rhyming slang of "dropkick and punt". 'The war on women in these countries is absolutely frightening. 'I have got to have a team of seven security guards out here with me. I genuinely do feel my life could be in danger sometimes.' Her rally in Auckland, New Zealand, on Saturday was over before it even really began, after a trans activist poured tomato sauce on her and some 2,000 demonstrators refused to allow her to speak. Parker was covered with tomato sauce at her rally in Auckland, New Zealand The 48-year-old has become a controversial figure for her views on gender. In 2018 she raised 700 for this poster to be put up in Liverpool More than 2,000 counter-protesters demonstrated against her rally in Auckland, New Zealand Protesters held up signs saying 'Trans women are women' to protest her appearance in Auckland A statement released by Speak Up For Women said a planned Wellington speaking event had been cancelled after being 'overrun by a violent mob'. 'Speak Up for Women thanks Mrs Keen-Minshull for having the courage to come to New Zealand and showing up in Albert Park today, despite receiving multiple death threats and threats of violence in the last week,' the statement read. 'In the coming weeks Speak Up For Women will be gathering witness statements and laying a formal complaint with the Independent Police Conduct Authority about the lack of police action to prevent violence in what was clearly an increasingly volatile situation.' On the same day in London, pro-trans activists gathered outside an event held by The Lesbian Project in its first workshop which aims to put 'lesbians back in focus'. Following the incident Ms Rowling tweeted: 'After the repellent scenes from New Zealand, in which a mob assaulted women speaking up for their rights, #TheLesbianProject is being intimidated and threatened in the UK, right now.' At least 1,000 sex offenders have avoided criminal records over the past two years by apologising to their victims. Police gave out community resolutions in 1,064 such cases in 2021 and 2022, including several involving child rape. Use of out-of-court sanctions for sexual assault doubled in just 12 months despite promises to take violence against women and girls seriously after Sarah Everards murder by Scotland Yard officer Wayne Couzens. The number of times the penalty has been deployed in all sexual offences increased by 53 per cent, Home Office figures show. A community resolution, which involves an offender admitting responsibility, is meant to be used by police officers for low-level crimes. Former Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, who was given a whole life sentence for the murder of Sarah Everard Police gave out community resolutions in 1,064 sex offence cases in 2021 and 2022, including several involving child rape. It might involve an agreement to pay compensation, a rehabilitation activity or a restorative justice meeting between the victim and offender for an apology. Analysis of the official figures shows the sanction was used to settle 643 sex crimes including rapes, sexual assaults, grooming and flashing offences in the year to March 2022, which is 53 per cent more than the 421 seen in the previous year. The number of sexual assault cases being resolved by police in this way has doubled from 178 in 2021 to 371 in 2022. Last year Lincolnshire Police handed out the penalty in four child rape cases, including one involving a girl under 13. Officers in Nottinghamshire also used the sanction following two rapes of girls under 13, while police in Norfolk used it in the case of the rape of a young boy in 2020. Use of out-of-court sanctions for sexual assault doubled in just 12 months despite promises to take violence against women and girls seriously after Sarah Everards murder by Scotland Yard officer Wayne Couzens 'SOFT' SANCTIONS AND HOW THEY WORK A community resolution is meant to be used by police for less serious crimes to give first-time offenders a second chance by avoiding the formal criminal justice process. The offender must accept responsibility and the victim must normally be consulted and consent to the use of the resolution in their case. The sanction might involve the offender meeting the victim to apologise, an agreement to pay compensation, or attending a rehabilitation or victim awareness course. Unlike cautions or convictions, community resolutions do not constitute a criminal record and are not currently recorded on the Police National Computer. They are not disclosed as part of a standard Disclosure and Barring Service check, but might be revealed under a more detailed enhanced check. Advertisement Some of the sexual offences may have occurred between consenting underage children where, although the incident is recorded as a crime, police believe it would be too severe to take a teenager to court for punishment. But the figures also show that community resolutions are being handed out for adult offences, including sexual exploitation of a child. Police chiefs say the penalty is normally used in relation to sexual offences only if the victim is content for the crime to be dealt with in that way. But Jayne Butler, chief executive of Rape Crisis England and Wales, said: We do not believe that restorative justice or community resolutions are appropriate remedies for sex offences, or other forms of violence against women and girls. Justice solutions such as these minimise the severity of sexual violence and its impact on survivors and fail to acknowledge the inherent power dynamics at play in these types of crimes. She added: Its important to understand that even so-called low-level forms of sexual violence can be extremely traumatising. Whilst perpetrators are being given second chances, victims and survivors are left to deal with the impacts of their experiences. Commander Alison Heydari of the National Police Chiefs Council insisted that community resolutions were typically applied where schoolchildren share inappropriate images or in cases of sex between underage children. We have made it clear that out-of-court disposals are not to be used in serious cases, the Met officer added. Officers take into consideration all circumstances of a case, with victims wishes at the centre of our decision-making. 'Community resolutions and other out-of-court disposals are only used in a very small number of sexual offence cases. Baroness Caseys report into Scotland Yard commissioned after Miss Everards murder gave an alarming picture last week of how the force deals with sexual offences. Rape cases are being dropped because samples are kept in over-stuffed, dilapidated or broken fridges and freezers. One officer told her review that rape detection rates were so low you may as well say it is legal in London. Couzens exposed himself to two terrified female attendants at a McDonalds drive-through in Kent the last attack just three days before he snatched Miss Everard from a street in south London in March 2021. Scotland Yard was given his description, car registration and bank card details yet officers failed to investigate until he was arrested for the abduction and killing. A woman flashed by Couzens, who has been jailed for life, said: If he had been held accountable when we had reported the crime, we could have saved Sarah. Channel Nine has been slammed after sending residents an 'entitled' letter asking them to move their cars so they can shoot a commercial for 'The Block'. Last Monday, the network sent the letter to homeowners living along Charming Street in Hampton East in the Bayside Council area in Melbourne's south-east. Channel Nine informed residents they intended to film a commercial for their hit show and that it would be set during the 1950s. The letter sparked outrage for only giving residents short notice and telling them not to park their cars on the street or driveways. Channel Nine has been slammed after sending an 'entitled' letter to residents asking them to move their cars so they can shoot a commercial for 'The Block' Channel Nine informed residents they intended to film a commercial for their hit show and that it would be set during the 1950s (pictured, 'The Block' host Scott Cam) 'We will bring various 7 x 1950's cars to park on the street and period piece props and costumes,' the letter read. 'As we are dressing the street, we do request on Friday evening that you please not park on the street or in your driveways. 'We would like to keep modern cars out of the shots. If you need assistance to move your vehicles we can assist you in the morning.' The letter went on to warn that residents living in house number 24 and 25 to make sure they didn't park their car outside their houses on Saturday. A photo of the letter was shared online where social media users ripped into the network for its 'entitled' requests. 'Brilliant!!! They've got a bloody cheek, haven't they ? Five days notice to basically cancel your entire Saturday,' one wrote. Another added: 'Why cancel your Saturday? Sounds like a great day to throw an Aussie Saturday street party.' Several suggested the residents living along the street ask the network to reimburse them for their troubles. 'Dear Channel Nine, I'd be delighted to acquiesce to your requirements for filming,' one wrote. 'As this then makes me part of your production, I'm sure your accounting department would have no trouble approving payment of the attached invoice for my services. 'Once I have confirmation, in writing, of your acceptance of my recompense I will make the arrangements you have requested.' Last Monday, the network sent the letter to homeowners living along Charming Street at Hampton East in the Bayside Council area in Melbourne's south-east A second added: 'In all seriousness, get some money out of them. 'Park cars on your lawn and invite someone over for a BBQ in the front yard. 'Maybe keep the cars up past the letterbox so it's on your private property rather than the council's, but still very visible. Make some noise in case they're recording audio. 'They need release forms for anyone with their face in shot.' The social media user claimed it was standard practice that production companies pay location fees. 'I've shot plenty of commercials,' they wrote. 'Sometimes you can get a friend to kindly lend their house for a shoot, but taking over an entire street and giving specific restrictions to each resident, without any location fees?? 'They're counting on the plebs being both naive and also feeling privileged to have their precious street 'on the telly'.' Daily Mail Australia contacted Channel Nine for comment. A young mother has been bashed and slashed with a knife after a Facebook Marketplace deal turned into a nightmare carjacking. Jess Kerr, 28, from Kurunjang in Melbourne's outer-west, had advertised her Holden Commodore VE series for sale on the service. Ms Kerr said a couple and their young son came to inspect the car in a Honda Accord on Saturday but things quickly turned sour. She said the man 'looked a bit rough' when he arrived but she didn't want to judge and decided to give him a chance. Jess Kerr, 28, from Kurunjang, said she was attacked by a man who was taking her car for a test drive after she listed in for sale on Facebook Marketplace The mother-of-three said the ordeal began when she and the man got into the car so he could take it for a test drive. She said he threatened her with a pen before pulling a utility knife on her, yelling: 'Get the f*** out of the car or I'll stab you with this and give you Hep C.' 'He was just coming for me with it,' she told 7NEWS. 'I just put my hands up, I didn't realise until later on that he actually did get me - sliced open this finger.' Ms Kerr said the man then unfastened her seatbelt and tried to force her out of the car. But she refused and he sped off down the street. Ms Kerr had feared for her life during the terrifying ordeal Ms Kerr said the man bashed her and cut her with a knife after she refused to get out of the car 'He started punching me in my face, he was belting me and I'm thinking, 'Am I going to see my kids again?' she said. 'I didn't know what he was going to do with me.' Ms Kerr was able to wind down her window and scream for help before the man dumped her on the side of the road. She then managed to borrow a resident's phone to call for help. She said she had feared for her life and that the couple might return because 'they know where I live'. Ms Kerr claimed that the thief made a fake Facebook profile to message her and that she made the common mistake of not scrutinising it. 'I was driving at the time and didn't think to look at their profile,' she said. Police are looking for Ms Kerr's car and the man who fled with it A Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia detectives were investigating an aggravated carjacking in Kurunjang on Saturday. 'It is understood a man got into a black Holden Commodore wagon on London Court, after arranging a test drive with a woman who was selling the vehicle at about 6pm,' they said. 'Police were told the man stopped the car, threatened the woman, then assaulted her before she was pushed out of the vehicle on The Embankment. The man fled the scene in the car and remains on the run.' Anyone who witnessed the incident, has CCTV/dashcam footage or other information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. Twitter is now worth just $20billion less than half of what Elon Musk paid for it six months ago, the world's richest man told his employees. In a company-wide email on Friday, Musk said the social media giant has lost so much money in recent months that it is now worth jut $20billion, a whopping $24billion less than what he purchased it for in October. He then went on to defend his decision to lay off thousands of employees in the months since he took the helm of the company, and sell off a variety of merchandise in recent auctions claiming that Twitter was once just four months from being bankrupt. But this is not the first time Musk, 51, complained about Twitter's value. He famously tried to fight his $44billion takeover of the company, claiming in court that internal documents proved the social media network was not worth that much. In an email to employees on Friday, Elon Musk said the company is now worth just $20billion. He is pictured here in January The world's richest man had bought the social media giant in October for $44million In his company-wide email on Friday, obtained by the New York Times, Musk defended his decisions to lay off massive swaths of employees, saying the 'radical changes' to the company were necessary to save money. He claimed that Twitter should be looked at as an 'inverse start-up' as he tries to rebrand the company, saying: 'Twitter is being reshaped rapidly.' And if his efforts are successful, Musk suggested that Twitter can one day be worth $250billion. His remarks came as he explained the new stock compensation package he is offering to the less than 2,000 employees still left at the company. Under his plan, Twitter employees will receive stock grants for the company he established to buy the social media platform the X Corporation which will operate under the $20billion estimate. Workers will then be able to sell and cash in on their privately-held stocks every six months. Doing so, he said, would allow employees to have 'liquid stock, but without the stock price chaos and lawsuit burdens of a public company.' Musk has previously implemented a similar program at his Space X firm. Musk (pictured) vowed to cut costs at Twitter immediately when he took it over back in October The Tesla CEO took over the social media giant in a $44billion deal in October, immediately vowing to cut costs. He immediately told half of the social media giant's workforce that they would be let go in an email to their personal accounts, but many did not learn that their positions were terminated until they tried to sign in to company systems, like Slack or email, and found they no longer had an account. At the time, Musk defended the decision to fire 3,700 people, saying: 'There is no choice when the company is losing over $4mn/day.' Those who remained on board were then told they needed to sign a pledge to be able to stay on in their roles. Staff members received an email that read: 'If you are sure that you want to be part of the new Twitter, please click yes on the link below.' But in February, Musk once again reduced the staff to less than 2,000 employees. Musk saved some money at the company by auctioning off items like a high-end espresso machine, worth around $18,000, and two stationary bikes The billionaire also tried to save money by bidding off several items from the office's kitchen and workstation online. Among the items listed for sale from the San Francisco office were valuable luxury items, such as a $20,000 espresso machine, a $10,000 vegetable dryer and a $17,000 braising pan. An '@' shaped planter is also up for grabs, along with chairs, tables and kegs. Other items up for grabs on the list include several ice machines, fridges, pizza ovens, a coffee maker, projectors, Mac desktops, stationary bikes, several white boards and several unpackaged desks. A Florida couple visiting Haiti was kidnapped nearly an hour after landing as their captors demand $200,000 for their safe return. Abigail and Jean-Dickens Toussaint, both 33, were taken on March 18 by a local gang who stopped their Port-au-Prince bus and demanded all Americans get off, according to their family. The couple's grieving family warned them to stay away from the country that is overrun with political unrest and gangs. 'We were very worried when they said they were going, we told them not to go but they wanted to go,' relative Nikese Toussaint, told ABC7. A family-friend traveling with them from the airport to the nearby city of Leogan was also taken. Abigail and Jean-Dickens Toussaint, both 33, were taken by a Haitian gang while on a bus in Port-au-Prince on March 18. Pictured: the couple with their one-year-old son The couple's grieving family warned them to stay away from the country that is overrun with political unrest and gangs The day the couple went missing, they sent a message to their family telling them they landed safely around 8.55am local time, according to ABC7. They never sent another update. The couple's kidnappers initially asked the family for $6,000 for their return before increasing the amount to $200,000. 'We don't have that type of money,' Christie Desormes, their niece, told WPLG. It's unclear how the kidnappers communicated with the family. The couple shares a one-year-old son, who stayed behind in the US with family. He is currently staying with his family. The Toussaints might miss their son's second birthday on March 28 if they are not released. 'Its a lot of emotions, its devastating, you feel angry it happened and then you feel numb at the same time because it doesnt feel real,' Desormes told NBC. Desormes started a Change.org petition to get the attention of politicians who can help bring her aunt and uncle home. 'They are U.S. citizens. They are parents. They are siblings. They are my family. They are loved and most of all they are people who desperately need your help,' Desormes wrote. As of Sunday, nearly 4,500 signatures were garnered. The day the couple went missing, they sent a message to their family telling them they landed safely around 8.55am local time. They never sent another update The couple's kidnappers initially asked the family for $6,000 for their return before increasing the amount to $200,000 It is unclear how the family has been able to have contact with the gang that took the couple. Pictured: Civilians in Haiti The couple shares a one-year-old son, who stayed behind in the US with family. He is currently staying with his family It is likely the couple will miss their son's second birthday on March 28 if they don't return home in time. Pictured: Abigail Toussaint The family is working with US authorities to bring the couple home. '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 US State Department wrote in a statement. No additional information was provided. In 2021, the kidnapping of 17 missionaries in Haiti made national headlines. The group with 12 adults and five minors traveled to the country with the Ohio-based agency Christian Aid Ministries (CAM). They were kidnapped in October 2021 and were held hostage until their brave escape two months later in December. Fly-tipping hotspots will be named and shamed as part of the Governments crackdown on anti-social behaviour. Rishi Sunak will unveil new powers for police and councils today as part of a blitz to tackle community disorder and crack down on illegal drug use, including hippy crack. Writing in the Daily Mail, the Prime Minister says nobody should be made to live in fear because of the persistent bad behaviour of others. He vows to treat anti-social behaviour with the urgency it deserves by targeting the worst-affected areas with policing and immediate justice. The selfish minority who ruin things for others will be made to repair the damage they have done within as little as 48 hours under the PMs plan. The government will ban the sale of 'laughing gas' or nitrous oxide, which is commonly used as a party drug (file image) The Prime Minister said of the latest crackdown on crime: 'Justice will be done, and it will be seen to be done' Communities will be given a say in the punishment offenders face from picking up litter, cleaning graffiti or washing police cars while wearing high-vis vests or jumpsuits. Too many people suffer from gangs tearing up communities, hurling abuse and making people feel under attack in their own homes, Mr Sunak writes. Too many women and girls dont feel safe walking alone. And weve all seen the graffiti scrawled all over town centres sometimes even on war memorials... Justice will be done, and it will be seen to be done. On-the-spot fines for those who fly-tip will more than double from 400 to up to 1,000, while litterbugs and graffiti vandals face 500 fines. Council league tables will also be published for fly tipping to highlight authorities failing to crack down on the problem as part of Mr Sunaks Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan. Nitrous oxide known as laughing gas or hippy crack will also be banned because of reported links with anti-social behaviour. Police are set to be granted new powers to drug test suspected criminals on arrest for substances including cannabis, speed and ketamine. And a new one-stop-shop reporting tool will be developed so people can report anti-social behaviour more easily and receive updates when justice has been done. Ministers will also make it easier for landlords to evict persistently disruptive tenants, councils will get new powers to quickly take control of empty shop buildings, and there will be extra funding to regenerate parks. Last night Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: There is no such thing as petty crime not only does anti-social behaviour leave people feeling unsafe, it can also be a gateway into serious criminality. The PM will unveil further details of his plan on a visit to Essex today. The crackdown comes just a week after Labour announced a series of policy pledges to reduce crime with the issue gearing up to be a key political battleground ahead of the general election next year. Labour last night said the Governments plan amounts to nothing, while former victims commissioner Baroness Helen Newlove warned the plan doesnt hit the nail on the head. The Tory peer told BBC Radio 4s The World this Weekend: It doesnt really rock my boat and there is nothing new there that jumps out to actually be effective, to help communities feel safe where they live. The decision to ban sales of the substance come despite an assessment by the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) that it would be a disproportionate response (file image) Home Secretary Suella Braverman said on Sunday that there was no such thing as 'petty' crime, as it can lead to serious criminality I think its the level of violence that is also rising with anti-social behaviour that concerns me more than anything and for me this doesnt really hit the nail on the head so to speak. Meanwhile, experts warned that the laughing gas ban would not stop people using it and risks driving it into criminal hands. The decision to clamp down on sales of the substance come despite an assessment by the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) concluding it would be disproportionate to bring in an outright ban. The Drug Science scientific committee is among the groups criticising the same old tired drug policy by the Government. Council league tables will also be published for fly tipping to highlight authorities failing to crack down on the problem (file image) David Badcock, the organisations chief executive, said: Im very disheartened to hear that the Government now looks like theyre going to ban nitrous oxide. Its going completely against its own advisory panel and the advice they gave. A blanket ban on nitrous oxide is completely disproportionate to the harms that are caused by nitrous oxide and would likely deliver more harm than good. The Government should be concentrating on much more serious elements of drug policy that are causing harm, like alcohol for instance. But Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said yesterday that the scourge of nitrous oxide was turning public spaces into drug-taking arenas and was helping fuel anti-social behaviour. Current legislation bans the knowing or reckless supply of nitrous oxide for inhalation, with dealers facing up to seven years in jail. But there have been calls for a ban on all direct consumer sales. NHS managers have blown more than half a billion pounds on hiring foreign staff in just five years. Nearly 584million of taxpayers cash has been splashed on recruitment costs including overseas trips, long-haul flights and visas. Millions were handed to agency middle-men who supply doctors and nurses from abroad. Some of the cash even went on furniture for international workers along with iPads and gym memberships. The extraordinary total spent by health trusts across the country, revealed under Freedom of Information laws, would almost be enough to fund a 1 per cent pay rise for nurses, paramedics and physiotherapists, who have staged crippling strike action over wages and working conditions. An investigation found that 14 trusts have spent over 10million each on foreign recruitment in the last five years, with one paying out more than 34million. Last night, critics slammed the huge outlay on foreign recruitment and warned that taxpayers expect the money they contribute to be focused on direct care. The extraordinary total spent by health trusts across the country, revealed under Freedom of Information laws, would almost be enough to fund a 1 per cent pay rise for nurses, paramedics and physiotherapists Firm raking in a fortune Acaciums directors who are paid up to 609,000 include Adrien Faure, 38, married to oligarchs daughter Maria Baibakova, 37 A leading recruitment agency supplying the NHS with UK and overseas staff saw its turnover quadruple in a year. Acacium Groups turnover from temporary staff leapt to 748million in 2021 from 175million in 2020, the Health Service Journal reported, although the 2020 sum covered a shorter accounting period. Its most recent accounts show an operating profit of 23.4million in 2021. The group owns Scottish Nursing Guild and Thornbury Nursing Services, the two agencies that have received the most NHS money, totalling 283million, of any recruitment firm over the past six years, The Times reported. Acaciums directors who are paid up to 609,000 include Adrien Faure, 38, married to oligarchs daughter Maria Baibakova, 37. Acacium said the huge increase in turnover was due to unprecedented demand in the pandemic. Advertisement Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay said: We dont have enough domestic staff and trusts must keep up staffing levels or face being sued. I would rather see these enormous expenses put into the pot and giving payroll staff a pay rise, which would keep and encourage people into the profession. He also questioned whether it was morally right to take nurses away from developing countries. Despite the shortage of staff in the NHS, the Government has told UK universities to limit the number of places for medical students, which are heavily subsidised, or face 100,000 fines per student. Labours shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said: It is utterly ludicrous that thousands of straight-A students in England are being denied the chance to train for a brilliant career in the NHS, yet eye-watering sums of taxpayers money are spent recruiting medics from abroad. John OConnell, of the TaxPayers Alliance, added: Taxpayers are bound to question why they are funding these globe-trotting recruitment drives. Around 220,000 of the 1.4 million staff in the NHS are foreign nationals, the most common non-British nationalities being Indian, Filipino and Nigerian. In 2022, 63 per cent of doctors who registered with the General Medical Council in both private and NHS roles were trained abroad, up from 47 per cent in 2017. Of the 220 health trusts across the UK, 49 trusts failed to respond to Freedom of Information requests regarding foreign recruitment expenditure, meaning the true total will be much larger than 584million. In many cases, the vast sums did not include salaries but represented only recruitment and relocation costs. Kettering General Hospital alone has spent 5.1million on overseas recruitment since 2019 including 1.19million on costs including recruitment agency fees, 485,056 on accommodation and over 1million on visas. The pay for the foreign nurses recruited in that time was only 317,665. The biggest spender was Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust, paying out 34million since 2019. Julie Dawes, chief nurse at the trust, said overseas recruitment helped to ensure our nursing vacancy rates are as low as possible. The trust says it is also less reliant on UK locum staff due to foreign recruits. Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust, meanwhile, spent 28million and Barts Health NHS Trust spent 22million. An NHS spokesman said evidence shows that overseas recruitment is less expensive than relying on agency staff, and on average internationally recruited nurses stay working in the NHS for longer. A Department of Health spokesman said: International recruitment is a cost-effective way of recruiting permanent staff, alongside our progress in training more staff in the UK. Suella Braverman is facing a Cabinet war over plans to block Strasbourgs interference in small boats cases. The development could trigger the biggest backbench rebellion of Rishi Sunaks premiership so far when the Illegal Migration Bill returns to the Commons today. Government legal advisers are understood to oppose plans that would allow the Home Office to ignore injunctions by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. It is believed Attorney General Victoria Prentis has raised concerns about the measures on the grounds they would breach international law. And top lawyer Sir James Eadie KC, who advises the Government on legal matters, is also believed to have expressed reservations. Suella Braverman is facing a Cabinet war over plans to block Strasbourgs interference in small boats cases It is unclear why a key element of the flagship immigration reforms is being opposed from within Government at such a late stage, nearly three weeks after ministers trumpeted the Bill as their solution to the Channel crisis But 60 Tory backbenchers are lobbying for even tougher action and are threatening to vote against the Bill unless Mr Sunak agrees to the proposed changes. A source said: We want the Government to say they have listened to us. Suella needs to give a very big speech saying what we want to hear, otherwise the question that will be posed is why the Government decided to sell out on immigration. Red Wall voters want this tackled now and by any means necessary. Four amendments to the Bill tabled by backbenchers include legislation allowing ministers to ignore Rule 39 orders injunctions by Euro judges and other interventions by the Strasbourg court which prevent migrants being deported to Rwanda or another safe country. The rebels are holding out for a dispatch box commitment the amendments to the Bill, which also include preventing judges in British courts from granting judicial reviews that would delay the removal of foreign nationals. Their amendments are due to be considered by MPs on Tuesday. If we fail to stop the boats by Christmas we are out of office, full stop, the source said. Another source confirmed the Rule 39 measures in the Bill are not 100 per cent yet. It is unclear why a key element of the flagship immigration reforms is being opposed from within Government at such a late stage, nearly three weeks after ministers trumpeted the Bill as their solution to the Channel crisis. Mrs Braverman is hoping to begin deportation flights to Rwanda by the summer. A convoy of six Russian naval vessels was spotted near the Nord Stream pipeline just five days before it was sabotaged, it was reported yesterday. Three of the four pipelines carrying Russian gas to Germany were seriously damaged by explosions near the Danish island of Bornholm on September 26 last year, disrupting global supply. Russia has always denied any responsibility for the attack, and blamed western powers or Ukrainian groups, but new information now suggests its ships were in the area in the days before the massive blasts. It is thought that hundreds of kilograms of explosives and equipment would have been required to pull off the scale of the damage seen last September, which occurred 80m below sea level. But it has now been claimed that a Swedish warship may have spotted the Russian convoy and tracked it, possibly being aware of it for as long as three days, The Times reports. Gas bubbles from the Nord Stream 2 leak reaching the surface of the Baltic Sea in September Three of the four pipelines carrying Russian gas to Germany were seriously damaged by explosions near to the Danish island of Bornholm on September 26 last year. Pictured: A land-based part of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines connecting Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea were hit by a series of unexplained explosions last September, in what Moscow called an act of 'international terrorism'. A report by open-source intelligence researchers now claims to have identified abnormal activity by a Danish patrol vessel and a Swedish warship, which may suggest they had spotted suspicious activity. The researchers say the ships appeared to have seen something unusual on September 22 or 23, when they were allegedly tracking a contingent of Russian naval ships which had broken away from a larger exercise three days before. These claims, first revealed in the German news site T-Online, originated from sources in the security services and detailed the convoy including two Russian tugs, a surveillance ship and a submarine rescue ship SS-750, built in 1990. The SS-750 has its own mini-submarine, called the AS-26, which can reach depths of 80m and carry loads of up to 50kg. 'It would make absolute sense to use something like the AS-26 for such an attack,' Danish corvette captain and military analyst Johannes Riber told T-Online. 'That would be the most plausible explanation so far for what happened to the Nord Stream pipeline.' Navigation data that is publicly available can only back up part of the researchers' extensive logs, which track movements of Russian vessels including the SS-750. Russia has said it has no interest in attacking its own infrastructure. Exactly who is behind the attack remains unknown, with other theories blaming the CIA or elite pro-Ukrainian commando units. Just two days ago a mystery object was discovered near the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. A satellite image shows gas from the Nord Stream pipeline bubbling up in the water following the explosions German, Swedish and Danish authorities are investigating the undersea explosions that sparked four leaks on the two Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea in September, seven months after Russia invaded Ukraine. The Danish energy agency released a photo late Thursday of a cylindrical object standing near the Nord Stream 2 pipeline at the bottom of the sea. The agency said it is 'possible' that the object is a maritime smoke buoy, 16in (40cm) tall and 4in inches (10cm) wide, and that it 'does not pose an immediate safety risk'. 'With a view to further clarifying the nature of the object, Danish authorities have decided to salvage the object with assistance from the Danish Defence,' it said in a statement. The agency added that it was still waiting for a response from the pipeline's owner, Russian majority state-owned energy giant Gazprom, before starting the recovery operation. But Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed the device, which was found 19 miles away from the site, could be explosive and has pointed the finger at the US. 'Experts believe that this could be an antenna to receive a signal to detonate an explosive device, which might be put under the pipeline system,' Putin said. Who is the more royal, Emmanuel Macron or King Charles? Both genetically and technically, only one even qualifies and it isnt the French President. But in his imperious manner and in his almost absolute power, Macron much more clearly displays the characteristics associated with the word king. Indeed, on the streets of Paris, some of the demonstrators against the Presidents decision to pass through an increase in the state pension age without a parliamentary vote have been carrying placards threatening the violent overthrow of Le Roi Macron. In the French parliament, opposition MPs chanted the words of the national anthem: Aux armes, citoyens, formez vos bataillons! That bloodthirsty chorus stems from the 1789 Revolution, which used the guillotine to remove royal heads. 'Who is the more royal, Emmanuel Macron or King Charles? Both genetically and technically, only one even qualifies and it isnt the French President' Yesterday, the former British Ambassador to France, Lord Ricketts, said if the state visit of King Charles to Paris had proceeded as planned, with a banquet at Versailles, there would have been echoes of the French Revolution. It was Macron who called it off, on the grounds that it would have been unpleasant for the new British monarch. Buckingham Palace gently let it be known that they would have not have been bothered if the state visit, King Charless first, had gone ahead: any humiliation from violent disturbances would have been an embarrassment only for the host. There is nothing new in the idea that the French system is more imperial than the British one, though we are now the only ones with a reigning monarch. Charles de Montesquieu in 1748 described Britain as a republic disguised in the form of a monarchy. Having experienced its own revolution and the execution of the first King Charles in 1649, the British Crown, since its restoration, has shown a self-preserving respect for the authority vested in those elected to exercise political power. Our monarchy has all the pomp but none of the power. So they continue to live in vast palaces, while our prime ministers exercise their office, residing in a terrace house of no particular distinction: Winston Churchill described the dwellings as shaky and lightly built by the profiteering contractor whose name they bear [George Downing]. The elected French head of state, however, lives and works in the stupendous majesty of the 365-room Elysee one of three presidential palaces. And his powers, too, exceed those of any British prime minister (or, indeed, the leader of other advanced democracies). The U.S. Council on Foreign Relations puts it this way: French presidents not only command the executive apparatus, including the armed forces, but tend to drive the national policy-making agenda with little parliamentary oversight . . . like the absolutist monarchy of the ancient regime. The entrance door of the city hall of Bordeaux on fire after a demonstration against the government carrying out a pension reform through Parliament without a vote Or, as that distinguished British historian of France, Robert Tombs, noted last week: This is the Fifth Republic, created for General de Gaulle in the 1950s as what the chief draughtsman of its constitution described as a Republican monarchy. The Americans should be a little careful in criticising the French presidency for its imperial tendencies. As elected head of state, the U.S. President, too, is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. And just as Macrons pension reforms were pushed through without a parliamentary vote, U.S. presidents have increasingly used executive orders to impose changes which were not even put to Congress. For example, Joe Biden signed the U.S. up to the Paris Climate Agreement by an executive order: he would probably never have got it endorsed by the legislature. READ MORE: DOMINIC LAWSON: If Tories really were party of the family as they claim, they'd fix our tax system Advertisement A former presidential candidate, Jeb Bush, once told me: The American President is both prime minister and monarch. Had he succeeded in his quest, then George H.W. Bush and two of his sons would have been presidents, an almost monarchical dynasty in the White House. The Kennedys and the Clintons had similar ideas. The U.S. Revolution was against the British monarchy, but based on a false understanding, in the sense that the conscientious constitutionalist George III was not exercising what the revolutionists termed tyranny out of his own desire for power: he was asserting the sovereignty of the British Parliament. As the historian David Cannadine observed: The founding fathers gave to the American presidency just those powers they erroneously believed George III still possessed to appoint and dismiss his cabinet, to make war and peace, and to veto bills sent up by the legislature. By contrast, and, as we have seen with terminal effect not once but twice within months, the British prime ministers only source of authority comes through parliament itself: if he or she loses the support of their colleagues in the legislature, they are gone in days. This is a function of the fact that our general elections are for a party, not a leader. The only election ballot with Boris Johnsons name on it in the 2019 general election was that in his own constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. So while he rages that it was his mandate which was ignored when forced to resign by his own MPs, that is not technically true: the mandate was won by the Conservative Party. That, in turn, is why Rishi Sunak has legitimacy as PM under our system: he can command, via the party which elected him, a majority in the House of Commons. It was in the middle of all the upheavals in the Tory Party that the monarch died, to be succeeded as head of state instantly, by proclamation by her heir. Our system may appear anachronistic, but when you look at France and what Donald Trump wrought with his refusal to accept the verdict of the last presidential election its not a bad old thing. Why can't the police show more respect? Something struck Baroness Casey as a bit off, when, as part of her investigation into the Metropolitan Police, she met senior members of the force to hear what they had to say about the kidnapping, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by one of their own. Casey told The Times that they used the victims first name only: I was thinking: You didnt know her; you dont know her family. Can you at least call her Sarah Everard? And when you refer to Sarah Everards parents, call them Mr and Mrs Everard. Baroness Casey is spot on in objecting to this tendency of the police to put familiarity ahead of formality. Baroness Casey (pictured last week) carried out an investigation into the Metropolitan Police It is disrespectful, even though its motivation may be no more than a desire to appear sympathetic. I experienced a version of this a year ago, just ahead of the trial of Ali Harbi Ali for the murder of the MP Sir David Amess. I was called by a police officer working at the Palace of Westminster, informing me that among other public figures whose names the killer had been researching was my father. The officer then asked me if I thought that Nigel would require any support or counselling from the force in dealing with this fact. I replied, thanking him for his concern, but added that my father would be completely unbothered, and not even that interested. As indeed it turned out when I called him to check: he snorted derisively when I passed on the offer of counselling. But what I was most tempted to say to that over-familiar police officer was: You have never met my father, so its Lord Lawson to you, not Nigel. I didnt, of course, out of a desire not to appear stuffy or pompous. But Baroness Casey is right, isnt she? A foot inside a shoe has washed up on a popular New Zealand beach. A passer-by made the horrifying discovery at Petone Beach, in Wellington, at about 8am local time on Saturday. Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Williamson said while police were in the early stages of the investigation, it was not being treated as a homicide. A land and water search of the area near where the foot was spotted was carried out but nothing further was found. A passer-by made horrifying discovery at Petone Beach (pictured), in Wellington, at about 8am local time on Saturday 'Formal identification of the foot will take place in due course,' Detective Senior Sergeant Williamson said. Petone Beach is a popular swimming spot for locals and tourists. UFOs or UAPs, as they're now being called have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years. It began with the explosive New York Times story, followed by congressional hearings that showed videos of mysterious high-speed objects darting in front of US fighter planes. But UFO sightings in America stretch back for decades many involving the US Air Force and cutting-edge military hardware. Nigel Watson, author of 'UFOs of the First World War', told DailyMail.com that many of the most famous UFO sightings actually involved secret and cutting-edge military hardware. Here are five legendary UFO sightings along with an explanation of what was really happening (spoiler alert: and it wasn't little green men). The Gorman Dogfight, 1948 Edward James Ruppelt investigated the Gorman case for Project Blue Book In 1948, a World War II veteran pilot had a 27-minute encounter with a white orb above Fargo, North Dakota. George F Gorman told a local newspaper: 'I've never seen anything like it. If anyone else had reported such a thing I would have thought they were crazy.' The incident was recorded in Project Blue Book, a US government attempt to analyze and document early UFO sightings. Captain Edward Ruppelt headed up the US Air Force's Project Blue Book UFO-hunting project, and actually proposed the use of the term UFO. Gorman, 25, was a former fighter pilot and was flying a P-51 Mustang. Gorman was flying a P-51 Mustang While flying alone for night-flight practice, he saw what he at first thought to be the tail lights of another aircraft. He said: 'It was about six to eight inches in diameter, clear white and completely without fuzz at the edges. It was blinking on and off. As I approached, however, the light suddenly became steady and pulled into a sharp left bank. I thought it was making a pass at the tower.' Gorman tried crashing into it, he said, describing the object as a 'disk', but said it dodged him at speeds of over 600mph. He said: 'Once, when the object was coming head on, I held my plane pointed right at it. 'The object came so close that I involuntarily ducked my head because I thought a crash was inevitable. But the object zoomed over my head.' Two air traffic controllers and another pilot corroborated his story. Gorman continued his service, never speaking publicly about his UFO experience. Air Force investigators officially concluded that it was an encounter with a weather balloon. Washington National Airport Sightings, 1942 Was this what was behind the airport sightings? (Getty) In July 1942, radar at the Air Routing and Traffic Control Center (ARTC) in Washington picked up seven targets moving faster than any aircraft of the period. Air Traffic Controller Edward Nugent's radar scope indicated they were 15 miles south-southwest of Washington DC. The Washington National Airport's control tower radar also displayed unidentified blips and the two controllers saw a bright light move at incredible speed. Aircraft were scrambled, and some observers claimed to see lights in the sky, with one pilot describing four white glows traveling 1,000ft below him and too fast to chase. The situation caused headlines around America and a hastily convened press conference explained that the radar blips had been caused by temperature inversions. But what about the sightings? Watson said: 'What seems likely is that sightings were caused by the expectation of seeing something to account for these radar blips. 'Some of the sightings were explained as due to weather balloons and meteors.' The death of Captain Thomas Mantell, 1958 Mantell investigated the object, but was never heard from again An unidentified flying object was spotted by control tower operators at Godman Air Force Base, Kentucky. Captain Thomas Mantell was requested to investigate it in his P-51 Mustang, reporting: 'It appears to be a metallic object or possibly the reflection of the sun from a metallic object, and it is of tremendous size.' Mantell told operators he was flying higher to get a closer look, but then he stopped communicating. The wreckage of his aircraft was found near Franklin, Kentucky. Watson said it is now believed Mantell's death was related to a then-classified Skyhook balloon developed by the US Navy and 20ft in diameter. The balloons were used for atmospheric research, particularly for constant meteorological observations at high altitudes. As it reached 100,000ft, the Skyhook expanded to a massive 70ft in diameter and 100ft tall. Watson said that to this day, UFO fans insist that Mantell's aircraft was fired on by a UFO but in reality, he probably blacked out while investigating a Skyhook. Watson said: 'Lacking oxygen, he had passed out as his aircraft climbed higher into the sky and was unable to regain consciousness to prevent the crash.' Flying saucer over Alaska, 1997 The incident sparked panicked calls from members of the public Locals called police in Fairbanks, Alaska after spotting something truly unearthly in the sky a 300-foot saucer which loomed bigger than a planet. It remained visible through the summer night. What people had seen was not a visitor from beyond, but a NASA project using a balloon to obtain data about the concentration and weight of stratospheric gases at sunrise. The Observations of the Middle Stratosphere (OMS) balloon was launched on 8 July 1997 carrying a 1,700lb gondola housing scientific instruments (which local people saw and confused for a UFO). Watson said: 'Although publicity was given about the project, the local Fairbanks police force received several telephone calls reporting a UFO in the sky. After recording their data, the large gondola suspended beneath the balloon was parachuted to the ground, where it made a perfect landing.' Red lights in the sky, 1952 A second CIA briefing paper prepared in August 1952 revealed how Captain Ruppelt, who led the US Air Force's Project Blue Book UFO-hunting project, was called out at dusk to investigate red lights in the sky. Even with binoculars, they couldn't make out what the object was, so an F-94 pilot was sent to investigate finding that it was a cluster of three Skyhook balloons. Telephone reports described the objects as violently moving 'saucers' of different shapes and colors, some of which were 'looping' around observers. But staff at the airfield refused to believe the objects were truly balloons, despite the official report, Watson said. He said the staff turned in a report saying that the sighting 'must have been of some other unknown origin.' Known as the 'boy king', Tutankhamun has captured the world's attention for more than a century, after his tomb was uncovered in 1922. He is believed to have been one of the youngest leaders in ancient Egyptian history, having taken to the throne at just nine or ten years old. The pharaoh was also just 19 when he died more than 3,300 years ago, with his burial site located at the world-famous Valley of the Kings. Yet, Tutankhamun's life is enveloped in mystery, with looming uncertainty surrounding his cause of death, the contents of his tomb and even his iconic mask. As archaeologists continue piecing together his life, MailOnline has compiled a list of the five most puzzling questions about the boy king. Tutankhamun is believed to have been one of the youngest leaders in ancient Egyptian history having taken to the throne at just nine or ten years old How did Tutankhamun die? Mystery has always surrounded the death of Tutankhamun, who passed away at just 19 years old. Many have speculated that the young pharaoh was murdered, with a bump on his head indicating that he may have been hit from behind. But in 2005 no evidence of this was found, as leading Egyptologist Dr Zahi Hawass announced the damage to his head actually came about during the mummification process. It was just five years later when experts instead came to the belief that the Egyptian leader may have actually died from a broken leg. As part of a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (AMA), the pharaoh's mummy was radiologically examined to determine his cause of death. Experts concluded Tutankhamun was a very fragile leader with multiple disorders and malaria that may have made an infected broken leg life-threatening. It was also said that Tutankhamun needed a cane to walk as he had the painful Kohler disease in addition to oligodactyly in his right foot and clubfoot on his left. Fruits and seeds found in his tomb also indicated that he was receiving medical treatment, the scientists added. Pictured: Howard Carter and a colleague cleaning the coffin of young Pharaoh Tutankhamun Is there more to find Tutankhamun's tomb? The Valley of Kings The Valley of the Kings in upper Egypt is one of the main tourist attractions of the country, next to the Giza pyramid complex. The majority of the pharaohs of the 18th to 20th dynasties, who ruled from 1550 to 1069 BC, rested in the tombs which were cut into the local rock. The most famous pharaoh at the site is Tutankhamen, whose tomb was discovered in 1922. Preserved to this day, in the tomb are original decorations of sacred imagery from, among others, the Book of Gates or the Book of Caverns. These are among the most important funeral texts found on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs. Advertisement It has been more than a century since archaeologist Howard Carter first discovered Tutankhamun's tomb, where over 5,000 treasures were recovered. Yet, excavation work still continues to this day as many believe the tomb has more secrets to reveal. Last year, fellow archaeologist Dr Nicholas Reeves suggested that Tutankhamun's tomb is only an antechamber of a much bigger structure. He said that a larger sepulchre may be hidden behind it - leading to the resting place of Tutankhamun's stepmother, Queen Nefertiti. Dr Reeves told The Times: 'The greatest archaeological discovery in the world has got more to give - potentially something far more impressive than Tutankhamun's burial. 'I'm suggesting that the most famous woman in the ancient world is also buried there.' Nefertiti, believed to be Tut's stepmother, ruled over what some scholars say was the wealthiest period of ancient Egypt, where the empire flourished, in the 14th century BC. If correct, the items buried with Nefertiti will have remained completely untouched since her burial. This differs to the initial exploration of Tutankhamun's tomb where more than half of the royal jewellery had already been stolen. However, it still took Carter more than 10 years to document all the treasures that remained buried with him. Nefertiti, believed to be Tut's stepmother, ruled over what some scholars say was the wealthiest period of ancient Egypt, where the empire flourished, in the 14th century BC Who else might be buried in Tutankhamun's tomb? Despite Dr Reeves beliefs, some have previously speculated that it might not be Queen Nefertiti who is buried behind Tut's tomb. In 2015, the former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities, Mamdouh Eldamaty, suggested that a hidden chamber could instead belong to the pharaoh's mother Queen Kiya. Little is known about Queen Kiya, but she is believed to have been one of the wives of Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. The minister claimed that Neferetiti was actually dead once Tut came to power and also asserted that it would have been 'ideal' for him to be buried with his mother, according to Ahram Online. Yet some have disputed that secret chambers even exist, with experts claiming that radar surveys used as evidence do not prove anything. Pictured: Sarcophagus containing the coffin of Pharaoh Tutankhamun which held his mummy The first glimpse of Tutankhamun's tomb, when uncovered during 1922 (pictured) Some experts believe Tutankhamun's tomb was in fact Nefertiti's, and when the boy king died unexpectedly at a young age, he was rushed into her tomb's outer chamber in Luxor's Valley of Kings Who was Ankhesenamun? Ankhesenamun, the half-sister and wife of Tutankhamun, was Queen of Egypt from 1332 - 1322 BC. She was the third daughter of Pharaoh Akenaton, who attempted to turn Egypt to the worship of only the Sun God, and Queen Nefertiti. On the other hand, her husband was the son of Akenaton and one of his sisters. Ankhesenamun may have been briefly married to her father, having a child with him, before marrying her half-brother. During her marriage to Tutankhamun, engravings from his tomb suggest that she assisted him hunting by handing out arrows. Ankhesenamun wears a white shawl as she attends her husband and half-brother King Tutankhamun, who is sitting on a chair Sources: Britannica.com, Daily Mail and Telegraph. Advertisement In 2016, the Director of the Egyptian Museum, Friederike Seyfried, said that it was only a hypothesis to believe that a queen is hidden in the chamber. She told Ahram Online: 'The sudden death of the boy-king led the tomb's builders to finish the tomb quickly and close it up, which is why a cavity was found.' As a result of these clashing opinions, several international Tutankhamun conferences have been held on a yearly basis, attempting to discover what really went on. Ms Seyfried's thoughts were eventually backed up by a 2018 statement which claimed with a 'high level of confidence' that no hidden chamber existed, according to National Geographic. The statement, released on behalf of Mostafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, read: 'We conclude, with a very high level of confidence, that the hypothesis concerning the existence of hidden chambers adjacent [to] Tutankhamun's tomb is not supported by the GPR data.' Yet, new research on hieroglyphs has opened up the door to this mystery all over again. Dr Reeves has since re-emphasised that the odds of Nefertiti lying behind Tut's burial place are now slightly better than 50/50. What happened to Tutankhamun's wife? For a long time, Tut's wife, Ankhesenamun, has remained a mystery to scientists having disappeared from records somewhere between 1325 and 1321 BC. But in 2010, experts edged closer to solving the case once and for all following DNA tests performed on two mummies found in the Valley of Kings. One of the bodies was shown to be the mother of twins found in Tut's tomb, suggesting it was Ankhesenamun. However, doubt was cast on her identity as scientists discovered that the other mummy was not her father, Akhenaten. In another turn of events, Dr, Zahi Hawass uncovered a new burial chamber in the Valley of Kings during 2017 which could instead belong to Ankhesenamun. Experts were drawn to the site after foundation deposits, caches of pottery, food remains and other tools were found, suggesting the presence of a burial chamber. As a result, 100 Egyptian workers took to excavating the untouched Valley of Kings area located near the tomb of pharaoh Ay. Ankhesenamun, married to Tutankhamun, was wed with Ay after Tutankhamun's sudden death. Ay ruled immediately after King Tut, from 1327 to 1323 BC. It is still uncertain where her body remains. In 2017, experts edged closer to solving the case once and for all having uncovered a new burial chamber in the Valley of Kings Was Tutankhamun's mask made for him? Tutankhamun's iconic gold funeral mask is one of the most famous artefacts of all time, cleverly crafted by hammering two sheets of gold together. But some suggest that it was not actually designed for the boy king and instead was made for a woman. In 2016, Dr Yasmin El Shazly, an Egyptologist, claimed that the golden death mask may have originally depicted a female pharaoh before it was fitted to Tut. The expert explained that the face was originally separate from the headdress before they were welded together. This two-piece mask differs from typical pharaoh death masks which are usually made in one piece. British archaeologist Howard Carter (1874 - 1939) at Tutankhamun's tomb, March 1 1923 She also explained the ears of the mask were originally pierced, which was unusual for a 3D depiction of a man. 'It suggests the face itself did not originally belong to the rest of the headdress, and that the headdress belonged to a woman,' she said. In another twist, Dr El Shazly suggested that Tut's tomb may not have been made for him either as the room was also scattered with feminine decorations. For instance, she claimed canopic jars found in the burial chamber were decorated with very feminine faces that look different to depictions of King Tut. But for now, the mystery remains. The thought of saying 'no' when someone innocuously asks to connect to your router may seem rude... but it could have consequences. Lending your Wi-Fi password to a friend or a neighbour is a relatively common occurrence, but there are a number of risks you must consider before doing so. Potential dangers stretch from the individual visiting illegal websites under your IP address to having malware spread to your devices. Here are 10 reasons will make you think twice about sharing your Wi-Fi password with friends. A friend could choose to download a film or TV series illegally at your home to avoid putting themselves at risk Illegal downloads One of the more likely occurrences is that someone you give you Wi-Fi password to will use it for nefarious means. If someone else uses your internet connection to download illegal content it will leave an online trail back to your router. A friend could choose to download a film or TV series illegally at your home to avoid putting themselves at risk. You could find yourself with a large fine in the post or potentially having the authorities paying you a visit. Malware can spread You may share you password to someone who you completely trust and know for certain would never take advantage of your kindness. However even a trustworthy friend or family member connecting to your network could still spell disaster. Malware often works in the background, meaning the person may be totally unaware of the infection when they connect. If a device, such as a smartphone, is infected with malware and connects to your Wi-Fi it could go on to attack you own computers, phones, and tablets as it spreads. Malware often works in the background, meaning the person may be totally unaware of the infection when they connec They could use up all your data Nearly all broadband providers offer unlimited downloads and no data caps, so you may think this won't affect you. However most unlimited packages are either known as 'standard unlimited' or 'truly unlimited'. With standard unlimited packages there can be restrictions, like traffic management and fair use policies. If you hand out your password to someone who makes very large and regular downloads your internet service provider could say you are abusing the fair use policy. They could slow down the speed of your connection and in serious cases terminate your connection. Users can see connections Letting someone connect to you Wi-Fi network is effectively giving someone someone access to a system where data comes in and out. A tech-savvy person could utilise free computer programs can scan your network which will provide a list of every device currently connected. Can get your IP blocked from websites Internet users on your Wi-Fi can't still make life awkward for you even if they don't engage in illegal activity. Certain websites, including social media and online games, can issue IP bans to users who have violated their terms of service or cheated. This means that access to the specific website will be blocked for everyone on the same Wi-Fi - not just their specific account. The bans are not always permanent and you are able change your IP address. Certain websites, including social media and online games, can issue IP bans to users who have violated their terms of service or cheated. They could use your password Wi-Fi passwords are notoriously difficult to remember, full of random numbers and odd capital letters. Many people resort to sticking password on their fridge or saving it as a photo on their phone. But some choose to rename their password to something they can remember - another password they already use. This runs the risk of someone being able to access your accounts. They could hog all the bandwidth Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transferred from your router to your devices at any given time - or the speed or your internet. The median average internet speed in the UK is around 50Mbps, which can handle around two to three video streams of normal quality and some additional online browsing. If you're watching a movie in 4k but your friend or neighbour is downloading large files and playing an online game - you may find everything becomes sluggish. Perform illegal activities online Online activity on your Wi-Fi will be traceable back to you, including actions that break the law without visiting illegal websites. Bullying, trolling and hate speech occur regularly online and authorities do respond to reports. When the trolling is done via an anonymous account, the profile may traced back to its IP address. If your friend engages in online activity on your Wi-Fi that has real world repercussions - you may find yourself being visited by the police. If you live in a block of flats or and area where there are a large number of possible Wi-Fi connections handing out your password could cause trouble. They could use other devices on the network While less serious than some of the other potentials actions, someone using your devices via you Wi-Fi can be frustrating. Many people have devices such as printers, an Amazon Alexa, speakers, even hard drives connected to their internet. It allows users to control aspects of their home via their phone, but by sharing your Wi-Fi password you are potentially letting others use these devices. It may be accidental but you would likely be annoyed if a song you were listening to a song via a Wi-Fi speaker was interrupted by your neighbours tunes. They could share your password around If you live in a block of flats or and area where there are a large number of possible Wi-Fi connections handing out your password could cause trouble. If you share password to one person they could go on to share it to several others, increasing the likelihood of illegal activity occurring via your IP address. A trusted neighbour may not abuse your Wi-Fi, but a person who doesn't know you may see it as an opportunity. Half of college students are likely already using ChatGPT to cheat, experts have estimated. They warn the revolutionary AI has created a cheating epidemic that poses a huge threat to the integrity of academia. Rehan Haque, of artificial intelligence company Metatalent.ai, said: 'We're already at the point where AI can write entire projects, and then a different AI tool can reword it to make AI undetectable. 'At present, well over half of students are likely using AI tools to cheat the education system in exams or essays, but it wouldnt surprise me if that number were already higher.' Could educators resort to written tests to deal with AI cheating? He added: 'If educators make the mistake of ignoring the threat of AI-based cheating, I can honestly see more than 90 percent of students cheating in this way [in future].' OpenAI's new GPT-4 update (GPT-3 and GPT-4 are the models which underlie ChatGPT) is able to get 90 percent on a huge number of exams, including the American bar exam. The AI bot is also capable of writing human-like essays on any subject in seconds, in response to simple text prompts. Creator OpenAI is working on a tool to detect AI-written content, but warns it's not 100 percent accurate. A survey by Study.com of 203 teachers found that 26 percent of K-12 teachers had already caught at least one student cheating using the software. South Texas College of Law Houston law professor Josh Blackman wrote: 'This technology should strike fear in all academics.' The Los Angeles Unified School District, Seattle Public Schools, the New York Department of Education and Oakland Unified are among the American school boards which have banned or blocked the use of ChatGPT. At university level, New York's Yeshiva College updated its cheating policy to include 'something/someone else's language' so that cheating via ChatGPT was banned. Haque says that educators may resort to 'technological regression' as a temporary measure to battle AI cheating. He said: 'This might even mean returning to the old-fashioned way of writing everything down. But, even then what stops a student from copying an AI-produced essay off a screen?' Rehan Haque of Metatalent.ai believes the problem is widespread - and will get worse. Narmeen Makhani, executive director of the ETS AI Labs Haque believes that AI detection software will evolve, but that educators need to rise to using AI in the classroom rather than banning it. Research by GoStudent found that 59 percent of young people want to see advanced tech such as AI on the curriculum. Haque said: 'To be fair to the students, if education systems fail to adapt to a technology Bill Gates recently described as "the most revolutionary technology in decades", then the onus can't sit exclusively with them. 'Instead, teachers, examiners and educators need to recognize that technology is changing, and they need to move with it.' AI has positive uses within the classroom, agrees Narmeen Makhani, executive director of the ETS AI Labs, which makes tools which can detect AI cheating. She said: 'Generative AI is also used for good purposes like advancing learning. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT help learners more efficiently generate text and summarize information that can help them with schoolwork.' Makhani said that scientists in her lab have been working on strategies to detect AI - including keystroke analysis to spot people editing essays generated by AI. She said that there are giveaway signs that essays have been generated by AI rather than a human being. She said: 'Although, it's very hard for humans to detect AI-generated text, Generative AI detection tools look for minute patterns such as repetitive simple words or the lack of any inconsistencies to detect patterns typical of AI generated text. 'In addition, AI models tend to write consistent sentences as opposed to humans who typically write in bursts. AI detection models also look for whether a piece of text 'appears' random or chaotic compared to text that appears non-chaotic or less 'perplexing' which is most likely AI generated.' Makhani says that no tool can accurately detect AI-generated text 100 percent of the time, but she and her team will continue to investigate how to spot cheaters. She says that the technology offers educators a way to free the education system from focusing on memorizing facts and regurgitating large amounts of text. Makhani says, 'Educators have an opportunity to use AI tools to augment learning and improve assessments to enable them to rely less on rote memorization and text generation but instead on asking learners to demonstrate their understanding of concepts and their ability to analyze information. She also believes that AI tools such as ChatGPT will be useful in the classroom - and in teaching students skills which will be useful in the workplace of tomorrow. Makhani said: 'They can also empower students to leverage AI tools to evaluate AI outputs to both support and demonstrate higher-order skills. Generative AI tools can help educators quickly create personalized content that is socio-culturally relevant for their students and can help to motivate and assess learners in new ways.' The quality of airline food is a hot topic among the travel community. And in a bid to offer insight into what's currently on the menu, a spread of airline passengers have taken to TikTok, filming themselves tucking into in-flight meals of varying quality. DailyMail.com can now reveal some of the best and worst-rated examples of airline cuisine from 'flavorless' pasta and 'rock hard' muffins to 'terrible' wine and 'restaurant quality' lamb. Bite your way down to see what these frequent flyers had to say about their mile-high meals. Delta first class from Los Angeles to New York: 6.5/10 Celine Linarte rated everything she ate on a Delta flight from Los Angeles to New York after being upgraded to first class. She said she opted for the brisket meal A side of cornbread with 'nice fancy butter' scored 8/10, but Celine's favorite dish was the cinnamon carrot cake TikTok creator Celine Linarte rated everything she ate on a Delta flight from Los Angeles to New York after being upgraded to first class. She opted for the brisket meal - but said one of the first things that stood out on her meal tray wasn't the food, but the 'cool' salt and pepper shaker. Celine went on to score each element of her dinner out of 10. The Californian said the meat was tender in some parts, but otherwise it was overcooked. For this reason, she gave her main course a 6.5/10. The accompanying greens, which included stems of broccoli, scored a slightly higher 7/10. Meanwhile, a side of cornbread with 'nice fancy butter' scored 8/10 and a pesto burrata salad got 7/10 - because Celine 'loves' cheese. The frequent flyer also had a taste of the chicken meatballs option, but gave them an underwhelming 6/10. The overall winner from her dinner, however, was the cinnamon carrot cake, which she gave a perfect 10/10, adding: 'Would do this again 100 per cent.' JetBlue Mint class from Los Angeles to New York: 7.1/10 Rick Lox, who posts regular restaurant reviews to his TikTok account, said he was impressed by the food he got on a JetBlue flight in its premium Mint cabin from Los Angeles to New York A 'pretty good' chicken Milanese came next, followed by a portion of braised lamb shoulder which he deemed to be 'restaurant quality' Rick Lox, who posts regular restaurant reviews to his TikTok account, said he paid $2,500 for a flight with JetBlue in its premium Mint cabin from Los Angeles to New York and the food he got along the way made the investment well worth it. He kicked off his main meal with a bread roll which he said 'surprisingly wasn't as hard as a rock.' Next up, he tucked into a small bowl of cavatelli pasta topped with tomatoes and parmesan which he described as 'kinda flavorless.' But the next courses made up for his lackluster appetizer, with a 'pretty good' chicken Milanese and a serving of braised lamb shoulder, which he deemed to be 'restaurant quality.' He rounded off the meal with a vanilla gelato. The foodie concluded: 'Overall, I was pretty impressed, giving it a 7.1/10 score, which is pretty darn good for airplane food.' Many viewers said they were impressed with how the food looked. One commenter said: 'That pasta looks good.' While another wrote: 'That is best looking plane food I've seen.' Air Canada economy from Japan to Cambodia: 4/10 Food and travel creator HungryPursuit (left) documented his meals while traveling from Japan to Cambodia with Air Canada in economy. The red wine beef stew (right) got a 4/10 rating For dessert he had a chocolate brownie which got a 7/10 and when he woke up he was greeted by a forgettable tuna wrap The last meal of his flight was breakfast, comprising of soy ginger-marinated tofu with rice and beef Food and travel creator HungryPursuit documented his meals while traveling the 13 hours from Japan to Cambodia with Air Canada in economy. For his main meal, he had a cold potato salad to start. He told viewers that he generally 'loves' potato salad - though this version was 'in dire need of seasoning.' The foodie also described it as 'too dry and bland,' giving it an overall score of 2/10. Next up, the TikToker tucked into a portion of red wine beef stew, served in a plastic container. Describing the depressing dish, he said: 'The mash potatoes had this off-putting sandy texture... the beef had really good flavor actually but was so overcooked so 4/10.' While filming the clip, the traveler noticed his fellow passenger demonstrating 'a nice little hack' by warming his butter on top of his hot meal so it would spread more easily on the bread roll. HungryPursuit made a mental note to remember that next time. He didn't have 'high hopes' for dessert - a chocolate brownie - following such a disappointing entree. But it 'was decent and satisfied my sweet tooth so I'm going to give this one a 7/10.' After sleeping, the globetrotter said he woke up 'absolutely starving' so was looking forward to getting his teeth into the tuna wrap he was served. But it was a 'little underwhelming on the filling' front, resulting in a 5/10 score. The last meal of his flight was breakfast, a morning meal comprising of soy ginger-marinated tofu with rice and beef that was the unexpected highlight of the trip. He concluded: 'This had some really good flavor and nicely cooked rice so I'm going to give it a 7/10.' China Airlines premium economy from US to Taiwan: 10/10 Food and travel video producer Jasmine Pak upgraded to premium economy using points on a China Airlines flight from the US to Taiwan and enjoyed an elevated dining experience She said she tried some of her mom's meal and the steak was 'so tender,' but the winning dish was the side salad with chunks of duck breast Jasmine said the food came 'pretty much immediately' after they'd reached altitude Food and travel video producer Jasmine Pak upgraded to premium economy using points on a China Airlines flight from the US to Taiwan which, she said, 'essentially just gives you more space at the end of the day.' However, the premium seat also landed her a goodie bag from The North Face containing a moisturizer, some ear plugs, a toothbrush and an eye mask, along with an elevated dining experience. Jasmine said the food came 'pretty much immediately' after they'd reached altitude and she got to choose between a chicken and rice bowl - which she opted for - and steak and potatoes - her mom's choice. She said she tried both and her mom's steak was 'so tender,' but she preferred her 'succulent' chunks of chicken. In her TikTok, the traveler showed off some of her other meal components including an artfully presented side salad topped with a 'pretty shrimp' and some roast duck, which she gave a 10/10. There were also some lengths of cucumber which were a 'bit salty', followed by a 'juicy' and 'sweet' fruit selection, a 'yummy' crackers and cheese selection, and a full-size Snickers - which Jasmine said viewers would 'already know was amazing.' Air France economy from Los Angeles to Paris: 3/10 Miranda Shaffer took an Air France flight from Los Angeles to Paris and said: 'I usually love airplane food guys but this was so bad.' Her chicken Milanese only scored 3/10 Accompanying the dishes, Miranda got a roll (left) which she said was 'basic' and the 'worst cheese' (right) she's ever had The morning spread included a 'burnt' and 'small' croissant (2/10), a 'hard as rock' blueberry muffin (1/10) and a 'dry and cold' roll (2/10) Californian Miranda Shaffer said: 'I usually love airplane food.' But on an Air France flight from Los Angeles to Paris, she described the options as 'so bad.' In a short TikTok clip, the creator revealed what menu items she had during her flight, with a rating for each one. First up, she wrote in jest that the water 'tasted like water [so] big points for hydration.' She gave the foil-capped tub of water 10/10. For her main meal she had chicken Milanese with rice, which she said had 'hospital food vibes.' For this reason she scored the dish just 3/10. On the side, she was served yet more rice - which was cold and came with olives and peas. She awarded this concoction just 1/10. Accompanying the dishes, Miranda was served a roll which she said was 'basic' and cold. It only scored 4/10. Miranda's meal tray also included a plastic-wrapped chunk of the 'worst cheese' she had 'ever had.' 'Very hurt by this cheese,' she said, giving it a measly 0/10. To wash the meal down, she went for the white wine, which she gave a 6/10 rating. She explained: 'Terrible wine tbh but it was free and French, so on brand oui.' The college student also revealed what she had for breakfast on the plane. But it was even worse than her dinner experience. The morning spread included a 'burnt' and 'small' croissant (2/10), a 'hard as rock' blueberry muffin (1/10) and a 'dry and cold' roll (2/10). However, the orange juice got 10/10 as Miranda noted: 'You can't go wrong' with OJ. Singapore Airlines economy from Amsterdam to Singapore: 8/10 Creator @amstervan pre-ordered a vegetarian Asian meal for their economy flight with Singapore Airlines from Amsterdam to Singapore. The noodles scored 8/10 On the side they had a serving of Roggebrood rye bread and low fat spread which only got 4/10. When it came to the dessert, they gave the pink-hued mousse-style pudding 8/10 Creator @amstervan said they pre-ordered a vegetarian Asian meal - one of the travel hacks a flight attendant shared with DailyMail.com recently - for their economy flight with Singapore Airlines from Amsterdam to Singapore. For lunch they had a noodle dish with vegetables - a saucy-looking concoction which they scored 8/10. On the side they had a serving of Roggebrood rye bread and low-fat spread which only got 4/10. Another side dish came in the form of a tomato and cucumber salad which got 6/10. On the drinks side of things, the traveler gave their orange juice a 10/10 rating and their white wine 8/10. When it came to dessert, @amstervan wasn't entirely sure what was on their plate, but they gave the pink-hued mousse-style pudding 8/10 anyway. Meanwhile, a tub of vanilla ice cream got 6/10 and the KitKat got 10/10. For their second meal, @amstervan had noodles with vegetables 'again,' but this time with tofu. That dish scored 7/10. All the other elements of the meal were the same as his first, with the addition of a tasty fruit salad which scored 10/10. Virgin Atlantic economy from London to LA: 6/10 Content creator @girlvsglobe rated her food on a Virgin Atlantic economy flight from London to Los Angeles At lunch she got a cardboard box containing a pasta and cheese meal which she described as 'bad' and only awarded a 2/10 score. She also tried the non-vegetarian chicken option A milk chocolate and 'seaside salt' mousse scored 9/10, while the cheese toastie got 7/10 Content creator @girlvsglobe rated her food on a Virgin Atlantic economy flight from London to Los Angeles. To begin with, she received a packet of lightly salted 'pretzel thins' which she gave 8/10. Lunch was a cardboard box containing a pasta and cheese meal which she described as 'bad' and only awarded 2/10. However, the non-vegetarian chicken dish was deemed 'nice' and scored 6/10, while the milk chocolate and 'seaside salt' mousse was a delicious 9/10. 'It was so good,' the TikToker gushed. Rounding things out, she had a cup of tea - which was 'nothing special' with a 7/10 rating - but an organic orange ice pop hit the spot, with a perfect 10/10 score. Before landing, the traveler was given a cheese toastie, which she awarded 7/10 because 'I'm always up for cheese,' and an afternoon tea box - containing sandwiches, scones and biscuits - which scored an impressive 9/10. Korean Air business class from Seoul to Los Angeles: 9.5/10 YouTuber and content creator Ashley Yi rated her three-course meal while traveling on Korean Air's 'prestige class' - the airline's equivalent of business Her main course consisted of a grilled beef tenderloin topped with red wine sauce and served with a side of potato and vegetables. It was followed by a wedge of chocolate walnut cake YouTuber Ashley Yi rated her three-course meal while traveling on Korean Air's 'prestige class' - the airline's equivalent of business. Her meal was presented on a tray table covered with a white cloth, and she had porcelain crockery and silverware. To start with, the social media star tucked into a roasted yellow tomato with a semi-dried tomato dip, which she gave 8/10. Next up, Ashley moved onto appetizers. She explained: 'I'm a soup girl so this asparagus cream soup warmed my soul... 8.5/10.' She followed the soup up with an artfully presented plate of marinated shrimp with mushrooms, which she described as 'so fresh' and gave it an 8/10 score. In between her next courses, Ashley indulged in some bread and butter, and mused why the simple combination tastes 'so good' while flying. Her main course consisted of a grilled beef tenderloin topped with red wine sauce, served with a side of potato and vegetables. She said she was shocked that the beef was actually medium rare and 'very tender.' She also applauded the fact that the airline noted where the beef was sourced and the fact that the vegetables were organic. For this reason she gave the medley 9.5/10. Following the meat course, there was a seasonal fruit and cheese plate, but Ashley said she was so full she could only take a bite of the cheese and Asian pear. Despite this tiny taste, she awarded the course 9/10. Lastly, the flight attendants brought Ashley a wedge of chocolate walnut cake which scored 7.5/10. After her bountiful spread, the TikToker exclaimed: 'Time to pass out!' The Royal Family are no stranger to visiting some of the nation's biggest soaps, having made multiple visits to their iconic sets over the years. Whether it be the Coronation Street cobbles, Emmerdale village or EastEnders' Albert Square, Her Majesty The Queen, and her son, King Charles, have delighted the cast with their appearances in decades past. The late monarch enjoyed four public engagements at UK soaps throughout her 70-year reign, the most recent being just a year before her death. Earlier this week, as a Patron of The Acid Survivors Trust International, Princess Anne also visited the Corrie set ahead of the soap's hard-hitting storyline which sees Daisy Midgeley targeted by an acid attack. So, from pulling a pint in the Rovers Return to a surprise on-screen cameo, MailOnline takes a look-back at the Royal's Family's most memorable soap visits. May 5, 1982 - The Queen and Prince Philip set foot in the Corrie cobbles Blast from the past! The Queen's first serial drama visit came in 1982, when she visited the Corrie lot to officially open its new outdoor set Her Majesty's first serial drama visit came in the early 1980s, when she visited the Corrie lot to officially open its new outdoor set. Accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen met with the soap's creator Tony Warren, as well as producer Bill Podmore, writer H.V. Kershaw. She also spoke to many of the soap's cast members at the time, including Eileen Derbyshire (Emily Bishop), William Roache (Ken Barlow) and Anne Kirkbride (Deirdre Barlow), who all stood outside their characters' houses on the set. At the time, it was such huge news for The Queen to visit the set, that it was broadcast live on ITV in a one-off programme called The Queen in Coronation Street. December 8 2000 - The Prince Of Wales visits Corrie Time for a drink? Years before he ascended the throne, King Charles followed his mother by visiting the Corrie set in 2000 to unveil a plaque in honour of the soap's 40th anniversary Time for a drink? As well as a drink in the Rovers Return, Charles' visit was editing into that evening's episode of Corrie, which was broadcast live Years before he ascended the throne, King Charles followed his mother by visiting the Corrie set to unveil a plaque in honour of the soap's 40th anniversary. The then-Prince Of Wales paid a visit to the legendary Rovers Return, and met with cast members including Jacqueline Pirie (Linda Baldwin) and Jack P. Shepherd (David Platt). Charles went onto make a surprise cameo in an upcoming episode, when his conversation with Liz Dawn (Vera Duckworth) and Sue Nicholls (Audrey Roberts) was edited into that day's episode, which was broadcast live. The scene saw Audrey, who was a councillor at the time, speaking to Charles in a 'live news bulletin' about protests the council's attempts to dig up Coronation Street's famous cobblestones. The scene had been filmed during Charles' visit earlier in the day, with the Palace agreeing beforehand that it could be used, and the King was credited as himself during the episode's closing moments. November 28, 2001 - The Queen heads to Albert Square Time for a drink? At a time when EastEnders was being lauded by fans for its hard-hitting and dramatic storyline, The Queen made her first visit to Walford Introductions: She and Philip were given a tour of Albert Square and its surrounding areas by Barbara Windsor (Peggy Mitchell) and Wendy Richard (Pauline Fowler) At a time when EastEnders was being lauded by fans for its hard-hitting and dramatic storyline, The Queen made her first visit to Walford. She and Philip were given a tour of Albert Square and its surrounding areas by Barbara Windsor (Peggy Mitchell) and Wendy Richard (Pauline Fowler). At the time Barbara said: 'I know she isn't an EastEnders fan but it's lovely she's here. I am a royalist I love the Prince of Wales and Camilla watches EastEnders.' The Queen also met Square stalwart June Brown (Dot Cotton) and she posed behind the famous Queen Vic bar with Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell). July 11, 2002 - The Queen's near-miss on the Emmerdale set Close call! During her Golden Jubilee tour in 2002, The Queen visited the Emmerdale village, where she was given a 45-minute tour of the set and watched an explosion being filmed Oops! However, the visit wasn't smooth sailing, with This Morning's soap expert Sharon Marshall revealing 2022 that Her Majesty suffered a near-miss from a stray piece of wood During her Golden Jubilee tour, The Queen visited the Emmerdale village, where she was given a 45-minute tour of the set. She was also able to witness an explosion being filmed, with the village post office completely blown to pieces. However, the visit wasn't smooth sailing, with This Morning's soap expert Sharon Marshall revealing in 2022 that Her Majesty suffered a near-miss on the set. Speaking after the monarch's death, she said: 'She went to see the actual scene of the post office being blown up and a piece of wood apparently blew a lot closer than everyone was expecting. 'She didn't flinch, doesn't move at all, she just continued with the tour.' Mark Charnock, who plays Marlon Dingle, added: 'She was cool as a cucumber when the explosion went off. The rest of us jumped out of our skins.' During her visit, the Queen spoke to cast members Stan Richards (Seth Armstrong), Paula Tilbrook (Betty Eagleton), Deena Payne (Viv Hope) and Tony Audenshaw (Bob Hope). At the time, Paula said that while she knew the Queen Mother was a fan of Emmerdale, she didn't ask Her Majesty if she was, as she thought it might be 'embarrassing'. February 5, 2010 - Camilla pulls a pint at The Rovers Have a go! As a longtime fan of the soap, the Queen Consort Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, visited the Corrie set ahead of the soap's 50th Anniversary in 2010 As a longtime fan of the soap, the Queen Consort Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, visited the Corrie set ahead of the soap's 50th Anniversary. Camilla even got behind the bar at the Rovers to pull a pint for Ryan Thomas, who played Jason Grimshaw, with the actor jokingly checking if it was on the house before saying it was the best pint he'd ever had on the Street. When meeting longtime star Bill Roache, Camilla appeared star-struck, adding she began watching the soap with her mother when it first started. She also got into the Corrie spirit by wearing a brooch showing three flying ducks, with one slightly askew in honour of Hilda Ogden's famous 'muriel.' During her visit, Camilla got to watch a scene being filmed, and told the stars: 'It's a wonderful British institution. What would we do without it? I'm really sad Betty isn't here with her hotpot!' April 14, 2016 - Princess Anne visits Corrie Stopping in the Rovers? Following in her mother's footsteps, the Princess Royal visited the Corrie set for a royal engagement in 2016 Following in her mother's footsteps, the Princess Royal visited the Corrie set for a royal engagement in 2016. She visited the famous street alongside 50 senior and diverse leaders from businesses, Governments and NGOs across the Commonwealth. The visit to the site was part of a wider CSC Leaders 'Common Purpose' visit to Manchester. Common Purpose runs leadership development programmes that inspire and equip people to work together across boundaries in the UK. Robbie Sandison, Head of Production for Coronation Street, said at the time: 'It was a delight to welcome Her Royal Highness and leaders from across the Commonwealth to the cobbles. 'Coronation Street has worked together across various industries in the Greater Manchester community for over 50 years and together with ITV we're very proud of our place in the region's history.' Marie Mohan, Chief Executive of Common Purpose UK, explained that as well as an interesting visit the day was important in improving boundaries. July 8, 2021 - The Queen returns to the cobbles Back again! Nearly 40 years after her last visit, The Queen returned to the Coronation Street set in 2021, after the soap celebrated its 60th Anniversary Familiar faces! During her trip, she met some of the soap's longest-serving cast members, ITV chairman Sir Peter Bazlegette and managing director of continuing drama, John Whiston Nearly 40 years after her last visit, The Queen returned to the Coronation Street set in 2021, after the soap celebrated its 60th Anniversary. During her trip, she met some of the soap's longest-serving cast members, along with ITV chairman Sir Peter Bazlegette and managing director of continuing drama, John Whiston. At the time, Corrie had made drastic changes to their filming techniques due to the Covid pandemic, and during the Queen's visit she was told how they managed to continue making new episodes with the stringent measures in place. ITV's CEO Dame Carolyn McCall also showed the Queen to Studio 1, the set of the Rovers Return where she met more cast members, including Charlotte Jordan and Ruxandra Porojnicu, who play Daisy Midgeley and Alina Pop. June 2, 2022 - Charles and Camilla are EastEnders guest stars Look familiar? During the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Prince Charles and Camilla made a surprise appearance in a special episode of EastEnders Good spirits! The scenes, which were filming in March 2022, saw Charles and Camilla given a tour of Walford and meet some of the cast During the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Prince Charles and Camilla made a surprise appearance in a special episode of EastEnders. The scenes, which were filming in March 2022, saw Charles and Camilla given a tour of Walford and meet some of the cast, including Strictly Come Dancing winner Rose Ayling-Ellis. Charles chatted to market stall owner Martin Fowler (played by James Bye) about the importance of such stalls in the capital, saying: 'That's the wonderful thing about London, all the different markets and stalls where people inherit them over the generations.' Patrick Trueman, played by Rudolph Walker, even tempted Charles and Camilla to enjoy a 'tipple of rum,' with the Prince quipping: 'I thought you'd never ask.' During her appearance, Camilla also tied a ribbon to commemorate 'all the victims of domestic abuse' following the soap's hard-hitting storyline which saw Chantelle Atkins abused and killed by her husband Gray. March 20, 2023 - Princess Anne visits the Corrie set At the Rovers! Ahead of Corrie's hard-hitting acid attack storyline, the Princess Royal was taken of the soap's tour of the filming locations in March 2023 Ahead of Corrie's hard-hitting acid attack storyline, the Princess Royal was taken of the soap's tour of the filming locations in Greater Manchester, in her role as Patron of The Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI). The charity has been advising the show's producers and writers on a series of upcoming episodes, which will see Daisy (played by Charlotte Jordan) be targeted in an acid attack by her stalker Justin. During her visit, the Princess Royal was given a preview of some of the scenes, which will air on March 27. As well as speaking with producers of the soap opera, Anne also met actress Charlotte Jordan to discuss her experience of filming. Series producer Iain MacLeod and Head of ITV in the North John Whiston were on hand to give Princess Anne a guided tour of the set - which involved going into the Rovers Return. Amy Childs has admitted she's not ready to become a mum again and that she fears her boyfriend Billy Delbosq will pass out when she gives birth. The TOWIE star, 32, who is pregnant with twins, discussed the new arrivals with her cousin Harry Derbidge, 28, in an exclusive clip from series 30 of the ITVBe show. It follows reports showrunners have signed up two new stars for guest appearances. In scenes set to air on Sunday night, the veteran cast members catch up at Amy's house while looking after her daughter Polly, five, who is busy decorating a cast of her mother's baby bump. Harry asks, 'Can you believe there's gonna be two more kids in this house? Are you even ready for it?' to which Amy replies, 'No, no.' EXCLUSIVE TOWIE SPOILER: Amy Childs has admitted she's not ready to become a mum again and that she fears her boyfriend Billy Delbosq will pass out when she gives birth On whether Billy, 39, is prepared, the former beautician gushed, 'He's gonna be so amazing, he'll be such an amazing dad but it's gonna be mental.' Harry joked, 'Thank god you're not having triplets. I'm not gonna say what I think in front of Polly but I just think sew it up because you cant have any more! 'Is Bill mentally prepared though,' he added, to which Amy responded with no again. When the conversation turned to the birth itself, the brunette beauty confessed, 'Bill at the birth... I'm not sure. He's gonna be amazing or he's gonna pass out and it's game over.' Ahead of episode one, it was revealed showrunners have signed up two new stars for guest appearances. Junaid Ahmed and Saffron Lempriere's friends Lauren Bayford and Grace Lizzimore will feature on the ITVBe reality show, however not on a full time basis. A source told The Sun: 'Lauren and Grace are really close pals with Junaid and Saffron, who advocated for them to get on camera. They'll make their debut in the new series for a few episodes. 'Bosses want there to be lots of laughs and chemistry on screen and to inject some fun back with fresh new faces, but they're not permanent on the show for now. Viewers will have to watch this space.' On the way: On whether Billy, 39, is prepared, the former beautician gushed, 'He's gonna be so amazing, he'll be such an amazing dad but it's gonna be mental' Amy recently suffered a hospital scare last week which left her worried that she was going into early labour and seeking medical help. She is already mum to daughter Polly who she shares with her ex Bradley Wright, and son Richie, four, from her relationship with businessman Tim. Writing for OK! Magazine, she explained that she had to call the hospital at 3.30am after suffering from severe stomach cramps. She said: 'A couple of nights ago, I couldn't sleep at all. I got up around 1am, and my tummy was really cramping.' 'I've had it before, it's not like it's my first baby, but I said to Bill that something felt different,' she added. She said that she called the hospital because she didn't want to travel there in the early hours just to be told it was Braxton-Hicks, which are contractions that happen as the body prepares for labour. Amy admitted that she didn't have to go into the hospital but would have if the babies weren't moving, saying she was worried the pain was a sign of early labour. Coming soon: The TOWIE star, 32, who is pregnant with twins, discussed the new arrivals with her cousin Harry Derbidge, 28, in an exclusive clip from series 30 of the ITVBe show Family: In scenes set to air on Sunday night, the veteran cast members catch up at Amy's house while looking after her daughter Polly, five Oh no! Harry asks, 'Can you believe there's gonna be two more kids in this house? Are you even ready for it?' to which Amy replies, 'No, no' Hilarious: Harry joked, 'Thank god you're not having triplets. I'm not gonna say what I think in front of Polly but I just think sew it up because you cant have any more' She said: 'When I was getting the twinges, I thought, "Oh my god, are they coming now?" 'I was asking people on Instagram when they went into labour with twins, and a lot of people said around 35/36 weeks, and I'm 35 weeks on Monday.' Amy recently shared the news that she and Billy would be welcoming not one bt two little ones, admitting that she didn't expect to conceive so quickly and discovered she was pregnant just two months after coming off her contraception last year. The couple then had an even bigger shock in store for them as they found out later that they were expecting twins. Amy also recently revealed that she and her beau have landed their very own ITVBe show, titled Amy Childs: The Twin Life. The Only Way Is Essex airs Sunday at 9pm on ITVBe and ITVX. Ricki-Lee Coulter has spoken about her success after kick-starting her career on Australian Idol back in 2004. The 37-year-old told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, she is 'very proud' of herself after almost 20 years in the music industry. 'I am really proud that I have sustained a career for almost 20 years and had all of the crazy, wild amazing success that I've had, but I've worked my a** off for it,' she said. Ricki-Lee went on to discuss her new single On My Own, which will be released on March 31. 'Whatever I have been through in my life, personal or in my career, the ups and downs, I know that I will always figure it out,' she explained. Australian Idol host Ricki-Lee Coulter said she's 'very proud of her success' as she prepares to drop her first single after three years away from music 'And when I say this song is about my life and that is what I mean.' Ricki-Lee rose to fame after she made it to the top 10 on Australian Idol back in 2004. She placed seventh, and the talented performer has remained a fixture of the music industry ever since. This year she co-presented Channel Seven's reboot with Scott Tweedie. The 37-year-old told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, she is 'very proud' of herself after almost 20 years in the music industry Ricki-Lee recently revealed why it's so special returning to Australian Idol, 19 years ago after the show made her famous. 'This show made all of my childhood dreams come true,' Ricki-Lee told 7News. 'When I was a little girl, all I wanted was to be on stage and to perform for people, making music that makes people feel something.' Ricki-Lee also hosted last year's season of Australia's Got Talent on Seven, and was there to comfort the contestants backstage. The Gold Coast native has had four No. 1 hits on the ARIA Dance Chart, ten Top 10 singles on ARIA Singles Chart, two Top 10 entries on the ARIA Albums Chart, and has accumulated more than 75 million streams. When he was the scruffy 1970s TV detective Eddie Shoestring, the nearest Trevor Eve ever came to a swanky restaurant was probably Bristols Wimpy bar. Now perhaps thanks to his Hollywood star daughter Alice hes been spotted tucking in to Mayfairs finest, at celebrity hotspot Scotts. The father and daughter pair acted alongside each other in the 2010 rom-com Shes Out Of My League, while Alice has hit the big time in her own right, with roles in Sex And The City 2, Star Trek Into Darkness and Men In Black 3. Alice, 42, and Trevor, 71 still dressed casually in classic Shoestring style were seen heading for the London restaurant renowned for its seafood, offering delicacies such as platinum caviar and grilled lobster to the rich and famous. When he was the scruffy 1970s TV detective Eddie Shoestring, the nearest Trevor Eve ever came to a swanky restaurant was probably Bristols Wimpy bar Now perhaps thanks to his Hollywood star daughter Alice hes been spotted tucking in to Mayfairs finest, at celebrity hotspot Scotts A purrfect reply, Jerry News that your ex is remarrying while the ink is barely dry on your divorce papers might knock some for six, but not Jerry Hall. The supermodel, 66, appears in an advert for an upcoming collaboration between H&M and fashion house Mugler. In the ad, Jerry purrs: Ooh baby, I feel so good. Her ex, Rupert Murdoch, 92, last week announced his engagement to ex-model Ann Lesley Smith, 66, signalling his fifth trip down the aisle. Jameela Jamil has been out on the promotional trail in New York City this past week talking about her new podcast Bad Dates. Along the way she's also been getting the word out about her mental health movement and podcast, I Weigh, which focuses on women's accomplishments, body positivity, activism and racial inclusivity. By the time the weekend arrived, the British actress, 37, and television personality was spotted making her way to the Crosby Hotel, that's situated on a quiet cobbled street in the heart of Downtown Manhattan's vibrant SoHo neighborhood. With a chill in the air and the temperature hovering in the 40s Fahrenheit, the Poker Face actress decided to coverup in a black leather jacket, for which she wore over a matching top and stylish flared pants. Jamil also donned cool, round sunglasses while she was outside gathering her luggage, with help of others, to be brought inside to her hotel room. NY state of mind: Jameela Jamil, 37, looked New York cool in black leather jacket and matching trousers as she made her way to a hotel in the SoHo neighborhood in Downtown Manhattan Rounding out her overall look for the day, she had her dark tresses flowing with plenty of natural waves and curls and a center part. The London, England native also could be seen carrying a box containing a microphone, which likely will be used for her two podcasts, when she was making her way towards the entrance doors. While Jamil and her longtime beau, musician James Blake, are surprisingly open with their romance, attending events together, on this day she appeared to be going solo. In the early afternoon, the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law actress took to her Instagram page to share a series of snaps of herself striking a few playful poses decked in three different ensembles. While leaning up against a series of tall windows, which gave a view of the nearby tall building, she first wore a very stylish pink robe that was tied at the waist with a belt-in belt and matching sunglasses. By lifting up her left leg with a big beaming smile on her face, Jamil showcased a pair of tan boots that went up past her knees. 'SWIPE!!!' she announced to her 3.7 million fans and followers in the caption. Upon swiping, The Good Place star could be seen leaning back against another area of the high windows, giving followers a look at the bustling streets down below, decked out in a shiny pink duster coat that was also tied at the waist with a built-in belt. Podcaster's necessity: The British actress and television personality was carrying a microphone in a box when she headed into her hotel Impromptu photoshoot: In the early afternoon, the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law actress took to her Instagram page to share a series of snaps of herself striking a few playful poses Wardrobe change: The second look showed her posing against tall windows in a shiny pink duster coat, that was tied at the waist with a built-in belt, and shiny black boots Another wardrobe change: For her third look, Jamil can be seen wearing a tan robe and those same tan boots, while posing in the initial spot against the high windows Grand time: The British actress and presenter revealed she has had 'a lovely time NYC', along with the disclaimer, 'Sorry for everything I said' She added equally shiny black boots that went past her knees to the ensemble, while still wearing those pink sunglasses and her locks flowing down over her shoulders. Swiping one more time, Jamil can be seen wearing a tan robe and those tan boots combination, while posing in the initial spot against the high windows. 'Press Looks a La @erinwalshstyle. I asked to be cozy and to be playful, and she delivered!!!' she continued in the caption. She ended the post by recognizing her glam team, writing, 'Shout out to her assistant @ashleyafriyie and my hair goddess @thenicoleblais,' along with a red heart emoji. Hours laters, in the early evening, Jamil opened up about her time in New York City on her Instagram Stories. 'Walked a lot in the past 4 days and my mental health felt amazing, but today my EDS tapped my on the shoulder and told me to lie the f**k down,' she wrote. 'The choice between your body and your brain is frustrating #ehlersdanlossyndrome Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), for which there are many different types, is a hereditary connective tissue disorder. It is caused by genetic changes that affect the connective tissue that stabilize and support the joints and organs throughout the body, according to the Bobby Jones CSF website. Mental health check: Hours laters, in the early evening, Jamil opened up about her time in New York City on her Instagram Stories, where she addressed her mental health status Working it: The London, England native could also be seen tackling the catwalk in a clip posted on her Instagram Stories during her time in NYC Show-stopper: Jamil donned a sparkling dress and stylish veil for her strut on the runway Media Props: Jamil assessed her time in New York City in a social media post on Friday, where she praised the the hosts of the shows she visited during her promotional campaign The previous day, she took to social media to assess her time making the rounds on talk shows like New York Live, the Today show and The View. 'Well it was quite a week of press wasn't it? I went viral three times for making every live interview I did go off the rails. It was so fun. All the hosts were so fun. I'm bored of polished, smiley, media trained interviews, MAKE AMERICA CHAOTIC AGAIN am I right?' she shared, before slipping back into promo mode. 'My new podcast Bad Dates is out now on subscription, first episode with CONAN O BRIEN!!! and it's out for free on Monday. I hope you love it. The feedback from those of you who have subscribed has been amazing, and I thank you. It's nice for me to have a space where I'm just a goofball with other goofballs,' she wrote in the caption. She concluded, 'Remember Bad Dates is not a traumatic podcast, it's just a saucy and silly comedy panel show about our most ridiculous dates. And we love to hear your stories too!' Jessica Rowe has reflected on her traumatic departure from Channel Nine in 2007. The 52-year-old journalist left the network in 2007, supposedly due to a pay dispute, a year after then-CEO Eddie McGuire threatened to 'bone' - meaning sack - her as host of the Today show. Jessica told Stellar's podcast Something to Talk About on Sunday, that she doesn't regret her stint on the breakfast show. 'I look back on that time and I can feel my stomach churning it's so visceral. It was the pits. But at the same time I don't regret it,' she said. 'And because I'm a huge believer in grabbing opportunities, we only have one shot at life. And when amazing things come your way, you've got to give it a crack. So I was determined to give it my best shot.' Jessica Rowe (pictured) said she doesn't 'regret' her stint on Today Show as she reflected on her humiliating sacking: 'I was determined to give it my best shot' The TV presenter also revealed she was constantly criticised for everything from her chemistry with her co-host Karl Stefanovic to the way she laughed. In 2021, she told New Idea: 'I could not comprehend the level of nastiness directed my way.' 'All because I smiled, I had short hair, I was too thin, I didn't have a child - people didn't know that I was going through IVF at the time - and I snort when I laugh,' she added. 'It was so public and cruel - definitely the hardest thing I've ever been through, career-wise. 'I was picked on mercilessly and couldn't understand what I had done wrong. Now I know I did nothing wrong. I was simply being myself.' The 52-year-old journalist left the network in 2007, supposedly due to a pay dispute, a year after then-CEO Eddie McGuire threatened to 'bone' - meaning sack - her as host of the Today show. Pictured with then-Nine CEO Eddie McGuire on July 25, 2006, in Sydney In 2006, Jessica was thrust into the spotlight when she moved from Channel 10 to the Nine Network to replace Tracy Grimshaw as co-host of the Today show. But scandal struck when Nine's chief executive Eddie McGuire allegedly asked when he could 'bone' Jessica, with reports suggesting at the time he meant to 'sack' her. He reportedly made the comments during a conversation with his then deputy Jeffrey Browne and Nine's head of news and current affairs, Mark Llewellyn. 'What are we going to do about Jessica? When should we bone her? I reckon it should be next week,' McGuire had reportedly asked. Llewellyn then allegedly told McGuire the network might risk also losing Jessica's husband, Nine News reporter Peter Overton, if they sacked her. McGuire is said to have replied, 'Maybe we have to take that risk,' before Browne added: 'She's a laughing stock and if we keep her on air we'll be the laughing stock.' Jessica told Stellar's podcast Something to Talk About on Sunday, that she doesn't regret her stint on the breakfast show McGuire has since denied using the term 'bone' in the conversation, which was laid out by Llewellyn's sworn affidavit (made public after he left the network for rival station Seven). Discussing the 'boning' incident years later, Jessica said that people forget 'how powerful words can be and how they can hurt like hell', adding that she was still 'terribly upset' by what happened. 'That year was a terrible time in my life and it was not helped by public abuse, abuse from within the network that I worked at and abuse from someone who was in charge of that particular network,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2016. 'It was horrific and it pre-empted then a very dark period in my life. A whole lot of factors contributed to a perfect storm... and it just makes me terribly sad.' Jessica left the Today show in 2007 following her return from maternity leave. At the time, she cited payment issues as the reason for her departure. The TV presenter also revealed she was constantly criticised for everything from her chemistry with her co-host Karl Stefanovic to the way she laughed She then joined Channel Seven as a presenter for Seven News in Sydney, before taking part in Dancing with the Stars. Jessica moved to Weekend Sunrise in late 2010 and stayed there for three years. In 2013, she signed with Network Ten and hosted morning show Studio 10 alongside Ita Buttrose, Joe Hildebrand, Sarah Harris and Denise Drysdale. In March 2018, she announced she was resigning from the program to spend more time with her family. Shirley Ballas has hinted that she may not return to Strictly Come Dancing this year following the torrent of vile online abuse she received during the last series. The head judge and Latin expert, 62, was subjected to much criticism last year in which trolls slammed her decisions and accused of ageism and sexism And as a result, in a candid new interview, Shirley indicated that the previous series may have been her last as she'd hit an 'all-time low' after the abuse 'snowballed out of control'. The ballroom dancer told how she was constantly left in tears after every show and struggled in silence, telling how it was 'the most negativity' she had ever faced. It is said that BBC bosses are in talks with Shirley about coming back to the show, but she has yet to sign on the dotted line for the new series. Hesitant: Shirley Ballas has hinted that she may not return to Strictly Come Dancing this year following the torrent of vile online abuse she received during the last series Tough: The head judge and Latin expert, 62, was subjected to much criticism last year in which trolls slammed her decisions and accused of ageism and sexism She told The Mirror: 'Last year I was struggling. It wasnt just a little bit, it was a lot the majority of it was in silence. I felt the abuse snowballed out of control and impacted me in such a negative way. Im a pretty stoic person, and I tend to hold everything in.' She explained that when the abuse began, it seemed 'larger than anything else', with the star telling how it left her 'crying and emotional', while she was 'embarrassed' about how she felt and didn't confide in anyone. Shirley added: 'And that was an all-time low since I joined the show it was the most negativity Id ever experienced. The BBC were brilliant, checking in on me and offering counselling and support.' When asked if she'd considered quitting Strictly, she replied: 'It was a difficult series, Ill leave it at that... Will I go back to Strictly? I always take one step at a time.' She went on to say that she 'absolutely loved' her job and if it was just down to her judging with none of the trolling involved, it would be the most 'rewarding' job she could think of to do. The Queen of Latin went on to say that after Strictly finished in 2022, she to a 'break' from TV for 're-focus' on her own industry as well as to 'protect her sanity'. Shirley went on to reveal the shocking extent of the messages she received - of which one in five were hateful - saying that the thousands of comments she got whenever she sent someone home were 'truly awful'. She added that she was accused of not liking young people or old, men or women, noting that it 'didnt matter' what she'd do, she could 'never win'. Hard time: As a result, in a candid new interview, Shirley indicated that the previous series may have been her last as she'd hit an 'all-time low' after the abuse 'snowballed out of control Heartbreaking: The ballroom dancer told how she was constantly left in tears after every show and struggled in silence, telling how it was 'the most negativity' she had ever faced Hint: When asked if she'd considered quitting Strictly, she replied: 'It was a difficult series, Ill leave it at that... Will I go back to Strictly? I always take one step at a time' (pictured with Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood) However, she proudly said that she stood by her decisions and never 'regretted' sending anyone home based on how they performed in the dance off, noting she could 'sleep at night' with her choices. In December, Shirley revealed she was taking some time off over Christmas after facing an 'immense amount of trolling' throughout the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing. The BBC show's head judge said she was going to 'get myself together for the new year' by enjoying some time away for the 'first time ever'. The dancing icon decided not to do panto last year, explaining how a scary incident which saw a letter being hand delivered to the theatre last year has affected her decision. She told S magazine: 'It's the first time I've taken any time off ever! I'm taking two and a half weeks off, because of the immense amount of trolling I got throughout this series. 'I decided I wouldn't do panto this year. Last time I did it, I got a letter hand-delivered to the theatre that was very off-putting.' 'I actually kept it. I don't know why. So I'm going to take some time off and just get myself together for the new year.' Opening up: In December, Shirley revealed she was taking some time off over Christmas after facing an 'immense amount of trolling' throughout the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing 'Cruel': The dancing icon decided not to do panto last year, explaining how a scary incident which saw a letter being hand delivered to the theatre last year has affected her decision (pictured in 2021) In November Shirley revealed how 'cruel' trolls have left her seeking medical help for 'low mood and anxiety'. She explained that, for the first time in a career spanning over five decades, she has been to her doctor to find a way to manage the impact the taunts have had on her. Shirley told OK! Magazine of the abuse she's endured during the current series of Strictly: 'It took its emotional toll, that's why I'm not going to do panto. '[I'm] emotional and low and I'm not going to lie to you, it did affect me this year for sure... When it gets personal, that's cruel. 'It makes you [go] 'Do I look right? Am I too heavy? Am I this? Am I that? Cover up your bingo arms. Should I wear a dress with sleeves?' Married At First Sight bride Tayla Winter appears to be anything but heartbroken following her split with Hugo Armstrong. Daily Mail Australia has obtained exclusive footage of the Hobart-based nurse letting down her hair while partying with two shirtless Love Island hunks. Tayla, 27, was spotted dancing and posing for photos with hunky Islanders Callum Hole and Jordan Dowsett at a popular bar on the Gold Coast in January. The jaw-dropping video, shows the Hobart-based nurse dancing the night away with the muscular hunks just days after it was reported that her ex Hugo Armstrong was spotted on a date with a well-known influencer. At one point, the pair embraced one another as they posed for a photograph together. Married At First Sight intruder bride Tayla Winter was spotted getting cosy with Love Island Australia hunk Callum Hole. Both pictured together at Discovery nightclub on the Gold Coast The 27-year-old TV bride was spotted dancing and posing for photos with hunky Islanders back in January, just weeks after filming the show's reunion 'She looked like she was having a blast and didn't seem to have a care in the world,' a fellow party-goer recalled. 'Tayla was dancing up a storm with Callum and appeared to be enjoying every minute of it.' It comes just days after Daily Mail Australia revealed that Hugo was spotted on a date with stunning fitness influencer Carla Chatkiewicz. The jaw-dropping video, shows the Hobart-based nurse dancing the night away with the muscular hunks 'She looked like she was having a blast and didn't seem to have a care in the world,' a fellow party-goer told Daily Mail Australia 'Tayla was dancing up a storm with Callum [pictured] and appeared to be enjoying every minute of it,' they added The account manager, 32, was spotted cosying up to Carla after a workout, in photos obtained by Instagram fan account MAFS Gossip. In one photo, Hugo smiled as he wrapped an arm around the pretty blonde's shoulders. Another shows the pair chatting while at lunch. The pair went on several dates in Melbourne while Hugo, who lives in Sydney, was in town visiting his family. It comes just days after Daily Mail Australia revealed that Hugo was spotted on a date with stunning fitness influencer Carla Chatkiewicz. Both pictured Tayla was dubbed a 'nightmare bride' for refusing any form of intimacy with Hugo and belittling him in front of the other cast members Carla, an influencer in the health and fitness space, is no stranger to the limelight herself and boasts a significant following on social media. When contacted for comment, Hugo laughed off the dating rumours and insisted Carla was 'just a friend'. Dara O'Briain has revealed how Dame Judi Dench's powerful performance in the film Philomena inspired him to search for his birth mother. The Irish comedian, 51, said he always knew he was adopted but it was something 'that I sort of forgot'. It was only after watching the 2013 film he realised his biological mum might be wondering what happened to him. 'I genuinely walked out of the cinema going, ''Oh you eejit, you're not the main protagonist in this story'',' he will tell today's Desert Island Discs. 'Here's a woman who gave a baby up for adoption 45 years ago and you have made yourself invisible because you've not engaged with the search.' Inspired: Dara O'Briain (pictured) has revealed how Dame Judi Dench's powerful performance in the film Philomena inspired him to search for his birth mother Powerful: Judi Dench in the 2013 film Philomena which inspired O'Briain The Oscar-nominated film is based on the true story by Martin Sixsmith of Irish Philomena Lee and her 50-year search for the son she was forced to give up for adoption. O'Briain said he had already thanked Steve Coogan, who adapted the story for screen, but had never met Dench. He met his biological mother in 2020 and said the fact he had a happy upbringing, wife and his own children meant the reunion 'wasn't filling a void'. Gemma Collins is getting a life-saving gene test after her mother Joan was diagnosed with breast cancer. The Diva Forever star, 42, was left shaken after learning her mum Joan, 67, found a cancerous lump between her breast and armpit. Television personality Gemma, who has also lost a family member to cancer, has spoken to her doctor about undergoing a BRCA gene test, which screens her DNA to see if she has inherited a faulty gene which means she may be more susceptible to cancer. Former The Only Way Is Essex star told The Sun she broke down in tears the moment her mother told her she'd had cancer over the phone. She explained: 'It was over the phone. I was in the back of a taxi in London and I was like, "Are you all right, mum? Where are you?" as we say every day, ten times a day. Safety: Gemma Collins, 42, is getting a life-saving gene test after her mother Joan was diagnosed with breast cancer 'She said, "Ah I didnt want to tell you, but Ive had a lump in my breast". I was like, "What?", and she said, "But its fine Ive got the all-clear". I was like, "Oh, my God. Why didnt you tell me?"' Gemma said Joan chose not to tell her daughter about her diagnosis as she was filming Diva Forever at the time. Former Celebrity Big Brother housemate Gemma said her mother found the lump on the right side of her breast and doctors caught it 'in the nick of time'. She added: 'She knew that I would have fallen apart in the worst-case scenario so she kept it to herself because she didnt want to upset me but she was very scared.' Gemma praised the NHS for their swift action, saying they removed the lump straight away. Joan was diagnosed in 2016 with ductal carcinoma in situ, which means the cells in the lining of the breast tissue become cancerous, and she now attends a screening every year. The cancerous cells are contained inside the milk ducts and have not spread to the surrounding breast tissue. Hereditary breast cancer is most commonly caused by an inherited mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. Devastating news: The Diva Forever star, 42, was left shaken after learning her mum Joan, 67 (right), found a cancerous lump between her breast and armpit If a woman has inherited a mutated copy of these genes from either parent, they are at a greater risk of developing breast cancer, with up to a 70 per cent chance of getting the disease by the age of 80. Gemma noted that her mother is lucky to be a breast cancer survivor and she hopes telling her story will encourage other people to go for checks. Screen star is currently taking part in The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer and has decided only now to speak out about her mother's ordeal. It comes after Gemma revealed she is having ice spa sessions after enduring a heart attack scare. She ended up in hospital after having palpitations last year as she battles what she thinks is long COVID and has been plunging herself in sub-zero temperatures in a bid to combat the issue and rebuild her immune system. She told OK! Magazine: 'The palpitations got so bad I thought I was having a heart attack. 'I called an ambulance and the paramedics did an ECG [electrocardiogram] and said, "We need to take you to hospital." I said to myself, "Great, this is it. My time is up." 'But, thank God, it was a condition called costochondritis, which can cause severe chest pain and happens because of coughing or an infection. 'I think I got it from being constantly run down and ill. I do think Ive got long Covid because I havent been able to shift it and its been in my system for months. 'Ive been so unwell and it doesnt matter what I take or do, its not going. Ive been going for loads of sessions at Ice Health Cryotherapy in Kensington and I use this thermal shock machine, which you get into standing up and your head pops out of the top. It goes from a temperature of +70C to -196C in seconds.' Gemma went on to add that the practice of Cryotheraphy can help with 'any illness' and would like to have her own machine at home if money were no object. She added: 'Cryotherapy helps with any illness and it really boosts your immune system. Id love my own machine at home but theyre about 250,000 to buy.' Asher Keddie has begun production on her new comedy drama Strife based on Mia Freedman's memoir. The Offspring star, 48, will play the lead role of Evelyn Jones in the new Binge series. She confirmed in October she will be making her long-awaited return to Australian television by starring in the drama. The actress said she was thrilled to be returning to her Australian television roots after appearing in several high-profile Hollywood productions. 'I have been waiting a good four years to make a return to series television. I knew this was it, as soon as the script was brought to me,' she told The Daily Telegraph at the time. Asher Keddie has begun production on new comedy drama Strife as she prepares to make her long-awaited return to TV screens The seven-time Logie-winning actress said the script's authenticity hit home for her and she knew she had to sign on. 'Whats drawn me to it is it's about not being the perfect person we grew up thinking we needed to be,' she said. The mother-of-two added what she loved most about the script was the 'authenticity of the storytelling'. Filmmaker Bruna Papandrea, who was behind Nicole Kidman's Amazon Prime Video streaming hit, Nine Perfect Strangers, will produce the show. The Offspring star, 48, will play the lead role of Evelyn Jones in the new Binge series While Asher has been on TV screens for over 35 years she finally got her big Hollywood break last year in the Amazon series Nine Perfect Strangers. Asher stars in the drama alongside Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy and Luke Evans. The acclaimed actress has been acting since she was 11, first appearing in western television drama series Five Mile Creek, which also starred Kidman. She went on to star in several Australian TV series and movies, but received wide recognition for her roles in the critically acclaimed shows Love My Way and Offspring. Nicolas Cage looked every inch the proud father as he carried his baby girl August Francesca in his arms after touching down at JFK airport in New York City. The 59-year-old actor - who will next portray Count Dracula in Renfield - flashed a bright smile while holding onto his baby girl, seven months, and was joined by his wife Riko Shibata, 27. The City of Angels star looked cool as ever in a bright neon yellow jacket over a black t-shirt and a well-fitted pair of slim black pants and boots. Meanwhile Riko rocked a maxi black dress underneath a bomber jacket, and accessorized with black boots and a red beanie. The couple - who wed in 2021 - welcomed their first child together on September 7, 2022. Doting dad: Nicolas Cage looked every inch the proud father as he carried his baby girl August Francesca in his arms after touching down at JFK airport in New York City Riko further teamed her outfit with a black purse and a yellow bag, and appeared to go makeup-free for the flight. Meanwhile the little one - named after Cage's late father August - looked adorable in a pink Disney puffer jacket, blue jeans, striped socks and a cozy white beanie. Riko gave birth to the couple's baby daughter, full name August Francesca Coppola Cage, at a hospital in Los Angeles. August is Riko's first child and Nicolas' third. He has son Weston Coppola Cage, 31, with ex Christina Fulton and son Kal-El, 16, with ex-wife Alice Kim. Nicolas and Rico met in Japan in 2020 when he was filming Sion Sono's Prisoners Of Ghostland. She landed a role in the movie playing one of the four Mannequin Women. After getting engaged on FaceTime, the couple tied the knot at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas in February 2021. Nicolas confirmed the wedding news himself in a statement to DailyMail.com: 'It's true, and we are very happy.' Sweet: The 59-year-old actor flashed a bright smile while holding onto his baby girl, seven months, and was joined by his wife Riko Shibata, 27 Cool guy: The City of Angels star looked cool as ever in a bright neon yellow jacket over a black t-shirt and a well-fitted pair of slim black pants and boots Travel fit: Meanwhile Riko rocked a maxi black dress underneath a bomber jacket, and accessorized with black boots and a red beanie With papa: The little one looked adorable in a pink Disney puffer jacket, blue jeans, striped socks and a cozy white beanie Adorable baby girl: The couple - who wed in 2021 - welcomed their first child together on September 7, 2022. August is Riko's first child and Nicolas' third Happy together: The couple tied the knot at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas in February 2021. Riko is Cage's fifth wife; Pictured in 2022 Riko is the Face/Off star's fifth wife. Nicolas was previously married to Patricia Arquette (1995-2001), Lisa Marie Presley (2002-2004), Alice Kim (2004-2016), and Erica Koike (2019). Cage and Koike were married to for four days in March 2019 before he filed for an annulment. Five months after tying the knot, the couple made their red carpet debut at the LA premiere of the movie Pig. They would appear on their first magazine cover together for Flaunt in October 2021. By January 2022, Nicolas and Riko announced they were expecting their first child. In April, Nicolas confirmed the sex of the pair's then-unborn child during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. 'I'm gonna have a little girl,' he told Clarkson and her studio audience. 'I'm thrilled. It's going to be the biggest adventure of my life [being a girl dad]' Nicolas has been the picture of bliss since wedding Riko, telling the LA Times earlier this year that he believes he 'got it right' this time around. Next up! Cage will next play the iconic titan of terror, Dracula, in the upcoming horror-comedy Renfield that stars Nicholas Hoult as the titular character 'I'm really happily married. I know five is a lot,' he said, in a reference to the number of times he has tied-the-knot, before adding, 'But I think I got it right this time.' Cage will next play the iconic titan of terror, Dracula, in the upcoming horror-comedy Renfield that stars Nicholas Hoult as the titular character. The highly-anticipated feature will hold its world premiere at the Overlook Film Festival on March 30 before being released in cinemas on April 14. Idris Elba cut a cool figure as he performed a DJ set in Miami on Saturday. The 50-year-old actor and world-class DJ looked in good spirits as he made his appearance at the MEDUZA & Friends pool party during Miami Music Week. Focusing on the job at hand, Idris opted for an all black ensemble with a simple T-shirt and jeans. Dishing out a selection of Hip hop and R&B hits, the Wire star danced along to his set. Joined by his 34-year-old wife, Sabrina Dhowre kept a close distance as she watched on in support of her husband. Working hard: Idris Elba cut a cool figure as he performed a DJ set at the MEDUZA & Friends pool party during Miami Music Week on Saturday Sabrina looked sensational in a figure-hugging white dress as she danced next to Idris. The dress featured a ruffled hem at the side of the dress, as she displayed her toned figure. Sabrina looked glowing in the tight number, and slicked her dark tresses back into a low bob. She sported a natural make up palette, enhancing her natural beauty and adding just a touch of lip gloss. Sabrina completed her ensemble with spike-shaped silver earrings and a collection of gold bracelets. The pair arrived in Miami early last week, for the Ultra Music Festival, which kicked off on Friday in downtown Miami. Idris already performed on Thursday as a 'special guest' performing with Diplo at E11EVEN Miami. On Friday, they got their weekend off to a relaxing start as they hit the beach. Doting wife: Joined by his 34-year-old wife, Sabrina Dhowre kept a close distance as she watched on in support of her husband Talented: Focusing on the job at hand, Idris opted for an all black ensemble with a simple T-shirt and jeans Idris stepped out in a grey t-shirt and light green pants with black sunglasses for the beach outing. He was carrying blue beach bag that was draped over his shoulder, with a drink in his other hand. The actor completed his look with a pair of flip-flops with a red and green stripe, while accessorising with a black watch. His wife Sabrina - who he tied the knot with in 2019 - stepped out in a stunning white and red sleeveless dress that fell to her calves. Her short black hair fell down just above her chin while accessorising with a black purse, gold watch and a silver bracelet. She also wore a pair of black flip-flops for her beach day while carrying her phone as she walked through the sand with her husband. The outing comes just weeks after Elba collaborated with British DJ/producer Solardo on a new track entitled Big Talk. The song was released March 3 through Ultra Records, with the British DJ duo revealing how they met the actor/DJ. Focused: Dishing out a selection of Hip hop and R&B hits, the Wire star danced along to his set Stealing the show: Sabrina looked sensational in a figure-hugging white dress as she danced next to Idris Power couple: Sabrina looked glowing in the tight number, and slicked her dark tresses back into a low bob 'We met Idris in Las Vegas back in 2017 where we played back to back at EDC and we hit it off and kept in contact,' the statement began. 'We heard Idris on a track and saw him play a few sets, and as we are huge fans, we thought it would be cool to do a track together,' they added. 'Overall, it probably took a year or so going back and forth with ideas which were both reflective of our styles,' they clarified. The DJ's insisted, 'We wanted the track to both sit in the underground market as well as being a little more accessible to the larger audience. I think we did that with Big Talk and now were buzzing to have it being released!' Last summer, while promoting his new movie Beast on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Idris showcased his unique skills. Fallon asked the accomplished DJ to put his skills to the test and reveal what songs would be perfect to play in a variety of situations. First up was getting dumped, which he said was Mark Morrisson's Return of the Mack, while suggesting If This World Were Mine by Luther Vandross for someone who wanted to propose marriage. When asked what he'd play to 'psyche yourself up' for possibly a big job interview, he started singing, 'Allow me to re-introduce myself' from Jay-Z's Public Service Announcement... but Fallon thought he was singing The Humpty Dance. When asked what the one final song he'd play before the venue closed, he revealed he'd play Party Up (Up In Here) by DMX. This year's season of The Block will begin filming soon in Hampton East, Melbourne and plans are already underway to move the production to country Victoria in 2024. An insider told the Herald Sun on Sunday producers were reportedly eyeing potential properties in Hepburn Springs, 114km North West of Melbourne. The houses sit on half acre blocks - significantly smaller than the 10 acre Gisborne estates the blockheads worked on in 2023. However, filming for this year's season of the hit renovation show is due to start in suburban Melbourne, meaning producers might also choose a city location next year. The series returned to metropolitan Melbourne this year after undergoing a 'green change' in 2022 by filming in the small town of Gisborne, 42km from Melbourne. This year's season of The Block will begin filming soon in Hampton East, Melbourne and plans are already underway to move the production to country Victoria in 2024. Pictured: Host Scott Cam An insider told the Herald Sun on Sunday that producers were reportedly eyeing potential properties in Hepburn Springs, 114km North West of Melbourne Meanwhile, production is almost underway for the 2023 season of The Block. Last week, tradesmen and producers milled around five classic brick homes, which were reportedly purchased for a combined $14.3 million. With pre-filming preparation underway on blocks ranging from 575sqm to 703sqm, it seems a second storey addition was already being added to one of the homes. All the homes appears similar in style and build with one, the most expensive of the bunch having been bought for $3.5 million, featuring a quaint front entry patio. However, filming for this year's season of the hit renovation show is about to start in suburban Melbourne, meaning producers might also choose a city location next year Contestants won't be spread as far apart as they were last year in the sprawling Macedon Ranges in Gisborne, as this year's properties are narrowly separated by boundary fences. The new season of Channel Nine's hit renovation show is set to begin filming within days at houses 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 on Charming Street. They were snapped up by MicJoy Pty Ltd, a company owned by Nine, in separate off-market deals for a whopping $14.3 million. The most expensive of the bunch, 20 Charming St, cost a whopping $3.5m when it was bought last July. Pregnant Daisy Lowe looked sombre as she attended the Pulp bass guitarist Steve Mackey funeral at Highgate Cemetery in North London on Saturday. The model, 34, who is expecting her first child, dressed smart for the sad occasion in a plunging black midi dress showcasing her growing baby bump. She added a smart long dark blazer jacket over the figure hugging number and opted for a pair of chunky lace up boots. The beauty toted her belongings around in a stylish Chanel bag and accessorised with a long black pendant necklace. Daisy styled her dark tresses poker straight as they cascaded past her shoulders and applied a simple palette of makeup. Sad: Pregnant Daisy Lowe looked sombre as she attended the Pulp bass guitarist Steve Mackey funeral at Highgate Cemetery in North London on Saturday Funeral: The model, 34, who is expecting her first child, dressed smart for the sad occasion in a plunging black midi dress showcasing her growing baby bump A brass band and 25 speakers played out funk hits as a number of stars followed Steve's coffin carried on a vintage Land Rover. Steve died aged 56 after spending 12 weeks in hospital 'fighting with all his strength'. Daisy is currently expecting her first child with property developer fiance Jordan Saul, who she first started dating in the summer of 2020. It comes after the model revealed she is having a 'tough' time in her third trimester after 'feeling very sluggish and nauseous'. Daisy also detailed how the baby has been 'kicking her intestines often' and so decided to treat herself to a spa day. She penned: 'I am so grateful that my body is growing our healthy bubba. Im 34 weeks now & Im feeling very sluggish & nauseous. 'Our little one seems to enjoy kicking my intestines often. Everyone always says that the third trimester is the toughest and now I really know why! 'Of course its for the greatest reason and I dont mind being the host to our little growing acrobat but today I did put some time aside for some r & r & it really made such a difference! 'I headed to @hotelcaferoyal for some meetings & ended up treating myself to some time in the @akashawellbeing spa & I feel like a real human! Smart: She added a smart long dark blazer jacket over the figure hugging number and opted for a pair of chunky lace up boots Chic: The beauty toted her belongings around in a stylish Chanel bag and accessorised with a long black pendant necklace Ceremony: A brass band and 25 speakers played out funk hits as a number of stars followed Steve's coffin carried on a vintage Land Rover Mum-to-be: Daisy styled her dark tresses poker straight as they cascaded past her shoulders and applied a simple palette of makeup Not long to go: It comes after the model revealed she is having a 'tough' time in her third trimester after 'feeling very sluggish and nauseous' RIP: Pulp bassist Steve Mackey tragically died aged 56 after spending 12 weeks in hospital 'fighting with all his strength' (pictured 2011) 'This isnt an ad or a plug etc - just a note of gratitude and a little reminder that sometimes time out for ourselves is very necessary! 'I hope youre having a gorgeous Wednesday. Massive love from me and my growing bump (swipe to the end for how big its getting!) ' Daisy announced her pregnancy on Instagram as she posted a sweet snap of her blossoming bump - admitting she was 'oscillating wildly between excitement & nervousness'. It came just weeks after she and Jordan announced their engagement to social media, with her beau Jordan popping the question after two years of dating. Taking to Instagram to reveal her baby news to her 403k followers, Daisy penned: 'I wanted to share some news with you - Jordan & I are having a baby. 'We are absolutely bursting at the seams with happiness. Im oscillating wildly between excitement & nervousness with a dash of morning sickness thrown in for good measure! Big love to all of you'. Royston Sagigi-Baira has won the 2023 season of Australian Idol after the public votes were tallied during Sunday night's grand finale. The winner takes home prize money of $100,000 and a record deal with Sony Music, as well as a trip to the USA to work with industry leaders. 'I just want to say thank you,' a tearful Royston said after the announcement was made. 'Thank you so much, everyone who voted for me. Thank you to all this mob up here, all my family and friends,' he continued. 'Everyone who's been voting. I don't know what else to say. Thank you so much!' he added. Royston Sagigi-Baira (pictured) has won the 2023 season of Australian Idol after the public votes were tallied during Sunday night's grand finale Royston had kind words for teenage runner-up Phoebe Stewart, saying she was like a sister to him and that she had a 'big career' ahead of her. He then performed his winner's single, Invincible, which got off to a very shaky start and was plagued with audio issues. At one point, Royston looked confused on stage as he mumbled several of the lyrics from the first verse, before he muttered, 'What?', and was seen tapping his ear, indicating he couldn't hear the guide track. Despite the early fumble, Royston managed to recover and launch into the track with gusto. It was tense a showdown between the three finalists, Royston Sagigi-Baira, 23, Phoebe Stewart, 15, and Josh Hannan, 20. The finale was plagued with issues, from Royston's messy final performance to judge Kyle Sandiland's cruel comments, and a literal stumble from runner-up Phoebe Stewart (left) 'I just want to say thank you,' a tearful Royston said after the announcement was made Royston had kind words for runner-up Phoebe, saying she was like a sister to him and that she had a 'big career' ahead of her Josh was knocked out of the competition in third place, leaving Phoebe and Royston vying for the crown. The judges Meghan Trainor and Harry Connick Jr. had kind words for the two finalists, but Kyle Sandilands stunned with his dismissive comments. When asked who he would be looking forward to playing on this KIIS FM radio show tomorrow, Kyle was blunt. 'Whoever wins will have the record... The other one I will never hear from again,' he said to audible gasps from the studio audience. 'Well I'm just saying,' he shrugged, before adding that he'll try to 'keep in touch' with the runner-up. When asked who he would be looking forward to playing on this KIIS FM radio show tomorrow, judge Kyle Sandilands (pictured) shocked viewers with his dismissive comments 'Whoever wins will have the record... The other one I will never hear from again,' he said to audible gasps from the studio audience Host Ricki-Lee Coulter (far left) urgently tried to change the subject, laughing nervously and asking judge Meghan Trainor to 'help her' Host Ricki-Lee Coulter urgently tried to change the subject, laughing nervously and asking Meghan to speak up and 'help her'. The finale was plagued with issues, from Royston's final performance to Kyle's comments, and a literal stumble from Phoebe. The teen went tumbling as the winner announcement drew near, tripping and falling as she approached the hosts for the final decision. 'Good role models don't to that, guys. That's not a good example. Continue,' she said awkwardly before the show went on. The reboot of Australian Idol has been a spectacular flop for Channel Seven as the singing contest has struggled in the battle for ratings. Royston then performed his winner's single, Invincible, which got off to a very shaky start and was plagued with audio issues. At one point, Royston looked confused on stage as he mumbled several of the lyrics from the first verse, before he muttered, 'What?', and was seen tapping his ear, indicating he couldn't hear the guide track Phoebe went tumbling as the winner announcement drew near, tripping and falling as she approached the hosts for the final decision 'Good role models don't to that, guys. That's not a good example. Continue,' she said awkwardly before the show went on The network's ambitious attempt take on Married At First Sight with a revamped Idol has proven a disappointment. The show has been rating not only behind MAFS, but has been battling to keep ahead of Channel 10's Survivor in the primetime ratings shoot out. In February, MAFS was averaging about 810,000 overnight viewers across the five-city metro markets and 1.8million in Total TV figures - factoring in time-shift playback figures and streaming views. Australian Survivor is second with about 450,000 metro viewers (around 760,000 Total TV). While Idol - armed with its expensive judging panel and huge production costs - has had a metro viewing average of about 400,000 and a Total TV average of 800,000 viewers. Theyve been married for 22 years but the passing of time hasnt stopped Pierce Brosnan and Kelly Shaye Smith from still appearing smitten with each other. The James Bond actor, 69, was snapped alongside his glowing wife, 59, as they headed out to Paulina Porizkovas book signing in Malibu. Sporting a casual, but classic look, Pierce wore dark jeans and a plain black tee, with stylish square framed sunglasses. Despite the sun beating down on him, in one of the images, he also appeared to wear a navy snood to keep the chill away. Keely looked radiant as she headed out in a longline black dress, with a scalloped V-neck cutaway, that she paired with a black cross body handbag and sunglasses. Wedded bliss: Pierce Brosnan and Kelly Shaye Smith have been married for 22 years and looked loved up as ever when they stepped out to a book signing in Malibu, California Totally smitten: Pierce wore all black, with stylish square framed sunglasses whilst Keely looked radiant in a black dress, that she paired with a black handbag, sunglasses and pumps The outing comes after the pair returned from Northern Ireland where Pierce has finished shooting his movie, The Four Letters of Love. Sharing a snap with his long-time love to Instagram, the star confirmed to his 1.8 million followers: 'And thats a wrap! Mullaghderg Beach along the wild Atlantic way. The luck of the Irish was with us as the sun shone upon us during the filming of The Four Letters of Love.' The film is based on the best-selling novel by Niall Williams and was shot in the town of Ballycastle. Starring Helena Bonham Carter and Gabriel Byrne along with Normal People star Fionn O'Shea, Pierce looks almost unrecognisable as he sported a long grey mane for his character. During filming, the Irish born actor drew in crowds of locals and posted pictures of himself enjoying his time in the Emerald Isle including standing next to a phone box which he comically captioned: PB phone home. Despite hopping back forth between a gorgeous oceanfront estate in Kauai, Hawaii and a mansion in Malibu, California, Pierce is no stranger to heading back to Ireland. He exchanged vows with his journalist wife Keely in his native country in August 2001. Say cheese: Pierce Brosnan celebrated wrapping his latest movie, Four Letters Of Love in Northern Ireland with a sweet selfie with his wife Kelly Shaye Smith Perfect poser: During filming, the Irish born actor drew in crowds of locals and posted pictures of himself enjoying his time in the Emerald Isle like this which he captioned: PB phone home' On location: The actor looked noticeably different with a grey mane as he filmed scenes for the movie in County Antrim, Northern Ireland The couple met at a party in 1994 after the death of Pierce's first wife, Cassandra Harris, in 1991 and hit it off before eventually deciding to tie the knot seven years later. They share two sons, Dylan and Paris, who are the youngest of Pierce's five children. The Mamma Mia! hunk also has a son Sean, 38, and an adopted son Chris, 49, as well as his late adopted daughter Charlotte with Cassandra. Pierce adopted Cassandra's children, Chris and Charlotte, after their father, Dermot Harris, died in 1986. Jhene Aiko was the victim of a car theft Saturday in Los Angeles. The Sativa artist's Range Rover SUV was stolen while she and her parents were having dinner at the Tasty Noodle House in west LA, according to TMZ. Police papers revealed the B.S. artist dropped off her key with the valet at the popular restaurant, but saw her 2020 white Range Rover drive away about 30 minutes later. Jhene, who has a new sibling younger than her baby boy, told officers she didn't think much of it at the time, believing the valets were moving the car. However, when she went to collect the vehicle, it was gone. Car theft: Jhene Aiko, 35, was the victim of a car theft Saturday in Los Angeles. The Sativa artist's Range Rover SUV was stolen while she and her parents were having dinner, according to TMZ (Pictured in New York in September 2021) Investigators said there was a spare key in the car that made it easier for the crooks to make a clean getaway. So far, there's no sign of the SUV or the suspects. Since welcoming her son Noah Hasani in November with partner Big Sean, Jhene has been promoting Sleep Soul music to help parents get their little ones get some shuteye. She launched the first collection of curated music in March 2022. It was so popular and successful with kids and adults, Volume two in December was released in December. A new mix, which includes Relaxing Nature & Rain Sounds debuted earlier this month. Jhene has been diversifying her interests and launched ALLEL by Jhene Aiko in October 2022. Spare Key: Investigators said there was a spare key in the car that made it easier for the crooks to make a clean getaway New parents: Jhene and partner Big Sean welcomed their son Noah Hasani in November. Jhene has an older daughter, Namiko, 14, from her relationship with R&B artist O'Ryan Lovers and Friends: Jhene is set to take the stage in Las Vegas May 6 at the Lovers and Friends Festival alongside Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, Usher and many others. (Pictured in Los Angeles in February 2022) The company sells curated jewelry and other 'healing' products designed to inspire 'a living light, eternal love.' The BET award winner is preparing to return to performing. She is set to take the stage in Las Vegas May 6 at the Lovers and Friends Festival alongside Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, Usher and many others. Danny Miller and his wife Steph are set to become parents for the second time. The couple took to Instagram on Sunday to share the happy news with fans, with Steph writing: 'We cant wait for another best friend. 'Super excited to become a family of 4.' Former soap star Danny, 32, who is best known for playing Aaron Dingle in Emmerdale, welcomed his first son Albert, 18 months, in October 2021. The actor took to Instagram at the time to gush he was in 'the brightest place imaginable' alongside a black and white snap of his newborn baby's hand. Baby on the way! Danny Miller, 32, and his wife Steph, 31, are set to become parents for the second time after welcoming their first son Albert, 18 months, in October 2021 Happy news:The couple took to Instagram on Sunday to share the news with fans, with Steph writing: 'We cant wait for another best friend. Super excited to become a family of 4' In the caption Danny wrote: 'I was lucky enough to find someone who shines bright enough to lead me out of the dark, but I never imagined to be lead to the brightest place imaginable.' The image showed Danny and Steph's entwined with their newborn baby's, and the actor's bride-to-be praised her fiance for being the 'best support imaginable.' Steph shared the same image on her social media accounts, along with the caption: 'I was lucky enough to find someone who shines bright enough to lead me out of the dark, but I never imagined to be lead to the brightest place imaginable, my baby. 'I never realised the happiness a child brings you. Thank you @danny_b_miller for showing me true happiness and being the best support imaginable!' Under her post, a proud Danny commented: 'I am in absolute awe of you and our beautiful baby! Thank you for completing my life and I promise Ill look after you both and love you both forever.' Danny tied the knot with his stunning midwife bride Steph in a romantic Cheshire wedding last July. According to a report, the couple's son Albert 'played a big part' in their special day, with many of Danny's celeb pals in attendance. An insider told The Sun at the time: 'Danny and Steph had an amazing day with all their loved ones. Wedded bliss: Danny tied the knot with his stunning midwife bride Steph in a romantic Cheshire wedding last July 'It was really romantic but there were also lots of laughs. Albert had a big part to play and everyone said how special it was to have him there.' Some of the soap star's famous Emmerdale cast mates were reportedly in attendance, including Lucy Pargeter, Isobel Steele, Jeff Hordley and Dominic Brunt. It's also thought that Danny's former I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! campmate David Ginola jetted over from France to be there. The actor proposed at a candlelit beach dinner in St Lucia in January 2021 - a trip Steph had booked for his 30th birthday celebrations. Just a month later, they discovered they were expecting their first child together. The couple were 'surprised' to learn they had conceived, after trying for a baby for over a year with no success, and had been 'psyching themselves up for IVF'. At the time, Steph told OK! Magazine: 'It was a massive surprise because emotionally we'd been psyching ourselves up for IVF. It was meant to be. We got engaged at the beginning of January and found out we were expecting in February.' Happy family: Danny welcomed his first child with Steph last year, with the actor gushing he was in 'the brightest place imaginable' at the time Sweet: The actor took to Instagram to gush he's in 'the brightest place imaginable' alongside a black and white snap of his newborn baby's hand Danny - who played Aaron Dingle on Emmerdale from 2008 to 2021 - won I'm A Celebrity in December 2021 when his son Albert was just weeks old. Appearing on Lorraine following his win, Danny admitted: 'The whole reason I did it was to show the country I wasn't just Aaron off Emmerdale, I was my own person. Steph was the reason I did it, her and Albert 'Steph said you need to go and show everyone what I know about you so that's what I've done. 'This show gave me the financial security to do it and I'm not ashamed to say it. This show gave me the financial security to do it.' Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev have revealed that the Ukrainian refugees they have taken into their home didn't know they were a famous couple when they arrived. The Countdown star, 37, and her Strictly star husband, 43, wanted to help Sasha Borysenko, her eight-year-old son Mykyta, mother Luba and her aunt Gayla amid the conflict with Russia. Gayla arrived last June and recently the rest of her family joined her - and they all now use the nickname 'star' for Rachel after learning she is a celebrity. Rachel told The Mirror: 'They didn't know who I was. They had to YouTube Pasha and I.' Sasha, 35, - who was a lawyer in Ukraine - added: 'We're so grateful. Rachel and her family are the best people. It feels like we are at home. Together: Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev have revealed that the Ukrainian refugees that they have taken into their home didn't know they were a famous couple Kind: The Countdown star, 37, and her Strictly star husband, 43, wanted to help Sasha Borysenko, her eight-year-old son Mykyta, mother Luba and her aunt Gayla amid the conflict with Russia (pictured with daughter Maven) 'It was only when I came to the UK that Galya told us, 'They are stars'. That's our nickname for Rachel now. We call her a star.' Rachel and Pacha - who is Russian and keen to show not everyone from his home country supports the war - gushed over how well Mykyta gets on with their two daughters. In November 2021 Rachel gave birth to their second daughter, Noa, following the birth of Maven in 2019. Rachel told BBC Breakfast last month of hosting them: 'It is so rewarding and it's working for us. 'Our little girls absolutely love having this little boy, it's like they've got an extra brother and he's got little sisters that he looks after. 'He's like an extension of his mother and auntie looking after them. He's had to grow up before his years, he's just turned eight years old. He's really a young little man because it's been forced upon him. 'But it's just a brilliant thing to be able to do and we're just getting on like one big family.' Riley has previously said of her guests: 'At the moment we've got four Ukrainians living with us, they're working as cleaners, they're getting three buses across London for two hours to do a cleaning job and come back. Unaware: Rachel has now told The Mirror: 'They didn't know who I was. They had to YouTube Pasha and I' Family: In November 2021 Rachel gave birth to their second daughter, Noa, following the birth of Maven in 2019 Positive: Rachel told BBC Breakfast last month of hosting them: 'It is so rewarding and it's working for us' 'Last week one of their clients bought them a bouquet of flowers and our lady, she got home and she just burst into tears, because it just meant so much to her, to have that gratitude and to have someone acknowledge the hard work and effort that she puts into making her life a little bit nicer. 'It can just be really simple things. It costs you nothing and it makes someone's day.' Sasha was forced to flee her home in Enerhodar city, in the southeast, with Luba, 58, and Mykyta in March last year after the Russians invaded. She said of the terrible time: 'The explosions started on March 4 when the Russians tried to capture the nuclear plant near our home. 'It was a horrible situation when Russian troops came into the city. They started shooting and kidnapping civilians. They were very aggressive.' They then fled Ukraine and joined the Riley household after Rachel approached Refugees at Home offering to take people in. Sasha now works as a cleaner along with Galya and Luba, and hopes to return to Ukraine one day. Former Love Island star Ollie Williams has revealed that he is engaged. The Cornish aristocrat, 26, left the ITV2 reality show just three days into the 2020 Winter series after revealing he was still in love with someone on the outside. And now he is set to marry that very woman - his fiancee Laura Nofer - after going strong with her for the three years since he went into the villa. Alongside snaps of the engagement he wrote: 'Strange things happen up on the Moor!', along with a ring emoji. The left the Love Island villa after a very brief stint after he realised he was still in love with Laura - who he dated for 18 months before doing the show. Former Love Island star Ollie Williams has revealed that he is engaged to the woman he left the show for Laura Nofer Romantic: Alongside snaps of the engagement he wrote: 'Strange things happen up on the Moor!', along with a ring emoji Explaining his reasons for leaving, Ollie, who was coupled up with Paige Turley at the time said in the Beach Hut: 'I have to be honest with myself, and everyone, that I do still love someone else. 'I have to follow my heart in this scenario and it would be wrong for me to ignore these feelings. 'At the end of the day, this is Love Island and it's about finding love. 'If I carried on anything with Paige, or any other girl that might come into the villa, it wouldn't be fair on them.' It comes after the reality star shared a bloody image to Instagram on Monday with a dead deer. Following his post, animal rights group PETA slammed the 'cold-hearted' viscount-in-waiting, in a statement shared with MailOnline. Floods of his fans filled the comments section with shocked responses, calling him 'disgusting' while vowing to unfollow him. PETA Vice President Mimi Bekhechi said: 'It takes a cold heart to enjoy traumatising, hurting, and killing animals who are minding their own business. 'The UK public objects to gratuitous violence, so its no surprise that Ollie Williams is in the firing line for his callous behaviour. Under fire: It comes after the reality star shared a bloody image to Instagram on Monday with a dead deer Oh no! Ollie - who has denied he is a trophy hunter - previously left fans 'traumatised' as he posed with dead deer, which he killed while taking part in a cull in Dartmore 'PETA urges him to retire his rifle and recognise that animals deserve care and protection, not to be hunted down and shot.' In the caption of his post, Ollie had written: 'A fantastic morning with @paulchilderley on the Chinese Water Deer. 'They are prolific breeders with a hell of an appetite for seedling crops! 5/6 for the Grand Slam, Sika to go! '@fieldsportschannel @benelli_armi @steiner_hunting @seelanduk @gmk_ltd @gateway1_footgear #deerstalking #deercull #deerhunting.' In response to PETA's statement, James Aris, a spokesman for the Countryside Alliance said: 'All serious conservationists are agreed that we need to be culling deer to protect the environment and other wildlife. 'There are more deer in the United Kingdom than at any time since the Norman Conquest, and in many places, densities are far too high. 'Overgrazing by deer has been having a huge impact on other species, as well as the biodiversity of our environment due to the excessive browsing of vegetation, including shooting shrubs and sapling trees, that must be protected so they grow to soak up carbon and help fight climate change. 'With a minuscule carbon footprint and probably the largest variety of environmental benefits of any meat venison as a food source is hard to argue with. 'It is packed with protein, zinc and iron, as well as having the added bonus of being good for the climate. It is irresponsible of PETA or any other animal rights group to criticise those conducting this vital service.' Ollie - who has denied he is a trophy hunter - previously left fans 'traumatised' as he posed with dead deer, which he killed while taking part in a cull in Dartmore. Taking to Instagram, the influencer who once branded himself a 'passionate conservationist' insisted 'hunting is conservation' as he boasted about 'great evening' spent 'stalking' deer. In one photograph, Ollie crouched down next to the beautiful fallow buck, and in the second could be seen dragging a Roebook by its hind legs. Ollie captioned the post: 'A great evening's stalking with the legend Tom @dartmoor_deer_services... 'Chuffed to have got my first fallow buck as well as taking a Roebuck in poor condition that was good for the cull. Hats available to buy @cornishsportingagency. '@fieldsportschannel @cornishsportingagency #huntingisconservation #deerstalking #cornishsportingagency.' Made In Chelsea's Charlie Mills showed his support, commenting: 'Yes mate! Well done! Keep it up x.' But Love Island's Shaughna Phillips was shocked, and many of Ollie's fans were unimpressed, branding his post: 'sickening.' One follower commented: 'This is horrible how you are putting this all over social media. Another beautiful animal gone out of the wild due to people like yourself. What do you get out of ending such a magnificent animals life ??' 'It's so upsetting that this is your passion, such a beautiful animal whose life you have stolen. You have no right,' wrote another furious fan. 'How could you just kill something so majestic?' asked someone else, while another Instagram user fumed: 'This is so horrible how can you enjoy this?' One follower said: 'This is so evil in the first pic it's alive and in the second it's dead I'm acc traumatised.' In March 2020, Ollie shocked fans by taking to social video with a video of himself shooting a deer and boasting about his kill, labelling it: 'My kind of stockpiling!' amid the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe. The Love Island star recorded a short film about how to shoot for venison, which he shared on YouTube and promoted on Instagram - leaving fans aghast. The footage titled: 'Hunting Wild Venison: My Kind Of Stockpiling' starts with Ollie driving to a gun shop with his friend Eddie. The Love Island star says: 'We are currently off to get some bullets to do some shooting and stalking this week!' Once inside the shop he then tells his followers: 'I always end up walking away from here with something I don't need...ie, a gun.' Back at his family's estate, he gives a lesson in the basics of shooting, explaining about the bullets he likes to use. He says: 'When it strikes the animal, it tends to inflict a lot of damage and tends to cause a quick and painless, death. It's obviously very humane, which is the sort of thing we are looking at.' The aristocrat then practices shooting at a target, before heading out into the bushes clad in camouflage gear. Ollie says: 'Instead of stockpiling in a supermarket, I'm stockpiling in different ways.' He then finds some innocent deer roaming around, with the sound of a pulsating heartbeat in the background. The Love Islander lies down and fires his gun. The screen goes black - presumably for dramatic effect. Then footage shows Ollie himself hanging up the dead venison up inside a giant fridge, before focusing in on the carcass. Turning to the camera, he says: 'I wasn't sure whether or not in the first video I should show the shot. 'The shot was successful and we've got some venison for the larder. But moving forward, if you do wanna see the shot then let me know and I'll be happy to put it in a video.' He concludes: 'But yeh, a successful harvest of wild venison. That's my kind of stockpiling for you,' before smiling and giving a thumbs up. His shocked followers on social media commented in their droves, branding him 'a disgrace', 'sick,' and 'a weirdo.' MailOnline contacted Ollie's representatives for comment at the time. Ollie caused outrage after images of him posing next to slaughtered animals in Africa emerged earlier this year, with his family being forced to employ security to keep a 24-hour watch on their Cornish home from animal activists. In 2020, it was reported that Ollie tried to sell a buffalo head for 8,000 online - five months before the star denied he is a trophy hunter after quitting the ITV2 reality show. A photo obtained by The Sun shows a now-deleted listing for a Taxidermy Cape Buffalo Shoulder Mount with an asking price of 8,000 and allegedly posted by the star. According to the website Ollie bought the buffalo head - described as used - at an auction for 648.70 and had hoped to make a healthy profit from the sale, putting the item on eBay in August. A source told The Sun: 'Ollie had gone to Holts auctioneers in Norfolk in June and spotted this cape buffalo shoulder mount. 'He thought it would be an investment and hoped he'd be able to sell it and make a profit but nobody ever bought it.' The website also confirmed the buffalo head was taken down from eBay. The Cape Buffalo is one of the dead animals Ollie was seen posing with in photos that sparked a furious viewer backlash and a petition calling for him to be axed. The heir to the Lanhydrock Estate, who received 'vile' threats since leaving the show, insisted that he is 'passionate about conservation' and that he left the show on his own terms because he was still in love with his ex. Ollie said in a statement at the time: 'Having left the Love Island house I have become aware of the press stories circulating in the UK. I would like to make a number of comments on the various claims and accusations. 'I had no knowledge of the stories until I had left the Love Island villa and all cast members are unaware of any news stories while they are on the programme. My reasons for leaving Love Island are as communicated on the show. 'I did not shoot any of the animals shown in the photographs nor have I ever shot as a trophy hunter. 'I did volunteer to take part in the conservation and anti-poaching programme in Mozambique, a part of which involves old or sick animals being culled. I was there as an observer. 'The Cornish Sporting Agency was set up in 2017 and has never traded. I feel very passionately about conservation and will continue to support sustainable conservation causes around the globe. 'These benefit the natural world and the animals which live within it, even if certain elements appear controversial when viewed out of context. As I am no longer in Love Island, I will comment no further on this issue.' Ollie was pictured posing with a dead warthog, water buffalo and a giant eland listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The now deleted snaps were said to have been uploaded on to the Instagram account of Ollie's hunting business, Cornish Sporting Agency. Backlash: This comes after it was reported that Ollie tried to sell a buffalo head for 8,000 online - five months before the star denied he is a trophy hunter after quitting the reality show Claim: A photo obtained by The Sun shows a listing for a Taxidermy Cape Buffalo Shoulder Mount with an asking price of 8,000 allegedly posted by him (above with the dead animal) Alleged: According to the website Ollie bought the buffalo head - described as used - at an auction for 648.70 and had hoped to make a healthy profit from the sale, putting the item on eBay in August The business is listed on Companies House as a 'hunting, trapping and related service activities' and is registered at the Lanhydrock estate, now controlled by the National Trust after being given away by Ollie's great-great uncle in 1953. In one of the photos, Ollie is seen kneeling beside one of the animals with the caption: 'You've gotta love it when you put your binos up and see a bull like this on the other end!' The Cornish Sporting Agency, which was taken offline in November 2018, offered hunting trips to countries like Mozambique and South Africa as well as bird shooting in the South West of England and deer stalking in New Zealand. Sources close to Ollie claimed the photos were of him 'culling sick animals' and that it was untrue that he is involved in hunting for sport. Great Expectations Rating: * How Charles Dickens would have loved and hated the pan-jandrums of the BBC. Loved laughing at them, hated them for ruining his finest story. Ferociously protective of his novels and his characters, he could never have forgiven the corporation for this joyless travesty of Great Expectations (BBC1). But its easy to imagine his hoots of gleeful contempt at the arrogance, ignorance and self-satisfied stupidity that has gone into its making. Dickens spent his career satirising hypocritical clergymen and deceitful lawyers, pompous, petty officials and incompetent blowhards. What fun hed have had with the executives of Broadcasting House Mr Josiah Stallywart the Corporate Executive Producer, Miss Creempufe the Controller of Digital Portfolio Content, Mr Wyseacre the Head of In-House Creative, or Mrs Anunciata Wimpletop, the Senior Editorial Editor. If only the Inimitable Boz had lived long enough to sneer at the goings-on in W1A, that inspired mockumentary series which satirised BBC management. 'How Charles Dickens would have loved and hated the pan-jandrums of the BBC. Loved laughing at them, hated them for ruining his finest story' 'Estella (Chloe Lea), who should be haughty and cruelly mocking, behaved more like a cheeky servant girl' But then again, its a good job for his sake he didnt. His beloved Great Expectations has been mashed up into Woke Desecrations. The spine-chilling first chapter, where Magwitch the escaped convict seizes young Pip by the throat in a graveyard at night, was relegated to a scene halfway through the episode. Worse, Steven Knight, who wrote the adaptation, discarded much of the language that makes the moment so unforgettably frightening. In the novel, Magwitch tells Pip he has a friend, hiding in the darkness, who can find his victim wherever he hides. A boy may lock his door, may be warm in bed, may tuck himself up, may draw the clothes over his head... but still the killer will softly creep and creep his way to him and tear him open. What chilling poetry. Those lines scared the living daylights out of me at 12 years old and are as gripping today as when they were written. This is a very different country to the Britain of Victorian times, but one thing hasnt changed were still obsessed by the spectre of murder in our beds. Yet Knight ignored the original words, and wrote some tin-eared threat for Magwitch to say about eating a mans heart. Director Brady Hood was equally vague with Dickenss precise scene-setting: he kept the icy mists stealing over the Kent marshes, but failed to include the scariest element the gibbet, a sort of gallows for a corpse, where the bodies of hanged men were displayed in chains. Why Knight decided to rip up Dickenss perfect opening and replace it with his own bodged version is anybodys guess. 'She and Mr Pumblechook (Matt Berry) have a good giggle over Christmas dinner about the word sex, which seems unlikely in a Victorian home' Perhaps he has started to believe his own publicity, which is always dangerous. As far as the Beeb is concerned, he can do no wrong: he created Peaky Blinders, which has made countless millions for the corporation. Say what you like, but Charley Dickens never had a worldwide smash with an ultra-violent gangster serial, did he? The result is that Pip (Tom Sweet) is no longer a quick-thinking innocent with an over-active imagination, but a morose, insolent adolescent with a foul mouth. Magwitch (Johnny Harris) is a decent man from the start, the victim of a terrible injustice a twist Dickens conceals at first from his readers, letting us imagine the convict is a monster. Estella (Chloe Lea), who should be haughty and cruelly mocking, behaved more like a cheeky servant girl. Joe the blacksmith (Owen McDonnell) is no longer a simpleton, and his wife is now called Sara, presumably because it would be dreadfully sexist to keep calling her Mrs Joe. She and Mr Pumblechook (Matt Berry) have a good giggle over Christmas dinner about the word sex, which seems unlikely in a Victorian home but not as unlikely as the scenes of spanking we are promised in later episodes, as Mrs Joe turns dominatrix. We glimpsed Miss Havisham, played by Olivia Colman with a malicious smile behind her bridal veil of cobwebs. She might be the saving of this production, but according to the BBCs publicity office, she has been reimagined as a drug-addled opium smoker. Even an actress as brilliant as O.C. wont be able to counter that imbecilic innovation. All the characters have been needlessly rewritten, and nothing about the way they live rings true either. Its pointless and unbelievable for Joe to blaspheme in church, or for Pip to skulk and swear among the graves where his parents are buried. We had to wait less than five minutes for the first F-word. At least the actors sounded comfortable when they were cursing. Whenever the grammar acquired a 19th-century flavour, some of them sounded as though they were reading from an autocue. All of it looked stagey, shot in the studio with computer graphics dropped into the background like painted scenery. The only blessing is that the whole thing is so underlit, its practically invisible. The second night of Married At First Sight's final vows looks set to feature one of the most savage break-ups in the show's history. A trailer for Monday's episode teases a brutal showdown between jilted bride Lyndall Grace and her commitment-phobic husband Cameron Woods. The Perth-based accountant interrupts Cam before he has a chance to speak, then proceeds to tell the outback tradie how she really feels about him. Their last goodbye comes after Cam admitted at the final dinner party he wasn't falling in love with Lyndall and so couldn't see himself moving interstate for her. 'It's definitely my time to be honest,' Lyndall warns in a voice-over as she approaches her soon-to-be ex-husband. The second night of MAFS' final vows looks set to feature one of the most savage break-ups in the show's history. A trailer for Monday's episode teases a brutal showdown between jilted bride Lyndall Grace (right) and her commitment-phobic husband Cameron Woods (left) The two stand before each other in a lush green meadow surrounded by colourful floral arrangements. As Cam reaches for his notes so he can read his vows, Lyndall suddenly stops him. 'Um, before you start,' she says. Cam looks unhappy by this interruption, and his expression gets even more sour as Lyndall begins to say her piece. The Perth-based accountant interrupts Cam before he has a chance to speak, then proceeds to tell the outback tradie how she really feels about him. He looks unhappy by this interruption, and his expression gets even more sour as Lyndall begins to say her piece While the trailer doesn't reveal what she says, Lyndall tells producers this is her only chance to tell Cam how much he has hurt her While the trailer doesn't reveal what she says, Lyndall tells producers this is her only chance to tell Cam how much he has hurt her. 'It's now or never,' she says. The moment is said to be one of the most 'unexpected endings' to a MAFS marriage in the show's ten-season history. The moment is said to be one of the most 'unexpected endings' to a MAFS marriage in the show's ten-season history Lyndall and Cam are no longer together three months after filming wrapped on MAFS, and the situation is so bad they aren't even speaking to each other. 'The lines of communication broke down completely after they broke up at the final vows,' an insider told Daily Mail Australia earlier this month. It comes after the final dinner party on last Wednesday's episode where Cam admitted in front of the other couples he wasn't falling in love with Lyndall. When the topic of moving interstate was brought up, he explained he was open to 'compromising' his remote work in the Northern Territory to move to Lyndall's home city of Perth, or allow her to move to Darwin - but only if he was falling in love. It comes after the final dinner party on last Wednesday's episode where Cameron admitted in front of the other couples he wasn't falling in love with Lyndall This is despite him saying earlier he wasn't willing to sacrifice his career for love. 'Are you just not ready for a relationship?' fellow bride Bronte Schofield asked Cam. 'I wouldn't say I'm not ready for a relationship... Like, I love Lyndall as a person, I'm just not going down that path of falling in love,' he replied. As Lyndall attempted to keep her composure at the dinner party, she explained it was the first time she'd heard Cameron say he couldn't see himself falling for her. When the topic of moving interstate for love was brought up, Cameron explained he was open to 'compromising' his remote work in the Northern Territory to move to Lyndall's home city of Perth, or allow her to move to Darwin. He then added, 'I wouldn't say I'm not ready for a relationship... I love Lyndall as a person, I'm just not going down that path of falling in love' As Lyndall attempted to keep her composure at the dinner party, she explained it was the first time she'd heard Cameron say he couldn't see himself falling for her She excused herself from the table to head to the cocktail lounge before breaking down in tears as the other brides rushed to comfort her. 'I just feel like I've been dumped for the third time in a week,' she said through tears. Back at the table, grooms Ollie Skelton and Duncan James politely told Cameron to stop leading Lyndall on if that was how he really felt about her. Lyndall (left) broke down in tears on after her husband Cameron (right) admitted he wasn't falling in love with her Outspoken bride Evelyn Ellis then stormed back to the table to speak on Lyndall's behalf, tearing into Cameron in a savage tirade. 'Cam, you are such an a**hole,' she yelled. 'You've strung her along this whole entire time and for her to hear this in front of everyone is a low f**king blow.' She excused herself from the table to head to the cocktail lounge before breaking down in tears as the other brides rushed to comfort her 'I just feel like I've been dumped for the third time in a week,' she said through tears 'Is it?' Cameron asked sarcastically. 'That's no good.' Evelyn continued: 'Yeah, it is a low f**king blow. You should be ashamed of yourself!' 'Don't trip on your way out,' Cameron told her, clearly unbothered, as Evelyn stormed back to a crying Lyndall. Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine and 9Now Disappointed Great Expectations viewers said they had to 'switch over' when watching the first episode of the BBC1 series on Sunday night. Those who tuned in to the adaptation of Charlies Dickens' 1861 novel complained that it was 'too dark', featured too much swearing and was 'unrecognisable' from the original tale. Written by Peaky Blinders creator Stephen, the novel has been given a new twist, but those watching this version at home were left unimpressed. The series stars Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham - who is portrayed as an opium addict - while Fionn Whitehead stars as Pip, Shalom Brune-Franklin as Estella, Ashley Thomas as Mr Jaggers and Johnny Harris as Magwitch. One wrote on Twitter in reaction after the first instalment: '#GreatExpectations Too dark, too sweary, too unrecognisable'. Oh no: Disappointed Great Expectations viewers said they had to 'switch over' when watching the first episode of the BBC1 series on Sunday night (Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham) Not happy: Those who tuned in to the adaptation of Charlies Dickens' 1861 novel complained that it was 'too dark', featured too much swearing and was unrecognisable from the original tale (young Pip is pictured) Another said: ' Why does the BBC have to include the 'f' word constantly even in a Dickens story? #GreatExpectations.' A third said: 'That whirring sound is Charles Dickens spinning in his grave. WTF BBC? #GreatExpectations.' Another said: 'I'm not feeling #Greatexpectations here. Feeling the need to turn it off!' After just a few minutes another said: 'Already hit the off button #GreatExpectations.' Another wrote: 'Not a great start so far. This is less an adaptation than a confection! Why does the BBC think it has the creative ability to improve Dickens? It really hasn't! Rant over. #GreatExpectations.' A different disappointed viewer said: 'Well, I managed to watch 18 minutes ... and that was enough. Now over to Netflix #GreatExpectations.' Someone else said: 'Not all that much like the book so far. #GreatExpectations.' Another said: 'New #GreatExpectations isn't terribly good' Reaction: One wrote on Twitter in reaction after the first instalment: '#GreatExpectations Too dark, too sweary, too unrecognisable' Cast: The series stars Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham (pictured) - who is portrayed as an opium addict - while Fionn Whitehead stars as Pip, Shalom Brune-Franklin as Estella, Ashley Thomas as Mr Jaggers and Johnny Harris as Magwitch Adaptation: Written by Peaky Blinders creator Stephen, the novel has been given a new twist, but those watching this version at home were left unimpressed (young Pip is pictured) Happy: However there were a few who enjoyed the episode, with one saying: 'Different, exciting, brilliant interpretation. Absolutely fabulous' However there were a few who enjoyed the episode, with one saying: 'Different, exciting, brilliant interpretation. Absolutely fabulous.' Another said: 'I enjoyed the first episode of #GreatExpectations after reading some comments on Twitter. Some folk are very quick to review/criticise or expect so much at once.' A third said: 'That was a quick hour. Really enjoyed that!' Great Expectations is the second Dickens adaptation penned by Steven, following the hit limited series A Christmas Carol. Author Charles first released the work in a series of weekly chapters beginning in December 1860, before it was subsequently published as a novel. His famous novel follows the story of Pip, who lives with his sister Mrs Joe Gargery and her blacksmith husband Joe. The bitter Miss Havisham engineers a meeting between the young Pip and Estella with a view to having him fall in love with her so she can break his heart. Line of Duty actress Shalom plays the aloof and enigmatic Estella, who becomes Pip's obsession. Steven adapted Dickens' A Christmas Carol for the BBC in 2019, starring Guy Pearce as Scrooge. There have been many adaptations of the classic novel over the years, both on the big and small screen. War and Peace actress Tuppence Middleton, 35, played the character as a younger woman in the BBC's 2016 serialisation, Dickensian. Helena Bonham Carter, 56, portrayed Miss Havisham in Mike Newell's 2012 film adaptation, co-starring Jeremy Irvine as Pip and Ralph Fiennes as Abel Magwitch. Gillian Anderon, 54, was a rather more glamorous and youthful incarnation of the character a year earlier in a BBC mini-series starring Douglas Booth and Vanessa Kirby. In 1999 Charlotte Rampling, 77, played the role opposite Ioan Gruffudd's Pip while Anne Bancroft played a modernised version of the character in Alfonso Cuaron's 1998 film version starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Ethan Hawke. Earlier versions include Jean Simmons' portrayal in an 1989 mini-series, having previously played Estella in David Lean's 1946 film opposite Martita Hunt as Miss Havisham. Miss Marple actress Joan Hickson played the role in 1981 while Margaret Leighton took on the part in 1974. One of the earliest screen portrayals of Miss Havisham was Florence Reed in the 1934 film. Miss Havisham is usually portrayed as an older woman but is in her mid-30s at the beginning of Dickens' novel. In this version creator Stephen has also included references to the British Empire's connections to the slave trade, with several characters hammering home an anti-colonial message. Knight, creator of Peaky Blinders, said: 'What I didn't want to do and I think Dickens never tried to do was make something specifically political. 'He was never banging the drum, he was just saying, 'This is what's going on' and people could draw their own conclusions. You couldn't write about certain things in Dickens' time: Certain elements of sexuality, crime, disobedience against the crown and state. 'What I tried to do was imagine if Dickens was writing the story now and had the freedom to go to those darker places, what would he do? If he had been liberated to write the things that were going on that he wasn't allowed to write about.' Other noteworthy scenes show an ecstatic Mr Pumblechook being spanked in a dingy bedroom. Colman, who plays the jilted Miss Havisham, said: 'The first time I read Steven Knight's script, I thought it was much darker than what I had remembered from school. Quite a few bottom-slapping moments, which I did not recall from the original Dickens! There were quite a few changes and I found it quite gripping.' Colman's turn as the wealthy spinster sees her addicted to opium, frequently inhaling from a pipe in her rotting wedding dress in between educating Pip played by Tom Sweet as a child and then Fionn Whitehead in how to become a gentleman. One such lesson is offering him up to a member of the local congregation to lose his virginity on his 18th birthday. The first episode opens with Pip contemplating suicide on a bridge as opposed to being approached by the criminal Magwitch on the marshes. Later scenes see him refusing to earn a considerable sum of money from selling manacles and chains to be used for the incarceration of slaves. Magwitch says the Empire was built on the lies of privileged white men. Critics have condemned the use of profanities in the new version, with Pip yelling 'take your f****** hands off me' in episode one. On playing the renowned role, Olivia explained: 'Miss Havisham is a woman who was madly in love with someone; she went to get married and he never turned up. Her life stopped from that moment, pretty much. 'She is only really in her forties, but she is always depicted as a much older woman. We have gone for long white hair and lots of broken veins. We think she went white with the shock and the heartbreak. Harrowing: Colman's Miss Havisham is seen in the throes of addiction in one scene in an upcoming episode Stars: (L-R) Young Pip (Tom Sweet);Sara Gargery (Hayley Squires) and Joe Gargery (Owen McDonnell) New life: Under the great expectations placed upon him, Pip will have to work out the cost of this new world and whether it will truly make him the man he wishes to be (Chloe Lea pictured as Young Estella) Plan: The bitter Miss Havisham engineers a meeting between the young Pip and Estella with a view to having him fall in love with her so she can break his heart (Matt Berry pictured as Mr Pumblechook) 'In this version she is an opium addict, so she has had a bit of a life indoors, no sunshine. 'She adopts a baby, Estella who she sort of trains to be an assassin in a way; to hurt men as much as she was hurt.' Great Expectations also stars Ashley Thomas, Johnny Harris, Hayley Squires, Owen McDonnell, Laurie Ogden, Matt Berry, Trystan Gravelle and Rudi Dharmalingam. Great Expectations is set to air on the BBC from 26 March 2023. Popular fitness influencer Sophie Guidolin has been seen in public for the first time since her shock split from her husband Dr Andrew Firgaira. The couple's marriage fell apart after the mother-of-four gave birth to a stillborn child in January. Dr Firgaira, a high-profile Gold Coast dentist, confirmed the couple's split earlier this month, following weeks of rumours they had quietly ended their marriage just four months after their dream wedding. Over the weekend, Guidolin, 34, enjoyed some fresh air and light exercise with Crossfit athlete James Newbury at Cabarita Beach, NSW, close to her home in Kingscliff. The pair appeared to be having an animated conversation as they strolled around a beachside park. Popular fitness influencer Sophie Guidolin has been seen in public for the first time since her shock split from her husband Dr Andrew Firgaira. Over the weekend, Sophie, 34, enjoyed some fresh air and light exercise with Crossfit athlete James Newbury at Cabarita Beach, NSW, close to her home in Kingscliff Makeup free, Guidolin wore a crop top and tiny matching shorts for the outing and tied her hair back into a neat ponytail. After their walk, they got into a SUV and drove off. Guidolin and Newbury have a lot in common. He is a 4-time Crossfit Games athlete and 4-time Australias Fittest Man after retiring from professional rugby. He also competes in triathlons, Ironman competition and powerlifting. Meanwhile, Guidolin is a fitness model, qualified trainer and nutritionist. Last week, the mother-of-four broke her silence on her split from Dr Firgaira, just days after he announced their separation. Makeup free, Sophie wore a crop top and tiny matching shorts for the outing and tied her hair back into a neat ponytail In a series of Instagram comments, Guidolin claimed that - contrary to rumours doing the rounds online - she was the one who 'left' her husband, not the other way around. She opened up about her failed marriage on her 34th birthday, after posting a gallery of photos with her teenage son Kai, with whom she recently reunited after he spent several months living with her parents in Adelaide while they were going though 'a hard time in our lives'. Guidolin said being back with Kai, who had reportedly not attended her wedding to Dr Firgaira, was 'the silver lining' after a nightmare year. After their walk, Sophie and the man got into a SUV and drove off Guidolin has had the year from hell - the Instagram star gave birth to a stillborn baby in January and split from her husband after just four months of marriage Last week Sophie broke her silence on her split from Dr Firgaira, just days after he announced their separation In a series of Instagram comments, Guidolin claimed that - contrary to rumours doing the rounds online - she was the one who 'left' her husband, not the other way around 'The silver lining,' she wrote in the caption, referring to her eldest son. 'Gratitude times a million to have you back in my arms. I will do everything in my power to never let anyone or anything ever come between our bond. 'Thirty-three Nothing on earth could have prepared me for the year that was. Here's to redoing 33 #family #love #Kai.' One of her followers asked in the comments section, 'Where's your hubby?' to which Guidolin replied, 'I left him.' Another fan said, 'Here's to a better year ahead. Happiest birthday,' and the self-styled nutritionist responded, '[It] can't be worse than the last.' She opened up about her failed marriage on her 34th birthday, after posting a gallery of photos with her teen son Kai, with whom she recently reunited after he spent several months living with her parents in Adelaide while they were going though 'a hard time in our lives' A fan said, 'Here's to a better year ahead. Happiest birthday,' and the self-styled nutritionist responded, '[It] can't be worse than the last' She replied 'oath' when a supporter said it's 'better to split than live a miserable life' One follower offered kind words after Guidolin's horror year, and praised her for her 'bravery' One follower offered kind words after Guidolin's horror year, and praised her for her 'strength' and 'bravery'. 'Sounds like your heart was broken twice this last year, [but] you're still standing, strong and brave, surrounded by so much love,' they wrote. 'Heartbreak is hard, losing a baby is hard. I've lost two as well and nothing makes you mentally stronger.' Guidolin responded with a teary-face emoji, and wrote: 'Yep.' She replied 'oath' when a supporter said it's 'better to split than live a miserable life'. It comes after Dr Firgaira (left) confirmed the couple had ended their marriage. The dentist said he was 'not willing' to discuss the reasons for the split, which came after Guidolin gave birth to a stillborn baby while he was on holiday in Europe with his daughters 'In order to remove the constant speculation I'll answer this once by saying we are no longer together,' he wrote in a comment on his own post. 'I have my reasons why and I'm not prepared to discuss this matter any further' His comments come after Guidolin quietly unfollowed Dr Firgaira on Instagram weeks earlier (as seen here), and wiped all evidence of him from her own feed It comes after Dr Firgaira confirmed the couple had ended their relationship in an emotionally raw Instagram post. The dentist said he was 'not willing' to discuss the reasons for the split, which came after Guidolin gave birth to a stillborn baby while he was on holiday in Europe with his daughters from a previous relationship. 'In order to remove the constant speculation I'll answer this once by saying we are no longer together,' he wrote in a comment on his own post. 'I have my reasons why and I'm not prepared to discuss this matter any further.' He stressed he 'wants people to refrain' from commenting on the relationship as 'nothing positive can come from discussing it further'. His comments come after Guidolin quietly unfollowed Dr Firgaira on Instagram weeks earlier, and wiped all evidence of him from her own feed. Photos of Guidolin and Dr Firgaira at their wedding were deleted, as well as their engagement post and a photo announcing Guidolin's pregnancy over Christmas last year. The couple tied the knot in November, and announced a month later they were expecting their first child together (pictured) Rumours about the couple's marriage had been swirling for months, after fans noticed the model had stopped posting photos of Dr Firgaira on social media. Last month, Guidolin added more fuel to the fire by uploading a cryptic Instagram post hinting at heartbreak. She said she was going through a 'rough patch' and stressed the importance of 'human connection' despite her desire to 'recharge her batteries alone'. She then alluded to her need for 'closure' after a difficult time, writing: 'Forgiveness is key, but some things are unforgivable and closure is the choice.' Guidolin announced her engagement to Dr Firgaira in June 2022, just over two years after splitting from Married At First Sight star Jake Edwards in May 2020. The couple tied the knot in November, before announcing a month later they were expecting their first child together. Guidolin, who has four children from a previous relationship, encountered serious health problems during her fifth pregnancy. In January, she told fans she had been diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness. While recovering from the condition in hospital, Guidolin shared a post complaining about how lonely she felt without Dr Firgaira by her side. When quizzed by fans where her husband was, she said he was overseas on a long-promised European holiday with his two daughters. Guidolin announced in late January her fifth child, and first with Dr Firgaira, a girl named Pixie, was stillborn. In January, Guidolin told fans she had been diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness. (Pictured recovering from the condition in hospital) While in hospital, Guidolin shared a post complaining about how lonely she felt without Dr Firgaira by her side. She described her struggles during an exchange with MAFS star Martha Kalifatidis, who was also pregnant at the time When asked by her followers where her husband was, Guidolin said he was overseas in Europe Guidolin responded candidly after one fan asked how she was coping 'I cannot begin to articulate my pain, grief and despair through my entire soul,' she wrote in an emotional Instagram post, revealing she underwent a C-section. 'I am trying to trust in God's timing and I have always believed that the universe has my back and no matter how confusing this all feels, I am trying to make sense of this grief with my faith. 'I feel so guilty for my thoughts prior and I would do anything to have that pain, over this harrowing experience. I don't even have the words on how to write or how to comprehend this. Maybe some souls were always meant to be angels.' Ben Affleck has shared the hilarious reason why he never wants to be photographed with hunky Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth. In an interview with Insider, the 50-year-old revealed his plans to visit Australia but joked he doesn't want to be pictured with Chris unlike his best friend Matt Damon, who is regularly seen with the Thor star. 'Matt's basically, as far as I can tell, an honorary citizen he is there so much he's friends with Chris Hemsworth and I think that shows enormous character of Matt to be friends with a guy that much younger and better looking than him,' Ben joked. 'Good in practice but I don't want to sit next to Chris Hemsworth in photographs so I applaud Matt.' 'But I'd love to come. I'm hoping one day Chris will invite me to come down and stay at his place, as long as I don't have to take any shirtless pictures next to him.' Ben Affleck (pictured) has shared the hilarious reason why he never wants to be seen with Chris Hemsworth as he reveals plans to travel to Australia Matt spent six months living in Byron Bay while filming Thor: Love and Thunder and was regularly photographed spending time with Chris, 39, and his wife Elsa Pataky. Chris, Elsa and their three children reside in a $30million mansion in Broken Head, near the celebrity enclave of Byron Bay. The fortress like property, which sits high above Seven Mile Beach, boasts a gymnasium, butler's pantry, fire pit, change rooms, outdoor play area for the three Hemsworth children and walk-in wardrobes. Angry neighbours were quick to say the building reminded them of a suburban shopping centre, a refurbished RSL club or a regional airport terminal. Others compared it to a multi-storey car park. In an interview with Inside , the 50-year-old revealed his plans to visit Australia but joked he doesn't want to be pictured with Chris (pictured) unlike his friend Matt Damon, who is regularly seen with the Thor star Meanwhile, Matt and Ben have been the best of friends since they were kids growing up in Boston. They joined forces to co-write the script for drama Good Will Hunting which earned them the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 1998. They are also co-stars in upcoming movie Air, which is set to be released on April 5. After weeks of teasing the campaign, Intimissimi global ambassador Jennifer Lopez finally unveiled her commercial for the Italian lingerie brand's SS/23 collection on Sunday. In it, the Bronx-born pop diva easily defied her 53 years while scantily clad in Intimissimi's $69 'Pretty Flowers Sofia Balconette Bra,' the $18 'Pretty Flowers Panties,' and the $159 'Silk Kimono.' Jennifer's favorite bra and panty set comes in fuchsia, orange, turquoise, and black. Lopez - who boasts 377.1M social media followers - sprawled out on a bed inside a Positano home while lip-synching to Franco Simone's 1976 song Il cielo in una stanza. The two-time Grammy nominee - who accessorized her lingerie look with a dainty Logan Hollowell necklace - then lounged on her balcony before realizing she was being covertly photographed by a poolside paparazzo. 'Italia, Amore!' After weeks of teasing the campaign, Intimissimi global ambassador Jennifer Lopez finally unveiled her commercial for the Italian lingerie brand's SS/23 collection on Sunday At that, JLo signaled to her two guard dogs to attack the trespassing lensman. The Shotgun Wedding producer-star lets out a hearty laugh as the man runs away from what appeared to be a Golden Retriever and a Miniature Boxer. 'I love Italy - the people, the fashion, the cinema, the culture. And of course, I love the shopping,' Jennifer said in the March 7th BTS video. 'This past year, while I was traveling in Italy, I discovered a new lingerie brand made with gorgeous fabrics and colorful silks and delicate lace. But I found the name to be a bit challenging to pronounce. Intimacy? Inter, intermissi? Intermississippi? It's Intimissimi.' In order to maintain her fit 5ft5in frame, Lopez likes to break a sweat 'first thing in the morning' and 'is not afraid to challenge' herself with fitness trainers like Tracy Anderson and David Kirsch. 'I'm always evolving and looking for things that keep me excited and motivated,' the Emmy-nominated producer told Us Weekly last Wednesday. 'It's no secret that fitness is a very important part of my life. I think there's a positive correlation between exercise and mental health. When you find a good balance through determination and focus, we're naturally pushing to be the best version of ourselves.' Jennifer currently executive produces the fifth season of The Fosters drama spin-off Good Trouble, which airs Thursdays on Freeform. Under $300! In it, the Bronx-born pop diva easily defied her 53 years while scantily clad in Intimissimi's $69 'Pretty Flowers Sofia Balconette Bra,' the $18 'Pretty Flowers Panties,' and the $159 'Silk Kimono' Four shades: Jennifer's favorite bra and panty set comes in fuchsia (pictured), orange, turquoise, and black Boudoir: Lopez - who boasts 377.1M social media followers - sprawled out on a bed inside a Positano home while lip-synching to Franco Simone's 1976 song Il cielo in una stanza Deer in the headlights: The two-time Grammy nominee then lounged on her balcony before realizing she was being covertly photographed by a poolside paparazzo Sic 'em! At that, JLo signaled to her two guard dogs to attack the trespassing lensman Release the hounds! The Shotgun Wedding producer-star lets out a hearty laugh as the man runs away from what appeared to be a Golden Retriever and a Miniature Boxer Jennifer said in the March 7th BTS video: ''I love Italy - the people, the fashion, the cinema, the culture. And of course, I love the shopping. This past year, while I was traveling in Italy, I discovered a new lingerie brand made with gorgeous fabrics and colorful silks and delicate lace' Lopez joked: 'But I found the name to be a bit challenging to pronounce. Intimacy? Inter, intermissi? Intermississippi? It's Intimissimi' Lopez will next play deadly assassin and absentee mother in Niki Caro's action thriller The Mother - premiering May 12 on Netflix - alongside Gael Garcia Bernal, Joseph Fiennes, Lucy Paez, and Omari Hardwick. On July 21, the On My Way songstress will release her ninth studio alum This Is Me... Now, and at least nine of the 13 tracks appear to be written about her fourth husband Ben Affleck including 'Dear Ben Pt. II.' The newlyweds of eight months - who previously dated between 2002-2004 - started texting each other again in February 2021, two months before Lopez ended her engagement to Minnesota Timberwolves co-owner Alex Rodriguez. Jennifer is mother to 15-year-old fraternal twins Emme and Maximilian from her third marriage to Marc Anthony, which ended in 2011 after seven years. Lopez is also stepmother to the 50-year-old Oscar winner's three children - daughter Violet, 17; daughter Seraphina, 14; and son Samuel, 11 - from his decade-long first marriage to Jennifer Garner, which ended in 2018. James Argent packed on the PDA with his girlfriend Stella Turian on Saturday as they embarked on a romantic trip to the picturesque city of Venice. The TOWIE star, 35, shared a passionate kiss with the Italian actress, 18, while enjoying a relaxing afternoon at a quaint cafe al fresco. They were also spotted exploring the canals of Venice on a romantic gondola boat ride, taking selfies and capturing pictures of each other against the stunning backdrop of the city. James - who is 16-years older than Stella - cut a casual figure in a red polo top and blue cardigan, teamed with jeans and bright yellow trainers. He accessorised with a pair of dark sunglasses and couldn't wipe the smile off his face during the outing. Loved-up: James Argent packed on the PDA with his girlfriend Stella Turian on Saturday as they embarked on a romantic trip to the picturesque city of Venice Romance: The TOWIE star, 35, shared a passionate kiss with the Italian actress, 18, while enjoying a relaxing afternoon at a quaint cafe al fresco Fun outing: They were also spotted exploring the canals of Venice on a romantic gondola boat ride Meanwhile, Stella looked typically stylish in a black top and cargos, teamed with a chic blazer and white trainers. She sported a natural makeup look underneath a pair of black shades, while styling her brunette locks straight. James recently gushed over new girlfriend Stella and revealed that he wooed her with Mafia movies in his home cinema. The reality star also recalled how they 'serenaded each other' when they first met by chance at a restaurant in Greece in June, before pursuing a romantic relationship months later. Speaking to The Sun, he confessed: 'I feel very lucky, sometimes I have to pinch myself to remind myself this is all really happening.' As well as being genetically blessed, the 18-year-old beauty is fluent in four languages, while the TOWIE star is working hard on improving his Italian. Arg also told how he wooed his new girlfriend, revealing: 'I'm lucky enough to have a home cinema there have to be some perks to being in showbiz and I'm obsessed with Mafia films, so I made her watch Goodfellas and some Sopranos and Casino too.' The reality star - who's trouble past is widely documented - insisted he has been completely up front with Stella about the 'ups and downs' he's had. He gushed: 'We've got an amazing connection, she is extremely supportive, and she knows everything there is to know about me.' Cheese! They were spotted taking selfies and capturing pictures of each other against the stunning backdrop of the city Casual: James - who is 16-years older than Stella - cut a casual figure in a red polo top and blue cardigan, teamed with jeans and bright yellow trainers Smitten: He accessorised with a pair of dark sunglasses and couldn't wipe the smile off his face during the outing Chic: Stella looked typically stylish in a black top and cargos, teamed with a chic blazer and white trainers Public romance: Arg met Stella by chance at a swanky restaurant called Nammos, while in Mykonos, Greece in June for a friend's wedding Arg met Stella by chance at a swanky restaurant called Nammos, while in Mykonos, Greece in June for a friend's wedding, He said they 'serenaded each other' as he reminisced of how he showed her clips of himself singing Rat Pack songs, while she showed him clips of her singing Italian love songs. The pair then exchanged numbers, and Arg explained how after performing gigs they'd send each other videos of themselves singing, and added how Stella gave his mic skills 'her seal of approval'. Despite meeting just once in Mykonos, they then spent the summer messaging and FaceTiming. Arg recalled how he eventually plucked up the courage to fly to Italy in September to see her and see if there was a romance to be had. The TOWIE star confessed to being 'incredibly nervous' for fear that when they saw each other again, there might not be a romantic connection. But thankfully, the second their eyes met again, he gushed over how they felt 'an amazing link' which has continued to develop. And after meeting each other's families, Arg confirmed that they will spend Christmas together, but have no plans to move in together. Instead, they will focus on making their long-distance relationship work. It comes after MailOnline revealed James' burgeoning romance with Stella in September. Sources close to the pair said that it was 'love at first sight' for James, who hasn't felt this way for years, and he's 'determined' to make this relationship the best of his life. 'James and Stella are in love, they fell for each other the moment they met and have spent as much time together as possible since,' a source told MailOnline. 'This is a big deal for James he hasn't been in a relationship for years because he's been working on himself and finally now, he's ready to share his life with someone. Exes: James hasn't publicly dated anyone since the end of his turbulent romance with former TOWIE co-star Gemma, 41 (pictured together in 2018) 'The age difference hasn't played any part in their romance so far, they've holidayed together in Italy and Marbella, getting to know each other away from the spotlight.' Stella appears in the film Infiniti, which screened at this year's Venice Film Festival. James hasn't publicly dated anyone since the end of his turbulent romance with former TOWIE co-star Gemma, 41, who was left brokenhearted on multiple occasions after James called her names and they fell out on and off screen. He also dated TOWIE's Lydia Bright, 31, who is now a mum to daughter Loretta while Gemma is engaged to fiance Rami Hawash. Quentin Tarantino was mobbed by fans as he left the London Palladium on Saturday night following a live conversation event for his new book. The director, 59, opted for a casual look with a burgundy shirt and denim as he was greeted by a large group of fans waiting for him at the back entrance. The Pulp Fiction filmmaker led a talk at the London Palladium to celebrate his long-awaited non-fiction debut Cinema Speculation. Quentin opened the floor discussing the style of American films in the 1970s - and offered a live reading of an excerpt from his new book. The Academy Award-winning filmmaker appeared overwhelmed by the mob of people as he made his way to the car. In demand: Quentin Tarantino was mobbed by fans as he left the London Palladium on Saturday night following a live conversation event for his new book Event: The director, 59, opted for a casual look with a burgundy shirt and denim as he was greeted by a large group of fans waiting for him at the back entrance He recently confirmed he's working on his final movie, entitled The Movie Critic. The director is currently putting together the project, with plans to start production sometime this fall, according to Hollywood Reporter. The story is said to be set in late 1970s Los Angeles with a female character at the center, though no further plot details were revealed. While not confirmed, there is speculation that the story may be centered on iconic film critic, essayist and novelist Pauline Kael, who Tarantino has long admired. In fact, the New York times bestseller Cinema Speculation, was inspired by the work of Kael, who passed in 2001 at the age of 82. The THR report also speculates that Quentin's final film may coincide with Kael's brief tenure working as a consultant to Paramount Pictures in 1979, accepting an offer made by Warren Beatty. She was first brought on to work as a consultant on James Toback's 1982 film Love and Money, though her time at the studio only lasted a few months before she returned to writing film reviews for The New Yorker. Discussion: The Pulp Fiction filmmaker led a talk at the London Palladium to celebrate his long-awaited non-fiction debut Cinema Speculation Film: Tarantino opened the floor discussing the style of American films in the 1970s - and offered a live reading of an excerpt from his new book Wow: The Academy Award-winning filmmaker appeared overwhelmed by the mob of people as he made his way to the car Last film: The filmmaker is currently putting together the project for his last film The Movie Critic, with plans to start production sometime this fall, according to Hollywood Reporter Still, there is no confirmation The Movie Critic is inspired by or based on Kael's time as a Paramount consultant, though the timeline of the movie and her Paramount gig do seem to match up. As with most of Tarantino's recent projects, there is no studio home in place yet, though sources claim the project could go out to buyers this week. Sony is considered a front-runner for the project, not only because the studio distributed his last film, 2019's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but because they also gave Tarantino a unique deal where the copyright to the film reverts back to him after a certain period of time. That deal put Tarantino in an elite group of filmmakers who film rights reverted back to them, including George Lucas, Mel Gibson, Peter Jackson and Richard Linklater. Sources claimed in 2019, just before Once Upon a Time in Hollywood hit theaters, that the copyright ownership reverts back to Tarantino after 30 years, though others claimed it was 20 years or even 10 years. The copyright ownership was the sticking point for Warner Bros., the other studio bidding for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood back in 2017, with a source claiming that Warner Bros. wouldn't do that, 'because then they would have to give Christopher Nolan that same deal.' Tarantino also reportedly had similar deals to retain the copyright of his films after a certain amount of time in his deals with Harvey Weinstein's Miramax and The Weinstein Company, with sources claiming rights revert back to QT after 20 years. Speculation: While not confirmed, there is speculation that the story may be centered on iconic film critic, essayist and novelist Pauline Kael, who Tarantino has long admired Project: Sony is considered a front-runner for the project because they also gave Tarantino a unique deal where the copyright to the film reverts back to him after a certain period of time The filmmaker has long maintained that he would retire after 10 feature films, or by the time he was 60, which Tarantino turns at the end of March. He has made nine films himself - Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill Vol. 1, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Inglourious Basterds, The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. He also received a story credit on Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers and wrote the screenplays for Tony Scott's True Romance and Robert Rodriguez's From Dusk Till Dawn. The filmmaker also wrote and directed a segment of the anthology film Four Rooms and the film Death Proof, which was released as a double-bill with Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror in the 2007 film Grindhouse. There has been much speculation as to what this 10th and final Quentin Tarantino film would be, and at one point it was said that a Star Trek movie would be his last. Tarantino reportedly pitched his Star Trek movie to J.J. Abrams in 2017 and Abrams is said to have loved it. The studio brought on Mark L. Smith (The Revenant) to write a script based on Tarantino's idea, while he was finishing up production on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, though it never saw the light of day. Japan. Argentina. The Gobi Desert. Iceland. Mars. Old English. And infinite books: all that was Maria Kodama, and much more. The widow of the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges died at the age of 86 in Buenos Aires, according to her, her personal doctor announced this Sunday. "I wanted to go to Mars, but it's very expensive," Kodama told EL MUNDO in the last months of her life, when breast cancer was already a reality, but she had not lost an ounce of her ironic sense of humor. Kodama, to whom Borges had left the mission of caring for and promoting her heritage as universal heir, was fired on Twitter by her lawyer and friend, Fernando Soto: "Your friend and your lawyer fire you. Now you will enter the 'great sea' with your dear Borges. May you rest in peace, Maria". Daughter of a Japanese and an Argentinean of German origin, Kodama was a well-known and recognized figure in her country, but also criticized. In her youth, Ella Kodama ran into Borges leaving a bookstore and never left him. Graduated in literature, her love for Anglo-Saxon languages brought them together. Kodama was an assistant, a confidant, and later a partner. When the writer was 85 years old, shortly before she died at 86 in Geneva, she married him. His anecdotes are countless and surprising, anecdotes that Kodama remembered and used to recount with generosity and a mischievous and boastful smile. He especially enjoyed a success in Madrid, which featured Borges and the leader of the Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger is on his knees at the Palace Hotel. Moved, he extends his hands to an old man as a sign of devotion. - Master, I have read it, I have read all your works. - Who are you, sir? - Mick Jagger. - Ah, one of the Rolling Stones! - I can't believe you know me, teacher. - I know all your music thanks to Maria. And I'll tell you one thing: for my birthdays I put on The Wall, because Happy Birthday seems stupid to me. It is not yet clear who will take over from Kodama in terms of guarding the legacy of the author of "El Aleph", but in the last months of his life, Borges' widow said that name had already been decided. Kodama was happy guarding and spreading the legacy of Borges, published a revisionist book on Argentine history at the end of 2002 ("La divisa punzo") and spent hours eating and drinking tea at his favorite restaurant in the elegant Buenos Aires neighborhood of Recoleta "La Felix pot". "He reaped friendships and praise for his work and also detractors and controversies. Kodama avoided talking about death to refer to the death of his loved ones, he preferred a euphemism: departure," recalled "La Nacion" this Sunday. Kodama fought multiple court battles to protect that legacy. Some he won, others he lost. He accused the Mexican writer Elena Poniatowska of having published a false interview with Borges and prohibited the editor Jean Pierre Berners, of the legendary Gallimard publishing house, from publishing 120 recordings of dialogues with the writer. A private teacher taught him English at the age of five, and that marked Kodama's life. "She read me books for adults and I was fascinated. And she read me one of Borges' English problems, which she offers to the woman who loves her loneliness, her sadness, the hunger of her heart. What is the hunger of the I asked him. When you grow up you will know that the hunger of the heart is love. So every day I would get up and think, I don't have a hunger for the heart, what will happen? And I didn't understand... Every once in a while I thought , until at the age of eight or nine I already understood," he recalled to EL MUNDO. The hunger in Kodama's heart was added to the hunger for knowledge. And of trips, like one that he made at the request of the Spanish writer Juan Goystisolo. Deeply marked by Iceland, like Borges, she Kodama also wanted to stay and live in the Gobi Desert, which she knew briefly. However, she had a much stronger experience in the Sahara. "Juan Goytisolo, who lives there and knew Borges, made a wonderful exhibition in Morocco in homage to Borges at the Marrakech museum. He invited me to his house. After the beautiful reception at the museum I went with two men and I heard the name "Borges, Borges." Goytisolo told me that they were telling people that a writer named Borges lives on the other side of the sea. I told him I wanted to go in a tent to the desert. I went with six relatives of Goytisolo's secretary. I I brought six medical towels to wash you day and night, because there is no water there. I saw that they were not setting up tents. 'No, madame,' they told me. 'We are going to sleep around yours with the mats and in the sleeping bags. One of us will always be sitting at the door. Please, ma'am, if you need to go to the bathroom under the stars, let us know and one of us will go with you. Because getting lost here is very easy, and if you get lost, dies. And Mr. Juan kills us.' No, don't worry, I told him. I never I'm going to forget about that wonderful experience. There I lived a wonderful, imposing sunset, with an indescribable feeling of joy, something was spinning inside me". According to the criteria of The Trust Project "I beg your majesty to permit me to confess to her the desire I feel to signalize my zeal, and the honor she would do me to serve in her troops by offering her the proof of complete devotion. This is the convoluted formula learned by heart by Prince Aniaba of Assinie in view of his audience, in 1691, by the King of France. The scene takes place at the Palace of Versailles and the young African who speaks is only 19 years old. An aristocrat, originally from the Ehotile islands bringing together several peoples of the future Cote d'Ivoire, he was sent to France by his adoptive father, King Niamkey of Essouma in order to "greet the king and admire the magnificence of his kingdom". Indeed, at first wary of Europeans trading with Africa - for "isn't it said that they devour their fellows, which is why they procure slaves and take them to their country, d 'where these poor young people never return' - King Niamkey was convinced of the good faith of the French when Louis XIV made him return compatriots who had been captured by a pirate. "This kindness of our great monarch has produced such good effects on the mind of the King of Assinie and all his people that he now looks to the French as the protectors of his kingdom", reports on this subject the missionary Brother Gonsalvez. A whole different world This is how Prince Aniaba was sent to France to discover the country, study its language, its religion and meet its monarch. Born in 1672, Aniaba learned swordsmanship, fishing, musical traditions, history, the significance of his people's festivals and customs - including "the generation festival", the ceremony that makes a child a adult, which lasts several months and "renews the pact with the ancestors. He also has knowledge of botany and science, he understands the myths and spirituality of his people. In France, he will have to adapt to a completely different world and also convert to Catholicism. But he let himself be convinced that like the boss of his religion, Jesus serves as an intermediary between God and men. Like the bosson, it calls to distinguish between good and evil. Like the bosson, he delegates his presence to the Komians (priests or nuns) to act in his name. His French adventure will be both trying and happy. Once blessed by his family and accompanied by Anouman, his childhood friend, Aniaba embarked in 1687 on the Saint-Louis, an impressive three-deck ship, but whose full holds let out a terrible human stench... How does the young prince manage to meet the King of France four years later? Why does he wish to serve him by entering the elite military corps of Musketeers if possible? And how can his personal itinerary take place at a time when France and Europe practice the human trafficking of the slave trade? A story rich in images It is this breathtaking journey that Serge Bile's new book, Aniaba, the musketeer of Notre-Dame de Paris, tells. Since his first works, in the mid-2000s, the Ivorian journalist has endeavored to document the history of relations between Africa and the rest of the world by highlighting, depending on the subject, unusual life trajectories or unexpected situations. The essayist was thus able to evoke the black presence in the Nazi camps, the fate of the only black passenger of the Titanic, that in Japan of the samurai of African origin Yasuke or even the triumphal tours on the continent of the French stars "ye-ye" of the 1960s. Just as original as his previous works, Aniaba, the musketeer of Notre-Dame de Paris takes us back in time to the 17th century through a story rich in images, narrated like a film where the characters are staged with great detail. and tasty anecdotes. However, the author's idea is not to completely "fictionalize" this era, but on the contrary to build a text from real information. The journalist does indeed rely on the work of historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, ethnobotanists, as well as on what religious people and travelers of the time reported. It is from these bibliographical references, the list of which is gathered at the end of the book, that he weaves his reconstruction, inviting readers young audiences as well as adults to follow him in a story cut up into short chapters that escape the usual classifications. Besides re-dimensioning in their own way the common idea of a history of Africa limited to the ante and postcolonial dichotomy, the adventures of Aniaba are significant of a relationship established in the 17th century by the (future) Ivorians with France. Relationships which, thanks to the musketeer Louis-Jean Aniaba d'Assinie, have endured beyond time. Two months after the fire of Notre-Dame, in 2019, did not the monarch Amon N'Douffou V make a donation for the reconstruction of the cathedral, explaining his gesture by the "strong link" which unite his kingdom with Paris? Autoliv (NYSE:ALV Get Rating) and Holley (NYSE:HLLY Get Rating) are both auto/tires/trucks companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership, risk, earnings, dividends and profitability. Institutional & Insider Ownership 46.6% of Autoliv shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 48.4% of Holley shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of Autoliv shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Get Autoliv alerts: Volatility and Risk Autoliv has a beta of 1.7, indicating that its stock price is 70% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Holley has a beta of 1.15, indicating that its stock price is 15% more volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Ratings Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Autoliv 1 9 5 0 2.27 Holley 0 4 5 0 2.56 This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Autoliv and Holley, as reported by MarketBeat. Autoliv presently has a consensus price target of $99.33, indicating a potential upside of 11.31%. Holley has a consensus price target of $6.94, indicating a potential upside of 196.77%. Given Holleys stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Holley is more favorable than Autoliv. Profitability This table compares Autoliv and Holleys net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Autoliv 4.80% 14.84% 5.14% Holley 10.72% 2.03% 0.63% Valuation & Earnings This table compares Autoliv and Holleys top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Autoliv $8.84 billion 0.87 $423.00 million $4.86 18.36 Holley $688.42 million 0.40 $73.77 million $0.64 3.66 Autoliv has higher revenue and earnings than Holley. Holley is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Autoliv, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Summary Autoliv beats Holley on 9 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks. About Autoliv (Get Rating) Autoliv, Inc. engages in the development, manufacture, and supply of automotive safety systems. The firms products include passive safety systems, including modules and components for passenger and driver airbags, side airbags, curtain airbags, seatbelts and steering wheels. It also supplies anti-whiplash systems and pedestrian protection systems. The company was founded by Lennart Lindblad in 1953 and is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. About Holley (Get Rating) Holley Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets automotive aftermarket products for car and truck enthusiasts in the United States, Canada, Europe, and China. The company's products include carburetors, fuel pumps, fuel injection systems, nitrous oxide injection systems, superchargers, exhaust headers, mufflers, distributors, ignition components, engine tuners, automotive performance plumbing products, and exhaust products as well as shifters, converters, transmission kits, transmissions, tuners, and automotive software. It also offers wheels, chassis and suspension products, helmets, head and neck restraints, seat belts, firesuits, and electronic control and monitoring systems. The company sells its products under the Holley, Holley EFI, APR, MSD, Flowmaster, Powerteq, Accel, and Simpson brands to retailers directly, as well as through distributors and online channel. The company was founded in 1903 and is headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Receive News & Ratings for Autoliv Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Autoliv and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pinnacle West Capital Co. (NYSE:PNW Get Rating) Investment analysts at Zacks Research issued their Q1 2023 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Pinnacle West Capital in a research note issued on Tuesday, March 21st. Zacks Research analyst A. Ganguly forecasts that the utilities provider will post earnings per share of $0.11 for the quarter. The consensus estimate for Pinnacle West Capitals current full-year earnings is $4.08 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Pinnacle West Capitals Q2 2023 earnings at $1.29 EPS, Q3 2023 earnings at $2.60 EPS, Q4 2023 earnings at ($0.05) EPS, FY2023 earnings at $3.95 EPS, Q1 2024 earnings at $0.04 EPS, Q2 2024 earnings at $0.98 EPS, Q3 2024 earnings at $3.27 EPS, Q4 2024 earnings at $0.35 EPS, FY2024 earnings at $4.65 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $4.87 EPS. Get Pinnacle West Capital alerts: Pinnacle West Capital (NYSE:PNW Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 27th. The utilities provider reported ($0.21) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.18) by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $1.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $638.28 million. Pinnacle West Capital had a net margin of 11.18% and a return on equity of 7.87%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 26.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.24 EPS. Pinnacle West Capital Stock Performance Other equities analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. StockNews.com began coverage on Pinnacle West Capital in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on Pinnacle West Capital from $76.00 to $71.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 21st. Mizuho decreased their price target on Pinnacle West Capital from $76.00 to $74.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Pinnacle West Capital from $70.00 to $82.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 14th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group raised Pinnacle West Capital from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and raised their price target for the stock from $77.00 to $80.00 in a research note on Tuesday, March 14th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Pinnacle West Capital has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $73.73. NYSE PNW opened at $77.22 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.74 billion, a PE ratio of 18.08 and a beta of 0.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a current ratio of 0.99 and a quick ratio of 0.74. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $75.16 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $73.27. Pinnacle West Capital has a 1-year low of $59.03 and a 1-year high of $80.60. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pinnacle West Capital A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of PNW. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Pinnacle West Capital during the 4th quarter valued at $104,067,000. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Pinnacle West Capital by 18.4% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 6,911,753 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $539,808,000 after acquiring an additional 1,072,235 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. grew its stake in Pinnacle West Capital by 29.6% during the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 3,537,942 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $276,313,000 after buying an additional 808,207 shares during the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors grew its stake in Pinnacle West Capital by 297.6% during the 4th quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 633,531 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $48,174,000 after buying an additional 474,174 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in Pinnacle West Capital by 34.9% during the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,497,267 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $96,589,000 after buying an additional 387,701 shares during the last quarter. 85.21% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About Pinnacle West Capital (Get Rating) Pinnacle West Capital Corp. is a holding company, which engages in providing energy and energy-related products. It offers regulated retail and wholesale electricity businesses and related activities, such as electricity generation, transmission and distribution through its subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Co The company was founded on February 20, 1985, and is headquartered in Phoenix, AZ. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Pinnacle West Capital Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pinnacle West Capital and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Sibanye Stillwater (NYSE:SBSW Get Rating) from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday, MarketBeat reports. They currently have $10.00 price target on the stock, down from their previous price target of $11.00. Separately, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on shares of Sibanye Stillwater from $13.00 to $9.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $13.48. Get Sibanye Stillwater alerts: Sibanye Stillwater Stock Down 1.2 % SBSW opened at $8.20 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 1.70 and a current ratio of 3.01. Sibanye Stillwater has a 1 year low of $7.82 and a 1 year high of $17.71. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $9.51 and its 200 day simple moving average is $9.90. Sibanye Stillwater Cuts Dividend Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sibanye Stillwater The firm also recently declared a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 6th. Investors of record on Friday, March 24th will be issued a dividend of $0.27 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 23rd. This represents a yield of 8.3%. Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in SBSW. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Sibanye Stillwater by 15.0% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 4,708,636 shares of the companys stock valued at $46,945,000 after buying an additional 614,611 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Sibanye Stillwater by 71.8% during the 2nd quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 3,977,726 shares of the companys stock worth $39,658,000 after acquiring an additional 1,662,361 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in shares of Sibanye Stillwater by 9.5% in the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,740,051 shares of the companys stock worth $34,854,000 after acquiring an additional 324,045 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership bought a new position in shares of Sibanye Stillwater in the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,086,000. Finally, Encompass Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Sibanye Stillwater in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $20,628,000. 6.81% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Sibanye Stillwater (Get Rating) Sibanye Stillwater Ltd. engages in the provision of precious metals mining services. Its portfolio includes the platinum group metal (PGM) operations in the United States, South Africa, and Zimbabwe; gold operations and projects in South Africa; and copper, gold and PGM exploration properties in North and South America. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Sibanye Stillwater Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sibanye Stillwater and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AAR (NYSE:AIR Get Rating) had its price objective lifted by Truist Financial from $57.00 to $60.00 in a research report released on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the aerospace companys stock. AIR has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Benchmark upped their target price on shares of AAR from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on shares of AAR from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of AAR in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, AAR currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $57.67. Get AAR alerts: AAR Stock Up 1.5 % Shares of AIR opened at $54.65 on Wednesday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $52.41 and a 200-day simple moving average of $46.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.43 and a beta of 1.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a current ratio of 3.28. AAR has a 52 week low of $33.75 and a 52 week high of $56.86. Insiders Place Their Bets AAR ( NYSE:AIR Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, March 21st. The aerospace company reported $0.75 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $521.10 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $487.41 million. AAR had a net margin of 4.75% and a return on equity of 9.53%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 15.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.63 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that AAR will post 2.85 earnings per share for the current year. In other AAR news, CEO John Mcclain Holmes III sold 798 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.25, for a total transaction of $35,311.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 278,611 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,328,536.75. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other news, CEO John Mcclain Holmes III sold 798 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.25, for a total transaction of $35,311.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 278,611 shares in the company, valued at $12,328,536.75. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CAO Eric Pachapa sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.60, for a total transaction of $892,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 27,416 shares in the company, valued at $1,222,753.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 135,798 shares of company stock valued at $6,824,213. 7.74% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On AAR Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Quantbot Technologies LP bought a new position in AAR in the first quarter valued at $26,000. Romano Brothers AND Company acquired a new stake in AAR in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC bought a new position in AAR in the 4th quarter valued at about $35,000. Ellevest Inc. increased its holdings in AAR by 43.1% in the 4th quarter. Ellevest Inc. now owns 814 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $37,000 after buying an additional 245 shares during the period. Finally, Point72 Hong Kong Ltd bought a new position in AAR in the 1st quarter valued at about $44,000. 94.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About AAR (Get Rating) AAR Corp. engages in the provision of products and services to commercial aviation and government and defense industries. It operates through the following segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. The Aviation Services segment consists of aftermarket support and services businesses that provide spares and maintenance support for aircraft operated by commercial and government/defense customers. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for AAR Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AAR and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:VWO Get Rating) by 23.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 127,234 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 23,894 shares during the period. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF makes up 1.4% of Abacus Planning Group Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest holding. Abacus Planning Group Inc.s holdings in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF were worth $4,960,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of VWO. Sound Income Strategies LLC lifted its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 311.0% in the 4th quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 637 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 482 shares during the period. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA lifted its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 110.1% in the 4th quarter. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA now owns 689 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 361 shares during the period. Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OH acquired a new stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF in the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Toth Financial Advisory Corp lifted its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 93.4% in the 3rd quarter. Toth Financial Advisory Corp now owns 940 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 454 shares during the period. Finally, Northwest Investment Counselors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF in the 3rd quarter worth $36,000. Get Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF alerts: Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Stock Performance VWO stock opened at $39.71 on Friday. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF has a one year low of $34.88 and a one year high of $47.92. The stock has a market capitalization of $69.49 billion, a PE ratio of 10.00 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a fifty day moving average of $40.78 and a 200-day moving average of $39.36. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Company Profile The Fund seeks to track the performance of the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index, that measures the return of stocks issued by companies located in emerging market countries. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Analysts at StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Almaden Minerals (NYSE:AAU Get Rating) in a research note issued to investors on Sunday. The brokerage set a sell rating on the stock. Almaden Minerals Price Performance Almaden Minerals Company Profile (Get Rating) Almaden Minerals Ltd. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. It focuses on the operation of Ixtaca gold-silver deposit. The company was founded by James Duane Poliquin on February 1, 2002 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Almaden Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Almaden Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of American Shared Hospital Services (NYSEAMERICAN:AMS Get Rating) in a research note published on Thursday morning. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the stock. American Shared Hospital Services Price Performance Shares of AMS opened at $2.87 on Thursday. American Shared Hospital Services has a 12-month low of $2.18 and a 12-month high of $3.75. The businesss fifty day moving average is $3.13 and its 200 day moving average is $2.89. The company has a quick ratio of 3.95, a current ratio of 3.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The stock has a market cap of $17.66 million, a P/E ratio of 13.67 and a beta of 0.86. Get American Shared Hospital Services alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Shared Hospital Services Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of AMS. Canton Hathaway LLC purchased a new stake in American Shared Hospital Services in the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its holdings in American Shared Hospital Services by 26.3% in the 3rd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 19,321 shares of the companys stock worth $50,000 after acquiring an additional 4,021 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in American Shared Hospital Services by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 158,681 shares of the companys stock worth $465,000 after acquiring an additional 5,899 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CI Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in American Shared Hospital Services in the 4th quarter worth about $470,000. 13.25% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. American Shared Hospital Services Company Profile American Shared Hospital Services engages in leasing radiosurgery and radiation therapy equipment to healthcare providers. Its equipment includes Gamma Knife, PBRT, and IGRT. The Gamma Knife radiosurgery equipment is a non-invasive treatment for malignant and benign brain tumors, vascular malformations and trigeminal neuralgia. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for American Shared Hospital Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Shared Hospital Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Arch Resources (NYSE:ARCH Get Rating) was upgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday. A number of other brokerages have also commented on ARCH. B. Riley reduced their target price on shares of Arch Resources from $207.00 to $204.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 17th. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Arch Resources from $185.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Friday, February 17th. Get Arch Resources alerts: Arch Resources Stock Up 0.4 % Shares of NYSE ARCH opened at $129.63 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 1.93 and a quick ratio of 1.41. The company has a market cap of $2.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 0.73. Arch Resources has a 1 year low of $110.97 and a 1 year high of $183.53. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $147.56 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $143.61. Insider Activity at Arch Resources Arch Resources ( NYSE:ARCH Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 16th. The energy company reported $23.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $10.90 by $12.28. The business had revenue of $859.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $798.37 million. Arch Resources had a net margin of 35.73% and a return on equity of 114.13%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $13.19 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Arch Resources will post 38.17 earnings per share for the current year. In other Arch Resources news, CFO Matthew C. Giljum sold 199 shares of Arch Resources stock in a transaction on Friday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $141.08, for a total value of $28,074.92. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 12,236 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,726,254.88. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Arch Resources news, VP John A. Ziegler sold 270 shares of Arch Resources stock in a transaction on Friday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $141.08, for a total value of $38,091.60. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 16,049 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,264,192.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Matthew C. Giljum sold 199 shares of Arch Resources stock in a transaction on Friday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $141.08, for a total transaction of $28,074.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 12,236 shares in the company, valued at $1,726,254.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 9,337 shares of company stock valued at $1,430,173 over the last ninety days. 8.00% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Arch Resources Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ARCH. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Arch Resources by 18.4% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,817,571 shares of the energy companys stock worth $215,564,000 after buying an additional 282,345 shares during the period. Castle Hook Partners LP acquired a new position in Arch Resources during the third quarter valued at $25,648,000. Condire Management LP lifted its position in Arch Resources by 45.5% during the third quarter. Condire Management LP now owns 505,650 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $59,970,000 after purchasing an additional 158,160 shares during the period. Gendell Jeffrey L lifted its position in Arch Resources by 57.5% during the third quarter. Gendell Jeffrey L now owns 406,872 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $48,255,000 after purchasing an additional 148,616 shares during the period. Finally, Balyasny Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Arch Resources by 195.9% during the third quarter. Balyasny Asset Management LLC now owns 186,956 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $22,173,000 after purchasing an additional 123,774 shares during the period. 88.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Arch Resources (Get Rating) Arch Resources, Inc engages in the production and distribution of thermal coal. It operates through the following segments: Powder River Basin, Metallurgical, and Other Thermal. The Powder River Basin segment contains the companys thermal operations in Wyoming. The Metallurgical segment contains metallurgical operations in West Virginia. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Arch Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Arch Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bar Harbor Wealth Management lessened its position in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Rating) by 2.4% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 157,183 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 3,852 shares during the period. Abbott Laboratories comprises 1.4% of Bar Harbor Wealth Managements investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. Bar Harbor Wealth Managements holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $17,257,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC raised its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 2.4% in the third quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC now owns 21,523 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,083,000 after buying an additional 495 shares during the period. Country Club Bank GFN increased its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 2.0% in the third quarter. Country Club Bank GFN now owns 18,236 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $1,793,000 after purchasing an additional 350 shares during the period. First Financial Corp IN boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.7% during the third quarter. First Financial Corp IN now owns 18,541 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $1,794,000 after purchasing an additional 317 shares during the period. Kesler Norman & Wride LLC increased its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter. Kesler Norman & Wride LLC now owns 42,554 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $4,118,000 after buying an additional 1,301 shares during the period. Finally, Foundations Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 6.8% in the 4th quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 6,141 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $674,000 after buying an additional 389 shares during the period. 72.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have recently weighed in on ABT shares. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $132.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 26th. Mizuho upped their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, January 24th. Barclays raised their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $122.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 27th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 26th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $117.00 to $133.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, January 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $124.67. Insider Activity at Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Trading Up 1.0 % In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 679 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.70, for a total transaction of $68,375.30. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 70,427 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,091,998.90. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . In related news, SVP Julie L. Tyler sold 260 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.24, for a total value of $26,842.40. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 40,896 shares in the company, valued at $4,222,103.04. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link . Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 679 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.70, for a total transaction of $68,375.30. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 70,427 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,091,998.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold 1,971 shares of company stock valued at $199,140 in the last three months. 0.52% of the stock is owned by insiders. NYSE:ABT opened at $98.05 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $105.28 and a 200 day moving average of $104.69. The company has a quick ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. Abbott Laboratories has a 52 week low of $93.25 and a 52 week high of $124.36. The stock has a market capitalization of $170.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.08, a PEG ratio of 4.35 and a beta of 0.68. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 25th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.90 by $0.13. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 26.09% and a net margin of 15.88%. The firm had revenue of $10.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.69 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.32 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 12.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be issued a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.08%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 52.17%. Abbott Laboratories Company Profile (Get Rating) Abbott Laboratories engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of a broad and diversified line of health care products. It operates through the following business segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The Established Pharmaceutical Products segment refers to the international sales of a line of branded generic pharmaceutical products. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bar Harbor Wealth Management trimmed its holdings in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM Get Rating) by 0.6% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 28,248 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 180 shares during the period. Bar Harbor Wealth Managements holdings in Waste Management were worth $4,432,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Waste Management by 9.1% during the 3rd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 254,407 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $40,759,000 after purchasing an additional 21,213 shares during the period. United Capital Financial Advisers LLC grew its stake in shares of Waste Management by 10.3% during the 3rd quarter. United Capital Financial Advisers LLC now owns 18,552 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $2,972,000 after acquiring an additional 1,728 shares during the period. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Waste Management by 16.4% during the 3rd quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC now owns 4,884 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $783,000 after acquiring an additional 687 shares during the period. Wall Street Access Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Waste Management during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $296,000. Finally, Douglas Lane & Associates LLC grew its stake in shares of Waste Management by 3.6% during the 3rd quarter. Douglas Lane & Associates LLC now owns 3,133 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $502,000 after acquiring an additional 109 shares during the period. 78.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Waste Management alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages recently issued reports on WM. Raymond James cut their price objective on Waste Management from $167.00 to $166.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price objective on Waste Management from $157.00 to $151.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 6th. Citigroup cut their price objective on Waste Management from $183.00 to $180.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 2nd. UBS Group cut Waste Management from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $190.00 to $165.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 10th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Waste Management from $177.00 to $179.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, February 2nd. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $169.50. Waste Management Stock Up 2.5 % Shares of WM opened at $154.46 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $63.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 0.72. Waste Management, Inc. has a 1 year low of $138.89 and a 1 year high of $175.98. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $152.21 and its 200-day simple moving average is $158.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.12, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.77. Waste Management (NYSE:WM Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 1st. The business services provider reported $1.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.39 by ($0.09). The firm had revenue of $4.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.97 billion. Waste Management had a return on equity of 32.91% and a net margin of 11.36%. The firms revenue was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.26 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Waste Management, Inc. will post 6.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Waste Management Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 24th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 10th were given a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 9th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.81%. This is an increase from Waste Managements previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. Waste Managements payout ratio is currently 51.95%. Waste Management declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback plan on Thursday, December 8th that allows the company to repurchase $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the business services provider to buy up to 2.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often a sign that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued. Insider Activity In other news, EVP John J. Morris sold 15,204 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.03, for a total transaction of $2,357,076.12. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 95,461 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $14,799,318.83. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, EVP John J. Morris sold 15,204 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.03, for a total transaction of $2,357,076.12. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 95,461 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $14,799,318.83. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Devina A. Rankin sold 200 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total value of $31,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 64,317 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,969,135. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 31,027 shares of company stock valued at $4,806,619. 0.18% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. About Waste Management (Get Rating) Waste Management, Inc is a holding company, which engages in the provision of waste management environmental services. It operates through the following segments: East Tier, West Tier, and Other. The East Tier segment consists of Eastern U.S., the Great Lakes Region, and Canada. The West Tier segment includes the upper Midwest region and British Columbia, Canada. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Waste Management Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Waste Management and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Benson Investment Management Company Inc. acquired a new position in shares of The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 84,540 shares of the banks stock, valued at approximately $3,848,000. Bank of New York Mellon comprises about 2.3% of Benson Investment Management Company Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of BK. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio increased its holdings in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 0.5% in the third quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 436,802 shares of the banks stock valued at $16,826,000 after purchasing an additional 2,220 shares during the last quarter. IFG Advisory LLC increased its position in Bank of New York Mellon by 30.9% during the 3rd quarter. IFG Advisory LLC now owns 24,182 shares of the banks stock valued at $931,000 after purchasing an additional 5,703 shares during the period. Teza Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $1,962,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 238.6% during the 3rd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 948 shares of the banks stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 668 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Hawaiian Bank lifted its stake in Bank of New York Mellon by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 69,750 shares of the banks stock valued at $2,686,000 after acquiring an additional 564 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 82.29% of the companys stock. Get Bank of New York Mellon alerts: Bank of New York Mellon Price Performance NYSE:BK opened at $42.75 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $34.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.74, a PEG ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.11. The Bank of New York Mellon Co. has a 1 year low of $36.22 and a 1 year high of $53.63. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $49.07 and a 200-day simple moving average of $45.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.66 and a quick ratio of 0.66. Bank of New York Mellon Announces Dividend Bank of New York Mellon ( NYSE:BK Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 13th. The bank reported $1.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.22 by $0.08. Bank of New York Mellon had a return on equity of 10.78% and a net margin of 12.87%. The business had revenue of $3.92 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.12 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.04 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that The Bank of New York Mellon Co. will post 4.83 EPS for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 3rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, January 23rd were issued a $0.37 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 20th. This represents a $1.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.46%. Bank of New York Mellons dividend payout ratio is presently 51.03%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages recently weighed in on BK. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on Bank of New York Mellon from $49.00 to $44.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Friday. Barclays lifted their price target on Bank of New York Mellon from $57.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 3rd. Bank of America initiated coverage on Bank of New York Mellon in a research note on Thursday, January 12th. They issued a buy rating and a $56.00 price target on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group raised Bank of New York Mellon from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $59.00 target price on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 4th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on Bank of New York Mellon from $50.00 to $55.00 in a report on Friday, December 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $51.81. Bank of New York Mellon Profile (Get Rating) The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. is a bank holding company, which engages in the provision of financial services. It operates through the following segments: Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and Other segment. The Securities Services segment includes Asset Servicing business, which provides global custody, fund accounting, integrated middle-office solutions, transfer agency and data and analytics solutions. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of New York Mellon Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of New York Mellon and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cliftonlarsonallen Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Schwab International Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:SCHF Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 632,999 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $20,389,000. Cliftonlarsonallen Wealth Advisors LLC owned approximately 0.07% of Schwab International Equity ETF as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Fifth Third Securities Inc. boosted its position in shares of Schwab International Equity ETF by 20.8% during the 3rd quarter. Fifth Third Securities Inc. now owns 23,422 shares of the companys stock worth $659,000 after acquiring an additional 4,029 shares in the last quarter. Baltimore Washington Financial Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Schwab International Equity ETF during the 3rd quarter worth about $1,153,000. First Manhattan Co. boosted its position in shares of Schwab International Equity ETF by 4.1% during the 3rd quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 19,533 shares of the companys stock worth $549,000 after acquiring an additional 766 shares in the last quarter. Lincoln National Corp boosted its position in shares of Schwab International Equity ETF by 4.7% during the 3rd quarter. Lincoln National Corp now owns 88,104 shares of the companys stock worth $2,479,000 after acquiring an additional 3,941 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Schwab International Equity ETF by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 25,530 shares of the companys stock worth $718,000 after acquiring an additional 449 shares in the last quarter. Get Schwab International Equity ETF alerts: Schwab International Equity ETF Stock Performance Schwab International Equity ETF stock opened at $33.56 on Friday. Schwab International Equity ETF has a fifty-two week low of $27.40 and a fifty-two week high of $37.52. The company has a market capitalization of $29.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.88 and a beta of 0.87. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $34.38 and a 200-day simple moving average of $32.33. Schwab International Equity ETF Profile Schwab Strategic Trust (the Trust) is an open-end management investment company. The Trusts portfolio of funds include Schwab U.S. REIT ETF, Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF, Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF, Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF, Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Value ETF, Schwab U.S. Mid-Cap ETF, Schwab U.S. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SCHF? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Schwab International Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:SCHF Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Schwab International Equity ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Schwab International Equity ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cliftonlarsonallen Wealth Advisors LLC lowered its stake in Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:VGK Get Rating) by 2.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 53,005 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 1,289 shares during the quarter. Cliftonlarsonallen Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF were worth $2,939,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in VGK. Lansing Street Advisors raised its stake in Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF by 598.7% during the 3rd quarter. Lansing Street Advisors now owns 531 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 455 shares during the period. CWM LLC raised its stake in Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF by 221.6% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 775 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 534 shares during the period. CoreCap Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $51,000. Wipfli Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $55,000. Finally, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich bought a new stake in Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $55,000. Get Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF alerts: Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF Trading Down 0.8 % Shares of VGK opened at $58.30 on Friday. The businesss 50 day moving average is $60.01 and its 200 day moving average is $55.27. The company has a market capitalization of $15.89 billion, a PE ratio of 11.10 and a beta of 0.96. Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF has a 12-month low of $44.99 and a 12-month high of $64.06. About Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF Vanguard European Stock Index Fund is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks issued by Companies located in the markets of Europe. The Fund on focuses indexing investment approach by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the common stocks included in the FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Police patrol borderline in NW China's Xinjiang People's Daily Online) 16:32, March 20, 2023 A police team patrols the borderline in Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo/Wang Pengfei) A police team consisting of police and auxiliary police recently patrolled the borderline on horseback in Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. They inspected security threats at mountain passes and in uninhabited areas along the border, which has an elevation of more than 2,800 meters. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Curbstone Financial Management Corp decreased its position in shares of Weyerhaeuser (NYSE:WY Get Rating) by 3.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 84,510 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 2,820 shares during the period. Curbstone Financial Management Corps holdings in Weyerhaeuser were worth $2,620,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its stake in shares of Weyerhaeuser by 10.9% during the third quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 39,975,270 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,141,696,000 after purchasing an additional 3,916,466 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of Weyerhaeuser by 1.0% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 31,646,386 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,048,128,000 after purchasing an additional 301,087 shares during the last quarter. Pictet Asset Management SA grew its stake in shares of Weyerhaeuser by 82.3% during the third quarter. Pictet Asset Management SA now owns 10,140,377 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $289,461,000 after purchasing an additional 4,576,865 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc grew its stake in shares of Weyerhaeuser by 0.3% during the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 9,553,163 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $316,401,000 after purchasing an additional 30,348 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its stake in shares of Weyerhaeuser by 37.3% during the second quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 7,783,883 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $257,802,000 after purchasing an additional 2,112,684 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.86% of the companys stock. Get Weyerhaeuser alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Weyerhaeuser in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on shares of Weyerhaeuser from $42.00 to $36.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 6th. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Weyerhaeuser from $37.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 31st. Finally, Raymond James lifted their price target on shares of Weyerhaeuser from $38.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, February 13th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Weyerhaeuser presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $37.43. Weyerhaeuser Stock Performance Shares of WY stock opened at $28.54 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $20.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.28 and a beta of 1.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 1.26 and a current ratio of 1.58. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $31.81 and a 200 day simple moving average of $31.28. Weyerhaeuser has a 52 week low of $27.36 and a 52 week high of $42.86. Weyerhaeuser (NYSE:WY Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 27th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.18 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $1.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.92 billion. Weyerhaeuser had a net margin of 18.46% and a return on equity of 21.08%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 17.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.49 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Weyerhaeuser will post 1.05 earnings per share for the current year. Weyerhaeuser Cuts Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 3rd were issued a $0.19 dividend. This represents a $0.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.66%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 2nd. Weyerhaeusers dividend payout ratio is currently 30.04%. Insider Buying and Selling at Weyerhaeuser In other Weyerhaeuser news, CEO Devin W. Stockfish sold 1,800 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.00, for a total value of $64,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 567,381 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $20,425,716. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.22% of the companys stock. Weyerhaeuser Profile (Get Rating) Weyerhaeuser Co engages in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of forest products. It operates through the following business segments: Timberlands, Real Estate, Energy and Natural Resources (Real Estate & ENR), and Wood Products. The Timberlands segment manages private commercial forestland worldwide, engages in growing and harvesting trees for lumber, building, pulp, paper and other wood products. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Weyerhaeuser Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Weyerhaeuser and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Curbstone Financial Management Corp boosted its position in shares of McDonalds Co. (NYSE:MCD Get Rating) by 1.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,450 shares of the fast-food giants stock after purchasing an additional 58 shares during the period. Curbstone Financial Management Corps holdings in McDonalds were worth $1,436,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Adviser Investments LLC grew its holdings in McDonalds by 2.9% during the 4th quarter. Adviser Investments LLC now owns 34,752 shares of the fast-food giants stock valued at $9,342,000 after purchasing an additional 994 shares during the last quarter. Procyon Advisors LLC grew its holdings in McDonalds by 32.0% during the 4th quarter. Procyon Advisors LLC now owns 8,117 shares of the fast-food giants stock valued at $2,139,000 after purchasing an additional 1,969 shares during the last quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in McDonalds by 364.7% during the 4th quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 237 shares of the fast-food giants stock valued at $62,000 after purchasing an additional 186 shares during the last quarter. Fiduciary Alliance LLC purchased a new stake in McDonalds in the 4th quarter valued at about $295,000. Finally, Aries Wealth Management boosted its position in McDonalds by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. Aries Wealth Management now owns 6,267 shares of the fast-food giants stock valued at $1,652,000 after buying an additional 157 shares during the period. 66.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get McDonald's alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have issued reports on MCD shares. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of McDonalds in a research report on Monday, January 23rd. They issued an equal weight rating and a $280.00 price objective for the company. KeyCorp lowered their price objective on shares of McDonalds from $295.00 to $290.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 1st. Tigress Financial boosted their price objective on shares of McDonalds from $320.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price objective on shares of McDonalds from $263.00 to $277.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 1st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of McDonalds from $250.00 to $262.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 18th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-two have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $289.19. Insider Buying and Selling at McDonalds McDonalds Price Performance In other news, SVP Catherine A. Hoovel sold 2,876 shares of McDonalds stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $270.00, for a total value of $776,520.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 1,184 shares in the company, valued at $319,680. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . In other news, EVP Marion K. Gross sold 1,396 shares of McDonalds stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $265.44, for a total value of $370,554.24. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 308 shares in the company, valued at $81,755.52. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . Also, SVP Catherine A. Hoovel sold 2,876 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $270.00, for a total transaction of $776,520.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 1,184 shares in the company, valued at $319,680. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last quarter, insiders sold 8,122 shares of company stock valued at $2,177,681. Corporate insiders own 0.25% of the companys stock. NYSE:MCD opened at $271.33 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $198.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.49, a PEG ratio of 3.18 and a beta of 0.62. McDonalds Co. has a 1-year low of $228.34 and a 1-year high of $281.67. The companys fifty day moving average price is $267.32 and its 200-day moving average price is $263.46. McDonalds (NYSE:MCD Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 31st. The fast-food giant reported $2.59 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.46 by $0.13. McDonalds had a net margin of 26.65% and a negative return on equity of 120.10%. The company had revenue of $5.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.75 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.23 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 1.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that McDonalds Co. will post 10.51 EPS for the current fiscal year. McDonalds Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 1st were issued a $1.52 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 28th. This represents a $6.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.24%. McDonaldss payout ratio is 72.81%. McDonalds Profile (Get Rating) McDonalds Corp. engages in the operation and franchising of restaurants. It operates through the following segments: U.S., International Operated Markets, and International Developmental Licensed Markets and Corporate. The U.S. segment focuses its operations on the United States. The International Operated Markets segment consists of operations and the franchising of restaurants in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, and the U.K. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for McDonald's Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for McDonald's and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rothschild Investment Corp IL lessened its holdings in CVS Health Co. (NYSE:CVS Get Rating) by 3.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 110,893 shares of the pharmacy operators stock after selling 4,136 shares during the quarter. CVS Health accounts for approximately 0.9% of Rothschild Investment Corp ILs holdings, making the stock its 26th largest holding. Rothschild Investment Corp ILs holdings in CVS Health were worth $10,334,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of CVS Health by 1.5% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 115,934,841 shares of the pharmacy operators stock worth $11,056,706,000 after purchasing an additional 1,726,512 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of CVS Health by 1.2% in the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 11,699,284 shares of the pharmacy operators stock worth $1,184,085,000 after purchasing an additional 134,457 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc raised its stake in shares of CVS Health by 2.2% in the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 10,321,160 shares of the pharmacy operators stock worth $956,359,000 after purchasing an additional 220,516 shares during the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB raised its stake in shares of CVS Health by 38.6% in the second quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 9,680,490 shares of the pharmacy operators stock worth $899,511,000 after purchasing an additional 2,697,382 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Boston Partners raised its stake in shares of CVS Health by 15.5% in the third quarter. Boston Partners now owns 8,034,788 shares of the pharmacy operators stock worth $766,750,000 after purchasing an additional 1,077,638 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.29% of the companys stock. Get CVS Health alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on CVS Health in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $115.00 price objective on shares of CVS Health in a research note on Thursday, February 9th. Raymond James reduced their price target on CVS Health from $115.00 to $110.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 9th. Barclays reduced their price target on CVS Health from $118.00 to $110.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on CVS Health from $130.00 to $143.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 9th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, CVS Health has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $119.65. CVS Health Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:CVS opened at $73.26 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.67. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $83.80 and its 200-day moving average price is $92.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $94.07 billion, a PE ratio of 23.48, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.65. CVS Health Co. has a 1 year low of $72.11 and a 1 year high of $108.86. CVS Health (NYSE:CVS Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 8th. The pharmacy operator reported $1.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.92 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $83.85 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $76.37 billion. CVS Health had a return on equity of 15.75% and a net margin of 1.29%. The businesss revenue was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.98 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that CVS Health Co. will post 8.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. CVS Health Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 21st will be paid a dividend of $0.605 per share. This represents a $2.42 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.30%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 20th. CVS Healths dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 77.56%. CVS Health Company Profile (Get Rating) CVS Health Corp. is a health solutions company, which engages in the provision of healthcare services. It operates through the following segments: Pharmacy Services, Retail or Long-Term Care, Health Care Benefits, and Corporate and Other. The Pharmacy Services segment focuses on the pharmacy benefit management solutions. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CVS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for CVS Health Co. (NYSE:CVS Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for CVS Health Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CVS Health and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Perfromance Wealth Partners LLC trimmed its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Get Rating) by 6.9% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 8,453 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 625 shares during the period. Perfromance Wealth Partners LLCs holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $631,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 50,911,104 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $4,206,785,000 after acquiring an additional 604,269 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 4.9% in the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 17,161,461 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,418,052,000 after purchasing an additional 799,376 shares during the last quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 14,225,834 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,175,481,000 after purchasing an additional 423,457 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Edwards Lifesciences by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 7,538,738 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $622,926,000 after acquiring an additional 208,057 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its position in Edwards Lifesciences by 19.0% during the 2nd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 5,381,049 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $511,685,000 after acquiring an additional 860,313 shares during the last quarter. 80.35% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Edwards Lifesciences alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Edwards Lifesciences news, VP Daveen Chopra sold 4,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.00, for a total transaction of $312,000.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 18,911 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,475,058. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other news, CEO Michael A. Mussallem sold 19,875 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.09, for a total transaction of $1,552,038.75. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 157,353 shares in the company, valued at $12,287,695.77. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Daveen Chopra sold 4,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $78.00, for a total transaction of $312,000.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 18,911 shares in the company, valued at $1,475,058. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 101,821 shares of company stock valued at $7,902,704. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets Edwards Lifesciences Price Performance EW has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $118.00 to $105.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 28th. Citigroup cut their target price on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $99.00 to $92.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 12th. Piper Sandler lowered shares of Edwards Lifesciences from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and cut their price objective for the company from $95.00 to $80.00 in a research report on Monday, January 30th. Canaccord Genuity Group cut their price objective on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $78.00 to $73.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 12th. Finally, Raymond James lowered shares of Edwards Lifesciences from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Monday, February 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Edwards Lifesciences currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $88.95. NYSE EW traded up $1.21 on Friday, reaching $80.76. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,759,103 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,104,228. The firm has a market cap of $48.95 billion, a PE ratio of 33.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.63 and a beta of 1.01. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $78.66 and a 200 day moving average price of $79.08. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 52 week low of $67.13 and a 52 week high of $131.10. The company has a current ratio of 3.03, a quick ratio of 2.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10. Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 31st. The medical research company reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.61 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $1.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.33 billion. Edwards Lifesciences had a net margin of 28.27% and a return on equity of 26.05%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.51 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.52 EPS for the current year. Edwards Lifesciences Company Profile (Get Rating) Edwards Lifesciences Corp. engages in patient-focused medical innovations for heart disease and critical care monitoring. Its products are categorized into four main areas: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, Transcatheter Mitral and Tricuspid Therapies, Surgical Structural Heart, and Critical Care. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Edwards Lifesciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edwards Lifesciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Field & Main Bank boosted its holdings in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Get Rating) by 6.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,010 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the quarter. Field & Main Banks holdings in Southern were worth $215,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Chilton Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Southern during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. My Personal CFO LLC bought a new position in shares of Southern during the 4th quarter worth approximately $38,000. Karp Capital Management Corp bought a new position in shares of Southern during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $40,000. Fiduciary Alliance LLC bought a new position in shares of Southern during the 4th quarter worth approximately $40,000. Finally, First Personal Financial Services bought a new position in shares of Southern during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $41,000. Institutional investors own 61.78% of the companys stock. Get Southern alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Southern news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 14,546 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.95, for a total value of $1,032,038.70. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 120,786 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,569,766.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Southern news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 14,546 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.95, for a total value of $1,032,038.70. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 120,786 shares in the company, valued at $8,569,766.70. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 1,282 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.60, for a total transaction of $85,381.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 27,512 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,832,299.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 16,680 shares of company stock valued at $1,174,768 over the last three months. Insiders own 0.37% of the companys stock. Southern Stock Performance NYSE SO opened at $68.59 on Friday. The Southern Company has a 52-week low of $58.85 and a 52-week high of $80.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.47, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a current ratio of 0.66. The company has a market capitalization of $74.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.91, a P/E/G ratio of 4.60 and a beta of 0.49. The company has a fifty day moving average of $66.51 and a 200-day moving average of $68.23. Southern (NYSE:SO Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 16th. The utilities provider reported $0.26 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.24 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $7.05 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.83 billion. Southern had a net margin of 12.40% and a return on equity of 11.73%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 22.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.36 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that The Southern Company will post 3.61 EPS for the current fiscal year. Southern Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 21st were paid a $0.68 dividend. This represents a $2.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.97%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 17th. Southerns dividend payout ratio is presently 82.93%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades SO has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on shares of Southern from $79.00 to $78.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 2nd. Credit Suisse Group lifted their price objective on shares of Southern from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 18th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of Southern from $61.00 to $57.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 21st. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Southern from $73.00 to $71.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 17th. Finally, Wolfe Research raised shares of Southern from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $76.00 price target for the company in a report on Monday, December 12th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $71.64. Southern Profile (Get Rating) The Southern Co is a holding company, which engages in the generation and sale of electricity. It operates through the following segments: Traditional Electric Operating Companies, Southern Power and Southern Company Gas. The Traditional Electric Operating Companies segment refers to vertically integrated utilities that own generation, transmission and distribution facilities, and supplies electric services in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Southern Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC increased its stake in iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IVW Get Rating) by 12.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 279,151 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 30,269 shares during the quarter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC owned approximately 0.06% of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF worth $16,330,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. First Manhattan Co. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 0.5% during the first quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 37,027 shares of the companys stock worth $2,828,000 after buying an additional 166 shares during the last quarter. Almanack Investment Partners LLC. increased its position in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 1.9% during the second quarter. Almanack Investment Partners LLC. now owns 8,942 shares of the companys stock valued at $540,000 after purchasing an additional 168 shares during the period. Family Firm Inc. increased its position in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 0.3% during the third quarter. Family Firm Inc. now owns 56,253 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,254,000 after purchasing an additional 172 shares during the period. Southern Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 0.7% during the third quarter. Southern Capital Advisors LLC now owns 24,906 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,441,000 after purchasing an additional 184 shares during the period. Finally, Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo LLC increased its position in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 5.1% during the third quarter. Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo LLC now owns 3,842 shares of the companys stock valued at $222,000 after purchasing an additional 186 shares during the period. Get iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF alerts: iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF Trading Up 0.5 % IVW opened at $62.06 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $29.45 billion, a PE ratio of 22.15 and a beta of 1.04. iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF has a 1 year low of $55.30 and a 1 year high of $78.65. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $61.40 and its 200-day simple moving average is $60.71. About iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF, formerly iShares S&P 500 Growth Index Fund (the Growth Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P 500/Citigroup Growth Index (the Growth Index). The Growth Index measures the performance of the large-capitalization growth sector of the United States equity market. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IVW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IVW Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Seelaus Asset Management LLC decreased its stake in shares of Everest Re Group, Ltd. (NYSE:RE Get Rating) by 20.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,417 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 360 shares during the quarter. Seelaus Asset Management LLCs holdings in Everest Re Group were worth $469,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Brookstone Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Everest Re Group during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $493,000. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board grew its position in shares of Everest Re Group by 55.9% during the 3rd quarter. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board now owns 3,158 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $829,000 after buying an additional 1,132 shares during the period. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Everest Re Group by 11.2% during the 2nd quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 2,190 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $614,000 after buying an additional 221 shares during the period. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can bought a new position in shares of Everest Re Group in the 3rd quarter worth $7,778,000. Finally, Mutual of America Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Everest Re Group by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Mutual of America Capital Management LLC now owns 11,268 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $2,957,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.38% of the companys stock. Get Everest Re Group alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets RE has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Raymond James increased their target price on Everest Re Group from $385.00 to $415.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 13th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Everest Re Group in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on Everest Re Group in a report on Thursday, January 19th. They issued a market perform rating and a $380.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Everest Re Group from $408.00 to $426.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, February 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Everest Re Group presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $382.00. Everest Re Group Price Performance Shares of NYSE:RE opened at $344.83 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $362.20 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $326.90. Everest Re Group, Ltd. has a 1-year low of $244.57 and a 1-year high of $394.99. The stock has a market cap of $13.50 billion, a PE ratio of 22.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.25 and a beta of 0.60. Everest Re Group (NYSE:RE Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 8th. The insurance provider reported $12.21 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $9.29 by $2.92. Everest Re Group had a return on equity of 12.36% and a net margin of 4.96%. The business had revenue of $3.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.24 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $9.12 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Everest Re Group, Ltd. will post 45.63 EPS for the current fiscal year. Everest Re Group Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 16th will be given a dividend of $1.65 per share. This represents a $6.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.91%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 15th. Everest Re Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 43.68%. Everest Re Group Company Profile (Get Rating) Everest Re Group Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of reinsurance and insurance services. It operates through the following segments: Reinsurance, and Insurance. The Reinsurance segment writes property and casualty reinsurance and specialty lines of business, including marine, aviation, surety, and accident and health business, on both a treaty and facultative basis, through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies primarily within the U.S. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Everest Re Group, Ltd. (NYSE:RE Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Everest Re Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Everest Re Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Seelaus Asset Management LLC lowered its stake in Builders FirstSource, Inc. (NYSE:BLDR Get Rating) by 7.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 6,562 shares of the companys stock after selling 500 shares during the quarter. Seelaus Asset Management LLCs holdings in Builders FirstSource were worth $426,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in Builders FirstSource by 0.5% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 17,422,176 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,124,428,000 after purchasing an additional 86,484 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in Builders FirstSource by 14.8% in the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 11,277,012 shares of the companys stock valued at $727,819,000 after purchasing an additional 1,455,580 shares during the last quarter. Coliseum Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Builders FirstSource by 16.4% during the second quarter. Coliseum Capital Management LLC now owns 6,462,850 shares of the companys stock valued at $347,055,000 after buying an additional 909,392 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in shares of Builders FirstSource by 1.4% during the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 4,563,913 shares of the companys stock valued at $268,900,000 after buying an additional 64,900 shares during the period. Finally, Frontier Capital Management Co. LLC increased its stake in shares of Builders FirstSource by 13.4% during the third quarter. Frontier Capital Management Co. LLC now owns 2,176,584 shares of the companys stock valued at $128,244,000 after buying an additional 256,436 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 94.71% of the companys stock. Get Builders FirstSource alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes BLDR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. DA Davidson boosted their target price on Builders FirstSource from $68.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 1st. BMO Capital Markets cut Builders FirstSource from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and boosted their target price for the company from $80.00 to $92.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 1st. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on Builders FirstSource from $80.00 to $96.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 1st. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their target price on Builders FirstSource from $92.00 to $82.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, December 19th. Finally, Truist Financial upped their price target on Builders FirstSource from $85.00 to $97.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 1st. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $89.77. Builders FirstSource Stock Performance NYSE:BLDR opened at $84.46 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.07 and a beta of 1.98. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $80.42 and a 200 day moving average price of $68.67. The company has a current ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. Builders FirstSource, Inc. has a 12-month low of $48.91 and a 12-month high of $90.21. Builders FirstSource (NYSE:BLDR Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 28th. The company reported $3.21 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.37 by $0.84. The business had revenue of $4.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.25 billion. Builders FirstSource had a return on equity of 59.80% and a net margin of 12.10%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.78 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Builders FirstSource, Inc. will post 7.14 EPS for the current fiscal year. Builders FirstSource Profile (Get Rating) Builders FirstSource, Inc engages in the supply and manufacture of building materials, manufactured components and construction services to professional homebuilders, subcontractors, remodelers and consumers. Its products include factory-built roof and floor trusses, wall panels and stairs, vinyl windows, custom millwork and trim, and engineered wood. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Builders FirstSource Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Builders FirstSource and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ellsworth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK Get Rating) by 1,426.8% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 85,472 shares of the banks stock after acquiring an additional 79,874 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon comprises about 1.6% of Ellsworth Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 17th largest position. Ellsworth Advisors LLCs holdings in Bank of New York Mellon were worth $4,208,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 1.8% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 67,626,336 shares of the banks stock valued at $2,604,967,000 after buying an additional 1,183,130 shares in the last quarter. Dodge & Cox grew its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 1.5% in the second quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 58,774,502 shares of the banks stock valued at $2,451,484,000 after buying an additional 883,395 shares in the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 13.8% in the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 9,278,963 shares of the banks stock valued at $357,425,000 after buying an additional 1,127,786 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 149.6% in the second quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 8,104,949 shares of the banks stock valued at $338,058,000 after buying an additional 4,857,962 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 1.9% in the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 5,988,952 shares of the banks stock valued at $230,730,000 after buying an additional 110,488 shares in the last quarter. 82.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Bank of New York Mellon alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have recently issued reports on BK. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Bank of New York Mellon from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $59.00 target price for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 4th. Bank of America initiated coverage on Bank of New York Mellon in a research note on Thursday, January 12th. They set a buy rating and a $56.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on Bank of New York Mellon from $49.00 to $44.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Barclays raised their price objective on Bank of New York Mellon from $57.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 3rd. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on Bank of New York Mellon in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Bank of New York Mellon currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $51.81. Bank of New York Mellon Trading Down 1.1 % NYSE:BK opened at $42.75 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86. The businesss 50 day moving average is $49.07 and its two-hundred day moving average is $45.31. The Bank of New York Mellon Co. has a 52 week low of $36.22 and a 52 week high of $53.63. The company has a market cap of $34.19 billion, a PE ratio of 14.74, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.11. Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Friday, January 13th. The bank reported $1.30 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.22 by $0.08. Bank of New York Mellon had a return on equity of 10.78% and a net margin of 12.87%. The company had revenue of $3.92 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.04 EPS. Bank of New York Mellons quarterly revenue was down 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that The Bank of New York Mellon Co. will post 4.83 EPS for the current year. Bank of New York Mellon Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, January 23rd were issued a $0.37 dividend. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.46%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 20th. Bank of New York Mellons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.03%. Bank of New York Mellon Profile (Get Rating) The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. is a bank holding company, which engages in the provision of financial services. It operates through the following segments: Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and Other segment. The Securities Services segment includes Asset Servicing business, which provides global custody, fund accounting, integrated middle-office solutions, transfer agency and data and analytics solutions. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of New York Mellon Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of New York Mellon and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Luciano Espinoza, world renowned director, who recently worked on the remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, is a fan of con men and women, and the subtle art of the grifter. I am fascinated by these characters who never work a day in their lives, but instead gain many riches from conning other people out of their money. To see the rise of Meghan Markle from a d-list nobody character to the highest level of royalty is to me a work of genius. She has tied the hands of Prince Harry behind his back, blinded him completely and controls the boy like a clockwork toy. Pure genius! Master manipulator According to palace insiders, Markle now writes Prince Harrys speeches, has banned him from alcohol, meat, tea and coffee, and chooses his clothes. She dictates to him what he should say and where to go, and now uses royal funds to appropriate anything she wants. The Grifters The 1990 film The Grifters is a small glimpse into the specialist art of conning people, and is a cult movie starring John Cusack, Anjelica Huston and Annette Benning. The plot of the loosely modeled remake is being kept under wraps, however it will feature a narcissistic manipulative American actress who cons her way into high circles, fooling millions of people, and totally ignoring friends and family who she used previously to get where she is. Con men and women are intricate creatures, they have multiple facets to their character, and plan meticulously each step of the con. The only one they love is themselves and they never pity the chumps they use to get what they want. This is why the sociopathic calculating character of Meghan is so endearing to the writer, she is ruthless in her ability to cut off dead wood, even her own father. She is also extremely manipulative and uses her PR team to concoct stories that will bring praise from the public her way. Her trickery is subtle, but divisive, as she works efficiently to seal her place in royal circles, the director added. The film is still in early stages of casting but there is serious excitement brewing up for the project. Forget the Rolling Bones, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle is bringing out a new album called Exile on Meghan Street Some of the controversial tracks in the rocking album include Pass the Wind, a song written lovingly about Prince Philip, and Rip this Balmoral Joint as well as the amazing Frogmore Blues. Prince Harry, who plays the bongos and one string on the guitar on the album believes it could be a seasonal hit with the Queen who is rather upset that his wifey has snubbed the Sandringham Christmas traditional jaunt because Meghan says it is too demanding. Yah, Meghan taught me how to hit the bongos. See, you hit it with one hand, then in a sort of rhythmic fashion hit it with the other. Look it makes a sound bong!, and on the guitar I play the low E string, the thick one at the bottom. Not sure what these metal lines are across the guitar but I can play one string. Yippee! Exile on Meghan Street is an album that does not tell of dodging the tax man a la the Bones, but of exile from royal duties, which Meghan detests with a vengeance. I come from sunny LA. Britain is a miserable grey shit hole where they have this thing called a stiff upper lip. I am a leftist who hates colonialism, and the British people suck ass. Fuck this royal shit, I have demanded that Prince Harry rejects royalty, and we go and live in some McMansion in Beverly Hills, of course on the British taxpayers dime. The album will be released by Frogmore Recordings on December 24th priced at a mere $465,000 and all proceeds will go to Meghan Markles handbag fund. Available at all good record stores that are still around. LONDON - England - Britain under Labour has plummeted educationally in the International Education League Table. Is Britain coming close to the education level of the USA? DAILY SQUIB SPECIAL EDUCATION REPORT After Nu Labours rallying cry of Education, Education, Education, when they won the general election from the Tories way back when, the resultant utter mess they have created and foisted upon this nation is all too horrific. The streets of Britain are filled with demented knuckle-dragging morons in tracksuits and fake Burberry hats, scumbags on scooters zipping around the roads causing mayhem, underage pregnancy, unfettered immigration, drugs and booze amongst the feral rat teens, knifing and shooting incidents daily and truly hazardous levels of low-intelligence that beggars belief. Labour is a government of waste and irresponsibility. An iatrogenic remedy dealt out to the perpetually suffering British public. Not only have they squeezed out a huge steaming turd onto Britain, but they have turned it into a morose cesspool of faeces rotting away in a toilet of ignorance and alco-pops. International Education League table READING 1 Korea 2 Finland 3 Hong Kong-China 4 Canada 5 New Zealand 6 Ireland 7 Australia 8 Liechtenstein 9 Poland 10 Sweden 11 Netherlands 12 Belgium 13 Estonia 14 Switzerland 15 Japan 16 Taiwan 17 UNITED KINGDOM 18 Germany 19 Denmark 20 Slovenia MATHS 1 Taiwan 2 Finland 3 Hong Kong-China 4 Korea 5 Netherlands 6 Switzerland 7 Canada 8 Macao-China 9 Liechtenstein 10 Japan 11 New Zealand 12 Belgium 13 Australia 14 Estonia 15 Denmark 16 Czech Republic 17 Iceland 18 Austria 19 Slovenia 20 Germany 21 Sweden 22 Ireland 23 France 24 UNITED KINGDOM 25 Poland Britain today is an open sewer and the smell is wafting down the education league tables of the world. God forbid anyone send their children to a state school in the UK. At least the UK is nowhere near the USA in world education leagues. Or is it? America in Reading was found at 89 just above Guatamala. In Maths, the USA faired better and was at 74 under Sub Saharan Africa and Bhutan. British educational decline is closer to the American model than you think. The Labour government is charged with gross mass neglect since its unholy election wins. It has caused the greatest social, economic, educational decline in the nation since WW1. A terrible detriment and blight to standards which are compounded every day by the sleaze, corruption and cronyism that defines the Labour government. Amongst the repugnant chav celebrity scum like Lily Allen and other brainless Spice Girl aggressors of mediocrity and banality, the awful nature of a culture of ignorance and stupidity infects every part of our bleeding knife-fuelled binge society Has American society and culture finally taken these shores fully? Let us introduce Miss South Carolina into the loathsome equation in the short piece below she cant string a sentence together but sure can suck the judges off like a pro. George W Bush is not known for his intelligence or wit, but how about the stupid, ignorant and insular American called kellie pickler shown below in all her glory? She makes Paris Hilton look like an Oxford University professor. Americans surely cannot be this stupid en masse? They re-elected a homicidal maniac monkey twice in a row. Britain did the same with Blair, so there are morons in both countries. Dumb Britain? It seems the UK really is as dumb as the USA. Another great American export from Uncle Sam: stupidity, ignorance, insularity, junk food, jingoism, war, violence and cultural decline are now firm British themes to be proud of. Its that good old special relationship again. SAMARRA - Iraq - A US Marine was today honoured for his puppy tossing skills in the yearly competition held in Samarra. The 5th Iraqi Puppy Toss Contest was held this year in Samarra, an Iraqi religious hotspot about 124 km north of Baghdad. The event was a huge success for the American troops attending. This is how we keep our mens morale up. Its a hard job killing and shooting innocent civilians every day. This way the men get to unwind for a few hours by hurling little defenceless puppies over cliffs instead of defenceless Iraqi civilians, Major Christian Portman told the Daily Squib. The occupying US soldiers are notorious in Iraq for treating Iraqis like sub-human Untermenschen and it is no surprise that they do not treat defenceless animals any better. George W Bush and his paymaster industrialists are also responsible for the largest displacement of peoples in the Middle East in a thousand years, the deaths of millions of Iraqi civilians and the largest spread of depleted uranium in recorded history. The Puppy Toss competition began at midday. Under the beating Iraqi sun a troop of Marines and assorted army personnel descended to the edge of the cliff where the competition was to be held. Private Meat Johnsons is up first and tosses a whimpering little white puppy into the ravine. He manages a 40 yard throw and is top of the leaderboard. Next, Sergeant Pat McGraw steps up and tosses a little Labrador all of 30 yards into the deep ravine. He is behind the leader now. It is now the turn of Lance Corporal David Motari who tosses with confidence a little puppy called Sonny 50 yards to win the prize. The black-and-white puppy makes a yelping sound as it flies through the air towards its certain demise. The audience of assembled marines lap up the show and pat the triumphant Lance Corporal on the back dubbing him a credit to the USMC. Dick Cheney, who regularly tosses puppies in the air on shooting trips, addressed the competition winners from a satellite broadcast later on in the day: The United States is proud of you guys for your bravery and courage. It takes a lot to do all the things you guys do while we profit off misery and pain, said the former chief executive of Halliburton, who still has not exercised his massive stock options. He then lit a huge cigar and started laughing maniacally. The winner of the US Marine competition was awarded a puppy-shaped trophy and given $250 as prize money so he can buy some more hookers when he gets back to base. WASHINGTON DC - USA - First Lady, Michelle Obama with her president husband in tow, has been seen rocking the Dome nightclub in downtown Washington. The Dome nightclub was rocked on Tuesday night with a post-presidential speech party on Capital Hill. It was time for the Obamas to relax and let loose. These have been tense times and they may be the coolest couple in the world but everybody needs some down time once in awhile, senior aide to the Obamas Jeffrey Katzen told the Fox News Networks OReilly Factor. Downtown Washington DC can get a bit scary sometimes, especially at night time when all the wildlife come out. The manager of The Dome, Herb Willis, was not warned of the presidential visit and only learned of it when a troupe of secret servicemen cleared away the pimps and prostitutes from the front entrance. I was just counting up the nights takings when slap my face with my aunt Jemima, I was informed by one of my chickens that we got some serious company. We dont usually get anyone here apart from hoes and johns maybe a few dealers. Hell, I nearly shit my pants when I saw Obama and Michelle walk through the door and jump on the stage. Michelle was dressed to the nines and she got her booty out, I saw every guy drop their jaws on the floor. Obama looked on from the side and was lapping it up too. The Obamas cleared the dancefloor and ordered the nightclub owner to give everyone whatever they wanted at the bar. Soon word got round the local neighborhood and there was a sudden rush at the door but many were not allowed entry. Michelle wears a pair of $49.99 jeans from BootyCall and a $12.75 G-string from Wash Krew The surprise visit by the Obamas went down well with the regulars who soon crowded around the dance floor as the DJ pumped some serious bass through the clubs speaker system. Baby got back! Michelle even posed for photos when she got her booty out for the boys. Barack was seen doing some serious moves on the dancefloor too, he had about twenty women around him adoring every move he made. It was something I never seen before, Leroy Robinson, a regular at the Dome told Washington Week magazine. Michelle posing with senior White House advisor Jonelle Shaquilla According to nightclub revellers the party wound down by about 4 am when the Obama entourage left the club leaving a huge tip for its owner. Well never forget this visit. I been trying to get people to come to my club for years. Obama sure did his bit for the recession tonight. Whoosh! It was the best thing that ever happened to my place. Now I can afford to get a fire exit installed and a new lapdancing stage. We got all the photographs to prove what happened and even Ebony magazine sent a reporter here to talk to me. God bless our president and his hot booty wife, Mr Willis added. LONDON - England - As the unelected imposter in chief prepares to leave Downing Street for the last time, the country is bracing itself for the many years of pain and 'austerity' that will be needed to repair itself after thirteen years of hurt and unbearable misery. Labours scorched earth policy of destruction is nearly over thank god and even though most of the people will give a sigh of relief at the disgraceful exit of the worst PM and government in the history of Britain, there will have to be the final realisation that the people will have to suffer for many generations to try and claw the country back from the trillion pound deficit left by Labour. Labours legacy is one of destruction; of utter disdain towards the people of Britain; of complete waste of our resources; of ridiculous levels of irresponsibility with regards to immigration and the economy. Gordon Brown has endangered the British people with his asinine nonsensical policies. Thirteen terrible years of Labour have created a land bereft of hope. The thousands of laws created by Labour curbing human behaviour; introducing millions of CCTV surveillance cameras to watch us; letting criminals and murderers run riot in our streets and opening the borders to anyone who wants to abuse the welfare system. Under Labour, there are families who have never worked since 1997, they have instead just enjoyed the myriad of welfare benefits and lived a life of leisure at the expense of the taxpayer. Because of Labour, every one who has a job, has to work for 196 days before they make any money for themselves. The punitive Labour tax system stifles all work, business and employment. No wonder there are millions of families who choose not to work and are paid 50,000 per annum to play video games and get drunk under Labours policy of welfare waste. Forget about the BNP wanting to throw all the Muslims out of Britain, theyre all talk. Labour has started two wars against the Muslims and is murdering them in cold blood everyday. Labour is not just talk like the BNP, they are actually out there invading and murdering innocent people in their own countries. And all of that because Blair wanted to look big next to America. How many thousands of civilians and brainwashed troops have died needlessly because of Labour? How much blood has been shed for no reason at all apart from to serve the egos of Labour politicians. The day of the champagne socialist is over; there was never any equality with them anyway as they flew in first class and guzzled pork pies in their Jaguars. Gordon Browns legacy is one of ultimate failure, of ruin and of imbecilic obtuseness. He is just stupid, and by shoehorning himself into the role of PM he has taken Britain to the brink of complete collapse. It will take many generations to clear up this mess created by Gordon Brown. He said the other day that he wants to work for charity when he is finally ousted as PM. Please tell me what charity will have him? Donations will dry up and their reputation will be tarnished forever. Good riddance fucker and thanks for absolutely nothing. Let us clear a few things up here. Europe is a beautiful continent with wonderful people, each country within Europe have their own customs, their own cuisine, and in all respects Europe is a great place to travel or live in however, the EU, is a separate body to Europe, and this distinction is an important one. EU is a Separate Body to Europe The EU is a totalitarian state moving towards a super-state which will have its own autonomous army led by the Bundeswehr (German army). An EU army will not only be a threat to NATO but Russia will be coaxed eventually into conflict with this massive army on their very doorstep. The EU high command will want to achieve what Napoleon, and Hitler could not achieve. The EU is a pseudo fascistic soviet construct that was catapulted into supremacy after the Berlin Wall fell and Stasi agents swarmed into the system. Not only is the EU run by unelected bureaucrats, but it is a monolithical Borg-like juggernaut that overruns nations first economically, then slowly strips each nation of its identity and wealth. Unless you have communistic soviet values, there is no reason in hell why you want to be a subjugate of the EU, to have freedom-stripping restrictive laws dictated to you each day, to have unjust fines and red tape put on your business sectors, and to have no say in how you spend your own money. Why on earth would anyone want to agree to such a thing, unless you are stupid or lazy, or both? What about the Schengen zone, a utopian idea which is inherently a good one in a world where there is no crime, terrorism or war? Here is a zone where there are no checks on the border leading to a vast corridor where heavy arms, drugs, sex trafficking, human trafficking and terrorists can travel with ease. Every time there is another terrorist atrocity, think about how those guys were aided by the Schengen zone an idea that the EU Commission, an unelected body refuse to curtail to even stop these attacks on Europeans. It does not matter how many troops you have on the streets flashing their guns, the terrorists simply move around freely from one spot to another. There is also a serious disparity within the EU nations. The poor South opposed to the rich North. As of now, there is a vast population movement from the poor EU nations who entrench and colonise the richer nations in the EU. This mass migratory economically related movement has fuelled a serious disparity in the EU, and without balance of some sort, there will eventually be a tipping point, either with an economic crash or with serious civil unrest. EU is Undemocratic The major sticking point with the EU, is that it is undemocratic. Even the current EU president, Jean Claude Juncker has no qualms about admitting this : On British calls for a referendum over Lisbon Treaty Of course there will be transfers of sovereignty. But would I be intelligent to draw the attention of public opinion to this fact?, On French referendum over EU constitution If its a Yes, we will say on we go, and if its a No we will say we continue, On the introduction of the euro We decide on something, leave it lying around, and wait and see what happens. If no one kicks up a fuss, because most people dont understand what has been decided, we continue step by step until there is no turning back. In fact the EU is so undemocratic, it is nigh on impossible to get out of it. We see this with Brexit, and how the unelected leaders seek to make it as hard as possible to leave. This mafia-like construct is the anti-thesis of everything that should reside in a Western democracy, and to find it deep in Europe like some octopus grip over nations is a sad sight to behold. Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader once stood back, post-perestroika and glasnost, looked at the EU and said in wonderment: The most puzzling development in politics during the last decade is the apparent determination of Western European leaders to re-create the Soviet Union in Western Europe. It is also with great puzzlement and bewilderment that there would be people in the UK or in any democratic nation who would not oppose the undemocratic sovietized EU. However, one only has to see the outraged Remoaners, brainwashed youth and Marxist politicians on the extreme left who do not oppose being ruled over by the EU. Therefore, one can only conclude that communism is once again making large inroads amongst large swathes of Britains population. One only has to read history to see that communism is not only a mass killing doctrine of about 160 million people, but it is a severely limiting construct on human freedom, and anyone who supports the EU is supporting this evil communistic agenda. Will they ever wake up from their stupor? Who knows? Once these people have been brainwashed by EU soviet propaganda and conditioning over many years, they are either so weak minded or unintelligent that they know nothing else. Within Britain today, treachery against democracy and freedom is very much alive. These Remoaners want us to live in an EU prison forever, and they will gladly relinquish their own Britishness for it, sell off their own countrymen, without qualms. These Lord and Lady Haw Haws need to either wake up or be somehow shut down, as they are inherently a danger to the democratic functioning of our nation. The newly unelected EU Commission President and Kommandant of the EU Army today addressed assembled troops and workers of the European Union Socialist Communist State. I can come to no terms with a Brexit which everywhere, as its first act after gaining power is not the pursuit of the enslavement of nations but the liberation of the British sovereign nation from the undemocratic tyranny of our beloved EU, the asocial creatures concentrated in the Britisher Brexit party and then the letting loose of these wild beasts like Nigel Farage, and Boris Johnson upon the terrified and helpless world about them. Brexitism turns flourishing countrysides into sinister wastes of democratic ruins; European Union Socialism transforms a Reich of destruction and misery into a healthy communistic State and a flourishing economic life of collectivist misery for all. Brexit planned a world revolution of democracy, sovereignty and German Mercedes workmen would be used but as cannon-fodder for Britisher Brexit imperialism. But we European Union Socialists do not wish that our EU military resources should be employed to impose by force on other peoples what those peoples themselves do not want. Our EU army does not swear on oath that it will with bloodshed extend the European Union Socialist idea over other peoples, but that it will with its own blood defend the European Union Socialist idea and thereby the German Reich, its security and freedom, from the aggression of other peoples. The German people as soldiers is one of the best peoples in the world: It would have become a veritable Fight to the Death Brigade for the bloody purposes of these international disseminators of democracy. We have removed this danger, through the European Union Socialist Revolution, from our own people and from other peoples.etc etc (CROWD APPLAUDS LOUDLY) MINNEAPOLIS - USA - As the riots and looting go from city to city, one must look at the destabilising root of all the strife, and who is really running the show to take America down from the inside - China. Chinese communist propaganda and operators are working within groups like Black Lives Matter, and the overtly Marxist group ANTIFA to destabilise and encourage rioting in U.S. cities an intelligence group have revealed about the threat from China. These predominantly bourgeois white groups are using African American anger, as cannon fodder for their push to destabilise America from within. By putting African Americans at the front of the riots and looting, they command from the rear, and utilise Alinsky-ite techniques to cause as much damage to America as possible. Along with Big Tech companies like Facebook who are complicit with China, and the ideology of communism, there has been a vast underground push by the CCP working through Americas campuses and social media companies like Zuckerbergs Facebook to subvert democracy, and freedom of speech in favour of Chinese communist ideology, utilising the Confucius Institutes embedded within American education institutions. These Chinese government-sponsored outposts of culture and language training, are insidious portals where communism is pushed onto the American youth, and the faculty teaching professionals. There are currently more than 100 universities in the United States now in direct partnership with the Chinese government through Confucius Institutes, the U.S. intelligence community is warning about their potential as spying outposts. Americanism, and democracy, as well as the tenets of free speech are being wiped out, whilst dissent against the U.S. government is being encouraged by the Chinese communist agents working within the American system. Black Lives Matter, and ANTIFA, as well as all young people rioting and looting, causing a state of chaos are engineered under the wing of the Chinese Communist Party, and their operatives working directly in the United States, along with the monopoly tech companies to destabilise the U.S. government and eventually cause mass civil unrest across the nation. These Chinese operatives are working in America right now, organising riots, and brainwashing American youth in communism, one source revealed. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) recently revealed his findings on the Chinese infiltration: Their goal is to exploit Americas academic freedom to instill in the minds of future leaders a pro-China viewpoint. Its smart. Its a long-term, patient approach. Peter Mattis, a former U.S. intelligence analyst now with the Jamestown Foundation, said Confucius Institutes can be directly linked to the Communist Partys united front efforts, still described in Maoist terms: to mobilize the partys friends to strike at the partys enemies. Liu Yandong, the Communist Party official who launched the Confucius Institutes and served as chairwoman, was the head of the United Front Work Department when the program began. Its not only the Maoist communist ideology that is being spewed in American universities, it is the money from China that is pouring in to sweeten up the institutions. Prominent American university, Harvard, itself received more a $1 Billion from China. President Barack Obama, built up this program of Chinese infiltration throughout his tenure, and the likes of Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO, who is an avowed communist, who speaks fluent Chinese, and regularly meets with his CCP masters in Beijing, allegedly works hand in hand with the enemies of America to subvert democratic ideology, and freedom of speech. The massive censorship of American viewpoints regarding democracy, conservative /Libertarian thought, freedom of speech, freedom of expression and the right to bear arms are key examples. Will America wake up one day from their Chinese stupor? Will people one day reclaim their American rights of democracy and freedom of speech? Will America one day wake up after being infiltrated by China for so many decades? Hopefully, that day will one day come, and the Chinese threat will be eviscerated, and banished, because Communism is insidious, it gets under the skin, it brainwashes American kids, it implants hatred against being American, and the basic tenets of democracy FREEDOM! WORLD EXCLUSIVE The violent criminal and drug addict, who robbed a terrified pregnant woman, beating her over the head with a pistol, George Floyd, will be sainted by the Pope in Minneapolis in July, the Vatican has revealed. All across American Democrat run cities, white people have been told, they must from now on kneel whenever they see an African American, or any black person. Our police are kneeling now for black people, so every citizen will be asked to kneel whenever they encounter a black person of colour as well, the Mayor of Los Angeles said whilst kneeling. Knee Pads Many white people in Los Angeles have purchased knee pads because of the amount of kneeling they have to do to black people wherever they go. Walking down a 200-metre stretch on the sidewalk for a white citizen can now take up to four hours because the amount of times they have to stop in front of a black person, get on their knee and apologise. Jeanette Colman, a self flagellating bleeding heart virtue signalling liberal from Malibu, revealed how the sainthood of George Floyd had affected her: We now have a shrine for Saint George Floyd, we kneel in front of it and pray to him every day, even though we are atheist Marxists. I spend much of my time on my knees apologising to black people for my white privilege, just thinking of the horror our Saint George must have gone through when he violently beat the pregnant woman and robbed her of her last bit of money. Saint George could do no wrong, as he kicked her in the stomach before he left with the womans money. She was white and deserved it. Black lives matter, and Saint George Floyd, praise be to you, I drink champagne in your honour! Pope Francis will be coming to liberal American cities blighted by racial tension to administer the sainthood on Apostle George Floyd in late July. LOS ANGELES - USA - BLM, are utilising the same techniques on white people that the Nazis used on dehumanizing Jews in WW2. During the reign of the Nazi party in Germany, propaganda created by Goebbels made the Jews out to be an inferior race, the National Socialist regime effectively dehumanized Jewish people, instead of a hard-working, enterprising, resilient, and creative people, they were portrayed as inferior to the Aryan (pure) Germanic race. The same thing is happening in many Western countries now, this time the BLM, are dehumanizing and humiliating white people, portraying them as inherently inferior and evil, just as the Nazis did to the Jews in WW2. One must always remember, the fascist political ideology utilised by the Nazis was a form of leftist socialism, seeing as the Nazi movement was called National Socialism. Also take into account that the techniques used by the Marxist communists and fascists are very similar, as one extremity borrows from the other. This is what BLM and ANTIFA, today have adopted is a form of reverse-racism, which actually is overt racism, but lauded as anti-racism by the controlling media who support these evil groups populated by useful idiots and the ideologically entrenched. Its time to admit that ALL whites are Nazis #awan As a heteronormative white bloke Im ashamed. I hate the Wesr. Wish we was born in Nigeria or sonething. #kneel #BLM pic.twitter.com/Hafec7L6AR OwnTheWeebs (@OwnTheWeebs) June 9, 2020 The Jews were blamed for every ill of the Germanic people by the Nazis, BLM are doing the same by blaming every white person for the ills of black people. To see white Americans socially forced to kneel today in reverence of Black Lives Matter and whites demonized as an evil, inferior race is the exact technique the Nazis utilised in Germany against the Jews. White people in America are effectively being dehumanized, and many of the socialist leaning amongst them are actually believing the propaganda that is being pumped out by the BLM controllers. Many are now ashamed of being who they are, and apologise profusely for the crime of having white skin, they are now part of the BLM machinery of racial hatred. Adolf Hitler once said: Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way round, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise. Through the technique of repetition utilising certain symbolic images, the BLM movement is doing the same thing about white people, and this is the crux of the matter, the BLM are using Nazi propaganda techniques on a supposed anti-racist program, by actually being racist towards white people. The Nazi National Socialist techniques of dehumanization are thus being utilised by BLM adjutants and their officers on white people to denigrate them to a status well below the level of black people. The looting and rioting of white businesses and shops by BLM and ANTIFA thugs was a replication of the Nazi SA paramilitary forces destruction of Jewish businesses on Kristallnacht (The night of broken glass) where the German authorities looked on without intervening, just as the American police were told to stand down during the Minneapolis and Los Angeles riots recently. The only difference between the Nazis and BLM/ANTIFA is that the Nazis were at the time in charge of the government of Germany, and the early years of the regime were a precursor for the Final Solution on the Jews. Although it may seem that BLM/ANTIFA are in charge at the moment, they are still not part of the government and do not have powers to take things further on white people. The worrying thing is, at the November 2020 elections, if Trump loses, and the Democrats win, then groups like BLM will effectively be in power, and will have carte blanche to move a step closer to the mass murder or genocide of white Americans. Such is BLMs ultimate goal it seems, the eventual eradication of white Americans, it is no secret that groups like ANTIFA who are now officially registered as domestic terrorists, are training their ranks for a takeover, and extermination of the majority of the white population. History repeats itself sometimes in sinister ways. If Fascism Ever Comes to America, It Will Come in the Name of Liberalism Ronald Reagan, 1975 If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here The communist heroes of Black Lives Matter and ANTIFA Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were avowed racists who not only resented lazy Mexicans but thought black people were closer to animals in opposition to the highly evolved biological nature of white people. Manifesto of the Communist Party Isnt it ironic to see the communist flags flying at ANTIFA and BLM protests/riots and to hear the idiotic sputum spewing coming from one of the BLM founders, Cullors, that she is a trained Marxist is additionally hilarious to behold? Have these morons not read Das Kapital or any of the letters that Marx wrote to Engels where blatantly racist statements against blacks and Mexicans are casually bandied about? The proof of the pudding is in the eating, BLM and ANTIFA are replete with illiterate idiots who have not even bothered to read the literature of their supposed heroes that they tout at every opportunity. Writing to Engels, in reference to his socialist political competitor Ferdinand Lassalle, Karl Marx wrote: It is now completely clear to me that he, as is proved by his cranial formation and his hair, descends from the Negroes who had joined Moses exodus from Egypt, assuming that his mother or grandmother on the paternal side had not interbred with a n*gger. Now this union of Judaism and Germanism with a basic Negro substance must produce a peculiar product. Engels equally expressed Marxs racial language and disdain when describing the qualities of n*ggers holding qualities closer to the animal kingdom than highly evolved whites. In 1887, Paul Lafargue, who was Marxs son-in-law, was a candidate for a council seat in a Paris district that contained a zoo. Engels racially commented that Lafargue was tainted by one-eighth or one-twelfth n*gger blood. In a letter to Lafargues wife, Engels wrote: Being in his quality as a n*gger, a degree nearer to the rest of the animal kingdom than the rest of us, he is undoubtedly the most appropriate representative of that district. It seems communists are just as racist as their opposite in the political spectrum the fascists. Both ideologies are extremities of the political frequency, and have condemned 100s of millions of people to death. Whoever is really pulling the strings of BLM and ANTIFA behind the scenes must be giggling their ass off every day. I mean you are getting these people to supposedly protest against racism and do it in the name of Karl Marx, who is probably laughing his ass off in hell as well. Useful idiots or not, the BLM mobs have been taken for fools in the most embarrassing way. What about Chinese Maoist communists, they love black people, right? Sure they do, thats why Africans are denied entry into restaurants or hotels, and treated worse than animals in Guangzhou province. So, why do ANTIFA and BLM hold the Chinese communist flag up high? Its quite obvious that they are manned by stupid people who do not know what they are doing, whilst all the while, the Chinese communists are laughing at them. Frankly, its embarrassing that these supposedly anti-racism groups have adopted heroes and political systems created and run by avowed racists. One can only conclude that BLM and ANTIFA are sham organisations and anyone who supports these groups does not know who is truly pulling the strings behind the scenes, using misguided ill-educated people as pawns in a way bigger game than they can ever comprehend. Somehow, despite the evidence, it is highly unlikely we are ever going to witness a Karl Marx statue being toppled by BLM or ANTIFA mobs any time soon. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. The government is planning a nationwide mock drill on April 10 and 11 to test hospital preparedness. (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: India on Saturday recorded 1,590 Covid cases, the highest single day rise in 146 days. Amid the sudden spike that started last week, the Centre issued a fresh advisory to states and Union Territories on maintaining optimum testing. The government is planning a nationwide mock drill on April 10 and 11 to test hospital preparedness. According to a joint advisory by the Union health ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), public and private health facilities in all districts are expected to participate in the exercise to take stock of availability of medicines, hospital beds, medical equipment and medical oxygen. The toll due to the viral disease has gone up to 5,30,824 with six more fatalities three reported from Maharashtra and one each recorded in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. The number of active Covid cases climbed to 8,601. Currently, the most prominent subtypes of Influenza in circulation seems to be Influenza A (H1N1) and Influenza A (H3N2). "As you may be aware, Covid-19 and Influenza share a number of similarities in terms of mode of transmission, high risk population, clinical signs and symptoms," the advisory stated. "While this may present a clinical dilemma in terms of diagnosis, this also renders both these diseases preventable by following simple public health measures like avoiding overcrowded and poorly ventilated settings, using handkerchief/tissue while sneezing or coughing, wearing a mask in crowded and closed settings, maintaining hand hygiene, avoiding spitting in public places, etc," it said. The details of the mock drill shall be communicated to the states in the virtual meeting scheduled on March 27, the advisory stated. The joint advisory highlighted that in the past several weeks, Covid-19 testing had declined in some states and the testing levels at present are insufficient as per the standards prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO), at 140 per million. The states and UTs have been asked to keep a close watch on the evolving etiologies (causes of diseases) of Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases. Masks, hand hygiene back again The Centres health advisory made the following points Masks to be worn in crowded and closed settings Use handkerchief/tissue to cover nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing. Maintain hand hygiene and wash hands frequently. Avoid spitting in public places. Persons with co-morbidity and the elderly must avoid overcrowded and poorly ventilated settings. Doctors, paramedics, healthcare workers, patients, attendants to wear masks. Promote testing and early reporting of symptoms. Limit personal contact if suffering from respiratory diseases. Petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri (PTI) New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict, during which Indias Operation Ganga was also reviewed. The discussion under Rule 193 took place after two adjournments as the Opposition sought a discussion on rising fuel prices. Some members lauded the governments efforts to rescue thousands of Indian students, but others felt that the government could have acted much sooner to prevent the crisis and inconvenience for the students. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor urged the government to use its influence to mediate a truce between Russia and Ukraine, and said India should not shy away from taking a morally correct stand in line with its foreign policy. On foreign policy, Mr Tharoor said: "It is neither the Congress nor the BJPs foreign policy, it is Indian foreign policy." India, he said, could offer itself in a "mediating capacity" and play a role in ending the conflict. Referring to the softly-worded statements on the Russia-Ukraine war at the UN, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said: "We need to take a principled stand with moral conviction." Russia, he said, had started the war, and India could not endorse Moscows action. Mr Tharoor, a former minister of state for external affairs, also voiced concern about the emerging Russia-China-Pakistan axis. With Russia becoming weak due to the Western sanctions, China will get the upper hand, he said, "which was a matter of great concern" for India. On the evacuation of Indian students, Mr Tharoor said: "There were many countries who evacuated their people quickly There were many problems faced by our people. There was no internal transportation and many had difficulty reaching the border areas." He went on to accuse some Union ministers of "publicity mongering" on foreign territory, that he said "was unnecessary", adding: "We dont need publicity in other countries." He also criticised the remarks of some BJP leaders that only the students who couldnt qualify in the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) go to Ukraine to study medicine. "Such statements at a time of crisis reflect poorly on the nation. The government must seriously rethink medical education in the country," he said. Gen. V.K. Singh (Retd), one of the ministers who went to oversee the evacuation, said: "Indians have this habit of waiting till the end, though here education contractors and universities told the students to stay put, saying nothing will happen I want to clarify the misconception that the students being beaten up near the Poland border was not because India abstained in the UNSC vote, but because these students broke the queue meant for senior citizens." Defending the government, petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri said Operation Ganga was one of the best missions carried out anywhere. He added that crude oil supply lines had got disturbed due to the war, that led to the global price rise, which impacted fuel prices in India. To this, NCP MP Supriya Sule suggested reducing the cess to minimise its impact on ordinary people. Law minister Kiren Rijiju said criticism of the government as operations were going on should be avoided. "We did not do this to take credit. This was our duty. The ministers were sent since the level of operation was big. The ministers were sent so that the response of the neighbouring governments was also high," he said, while lauding the role of Indian diplomats, students and the diaspora. "The temperature was minus and it was snowing. Many Indian students and people volunteered to feed people, gave blankets and warm clothes," he said. BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar. protests at dharna chowk in Hyderabad on Saturday (Deepak Deshpande/DC) HYDERABAD: The Telangana BJP pitched for a new movement in Telangana, a state achieved by struggle and sacrifice, calling on everyone who took part in the statehood agitation to join hands to "defeat the KCR government" and to "create a Telangana which was the dream of the people. "How long will you stay silent. Raise your voices and question the KCR government. The BJP is with you," state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said on Saturday at the maha dharna of the unemployed at Dharna Chowk, here. Sanjay said the lives of 30 lakh unemployed were being destroyed by the BRS government. "We cannot stand by and let this happen. Come join hands with the BJP, we will take the responsibility of leading this movement for justice for the unemployed," he said. The protest saw many senior BJP leaders address the crowd that comprised students and unemployed persons holding placards demanding jobs, action against TS Public Service Commission officials and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao for the recent question paper leak. Among those who addressed the gathering were party vice-president D.K. Aruna, MLAs Etala Rajendar, M. Raghunandan Rao, former MPs Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, Konda Vishweshwar Reddy and Vijayashanti, senior leaders N. Indrasena Reddy, A.V.N. Reddy who recently won the teachers constituency MLC seat, national executive member G. Vivek Venkatswamy, and former MLC P. Sudhakar Reddy. Sanjay declared that once the BJP came to power in Telangana, it would release annual job calendars and will fill two lakh vacancies. The BJP government will also attend to the problems being faced by the 2008 DSC candidates. Announcing that the BJP will intensify its agitation in support of the unemployed, Sanjay said the party will organise unemployment marches in the district headquarters from April 2 to 6, which will be followed by a Million March in Hyderabad. "If required we will call for a state wide bandh. It is time for the youth and job-seekers to realise that the KCR government will not give them jobs. As far as jailing BJP and its student workers or others protesting against the governments failure in the TSPSC paper leak, let us see how many of us they can cram into the prisons," Sanjay said. Sanjay reiterated that there was no question of going back on the partys demands of the sacking of Rama Rao, or him resigning on his own, Rs 1 lakh relief to all those who prepared for the cancelled TSPSC exams, and a probe by a judge into the question paper leaks. "The SIT is serving notices to those who question the government. Why is KTR not being given one after he claimed only two were responsible for the leaks but 13 have been arrested so far? KCRs son is definitely involved in the paper leak and his role must be investigated," Sanjay demanded. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with party leaders Priyanka Gandhi and Mukul Wasnik during the party's 'Satyagraha' against disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha, in New Delhi, Sunday. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday began a day-long "Sankalp Satyagraha" at Delhi's Rajghat in support of Rahul Gandhi following his disqualification from the Lok Sabha. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, senior leaders KC Venugopal, P Chidambaram and Salman Khurshid were among the party's top brass taking part in the satyagraha at Rajghat. Jairam Ramesh, Mukul Wasnik, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Saktisinh Gohil, Jothimani, Pratibha Singh and Manish Chatrath were also present at the protest site. Several leaders of the party's Delhi also took part in the protest while a large number of party workers gathered outside the venue despite the police refusing to grant permission for the satyagraha. In a letter, the Delhi Police said the request for holding the satyagraha was rejected due to law and order and traffic reasons and prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC had been imposed in and around Rajghat. A senior police officer told PTI that while permission for holding the satyagraha was denied, adequate security arrangements were put in place. In response to the Delhi Police's action, Venugopal said on Twitter, "After silencing our voice in Parliament, the government has refused to let us hold a peaceful satyagraha at Bapu's (Mahatma Gandhi) samadhi as well. "It has become a habit for the Modi government to disallow every opposition protest. This will not deter us, our fight for truth, against tyranny goes on." The Congress has put up a stage outside Rajghat and are protesting against Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case and his subsequent disqualification from the Lok Sabha. It has announced plans for a day-long satyagraha in front of Mahatma Gandhi statues at all states and district headquarters to protest against the disqualification. Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. The disqualification will prevent Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting elections for eight years unless a higher court stays the conviction. Bharat Rashtra Samithi has decided to throw its weight fully behind the former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) (File image) Bengaluru: Describing the Janata Dal (Secular) a "natural ally", the Bharat Rashtra Samithi has decided to throw its weight fully behind the former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led party in the coming Assembly elections in Karnataka, BRS sources said on Sunday. Telangana's governing party was earlier weighing its option of fielding its candidates in some districts bordering Telangana in Kalyana-Karnataka (earlier known as Hyderabad-Karnataka) as part of its strategy to expand nationally but that plan is no longer on the table now. "JD(S) is our natural ally and we will go with the party. We want to ensure that the JD(S) is successful in the elections", a senior leader of BRS, headed by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. also known as KCR, told PTI. Sources said KCR would definitely campaign for JD(S) candidates, particularly in segments where "Telugu-speaking people are densely populated", as a BRS leader put it. Assembly elections are due in Karnataka by May. JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata last week and requested the TMC boss to campaign in the Karnataka Assembly polls. "Mamata Banerjee has agreed to Kumaraswamy's request to campaign in Karnataka. She has asked him to send her a schedule", a JD(S) leader had said after the meeting in the West Bengal capital. Kumaraswamy had attended the meeting of opposition parties convened by Banerjee in Kolkata in January 2019 ahead of the Lok Sabha poll that year. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday hit back at President Arif Alvi, accusing him of being partisan and following the dictates of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party instead of remaining neutral as the head of the state. His comments came two days after President Alvi in a letter on Friday accused the premier of using disproportionate force against politicians, political workers and journalists in recent clashes with former prime minister Imran Khan's PTI. The president, who was a member of Khan's party before assuming the office, had also asked Sharif to direct all authorities to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in holding the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections as per the orders of the Supreme Court. Also Read | Imran Khan holds rally at Minar-i-Pakistan late at night despite threats In his five-page letter to President Alvi, Sharif said that he was writing to set the record of the government straight and bring the latters partisan attitude on record. He said Alvis communication in parts read like a press release of the opposition political party PTI whose one-sided, anti-government views you continue to openly espouse, notwithstanding your constitutional oath/office of President ''. He said that the president on several occasions violated his oath, including the order of the dissolution of the National Assembly in April last year on the direction of then prime minister Imran Khan, and also his failure to discharge his constitutional duty to administer Sharif's oath on his election as the prime minister. "Despite the foregoing and several other instances, where you actively worked towards undermining a constitutionally elected government, I have made all-out efforts to maintain a good working relationship with you. However, the contents of your letter, its tone, and language have compelled me to respond to it," he stated in the letter. Sharif said that actions by law enforcement agencies were in accordance with the law. Regrettably and ostensibly due to your party allegiance, you have failed to note the sheer violation of laws, contumacious disregard of court orders, attacking the law enforcement agencies, damaging public property, attempts to create chaos, civil and political unrest, and in short, to bring the country to the brink of economic default and civil war by PTI, he said. He said the PTIs complete disregard for the law tarnished the image of Pakistan in the international community and cast negative repercussions on the future of democracy and the state of human rights. Also Read | Pak court grants ex-PM Imran bail in 3 terrorism cases He also complained that Alvi as president had not once said anything regarding the conduct of Khan for his aggressive, rather militant, attitude of a political order in complete defiance of court orders. Regrettably again, you never raised your voice or shared your concerns in the manner that you have in your letter, in the past while the PTI was in power, he said. He further stated that Alvis reference regarding meaningful consultation between the president and prime minister was out of place. "Mr President, in the exercise of your functions, you must act on and in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or the Prime Minister under clause (1) of Article 48," he wrote. Talking about the election in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, he said that the federal government has provided every support to the ECP, which is an autonomous body and free to make decisions about elections. Sharif also said that he was fully aware of his duties, asserting that his government was fully committed to preserving, protecting, and defending the Constitution but would not allow anyone to violate the law or create unrest. Ahead of the delimitation of constituencies in Assam, the full team of the Election Commission of India arrived here on Sunday on a three-day visit to the state for holding consultations with various stakeholders, including political parties and civil societies. Chief election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Commissioners, Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, will hold discussions with the stakeholders on Monday, States Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nitin Khade said. The EC has been entrusted with the delimitation exercise for redrawing the territorial boundaries of the assembly and parliamentary constituencies of the northeastern state. Also Read | Election Commission of India comes up with Vote From Home option for voters above 80 in Karnataka Assembly polls In a statement on Saturday, Khade said the Election Commission team usually visits the states concerned after draft publication of the proposal. The Commission will again come after the publication of the draft proposal in newspapers. Thus stakeholders will be getting two opportunities to interact with the Commission to make the delimitation process more inclusive, participatory and transparent, he added. The CEO said stakeholders/ public will be able to send their suggestions/ inputs by April 5 at the email knbhar@eci.gov.in and brajesh@eci.gov.in, for those who could not come to meet the Commission. An official said the Election Commission team will meet the CEO and other officials on Sunday evening. They are scheduled to address a press conference on Tuesday, the official said. The process for delimitation started on January 1, 2023, using the 2001 census figures, according to a notification issued by the Election Commission on December 27 last year. The preliminary work to start the exercise has begun and the final job will commence after the CECs visit, a senior official at the Office of the CEO had told PTI earlier. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said in the state Assembly earlier this month that the re-drawing of constituencies was stalled as the then-Congress government had written to the delimitation commission that law and order situation was not conducive for the exercise. When we were asked if it can be done now, we said the situation has improved now, he added. On December 31, 2022, the Assam Cabinet decided to merge four districts with the ones from which they were carved out and made separate districts. Biswanath was merged with Sonitpur, Hojai with Nagaon, Tamulpur with Baksa and Bajali with Barpeta. The decisions to merge the districts were taken just a day before the Election Commissions ban on creating new administrative units in Assam from January 1, 2023, as the poll panel would undertake the delimitation exercise in the state, came into force. The administrative jurisdiction of some villages and a few towns were also changed at the state Cabinet meeting, held in New Delhi. In March this year, the Gauhati High Court issued two notices to the Assam government asking it to explain within four weeks why it had dissolved Hojai and Biswanath districts. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee can do no wrong as she is like a god, West Bengal minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said on Sunday, asserting that even priests sometimes turn out to be thieves, but not gods. Chattopadhyay's comments, which triggered a controversy, came as the TMC battles allegations of irregularities in school recruitments with several of its top-rung leaders, including former education minister Partha Chatterjee, arrested. "Mamata Banerjee is like a god who we worship. Even the priests worshipping the god can at times be a thief but not the god, the idol he worships," he said, addressing a public meeting at Khardah in North 24 Parganas district. Also Read | The unrealistic Ram-Baam-Shyam alliance is Trinamools worry in Bengal "Even I can be a thief, but not Mamata Banerjee," he added. Chattopadhyay, the agriculture minister, alleged that several irregularities happened in educational institutes during the CPI(M)'s rule but those were never investigated. A person was appointed registrar of a university during the Left Front government, even though he did not have 50 per cent marks in graduation and post-graduation, he alleged, claiming that undeserving candidates were also appointed professors in various state-run varsities. But these things were overlooked, the minister said. CPI(M) MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said the court has already dismissed the allegations being made by Chattopadhyay. "Now, people will punish them for their sins. They have lost ground among the people, so they are making such statements," he told PTI. Reacting to Chattopadhyay's comment about the chief minister, the BJP said that TMC leaders were making such statements in desperation. "TMC will bite the dust in both panchayat and Lok Sabha elections if the polling is free and fair," BJP leader Rahul Sinha said. The NIA arrest of Kulwinder Singh Khanpuria in November 2022 helped investigators trace the alleged efforts to revive the Khalistani network and Punjab's militancy. Khanpuria is associated with the banned Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and was arrested attempting to enter India from Thailand. He was living in Pakistan and a red corner notice (RCN) was out against him. Khanpuria is a close aide of Harwinder Singh Sandhu or Rinda, and the two were allegedly part of the May 2022 RPG attack on the Mohali police station. The network of pro-Khalistani militant groups has been active for the last three years in Punjab with the emergence of the 30-year-old radical preacher and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh. Read | Amritpal Singh: The preacher who stirred up trouble Now, Singh has been declared a fugitive and is on the run from the law for the past week. Neither central agencies nor the state police has been able to capture him but he was last seen in CCTV footage in Patiala. As Singh continues to give authorities the slip, Punjab and Haryana High Court has recently chided the state police for their 'intelligence failure' and inability to apprehend the radical preacher despite 80,000 personnel in the state. How Amritpal Singh rose Amritpal was living in Dubai and working as a truck driver before he came to India in 2021 for the first time during the farmer protests. He again came in 2022 when Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu or Sidhu Moosewala died. The 30-year-old started Amrit Sanchar to keep the youth away from drugs but police claim that under the garb of de-addiction, Amritpal began the Khalsa Veer campaign to strengthen his organization by visiting villages. However, he really started making waves when Amritpal's supporters stormed a police station in Ajnala on February 24 to secure the release of one Lovepreet Toofan - the preacher's associate. While Amritpal and his supporters alleged that Toofan was wrongly implicated in the case, the cops felt they could not take action against Toofan and the mob because Amritpal had deliberately put the Bir of Guru Grant Sahib in a minibus during the incident, preventing police action. There was a crackdown against the WPD on March 18 due to this incident and it was claimed that Singh might be part of anti-national activities. However, a large number of Sikhs did not hold the same opinion, suspecting that Amritpal might already be in police custody. Subsequently, the police released videos and the route of Singh's escape which has been tracked to Haryana. "Bhai Amritpal was only trying to wean away youths from drugs. He was protesting against wrongful arrest at Ajnala. There is tacit support for him across Punjab among youths and those outside Punjab (diaspora)," a resident of Jalandhar told The Economic Times. After the police arrested 200 suspects, the Opposition launched an attack on the Punjab government and police force saying innocent youth were being targeted. Later, authorities clarified that only 30 people had been charged with criminal cases. The others were under preventive detention. Khalistan 2.0 As per the NIA, Kulwinder Singh's arrest shone a light on the role of Rinda, who is originally from Tarn Taran but migrated to Maharashtra's Nanded after committing crimes in Punjab. He later crossed the Nepal border and received shelter in Pakistan because of his proximity to BKI head Wadhawa Singh Babbar. The NIA further uncovered that the Mohali attack was planned in Pakistan but Rinda communicated with gangsters in Canada, not Punjab, so the Pakistani handlers would have deniability in the matter. The Punjab Police investigation unearthed the involvement of Nishan Singh, a Tarn Taran resident, whose foreign handler is Lakhbir Singh Landa, a history-sheeter who currently resides in Canada. Landa arranged for the safe house, arms and ammunition for the Mohali attack, as per the police. Before Khanpuria's arrest, the Delhi Police Special Cell managed to capture four sharpshooters of the group in September-October 2022. Among them, Harmender Singh and Sukhdev revealed that they had coordinated drone droppings of arms and ammunition, the police said. According to authorities the supply chain of arms run by Rinda was meant to ensure the Lawrence Bishnoi gang received what they needed, alongside the Davinder Bambiha syndicate and criminals working independently. When the case was later transferred to the NIA, the agency charge-sheeted Bishnoi, Goldy Brar, and 12 others on Friday. As per the NIA, the total number of suspects in this terrorist-gangster nexus is 26. The NIA further said in the chargesheet that it had found another module of narco-terrorists where an individual Dharminder Singh was discovered to have links with Harmeet Singh, the head of the Pakistan-based group, the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), and Jasmeet Singh Hakimzada, a Dubai based drug smuggler. They were apparently running drug trafficking in Punjab. The Taliban-Pakistan network along with Khalistani groups in the UK, US, Canada, Germany, and Australia are increasingly using drug trade to improve support for the Khalistani cause, the NIA said. The trouble with the Punjab Police Punjab police were at the front of battling pro-Khalistani militancy in the 1980s and in the first half of the 1990s. After 2015, there were a series of sacrilegious incidents. Police opened fire in one such circumstance, which led to the death of two Sikh protestors. A probe against the policemen was initiated. Last month, the Punjab Police SIT filed a chargesheet in the FIRs registered in 2015 and 2018 in the firing case at Kotkapura and named then Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal, along with then state police head Sumedh Singh Saini as among the seven key accused. A few police officers were named as well including the Ludhiana commissioner, the deputy inspector general, and the then-Faridkot senior superintendent of police. The inaction against Ajnala protestors might be because senior cops don't want to face action once the regime changes. Punjab police were also on the wrong side during PM Narendra Modi's security lapse amid political uncertainty there. Recently, top Punjab police officials faced major penalties including demotion, reduction in pension, and even dismissal. Many were asked to explain why disciplinary proceedings should not be taken against them as the SC committee recommended after probing the security breach during Modi's Punjab visit on January 5, 2022. While the crackdown on Amritpal may have lifted the morale of the police force, his arrest could give it a significant boost, people aware of the matter told ET. Countering the BJP's claim that Rahul Gandhi insulted OBCs, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying a person who called people dogs is now talking about OBCs. He asked why the ruling BJP felt hurt when those who fled the country with public money were criticised. He emphasised that Congress will give a befitting reply if anyone attempts to crush them for raising the voice for democracy. Addressing the day-long 'Samvidhan Bachao, Loktantra Bachao Sankalp Satyagraha' at Rajghat, Kharge recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "puppy" remarks about Gujarat riot victims in 2013, saying a person who called people "dogs" was talking about OBCs and why he is worried when Rahul and Congress talk about those who fled with public money. Also Read | Martyr PM's son who walked for national unity can never insult country: Cong's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra In Ahmedabad when thousands of people were killed, a journalist asked him if he was sad that so many people had died. He said he was not the driver, but while sitting in the passenger seat, if the car accidentally killed a dog, one would feel sad. He called people dogs. And such a person is now talking about OBCs, he said. "Is Nirav Modi OBC? Is Mehul Choksi OBC? Is Lalit Modi OBC? They have looted the countrys money and fled. If we talk about fugitives, why does it hurt? You (BJP) punish the person who works to save the country and send those abroad who loot the country, he said. Expressing solidarity with Rahul who has been convicted in a defamation case and subsequently disqualified from Lok Sabha, he said the BJP wants to silence Rahul and they think that if Rahul is silenced, then they can "automatically" silence the Congress. "They are wrong," he said. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi thanks Opposition parties for support, appeals to them to work together "They are scared that Rahul will raise the Adani issue in Parliament. So many speeches were given by Modi when he said terrible things about the Gandhi family. He ought to have been punished in defamation cases but people are liberal. They said if one person says such things, ignore it," he said. He said the Congress workers are ready for any sacrifice that is needed to save the Constitution, democracy and freedom of speech. He said, "if someone tries to crush us with arrogance, we will give a befitting reply." Defending Rahul in the defamation case, Kharge said the Congress leader's remark was made during a poll campaign and was not aimed at hurting anyone. But they filed a case in Surat for what was said in Karnataka's Kolar. "If you had the guts you should have filed that case in Karnataka," he said. Kharge also thanked other Opposition parties for expressing solidarity with Rahul following his conviction and disqualification. Opposition MPs will intensify their protest on Adani issue and disqualification of Rahul Gandhi when Parliament reconvenes on Monday with Congress lawmakers planning to wear black clothes to the House and hold demonstrations. This will be the first sitting of Lok Sabha after Rahul was disqualified as MP on Friday following his conviction in a defamation case. Opposition leaders are likely to meet at Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge's office on Monday morning to finetune the floor strategy. Almost all Opposition parties have come out in support of Rahul after his disqualification from Lok Sabha. Kharge, Rahul and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have thanked all the parties for their support. Also Read | Led by Cong, 11 Opposition parties in Assam stage 'sankalp satyagraha' against Rahul's disqualification from LS Congress MPs will be vociferous in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Sources said leadership have instructed the MPs to come to Parliament wearing black clothes as part of the protest. We are planning that all our MPs come dressed in black tomorrow i.e. March 27, 2023. I request you to kindly do so that a powerful collective message is sent, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said in a message to MPs in the Lower House. A similar message was sent to Rajya Sabha MPs also. With some MPs under the scanner for skipping Friday's protest march, sources said the lawmakers have been specifically asked to be present or face action. Though the Opposition has made clear its intention, the government is going ahead with its business by listing passage of The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2022 in Lok Sabha on Monday. On Friday, it said in Lok Sabha that it intends to pass five bills in the rest of the Session, which is scheduled to end on April 6. There is speculation that the session may be adjourned before schedule but there is no official communication. Besides the Bill listed for Monday, the government has said it wants to pass The Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022, The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill 2022, The Inter-services Organisations (Command, Control & Discipline) Bill 2023 and The Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022. In Rajya Sabha, the list of business include mainly Budget related issues. Three people travelling on a motorcycle were killed when a speeding truck rammed into the rear of their vehicle and dragged it for almost 2 kilometers in this district, police said on Sunday. Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) Manoj Mishra said the accident took place near Pachauni tri-section in Cheera village around 11 pm on Saturday, when the speeding truck coming from Jhansi side hit the motorcycle from behind. Also Read | Woman CEO on morning walk killed by SUV in freak accident in Mumbai Mishra said the bodies of two youths were found near Cheera village, while the body of the third youth got entangled with the truck and was dragged for almost two kilometres. The body was recovered near Darjanpur turn. The deceased have been identified as Awadhesh (25) and Bablu (21), both residents of Lalitpur, and Purshottam (25), a resident of Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh. Also Read | Toddler among 3 killed as truck hits scooter in UP, drags it for 500 metres Police said the bodies have been handed over to their family members after autopsy. Efforts are on to trace the truck and its driver, police said. Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. TEDxStormont returned to Parliament Buildings yesterday (Saturday, 25 March) for its 10th anniversary event. Speaking on the theme of YES, a superb line up of speakers including Northern-Irish-Ghanian music artist Winnie Ama, Sky News Ireland Correspondent David Blevins, Senator Emer Currie, and Derry journalist and author Leona ONeill, took to the stage to share their ideas on hope, peace, stability, and possibility for Northern Ireland and beyond. The day long event, supported by Herbert Smith Freehills, Smarts Agency, Allstate NI and compered by former BBC editor and commentator Mark Devenport, saw 200 guests fill the Great Hall at Parliament Buildings. As TEDxStormont celebrated its 10th anniversary and Northern Ireland gears up to celebrate 25 years of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, speakers stood on the iconic red dot to share their ideas on a multitude of topics ranging from homelessness and leadership to life after death, and the power of music. Beginning as a four-day conference in California, TED and the TEDx programme has grown to support world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives like TEDxStormont, which since 2013 has organised over 20 events and meet-ups, including TEDxStormont, TEDxStormont Women, Salons, City 2.0, TED Global viewing parties, TED Circles, Countdown, and a week-long virtual Summer Camp. Across the span of a decade, TEDxStormont has hosted some of the most acclaimed speakers including Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, Lyra McKee, Ana Matronic of the Scissor Sisters, and astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell. The event gathered individuals from an array of background such as academia, journalism, music, business, and sport. Six months ago I couldnt talk about the murder of Lyra McKee or what happened afterwards in my life without crying. I couldnt talk about having PTSD or about the impact of the nightmare that was thrust upon me had on myself and my family. It was too much, too painful 1/ pic.twitter.com/UC912VY6XZ Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) March 25, 2023 Lisa McLaughlin, Managing Partner of Herbert Smith Freehills Belfast Office said: It has been a privilege to once again support TEDxStormont, especially in what is a milestone year for the series. Original ideas and inspiring individuals are the twin pillars of progress, so it has been brilliant to help give a platform to those who can develop the foundations on which our collective futures are built. We are thrilled to have been able to support efforts to ensure their vision of change becomes a reality. Eva Grosman, Curator of TEDxStormont 2023 concluded: It has been fantastic to be joined by some of the most inspiring and respected individuals from various fields at this years TEDxStormont. Taking place in the historic backdrop of the Great Hall at Stormont, it has been moving and encouraging to listen to our fantastic speakers as they have helped us imagine how ideas, solutions and fresh opportunities for change and progress are always within reach. Redmi A2 and Redmi A2+ are the new budget smartphones from Xiaomi that have been launched in Europe. Besides one difference, both phones are identical. So, covering the 5 key Redmi A2 features should tell you about both phones. Redmi A2 specs and features 1. Redmi A2 series features a 6.52-inch IPS LCD display with HD+ resolution and 400 nits of peak brightness. Both phones have a waterdrop notch up front. 2. Inside the notch lies a 5MP selfie snapper. On the back, there is an 8MP primary camera and a 0.08MP depth sensor. You get to shoot FHD videos at 30fps from both sides. 3. The software offered is MIUI based on the Android 12 Go edition. 4. The internal setup consists of a MediaTek Helio G36 processor coupled with up to 3GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 32GB eMMC 5.1 storage. Both phones have a 5000mAh battery with 10W charging support. 5. Other goodies in the bag includes WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, a micro USB 2.0 port, and a 3.5mm jack. Redmi A2+ also comes with a fingerprint sensor at the back. Both Redmi phones ship in black, blue and green colours. They are currently announced in European market but theres no word on its Indian launch. As soon as we have it, we shall intimate you. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. Last Tuesday, 39 adult learners from Louth & Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) convened at a regional meeting of the National Further Education and Training (FET) Learner Forum. Learners met to share their experiences in Further Education and Training and provided advice on how to improve services and the learning journey of others. The event took place at the City North Hotel Gormanston, Co. Meath, and involved learners from a variety of FET courses offered by LMETB. One learner described their return to further education as being a very positive experience overall. Our course coordinator takes a very proactive role, and we always get extra support when we need it. The National FET Learner Forum is a collaborative effort between AONTAS, the National Adult Learning Organisation; SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority; and Education and Training Boards. This meeting was one of a series of regional meetings that will take place across the country this year. Last year, over 3500 learners shared their experience of learning through the Forum. Ireland continues to be a European leader in capturing the learner voice through regional and national Forums. As a learner-centred form of provision, SOLAS continues to make Further Education and Training responsive to learner needs. The Forum acts as a way for learners to directly influence FET provision. Their suggestions for improvement will result in a clear outline of recommendations which AONTAS will share directly with policy makers and Education and Training Boards. Speaking about today's Forum, Dearbhail Lawless, CEO of AONTAS, said: The Forum provides FET learners from Louth & Meath ETB with the opportunity to help shape further education at local, regional and national level for themselves and other learners. "AONTAS believes that learners are experts of their own learning, and that they can identify what is working and what improvements are needed to ensure learner success, progression and fulfilment. "We look forward to using the recommendations shared by learners from the Forum in supporting SOLAS and ETBs in creating a world-class FET system that is learner-centred. Sinead Fearon, FET Professional Learning & Develo pment and Communications Officer from Louth & Meath ETB said of the event: We were delighted to have this opportunity to meet with so many learners from across our FET Service, to capture their views and opinions of their learning journey with us. "We will be analysing the contributions from their lively discussions in the coming weeks to help shape future learning opportunities within our provision. LMETB takes a learner-centred approach to the delivery of its provision and this regional AONTAS Forum allows us to place the learner at its centre by seeking and incorporating their experience and views into our future planning. "This Learner Voice event is essential to the development of policy and planning and for improving the quality of the services at LMETB. Anyone thinking of going back to education, can find further information on www.aontas.com or can call the AONTAS One Step Up helpline on 1800 303 669. You can also check out the range of programmes available in Louth & Meath Education and Training Board at https://www.lmetb. ie/further-education-training/ find-a-course/. Carnegie Hall is without doubt one of the most prestigious music venues in the world. Every great performer, conductor, orchestra, regards playing Carnegie Hall as the pinnacle of their career. Though many great musicians dedicate their lives to music, very few are privileged enough to tread the boards of the worlds most iconic stage. On St. Patrick's Day the renowned Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland took to this glorious stage as they celebrated their work and achievements in promoting peace, unity and tolerance in Ireland since their foundation in 1995. Significantly, this celebration concert also mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Based in Dundalk, the CBOI is now composed of over 130 exceptionally talented young musicians, aged from 14 to 24, from all over Ireland and Northern Ireland. CBOI is a registered charity and provides free instrumental tuition and outstanding performance opportunities for hundreds of children and young people. CBOI recently won a National Rural Impact Award for their work. The CBOI is best known in Ireland for their nationwide Peace Proms programme which is a free resource and choral education initiative for primary schools. 35,000 primary school children from almost 700 schools in Ireland and Northern Ireland form their Childrens Peace Choirs and perform with the orchestra at concerts held across the island. The CBOI has had the honour of performing for President Michael D. Higgins and former Presidents of Ireland and has often represented the Government of Ireland for national and international celebrations including the launch of the Ireland 1916 Commemorations in Dublin; the 400th anniversary of the Flights of the Earls in Rome; and the World Trade Expo in Shanghai where they won the award for Most Outstanding International Performance. CBOI ensembles have performed for King Charles III during his visit to Ireland in 2017; President Obama at the White House in 2016, President Biden in Carlingford in 2016, and for Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in 2014. The performance at Carnegie Hall showcased some of the most talented young musicians on our island, while collaborating with talented artists in New York. Under the direction of internationally acclaimed conductor Maestro Greg Beardsell, the Orchestra was joined by all-Ireland champion Uilleann Piper Conal Duffy; award-winning vocalist and song writer Lauren Murphy; world champion Highland Piper Grahame Harris and the Pipe Corps from Xavarian High School, Brooklyn; Ulster Scots dancers from the Michelle Johnston School of Highland Dance in Belfast; Irish dancers from Rockland county, New York, and multi-award winning 100-strong Fairfield County Childrens Choir from Connecticut. Whilst in New York the CBOI had a full programme of events, performing a Flashmob at Grand Central Station, and performing on top of New Yorks famous cultural landmark the Rockefeller Centre. The CBOI performs a unique blend of symphonic Celtic music rooted in the Irish and Ulster Scots traditions and specifically arranged for CBOI. Instruments from the Irish tradition including Uilleann Pipes, Harp, Fiddle and Bodhran as well as those from the Ulster Scots tradition including Bagpipes and drums are interwoven with the full symphony orchestra creating a multi-layered musical tapestry which reflects the complex history and rich cultural heritage of Ireland. Their core message of universal peace is always central to their music while also highlighting the outstanding artistic and creative capacity among the young people of Ireland. Thousands of motorists are believed to have been offered free NCT tests since the start of the year, because of delays caused by a massive backlog. The test normally costs 55. However, under a customer charter, drivers qualify for a free test if they are not offered an appointment within 28 days of seeking a test. This rule is subject to a number of conditions, including that the vehicle owner did not fail to attend an appointment. In February it emerged that there are now 375,000 vehicles on Irish roads without a valid NCT certificate. One reason for this is that 3,500 people per week are not turning up for appointments to have their car tested. Many NCT centres around the country do not have appointments available for the next 5 months. Representatives from the car testing company told an Oireachtas Transport Committee in February that there are 375,000 vehicles overdue their NCT, which they said is more than double the normal amount for the early months of the year. The issue of Staffing Levels at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda was raised by Louth TD Imelda Munster during Dail statements on hospital staffing on Thursday. Addressing Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, she stated that it had been five years since the final report of the task force on safe staffing and skill mix in Nursing and we have seen nothing of any improvement whatsoever. In fact, many would argue that the situation is a great deal worse. The Sinn Fein deputy described what she said was a scene of total chaos in December outside Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda hospital as 11 ambulances queued because there were no trolleys and no beds to take patients into the hospital. She continued: In December, I also stood with staff and protested with them as they highlighted what they described as a third world service caused by lack of resources and capacity in the hospital and I listened to their pleading for more resources. At that time staff told me that there were 60 health and social care professionals vacancy deficits as it is, never mind bringing Our Lady's Hospital in Navan on board. There are 15 to 20 current deficits in clerical and approximately seven in emergency departments alone. There are times where there are only two staff members to cover the night shift. The staff told me that they cannot go on breaks, go for food and, at times, they cannot even get to the bathroom. That is the stage at which they described the service they are providing as a Third World service. Deputy Munster said that staff are "so stressed and overworked that, if things do not change, it could end in industrial action." They are the last people who want to see that. Such are the stress levels, the staff shortages and the shortages of resources that they may have no choice, she said. She concluded: When those staff talk to their college friends or former work colleagues who emigrated overseas and hear of the much better conditions there, who can blame some of them for packing it in and leaving? In response to statements made by TDs, Minister of State at the Department of Health Hildegarde Naughton said that: Legislation is sometimes cited as a solution to the problem of staffing shortages, but very few countries have implemented this as a solution. Of those that have passed legislation, some are struggling to implement it. Two of the main aims of introducing legislation for nurse staffing levels would be to promote patient safety and improve working conditions for nursing staff. The Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix in General and Specialist Medical and Surgical Care Settings in Ireland incorporates these principles and goes beyond them to include improving quality of care. Internationally, there is limited evidence available which would justify the need to introduce legislation for safe staffing, whether as an effective solution to addressing recruitment and retention of nurses or otherwise. Recent evidence from the UK relating to tools and systems to determine nurse staffing requirements shows that there are no superior patient classification systems. Instead, the use of measurement tools that are endorsed by the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, NICE, was recommended. The patient acuity system, which has been used in Ireland for many years, is in line with this NICE recommendation. From the evidence we have, safe staffing policies, such as those used in Ireland, result in more registered nurses at the bedside and these policies have a clear and positive impact on patient and nursing staff outcomes. She continued: The Government continues to invest in order to reduce the amount of time people are waiting for important hospital appointments and procedures. In 2022, some 350 million was allocated to the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund to primarily provide additional public and private activity to further stabilise and reduce scheduled care waiting lists and waiting times in tandem with bringing forward much-needed longer-term reforms. For 2023, this investment has increased to 363 million. Some 123 million funding was allocated to the HSE in budget 2023. This will be made available on a recurring basis to ensure the reforms deliver sustained reductions in waiting lists and ensure we achieve the strategic Slaintecare maximum wait time targets. She concluded: The Government has invested record sums in our health service. This has been used to boost permanent capacity, which is key to helping us tackle our waiting lists. Our workforce has grown by over 18,000 - doctors, nurses, midwives and therapists - since the beginning of 2020. TEACHERS from a Cork secondary school modeled clothes from local boutiques during a recent fashion event held in a PE Hall in Midleton. The fashion show which was held to raise funds for the ASD classes and the pastoral care needs of Midleton CBS Secondary School proved a huge success with a huge crowd in attendance. A member of the fashion show committee told The Echo the fundraising event was fantastic. It was absolutely fantastic. There was a crowd of around 300 people in the PE Hall. The PE Hall was all done up by Joan from Enchanting Event Specialist who decorated the hall. "It looked great on the night. The brilliant Brendan Courtney acted as the MC for the night. He was hilarious and on fire. He was witty and very charming, she said. The committee member said the teachers were reluctant initially to take to the catwalk as models, but said they were naturals. The teachers were doing the modeling on the night. They were the willing victims or volunteers whatever way you wanted to look at it on the night. "They left their teaching clothes behind them for one night and they took to the catwalk. They were reluctant initially but I think their inner diva came out on the night. They were naturals. The clothes they modeled were all from local shops in Midleton, said the committee member. It really showcased the best of what Midleton had to offer. We have some beautiful local businesses in the town and locality. We received so much great support from all the local businesses who all gave us a hand or a spot prize. They were great to work with. They really got behind the town and the school. The parents also got behind it in their droves. The members of the Parents Committee came in and helped. Everyone from the school got involved from the SNAs to the secretaries, to the teachers and the caretaker. There was a lot of work done behind the scenes. "There was a committee of people working on the project over the last few weeks. Every area of the school got involved, she added. The successful fashion show ensured that they raised more than what they had expected said the committee member. The funds raised will go towards the ASD classes and the pastoral care needs of the school. We all need to have that kitty or budget there to dip into when it is needed. We raised more money than we expected. We received donations from people who had no connection with the school and from people who didnt even come to the show. The generosity of the Midleton people blew us away. A Cork housing tenants union has condemned this weeks vote ending the eviction ban, saying it will cause the greatest number of evictions since the Famine. Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) Cork branch is planning to take part in a national protest in Dublin at the Spire in OConnell Street at 2pm on March 31. A similar protest will take place in Cork at a location yet to be announced, for those who cannot travel to Dublin. CATU was established in 2019 and has about 2000 members in local branches throughout Ireland. CATUs protest also forms part of Housing Action Day 2023, a Europe wide mobilisation coordinated by a group called the European Action Coalition (EAC) for the Right to Housing and to the City. Cork spokesperson Brian OKane described the vote ending the eviction ban as disgraceful. There has been talk that it will cause the greatest amount of evictions since the Famine times, he said. The Government has not been looking after the poorest people, and we as activists on the frontline are going to see the greatest bulk of evictions. Were going to see people moving into homelessness who are at risk. Its horrific, and the Government should be ashamed of themselves. Mr OKane said the Cork protest will see CATU line up with its allies, anti-dereliction campaigners Anois, and the Students Union movement, calling for action. Hopefully well get a few up to Dublin, but Cork will be very well represented in this protest, he said. We are seeing more people confused as to whether they could be all of a sudden evicted, said Mr OKane. Thats the general experience. People are coming to CATU constantly these past months, fearful that they are going to lose their homes, and they dont know where they are going to put their children, access schools, or go to hospitals. People are afraid, its a widespread fear in Cork city specifically. Even where people are financially stable, if they are evicted, they often have nowhere to go and live, given the scarcity of available suitable accommodation, said Mr OKane. CATU is a not a specialist agency which can estimate the numbers of people who are at risk of homelessness, but the feeling on the streets of Cork is that more people are anxious about their tenancies, and their security of tenure, he added. CORK politician and Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune, has been appointed as a lead negotiator on the EU law proposals required under the Windsor Framework As a member of the Parliament's Environment, Public Health & Food Safety Committee, the Cork MEP will represent the EPP Group in drafting the new legislation required to implement the new EU-UK deal. The Fine Gael MEP who represents the EPP Group, the largest political group in the European Parliament, said the Windsor Framework is a significant achievement. The Windsor Framework is a very significant achievement. The outcome avoids a hard border on the island of Ireland while minimising checks and controls on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, she said. "The Windsor Framework will also ensure the continuous supply of medicines to patients in Northern Ireland, said Ms Clune. The new arrangements simplify the EUs Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) controls while including safeguards to protect against animal and plant disease entering the EU via Northern Ireland. "Based on an expanded trusted trader scheme, physical checks on SPS goods will be reduced to 5%." "Following the implementation of this agreement and will be carried out on a risk-based and intelligence-led approach to minimise disruption. "The EU has been both pragmatic and flexible when it comes to guaranteeing patient safety, amending its own legislation to ensure the uninterrupted supply of novel and generic medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. "The agreement deals with the real-life concerns of all communities in Northern Ireland, striking the right balance between flexibilities and effective safeguards for the protection of the EU Single Market, she added. Both Fianna Fail and the Greens have seen their support slip during the eviction ban political tussle, while the Social Democrats have been lifted by their new leader Holly Cairns, the latest Business Post/Red C poll suggests. As the Irish Examiner reports, only Fine Gael from the three Government parties seems to have escaped any political fallout from the eviction ban row which has consumed Irish politics in recent days, with its support actually rising slightly since the last poll. Sinn Fein remains far out in front compared to the other parties, maintaining its 31 per cent of first preference voting intention among the more than 1,000 adults sampled online at random between St Patrick's Day and Wednesday, March 22. Fine Gael rose by one point to 22 per cent, while Fianna Fail has seen their two-point gain from the last poll slip away, leaving them currently at 15 per cent. The Green Party has seen its support drop one point to 3 per cent, but the Social Democrats, buoyed by the coronation of West Cork TD Holly Cairns in recent weeks, has risen to 6 per cent, or two points up from the last poll. Ivana Bacik's Labour Party, which had its annual conference this weekend in Cork, remains at 4 per cent, while PBP-Solidarity and Aontu also remain the same at 3 per cent and 2 per cent respectively. Support for independents is down a point since the previous poll, at 12 pr cent currently. By Cillian Sherlock, PA Dublin Airport advised passengers about disruption on routes to the airport as gardai responded to a protest on a key roadway. Officials said traffic was heavy on nearby roads on Sunday afternoon, due to an anti-refugee protest close to the Airport Roundabout. Gardai responded to the disruption and some traffic diversions were in place. No arrests were made. Passengers travelling to the airport this afternoon are advised to allow additional time, Dublin Airport had advised. Protesters have now moved on, and traffic flows are returning to normal in the vicinity of the airport, it said later. 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. Common sea dragon numbers fell by more than 50 percent in Australia in the last decade. Richard Ling / CC BY-SA 3.0 More than 50 percent of the species that live in Australias shallow reefs declined in numbers as ocean waters warmed over the past decade. Thats the alarming finding from the countrys largest survey yet of marine life, which found that the numbers of more than 500 species had fallen. This is very concerning to me, study lead author and University of Tasmania marine ecology Professor Graham Edgar told The Guardian. Ive been swimming up and down counting fish and seaweed for more than 30 years and Ive seen first-hand the effect of warming on the system. With the direction this is going, its a huge worry. In the largest assessment of marine species population trends to date, RLS cofounder Graham Edgar and a team of fellow researchers draw attention to alarming species declines on Australia's Great Southern Reef Read the paper https://t.co/KsP4pUQR4K @AntoniaCooper pic.twitter.com/qMOWN6RFij Reef Life Survey (@ReefLifeSurvey) March 23, 2023 The research, published in Nature Wednesday, looked at the numbers of 1,057 common species found in 1,636 different locations. It found that 57 percent of them were in decline, with 43 percent increasing, Edgar noted on Twitter. Of the species in decline, around 28 percent of them had seen their numbers fall by 30 percent or more, according to The Guardian. That would be enough for them to qualify for threatened status on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, Australias ABC News reported. Within that number, 138 species would qualify as endangered or critically endangered. Supported by 150 volunteer @ReefLifeSurvey divers, AIMS and park managers, our Australia-wide reef life census showed: # most (57%) of 1037 species were declining; 43% increasing # cool water species are disappearing, many now below detectable limitshttps://t.co/JMvlYN3OIB pic.twitter.com/GANUCywY7C Graham Edgar (@gedgar33) March 23, 2023 There is evidence that the climate crisis is a main driver of these declines, as cool-water species were the most harmed while some warm-water species increased. The study authors noted that population numbers tended to fall after marine heat waves, and that more than 30 percent of shallow invertebrates living in Australias cooler southern waters faced the threat of extinction. These animals were especially imperiled because deep ocean barriers prevent them from moving further south to cooler waters, and their loss would be an especial blow to global biodiversity. These cold water species around Tasmania, southern Australia, 70 per cent of these species occur only in Australia, compared to 3 per cent of tropical species, Dr. Asta Audzijonyte from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania, who was not involved with the study, told ABC News. So if a species goes extinct [in the south], thats it. Its gone from Earth. On his Twitter feed Edgar shared striking images of some of the dwindling species. These included the common sea dragon, whose numbers had declined by more than half in 10 years, and an electric ray called the coffin ray whose numbers had plummeted by more than 90 percent. The coffin ray, an electric ray and the only species in the family. Down over 90%. pic.twitter.com/xtrEWAHYIL Graham Edgar (@gedgar33) March 23, 2023 Another animal that suffered after a 2011 heat wave was the living fossil Campanile symbolicum, the only species in its family. On the flora side, endemic Tasmanian kelp saw its numbers decline by 69 percent. The Tasmanian kelp, one of only three true kelp species in Australia. An endemic habitat type with many associated species. 69% decline. pic.twitter.com/5P1jYnRKal Graham Edgar (@gedgar33) March 23, 2023 The study was conducted with the help of more than 100 citizen scientists through the Reef Life Survey project, according to ABC News. While this provided an impressive level of detail, the study still only included species spotted at least 60 times, which means rare species could be falling through the cracks. Were really only looking at the tip of the iceberg here. Species could be going extinct now, Edgar told The Guardian. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. The climate crisis could force more than one billion people from their homes by 2050, but how will they find a new one in a world of hardening borders? Conservative UK think tank Onward is proposing one solution: two new visas for people in climate-vulnerable nations to relocate legally to the country. We cannot allow climate-related migration to become the defining crisis of the 21st Century, Policy Fellow at Onward and co-author of the report Ted Christie-Miller said in a statement. The Government needs to act now to build climate resilience in the most vulnerable regions on the planet and open up safe and legal visa routes for those fleeing environmental disasters. This report sets out the already visible impacts of climate change on the developing world and argues the Government must begin preparing now pic.twitter.com/hHcln1S9LW Onward (@ukonward) March 24, 2023 The report, Forced to Move: Reducing the Impact of Climate Change on Migration, proposed two separate migration routes. An Environmental Resilience Visa Scheme: This would train people in vulnerable countries in skills needed for the transition away from fossil-fuel energy. At the end of their training, they would have a chance to either stay in their country, or come to the UK to work in the green sector. However, the number of visas would be fewer than the number of people receiving training, and would be geared towards sectors facing labor shortages that could not be filled quickly enough domestically. Visas could also be prioritised for those who suffer from sudden natural disasters and need to urgently rebuild their financial capital, the report authors wrote. A Natural Disaster Visa Scheme This would offer visas to people who are displaced by an extreme weather event like a flood or wildfire, or by a longer-term climate impact like sea level rise. Recipients could either settle in the UK temporarily while their country recovers or permanently if, for example, it is an island nation rendered unlivable by rising sea levels. The UK clearly does not have the capacity to help all who might be forcibly displaced by climate change over the course of the coming century, the report authors wrote. But, as mentioned throughout this report, the UK has demonstrated time and again that it is willing to play its part to help those most in need. The report has 3 recommendations: 1 Establish two new legal and controllable routes that can help boost adaptation, improve skills, and help those most in need. pic.twitter.com/34Zj6Cadog Onward (@ukonward) March 24, 2023 In addition, the report called for the UK government to take other steps to reduce climate migration by making vulnerable countries more resilient to climate impacts, including working with international development organizations and prioritizing food security, water security, preparation for environmental disasters, investment in green skills and managed retreat resettlement schemes in the UKs International Climate Finance. To reduce the potential financial and resource burden on the UK Border Force, it would be prudent to try to mitigate the environmental push factors that force or make it more likely for someone to decide to try to come to the UK, the report authors wrote. This means making the regions vulnerable to displacement more liveable and helping them to adapt climate change, and cope with environmental pressures in general. The report comes as the UKs Conservative government is under fire for introducing a strict bill to limit immigration to the country as more and more people are risking entering the UK by boat to escape war and poverty. The so-called Illegal Migration Bill would bar anyone who enters the UK without permission from remaining in the country to claim asylum, Time explained. Instead, they would be sent home or to a third country considered safe. They would also never be allowed to enter the UK again. Refugee advocates and legal experts have argued that it violates international law. The effect of the bill (in this form) would be to deny protection to many asylum-seekers in need of safety and protection, and even deny them the opportunity to put forward their case, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said in a statement. This would be a clear breach of the Refugee Convention and would undermine a longstanding, humanitarian tradition of which the British people are rightly proud. Onward co-founder Will Tanner is now the Deputy Chief of Staff to UK Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose government is backing the controversial bill. And the report authors said their vision did not conflict with the governments. The two controllable visa schemes would demonstrate firm global leadership, boost resilience abroad, and even help us to meet our own energy security and net zero targets. It is entirely in keeping with the recent Illegal Migration Bill and the refreshed Integrated Review, report co-author and senior researcher Alex Luke said in a statement. However, others have argued that the bill sets a troubling precedent in the context of the climate crisis, especially since Global North countries are disproportionately responsible for the chaotic weather that will disproportionately impact the Global South. The rulers of a declining, grotesquely unequal global north will claim legitimacy by promising to drive back the human tides, Owen Jones warned in The Guardian. We may see a form of eco-fascism: far-right parties may stop denying the climate emergency as it becomes too obvious to wish away, but claim the catastrophe underlines the need to keep the rest of the world out. The U.S. has similarly proposed making it more difficult for those crossing the nations southern border without permission to claim asylum if they passed through another country on their way to the U.S. There is already a relationship between the climate crisis, poverty and migration from Central Americas Dry Corridor. T he first mention of a watchmaker and trader bearing the name Beyer dates back to 1760, in southwest Germany. Some sixty years later, records show, 23-year-old Stephan Beyer crossed the border and took his expertise to Switzerland. The watchmaking family opened their first shop in Zurich in 1860 and very soon relocated to the prestigious Bahnhofstrasse, where their business still operates today. Over the years, the family firm has weathered many storms, from the Great Depression of the last century to the coronavirus crisis of this century. Beyer has established longstanding relationships with some of the worlds most renowned watch brands. Only three years after Patek Philippe was founded, in 1839, their collaboration began. Over the intervening 180 years, the two firms developed a very close relationship. In 1880, Adelrich Beyer did an internship at Patek Philippe, where he met his future wife. The current president of Patek Philippe, Thierry Stern, also interned at Beyer. In 2011, the retailer opened the first dealer-run Patek Philippe boutique in Switzerland. Beyer Chronometrie has been located on the world-famous Bahnhofstrasse in the heart of Zurich for over 160 years. Over the decades, Beyer has also forged unique links with watchmaking greats such as IWC (which it has represented since 1888, and for which it is the oldest retailer), Rolex (since 1932), as well as Breguet, Breitling, Tudor and Hublot, among many others. Watchmaking is based on emotion, trust and enduring values key elements of the relationship with collectors perhaps more today than ever before. Beyer has been a pioneer in developing an original and exclusive watch portfolio, contributing directly to the business development (and often also the product development) of the brands it has worked with over the decades and centuries. Rene Beyer, representing the eighth generation of the founding family. 1960s: The pioneer of pre-owned In the world of fine watchmaking, the line between new and old is often blurred. After all, these are timeless products, meant to be passed down through generations. This is perhaps why the second-hand market has been so successful in recent years. However, Beyer understood the value of vintage pieces well before most other retailers. The company was already buying and selling vintage watches back in the 1960s. Today, 60 years later, Beyer offers a curated selection of certified pre-owned or, as they prefer to call them, pre-loved watches. A 1972 Europa Star article on the close relationship between Beyer and Patek Philippe. But Beyers watch expertise extends far beyond just buying and selling timepieces. In fact, the company operates its own watchmaking workshop, and every member of the Beyer family since the companys inception has been a trained watchmaker. This means they have the ability to service a wide variety of timepieces. In fact, Beyer employees have a rather unique privilege: they are also responsible for looking after the collections of the Beyer Watch Museum, an extraordinary facility located in the basement of the shop. This museum, one of the most important private collections in the world, houses around 1,200 items illustrating the incredible history of horology, from 1400 BC to the present day. What next? Even after so many years in the watch business, Rene Beyer, who has run the family firm since 1996 as a representative of the eighth generation, is keen to stay open-minded and innovative. This willingness to adapt to new times and new realities, coupled with a deep-rooted watchmaking culture and a commitment to selecting only the best of the best in watchmaking, has allowed Beyer to maintain its longevity and earn the respect of the watchmaking world. The Continuum, an NFT creation by designer Simon Husslein, inspired by the way a silkworm spins its cocoon out of a single thread. Last year, Beyer once again demonstrated its innovative spirit with the unveiling of Time Warp a series of original watch creations in the form of NFTs, created in collaboration with FTSY 8 Fictional Studio. Nowhere else in the world are you likely to find Egyptian water clocks from 1400 BC and digital collectibles from the 21st century, all in one place! Indeed, Rene Beyer has always insisted on keeping everything under one roof to provide the best possible visitor experience, resisting numerous proposals to expand to different locations over the years. After all, where else could he move the ten hives that produce the establishments own honey? In Zurich, the Beyer name is synonymous with the best in watchmaking yesterday, today and tomorrow, as long as time exists. One place, one family, one philosophy. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION NYC braces for Trump indictment after he urges protests The New York City police department began erecting metal fencing in lower Manhattan on Monday as a potential criminal indictment for Donald Trump appeared imminent. Sunday, March 26, 2023 ChatGPT Expert Round Up.From ExpertClick.com\ # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Contact experts direct for news media interview From Mitchell Davis @ ExpertClick.cm Questions? (202) 333-5000 rings on my desk Download the 2023 Yearbook of Experts PDFat www.ExpertBook.com Buy the printed copy at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=yearbook+of+experts+2023 # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Charles J. Simon -- Artificial Intelligence Expert Charles J. Simon, BSEE, MSCS, nationally-recognized entrepreneur, author, software developer, and manager. His latest book: 'Will Computers Revolt? Preparing for the future of Artificial Intelligence' -- '...is a fascinating and informed look at the conjoined futures of humanity and artificial intelligence.' --Foreword Reviews. Mr. Simon has many years of computer experience in industry including pioneering work in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Aided Design. 425-765-8162 https://www.expertclick.com/expert/Artificial-Intelligence/Charles-J.-Simon-Artificial-Intelligence-Expert # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # AI Audio Revenue-Generating Tools This is Incredible for Content Entrepreneurs From: Terry Brock -- Achievement Systems For Immediate Release: Dateline: Orlando, FL Friday, March 24, 2023 Have you seen what is happening with AI audio? It is amazing! You can now put in the text and get back human-sounding voice-overs. This can be a difficult reality for voice-over artists, but for content creators who want to convert their text into spoken word content, it is powerful. Watch this video as I share some tools that are available and are being used for podcasts, YouTube channels, eBooks and more. Talk about Repurposing! This is amazing what can be done when you turn existing (or yet to be created) text content into human-sounding audio. You can use professional-quality human voices or even clone your own voice. Yep! This is amazing. Let us know what you think. Please leave a comment and let us know what you think about this trend. Thank you for watching. https://youtu.be/jwuWRLHGhu0 407-363-0505 # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Association of Professional Futurists< br> br> https://www.expertclick.com/NewsRelease/Members-APF-From-Association-of-Professional-Futurists,2023291342.aspx # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Are You an Interesting Person? Do You Want to Write an Important Book? Dan Janal Can Help Write Your Book. https://www.writeyourbookinaflash.com/ # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Multi-Published Author Uses AI to Create a Campaign for the AI Revolution with Video, Book, Articles, Songs, Documentary & More While AI has become the center of controversies about AI replacing artists and writers and claims as well as lawsuits about copyright infringement, millions of artists and writers have started using AI as another tool to increase their creativity and productivity. For example, writer, film producer, and ghostwriter Gini Graham Scott based in the Bay Area in California has used various AI platforms to create all kinds of writing and illustrations, including a half-dozen recently published children's picture books and books with unusual imagery for gifts, sports, and cars for adults. Additionally, she has used AI to develop ideas for a dozen songs four recently recorded and on YouTube, write articles, including one on Medium; turn text into voice-over narration; and create scripts for videos. Then, after using AI for her own books, she has shown clients what AI can do, and is now using AI to illustrate their kids' books and create videos and PR copy for them. https://www.expertclick.com/NewsRelease/MultiPublished-Author-Uses-AI-to-Create-a-Campaign-for-the-AI-Revolution-with-Video-Book-Articles-Songs-Documentary-More,2023291757.aspx # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Authors Can Benefit from BookTok says Book Publicist Scott Lorenz https://www.expertclick.com/NewsRelease/Authors-Can-Benefit-from-BookTok-says-Book-Publicist-Scott-Lorenz-Scott-Lorenz-T,2023292966.aspx Plymouth, MIEveryone has heard of TikTok since it debuted in 2016. Now the social media platform is available in over 150 countries and has over 1 billion users. People create and share short-form video content and slideshows, ranging anywhere from comedy to life advice to product reviews and much more. "BookTok is a community on TikTok where readers discuss their favorite books, series, and authors," says book publicist Scott Lorenz of Westwind Book Marketing. "Users can create reviews, share their favorite books, show off their book collections, and even promote their own creations. Authors can learn what their readers love, find new fans, and answer questions from both readers and fellow authors." Learn more about Westwind Communications' book marketing approach at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz's new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator: A Proven System in Naming Your Book. www.BookTitleGenerator.net # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ChatGPT Foretold in 'The Devil's Calling' by Michael Kelley< br> https://www.expertclick.com/NewsRelease/ChatGPT-Foretold-in-The-Devils-Calling,2023291836.aspx Sometimes an author is extremely prescient when it comes to predicting the future. That is the case with Michael Kelley in his latest book, The Devil's Calling. Kelly sets up a direct conflict between human and computer control in a manner which takes the reader into the minds of both sides; with all of the issues of life hashed out in a dramatic and slowly evolving showdown which keeps the reader focused, intrigued and on edge. A journey well worth taking but realize this: Kelley has picked 2027 because events during the real pandemic have accelerated the real conflict he describes in fiction. Medical mandates, advances in surveillance state techniques, big tech intrusion involving freedom of speech and thought, digital currencies and more picked up steam and morphed dramatically during the pandemic. Keeping in mind that central control and striving towards freedom are the age-old human dilemma, this is about forcing all of us to look in the mirror and decide if we should trade our freedom for a collective based on ideology and bureaucratic technological power; should we sacrifice our divine soul, beliefs and cognitive decision-making ability to prevent societal or community ostracism; should we allow governmental and corporate digital intrusion to guide what we consume, do, say and write? Michael Kelley wants every single person to remember that each second 'The Devil's Calling.' For interviews contact Scott Lorenz at Westwind Communications' book marketing approach at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence https://aaai.org/ # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ChatGPT say: Here are five prominent associations in the artificial intelligence industry: Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL) Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) Website: International Neural Network Society (INNS)Website: https://www.inns.org/ European Association for Artificial Intelligence (EurAI) Website: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computational Intelligence SocietyWebsite: https://cis.ieee.org/ # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ChatGPT says: Many prominent educators have contributed significantly to the artificial intelligence community. Here's a list of some well-known AI educators, in no particular order: Andrew Ng Geoffrey Hinton Twitter: @geoffreyhinton Twitter: @ylecun Yann LeCun Twitter: @ylecun Fei-Fei Li Twitter: @drfeifei Sebastian Thrun Twitter: @SebastianThrun Daphne Koller Richard Sutton Twitter: @RichSutton8 (Please note that this account is not officially verified, but it is widely attributed to Richard Sutton.) Judea Pearl Stuart Russell Twitter: There is no verified Twitter account for Stuart Russell. Please note that not all of these educators maintain an active presence on Twitter or have a dedicated personal website. In such cases, I have provided their university profile pages or other relevant websites. # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ExpertClick Launches Creator Fund for Influencers and Experts [City, Date] - ExpertClick, a leading platform for experts and influencers, has announced the launch of its new Creator Fund. This innovative program is designed for bona-fide influencers and professionals looking to monetize their content and expand their reach. To qualify for the Creator Fund, influencers must meet the following criteria: 1. Demonstrate earnings on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram.v 2. Be a certified expert with a professional website. 3. Have a LinkedIn profile with at least 100 connections. 4. Align with ExpertClick's mission and values. Qualified members will gain access to the ExpertClick Creator Fund account, which offers a powerful display advertising platform, enabling users to control how ads run on their content. Earnings can be easily transferred to PayPal, with tax documents provided. Membership includes numerous benefits, such as: 1. An ExpertClick press room connecting to thousands of experts on up to 39 topics. 2. A speaker bureau Platform page with The International Platform Association. News Releases with distribution on Google News & LexisNexis through www.NewsClick.com. 3. Superior SEO and inbound links to your website. 4. Blog syndication and automation. Personalized support from Mitchell P. Davis, ExpertClick Editor. Special membership rates are available for non-profits, publicly traded corporations, educational institutions, and government accounts. For more information or to request special offer codes, please contact Mitchell Davis at Mitchell.Davis@ExpertClick.com or call (202) 333-5000. The Creator Fund allows members to earn cash based on page views and follows on their news releases and syndicated blog posts. ExpertClick's payouts are comparable to those offered by TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, although individual results may vary. About ExpertClick ExpertClick has been connecting experts and influencers with media professionals and audiences since its inception. Their mission is to help life-changers, impact-makers, collaboration-driven experts, ethical rockstars, media sensations, diversity champions, and results gurus share their knowledge and expertise with the world. Email: Media Contact: Mitchell P. Davis Editor, ExpertClick Phone: (202) 333-5000Email: Mitchell.Davis@ExpertClick.com Website: www.ExpertClick.com # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # a # 30 % Sunday, March 26, 2023 Culturs activates 21st century cultural diversity because its important. We embrace the cultural in-between, because everyone should feel like they matter. Doni Aldine, Founder and CEO, Culturs In 2019 I wrote, A globally mobile Afro-Latina and first-generation American who has lived on five continents and identified with seven cultures by the age of 19, Doni Aldine, is passionate about creating community for cross-cultural populations. She has presented around the globe as a Keynote, at conferences, universities and in media as a lifestyle expert focused on entrepreneurship, marketing, branding and cross-cultural identity. With this background, she developed university curricula for global culture identity at Colorado State University, where she was on faculty. And Doni has also created a brand Culturs, a global multicultural magazine that celebrates the unique perspectives of cross-cultural people. Global Nomads, Third Culture Kids, and racially-blended and culturally-blended people can read lifestyle articles and research from their point of view. One that shows a new-world order a new normal that affects not only our lives, but the lives of those around us. The first time I spoke with Doni was five years ago and a lot happens in five years. So I decided to follow up on her progress and the progress of the magazine. Doni told me that now Culturs has a team of about 80 people in 17 countries. Last year, we began our 5th anniversary celebration with a 5 continent world tour through 29 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. We continue the celebration by launching our updated podcast (season 3 this fall/winter), product offerings and memberships. And now for the lightly edited interview with Doni Aldine, founder and CEO of Culturs: But first for the soundbites: On how she defines Culturs: We now sport a full global multicultural lifestyle network and have developed a membership model that focuses on the award-winning media (print, digital, web, mobile, podcast and video), products (tools to activate global diversity) and experiences (culturally immersive global travel, expert speakers, multicultural consulting, masterclasses) that provide multiple avenues for our community and those who love them to acquire our resources in the manner and frequency that best suits them. On her business model: We were a philanthropic organization with 100% of proceeds going to support organizations that fit our culturally in-between audience With tremendous growth, however, came growing pains and need for capital, so in 2023 we began operating more as a business than a philanthropic organization. On the new things for 2023: The most exciting item to-date is our new membership program. As we plan to launch an app late 2023 into early 24, we are proud of the media, products and experiences that give our audience a global experience from the comfort of wherever they call home. On the biggest challenge and her pet peeve: The biggest challenge I see and my true pet peeve is people and/or organizations being performative in their support of diversity, equity and inclusionnot to mention, belonging. On diversity, equality and inclusion: Culturs activates 21st century cultural diversity because its important. We embrace the cultural in-between, because everyone should feel like they matter. And now for the lightly edited interview: Samir Husni: Last time we spoke in 2019 Culturs was one year old in print and five year on the digital sphere. Would you please give us an update. Doni Aldine: Sure! We are now in our fifth year of print and have been featured in thousands of retail stores from Barnes and Noble, to Kroger, Whole Foods, Books-a-Million, Army and Air Force Exchange, University Bookstores and Independent Bookstores. Retail over COVID was brutal, however were excited to reach almost 2 million monthly in 200 countries and territories on digital, in print and web. Weve launched a podcast thats finishing up its second season: the DESTINATIONS Podcast with Doni Aldine. Looking forward to promoting our video content on YouTube. Weve won several awards and have been featured on dozens of podcasts and in media including The Kelly Clarkson Show, Good Morning America online, PBS, NBC and many more. And Im thrilled that we recently appointed Judy Howard Ellis, my former editor at The Denver Post (when I was a features columnist) as Editor-in-Chief of Culturs. The most exciting item to-date is our new membership program. As we plan to launch an app late 2023 into early 24, we are proud of the media, products and experiences that give our audience a global experience from the comfort of wherever they call home. S.H.: Covid has been a major pandemic that impacted the magazine media, what effect did it have on Culturs? D. A.: It did it has us reconsidering our distribution model and leaning into strategies that we developed at our onset. We were a philanthropic organization with 100% of proceeds going to support organizations that fit our culturally in-between audience. With tremendous growth, however, came growing pains and need for capital, so in 2023 we began operating more as a business than a philanthropic organization. However, we still are committed to content first and with this in mind, currently cap advertising at 5% of the publication. We now sport a full global multicultural lifestyle network and have developed a membership model that focuses on the award-winning media (print, digital, web, mobile, podcast and video), products (tools to activate global diversity) and experiences (culturally immersive global travel, expert speakers, multicultural consulting, masterclasses) that provide multiple avenues for our community and those who love them to acquire our resources in the manner and frequency that best suits them. S.H.: How did the magazine change after 2020? D.A.: In 2020, we were at press when George Floyd was killed. We pulled back and revamped an issue that typically takes 3-6 months to produce and were back on press with new content in 10 days. Blackness Around the Globe examined the many ways Black people see themselves and shared their myriad experiences. It showed that the diversity of the diaspora while focused on our multiethnic, multicultural, mixed-race and geographically mobile population beautifully. We produced two different covers its often interesting to see who chooses which. After selling out, we went into a second run and have maybe 2-5 commemorative copies squirreled away in the office. S.H.: What are some major challenges you are facing and how do you plan to overcome them? D.A.: Ive got to take a moment to thank people like Linda Thomas Brooks President of the Public Relations Society of America and former President of the Magazine Publishers Association for her tireless effort, advice and attention. She has been an amazing believer and champion, and the world would be a much better place with people like her in it! Her intention, her goodness, her willingness to put herself out there have been invaluable for us, and for the people we serve. The biggest challenge I see and my true pet peeve is people and/or organizations being performative in their support of diversity, equity and inclusionnot to mention, belonging. Talking big game and maybe taking a step or two in order to stay out of harms way, but with no intention to effect true change. Not doing the hard work, not following up their words with real action. Keeping business as usual but acting as if they are a champion for change. Supporting people of color and businesses of color means doing things differently and learning the steps necessary to do so. We at Cultursused to do the hard work to try and assist those people and organizations. Now we only do so if they ask, truly mean it, and intend to compensate for the high-quality time our award-winning team provides, rather than becoming overwhelmed with organizations that ask for more work at a lesser rate or waste our time to assist with no follow through. Beyond that, is growth. The decision to prioritize my and my teams mental health by focusing on those who truly want to see change is fueled by the fact that our growth constantly threatens to outpace our resources. Its imperative that we allocate resources wisely to continue to serve our audience well while increasing our distribution and reach to become a household name. S.H.: You are now a full time magazine person, why did you make the decision to leave the university and stick to the magazine? D.A.: I see the need for our publication. The direct messages, calls, emails and feedback of those who often feel unseen in todays world that explain this is the first time someone feels as if they belong that kept me going during the toughest days. Now Im committed to it full time. Culturs activates 21st century cultural diversity because its important. We embrace the cultural in-between, because everyone should feel like they matter. Unfortunately, so much work needs to be done in marginalized spaces, that the marginalized of the marginalized (our population of multiethnic, multicultural, mixed-race and geographically mobile people like immigrants, refugees and Third Culture Kids) often have to assimilate to even feel a part of minoritized spaces. So I now focus on this, while also supporting the important work done at Universities. Through Culturs speaking and consulting arms, we still support Colorado State Universitys Inclusive Excellence efforts, as well as speak at Universities like Columbia and currently are working on partnerships with two other Universities. Our experts also lend their knowledge and skill to universities, corporations and organizations around the world. S.H.: Anything else you would like to add? D.A.: Im excited for the ways Culturs has been able to navigate this industry. Weve taken experts in traditional magazine and newspapers, the gift industry, technology, marketing and social sciences, and developed an organization thats mailable and innovative in todays marketplace. It is interesting to me when giants in the industry compare our strengths using traditional measurementslike number of ads or mass distribution. Were creating an entirely new space thats different from whats come before. As a newspaper veteran who had a front row seat when the internet came careening in, it was a lesson on what not to do when working to stay relevant. Never get too cocky, always remember change comes, keep your eyes open and think critically prepare as you watch the trends, because no industry is too big to fail. We are the first mainstream-focused organization to amplify this particular audience, which includes people of color and, as I continually strive to keep up with the industry, Its validating to know some of the biggest companies in our sphere are planning some of the same activities: membership, products, events, etc. that have been on our radar since we began. S.H.: My typical last question is what keeps you up at night today? D.A.: Nothing keeps me up at night! However, in terms of what concerns me? Id reiterate the lackluster efforts toward truly pushing our society forward. We are lucky enough to have stellar partners, AND I often wonder if they would be as stellar if we, as an organization, werent as prepared, knowledgeable and innovative as we are. There is still a lot to learn to fit mainstream needs, however. There are pressures put upon our organization and actions requested that I know many small organizations or those sometimes led by diverse people who may have cultural nuances that do not lend to the typical multinational corporations way of doing business. How many are ignored because they cannot or do not know how, or do not want to conform? Meanwhile, we are grateful for those who give us grace as we work with them, and thankful for the team of experts weve assembled who are both versed in our audiences needs, and the needs of our partners and advertisers. Its a tough balance, but one Im happy to work through when provided the opportunity. S.H.: Thank you To access Culturs on the digital front click here. Sunday, March 26, 2023 Natural organic reduction, or NOR (a.k.a. body composting), might become legal in Maryland! It could become the seventh state to legalize natural organic reduction but we need your help right now. Heres a video message about this from Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death. [embedded content] What is NOR/Body Composting? As you may know, natural organic reduction or NOR is the process for the final disposition of human remains which converts them to soil in a controlled vessel. Because it doesnt directly consume fossil fuels, NOR is considered a green or eco-friendly funeral option that avoids carbon emissions with some estimates that indicate it prevents a metric ton of CO2 in comparison to conventional burial or cremation methods. You can find out more about natural organic reduction from recent articles in the National Geographic, Popular Science, Yahoo News and even the New York Post. At the request of my friends from greenlegacy.com in my hometown of Silver Spring, Maryland, the state legislature is currently considering HB 1060 Cremation Natural Organic Reduction Regulation. If it passes, this bill will legalize NOR in Maryland and allow the state oversight agencies to regulate it. You can find a copy of the bill here. The Maryland House of Delegates has already approved the bill and now it is in the Senate Finance Committees court to decide. I am urging all my friends in Maryland to let the Finance Committee know you care. Sign up to testify. If you cant sign up to testify, then send an email. If you cant send an email, then call. We need you to speak up for HB 1060 and let your elected officials hear from you. BUT ACT FAST THE HEARING IS THIS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2023 AT 1PM . You can do both/either of the following options: Email your written testimony to the committee. A list of the emails for committee members is below. Submit your written testimony through the MyMGA portal. You must submit during the hours of 8:00AM 3:00PM on the day before the hearing (Tuesday, March 28). Please create an account, click Witness Signup, navigate to HB1060, select Favorable with Amendments, select Written from the Testimony drop down menu, and attach your written testimony (must be a PDF). Then scroll back to the top of the page and click Save. Please dont navigate away from the page until it has processed your submission. You can check that it has been processed successfully by clicking Signed Up Items (next to the Save button). Please send a courtesy copy of your testimony/emails to Delegate Anne Kaiser, the bills sponsor, at [email protected]. You can also call Legislative Aide Caroline Davenport at 301-858-3036 if you have any trouble. Stay tuned to agoodgoodby.com for updates and more news. And thank you for getting involved. Related This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Supernatural actor Jensen Ackles is asking people to support a recently introduced Texas House bill that would allow breweries to ship their products directly to consumers. House Bill 2003 would let Texas breweries and brewpubs deliver to consumers homes, use third-party delivery services and ship across state lines through licensed private carriers. Ackles, who owns the Dripping Springs brewery Family Business Beer Co., posted a video this week talking about his family business and asking his followers to sign an online petition in support of HB2003. This has been a little passion project of mine, my brother in-laws, my family here for well over a decade, the Texas native said That being said, theres a little bit of legislation here in Texas that were trying to get changed and we could use your help, Ackles added On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio's Austin Mahone among 8 crypto-linked celebrities whom SEC charged with fraud Ackles is best known for portraying Dean Winchester in The CWs Supernatural. He now stars in the Amazon series The Boys. Originally from Dallas, the actor currently lives in Austin. Currently, retailers and third-party apps can delivery alcohol directly to consumers as long as they comply with state laws and verify customers are of legal age. The same goes for wineries, which was made possible through the Texas Wine Marketing Assistance Program passed in 2001. Breweries, however, have to sell their beer on-site at their location or through a distributor. CraftPAC, a Texas-based political action committee started by members of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, is hosting the petition on their website. They say the craft beer industry contributes $4.54 billion to the Texas economy and has created more 30,000 small-business and manufacturing jobs, yet the state ranks 47th in breweries per capita. This means the industry still has a lot of room to grow, but we need to fix anticompetitive laws holding small brewers back, CraftPACs website states. Gabriella.Ybarra@express-news.net It looks the same. It smells the same. And it very nearly tastes the same. But is it the Real Thing? Coca-Cola fanatics may be in for a surprise the next time they order a Mexican Coke in San Antonio. The Mexican version of the popular soft drink has earned a legion of nationwide fanatics since its official introduction to the U.S. market in 2005, and it had plenty of fans here in Texas before that thanks to unauthorized dealers, according to a 2014 report by The New York Times. The key difference and source of Mexican Coke's mystique lies in its sweetener: cane sugar. Mexican Coke's U.S. counterpart has been sweetened with high fructose corn syrup since the 1980s. But at some restaurants and convenience stores in San Antonio, that's beginning to change. A Coca-Cola product has been spotted here bearing all the trappings of classic Mexican Coke the curvaceous half-liter glass bottle, the "retornable" and "sabor original" wording, and, of course, the "hecho en Mexico" designation but a quick glance at the fine print on the nutrition label reveals something unexpected. The sticker on this version of Mexican Coke lists both sugar and high fructose corn syrup as the sweeteners. A card-carrying Coca-Cola enthusiast brought this to my attention after she snagged a bottle during a lunch run to the celebrated food trailer Carnitas Don Raul on Broadway. Paul Stephen/Staff On ExpressNews.com: Coca-Cola scored a hit at HemisFair 68 with free soda The bottle she bought did have a few obvious tells. For starters, the cap was green, not red. And unlike the classic Mexican Coke, this bottle bore warnings indicating the product contains excessive calories and sugar in compliance with a food labeling law enacted in Mexico in 2020. Now, to be clear, this is not the flagship Coke formula sold domestically in Mexico. That beverage receives part of its flavor from the artificial sweetener sucralose, which many people may know better as the product sold under the brand name Splenda. The substitution of sucralose for part of the sugar cuts that version of Coke's calorie count by one-third. The pure cane sugar Coca-Cola is made in Mexico expressly for export to the United States. The version with high fructose corn syrup has the same calorie count and, as I said, contains markings that indicate it is sold in Mexico, too. I recently took part in a taste test of classic cane sugar-sweetened Mexican Coke, the hybrid corn syrup and sugar version found at Don Raul, the sucralose-spiked variety, and cans of the U.S. high fructose corn syrup formula of Coke. Paul Stephen/Staff The results were a mixed bag with one exception: the domestic Mexican Coca-Cola partially sweetened with sucralose had a distinct taste of artificial sweetener. The U.S. and classic cane sugar-sweetened Mexican Coke were hard to tell apart. What little difference I could detect was a slightly more acidic citrus note in the Mexican variety. On ExpressNews.com: 6 modern spins on the classic ice cream float As for the Mexican version blended with sugar and high fructose corn syrup, it ranked just a hair above the sucralose-sweetened Coke. It wasn't quite as off-putting but definitely didn't have the fizzy swagger of either the U.S. or cane sugar Mexican Cokes. Coca-Cola did not respond to an email request for comment about the various Coke products available here. But if you're concerned about the continued availability of Mexican Coke sweetened exclusively with cane sugar, fear not. Julie Bedingfield, a spokeswoman for H-E-B, which regularly stocks the good stuff, said H-E-B's cane sugar Mexican Coke sources "dont have any supply issues with that product," and that customers can ask managers at their regular stores to order more if they have any concerns. It doesn't look like cane sugar-sweetened Mexican Coke is going anywhere any time soon. Just be sure to read the fine print to make sure you're buying the Real Thing. Bexar County Sheriff's Office An off-duty sergeant with the Bexar County Sheriffs Office has been charged with driving while intoxicated, officials announced Saturday evening. Sgt. Juan Valentino Medrano, 37, was arrested by officers with the San Antonio Police Department about 12:15 a.m. Saturday, according to a news release from the BCSO. The arrest occurred at Babcock Road and Loop 410 on the Northwest Side, but no further details about the arrest or the circumstances were provided. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Hundreds of people from all walks of life came together Saturday morning to hear a call to unite and fight for change as part of the 27th annual Cesar E. Chavez March for Justice. Rosie Castro, interim District 7 councilwoman, told the crowd gathered at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center that Chavez was someone who could not stand to see injustices and look the other way. This is a man who knew that it would take all peoples to reach those goals of liberty and justice for all, she said. Her son Julian Castro, former mayor and U.S. Housing and Urban Development secretary, recounted some of the major events of the past three years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the reckoning on racial justice after the murder of George Floyd, and how such events brought people together. Whether theyre a farmworker in the field, or a teacher in the classroom, or a firefighter out there on the streets, or nurse in the hospital, all of us are connected, he said. All of us have a role to play in making sure that we lift up every single person. While he was on stage, he also gave the crowd a quick update on his brother, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, who had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, saying that hes recovering well. The message of unity was the theme of the day, reaffirmed in each of the speeches. It was a message that was in keeping with the motif of this years march: Finding life through service to others. Ernest Martinez, son of Jaime Martinez who founded the annual march, led the opening ceremonies. In front of the stage during the ceremonies, 21 students stood watch, wearing red shirts in memory of the 19 children and two teachers who were killed in Uvalde 10 months ago. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, pointed to the slaying as a consequence of some of the injustices in Texas, urging people to go out and vote for change. Gutierrez has been pushing gun reform this legislative session, including a proposal to raise the age limit to buy an assault-style gun to 21 years old. If you think that our struggle is over, I promise you it goes on, Gutierrez said. La lucha continua! (The fight continues.) He urged people to find every 18-year-old and urge them to vote from now until the day they die. Whats happening in Texas should not stand. It will not stand, and we will fight for change in the memory of those boys and girls, and in the memory of Cesar Chavez, he said. After the speeches, the scent of sage and the sound of beating drums filled the air as groups from various schools, organizations and public entities marched down Guadalupe Street, headed downtown. Some wore green shirts calling for gun control while others bore signs calling for change, such as construction workers promoting a message of Rest breaks are a right. Robert Garcia, a certified public accountant who supports small businesses, pointed to food insecurity and lack of education as concerns needing to be addressed. I don't think the focus is where it needs to be, he said. Small business and entrepreneurship are the glue to a lot of those things, he said. This was his second year participating in the march. This time, he brought his wife, Lily, and their three boys, ages 10, 8 and 6. The energy is just amazing when you see people just fighting for basic human rights, he said. Its just incredible. After soloing in an airplane, securing a slice of military lore for himself and San Antonio, Lt. Benjamin Foulois liked to say he was the first and only pilot in history to learn to fly by mail. At the time he soloed and made the first military flight 113 years ago today at Fort Sam Houston, Foulois actually had 54 minutes of training with the Wright brothers in a variation of the plane they invented and flew at Kitty Hawk, N.C., in 1903 and two hours as a passenger of a fellow soldier, Lt. Frederic Humphries. But until he did it using tips shared by mail from the Wilbur and Orville Wright, Foulois could only imagine how hed manage the tricky takeoff from a catapult and the even riskier landing of his Wright Flyer on skids a dead stick landing as its called today because the planes engine was off, requiring the pilot to glide to earth. And, as hed discover, soft landings in a plane without wheels were never guaranteed. The second day in March, I made four flights my first solo flight and three more flights. It was a pretty good experience. My first solo flight was 7 minutes, Foulois said in an oral history taken in 1960 and preserved by Columbia University. The fourth one, my fuel ran out. I had to land with a dead engine, and I landed a little high and that put the plane in the shop for a week. On ExpressNews.com: Unbelievable: San Antonio man knighted, gets French Legion of Honor medal after losing arm in WWII U.S. Army North celebrated Fouloiss storied flight Thursday morning with a wreath-laying ceremony at a marker saluting him near the Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston main flagpole, just a few hundred feet from where he ushered the dawn of military aviation. Lt. Gen. John Evans Jr., commander of U.S. Army North and a helicopter pilot, explained to a crowd of around 200 at Fort Sam that the military saw planes as a reconnaissance tool that would relay information faster than ever. Imagine being up above the trees and not having to ford the rivers and not having to ride on horseback, and then water a horse and all those other things, but to be able to carry a message from the forward lines to the rear and back again, and that was really the whole concept, he said. Soon enough, the role of planes went beyond reconnaissance. They provided close-air support for troops on the ground and dogfights in the air. Fouloiss first solo flight, as big a deal as it was, had the look of a low-key affair. Theres no evidence he celebrated the feat with whoops, cheers and high-fives. From the readings of various documents, including the oral history and various magazine and online accounts, there was no celebration after making those flights on March 2, 1910. The duration of the sorties relatively short by todays standards, with the longest running 21 minutes. The crackup at the end of the fourth sortie kept the plane, a Wright Flyer Model A called Signal Corps No. 1, grounded for repairs until March 12. On that day, five more flights from Fort Sam were entered into the logbook, one of them running more than 40 minutes. And with that, the nations only military pilot made aviation a thing in the armed services, with other airmen soon following him one of them H.H. Hap Arnold, a legendary figure who would rise to become general of the Army and general of the Air Force. Flying in those days was an educational experience with many ups and downs quite literally that on occasion ended in crashes that damaged the plane, but only once left the intrepid Foulois injured. If you have been reading the newspaper articles about my work here in Texas, a 2002 account in Air Power History quoted him as telling the Wright brothers in a mid-March 1910 letter, you have probably arrived at the conclusion that I am not a very apt pupil, but perhaps your experience with inaccurate newspaper articles has been sufficiently great to allow some room for doubt in what you read. The Wright brothers, in their response, wrote, Accept our congratulations on your successful flights. We were astonished to see you do so well without any previous experience in flying alone especially without experience in landing. Caveats There are caveats to the feat. Gary Boyd, air education and training command historian, said the first airman to solo was Humphries, an engineering officer and top-ranked West Point graduate from the class of 1906. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, meanwhile, credits 1st Lt Thomas Selfridge, who worked with Wright brothers rival Glenn Curtiss and Alexander Graham Bell on his first aircraft, White Wing, in early 1908, with becoming the first military person to fly a plane. Selfridge was the first fatality in aviation history, losing his life in a Sept. 17, 1908, crash that left Orville Wright badly injured after the propeller broke apart and their plane plummeted to the ground. Foulois is credited as the first American military pilot because he was the first airman to solo with a government-owned-and-operated aircraft, said Boyd, who called it the first all-military flight. It is important in the context that it was really the Armys aircraft and there was no assistance from outside for that one, Boyd said, including the Wright brothers, who worked with Humphries and Lt. Frank Lamm, Army pilots they trained before the 1910 flight in San Antonio. It highlights to me why San Antonio has always been the center of the Air Force: warm weather, helpful citizens and the centralized location and rail connection present here, Boyd said. It was why Foulois later worked to site the nations first Air Force base in San Antonio, Kelly Field, in 1916-17. Lamm and Humphries were ordered back to their units while Foulois and the Wright Flyer were sent to San Antonio after flying the plane in College Park, Md., during the winter of 1909. There would be weather-related problems here as well, specifically high, shifty winds that made it difficult to take off, fly and land the light, under-powered Flyer without running the risk of crashing it. On ExpressNews.com: New San Antonio recruits get a kinder, gentler introduction to Air Force Still, the Army Air Corps would settle on San Antonio as a pilot training hub between World War I and World War II, creating Kelly, Brooks and Randolph Fields. It was a fateful decision. Long home to the Army, the city produced dozens of famous and heroic military figures throughout the 20th century. Kelly emerged as a massive Air Force maintenance depot that employed up to 25,000 people, while Brooks evolved into a science and aeromedical research hub deeply tied to the manned space program. A master-planned installation, Randolph became known as the West Point of the Air, where a future Air Force chief of staff, Gen. Hoyt Vandenberg, served as an instructor pilot and, later, commander. He graduated from the Air Service Flying School at Brooks and the Air Service Advanced Flying School at Kelly in 1924. Base closure rounds shuttered Kelly in 2001 and Brooks in 2011. Describing himself as a juvenile delinquent, Benjamin Delahauf Foulois used his brothers birth certificate to enlist in the Army in 1898. He grew unhappy with Army life and mustered out, according to the Air Force History and Museums Programs Logbook of Signal Corps No. 1, the U.S. Armys First Airplane. While posted in Puerto Rico, he claimed to have avoided diseases most other soldiers got by drinking rum and quinine. But he returned to uniform, using his real name the second time around, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in February 1901. Foulois, who chafed at the treatment of enlisted men as second-class citizens after his experience as one, managed to find his way into a career of choice as one of three dirigible operators, but he eyed the Wright Flyer with particular interest. He was fascinated with the plane, wondering how such a contraption of cloth, wires, pulleys, chains and wood could fly, the history and museum program said. Naturally curious and mechanically inclined, he dived into the business of learning more about the engine that powered the Flyer and took Curtisss advice when told to wear coveralls over his uniform. Mechanics, it seemed, had a way of getting dirty. Foulois was the only pilot, navigator, observer and commander in the heavier-than-air division of the Army from November 1909 to April 2011, and made a number of improvements in the plane, one of them the first radio and first seat belt. I wrote up these details how I had to get a safety belt the first safety belt they ever had down there, he said, referring to letters he sent the Wright brothers. We had dusty weather down there and A No. 1, with those big elevators out front, was just like a bucking bronco, acted like a bucking bronco. He liked to play up his self-instruction as a pilot, but one of those on hand for Thursdays ceremony, retired San Antonio publisher Jim Berg, noted that the Wright brothers dispatched a civilian pilot, Philip Parmalee, to give him formal instruction. Theyd grown tired of sending Foulois spare parts to replace those damaged in crashes. Its a story thats been forgotten but shouldnt be, Berg, 77, said, holding a framed black-and-white photo taken by E.O. Goldbeck of Foulois and Parmalee sitting in the plane. Foulois later flew support missions for Gen. John J. Pershings Punitive Expedition into Mexico in early 1916, serving as the Armys first commander of a tactical air unit, the 1st Aero Squadron. Another future luminary in that squadron was Lt. Carl Spaatz, who would command Kelly Field as a major and rise to general, becoming the Air Forces first chief of staff. When he wasnt fighting to control the plane in the early days, Foulois and his boss, Brig. Gen. James Allen, were engaged in a tug-o-war for funding from lawmakers who didnt believe in air power. Allen, the Armys chief signal officer, ordered him in December 1909 to act as chief operator of the new Wright Flyer and to take plenty of spare parts, and teach yourself how to fly, the history and museum program said. In time, flyers would be called pilots. I give credit to General Allen for the original initiative in fighting for this, fighting for the contract, fighting to get the first tests completed, and fighting just as long as he was in office for the appropriations to keep it up, Foulois, who was called Benny, said in his oral history interview. But those were the days, of course, everybody except those of us who were on this work thought we ought to be in an insane asylum. sigc@express-news.net South Africa: SA signs agreement to ensure water security Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu has set the wheels in motion towards establishing and sustaining collaborations with global partners with common interests, in an attempt to enhance measures to ensure water security. Mchunu, along with the departments Director-General, Dr Sean Phillips signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Finland and renewed one with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The signing took place on the side-lines of the United Nations 2023 Water Conference, which took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA. The agreement between South Africa and Finland aims to promote water security and is focused on integrated water resources and river basin management. These include the management of groundwater/aquifer and surface water, river basin, and adaptation to, and mitigation of the impacts of climate change in water resources management, as well as hydrological extremes, including flood, drought, water quality, water borne diseases and other water related risk management. Mchunu, together with Finnish Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Jaana Husu-Kallio signed the MoU on behalf of their respective governments. Finland has considerable expertise in water resources management and protection as well as in water-related technology, planning, construction, and research. Mchunu noted that the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is the dominant paradigm in contemporary water resources management. Finland has implemented such an approach for decades, aiming at win-win partnerships. It has also been the guiding principle in Finnish water legislation, Mchunu said. He added that the signing of the agreement is a much-needed boost the sector requires in South Africa. Inspiring and capacitating young talent Meanwhile, the agreement signed with the Kingdom of the Netherlands has been renewed for an additional four years. The agreement is aimed at collaborating on inspiring and capacitating young talents in water, climate and sustainability in South Africa and abroad. Dr Phillips and Wetskills Foundation Manager, Johan Oost, officially signed the agreement with obligations that include addressing the skills gap in the water supply value chain and in technical areas within the water sector as well as to develop professional water ambassadors that can protect and manage future water resources. In addition, the two governments are obligated to organise various activities for students and young professional in the water sector, creating innovation and empowering young people, and integrating young and established professionals in the water sector. South Africa and Netherlands have a long relationship on water and this relationship was formalised through the signing of a MoU between the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and the South African Department of Water and Sanitation in July 2014. Mchunu has reiterated his stance on partnerships in the water and sanitation sector and has committed to ensure accountability and transparency when implementing the MoUs. The Minister also met with several other countries leaders on the side-lines of the conference to discuss the possible forging of bilateral partnerships on water and sanitation for the benefit of the respective countries. These include India, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Denmark, Egypt, Palestine and Belgium. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2023-03-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. China's higher education enrollment ratio reaches 59.6 pct in 2022 Xinhua) 16:36, March 23, 2023 BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The gross enrollment ratio in China's higher education reached 59.6 percent in 2022, up 1.8 percentage points from 2021, the Ministry of Education said Thursday. There were over 46.55 million students at higher-educational institutions including universities, colleges and vocational education facilities across the country as of 2022, the ministry told a press conference. China has also set up 288 education bases at top-notch universities that have attracted over 30,000 students to major in basic subjects such as mathematics, chemistry, philosophy and preclinical medicine, according to the ministry. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate An immigrant was found dead in a sweltering train car near the border town of Eagle Pass on Saturday afternoon in the third suspected human-smuggling fatality in South Texas in a 24-hour period. Maverick County deputies rescued 11 other immigrants trapped in the boxcar. Federal authorities say they were traveling from Ecuador, Mexico, Honduras and Colombia. Border and immigration: Two Honduran migrants found dead in rail car near Uvalde, 10 others hospitalized Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber said an adult male was dead by the time deputies discovered the immigrants at a busy rail yard on the outskirts of Eagle Pass. Three were taken to a local hospital for heat-related conditions, and others were treated at the scene. Eight of the survivors were detained. Schmerber said the immigrants were found at about 3:30 p.m. It was unclear who called his department to the scene. Homeland Security Investigations has launched a smuggling investigation. The train, operated by Union Pacific, had come from Mexico. "We have strict policies in place to prevent unauthorized access of our trains, and we do not condone or facilitate illegal activity," Union Pacific said in a written statement. "Safety is a top priority, and we will continue to work with law enforcement and immigration officials to determine how to prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future." The discovery came a day after a separate train incident on Friday in which 17 migrants were found on another Union Pacific train near Knippa, about 70 miles west of San Antonio. Two Honduran men died, and 10 others were hospitalized with heat-related illnesses. Five of the survivors were transported to San Antonio hospitals, and five others to nearby facilities. University Hospital at San Antonio's South Texas Medical Center received two of the immigrants, both men in critical condition. However, their conditions had been upgraded to good by midday Sunday. Two other men were taken to Methodist Hospital, also located at the Medical Center. One was discharged Friday, but the second remained hospitalized in stable condition on Sunday. Another survivor was released Saturday from Christus Santa Rosa Hospital-Westover Hills. Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez said dispatchers received a 911 call at about 3:50 p.m. Friday from an unknown person saying that people were suffocating in a rail car. HSI is also investigating Friday's incident as a suspected human-smuggling incident. "We are cooperating fully with law enforcement and immigration officials to review Saturday's incident ... as well as Friday's incident near Knippa, Texas," Union Pacific said. Schmerber noted undocumented immigrants who had headed south for the winter are starting to return to the United States and exposing themselves to smugglers and the elements. "It's getting warmer. I think we are going to find more tragedies like that," Schmerber said. "In the containers, it gets very hot." HSI said it will "continue to address the serious public safety threat posed by human smuggling organizations and their reckless disregard for the health and safety of those smuggled." To report suspicious activity, the agency encourages people to call the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. All calls are confidential. Staff Writer Molly Smith contributed to this story. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate It occurred to Danielle Brigati several times over the past year that her education had not entirely prepared her for the real-world challenges of a modern Texas librarian. There wasnt a course covering strategies for on-the-job threats. No class instructed her how to behave during police questioning. IN-DEPTH: See every book Texas schools banned and challenged in our interactive database But last fall Brigati, who has been the director of Kerrvilles Butt-Holdsworth Public Library for the past decade, found herself confronting both. The threats she brushed off as bluster. But the citys detective returned for three separate interviews. Her husband, a retired cop, helped settle her nerves. The officer was friendly and respectful, Brigati recalled. But there was little doubt why a handful of citizens had summoned law enforcement to the library. They were trying to file criminal charges, she said. Politically and socially conservative, Texas is a national leader in school book challenges and bans; a Chronicle investigation last summer counted more than 2,000 content reviews of challenged school library books. The state prison system prohibits more than 9,000 titles. TOP 10: Texas school districts that banned or removed the most books Many of the book battles that flared up at school and public libraries across the state in the past year have returned to smolders. Yet behind the scenes an even more consequential campaign is playing out not merely to place some books off limits, but to prosecute librarians for making them available. Local police have been called out to Texas public libraries to scan books for illegal content in at least five instances. They are a step away from drawing chalk outlines in the library, said Adam Steinbaugh, an attorney for The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a free-speech advocacy organization. They are treating librarians as suspects. That should be concerning for everyone. In late 2021, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Education Agency to investigate any criminal activity in our public schools involving the availability of pornography. Records show the agency opened 20 investigations into school districts suspected of violating laws that prohibit the distribution of obscene content to minors. No librarians have been charged with a crime. But in recent months Texas lawmakers have proposed a dozen bills that would change state law to make it easier to prosecute them for obscenity. We have never seen anything like this before, said Shirley Robinson, executive director of the Texas Library Association. Is law enforcement going to be in the position of deciding to arrest librarians or teacher for obscenity? Is that really where were going? A flurry of outrage Abbotts TEA directive was part of a salvo of measures fired by Republican lawmakers attacking what they described as offensive public-school offerings. In October 2021 Fort Worth Republican Rep. Matt Krause, chairman of the Committee on General Investigating, sent a mass letter to school districts asking about their book collections in particular volumes that address or contain sexual themes. A week later, Abbott fired off his own letter to the Texas Association of School Boards demanding the organization ensure that no child in Texas is exposed to pornography. The association responded it lacked authority to compel such standards. On Nov. 8, 2021, Abbott directed the TEA, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and the State Board of Education to develop statewide standards to prevent children from being exposed to pornography or other inappropriate content. (The recommendations were completed last April.) Two days after that, the governor ordered the education agency to investigate illegal pornography in schools. The exact nature and scope of TEAs investigations is unclear. Records show it was authorized under a state code typically used to evaluate questionable school performance. The agency is not listed among the dozens of policing agencies identified in the states Code of Criminal Procedure. (A letter from TEA to Keller school officials obtained by the Dallas News said the state agency could turn over its findings to police.) Texas law prohibits distribution of pornographic material to minors under the age of 18, defined as appealing to the prurient interest of a minor, in sex, nudity, or excretion; is patently offensive and utterly without redeeming social value for minors. Yet identifying precisely what falls under those broad definitions is legally tricky. State law also protects potentially obscene materials distributed by a person having scientific, educational, governmental, or other similar justification. Honestly, we dont get questions about it, said Shannon Edmonds, head of governmental relations for the Texas District and County Attorneys Association. The bar has been raised so high by the U.S. Supreme Court and related opinions. Its very difficult to make charges stick. Policing the library That hasnt stopped police from investigating Texas librarians. Documents obtained by The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression record descriptions of law enforcement officers reviewing library books for illegal content. A Hood County deputy constable opened an investigation into Granbury school libraries last May, the records show, three days after meeting with two women to explain the states obscenity laws. The women presented police with a list of 11 books, accompanied by a binder of excerpts they found objectionable. The deputy traveled to three school libraries, where he attempted to interview the librarians, inquired about acquisition procedures and photographed covers and title pages of the available books, according to the records. The status of the investigation is unclear. School officials, Precinct 4 Constable Chad Jordan and District Attorney Ryan Sinclair did not respond to interview requests. In Huntsville, police initiated an investigation into whether any of the books violated state law after several citizens charged the library contained obscene volumes. Police Chief Darryle Slaven has asked one of his officers to look at some books to ensure that we dont have anything that would be a violation of the penal code, the city manager wrote to Huntsvilles director of Parks and Leisure in October 2022. A library card has been established for HPD, she responded a day later. Just finished the first round of book investigations, a text message from the officer reads. Of the ones that were currently available only 1 book had obscene material (gender queer), referring to a book commonly cited as objectionable. The Huntsville investigation appears to have ended when city officials recently voted to turn the public librarys operations over to a private management company after a LGBTQ-themed display prompted complaints. Slaven and City Manager Aron Kulhavy did not respond to interview requests, however, Walker County District Attorney Will Durham said his office was never contacted. Citing the difficulty of obscenity prosecutions, he added, Im happy not to have gotten involved. In Kerrville, Brandon Aery said he was outraged by the banned book displays proximity to the childrens book section. (Brigati said it was set up where all displays are located, straight back from the entrance just behind the Texas seal in the center of the librarys floor.) Aery, who said he also had challenged vulgar books at the school library, filed a police complaint after trying to get the City Council to investigate to see if any laws had been broken, and they pretty much refused to. The Kerrville Police Department conducted a thorough review of the matter and consulted with the prosecuting attorneys, a police spokesman said. As a result of the investigation into this matter, no criminal charges were filed. In September 2021 Leander police said they were investigating the high school library after two parents complained about Lawn Boy, a commonly challenged coming-of-age novel. Last summer, a Katy school district police officer checked a book out of the library to review it when a parent complained about the young adult graphic novel Flamer in Jordan High School. Per Gov. Abbott and the TEA, the book Flamer should have been removed from KISD library shelves but it still remains, the woman wrote in an email to the officer. The complaint was later dismissed. Bill to remove 'loophole' Although none of the Texas investigations has resulted in arrests, legislators have introduced bills this year that, while not always mentioning libraries, would make it easier to criminally prosecute librarians for violating state obscenity laws. Republican Sens. Pete Flores, Mayes Middleton and Bob Hall filed legislation that would remove the legal exception for offensive materials given to minors that had scientific or educational value. Republican Reps. Steve Toth, Matt Schaefer, Matt Shaheen, Jared Patterson, Cole Hefner, Bryan Slaton, Terri Leo-Wilson and Ellen Toxclair filed identical or similar bills in the House. In a summary of his bill, Hall said: Society commonly refers to content containing harmful material, as here defined, as pornographic. There is no place for this content in the classroom or in schools. In a written response to questions, Toth referenced images depicting a sex act from Fun Home, a critically acclaimed graphic memoir he said was part of the collection at Grand Oaks High School in Conroe. Passing this material off as educational violates the intent of Texas obscenity law, he said. His bill would stop schools from making this trash available to our kids by removing the loophole that allows schools to claim porn is educational to avoid prosecution, he said. Edmonds pointed out that any changes to the Texas obscenity law would have to pass First Amendment muster. But he also noted that with the courts new conservative majority, a number of lawmakers were eager to challenge existing free speech precedents. In addition to the challenge of identifying who in the library system would be charged with a crime librarians typically inherit their collections its scary to think about prosecuting librarians for providing books, said Mendy Autry, librarian at the Midlothian Independent School District and president-elect of the Texas Association of School Library Administrators. That doesnt sound like America. Nearly a dozen other pending legislative proposals would add restrictions on what students can check out from school libraries, require librarians to inform parents which books their children check out, prohibit libraries from acquiring books on certain topics, install a book-rating system or ban vendors that sell books deemed offensive. Pattersons Restricting Explicit and Adult-Designated Educational Resources (READER) Act, for example, would streamline the definition of obscene and require parental approval for any student to view sexually relevant material. Its all part of a concerted effort to restrict access to certain ideas, said Chloe Kempf, a staff attorney with ACLU-Texas. Obscenity probe records unavailable Those wanting to know how the governor-ordered TEA criminal investigations into the states public school libraries are being conducted, or what its reviewers found and concluded, will have to wait until after state lawmakers close out the current biennial legislative session and go home. In response to a request from Hearst Newspapers early this year, the agency agreed at least some of its records were public information. But it said it would not release any of them until June 28 a month after the Legislature is scheduled to close out its session, and 10 days after Abbotts deadline to sign or veto any new laws. The agency said it needed time to black out information to protect the identity of school-age students. TEAs Public Information Office maintains strict adherence to the Texas Public Information Act, an agency spokesman added. The timeline to produce documents is in no way impacted by or related to the ongoing legislative session." According to a list of actions it said were initiated because of Abbotts directive, the agency reported receiving four dozen complaints between October 2021 and early 2023. The majority concerned inappropriate instructional materials or book complaints. In Bexar County, a parent at Northside school districts Henderson Elementary in January complained of a sexually suggestive song their student was subjected to during music class. When TEA receives a complaint, it determines if it should be handled locally or by the state agency. According to the limited information released by TEA, seven complaints in Huckaday, McKinney, Arlington, Conroe, North Lamar, Eanes and Prosper school districts were referred back to local schools. The remainder were assigned to the agencys Compliance Review Unit. CRU investigations can take anywhere from 60 days to several years, depending on their complexity. TEAs longest-running open investigations are in Leander, Calhoun County, Midland and Keller school districts, all of which are approaching a year and a half since a complaint was referred. A spokeswoman for the Eanes Independent School District, the subject of a pending investigations into sexually inappropriate books, said the state education agency had instructed officials not to discuss it. The agencys list of investigations shows six of the CRU pornography investigations were completed and closed. None of the spokespeople or superintendents from those independent school districts Garland, Calallen, Driscoll, Plano, West Oso and Mansfield responded to a request for comment. Women's Health The big picture: Dr. Lindsay Boik-Price says "Cannabis' safety is not assured." In the news: New research continues to show that cannabis use during the first trimester of pregnancy can lead to poor outcomes for the mom and child. The key point: The research showed that cannabis use during the early stages of pregnancy was associated with poor fetal growth, higher stillbirth rates, and increased rates of high blood pressure during pregnancy. Unfortunately, many women still consider marijuana safe to use during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists recommends that women thinking about becoming or are pregnant should abstain or discontinue the use of marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes. Did you know that 13.7% of the adults living in Yellowstone County report that their mental health is not good? 24.6% of the adults living in Yellowstone report being depressed. Mental health impacts your pregnancy and drug use. Doctor's Insight about Using Cannabis During Pregnancy Know this: "It's not a good idea to smoke during pregnancy. This includes cigarettes, cannabis, and any other type of recreational/illicit drugs. Studies keep showing that smoking impacts and interferes with pregnancy--both for the mom and child." Dr. Adrianna Davis, Family Medicine. Next steps: If you can't quit smoking, talk to your healthcare team. Most insurances in Montana have smoking cessation programs; and, your doctor should be able to help. Further steps: If you're pregnant, plan to get pregnant, or recently gave birth, you should know that you can get insurance. (HHS) Call 1-800-311-BABY (1-800-311-2229). Did you know 77.8% of women in 2020 received prenatal care? In Yellowstone County, 9.4% of the adults reported not being in good physical health. What they're saying: "We wanted to look specifically at cannabis use early in pregnancy because that's when the placenta is forming, and a lot of information we currently have indicates that cannabis use does affect the placenta..." Dr. Torri D. Metz, Obstetrics and Gynecology.) Interview Source "In a large, diverse multicenter cohort with cannabis use ascertained by biological sampling, early pregnancy use was associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes that are mediated by the placenta." Source: The American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology published the paper: Early pregnancy cannabis exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes (Read it Here) Marijuana Usage Stats During Pregnancy: (GE Healthcare) 1 in 4 pregnant and nonpregnant that cannabis use poses little to no risk to maternal or fetal health. 34-60 percent of marijuana users continue to use during pregnancy. THC passes to the fetus during pregnancy. 31.6% of Yellowstone County adults are obese. The Health Standard Newswire U.S. Sen. Jon Tester quizzes Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. (Screenshot) U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana grilled the chief of the U.S. Forest Service this week about its initial decision since reversed to give an expansion plan at Holland Lake Lodge an exemption from a thorough environmental review. Tester said Congress meant that type of exemption called a categorical exclusion to be used for projects that protect communities from wildfires. At least he wouldnt have supported it for making some corporation rich off our public lands, Tester said. In the fall, the Flathead National Forest said it would grant the exemption for a proposed expansion at the lodge, which operates on public land through a special-use permit. If the people wouldnt have stood up and said, Foul. This is baloney, this project would have been built using a categorical exclusion, by the way, that was meant for cutting trees, not for recreational purposes, Tester said. The agency since changed course and pledged to do at least an environmental assessment on the proposal. However, Tester noted the importance of the outdoor recreation economy, a $7 billion industry and big employer in Montana. The resort expansion has been mired in controversy after missteps by the Forest Service. The agency provided incorrect information to the public about the number of acres allowed by the permit and offered only three weeks of public comment after working with private developers behind the scenes for a year and a half. After the public identified the correct acreage in the permit and pushed back on the limited public comment period, the Forest Service acknowledged the acres the permit allows 10.53 acres, not 15 acres and extended the public comment period. This week at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore acknowledged the agency was using those exemptions quite extensively. In a letter submitted earlier as public comment on the project, Martin Nie, director of the Bolle Center for People and Forests, said granting exceptions to some projects is both reasonable and necessary, but the Forest Service is using the NEPA exclusion to an alarming degree, some 84 percent of the time. Nie also said federal regulations prohibit the exemption where extraordinary circumstances exist, such as in places threatened or endangered species might be affected. He noted the Flathead National Forests own plan identifies unique characteristics of the area. At the hearing, Moore did not have an immediate response to Testers question about the criteria the Forest Service tried to use to grant the exemption in this case. But Moore said categorical exclusions are used for more than just cutting trees. He said he would have to look into the matter to know the reason the Forest Service initially granted one for the Holland Lake Lodge project. Thursday in an email, the U.S. Forest Service said the senators questions were important, and it was working on responses to provide to the committee. In the exchange between Tester and Moore, Tester said he does not believe the Forest Service was properly using the exemption, and someone found a loophole here and they cut a deal. This has been something that has given government a bad name, Tester said. The exchange was posted on Testers social media channels. On the other hand, in a time of intense political division in the country, Tester, a Democrat, said the Forest Service did a great job of uniting Democrats, Republicans and independents in their protests. (But this isnt how we should be doing it, he said.) In November, the Forest Service rejected Holland Lake Lodges expansion proposal. However, POWDR, the company that quietly took control of the lodge in October 2021, has said it plans to resubmit a similar proposal. In a letter sent Friday, Save Holland Lake, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Alliance for the Wild Rockies said the Forest Service greased the wheels for the expansion in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act. The groups also said the Forest Service is legally obligated to review whether a new permit application by POWDR is in the public interest and conduct an environmental review, and it said the agency must follow federal law or face a court challenge. The Forest Service said it is reviewing the letter and will provide more information as it becomes available. The post Tester: Forest Service found a loophole, cut a deal on Holland Lake Lodge expansion appeared first on Daily Montanan. Vladimir Putin's days as Russian president are numbered. Vladimir Putin's days are numbered It has been claimed that the "toxic" despot's Kremlin allies are trying to figure out who will take over from him as they have become sick and tired of the military failures in Ukraine. When Putin first ordered the invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago, he claimed that it would be won within 72 hours but Moscow has now lost an estimated 700,000 soldiers. Official intelligence from Kyiv has revealed that Putin is running out of time following the International Criminal Court's decision to issue a warrant for his arrest. Andriy Yusov, from Ukraine's military intelligence directorate, said: "The circle around Putin is narrowing. "(He is becoming) more and more toxic. Within the Kremlin, there is more and more dissatisfaction with what is happening. "There is an increasingly gloomy understanding of the prospects, specifically the geopolitical catastrophe of the Putin regime. "Thus, the search for Putin's successor is already under way." Meanwhile, a former US Army General has claimed that Putin's troops are facing "total collapse" by the end of the year. Ben Hodges, who served as a commanding general in the United States Army in Europe, has predicted that Russian forces will lose the war of attrition in Ukraine. He tweeted: "Russia is being attrited at such a rate that they may collapse before the end of this year, assuming the West delivers in time what we've promised. War is a test of will and a test of logistics." Despite the deep economic and cultural ties between Japan and South Korea due to their geographical proximity, Japan's apparel imports from South Korea nearly halved in the last five years. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol recently said that his government will move to restore Japans preferential trade status as he is pushing to resolve historical and trade disputes, according to domestic media reports. Japan's apparel imports from South Korea declined gradually from $74.856 million in 2018 to $38.271 million in 2022. The trade came down to $60.789 million in 2019, $48.942 million in 2020 and $45.638 million in 2021, as per data obtained from Fibre2Fashion's market insight tool TexPro. Japan's apparel imports from South Korea have decreased by almost 50 per cent in the past five years, with fabric imports also showing a volatile trend. South Korea's share in Japan's total apparel imports is just 0.15 per cent. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has announced his government's plan to restore Japan's preferential trade status. The trade between the two countries also remained volatile regarding fabric imports. In 2018, Japan imported fabric worth $87.886 million from South Korea, which increased to $92.696 million in 2019 but then decreased to $67.245 million in 2020. In 2021, fabric imports from South Korea were $69.329 million, and in 2022, they were $77.928 million. The negligible trade between the two nations indicates strained bilateral economic relations. In 2022, Japan imported apparel worth $24.953 billion, of which South Korea's share was just 0.15 per cent, placing South Korea at the 23rd position in Japan's top suppliers' list. However, South Korea's fabric supplies to Japan accounted for 7.25 per cent of Japan's total fabric imports in 2022, with a value of $77.928 million, maintaining South Korea's fourth position among fabric suppliers, as per TexPro. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL) S Immo: Real estate company S Immo announced further progress regarding its ongoing sales programme for residential and commercial properties in Germany. The company has signed an agreement for the sale of 41 properties in Berlin consisting of roughly 1,300 residential and commercial units with over 100,000 m of rental area. Siince September 2022, S Immo so far has signed sales contracts in Germany for 152 properties with a total volume of around EUR 570m. "S Immo continues to deliver on our plan to sell lower-yielding assets in Germany and reinvest in higher-yielding office assets in the CEE region," said Herwig Teufelsdorfer, Member of the Management Board. "In this process, we benefit from the high quality of our assets, which continue to attract a diverse ... Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. SHANDONG, China, March 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The third Conference of Great Business Partners(CGBP) is scheduled to take place in Jinan, capital of Shandong province from March 28th to 30th, 2023 with the theme of "Forging Partnerships for High-quality Development in Shandong." CGBP is an important activity hosted by the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and the Shandong Provincial People's Government to attract investment and talent from a wider range and at a higher level, and accelerate the construction of a strong modern province in the new era. Shandong plans to take the chance of CGBP to promote cooperation with global companies, business organizations and venture capital firms. On the one hand, Shandong needs more high-quality investment projects to promote the industrial transformation of a major economic province; on the other hand, the approval of the country's first green, low-carbon and high-quality development pilot zone has also provided a large amount of investment for domestic and foreign companies. Shandong will take efforts to build up a stage for high-quality development for foreign investors. The conference invites domestic and foreign entrepreneurs, experts and scholars, heads of business associations, representatives of the overseas Chinese community and other guests to attend. Up to now, over 763 guests from 15 countries have confirmed their participation, including 71 Fortune 500 companies such as ZF Friedrichshafen AG, 23 State-owned enterprises such as China General Technology Group, and 77 of Top 500 Chinese enterprises such as Gree Electric Appliances, iFlytek, JD.com, and Geely Auto. This conference will hold 9 themed activities including 6 parallel forums, including Enterprise Innovation and Social Responsibility Forum, Symposiums of Chairmen of Chambers of Commence, Young Entrepreneur Forum, Outstanding Returnee Entrepreneur Meetings, Forum on E-commerce's Support for Rural Revitalization in the Yellow River Basin, Forum on Replacement of Old Growth Drivers with New Ones and High-quality Development. In addition, there will also be a supporting event of "The Taste of Hometown: Shandong Cuisine at the Conference of Great Business Partners." Shandong's 16 cities will respectively organize promotional activities and visits. The investigation tours include Jinan Start-up Zone of Replacement of Old Growth Drivers with New Ones and High-quality Development, high-tech zone and key development zones, and the enterprises and projects such as Inspur, Bloomage Biotechnology , CNHTC, BYD, and Iraeta Energy Equipment. During the Conference, 15 cities will organize activities such as matchmaking and promotion meetings, and "Wanderer's Hometown Tour." The year 2023 is the first year for the construction of Shandong's green, low-carbon and high-quality development pilot zone. CGBP will closely follow the theme of "Forging Partnerships for High-quality Development in Shandong" to promote the spirit of modern entrepreneurship, encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, and promote high-quality development in Shandong. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2040523/Info_Office_CGBP.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-3rd-conference-of-great-business-partners-to-be-held-in-shandong-301781594.html BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Japan will on Monday release February figures for producer prices, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Producer prices are expected to rise 1.5 percent on year, easing from 1.6 percent in the previous month. China will see February numbers for industrial profits; in January, profits were up 0.8 percent on year. Hong Kong will provide February figures for imports, exports and trade balance. In January, imports were down 30.2 percent on year and exports slumped an annual 36.7 percent for a trade deficit of HKD25.4 billion. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. AN exciting made-in-India label is making its first entry into the country eight years since its launch. Behno, which made its debut in New York in 2015, is finally here. Its armed with its delightful little pop-coloured handbags, and oh, Katrina Kaif as an investor and brand ambassador. Hows that for a launch? Not quiet, for sure. Behno, which calls itself the worlds finest consciously made handbags, was started by a young healthcare professional. Shivam Punjya, pursuing a Masters in Global Health from Duke University, USA, was in India researching public policies on healthcare in Indias villages. I was in Jaipur and Hyderabad working in public health and studying the effects of folic acid supplements on pregnant women. A lot of the participants in the study were textile workers. I got to know them and their world better, Punjya, 34, tells me the day after his India debut. Around the same time, the Rana Plaza factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, had collapsed in 2013, taking with it more than 1,100 garment workers and injuring 2,500 more. These women were very similar to the women in India that I was talking to. I knew immediately that I had to do something to improve their working conditions. There has to be a better way of manufacturing, a better way an industry can operate, employ, and engage with factory workers, Punjya says. He then decided to collaborate with a factory and aimed to redefine what manufacturing looked like. I had moved to Tirupur to intern with a factory and noticed that garment workers were rarely a part of the conversation. I believe in a bottom-up philosophy, he explains. This led him to discover The Behno Standard, which is a playbook of high level principles that factor in workers health, womens social mobility, family planning and work satisfaction. Punjya says he works with factories that conform to The Behno Standard of practices. This isnt a cookie-cutter model, but factories that are open to making changes. Behno, which means sisters in Hindi and is aimed at the economic empowerment of women, was first launched as a ready-to-wear fashion label. Our accessories became very popular, so we decided to focus on them primarily, he adds. Behno now identifies its core brand values as new luxury, an ethical label of handbags and accessories. We believe in community. Its important to understand that people work better if we can all come together. We need to contextualise our businesses. And as a fashion brand, my community is my supply chain, he states. Punjya is founder and creative director of Behno. The label doesnt manufacture itself but partners with factories in India that are open to improving their worker conditions. His design team designs the accessories keeping a minimal and contemporary vibe to the label. Behno sources from a tannery in Venice and one in Chennai (both are members of Leather Working Group that ensures ethical practices), but Punjya says he is moving towards transitioning to sourcing entirely from India soon. His cut-and-make factories are in India, one in Nashik and two in Kolkata, while some hardware comes from Japan. Behno also promotes the Swedish idea of lagom, which means just enough. This respects quality over a consumerist greed and logo mania. We believe you can have a phenomenal product with a beautiful design and a comfortable price point. Luxury does not have to mean super expensive. We need to understand our access to luxury must be just enough, Punjya explains. This is why we dont believe in logos. Our signatures are our hidden details in our bags, like a secret code for our customers, he smiles. Luxury must be timeless, not trendy. An It-bag is something that stays in your wardrobe forever. Punjya also likes Behno to collaborate with other not-for-profit organisations. For example, his sister has Down Syndrome, so Behno designed a gorgeous little red Nini bag, named after her, and shares profits with National Downs Syndrome Society in the USA. Behno also took the assistance of the Muni Seva Ashram, near Vadodara, to come up with an MSA Ethos for factories to comply with. I volunteered here when I was in high school, Punjya says. Leather is traditionally a mans job in India, especially a Muslim or a Dalit worker, often a social outlier. How did Behno get women to join the trade? This is a very nuanced conversation, Punjya says. Through our conversations with factories in Kolkata, we found that women were willing to come into the trade. We invited them, as well as their families, to visit our factories and see that they were clean and safe spaces for women to work in. The factories invite and absorb women into the leather space, especially for edging. Internationally, leather gets a bad rap by vegan advocates and animal cruelty activists. But in India, leather is a source of livelihood for among the poorest sections of society. I am a vegetarian but I wear a lot of leather, Punjya says. The beef industry globally is growing, and all that hide will probably go in landfills. All our leather comes from the food industry. Tanning processes must be accepted in order to be better organised. Im not against alternatives to leather, but petroleum and plastic are not what can be called sustainable alternatives, he reasons. Punjya says Behno will finally break even this year, even as it readies itself for institutional funding at the same time. Kaif, who got in touch with via social media he says, is a financial investor too. We are excited, shes a global citizen quite like me, and enjoys her fashion, he adds. Hes hoping Behno begins apparel again and can be a full-fledged lifestyle brand. Hes also hoping a garment worker can be a CEO one day. Namrata Zakaria is a seasoned writer and editor, and a chronicler of social and cultural trends. Her first book, on late fashion designer Wendell Rodricks Moda Goa museum, is due to be published shortly. Zakaria is especially known for her insiders take on fashion, luxury and social entrepreneurship in India. Her writing is appreciated for shaping opinions, busting myths, making reputations and sometimes breaking the odd career. Zakaria is also involved in putting together philanthropic efforts in the field of economic and environmental sustainability. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. New Delhi: BJP leader Amit Malviya on Sunday accused Congress Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of lying about her brother Rahul Gandhis educational background. The BJPs I-T department head tweeted, None of Rahul Gandhis election affidavits mentions a degree from Harvard. Priyanka Vadra, just like her disqualified brother, is lying. Is there anything about the family that is not fake? Addressing the Sankalp Satyagraha at Rajghat as part of the Congress nationwide protests against its former presidents disqualification from Lok Sabha, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, Rahul Gandhi has degrees from two leading international education institutions in Harward and Cambridge. You call him Pappu. In his swipe, Malviya said he wont even get into the number of times she mentioned Pappu. She said the time had come to raise a voice against an arrogant government as barring Rahul Gandhi from contesting elections does not bode well for the country and its democracy. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu will be on a two-day visit of West Bengal from Monday, during which she will visit Santiniketan to grace the annual convocation of Visva-Bharati, according to a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday. The president will visit Netaji Bhawan in Kolkata to pay homage to Subhash Chandra Bose on Monday. Later on during the day, she will visit Jorasanko Thakurbari Rabindranath Tagores House to pay tributes to him, the statement said. In the evening, the president will attend a civic reception to be hosted in her honour at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Kolkata, it added. The president will visit Belur Math the next day. She will also grace the celebration of completion of 80 years of UCO Bank in Kolkata. Later, the president will visit Santiniketan where she will grace the annual convocation of Visva-Bharati, the statement said. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Rampur: Rampuri Chaku, a style of knife made famous by the Bollywood flicks of the 1980s, has been given a fitting tribute here by authorities which named a roundabout chaku chowk and installing in its centre a 20-foot Rampuri knife. Rampur, located 320 km north of the state capital, was once known for its several small-scale units that made high-quality foldable knives. With a blade made of hardened steel and brass handles the knives were once in a popular demand. However cheap copies imported from China are giving a tough time to the Rampuri knife and people related with its trade. The knife was inaugurated by Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh in presence of senior officials and local leaders. The roundabout on Nainital road marks the entry point to Rampur when travelling from Uttarakhand. Rampur MLA Akash Saxena, who was also present at the unveiling of the big knife, said Rampuri knife used to be a symbol of fear once, but today it is being recognised as a craft. The MLA said that the authorities have appealed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to keep the industries involved in knife-making out of GST. Local traders on the other hand believe that the new roundabout may give a boost to the demand of the trademark knife, but still a lot needs to be done. Rehmat Raza Khan, a local who has been manufacturing knives for generations, told PTI, In early nineties, there were over two dozen units manufacturing Rampuri knives which were sold in several small shops. Apart from the main markets these shops also lined markets near Railway station and bus stops where visitors purchased them as souvenirs. Khan rued that though the knife gained popularity after finding mention in scores of bollywood flicks, its association with violence also led to its downfall. The Chaku began to be seen as associated with low rung criminals and pickpockets because this is how they were shown by the Bollywood, which put the general public off it, Raza said. Even at the height of its popularity when it was sought out by people from across the country, the Rampuri knife failed to make a market abroad. Due to strict regulation on the length of the blade it is very difficult to export the Rampuri knife which has a blade of 30 cm or longer, explained Mohammad Shadab Raza, another trader. Apart from dwindling demand and popularity, another aspect that gave a major blow to the industry was easy availability of cheap knives which are usually imported from China. Chinese knives have taken over the market. They are of lower quality and cost half of that of an original Rampuri, so people buy them instead of the original. Because of this the market of Rampuri knives has reached a point of extinction in the last decade, said Shadab. With a dwindling demand, many manufacturing units were folded and craftsmen were forced to shift to other occupations to earn a decent living. As of now there is not a single major knife manufacturer in the city. The manufacturing has been reduced to small workshops which are managed by a few people, said Rehmat Raza. Considering the abysmal state of the knife business, locals say that the Ramouri knife needs more effort than a statue in its name. We have urged the state government to include the knife in ODOP (One District, One Product) scheme and train new artisans and help them reach out to a bigger market, Raza said. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Ahmedabad: A police team from Uttar Pradesh came to the Sabarmati central jail in Ahmedabad on Sunday and took gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to Prayagraj, where he will be produced before a court on March 28 when it passes an order in a kidnapping case in which he is an accused, officials said. #WATCH | Gujarat: Mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed (in white headgear) steps out of Sabarmati Jail as a team of Prayagraj Police takes him with them. As per a UP Court's order, the verdict in a kidnapping case will be pronounced on March 28. All accused in the case, including pic.twitter.com/9kDMGYBFVC ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2023 The UP police team reached the Sabarmati jail in the morning and left the premises amid tight security with Ahmed in a police van around 6 pm after completing the necessary formalities, they said. Ahmed, a former Samajwadi Party MP, has been lodged in the Sabarmati central jail since June 2019. He was shifted there from his home state as per the Supreme Courts order. A court in Prayagraj has set March 28 as the date to pass its order in a kidnapping case in which Ahmed is an accused, Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma said in the Uttar Pradesh city. He said a team of the Prayagraj police was sent to Ahmedabad to bring Ahmed for his court appearance the given date. As part of the procedure, all the accused are to be produced before the court on the date of the judgment and then sent back to their respective jails, the police officer said. The Supreme Court had in April 2019 directed that the former MP from Phulpur in UP be shifted to a high-security jail in Gujarat after he was accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and assault of a real estate businessman Mohit Jaiswal while in jail. He is named in more than 100 criminal cases, including the recent Umesh Pal murder case, police said. Among the most sensational murders in which Ahmed is allegedly involved was that of Raju Pal, the MLA from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) who was shot dead in 2005. Umesh Pal, a key witness in this murder case, was gunned down outside his residence in Prayagraj on February 24 this year, they said. Earlier this month, Ahmed had moved the Supreme Court for protection, claiming that he and his family were falsely implicated in the Umesh Pal murder case in Prayagraj and he may be killed in a fake encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Police. In his plea, Ahmed said the Uttar Pradesh police were in all likelihood seeking his transit remand and police remand to take him from Ahmedabad to Prayagraj and he genuinely apprehends that he may be eliminated during this transit period. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The visit of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has brought India and Italy closer politically and commercially. Italian archeologists and scholars have been at the forefront of researching and documenting Indias ancient civilization for decades. After Kabul fell once again to the Taliban in 2021, the Italian Archeological Mission to Afghanistan has not stopped its work documenting and popularising Afghanistans glorious history. The Italian archeological mission, which has operated in Afghanistan since 1956 now does not physically operate in the country given security challenges. The last time the Taliban captured Afghanistan they destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas, two enormous 6th century Buddha statues on Mullah Omars orders in 2001. Now the archeological mission is using technology to popularise its research and findings, especially given the danger that the Taliban regime poses to the cultural heritage of the country, Islamic and Buddhist. It uses 2D and 3D to reconstruct sites and ruins using Youtube to spread awareness and conserve ancient history. Prior to the advent of Islam, Afghanistan was a Buddhist country with many cities such as Ghazni, on the silk route. An animation recently published by the Italian Archeological Mission, as a part of the Ghazni project, brings to life the history of the architectural remains of an important Buddhist site set high on a hill overlooking the city of Ghazni in modern-day Afghanistan. The 1,800-year-old monastery complex has been excavated by the Italian Archaeological Mission in Afghanistan since the 60s. It opens a window into the ancient Buddhist art of Afghanistan, its embedded meanings, and its impact on the society of those times. The animation, in Dari with English subtitles, takes one back to the Kushan Empire (first to third century CE) which ruled over a considerable part of central Asia including modern day Pakistan and Northern India. The empire reached its zenith under the rule of Kanishka the great (127-150 AD). Kanishka was a great patron of Buddhism and given the trade routes that crossed through his empire he was key to the spread of Buddhism to China and other Asian countries. This animation takes you back to Kanishkas times and shows you a glimpse of Buddhism at that point in history. Tapa Sardar is a Buddhist archeological ruin, outside of Ghazni dominating the Dasht i-Manara plains. This second or third century vihara was excavated by the Italian mission in the 1960s and 1970s. Among the thousands of fragments found, there are fragments of a pot with an inscription Kanika Maharaja Vihara or the monastery of the Great King Kanishka. The Italian archeological missions work has helped piece together what life was like in pre-Islamic Afghanistan. The Vihara, where devotional practice included pradakshina, the path for which was marked on the ground with a special floral mosaic. The stupa dominated the landscape across the silk route which passed through Ghazni and the Vihara survived the fall of the Kushan empire, patronised by Ghaznis aristocracy making it the centre of Ghaznis social, religious and political life. Evidence reinforced the hypothesis that the sacred area of Tapa Sardar may well correspond to the Sah Bahar (The temple of the King) that, according to the Kitab al-buldan, was destroyed in 795 AD by the invading Muslim army. After being destroyed by a fire during the first Muslim incursion in 671/672 AD, Tapa Sardar underwent an extensive reconstruction in the late seventh or early eighth century CE. The date of the final abandonment, though uncertain, does not precede in any case the late eight or ninth century AD. As clearly highlighted by the archaeological investigation of the site, Tapa Sardar was a prestigious religious centre where not only new artistic forms were experienced and established but also periodical ceremonies of great political relevance might have taken place. This is suggested by iconographies depicting members of the ruling elites and, especially in the last phases of the site, cultic images symbolically connected to the theme of the protection of the Buddhist kingdom. Another animation created by the Italian archeological mission What remains of medieval Ghazni, capital of a mighty empire? reconstructs the royal palace of the mediaeval Islamic Ghaznavid rulers. The Ghaznavid dynasty (977-1186 AD) was founded by the notorious conqueror Mahmud of Ghazni who sacked Mathura in 1018 and plundered the Somnath temple in 1025, breaking its jyotirlinga. The Ghaznavid empire flourished due to their repeated military excursions to India where they were able to loot fabulous wealth. This made the Ghaznavid empire flourish and made Ghazni the centre of Arabic and Persian literature, poetry and art. Mahmud of Ghazi continues to inspire modern day terrorists like Anais Haqqani, who visited the Sultans shrine in October 2021 and praised the conqueror as a renowned Muslim warrior who sacked Somnath. Despite challenges and being unable to work on the ground, the Italian archeological mission continues to document its decades long work, creating 2D and 3D models of ruins, trying to give us a window into Buddhist, pre-Islamic and mediaeval Islamic Afghanistan, which are intrinsically connected to Indias history and culture. With a regime in Kabul which has scant respect for history and no regard for non-Islamic cultures and religions, with conflict and extreme poverty, the ancient history of Afghanistan may disappear before our eyes without these dedicated efforts of the Italian archeological mission. The author is an Indo-Italian entrepreneur and has over 24 years of leadership and entrepreneurial experience across a wide range of disciplines including pharmaceuticals, technology, renewable energy, strategic consulting, not-for-profit and development in over 30 countries. He is also the founder of the Dialogue on Democracy. Views expressed are personal. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Is the RSS a uniquely Indian phenomenon? Obviously it was founded in Nagpur, but the idea for the organisation didnt pop fully formed out of the head of Dr KB Hedgewar. Setting out to rejuvenate Indian nationalism in the 1920s, it had lots of precedents to draw on. And one example resonates more than any other. In 1811, in a country suburb south of Berlin, a German high school teacher named Friedrich Jahn started an open-air gymnastics club. It was the era of the Napoleonic Wars, and most of Germany was suffering under French military occupation. Jahns native Prussia was technically a princely state with its own king, but all real power lied in Paris. Jahn was a true patriot, and he wanted to prepare his countrymen mentally and physically for the day when they would be called on to throw off the yoke of foreign rule. In his club, Jahn taught his boys discipline, self-reliance, and love of country. The curriculum was unabashedly nationalist. Jahn soon had gymnastics clubs all over Germany, operating as all-volunteer organisations completely free from government oversight. When the time came to expel the French imperialists, the new German authorities eagerly called on Jahns energetic, highly-motivated, well-disciplined volunteers for help. But they soon came to see these fervent young nationalists as a threat to their own power. When a student radical with distant ties to the gymnastics movement assassinated a prominent politician, the government cracked down. Jahns gymnasiums were banned, and Jahn himself was arrested and sent to jail for five years. His organisation went underground for two decades before eventually being allowed to reemerge. One of the requirements placed on Jahns organisation as a condition of removing the ban was no kidding that it must adopt a written constitution. Jahns student volunteers were German, not Indian; their poles were meant for pole-vaulting, not stick-fighting; and they wore long pants, not shorts. Its cold in Berlin. Otherwise, the national volunteer organisation founded by Friedrich Jahn in 1811 looked an awful lot like the National Volunteer Organisation founded by Dr KB Hedgewar in 1925, otherwise known as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. There really is nothing new under the sun. In fact, similar organisations have been founded in many other occupied countries: Giuseppe Mazzinis Young Italy (which was a model for both Gandhi and Savarkar), the Boxers who tried to expel foreign powers from China in 1901, and (some would argue) Egypts Muslim Brotherhood. If theres one thing that makes the RSS angrier than being compared to the Boy Scouts, its being compared to the Muslim Brotherhood. And to be fair, the parallels are no longer exact. The Brotherhood has changed a lot since its founding in 1928, becoming much more religious, while if anything the RSS has become (dare it be said?) more secular. But both began as what sociologists call national rejuvenation movements. Originating mainly in countries under foreign domination, these organisations focus on creating a sense of national consciousness among the youth (particularly young men) by combining physical fitness with the study of traditional culture. They also emphasise personal discipline, clean living, and general respectfulness. National rejuvenation movements are very different from national liberation movements like the Indian National Congress. For one thing, they are reluctant to get involved in politics, only forming political parties as a matter of self-preservation. For another, they tend to accept the rule of the powers-that-be, focusing on molding society for the future, not overthrowing the government of the day. In India, the RSS may have played an important role in Indias independence struggle or it may have sat idle and let Congress do all the work. That debate is for Indians to resolve. Whats more interesting to an international sociologist is that the RSS is still in the business of national rejuvenation, even as it approaches 100 years old. The only comparable organisation to have survived so long is the Muslim Brotherhood. Is India today, a country where more than half the population is under age 30, still a nation in need of rejuvenation? Mohan Bhagwat might think so, but then hes 72 years old. But anyone who thinks that the RSS is stuck in the past has not, to paraphrase the good Sarsanghchalak, taken the time to understand the organisation. The RSS may be a throwback to another era, but it is a thoroughly modern throwback. Those who wants to defeat it must offer a better vision for the future, not a different version of the past. The author is an associate professor at the University of Sydney and the author of the new study Unholy Alliance: Inside the Activist Campaign to Pry India from the West. He earned his MS (mathematical sciences) and PhD (sociology) from the Johns Hopkins University. Views expressed are personal. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Beirut: Strikes on Iranian-linked bases in Syria would draw a quick response, an Iranian security spokesperson said on Saturday, after the reported death of 19 people in one of the deadliest exchanges between the US and Iranian-aligned forces in years. Any pretext to attack bases created at the request of the Syrian government to deal with terrorism and Islamic State elements in this country will be met with an immediate counter-response, Keyvan Khosravi, spokesperson for Irans top security body, was quoted as saying by Iranian state media. Iran says its forces and allied fighters are in Syria at the request of Damascus, and sees US forces there as occupiers. The death toll in US air strikes on pro-Iran installations in eastern Syria has risen to 19 fighters, a Syrian war monitoring group said on Saturday. The US carried out strikes in eastern Syria in response to a drone attack on Thursday that left one American contractor dead and another wounded along with five US troops. Washington said the attack was of Iranian origin. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air raids killed three Syrian troops, 11 Syrian fighters in pro-government militias and five non-Syrian fighters who were aligned with the government. The monitoring groups head Rami Abdel Rahman could not specify the nationalities of the foreigners. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the toll. The initial exchange prompted a string of tit-for-tat strikes. Another US service member was wounded, according to officials, and local sources said suspected US rocket fire hit more locations in eastern Syria. President Joe Biden on Friday warned Iran that the United States would act forcefully to protect Americans. Iran has been a major backer of President Bashar al-Assad during Syrias 12-year conflict. Irans proxy militias, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah and pro-Tehran Iraqi groups, hold sway in swathes of eastern, southern and northern Syria and in suburbs around the capital. Irans foreign ministry condemned the latest US strikes, accusing US forces of targeting civilian sites. Irans military advisers have been in Syria at the request of the Syrian government to help this country fight terrorism, and shall remain by Syrias side to help establish peace, stability and lasting security, ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani told state media. Tehrans growing entrenchment in Syria has drawn regular Israeli air strikes but American aerial raids are more rare. The US has been raising the alarm about Irans drone program. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Brussels: The EUs foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Sunday that Brussels was ready to impose new sanctions on Belarus if Minsk were to host Russian nuclear weapons. Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation and threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions, he tweeted. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Saturday his country would station tactical nuclear arms in Belarus. Putin said the deployment was similar to moves from the United States, which stores such weapons in bases across Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey, an analogy western allies called misleading. With fears of a nuclear war rising since the invasion, experts believe that any Russian strike would likely involve small-size battlefield weapons, called tactical as opposed to strategic high-powered long-range nuclear weapons. The Ukrainian foreign ministry accused Russia of breaching its obligations, and of undermining the nuclear disarmament architecture and the international security system in general. It called on all members of the international community to convey to the criminal Putin regime the categorical unacceptability of its latest nuclear provocations. In the interview broadcast Saturday, Putin said the move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was nothing unusual. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and deputy chair of the Russian Federations Security Council, advised Russians on Sunday, March 26 to download pirated movies in order to force the US streaming service firm Netflix to go bankrupt. You know what? Look for the right pirates and download from them. If theyre gone, all those Netflixes and others, then well download it all, well use it for free. And I would scatter it all over the network in order to cause them maximum damage. Maximum damage to make them go bankrupt! Medvedev said in an interview with Russias state-affiliated agency VKontakte, TASS and others. Last year, a slew of famous Hollywood and Silicon Valley companies dropped their support for streaming or broadcasting Russian state content. Concerns have been raised by US firms regarding the proliferation of Russian propaganda and disinformation relating to military activities in neighbouring Ukraine. Apple, Netflix, TikTok, Facebooks parent company, Meta, and dozens of other companies have either distanced themselves or been barred from doing business in Russia. According to the Moscow Times, Netflix entered Russia in December and was requested to comply with a regulation requiring the streaming service to transmit Russian state television stationsChannel Oneas well as Russian Orthodox Church channels in Russia. The former Russian President emphasised that Russian residents had the freedom to download and distribute illegal versions of Netflix films over the internet. He was alluding to movies that have been unavailable in Russia due to Western rights holders refusal to broadcast them. Medvedev slammed the unexpected removal of movies and music, particularly certain Western music, from Russian internet sites in reaction to Russian President Vladimir Putins special military operation in Ukraine. Medvedev has previously stated that Russia could not lose the continuing battle because it would vanish and be ripped to bits. If Russia abandons the special military operation without securing victory, Russia would vanish and be shattered. The conflict will cease if the US stops supplying weapons to the Kyiv dictatorship, he added in a Telegram post. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Berlin: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will battle on Sunday to put out the fires threatening his government as the three-way coalition meets for crisis talks on a growing series of disputes. A little more than a year after taking office, the relationship between Scholzs Social Democrats (SPD) and his governing partners, the Greens and the pro-business FDP, looks more strained than ever. Earlier this week, Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck of the Greens accused the FDP of blocking progress, while the FDPs deputy chief Wolfgang Kubicki compared the Green politician to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kubicki later apologised but the damaging row underlines the state of the three-way coalition the first in Germanys post-war history. The alliance got off to a good start in December 2021 under the motto of their coalition agreement Dare for more progress. It was put to a tough test when Russia invaded Ukraine just two months on, upending decades of German economic and political certainties. But tensions have since soared particularly between the Greens and the FDP. The two are unnatural bedfellows, with the former set on environmental commitments to phase out nuclear energy and combustion engines, and the latter promoting very different economic policies. It could not be that in a coalition of progress only one coalition partner is responsible for progress and the others for preventing progress, Habeck said at a Green party event during the week. Boiling over Sundays talks would be a good opportunity to overcome blockages on key issues, Habeck also told broadcaster ARD, blasting the coalitions record and policy leaks. At the root of Habecks discontent is a controversial project put forward by his ministry to ban the installation of new oil and gas boilers from 2024 a year earlier than previously planned. The accelerated move from fossil fuels to greener technologies such as heat pumps would be accompanied by a multi-billion-euro package of financial support for switchers, Habeck has promised. But the idea has caused ructions within the coalition, with critics underlining the costs involved. The plans must go back to the drawing board and be fundamentally revised, Finance Minister and FDP leader Christian Lindner said after a policy draft was leaked to German daily Bild. Habecks determination had something in common with Putin, Kubicki said. Both, he declared, had a similar belief that the state, the leader, the chosen one, knows better than the people what is good for them. As tempers frayed, SPD general secretary said the partners needed to find a new way of working. This is an appeal to all three parties in government these public arguments must stop now, he said. Explosive material The boiler bust-up is only one item on a growing list of disagreements, including pension reform, child benefits and cuts to red tape. The parties agreed to speed up the approval process for key projects to revitalise Germanys creaking infrastructure. But while the FDP would like to see support for more new motorways, the Greens want to privilege more climate-friendly projects. The FDP have also rallied opposition against European Union plans to ban cars with internal combustion engines from 2035, insisting on a future for alternative engine fuels another idea strongly opposed by the Greens. Spending demands from across government including more money for Germanys sclerotic armed forces have made the maths harder for the finance minister. Lindner, who has insisted on a return to Germanys strict constitutional spending limits, was forced earlier in March to push back the publication of spending plans for 2024 due to a lack of agreement. Divisions over the budget threaten to bring an end to the coalition, if Scholz fails to back his finance minister, political scientist Juergen Falter told Bild. Much of the coalitions discord could be traced back to the fact that the ideas of the Greens and the FDP simply do not fit together, he said. Bringing their opposing views together was always going to be difficult, according to Falter. Three-way alliances automatically have more explosive material, he said. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. New Delhi: Indias Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday summoned the High Commissioner of Canada after the security breach at the Indian embassy in Ottawa. The High Commissioner of Canada was summoned yesterday to convey our strong concern about the actions of separatist and extremist elements against our diplomatic Mission and Consulates in Canada this week, the MEA said in a statement released on Sunday. The High Commissioner of Canada was summoned yesterday to convey our strong concern about the actions of separatist and extremist elements against our diplomatic Mission and Consulates in Canada this week: Ministry of External Affairs pic.twitter.com/YG62uIdOKW ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2023 The statement by the MEA said the Government of India sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of Indias diplomatic missions and Consulates. The Government of Canada was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention and was asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts, the statement read further. The Canadian government is expected to take strong steps against such anti-India separatist elements, the Ministry of External Affairs said. It is expected that the Canadian government will take all steps which are required to ensure the safety of our diplomats and security of our diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfil their normal diplomatic functions, the release said. Khalistan supporters allegedly protested outside the Indian Embassy in Canada last week. They raised pro-Khalistan slogans and allegedly assaulted Indian-origin journalists present on the spot. The Khalistan supporters have started targeting Indian consulates after the chase on separatist leader Amritpal Singh started in India and hundreds of his aides were arrested in India. After Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, the High Commission of India in Canada was also targeted by Khalistani supporters this week. The honorary consulate of India was vandalised with Khalistani flags earlier in February. Recently, Indian consulates in the United Kingdom and the United States were also attacked by pro-Khalistan supporters. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. New Delhi: Five Indian seafarers who were kept under judicial custody at Chabahar Central Jail in Iran for 403 days are set to return to India on Friday. According to sources, the 5 Indian seafarers will reportedly arrive in Mumbai from Tehran via an Iran Air flight. According to the President of the Indian World Forum, Puneet Singh Chandok, the repatriation of seafarers is facilitated by the Indian World Forum and is being borne by the Indian government. The Embassy of India, Tehran after the direction of the Delhi High Court to the Centre provided boarding and lodging to the seafarers and prior to that they were at the mercy of local samaritans. Notably, Puneet Singh Chandhok, President of the Indian World Forum on July 12, 2021, raised the issue of the seafarers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well, according to sources. These sailors, Aniket Sham Yenpure, Mandar Milind Worlikar, Naveen Singh, Pranav Kumar, and Thamizhselvan Rengasamy were apparently in judicial custody in Tehran for 403 days without any charges as investigations were completed with authorities in Chabahar and Konark, Sistan and Baluchestan Provinces in Iran. According to the circumstances, the local court in Chabahar in its judgment on March 8, 2021, ruled the defendants innocent and ordered their immediate release, following which they were released from prison on March 9, 2021, and taken for completing formalities to Konark. Subsequently, they were handed over their belongings but surprisingly they were not handed back their passports and identity documents including CDC by the local authorities, sources said. A petition was filed by the family members of seafarers at Delhi High Court through legal counsel Gurinder Pal Singh seeking legal assistance from the Indian authorities as well as the issuance of a document to prove their identity. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Jerusalem: Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday called on the government to halt legislation on changes to the judiciary, saying the bitter dispute over the measures poses a danger to national security. The deepening split is seeping into the military and security agencies this is a clear, immediate and real danger to Israels security. I will not facilitate this, Gallant said in a brief televised statement. Though others in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus hard-right governing coalition have voiced some misgivings about the contentious judicial shake-up, Gallants was the first clear, public objection by a senior cabinet member. Legislation at this time must be stopped, Gallant said. At least two fellow Likud party lawmakers, Yuli Edelstein and David Bitan, came out in support of Gallant and echoed his call for justice reforms to indeed be made, but with broad agreement. It was unclear whether Netanyahu, wrapping up a visit to London and aiming to finalise legislation on at least one bill in the coming week, would heed their call. Netanyahu on trial for corruption which he denies is under pressure from others in his cabinet who want him to proceed this week with a bill that would grant the ruling coalition more sway in selecting judges, which critics say would undermine judicial independence. Highlighting tensions in Netanyahus cabinet, far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged the premier to fire Gallant, who he said had caved to opposition pressure. Opposition leader Yair Lapid praised Gallants brave step and said he was ready for talks on the reforms once the government stops the legislation. But with a solid 64-seat majority in parliament, the coalition would still have enough votes without Gallant, unless more lawmakers back down from the proposed changes. The judicial overhaul plan, announced on Jan. 4, has plunged Israel into its worst political crisis in years, as mass protests have swept the country. It has also stirred concern abroad and warnings about a serious economic backlash. Gallant has previously voiced worries about a wave of Israelis who have pledged not to heed call-ups for military reserve duty if the reforms proceed, saying that could weaken war-readiness and national cohesion. Despite Netanyahus pledge this week to enshrine civil rights in law and defer some chapters of the overhaul during parliaments April recess, opposition does not seem to have weakened. Israeli media said around 200,000 Israelis rallied against the plan in Tel Aviv on Saturday, with tens of thousands more across the country. We are here fighting for our democracy, said protester Hila Bron, 41. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Washington: Leaders of the Senates banking committee on Thursday warned former chief executive officers at the failed Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank that they expect them to testify before the panel, saying in a letter to each: you must answer for the banks downfall. The committee is examining the events leading up to the closures of the banks, starting with the first congressional hearing on Tuesday. Separate letters were sent Thursday to Gregory Becker, the former head of Silicon Valley Bank, and to Joseph DePaolo, the former head of Signature Bank. Both CEOs had indicated to the committee they would be unable to attend Tuesdays hearing, according to the letter. But the senators said they believe the CEOs can testify to Congress without disclosing confidential information. Nor would the executives need to hand over bank records and files to provide informative testimony, they said. Attorneys copied in on the letters sent to the CEOs did not immediately reply to requests from The Associated Press for comment. Silicon Valley Bank, based in Santa Clara, California, failed on March 10 after depositors rushed to withdraw money amid fears about the banks health. It was the second-largest bank collapse in U.S. history. Regulators convened over the following weekend and announced that New York-based Signature Bank also had failed. They said that all depositors at both banks, including those holding uninsured funds, those exceeding $250,000, would be protected by federal deposit insurance. Sen. Sherrod Brown, the Democratic chairman of the banking panel, and Sen. Tim Scott, the ranking Republican, said the committee needs to understand how the banks managed risk during their rapid growth and what led to them both having a large proportion of uninsured depositors. The senators also asked SVBs Becker for information on the payment of bonuses in the hours leading up to the seizure of the bank by regulators. Lawmakers also are scrutinizing the actions of regulators who supervised the two banks, and that will be the focus of Tuesdays hearing with testimony from Martin Gruenberg, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Michael Barr, a vice chairman at the Federal Reserves Board of Governors; and Nellie Liang, undersecretary for domestic finance at the Treasury Department. The Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission have also launched investigations into the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, and President Joe Biden has called on Congress to strengthen rules on regional banks and to impose tougher penalties on executives of failed banks. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Brussels: The NATO alliance on Sunday condemned Russias announcement that it would deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus as dangerous and irresponsible. But spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said the western allies had not yet seen any changes in Russias nuclear posture that would lead us to adjust our own. Ukraine has sought an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss Moscows plan, announced Saturday, to deploy tactical warheads to neighbouring Belarus. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, with some of its troops crossing the border through its ally Belarus, and Kyiv sees the move as nuclear blackmail. President Vladimir Putin counters by comparing the move to the United States basing some of its nuclear arsenal on the territory of its European allies. But NATO joined Germany in dismissing this analogy. Russias nuclear rhetoric is dangerous and irresponsible. NATO is vigilant, and we are closely monitoring the situation, Lungescu said. Russias reference to NATOs nuclear sharing is totally misleading. NATO allies act with full respect of their international commitments, she said. Russia has consistently broken its arms control commitments, most recently suspending its participation in the New START Treaty, she said. Last month Putin said that Moscow would suspend participation in the New START treaty, the last nuclear arms control pact between Russia and the United States. Russia must return to compliance and act in good faith, the NATO spokesman said. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Wilmington, Del.: President Joe Bidens choice to run the Federal Aviation Administration has withdrawn his nomination, a setback for the administration that comes after Denver International Airport CEO Phillip Washington appeared to lack enough support in the closely divided Senate. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed Washingtons withdrawal in a tweet Saturday night, calling him an excellent nominee and blaming undeserved and partisan attacks. Republicans were united in opposition to Washington, calling him unqualified because of limited aviation experience. Democrats and allied independents still might have pushed the nomination through, but key senators on their side baulked at supporting Bidens pick. Washingtons fate appeared settled when Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., abruptly called off a scheduled vote last Wednesday a sign that she lacked enough votes to move the nomination out of committee. She said some senators wanted more information about Washington. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who was a Democrat until switching to independent in December, and moderate Democrat Jon Tester of Montana declined to say how they would have voted. A person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that Sinema was holding up the nomination and had indicated her opposition. The person was not authorized to discuss the process publicly and insisted on anonymity. Before the White House announces a new nominee, it likely will want assurances of support from Sinema, Tester and other moderates. The FAA has lacked a Senate-confirmed administrator since March 2022. The agency is trying to reassure Americans that air travel is safe despite a surge in close calls between planes this year. It is also struggling with ageing technology that failed in January, briefly cancelling all takeoffs nationwide. And it is still trying to repair its reputation after approving Boeing planes that crashed in 2018 and 2019. The FAA needs a confirmed Administrator, and Phil Washingtons transportation & military experience made him an excellent nominee, Buttigieg tweeted Saturday night. The partisan attacks and procedural obstruction he has faced are undeserved, but I respect his decision to withdraw and am grateful for his service. Washington ran transit agencies in Denver and Los Angeles, but his only aviation-related experience is serving as CEO of the Denver airport for less than two years. He has strong ties to the administration, however he led Bidens 2020 transition team for the Transportation Department, which includes the FAA. Biden nominated Washington last July, but he didnt get a committee hearing for eight months. Republicans attacked his resume and seized on disclosures that his name appeared in search warrants related to a corruption investigation in Los Angeles. Washington said he did nothing wrong and had not been contacted by law enforcement. The agency is being led by an acting administrator, Billy Nolen, a pilot who has held safety jobs at three airlines and the FAA. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who led the opposition to Washington, said Nolen could win bipartisan support. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Russia will station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday, sending a warning to NATO over its military support for Ukraine and escalating a standoff with the West. Although not unexpected and while Putin said the move would not violate nuclear non-proliferation promises, it is one of Russias most pronounced nuclear signals since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine 13 months ago. The United States the worlds other nuclear superpower has reacted cautiously to Putins statement, with a senior administration official saying there were no signs Moscow planned to use its nuclear weapons. Putin likened his plans to the US stationing its weapons in Europe and said that Russia would not be transferring control to Belarus. But this could be the first time since the mid-1990s that Russia were to base such weapons outside the country. There is nothing unusual here either: firstly, the United States has been doing this for decades. They have long deployed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allied countries, Putin told state television. We agreed that we will do the same without violating our obligations, I emphasize, without violating our international obligations on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. Tensions have grown over the war in Ukraine after heavy supplies of Western weaponry to Kyiv and Moscow shifted its rhetoric on its military operation away from demilitarisation of its neighbour to fighting the collective West there. Some hawkish Russian politicians and commentators have long speculated about nuclear strikes, saying Russia has the right to defend itself with nuclear weapons if it is pushed beyond its limits. Tactical nuclear weapons refer to those used for specific gains on a battlefield rather than those with the capacity to wipe out cities. It is unclear how many such weapons Russia has given it is an area still shrouded in Cold War secrecy. Experts told Reuters the development was significant since Russia had until now been proud that, unlike the United States, it did not deploy nuclear weapons outside its borders. The senior US administration official noted that Russia and Belarus had been speaking about the transfer of nuclear weapons for some time. We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon. We remain committed to the collective defence of the NATO alliance, the official said. NATOs threshold Putin did not specify when the weapons would be transferred to Belarus, which has borders with three NATO members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. He said Russia would complete the construction of a storage facility there by July 1. This is part of Putins game to try to intimidate NATO because there is no military utility from doing this in Belarus as Russia has so many of these weapons and forces inside Russia, said Hans Kristensen, director of the nuclear information project at the Federation of American Scientists. It was also unclear where in Belarus the weapons would be stationed. The transfer would expand Russias nuclear strike ability along NATOs eastern border. Although the Kremlin has never publicly confirmed it, the West has long being saying that Russia keeps nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad, its Baltic coast exclave between NATO and European Union members Poland and Lithuania. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons called Putins announcement an extremely dangerous escalation. In the context of the war in Ukraine, the likelihood of miscalculation or misinterpretation is extremely high. Sharing nuclear weapons makes the situation much worse and risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences, it said on Twitter. Putin said that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had long requested the deployment. There was no immediate reaction from Lukashenko. While the Belarusian army has not formally fought in Ukraine, Minsk and Moscow have a close military relationship. Minsk allowed Moscow to use Belarusian territory to send troops into Ukraine last year and the two nations stepped up joint military training. We are not handing over (the weapons). And the US does not hand (them) over to its allies. Were basically doing the same thing theyve been doing for a decade, Putin said. They have allies in certain countries and they train their crews. We are going to do the same thing. Russia has stationed 10 aircraft in Belarus capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, Putin said, adding that it had already transferred to Belarus a number of Iskander tactical missile systems that can launch nuclear weapons. Its a very significant move, said Nikolai Sokol, a senior fellow at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation. Russia had always been very proud that it had no nuclear weapons outside its territory. So, now, yes, they are changing that and its a big change. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Kyiv: Russian authorities said Sunday a drone caused an explosion that injured three people in a town far from the border with Ukraine, but gave no word on the drones origin. The explosion occurred Sunday afternoon in the town of Kireevsk, in the Tula region about 300 kilometers (180 miles) from the border with Ukraine and 175 kilometers (110 miles) south of Moscow. Russias state news agency RIA-Novosti cited local authorities as saying the explosion, which damaged some residential buildings, was caused by a drone but did not immediately give further details. Ukraines government on Sunday called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to counter the Kremlins nuclear blackmail after Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus. One Ukrainian official said that Russia took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. But Moscow said it was making the move in response to the Wests increasing military support for Ukraine. Putin announced the plan in a television interview that aired on Saturday, saying it was triggered by a U.K. decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the United States. He noted that Washington has nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews, he said. Ukraines Foreign Ministry condemned the move in a statement Sunday and demanded an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. Ukraine expects effective action to counter the Kremlins nuclear blackmail by the U.K., China, the U.S. and France, including as permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, which have a special responsibility to prevent threats of aggression using nuclear weapons, the statement read. The world must be united against someone who endangers the future of human civilization. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, tweeted Sunday that Putins announcement was a step towards internal destabilization of Belarus that maximized the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society. The Kremlin, Danilov added, took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. On Saturday, Putin argued that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has long asked to have nuclear weapons in his country again to counter NATO. Belarus shares borders with three NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging ground to send troops into neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Both Lukashenkos support of the war and Putins plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus has been denounced by the Belarusian opposition. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over the ones it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them will be completed by July 1, Putin said. Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there. The U.S. said it would monitor the implications of Putins announcement. So far, Washington hasnt seen any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. In Germany, the foreign ministry called it a further attempt at nuclear intimidation, German news agency dpa reported late Saturday. The ministry went on to say that the comparison drawn by President Putin to NATOs nuclear participation is misleading and cannot be used to justify the step announced by Russia. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Kyiv: Ukraine on Sunday said it was seeking an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to counter Russias nuclear blackmail after President Vladimir Putin announced the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. Putin said the move was similar to the United States transferring weapons onto the territory of its allies, an analogy Germany called misleading. Ukraine expects effective actions to counteract the Kremlins nuclear blackmail from the United Kingdom, China, the United States and France, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said. We demand that an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council be immediately convened for this purpose, it added. On Saturday, Putin announced Russia would station tactical nuclear weapons in neighbour and ally Belarus without violating our international agreements on nuclear non-proliferation. The Ukrainian foreign ministry accused Russia of breaching its obligations, and of undermining the nuclear disarmament architecture and the international security system in general. It called on all members of the international community to convey to the criminal Putin regime the categorical unacceptability of its latest nuclear provocations. Strongman Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power in Belarus for almost 30 years, is a key Putin ally. Back in February 2022, Minsk allowed the Kremlin to launch its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory. Nuclear hostage Fears have since risen that Belarus may join its allys offensive, but Lukashenko said he would do so only if attacked. On Sunday secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defence Council, Oleksiy Danilov wrote on Twitter that the Kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. He added that the move was a step towards the internal destabilisation of the country. Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak added that (Putin) admits that he is afraid of losing and all he can do is scare people. In an interview broadcast Saturday, Putin said the move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was nothing unusual. The United States has been doing this for decades. They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies, Putin said. Putin said he spoke to Lukashenko and said we agreed to do the same. Russia will start training crews on April 3 and plans to finish the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons by July 1. Nuclear intimidation Germany on Sunday called the announcement another attempt at nuclear intimidation by Russia, an official in the foreign office told AFP. The comparison made by President Putin to nuclear sharing in NATO is misleading and does not justify the step announced by Russia, the source said. Belarus would also contradict its own international declarations to be a nuclear weapons-free zone, they said. Putin has previously said nuclear tensions were rising globally but that Moscow would not deploy first. The Russian leader said renewed discussions with Lukashenko on the issue were spurred by a British officials suggestion to send depleted uranium weapons to Ukraine. Russia will respond if the West supplied Ukraine with such ammunition, he added. Russia of course has what it needs to answer. Without exaggeration, we have hundreds of thousands of such shells. We have not used them yet. He said the weapons can be classified as the most harmful and hazardous for humans and also for the environment. Depleted uranium munitions are highly effective at piercing armour plate, but their use is controversial. The metal is toxic for the soldiers who use the weapons and for civilians in areas where they are fired. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It started out as strictly business: a huge private contract for one of the worlds most advanced undersea fiber-optic cables. It became a trophy in a growing proxy war between the United States and China over technologies that could determine who achieves economic and military dominance for decades to come. In February, American subsea cable company SubCom LLC began laying a $600-million cable to transport data from Asia to Europe, via Africa and the Middle East, at super-fast speeds over 12,000 miles of fiber running along the seafloor. That cable is known as South East AsiaMiddle EastWestern Europe 6, or SeaMeWe-6 for short. It will connect a dozen countries as it snakes its way from Singapore to France, crossing three seas and the Indian Ocean on the way. It is slated to be finished in 2025. It was a project that slipped through Chinas fingers. The Prized Cable A Chinese company that has quickly emerged as a force in the subsea cable-building industry HMN Technologies Co Ltd was on the brink of snagging that contract three years ago. The client for the cable was a consortium of more than a dozen global firms. Three of Chinas state-owned carriers China Telecommunications Corporation (China Telecom), China Mobile Limited and China United Network Communications Group Co Ltd (China Unicom) had committed funding as members of the consortium, which also included U.S.-based Microsoft Corp and French telecom firm Orange SA, according to six people involved in the deal. HMN Tech, whose predecessor company was majority-owned by Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, was selected in early 2020 to manufacture and lay the cable, the people said, due in part to hefty subsidies from Beijing that lowered the cost. HMN Techs bid of $500 million was roughly a third cheaper than the initial proposal submitted to the cable consortium by New Jersey-based SubCom, the people said. The Singapore-to-France cable would have been HMN Techs biggest such project to date, cementing it as the worlds fastest-rising subsea cable builder, and extending the global reach of the three Chinese telecom firms that had intended to invest in it. But the U.S. government, concerned about the potential for Chinese spying on these sensitive communications cables, ran a successful campaign to flip the contract to SubCom through incentives and pressure on consortium members. Reuters has detailed that effort here for the first time. Its one of at least six private undersea cable deals in the Asia-Pacific region over the past four years where the U.S. government either intervened to keep HMN Tech from winning that business, or forced the rerouting or abandonment of cables that would have directly linked U.S. and Chinese territories. The story of those interventions by Washington hasnt been previously reported. HMN Techs global cable network SubCom had no comment on the SeaMeWe-6 battle, and HMN Tech did not respond to requests for comment. In a statement last year about infrastructure projects, the White House briefly noted that the U.S. government helped SubCom to win the Singapore-to-France cable contract, without giving details. Chinas foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment. China Telecom, China Mobile, China Unicom and Orange did not respond to requests for comment. Microsoft declined to comment. Undersea cables are central to U.S.-China technology competition. Across the globe, there are more than 400 cables running along the seafloor, carrying over 95% of all international internet traffic, according to TeleGeography, a Washington-based telecommunications research firm. These data conduits, which transmit everything from emails and banking transactions to military secrets, are vulnerable to sabotage attacks and espionage, a U.S. government official and two security analysts told Reuters. The potential for undersea cables to be drawn into a conflict between China and self-ruled Taiwan was thrown into sharp relief last month. Two communications cables were cut that connected Taiwan with its Matsu islands, which sit close to the Chinese coast. The islands 14,000 residents were disconnected from the internet. Taiwanese authorities said they suspected a Chinese fishing vessel and a Chinese freighter caused the disruption. However, they stopped short of calling it a deliberate act and said there was no direct evidence showing the Chinese ships were to blame. China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, has ratcheted up military and political efforts to force the island to accept its dominion. Eavesdropping is a worry too. Spy agencies can readily tap into cables landing on their territory. Justin Sherman, a fellow at the Cyber Statecraft Initiative of the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, told Reuters that undersea cables were a surveillance gold mine for the worlds intelligence agencies. When we talk about U.S.-China tech competition, when we talk about espionage and the capture of data, submarine cables are involved in every aspect of those rising geopolitical tensions, Sherman said. Two of the projects upended by the U.S. government involved cables that had already been manufactured and laid thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean. U.S. tech behemoths Google LLC, Meta Platforms Inc and Amazon.com Inc were major investors in at least one, or in Metas case both, of those cables, according to public announcements made about the projects. The delays and rerouting of the cables cost each of those companies tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue and additional costs, four sources who worked on the projects said. Amazon, Meta and Google declined to comment about these projects or the cable wars. SubComs global cable network SubComs cable coup is part of a wider effort in Washington aimed at reining in China as Beijing strives to become the worlds dominant producer of advanced technologies, be it submarines, semiconductor chips, artificial intelligence or drones. China is bulking up its military arsenal with sophisticated armaments. And Beijing has become increasingly assertive about countering U.S. influence worldwide through trade, weapons and infrastructure deals that are drawing wide swaths of the globe into its orbit. The U.S. cable effort has been anchored by a three-year-old interagency task force informally known as Team Telecom. To oust the Chinese builder from the Singapore-to-France cable, the United States proffered sweeteners and warnings to the projects investors. On the sweetener side, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) told Reuters it offered training grants valued at a total of $3.8 million to five telecom companies in countries on the cables route in return for them choosing SubCom as the supplier. Telecom Egypt and Network i2i Limited, a company owned by Indias Bharti Airtel Limited, got $1 million apiece, USTDA said. Djibouti Telecom, Sri Lanka Telecom and Dhivehi Raajjeyge Gulhun of the Maldives each received $600,000. None of the five responded to questions from Reuters. Meanwhile, American diplomats cautioned participating foreign telecom carriers that Washington planned to impose crippling sanctions on HMN Tech, a development that could put their investment in the cable project at risk. The U.S. Commerce Department made good on that threat in December 2021, citing HMN Techs intention to acquire American technology to help modernize Chinas Peoples Liberation Army. A senior U.S. State Department official confirmed that the department had advocated through its embassies to help SubCom win the contract, including warning other countries about the security risks posed by HMN Tech. Though the cable wont come ashore in Chinese territory, the U.S. government believed HMN Tech could insert remote surveillance equipment inside the cable, the official said without providing evidence. The Commerce Department declined to comment. Two months later, in February 2022, SubCom announced that the cable consortium had awarded it the contract to build the SeaMeWe-6 cable. China Telecom and China Mobile, which were due to own a combined 20% of the cable, pulled out because the Chinese government wouldnt approve their involvement in the project with SubCom as the cable contractor, three people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. China Unicom remained. Chinas foreign ministry and its defense ministry, which handles questions for the Peoples Liberation Army, did not respond to Reuters questions. On June 26, 2022, the White House published a fact sheet citing various upcoming infrastructure projects, including the SubCom undersea cable deal. The document said the U.S. government had collectively helped secure the award of that contract for SubCom. The White House did not respond to a request for further comment. Tensions rising U.S.-China relations are at the lowest theyve been in decades. The two countries have clashed on a host of issues, including Chinas tacit support for Russias invasion of democratic Ukraine, its crackdown on Hong Kong, and the future of Taiwan, which Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to bring under Beijings control. In February, the United States shot down a Chinese spy balloon that floated into American airspace. China has claimed it was a weather balloon that got blown off course and accused the Americans of overreacting. President Joe Bidens policies are increasingly isolating Chinas high-tech sector with the aim of bringing some technology manufacturing back to America while keeping cutting-edge U.S. innovation out of Chinese hands. Over the last year, the Biden administration has pushed through a landmark bill to provide $52.7 billion in subsidies for U.S. semiconductor production and research. The Commerce Department in December added dozens of Chinese firms producing technology such as drones and artificial intelligence chips to its so-called Entity List, which severely restricts their access to U.S. technology. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, speaking in Beijing this month, said the two superpowers are destined for conflict and confrontation unless Washington abandons its policy of containment and suppression towards China. Three companies have dominated the construction and laying of fiber-optic subsea cables for decades: Americas SubCom, Japans NEC Corporation and Frances Alcatel Submarine Networks, Inc. But a seismic shift occurred in 2008 when Huawei Marine Networks Co Ltd entered the fray. Owned by Chinese telecom Huawei Technologies, the Tianjin-based company initially built small cable systems in underserved markets such as Papua New Guinea and the Caribbean. Fast-forward 15 years and the firm, now known as HMN Tech, has become the worlds fastest-growing manufacturer and layer of subsea cables, according to TeleGeography data. But the companys short history has been shaped by deteriorating U.S.-China relations. In 2019, Huawei Technologies came under fire from the administration of then-U.S. President Donald Trump. The Commerce Department banned Huawei and 70 affiliates from buying parts and components from U.S. companies without government approval. That move was part of a global campaign by Washington and its allies to stop Huawei Technologies from building fifth-generation, or 5G, communications networks around the world due to concerns that host nations would be vulnerable to Chinese eavesdropping or cyberattacks, the details of which were revealed in a previous Reuters investigation. Huawei Technologies said at the time that it was a private company that is not controlled by the Chinese government. Contacted for this story, Huawei Technologies said it fully divested its stake in Huawei Marine in 2020 and is no longer connected with the cable-laying company, which rebranded as HMN Tech under new Chinese ownership. HMN Tech expanded its ambitions with the PEACE cable, which came online last year and connects Asia, Africa and Europe. The firm was poised to make another great leap with the Singapore-to-France project before SubCom snatched it away. The following account of how that deal fell apart for the Chinese players is based on interviews with six people directly involved in the SeaMeWe-6 contract. They all asked not to be named as they were not authorized to discuss potential trade secrets or matters of national security. Backroom brawl Large undersea cables cost several hundreds of millions of dollars. They are usually paid for by a consortium of tech or telecom companies that can spread the cost and risks, as well as take responsibility for any cable landing that ends up in their countries. In the case of SeaMeWe-6, there were more than a dozen companies funding the cable, and there was immediately a split in the group, which would need to reach a consensus to select a contractor for the project, the people said. China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom were resolutely behind HMN Tech, which had come in with a bid of around $500 million. Microsoft, Orange and Indias Bharti Airtel expressed concerns about the risk of potential U.S. pushback on HMN Techs involvement. Still, it was hard to argue with the price. SubComs bid was closer to $750 million. On a series of video calls in mid-2020, the consortium members verbally agreed that HMN Tech would build the cable. SubCom would be the reserve in case the Chinese firm pulled out or failed to deliver on the terms of its proposal. But behind the scenes, SubCom and the U.S. government were sowing seeds of doubt about whether HMN Tech was the best company for the job. Anatomy of a cable SubCom had already successfully applied for loans from the federal Export-Import Bank of the United States to support its bid. It also secured advocacy assistance from the Department of Commerce, which quickly mobilized U.S. embassies around the world to lean on consortium members in their host nations. U.S. ambassadors in at least six of those countries, including Singapore, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, wrote letters to local telecom carriers participating in the deal, according to people involved. One of these letters, seen by Reuters, said picking SubCom is an important opportunity to enhance commercial and security cooperation with the United States. Separately, ambassadors and senior diplomats met with executives at foreign telecom companies in at least five countries. The message: HMN Tech could be subject to U.S. sanctions in the near future. That in turn would make it difficult for the telecoms to sell bandwidth because their biggest likely customers U.S. tech firms wouldnt be allowed to use the cable. One senior Asian telecom executive recalled a meeting in mid-2020 with a top U.S. diplomat and an American digital trade attache. The U.S. officials explained how sanctions on HMN Tech would render the cable virtually worthless, providing him a printed spreadsheet with an economic analysis showing just that. They said wed go bankrupt. It was a persuasive argument, the executive told Reuters. Two other Asian telecom executives in the consortium told Reuters they met with both Chinese and U.S. diplomats, who urged them to back HMN Tech and SubCom, respectively. By the end of 2020, several consortium members, including Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited, Indias Bharti Airtel, Sri Lanka Telecom, Frances Orange and Telecom Egypt, told their partners they were having second thoughts about choosing HMN Tech as a supplier, mostly over the fear of sanctions. None of these companies responded to requests for comment. In February 2021, with the consortium partners at loggerheads, SubCom and HMN Tech were given a chance by the group to submit a best and final offer. SubCom lowered its bid to close to $600 million. But HMN Tech was now offering to build the cable for $475 million. Several consortium members, including Microsoft, Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) and Orange, argued to the other participants that when the risk of sanctions was factored into the bids, SubCom was offering a better deal. The three state-owned Chinese companies strongly disagreed. The companies all declined comment. On a tense final video call in late 2021, an executive from Singtel, the chair on the cable committee, urged the companies to vote on a final decision before the whole deal collapsed, two people who were on that call told Reuters. China Telecom and China Mobile threatened to walk off the project, taking tens of millions of dollars of investment with them. But the majority of the consortium picked SubCom, and the two Chinese state-owned firms departed. Two new investors Telekom Malaysia Berhad and PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin) joined the deal, and some of the original members raised their stakes to make up the shortfall, the people said. Telekom Malaysia and Telin did not respond to requests for comment. In addition to the successful campaign to freeze out HMT Tech from the Singapore-to-France cable, teams across the U.S. state and commerce departments and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative once again coordinated with the White House to use diplomatic pressure to boot the Chinese firm from a project. This time it was a cable connecting the three Pacific island nations of Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia and Kiribati, according to two sources involved in that deal. The United States, Australia and Japan announced in December 2021 that they would jointly fund a cable on the same route, known as the East Micronesia Cable. In a joint statement this month, the three said they had met on March 8 to help push forward on this cable, without giving a time frame. The U.S.-China backroom brawling over undersea cables is threatening to overwhelm the subsea cable industry, which has always relied on careful diplomatic collaboration to survive, said Paul McCann, a Sydney-based subsea cable consultant. Ive never seen such geopolitical influence over subsea cables in the 40-odd years Ive been involved in the business, McCann told Reuters. Its unprecedented. Team Telecom At the heart of Washingtons newly aggressive strategy is Team Telecom. Thats the informal name for an interagency committee set up through an Executive Order signed by Trump in April 2020. The mission: safeguarding U.S. telecommunication networks from spies and cyberattacks. Team Telecom is run by the National Security Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ). That division is headed by Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen. Nominated to that position by Biden in May 2021, Olsen has worked in a string of intel posts. He served as director of the National Counterterrorism Center under former President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2014, and before that as general counsel for the National Security Agency, the U.S. spy nerve center. The DOJ declined to make Olsen available for an interview. While the State Department and its partners have helped to prevent China from obtaining new subsea contracts in foreign places of U.S. strategic interest, Team Telecom has focused on a purely domestic concern: stopping any cable from directly connecting U.S. territory with mainland China or Hong Kong due to worries about Chinese espionage. To that end, the team makes cable licensing recommendations to the U.S. telecom regulator, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Since 2020, the team has been instrumental in the cancellation of four cables whose backers had wanted to link the United States with Hong Kong, Devin DeBacker, a DOJ official and senior member of Team Telecom, told Reuters in an interview. Hong Kong, a former British colony that transitioned to self-rule and is dubbed a special administrative region by China, has long been the investment gateway to the communist mainland because of its well-developed financial sector, open economy and highly-educated workforce. However, in 2019, Beijing launched a security crackdown and increased surveillance in Hong Kong, prompting mass demonstrations. As China tightened its grip, Washington became concerned that Chinese spy agencies would intercept data on the planned undersea cables if that equipment ultimately came ashore in Hong Kong, said DeBacker, the chief of the Foreign Investment Review Section of the DOJs National Security Division. That provides a physical access point in what is effectively Chinese territory, DeBacker said. Because of the way that China has eroded Hong Kongs autonomy, that enabled the Chinese government to have a direct, all-access path, effectively a collection platform on U.S. persons data and communications. Washingtons decision to nix any Hong Kong terminus for the four planned subsea cable deals upended the plans of Google, Meta and Amazon. These tech titans have been among the biggest investors in new cables over the last decade as they seek to link up a network of data centers in the United States and Asia that underpin their fast-growing Cloud computing businesses, according to TeleGeography. The first, a project owned by Google and Meta known as the Pacific Light Cable Network, will now only transmit data from the United States to Taiwan and the Philippines, after Team Telecom recommended that the FCC reject the Hong Kong leg. The section of the cable going to Hong Kong, spanning hundreds of miles, is currently lying abandoned on the ocean floor, two people involved in the deal said. In an unsuccessful appeal to the FCC, Google and Meta said Team Telecoms argument that China might intercept data on the cable was unsupported and speculative, and that its decision was a referendum on China, rather than the assertion of any real specific concern, according to an Aug. 20, 2020, submission by the companies that is available on the FCC website. Similarly, the Bay to Bay Express Cable System, developed by Amazon, Meta and China Mobile, will not run as planned from Singapore to Hong Kong to California. As part of a deal struck between Amazon, Meta and Team Telecom, China Mobile left the consortium and the cable was rebranded as CAP-1, with a new route from Grover Beach, California, to the Philippines, three people involved said. The cable had already been almost entirely laid along the original route, and the section to Hong Kong now sits unused in the depths, the people said. Google, Meta and Amazon declined to comment. China Mobile did not respond to requests for comment. There is evidence the U.S. campaign has slowed Chinas subsea cable juggernaut. HMN Tech supplied 18% of the subsea cables to have come online in the last four years, but the Chinese firm is only due to build 7% of cables currently under development worldwide, according to TeleGeography. These figures are based on the total length of cable laid, not the number of projects. In a tit-for-tat maneuver, China has thrown up a roadblock on a cable in which Meta is an investor, according to two cable consultants with direct knowledge of the project. That cable, known as the Southeast Asia-Japan 2 cable, was planned to run from Singapore through Southeast Asia and touch down in Hong Kong and mainland China before going on to South Korea and Japan. China has delayed giving a license for the cable to pass through the South China Sea, citing concerns about the potential for the cable manufacturer Japans NEC to insert spy equipment on the line, the consultants said. In response to Reuters questions, an NEC spokesperson said it does not comment on individual projects, but said that it does not insert surveillance equipment into its cables. Meta and Chinas foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment. In recent years, the U.S. government has blocked American firms from using telecom gear from Chinese firms that Washington has deemed to be national security threats, and it has banned several Chinese state-owned telecom companies from operating in U.S. territory. Among them is China Telecom, which had previously won authorization to provide services in the United States. The FCC revoked that authorization in 2021, saying China Telecoms Americas unit is subject to exploitation, influence and control by the Chinese government. The agency cited examples of the company using its access to U.S networks to misroute international traffic back to Chinese servers. China Telecom failed to convince a U.S. court to reverse that decision. The Chinese Embassy in Washington last year said the FCC has abused state power and maliciously attacked Chinese telecom operators without any factual basis. Team Telecoms DeBacker said China uses similar tactics on undersea cables, declining to give specific examples. The risk is real, DeBacker said. It has materialized in the past, and what were trying to do is prevent it from materializing in the future. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. On 26 March 2023, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang held talks with Foreign Minister of Honduras Eduardo Reina in Beijing, and they signed the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between the Peoples Republic of China and the Republic of Honduras. The main points of the communique are as follows: The Peoples Republic of China and the Republic of Honduras, in keeping with the interests and desire of the two peoples, have decided to recognize each other and establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. The two Governments agree to develop friendly relations between the two countries on the basis of the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each others internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence. The Government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes that there is but one China in the world, the Government of the Peoples Republic of China is the sole legal Government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinas territory. The Government of the Republic of Honduras shall sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan as of this day and undertakes that it shall no longer develop any official relations or official exchanges with Taiwan. The Government of the Peoples Republic of China appreciates this position of the Government of the Republic of Honduras. 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At the time, I was the Middle East correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, based in Jerusalem. Jonathan Broder interviewing Israeli chief of Staff Lt. Gen. David Elazar in the Sinai at the end of the October 1973 Middle East war. (AP photo by Max Nash) Im not from Israel, I told Anis. Im an American reporter based there, but I cover the entire Middle East. Anis lifted his chin and clucked his tongue in the Levantine gesture of disbelief. Thats what you say, he replied. I think you are Mossad, pretending to be a journalist. A cold chill washed over me. In war-battered, trigger-happy Beirut, even a suspicion, not to mention an accusation, of being an Israeli spy could get me killed. So I immediately went to the front desk and called Mahmoud Labadi, the spokesman for Yasir Arafat, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization. I had a decent working relationship with Labadi, who knew I was based in Jerusalem but didnt confuse that with being an Israeli. I told him that Anis had just labeled me a Mossad spy and urged him to get Anis on the line right away and vouch for me. If you dont, this could end very badly, I said. Labadi agreed. A few minutes later, the hotel operator summoned Anis to a phone call at the front desk. I could hear Labadi shouting at him through the phone. A chastened Anis hung up the receiver and turned to me. Ana asif, he said in Arabic, touching his heart. I apologize. But he quickly added plaintively: How can you know who is Mossad, who is CIA, and who is a real journalist? Good question. The truth is, thanks to the worlds spy agencies, one cant. And the result can be bone-chilling moments like my run-in with Anis, or far worse. Because when spy agencies use journalism as a cover for their clandestine officers, it casts a cloud of suspicion on all journalists, no matter who their employer is or where theyre from. Im recounting this story because of a recent piece in The New York Times about a former Mossad agent named Sylvia Rafael, who carried out spy missions across the Arab world in the 1960s and 1970s while posing as a news photographer for a French photo agency. Rafael used a reporting assignment in Lebanon to mail letter bombs to Beirut-based Palestinian leaders. In Jordan, PLO officials allowed her to photograph a secret military training camp, whose location Rafael passed on to her Israeli handlers. As a spy in journalists clothing , Rafael also gathered intelligence for the Mossad on social conditions in Yemen, Djibouti and Egypt. Her journalist cover even enabled her to shoot close-up portraits of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, his successor Anwar Sadat, and Algerian leader Houari Boumediene. Although she was unmasked in a Mossad-authorized biography nine years ago, Israels spymasters are so proud of her feats that theyve just released her long classified photos for a show in Tel Aviv. The Times story angered me and several colleagues because it focused on Rafaels apparent talent as a photographer but never mentioned the suspicion and danger that real foreign correspondents face overseas as a result of intelligence agencies using journalism as a cover identity for their clandestine operatives. The story says, without comment, that Mossad concealed its agents identity as a press photographersomething that, then or now, potentially endangers all other press photographers, former Time magazine foreign correspondent Adam Zagorin commented in an email. Yet the NYT never mentions that as an issue, or looks at whether this Mossad policy remains in force, raising the possibility that other photographers and even reporters have been, or still are, Mossad plants or agents. This is a significant issue for the press in general, which the NYT has previously recognised and addressed. But not this time. The Price of Suspicion Over the past decade, numerous journalists around the world have been arrested and imprisoned on charges of espionage. As of Dec. 1 last year, a total of 363 journalists were imprisoned around the world, according data compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists, but the organization does not break down how many of those have been charged with espionage. Last March, Polish authorities arrested and imprisoned Spanish freelance reporter Pablo Gonzales near the border with Ukraine, accusing him of spying for Russias GRU military intelligence agency. Since then, Polish officials have not publicly disclosed any evidence to support their accusation. Meanwhile, Gonzales, who denies the charge, has remained in prison, mostly in solitary confinement. He has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, seeking release alleging the terms of his imprisonment violate his constitutional rights. In letters from prison, Gonzalez has said Polish security agents advised him to eat flies or insects if he wanted to maintain his protein levels. Its no surprise that the Russia-Ukraine conflict would put journalists in jeopardy. On March 10, Moscows FSB security service in Russian-occupied Crimea arrested Vladislav Yesypenko, a journalist for the U.S.-government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Eight days later, according to Reporters Without Borders, Yesypenko, visibly pale and speaking with difficulty, confessed on a local Russian television station to spying for Ukraines Security Services. The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which promotes press freedom, said Yesypenkos confession was almost certainly obtained under duress. Forcing an imprisoned journalist to declare himself guilty and broadcasting his confession in a serious violation of journalistic ethics, said Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSFs Eastern Europe and Central Asia Desk, who called for his immediate release. Such practices are also prohibited by Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified by Russia and Ukraine. Last October, Iranian intelligence officials arrested and imprisoned journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, labeling them CIA agents after they broke the news of the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini for not wearing her hijab head scarf properly. The news sparked nationwide protests that have rocked the countrys clerical leadership. More than 40 [Iranian] journalists have been detained since the protests erupted on streets across the country, many accused of acting as American or Israeli agents, according to The Guardian newspaper. In July 2014, Iranian officials arrested Washington Post foreign correspondent Jason Rezaian in Tehran on charges of espionage and collaborating with hostile governments. Held at Irans infamous Evin Prison, he was convicted after a closed-door trial in October 2015 and sentenced a month later to a term of undisclosed duration. After 544 days behind bars, he was released along with three other Americans in exchange for seven Iranian prisoners being held in the United States plus Washingtons release of $1.7 billion in frozen Iranian funds. Asked if the Mossad continues to use journalism as a cover for its operatives, a former high-ranking Israeli official told me the spy agency doesnt discuss its sources and methods. The Mossad is not alone in having used journalism as cover for intelligence collection. Cold War Collusion During the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union employed journalists or used their respective news organizations as cover for their intelligence gathering. In 1976, a Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA abuses during the 1950s and 1960s found that 50 U.S. journalists had secret official relationships with the CIA during that period. The committee report didnt mention any names, but a year later, legendary Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein published a lengthy expose in Rolling Stone that said the Church committee had bowed to White House pressure and minimized the number of journalists working with the spy agency . Bernstein alleged that more than 400 American journalists had secretly performed assignments for the CIA over the preceding 25 years. Citing documents on file at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, and interviews with CIA officials, Bernstein outed some of the biggest names in American journalism as willing assets who either carried out tasks for the CIA or enabled their editors and reports to do so. They included Newsweek columnist Stewart Alsop, New York Times Publisher Arthur Hays Sulzberger and his columnist C.L. Sulzberger, Time magazine founder Henry Luce and CBS President William Paley, among many others. Journalists provided a full range of clandestine servicesfrom simple intelligence gathering to serving as gobetweens with spies in Communist countries, Bernstein wrote. Reporters shared their notebooks with the CIA. Editors shared their staffs. Some of the journalists were Pulitzer Prize winners, distinguished reporters who considered themselves ambassadors withoutportfolio for their country. Most were less exalted: foreign correspondents who found that their association with the Agency helped their work; stringers and freelancers who were as interested in the derringdo of the spy business as in filing articles; and, the smallest category, fulltime CIA employees masquerading as journalists abroad. Bernstein explained why foreign correspondents proved so valuable to the agencys clandestine operations. The peculiar nature of the job of the foreign correspondent is ideal for such work, he wrote. He is accorded unusual access by his host country, permitted to travel in areas often offlimits to other Americans, spends much of his time cultivating sources in governments, academic institutions, the military establishment and the scientific communities. He has the opportunity to form longterm personal relationships with sources andperhaps more than any other category of American operativeis in a position to make correct judgments about the susceptibility and availability of foreign nationals for recruitment as spies. Limited Impact of Revelations The CIAs secret deployment of its agents as spies did not go down well with Loch Johnson, who was staff director of the Senate select subcommittee headed by Idaho Sen. Frank Church that was created in 1976 to look into CIA abuses. Its outrageous, said Johnson, a leading authority on intelligence issues and Regents Professor Emeritus of Public and International Affairs in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia. In a democracy, one should not have spies pretending to be journalists, Johnson told SpyTalk. After all, one of the backbones of a democracy is a free press, and this practice corrupts that whole relationship. After the Church committees reports on the CIA, the agency adopted regulations that barred the use of American journalists or the names of U.S. news organizations as cover for the CIAs clandestine officers, according to Johnson. The agency is still permitted to recruit foreign journalists. Johnson said that the regulations included a waiver that had allowed two exceptions to the prohibition, one under CIA director Stansfield Turner (1977-1981) and the other during the agencys directorship of John Deutsch (1995-1996). Deutch later said he reserved the right to make exceptions under genuinely extraordinary circumstances, according to The Washington Post. But he added that during his tenure, I have not encountered any set of circumstances that would lead me to consider such a possibility. In both cases in which the waiver was used, however, Johnson told SpyTalk, Turner and Deutsch failed to inform the Senate and House intelligence committees, as required by the agencys own regulations. The CIA didnt respond to SpyTalk queries asking if the 1976 prohibition remained in force, and whether there had been additional exceptions since 1996. But Johnson added that the regulations apply only to accredited full-time American journalists, leaving the CIA free to employ or impersonate American stringers for U.S. news organizations and freelancers, as well as foreign reporters. Today, I wonder if other American journalists are having close calls with hostile forces who accuse them of being spies, as I was back in Beirut decades ago. I hope not, but I wouldnt be surprised. My story, thankfully, had a happy ending. The Beirut incident became something of a private joke between me and Anis, my erstwhile Palestinian accuser. Whenever I returned to Lebanon and ran into him at the Commodore, Anis would greet me with a broad smile and say, Hows my Mossad friend today? And wed have a laughbut to me, it was no joking matter. Source: SpyTalk Jonathan Broder is a veteran reporter, editor and foreign correspondent, Broder writes about defense and foreign policy from Washington. When a newly constituted school board at Greater Albany Public Schools sacked Superintendent Melissa Goff two years into her role in July 2021, it wasnt a good look. We chose that wording carefully, because looks were all we had. Goff had a clause that allowed her to be terminated for no cause. That meant the public really didnt know what her offense was. And in an information vacuum, rumors, suspicions and innuendos fill the gap (no pun intended). Oh, there were hints a political reckoning was afoot. In a packed meeting half Goff supporters and half detractors there were signs that read, Say No! To CRT, referencing critical race theory, a typically graduate-level discourse not taught at the elementary level in Oregon because it's not included in the state Department of Education's standards. The new majority, which had been seated only for a few weeks, didnt say much. But Goffs prepared, post-firing statement was telling in and of itself: When I began as GAPS superintendent in July 2019, it was with a board who sought an equity leader who could guide the district through strategic planning where all voices were heard. I believe our new board has expressed a commitment to the priorities shaped by your voice. (Bolding ours.) In other words, as the backers of the winning party like to say every four years (doesnt matter which side), Elections have consequences. In fact, school board member Peter Morse used that very phrase earlier this month, after the board decided two key administrators would not return to the district when their contracts expire at the end of the 202324 school year. That includes Assistant Superintendent Lisa Harlan, who not even a year ago won a statewide award for educational excellence. Another bad look. So its political. What are those politics? Put together Goffs statement about her being hired by a board that wanted an equity leader and the title of one of those recently canned, Equity Director Javier Cervantes a clear picture emerges. Equity isnt a desired goal for Albany? In a city that, at least in the general elections, votes decidedly purple, edging toward indigo? In a school district whose students are 23% Hispanic/Latino, according to the most recent Oregon Department of Education statistics? With 7% described as multiracial? A district where 28 languages are spoken? In which 15% of the student population has disabilities? Thats not only a bad look, thats a bad message for those students and their parents. For the record, ensuring that every child has equal access to education regardless of background, religion, gender, immigration status and ability is not only the moral thing to do, its the law and supported by U.S. Supreme Court decisions. And numerous studies have shown that a diverse student population achieves more when the teacher population looks like them. GAPS, where 91% of the teachers are white, isn't close to achieving that. When asked if the school district will find successors to fill similar shoes, especially in the equity director position, Superintendent Andy Garner said by email, The district is committed to continuing the position and the work. Well be watching. Because when something is a bad look, it demands our unwavering attention. On Feb. 28 Mid-Valley Media published an article detailing why a group of Corvallis middle school teachers walked out on the job midday, and the response from the administration. The story did not quote any teacher because the union strongly urged them not to talk to the media. But they could not stay silent. The story relayed how eight teachers walked out of Linus Pauling Middle School in frustration over how the school district handles or rather doesn't student misbehavior. In an interview with Mid-Valley Media, Superintendent Ryan Noss stated that some students have been more aggressive in language, and, in a couple of instances, physically. It was the couple of instances part that sparked around 10 teachers and administrators to reach out to Mid-Valley Media and share their observations of misbehavior in the schools. MVM has agreed to mask their identities out of fear of retaliation. Its so insulting, one teacher said. When we see a couple, it's astonishingly misleading. It indicates they're not taking these situations seriously and that nothing's going to change. It turns out the number of instances in which a student was physically aggressive at school is far more than a couple. Between Sept. 7 and March 10, Cheldelin and Linus Pauling middle schools reported a combined 93 instances of physical aggression, according to Kim Nelson, executive assistant to the superintendent. The district defines physical aggression as actions involving serious physical contact where injury may occur hitting, fighting, pushing/shoving, punching, hitting with an object, kicking, hair-pulling and scratching." On Feb. 10, student behavior escalated to a new level when a child physically assaulted a principal at Cheldelin Middle School. Charges against the student, who lives across the county line, have been filed in Linn County, fourth-degree attempted assault and third-degree criminal mischief, according to Tori Lynn, juvenile director for the Linn County Sheriff's Office. The group of teachers who spoke with Mid-Valley Media identified a few ways in which the administration could truly support them on the job, and these demands differ from the suggestions the district offered in February. The districts response to these new demands indicates that the teachers concerns may no longer be falling on deaf ears. The daily reality One teacher described his job as constantly putting out fires. The biggest issue, he said, is that there is no protocol for when a student acts out violently in class. He and other teachers will send a violent student to the office, and oftentimes, the office will send that student right back during the same class period, even if the victim is still there. If a kid chokes another kid and comes back and chokes another kid and then another kid, at what point is this not a safe environment for our kids? one teacher said. When dealing with student behavior, the Corvallis School District uses a model called Positive Behavior Interventions and Support. Otherwise known as PBIS, the method is a proactive approach used to promote positive behavior through prevention, not punishment. Teachers districtwide, and specifically at the middle school level, have voiced that there needs to be some form of punishment for these students to maintain a safe classroom environment for themselves and other students. Students are rarely suspended, the teachers said, and the district does not offer an alternate education program at the middle school level to house students who are too challenging for teachers to manage in a full classroom. At times it feels like we have no power to help our kids, one teacher said. Kids need to feel safe at school, and the student who was targeted, harassed or treated badly needs to also feel safe at school. Another issue is the lack of communication about students who have behavioral issues, the teachers said. In one instance, a student who assaulted a teacher was moved to another class, and the second teacher was not informed of the violence that had precipitated the move. The next day, he threw a chair at me, he said. New teachers dont have adequate support from the administration, either, the teachers said. One veteran described checking in on a new teacher, who had a student act out violently in his classroom, and supporting him when he broke down emotionally. Now it's my job to go find him coverage for the next couple of classes, he said. This is a first-year teacher who is already going to lose their passion for teaching. Educational assistants are a huge help, the teachers said, but they provide one-on-one support to students with extreme behavior instead of addressing multiple students with less extreme behavior challenges. The educational assistants are the ones who end up getting assaulted more often than anyone in the building, the teachers said, and theyre not paid nearly enough. We have educational assistants who signed up for the job to work with students, and they're no longer doing that, one teacher said. They are one-on-one assistants for extreme behaviors, and they're not certified to do that job. We are asking them to do work that is impossible to do. District response After the teacher walkout at Linus Pauling, Noss and other district administrators met with around 30 teachers and nonteaching staff from both middle schools to discuss ways in which the district could support them. Noss said those supports included a stronger district presence in schools, teacher trainings and looking at school-reported data to determine the best way to move forward. But the teachers said they dont need more training; they need an adequate response from the district when students become violent in their classrooms. We have awesome veteran teachers who know what they're doing, one teacher said. This is about the district's inability to respond appropriately to violence in our schools that is getting more and more extreme. Student behavior issues were bad before the COVID-19 pandemic, the teachers said, but now a lot more kids are traumatized and stressed. And while students have been back in school for more than a year now, the teachers said the pandemic-related behavioral issues are still as fresh as they were in 2021. Whenever they raise these concerns with the district, the teachers said, they are made to feel as if they are blaming kids for being kids. They want to ignore it because it doesn't feel good, and it doesn't fit their privileged narrative, one teacher said. And when you push back on it, you're shamed and basically talked down to and told that you're on the wrong track. Demands So, what could the district do to improve the working and learning conditions for teachers and students at the middle school level? The teachers came up with five main points: clear consequences, more resources, reallocation of funds, an alternate education program and transparency. The hope is that with clear consequences, students will want to avoid acting out toward their peers and teachers. Rather than a districtwide behavior protocol, staff at both Corvallis middle schools work to individualize student schedules and support students in skills they need to develop, Noss said in an email. This individualization is intended to keep students engaged at school and connected to their peers while acknowledging and addressing problematic behavior and skill development, he said. The teachers who spoke with Mid-Valley Media, however, believe this individualized style of addressing behavior may not be working. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times. We have a certain level of behavior and culture where lashing out is the norm, one teacher said. Its consistent, and its really swept under the rug. Resources and the reallocation of funds go hand in hand, as the teachers maintain that the district is investing money in all the wrong places. Rather than invest money at the top in administrators who do not impact kids or teachers it would be more useful to hire additional staff in the schools, especially educational assistants and people who are certified in one-on-one assistance for extreme behavior students, they said. An alternate education program would provide a space for students who are not succeeding in the traditional academic setting. There are 35 approved alternate education programs in the state, according to the Oregon Department of Educations website. This type of program may already be in the works, according to a response from Noss. He said Kim Johnson, the middle school coordinator, is leading a work group of teachers and administrators planning a continuum of support, including alternative education options at the middle school level. Finally, teachers are asking for more transparency from district and school administrators around the reality of student behavior in schools. When you fail to address something you believe to be a small problem, which it's not, it speaks to everybody, one teacher said. We know what is occurring, and this is not accurate. "We feel like folks can do better. But will they? Related stories: In Ukraine Russia has displayed a callous attitude towards killing civilians. Russia doesnt publicize these deaths, but they do make the news when Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine is abandoned because of an Ukrainian offensive. Russia was known for its barbaric kill them all attitude in wartime, even when the endangered civilians were Russians. The Ukrainian policy is to get civilians out of the way in a combat zone and not attack them deliberately, even if they are Russians. This is the case in some Russian-occupied Ukrainian areas where Russian civilians have been brought in to cement control over the area. Not surprisingly, many of those Russians have fled back to Russia once the fighting got close to them. It turned out that Russia has become more enthusiastic about killing civilians because of changes in their combat doctrine several years before the Ukraine invasion. We know this because Russian military leaders openly discussed the matter before the invasion and explained why this was the way to go. Russian military journals have always been a good source of how new Russian strategy and tactics are evolving. The actual rules (doctrine) are usually secret but to speed development, contending views and interpretations are discussed in Russian military journals. Such is the case with Russian operations in Syria and Ukraine, and before that in Chechnya. The pre-Ukraine invasion articles are notable because many were written by senior Russian generals, some of them considered likely candidates to take over top positions in the Russian armed forces. The articles also indicate that Russia considers the Syrian campaign just about done and doesnt make much mention of similar operations in Ukraine, which are far from over even though between 2014 and 2021 the combat was very low compared to after 2021. These journal articles talk about new doctrines to be applied widely so that indicates current (pre-invasion Ukraine) and future operations will rely heavily on this new doctrine. One feature of the new doctrine is the recognition that Russia is now and will in the future operating on a small military budget. The new doctrine stressed the need to use all available resources and ignore the conventional rules of war (Geneva conventions) because those transgressions will be sufficiently hidden by the Russian ability to influence global mass media with Internet-based disinformation. Actually, that did not work out so well in Ukraine and Russia has been suffering from economic sanctions since 2014 because of it. But in a place like Syria, where there are many players, it is possible to shift the blame for bad behavior to someone else sufficiently to make it less obvious that Russia is misbehaving as much as the worst of them. Case in point was the use of airstrikes (often using unguided weapons) against enemy (or neutral) Syrian civilians. This had been a Syrian tactic even before the civil war began in 2011 and was also used by many rebel factions (especially those that were Islamic terrorists). Russia made it clear in the journal articles that Russian commanders were, as much as possible, in overall command once they arrived in force during late 2015. That meant when the Russians or Syrians bombed civilians it was no accident. Russian forward observers for airstrikes or artillery fire were mainly concerned with not hitting allied forces. This was especially true of Iranian forces, which, the Russians admitted, did not take orders from the Russians but would cooperate to avoid friendly fire incidents. The Russians simply handled the Iranians the same way they did other Islamic terror groups and treated them as potentially useful and not to be antagonized unless absolutely necessary. More cooperative militias and factions got better support from the Russians and this overall doctrine worked quite well. The new doctrine stressed the use of rapid decision making and using video conferencing as much as possible to replace traditional face-to-face meetings to finalize plans and assignments. The Russians considered the tech available for video conferencing mature enough to rely on regularly. This was not the case during the Ukraine invasion where Russian combat commanders have a difficult time communicating. The new doctrine stresses the need to use all available resources, including civilian gear (like construction equipment) to get the job done. This improvisation was often learned from the Syrians and the enemy, who were often operating largely off stuff they had stolen. The paramilitary nature of operations in Syria made it easy to accept the widespread use of Russian military contractors in combat roles. NATO forces had been using a lot more armed military contractors since 2001 but mainly for security around bases. Russia often used their military contractors as combat troops to reinforce the capabilities of Syrian forces. This includes Syrian army infantry or irregulars the Syrians made great use of for local security and, occasionally, offensive operations. The Russian military contractors were nearly all former Russian military and, while not considered Russian soldiers, they were considered more reliable and trustworthy and were paid much more than Russian troops. The military contractors also got around the Russian laws prohibiting the use of conscripts in a combat zone. This was recognition that the Russian public would tolerate heavy losses among Russian contractors and allied forces, but not among members of the Russian military and especially conscripts. Russia had a limited number of non-conscript Russian troops willing or able to go to Syria. Highly paid contractors were another matter. Russian military journals used to make a big deal about the usefulness of an all-volunteer force but since the sanctions and lower oil prices showed up after 2014 (and the defense budget was cut 30 percent in 2016) the prospects of an all-volunteer force are quite dim. The new Russian doctrine emphasizes keeping casualties for Russian troops as low as possible. The new doctrine takes for granted that Russia has to fight a poor mans war because there is no alternative. Many of these new doctrinal principles are those employed by successful irregular forces in the past. The Russians stress the rapid integration of any available resources into the Russian led war effort. The Russian journal articles make it clear that Russia only went into Syria with the understanding that Russians would be in charge, even if that meant annoying the Iranians at times. The Iranians cooperated as long as the Russians did not embarrass them or publicize the fact that the Russians were providing technical resources (air power, electronic warfare capabilities) that Iran lacked. That approach worked less well with the Turks, who occupied portions of northwest Syria and were generally left alone by the Russians. The Iranians were different in that they provided a large (at times more than 60,000) mercenary force that comprised the largest reliable force of ground troops available to the Syrians. The new Russian doctrine pointed out the importance of adapting and doing so quickly. An example of this could be seen in how the Russians handled occasional problems with the Syrian tactic of negotiating with civilians in a rebel-held area (especially one that was surrounded) and offering safe passage for Islamic terrorists and civilians who wanted to remain with them, to another rebel-held area. One shortcoming of this tactic was that the Syrian and Iranian forces could not always be trusted to observe the safe part of safe passage. The Russians solved this by inserting their own troops to ensure compliance, even if it meant the Russians had to arrest or even fire on their allies to compel compliance. Russia even brought in military police units composed of Russian soldiers and police from Moslem parts of Russia who volunteered for this peacekeeping duty. The presence of armed Russian Moslem troops discouraged Islamic terrorists and similar minded Iranian mercenaries from misbehaving while carrying out these safe passage operations. Russia has come to call this use of superior command and control and discipline management superiority and that is an accurate term. The Russian commanders were allowed to do whatever worked to get the job done. If this resulted in some bad publicity because of dead civilians or other battlefield indiscretions, the Russian government would criticize in private and praise in public. This often included quickly and quietly transferring home officers who were not up to the job. This made it possible for Russian commanders to be more flexible and innovative than Russian officers have been allowed to be since World War II. As a result, this new doctrine is very popular with most Russian officers and troops. During the Ukraine invasion this aspect of the new doctrine was not much in evidence. Commanders were hesitant to act without orders from above. In Syria, management superiority included the authority to quickly assess the quality of local forces and put them to work doing what they were best at. Russia quickly identified the most competent and effective Syrian officers and supported them with additional resources and whatever else they needed. The Syrian government went along because the Russians were helping to create Syrian heroes the Syrian government could take credit for. It also became common knowledge among all factions (enemy and friendly) in Syria that the Russians were willing to make deals quickly and decisively. This proved to be a valuable military asset. In many respects, this new doctrine isnt much different than what was adopted, on a much larger scale, after the Nazis invaded Russia in mid-1941. The Russian leaders (especially dictator Josef Stalin) were shocked, not only that the Germans had broken their promises but that the military reforms and changes Stalin had made in the 1930s had crippled the Russian military. That allowed the Germans to advance quickly and kill or capture millions of Russian troops in the process. Stalin adopted a new doctrine remarkably similar to the current one. Reality will do that to you if you pay attention. This flexibility did not survive the end of World War II, when the Russian military promptly became less flexible. Russo-Ukraine War - 25 March 2023 - Day 395 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The UK Ministry of Defence reported that Russia's assault on the Donbas town of Bakhmut has largely stalled. This is likely primarily a result of extreme attrition of the Russian force. Ukraine has also suffered heavy casualties during its defence. The Russian situation has also likely been made worse by tensions between the Russian Ministry of Defence and Wagner Group, both of whom contribute troops in the sector. Russia has likely shifted its operational focus towards Avdiivka, south of Bakhmut, and to the Kremina-Svatove sector in the north, areas where Russia likely only aspires to stabilise its front line. This suggests an overall return to a more defensive operational design after inconclusive results from its attempts to conduct a general offensive since January 2023. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of March 25, Russian forces launched 1x missile and 23x air strikes, more than 20x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and civilian infrastructure in various settlements. The likelihood of missile and air strikes across Ukraine remains high. Russia is focusing its main efforts on the offensive operations on Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Mar'inka axes. Thanks to professional and coordinated actions, Ukrainian defenders have repelled more than 50x Russian attacks on the above axes. Volyn, Polissya, Sivershchyna, and Slobozhanshchyna axes: no significant changes in the operational situation, no signs of the formation of offensive groups were found. The units of the armed forces of the of the Russian Federation continue their combat training at the training grounds of the Republic of Belarus. The Russian adversary continues to maintain military presence in the border areas of Kursk and Belgorod oblasts (Russia). During the day of March 25, Russian forces fired at the vicinities of settlements of Horodyshche (Chernihiv oblast), Kharkivka, Studenok, Iskryskivshchyna, Vorozhba, Bilopillya, Myropillya (Sumy oblast), Chervona Zorya, Veterynarne, Krasne, Vovchans'k, Vil'cha, Volokhivka, Zemlyanky, Ambarne, Kolodyazne (Kharkiv oblast). Lyman axis: the Russian adversary conducted unsuccessful offensives in the vicinities of settlements of Syn'kivka, Kreminna, Bilohorivka, and Vyimka. The Russian invaders fired artillery in the vicinities of settlements of Dvorichna (Kharkiv oblast), Kup'yans'k, Makiivka, Nevs'ke, Dibrova, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Vyimka, and Vesele (Donetsk oblast), among others. Bakhmut axis: Russia continues to assault the city of Bakhmut that is held by Ukrainian defenders, as well as the vicinity of Predtechyne (Donetsk oblast). The Russian forces shelled the settlements of Vasyukivka, Zaliznyans'ke, Novomarkove, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Kostyantynivka, Dyliivka, and Druzhba. Avdiivka and Mar'inka axes: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive operations towards the settlements of Keramik, Tonen'ke, Pervomais'ke, and Mar'inka (Donetsk oblast). None of them have been successful. Russian forces launched numerous artillery strikes at the of settlements near the line of contact, namely: Avdiivka, Lastochkyne, Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Mar'inka, Vuhledar, Velyka Novosilka, Vremivka, Neskuchne (Donetsk oblast). Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: the Russian adversary continues to defend. The Russian invaders are shelling Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Luhivs'ke, Mala Tokmachka, Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast), Beryslav, Burhunka, Antonivka, Belozerka (Kherson oblast), and the city of Kherson. The Russian occupiers continue to rob the residents of the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson oblast. In particular, Russian mercenaries are actively taking away private light vehicles with trailers and trucks in the village of Krasne (Kakhovs'kyi district) to load local residents' looted property. During the day of March 25, the Ukrainian Air Force launched 11x air strikes on the concentrations of Russian forces' personnel and military equipment. In the meantime, missile and artillery units hit 2x command posts, 3x concentrations of Russian manpower. Statements of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation During the briefing, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that during the day, as a result of strikes on the positions of Ukrainian troops, about 400 enemy troops were destroyed, as well as a large number of military equipment. Operational-tactical and army aviation, missile forces and artillery hit 76 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, manpower and equipment in 112 districts. Air defense systems intercepted 6 HIMARS multiple rocket launcher (MLRS) shells, destroyed 11 UAVs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including one Bayraktar TB-2, in the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics and Zaporozhye region. Kherson region Employees of the engineering troops of the RF Armed Forces are repairing one of the 6 hydroelectric generators at the Kakhovskaya HPP. Now the needs of the station are provided by one generator, one more is in reserve, 3 are out of order. Kyiv massively and forcibly mobilizes residents of the Snigirevsky district into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said the head of the district, Yuriy Barbashov. According to him, people are taken directly from their homes, after which they are thrown into the hottest spots of the front. Zaporozhye region Russian units from a machine gun shot down a Ukrainian drone in the Zaporozhye direction, said Vladimir Rogov, a member of the main council of the administration of the Zaporozhye region. Next week the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi will visit Zaporozhye NPP. It is noted that he intends to personally assess the situation with nuclear safety at the facility. DNR During the day, Ukrainian formations opened fire on Donetsk, as well as the settlements of Gorlovka, Makeevka, Aleksandrovka and Yasinovataya. As a result of the attacks in Oleksandrivka, a civilian was injured, and another one was reported wounded in Yasinovataya. In Donetsk, a civilian was injured in the explosion of a mine "Petal", shelling of the Armed Forces of Ukraine caused damage to residential buildings. Russian units in the South-Donetsk direction destroyed a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery mount. The enemy positions were opened with the help of Orlan unmanned aerial vehicles, the blow was delivered by the Lancet loitering ammunition. Military correspondent of the FAN Alexander Simonov reported on the situation in the Bakhmut district of Sobachevka, where fighting continues beyond Mariupolskaya Street, not far from the district and city administrations. LC Since the beginning of the day, the settlement of Svatovo has been shelled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the attack, Ukrainian troops used the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system. As a result of the attack, a 19-year-old civilian was killed, a girl was injured, a residential building was destroyed, and several other housing constructions were damaged. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEW YORK, March 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) between October 28, 2020 and March 3, 2023, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important May 15, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Norfolk Southern 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 Norfolk class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=12322 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com 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 15, 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 litigate 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 firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: During the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Companys Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR), including its use of longer, heavier trains staffed by fewer personnel, had led to the Company suffering increased train derailments and a materially increased risk of future derailments; (2) the Companys PSR, including its use of longer, heavier trains staffed by fewer personnel, was part of a culture of increased risk-taking at the expense of reasonable safety precautions due to the Companys near-term focus solely on profits; (3) the Companys PSR, including its use of longer, heavier trains staffed by fewer personnel, rendered the Company more vulnerable to train derailments and train derailments with potentially more severe human, financial, legal, and environmental consequences; (4) the Companys capital spending and replacement programs were designed to prioritize profits over the Companys ability to provide safe, efficient, and reliable rail transportation services; (5) the Companys lobbying efforts had undermined the Companys ability to provide safe, efficient, and reliable rail transportation services; (6) the Companys commitment to reducing operating expenses as part of its PSR goals undermined worker safety and the Companys purported commitment to an injury free workplace because the Companys PSR plan prioritized reducing expenses through fewer personnel, longer trains, and less spending on safety training, technology, and equipment such as hot bearing wayside detectors (a/k/a hotboxes) and acoustic sensors; (7) the Companys rail services were, as a result of its adoption of PSR principles, more susceptible to accidents that could cause serious economic and bodily harm to the Company, the Companys workers, the Companys customers, third parties, and the environment; (8) the Company had failed to put in place responsive practices and procedures to minimize the threat to communities in the event that these communities suffered the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous and toxic materials; and (9) as a result, defendants Class Period statements detailed above regarding the safety of Norfolk Southerns operations were materially false and/or misleading. To join the Norfolk Southern class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=12322 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com 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 investors 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 lrosen@rosenlegal.com pkim@rosenlegal.com cases@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com Twin Cities, Minnesota, March 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Accelerated Care Solutions is unveiling their solutions, solving the growing issue of the shortage of nurses in assisted senior living. Currently there are not enough nurses to meet the demands of the assisted living senior community. 49% of all assisted living and memory care communities are operating at a loss. As these assisted living communities moved to for profit based models the rules of operation became leaner. This led to these communities having less registered nurses as well as less direct care staff such as a nursing assistant, housekeeping and food service employees. In Minnesota, where Accelerated Care Solutions operates, it is mandated that registered nurses be accessible 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Accelerated Care Solutions found that when the registered nurses at assisted living communities go home the staff on site are calling them while they are trying to eat and sleep as well as on weekends and over holidays. This has led to many nurses becoming stressed and burnt out, which causes them to seek employment elsewhere or even outside of the industry. Their Virtual Nurse Triage service offering, leverages a Telehealth online platform with virtual nurses to combat this issue allowing for higher nurse retention and better work-life balance, essentially leading to greater productivity within the assisted living communities. Additionally, these communities are able to recruit more nurses because incorporating this service will enhance the recruitment strategy by having the added benefit of less on-call after hours, which is essentially what nurses are attracted to. Accelerated Care Solutions is partnering with assisted senior living communities to present nurses the options that best align the passion of the nurse to the work that needs to be done, which is a part of how they are helping to change the industry. This changes the traditional model of nursing. Some nurses prefer traditional on site work and being physically involved in taking care of their patients while other nurses prefer a mix of remote and on site work and then there are nurses who want to move towards remote work permanently. By giving nurses the options to fulfill roles that best suits them Accelerated Care Solutions is able to bring in nurses to understaffed assisted senior living communities and improve the facilities from a revenue, compliance and cultural perspective. Another benefit provided by Accelerated Care Solutions is the mandated clinical assessments service, this service will increase the accuracy of these assessments as it provides a fresh set of eyes to complete the process. These assessments have to be done regularly and accurately and due to the current situation with nurses being overworked this service will assist with accurate reports and timely completion and increased revenue. By offering this hybrid work option more time is available for on site nurses to take care of the patients needs. This leads to an increase in revenue that can be used to hire more nurses. Accelerated Care Solutions can assess if an assisted living community is in need through one of their products called revenue cycle management. This is the process of sending in nurses to do an audit when a facility is losing money or not hitting their financial goals. The nurses audit the facilitys current caseload, and they usually find a high percentage of lost revenue. This reveals that the facility is providing a certain level of care, but is billing for a lower level of care. Accelerated Care Solutions then helps the facility navigate the pathways to finding the right level of care for patients and setting them up with the nurses who are passionate about fulfilling the needs of that patient. There's about 7 million people right now, over the age of 85, and that's really kind of the population that's in these communities," says Mike McGuire, Co Founder of Accelerated Care Solutions. That 7 million is going to double to 14 million by 2040. Our work is important because the wave of elderly is coming, and the current model is not sustainable, and it's going to take creative thinking, technology and bifurcating how the work is done, so that when we get into the future it becomes a sustainable model. Accelerated Care Solutions research plan is currently focused on the integration of artificial intelligence within their current virtual nurse triage, which will automate and improve the tech functions as well as the quality and efficiency of the care provided. Media Contact: Name: Mike McGuire Website: info@acceleratedcaresolutions.com Investors can contact the law firm at no cost to learn more about recovering their losses LOS ANGELES, March 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises Rollins, Inc. (NYSE: ROL) investors that the firm has initiated an investigation into possible securities fraud and may file a class action on behalf of investors. Rollins investors that lost money on their investment are encouraged to contact Lesley Portnoy, Esq. Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy , by phone 844-767-8529 or email : lesley@portnoylaw.com, to discuss their legal rights, or click here to join the case via www.portnoylaw.com . The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors options for pursuing claims to recover their losses. In October 2020, Rollins disclosed that the SEC was investigating the establishment of accruals and reserves at period ends and their impact on reported earnings going back to January 2015. In February 2021, Rollins announced an internal investigation found a significant deficiency in the company's internal controls. On April 18, 2022, the SEC announced Rollins agreed to pay $8 million to settle charges of improperly boosting earnings per share by making unsupported reductions to accounting reserves. These events led to declines in Rollins' share prices, damaging investors. Please visit our website to review more information and submit your transaction information. The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims against caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firms founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq. Admitted CA and NY Bar lesley@portnoylaw.com 310-692-8883 www.portnoylaw.com Attorney Advertising Ghana must fully leverage economic opportunities with Kamala Harris visit AmCham Ghana Elizabeth Nyaadu Adu Business News Mar - 25 - 2023 , 20:50 Ghana needs to position itself to fully leverage the economic opportunities that the visit of the Vice President of the United States of America (USA), Kamala Harris brings, the Executive Secretary of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), Ghana, Simon Madjie, has advised. Ghana should take advantage of this opportunity and moment because the focus of the US would be on our country to drive home the need for more US foreign direct investment (FDI), increase diaspora engagement, and strengthen cooperation in the creative, educational, health, security, and cultural sectors, he said in a release issued in Accra today. Mr Madjie said the visit of Mrs Harris, next week presented an immense opportunity for Ghana and the US to strengthen their relations, especially in the areas of trade and investment. Visit Kamala Harris and husband, Douglas Emhoff, are sxcheduled to arrive in the country as part of a three-nation African tour which ends on April 2. The crucial visit is a time when the countrys economy is facing one of its worst economic crisis following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the reging Russian/Ukraine war, leaving businesses in difficult state. Bilateral commitment Mr Madjie said as the country's largest bilateral development partner, the US has always maintained a keen interest in the economic development of Ghana. Mr Madjie said bilateral trade between Ghana and the United States is reported to be US$1.6 billion as of 2021 adding that Ghana continues to enjoy substantial foreign direct investment from the United States as U.S. FDI into Ghana is estimated to be over US$22 billion over the last decade. He said the US businesses, through their operations have made significant contributions to the countrys socioeconomic development. Apart from being large tax-paying entities, they continue to employ and develop the skills of thousands of Ghanaians, he added. Economic recovery Mr Madjie said the government of Ghana must continuously institute the needed reforms that will allow the private sector to lead the countrys economic recovery and position Ghana as the preferred destination for investors. These reforms, he said were critical to reassure investors of the countrys commitment to a private sector-led economy and ensure the growth of free enterprise. Government must also properly align its engagement with the four key pillars of the US strategy towards Sub-Saharan Africa: to foster open societies; deliver democratic and security dividends; advance pandemic recovery and economic recovery; and support conservation, climate adaptation, and a just energy transition. On behalf of all U.S. companies, subsidiaries, franchisees, and businesses in Ghana, we say Akwaaba (Welcome) to Vice President Kamala Harris and her entourage to the country, and we look forward to a productive and fruitful engagement with the Government of Ghana, he added. Mutual commitment He said the Republic of Ghana and the United States of America continue to maintain their long-standing close relations anchored on their mutual commitment to freedom and democratic values. Ghana has in the past hosted several American dignitaries, including Former President Bill Clinton, Former President George W. Bush, Former President Barack Obama, Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Former First Lady Melania Trump, and other Senior Members of past and present US Administrations, he said. Mr Madjie said the visit of the US Vice President was of unique significance because she is the first female vice president of the United States and the first woman of Indian and African heritage to hold that office. Her visit to Ghana and other parts of Africa is an inspiration for the next generation, especially for women leaders working on the continent, he said. Make music that stand test of time Ceedi3Gh Kofi Duah Showbiz News Mar - 25 - 2023 , 18:15 MUSICIAN and sound engineer, Ceedi3Gh has opined that the current crop of musicians hardly take their time to come out with songs that can stand the test of time. This, he noted, has contributed to the short shelf life of songs churned out in recent times. According to Ceedi3Gh, Ghana, has a good image of creating masterpieces but lately,the young acts dont invest time in their work and hurriedly release songs and missing the quality standard. A lot of our listeners have been rewired to listen to music from neighbouring countries who have been deliberate about their mission of conquering the Ghanaian market. Interestingly, we have been slacking off in recent times but we can favourably compete when we have good songs that can stand the test of time on the market, he told Graphic Showbiz. Ceedi3Gh also mentioned that it was about time the music audience opened up to other music styles without forcing our musicians to be restricted to particular genres. We box every musician into releasing trending music style which is not or might not be that persons stronghold. Every musician should not be forced to do Afrobeats just because it is very popular now. There are Ghanaian musicians who are equally good at R&B, Jazz, Rock among others who may be forced to align with what is perceived to be in vogue which is not the best, he said. Ceedi3Gh is out with his latest song, Cum 2 Papa produced by Jesse Kyng and himself. Cum 2 Papa which video was dropped last month is about two people crushing on each other and according to Ceedi3Gh, most of us at one time have had one person we had a crush on. My attraction to that special someone is what inspired the composition and arrangements of my latest piece, he said. Ceedi3GH is currently working with Kwabena Kwabena, Epixode, Akwaboah among others on songs which he plans to release soon. You need to be deep to understand my music Lyrical Joe Kofi Duah Showbiz News Mar - 26 - 2023 , 10:54 HE may not be a mainstream artiste, yet those who love rap music tip Lyrical Joe as one of the best rappers in Ghana, and it is not a surprise he gets very good reviews globally anytime he releases a new song. The deep content of his songs, how he strings words together lyrically, has been widely appreciated, and Lyrical Joe says he is getting all the praise because he is well-read and educates himself to always get to the top. In a chat with Graphic Showbiz, Lyrical Joe said he does not just rap. Instead, whatever he puts out has to make sense. In fact, you need to be deep to understand my music. I said in one of my songs that YouTube reactors have stopped commenting on my songs because they cannot break down my lyrics. A lot of thinking, research, etc. go into my music and I am someone who does not want to repeat words in different songs. I am full of vocabularies and I know where I want to take rap music. Lyrical Joe won Best Rapper of the Year at the 2021 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) and he is defending his title at the upcoming event this year. Throwing light on the lyrical content of his music, Lyrical Joe, real name Joseph Gamor, said for a school dropout like him, his best option was to be well-read to master his craft. I am a school dropout and to be able to build my brand, I decided to be well informed to master my craft and I am proud to say my efforts have not been in vain. Anytime I drop a song, there are so many questions on how I am able to come up with such lyrics and it is all as a result of hard work and being knowledgeable, he said. So I am taking my time, but I know I will be one of the best rappers in the world. Even now, the comments I get globally is enough to say I am doing something great, he added. Dr Frederic Mac-Palm: Accused in alleged coup plot is dead - Sources Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Mar - 26 - 2023 , 16:10 The man accused of being the mastermind of an alleged coup plot, Dr Frederic Mac-Palm, is reportedly dead. Sources confirmed to the Daily Graphic that the medical doctor collapsed at his home last Saturday and was rushed to a health facility at Dodowa where he was pronounced arrival. Trial Dr Mac-Palm was part of a group of 10 persons standing trial for high treason before a three-member panel of the Accra High Court. The other accused persons are Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr Benjamin Agordzo, Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli, Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu (a fleet manager), Johannes Zikpi (a civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces) and Donya Kafui, aka Ezor (a blacksmith). The rest - Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon and Warrant Officer II Esther Saan Dekuwine - are all soldiers. The accused persons are in court for allegedly taking part in the activities of Take Action Ghana (TAG), a non-governmental organisation accused by the prosecution of planning to destabilise the country to take over the government. The accused persons are in court for allegedly taking part in the activities of Take Action Ghana (TAG), a non-governmental organisation accused by the prosecution of planning to destabilise the country to take over the government. Dr Mac -Palm had opened his defense and was testifying for himself. He was expected to be cross-examined by the lawyers of the other accused person tomorrow (Monday, March 27, 2023)at the hearing at the court. Prosecutions case Prosecutors have accused the 10 of being part of a group known as TAG, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which is alleged to have planned to embark on demonstrations against the government and possibly take over the government. It is also the case of the prosecution that a map found in the possession of the accused persons showed some important state installations, such as the Jubilee House, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Burma Camp, the 37 Military Hospital and the National Police Training School, which it had targeted. Driver remanded for alleged robbery, compelling victim to perform oral sex GNA Mar - 26 - 2023 , 09:31 An Accra High Court has remanded into Police custody a driver who allegedly compelled a lady to perform oral sex on him after robbing her of her mobile phone and GHS400. Francis Doe Kudjawu who is being held on the charges of robbery and indecent assault has pleaded not guilty. The Court presided over by Justice Mrs Mary Maame Ekue Nyanzuh was told by the Prosecution that Kudjawu left his victim off the hook after ejaculation. This was after Kudjawu had attempted to have anal sex with the complainant but could not penetrate. Kudjawu is expected to reappear before the Court on April 4. The prosecution has been ordered to file its disclosures while the accused person is also to file an alibi to confirm his claim that he was not at the scene on the day of the incident. The Court would however order the Police to investigate the accused persons alibi. The case of the state is that the complainant (name withheld) resides in Tema. Prosecution said the accused person also resided in the same area. It said on March 29, 2020, the complainant visited her parents at Sakumono and returned home around 9:45 pm. The Prosecution said when the complainant opened the gate to her house, she drove in her car and locked the gate. It said as the complainant returned to her car to put off the engine, she saw the accused who was in a hooded sweatshirt scale the fence wall into the complainants compound. The accused who was wielding a kitchen knife ordered her (the complainant) to come out of the car. The accused dragged the complainant out of the car. The complainant screamed for help, but no one came to her aid. The prosecution said the accused dragged the complainant out of the car and ordered her to kneel and tore her dress at knifepoint. It said the accused attempted to have anal sex with the complainant, but he could not penetrate after several attempts. Accused therefore ordered the complainant to perform oral sex on him until he ejaculated on the floor. At knifepoint, the Prosecution said Kudjawu took the complainants Hauwei P30 phone valued at GHS1,500 and GHS400 cash. The complainant reported the matter to the nearest Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit. On May 12, 2020, it said Kudjawu was arrested for a similar offence and during an identification parade, the complainant fished him out. Man jailed 180 days for fondling a minor GNA Mar - 26 - 2023 , 09:14 A factory hand has been sentenced to 180 days imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court for fondling the breast of a 10-year-old and asking her to suck his manhood. This was after the court found Emmanuel Mbachu guilty on the charge of indecent assault. The 26-year-old Mbachu was acquitted and discharged on the charge of defilement. The prosecution, led by Superintendent of Police Agnes Boafo, said the complainant was a businessman residing at Palladium in Accra. The accused person, now convict, resides in the same house at Korle-Gonno with the victim. On January 29, 2023, at about 10:00am, the complainant who is the victims uncle, came to Korle-Gonno to visit the victims father, but he did not meet him or the victim in the house. The prosecution said as the complainant was still waiting, the victims father had called the complainant and asked him to check on the victim. It said the complainant then asked some children playing in the house if they had seen the victim and they said they saw her entering Mbachus room. It said the complainant then went and knocked at Mbachus door but there was no response. The prosecution said the complainant went and knocked for the second time and Mbachu opened the door. It said the complainant asked Mbachu if he had seen the victim, then he quickly went inside and brought the victim. The prosecution said when the victim was quizzed as to what she was doing in Mbachus room, she said Mbachu had fondled her breast and also asked her to suck his manhood. The complainant reported the matter to the Police at Korle-Bu but it was referred to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit at Mamprobi. NAM1s case adjourned to April 25; police await AGs advice GNA Mar - 26 - 2023 , 08:58 An Accra Circuit Court has adjourned to April 25, the case of Nana Appiah Mensah, aka NAM 1, Chief Executive Officer of Menzgold Ghana Limited, accused of duping customers of their deposits over GH1.6 billion. Relieving Judge, Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah, adjourned the case because the prosecution had informed the court that the police were still waiting for the Attorney Generals advice. The Court said the matter would be adjourned awaiting any updates from the Attorney Generals Department. When it was called, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Haligah, who held the brief of Superintendent of Police Sylvester Asare, said the Police were still waiting for the Attorney Generals advice He, therefore, prayed for a date. Ms. Audrey Twumn who also held the brief of Kwame Boafo for the accused person and the prosecution agreed on a date. This is the 33rd time that the accused person had appeared before the court over the past two years Nana Mensah is facing 61 counts of abetment of crime, defrauding by false pretences, carrying on deposit-taking business without license, sale of minerals without license, unlawful deposit-taking, and money laundering. The accused person has denied the charges and the court on July 26, 2019, admitted him to bail in the sum of GH1 billion with five sureties, three to be justified. The court ordered him to be reporting to the police every Wednesday pending the outcome of the case. US VP Kamala Harris lands in Ghana to commence three-day state visit GraphicOnline Mar - 26 - 2023 , 13:31 Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, was greeted with cheers from schoolchildren, dancers, and drummers upon her arrival at Ghana's Kotoka International Airport on Sunday, marking the start of her week-long tour of Africa. The aim of her visit is to strengthen U.S. relationships with the continent in the face of global competition over its future. Harris expressed her enthusiasm for the trip, stating that it further solidifies the enduring relationship and friendship between the people of the United States and Africa. She was welcomed with Ghanaian and American flags and a display of traditional dancing, to which she responded by smiling broadly and placing a hand on her heart. During her visit, Harris plans to promote economic growth and food security, and to witness firsthand the innovation and creativity taking place on the continent. "What an honour it is to be here in Ghana and on the continent of Africa," she said. "I'm very excited about the future of Africa." She was in the company of her husband Douglas Emhoff and other officials of the US government. SK On will partner with Koreas largest cathode material company EcoPro, and Chinese battery materials producer GEM to build a battery core material production facility in Saemangeum, South Korea. The three companies together will spend up on 1.21 trillion won (US$934 million) for what will be their second joint venture after the nickel MHP producing joint venture founded in Indonesia last year. The construction of this plant will start within the year, and is expected to be completed in 2024 with an annual production of about 50,000 tons of precursors. The capacity of this facility is planned to increase sequentially, and more than 1,000 people will be hired to work here. Precursors are key raw materials that account for more than 65% to 70% of the cost of cathode materials. 50,000 tons of precursors can produce the cathode materials needed for batteries in about 300,000 units of 105 kWh electric vehicles. The precursors to be made at Saemangeum plant will use Nickel Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP), which is produced by the joint venture of the three companies in Indonesia, as a raw material. This joint venture is the one that SK On, EcoPro, and GEM agreed to establish in November last year, and is expected to mass-produce MHP equivalent to about 30,000 tons of pure nickel annually from the third quarter of 2024. The three companies decided to invest in the Saemangeum Industrial Complex in consideration of various operational advantages, including the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agencys support policies and subsidy benefits, logistics infrastructure such as inland transportation and shipping related to imports and exports. SK On has been actively building various cooperative relationships to strengthen the raw material supply chain. Last year, it signed supply contracts with lithium producers such as SQM (a Chilean company), Lake Resources, and Global Lithium (both from Australia). Regarding anode materials, SK On signed a MOU with Syrah, an Australian company, for the supply of natural graphite in July last year. SK On also announced the signing of a joint development agreement (JDA) with Urbix, a US manufacturer of battery anode materials, in January this year. In addition, SK On has been cooperating with various companies such as Swiss Glencore and POSCO Holdings for raw materials business. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ROLLING FORK, Miss. (AP) As a deadly tornado tore through the lower Mississippi Delta, the Rev. Mary Stewart clung to a door in the hallway of her Rolling Fork home, shielding herself from the branches and chunks of debris that came flying through her shattered windows. Friday's storm flattened entire town blocks, but the Rolling Fork Methodist Church withstood the high winds. And so the first Sunday after the twister commenced just like any other Sunday with congregants reaffirming their faith and finding solace together. We are a very religious community, said Laura Allmon, a fourth-generation congregant. It just means a lot for us to be able to get together and pray and be thankful for what we have. At least 25 people were killed and dozens were injured late Friday in Mississippi as the storm ripped through one of the poorest regions in the country, carving out a swath of destruction. Elsewhere, a man was killed in neighboring Alabama after his trailer home flipped over several times. Their homes rendered unlivable, many Rolling Fork residents flocked Sunday to the network of churches dotting the landscape. It is a close-knit farming community bound by intergenerational ties of family and faith that form the social fabric of this rural Southern town of about 2,000. Wayne Williams, 55, teaches construction skills at a vocational center. He was working with others Sunday to clean up some relatively minor damage at the building. Across the street, a large metal building that had been a community center was ripped apart by the tornado. Its going to be a long road to recovery, to rebuild and get over all the devastation, Williams said of his community. With God in the mix, we will recover. For Rolling Fork, a rebuilding process now awaits unlike any the town has faced before. But Friday's tornado wasn't the first time residents have had their lives upended by the elements. In 2019, the worst flooding since 1973 drove some from their homes. Religion is a central way residents of the Delta cope with an unpredictable climate and entrenched poverty. So many people here know patience from farm work, Stewart said. With their dependence on the rain for their crops their livelihood and having to leave it in Gods hands its a wonderful reaffirmation that God is in control. Founded nearly 135 years ago, the Rolling Fork Methodist Church has long been a source of support and resilience in hard times, its members said. Since the church building was without power Sunday morning, roughly two dozen worshipers gathered on its historic steps and bowed their heads while Stewart delivered a short sermon. Were grateful, Lord, that you brought us through this storm, she said, standing in sunshine beneath a clear blue sky. We have a lot to do and a lot of rebuilding, and there are people that weve lost in our town. We pray for their families. Elsewhere, President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration for Mississippi early Sunday, making federal funding available to the hardest hit areas. Based on early data, the tornado received a preliminary EF-4 rating, with top wind gusts between 166 mph and 200 mph (265 kph and 320 kph), according to the National Weather Service office in Jackson. Officials said the twister was on the ground for more than an hour. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves issued a state of emergency and vowed to help rebuild as he viewed the damage in the region, which boasts wide expanses of cotton, corn and soybean fields and catfish farming ponds. He spoke with Biden, who also held a call with the states congressional delegation. More than a half-dozen shelters were opened in Mississippi to house displaced residents. Just a few blocks down the road from the Rolling Fork Methodist Church, pastor Britt Williamson spoke from the pulpit at First Baptist Church, addressing rows of weary congregants. During the service, people hugged, shook hands and wiped away tears. The Delta is a hard soul for the gospel, Williamson said. Through the calamity of what happened, God has brought a plow bigger than any of these farmers could have. He said faith gives people something to hold onto during lifes challenges. We dont want to help people just to give them a place to live. We dont want to feed them for a day, he said. We want to give them an eternal home. Marlon Nicholas, a congregant of the church, said his familys attendance at a local high school prom Friday night meant they stayed safe even as their home was destroyed. He said other relatives also lost their homes but escaped without serious injuries. Miracles, he said. NEW LONDON A local man accused of abusing his girlfriend's 10-year-old son was arrested after police found the malnourished and bruised child locked in an empty room, according to an arrest warrant. The boy, who also appeared to be suffering from hair loss and injuries to his ear, told police he had endured months of mistreatment that included being beaten, hog-tied and crammed in a wooden box, the eight-page document shows. The victim, according to the warrant, was later hospitalized for more than a week with what doctors described to investigators as multiple traumas throughout his body such as a broken finger and fractured ribs. The discovery led to the arrest of 41-year-old Michael Gregor, who was charged by New London police Thursday with first-degree strangulation, second-degree assault, cruelty to persons, risk of injury to a minor, unlawful restraint and reckless endangerment. A public defender assigned to Gregor, who lived in East Lyme at the time of his arrest but formerly resided in New London, did not immediately return a request for comment. Police began investigating Gregor on Jan. 29 when his 38-year-old girlfriend reported that he had physically assaulted her at their New London apartment. When officers arrived at the residence, they encountered two children before locating the injured 10-year-old in a room with a deadbolt on the door, the warrant states. The room was empty with only a layer of plastic on the floor and a blanket, an officer wrote in the arrest warrant affidavit. In a news release announcing Gregors arrest, police described the conditions as inhumane. In interviews with police, the boy said he had been forced to wear the same clothes for weeks, prevented from showering and routinely denied food. He also accused Gregor of striking him with a piece of wood and kicking him until he could not breathe. The boy stated that his mother had no choice but to help Gregor because if she said anything about what was going on, Gregor would hit both of them for it, an officer wrote in the warrant. The victim, who had been removed from school to hide the evidence of his injuries, also described being hog-tied and placed in a cabinet as well as being shoved in a wooden box and locked in closets, according to the warrant. The warrant states the boy is now in the custody of his aunt. In a statement, the state Department of Children and Families said all the children who were residing at the home are safe and receiving support to address the significant trauma they have experienced. The agency, which is tasked with investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect, said the case is the first allegation of physical abuse the department has received regarding Gregor, but declined to share more about the probe. In addition to the child abuse charges, Gregor was charged with third-degree assault, second-degree threatening, second-degree strangulation and disorderly conduct in connection with the initial domestic disturbance. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, online court records show. According to Capt. Matthew Galante, a spokesperson for the New London Police Department, Gregor is being held on $750,000 bond. Gregor is scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court on April 19. richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com; Twitter @RichChumney. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH Five entities opened investigations after a viral video allegedly showed Cos Cob School Assistant Principal Jeremy Boland discussing discriminatory hiring practices in Greenwich Public Schools. While one investigation was completed months ago, officials say they will not be releasing the results until the others are also finished. In the video posted by Project Veritas at the end of August, Boland appears to speak about hiring practices in Greenwich Public Schools that discriminate against conservatives, people over the age of 30 and Catholics. Greenwich Public Schools immediately put Boland on administrative leave and launched its own investigation, which it finished in October, Jonathan Supranowitz, director of communications for the district, said last week. Speaking in January, Superintendent Toni Jones said the district will not release its findings to the public until four other investigations have also concluded. However, the district's investigation results, along with thousands of pages, were immediately sent to the other agencies, she said. Until all four of (the investigations) conclude, we dont know what they are going to find and will all four of those actually agree with one another, so until ... they are completed, that is about as much as we can say, Jones said at a Jan. 19, Board of Education business meeting. Beside the school district, the Office of the Attorney General, the state Department of Education, the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) and the town are all conducting separate investigations. At a recent Board of Education business meeting, Board Member Karen Kowalski said it would be beneficial, in coming meetings, for the school board to hear the findings from the districts investigation. We were waiting to hear the status of Mr. Bolands employment as well as the other state investigations that were going on and it would be helpful to get an understanding of what (Jonathan Budd, chief human resources officer for the schools,) has concluded in his report, Kowalski said. Boland, who is currently on administrative leave, sent in a letter of resignation, effective June 30, which the district accepted earlier this month, Supranowitz said. Efforts to reach Boland and his lawyer were unsuccessful. Where do the other investigations stand? While the town hired law firm Day Pitney in October to handle the investigation, the investigation itself did not start until January, according to Jones. First Selectman Fred Camillo told Greenwich Time that the town is in its second stage of the investigation process. However, Camillo did not say how many stages the investigation would have. I have been updated by the towns attorney that the private investigation is moving along and we should, hopefully, have some resolution on that investigation in the next few months, Camillo said earlier this month. When asked if the investigation's results would be shared publicly as soon as it is completed, Camillo said he was unsure and said he has not discussed with the town attorney about next steps once the investigation is concluded. Both the CHRO and Attorney Generals Office said their investigations are ongoing and both declined to comment further. The state Department of Education acknowledged it received the school district's findings but is awaiting additional documentation. The CSDEs investigation is still ongoing as we await the reports from the CHRO and the AGs office," Department of Education spokesman Eric Scoville said earlier this month. Based on its findings, the state Department of Education could rule on Boland's certification, Scoville said. In accordance with our authority, the Connecticut State Department of Education investigates and takes certification action if sufficient evidence exists that demonstrates that a teacher or administrator has violated professional standards, Scoville said. Thus, and as we do with all cases related to professional conduct, shortly after learning of this incident in Greenwich, the CSDE's Bureau of Investigations and Professional Practices opened an investigation. While Boland will no longer be employed by Greenwich Public Schools come July, a ruling on his certification could impact his future job prospects in Connecticut. Jones said at the January meeting that this is her first time having multiple agencies pursue investigations into a personnel incident. In all honesty, Ive never seen this before where you have all of these agencies that are investigating something like this, so I think it is new for all of us, she said. Week 12 was really busy and full of smartphone announcements, so let's recap it. The Samsung Galaxy M54 is official with a 6.7-inch 1080p 120Hz Super AMOLED display, an Exynos 1380 chipset, a 108MP main camera, and a 6,000mAh battery with 25W charging. The Oppo Find X6 and Find X6 Pro debuted in China and unfortunately odds are they won't be leaving it. The Pro has what Oppo calls three main cameras - 1-inch 50MP wide angle, 50MP ultrawide with a 1/1.56-inch sensor, and 50MP 65mm periscope zoom with the same sensor, which is the biggest in a periscope module along with a bright f/2.6 lens. Impressive! The Find X6 packs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, a 6.82-inch LTPO3 1440p AMOLED that will peak at 2,500nits, and a 5,000mAh battery with 100W charging. We're eagerly hoping the Find X6 Pro eventually launches outside of China. Huawei held a humongous Chinese launch. It announced the Mate X3 foldable - with IPX8 waterproofing, two 120Hz displays, a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, a 4,800mAh battery, and a triple camera with a periscope zoom. The P60 series features the P60, the P60 Pro, and the P60 Art. All three phones share the 6.67-inch LTPO OLED screen with FHD+ resolution (12202700 px) and a 1-120Hz refresh rate. All three phones also have the same 48MP main camera with an RYYB sensor, OIS and f/1.4-f/4.0 ten-step variable aperture with automatic scene-based switching. For the ultrawide sensor, the P60 and P60 Pro share a 13MP unit with an f/2.2 aperture while P60 Art has a 40MP f/2.2 camera. For telephoto, the P60 brings a 12MP module with an f/3.4 aperture, OIS, and 125mm equivalent lens. The P60 Pro and P60 Art get fancier 48MP cameras with OIS and a 90mm equivalent lens capable of 3.5x optical and 100x digital zoom. At least two of Huawei's phones will be coming to Europe with details to be announced on April 9. Meanwhile, Tecno launched the Spark 10 series in India, calling it the Spark 10 Universe. For the full list of major stories from the past week - check out the list below! The Tecno Spark 10 series will launch in India on March 23, will include a Dimensity 6020 model This is most likely the Tecno Spark 10 5G and it is a more powerful chip than the Helio G88 found inside the Spark 10 Pro. iQOO Z7 arrives with 120W charging, Z7x packs a 6,000mAh battery The Z7 trades capacity for speed and has a 5,000mAh battery. Note that the Z7 that launched in India last week is a separate device. Nothing Ear (2) review At $149, the Ear (2) costs the same as the current price of the Ear (1), which originally launched at $99. Samsung Galaxy F14 5G gets reviewed a few days before its announcement The video review shows the phone from all angles and details performance and cameras. OnePlus 11 Special Edition teased It is said to feature an industry-first back material. Redmi Note 12 Turbo launch date revealed It will launch with the new Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 chipset. Oppo A98 5G gets NBTC certified Its Chinese variant will come with a curved AMOLED display and a 108MP camera. The era of the three main cameras has begun but only in China. While we hope that Oppo changes its mind and does bring the new Find X6 series to the global market, all we can do for now is a full review of the X6 Pro (coming soon) and find out how those Hasselblad-branded cameras perform. Oppo Find X6 Pro at the office The Oppo Find X6 Pro is beautiful, especially in the gray metal plus brown leather combo. And it has one of the biggest camera islands we have ever seen, the cameras on there represent the best that smartphone tech has to offer in 2023. This includes the 1 IMX989 sensor. The other two cameras use the IMX890, a huge 1/1.56 sensor for these application the 110 ultrawide camera and the 65mm/2.8x periscope. All three cameras have a native resolution of 50MP and have Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), yes, even the ultrawide one. Oppo Find X6 Pro camera setup The Pro will be up against the Xiaomi 13 Pro and the vivo X90 Pro+ and unfortunately for international buyers only the Xiaomi is available (and the non-Plus vivo X90 Pro, but that doesnt have the tele camera to take on the Oppo). And yes, it will also compete with the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra as well, but if you read our 200MP vs. 1 shootout you will know that there is no substitute for a large sensor when it comes to serious photography. The Oppo Find X6 Pro starts at CNY 6,000 for a 12/256GB model. A Xiaomi 13 Pro with the same memory configuration is a bit cheaper at CNY 5,800, the vivo X90 Pro+ is pricier at CNY 6,500. In Europe, the Xiaomi is a hefty 1,400, so the other two will presumably cost more if they were to launch on the Old Continent. Xiaomi 13 Pro vivo X90 Pro+ All three phones have large QHD+ 120Hz LTPO displays, all three are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, all three have fairly large batteries with fast charging. And all three have amazing cameras, of course. Right now, unless you live in China there is really only one phone with a 1 camera that you can buy (theres the Sharp too, but thats hard to get as well). Would you buy the Oppo Find X6 Pro if it was available near you? Vote below or using this page. Loading... Theres also the vanilla Oppo Find X6. This one switches over to the Dimensity 9200 and the screen is a standard AMOLED panel of 1,240p resolution. The main and ultrawide cameras get smaller sensors (1/1.56 and 1/2.76, respectively), but the phone keeps the impressive periscope module of the Pro a surprisingly bright f/2.6 lens with a 1/1.56 sensor behind it. Oppo Find X6 camera setup This one starts at CNY 4,500 for a 12/256GB unit. A base Xiaomi 13 goes for a bit more, CNY 4,600 (1,100 in Europe), the vivo X90 Pro is CNY 5,500. Oppo Find X6 The vivo is the only one of the three with a 1 main sensor, but its zoom camera only has a 50mm lens (with a 50MP sensor it can do digital zoom on top of that). The vivo also uses the Dimensity 9200, making the Xiaomi the only one with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Its also the only one with a lower resolution FHD+ display. The phones have comparable battery capacities, but the Oppo is the only one without wireless charging. Xiaomi 13 vivo X90 Pro If Oppo were to release the Find X6 in your region, will you pick one up? Vote below or using this page. Supplying Ukraine with depleted uranium weapons to have dire consequences: Medvedev Xinhua) 15:54, March 25, 2023 VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev on Friday condemned the British plan to provide depleted uranium rounds for Ukraine, warning that the use of such weapons would have dire consequences. Ukraine needed to assess the consequences of the use of depleted uranium rounds and consider whether to open the "Pandora Box" and allow the West to provide such ammunition, Medvedev was quoted by TASS news agency as saying in an interview with Russian media. Annabel Goldie, the British Minister of State for Defense, said on Tuesday that the "Challenger 2" main battle tanks sent by Britain to Ukraine would contain depleted uranium rounds, which were "very effective" in defeating modern tanks and armored vehicles. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General, responded later Tuesday that the United Nations was concerned about the use of such ammunition. He said there would be serious consequences, applying to anyone who provides such armaments. "I would like to note in this regard that if all this happens, then Russia will be forced to react accordingly. I mean that the collective West is already starting to use weapons with a nuclear component," Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted by Sputnik news agency as saying Tuesday in Moscow. Depleted uranium is the main by-product of uranium enrichment and is a chemically and radiologically toxic heavy metal, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. This dense metal is used in munitions for its penetrating ability and as a protective material in armored vehicles. Air, soil, water, and vegetation could potentially be contaminated and affected by its residues, according to the UN agency. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Liu Ning) PUBLIC SCHOOLS Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program The Universal Pre-Kindergarten program is accepting applications until April 14. To qualify, students must be 4 years old by July 31. Students from Finegayan Elementary School, J.Q. San Miguel Elementary School, Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School and Marcial Sablan Elementary School will be prioritized; out-of-district applications will be entertained if there are available openings. Applications are available at any participating school, mayors offices and at the Guam DOE central office or at www.gdoe.net. For more information, contact any of the participating schools or the Division of Curriculum and Instruction at 671-300-1635. Gifted and Talented Education Program The Gifted and Talented Education Program is accepting pre-screening applications for GATE Pre-Kindergarten 2023-2024 until April 14. To qualify, students must be a resident of Guam and 4 years old by Aug. 31. In addition, students must participate in the visual-motor integration test, a vocabulary test and a visual-closure test and score at least 130 on one of the tests or an overall score of 350. Applications are available at Astumbo Elementary School, B.P. Carbullido Elementary School, Harry S. Truman Elementary School, Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School, M.U. Lujan Elementary School, Machanaonao Elementary School or H.B. Price Elementary School or visit www.gdoe.net. A copy of the students birth certificate or passport must be submitted along with a completed application. Testing is March 6-May 5. For more information, contact the Division of Curriculum and Instruction at 671-300-1635 or GATE@gdoe.net. PRIVATE SCHOOLS St. Johns School Enrollment is open for the Summer Knights program. Students can take English Language Academy, Kinder Prep, Lower School Camp and Middle and Upper School Camp where they explore new interests, develop important skills and be prepared for Fall. The first session runs from June 14-30 and second session from July 3-20. For more information, contact 671-646-8080 or Ria Torres at summer@stjohnsguam.com. GCA Trades Academy Registration ongoing for electrical, plumbing, heavy equipment operations, project management, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Accepting applications for consideration for summer school. All public and private high school students are encouraged to enroll. Electrical/electronic systems technicians class starts March 28. Students will learn about installing lighting, telecommunications equipment and security systems in residential and commercial settings. To register, contact 671-647-4842/3 or email bert@gcatradesacademy.org or visit gcatradesacademy.org. Academy of Our Lady of Guam Business hours 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday to Friday. For inquiries, email acad@aolg.edu.gu. Registration is ongoing for school year 2023-2024. Applications are available online or at the business office. Visit aolg.edu.gu or call 671-477-8203 for more information. Register as alumnae at aolg.edu.gu. Prayer requests for living or deceased can be made at aolg.edu.gu or call 671-477-8203. Schedule: March 31: 1:30 p.m. dismissal. COLLEGE Guam Community College Summer and Fall registration open. The first day of the summer semester starts June 2 and Fall starts Aug. 16. New and returning students can apply at guamcc.edu/apply or visit the admissions office on campus at building 2000 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Academic advisors and financial aid officers will assist students with filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The Health Services Center staff will be available to assist students with health clearances. Sen. Thomas Fisher's office on Sunday called for an emergency session to address the circulation of a "fraudulent but official document by an employee of a sitting member of the 37th Guam Legislature," according to a news release. Fisher, along with fellow Republican senators Frank Blas Jr., Telo Taitague, Chris Duenas, Joanne Brown, Jesse Lujan and Democrat Chris Barnett, introduced a resolution to form a special legislative committee to investigate the "actions of the Progressive Democrats of Guam, their social media pages and messaging, and those associated with their organization and/or dissemination of this fraudulent document." Last week, a fake amendment to Bill 32-37 was shared on social media. The bill authorized $30 million for school repairs, and the fake amendment - purportedly introduced by Duenas - would have re-programmed educator raises to pay for the repairs. Duenas denounced the document on the session floor - stating that although it was formatted to look like an actual amendment, it was not real. It was shared on social media by the group Progressive Democrats of Guam. Julian Janssen, who runs the group's social media pages, retracted the document soon after Duenas said it wasn't real. Janssen said that he did not create the document, and didn't know where it came from. He said he was informed that it had originated from the office of the Clerk of the Legislature. According to Fisher, the document "was neither submitted to the clerks nor uploaded to the session drive or circulated as a print copy on the floor." "Considering that this document was purported to be from a sitting member of the 37th Guam Legislature, I believe that we must create a Special Investigating Committee to ensure the safety of our members and our support staff," Fisher said. Resolution 67-37 states that the document's purported origins with the legislature should be addressed publicly during session "to clear the name of those affected by the circulation of this fraudulent document." You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The Tsubaki Tower hosted a Mes CHamoru pop-up fair featuring local makers and small businesses on Sunday, at Tsubakis outdoor terrace. Local businesses set up their booths, displaying their unique locally-made products for people to purchase. These days there are really a lot of small businesses that are on the rise and here in Guam Local business owners are very supportive, said April Woods, owner of Crafty Woods. According to Woods, Crafty Woods creates unique laser engraved wood products and was established just last year in 2022. Our last name is Woods and we are all crafty, so we thought about naming our business as Crafty Woods, said Woods. I do most of the work but my husband and kids, theyre helping me to color, design ideas, and do some work in the garage like for sanding and making frames, added Woods. Woods shared how this business all started with her making items for her friend and then it sparked the idea to create her own business of making things for people to purchase. Right beside Crafty Woods was another local business named Tingz by T, which displayed unique jewelry. I am obsessed with jewelry and to kind of incorporate it with my cultural heritage, which is Im half CHamoru and half African American, I incorporate certain styles like latte stone hoops, said Talysa Kakas, owner of Tingz by T. Kakas has also expanded her business to not only creating just jewelry but apparel, and other things as well. According to Kakas, the business idea and the designs of the products that they offer where inspired by her past. It kind of started when I was little, my mom would always dress me up in a lot of jewelry and I guess the inspiration behind it is wanting to show our culture, said Kakas. Especially to our family members who live off-island And them wanting to show where they're from and what the CHamoru heritage is all about, added Kakas. Tingz by T currently runs their businesses fully online but also participates in many pop-up shop events, which helps them connect with their customers. We also do a lot of pop-up shops which integrates us into the community and gives us the opportunity to meet all of our followers and friends in real life, said Kakas. The pop-up fair also had fresh cut coconuts by Grill Sergeant for the Tsubaki guests and games to try out. The knowledge and skill of the CHamoru weaving practice continue to be passed on to more and more people. A CHamoru weaving class was held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, at the Sagan Kotturan CHamoru Cultural Center in Tamuning. Our culture is very important, its something that has been passed down from generation to generation, said Roquin-Jon Quichocho Siongco, weaving instructor. Weaving is something that weve been able to do to build houses, and weave the sails that got us across oceans, and the baskets that hold everything, added Siongco. Siongco has been weaving since he was eight years old, having 13 years of experience in the art of weaving. Even though Siongco is an instructor for weaving, he is still continuously learning more about the art. Ill definitely say that I am still learning it myself, but being in a position where I happen to know a little bit more than most folks, Im more than happy to share that knowledge with other people, said Siongco For the class that Siongco was instructing, the participants had the opportunity to learn and create a basket. There was a variety of people participating in the class, two of which was their first time taking a weaving class on Guam. Andrea Ortanez, originally from San Francisco, has done weaving in the past but was excited to learn more today. This is something that I did before and Im redoing it again. Everyone is just so sweet and very patient, said Ortanez. For Ortanez, this practice is something that she wants to continue pursuing and learning. If I lived here on the island I would definitely do this every week so I can be more advanced, said Ortanez. Jed Arana, from Dededo, was hesitant at first to join in on the weaving class but eventually gave it a try. I wasnt actually going to do it but its fun, said Arana. Despite the weaving being difficult for Arana, he enjoyed the process. Even though the weaving could be difficult at times, according to Arana, Siongco believes in the idea of having fun while weaving. Just reminding folks to have fun with it Sometimes it may not be for you and thats okay, said Siongco. Also, not feeling the pressure to be performing perfection all the time, added Siongco Siongco is just one of many instructors who is passing on this traditional CHamoru practice. Dave Lotz is a vocal advocate for protecting Guams unique heritage, a knowledgeable and long-time hiking enthusiast and environmental advocate, and critic of inept government. He has been a resident of Guam since 1970 and retired from the Guam Department of Parks and Recreation, Andersen AFB Environmental Flight and the National Park Service. Sen. Dwayne San Nicolas addresses the media during a press conference at the Guam Congress Building in Hagatna on Jan. 12, 2023. Haiti - Cooperation : A Spanish delegation on mission in the country A Spanish delegation composed of Anton Leis, Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID) and Ms. Laura Oroz, Director of Cooperation for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Agency, is in Haiti to 2 days (March 25 and 26) During their stay they will visit Spanish Cooperation projects in the aquaponics sector aquaponiques.html and will meet with Ministers Jean-Victor Geneus (Foreign Affairs) and Ms. Emmelie Prophete (Culture and Justice a.i.) to address the main challenges of the country in the current context. They will also meet with the United Nations Resident Humanitarian Coordinator for Haiti, Ms. Ulrika Richardson and United Nations country agencies, to discuss the situation of international cooperation in Haiti. The cooperation team, the Spanish NGOs present in Haiti and the Spanish Embassy will seek to identify the best niches for the future of Spanish cooperation with Haiti. Let's recall that the ECID is currently carrying out more than 73 million dollars of project. Most of these investments are made in the sectors of water and sanitation ($33 million), education ($10.5 million) and the productive sector and food security ($17.5 million). millions of dollars). It should be recalled that the "Fonda del Agua", financed entirely by Spain, has donated to Haiti over the past ten years more than 170 million dollars, which has made it possible to bring drinking water to than 10% of the Haitian population. Before their departure, the Spanish delegation will be received by Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henry. HL/ HaitiLibre Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up New Ad-free Subscriber Login Email Password Password Username Subscribe to our daily NewsLetter Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password or receive our NewsLetter. Stay logged in Lost password Contact Whichever way one might look at it, the relentlessly widening, political fissures between the ruling regime - including its proponents - and those opposed to its political ideologies will take a long time to be narrowed down to, at the very least, tolerant levels - if ever. Are we doing enough as citizens of the country, irrespective of our political differences, and affiliation - including those among us who are privileged to be bestowed with the power, and mandate of leading the nation - to fix the problems that have divided us so atrociously, and horrendously, causing us to be sworn enemies of each other? As much as we are human, created differently, with diverse human characters, possessing divergent and nonidentical likes and dislikes; inclusive of having contrasting, political loyalties, it is no secret that there is this indisputable common thread running between us as a people of one, small, puny nation. This priceless thread is that we are all members of one ethnic group - namely, emaSwati. The above thread is invaluable, and deserves our utmost treasuring and defending. If truth be told, logic dictates that we should - individually, as well as collectively - be fiercely protective of this common thread running between, and through us all. It is imperative for each one of us that we defend our ethnicity with all our might. Tolerance is key. There should be no room whatsoever for the evident, frightening, internal infighting that we constantly witness. The war of words, use of derogatory terms at times hurled at our governing authorities on social media platforms, and among proponents of change, are too ghastly to contemplate. None among us is more Swati than the other. We are members of one family, and the onus not only lies in our leaders to unite us, but in us as well as citizens of the country to be tolerant of divergent differing views and opinions. violent tendencies Consider, for instance, the oftentimes, unwarranted, violent tendencies that are often directed at some citizens of the country by the countrys security forces, which are largely triggered by progressives political loyalties. Dissenting voices are often despised, and ridiculed even by some of our leaders, raising questions like, arent they emaSwati, too? The escalating enmity between opposing voices which we constantly witness are killing the spirit of homogeneity. It is of paramount importance that in our quest to defend our political ideologies, we do not employ unethical means, especially violent ones in order to deter those we do not see eye to eye with from pursuing peaceful objectives. Peaceful means of solving any conflict are a crucial catalyst to living in peace, and harmony. Can we honestly and candidly profess to be subscribing to the above? Are we true patriots of the country - a people who promote the common good, public interest beneficial to all or most citizens in our communities? In light of the massive and deteriorating political differences tearing our country apart, where are the true patriots, both in leadership positions and among the rank and file, who are prepared to save this country from annihilating itself, completely wiping out any moral fibre which used to bind, and bond us together as a nation - be it political, or otherwise? As I see it, we are all - without any exception - failing dismally in this respect. Some of the immoral practices that are contributing to destroying this country are related to what is known as the Machiavellian principles of rule for those in leadership positions. Such controversial principles, some of which are defined below, are not only confined to our country, but globally as well. Consider what is happening politically and socioeconomically in our neighbouring countries, especially in South Africa. Last Monday, the Economic Freedom Fighters political party (EFF) were expected to take to the streets for their national shutdown, protesting the energy crisis and demanding that President Ramaphosa step down. Poor governance, corruption, etcetera, are some of the vices that are tearing that country apart. Isnt that what is also destroying our own, beautiful country? Niccolo Machiavelli (14691527) who was a 16th century Florentine philosopher, known primarily for his political ideas, recommended the following character, and behaviour for princes (people in leadership positions): * It is better to be stingy than generous. * It is better to be cruel than merciful. * It is better to break promises if keeping them would be against ones interests. For instance, according to Wikipedia.org, Machiavelli viewed, misery as one of the vices that enables people in leadership positions to rule. Machiavelli stated that; it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved. It is said that in much of Machiavellis work, he often states that a leader must adopt unsavory policies for the sake of the continuance of his or her regime. Such adherence by national leaders to some of Machiavellis controversial principles of leadership have wreaked untold misery, divided citizens of many nations, triggered social, political unrests and civil strife. One of the chief contributory factors, as I see it, that is responsible for the deeply worrying political as well as social divide in the country is that the power bestowed on some of those in leadership positions - irrespective of whether it is in the political arena, in the workplace; even in religious circles, as well as in the family structure, - is erroneously being regarded by some as a ticket to licentious behaviour, which includes the abuse of authority, giving some the licence to violate principles of good, and moral leadership. Principles of good leadership should demonstrate superior virtues, self-discipline, unselfishness integrity, concern for others, justice, trustworthiness, etcetera. It is of vital importance that our leaders in this country handle with maturity, for instance, the simmering cauldron of resentment between those who yearn for change, and others who are intent on maintaining the current, status quo. It cannot be denied that it is the duty of any government to maintain law and order firmly and fairly, free from any repressive means. In the country, we have gone through a horrific, violent phase, manifesting itself in a spate of violence, which was perpetrated by both sides of the political divide. It is the duty of government to use constitutional means to maintain law and order - not what we often witness. condemned Numerous lives were lost in the recent past, and the means employed by the countrys security forces in maintaining law and order were widely condemned by many people. Law enforcement agencies had been, and are still being accused of largely being loyal to the ruling system of government, employing excessive use of force to quell protests, in the process grossly violating the constitutional rights of the people. As much as it is near impossible that as a leader, one cannot satisfy everybody under his or her authority or supervision, but, it is vital that leaders worth their salt govern fairly, practice true justice and do not enforce loyalty, or respect. Employment of the use of force, harassment and intimidatory tactics to whip into submission citizens of any country had often led to untold misery and conflict, which had more often than not, resulted in deadly conflict. Many a time, leaders globally had often practiced the immoral divide, and rule governance principle, rewarding those subservient to their systems of governance, thus isolating those with differing opinions, triggering resentment against the system of governance. It is important that leaders practice fairness on everyone under their authority, irrespective of their political affiliations, or loyalties. Giving an ear to the divergent views of those under their command is vital for peace. That said, how can we, as I see it, restore the seemingly elusive peace in this country? Firstly, since the damage has already been done, it is important that we investigate the core, root causes of our problems. This can only be achieved through dialogue. Almost everyone had been calling for, and advocating for the concept of dialogue as a means of solving our problems. We all know our governments repeated stance on the dialogue issue. Now that government seems to have the violence under control, isnt it about time that this most important process be given a chance? We urgently need to discard self-defeating stances or arrogant feelings of invincibility and superiority now that the violence is under control. It is only through the process of dialoguing where the opposing sides could be able to work towards a truce, table their grievances; discuss about silencing of the guns; give an ear to the concerns of the other side, find solutions and, hopefully, reach an amicable compromise. Holding a gun to the heads of those who are calling for change, labelling that a peaceful resolution to our political problems is a mere fallacy. We can only be comfortable through dialoguing with those we do not see eye to eye with, reassured that at least, something is being done to restore peace, if only we could seat around the negotiation table. Guns do not talk. They do not negotiate. The only language they understand is spewing death. potential Having the violent, political situation under control does not necessarily mean that peace has been restored. It is no secret how government has managed to bring the situation under control. Only those who are living in a fantasy world can swear over their mothers graves that peace has been completely restored in the country. It has not. Theres a vast difference between silence, and peace. The honest, unadulterated truth is simply that people are living in fear - not in fear of any outside invading forces, but in fear of our own government. We all know why. In her book State and Opposition in Military Brazil, Maria Helena Moreira Alves found a culture of fear was implemented as part of political repression since 1964. She used the term to describe methods implemented by the national security apparatus of Brazil in its effort to equate political participation with risk of arrest and torture. This enhanced the potential for political control through intensifying the culture of fear as a deterrent to opposition. Alves found the changes of the National Security Law of 1969, as beginning the use of economic exploitation, physical repression, political control, and strict censorship to establish a culture of fear in Brazil.The three psychological components of the culture of fear included silence through censorship, sense of isolation, and a generalised belief that all channels of opposition were closed. A feeling of complete hopelessness prevailed, in addition to withdrawal from opposition activity. Could this be the case with our country? I leave that up to the reader to decide. Secondly, as I see it, it is important that we are tolerant of each others, differing, political opinions. Our problems chiefly lie on the fact that we are fiercely intolerant of opposing views. There is this divisive viewpoint emanating from some quarters that those calling for change, good, moral and democratic governance are terrorists. We cannot deny the fact that in the recent past, violent means had been the modus operandi of faceless people who resorted to violent means to enforce change. All forms of violence must be condemned - period. It is also no secret that not all freedom activists are what some choose to call terrorists. If I may ask, was the late, assassinated, internationally acclaimed, attorney Thulani Rudolph Maseko - may his soul rest in peace - a terrorist? For Petes sake! The deceased was always at pains, preaching about nonviolence, constantly advocating for a peaceful resolution to our political differences. Sadly, he lost his precious life in spite of such a noble approach to conflict resolution. He was murdered for what many of us had been calling for - peaceful resolution to our political problems. The country is now - post-June 29 2021 - divided into two camps: Pro-democracy, and anti democracy proponents. We have become intolerant of each others rights to freedom of expression, assembly, association, and numerous other Constitutional rights. The rule of fear is causing us sleepless nights. Come to think of it, there is also an apparent division between progressives calling for change! suffers Who suffers the most in the midst of all this mayhem? Peace suffers. The country is simply a simmering cauldron of tension. There is an engulfing atmosphere of anger over numerous issues. People are frustrated. There is a perplexing rise in mob justice, gender-based violence is escalating frighteningly. Crime manifesting itself in robberies, and car hijackings is on the rise. Consider the crippling strikes by tertiary institution students, and their lecturers over administrative issues. I have lost count of how many times our universities had often closed intermittently over the years. A former, prestigious institution has now been reduced to a gutter and, poorly run institution because of many issues that are not too difficult to resolve. One just wonders if the education of our tertiary students is being deliberately sabotaged in order to produce perpetual beggars to the status quo. Once again, where are all the true patriots of the country hiding? Can we all, please, stand up, be counted, and save this country from imminent destruction? Most importantly, are we oblivious of the seeds of hatred that we are persistently planting in our future generations? May the Living God give us a spirit of discernment where we will all strive to work towards ushering in peace, and harmony, discard violent tendencies; stop the intolerance for opposing views, do away with arrogant attitudes; where we will all work towards restoring Eswatini to its former, peaceful, and tolerant Swaziland. Peace! Shalom! A WOMAN from Wargrave is campaigning against the development of greenfield sites along the A4. Lilian Pearson Bishop says Wokingham Borough Council, the planning authority, should consider the cumulative impact that all the proposed new housing would have on the area. Dr Pearson Bishop, who has lived in the village or 30 years, is co-ordinating residents opposition to plans to build 200 houses at Bridge Farm and 230 houses and a new ground for Rams Rugby Club at Riverways Farm. The proposed schemes are on opposite sides of the A4 New Bath Road. Dr Pearson Bishop says she has been contacted by hundreds of people from Sonning, Charvil, Wargrave and Hare Hatch who are concerned that the developments would lead to an increase in traffic congestion, air pollution, flooding and loss of wildlife. She spoke against Croudace Homes proposal to develop Bridge Farm at last months meeting of the councils planning committee which agreed to grant consent in principle. The final decision is subject to a legal agreement being completed. Dr Pearson Bishop said: They didnt take into account the application for 230 houses and the rugby centre for 10,000 spectators on the opposite side of the road. I gave the council photos of the existing congestion but it had no effect, even though children on foot are breathing in traffic fumes. She said that by considering each application individually, the council was missing the bigger picture about the cumulative impact the developments would have. Dr Pearson Bishop said: We believe that developers have options on land from Sonning to Hare Hatch. Their approach is to divide up the land into smaller parcels to avoid opposition from Natural England, the highways authority and other authorities. They only buy it as and when they have planning permission. Its very difficult to get landowners to be open about the situation but it is our belief that this is what is happening. Its based on a pattern to date. We regard that as unacceptable. We believe the council should take a holistic view. To be fair to the council, it may not have any choice and it may be as a result of government planning policy. At the moment it appears councils are constrained to consider each application in isolation. The council deferred making a decision on Bridge Farm in December and asked the developer to provide more information on issues such as pedestrian access to the Piggott School, data on school place projections, traffic modelling on the A4 and air quality. In last months meeting, planning officer Sophie Morris recommended approval of the application, saying: It is considered that the reasons for deferral have satisfactorily been addressed. There are not considered to be any identified adverse impacts associated with the proposals that would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of bringing forward this site, which would contribute to the councils housing delivery targets. But Dr Pearson Bishop said the application should be considered alongside David Wilson Homes plans for Riverways Farm. She said: 430 homes plus the rugby with 10,000 spectators can you imagine the congestion? And its not just when there is a match. Theres going to be training and floodlights during the winter which would affect wildlife. Wargrave sewage works is struggling and has to empty into the river. How will it cope with another 430 homes and rugby fans? Flooding is already a very real problem. When concrete and tarmac go down it will increase wider flooding because of run-off. Will the people who live in these houses be able to get insurance? Ive lived in Wargrave for 30 years so I know all about flooding. Where I live the houses are on stilts so we dont have a problem apart from occasionally being marooned but goodness knows what will happen to these houses, which wont be on stilts. We would like these applications to be rejected. Councillor Lindsay Ferris, executive member for planning and local plan, said: We have to judge every planning application on its merits. We cant refuse one just because another site could be submitted speculatively in future as this might never happen. However, we do consider and test the cumulative impact of multiple proposals in a given area through our wider strategic planning process and local plan, which sets policies on and allocates, among other things, the sites that are considered suitable for development in the long term. This is to ensure that, for example, a road junction can cope with the increased traffic forecast from several developments that could come forward over the plan period. If, later on, a speculative application is submitted on top of those allocated sites, we would then test the additional impact of traffic from that scheme on top of the level weve already modelled. Were serious about balancing the need for some new development with ensuring it doesnt have an adverse impact. MBABANE - Central Bank of Eswatini Governor Dr Phil Mnisi in the financial stability report issue six said: Assets of the insurance industry amounted to E6.6 billion at the end of June 2022 from E6.3 billion in June 2021. This increase in total industry assets was driven by growth in assets for the short-term sector of 15.6 per cent and growth of 6.3 per cent for the long-term insurance sector. The governor mentioned that the value of insurers assets had been on an upward trend since the first quarter of 2021, even attaining levels above those recorded prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mnisi added that investment income contracted over the year ended June 2022. He said the sectors investment income recorded a loss of E79.1 million from a surplus of E318.8 million recorded in June 2021. This decline in investment income was observed for both sectors but was more pronounced in the long-term insurance sector (-130.8 per cent), he said. The above mentioned further prompted government and private sector to create and promote locally owned insurance companies. The Eswatini Royal Insurance Corporation (ESRIC) introduced Eswatini Re Limited, a reinsurance company that is 100 per cent Eswatini owned. Eswatini Re Limited launched their reinsurance services in December 2022, with the aim to broaden the local reinsurance capacity by offering additional capacity to the local market. Eswatini Re Limited was established in October 2018; however they opened doors for operations in January 2022. They are now a new player in the reinsurance space looking to provide additional capacity within the local reinsurance space. They have also acquired a licence to provide both long-term and short-term reinsurance services. Speaking during the official launch of the company reinsurance services last year, Eswatini Re Limited General Manager (GM) Qiniso Dlamini said they were born out of the vision of their parent company ESRIC. coverage He said this was after seeing the needs and demands of the industry for reinsurance coverage. He said reinsurance was an integral part of insurance arrangements and insurers had varying needs and requirements for reinsurance services, depending on the types and nature of insurance products they sell. Historically local insurers have sourced insurance support from outside our borders; in 2015 the industry welcomed the first local reinsurance company. Who have over the years enjoyed support from the local market. We shall be aware that insurance and by extension reinsurance is about capacity, financial capacity, meaning having a strong balance sheet to meet ones liabilities, he said. He said their treaty programs would be structured both proportionally (quota share and surplus) and non-proportional (XOL) depending on the nature of the risk and appetite for it. Similarly, our facultative arrangements shall be both proportional and non-proportional, again depending on the risk, our appetite and capacity, he added. Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg during the launch said Eswatini Re Limited was in line with the policies of His Majestys government, which were focused on the establishment of new companies, leading to the creation of employment opportunities and economic growth. He said this level playing field would be made possible with the passing of the Reinsurance Bill of 2020, currently at consultation stage in Senate. Rijkenberg added that among its objectives, the Bill was aimed at the establishment, recognition and promotion of reinsurance business in the insurance industry. With these developments in the industry, government expects that the reinsurance companies would allow involved parties to reduce their exposure to risk and their capital requirements. Most importantly, government is of the view that freeing up capital would allow insurers to underwrite more business, thus enabling economic growth and helping to create stability, he added. The minister also mentioned that although reinsurance in the country was a relatively new field, they were highly impressed that with Eswatini Re Limited, Eswatini now had a second registered reinsurer. With the establishment of Eswatini Re Limited as the second resident reinsurance company in our kingdom, we hope the local insurance market will continue to grow, he said. MBABANE The Eswatini Royal Insurance Corporation (ESRIC) investment income hiked from E31 million to E33.7 million. This was outlined in their integrated annual report, where the insurance company availed that the dividend was E128.7 million, an expansion from the previous financial year where they record E105.3 million as dividends. The life insurance business achieved premium growth of five per cent during the period under review. Operating profit, however, decreased from E72 million recorded in the same period last year to E4 million. The significant decline was largely due to a marked increase in the volume of COVID-19-related claims. During the year, to December 31, 2021, the corporations operating profit remained flat at E145 million compared to E145.5 million in the prior year, broadly in line with the growth achieved in the gross written premium (GWP). As at December 31, 2021, the non-life international solvency ratio (net equity as ratio to net written premiums) stood at 119 per cent (2020: ratio of 117 per cent) compared to the industry international solvency ratio benchmark of 50 per cent. The life insurance business is also well capitalised with excess assets over liabilities of E258.1 million (2020: E313.9 million). On December 31, 2021, ESRICs capital adequacy requirement (CAR) was E98.1 million (2020: E86.9 million). assets The actuarial valuation of the Life (long-term) insurance business at December 31, 2021 shows that the value of assets exceeds the value of liabilities by E258.1 million (2020: E313.9 million). The total embedded value of ESRICs life business as at December 31, 2021 stood at E260 million, compared to E318 million in the previous year, after allowing for two times CAR in the 2021 opportunity cost of capital to be in line with the Corporations dividend policy. This calculation was conducted broadly in accordance with the general guidance contained in PGN107 issued by the Actuarial Society of South Africa, a standard which does not yet apply in Eswatini. ESRIC Chairperson Muhawu Maziya in the report said: The economy is beginning to show signs of recovery from the pandemic-imposed economic slowdown. With vaccines now by and many more available, and improved treatment of COVID-19, governments across the world have been opening social and business activity more and more, inspiring hope of growth once business operations resume. Finally there are indications of light at the end of the tunnel. Maziya said they continued in the course of the year under review with their mandate of providing Non-Life insurance, Life Assurance and Pension Administration services in a very challenging business environment. He said ESRIC had been affected in the past two years by the disruptions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, which ravaged the business environment in the country, placing many of their clientele in a bearish environment that inevitably negatively affected their plans for growth. clients As if that was not enough, business was further crippled by the civil unrest in the second half of the year. This also disrupted normal business and placed further downward pressure on our clients and negating our efforts for growth. As a consequence of this unfavourable environment, the year under review has generally been marked by stagnant performance of premiums resulting in the non-life section of the business recording only one per cent growth. The life section of the business, however, grew by 4.6 per cent compared to 2020, he added. Maziya further mentioned that the market was competitive, overall pressure on pricing continued across most classes of business and they were compelled to respond by further adjusting overall prices, forgoing growth in order to retain market share. Notwithstanding these developments, the corporation delivered pleasing overall performance consistent with prior years. The Corporation has maintained its reputation as a reliable insurer and continues to be the major player in the industry in the country. In spite of the challenging environment in the year, the corporation is still poised to deliver value and grow product and distribution capabilities while maintaining pricing discipline, superior underwriting and stellar customer service as our core focus to grow the business and achieve sustainable profitability, he said. Meanwhile, 91 per cent local reinsurance profits are foreign owned. The reinsurance industry in Eswatini is dominated by foreign companies, mostly from South Africa. According to the Financial Services Regulatory Authoritys (FSRA) annual report, the local market generated E385 million in reinsurance premium. Of this, only nine per cent a figure of E35 million was placed locally. FSRA said there was a notable year on year increase in GWP of five per cent from E506 million to E530 million. Quarter on quarter GWP increased by 50 per cent from E267 million. The top four classes of insurance business collectively contributed to 66 per cent of the GWP amounting to E350 million. I am definitely sure that everyone knows an employee in the civil service who barely goes to work, not because they are indisposed or have a valid reason for doing so. Some do this because they just have this sense of entitlement. Others do this because they just do not believe in the system of government they work for, which is tinkhundla. In most cases, those who have the sense of entitlement are pro-tinkhundla and those who do not believe in the system are obviously anti-tinkhundla and belong to the ideologies of various political parties. We then have the so-called neutrals. Even though those who are pro-tinkhundla do not belong to a specific political organisation, they nonetheless believe they are of the ruling class. We should not beat about the bush here; this is the group that is mostly made up of people who are close to the royal family (not members of the royal family per se but belong to the extended families of the royal family if that makes any sense). This group can be a real handful and nuisance. They make the royal family look so bad. To be entitled means believing you have an inherent right to something. It is very easy to feel entitled, to feel like we deserve a certain quality of life or valuable opportunities. I dont know if anyone is immune from entitlement at one time or another. Its what you do with that sense of entitlement that matters most. I have been told many stories about this one principal secretary (PS) who is barely at work. Imagine, a whole PS not coming to work! In the few days that this PS happens to report to the office, they say an hour is more than enough before disappearing. This PS is someone who is close to a high-profile member of the royal family. This is what makes this PS feel entitled. Principal secretaries are the controlling officers of government ministries. reshuffled They are assumed to be more powerful than Cabinet ministers. Even officers are known to respect principal secretaries more than ministers because they know that the former will more likely remain in that position for countless years as opposed to the latter, who can only be there for not more than 10 years and could even be sacked or reshuffled anytime. Principal secretaries are rarely reshuffled or sacked. Under the leadership of this one PS, who would expect a committed team of officers? Entitlement is one of the reasons the countrys public service is in shambles. So, when I learnt that Minister of Public Service Mabulala Maseko informed senators that aspiring civil servants would be vetted to determine their political affiliation in order to sift those who are anti-tinkhundla, I thought to myself but thats not the main problem. You can have an entire public service that is 100 per cent pro-tinkhundla and still have a totally malfunctioning government machinery. Most civil servants are in their comfort zones bakagogo. You would ordinarily expect that those civil servants who are in support of the Tinkhundla System would work hard so as to portray it positively, but the exact opposite is happening with most of them. They are the ones who have made the system appear to be a non-starter. They are self-entitled, lazy and corrupt. They also expect to be protected from all these deliberate shortcomings. Thats what the minister needs to deal with. affiliation Yes, it should also be a concern that there are civil servants who, because of their political affiliation, are working against the system they were employed to work for. But I do not believe a persons political affiliation should bar them from being employed as civil servants, just as long as they do not publicly display this affiliation. There are many civil servants who are known to be aligned to certain political parties but they perform their duties diligently. Some have even retired. They were even better than those who are known to be pro-tinkhundla. Take the case of Elliot Mkhatshwa an individual who was known not to be a fan of the Tinkhundla System but worked for government committedly for 40 years. Before he retired, he gave an interview to the Times of Eswatini and described his years of employment as 40 years of slavery. But hats should be taken off for this man because he served government loyally. diligently I have served government even though we were enemies and I did this diligently throughout the four decades. I have been working as a slave for all these years but I am not bitter because I know that I have done my best, he said during that interview in 2014, five weeks before his retirement in January 2015. Those were the words of a true civil servant. He remained committed to his job despite not being considered for promotion because of his political views or perceived political affiliation. He was judged on his perceived political affiliation more than his job performance. I dont know whether I missed it or not, but I do not recall seeing Mkhatshwa participating in a political rally under the banner of any political organisation. But I do remember seeing him in protest actions organised by civil servants to address bread and butter issues. That was his right. Rather than government seeking to vet aspiring civil servants on their political affiliation, I would rather suggest that the Government General Orders should be enforced and then public employees be judged based on their performance in their jobs. As things stand, the General Orders are not being upheld. If they were being enforced, the vetting part would not even be a subject for discussion. In Section 4, the General Orders address the political activities of officers, wherein it states that it is of fundamental importance that political impartiality of the public service shall be maintained, so that the Service may enjoy the confidence of the public, whom it serves. prohibited It provides that an officer shall be entitled to his own views on political matters, but he shall not express such views publicly. It goes on to state that an officer shall, therefore, provided he is eligible to vote, confine himself to recording his vote at an election. An officer is prohibited from being a member of any political party or association; or hold any office in such a party; speak in public on any political matter, except in the course of his official duties; publish his views on political matters in writing; take an active part in support of any candidate in an election, other than to record his vote; hold office in any local government body, except where the office is held in an ex-officio capacity, provided that an officer may be appointed as a member of a town council (or other statutory local authority in Eswatini) with the consent of the principal secretary, Ministry of Public Service; and do anything by word, or deed, which is calculated to further the interests of any political party or association. This, for me, is what government should be looking to put into practice and seeing to it that every civil servant toes the line. Many, if not all, countries have this in place. In Scotland, the civil service code says civil servants must not act in a way that is determined by party-political considerations or allow their personal political views to determine their actions or advice. Civil servants are also banned from using official resources for party-political purposes. The code also says officials must service the government in a way which maintains political impartiality, regardless of their political beliefs; and comply with any restrictions that have been laid down on their political activities. In the Republic of Ireland, the nature of a civil servants role is such that a civil servant must maintain a reserve in political matters, in order to ensure confidence in the political impartiality of the Civil Service. The restrictions placed on civil servants in relation to politics and political activity are designed to ensure that a civil servant does not do anything that could give rise to a perception that his or her official actions are in any way influenced or capable of being influenced by party political motives. In the Republic of Moldova, civil servants are expected to be independent in their duties in the sense that their political affiliation should not influence their conduct and decisions, as well as the policies, decisions, and actions of public authorities. authorities While performing their duties, the civil servants shall not: Participate in raising funds for the activity of political parties and other social-political organisations; use administrative resources for supporting electoral candidates; post signs or objects with signs or names of political parties or their candidates in the premises of public authorities; campaign in favour of a political party; and establish or contribute to the establishment of subdivisions of political parties within public authorities. The bottom line is that no matter ones political beliefs, civil servants should be proud of their jobs and have high standards of conduct that will characterise their service to the public over the many years they will be in their positions and carry out the mission of the civil service with diligence. While political affiliation should not influence a civil servants ability to ably carry out their duties of serving the public, those who feel they are self-entitled should be equally admonished. The class that feels entitled should not operate under a set of rules that is different from others. We should not get the impression that there is an upper echelon of people who think that the rules that the rest of us have to follow dont apply to them. Once a person is employed as a civil servant, they should just do their job and stop politicking or exercising self-entitlement because that is not what they signed up for. As for that Principal Secretary, you are a bad example; please stop it! Madam, It is no secret that Eswatini has an abundance of university graduates. And at any one time, 33 per cent of them are unemployed, with no realistic short-to medium-term expectation of getting a job. Indeed, according to the Intergrated Labour Force Survey, 33 per cent of our youth are unemployed. And the youth (below 35 years) is a huge 70 per cent of the total population. That has serious implications for the graduates as well as for the future society of our country. It is alarming and a call for action. Through social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, utilised mostly by young people, we get to see many videos and pictures of graduates celebrating their victories. Yet such a large number remains unemployed from the moment they graduate. What could be the contributing factor? Many graduates are walking the stage yet only few make it for job interviews. Put simply, there is a serious mismatch between the skills needed and those available. There appears to be a lack of perceptive career guidance in our schools. Yes, the youth are graduating but not in the critically needed fields such as Software Development, Data Science and Coding. Most of these fields require knowledge on new technology, which most of the youth do not have. So who do we blame? The youth for studying courses that will not grant them employment? Or do we blame lack of resources and information? It should be the latter. The education programme of the country needs to ensure that the youth are better equipped to develop the skills needed in the new world; and that career guidance is given according to the demands of that new world. Universities also need to be part of this change and encourage the phasing out of courses or degrees that are no longer of great value to the economy. In the meantime, our government should look into investing in resources which will elevate our education system, help reduce the need for emaSwati to go and enrol in outside and neighbouring countries like South Africa and Botswana. By doing so, this will help in growing the economy of the country and decreasing the unemployment rate. What could be the best possible way to develop the country? In the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), it makes sense why some fields are not in demand. Artificial intelligence is playing a dominant role in almost every industry. We are basically dependent on robots. Now technological advancement education should be presented to the youth as well as children in schools. The earlier they know, the better. This way, the youth are afforded a chance to compete in the world of work and in the fields that are in demand. The countrys educational structure has to be improved. We must adapt to changing responsively to circumstances. We have moved to the digital era, where things are mostly done electronically and online. Therefore, that means we need to equip ourselves with degrees that align with the current times. That is not to say that traditional ways of living should be phased out, but simply that out youths must be graduating with degrees that will be in demand. Our educational system currently lacks the tools necessary to assist students in acquiring the skills required in the changing requirements of the workplace. In order to keep up with the times, schools should teach more about entrepreneurship and incorporate skills like coding. Entrepreneurship The last three years have fundamentally been a great test to many careers; they have reshaped working life in ways that could very well be permanent. The pandemic ushered remote work into the mainstream, precipitated a surge in entrepreneurial activity and prompted a trend thats been called The Great Resignation. Where people were retrenched and replaced by apps and machines. Therefore, it is essential that in schools they should incorporate subjects like career guidance to help teach young people at a young age that there are more careers beyond the traditional ones and align them with where the world of work is heading. It is essential to strengthen existing programmes that are designed to attract the young and the educated into starting businesses. Entrepreneurship is a driver of innovation, job creation, and economic progress. essential It is essential to break the mindset of focusing only on employed positions. Jobs are available but in fields that people are not graduating in, and remain vacant because of the absence of appropriate skills to match the needs. At the same time, there are many self-employed opportunities that simply demand entrepreneurial exploitation. The prevailing entrepreneurial culture in eSwatini needs strengthening and the place to start is in the schools, providing skills to the youth. It is called thinking ahead. Our education system needs to recognise that the huge unemployment rate will not be going down anytime soon. Addressing the skills shortage through career counselling and educational changes should be supplemented by stronger entrepreneurial training, with more substantial financial and technical support from government. Temacusi Shongwe In order to close a USD 30 million budget gap, National Public Radio (NPR) laid off 10 per cent of its staff last week and declared that it will stop producing four podcasts: "Invisibilia," "Louder Than a Riot," "Rough Translation," and "Everyone & Their Mom," The New York Times reported. A view of the National Public Radio (NPR) headquarters on North Capitol Street in Washington, DC, amid the announcement of layoffs. (AFP) Producers, hosts, audience researchers, and designers were among the many people who lost their jobs, which affected many departments. After closing positions, limiting unnecessary travel, and stopping internship programmes, NPR first announced the layoff last month. The organisation claimed that these actions only saved USD 14 million. According to a report published in The New York Times, Isabel Lara, a spokeswoman for NPR, in an email statement said, "Unfortunately, NPR has had to take painful but necessary steps to address a $30 million shortfall in the revenues from corporate sponsorship." She added, "We've tried as much as possible to retain our industry-leading podcast portfolio, including all daily and weekly shows, and focus on key strategic priorities, daily habits and serving new audiences." A request for comment from NPR's union did not receive a prompt response. NPR is one of many media companies that have recently made layoffs due to declining advertising revenue and the prospect of a recession. All of the following companies have cut back on staff: The Washington Post, CNN, Vox Media, Bustle Digital Group, and Gannett. Also read: This company, which helps with job search, just laid off 2200 employees The four podcasts, according to Lara, are not being stopped. Some of the best work NPR has ever produced is included in these ground-breaking projects, she said. "We are losing some amazing individuals. We are looking into alternative shapes this work could take," she said, adding, "We're not using the word 'cancelling,' as the work may continue in various forms, even though production is ceasing. Notably, the "Invisibilia" podcast, which explores the unseen influences that control people's behaviour, debuted in January 2015, at the start of the podcast boom. The show swiftly rose to the top of Apple Podcasts, and in only four weeks, more than 10 million people downloaded and played its episodes. Also, "Everyone & Their Mom," a comic spinoff of NPR's weekend news quiz show "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" would no longer be produced. After its new season airs this summer, the podcast "Rough Translation," which shares relatable tales from all across the world, will cease production. "How do you end a show that you've been producing for six years?" The program's host, Gregory Warner, posted something on Twitter. "I'll be attempting to determine that." The current season of the music podcast "Louder Than a Riot" will be the last one ever. The show explores racism and misogyny united against Black women in hip-hop, as well as how these attitudes are ingrained in popular culture. The show's Twitter account stated in a post that "Our producers and editor have been laid off, however, NPR would prefer everyone to continue on until June to finish publishing the show." "We are processing what this means for our team over a period of time." According to Lara, layoffs were planned so as not to disproportionately affect persons of colour and other vulnerable groups. The "Louder Than a Riot" account previously raised concern about the fact that people of colour and queer people were disproportionately affected by the layoffs. Nevertheless, the show said on Twitter on Saturday night that it was "making a correction" to its prior statement and that NPR's target audience is unchanged from before the layoffs. Everyone in this organisation is going through a difficult moment, Lara added. When necessary, we will progress, realign, and reprioritize by collaborating across teams and functions, she said, reported The New York Times. Valley National Bancorp is vying to buy Silicon Valley Bank, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday. The regional bank has submitted a bid to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC), the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. A man puts a sign on the door of the Silicon Valley Bank as an onlooker watches at the banks headquarters in Santa Clara, California(REUTERS) The FDIC which now controls the Silicon Valley Bank assets, when asked for a comment on the report said it is not confirming or commenting on names being reported as potential bidders for SVB. Valley National Bancorp did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Also read: How stupid': Silicon Valley Bank employee blames this person for collapse First Citizens BancShares Inc, one of the biggest buyers of failed U.S. lenders, has also submitted a bid for all of Silicon Valley Bank, a source told Reuters earlier this week. After failing to sell SVB's private banking business alongside Silicon Valley Bank over the last two weeks, the FDIC has asked for separate offers for the bank and its private arm by March 24. It is expected to announce a winner as early as this weekend. The Form 16 is a crucial tax sheet that includes all the necessary details required for an employee to file their Income Tax Returns (ITR). Employers are required to provide Form 16 to their employees at the end of each financial year. This form serves as proof that Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) has been appropriately deducted from the employee's salary and deposited with the government on their behalf. The form is generally released before the end of May for the preceding fiscal year, which runs from April 1st to March 31st. (Representational Image) Also Read | Income Tax Return: What is ITR-1 or Sahaj ? Who is eligible to file? In other words, Form 16 is a certificate of tax deduction at source issued by the employer to the employee upon tax deduction. The form is generally released before the end of May for the preceding fiscal year, which runs from April 1st to March 31st. Types of Form 16 Form 16-A: It is a document that provides a concise overview of the amount of tax deducted by an employer or organization from an employee's salary and subsequently deposited with the Income Tax Department. Essentially, this form acts as a representation of the employee's tax deductions and is issued by the employer on the employee's behalf. Also Read | Advance tax payment deadline to end tomorrow: Details here Form 16-B: It is a type of Form 16 that contains a consolidated statement of various financial details related to an employee's income. This statement includes information such as the salary paid to the employee, any deductions made from the salary (if applicable), and any other income disclosed by either the employee or the employer. Steps to file ITR online using Form 16 - Gather all required documents and information, including Form 16, a copy of your PAN and Aadhaar card, bank statements, and any other relevant documents. - When filing your taxes, make sure to list all of the deductions you are eligible for (like any deductions under 80C, 80D, etc). - Create an account on the Income Tax e-filing portal. If you already have an account, directly login. - To begin the process, go to the e-File section and select "Income Tax Return." - Based on your income and other factors, select the appropriate Income Tax Return (ITR) form. You can use ITR-1 or ITR-2 if you have Form 16. - Enter the necessary information, such as personal information, income details, deductions, and tax payments. - Validate and submit all data entered in the form. - Once your return has been submitted, e-verify it using any of the available options, such as Aadhaar OTP, etc. Details required from Form 16 while filing ITR - Allowances exempt under Section 10 - Break up of deductions under Section 16 - Taxable salary - Income (or admissible loss) from house property reported by an employee and offered for TDS - Income under the head Other Sources offered for TDS - Break up of Section 80C deductions - The aggregate of Section 80C deductions (gross and deductible amount) - Tax payable or refund due Additional details required Form 16 - Tax deducted at source by the employer - Employer's TAN - Employer's PAN - Employer's name as well as address - Present assessment year - Name and address of the taxpayer - PAN of the taxpayer Steps to download Form 16 - Go to the Income Tax Department's official website. - In the 'Forms/Download' section, find the 'Income Tax Forms' option and select it. - Scroll down to Form 16 in the Frequently Used Forms section. - Next, under 'Form 16', you'll see the 'PDF' and 'Fillable Form' options. - Select the appropriate option. On the following page, you will be able to download the form. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Bengaluru police on Saturday arrested a woman for allegedly kidnapping a 40-day-old toddler from Kalasipalya area, reported the Indian Express. The toddler was immediately handed over to the parents who filed a complaint at Kalasipalya police station. How feeding upma solved a toddler kidnap case in Bengaluru(Pic for representation.) According to the report, Farheen Begum, a resident of Bengaluru Shivaji Nagar area found that her baby was missing from the home. In the complaint, she said that she was sleeping after feeding the toddler and she found the baby missing after waking up. The Kalasipalya police had alerted all police control rooms in the city about the missing case on Saturday. Also Read - Bengaluru drum murder: 3 held for killing woman, hunt on for 5 more accused Meanwhile, a tip-off by a resident helped the police to find the baby and arrest the accused. A woman noticed the accused with a toddler who was crying and asked her what she had fed the baby. When the accused replied, Milk and Upma, the woman suspected the relationship of the accused with the baby and immediately alerted the police. The police, however, took the accused to custody and confirmed that she was the one who Kidnapped the baby from the house. The accused had allegedly stolen a mobile too, when she kidnapped the baby. A woman in the police station also breastfed the baby as she was crying before police contacted their parents. The police later said that the main door of Farheens house was open and that was how the accused picked up the baby. Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday inaugurated the Putani express, a toy train that is known for giving kids joy rides in Bengalurus Cubbon Park. The Putani Express began the operations after almost four years as the services were halted in the year 2019. Putani Express: CM Bommai flags off the toy train service in Bengaluru Also Read - Bengaluru Habba to be held on March 25 and 26: Five things to know The toy train was restored by Bengaluru Smart City Limited, and kids were spotted taking their first ride after inauguration on Saturday. A post in the official Twitter handle of BSCL read, C M Sri Basavaraja Bommai inaugurated the renewed #BalaBhavan renovated by #BLRsmartcity under the Dept of Women and Child Development & #SmartCityProject. BenSCL MD Shri K Srinivas was present on the occasion. The word Putani which means small in Kannada refers to the size of the bogies which are known for giving rides, especially to the kids. The train was popular among the tourists who visit Cubbon Park and taking a ride in it was also one of the favorite weekend activities for Bengaluru kids. However, in 2019, the services were halted as damage was observed on the track and the rides were declared dangerous. The Putani express was first inaugurated in 1968 by Shakuntala Hegde, the wife of then minister Ramakrishna Hegde. The Putani express consists of five air carriages with a colorful engine and this is expected to be new attraction to the tourists of Karnatakas capital. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had agreed to campaign for Janata Dal (Secular) party in upcoming Karnataka assembly elections, reported news agency PTI. The Trinamool Congress chief also asked the party leaders for a schedule to visit Karnataka in a few weeks. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to campaign for JD(S) in Karnataka According to PTI, a senior JDS leader said, "Mamata Banerjee agreed to Kumaraswamy's request to campaign in Karnataka. She has asked him to send her a schedule. JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata last week and requested the TMC boss to campaign in the Karnataka Assembly polls. Also Read - Congress announces first list of 124 candidates for Karnataka assembly elections Telangana CM Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Raos Bhartiya Rashtra Samithi (BRS) also declared its support to the JD(S) in Karnataka polls. A senior leader of BRS has also ruled out the chances of contesting from the border areas to neighboring state Telangana. JD(S) is our natural ally, and we will go with the party. We want to ensure that the JD(S) is successful in the elections, a senior BRS leader was quoted as saying by PTI. Kumaraswamy had also attended the meeting of opposition parties convened by Banerjee in Kolkata in January 2019 ahead of the Lok Sabha poll that year. The JD(S) has already announced their first list of candidates for the Karnataka polls. The state is likely to go for assembly polls in May. A team from Drone Federation of India visited the Jammu Air Force Station on Saturday to get a better perspective of field requirements for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and anti-drone measures, said officials. A team from Drone Federation of India visited the Jammu Air Force Station on Saturday to get a better perspective of field requirements for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and anti-drone measures, said officials. (HT Photo) The team led by officials from the ministry of defence also learnt about the IAFs various capabilities. To support the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, a team from Drone Federation of India led by ministry of defence officials visited the Air Force Station in Jammu on Saturday. The team included key stakeholders from the drone industry and various startups comprising participants, said a defence spokesperson. During the visit, the team interacted with IAF officials and got a better perspective of field requirements for UAVs and anti-drone measures. The visit created a platform for exchange of ideas to trigger creation of niche technologies in this ever expanding industry, he added. The visit assumed significance against the backdrop of frequent drone intrusions along the Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir. On June 27, 2021, two explosives-laden drones from Pakistan had crashed into the Jammu IAF station, leaving two personnel injured. In October last year, the Indian Army had deployed aqua jammers on the Line of Control to check Pakistani drones. The army has installed quadcopter jammers, called aqua jammers, on the LoC, which are supported by multi-shot guns. The jammers have an efficacy up to a height of 4,900 metres. These aqua jammers snap the connectivity of enemy drone with its operator before freezing it. The subsequent action is followed by multi-shot guns mounted on multi-weapon platform to bring it down. More than a week after launching a crackdown against fugitive pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh and his aides, the Punjab Police on Sunday said it has released 197 people of the total 353 taken into preventive custody on apprehension of breach of peace and disturbance of law and order. Amritpal Singh, Khalistani leader. The police said it has detained seven persons under the stringent National Security Act. On March 18, the police had launched a crackdown against pro-Khalistan organisation Waris Punjab De, headed by Amritpal Singh. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann has issued clear directions that the Punjab Police should adopt a positive approach while screening persons arrested on account of apprehension of breach of peace or in substantive criminal offences, according to an official release. Also Read: Before death, Deep Sidhu had blocked Amritpal Singh's phone number. 10 points A total of 197 persons of a total of 353 arrested under preventive sections of law have been released till Sunday, it said. Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said directions have been issued to all senior superintendents of police and commissioners of police in the state to ensure that no innocent person is harassed or arrested. Investigating officers and their supervisory officers should first examine the available evidence and satisfy themselves before undertaking any preventive arrest or arrest in substantive offences, he said. Also Read: Few people in UK': Punjab Police's warning amid hunt for Amritpal Singh The DGP said apart from the 353, 40 persons have been arrested under substantive criminal offences and seven persons have been detained under the National Security Act. In accordance with the CMs directions, police will review the status of persons arrested under substantive criminal offences by examining the available evidence and taking a positive approach, said the DGP. The DGP said that strict action would be taken against persons spreading rumours and fake news. Police conducted flag marches, patrolling and maintained presence in markets and other important locations in the state on Sunday. Ludhiana The Punjab State Information Commission has slapped a fine of 10,000 on a station house office in Ludhiana for not supplying information to an RTI activist. HT Image The SHO inspector Pramod Kumar of Shimlapuri police station of Ludhiana police commissionerate has been ordered to appear before the commission on Monday. The complainant, Davinder Sharma Bitta of Janakpuri, stated that around two-and-a-half years ago, he had filed a complaint to Shimlapuri police against a person for blackmailing him, but the police did not take any action on the complaint. However, he received a message from the police department to appear in know your case camp held at Shimlapuri police station to know the action taken on his complaint. I reached the police station where I had found that the police had misplaced my complaint. They made me wait for at least one hour at the police station. When I objected to it, SHO inspector Pramod Kumar and munshi of the police station misbehaved with me, Sharma said. I filed an application under the RTI Act seeking information on action taken by the police on the complaint on December 31, 2021, but the SHO did not supply information to him, Sharma said. I moved the Punjab State Information Commission on June 7, 2022 when I did not get information. Meanwhile, I came to know that the police had made some fake entries in the daily diary register (DDR) that Davinder Sharma had not appeared in the police station despite repeated reminders, but they failed to produce the summons issued to ask me to join the investigation, he added. Sharma added that he had filed a complaint of misbehaviour by the SHO and munshi in the same police station, but the police have not taken action on the complaint. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Five days after Mohali police cleared the Sohana Chowk blockade by supporters of Waris Punjab De chief and radical Sikh leader Amritpal Singh, cops were once again on their toes after a few Sikh protesters gathered at the site and tried to march towards Punjab Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh on Sunday. Even after the site was cleared, Mohali police, along with Punjab Police Commandos, stood guard to ensure law and order. (HT) According to police, around 15 protesters arrived outside Gurdwara Singh Shaheedan after circulation of a message on social media to gather there on Sunday in support of Amritpal. Heavy police force was deployed at the intersection to avoid a repeat of the three-day blockade last week that had thrown traffic on the busy Airport Road out of gear, causing harassment to commuters and spreading panic among residents. Senior police officers, including three SP-rank officers, along with DSPs, remained present at the chowk to monitor the situation. A few Sikh protesters, who refused to budge despite numerous police requests and remained adamant to march towards Raj Bhawan, exchanged heated arguments with cops and were eventually detained. Even after the site was cleared, Mohali police, along with Punjab Police Commandos, stood guard to ensure law and order. 9 held for Sohana Chowk blockade released Meanwhile, nine people, including two women, who were arrested as a preventive measure while clearing the Sohana Chowk blockade on March 21, have been released by Mohali police. We had already released seven people and the remaining two were released on Sunday, said Mohali SSP Sandeep Garg. Notably 197 of the total 353 people taken into preventive custody have been released by Punjab Police across the state following directions of Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. Five cops, including a superintendent of police, were injured during the struggle to remove the protesters who had blocked the Sohana Chowk for three days from March 18 to 20. A total of 24 people were booked for rioting, assaulting public servants on duty and unlawful assembly. Police had also seized a cache of weapons, including swords, spears, axes, farm tools and lathis, that the agitators had been brazenly brandishing at the chowk since the Punjab Police launched an operation against Amritpal and his supporters on March 18. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Kuwait Finance House Bahrain, a leading Islamic bank in the kingdom, has officially launched its Ramadan promotion, Apply-and-Win offering auto-finance clients an opportunity to win cash prizes worth more than BD9,000 ($23,724). The initiative welcomes all clients who get an authorized auto-finance facility for both new and used cars from Kuwait Finance House Bahrain during Ramadan, said the statement from KFH-Bahrain. With 'Murabaha' structure, KFH-Bahrain provides sharia-compliant auto-finance to its clients. The bank offers clients the comfort and flexibility of paying for their vehicle financing in easy installments over an agreed upon duration up to seven years, it stated. The Apply-and-Win campaign will be held in the Auto Finance Division located in Sitra Mall, which is in very close proximity to most auto-dealerships in Bahrain. Unveiling the promotion, Hamed Mashal, Head of Retail Banking at KFH-Bahrain, said: "We are excited to announce the launch of our Apply-and-Win campaign during this holy time of the year for clients who decide to finance their cars through KFH-Bahrain where they will stand a chance to win various big cash prizes from a total prize pool of over BHD 9,000." "Customers will benefit from a flexible tenor of up to 7 years, zero down-payment, as well as competitive finance rates and low admin fees. This campaign is in line with our commitment to support our clients, all while providing them with a rewarding experience," he added.-TradeArabia News Service The Duggal-Handa-Sharma panel won all nine seats of the Chandigarh Press Club governing council in the annual elections held on Sunday. The newly elected governing council of Chandigarh Press Club. (HT Photo) Defeating Jaswant Singh Rana of Yuvsatta by a margin of 118 votes, independent journalist Saurabh Duggal retained his position as the president of the club. As many as 332 votes were polled for Duggal against 214 votes for Rana, while two were declared invalid. For the post of senior vice-president, 351 votes were polled for Ramesh Handa of Punjab Kesari who beat Ajay Kumar Verma of The Tribune by a difference of 161 votes. Umesh Sharma of News 18 trounced Anil Bhardwaj of Spokesman by 125 votes to clinch the post of secretary general. Neha Sharma of PTI was elected vice-president-1 after beating Neena Sharma of Dainik Savera by 109 votes. Mansa Ram Rawat of Punjabi Tribune bested Deepender Thakur of Punjab Kesari by 52 votes to become vice-president-2. Sushil Raj of Punjab Kesari was elected as joint secretary-1, Arshdeep Arshi of News 18 as joint secretary-2, Dushyant S Pundir of The Tribune as secretary and Rajesh Dhall of Dainik Jagran as treasurer. Established in 1980, the Chandigarh Press Club has been holding elections annually since 1984 without a miss. A total 548 votes were polled on Sunday. The railway line connecting the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country will be completed this year, and special Vande Bharat trains will chug in the union territory next year, Union railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday. Union railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during his visit to Baramulla railway station in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. (PTI) Addressing a press conference at the Srinagar railway station in Nowgam area here, he said the Udhampur-Banihal track, connecting Jammu with Srinagar, will be completed by December this year, or early next year. There is a good progress on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail line. The work on the Chenab and Anji bridges, and major tunnels are also going on, Vaishnaw said. He said a specially designed Vande Bharat train is being manufactured for this line. Every factor like temperature and snow has been kept in mind while manufacturing this special train. Once the railway line is opened, you will have the Vande Bharat train in the middle of 2024, he added. Asked about the delay in completing the project, the Union minister said there was less funding before Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over in 2014. The cost of the project is 35,000 crore. They used to get only 700- 800 crore per year. After Modi came to power, he doubled it. Then tripled it and now has increased the funding six times of what it was, Vaishnaw said. Vaishnaw said there also were technical reasons for the delay. The Himalayas are young mountains, which means they are soft and tunnelling work is very difficult, he said. However, all big challenges have now been completed and difficult works have been done, he added. Describing the Chenab railway bridge as an engineering marvel, the minister said it is one of the highest bridges in the world and the highest railway bridge in the country. The Union railway minister said the Anji bridge will also be completed by August this year and after fine tuning works, it will be available for commissioning by September this year. The minister also said the Railways has started a parcel booking facility in Srinagar, along with the department of posts, to send products by booking parcels from here to different parts of the country. Vaishnaw, who is also the minister of communications and electronics and information technology, said every village and city in J&K will have a telecom facility. About 500 new mobile towers have been sanctioned for Ladakh and soon they will have good 4G/5G connectivity, he added. The earthy charm of theatre seems to be losing its sheen in Ludhiana with city groups grappling with lack of funds and space to host their shows along with severe competition from the OTT platforms (Over The Top) that has led the audience gradually lose interest in the ancient medium of expression. Theatre artistes performing during a play in Ludhiana. (HT photo) Theatre artists, especially in the post-Covid world, have been struggling to establish their space again as it was before the pandemic. Several of them have run out of financial support, while others are unable to find a space to perform. Purnima, 40, who has been doing theatre since the last 16 years, said, Simply because there are very few takers of this particular art form it has become difficult for us to sustain it. One needs sponsors, good space and a lot of time to perform drama. She said that they used to conduct at least 3 dramas annually before the pandemic hit. Since 2020, there has been only one play in Ludhiana due to lack of financial support and struggle to keep people hooked for a long span of time in the era of social media, she said. Several people, who are trying hard to revive the theatre, motivate artists by providing them a stage to express their talent, observed that open mics have become a rage amongst the youth today. Mandeep Singh, play director from Ludhiana said, it is not just about theatre, all that an artist needs is a platform to connect with the audience through his/her art. Be it via play, stand-up or open mic, an artist must not fall out of opportunities. Therefore, post Covid, since not many plays are being conducted, we made a point to organise at least one open mic a month to give artists the needed platform. However, people who have been doing theatre, feel that it is the most efficient way to become a refined actor as one learns a lot of things, including direction, studio set-up, lighting, scripting while doing the plays. Yaar jigree kasooti degree fame actor Davy Grewal, while recalling his theatre days in Ludhiana, told HT, with changing times, the mediums are changing too. Once very popular, cinemas are today facing stiff competition from the OTT giants. However, traditional mediums like theatre will never die. Audience these days is very particular about the skills behind the screen. And those skills come from theatre itself. It is, was and will always be an inspiration for other mediums. Uttarakhand state transport department is planning to operate direct buses from Delhi for the convenience and safety of the pilgrims planning to embark on the Char Dham yatra this season. The Char Dham temples comprise four pilgrim destinations, including Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, in Uttarkhand (File Photo) Initially, over 100 buses will be operated and the devotees can book the buses directly from Delhi to Badrinath, Sonprayag (Kedarnath), Gangotri and Yamunotri, officials said. Similarly, the bus service will also be started for the devotees from the Kumaon region of the state. For this, the government has already begun the process of procuring more than 350 buses. Also Read: Uttarakhand govt comes up with guidelines for Char Dham yatra vehicles Chandan Ramdas, Uttarakhand transport minister said, There is a great demand for the direct bus services for Char Dham yatra from Delhi and we have decided to run over 350 buses out of which 60 will be Electric buses, 100 diesel buses and 200 CNG buses and since they all comply to BS 6 norms, there will be no problem in operating them from Delhi. We are planning to start the service from Anand Vihar and ISBT bus terminus simultaneously, Ramdas added. The business community has welcomed the move but it is of the view that the conditions of roads also needed to be improved soon on the Char Dham route. Sanjay Agarwal, president, Mussoorie hotel association said, Running direct buses for Chard Dham is a welcome move but the department should also ensure that the conditions of the roads on the yatra route is also improved as currently, the roads under the all-weather project, are good but the non-highway routes as on Mussoorie-Kempty Fall-Yamunotri Road, Mussoorie-Suvakholi-Uttarkashi route need upgradation wit crash barriers installed on the sides of the road on a mandatory basis. Also Read: Char Dham yatra pilgrims to share medical history during online registration The transport minister said for the safety of travellers, the state has directed the officials to complete the work of installing crash barriers and upgrading the hotspot areas on the Char Dham route and placing adequate signage on the route. The fare for the bus services for the Char Dham yatra from Delhi will be announced soon and booking counters will also be opened at Rishikesh, Hardwar, and ISBT Dehradun, he said. Char Dham yatra will start with the opening of the portals of Gangotri Dham and Yamunotri Dham on April 22. The portals of Badrinath Dham will be opened at 7.10am on April 27, while the portals of Kedarnath Dham will be opened on April 25 at 6.20am for the devotees. The Udham Singh Nagar police in Uttarakhand have identified around 150 followers of Khalistan preacher and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh on social media, officials said on Sunday. Khalistan preacher and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh. (File Photo) Most of these people were counselled and some were let off with challans under the Police Act, the officials said. Police said they have increased vigil on the Nepal and Uttar Pradesh borders after a lookout notice was issued by the Punjab police against Amritpal Singh and his aides. Manjunath TC, senior superintendent of police of US Nagar district, said, We have been issued an alert in the district with regard to Amritpal Singh and his aides. Vigil has also been increased on the borders of the district including that of Nepal. Our social media vigilance team prepared a list of followers of Singh on social media from the district and is counselling and challaning them. So far, 150 people have been identified, he said. The Uttarakhand polices special task force (STF) has started a search for Singh and his associates. MP Singh, in charge of Kumaons STF, said, Along with police, our team is also searching for Amritpal Singh and his associates. The Uttarakhand police have sounded an alert in three districts bordering with other states Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar -- in view of Singh and his aides entering the state, a senior police official said. According to police officials, Baljit Kaur, a resident of Haryanas Shahabad, who was arrested for giving shelter to Singh, has told police that Singh had made some calls when he was at her place and the indications were that from Haryana they were planning to go towards Uttarakhand. The Udham Singh Nagar police recently booked a 30-year-old man for allegedly uploading a social media post in support of Singh, a police officer said. The post went viral on social media and had been widely shared and liked by users, police stated. According to senior officials in Uttarakhand, five companies of Paramilitary Force and an Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) have also been deployed in the district to nab Singh and his associates. The Udham Singh Nagar district in the state is dominated by the Sikh community. They originally migrated from Pakistan during the partition.Many from Punjab took shelter here during 1980s and 90s, when terrorism was at its peak in Punjab. P Manoharan, a 53-year-old man taken to a police station after a vehicle inspection, died in mysterious circumstances in Hill Palace police station in Tripunithura in Ernakulam district on Saturday night. Eyewitnesses said Manoharan was taken into custody for not stopping his scooter after police signalled him to do so A sub-inspector has been suspended and the state government has ordered a crime branch inquiry into the incident, a police officer said, declining to be named. Manoharan was brutally assaulted before being taken to the police station and was tortured at the precinct as well, local residents and relatives alleged. Police said he was taken to the station after they failed to elicit a proper explanation from him during a routine vehicle check. He later collapsed at the station house and died on the way to the hospital, they said. Manoharans post-mortem examination report said that he died of a cardiac arrest, officials familiar with the matter said. Eyewitnesses said Manoharan was taken into custody for not stopping his scooter after police signalled him to do so. He stopped his vehicle a little farther and policemen ran after him and slapped him after he removed his helmet. Later, he was forcibly taken to the police station, they said. When relatives reached the station, they were told he was admitted to a hospital after he collapsed. It was cold-blooded murder. He was tortured to death. He did not have any serious medical issues. Though he said he did not see policemen initially and stopped later when they ran behind his scooter, they were not willing to believe it, one of his relatives said, seeking anonymity. The area where the checking took place was dark, without proper lighting. Local residents demonstrated outside the police station on Sunday. The opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party later held protest marches to the police station, seeking action against the erring policemen. He was tortured to death. The chief minister, who is holding the home portfolio, may say it is another isolated incident, said Congress leader V D Satheesan after visiting Manoharans house. We want murder charges to be slapped on policemen who took him into custody. A clearer picture will emerge only after an autopsy, police said. A 37-year-old man from Nigeria suffered a fractured leg, among other injuries, after he jumped off the second floor of a building in outer Delhi, police officers aware of the matter said on Sunday, adding that the man had been depressed after learning of his parents death in his country. On the day of the incident, police said, the man learnt that his parents had been killed in a road accident. Hours later, he jumped off his second floor from the balcony. (Representational Image/Getty Images) The incident took place on March 18 in Vikas Vihar near Nihal Vihar, police said. Police said the man was a businessman and according to his passport, had entered India in January. On the day of the incident, police said, the man learnt that his parents had been killed in a road accident. Hours later, he jumped off his second floor from the balcony. The man told us that he was upset and feeling depressed after knowing about his parents death in a road accident in Nigeria. He jumped off the second floor of the building and suffered injuries, said deputy commissioner of police (outer) Harendra Kumar Singh. Videos of the incident emerged on social media. In one video, the man can be seen dangling from the railing of the balcony and saying something in a foreign language before jumping off. In another video, the man is seen lying in a small drain and holds a Sikh man by his waist. Some people are seen trying to rescue the Sikh man from his grip, and kick and hit the Nigerian. DCP Singh said, Local residents were not able to understand his language. The Sikh man went to help him. The foreigner entangled him. Some people tried to rescue the Sikh man and hit the foreigner to get the Sikh man released from his grip. The officer added, No foul play was suspected during the enquiry. The statement of his neighbours was also recorded and they corroborated his statement. Police also shared a video, in which the Nigerian national purportedly says that he took the stupid decision of jumping off the second floor out of depression. While Congress workers across India on Sunday organised Sankalp Satyagraha to protest against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath took a swipe at the party saying those who weaken democracy cannot observe Satyagraha. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.(AP file) Those who divide the country on the lines of language and regionalism cannot practice Satyagraha. Nobody has the right to engage in Satyagraha who does not have compassion for people, news agency PTI quoted Adityanath as saying in Lucknow. The UP chief minister said Mahatma Gandhi always supported truth and non-violence. Gandhiji made an appeal for this which is called Satyagraha. How could those who have no sympathy for people engage in Satyagraha? One who follows the path of untruth cannot talk of Satyagraha and it cannot be practiced by those who are corrupt, Adityanath said. In a veiled attack on Rahul Gandhi, Adityanath said someone whose conduct, behaviour, thoughts, words and deeds are not deemed fit could not engage in Satyagraha. It is an irony that a person who condemns his country and does not have respect and reverence for the brave soldiers of the country talks about Satyagraha. Meanwhile, Union minister Giriraj Singh also alleged that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's "silence" over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi indicated that the JD(U) leader was pleased over the increased chances of claiming leadership of the opposition camp. The BJP leader also slammed Gandhi for my name is not Savarkar jibe, and asserted that it will take "many lifetimes" for the Congress leader to become like the freedom fighter-turned- Hindutva mascot. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge lashed out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and asking why it is pained if fugitives such as Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi are criticised. (With inputs from PTI) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) has issued orders thereby initiating the process for withholding one months salary/pension of Vidyut Karmchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti leaders who led the recent 72-hour strike between March 16 and 19. The order also asked concerning officials to ensure that the employees who were absent during the strike without sanctioned leave must be treated as being on absent in an unauthorised way. (FOR REPRESENTATION) This comes in compliance with the Allahabad high courts Friday order that directed the state government to withhold 28 noticed non-petitioners salary/pension for calling the strike in contempt of the courts earlier directives against the power strike in the state. For serving employees from among the noticed non-petitioners, one months salary has to be withheld pending further orders of the high court and this is to be ensured by the concerning director (finance) of discoms and of the headquarters, UPPCL director, personnel management and administration, MSD Bhattamishra said in the orders on Saturday. As for the retired employees from the noticed non-petitioners whose one months pension had to be withheld, administrative approval is, hereby, accorded by competent authority for taking up the matter with the state treasury department, the order added. The order also asked concerning officials to ensure that the employees who were absent during the strike without sanctioned leave must be treated as being on absent in an unauthorised way. Three days after a girl student of Kasturba residential school in Mitauli block of the district tested positive for Covid, 37 more students of the same school and one staff member were found Covid positive during a contact tracing exercise on Sunday after which the entire campus was made a quarantine centre by the health department, said Kheri chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Santosh Gupta. This is highest number of Covid cases reported in a district in a day this year. (For Representation) This is highest number of Covid cases reported in a district in a day this year. Dr Gupta, who rushed a medical team to the Kasturba school, said samples of all 92 contact cases of the school had been sent for testing. The report of 38 among them was positive. Most of those tested positive were asymptomatic, he added. All students and staff had been advised 7-day quarantine on campus and provided medicine kits. Condition of all students, barring two who have cold, is fine, the CMO said. Those positive had been kept in a separate wing on the school campus, he added. A mother and child wing in Motipur has been asked to keep 20 beds ready for any medical need among the students and staff on the campus. I personally spoke to students and assures of all help. We are keeping watch on the health condition, said Dr Gupta. An ambulance had also been stationed at the Kasturba school in case of any emergency, he added. With this, the number of active Covid cases had risen to 41 since March 23, he added. On March 23, a girl student of Kasturba residential school in Mitauli block had tested positive for Covid. Then, an elderly person of Behjam block and another person of Mitauli block also tested positive within the last couple of days. Meanwhile, district magistrate, Lakhimpur Kheri, Mahendra Bahadur Singh said all precautionary measures, including providing medical kit, sanitisation etc, had been ensured. He said there was no need to panic and urged people to strictly observe Covid protocol and use masks in crowded places. Korean engineering and construction major Hyundai E&C has broken ground on Saudi oil giant Aramco's mega petrochemical project in South Korea being set up at an investment of $7 billion. To be located in Ulsan city, the Shaheen Project will convert crude oil into 3.2 million tonnes per annum of petrochemical feedstock. The key Aramco facility will feature a steam cracker with a production capacity of 1,800KTA of ethylene, a TC2C facility for converting crude directly into petrochemical feedstock, a polymer facility, and other facilities such as storage tanks, said the statement from Hyundai E&C. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by South Korean President Yoon and Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser as well as other senior officials from both countries. Announced in November last year, the Shaheen petrochemical project is said to be an important part of the regional crude to chemicals strategy of Aramco. Shaheen is a vital project for the South East Asian country, in which S-Oil has made significant investment of 9.26 trillion won to boost its value-added petrochemical production facilities. Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony, Nasser said: "Shaheen is among Aramcos biggest international downstream investments, representing a significant and sizeable step forward in our liquids-to-chemicals expansion and another major milestone in further strengthening our presence in Korea." Aramco holds a majority stake of over 63% in S-OIL through its subsidiary Aramco Overseas. Through this mega Korean investment, Aramco is eyeing high value-added petrochemical products such as polyethylene (PE). The Shaheen petrochemical project will feature a steam cracker with a production capacity of 1,800 kilotons per annum (KTA) of ethylene. As per the agreement, Hyundai E&C is the project lead and will work along with its key subsidiary Hyundai Engineering (Hyundai ENG), Lotte E&C, and DL E&C on the construction. To be divided into three packages; Hyundai E&C will carry out Package 1 with Hyundai ENG, DL E&C to build steam cracker and TC2C facilities, while Package 2 involving the installation of HDPE (high-density polyethylene), LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene) production facilities and automated warehouses will be led by Hyundai ENG and Lotte E&C, and Package 3 for tank construction by Lotte E&C. The project is scheduled for completion in 2026.-TradeArabia News Service Manjamma Jogathi from Karnataka is a theatre artiste who embodies several skills and even more characters, both female and male, on the stage. Manjamma Jogathi was conferred the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award of the country, for her contribution to folk art in 2021. (DEEPAK GUPTA/HT PHOTO) The first trans woman to be named the president of Karnataka Janapada Academy, she has broken several other records. She was conferred the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award of the country, for her contribution to folk art in 2021. Invited to Deshaj organised by Son Chiraiya as one of the special guests, Malini Awasthi, secretary, Son Chiraiya gave an honorarium of 1 lakh to Manjamma which she usually gives to a woman achiever every year in the memory of her mother. I am truly thankful for the honorarium primarily because every year it is given to a woman and getting that validation as a woman from someone like her (Malini Awasthi) was very special, she said. Born Manjunatha Shetty, Manjamma said she always had an affinity with dance. She joined a Jogati group when they spotted her at 23 years. On her first trip to Lucknow, she not only attended Deshaj on both days, she also made a trip to Ayodhya to offer her prayers. Now in her 60s, Manjamma realised very early in life that although she was born a male, she identified herself far more with women. But my family would not accept me. They said it was fine if I was a male, a female or even handicapped, but the life of a trans person was something they could not accept, she recalled. Growing up, she sold Idlis and tutored children to earn money. Some would pay me 7 or 8, others who did not have money gave me grains and some others simply had blessings, she said. Recently, she was chosen by the state election commission of Karnataka as the poll icon to encourage people to come out and vote in the upcoming assembly polls. Now the story of my life is being written in books and taught in colleges, says Manjamma with pride. Mumbai: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Kamble-Baperkar has alleged that his fellow party members made casteist remarks against him and other colleagues during a party meeting on March 10. HT Image Kamble-Baprekar registered a complaint against 25 party members, including Mumbai president of the party Preeti Sharma Menon and member Manu Pillai at Andheri police station on Saturday. As per the complaint, Kamble-Baperkar was attending a meeting with the party officials at their city head office at Chakala, Andheri East on March 10. Earlier, there had been a couple of instances like improper management of an event on February 23 when Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Maan were to arrive in the city had already created a tense atmosphere within the party, he said. He also spoke of another instance in which the city party chief felt that he and some of his close aides within the party were conspiring against her. During the meeting on March 10, Preeti Sharma Menon started making remarks about the complainant saying his mentality was low and he was from a lower caste. Kamble-Baperkar alleged that she also used other casteist words. There was a lot of chaos after this. Some other people who were present even started physically and verbally assaulting me. When I tried to leave the office, I realised the door was blocked by some heavy chairs, the complainant told the police. The way things happened made him feel like the whole episode was preplanned, he added. A police official said that they had booked the people named by the complainant for rioting, assault, and wrongfully restraining a person under relevant sections of the Prevention of Atrocities Act. Further investigation into the case was underway. Mumbai: A diamond merchant on Saturday registered a cheating case against eight persons, including his business partner, for allegedly selling off gems and jewellery worth 2.83 crore and falsifying three ledgers of their joint business. HT Image According to the complainant, Amit Kirtilal Shah, a resident of Lamington Road, and his acquaintance Ateet Gandhi started a diamond business together in May 2021. Shah has his business under the name Siddha Exports in BKC, while Gandhi runs a business by the name Sahira Trading. Shah said, We have known each other since childhood as our fathers were friends back in Surat. We both incidentally became diamond traders when we grew up. Gandhi had previously run a business in Dubai. So when he asked me to work together for a diamond export business, I joined him. Initially, he added, the joint business brought him handsome rewards, too. Gandhi had even provided some employees, who had been working with him before, for the joint venture. While Gandhi would look for buyers, Shah would source diamonds those customers were looking for. In June 2022, one such trade was made and while checking the accounts sometime later, Shah realised that the bill given to the customer was in the name of Gandhis company instead of his. It also showed an inflated price, he told the police. After this discovery, Shah made some enquiries with the employees provided by Gandhi. In August 2022, the complainant also noticed that some of the diamonds from his safe in the BKC office, accessible by the employees provided by Gandhi, were missing. I later came to know that it was sold off by Gandhi through his company as well, the complainant said. These two incidents made Shah check all ledgers that were being kept by Gandhis team. According to Shahs calculations, he was cheated of jewellery and gems worth 2,83,00,000. A police officer said, We have registered a case against eight people, including Gandhi and his wife Pavitra Gandhi, for cheating, criminal breach of trust and forgery based on the complainants account of the events. Further action will be taken based on the statements and proofs presented by the accused. Mumbai: Careless disposal of a cigarette butt sparked a fire in a garbage heap that in turn led to the massive blaze that gutted nearly 2,000 hutments and killed one person at the Appa Pada slum cluster in Malad East on March 13. Electrician Ramanand Gupta, an affected resident of Appa Pada, said that a differently abled person became the only casualty on March 13, as he was unable to escape like the other residents. Gupta rued that he was living with his wife and two children amid debris and in a state of ruin like pavement dwellers when he earlier lived in a one-room-kitchen flat in Durga Chawl with water and electricity. (HT PHOTO) Some locals believe that the fire first started in a nearby chawl after a cylinder burst in a kitchen. Some residents have also been saying that the fire emanated from the nearby forest since there is a lot of dry grass around, chief fire officer Sanjay Manjrekar told Hindustan Times. But we have ascertained that it was due to a cigarette butt or possibly an ignited matchstick that set the garbage ablaze and then spread through the hutments. Vinod Mishra, the BJPs former group leader in the BMC, said this was the third fire in the Appa Pada area since January, and mysteriously enough, each fire had broken out on the 13th of the month. The first fire happened in January in the same area, and the second one, which claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy, erupted on February 13 at Jamrishi Nagar, which is also a part of Appa Pada. The third one March 13 in Appa Pada was 500 metres away from Jamrishi Nagar. While the Maharashtra government announced the setting up of a special investigation team to find out if there was any ill intention behind the fire in March, Mumbais guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha ordered a survey to be conducted by the tehsil office to assess the losses and the number of people affected in Appa Padas fire. A total of 1,050 houses were damaged as per the survey, Lodha told Hindustan Times. 13k will be given by the rehabilitation department to each household, and chief minister Eknath Shinde will announce another relief amount on Tuesday from the Chief Ministers Relief Fund. Mishra, on his part, told HT that the government had announced a compensation of 50,000 for every affected hut. As of now, the survivors have covered the ruins of their homes with tarpaulin and plastic sheets and are living in the same spot, he said. Since it is a forest area, they cannot build permanent homes now. Electrician Ramanand Gupta, an affected resident of Appa Pada, said that a differently abled person became the only casualty on March 13, as he was unable to escape like the other residents. Gupta rued that he was living with his wife and two children amid debris and in a state of ruin like pavement dwellers when he earlier lived in a one-room-kitchen flat in Durga Chawl with water and electricity. We now get two buckets of water and have to take turns to bathe, he said. We get breakfast, lunch and dinner from the BMC as of now. Several NGOs have given us household goods, mats and buckets. I have been told we will get 50,000 from the government. Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday slammed former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray's faction of the Shiv Sena for using Urdu language on banners during a rally in Nashik's Malegaon area, news agency ANI reported. Fadnavis said the Bharatiya Janata Party does not oppose any specific language, but its concern was with the way the Shiv Sena (UBT) was allegedly attempting to gain favour by employing such tactics that were adopted to please people. Hitting back, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted, "Their shameless politics and hypocrisy never ceases to amaze." Also Read | Fadnavis suspects design behind love jihad cases, plans legal remedy Uddhav Thackeray had a rally today in Malegaon and banners in Urdu were put up before the rally. We are not against any religion, Urdu is also a language and we are not against it. We only oppose those who are trying to please others like they (Uddhav faction) are doing," ANI quoted Fadnavis as saying. The deputy chief minister also stated that Thackeray will be held accountable to Balasaheb Thackeray for such actions at some point in the future. Also Read | Fadnavis orders SIT probe into Satara medical college admission racket Hitting back, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted, "Their shameless politics and hypocrisy never ceases to amaze." Koi limit bhi toh nahin hai dhruvikaran karne ka. (There is no limit to polarisation) How many lows would you plumb to establish a new low? Chaturvedi said. She also shared videos of Fadnavis attending an Iftar party while he was the state's chief minister, as well as banners welcoming him with Urdu letters. Another video showed senior BJP leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari along with Fadnavis attending the Iftar party. Fadnavis's comments come days after he and Thackeray were seen chatting and walking together after entering the state assembly complex. Fadnavis was spotted waiting for Thackeray in the parking area for a few minutes before greeting him at the main gate. The two then engaged in a brief conversation as they walked together. Earlier, the chief minister Eknath Shinde alleged that the Thackeray faction supporting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is a deliberately insult to Savarkar and he said it is unfortunate. Addressing a press conference after the conclusion of the Budget session, Shinde said the Thackeray faction has no right to speak on Hindutva. It is unfortunate that the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena is standing in support of Rahul who is insulting Savarkar, Shinde said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Mumbai: Chief minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday paid a courtesy visit to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief at the latters Dadar residence. Along with Thackeray, his wife Sharmila, son Amit and some party workers were present. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday evening visited MNS President Raj Thackeray's Shivtirtha residence at Shivaji Park in Dadar in Mumbai. HT Photo Four days ago, Raj Thackeray slammed the Eknath Shinde-BJP government for spending 1,700 crore for the beautification of Mumbai at his Shivaji Park rally and raised the issue of loudspeakers atop mosques. At the meeting on Sunday, Shinde assured Thackeray to look into the issue of illegal loudspeakers and noise pollution by mosques and to review the cases against MNS workers for various political and social agitations. The meeting between the two assumes importance in the backdrop of the speculations of alliance with the MNS for the upcoming civic body polls in Mumbai and other cities. Thackeray in his Gudi Padwa rally on Wednesday had brought the issue of unauthorised construction in the sea to the fore and warned the government of consequences if no action was taken against it. The unauthorised structure around a Mazar near Mahim Dargah was removed by the authorities within hours of his warning. Thackeray had also criticised Shinde in his rally. While speaking to the media after the meeting, Shinde denied any political discussion about upcoming elections. In his rally, Raj Thackeray had raised the issue of loudspeakers atop mosques. I have assured him that supreme court guidelines will be followed and will look into his complaints. I have also been assured to review the cases on MNS workers for political agitations, said CM Shinde. Responding to the attack by Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde said he will speak at the right time. LUCKNOW The accountant of a Varanasi-based chartered accountant has been held for operating two Benami bank accounts and a few shell companies for jailed MLA Abbas Ansari. According to the Chitrakoot police unit, the accused accountant would give money to different people to provide illegal facilities to MLA Ansari inside the Chitrakoot jail, pursue cases against him in courts, and carry out other activities. Police trace transactions worth 1.79 cr; ED, IT dept to be informed (HT Photo) Police said that the accountant, identified as Shahbaz Alam, has been arrested from Varanasi. He has been sent to jail for operating the Benami bank accounts. By definition, Benami bank accounts are those that are held by an owner through proxies. The latest revelations come as the police were investigating the nexus between jail authorities and the incarcerated MLA. Earlier in February, MLAs wife Nikhat Bano and his driver Niyaz Ansari were held. It was found that Niyaz would drive Nikhat to the prison and get her inside without making an official entry into the jail register. Nikhat would then spend time with her MLA husband in the jail. It was also revealed that the jail authorities were in cahoots with the MLA and his henchmen. While tracking the money trail, police also discovered the role of Shahbaz Alam. He worked as an agent for Abbas Ansari. Alam would provide money to different people through separate sources. He was operating two Benami bank accounts. Transactions worth 92 lakh and 87 lakh respectively were made from the two accounts. Also, around 2 lakh was transferred to the contractor of the Chitrakoot jail canteen Navneet Sachan, said Chitrakoot Vrinda SP Shukla. She added, Alam was arrested based on the evidence found against him. During interrogation, he confessed that MLA Ansaris aides used to provide him with money. This money was transferred to different people (as told by Ansaris aides) through two bank accounts and shell companies. The money was used to provide facilities to MLA Ansari in the jail and pursue cases against him and his family. Police will share all information with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax department to find out more details related to the money trail and its source, the SP further said. So far, seven people -- including Shahbaz Alam, local Samajwadi Party leader of Chitrakoot Faraz Khan, canteen contractor Navneet Sachan and four jail personnel -- have been held in the case. They allegedly helped MLA Ansari meet his wife in the jail. The arrests exposed their nexus with the local jail authorities. Following the episode, MLA Ansari was shifted to the Kasganj jail. He is the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) MLA from Mau Sadar seat. He has been lodged in jail based on a case filed by the ED. His father, Mukhtar Ansari, a mafioso-turned politician, is also lodged in the jail. LUCKNOW On the day when Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) released its annual report underlining its achievements, several corporators from Opposition parties -- including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress -- slammed the civic body for underperforming. They said that the state capital is struggling with civic woes like traffic jams, dilapidated roads, dark zones, encroachments, illegal constructions, irregular water and power supply, poor solid waste management, choked drains, stray animals, and improper sewage management, among others. Residents are dealing with dilapidated roads, said corporators from Opposition parties. (Representational Photo) Senior SP corporator and leader of Opposition in LMC, Sayyed Yawar Hussain Reshu, said, LMC has failed to keep the city clean. We can all see the heaps of waste lying at every corner of the city. Ecogreen, a Chinese company, has been entrusted with the work of solid waste management again despite its failure in keeping the city clean in the past. No one appreciates this company as it is only focussed on making money from city residents but the Chinese firm still got the green light from the authorities. The SP leader added, Stray animals still roam around the streets. The problem of stray dogs has increased. We hear about dog bite cases in different parts of city regularly. The liability of LMC has increased to 750 crore. As a consequence, contractors are not getting paid. Only a selected few are getting payments despite their names figuring in list of the Economic Offences Wing inquiry. In a similar vein, Girish Mishra, senior corporator from the Congress, said, The city received the maximum funds for streetlights and yet the state capital has the maximum dark zones. Besides, public parks are in poor condition. Inner roads of the city are crumbling and a number of residential colonies are also dealing with poor roads. Another Congress corporator Mamta Chaudhary said, Sewer is overflowing in Aishbagh and other parts of the city. Irregular water supply is still a problem for the residents. Long traffic jams and prolonged power cuts are making life difficult for people. I urge the concerned ministers to solve the civic issues of Lucknow residents instead of making tall claims. Hitesh Pandya, a senior official in the Gujarat Chief Ministers Office (CMO), has resigned over his sons alleged links with conman Kiran Patel, who was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this month for posing as a high-ranking official from the Prime Ministers Office (PMO). Conman Kiran Patel was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this month for posing as a high-ranking official from the Prime Ministers Office (PMO). (File Photo) I have put my resignation as I felt the government is being unnecessarily targeted by a section of the media due to my association with the CMO. I have been working in the CMO for the last 23 years and I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for whatever I am today. I will wind up my work by March 31, which will be my last working day, said 73-year-old Pandya. An official of the state government, who did not wish to be named, said Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel had asked Pandya to put in his papers and vacate the government accommodation after it was revealed that his son Amit Pandya had accompanied Kiran Patel to Jammu and Kashmir. A former journalist from Rajkot, Pandya had been working in the Gujarat CMO for about two decades. He met CM Bhupendra Patel on Friday evening and handed over his resignation. Patel, who posed as a senior officer in the PMO enjoyed Z+ security in the Valley. He also held meetings with senior officers and claimed that he was sent to the Valley to explore the possibility of developing various sectors, including horticulture. The Gujarat BJP has suspended Amit Pandya from the primary membership of the party, said a BJP official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Kiran Patel was arrested by the J&K police and multiple agencies are probing the reasons for him doing the rounds of the Valley as a fake officer from the PMO and how did he manage to get a Z+ security. Police are also investigating and interrogating those who have been in touch with him. Besides Amit Pandya, one Jai Sitapara from Saurashtra had also accompanied Patel. Patel, who already faces three complaints of fraud in the state, was known to flaunt his connections with top BJP leaders on the social media and even posted his pictures with them. He had also reportedly assured a few diamond merchants to facilitate all clearances if they invested in Jammu and Kashmir. There are at least a couple of first information reports (FIRs) of fraud and cheating filed against him in Gujarat in the past. The latest complaint against Patel in the Ahmedabad Crime Branch was filed on Thursday by one Jagdish Chavda, 63, a resident of Shilaj in Ahmedabad. Chavda happens to be the brother of Congress turncoat Jawahar Chavda, who had quit the party to join the BJP and was made a minister in the earlier Vijay Rupani government. According to the complaint, Patel promised to get his house renovated and help him sell at a handsome price. He took 35 lakh from Chavda. When Jagdish returned from his native Junagadh at his house, he was shocked to find that Patel had already put his own name plate on the bungalow and completed the vastu puja. Confronted by Chavda, he vacated the bungalow and promised him to return the 35 lakh when he gets paid for a few projects he had bagged from a corporate house. However, in August last year, Chavda was given a notice from the Ahmedabad district court that he had occupied his bungalow illegally. A seven-year-old girl and another minor girl sustained injuries in Assams Baksa district after coming under attack by a herd of wild elephants on Sunday, police said. According to state forest minister 70 humans and 80 elephants die every year on average in the human-elephant conflict in Assam (Representative Photo) Police said the incident took at the Goreswar area on Sunday morning. The father of the minor deceased girl said that a group of wild elephants charged at their residence and destroyed the banana plants, and other trees and also tried to enter the house. He said that his elder daughter managed to escape but the younger daughter was trampled and lost her life. Also Read: Protest in Idukki after operation to capture rogue elephant stayed by Kerala HC The injured girl was taken to a local hospital and later shifted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), police said. The human-elephant conflict is on a rise in Assam. State forest minister Chandra Mohan Patowary in the state assembly last week said that more than 70 humans and 80 elephants die every year on average in the human-elephant conflict in Assam. On March 21, 40-year-old Mohan Teron from the Nagaon district was killed after wild elephants attacked him. Police said Teron was returning home on a cycle through a forest area when he was attacked by the herd. In February, an Indian Army jawan lost his life after he was attacked by a wild elephant inside the Narengi cantonment area in Assams Guwahati. In January last year, a herd of wild elephants attacked vehicles plying on state highway 12 at Lakhipur in Assams Goalpara district and killed three persons including a toddler while in a second incident in the same district, a forest department employee was killed in an attack by a wild elephant at Solmari As per the data shared by the minister, the elephant population in the state is over 5,700 and 1,330 elephants have died between 2001 and 2022. With 107 reported cases, 2013 saw the highest number of deaths, followed by 2016 With 97 cases, and 2014 with 92. Also Read: Seven elephants died in March in Odisha, highest in last 3 years The minister said that 509 died elephants died due to natural causes, 261 succumbed to unknown reasons, 202 were electrocuted, 102 died in train accidents, 65 were killed due to poisoning, 40 were poached and 18 after being hit by lightning. He said that encroachment on forest lands is the main cause of the human-elephant conflict. We humans are occupying the natural habitats of elephants which is forcing the wild animals to move out in search of food. This is causing their conflict with the humans, he said, replying to a question by Congress legislator Rekibuddin Ahmed. The minister informed that the state government has paid about 8-9 crore in compensation for damages caused by the wild elephants in recent years. China, Honduras establish diplomatic relations Xinhua) 18:01, March 26, 2023 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Reina attend a signing ceremony of a joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations after their talks in Beijing, capital of China, March 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- China and Honduras signed a joint communique in Beijing on Sunday on the establishment of diplomatic relations. The communique was signed by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Reina after they held talks. According to the communique, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Honduras, in keeping with the interests and desires of the two peoples, have decided to recognize each other and establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. The two governments agree to develop friendly relations between the two countries on the basis of the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence, the communique said. The Government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes that there is but one China in the world, the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, the communique added. The Government of the Republic of Honduras shall sever "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan as of this day and undertakes that it shall no longer develop any official relations or official exchanges with Taiwan. The Government of the People's Republic of China appreciates this position of the Government of the Republic of Honduras, the communique said. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Sunday made remarks on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Honduras. "There is but one China in the world and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. These are indisputable facts grounded in history and law," the spokesperson said. The one-China principle is recognized by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971, and is a prevailing consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations, the spokesperson added. The spokesperson noted that Honduras is an important country in Central America. The Government of Honduras chooses to stand with 181 countries in the world, recognize and undertake to adhere to the one-China principle, sever the so-called "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan, establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and undertake that Honduras shall no longer develop any official relations or official exchanges with Taiwan, the spokesperson said. "This is the right choice that is in line with the prevailing trend and supported by the people. China highly appreciates that," the spokesperson added. By following the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, China stands ready to enhance friendly cooperation with Honduras in various fields to the benefit of our two countries and peoples, the spokesperson said. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Reina attend a joint press conference in Beijing, capital of China, March 26, 2023. China and Honduras signed a joint communique in Beijing on Sunday on the establishment of diplomatic relations. The communique was signed by Qin Gang and Eduardo Reina after they held talks. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Reina shake hands after signing a joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations in Beijing, capital of China, March 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) (Web editor: Du Mingming, Liang Jun) Roam, a luxury Destination Management Company, has been launched in Saudi Arabia with the aim of enabling international and national travellers to explore elements of the kingdom like never before. Roam is founded with existing expertise from parent companies Cool Inc and Pelorus. Roam will be activating AlUla, Riyadh, Jeddah, Taif, Al Baha, and Tanomah initially, with other locations across the KSA unlocking throughout the year. Roam will utilise the well-established expertise of Cool Inc and Pelorus, both trailblazers for world-class luxury lifestyle experiences. This partnership will reveal a wealth of luxury travel options, allowing untapped areas of the region to be explored further than ever before, said a statement. Leaning on Cool Incs unique brand partnerships and inside track knowledge of the luxury lifestyle scene in Saudi Arabia, partnered with Peloruss extensive global expertise curating bespoke travel and yachting experiences, ROAM will be well-positioned to offer truly opulent packages to its guests, it said. As of May 2023, Roam will be launching the new concept of luxurious mobile camps in Taif. The camp concept will then move across the Kingdom every 8-12 weeks, allowing travellers to experience undiscovered regions of KSA, without having to compromise on comfort, or indulgence. Luxury camping under the kingdoms stars, is just one example of Roam's many client offerings made up of four distinct pillars: bespoke travel, brand experiences and events, VIP transportation and tourism products. Taken as a collective or individually, each service provides unparalleled luxury experiences across the Kingdom. The bespoke travel branch will include tours, accommodation bookings, luxury transportation, aviation, and world-class concierge services. Brand experiences and events will oversee activations, launches and celebrations of luxury brands, as well as VIP management. VIP transportation will incorporate a fleet of luxury vehicles available to support inbound tour operations and client services across KSA. Lastly, products exclusively on offer through Roam will include mobile camps, day camps, e-buggies and quads and private dining experiences in unique locations across the Kingdom. Roam will be launching 10-20 tourism products every year. Since 2016, the kingdom has been working towards Vision 2030, a strategic framework for Saudi Arabia with the intention of creating a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and a growingly ambitious nation. Raom echoes this mission and exists to elevate and enhance traveller journeys at locations within the Kingdom, opening new ways to explore existing pathways alongside offering completely new experiences, said the statement. Roam, Cool Inc and Pelorus are committed to establishing a foundation of excellence within the kingdom, offering new experiences and creating new job opportunities for the citizens of Saudi Arabia. KSA has a wealth of enthusiastic and motivated talent that Roam is excited to celebrate, offering roles that are both empowering and inclusive, with a future-forward growth mindset for the kingdom, it said. Stuart McNair, Managing Director at Roam, said: "It is an honour to be working with Cool Inc & Pelorus on this exciting new company, Roam. Working with our young and enthusiastic Saudi talent as we contribute to the growth of the Saudi tourism ecosystem. Travel & tourism in Saudi is arguably the most exciting industries to be in right now. We cannot wait to welcome you on one of our tours, in our cars, at our events, and even at our camps. Get ready for some life enriching fun and adventure." Sinan Al Saady, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer at Cool Inc, said: "Its a privilege to introduce Roam into the market. Designed to showcase the Kingdom and all of its hidden gems, Roam brings together every experience within the Cool Inc ecosystem." - TradeArabia News Service LUCKNOW Amethi-resident Mohd Arif, who shot to limelight due to his unique bond with a sarus, has been booked for allegedly violating the Wildlife Act of 1972 (amended). The case has been lodged based on a complaint made by the forest department. The sarus was found by Arif in August 2022. It was lying injured in his fields. (HT Photo) Authorities have also summoned Arif, who looked after the bird for a year, to explain his side at the office of assistant conservator of forest in Gauriganj (Amethi) on April 2. In the legal notice, Ranvir Singh, assistant conservator of forest, said, A case has been lodged for violating sections 2, 9, 29, 51, and 52 of the Wildlife Act of 1972 (amended). You (Arif) may come to get your statement recorded with the office on April 2 at 11 am. In his defence, Arif said, I dont deserve a legal notice for rescuing the bird. I didnt chain the bird. It lived with me. Whats my fault. In a video message, Arif said, The forest department notice says there is a case lodged against me. I treated the sarus bird and wanted it to go back to jungle. It became my friend and did not leave. The sarus was found by Arif in August 2022. It was lying injured in his fields. The bird was unconscious and bleeding. He initially thought the sarus was dead but took the bird home after realising that it was still breathing. He cleaned the wound and applied a mix of turmeric and mustard on it. Subsequently, he devised a splint out of bamboo to keep the leg stable. When the crane recovered, it didnt fly away. Later, videos of Arif and the sarus went viral on social media platforms. The clips showed how the bird following him everywhere. Even when Arif rode his bike, the bird followed him. On March 6, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also met Arif and even posted a picture with the bird and Arif on Twitter on March 6. Taking cognisance of the videos, forest officials took the bird into their custody on March 21 evening and released it in the Samaspur Bird Sanctuary in Rae Bareli. In a shocking twist thereafter, the bird allegedly went missing the next evening. However, it was found again on Friday (March 24) and the same day, Arif got a notice from the forest department. On Saturday, the bird was brought to the Kanpur zoo. Arif should have intimated local forest officials after finding the bird, said a senior forest official. The Bihar government has asked the state universities to ensure that one person is deputed to one administrative post for smooth functioning. Make one officer, one post applicable in Bihar varsities: Edu department to VCs In a letter to the vice-chancellors (VC) of all state universities, additional chief secretary (education) Dipak Kumar Singh said, It often comes to light during the review meetings that one person or official handles multiple administrative posts. This not only causes an undue delay in administrative work but also affects the quality. He has urged the VCs to stick with the one officer, one administrative post policy as far as possible. One officer should be authorised to handle more than one post only in case of non-availability of persons with required qualification, the letter read. Also Read: Bihars largest university crippled by ad hocism Most of the state universities in Bihar are known for the tendency of having officials holding additional charge within one or sometimes even multiple state universities for long periods. Even the VCs, registrars, exam controllers, financial advisors and finance officers have been known for holding additional charges. Last year, former education minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary met the then Governor Phagu Chouhan and flagged rampant ad hocism in the states Magadh University, where its four key positions that of a VC, pro-vice chancellor, registrar and finance officer, were under additional charge during that period. The symptom is visible in all the universities. The problem is that the key positions have been revolving around the same set of people over the years despite no perceptible improvement in the outcome, said a senior education department official. In some universities, the dean (student welfare) also acts as a registrar, or the principal holds charge of more than one college, while the Bihar state university service commission awaits vacancies to proceed with the proper appointments. Similarly, a college principal holding the charge of career counselling and development coordinator (CCDC) or professors in charge holding the positions of law officers is also a reality here. Also Read: Bihar: UGC begins special drive for varsities as HC threatens to stop VC salary At present, Prof Shailendra Kumar Chaturvedi, vice-chancellor of Veer Kunwar Singh University, Ara, has the additional charge of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, for over a month, while Lalit Narayan Mithila University VC SK Singh holds the additional charge of Aryabhat Knowledge University (AKU), Patna for over two years. Bihars institutions have had a poor track record in fund utilisation despite a resource crunch due to a host of factors, including rampant ad hocism on key posts for years which was often cited as the reason behind their inability to submit timely utilisation to avail further instalments. The University Grants Commission (UGC) had last year launched a special drive in Patna from August 23 to 28 for the reconciliation of funds granted to state institutions based on utilisation certificates (UCs) submitted by them. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON PUNE Action against sonography centres in the city that violate norms has been slow due to the health officials lax attitude towards the strict implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT) and Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP), claim activists. PMC officials said the civic body recently served notices to 13 sonography centres for violating various norms. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC) Since 2002, MTP centres in the city have gone up from 362 to 391 and there are 632 sonography centres that are registered. Health activists claim, there is a need for strict action against violators which is missing when it comes to implementation of norms. Dr Abhijeet More, health activist, said, there is a need for both action and awareness when it comes to improving the sex ratio. The sex ratio has declined alarmingly and there is no rigorous campaign that PMC seems to have undertaken. The civic body is yet to realise the seriousness of the issue, he said. For genuine reasons, simple punishment and warning are fine. But when the case is evident in cases of sex determination or illegal abortion taking a soft approach in such cases is wrong. There needs to be stringent punishment in such cases, said Dr More. PMC officials said the civic body recently served notices to 13 sonography centres for violating various norms. We recently issued notices to 13 sonography centres in the city for violation of the PCPNDT Act. These centres have failed to submit the mandatory monthly report to the civic body. Some of them even have minor violations of incomplete documents, maintaining records, and form F sans signature. We have asked the centres explanation for the failure, said, Dr Suryakant Devkar, assistant health officer of PMC. Dr Bhagwan Pawar, health officer of PMC, assured to look into the issue and take corrective measures to improve the citys sex ratio. I will discuss this with the team and ask them to keep track of all the pregnant women in the city area who get the ultrasound done and later go missing. The missing cases of expecting mothers will be tracked down. The team will be asked to conduct surprise visits at the sonography centres. Also, the number of sting operations with decoy will be increased, he said. In May 2022, PMC suspended the licences of 46 sonography centres for periods ranging from 24 hours to eight days for violation of the PCPNDT Act. The only action PMC has taken in the last two to three years has been to temporarily seal the machines. The appropriate authority also has power in such a situation to file parallel cases against the centre for violation of PCPNDT Act, said Sharad Shetty, health activist. The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests that the natural sex ratio at birth is around 105 males for every 100 females, which translates to about 952 females for every 1,000 males. Pune municipal commissioner and administrator Vikram Kumar presented the annual budget for the 2023-24 this week. Residents share expectations regarding roads or other civic amenities that should be included in the yearly projects. Pune municipal commissioner and administrator Vikram Kumar presented the annual budget for the 2023-24 this week. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO) Make the city fit for urban living Pune municipal commissioner and administrator Vikram Kumar presented the annual budget for the 2023-24 on Friday. Readers share their expectations on completion of civic amenities Upgrade public transport facilities The city has grown in size and population over the last decade. The pathetic scenario of Pune Municipal Corporations (PMC) lack of traffic enforcement and planning makes it difficult for residents to commute on roads. Residents have no choice but to travel on their own due to the poor quality of public transportation. Manasi Inamdar Police vigilance needed With the growth of IT sector and educational institutions in the city, maintaining a low crime rate has become a challenge for cops. The constant influx of aspiring students, industrial workers and others has resulted in rise in population and crime incidents. City police need to form flying squads and patrolling teams to curb the menace. Sonali Joshi Make the city fit for urban living The quality of life in the city has become worse. Water shortage, bad roads, errant electric supply, traffic jams among other things have brought down Punes liveability scenario. With the budget, the municipal commissioner should have ensured that the city is fit for urban living. This requires making budgetary provisions for these issues, and ensuring that they are resolved. Karan Sarda Focus on health If the two years of the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that health is important. Considering this, there should be more budgetary provision for health facilities. The municipal corporation must encourage construction of more yoga centres, and have awareness programmes related to lifestyle-related diseases. Chirag Jain Focus on civic-centric projects The municipal budget should cover funds for civic-centric projects. Residents face issues like poor public transport, bad roads, ineffective medical facilities, and inadequate water supply. Every taxpayer expects better civic facilities. PMC should also take steps to clear roads and footpaths of hawker encroachment and parked vehicle. Swati Godbole Have adequate civic staff With the city experiencing a high rate of population growth over the years and merger of many villages, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is overburdened to manage the daily functioning of the vast municipality. The civic chief should have allocated adequate fund in the budget to have enough staff to run the various offices effectively for residents benefit. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation has become a global sensation in the world of anime. After the success of the first season, fans have been eagerly awaiting the return of the show with its second season. And now, the wait is finally over. With a new trailer and poster dropped to build hype, it has been announced that Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 will be released in July 2023 as part of the Summer 2023 anime schedule. At the recent Anime Japan 2023 event, Mushoku Tensei Season 2 revealed a major update that gave fans a new look at what they can expect from the upcoming episodes. With a new trailer and poster dropped to build hype, it has been announced that Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 will be released in July 2023 as part of the Summer 2023 anime schedule.(Studio Bind) Discover the epic story of Rudy in Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation For those who are unfamiliar with the series, Mushoku Tensei follows the story of Rudy, a 34-year-old underachiever who is run over by a bus and reincarnated in a new world as an infant. Armed with new friends, magical abilities, and the courage to pursue his dreams, Rudy embarks on an epic adventure, using all of his past experiences to make the most of his new life. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation began as a web novel by Rifujin na Magonote on the Shosetsuka ni Naro website in 2012. Kadokawa later picked up the series and began publishing it as a light novel. The series became a hit and was adapted into an anime series in 2021. (Also Read: Get ready for the ultimate adventure: Re:Zero Season 3 coming soon!) The series has been praised for its complex characters, intricate world-building, and engaging storyline, which has kept fans captivated throughout the first season. Studio Bind, the team behind the anime, has done an exceptional job of bringing the story to life, and fans can look forward to more of the same in the upcoming season. Get ready for more intense action in Season 2 of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation The trailer and poster for Season 2 of Mushoku Tensei give fans a glimpse of what they can expect from the upcoming episodes. The visuals are stunning, and the action looks even more intense than it was in the first season. The trailer also reveals that Yumi Uchiyama will continue to voice the protagonist Rudeus Greyrat, despite his character being a bit older in the upcoming season. Season 2 will pick up from where the first season left off, but with a time jump. Meet the talented new staff of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Apart from the returning cast members, the upcoming season of Mushoku Tensei is set to welcome some new staff members. The sequel will be directed by Hiroki Hirano, while Sanae Shimada will be responsible for the character designs, and Toshiya Ono will oversee the series composition. Masakazu Miyake will continue as the art director, and Yoshiaki Fujisawa will again be responsible for the music. With such a skilled team leading the production, fans can anticipate an even more thrilling and captivating second season than the first. (Also Read: Get ready for more bounty-filled adventures in Trigun Stampede's Final Phase. Watch Season 1 of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation on Crunchyroll For those who haven't seen the first season of Mushoku Tensei, now is the perfect time to catch up before Season 2 kicks off a new time jump. The first season was a huge hit, and it's easy to see why. The series has something for everyone, whether you're a fan of action, adventure, or drama. It's a series that manages to be both entertaining and thought-provoking, and it's sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Get ready Sailor Moon fans, because the highly anticipated final arc of the Sailor Moon manga series is coming to theatres this June! The original manga series' final battle will be adapted into a two-part film called Sailor Moon: Cosmos. A new trailer for Sailor Moon Cosmos was recently released during a special stage for the anime at AnimeJapan 2023. The trailer gave fans a glimpse of the final battle of the series, which promises to be nothing short of epic. Fans can expect to see their favourite Sailor Scouts in action as they battle against the forces of evil. A new trailer for Sailor Moon Cosmos was recently released during a special stage for the anime at AnimeJapan 2023.(YouTube/sailormoonofficialch) The creative team behind Sailor Moon Eternal returns for Sailor Moon: Cosmos The same creative team that worked on Sailor Moon Eternal will be bringing their talents to Sailor Moon: Cosmos. The film is directed by Tomoya Takahashi. The film is written by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu, known for his work on That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. Kazuko Tadano, the character designer for the original anime, returns to design the characters, and Yasuharu Takanashi will once again produce the music for the films. Studio Deen will handle the animation, with Naoko Takeuchi, the mangaka herself, supervising the production. (Also Read: Spy x Family Season 2 and CODE: White Anime film set for release in 2023) Relive the classics: SuperS and Sailor Stars on Toei Animation Museum's YouTube channel for free Fans of Sailor Moon can also rejoice as they will have the chance to relive the SuperS and Sailor Stars arcs of the original anime for free on the Toei Animation Museum channel on YouTube. Each episode will be available for two weeks, starting with the first SuperS episode on March 27. This is great news for those who want to revisit these classic arcs or catch up on what they missed. (Also Read: Meet Hori and Miyamura in the new Horimiya anime, coming in July 2023) Get ready for the music: Sailor Moon: Cosmos theme song collection release date announced Marina Inoue, the voice actor for Seiya Ko/Sailor Star Fighter, made an exciting announcement about the upcoming release of the Sailor Moon: Cosmos Theme Song Collection. The collection, which includes the beloved song "Nagare-Boshi e" (To the Shooting Star) by the Three Lights, is set to be released on June 30. Fans of the Sailor Moon franchise know that music plays a vital role in the series, and they are eagerly awaiting the new soundtrack produced by Yasuharu Takanashi. All in all, Sailor Moon fans have a lot to look forward to in the coming months. With the new trailer for Sailor Moon: Cosmos recently released, fans are more excited than ever to see the final battle of the series come to life on the big screen. With a talented team of creators and the return of beloved characters, Sailor Moon: Cosmos is sure to be an epic conclusion to the beloved series. Manoj Bajpayee got the opportunity to work with Yash Chopra once in his career, in the filmmaker's epic cross-border romance Veer Zaara (2004). The actor revealed that he acted in a small role in the film as Zaara's fiance simply because he wanted to work with the legendary director. He had also grown up watching his films. The love story starred Shah Rukh Khan as the Indian Air Force pilot Veer and Preity Zinta as Zaara, the Pakistani woman he falls in love with. (Also read: Manoj Bajpayee recalls Shah Rukh took him to disco for 1st time: 'Maine chappal pehni thi, sabse garib admi main hi tha') Manoj Bajpayee acted in the Yash Chopra film as Zaara's fiance, Raza Sharazi. The actor shared that his character Raza Sharazi was more of a guest appearance and he only shot for the film for four-five days. Manoj added that Yash welcomed him on set like he did with the rest of the cast. In fact, he said that he got a royal welcome on the sets. The veteran director had watched Manoj's performance in the 2003 film Pinjar when he watched the film in Delhi with politician Lal Krishna Advani. He offered him the part after that. In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Manoj recalled the film also gave him a chance to work with his old friend Shah Rukh. He said, "Shah Rukh, I have known for many years from my days in Delhi, so it was also a chance to catch up. Because we dont meet up, we belong to two different kinds of films and filmmaking. So, it was a chance to catch up with him and also enjoy being on the sets of Mr Yash Chopra, who had been such a magnificent, successful mainstream director for so many years." He continued, "We grew up watching his films! We used to chat for long, both Yash ji and me. He was very clear in telling me, I dont make films for an actor like you, so I dont think I would have anything else in the future, but this is very good and it will be great if you agree to do it. He was such a humble man." Manoj was last seen in the Disney+ Hotstar film, Gulmohar, with Sharmila Tagore, Simran and Suraj Sharma. He also has the films Despatch and Joram lined up for the year. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Vijay Varma is known for not just his variety of roles on screen but also his sartorial choices off the screen. The actor recently shared new pictures of himself in a 'metal sari paired with a tuxedo shirt and sported bright blue hair as he posed for a new photoshoot. Sharing his pictures from the shoot on Instagram, stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania called him "versatile" and said that the actor was the muse of the moment because he "cant be confined to any definition". Vijay Varma has posed for a new photo shoot. In the pictures, Vijay poses with grace in the bright red and black metal saree by Rimzim Dadu, with his blue hair adding to the style appeal. He looks down coyly in one of the pictures. Sharing his pictures in the sari and other ensembles, Anaita wrote on Instagram on Sunday, 'Art in Motion' was conceptualised as a means to break free from constructs and limitations. We let our imaginations run wild, our designs evolve into their own beings, and create art that's visceral no holds barred. @rimzimdaduofficial leads this narrative. A tuxedo shirt and a sari, texture melanges, sheer and opaque syncing the styling with her non-conformist approach to design. With fluidity anchoring our worldview, we abide by no definitions. Presenting a story that transcends boundaries of seasons, gender or fleeting fashion trends. we found our muse in the man of the moment, the very versatile @itsvijayvarma an actor who cant be confined to any definition and a rooted model we love @dayanaerappa. Uorfi Javed commented on Vijay's pics, Amazinggggg! Youre magic. He looks amazing, wrote an Instagram user. Another called him stylish. Vijay had already worked in films like Pink and Manto before he shot to fame with his role in Zoya Akhtar's Gully Boy. He was last seen in a negative role in Darlings, opposite Alia Bhatt. He was widely praised for his performance in the film. He will next be seen in Kareena Kapoor-starrer based on Japanese novel, The Devotion of Suspect X. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi talked about the sacrifices of her family members at a recent event in Delhi, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri had a comeback ready. He tweeted that Gandhi family should try to work in a Karan Johar film considering their obsession with family. (Also read: Terrorists will come perfect non-violent solution: Vivek Agnihotri mocks Rahul Gandhi) Vivek Agnihotri took a dig at Priyanka Gandhi's speech after her family. Priyanka Gandhi addressed the Sankalp Satyagraha at Rajghat -- the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi-- to protest against Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case and his subsequent disqualification from the Lok Sabha. My family's blood has ploughed democracy in this country. We are ready to do anything for this country's democracy. Great leaders of the Congress laid the foundation of democracy in this country, she said in her speech. Priyanka Gandhi said till today, they have been insulting "our family and we remained silent but not any more". "How much will you insult one person?" she said and asked if Lord Ram, who was sent into exile, was a 'parivaarwadi'". Reacting to a video clip of Priyanka from the event, Vivek wrote in his tweet, Family family. Family What have you done? Family se itna fake pyaar hai to Id suggest its time Gandhis start acting in Karan Johar films. At least, family ecosystem to match karega. Kya pata KJo ko bhi le doobein (Who's to say they might even destroy Karan Johar). In another tweet he wrote, Victim card is the first and last defence of the entitled. Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in the defamation case. The disqualification will prevent Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting elections for eight years unless a higher court stays the conviction. Vivek is the director of The Kashmir Files and has been regularly tweeting about India's political and social landscape. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is about to become a dad. The actor's partner Erin Darke is pregnant with their first child. She was spotted with a baby bump by the paparazzi as the couple went out for a walk in New York. (Also read: Watch Daniel Radcliffe react to Harry Potter co-star Rupert Grint becoming dad) Daniel Radcliffe is about to become a dad. The photos show Erin in a black top and black slacks and black and white coat with orange shoes. Daniel looked more colourful with his blue and yellow woollen cap on a blue jacket and black pants. Erin was seen with a baby bump in the photo. Fans of the actor were the happiest with the news. Omg !! Wow !! I am so super excited and happy for them !!! They are gonna be such incredible amazing parents, wrote one. Son or Daughter of Harry Potter is Comingg, Congratulations, commented another. Imagine how beautiful this child is going to be, wrote a fan. Another fan commented, Imagine saying my dad is Daniel Radcliffe. Radcliffe, 33, and Darke, 38, have been together for over a decade. They first sparked romance rumours after starring together in the 2013 film "Kill Your Darlings". In 2020, Daniel reacted to his Harry Potter co-star Rupert Grint becoming a dad. "I texted him the other day, Radcliffe said during a virtual appearance on Watch What Happens Live with host Andy Cohen. Im so happy for him. Its very, very cool. It is also super weird for me to think that we are all of the age where we are having children, but we definitely are. He added, I remember when I turned 30, a lot of people in my life were really depressed to find that that had happened. Daniel was last seen in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. He played the lead in the biopic. Radcliffe told Newsweek in October that he "wouldn't want fame for my kid," although: "I want my kids, if and when they exist... I would love them to be around film sets." "A dream would be for them to come onto a film set and be like, 'God, you know, I'd love to be in the art department. I'd love to be something in the crew,'" added Radcliffe. "Film sets are wonderful places. I think a lot of the time it can be wonderful for kids. But it's really the fame side of it that should be avoided at all costs," said Daniel. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Beijing calls Honduras' decision to establish diplomatic ties with China 'right choice' Beijing, Mar 26 (UNI) The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Sunday called Honduras' decision to establish diplomatic relations with China "the right choice." Earlier in the day, the Honduran Foreign Ministry announced that it had severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The ministry said that Honduras recognizes that there is only one China in the world and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government. Following the announcement, Taiwan's foreign ministry said that it was severing diplomatic relations with Honduras and closing its embassy in the Central American country. "The Government of Honduras chooses to stand with 181 countries in the world, recognize and undertake to adhere to the one-China principle, sever the so-called 'diplomatic relations' with Taiwan, establish diplomatic relations with the Peoples Republic of China, and undertake that Honduras shall no longer develop any official relations or official exchanges with Taiwan. This is the right choice that is in line with the prevailing trend and supported by the people," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Creed III and Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania actor Jonathan Majors was arrested in Manhattan on Saturday on charges of strangulation, assault and harassment. Authorities reported that the actor was involved in allegedly choking a 30-year-old woman in a domestic dispute. (Also read: Chris Rock on Will Smith's Oscars slap in Netflix special: Im not a victim baby, you will never see me on Oprah...') Jonathan Majors was arrested in New York for assaulting his girlfriend. The actor was arrested around 11:15 a.m. on Saturday morning near West 22nd Street and 8th Avenue in Chelsea from an apartment after the police was alerted to a 911 call. The woman, who had suffered minor injuries on her head and neck, told the police that she was assaulted. The police also reported that she was taken to an area hospital in stable condition, According to a report by TMZ, the woman was Jonathan's girlfriend, and the police were told by the victim that they got into an argument in a taxi while returning home from a bar in Brooklyn. The woman suffered some injuries on her head and her back, including a laceration behind her ear, redness and marks on her face. A spokesperson for the NYPD said in a statement, "The victim informed police she was assaulted. Officers placed the 33-year-old male into custody without incident. The victim sustained minor injuries to her head and neck and was removed to an area hospital in stable condition. According to the sources the police were told that the Ant-Man actor's girlfriend saw him texting with another woman, and she decided to confront him and take a look at his phone. Owing to this, the actor got angry and grabbed her hand and proceeded to slap her and put his arms around her neck. Jonathan was cuffed and taken to jail, as the police felt there was enough evidence for a probable cause. The actor was no longer in police custody as of Saturday night. A representative for the actor denied any wrongdoing by the actor and said, He has done nothing wrong. We look forward to clearing his name and clearing this up. Jonathan Majors was last seen in Creed III and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania this year. He was also a presenter alongside his Creed III co-star Michael B. Jordan at the Oscars two weeks before. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ram Charan turns 38 on March 27, Monday but his friends couldn't wait to celebrate his birthday. On Saturday, the team of RC15 rang in his birthday on the sets as they cut a cake amid a shower of rose petals. Ram Charan's co-star in the film, Kiara Advani was also present from the celebrations. (Also read: RC 15: Title and first look of Ram Charans film with Shankar and Kiara Advani to be released on his birthday) Kiara Advani and the crew of RC15 celebrated Ram Charan's birthday a little early. A bunch of photos from the sets show Ram Charan in a blue shirt and light blue pants, wearing sunglasses. Kiara is seen in a white top and blue jeans. Film's director S Shankar and choreographer-actor Prabhu Deva also joined them in casual outfits. Ram Charan cut the cake surrounded by the crew as Kiara and Shankar helped him out. See the photos here: The film RC15, billed as an action drama with current-day politics, features an ensemble cast, with Kiara playing the female protagonist. The upcoming project is jointly produced by Dil Raju and Shirish Garu under the banner of Sri Venkateswara Creations for a Pan-India release.RC 15 will release in three languages - Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. Apart from Ram Charan and Kiara Advani, the film also stars SJ Suryah, Jayaram, Anjali, and Srikanth. The film is slated to release in 2023. A source close to the film informed ANI that Ram Charan recently grooved to 80-second-long dance step in a single take, leaving everyone awestruck. "Ram Charan impressed everyone on the sets of RC15 especially the director Shankar Shanmugham. The actor danced to the 80 second long dance step in a single step. RC 15 shoot was happening in Kurnool recently where people thronged to get a glimpse of the actor," the source shared. Ram Charan was recently in US for the Oscars ceremony where his film RRR was nominated for Best Song. He also promoted the film amid its US re-release. ott:10 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON US correspondent of the Press Trust of India Lalit K Jha, who was verbally intimidated and physically assaulted by Khalistan supporters while covering the event at the Indian Embassy in Washington on Saturday, said the separatists brought two bundles of wooden sticks that were kept in the park that has the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in front of the office building. One of the protesters who abused and hit the PTI reporter. The wooden sticks were similar to those which were used to break the door and windows and smash the glasses of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. While one bundle was used to display the separatist flag, the other bundle of about 20 sticks was kept aside, PTI reported quoting Jha. Note: Unparliamentary words were used in the video. Viewers' decretion is advised: What Lalit K Jha saw during protest by Khalistan supporters: 1. Khalistan supporters hurled abusive language and openly threatened Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Sandhu was not in the embassy at the time of the protest. 2. In their speeches, most of the protestors were seen trying to incite violence not only in India but here as well, including physical damage to the Indian Embassy property. 3. Some of the speakers were seen inciting fellow protestors to indulge in violence and break the windows and glasses of the building across the road. 4. Secret Service personnel, who were closely watching this, in no time rushed to the spot and asked the protesters to go back to the designated protest area, before any untoward incident could happen. 5. It appeared that the protesters came prepared to do something similar like damaging Indian properties at the Indian consulate in San Francisco and the Indian high commission in London. 6. Organisers of the protest had a very hostile approach towards the Indian reporter covering the protest. They not only obstructed him by coming in front of the camera and placing the Khalistan flag on his face, kept pushing him, but also threatened dire consequences. 7. One of the protesters abused Jha and was asking questions like you have to tell me what are you going to report? 8. Sometime later, two of the protesters came towards the reporters, who were standing near the Secret Service personnel. One of them told the Secret Service that Jha be asked to leave my land which is federal property. 9. The Secret Service personnel asked the reporter if he was ok and if he wanted to lodge a complaint. The journalist said he did not intend to lodge a complaint. 10. The separatists left the area around after 3 pm and one of them was seen keeping the bundle of wooden sticks in the trunk of the SUV. (With inputs from PTI) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Directorate General Civil of Aviation (DGCA) has derostered the Air India crew after their flight from Delhi to Kathmandu narrowly escaped a mid- air collision on Friday morning. HT Image Pending further investigation,the Air India crew involved in the incident has been derostered, an aviation ministry official told HT. Nepal authorities are yet to inform Air India and DGCA about the incident, added the official. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) suspended three air traffic control department employees for carelessness. Air India flight AI213 and the Nepal Airlines flight , both Airbus jets, came dangerously close on Friday morning, with tragedy averted after the on-board traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) on each plane alerted the pilots. The incident took place after the Air India flight departed from Delhi around 7.10am, an aviation official aware of the matter said. The incident took place in Nepal airspace when the Air India (VT SCG), an Airbus 319 aircraft was descending. The Nepal airline aircraft was flying at 15,000ft, when the Air India aircraft was descending, the official added. The Air India aircraft was descending from 19,000 ft while the Nepal Airlines aircraft was flying at an altitude of 15,000 ft at the same location, a CAAN official told PTI. Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) of Tribhuvan International Airport involved in a traffic conflict incident (between Air India and Nepal Airlines on 24th March 2023) have been removed from active control position until further notice, said a tweet from the Nepal civil aviation authority, which has formed a three-member probe committee to investigate the matter. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON To mark 50 years of Project Tiger, Indias flagship project to conserve and increase its tiger population, the environment ministry will soon announce tiger estimation numbers for 2022, release a commemorative coin of 50, and put out a document on evaluating effective management of tiger reserves and a vision document for tiger conservation. Project Tiger was conceived and launched by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1973. The project was launched on April 1 at Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand The commemoration event will take place in Mysuru next month and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the latest tiger population numbers, officials said on Friday. We are organising a mega international event on April 9, 10 and 11. We will be declaring the 2022 tiger estimation report at this event. We are the only country that has conducted periodic assessments of tiger reserves which will also be released, said SP Yadav, head of Project Tiger. We are also coming out with a commemorative coin of 50 on completion of 50 years of Project Tiger. For the event, we are also inviting all tiger range country ministers to participate on this historic occasion. All the important national and international NGOs and scientists will also participate. Also Read: Ministry notifies 92 Eco-Sensitive Zones (ECZ) in 13 states Project Tiger was conceived and launched by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1973. The project was launched on April 1 at Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. In a message, Gandhi had written that Project Tiger is a comment on our long neglect of the environment as well as most welcome concern for saving one of natures most magnificent endowments, as documented in the book Indira Gandhi, a Life in Nature. The area covered by the project has grown manifold since its launch. The initial coverage included nine tiger reserves spread over 18,278 sq km. Today, there are 53 tiger reserves over more than 75,000 sq km, or approximately 2.4% of the countrys geographical area, of tiger habitats under the project. These tiger reserves are repositories for biodiversity conservation in the country ensuring regional water security and carbon sequestration thereby contributing in accomplishing Indias climate change mitigation targets, the environment ministry said in a note on Friday. India harbours more than 70% of the global wild tiger population, which is increasing at an annual rate of 6%. India doubled the wild tiger population in about 12 years, and much before the targeted year of 2022 as per the international St. Petersburg Declaration. In 2008, there were 1,411 tigers, which increased to 2,967 in 2018, according to the National Tiger Conservation Authority. One of the main criteria for the project was whether under its umbrella we could save other critically endangered species, said environmentalist M K Ranjitsinh, a former bureaucrat and one of the main architects of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The tiger we used as the flagship species and hoped under the ramifications of Project Tiger, we would save diverse habitats and other endangered species. "It was not a blind approach, but to use the tiger to save something more valuable its habitat. I dont judge Project Tiger by only their numbers. I think that has caused certain deficiencies. Every field director regards tiger numbers as a matter of survival Tiger is not the be all and end all of the project but definitely the frontrunner. Its a failure that people go to reserves only to look at tigers and several vehicles shoot past you to see the animal. This was not the vision, added Ranjitsinh. Tigers are majestic and charismatic carnivores. Besides, around 70% of the worlds tigers live in India. It is hence Indias responsibility to the world to conserve them, said Uma Ramakrishnan is an Indian molecular ecologist and professor at National Centre for Biological Sciences. The future of tiger populations will depend not only on increasing numbers, but on maintaining connectivity, managing negative interactions between tigers and people, and on better understanding the effects of inbreeding on future generations of tigers, Last year, India entered with an agreement with Cambodia to translocate a few tigers to that country. Giving tigers to Cambodia is under consideration. Our delegation has visited and their officials have also visited, Yadav said. We must find the cause of tiger decimation there and we must ensure that all the factors for disappearance of tigers are taken care of like prey base, poaching and patrolling. The last tiger in Cambodia was caught on camera in 2009, he added. Yadav acknowledged that many tiger reserves have a problem of plenty, which include Corbett, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench and Tadoba. There should be active management in these reserves. For example, in Uttarakhand we are bringing tigers from the Corbett sanctuary and introducing them to the Rajaji Tiger Reserve, he said. We are working on ways to manage. We cannot put a cap on tiger numbers as its a dynamic process. To commemorate the completion of 30 years of Project Elephant in 2022 and to give a further impetus to conservation efforts, the environment ministry will celebrate Gaj Utsav 2023 at Kaziranga National Park on April 7 and 8. It will be inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu. Gujarat CMO official resigns over sons links with man who posed as PMO official An undated photo of Gujarat conman Kiran Patel with his security. Patel has been arrested for cheating, forgery and impersonation as an as an additional director (strategy and campaigns) in the PMO. (PTI) Hitesh Pandya, a senior official in the Gujarat Chief Ministers Office (CMO), has resigned over his sons alleged links with conman Kiran Patel, who was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this month for posing as a high-ranking official from the Prime Ministers Office (PMO). Read more India summons Canadian envoy to protest activities of pro-Khalistan groups India summoned Canadian high commissioner Cameron MacKay and conveyed its strong concerns about actions by pro-Khalistan elements against the countrys missions in Canada, days after similar protests were lodged with the UK and the US. Read more Web Stories | Kareena Kapoor Spends Time With School Kids This private island in Florida costs 1,800 cr, has 98-foot pool This sole private island named 10 Tarpon Isle was bought by real estate developer Todd Michael Glaser and his partners for $85 million ( 699 crore) in 2021, CNBC reported. Read more Vivek Agnihotri suggests Gandhis start acting in Karan Johar films: 'Family, family, family' As Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi talked about the sacrifices of her family members at a recent event in Delhi, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri had a comeback ready. Read more Teacher asks students to draw math picture in exam, shares results Some teachers go beyond the scope of their duty to find creative ways to make kids more interested in their studies. Instagram user Patricia Gresco, whose bio says she is a high school math and special education teacher, is one of them. Read more 'If I was selector...': Dhawan's blockbuster response to 'Gill vs Shikhar for Team India' sends shockwaves Shikhar Dhawan had long been India's mainstay limited-overs batter, better known for his records in ICC tournaments. But his dwindling form over the last one year or more, amid the rise of young talent, saw Dhawan lose his place in the Indian team. Read more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Following the removal of four per cent OBC reservation for Muslims in Karnataka, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday lashed out at Congress and said that there is no provision in the Constitution to provide reservation on the basis of religion. Amit Shah inaugurated the 'Garota Shaheed Smarak' and a memorial of Sardar Patel in Karnataka.(Twitter/@Amit Shah) In a cabinet meeting, held on Friday, the Karnataka government scrapped the four per cent OBC reservation for Muslims and distributed it to two dominant communities, Veerashaiva-Lingayats and Vokkaligas. It also decided to move OBC Muslims to the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category. Shah inaugurated the 'Garota Shaheed Smarak' and a memorial of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. He also hoisted a 103-ft high national flag in Karnataka. While addressing a public meeting in poll-bound Karnataka, Shah said, "Reservations provided to the minority was not as per Constitution. There is no provision in the Constitution to provide reservation on the basis of religion." "Congress Government due to its polarisation politics provided reservation to the minority. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) scrapped that reservation and provided reservations to Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities," added Shah. Attacking Congress' polarised politics, Shah said that in the greed of the vote bank, Congress never commemorated the martyrs of independence and 'Hyderabad mukti'. "Due to Congress' politics of polarisation, in the greed for the vote bank, they never commemorated the people who sacrificed themselves for independence and 'Hyderabad mukti'", said Shah. "If Sardar Patel had not been there, Hyderabad would have never attained independence. Bidar too would not have attained independence, added Amit Shah. Shah also highlighted the sacrifice of people in Gorata village who were allegedly killed by the army of a cruel Nizam for hosting a 2.5-ft tall Tricolour and said, "In this Gorata village, hundreds of people were killed by the army of a cruel Nizam for hoisting just a 2.5-ft tall Tricolour. Today, I proudly say that on the same land, we have hoisted a 103-ft tall Tricolour that can't be hidden from anyone". While inaugurating a 20-ft tall statue of Sardar Patel and Garota Shaheed Smarak in the memory of immortal martyrs, Shah said the statue is a symbol of the significant role played by the country's first Home Minister. "On the same land, a memorial of those immortal martyrs has been erected. This 20-ft tall statue of Sardar Patel is a symbol of the significant role played by our first Home Minister in ousting the Nizam from Hyderabad. That is why this area, this Bidar could become a part of India," said Shah. Attacking the Narendra Modi government over the termination of Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership, his sister and fellow Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday sought to counter the BJP's allegations of dynastic politics against the Gandhi family and the Congress, asking if the ruling party would say the same thing about Lord Ram, as he, too, came from a dynasty. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at Congress' Satyagraha (ANI) Also Read: Rahul Gandhi says he is 'Dis'Qualified MP' in his Twitter bio They (the BJP) accuse us of dynasticismthen what was Lord Ram? He was exiled and (yet) he fulfilled his responsibilities towards his family and motherland. Was this dynasticism? Did the Pandavas indulge in dynasticism? asked Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. She further asked if the Gandhis should be ashamed that members of their family sacrificed lives for the country. The blood of our martyred family members is in our country's soil. Their blood has nurtured our nation's democracy , the Congress general secretary remarked. She also slammed the BJP for its depiction of his brother as Pappu (stupid/incompetent), saying Rahul Gandhi was branded as a fool despite completing his education from two top universities: Harvard and Cambridge. The crowds at his recently-concluded Bharat Jodo Yatra, said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, made the saffron party realise he is, in fact, not a Pappu, and this scared the government into disqualifying him. Her comments came during the party's day-long satyagraha, which is taking place at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat in the national capital, despite not being approved by the police. Why was Rahul Gandhi disqualified? On Friday, the Lok Sabha secretariat dismissed the membership of the now former Member of Parliament (MP) from Kerala's Wayanad. This came a day after he was convicted by a court in Gujarat's Surat in a defamation case filed by Purnesh Modi, a BJP MLA from that state. In 2019, Modi had filed a defamation case against Gandhi, accusing the latter of defaming the entire Modi community through his statement asking why all thieves have Modi surname. According to a July 2013 Supreme Court ruling, MPs/MLAs are to be disqualified immediately from Parliament/state assemblies upon conviction in a criminal case, and if they are handed a jail term of at least 2 years. In September that year, however, Rahul tore apart an ordinance that was to be introduced by his party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre, a legislation that would have allowed convicted lawmakers/legislators to retain their seats for 3 months from the date of conviction. In his case, Rahul Gandhi was handed the maximum 2-year prison term, though he was granted bail immediately, and his sentence suspended for a month so that he can approach a higher court against his conviction. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda on Sunday took a jibe at the Congress over its day-long Sankalp Satyagraha in support of party leader Rahul Gandhi. He further said that the actual satyagraha was conducted by Mahatma Gandhi for Indias identity' and asked about the Congress' pride to conduct the protest across the country. BJP National President JP Nadda addresses the party's Booth President Sammelan, at Motilal Nehru Police Stadium in Bhopal.(PTI) You (Rahul Gandhi) give casteist slurs to the backward communities by calling them theives. Court has repeatedly asked you to apologise and your pride is so high that you deny apologising, Nadda said while addressing a gathering in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal. Also read: 'It's an irony that...': Yogi Adityanath's Satyagraha dig at Congress over Rahul Gandhi The Congress carried out a day-long protest in support of Rahul Gandhi after he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha. The protest wa conducted at Delhi's Rajghat despite the city police imposing Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which prohibits gathering of more than five persons in an area. Targetting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress' general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said that her family has nurtured the democracy of this country with their blood. The prime minister of this country is a coward. Yes, file a case against me and put me in jail too. He is a proud coward. Our country has the tradition of defeating a proud king, she sad while addressing the protest. Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a member of Lok Sabha on March 24 after he was convicted in a criminal defamation case. He was sentenced to two-year prison term for his Modi surname remark that he made in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A team of the Uttar Pradesh Police is taking gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to Prayagraj from Sabarmati central jail in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Sunday amid high-security arrangements. Ahmed, a former Samajwadi Party leader, will be produced before a court in Prayagraj that is scheduled to pass an order on March 28 in a kidnapping case in which he is an accused. Prayagraj Police with jailed-mafia Atiq Ahmed outside Sabarmati Central Jail as he is being shifted to Prayagraj, in Ahmedabad, on Sunday, (PTI) In a video shared by news agency ANI, Ahmed can be seen stepping out of the Sabarmati jail in white headgear as the team of the Prayagraj Police takes him with it. Ahmed has been lodged in Sabarmati jail since June 2019 where he was shifted from his home state as per the Supreme Court orders in April that year. Akhilesh Yadav says 'vehicle could overturn' Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has suspected that Ahmed could be killed while being taken to Pragyagraj. The CM (Yogi Adityanath) must have told him (UP minister JPS Rathore) earlier where and how the car would be overturned. If you take help from Google and America, they will show how and when the car was overturned, ANI quoted Akhilesh Yadav as saying when asked about Rathore's statement to be prepared as Ahmed is being shifted from the Sabarmati jail. Akhileshs comment at a press conference appeared to be a reference to speculation about the July 2020 encounter of Kanpur gangster Vikas Dubey. The police had said they shot dead Dubey near Kanpur while he was in transit in a police convoy from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain. The police had claimed that they had killed Dubey after he tried to escape from the police vehicle, which had overturned. In response to Akhilesh's comments, Rathore said as far as car getting overturned is concerned, I just said that a criminal after being arrested by police should seat calmly in a car, so that he reaches jail safely. If he thinks to run away from the car then there might be disbalance and car might overturn, the UP minister told the news agency. Prayagraj court order on March 28 A court in Prayagraj has set March 28 as the date to pass its order in a kidnapping case in which Ahmed is an accused, Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma said in the Uttar Pradesh city. Sharma said a team of the Prayagraj Police was sent to bring Ahmed and produce him to the court there on the given date. The gangster-turned-politician has been lodged in Sabarmati jail since June 2019 after the Supreme Court had in April that year directed that the former MP from Phulpur in UP be shifted to a high-security jail in Gujarat after he was accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and assault of a real estate businessman Mohit Jaiswal while in jail. He is named in more than 100 criminal cases, including the recent Umesh Pal murder case, police said. Among the most sensational murders in which Ahmed is allegedly involved was that of Raju Pal, the MLA from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) who was shot dead in 2005. Umesh Pal murder case Umesh Pal, a key witness in this murder case, was gunned down outside his residence in Prayagraj on February 24. Ahmed had early this month moved the Supreme Court for protection, claiming that he and his family have been falsely implicated as accused in the Umesh Pal murder case in Prayagraj and he may be killed in a fake encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Police. In his plea, Ahmed said the Uttar Pradesh Police was in all likelihood seeking his transit remand and police remand to take him from Ahmedabad to Prayagraj and he "genuinely apprehends that he may be eliminated during this transit period". (With inputs from PTI) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Washington, Mar 26 (UNI) US President Joe Biden has promised support to the state of Mississippi where over two dozen people died as a result of a storm. "The images from across Mississippi are heartbreaking. While we are still assessing the full extent of the damage, we know that many of our fellow Americans are not only grieving for family and friends, theyve lost their homes and businesses," Biden said in a Saturday statement. He promised support to all those impacted by the devastating storm and the first responders and emergency personnel. "Today, I reached out to Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, and have spoken to Senator Wicker, Senator Hyde-Smith, and Congressman Bennie Thompson to express my condolences and offer full federal support as communities recover from the effects of this storm. I also spoke to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who has already deployed emergency response personnel and resources to support search-and-rescue teams, assess the damage, and focus our federal support where it is needed most quickly," Biden said. The Washington Post reported on Saturday that the death toll from the tornadoes that tore through Mississippi and Alabama on Friday night stood at 26. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) said earlier on Saturday that the death toll stood at 23, while four people were missing. UNI/SPUTNIK GNK An Advanced Light Helicopter or ALH-DHRUV Mark 3 helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) had to make a forced landing in Kerala's Kochi on Sunday. There were three pilots in the chopper and one of them received minor injuries. The chopper was on a training flight. The forced landing took place when the pilots were testing the chopper. An incident of forced landing of an ALH Dhruv Mark 3 helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard today took place in Kochi.(Source: @defencealerts) The chopper was at around 25 feet when it had to make a forced landing. The ICG is working towards resuming the operations of the ALH Dhruv fleet. "An incident of forced landing of an ALH Dhruv Mark 3 helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard today took place in Kochi while the pilots of the force were testing the chopper. The chopper was at around 25 feet height when it had to make a forced landing. The ICG is working towards resuming the operations of the ALH Dhruv fleet," ICG officials said in a statement. CG 855, an ALH Mk III based at Kochi, got airborne from Cochin International Airport at about 1225 hours for inflight checks after fitment of control rods on aircraft. Prior to the inflight checks, the HAL and ICG Team had carried out extensive and satisfactory ground trials on 26 Mar 2023, the Indian Coast Guard said. Immediately after takeoff, when CG 855 was at about 30-40 ft above ground, the cyclic controls ( which controls longitudinal and lateral movement of aircraft) did not respond. Showing exemplary professionalism and presence of mind, the pilot with bare minimum controls manoeuvred the aircraft away from the main runway to avoid blocking the runway at the international airport, the coast guard added. He, thereafter, cushioned the landing to the extent possible in order to save the three souls onboard. The aircraft veered to the left and crashed onto the left side of main runway. All crew are safe. The aircraft has sustained damage to its rotors and airframe. The Indian Coast Guard has ordered an Inquiry, to investigate the cause of the accident, it said. The fleet of ALH Dhruv choppers has been grounded since March 8 after a Navy chopper met with an accident off the coast of Mumbai. On March 8, an ALH of the Indian Navy met with an accident off the Mumbai coast. The navy said three crew members were safely rescued by a naval patrol craft. An inquiry to investigate the incident was also ordered. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Congress leaders and workers held protests across the country on Sunday over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leading the charge by accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to silence a martyrs son during a rally in the Capital. HT Image Protests were held in Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Assam, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu and Kashmir as part of what the party described as its Sankalp Satyagraha after Gandhis disqualification on Friday, following his conviction in a defamation case by a Surat court. In Delhi, hundreds of Congress workers congregated at Rajghat despite the Delhi Police denying permission for any demonstration. Leading the attack on the BJP, Priyanka said no cases were registered when her brother, Rahul, was called Mir Jafar. This is an insult to that Prime Minister who gave his life, she said, referring to her father Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated. She said her family gave its blood to the nation and the Congress is ready to do anything to protect democracy and is not scared. You have called a martyrs son anti-national, Mir Jafar, insulted his mother in Parliament. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) in Parliament asks why this family does not use the Nehru surname. You insult the entire family and the tradition of Kashmiri Pandits. But there is no case against you. You dont get a case or a two-year term and no one disqualifies you. Why? she said. Congress president Kharge joined in the attack and slammed the BJP over its charge that Rahul Gandhi had insulted the OBCs with his remark on the Modi surname. He referred to Modis puppy remark about Gujarat riot victims, while adding that a person who called people dogs was talking about OBCs. Why is he worried when Rahul and Congress talk about those who fled with public money? BJP leaders and spokespersons hit back shortly after. The Congress agitation is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi the Father of the Nation organised Satyagraha for social causes, the Congress is holding a so-called Satyagraha for personal reasons, said BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi. Satyagraha for what?... Is it to justify the way you insulted the entire backward community of the country, or against the court which sentenced you, or against the provision under which you have to be disqualified, he said, asking the Congress to clarify. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said those who weaken democracy cannot observe Satyagraha. The exchange between the two parties is the latest in one of the most bitter political fights between the two arch-rivals, with the unprecedented disqualification of one of the top leaders. In the second half of the budget session that has been a near-washout so far, BJP lawmakers launched a rare protest against Gandhi, demanding his apology for what they said were anti-India comments he made in the UK, a charge Gandhi denied. Rahul Gandhi claimed that the demand for his apology for his remarks and other attacks were aimed to distract from the real issue involving the Adani Group. In a press conference on Saturday, the former Congress president said Modi was scared of my next speech in Parliament on Adani. On Sunday, top Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the issue had brought the Opposition together and this unity would grow as days go by. How much will you insult one person? Priyanka said, and asked if Lord Ram, who was sent into exile, was a parivaarwadi. They accuse us of dynasticism. Who was Lord Ram? He was exiled and he fulfilled his responsibilities towards his family and motherland. Was Lord Ram parivaarwadi? Were the Pandavas parivaarwadi because they fought to uphold the values of their family? Should we be ashamed that our family members sacrificed their lives for this country? the Congress leader said. From 10am to 5pm today, the Congress will observe a day-long satyagraha protesting the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha after a Surat court convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. While Rahul Gandhi has been at the centre of the political controversy dominating Parliament for the last few weeks, the disqualification brings the opposition parties together, with Rahul Gandhi throwing a challenge to the government on the Adani issue -- and the BJP condemning Rahul Gandhi's behaviour. Read | Rahul, BJP trade punches on Adani, disqualification Police said no permission was given to the Congress to hold the satyagraha on Sunday. Rahul Gandhi, Adani, defamation, Savarkar, Satyagraha: 10 points 1. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived at Raj Ghat in New Delhi while Delhi Police said no permission for the satyagraha has been granted. All Pradesh Congress Committees have been asked to organise a day-long satyagraha in front of Gandhi statues. 2. Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference on Saturday, the first after his disqualification, and said he does not care whether he is permanently disqualified; he will continue raising questions over 'PM Modi's relationship with Adani'. 3. Rahul Gandhi thanked the opposition parties for supporting him on the question of disqualification and said it is time to work together. 4. On the Adani issue, Rahul Gandhi said he faced disqualification because PM Modi is scared of his next speech on Adani. "I have seen fear in his eyes," Rahul Gandhi said. 5. Union minister Anurag Thakur said Rahul Gandhi is not the first MP to face disqualification. "RG is a case of political immaturity, losing whatsoever little trust left, for gimmicks and cheap popularity," Anurag Thakur said. 6. BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said the Congress did not seek a stay on the conviction of the Surat court immediately because they want to encash the episode in Karnataka. 7. "We are not here to hold brief for Adani. But Gandhi has sought to mislead the people to link his disqualification with Adani. He has been disqualified because of conviction in a case that relates to defamatory remarks he made in 2019," the BJP spokesperson said. 8. On the question of an apology in connection with the defamation case, Rahul Gandhi said, "I am not a Savarkar. Gandhis don't apologise." 9. Rahul Gandhi's fresh attack on Savarkar riled Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde who demanded an apology for the 'derogatory' remark. "Savarkar is not only Maharashtra's deity but is an idol for the whole country and Rahul Gandhi has defamed him. Any criticism of Rahul Gandhi will be lesser for his this deed. Today also, he said that I am not Savarkar who will apologise. What does he think of Savarkar? He must be punished for this," Shinde said. 10. The Congress said it will approach a higher court to contest the Surat court order which sentenced him to two years' imprisonment. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Congress launched a day-long Sankalp Satyagraha in support of former party chief Rahul Gandhi at Rajghat in Delhi on Sunday amid the city police imposing Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to prohibit gathering of more than five persons in the area. Priyanka Gandhi invoked Lord Ram to counter the BJPs dynastic politics charges against her family. (HT Photo / Vipin Kumar) Congress top brass including president Mallilarjun Kharge, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra among other senior leaders like K C Venugopal, P Chidambaram, and Jairam Ramesh took part in the protest while a large number of party workers gathered outside the venue despite the police refusing to grant permission for the satyagraha. Priyanka Gandhi, while addressing the protest, tore into the Narendra Modi government at the Center. The prime minister of this country is a coward. Yes, file a case against me and put me in jail too. He is a proud coward. Our country has the tradition of defeating a proud king, she said. Priyanka also slammed the BJPs tactic of charging the Congress of dynastic politics and asked if the ruling party would say the same thing about Lord Ram, as he, too, came from a dynasty. You (BJP) talk about Pariwarvaad, I want to ask who was Lord Ram? Was he Pariwarvaadi, or were Pandavas Pariwarvaadi? Should we be ashamed because my family fought for the country? My family has nurtured the democracy of this country with their blood, Priyanka said. Congress member of Parliament (MP) Shashi Tharoor, who was also present at Rajghat today, said this Satyagraha was not just about the Congress or Rahul Gandhi, but about Indian democracy. Is it good for our democracy when the principal opposition leader is not allowed to raise his voice in Parliament where we have a PM who speaks to the world about India as the mother of democracy, is this good for our country?, Tharoor said while addressing the media. The Sankalp Satyagraha is being held after Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhis disqualification from the Lok Sabha, a day after a court in Gujarats Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. The disqualification will bar Gandhi, a four-time MP, from contesting polls for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction. The Congress is also holding similar day-long satyagraha in front of Gandhi statues or at their respective party headquarters in several other states like Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Telangana etc. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was soon to issue some critical remarks of this day-long protest held by the Congress. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath while attacking the protest said, One who condemns his country, walks on path of untruth, cant do Satyagraha BJP spokespersons RP Singh and Sudhanshu Trivedi too hit out at the Congress after Jagdish Tytler joined the protest. Calling Tytler killer of Sikhs in a reference to him being an accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Singh said that the satyagraha was a way to re-establish the former Congress MP. The family of Deep Sidhu had refused to acknowledge fugitive pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh as the heir to 'Waris Punjab De', formed by Sidhu's brother, and the actor had blocked his phone number before being killed in a road accident in February 2022, news agency PTI reported. Deep Sidhu and Amritpal Singh. Amritpal Singh reportedly chose to form'Warris Panj-Aab De', similar to 'Waris Punjab De' to ride on the late actor's popularity after the radical preacher failed to take control of the existing outfit, documents confiscated during a crackdown on him show. Here are top points on Amritpal Singh and Waris Punjab De: 1. Deep Sidhu's brother Mandeep had created an organisation in Fathehgarh Sahib on July 4, 2022, in accordance with the late actor's desires to promote 'Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan', spread awareness about pollution-related issues, draw drug-addicted youths towards sports, and aid people during natural disasters, among other goals, documents show. 2. It was established with strict regulations in place, including the roles and election of office-bearers. Mandeep stated that the organisation was created to fulfill his late brother's vision of serving the people of Punjab. 3. When Amritpal returned from overseas in August 2022 and demanded the papers for 'Waris Punjab De', Mandeep refused to hand them over. 4. Then suddenly, a new organisation called 'Warris Panj-Aab De' surfaced, with Sidhu's official Facebook page linked to it. It was registered in Moga district, with its inception date set being mentioned as December 15, 2021, PTI reported. 5. The Facebook page amassed a huge following, causing confusion among people, who assumed that Amritpal had taken over the organisation created by Sidhu. 6. Some documents unearthed during the ongoing crackdown against Amritpal, PTI reported, suggest that the establishment of 'Warris Panj-Aab De' was potentially backdated. The organisation's registered address was "Guru Nanak Furniture Store", owned by Amritpal's close associate Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, in Duneke village in Moga district. 7. Bukkanwala has been taken into custody and charged under the National Security Act and shifted to Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam. During questioning, Gurmeet claimed that the organisation was established much later, and some contacts were used to register it backdated from Moga district. However, he was unable to provide further information on the matter. 8. Amritpal has been at large since March 18 when the Punjab Police launched a crackdown against the elusive preacher. He gave the police the slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Punjab's Jalandhar district. 9. The Punjab Police on Sunday said it has released 197 people out of the total 353 taken into preventive custody on the apprehension of breach of peace and disturbance of law and order. 10. The police said it has detained seven persons under the stringent National Security Act. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Karnataka government scrapped the 4% reservation given to Muslims as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not believe in appeasement politics, Union minister Amit Shah said on Sunday, describing the quota as constitutionally invalid. Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the statue unveiling of 12th Century social reformer Basaveshwara and Bengaluru founder Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda in front of Vidhanasoudha, in Bengaluru, Sunday.(PTI) On Friday, Karnataka hiked the reservation given to the Lingayat, Vokkaliga communities but scrapped a separate quota for Muslims in a politically significant move just months before high-stakes assembly elections are due. Shah said the previous government led by Congress gave the reservation for the Muslim community for political gains. The reservation for minorities is not Constitutionally valid. There is no provision in the Constitution to give reservation based on religion, he said, while addressing two rallies in Gorata village in Bidar district and Gabbur in Raichur district. In Fridays decision, the 4% reservation for Muslims under the OBC quota was scrapped and distributed equally among the dominant Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities. Also Read: Move ahead with PM Modi for the developement: Amit Shah in Karnataka Lingayats, who make up 17% of the state, and Vokkaligas, who comprise 15%, are two of Karnatakas most powerful communities and their backing is critical across a large swathe of constituencies. The ruling BJP is looking to retain power by staving off a challenge from the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular). The BJP does not believe in appeasement. So, it decided to change the reservation, Shah said. The state government led by HD Deve Gowda, in 1994, fixed the reservation for Muslims in the state at 4%, and an order to this effect was passed in 1995. The state has four categories of other backward classes 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B based on economic, social and educational status. These communities get preferential reservations in jobs and educational institutions based on the categories. The 2A category includes the most backward, followed by 2B, 3A and 3B. Also Read: Deve Gowda appeals for support in upcoming polls in Karnataka With Fridays Cabinet decisions, the reservation for Vokkaligas rose from 4% to 6%, and for Lingayats from 5% to 7%. The EWS category currently comprises Brahmins, Jains, Aryavaishyas, Nagarthas and Modaliars, which constitute around 4% of the states population. Now the Muslim community, which constitutes around 13% of the states population, will be added to this group. However, only those people who are from families with a total annual income of less than 8 lakh, have agricultural land less than five acres in area, and a house of less than 1,000 sq ft, will be eligible for the reservation. Addressing a public gathering after inaugurating the Gorata Martyrs Memorial and a statue of the countrys first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Gorata village, Shah also accused the Congress of not remembering those who fought and sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Hyderabad from the brutal rule of the Nizam. Shah also hoisted a 103ft-high Tricolour at Gorata, which is known as the Jallianwala Bagh of South India. More than 200 people were massacred here in Gorata by the brutal Nizam, but due to its appeasement policy, the Congress never remembered those who fought and sacrificed their lives for Hyderabad liberation only for its greed for vote bank, he added. Paying his obeisance to Sardar Patel, he said had there not been Patel, Hyderabad would not have been liberated. Noting that the BJP never believed in appeasement, Shah said that the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government had renamed the erstwhile Hyderabad-Karnataka region Kalyana Karnataka. Because Hyderabad Nizam ruled the region, it was called Hyderabad-Karnataka region. It is the Congress which allowed the symbols of Indias slavery to continue here, but Yediyurappa renamed it as Kalyana Karnataka, he said. The Congress hit back, saying that it would restore the reservation for Muslims if it is voted to power. Terming the Karnataka governments decision to move Muslims into the 10% EWS pool unconstitutional, state Congress president DK Shivakumar said its the right of minorities. They (the government) think that reservation can be distributed like a property. Its not a property. Its a right of minorities, he said. We dont want their 4% to be scrapped and given to any of the major communities. They (members of the minority community) are our brothers and family members. Entire Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats are rejecting this offer, Shivakumar said. We will scrap all this, he said. Former chief minister and leader of opposition in the state assembly, Siddaramaiah, also lashed out at the BJP government, saying it has betrayed everyone by creating confusion on the reservation issue. The purpose of the Constitution by Ambedkar is to provide equal protection without discrimination on the basis of caste, religion or gender. This is what Article 14 of the Constitution says. Article 15 and 16 provide for reservation in education and employment. Its aim is to give special privileges to those who are deprived of opportunities and bring them into the mainstream. It is only when the socially and educationally backward are brought into the mainstream that we can move towards the establishment of an equal society. This is clearly stated in the constitution, Siddaramaiah said, speaking at a press conference held at the KPCC office in Bengaluru. Meanwhile, leaders of the Muslim community have said they will challenge the move in Court. (With inputs from agencies) Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, who is being shifted to Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, expressed fear that he might be murdered, soon after stepping out of the Sabarmati central jail in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Sunday. Mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed (in white headgear) steps out of Sabarmati jail as a team of Prayagraj Police takes him with them in Ahmedabad on Sunday. (ANI Photo) "Hatya, hatya (murder, murder)," Ahmed told reporters outside the jail. When some reporters asked him when he was being taken to a police van where he was feeling afraid, the ex-Samajwadi Party leader said, Mujhe inka programme maloom hai...Hatya karna chahte hain (I know their programme...They want to murder me). Ahmed will be produced before a court in Prayagraj that is scheduled to pass an order on March 28 in a kidnapping case in which he is an accused. In a video shared by news agency ANI, Ahmed can be seen stepping out of the Sabarmati jail in white headgear as the team of the Prayagraj Police takes him with it. Ahmed has been lodged in Sabarmati jail since June 2019 where he was shifted from his home state as per the Supreme Court orders in April that year. Akhilesh Yadav says 'vehicle could overturn' Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has suspected that Ahmed could be killed while being taken to Pragyagraj. The CM (Yogi Adityanath) must have told him (UP minister JPS Rathore) earlier where and how the car would be overturned. If you take help from Google and America, they will show how and when the car was overturned, ANI quoted Akhilesh Yadav as saying when asked about Rathore's statement to be prepared as Ahmed is being shifted from the Sabarmati jail. Akhileshs comment at a press conference appeared to be a reference to speculation about the July 2020 encounter of Kanpur gangster Vikas Dubey. The police had said they shot dead Dubey near Kanpur while he was in transit in a police convoy from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain. The police had claimed that they had killed Dubey after he tried to escape from the police vehicle, which had overturned. In response to Akhilesh's comments, Rathore said as far as car getting overturned is concerned, I just said that a criminal after being arrested by police should seat calmly in a car, so that he reaches jail safely. If he thinks to run away from the car then there might be disbalance and car might overturn, the UP minister told the news agency. Prayagraj court order on March 28 A court in Prayagraj has set March 28 as the date to pass its order in a kidnapping case in which Ahmed is an accused, Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma said in the Uttar Pradesh city. Sharma said a team of the Prayagraj Police was sent to bring Ahmed and produce him to the court there on the given date. The gangster-turned-politician has been lodged in Sabarmati jail since June 2019 after the Supreme Court had in April that year directed that the former MP from Phulpur in UP be shifted to a high-security jail in Gujarat after he was accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and assault of a real estate businessman Mohit Jaiswal while in jail. He is named in more than 100 criminal cases, including the recent Umesh Pal murder case, police said. Among the most sensational murders in which Ahmed is allegedly involved was that of Raju Pal, the MLA from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) who was shot dead in 2005. Umesh Pal murder case Umesh Pal, a key witness in this murder case, was gunned down outside his residence in Prayagraj on February 24. Ahmed had early this month moved the Supreme Court for protection, claiming that he and his family have been falsely implicated as accused in the Umesh Pal murder case in Prayagraj and he may be killed in a fake encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Police. In his plea, Ahmed said the Uttar Pradesh Police was in all likelihood seeking his transit remand and police remand to take him from Ahmedabad to Prayagraj and he "genuinely apprehends that he may be eliminated during this transit period". (With inputs from PTI) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON New Delhi has lodged a strong protest with Canada and the high commissioner of Canada was summoned on Saturday owing to the actions of the separatist and extremist elements against India's diplomatic mission and consulates in Canada this week. "The Government of India sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of our diplomatic mission and consulates," the ministry of external affairs said in its statement. Read | Canada says closely monitoring situation in Punjab India summoned Canada envoy on Saturday and sought an explanation for the "actions of separatist and extremist elements' against India's diplomatic mission and consulates in Canada this week.(PTI) "The government of Canada was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention, and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts," the statement read. "It is expected that the Canadian government will take all steps which are required to ensure the safety of our diplomats and security of our diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfil their normal diplomatic functions," the statement read. The Punjab government's crackdown on Waris Punjab De and its chief Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh invited attack on Indian missions abroad in UK and US to which India registered its strong protest. Canada foreign minsiter Melanie Joly was asked to comment on the situation in Punjab in the House of Commons on Thursday. "We are aware of the evolving situation in Punjab, and we are following it very closely. We look forward to a return to a more stable situation," the foreign minister said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON India summoned Canadian high commissioner Cameron MacKay and conveyed its strong concerns about actions by pro-Khalistan elements against the countrys missions in Canada, days after similar protests were lodged with the UK and the US. Canadian high commissioner Cameron MacKay. (Twitter/HCCanInd) MacKay was summoned to the external affairs ministry on Saturday, when the Indian side sought an explanation about how separatist and extremist elements were able to breach the security of Indian missions in Canada despite the presence of police, the ministry said in a statement. Pro-Khalistan activists have organised protests targeting Indian missions and diplomats in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US over the past two weeks and Indian officials believe the demonstrations were coordinated. In all four countries, some of the protests turned violent. A fresh string of protests began soon after the Punjab police launched a statewide manhunt against pro-Khalistani separatist preacher Amritpal Singh and his followers last week. The external affairs ministry said the Canadian envoy was summoned on Saturday to convey our strong concern about the actions of separatist and extremist elements against our diplomatic Mission and Consulates in Canada last week. The Indian government sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of our diplomatic Mission and Consulates. The Canadian government was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts. The Indian side further said it expects the Canadian government to take all required steps to ensure the safety of Indian diplomats and the security of the countrys diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfil their normal diplomatic functions. Over the past few months, India has complained to Canada several times about the vandalisation of its diplomatic premises and events that apparently targeted its diplomats. Last week, Indias envoy to Canada, Sanjay Verma, had to call off his participation in a reception organised by the Friends of India & Canada Foundation at Surrey in British Columbia after nearly 200 protestors, some wielding swords, gathered in front of the venue. Local police were unable to control the crowd and officials advised the envoy against attending the event. On March 19, India reacted angrily to a violent protest outside the high commission in London by summoning British deputy high commissioner Christina Scott to register a strong protest over actions taken by separatist and extremist elements. The Indian side demanded an explanation for the complete absence of British security at the time and Britain was asked to take immediate steps to identify, arrest and prosecute each one of those involved in the protest. The following day, India lodged a strong protest with US charge daffaires Elizabeth Jones over the vandalisation of the Indian consulate in San Francisco during a protest by Khalistani groups. These protests were organised soon after the Punjab police launched a statewide manhunt for Amritpal Singh and his followers and arrested nearly 100 people. Singh, accused in eight first information reports (FIRs) of abduction, inciting violence and disturbing social harmony, is linked to the Khalistani secessionist movement and is the chief of the Waris Punjab De. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON INS Chilka (Odisha): Becoming Agniveers is not an end in itself for several bright young men and women who are set to pass out from the Indian Navys sprawling lakeside training facility, INS Chilka, in two days. Shweta Singh Antal completed BA (hons) in sociology from Delhis Miranda House before she was selected under Agnipath scheme (HT Photo/Rahul Singh) They are aiming higher. Many of the trainees, aged between 17-and-a-half and 21 and Indias first Agniveers, have set their sights on becoming officers in the armed forces, and are focused on working their way up to more ambitious goals. Shweta Singh Antal, 21, a non-medical student, scored 96% in the Class 12 Board exams and completed BA (hons) in sociology from Delhis Miranda House before she was selected under the pioneering Agnipath scheme for short-term recruitment of personnel below officer rank (PBOR) in the three services, and landed up at INS Chilka for basic naval training late last year. She is among the 2,600 Agniveers including 273 women who will pass out from INS Chilka on March 28, after four gruelling months of training. Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar will attend the passing-out parade as the chief guest and the reviewing officer. The Agniveers will be attached to frontline warships for two weeks for their sea training before they undergo specialised training for four more months at different naval establishments based on the streams they have been assigned to. Also Read: Army to kick off 2nd round of Agniveer recruitment soon The Agnipath scheme is a stepping stone for me to become an officer in the navy or any of the other two services. I am not settling for anything less. The knowledge and skills that I have acquired during training, and will gain in the naval service that follows will put me in an advantageous position to achieve my goal, said Shweta. She took a shot at becoming an army officer last year but could not clear the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview to join the Chennai-based Officers Training Academy (OTA). She is a National Cadet Corps (NCC) C certificate holder. Those with NCC C certificates get exemption from appearing for the Combined Defence Services Examination, conducted by Union Public Service Commission, to qualify for the SSB interview. The Agnipath result was declared the day Shwetas SSB result was announced. I didnt want to sit at home, and chose to join INS Chilka. I will serve in the navy as a sailor, and simultaneously work hard to achieve my goals. After completing my basic four-month training here, I already feel I am better prepared to handle challenges and unexpected situations. The Agnipath model is a stark departure from the militarys decades-old recruitment system that ended after the government announced the new scheme last year. It seeks to recruit soldiers for only four years, with a provision to retain 25% of them in regular service for another 15 years after further screening. The navys commission worthy scheme gives opportunities to deserving PBOR to successfully transition to the officer cadre. Deepak Chaudhary, a 20-year-old from Aligarh, is among the Agniveers who have set new goals for themselves, and are willing to give it their all to climb the career ladder. If theres one thing I have learnt during my training at INS Chilka, it is that I am capable of much more than I think. The training has broadened my horizons, and thats why I am thinking big, said Deepak. Many Agniveers, who are on the threshold of a challenging and exciting military career, say the training at INS Chilka has transformed them completely --- toughened them up mentally and physically, made them more confident, helped them develop problem-solving skills, fostered discipline, team spirit and adaptability, taught them leadership lessons, and, above all, instilled into them core military values including honour, courage and commitment. All the things we have learnt here form the building blocks of success in all walks of life. And if you think you have the potential, then why should dreams not be chased. I see myself as a future officer in the navy, said S Suresh, a 22-year-old from Tamil Nadu, who holds a bachelors degree in chemistry. In June 2022, India announced the Agnipath scheme replacing the legacy recruitment system to lower the age profile of the armed forces, ensure a fitter military, and create a technically skilled war-fighting force capable of meeting future challenges. The scheme is expected to bring down the average age of soldiers in the armed forces from the current 32 years to 24-26 years over the next five to six years. Khushi Pathania, a 19-year-old from Punjabs Pathankot, says she was raised to go after her dreams and never let go of them. I am joining the navy as a sailor, and I am thrilled about it. The navy is a technology-intensive service and I dont think any other entry-level job can give me that kind of exposure at my level, she said. But thats just the beginning of my journey. The dream of becoming a navy officer seems within my reach now. And who knows, I may someday return to INS Chilka as an officer instructor, and mentor others to work their way up to achieve their goals, just like I have been, Khushi said. Pointing to two slogans painted on a building near the imposing parade ground overlooking the Chilika lake, Deepak says he has found the twin mottos of his life, mottos that have strengthened his resolve to become an officer: Victory is My Profession and Train to Win. New Delhi, Mar 26 (UNI) India summoned the Canadian High Commissioner on Saturday to convey its strong protest regarding the actions of pro-Khalistani separatist and extremist elements against the Indian High Commission and Consulates in Canada over the week. The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said that it sought an explanation from the Canadian High Commissioner on how the Khalistani elements were allowed to breach the security of the Indian diplomatic mission and consulates despite the presence of police. The Canadian government was asked to arrest and prosecute the persons who had been identified as involved in the incidents. The summoning of the Canadian High Commissioner comes after India summoned the top diplomats posted in the UK High Commission and the US Embassy over similar incidents of vandalism and breach of security of the Indian diplomatic missions and posts in the countries by pro-Khalistani elements. The Indian statement read: The High Commissioner of Canada was summoned yesterday to convey our strong concern about the actions of separatist and extremist elements against our diplomatic Mission and Consulates in Canada this week. The Government of India sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of our diplomatic Mission and Consulates. The Government of Canada was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention, and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts. It is expected that the Canadian Government will take all steps which are required to ensure the safety of our diplomats and security of our diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfil their normal diplomatic functions," it said. Khalistani supporters held protests in Ottawa in Canada on Thursday, according to reports. An event to be attended by an Indian diplomat in British Columbia province had to be cancelled after a violent protest by Khalistani supporters. Indian-origin journalist Sameer Kaushal, who was at the venue to cover the protest, was also assaulted by Khalistani supporters. The pro-Khalistani elements have become aggressive following the action to arrest separatist Waris Punjab De leader Amritpal Singh, who is on the run. UNI RN The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday successfully launched Indias largest Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3) rocket/OneWeb India-2 Mission with 36 satellites onboard from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. LVM3-M3 OneWeb India-2 mission launch today (ANI) The countdown to the second commercial launch of LVM3 rocket was kickstarted on Saturday. The lift off of the 43.5 metre tall rocket took place at 9 am. The 36 first generation satellites weighing 5,805 kgs will be placed into a 450 kms circular orbit with an inclination of about 87.4 degree. Also read: Isro plans 'space tourism' by 2030 at 6 crore per passenger The LVM-III will deploy 36 satellites of the UK-based Network Access Associated Ltd (OneWeb) to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) on Sunday. The OneWeb Group Company has inked a contract with ISRO's commercial arm NewSpace India Ltd to launch 72 satellites into LEO. The first satellite deployment collaboration between the two organisations took place in October 2022 with ISRO launching 36 satellites of OneWeb. OneWeb is a global communication network powered from space, enabling connectivity for governments and businesses. OneWeb, which has Bharti Enterprises as a major investor, would be completing the first generation of LEO constellation with its 18th launch and third this year. After SSLV-D2/EOS07 mission in February, the OneWeb India-2 Mission is ISROs second successful launch this year. Previously known as Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MkIII (GSLVMkIII), Sundays launch is LVM3 rocket's sixth overall flight. It had five consecutive missions including the Chandrayaan-2. OneWeb said,Terming the addition of 36 satellites to the OneWeb fleet and the completion of the first ever global LEO constellation a significant milestone, the company said that the pivotal mission of OneWeb Launch 18 is remaining. The company also indicated it will roll out global services in 2023. "17 launches completed. As we launch another 36 satellites with our colleagues at ISRO and NewSpace India Ltd this weekend (March 26), we will reach 616 satellites in-orbit.." (With inputs from PTI) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Foreign minister S Jaishankar has recently said people from inside the country are taking the politics outside and people from outside the country are interfering in the politics inside. "This is what we are seeing today," Jaishankar said on Friday in Bengaluru at BJYM Yuva Samvada. Foreign minister S Jaishankar recently said outside people are interfering in India's politics. "Many people in the world were very comfortable with how things were in India till 2014 and after things changed, they saw different confidence, different beliefs. Suddenly people started saying there is something wrong, the court is not performing properly, the election commission is not okay, press is being restricted. Everything happened after 2014 only?" Jaishankar said. India summons Canada envoy, seeks explanation for 'security breach' "Why is that happening? You have people outside India who have an interest in people inside India. And when those people do not get electoral success and they are today seen as less and less representing the reality of India, there is an attempt from outside to make out as though that is normal and somewhere India has started to deviate. Now if you look historically, this is the normal -- what you are seeing today," Jaishankar said. The comment comes amid a major political controversy as the BJP demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his speech in London. Rahul Gandhi, before his disqualification from the Lok Sabha following his conviction in the 2019 defamation case, was accused of seeking the help of foreign countries in India's internal politics. As Jaishankar interacted at the event organised by Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, he also commented on the recent attack on Indian missions abroad by pro-Khalistani supporters. "It is the obligation of the receiving country to ensure the embassy or the high commission or the consulate and their premises are respected. These obligations were not met, Jaishankar said. The ministry of external affairs summoned Canadian high commissioner Cameron MacKay on Saturday and conveyed its strong concerns about actions by pro-Khalistan elements against the countrys missions in Canada, days after similar protests were lodged with the UK and the US. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON BJP leader Khushbu Sundar, who has been targeted by the Congress over her 2018 tweet critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday said she had rectified her stance a long back and that is why she joined the saffron party to support its cause. BJP leader Khushbu Sundar speaks to the media.(ANI file) The Congress turncoat added that she has no hesitation in apologising. Also Read: Khushbu Sundar's old tweet viral as Rahul Gandhi convicted, disqualified Responding to a post by senior journalist N Ram, Sundar said, I had my opinion which had changed long back with greater awareness. I had rectified my stance since and that is why i even joined BJP to support their cause. So i have no hesitation in apologizing and have moved on since long. Let them have fun beating the dead snake! In the wake of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as Lok Sabha MP over his equating the surname Modi to "thieves" the party was quick to pick on Khushbu's old tweet. Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi via a Twitter post on Saturday morning, "will you make one of your disciples named Modi file a defamation case against Khushbu Sundar too?" The actor-turned-politician hit back at the opposition party saying she was speaking the language of the leader then as she was told to do so and questioned its desperation. She has not deleted the five-year-old social media post and will not do so now, she said. Sundar said it exposed how desperate the opposition party was. The 2018 tweet of the National Commission for Women (NCW) member has gone viral and she has not deleted the post. Sundar, also BJP national executive committee member who had quit the Congress party and joined the saffron organisation in 2020 had posted a tweet in 2018 saying "...Let's change the meaning of #Modi to corruption..suits better." Explaining the tweet, Khushbu said, "I was in Congress party then and I was only performing my duty as the spokesperson of the Congress. This is the language we were supposed to speak and that is exactly what I was doing. I was following the party leader. This is his language." "Not only does it show how desperate they (Congress party) are, but it exposes their level of ignorance on the issue they are raking up," she told news agency PTI. Asked if she saw nothing wrong in insulting the 'Modi' surname, she said, "Rahul Gandhi has stooped down to the level calling all Modis as thieves, I have only used the term 'Corruption'. The Congress party is incapable of seeing the difference. But if they have the guts, I challenge the Congress leaders to file a case against me and I will face them legally." Sundar also pointed out that the Congress Party never liked her appreciating the positive steps taken by the ruling BJP. (With inputs from agencies) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin will jointly inaugurate the year-long centenary celebrations of Vaikom Satyagraha in Vaikom, Kerala on April 1. Mahadeva temple in Vaikom (HT Photo/sourced) The epoch-making satyagraha that began on March 30, 1924, breached rigid walls of orthodoxy and opened a new chapter in the fight against untouchability and the caste system in India. In those days, only people belonging to the upper caste were allowed in major temples while those of the lower caste were not even allowed to take roads leading to shrines due to untouchability. Offenders were beaten up and jailed indiscriminately. According to historians, Vaikom Satyagraha was the first major step towards the long movement to ensure the basic rights of the socially oppressed in the country. It was a nonviolent protest that took place from 30 March 1924 to 23 November 1925 in the Kingdom of Travancore, now part of Kerala. Also Read: Kerala village known for Kathakali renamed as Ayirur Kathakali Gramam The movement got a leg up in 1924 after Mahatma Gandhi sent his disciple Vinoba Bhave to Vaikom to help the agitation and in 1925, Gandhiji himself came to Vaikom to participate. Before visiting Vaikom he wrote in Young India in February 1925: The Vaikyom satyagrahis are fighting a battle of no less consequence than that of Swaraj. It was one of the most important movements for the countrys untouchables, said Bhimrao Ambedkar, who was 33 at that time. The small temple town became a nerve centre of a socio-religious movement that questioned the upper caste hegemony over Hindu shrines in which Mahatma Gandhi also played a key role. He once said the peaceful movement gave him much energy in his fight against the caste system within the country and later foreign domination. Historians say that the movement also catapulted then Tamil Nadu Congress leader E V Ramaswamy Naicker aka Thanthai Periyar to centre stage in his lifelong fight for the downtrodden. Periyar was instrumental in giving mass participation. The King of Travancore Sree Mulam Tirunal Ramavarma invited him several times for talks but he refused. He travelled across the princely state and his words inspired people, said writer and Dalit activist Sunny M Kapicaud. A statue of Periyar now stands tall in Vaikom town in the Kottayam district. Interestingly, the satyagraha was also led by several upper caste leaders such as K P Kesava Menon and Mannath Padmanabhan, who later founded the Nair Service Society. Social reformer Sree Narayana Guru also played a key role in the movement. Vaikom Satyagraha was a glorious chapter in the social movement of the country. It helped earn acceptability and respectability for socially backward. It eventually led to the historic Temple Entry Proclamation in 1936, said noted historian MGS Narayanan. The centre of the century-old movement was the ancient Mahadeva temple in Vaikam and all roads leading to the ancient shrine were barred to people belonging to backward castes especially. Despite several requests, the then King of Travancore was not ready to do away with the age-old system. The Congress party then extended its support to the movement after its leader T K Madhavan narrated the injustice being meted out to lower caste people during the Kakinada Congress session in 1923. Also Read: Shah inaugurates temple in Kashmir, lauds Modi for restoring peace On March 30, 1924, two persons from the backward community Kunjappi from the Pulaya caste and Bahulyan from the Ezhava caste, along with Govinda Panikkar, an upper caste, proceeded to the road leading to the temple in Vaikom. They were beaten up and jailed but it sowed seeds of a mass movement and resistance. Their movement lasted for 600-odd days when in 1925 Mahatma Gandhi came to the temple site and joined the movement. There he met Maharani of Travancore city state Sethu Lakshmibai and succeeded in getting some concessions for lower caste communities. Roads around the temple with the exception of two lanes leading to the eastern entrance were opened to all castes. But it was just the beginning. The satyagraha later led to the historic temple entry proclamation in 1936 that eventually opened the doors of all temples in Travancore to Hindus, irrespective of caste barriers. The Congress has also announced a series of programmes to mark the centenary of Vaikom Satyagraha. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Welcome to hindustantimes.com updates platform where you can find breaking news from India and across the world. Find fast updates about the latest news as it breaks. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 53-year-old man in Keralas Ernakulam allegedly died in police custody on Saturday night. (Representative Photo) Police said that P Manoharan was detained during a vehicle-checking inspection and was taken to Hill Palace police station in Tripunithura in Ernakulam district, where he collapsed and died on way to the hospital. However, eyewitnesses and relatives have alleged that Manoharan was brutally assaulted by the cops and was later tortured at the station. In connection with the incident, a police sub-inspector was suspended while a crime branch inquiry has been ordered by the state government, said a senior police official. Also Read: Bhojpuri actor Akanksha Dubey dies, suicide suspected According to the eyewitnesses, Manoharan was taken into custody by the police as he did not stop his scooter after police signalled him to stop. They said the police assaulted him and dragged him to the station. Following his death, a mob of angry protestors laid siege to the police station where Manoharan was taken under custody. It was cold-blooded murder. He did not have any serious medical issues, instead, he was tortured to death, said one of his relatives. Meanwhile, the opposition Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also held protest marches to the police station seeking action against all policemen who were on duty at the time Manoharan was taken under custody. He was tortured to death. We want murder charges to be slapped on policemen who took him into custody, said leader of the opposition in Kerala assembly V D Satheesan. A senior official said the reason behind his death will only be ascertained after post-mortem. World's highest railway bridge, taller than Eiffel Tower, to open in J&K soon The track laying work started on the Chenab railway bridge, located 359 metres above the riverbed, in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. (HT Photo) Jammu and Kashmir will soon be able to boast of the worlds highest railway bridge, which is set to open soon over the Chenab river. Built at a height of 359 m (1,178 ft) over the river, the Chenab railway bridge soars above the Eiffel Tower in Paris by at least 35 metres. Read more Ro Khanna attacked for supporting Rahul Gandhi: 'Don't malign my grandfather' Indian-American politician Ro Khanna condemned Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha following which he has been subjected to criticism mostly around the premises that 'his grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar supported Indira Gandhi's Emergency.' Read more This Princess Diana nickname is inaccurate, ex-royal press secretary says When Princess Diana was introduced to the press in 1980, she was often referred to as Shy Di. She was only 19 years old then and was pushed into the media limelight as then-Prince Charles' girlfriend. But Queen Elizabeths former press secretary claimed there was nothing shy about her. Read more Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid said we want you to': Shikhar Dhawan after he was suddenly dropped from Team India Shikhar Dhawan's hopes of making an international comeback will depend a lot in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which gets underway from March 31. Dhawan, who was one of India's mainstay at least in the 50-over format, lost his place in the team in January. Read more Samantha Ruth Prabhu, in white saree, is epitome of grace Samantha Ruth Prabhu is currently awaiting the release of her upcoming film Shakuntalam. The actor, in the film, will be sharing screen space with Mohan Babu, Jisshu Sengupta, Madhoo, Gautami, Aditi Balan and Ananya Nagalla. Directed by Gunasekhar, Shakuntalam is a historical drama film, slated for a theatrical release on April 14. Read more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Khalistan supporters protesting outside the Indian embassy in Washington DC went into a tirade against Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, as they expressed solidarity with absconding Khalistan propagator Amritpal Singh, against whom authorities have launched a crackdown in India. Khalistan supporters protest outside India's embassy in Washington (ANI) Also Read: Police register FIR against Khalistan radicals for London protests which is the Indian government and their ambassador, Mr Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who is the face of terror diplomacy in the free worldwe want to remind him that it is unacceptable for you guys to kill minorities, to rape Christian women, to kill innocent Sikh men, to kill Muslims, to kill people in Nagaland, and then come here and say that you're the biggest democracy. This hypocrisy comes to an end now, one of the protesters ranted. An Indian journalist covering the same demonstration was physically attacked by some of the demonstrators. Lalit K Jha, the chief United States correspondent for the Press Trust of India (PTI), thanked the Secret Service for saving his life. Condemning the assault, the Indian embassy said, We condemn such a grave and unwarranted attack on a senior journalist. Such activities only underscore the violent and anti-social tendencies of the so-called Khalistani protestors and their supporters, who routinely engage in wanton violence and vandalism. We thank the law enforcement agencies for their prompt response in the matter. Khalistan symapthisers have staged protests at Indian missions in various cities across the world, including London and San Francisco, against the crackdown on Amritpal and his aides, which began on March 18. Several of these demonstrations took a violent turn, prompting India to launch protest with the host country. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday seized the office of now banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, officials privy to the matter said on Sunday. According to the NIA officer in the know of the matter, the accused in Nettaru murder used to hold conspiracy meetings to plan for the murder in the office. (HT Archive) The PFI office is located on the first floor of a business complex on Alleti Road at Gandhinagara in Sullia of the district. The confiscation proceedings were conducted on Saturday in accordance with Section 25 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, (UAPA) 1967. According to Section 25, any kind of transfer, leasing, disposing of, altering or dealing with the said property (office) in any manner except with prior permission, is prohibited. The development comes as part of its investigation into the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Praveen Nettaru murder case. Nettaru was hacked to death by bike-borne assailants in front of his broiler shop in Bellare in Dakshina Kannada on July 26, last year. According to the NIA officer in the know of the matter, the accused in Nettaru murder used to hold conspiracy meetings to plan for the murder in the office. The NIA alleged that the act was done with the intention of creating terror among people, attempting to threaten the unity, integrity, security and sovereignty of the country. Chief NIA investigator, Bengaluru division, A Shanmugaam, has also issued notices and orders in this regard. A copy of the order was sent to the Union home secretary, Delhi, NIA director general, deputy commissioner Dakshina Kannada and superintendent of police. We have received intimation by NIA officers and our police personnel are assisting them in the investigation, Puttur division deputy superintendent of police Veeranna Hirmath said.This is second such seizure by the NIA in connection with the Nettaru murder case. Earlier, on February 23, the NIA had attached a community hall in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district belonging to the PFI. According to the NIA, Mittur Freedom Community Hall in Idukki village was used to impart arms training to members of PFI. NIA attached the Mittur community hall/freedom community hall situated in Idkidu village of Dakshina Kannada district after the agency during the probe found that the said premise is being used to impart arms training to members of PFI, the agency said. In January, the NIA filed a charge sheet against 20 accused and stated that they had links with PFI. It alleged that the accused formed secret teams to carry out killings of its perceived enemies and targets. Investigations revealed that the PFI, as part of its agenda to create terror, communal hatred and unrest in the society and to further its agenda of establishing Islamic Rule by 2047, formed secret teams called service teams or killer squads to carry out killings of its perceived enemies and targets, the NIA said in its release. The NIA has booked the 20 accused under Sections 120B, 153A, 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Sections 16, 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act. Kolkata: A team of marine biologists during routine monitoring of marine litter in Andaman and Nicobar Islands has stumbled upon a piece of rock made from plastic from a beach on Aves island. This is the first such find from India. Known as plastiglomerate, it is a rock composed of sand, rock fragments, shells and other materials held together by plastic. It is a new form of plastic pollution, which scientists described in 2014. (Photo courtesy: Prasun Goswami) Known as plastiglomerate, it is a rock composed of sand, rock fragments, shells and other materials held together by plastic. It is a new form of plastic pollution, which scientists described in 2014. This is the first find from India of plastiglomerate. Laboratory analysis showed it has two very commonly used plastic polymers polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride which was holding the smaller rock and sand particles to form a rock, approximately the size of ones which are found along railway tracks, said Punyasloke Bhadury, a professor of biological sciences at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Kolkata. Interestingly, according to the 2011 Census, there are just two people on Aves Island. Both are male. The findings have been published in Marine Plastic Pollution, a peer-reviewed journal published by Elsevier, in March. Plastic accumulation in oceans and on beaches has turned into a global crisis. Thousands of seabirds, turtles, seals and other marine mammals are killed each year after ingesting plastic or getting entangled in it. Recent research findings suggest that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal are facing increasing threats of plastic pollution. A research paper published in Current Science in 2019 revealed that plastic from around 10 Asian countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, were found on five islands in the archipelago. Even though plastic pollution in marine environments has been studied for the past five decades, new types of previously undiscovered plastic debris keep emerging globally, scientists said. Plastiglomerate is one such form. These man-made aggregates were first found at Kamilo Beach, Hawaii, and have since been reported in Indonesia, the US, Portugal, Canada and Peru. Other newly discovered forms of marine plastic pollution include plastic crust, a layer of plastic encrusted onto ocean rocks, and pyroclastic, burnt plastic that look like pebbles, said Bhadhury. These forms of plastic pollution have the potential to survive millions of years and may even enter the geological record. How did plastiglomerate, which requires molten plastic to bind sand and other debris, formed on Aves island? It could be that some plastic has been burnt close to the island, which may have later bound the sand and rock fragments, or the rock may have been washed ashore from distant places by the sea, the scientists said. These are newly reported forms of marine plastic pollution. This is an emerging field. Even though scientists have been studying the ill-effects of plastic, we know very little about these new forms, their toxicity, degradation, and release of secondary pollutants like micro-plastics and nano-plastics and chemical additives, said Punarbasu Chaudhuri, associate professor in the department of environmental science in Calcutta University. Scientists are still not sure about their long-term implications. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Jerusalem, Mar 26 (UNI) Over 600,000 Israelis have participated in yet another nationwide protest against the controversial Israeli judicial reform, The Times of Israel reported. Protests against the reform have been held in Israel for 12 straight weeks. On Saturday, nearly 300,000 demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv alone, The Times of Israel reported, saying that overall 630,000 people took to the streets across the country. According to the newspaper, police used water cannons against demonstrators in Tel Aviv. At least 28 protesters were detained while blocking the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv. In January, Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin rolled out a legal reform package that would limit the authority of the Supreme Court by giving the cabinet control over the selection of new judges, as well as allowing the Knesset to override the court's rulings with an absolute majority. In mid-February, the Israeli parliament approved the first part of the legislation. The second half was approved by the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, at the beginning of March. The reform's opponents argue it will undermine democracy in Israel and put the country on the verge of a social and constitutional crisis. On Friday, organizers of the protest movement against the judicial reform in Israel declared a "week of paralysis," which would include nationwide demonstrations against the divisive legislative action. Earlier this week, hundreds of activists swarmed outside the residences of prominent Israeli government officials including Tourism Minister Haim Katz, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, among others to protest against the judicial reform. UNI/SPUTNIK GNK Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) along with other public space agencies for the successful launch of India's largest Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3) rocket/OneWeb India-2 Mission with 36 satellites. He said the recent launch has reinforced India's leading role as a global commercial launch service provider in the true spirit of Aatmanirbharta. Prime Minister Narendra Modi.(PTI) Congratulations @NSIL_India @INSPACeIND @ISRO on yet another successful launch of LVM3 with 36 @OneWeb satellites. It reinforces Indias leading role as a global commercial launch service provider in the true spirit of Aatmanirbharta, PM Modi said in a tweet. LVM3 is a three-staged rocket and its first and second stages are fired using liquid fuel and the third using the cryogenic engine. It is the second commercial launch of a batch of 36 first generation satellites weighing 5,805 kgs. The first batch of equal number of satellites were launched on October 23, 2022. These satellites will be placed into a 450 kms circular orbit with an inclination of about 87.4 degree. The UK-based Network Access Association Limited (OneWeb) has inked a deal to launch 72 satellites into the Low Earth Orbit (LEO). OneWeb is a global communication network powered from space, enabling connectivity for governments and businesses. It is the 18th launch for OneWeb and the second this year for ISRO. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON New Delhi: In wake of protests by Khalistan supporters in UK, Australia, UK, and US, India has decided to invoke the law of the land against those extremists who have violated the sovereign territory of India by breaking into High Commission in London as well as Consulate General in San Francisco. Khalistan Sikh Extremists protesting outside Indian embassy in Washington today On March 23, 2023, the Special Cell of Delhi Police registered an FIR against pulling down of Indian National Flag by Khalistan extremists lead by political asylum seeker Avtar Singh Khanda after breaking into premises of the Indian High Commission in London on March 19. It is understood that the FIR was registered under sectors 109/147/148/149/120-B/448/452/325 of IPC along with Section 13 of the UAPA, Section 3(1) of the PDPP and Prevention to insult to National Honour Act. It is understood that the Modi government will file proper complaints against the violent protestors with the UK and US governments as well are examining invoking the domestic law against those Indian citizens identified as violent protestors in the Khalistan rally in London, San Francisco, Ottawa, and other places. Once the law is invoked, these identified protestors will face the heat from law all over the world as breaking into Embassy premises is a breach of criminal law. It is understood that the Indian Embassy in Washington has already filed a complaint with the US Secret Service over the Khalistani protest, where slogans were raised against India and the Indian Ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, himself a Sikh, was branded as terrorist and an agent of India. The journalist from an Indian news agency who was roughed up by the Khalistan protestors is also expected to file a complaint with the US government. The message from New Delhi to UK, Canada, Australia, and US government is quite unambiguous. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made it very clear from Bengaluru that security of Indian premises and its staff in these countries is responsibility of the receiving government and that India will hold them accountable for any adverse events. It is quite evident that US and Australian government responses have been much sharper to the Khalistan extremists and sympathizers than the UK and Canada government. While the Modi government has noted with satisfaction the sharp response of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to Khalistan protestors in San Francisco, New Delhis response to these protests is not going to be episodic but will be part of a long-term strategy towards these countries. The US Secret Service was present at the Washington protests today and made sure that the extremists were kept out of Embassy premises while recording the entire event and the sloganeering against India and the Indian ambassador. Fact is that the Modi government has taken these protests with utmost seriousness but will use the law against the Sikh radicals rather than react in any overt manner. The Indian response is part of the new policy of the Modi government as there is stern message to both the governments of the countries where the protests are taking place as well as the protestors. It is not about merely revoking the OCI cards of the identified protestors but about facing the full force of law in India and abroad, said a senior diplomat. While the radical protests abroad are part of the absconding Sikh extremist Amritpal Singh narrative, the Modi government will be forced to be revisit bilateral relations against those countries which are tacitly supporting these radicals in the name of free speech. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Rahul Gandhi on Sunday updated his Twitter bio and added 'Dis'Qualified MP' in the description two days after he was disqualified as a Lok Sabha MP following his conviction by a Surat court in a 2019 defamation case. The former Wayanad MP displayed the 'disqualification' as a badge of honour on his social media account which is followed by 23 million people. on a day his party launched a day-long satyagraha protesting Rahul Gandhi's disqualification. Two days after his disqualification from the Lok Sabha following, Rahul Gandhi updated his Twitter bio. Rahul Gandhi updated his Twitter bio on Sunday. On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference and said it does not matter to him whether he is permanently disqualified from the Lok Sabha as his tapasay is to serve the people and he will continue raising questions to the government. Questioning the relationship between PM Modi and Adani, Rahul Gandhi said he has been disqualified because PM Modi is scared of Rahul Gandhi's next speech on Adani. I saw the fear in PM Modi's eyes, Rahul Gandhi said adding that he is not scared of disqualification at all. BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Congress did not appeal to a higher court against the Surat court order immediately because it wants to cash in on the disqualification in the Karnataka election. The disqualification has triggered a massive political row with all opposition leaders coming together to condemn the 'political vendetta' of the government SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), an ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Tamil Nadu, said on Sunday Rahul Gandhis punishment is disproportionate to his speech and that he shouldnt have been disqualified from the Lok Sabha in a haste. PMK chief Anbumani Ramadoss We are not in an alliance with the Congress but despite that we feel Rahul Gandhi has received a big punishment for his speech, PMK chief and former union minister Anbumani Ramadoss said in Dharmapuri. The court should have let him off with a warning for his remarks. According to me this is a wrong verdict. Beyond that, snatching away his post is also wrong. BJP could have avoided being in such a hurry. They should have given him time to appeal. If he still hadnt got a favourable verdict, then they could have taken action. Meanwhile the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) on Sunday said that the BJP- led union governments disqualification of Rahul Gandhi is akin to the acts of dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Their ally DMK which rules Tamil Nadu said that in three days they would make sure that Gandhi is reinstated. The Congress unit compared Rahul Gandhi to Mahatma Gandhi who did not occupy an elected position in public life but the world listened to him. He did not say anything which is wrong and untrue. The issue is that they dont want Rahul Gandhi to speak in Parliament, TNCC president K S Alagiri said at a press conference in Tirunelveli following their protest. Because if he speaks in public, (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi doesnt have to respond to him which is not the situation inside the Parliament. He listed four questions which Gandhi had posed to the Prime Minister regarding billionaire industrialist Gautham Adani. Manmohan Singh had to face such questions in the Parliament and he answered them, said Alagiri. Dictators across the world are capable of doing anything they want which is what is happening here now. Hitler, Mussolini did this. Now, Modi is doing it. Rahul Gandhi has come in place of Mahatma Gandhi where people in India and the world listened to him. The TNCC was confident that their party would turn this into a peoples movement since political parties not affiliated to them have shown their support. Mamta Baneerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Prashanth Kishore who are not with us have condemned this as wrong because thats peoples opinion, Alagiri said. In the neighbouring union territory of Puducherry, former chief minister V Narayanasamy and a 100 party workers were detained for protesting against Gandhis disqualification. Speaking during an event in Sivagangagi district, DMKs organising secretary R S Bharathi criticised the speed in why Rahul Gandhi was removed in 24 hours following the verdict. A bad time for Modi has started. The countdown against Modi has started, said Bharathi. We will ensure that we will bring back Rahul Gandhi to his post. Chief minister and DMK president M K Stalin had on the day of his disqualification on Friday condemned it as a fascist act and said that the BJP was scared of Rahul Gandhi especially after the impact of Bharat Jodo Yatra. As news spread on March 23 about a trial court in Gujarats Surat convicting Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark and sentencing him for two years, Alagiri led party functionaries to stage a rail roko in Kumbakonam. Parallelly, Congress MLAs protested during the on-going state assembly session in Chennai. On his disqualification as Wayanads Member of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said during a press conference in Delhi on Saturday that Modi is scared of my next speech on Adani. Gandhi also said his disqualification would help the party as it has given the Congress new ammunition. Gandhi announced then that he would continue to ask who invested 20,000 crore in the Adani Group through shell companies and what the Prime Ministers relationship with Adani is. BJP state vice president Narayanan Thirupathy said, He should have appealed in the court if he is so concerned. I am surprised that, being a parliament member he is unaware about the law which says that the moment Rahul was sentenced for 2 years he got disqualified. Indian-American politician Ro Khanna drew flak on social media after he condemned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's suspension from the Lok Sabha a day after Rahul Gandhi was convicted in a 2019 defamation case. As Ro Khanna said this is not what his grandfather sacrificed years in jail, he was reminded that his grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar was a supporter of Indira Gandhi during the Emergency. "Always stood for fascist decisions?" filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri wrote. 'Attack me. Don't attack India's freedom fighters, ' Ro Khanna said after he was criticised for supporting Rahul Gandhi. "Its sad to see people maligning my grandfather who worked for Lala Lajpat Rai, was jailed in 31-32 and 41-45, and wrote two letters to Indira Gandhi opposing the emergency, leaving parliament right after. Attack me. Dont attack Indias freedom fighters. And facts matter," Ro Khanna said after receiving backlash for commenting on Rahul Gandhi's disqualification. On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi was convicted by a Surat court for his 'how come all thieves have Modi surname in common' comment he made during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign. A day later, he was disqualified as an MP which triggered a huge political row with the Congress taking to the street along with the opposition. "The expulsion of Rahul Gandhi from parliament is a deep betrayal of Gandhian philosophy and Indias deepest values. This is not what my grandfather sacrificed years in jail for. @narendramodi you have the power to reverse this decision for the sake of Indian democracy," Ro Khanna reacted only to be told to shut up by prominent social media users and to not "flex his grandfather as he supported Emergency'. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After Congress leader Jagdish Tytler joined the partys satyagraha at Raj Ghat, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson RP Singh on Sunday said that it showed the real intentions of the grand old party. Calling Tytler killer of Sikhs in a reference to him being an accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Singh said that the satyagraha was a way to reestablish the former Congress MP. He added that Tytler was a part of all events organised by Congress. Congress' Jagdish Tytler and BJP spokesperson RP Singh (R). (File) It is clear what kind of a Satyagraha they (Congress) are doing. The killer of Sikhs (Jagdish Tytler) has joined this Satyagraha. Congress cannot stay without Tytler. He is invited by the party to every event by Congress. It is evident if this is a Satyagraha or an attempt to re-establish the killer of Sikhs, Singh told news agency ANI. Also read: You insult my martyr father, call his son 'Mir Jafar': What Priyanka Gandhi said Earlier, the party had come under fire for picking Tytler as part of the committee to decide on the 2022 Delhi Municipal Corporation Polls. Congress has attempted to distance itself from Tytler in the last few years owing to the legal tangles arising from his alleged involvement in the anti-Sikh riots after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984, that led to loss of the lives of at least 3,000 people. Also read: Rahul Gandhi says he is 'Dis'Qualified MP' in his Twitter bio The Congress began a day-long satyagraha, despite not receiving permission from Delhi police, to protest the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha after a Surat court convicted him in a Modi surname defamation case. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, along with party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, party general secretary KC Venugopal and other key leaders were part of the protest in Delhi. The verdict revolved around Gandhis comments in April 2019, where he said "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname" at a poll rally in Karnataka. After awarding two years jail sentence, the court approved Gandhi's bail on a surety and stayed the sentence for 30 days to allow him to approach the higher courts. Gandhi slammed BJP on Saturday in his first press conference since the Gujarat courts verdict and asserted that he is not scared. He added that the disqualification was a ploy to divert attention from the Adani-Hindenburg row. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ahmedabad/Prayagraj: A team of the Uttar Pradesh police reached Sabarmati central jail in Gujarats Ahmedabad on Sunday and took gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to Prayagraj. Prayagraj Police with jailed-mafia Atiq Ahmed outside Sabarmati Central Jail as he is being shifted to Prayagraj. (PTI) He was released from Sabarmati jail and taken into custody by Uttar Pradesh police on Sunday evening, said J S Chavda, superintendent of police, Sabarmati Jail. Earlier in the day, a 45-member team reached Ahmedabad to bring Ahmed to Prayagraj to produce him before an MP/MLA court on March 28. The court will pronounce its verdict in the 2006 abduction case of lawyer Umesh Pal in which Ahmed is one of the accused. Ahmeds brother Ashraf, a co-accused in the case and lodged in Bareilly jail, will also be brought to Prayagraj. Umesh, the key witness in Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pals murder in 2005, was killed outside his residence in Prayagraj on February 24. Ahmed is an accused in both the murder cases. The team led by Abhishek Bharti, deputy commissioner of police, trans-Ganga, reached Ahmedabad on Sunday. The mobile phones of the policemen sent to escort Ahmed from Sabarmati jail back to Uttar Pradesh by road have been deposited as a precaution and only senior officials will be allowed to take their mobile phones, a police officer said, seeking anonymity. Six vehicles including two riot control vans along with an ambulance have been sent to bring Ahmed to Prayagraj, officials said. Earlier this month, Ahmed had moved the Supreme Court for protection, claiming that he and his family have been framed in the Pal murder case and Uttar Pradesh police may kill him in a fake encounter. In his plea, Ahmed had claimed Uttar Pradesh police were likely to seek his transit remand to take him from Ahmedabad to Prayagraj and he genuinely apprehends that he may be eliminated during this transit period. As per the latest report, the medical examination of Atiq has been conducted in Ahmedabad. Soon Atiq will be taken in police security to Prayagraj via the Bundelkhand Expressway, the police officer said. The team will take around 25 hours to travel the entire distance of around 1,275 kilometers and is likely to reach Prayagraj by Monday evening. Ahmed will be kept under high security at Naini Central Jail. Wardens deployed outside Ahmeds cell will be selected on basis of their previous record and will be equipped with body cameras, jail officials said. Prayagraj police commissioner Ramit Sharma confirmed that Ahmed is being brought to Prayagraj. It is a routine process for an accused to be present before the court when a judgment is pronounced, he said. Ahmeds supporters appeared apprehensive about his security during the journey from Ahmedabad. Some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have said that they would not be surprised if his car overturns on the way, they said, asking to remain unnamed. (with inputs from PTI) Jammu and Kashmir will soon be able to boast of the worlds highest railway bridge, which is set to open soon over the Chenab river. Built at a height of 359 m (1,178 ft) over the river, the Chenab railway bridge soars above the Eiffel Tower in Paris by at least 35 metres. The Chenab railway bridge lies between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district. (Twitter) Part of the 35,000 crore worth Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL), the arch bridge lies between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district, according to news agency ANI. Estimated at 1,400 crore, the bridge connects Katra and Banihal and has cleared all the necessary tests. The bridge is geared up for completion two decades after the project received the green signal in 2003. Although the construction work began in 2004, it had to be halted from 2008-09 in lieu of safety of passengers due to high-velocity winds in the region. Following delays over safety and stability issues, the contract was handed over in 2008. However, the project has missed many deadlines over the years. Also read: Railways minister says trains between Kashmir, rest of India will start from Railway officials have now confirmed that track lane work over the bridge has started and is ready for commissioning. Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who inspected the bridge on Saturday, informed that two more tests of running a motor trolley and bolero customised rail operation will be held. The safety checks that have been carried out so far include high-velocity winds test, extreme temperatures test, earthquake-prone test, and hydrological impacts due to rise in water level. He added that the USBRL, which links Jammu with Srinagar, will be completed by December 2023 or January 2024. All the tests have beensuccessful. Now, the bridge is ready for operation. This is the greatest thing for J-K, he said. Calling the 'world's highest bridge an engineering marvel, the minister said that work on the Chenab and Anji bridges are progressing fast. Work on the main arch was completed in April 2021, while the base was finished in November 2017, as per ANI. The steel and concrete arch bridge completed a milestone in August 2022 with the completion of the overarch deck. The bridge, which lies 42 kilometres from Reasi town, will be able to withstand winds with speeds up to 260 kmph and will have a lifespan of 120 years, according to officials. Reportedly, the construction of this bridge was the biggest civil-engineering challenge faced by any railway project in India in recent times. The USBRL project also holds the title of comprising other firsts like the longest railway tunnel (12.75 km) and the first cable-stayed bridge (Anji Khad bridge) in India. The railway minister added that the Anji bridge will also be completed by August 2023 and available for commissioning by September. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday came down heavily on the BJP in the Congress's day-long satyagraha in Rajghat over Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha and said PM Modi is a coward and as it happens in Hindu culture, all proud kings are defeated. Yes, file a case against me and put me inside jail. But I will say that our prime minister is a coward, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said. At Congress's satyagraha in Rajghat on Sunday, Priyanka Gandhi said PM Modi is a coward. Here are the top quotes from Priyanka Gandhi's speech 1. You insult my martyr father in Parliament. You call his son Mir Jafar. You insult my mother. One of your CMs says Rahul Gandhi does not even know who his father is. 2. Your Prime Minister insults the entire family as he says the family should use Nehru's surname. But there is no case against you. No one takes you out of Parliament. 3. Why is this happening? Because we have been silent for long. What did my brother say? He went to PM Modi and hugged him. He said there is no hatred despite ideological differences. 4. You call us 'parivarvadi'. Then who was Lord Ram? Were Lord Ram, and Pandavas parivarvadi that they stood up for their families? Should we then feel ashamed that our family sacrificed their blood for the country? 5. "My brother studied in the two most prestigious educational institutes of the world. You did not see his degree, but made him Pappu with the help of the media. Then you found out that he is not a Pappu and lakhs of people are walking with him." 6. "Do you know the man who brought the case against my brother put a stay on his own case last year? And when did the case reopen? After Rahul Gandhi's speech on Adani." 7. "The prime minister of this country is a coward. Yes, file a case against me and put me in jail too. He is a proud and coward. Our country has the tradition of defeating a proud king." 8. "My family taught me that this country speaks with heart. And I know today is the day from when everything will be different." 9. "I know how much pressure the media has. But wake up as the democracy is under threat. If the government bars an opposition leader from contesting election for eight years, it is dangerous." SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Kiara Advani recently made headlines and for all the right reasons. The actor got married in an extravagant ceremony to Sidharth Malhotra at Suryagarh Fort in Rajasthan and it was all things gorgeous. Kiara is an absolute fashionista and she keeps on sharing snippets from her fashion diaries on her Instagram profile on a regular basis. Kiara can do it all from decking up in casual attires to slaying a formal look in a power suit to showing us how to rock an ethnic look in the six yards of grace. Kiara's Instagram profile is replete with fashion inspo for her fans to follow. Kiara Advani's casual airport look is all about comfy flying(HT Photos/Varinder Chawla) ALSO READ: Kiara Advani rocks the beach look with a surfboard Kiara, on Sunday, was photographed at Mumbai international airport as she flew back to the city. The actor posed patiently for the cameras stationed outside the airport as she looked stunning in a casual ensemble while she gave fashion goals to her fans. The actor believes in comfy flying and she dressed up exactly for the same. Kiara looked gorgeous in a white cropped top and a pair of blue distressed denims. Kiara's distressed denims came with high waisted details and hugged her shape perfectly and cascaded to wide legs. Kira added a grey shawl to her look as she wore it cross her shoulders. Kiara's airport looks are loved and adored by her fans and for all the right reasons the actor always ensures to merge style and comfort together. Take a look at her pictures here: Kiara posed for the cameras.(HT Photos/Varinder Chawla) Kiara further accessorised her look for the day in white shoes and a pastel blue sling bag across her shoulders as she smiled for the cameras with her while heart. Kiara wore her tresses open in wavy curls with a middle part as she smiled for the pictures. Kiara decked up in minimal makeup to complement her airport look for the day. In nude eyeshadow, mascara-laden eyelashes, drawn eyebrows, contoured cheeks and a shade of nude lipstick, Kiara rocked the look to perfection. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Paris, Mar 26 (UNI) At least 200 people were injured during clashes between protesters and law enforcement in the western French commune of Sainte-Soline, BFMTV reports. On Saturday, a protest was held in Sainte-Soline against the construction of a large reservoir for agricultural needs. Protesters used Molotov cocktails and set at least four police vehicles on fire, according to French media reports. BFMTV said that around 200 people were injured during clashes between protesters and police in Sainte-Soline. According to the French Interior Ministry, over 35 police officers were injured. Local farmers are against the construction of the reservoir, which will combine 16 smaller reservoirs, and believe that this measure will benefit large-scale agricultural production, while smaller farms will be left without water. UNI/SPUTNIK GNK Trauma bonding is a phenomenon that can occur in any type of relationship but is most commonly seen in romantic relationships and it occurs when a person who is being abused develops a sympathetic bond with their abuser and fails to recognise the negative impacts of the relationship. In other words, a trauma bond usually involves a victim and a perpetrator in a uni-directional relationship wherein the victim forms an emotional bond with the perpetrator where it is generally easier to leave a situation that is entirely bad, one where the abusive person never offers any kindness or concern but in abusive relationships, your partner occasionally does treat you well - they might bring you gifts, call you their soul mate or take you out. Decoding trauma bond relationships: Signs and cyclical patterns (Photo by MART PRODUCTION on Pexels) In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Vanishree BN, Consultant - Psychiatry at Manipal Hospital in Bangalore's Sarjapur, shared, The abuser may use verbal, physical or sexual abuse and the victim may become accustomed to it, waiting for a moment of love and care from the abuser. The relationship may become intense and the victim may fear expressing their true feelings to avoid conflicts. They may feel that living in fear of the abuser is better than leaving the relationship. Highlighting that the cyclical pattern of abuse, followed by love and care, forgiveness and then abuse again, can be difficult to break, Dr Vanishree BN revealed, This leads to a pattern of trauma bonding where the victim waits for little bits of love and care from the abuser, which continues the cycle. It is important to recognise that trauma bonding can occur in any type of relationship and it can be difficult for the person experiencing it to recognise the negative impacts of the relationship. Trauma bonding can lead to post-traumatic stress and other negative effects as well. Therefore, getting out of a trauma bond relationship can be a difficult and complex process but it is essential for your mental and emotional well-being. Drisha Dey, Consultant Psychologist in Kolkata, explained, There are two primary factors involved in the establishment of a trauma bond: a power imbalance and rewarding good behaviour while punishing bad behaviour. Usually, victims in trauma bonds do not have agency and autonomy, nor any individual sense of self either. Their self-image is derived from and is an internalization of the abuser's conceptualization of them. Talking about the signs of a trauma bond, she pointed out that the signs that one is in a trauma bond can be determined by understanding the following stages that this kind of a bond goes through: 1. Love Bombing - This is the honeymoon phase where they shower you with love, attention, and affection and it feels too good to be true. 2. Trust and Dependency - The relationship progresses quite fast and the abuser would go to any extent to gain your trust, and make you dependent on them for love and validation. 3. Criticism - Soon enough, the criticism starts. Initially, it is subtle and indirectly blaming you, but it soon grows into full-fledged attacks about how no matter what you do, you do something wrong. This is mostly carried out under the facade of them protecting you. It might be about how you are dressing or who you are hanging out with. Eventually, you start to think there is something wrong with you as a person. 4. Gaslighting - Gaslighting occurs when they try to make you doubt your own experiences. For example, you might catch them in a lie based on something they had said previously, but when confronted, they will tell you that they had never said that. You start to doubt whether they actually had. You know there is something wrong, but you also feel bad for doubting them. They make you doubt your own perception and manipulate you into believing their narrative. 5. Resigning Control - You no longer know what to believe because you doubt your own thoughts, so you give in and let them take control of the relationship and of your life. 6. Loss of Self - You no longer recognize yourself and you do whatever is needed to keep the peace and constantly apologize for being an inconvenience. You cannot seem to understand how it got to this point. 7. Addiction - You feel trapped in this relationship because your nervous system is constantly experiencing stress and thus craving dopamine which it gets from the intermittent highs when your partner deigns to show you some resembling kindness and love, and you pay the price for it by enduring the volatile lows. Binging her expertise to the same, Shinjini Deb, Clinical Psychologist in Kolkata, said, "One may often find this kind of relationship overwhelming. Even then, taking an actionable step to change becomes the biggest dilemma. Seeing parental relationships or familiar individuals keeping up with this toxic behaviour confirms their idea that this is how it is supposed to be. Lack of confidence and vague ideas about individuality are the major contributors to it too. "If I lose my current partner I won't get another one" is a common thought. Astonishing fact is that mostly these individuals consider themselves alone and are unable to perceive the healthy support from their loved ones." According to the expert, many a times the concept of love is misunderstood - the thin boundary between being loved and being dominated often fades away, the kind of partner one picks when being questioned is not something one likes. Hence, the following signs appear: 1. Covering up the red flags 2. Justifying their partners unacceptable actions 3. Too comfortable with the familiarity of the relationship to even consider leaving 4. Blaming themselves to be the reason why they are being treated the way they are 5. Falling prey to the false promises of their partners 6. Choosing to isolate from friends based on partners advice 7. Constantly giving in to unhelpful ways of expressing or communicating in the relationship As per Ishita Goyal, Associate Consultant - Psychologist (Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences) - MIND at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Dehradun, If you are in a trauma bond, you might have seen the absolute best and worst of your partner. You have seen them pour their attention on you, care for you in ways you want to be cared for and you might feel you have met your soulmate. You might feel nobody can love and understand you the way your partner can. But when the questionable behavior trickles in you dont know how to react and understand it. They still might show their love, care and understanding, so you are reminded how amazing they can be, and hold on to the relationship. If you continuously feel you love the same person who is deeply hurting you, you might be in a trauma bond. She listed some other signs in a trauma bond relationship as: 1. Believing fake promises You will find that the moment you want to leave the relationship, your partner will make promises to changer him/her for the better. But the changes never happen in a substantial manner and you tend to stay longer in hope. 2. Repetition compulsion You find yourself having the same fight over and over with no resolutions, as your partner has no intention to changing. This is indicative of the lack of empathy and growth from your partner. You are caught in a cycle of hope, addressing same issues. 3. Fear of leaving After years of giving justifications for your partners behavior, when you come close to recognizing it is not a relationship you want to be in, a fear overcomes you. You are in self-doubt and feel fearful of leaving and the eventual unknown. 4. Hiding feelings You do not feel that you can share your true feelings with your partner without engaging into a fight. You feel that your partner will only accept you if your feelings are according to his. You deny or minimise your partners wrong doings. Those who believe that harsh legal action against self-styled Khalistan activist Amritpal Singh will solve things are mistaken. Arrests sometimes invigorate separatists. Since the death of Deep Sidhu, Amritpals popularity in Punjab has rocketed. If the states home department had closed in on him then, the current situation would not have arisen. (Reuters) In the late seventies, efforts were made to push an arrogant Sikh campaigner from Damdami Taksal (an orthodox Sikh cultural and educational organisation) to the status of a mass leader. The exercise to portray leaders from various parties in Punjab as sold out was part of this strategy. The entire country was disillusioned then. Unemployed youths had no choice but to believe that their freedom was meaningless. Taking advantage of this, the Salim-Javed duo was portraying a down at heel hero as a great rebel in several film scripts. Similar scripting was being done for Bhindranwale in the altered backdrop of Punjabs religious politics. Those who were not paying attention to this had no idea how intense this script was. Bhindranwale not only transformed himself from a humble preacher to a saint, but also from a saint to a defiant leader. It would be a waste of time to discuss which politicians gained or were harmed by this. A lot has already been written and said about this. That was, undoubtedly, the most dangerous attack on Indian sovereignty ever, from within the country. Operation Blue Star was followed by four decades of uninterrupted peace, despite some leftover bitterness. Images of Bhindranwale can be seen in many gurudwaras even today. An attempt was made to make Indira Gandhis killers martyrs, but the average Punjabi was unconcerned. At the same time, those who tried to rekindle old fires overseas persisted. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, many separatists took shelter in Australia, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, and east Europe, continuing to spread venom there. The result is now visible. Hindu temples and Indian buildings have been attacked in a number of western nations in recent weeks. It is the obligation of the countries concerned to end this, but they hesitate in the name of freedom of expression. This is the classic western double standard. Would they have taken the same position had it been the ISIS protesting? Why are the operators of torture centres such as Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib quiet? They are the same people who want to label Russian president Vladimir Putin a war criminal; yet for them, both Bushes, father, and son, who attacked Iraq and killed 450,000 people are democratic leaders. Undoubtedly, the moment has come again for the ministry of foreign affairs to show its teeth. The rulers of Chandigarh and Delhi, like foreign policy makers, have also blundered in the past. On April 25, 1983, Avtar Singh Atwal, DIG, Jalandhar Zone, was assassinated and thrown down the stairs of the Golden Temple. He was in uniform when attacked. Despite this, his body was left unattended for hours. Journalists covering Punjab eventually said Operation Blue Star could have been averted if the Punjab police and paramilitary forces had been pushed to act immediately. Are Chandigarhs rulers making the same mistake today? Since the death of Deep Sidhu, an accused in the Red Fort violence, Amritpals popularity in Punjab has rocketed. If the states home department had closed in on him then, the current situation would not have arisen. In the absence of action, he became increasingly aggressive. On February 24, he not only stormed the Ajnala police station but also succeeded in getting his accomplice Lovepreet Singh Toofan released. Had the government acted against him then, Amritpal would not have got the opportunity to be featured in breaking news. The Ajnala incident made his anti-national outburst national and international news. In the late 1970s, Punjabs elderly politicians were nearing the end of their careers. A generation of ultra-ambitious youth was hell-bent on replacing them at any cost. Today, Punjabs political situation is far worse. Parkash Singh Badals Akali Dal has lost its lustre. The Congress has lost its clout. The Bharatiya Janata Party is struggling to establish a significant base on its own. Not only is the ruling Aam Aadmi Party new, it also needs to consolidate its ideological foundation in the state. Similarly, no party has a strong leader who can inspire people to take the right direction. These circumstances are favourable for separatists. Simranjit Singh Manns victory in the by-election for the Sangrur seat vacated by chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is an example of this. Keep in mind that viewing the current scenario in Punjab solely through the lens of law and order would be a mistake. This problem has its roots in society and politics. Our leaders must remember they have to eradicate the ailment, not the patient. Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief, Hindustan The views expressed are personal If you reside close to a busy road, you may feel as though the constant noise of the motors, honking of the horns, and wailing of the sirens raises your blood pressure. people who had high exposure to both traffic noise and air pollution had the highest hypertension risk, showing that air pollution plays a role as well.(Hindustan Times) The reality was supported by a fresh study published in JACC: Advances. Also Read| Staying fit can reduce the adverse impacts of high blood pressure: Study "We were a little surprised that the association between road traffic noise and hypertension was robust even after adjustment for air pollution," said Jing Huang, assistant professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health at Peking University in Beijing, China, and lead author of the study. Previous studies of the issue were cross-sectional, meaning they showed that traffic noise and hypertension were linked, but failed to show a causal relationship. For the new paper, researchers conducted a prospective study using UK Biobank data that looked at health outcomes over time. Researchers analyzed data from more than 240,000 people (aged 40 to 69 years) who started out without hypertension. They estimated road traffic noise based on the residential addresses and the Common Noise Assessment Method, a European modelling tool. Using follow-up data over a median 8.1 years, they looked at how many people developed hypertension. Not only did they find that people living near road traffic noise were more likely to develop hypertension, they also found that risk increased in tandem with the noise "dose." These associations held true even when researchers adjusted for exposure to fine particles and nitrogen dioxide. However, people who had high exposure to both traffic noise and air pollution had the highest hypertension risk, showing that air pollution plays a role as well. "Road traffic noise and traffic-related air pollution coexist around us," Huang said. "It is essential to explore the independent effects of road traffic noise, rather than the total environment." The findings can support public health measures because they confirm that exposure to road traffic noise is harmful to our blood pressure, she said. Policymaking may alleviate the adverse impacts of road traffic noise as a societal effort, such as setting stricter noise guidelines and enforcement, improving road conditions and urban design, and investing advanced technology in quieter vehicles. "To date, this is the first large-sized prospective study directly addressing the effect of road traffic noise on the incidence of newly-diagnosed hypertension," said Jiandong Zhang, cardiovascular disease fellow in the division of cardiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and author of the accompanying editorial comment. "The data demonstrated in this article provides a higher quality of evidence to justify the potential to modify road traffic noise and air pollution from both individual and societal levels in improving cardiovascular health." As a follow-up, Huang said field studies are underway to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms through which road noise affects hypertension. The study was supervised by Kazem Rahimi, lead of the Deep Medicine program at the Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health at the University of Oxford, and Samuel Cai, lecturer in environmental epidemiology at the Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability at the University of Leicester. The Cyberabad Police in Telangana have recently busted a gang involved in the data theft and sale of sensitive information of government and important organisations. The arrested seven members of the gang allegedly stole details of 2.55 lakh defence personnel and 16.8 crore citizens of India, PTI reported. According to the police, the arrested accused sold data of 50,000 citizens for as low as 2,000. Cyberabad Police commissioner M Stephen Raveendra was quoted by PTI as saying that the accused sold more than 140 categories of data including defence personnel details, citizens' mobile numbers and contact details of NEET students. ALSO READ: Cybersecurity strategy proposes measures for data breaches Explaining the modus operandi, the police said that whenever any individual called the toll free numbers of service providers for any sector, the query was listed and sent to the category of service providers. The fraudsters contacted the clients and sent them samples. In case the client agreed to purchase the services, he/she made the payment and are provided the data. According to the police, the accused collected data leaked from different organisations and sold the data to cybercriminals. The Cyberabad top cop said that the sensitive data of defence personnel including ranks, email addresses, place of posting etc was found from the accused(Getty Images/ Representational photo) Kamleshwar Shingenavar, deputy commissioner of police (crimes), said the private organisations were allegedly collecting data both with consent and without knowledge of the individuals. They were selling information in categories including energy sector, PAN card data, demat accounts, student databases, women databases, WhatsApp and Facebook users etc. The Cyberabad top cop said that the sensitive data of defence personnel including ranks, email addresses, place of posting etc was found from the accused, adding that such data could be used for espionage, impersonation and committing serious offences threatening national security. According to the police, at least 1.2 crore WhatsApp users and 17 lakh Facebook users were also targeted in the data theft. (With PTI inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chinese short video app TikTok is facing a tough time globally. While it has been banned by countries like United Kingdom, Canada, France, Belgium, India and others, it is fighting to prevent itself to be banned by the United States. The Senate has already voted to ban TikTok from all government devices. TikTok's chief executive officer (CEO) Shou Chew was questioned by US lawmakers on Thursday. Washington DC has already told ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to sell shares or risk being banned in the country. But do you know this popular app is inaccessible in China itself? In fact, you would be surprised to know that TikTok never existed in China. There is a different version of the app called Douyin. ALSO READ: France bans 'recreational' use of TikTok, Twitter, Instagram on official phones Both TikTok and Douyin have been developed by ByteDance, but the former was launched in 2016 and became a viral sensation, CNN reported. Here's how both the apps are similar, but different in nature. 1. Douyin comes with automatic beauty filter which can smooth out skin and change the shape of a person's face. But there is no such feature in TikTok. Here' the users can select beauty filters while filming. 2. Douyin is known as a platform for livestreamers, and this feature differentiates it from TikTok. In mainland China, livestreaming sales of products happens to be a multi-billion dollar industry. 3. China is known for its stringent censorship regime, with popular apps like Douyin falling in line. The search term Tiananmen 1989 on Douyin did not yield any search result, CNN reported. But the same term searched on TikTok will lead to videos of users talking about the People's Liberation Army's brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing that year. 4. Douyin also has a strict policy for young users. The children under the age of 14 can access only child-safe content and use the app for just 40 minutes a day. They are not allowed to use the app from 10 pm to 6 am. On the other hand, TikTok announced that users under 18 will have their accounts default to one-hour daily screen time limit. But the teenage users will be able to turn off this setting. The TikTok logo is seen on a cell phone, in Boston. Canada is banning TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it might be a first step to further action. (AP/FILE) A dozen people were injured in the collapse of a second-story floor inside an apartment complex near a western Pennsylvania over the weekend, authorities said. The victims reported injuries ranging from serious to minor.(AP photo/Representative) Seven people were taken to hospitals and five others were treated at the scene after the 11.50 pm on Saturday collapse at Elm by Traverse Commons about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, state police told the Tribune-Review. Trooper Cliff Greenfield said the victims had injuries ranging from serious to minor. He said responding troopers found one person lying in the road and others grouped outside the three-story building reported that a floor inside had collapsed. It is unknown exactly how many people were inside the apartment at the time of the floor collapse, he said. Those still inside were helped out through a broken first-floor window, which caused many of the injuries. Fire rescuers searched the building, which has been secured by the management. Also Read: Two dead, nine missing in Pennsylvania chocolate factory explosion Greenfield said its unclear how many of those involved were university students or guests visiting during what has been dubbed IUPatty's weekend," a delayed St. Patrick's Day celebration. University spokesperson Michelle Fryling said officials are offering help including short-term housing to those affected who are not students. The off-campus festivities have taken place in Indiana for years and have sometimes caused problems. In 2014, police responded to dozens of calls amid crowded borough streets, including hundreds packing one street and getting into brawls that were filmed and later posted online. In 2017, two off-campus shootings were reported. Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner Andalib Elias on Saturday said Bangladesh has been demanding the United Nations to declare March 25 as World Genocide Day. Genocide Day' has been observed in Bangladesh since 2017.(Getty images) "Since 2017, we've been observing this day as the genocide day of Bangladesh. We've been pursuing two things from UN, to declare this as world genocide day and recognition of what happened in Bangladesh in 1971 as a genocide," Elias said. On December 16, 1971, Pakistan Army surrendered to a joint India-Bangladesh force, formally making Bangladesh a new nation under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman. Read here: Bangladesh wants UN to declare March 25 as Genocide Day in remembrance of 1971 "On this day (March 25) in 1971, Pakistan army attacked unarmed people in the middle of the night and killed 1000s of people and within the next nine months, they killed nine million people in Bangladesh. This is one of the most brutal genocides ever," the Bangladeshi Deputy High Commissioner said. Meanwhile, International Forum for Secular Bangladesh (IFSB) Switzerland chapter on Saturday held demonstrations at the Broken Chair square in front of the UN building in Geneva demanding recognition of the Bangladesh genocide perpetrated by the Pakistan Army in 1971. A total of 25 Bangladeshi diasporas from Europe gathered in front of the United Nations office to seek justice against the 1971 genocide by Pakistan and for its recognition by the international community. 'Genocide Day' has been observed in Bangladesh since 2017 against the atrocities committed by the Pakistan Army on civilians on the night of March 25, 1971, when it launched 'Operation Searchlight' in Dhaka to crush the Bengali nationalist movement. Leaders of all European Freedom Fighter Sangsad of Bangladesh, Awami League members of Switzerland, and other International NGOs also participated in the protest. Tazul Islam, a Bangladesh freedom fighter from Zurich urged the UN Human Rights Council to recognize March 25 as "Bangladesh genocide day". Khalilur Rahman, Chairperson of the IFSB, Switzerland chapter said that BNP and Jamat are terrorists in Bangladesh. Aminul Rahman Khusru, another Bangladeshi freedom fighter from Frankfurt also condemned Pakistan Army for the genocide. Mohsin Rahman Suman, Sahal Alam Agor, Suman Chakma, and Mohammad Mojammel, all active members of Switzerland Awami League raised slogans against BNP/Jamat and termed them as collaborators of the Genocide of Bengalis who were associated with Pakistan Army during torture, sexual abuse, and mass killings in 1971 war. The Broken Chair sculpture symbolizes both fragility and strength, imbalance and stability, violence, and dignity. Broken Chair is the work of renowned sculptor Daniel Berset in 1997 at the request of Humanity & Inclusion (the new name of Handicap International). Honduras said on Saturday it was ending its decades-long diplomatic relations with Taiwan, bringing it closer to China as it expands its footprint in Central America. People hold national flags of Honduras and Taiwan during a gathering.(Reuters) "The government of Honduras recognises the existence of just one China," the Honduran foreign ministry said in a post on Twitter. "The government of China is the only legitimate government that represents all of China." Read more: Donald Trump says investigations into him like 'Stalinist Russia horror show' The ministry said Honduras had notified Taiwan of its decision to break ties, and that it would not return to having any relationship or official contact with Taiwan. The Honduran foreign minister travelled to China this week to open relations after President Xiomara Castro said her government would start ties with Beijing, Honduras being one of only 14 countries to formally recognise Taiwan. China views Taiwan as one of its provinces with no right to state-to-state ties, a view the democratically elected government in Taipei strongly disputes. The decision by Honduras to cut ties prompted warnings from the de facto U.S. embassy in Taipei on Saturday that China often makes promises in exchange for recognition that remain unfulfilled. Donald Trump used his first election rally in Waco, Texas, to rail against the prosecutors investigating him, employing dark and conspiratorial language to fire up his base ahead of next year's Republican primary elections. Former US president Donald Trump is seen. Trump told supporters gathered at Waco's airport on Saturday that the investigations swirling around him were "something straight out of the Stalinist Russia horror show." "From the beginning it's been one witch hunt and phony investigation after another," he said. The legal threats hanging over the former president were front of mind for some attendees, many of whom flashed signs saying "WITCH HUNT." Read more: Elon Musk offers Twitter employees stock grants of $20 billion: Report Trump is being investigated by prosecutors in Manhattan for campaign finance violations stemming his alleged payment of hush money to an adult film actress ahead of the 2016 election. A special counsel appointed by the Department of Justice is investigating allegations he hoarded top-secret documents and masterminded a plot seeking to overturn the 2020 election. Trump held his rally in Waco as the city marked the 30th anniversary of a raid by federal agents on the Branch Davidians religious sect there that resulted in 86 deaths, including four law-enforcement officers. Many right-wing extremists see the raid as a seminal moment of government overreach, and critics saw the rally's timing as a nod to Trump's far-right supporters. A Trump campaign spokesperson said Waco was chosen for what the former president has billed as his first major rally of the 2024 presidential race because it is situated between several major population centers and has the infrastructure to host a large event. Trump doesn't just face legal peril. His effort to lock in the Republican nomination faces a potential challenge from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis amid signs that his own support is softening, at least in places like New Hampshire, an early primary battleground. "I'm not a big fan," Trump said of DeSantis, accusing of him of plotting to slash social security. "Florida has been tremendously successful for many years, long before this guy became governor." The former president is seeking to turn the hush money case in New York to his advantage by raising money off it and using it to rally supporters. On Friday, he issued an apocalyptic warning, saying the country faced potential "death & destruction" if he was charged with a crime. Trump's escalating rhetoric has repelled at least some within his own party. "Trump is walking on a high wire without a net, telegraphing that he has nothing to lose and is willing to risk dangerous outcomes to rally support," said Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist in Washington. The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Sunday that Brussels was ready to impose new sanctions on Belarus if Minsk were to host Russian nuclear weapons. European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell.(AFP) "Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation and threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions," he tweeted. Islamabad, Mar 26 (UNI) A contempt of court petition was filed in the Supreme Court against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja and others for violating its order on holding elections in Punjab, media news reports said on Sunday. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday announced the postponement of the upcoming elections in Punjab, initially scheduled to be held on April 30. The government welcomed the electoral body's decision, however, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has vehemently rejected it and challenged it in the apex court, Geo news reports. Advocate G M Chaudhry filed a petition in the top court under Article 204 of the Constitution. The petitioner made the prime minister, CEC, ECP members, Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and chief secretary respondents. He submitted that the respondents have violated the apex court order of March 1, 2023, which amounts to contempt of the apex court in terms of Article 204 of the Constitution, according to media reports. He further submitted that the respondent chief election commissioner, along with other four ECP members, issued an order dated March 22, 2023, pointing out different reasons and situations which are clear descriptions that all the respondents have miserably failed to perform their constitutional obligations, functions and duties. The respondents are directly contemner due to non-compliance of the said order of the apex court passed on March 1, 2023, in suo motu case, the petitioner submitted. UNI XC GNK Toronto: The vandalisation of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the town of Hamilton in the Canadian province of Ontario is being investigated as a hate crime. The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Hamilton, Canada after it was cleaned by City workers. (Supplied photo) In an email, a spokesperson for Hamilton Police said that the incident that took place in the early hours of Thursday is being investigated by the forces Hate Crime Unit. The spokesperson said Hamilton Police is appealing to members of the community with information to contact them. The statue, located at the City Hall, was vandalised with paint poured on it and abusive anti-India graffiti sprayed on at and near its base, and a Khalistan flag attached to it. We are aware of the defacing of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Hamilton City Hall this week, a spokesperson for the City Managers office said. City workers quickly removed the paint and the graffiti on Thursday and a complaint was lodged with the police. The City spokesperson said, It is important to the City to ensure that respect for public spaces and property is maintained. Where markings do risk the erosion of/compromise the integrity of the material of the property we take steps to remove it as quickly as possible, she said. The statue of the Mahatma has been at that location since 2012. The six-foot tall bronze statue had been gifted by the Indian government. The vandalism was discovered early on Thursday morning. This was the latest in a series of what appears to be linked episodes. In February, a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) was desecrated, with anti-India and pro-Khalistan graffiti spraypainted on its back wall. The target of the vandalism was Shri Ram Mandir in the town of Mississauga in GTA. On January 30, the Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton was similarly desecrated. Prior to that, a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, located at the Vishnu Mandir in Richmond Hill, was defaced in July last year. The 20-foot tall bronze statue was situated in the temples Peace Park. Weeks later, in September, an episode of such vandalisation occurred at the front entrance to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto. None of these incidents have so far resulted in any arrests. While they have been linked by some to the so-called Punjab Referendum being organised by the secessionist group, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), Canadian law enforcement has yet to establish that connection. As with previous episodes, a video of the incident, apparently taken during the night when the vandalisation occurred, was shared on social media by some apparently pro-Pakistan handles. The videos appear to have been removed from social media and the handles tweeting them suspended. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Hindus living in the UK are among the healthiest and well qualified religious groups and Sikhs are most likely to own their homes, according to latest census data for England and Wales. The religion question is voluntary in the census and in 2021.(Representative image/ Getty images) Read here: UK man finds 400-year-old paintings while renovating kitchen The UKs Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been analysing census statistics to release information across various subcategories for the countrys population based on the responses of the online census conducted in March 2021. In its latest release entitled Religion by housing, health, employment and education this week, the ONS finds that life outcomes for religious groups varied considerably. In 2021, those who identified as Hindu had the highest percentage of their population reporting either very good or good health (87.8 per cent), compared with 82.0 per cent of the overall population, the ONS finds, adding that the Hindus also reported the lowest prevalence of disability. People who identified as Hindu had the highest percentage with a Level 4 or above [certificate-level] qualification (54.8 per cent), compared with the overall population (33.8 per cent), it noted. People who identified as Sikh were more likely to live in households that owned their home 77.7 per cent of those who identified as Sikh lived in households that owned their home, the ONS said. The religion question is voluntary in the census and in 2021, 94 per cent of the overall population in England and Wales of 56 million chose to answer the question. The ONS said that many of the life outcomes discussed in its analysis may be influenced by the differing age and sex profiles of religious groups. In 2021, people who identified as Muslim were nearly four times more likely to live in overcrowded homes than the overall population of England and Wales, the statistics show. In 2021, people who identified as Muslim had the lowest percentage of people aged 16 to 64 years in employment (51.4 per cent compared with 70.9 per cent of the overall population); this resulted from the high percentages of people who were students or looking after home or family in this group, it said. The ONS pointed out that life outcomes for religious groups often overlap, as people in poor health or caring for others may be less able to work or gain education. Income, where people live, and cultural background, also have an influence on outcomes. Read here: Pro-Khalistan groups take protest to Londons Parliament Square The analysis reveals that those who identified as "Christian" had an older age profile and reported poorer health than the overall population. People who identified as Christian were most likely to live in households that owned their home outright (36 per cent), 8.9 percentage points higher than the overall population (27.1 per cent). This group had a median (average) age of 51 years, compared with 40 years for the overall population, suggesting that they may have had time to pay off a mortgage or loan, the ONS said. The 2021 census survey was filled out by more than 24 million households across England and Wales and data from the survey is being published in stages by the ONS since then. According to an earlier release, people identifying as Christian fell below half the population for the first time, while those identifying as Hindu, Muslim or Sikh registered a small rise. Beijing: The Central American country of Honduras snapped its decades-old ties with Taiwan on Sunday and formalised diplomatic relations with Beijing, saying it recognises the existence of only one China in the world, leaving the self-ruled island with only 13 formal allies. Honduras foreign minister Eduardo Enrique Reina (left) and Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang pose with documents following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, at a ceremony in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, on Sunday. (AFP) The latest diplomatic blow to Taiwan comes in the backdrop of rising cross-Strait tension with the Peoples Liberation Armys (PLA) having held large military drills around it last year and earlier this year and its air force frequently buzzing the island with fighter jets and bombers. China and Honduras decided to recognise each other and establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique, a joint statement issued here by the two countries said. Chinese state councillor and foreign minister Qin Gang and his Honduran counterpart Eduardo Enrique Reina signed the joint communique at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing on Sunday, raising champagne glasses for a toast after releasing the statement. The Honduras government recognises the ...existence of only one China in the world and that the government of the Peoples Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents all of China, the countrys foreign ministry had said in a statement earlier in the day. It added that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan. Honduras chooses to stand with 181 countries in the world, recognise and undertake to adhere to the one-China principle, sever the so-called diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement. Honduran President Xiaomaro Castro tweeted earlier this month that she had instructed foreign affairs minister Eduardo Reina to start negotiations with China and that her intention was to expand frontiers freely in concert with the nations of the world. It prompted Taiwan to recall its ambassador to Honduras last week and caution the Central American country not to fall into Chinas trap. China and Taiwan, which Beijing claims as a breakaway region to be merged with the mainland with force if necessary, have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since the sides split amid civil war in 1949. Under the one-China principle, Beijing claims self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway part of its territory, does not accept official ties of a third country with the island, and has never ruled out using force to merge it with the mainland. Taiwanese foreign minister Joseph Wu said on Sunday that Taiwan had ended its relations with Honduras to safeguard its sovereignty and dignity. Wu, according to an Associated Press report from Taipei, said Castro and her team always had a fantasy about China and had raised the issue of switching ties before the presidential election in Honduras in 2021. Relations between Taiwan and Honduras were once stable, he said, but China had not stopped luring Honduras. While Taiwan now has only 13 formal allies, a majority of countries including India maintain informal ties with the island, a world leader in technology including in the critical chip sector. A major source of friction between China and the US has been Washingtons ties with Taipei, and its sale of weapons to the island. Beijing describes it as interference in its internal affairs. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Hong Kong's first protest against a government policy in about two years went ahead on Sunday, but under strict rules including a cap on numbers and a requirement that everyone wear an identifying number tag. A group of residents hold the first authorised protest and march in two years in Hong Kong.(AFP) In mid-2020 Beijing imposed a National Security Law (NSL) to stamp out dissent in the southern Chinese city, which had been rocked by pro-democracy unrest. There have been few public protests against official policy since then, due to a combination of the crackdown and social-distancing measures to counter the Covid-19 pandemic. Sunday's march was against a land reclamation plan in the city's east. As the first officially authorised protest against a government plan since the coronavirus measures were lifted, it offered an indication of the measure of dissent still allowed in the city. Police required organisers to follow stringent conditions including capping numbers at 100, making participants wear number tags around their necks, and surrounding the crowd with a cordon, with media separated from marchers. Officers closely examined banners and placards for "politically sensitive and seditious words", said protest organiser Cyrus Chan. One marcher -- among about 80 who turned up -- said the arrangements were "ridiculous". "I am here to join a march, not a shame parade," said the retired civil servant, who did not wish to be identified. "This is intimidation... but what can we do?" the marcher told AFP. "Now even trying to take a breath of fresh air may endanger national security." Responding to an AFP query about the restrictions, police said they conducted "comprehensive" risk assessments for public events based on their "purpose, nature, number of participants, past experience and latest developments". Eric Lai, a fellow at Georgetown University's Center for Asian Law, told AFP the conditions to monitor headcount and identify marchers were "disproportionate", and unheard of in previous police-approved marches in Hong Kong. Large-scale public events -- including music festivals and art fairs -- are returning to Hong Kong after the pandemic curbs were lifted, and local authorities insist residents still have freedom of speech and assembly. Earlier this month, a women's rights group called off what would have been one of Hong Kong's first authorised civil rights protests in years, after organisers were summoned multiple times by police. Israel's consul-general in New York said he was resigning on Sunday in protest at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's firing of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in a surging dispute over a judicial overhaul sought by the government. People attend a demonstration after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the defense minister and his nationalist coalition government presses on with its judicial overhaul, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday.(REUTERS) "I can no longer continue representing this Government," Asaf Zamir said on Twitter. I believe it is my duty to ensure that Israel remains a beacon of democracy and freedom in the world. The defence minister's dismissal signaled that Netanyahu will move ahead this week with the overhaul plan, which has sparked mass protests, angered military and business leaders and raised concerns among Israels allies. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had been the first senior member of the ruling Likud party to speak out against the plan. In a brief statement, Netanyahus office said the prime minister had dismissed Gallant. Netanyahu later tweeted we must all stand strong against refusal. Also Read: Israeli ministers approve bill on $270,000 gift to Netanyahu Tens of thousands of Israelis poured into the streets in protest after Netanyahu's announcement, blocking Tel Aviv's main artery, transforming the Ayalon highway into a sea of blue-and-white Israeli flags and lighting a large bonfire in the middle of the road. Demonstrations took place in Beersheba, Haifa and Jerusalem, where thousands of people gathered outside Netanyahu's private residence. The decision came less than a day after Gallant, a former senior general, called for a pause in the controversial legislation until after next months Independence Day holidays, citing the turmoil in the ranks of the military over the plan. Gallant had voiced concerns that the divisions in society were hurting morale in the military and emboldening Israels enemies across the region. I see how the source of our strength is being eroded, Gallant said. While several other Likud members had indicated they might follow Gallant, the party quickly closed ranks on Sunday, clearing the way for his dismissal. Galit Distal Atbaryan, Netanyahus public diplomacy minister, said that Netanyahu summoned Gallant to his office and told him that he doesnt have any faith in him anymore and therefore he is fired. Gallant tweeted shortly after the announcement that the security of the state of Israel always was and will always remain my life mission. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said that Gallants dismissal "harms national security and ignores warnings of all defense officials. The prime minister of Israel is a threat to the security of the state of Israel, Lapid wrote on Twitter. Avi Dichter, a former chief of the Shin Bet security agency, is expected to replace him. Dichter had reportedly flirted with joining Gallant but instead announced Sunday he was backing the prime minister. Netanyahus government is pushing ahead for a parliamentary vote this week on a centerpiece of the overhaul a law that would give the governing coalition the final say over all judicial appointments. It also seeks to pass laws that would grant parliament the authority to override Supreme Court decisions with a basic majority and limit judicial review of laws. Netanyahu and his allies say the plan will restore a balance between the judicial and executive branches and rein in what they see as an interventionist court with liberal sympathies. But critics say the constellation of laws will remove the checks and balances in Israels democratic system and concentrate power in the hands of the governing coalition. They also say that Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges, has a conflict of interest. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets over the past three months to demonstrate against the plan in the largest demonstrations in the country's 75-year history. Leaders of Israels vibrant high-tech industry have said the changes will scare away investors, former top security officials have spoken out against the plan and key allies, including the United States and Germany, have voiced concerns. In recent weeks discontent has even surged from within Israels army the most popular and respected institution among Israels Jewish majority. A growing number of Israeli reservists, including fighter pilots, have threatened to withdraw from voluntary duty in the past weeks. Israel's military is facing a surge in fighting in the occupied West Bank, threats from Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group and concerns that archenemy Iran is close to developing a nuclear-weapons capability. Violence both in Israel and the occupied West Bank has escalated over the past few weeks to heights unseen in years. Manuel Trajtenberg, head of an influential Israeli think tank, the Institute for National Security Studies, said that Netanyahu can dismiss his defense minister, he cannot dismiss the warnings he heard from Gallant. Meanwhile, an Israeli good governance group on Sunday asked the countrys Supreme Court to punish Netanyahu for allegedly violating a conflict of interest agreement meant to prevent him from dealing with the countrys judiciary while he is on trial for corruption. The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, a fierce opponent of the overhaul, asked the court to force Netanyahu to obey the law and sanction him either with a fine or prison time for not doing so. It said he was not above the law. A prime minister who doesnt obey the court and the provisions of the law is privileged and an anarchist, said Eliad Shraga, the head of the group, echoing language used by Netanyahu and his allies against protesters opposed to the overhaul. The prime minister will be forced to bow his head before the law and comply with the provisions of the law. The prime minister responded saying the appeal should be dismissed and said that the Supreme Court didnt have grounds to intervene. Netanyahu is barred by the countrys attorney general from directly dealing with his governments plan to overhaul the judiciary, based on a conflict of interest agreement he is bound to, and which the Supreme Court acknowledged in a ruling over Netanyahus fitness to serve while on trial for corruption. Instead, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close confidant of Netanyahu, is spearheading the overhaul. But on Thursday, after parliament passed a law making it harder to remove a sitting prime minister, Netanyahu said he was unshackled from the attorney generals decision and vowed to wade into the crisis and mend the rift in the nation. That declaration prompted the attorney general, Gali Baharav-Miara, to warn that Netanyahu was breaking his conflict of interest agreement by entering the fray. The fast-paced legal and political developments have catapulted Israel into uncharted territory and toward a burgeoning constitutional crisis, said Guy Lurie, a research fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank. We are at the start of a constitutional crisis in the sense that there is a disagreement over the source of authority and legitimacy of different governing bodies, he said. Netanyahu is on trial for charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate affairs involving wealthy associates and powerful media moguls. He denies wrongdoing and dismisses critics who say he will try to seek an escape route from the charges through the legal overhaul. Russia will station tactical nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday, marking the first time since the mid-1990s that Moscow will have based such arms outside the country. Russian President Vladimir Putin (AP) Putin made the announcement at a time of growing tensions with the West over the Ukraine war and as some Russian commentators speculate about possible nuclear strikes. Putin told state television that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had long raised the issue of stationing tactical nuclear weapons in his country, which borders NATO member Poland. Also read: Vladimir Putin ally proposing banning ICC in Russia "There is nothing unusual here either: firstly, the United States has been doing this for decades. They have long deployed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allied countries," he said. "We agreed that we will do the same - without violating our obligations, I emphasize, without violating our international obligations on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons." Putin did not specify when the weapons would be transferred to Belarus. "Tactical" nuclear weapons refer to those used for specific gains in the battlefield. Russia will have completed the construction of a storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus by July 1, Putin said, adding that Moscow would not actually be transferring control of the arms to Minsk. The U.S. State Department and the Pentagon did not immediately return messages seeking comment. Russia has stationed 10 aircraft in Belarus capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, he said, adding that Moscow had already transferred to Belarus a number of Iskander tactical missile systems that can be used to launch nuclear weapons. Also read: Prince William mocked by Russia amid Ukraine war for When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, nuclear weapons were deployed in the four newly-independent states of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. In May 1992, the four states agreed all the weapons should be based in Russia and the transfer of warheads from Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan was completed in 1996. The chief of Lithuania's military intelligence said Russia has enough resources to continue the war in Ukraine for two more years at the current intensity. Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow says it launched its "special military operation" in Ukraine a year ago.(AFP) 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", Lithuania's intelligence chief Elegijus Paulavicius told reporters. "How long Russia is be able to wage the war will also depend on the support for Russia's military from states such as Iran and North Korea", he added. Paulavicius was introducing a national threat overview by Lithuania's 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 envoy's office in Vilnius did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Russia has repeatedly denied accusations in hacking activities abroad. Lithuania's intelligence services said sanctions had not harmed Russia's 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. During travel, sometimes people forget their valuables on trains or flights. They might not be able to locate their lost valuable later. But with the advancement of technology, it is now possible to locate valuables like electronic gadgets. A woman in US' Washington state tracked down her lost Apple AirPods to an airport worker's home two weeks after she left them behind on a flight. Alisabeth Hayden lost her earphones when she was flying back from Tokyo.(Representative image) Read here: Auto driver finds woman who left AirPods in auto, netizens call him tech-savvy Alisabeth Hayden lost her earphones when she was flying back from Tokyo, where she had been visiting her husband, earlier this month. After she doboarded the plane at San Francisco, Hayden realised she had left her jacket behind and her Airpods too, CNN (article beyond paywall) reported. "I realised before I was even off the plane. I was the third from last off the plane, so I asked the flight attendant if I could go and get it. He said no - I was required by federal law to get off the plane and stand beside it, where the strollers are brought to. I was tired, he said he'd bring it to me, I said OK," she told CNN. The flight's crew member brought her the jacket and she subsequently boarded her next flight to Seattle. Hayden recalled that a child was screaming next to her so he thought to use her AirPods. "A child was screaming next to me and I thought, at least I have my AirPods", she said. But, when Hayden searched her jacket, she found that her AirPods were missing, the report added. As the flight had already taken off to Seattle, Hayden used inflight Wi-Fi to track the earphones using the Apple's "Find My" app, which is used to track Apple devices. The AirPods were traced to a cargo terminal at San Francisco Airport. The location was constantly moving. It moved to different locations at various terminals and then on Highway 101 before it ended up on an address in the Bay Area, where it lay for three days, the report added. Hayden eventually marked her AirPods as "lost" on the app, pinging an alert and her number to the person who had them. She escalated the matter at the San Mateo police which was also working at the airport. The police traced the address the AirPods were pinging from to an airport contractor working to load food onto aircraft. The airport worker finally revealed that the AirPods were being given to him be a cleaning staff member. The earphones were finally returned to Hayden 12 days later in a bad condition. Read here: Woman tracks her lost AirPods on a flight, asks netizens to bring them back United Airlines offered $271.91 in "expenses" (to buy a new pair) plus 5,000 miles as an apology to Hayden. The matter is now being handed over to San Francisco Airport Police Department, which would submit the case to the San Mateo District Attorney's office, the report further added. When Princess Diana was introduced to the press in 1980, she was often referred to as Shy Di. She was only 19 years old then and was pushed into the media limelight as then-Prince Charles' girlfriend. But Queen Elizabeths former press secretary claimed there was nothing shy about her. Princess Diana: Princess Diana is seen. Read more: Kate Middleton not afraid, every inch businesswoman: Royal expert In an interview with Vogue, Queen Elizabeth IIs former press secretary Dickie Arbiter said that Princess Dianas Shy Di nickname was inaccurate admitting that Diana may have been overwhelmed by media attention but the shy nickname was used for her too much. I first met her about three or four days before the wedding. She just turned 20, Dickie Arbiter said. People used to call her Shy Di, because she kept her head down when she talked to you. But there was nothing shy about her, he added. Read more: Prince William mocked by Russia amid Ukraine war for Dickie Arbiter continued while talking of one royal visit to a residential home for the blind, saying, She was conscious of her height5 foot 10. She used to keep her hed down when talking to people not to make them feel uncomfortable and to talk to them at their level. Then Princess Diana had stopped to talk to a lady and gentleman sitting in the entrance hall, both partially sighted during which Dickie Arbiter noted, She had this capacity to react instinctively. You cant teach anybody to do that. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Outside, houses are torn open and trees lie with their roots in the air. Inside, stretchers are lined up in front of tables overflowing with food. Aerial view of a destroyed neighborhood in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, after a tornado touched down in the area March 25, 2023.(AFP) In Rolling Fork, Mississippi, where a tornado caused chaos and death, volunteers are pouring in from surrounding towns to help. The American Red Cross moved into a National Guard building less than 24 hours after the tornado struck Friday night, killing at least 25 people in the community of 2,000. Read here: Massive tornado in Mississippi kills 25, dozens injured; Biden assures help An ambulance is parked at the entrance of a room being used as an infirmary and, through the back door, boxes full of cereal bars and baby diapers keep arriving. "We're trying to give people a place to stay overnight with food and medical support so they can just have a place to lay their heads, because they've lost everything," said John Brown, a Red Cross official for Alabama and Mississippi. The city is "like a war zone," he said. "It looks like a bomb went off." Whether or not residents choose to stay in the town center, they will at least have access to information and food and regain some strength, Brown said. Anna Krisuta, 43, and her 16-year-old son Alvaro Llecha sit in the shelter, one on a stretcher, the other on a chair, electric blue energy drinks in front of them. Their house is "in pieces," Anna Krisuta says, putting on a brave smile. Both pull out their cell phones to show the extent of the damage, captured on video. The pair are not sure whether they will spend the night at the center. Maybe they'd prefer to sleep in the car, Alvaro said, giving his mother a hesitant look. The teenager said he survived only by hiding in the bathroom, which he considered was the safest room in their house. "I thought I was going to die," he said, recounting the strong wind "rushing in through the bottom of the door." Resilience Lauren Hoda travelled 70 miles (110 kilometres) from Vicksburg to Rolling Fork to volunteer. She described the mixture of sadness, grief and anger she feels at the "injustice" inflicted on the residents. "When I woke up this morning, I wanted to cry for the people of this town because I don't think they had much time before (the tornado) came. There were people eating in restaurants, families in bed," said the 28-year-old, who also experienced Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She spent her Saturday night at Rolling Fork bringing donations from collection points: water, food, canned goods, diapers, wipes, medicine, deodorant, and toothpaste. Jon Gebhardt, an assistant professor of military science at the University of Mississippi, travelled three hours to Rolling Fork, arriving in the middle of the night to help set up the center. Read here: We lost everything: Harrowing tales of survival in Mississippi after tornado "I cried quite a bit today," he said. "But this morning, when I woke up and saw the generosity and ability of this community to come together at such a difficult time, (I felt) lucky to be in Mississippi." He said he was confident in the resilience of the Mississippi Delta. Will this community rebuild for the better and become a better version of itself in the next few years? Yes, I think so. Train collision in Romania leaves one Killed, four injured : Reports Chisinau, Mar 26 (UNI) - A shunting locomotive crashed into a passenger train in the Romanian city of Galati on Sunday, killing one person and injuring four others, Romanian media reported. The incident occurred overnight at the Galati train station, the Digi 24 news portal reported. As a result of the collision, three Romanian railroad employees and one passenger were trapped inside a partly crushed passenger car. A female controller who was at the scene suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized, but died at a medical facility, the report said. Preliminary tests showed the locomotive's speedometer was stuck at 47 miles (75 kilometers) per hour, while the driver said the vehicle had suddenly accelerated and the braking system had not worked. Kyiv on Sunday said it was seeking an emergency meeting of the United Nation's Security Council to counter Russia's "nuclear blackmail" after President Vladimir Putin announced his country would station tactical nuclear arms in Belarus. The UN Security Council has adopted several resolutions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the years and supports the two-state solution to peace in the Middle East.(AP) Putin said the deployment was similar to moves from the United States, which stores such weapons in bases across Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey, an analogy western allies called "misleading". With fears of a nuclear war rising since the invasion, experts believe that any Russian strike would likely involve small-size battlefield weapons, called "tactical" as opposed to "strategic" high-powered long-range nuclear weapons. "Ukraine expects effective actions to counteract the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail from the United Kingdom, China, the United States and France," the Ukrainian foreign ministry said. "We demand that an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council be immediately convened for this purpose," it added. On Saturday, Putin announced Russia would station tactical nuclear weapons in neighbour and ally Belarus "without violating our international agreements on nuclear non-proliferation". The Ukrainian foreign ministry accused Russia of breaching its obligations, and of undermining the "nuclear disarmament architecture and the international security system in general". It called on "all members of the international community to convey to the criminal Putin regime the categorical unacceptability of its latest nuclear provocations." Dangerous and irresponsible In the interview broadcast Saturday, Putin said the move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was "nothing unusual". "The United States has been doing this for decades. They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies," Putin said. Putin said he spoke to Lukashenko and said "we agreed to do the same." Russia will start training crews on April 3 and plans to finish the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons by July 1. Germany and NATO said the analogy was deceptive. "The comparison made by President Putin to nuclear sharing in NATO is misleading and does not justify the step announced by Russia," an official in German foreign office told AFP. NATO also joined the criticism, with spokeswoman Oana Lungescu saying "Russia's reference to NATO's nuclear sharing is totally misleading. NATO allies act with full respect of their international commitments." Lungescu also blasted Russia's announcement as "dangerous and irresponsible". She however said the Western allies had not yet "seen any changes in Russia's nuclear posture that would lead us to adjust our own." Scare tactics Putin has previously said nuclear tensions were "rising" globally but that Moscow would not deploy first. Back in February 2022, Belarus allowed the Kremlin to launch its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory. Fears have since risen that Belarus may join its ally's offensive, but dictator Alexander Lukashenko, a key Putin ally, said he would do so "only if attacked". On Sunday secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, Oleksiy Danilov wrote on Twitter that "the Kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage." He added that the move was "a step towards the internal destabilisation of the country". Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak added that "(Putin) admits that he is afraid of losing and all he can do is scare" people. The Russian leader said renewed discussions with Lukashenko on the issue were spurred by a British official's suggestion depleted uranium weapons be sent to Ukraine. Russia has "what it needs to answer" if the West supplied Ukraine with such ammunition, he added. Without exaggeration, we have hundreds of thousands of such shells. We have not used them yet. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on Sunday lawmakers will move forward with legislation to address national security worries about TikTok, alleging China's government had access to the short video app's user data. Many Democrats also have raised concerns although have not yet explicitly backed a U.S. ban.(Action Images via Reuters) In the United States, there are growing calls to ban TikTok, owned by China-based company ByteDance, or to pass bipartisan legislation to give President Joe Biden's administration legal authority to seek a ban. Devices owned by the U.S. government were recently banned from having the app installed. "The House will be moving forward with legislation to protect Americans from the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party," McCarthy said on Twitter. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew appeared before a U.S. House Committee for about five hours on Thursday, and lawmakers from both parties grilled him about national security and other concerns involving the app, which has 150 million American users. Also Read: Who is Shou Zi Chew, TikTok CEO grilled by US lawmakers? In Thursday's hearing, the TikTok CEO was asked if of the app, has spied on Americans at Beijing's request. Chew answered, "No." Republican Representative Neal Dunn then referenced the company's disclosure in December that some China-based employees at ByteDance improperly accessed TikTok user data of two journalists and were no longer employed by the company. He repeated his question about whether ByteDance was spying. "I don't think that spying is the right way to describe it," Chew said. He went on to describe the reports as involving an "internal investigation" before being cut off. McCarthy, a Republican, said in a tweet on Sunday, "It's very concerning that the CEO of TikTok can't be honest and admit what we already know to be true China has access to TikTok user data." Also Read: China defends TikTok, says it does not ask companies to hand over data The company says it has spent more than $1.5 billion on data security efforts under the name "Project Texas" which currently has nearly 1,500 full-time employees and is contracted with Oracle Corp to store TikToks U.S. user data. Rather than appease lawmakers' concerns, Chew's appearance before Congress on Thursday "actually increased the likelihood that Congress will take some action," Representative Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, the Republican chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, told ABC News on Sunday. Former U.S. President Donald Trump lost a series of court rulings in 2020 when he sought to ban TikTok and another Chinese-owned app, WeChat, a unit of Tencent. Many Democrats also have raised concerns although have not yet explicitly backed a U.S. ban. A US man, on board a Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Seattle, was detained on Saturday for allegedly opening an exit door and causing the planes emergency slide to be activated before takeoff. The Delta flight from Los Angeles to Seattle was reportedly delayed by three hours as the passengers were escorted off and moved to another plane. (REUTERS/ Representative image) The Los Angeles Airport Police said around 10am EST., an unidentified passenger, wearing a striped red and navy blue sweater with black pants, rushed to the front of the plane while the plane was pushing away from the gate and asked the flight attendant, what do I do now?, reported the New York Post. Also Read| 'Sorry I could not...': Trans flight attendant famed for United Airlines ad found dead According to the report, passengers told FOX 11 that the flight attendant insisted that the man sit down, but he ran from the flight attendant and went to the planes emergency exit doors, turned the latch, opened the door, and slid down the deployed emergency slide. Forcing the plane to stop, the man jumped onto the back of a baggage cart, where luggage workers held him down until the airport police got there, the report quoted the passengers as saying. He is being taken to a local hospital for a mental evaluation, said a security personnel. Airport Police responded and detained the passenger for further investigation. Due to the circumstances, FBI was notified, the airport police told Fox News Digital. The airline told Fox News Digital, Delta flight 1714 operating from Los Angeles to Seattle returned to the gate due to an unruly passenger. The aircraft was holding to taxi for takeoff when the passenger exited the aircraft and was initially detained by Delta staff ahead of being arrested by local law enforcement. Customers are being re-accommodated on a new aircraft, and we apologise for the inconvenience and delay in their travel plans, it added. U.S. President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Mississippi on Sunday after a powerful storm tore across the state, killing at least 25 people there and one in Alabama. President Joe Biden. (AP) Also Read| Massive tornado in Mississippi kills 25, dozens injured; Biden assures help Biden ordered federal aid to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the affected areas, a White House Statement said. The funding will be available to affected people in the counties of Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, and Sharkey, the statement said. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Two Baton Rouge police officers died Sunday when their helicopter crashed into a sugarcane field, Louisiana authorities said. The Robinson R-44 helicopter went out at 2 a.m. to help with a pursuit and never returned, local media reported. The aircraft's disappearance wasn't noticed for several hours, when a search was launched. The wreckage was found before 11 a.m. The names of the officers have not been released. On behalf of the City of Baton Rouge, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and colleagues of the BRPD officers who tragically lost their lives, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said on Twitter. Baton Rouge police officials did not immediately return a call seeking comment. The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash. NWS Houston The National Weather Service Sunday afternoon issued a tornado watch for parts of southeast Texas through at least 7 p.m. Hail as large as the size of a tennis ball was likely and there was the possibility of a few strong tornadoes developing amid wind gusts as strong as 70 miles per hour, according to the weather service. The area under the tornado watch includes cities northeast of Houston, such as Dayton and Beaumont, and parts of Louisiana, but does not include Houston. CAIRO (AP) Libyas coast guard fired warning shots over a humanitarian vessel as it attempted to rescue a rubber boat carrying migrants off Libya's coast, a sea rescue group said. The coast guard went on to return some 80 Europe-bound migrants to Libyan soil. The incident Saturday in international waters was the latest reckless sea interception of migrants by the Libyan coast guard, which is trained and financed by the European Union to stem the influx of migrants to Europe, said the SOS Mediterranee group, whose vessel was warned off by the coast guard. A spokesman for the coast guard didnt respond to a request for comment. The Italian coast guard said it had received a report about the incident, but complained that SOS Mediterranee didn't follow correct procedures in reporting it. The Ocean Viking, a rescue ship chartered and run by the non-profit SOS Mediterranee, was responding to a distress call to help the rubber boat carrying migrants in the Mediterranean Sea when a Libyan coast guard vessel arrived at the scene, the group said. The Libyan coast guard vessel dangerously approached the rescue ship, threatening its crew with guns and firing gunshots in the air, the SOS Mediterranee said in a statement. The coast guard was caught on camera threatening the vessel and firing a weapon into the air. In the footage, the coast guard vessel is seen traveling at a high rate of speed before maneuvering, apparently to prevent the Ocean Viking from reaching the migrant boat. At one point, gun shots are heard. You cant shoot at us. You cant shoot at us. Were leaving the waters now, a person on the Ocean Viking is heard saying. Under threat, the Ocean Viking sailed away while the Libyan coast guard intercepted the boat and forcibly took the migrants back to war-wrecked Libya, it said. Seabird 2, a civil surveillance plane owned by the German non-governmental organization Sea-Watch, reported seeing migrants who had fallen overboard from the rubber boat before the coast guard recovered them. In further footage from the group's civil surveillance plane, the coast guard was seen maneuvering and approaching the rubber boat, before forcing the migrants to disembark on the coast guard vessel. Gunshots were also heard in the footage, with people on board the surveillance plane saying, They are shooting in the water ... They are shooting at the people. Saturdays incident was the latest report from European NGOs operating in the Mediterranean Sea of threats or violent behavior by the Libyan coast guard, which is trained and financed by the European Union, part of efforts to stem the flow of migrants from the North African country towards Italian shores. Libya has in recent years emerged as the dominant transit point for migrants seeking a better quality of life in Europe. The oil-rich country plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime autocrat Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. Human traffickers have benefited from the chaos in Libya, smuggling in migrants across the countrys lengthy borders with six nations. The migrants are then packed into ill-equipped rubber boats and other vessels and set off on risky sea voyages. So far this year, some 20,000 migrants have arrived in Italy, far exceeding the 6,000 who came in the same period in each of the preceding years, according to Interior Ministry figures. Over the weekend alone, an estimated 3,300 migrants many departing on small boats from Libya or Tunisia's coastal city of Sfax were rescued in the Mediterranean and were heading toward Italian ports to disembark, the Italian coast guard said. At least three rescues were conducted by the Louise Michel rescue ship, which is financed by the street artist Banksy. The group said its vessel was detained Friday off Lampedusa after it rescued 180 people in several operations. Thirty-four were plucked from the water after their boat capsized. The Italian coast guard said the vessel had been seized because the crew disobeyed orders to head to a port in Trapani, Sicily after the first rescue and instead picked up other migrants in three other rescues. The coast guard said that disobedience put migrants at risk and complicated its own efforts to coordinate rescues during a particularly busy weekend. The instructions given to the NGO ship, given its small size, were also aimed at preventing it from taking on board so many people that would jeopardize both its safety and that of the migrant boats it would be rescuing, the coast guard said in a statement. It added that the NGO aircraft that were also sending reports of boats in distress overloaded the communications system of the Italian coordination center, duplicating alerts that government aircraft were already providing. In recent months, the hard-line Italian government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made it harder for humanitarian vessels to operate, often assigning ships to ports farther north after a single rescue, which the groups say limits their ability to save lives. Melonis allies say the presence of so many rescue ships in the Mediterranean encourages migrants to risk their lives on smuggler boats. ___ Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed. At Stanford University two weeks ago, a raucous confrontation drew national attention after a group of student protesters shouted down a Trump-appointed federal judge Kyle Duncan. He was invited to speak but could barely get a word in because protesters were heckling him so severely. Rather than restore order, Tirien Steinbach, the law school's associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion, sided with the rowdy students and openly questioned whether the pain and controversy from bringing Duncan to the campus was "worth the squeeze." The incident seems to play right into conservative fears that universities have become bastions of wokeness more concerned with imposing anti-racism dogmas and ideological litmus tests on faculty and students than promoting freedom of speech or expression. And actually, they arent entirely wrong, but the extreme policies being proposed in Texas will make matters worse. Across the nation, a lack of ideological diversity on college campuses is an issue among faculty: Only 26 percent of professors identify as conservative, while 50 percent identify as liberal and 17 percent as moderate, according to a recent survey by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) of nearly 1,500 U.S. college and university professors. In the survey, 70 percent of conservatives said they perceived active discrimination against them because of their political beliefs and 58 percent said they self-censored. Meanwhile, a 2022 survey from FIRE ranked the University of Texas 180 out of 203 universities for free speech tolerance. In 2021, the same survey dinged UT for its students' unwillingness to allow conservative speakers to speak on campus as well as the universitys lack of support for free speech. While the Stanford Law imbroglio has come to represent this larger issue, it also offers a way out. The law school's dean, Jenny Martinez, apologized to the judge for the disruption of his speech that she said violated school policy. That further angered students, but she stood her ground in a letter to them, noting that "commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion actually means that we must protect free expression of all views." That's what it should mean. DEI programs should promote the idea that learning in an environment rich with varying backgrounds and perspectives makes students better thinkers, better people, better citizens. In the case of Stanford law students, understanding the thinking of a judge with whom they vehemently disagree could make them better lawyers. But few are having that conversation. Instead, people on the left insinuate Republicans are attacking DEI because they hate diversity and people on the right dismiss DEI as a tool in the "woke" conspiracy to exclude white people and conservatives. DEI programs in higher education, like many in corporate America, were adopted in the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd in police custody and the ensuing nationwide protests. Diversity statements that were once seen as formalities of marginal importance have taken on greater significance in academia. A recent survey found roughly one-fifth of higher education institutions now require diversity statements from applicants for faculty jobs. They are intended to help address systemic barriers to people from underrepresented backgrounds. While the share of the population with a high school diploma has risen over time in the U.S. for Hispanic, Black, white, and Asian adults, the gap in bachelors degree attainment has widened for both Black and Hispanic adults compared to white adults. Meanwhile, a prospective faculty member has sued Texas A&M alleging racial discrimination over a program designed to increase the number of professors from underrepresented groups. We could use some thoughtful leadership on this issue in Texas, like the kind Martinez is displaying at Stanford. Instead, Texas Republicans are acting more like the unruly law students, fighting intolerance with more intolerance. They're pushing a slew of policies and legislation that seems intended to reduce public universities to parochial institutions of fear and self-censorship. Last month, Gov. Greg Abbotts chief of staff Gardner Pate sent a letter warning Texas public universities and state agencies to stop using diversity hiring programs, arguing such efforts are a form of discrimination "benefiting some demographic groups to the detriment of others." Shortly afterward, the University of Texas Systems board of regents announced a "pause" on all new policies that promote DEI at its 13 university and health campuses. Texas A&M went a step further this month, outright banning diversity statements from job applicants. And yet, as evidenced by the lagging number of Black and Hispanic faculty at UT and A&M compared to the state's demographics, DEI is also not quite as effective as supporters want it to be in remedying inequality. It's notable that, after announcing the ban on diversity statements, A&M President John Sharp admonished his staff in an internal memo for not recruiting the 2,000 Black students in Texas who didn't enroll in college even though their top-10 high school ranking made them eligible to attend A&M. "I'm tired of our people thinking that they are focusing on improving diversity by just putting words on a website and having more and more staff sitting in diversity administrative offices. It takes more than that!" Sharp wrote. And it certainly takes more than what Abbott is proposing, which is nothing, as far as we can tell, to replace DEI. What weve seen in our universities is DEI practices that are there for political purposes, advancing political agendas, blanketed with the perception that they are trying to protect diversity, Abbott told Hearst Newspapers' Jeremy Wallace recently. We don't have to wonder how much politics is influencing the Republican agenda against DEI. Lawmakers are heeding the call from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to "wipe out" anything resembling DEI, and while they're at it, to meddle with other university policies: bills filed by Republican state Sens. Brandon Creighton and Bryan Hughes would ban tenure for all new public college and university faculty in Texas; ban DEI offices and the use of diversity statements, including even unsolicited comments in support of diversity initiatives; blacklist employees, including tenured faculty, who violate these laws from working at any university for a year; and enable boards of trustees to veto faculty job postings and courses in the core curriculum. No one should be pressured into asserting an ideology they don't believe to get a job at a state university. But there's got to be a better way to protect against that scenario, and to encourage more intellectual diversity on campuses, without scrapping hard-won diversity programs altogether. And there's got to be a better way to reform tenure or encourage better teaching in the state's higher education institutions without banning tenure, a move that would surely disadvantage our prestigious universities in hiring the best and brightest in the nation, and the world. There are better ways to ensure fairness and still protect diversity: lawmakers could dedicate funding for freedom of expression training, such as PEN America's Campus for All workshops that "balance robust protections for free speech with efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion." They should actually call for a broadening of DEI policies to emphasize that diversity doesn't have to be reduced to cultural or ethnic differences but also includes intellectual or ideological diversity. They should prohibit universities from denying admission or benefits to a student, or from hiring or promoting a faculty member, on the basis of the viewpoints expressed in a DEI pledge or statement. DEI for conservatives? Why not? Public universities should be granted an opportunity, free from political pressure, to re-examine their own policies and engage seriously with the salient critiques of admission and hiring practices. Mohawk Forest Apartments to Host COVID Vaccine Clinic NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Mohawk Forest Apartments, located at 201 Mohawk Forest Boulevard in North Adams, will be hosting a COVID vaccine clinic in their community room from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2023. This clinic is open to the public as well as to residents of Mohawk Forest. Individuals 6 months of age and older are eligible to participate. First, second, and booster shots will be available. All Massachusetts residents who gets vaccinated at this clinic will receive a $75 gift card while supplies last. Note that this is not available for anyone who received a booster shot after September, 2022. Walk-Ins are welcome but pre-registration is encouraged. The vaccine is free. ID and health insurance are not required. Moderna and Pfizer doses will be available. Left, the late David Rempell joins his Select Board colleagues in a water toast to the town's new well in 2012; right, he breaks ground for the new Youth Center that same year. Educator, Community Servant David Rempell Remembered David Rempell with Jane Allen during a Select Board meeting in 2009. He served three terms on the board after retiring as principal of Williamstown Elementary School. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. Few people left as indelible a mark on the Village Beautiful as did David Rempell. An elementary school principal who helped build the current school building, a director of the town's youth center who spearheaded a drive to build its new facility and a nine-year member of the town's Select Board, Rempell died Saturday, surrounded by family, at the age of 76. Just 34 of those years were spent in Williamstown. But Rempell's impact will be felt for decades to come. "When he became the director in 2005, we were an unlicensed drop-in program more or less in a building that was falling down around us," current Williamstown Youth Center Director Michael Williams said on Sunday. "When he left in 2017, we were a fully licensed program in a brand spanking new building, one that was worthy of the kids that were attending our programs. "The program had completely turned itself around. We went from being a place where kids went because they had no other option to a place where kids wanted to be. That's a remarkable achievement, and Mr. Rempell did that." Rempell, a native of New York City, was educated at Cornell University, New York University and the University of Massachusetts before working as a teacher and later school administrator in the Pioneer Valley. In 1988, he came to Williamstown as principal of Williamstown Elementary School. "He was probably the finest principal around," said Paul Jennings, superintendent of the school at the time. "He was the finest principal I ever worked with, and I worked with a lot. "What I enjoyed about David was I think we complemented each other in a lot of ways. He was extraordinarily good at detail. He could read twice as fast as I could. While I was trying to pay attention to the big picture, he made sure everything ran the way it was supposed to run." His 16-year tenure at the school included the 2002 opening of a brand-new elementary school on the Church Street campus. "This is a school we will be proud of for so many years to come," Rempell said at the time. The underlying message, "how important this entire community of Williamstown feels your education is. How blessed I feel to be part of a community that will do something like this for the children of our town." Three years after he retired from public education, Rempell began his next journey in service to the community when he took the reins of the Williamstown Youth Center, then located in an aging former school building. It was about that time he crossed paths with a new resident to town named Mike Williams. "I think of my first experience with the Youth Center as a father was bringing my 7-year-old daughter to a dance class in the old building and having to go downstairs in the basement and walking across 2-by-6's on the floor to walk over the water collected in the basement to get to the dance room," Williams said. "I thought to myself, 'What kind of town did I move to?' And David felt the same way and made sure that that changed." In 2006, Williams joined the staff at the Youth Center, and his successful collaboration with Rempell lasted until the latter retired for a second time in 2017 after successfully shepherding a $4 million fund-raising campaign to build a new center on the WES campus. About the same time that Rempell started his 12-year run at the helm of the WYC, he started the first of three three-year terms on the town's Select Board. "David was dedicated to the whole town and every age group," said Peter Fohlin, who was town manager for 15 years. "His engagement as Williamstown Elementary School principal, Williamstown Youth Center director, and Williamstown selectman demonstrated the depth and breadth of his talents and commitment. David was a staunch Democrat who believed in its principles, but he never let those beliefs create division. David lived diversity, inclusion, and equity long before it became a catchphrase." Rempell's last term on the five-person Select Board coincided with the first term of Jane Patton, who this spring was elected to her fourth term. Patton said Sunday that she was "terrified" of Rempell when she joined the body in 2013. "This guy's serious," Patton said of her first impression. "He's legit. He knows his stuff. You just need to listen more than you need to babble, which I still try, to this day, to be mindful of." Patton said Rempell and another veteran Select Board member, Jane Allen, were inspirations for her when she began public service. And Rempell continued to be a source of strength long after he left the body. "Over the last few years when we were going through some of the stuff when it was so challenging the year I was chair a second time [2020], he would reach out on occasion," Patton said. "He didn't always agree with what I did, but he was always encouraging and had a kind word." As a parent, Patton discovered another side of Rempell. "He was the classic educator who knew every kid's name," Patton said. "One of my daughters struggled with reading a little bit, and he really worked with her. It takes a special person when you have, I don't know, 100 kids in there, to see the one who needs a little boost or a little extra help. "It's a big loss to the community, but we'll always have the Youth Center, and I know he was a big part of that." Williams said Sunday that the Williamstown Youth Center plans a plaque in his honor at the entrance to the facility and, more importantly, has established a scholarship fund in Rempell's name to ensure access to the WYC's programs to as many children as possible. Rempell spearheaded the capital campaign to the youth center built during his time as director. "We have things already in place to honor David and recognize the tremendous work he did for the Youth Center," Williams said. "Everyone at the Youth Center is aware of his legacy and honors that legacy. "I had been working with David and his family [the last few months]. I thought it was important for David to know, while he was alive, how much he was appreciated, and I wanted David to know there would be something at the Youth Center to honor his legacy." Within hours of Rempell's passing from double-hit lymphoma, a long, thoughtful obituary was posted on iBerkshires.com. That was no accident. "True to form, David and his family have been working on his obituary for a couple of weeks," Williams said. "That was one of the things that he felt he needed to complete, and he wasn't going to leave until it was completed. That's my sense. If there was going to be some notice of his life and the things that were important to him, he wanted to participate in writing that. "I say 'true to form' because David always had that sense of responsibility, that sense of duty." iciHaiti - Culture : Partnership between The National Library of Haiti and The National Library of France Following his recent work mission in France, lnrico Dangelo Neard the Director General of the National Library of Haiti (BNH) had the pleasure of exchanging, via zoom, with a delegation from the National Library of France (BNF) on avenues for cooperation between the two institutions. The reception at the BNF of Watson Francois, an employee of the BNH, within the framework of the Residence Culture program is the first concrete manifestation of this partnership initiated by lnrico Dangelo Neard. The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), like the BNF, of which Haiti is one of the priorities, has granted the latter funding to support Haiti in putting together a digitization project file in order to submit it to potential donors. The BNF and the OIF want the BNH to benefit from this system. At the end of this process, if the financing is obtained, the BNF proposes to accompany the BNH in the realization of the project. IH/ iciHaiti Honduras severs "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan Xinhua) 18:09, March 26, 2023 TEGUCIGALPA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Honduras is severing the so-called "diplomatic relations" with the Taiwan authorities, the Honduran foreign ministry announced on Saturday. According to a press release, Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina has communicated to the Taiwan authorities the decision to sever "diplomatic relations" in line with the instructions of the Honduran president. "The government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes the existence of only one China in the world, and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China. Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory," the minister said. "As of today, the government of Honduras has communicated to Taiwan the severing of 'diplomatic relations,' pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan," he added. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Liang Jun) For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Hong Kong residents held their first authorised protest in years under strict police watch on Sunday. Several demonstrators marched in one of the first protests since 2020 in Hong Kong when the national security law was introduced but were required to wear numbered lanyards and barred from wearing face masks by police. The protests were against a proposed land reclamation and a garbage processing project. The protest took place in the eastern district of Tseung Kwan O, where the project is slated to be built. At least 100 demonstrators braved the rain and were seen holding placards against the slated project with a heavy presence of police personnel around. Critics have slammed the strict monitoring of the small protest with reports saying that Hong Kong authorities sent a seven-page letter of instructions to the organisers before the protests. We need to have a more free-spirited protest culture, James Ockenden, 49, who was marching with his three children told Reuters. But this is all pre-arranged and numbered and it just destroys the culture and will put people off from coming for sure. Earlier this month, the Hong Kong Women Workers Association announced that it had received verbal approval for a notice of no objection regarding their march on International Womens Day but it was later cancelled. A first authorised protest since the emergence of Covid-19 three years ago is a significant moment for Hong Kong, but Sundays planned march will take place as the government intensifies its wider crackdown on human rights in the city, Hana Young, Amnesty International Deputy Regional Director said at the time. However, the march was cancelled. According to Radio Free Asia, police had threatened key social activists with arrest if they participated in the march. Meanwhile, the police had granted the organisers a no objection letter for the protest on Sunday on the condition they ensure it would not violate national security laws, including seditious displays or speech. Some lawbreakers may mix into the public meeting and procession to disrupt public order or even engage in illegal violence, the police warned in their letter. Organisers said up to 50 people took part in the first protest to be authorised by the citys police for several years. So far, applications for other protests, including a candlelight vigil on 4 June to commemorate the victims of Chinas Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, have been denied on grounds related to Covid social distancing. With additional reporting from agencies... India has summoned the Canadian high commissioner over the latest attack by Sikh separatists on Indian diplomatic missions and consulates. Supporters of the Khalistan movement a Sikh secessionist movement that calls for a separate homeland for the religious community to be carved out of India have vandalised Indian missions overseas. It comes after the Indian flag at the countrys high commission in London was pulled down and the buildings window was smashed last week. Members and supporters of Indias largest opposition party protested on Sunday against their leaders disqualification from parliament in nationwide sit-ins inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi, a senior member of the Congress party, lost his seat in the lower house after a court in Gujarat sentenced him to two years in prison over a 2019 joke about Prime Minister Narendra Modis surname. Mr Gandhi, 52, is part of the Gandhi political dynasty and one of the most high-profile opposition figures in India. His disqualification comes as a major blow just a year before general elections in which Mr Modi will seek a third term. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced a man to death after he was found guilty of posting blasphemous content in a WhatsApp group. On Friday, the court in Peshawar in northwest Pakistan sentenced Syed Muhammad Zeeshan under the countrys Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and Anti-Terrorist Act to death and also fined him $4300. The court order read: Accused Syed Muhammad Zeeshan, son of Syed Zakaullah in custody has been convicted and sentenced after being found guilty. Blasphemy remains a touchy subject in Pakistan. In January this year, the country further tightened its strict blasphemy laws by extending the punishment to those who are convicted for insulting religious figures connected to the prophet Muhammad. The Pakistan National Assembly unanimously passed the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill which not only widened the ambit of the law but increased punishment and fines for those convicted under it. The move raised concerns among human rights activists and observers who said it will increase the prospect of persecution for some, especially religious minorities like Hindus and Christians. In February, Pakistans police arrested at least 50 suspects in the kidnapping and lynching of a man already detained on charges of blasphemy. A mob of hundreds of enraged Muslims descended on the police station in the Nankana district of eastern Punjab province and dragged the man out of the prison and killed him. The man, in his twenties, was reportedly in police custody for desecrating the Quran, the Muslim holy book, according to police spokesperson Muhammad Waqas. Mr Waqas said at the time. Police could not resist them because a handful of officials were present in the police station. Meanwhile, on Friday, the court also handed a sentence of 23 years imprisonment to Zeeshan who has the right to appeal. The case of blasphemy came under scrutiny when Muhammad Saeed, a resident of Talagang in Punjab province filed an application with the Federal Investigation Agency [FIA] of Pakistan two years ago accusing Zeeshan of posting blasphemous content in a WhatsApp group. Mr Saeeds lawyer, Ibrar Hussain was quoted as saying by news media that the FIA had confiscated Zeeshans cellphone and its forensic examination proved him guilty. In the last 20 years, 774 Muslims and 760 members of various minority religious groups in Pakistan have been accused of blasphemy, according to a human rights group National Commission of Justice and Peace in Pakistan. According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), at least 89 citizens 18 women and 71 men have been the subjects of extra-judicial killings over blasphemy accusations since the country was formed in 1947. A Taliban official has expressed optimism about the possibility of reopening schools and universities for girls and said that the institutes will reopen once the work on the curriculum is finished, according to a news outlet in Afghanistan. Tolo News spoke with a Taliban official from Parwan province in the country, Azizullah Omar, who told the reporter interviewing him that there is no problem about the start of schooling. There is only a problem in the curriculum. Mr Omar continued: A committee has been formed for its reform. After confirmation of the clerics, the schools will begin. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Brooke Shields has opened up about her close friendship with the late Michael Jackson and addressed his claims in 1993 that they were dating, despite her being in a relationship with Dean Cain at the time. The actor and model spoke ahead of her forthcoming two-part documentary Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, which will be released on Hulu on 3 April. In a new interview withThe Sunday Times, Shields recalled Jackson telling Oprah Winfrey on live TV that she was his girlfriend. I called him up and I think I said, This is kind of pathetic that you need to do this. I am having a shot at normal life you cannot drag me into crazy town. In response, Jackson reportedly laughed off Shields reaction to his claim. Asked if they ever went on a date or kissed, she said: No! There was one moment when we were in the car and the cameras were there and he grabbed me to kiss me, and I said, No! Stop! We are just friends and you need me as a friend. I remember the early days when other actresses were after him and he was kind of cute, before the shift. But it never ever crossed my mind. Shields and Jackson became friends in 1981, when she was 13 and he was 20, and they frequently attended awards shows as each others dates. Brooke Shields attends the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 12, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vanity Fair) (Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vanity Fair) He was so famous and I was so famous, and we could laugh at everybody, like little kids, she told the newspaper. Jackson faced multiple allegations of child sexual abuse and child molestation between 1993 to 2005. He was put on trial in 2005 and indicted on 10 criminal counts, including child molestation, abduction, false imprisonment and extortion, but was later acquitted. He died in 2009 at the age of 50. Asked what she thought of the allegations, Shields said she did not know how to think about it because its so hard to believe. I wish I knew the truth. Then I could figure out how to structure the narrative in my head. But Im as shocked as I think the world is, she added. Shields attended Jacksons public memorial service, which was held at the Staples Centre in LA. She delivered a eulogy and described their relationship as the most natural and easiest of friendships. Shields is currently married to US film director Christ Henchy, with whom she shares two children, Rowan Francis Henchy, 19, and Grier Hammond Henchy, 16. If you are a child and you need help because something has happened to you, you can call the NSPCC free of charge on 0800 1111. You can also call the NSPCC if you are an adult and you are worried about a child, on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adults on 0808 801 0331. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} On 6 May, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned at Westminster Abbey as the world watches. The monarch ascended the throne following the death of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, last September. His coronation takes place more than 70 years after Elizabeth was crowned on 2 June 1953. During the crowning and anointing parts of the ceremony, which are said to be the most sacred parts, King Charles will sit upon the 700-year-old Coronation Chair. The throne has been at the centre of English coronations since it was made by order of King Edward I between 1300 and 1301.Westminster Abbey, where it is located, describes the chair as one of the most precious and famous pieces of furniture in the world. With centuries of history behind it, the Coronation Chair is a fragile piece of furniture and is currently undergoing conservation work to ensure it will be in top condition when the ceremony arrives in spring. We chart the history behind the iconic seat: Origins The Coronation Chair was made by order of King Edward I to enclose the Stone of Scone, which he brought from Scotland to Westminster Abbey in 1296. A general view of the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey on which King Henry VIII was throned in 1509 (Getty Images) The throne, created from oak, was made to contain the Stone between 1300 to 1301. The Stone was originally completely enclosed under the seat of the chair, but the wooden decoration at the front was torn away over time and exposed the Stone. The Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone, is a block of red sandstone. It was previously kept at Scone Abbey in Scotland, which is now a ruin, but was seized by Edward I during the English invasion of Scotland. In 1996, former prime minister John Major announced the Stone would be returned to Scotland, but would travel back to the Abbey for coronations. It is now on display in Edinburgh Castle. A picture of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, sitting on the Coronation Chair, known as St Edward's Chair, on June 2, 1953 (AFP via Getty Images) The Coronation Chair was first used in a coronation ceremony in 1308, when King Edward II was crowned. According to Westminster Abbey, there have been 38 coronations for reigning monarchs held there, as well as 15 separate coronation ceremonies for Queen Consorts. Decorations Painted by Master Walter, Edward Is master painter, the Coronation Chairs original decorations included patterns of birds, foliage and animals. It was once covered in gold leaf, but much of it has worn away. The figure of a king with his feet resting on a lion was painted on the back. According to the Abbey, this is either Edward the Confessor or Edward I. Four gilt lions carved into the lower part of the chair were made in 1727 to replace the originals. They were not added to the chair until the early 16th century. Detail of a lion on the Coronation chair, at Westminster Abbey in London (PA) Krista Blessley, the Abbeys paintings conservator, is currently working on cleaning and preserving the chair. Earlier this month, she told PA that she had uncovered some overlooked details in the chairs decoration. I think they are previously undiscovered toes in the punchwork gilding on the back of the chair, she said. So there are areas of drapery where you can tell there would have been a figure. It might be they are figures of kings or it might be a figure of a saint, because so much is lost we cant really tell at the moment but Ill do some further investigation. Graffiti The back part of the historic chair is riddled with carvings and graffiti courtesy of Westminster schoolboys and visitors in the 18th and 19th centuries. Detail of graffiti on the Coronation chair, at Westminster Abbey in London, which is being restored ahead of the upcoming coronation (PA) These vandals mainly carved there initials or names into the chair. One visitor carved P. Abbott slept in this chair 5-6 July 1800. Some people also hacked off slivers of wood from the chair as souvenirs. One small corner of the seat was knocked off during a 1914 bomb attack, believed to have been the work of suffragettes. Ukrainian crews have completed training on Challenger 2 tanks in the UK and returned home to continue their fight against Russias invasion. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the Ukrainian soldiers return to their homeland better equipped, but to no less danger. Members of Kyivs armed forces travelled to Britain shortly after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in January that the UK would send 14 Challenger 2 tanks to help oust the Kremlins invaders from Ukraine. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Black children were up to six times more likely to be strip-searched by police and more than half of the almost-3,000 strip-searches in recent years have taken place without an appropriate adult present, a report has shown. Locations for searches across England and Wales included police vehicles and schools with a small number even taking place in takeaways and amusement parks, the research by the Childrens Commissioner revealed. Dame Rachel de Souza said the findings demonstrated evidence of deeply concerning practice with widespread non-compliance with statutory safeguards, and added that children are being failed by those whose job it is to protect them. The commissioner ordered the report after the Child Q scandal which came to light last March. The 15-year-old black schoolgirl was strip-searched by police while on her period after being wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis at school. Scotland Yard apologised and said the strip-search at the girls school in 2020 without another adult present should never have happened. After that scandal Dame Rachel requested figures for strip-searches by the Metropolitan Police force which, when reported last August, showed more than 600 children underwent intrusive and traumatising searches over a two-year period, with black boys disproportionately targeted. The latest report, published on Monday and showing data for forces across England and Wales, revealed a total of 2,847 strip-searches took place between 2018 and mid-2022 of children aged between eight and 17. The vast majority of children strip-searched were boys (95%) while 5% of such searches were carried out on girls. About 38% of children strip-searched were black and the report found black children were up to six times more likely to be strip-searched when compared with national population figures, while white children were around half as likely to be searched. The report described this as a pronounced and deeply concerning ethnic disproportionality and Dame Rachel branded it utterly unacceptable. The commissioner said she has serious concerns about the poor quality of record-keeping, which makes transparency and scrutiny very difficult, and means that the numbers in this report may only be a minimum. One per cent of strip-searches were conducted within public view, the report said, although the location was not recorded in 45% of cases. More than half (52%) of strip-searches were conducted without an appropriate adult confirmed to be present. I find it completely unacceptable that police forces in England and Wales are largely unable to account for the necessity, circumstance and safeguarding outcome of every strip-search of a child that they conduct Dame Rachel de Souza The presence of an appropriate adult is required by law, except in cases of urgency, and is usually a parent or guardian but can also be a social worker, carer or volunteer. Among her recommendations Dame Rachel is calling for urgency to be removed as an exception and said constant supervision should be recommended. Six per cent of strip-searches were conducted with at least one officer of a different gender than the child being searched present, the report added. Dame Rachel said while she accepted that strip-searching children can be necessary in limited situations, it is an intrusive and potentially traumatic power which must be subject to robust safeguards. She said: The additional complexity of conducting these searches during a stop and search should mean that there is a higher degree of scrutiny than if conducted in custody, not less. Dame Rachel said attention on the issue had not come about due to a police whistleblower or a damning inspection report, but the bravery of a girl to speak up about a traumatic thing that happened to her, referring to the case of Child Q. The commissioner warned that officers are too often forgetting that children are children as she called for a strengthening of the guidelines around strip-searches, more oversight and inspection to ensure compliance, and reform of a culture that has allowed this to go unchallenged. Among her 17 recommendations, Dame Rachel called on the the Home Office to carry out a comprehensive review of the legislative and policy framework for child strip-searches and make specific changes to the Police and Criminal Evidence (Pace) Codes. Among these, and regarding the requirement for an appropriate adult to be present for strip-searches of children in custody and under stop and search powers, she said it must only be the most exceptional situations where there is serious risk to the childs life or welfare where this is not the case. She said schools should be excluded as an appropriate location for a strip-search and that they should only be conducted at a nearby police station, medical premises or home address. Dame Rachel said the Home Office should require forces to report annually on the strip-searching of children, including recording ethnicity, whether an appropriate adult was present, the specific location and whether a safeguarding referral was made. She said the National Police Chiefs Council should also publish an action plan on reforming stop and search practices, including strip-searches of children. Dame Rachel said: I find it completely unacceptable that police forces in England and Wales are largely unable to account for the necessity, circumstance and safeguarding outcome of every strip-search of a child that they conduct. I will not accept that the power to strip-search is being used responsibly until that is the case. The Childrens Commissioners office said it eagerly anticipates recommendations to be made by the Independent Office for Police Conduct which is investigating the Child Q case. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Drinking alcohol at bus stops and war memorials is to be banned in a new crackdown on anti-social behaviour. New rules, to be unveiled by Rishi Sunak, will see more on-the-spot fines issued and drug tests carried out in an effort to see offences rapidly and publicly punished. The rules will also include punishments for graffiti and litter, as well as for leaving chewing gum and cigarettes on the streets. Those caught breaking the rules will be made to clean up the streets within 48 hours instead of going to court. The new plans will be unveiled by Rishi Sunak (PA) Tougher sanctions will also be handed out to those who fly-tip and proposals are being considered to dock benefits over school truancy. A cash injection will be rolled out to fund police patrols in areas where gangs congregate and leave nitrous oxide canisters, such as childrens playgrounds, under the new plans. The prime minister has previously vowed to crack down on disorder, and will provide police with new powers because he sees disruptive behaviour as a gateway to more extreme crimes. In a wide-ranging speech setting out his vision for the country in 2023, the Prime Minister said in January he wanted to provide fresh powers to police forces, mayors and local authorities to ensure these crimes will be quickly and visibly punished. Mr Sunak said his government would focus on reducing crime and anti-social behaviour to make communities better and safer places to live. The prime minister vowed to continue with Boris Johnsons levelling up vision. But he warned that all the regeneration in the world wont mean anything unless people feel safe in their communities. Mr Sunak also said 20,000 police would have been hired by the spring a promise made in the 2019 Tory manifesto. But the pledge comes following 13 years of cuts to frontline policing. In February, Labour leader Keir Starmer said neighbourhood police would patrol town centres with new powers to act against repeat antisocial behaviour offenders if Labour wins power. Labour pledged to introduce respect orders which would create a new criminal offence for repeat adult antisocial behaviour offenders, and police and courts would be able to take rapid enforcement action under the plans. Recorded instances of criminal damage to shops, schools, leisure centres and businesses have increased by more than 30 per cent over the past year, Labour analysis found. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A 32-year-old man has been killed in a shooting in Manchester that police have called a targeted attack. Greater Manchester Police have arrested a 33-year-old man on suspicion of murder in connection to the shooting in Openshaw, which took place at about 2pm on Saturday. They are also looking for a second man who is said to have used a vehicle to escape from the scene in Welland Street. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, with officers saying he died from gunshot wounds. Detective superintendent Simon Hurst paid tribute and said there will be an increase of highly visible police officers in the area. "We are in the early stages of our investigation, and a team of officers are working extremely hard to understand a comprehensive timeline of events that will help us piece together what has happened this afternoon, a statement said. "Though we believe this was a targeted attack, we recognise that incidents of this nature will understandably cause concern in communities across Greater Manchester. "Whilst we are appealing for information to trace a second suspect seen leaving the scene, I would urge people who were in the area at the time of the incident, or anyone who has mobile or CCTV footage that may be of interest to police, to contact us as a matter of urgency as they may have information which is vital to our investigation. He added: We are also appealing to motorists and residents in the area, who may have captured anything on Dashcam, CCTV or doorbell cameras, to contact us. Every bit of evidence is crucial to the investigation and will be treated with the strictest confidence. To share information, call 101 and ask for Greater Manchester Police. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} An Afghan war veteran who served alongside British armed forces is among those who have fled to the UK on small boats and are now being threatened with deportation to Rwanda. The air force lieutenant, who flew 30 combat missions against the Taliban and was praised by his coalition forces supervisor as a patriot to his nation, was forced into hiding and said it was impossible to make his way to Britain via a safe route. He says he is one of many Afghan forces personnel who have been forgotten by the US and British forces, and believes the promise of friendship and cooperation has been abandoned. Colonel Rich Kemp, former head of the British forces in Afghanistan, said that although the initial UK military response to helping Afghans was good, many people have been left behind. It must be very difficult for them, and we should I believe be doing everything we can to help them out. If we can do it, whatever we can do, he said. Afghans now account for the largest number of small boat migrants, with more than 9,000 having made the Channel crossing in 2022. The government has said that it will send Afghans to Rwanda if it decides that having passed through a safe European country makes them inadmissible for asylum in the UK. It comes after The Independent revealed that desperate Afghans in hiding from the Taliban were told that they could only come to safety in Britain if their documents were approved by the fundamentalists they were trying to flee. The Ministry of Defence has since launched an inquiry and issued an apology, following our investigation. The pilot, whom we have agreed not to name in order to protect his family who are still in Afghanistan, is now living in a Home Office hotel for asylum seekers. He told The Independent he had no choice but to travel to the UK via a small boat because there were no viable safe routes. The Afghan pilot faces deportation to Rwanda after arriving in the UK on a small boat (supplied) He said: What safe and legal way was there after the fall of Afghanistan? You entered Afghanistan on the first day as a friendly and brotherly country, and now this bad day has come upon us. [The UK government should] keep the promise of friendship and cooperation that you made, and fulfil it. The American and British forces have forgotten us. We worked with them and we helped them like they were our brothers. We are not Talib, we are not Isis, so why are they leaving us like this? He said many other ex-Afghan military personnel are in the same situation. Every day they threaten to send us to Rwanda or our original country. I dont know what we should do, he said. It was impossible in Afghanistan, and it was completely impossible for us to wait for the help of the British and American forces. In an email to the pilot, a Home Office official wrote that while it had not yet made a final decision on his case, it had evidence that he had been in Italy, Switzerland and France before reaching the UK, which could have consequences for whether your claim is admitted to the UK asylum system. [The pilot] may also be removable to Rwanda under the terms of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership between Rwanda and UK, the email read. The pilots claim is being supported by one of his American supervisors, Rodney Liberato from the US Department of State. He told The Independent that the pilot was a fine young man, a superb son, brother, husband, father, friend and a patriot for his nation. In his recommendation letter to the Home Office, Mr Liberato said the pilot was a young man who risked his life to support his nations development and coalition forces in Afghanistan. People wait during the evacuation from Kabul airport in Afghanistan in 2021 (PA Media) Another member of the pilots squadron, who fled to Iran and lives in fear of being sent back to Afghanistan, told The Independent: The British were part of the coalition forces and we had several mutual missions with them. Our training programme was also supported by the coalition. I wish to come to the UK because I deserve to be there and to save my life. We, as the Afghanistan fighter pilots, played a big role in the war against the Taliban and other terrorist groups. The British government, which recently passed a bill that would see anyone who comes to the UK in a small boat deported and banned from returning, has repeatedly said that there is no reason for people to cross the Channel illegally because there are safe and legal routes to claim asylum. One of those routes, the Afghan relocations and assistance policy (ARAP) scheme, is designed to bring those who helped British forces during the war to the UK. It has so far brought more than 11,000 people to safety, but another 4,300 eligible people, including family members of those who qualify under the scheme, are still waiting to be relocated. Caseworkers hope that the Afghan lieutenant might qualify under category 4 of ARAP, which is for special cases. The general scheme for at-risk Afghans applying for resettlement, the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme (ACRS), has only brought 22 people to the UK since the 2021 evacuation. Speaking to The Independent about Britains legacy in Afghanistan, Col Kemp said: Afghanistan is now back to where it was before 9/11. In other words, its ruled by jihadists who oppose the West and who would be willing, if asked, to allow attacks to be launched from their territory. He referred to the rushed withdrawal as a catastrophe that played a very big part in Putins decision to invade Ukraine. British forces work with US military personnel during the evacuation from Kabul in 2021 (MoD via Getty) He praised the work of the MoD in bringing some Afghans to the UK, saying: There was a success to an extent, but obviously there are many people who havent [been helped] and have suffered and died as a consequence. Once you decide to withdraw everything from the country, you dont have much leverage in helping people to get out. Clare Moseley, the founder of Care4Calais, which is supporting the lieutenants claim, said: Our client worked with UK forces, but rather than being provided with a safe route to escape the Taliban, he had to make a dangerous crossing across the Channel. Now our government plans to ban people like him from claiming asylum altogether, and subject them to indefinite detention and forced deportation to places where we cant guarantee their safety. We should be giving safe passage to these brave refugees. This would stop small boat crossings, put people-smugglers out of business overnight, and, more importantly, save lives. A Home Office spokesperson said the department did not routinely comment on individual cases, but added: We remain committed to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk people fleeing Afghanistan, and so far have brought around 24,500 people impacted by the situation back to the UK. We continue to work with like-minded partners and countries neighbouring Afghanistan on resettlement issues, and to support safe passage for eligible Afghans. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A major incident has been declared after oil leaked into the water in Poole Harbour from the UKs largest onshore oil field. Approximately 200 barrels of reservoir fluid was released into the harbour after the leak occured at Wytch Farm oil field in Dorset on Sunday. Poole Harbour Commissioners activated its oil spill plan in response. A pipeline has also been shut down, with booms placed on either side of the leak, the organisation told BBC News. They said in a statement: It is estimated that approximately 200 barrels of reservoir fluid has been released into the water column in Poole Harbour. Anyone who has come into contact with the spill should wash immediately with soap and water. If eyes have come into contact with the spill, they should be rinsed with water. Perenco UK, which operates the Wytch Farm oil field where the leak took place, said a clean-up operation was underway. The firm said there had been a limited oil leak at one of its well sites. Leader of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council, Philip Broadhead, said the local authority would be working to see what implications this leak may have and what action we may need to take. Paddle boarders enjoy warm weather in Poole Harbour in Dorset (PA) He added: It is of course extremely disappointing to hear of this event, and while there will be a time later for anger and investigation, our focus now must be ensuring we can mitigate any impacts of this situation. The Wytch Farm oil field in the Purbecks has been operating since 1979 and is one of the largest onshore oil fields in Europe. We have today been advised by the operators that there has been a leak from the facility. Whilst this has been contained, we are told that oil has escaped into the water and surrounding area, he said. Frank Dy, general manager at Perenco UKs Wytch Farm, where the pipeline is located, told Bournemouth Echo: Any spill is an extremely serious matter and a full investigation will be launched to ascertain what happened in Poole Harbour. It is important to stress that the situation is under control, with the discharge of fluids having been stopped and the spill is being contained. The Environment Agency said: We are supporting the port authority and other partners in responding to this incident. Court backlogs for rape and sexual offences have hit a record high, with the most desperate victims driven to suicide by devastating waits for justice. The logjam of cases in the crown courts surged to 7,859 sexual offence cases and 1,851 adult rape cases by September 2022, according to the latest Ministry of Justice data. The stark figures coincide with a scathing report into policing, which found that officers had failed to protect women. Rape cases were dropped because DNA evidence was ruined when it was stored in over-stuffed, dilapidated or broken fridges and freezers used by the Metropolitan Police. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Nicola Sturgeon was always going to leave some big shoes to fill, but the SNP has already been finding the First Minister a hard act to follow. The race for the SNP leadership has been a rocky affair, with dramatic resignations and acrimonious clashes between the candidates during live TV debates. Even interim chief executive Mike Russell said, only a few days ago, that the party is in a tremendous mess. Outgoing leader Ms Sturgeon has defended the situation, saying the SNP is going through some growing pains since she announced her decision to step down after more than eight years as party leader. Three members of the Scottish Parliament are running to replace her Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, 32, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, 37, and 49-year-old former Scottish Government minister Ash Regan. Perhaps the most dramatic moment in the leadership campaign has been the resignation of Peter Murrell, who had served as SNP chief executive for almost 25 years and is married to Ms Sturgeon. He quit with immediate effect after the party initially rubbished reports that its membership had dropped by 30,000 with the then-SNP head of communications Murray Foote dismissing the claims as drivel. In an embarrassing U-turn, however, the party then admitted that as of February 15 this year, its membership was at 72,186 down from 103,884 in 2021. Mr Foote quit his SNP role, with Mr Murrell then resigning the following day. Clashes between the leadership candidates have also made the headlines in recent weeks. In a bad-tempered STV debate, Ms Forbes attacked Mr Yousaf, saying he would be a continuity candidate when the party desperately needs change. In the harshest exchange of the race thus far, Ms Forbes hit out at the record in Government of Mr Yousaf who is the current Health Secretary saying: You were a transport minister and the trains were never on time, when you were justice secretary the police were stretched to breaking point, and now as health minister weve got record-high waiting times. What makes you think you can do a better job as first minister? Her comments echoed Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillies scathing remark that Mr Yousaf is the worst Health Secretary on record and is without a doubt the worst minister I have ever had the misfortune of shadowing. Mr Yousaf and other senior party figures accused Ms Forbes of trashing the SNPs record but her polling improved. Also taking the spotlight for perhaps not the best reason was Ms Regan, who has previously tweeted this is the time for #Bravehearts, not Fainthearts during her attempts to get ahead in the polls, when she said she would give Gary Lineker a red card following the BBC row over his refugee tweet. He was temporarily removed as presenter of the BBCs Match Of The Day show after criticising the UK Governments asylum seeker policy. Ms Regan, who admitted she had not even seen his tweet, backed him during a Channel 4 debate, saying he should be allowed to express his views. Confused? Not as confused as Mr Yousaf, who asked where are all the men? when meeting Ukrainian women refugees, appearing to forget many are likely to be engaged in conflict at home as they defend their country in the face of the Russian invasion. Mr Yousaf, the favourite to replace Ms Sturgeon, made the blunder while visiting Ukrainian women in Edinburgh to discuss support for refugees in Scotland. Elsewhere, Ms Forbes looked to be heading for a very early exit from the leadership contest when she opened up about her views on same-sex marriage in the first week of campaigning. Ms Forbes, a member of the Free Church of Scotland, immediately lost some of her high-profile supporters after she said she would not have voted for gay marriage. She also said having children outside of marriage would be wrong according to my faith and is something she would personally seek to avoid. SNP deputy Westminster leader Mhairi Black said she had been incredibly hurt by the comments, with Deputy First Minister John Swinney saying he profoundly disagreed with them. Supporters of Ms Forbes, however, said they admired her honesty a virtue the party seems to have lost sight of, certainly in the last few days. The leadership contest has sent the SNPs poll ratings plunging. The tremendous mess, however, has been to the delight of Labour and the Conservatives, who hope to gain seats in Scotland during the general election likely to happen next year. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Former cabinet ministers Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng told a fake overseas company looking for MP advisers their daily rate for consultancy would be 10,000. In a sting operation set up by campaign group Led By Donkeys, Mr Hancock and Mr Kwarteng both set out six-figure sums for what they would expect to be paid to advise a non-existent firm in South Korea. There is no accusation of wrongdoing, with MPs permitted to seek employment outside of Parliament. Mr Hancock, asked whether he had a daily rate during an online interview, said: I do, yes. It is 10,000 sterling. The Conservative former health secretary, who was stripped of the party whip by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after he was announced as a contestant in last years series of ITV reality programme Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!, later said he had an hourly rate of around 1,500. Tory MPs should not be using their taxpayer funded offices to line their own pockets Shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire A spokesman for Mr Hancock said the West Suffolk MP had acted entirely properly and within the rules. Former Tory chancellor Mr Kwarteng, when asked the same question, said: I would say as an MP, obviously I dont need to earn a kings ransom. But I wouldnt do anything less than for about 10,000 dollars a month. Mr Kwarteng, whose mini-budget in September sent the value of the pound tumbling and mortgage rates soaring, went on to clarify that he would prefer the rate to be in pound sterling. Told by a fake employee of the company they were considering offering between 8,000 and 12,000 per day, with the intention for him to attend six board meetings a year, Mr Kwarteng said: OK yes, were not a million miles off. We can work with the numbers. Labour accused Tory MPs of using their taxpayer funded offices to line their own pockets, calling the behaviour shameful. Led By Donkeys, an anti-Brexit group, said it created a sham company called Hanseong Consulting, setting up a website and paying for a so-called fake virtual office in the South Korean capital Seoul. It said, after consulting the register of MPs interests, it approached 20 MPs from different parties asking if they would join the phoney firms international advisory board. The group sold the company as one with aims to expand into the UK and Europe, asking any would-be advisers to attend pretend board meetings held in a mix of locations, including allegedly in South Korea. According to its preview video posted on social media, Led By Donkeys said 16 of the MPs approached were Tory, two Labour, one a Liberal Democrat and the other an independent. Out of those contacted, five are said to have progressed to an online interview stage, including Mr Hancock and four Tories: Mr Kwarteng, former education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson, former minister Stephen Hammond and Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, an influential backbench body. Sir Graham, according to the video, said he was thinking something like 60,000 as an annual rate for assisting the firm. In a statement sent to PA news agency, the senior Tory said he made clear to those behind the hoax that any work would have to fall within the terms of the Code of Conduct. Mr Hammond is seen in the video published on Saturday, but no details of what was said has been aired as yet. Led By Donkeys said Sir Gavin had turned down the opportunity to take discussions any further. MPs are permitted to have second jobs on top of their role representing constituents. But external employment opportunities for those in Westminster has come under the spotlight in recent years, following former Tory cabinet minister Owen Patersons suspension from the Commons for breaching lobbying rules in 2021. He later quit Parliament following a furore after Boris Johnsons administration attempted to rip up the standards body that dished out the punishment. All five MPs who held a so-called interview with the campaigners have been approached for comment by PA news agency. A spokesperson for Mr Hancock said: The accusation appears to be that Matt acted entirely properly and within the rules, which had just been unanimously adopted by Parliament. Its completely untrue to suggest any wrongdoing and therefore absurd to bring Mr Hancock into this story through the illegal publication of a private conversation. All the video shows is Matt acting completely properly. Sir Graham said: Having decided to leave the Commons at the next election, I have received a number of approaches regarding future opportunities. I did have an exploratory discussion with someone purporting to be recruiting an international advisory board for a South Korean investment house. I made it clear that any arrangement would have to be completely transparent and that whilst a Member of Parliament, I would only act within the terms of the Code of Conduct. I also made it clear that whilst I could be flexible in attending international meetings in person, this would be subject to some important votes or commitments in Westminster. Thangam Debbonaire, Labours shadow Commons leader, called on Mr Sunak to strip the Tories caught up in the sting of the whip. She said: Being an MP is a full-time job. Tory MPs should not be using their taxpayer funded offices to line their own pockets. This is shameful at any time but particularly during the cost-of-living crisis. She added: Labour will put an end to MPs raking in thousands of pounds on the side and act to restore trust in politics. Charities have criticised the findings of a report on police strip-searching of children as shameful and called for officer training to be reviewed in order to ensure young people are kept safe. The breakdown of searches by ethnicity in the Childrens Commissioners research shows that black children are disproportionately represented and subjected to this traumatising and intrusive practice, the Childrens Society said. The Runnymede Trust called for the power of police to strip-search children to be revoked and said negative, bullyish, encounters with state institutions only breeds further distrust and sits at the heart of why policing is failing our communities. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Nicola Sturgeons successor has been left to pick up the pieces of the First Ministers woeful record, Scottish Labour has said. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar urged the next SNP leader to address the Scottish Governments overflowing in-tray. That includes a focus on the NHS, with one in seven, 772,887 people, Scots on a waiting list for treatment, according to Public Health Scotland data. From our flagging economy to the crisis in our NHS, 15 years of SNP failure has left the next first minister with an overflowing in-tray Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar And he said a focus on the cost-of-living crisis and the economy must be a key priority, alongside reducing poverty, after new statistics revealed 24% are in poverty, no improvement on data from 2017 to 2020. The candidates, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and former minister Ash Regan, will find out on Monday if they will be the next SNP leader. Mr Sarwar said: Nicola has left her successor to pick up the pieces of her woeful record. From our flagging economy to the crisis in our NHS, 15 years of SNP failure has left the next first minister with an overflowing in-tray. Poverty is stuck at shamefully high levels and the attainment gap is growing. Everyone agrees that the same old mediocrity, continuity and incompetence wont cut it but no one in this dire race has shown theyre up to the job. Scotland is crying out for change, but a new SNP first minister isnt going to be enough. He went on to say only his party were the only option for a real alternative. Meanwhile, Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: These candidates are vying to be the last nationalist first minister of Scotland. The SNP are taking people for granted. He said the leadership campaign has been four weeks of bickering, adding that the SNP are tired and out of ideas. Health, the climate, and the cost-of-living have barely featured as three out of touch candidates debate how best to break up the UK. Its why the SNP are haemorrhaging fair minded, reasonable voters, who arent fussed about the constitution. Despite her undoubted talents, Nicola Sturgeon left our health service and education in a worse position than she found them because she was fixated on breaking up the UK. Frankly none of her successors possess her abilities. Its time for change. The pro-Brexit, pro-cuts Labour Party has become a pale imitation of the Tories. By imposing Brexit and backing Tory austerity cuts, it is causing long-term damage to our economy, cementing poverty, and offering no meaningful change at all SNP An SNP spokesperson said: The SNP government will continue to focus on the priorities of people in Scotland including tackling the Tory cost-of-living crisis, improving public services and strengthening the economy. Under the SNP, we have record health funding, Scotlands A&Es are the best performing in the UK and not a single day has been lost to strikes. Family finances have been boosted with the Scottish Child Payment and the transformational expansion of free, high-quality childcare, allowing more people, particularly mums, to get a job. And from birth to adulthood, children benefit from the baby box, new school buildings, higher teacher numbers, and more kids from poor backgrounds going to university than ever before. In contrast, the pro-Brexit, pro-cuts Labour Party has become a pale imitation of the Tories. By imposing Brexit and backing Tory austerity cuts, it is causing long-term damage to our economy, cementing poverty, and offering no meaningful change at all. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Rishi Sunak will unveil plans for immediate and visible punishments for anti-social behaviour this week as he pledges to crack down on the problem once and for all. His long-awaited strategy will include measures to force vandals and those daubing graffiti to clean up their own messes within 48 hours, while wearing jumpsuits or high-visibility jackets. Offenders could also wash police cars and do unpaid work in shops, while the prime minister will pledge that communities will get a say in what type of consequences are meted out. He has made the cross-government action plan one of his key priorities before the next election, arguing that anti-social behaviour should not be treated as inevitable or minor and could be a gateway to other crimes. The crackdown is expected to include a range of tougher punishments and increased fines as well as enhanced drug testing for those under arrest and action against drunken louts. Officials said the plan was about establishing a zero-tolerance approach where offenders know they will face the full consequences of their actions. But some of the strategys elements, including the Immediate Justice plan, will be trialled in pilot projects before being rolled out nationwide, as ministers examine how they would work in practice. In 2000 Tony Blair was forced into a humiliating climbdown over proposals for police to march drunken louts to a cash machine for a 100 fine after senior officers said they were unworkable. Ahead of the plans publication, Mr Sunak said: For too long, people have put up with the scourge of anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhoods. These are not minor crimes. They disrupt peoples daily lives, hold businesses back and erode the sense of safety and community that brings people together. Thats why Im bringing forward a new plan to crack down on this behaviour once and for all so that everyone can feel proud of where they live. The current government believes anti-social behaviour is blighting too many communities across the UK and making too many lives miserable. The strategy, which is being coordinated by Michael Gove, the levelling up secretary, will be unveiled less than a week after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer made a major speech in which he set specific targets to reduce crime, including to halve levels of violence against women and girls. Announcement comes after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer announced his plan to cut crime (PA Wire) But it also follows a crisis in policing, after the Casey review into the Metropolitan Police found evidence of widespread bullying, racist attitudes and deep-seated homophobia. The strategy is also expected to set out plans for much tougher penalties for those who fly-tip and there is expected to be new money for more community patrols. Landlords may also be given powers to make it easier to get rid of difficult tenants. It is thought there will also be fresh powers for police forces and mayors as well as local authorities and communities. Under the plans for immediate justice, if the original damage has already been cleared up offenders will be forced to help their local community in other ways, including, in a measure that could prove controversial, by doing unpaid work in shops. While victims and affected communities will get a say in what type of punishment or consequences offenders should face, it will be taken alongside advice from local police and crime commissioners. The strategy will also include plans to expand the already existing Community Payback scheme for more serious criminals. And, under a Probation Service pilot, there are also proposals for teams of offenders to be used to rapidly clean up areas after an incident. Ministers also plan to extend the involvement of offenders in campaigns such as Keep Britain Tidys annual Great British Spring Clean. Last month Mr Gove also suggested that parents who fail to ensure their children attend school regularly could have their child benefit payments stopped. The government has made making communities feel safer a key part of its levelling up agenda, a broader aim which has faced criticism for its few visible results. Mr Sunak himself pledged to work tirelessly to crack down on anti-social behaviour in a speech setting out his priorities for the country in January. He said that strong communities are built on values, on the golden rule: treat others as you would like to be treated but too often, a small minority break that golden rule. They spray graffiti on war memorials, discard needles and nitrous oxide canisters in childrens playgrounds, gang together and cause disorder and disruption. Anti-social behaviour isnt inevitable or a minor crime. It makes life miserable for so many and it can be a gateway to more extreme crimes. All the regeneration in the world wont mean anything unless people feel safe in their communities, he warned. Close Question Time audience reveal if they thought Boris Johnson was telling MPs the truth Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Boris Johnson is a man of integrity, Levelling up secretary Michael Gove agreed on Sophy Ridge on Sunday When questioned on the show this morning about whether he thinks the former prime minister is a man of integrity, Mr Gove replied: I think that Boris is someone who puts the country first, yes, It comes as Mr Johnson is under investigation by the Commons privileges committee over whether he deliberately or recklessly misled the Commons with his statements about Partygate. MPs investigating whether the former prime minister intentionally misled parliament over his understanding of parties in Downing Street during the pandemic could recommend a suspension of more than 10 days, triggering a contest for his Uxbridge constituency. Mr Johnson is now preparing for a worst case scenario in which he has to fight a by-election he is expected to lose, allies have said. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The impact of Brexit on the UK economy is on the same magnitude as the Covid pandemic and energy price crisis, the chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has said. In a grim assessment, Richard Hughes also warned that it would take five years before peoples spending power recovers to pre-coronavirus levels. Britains gross domestic product (GDP) will be 4 per cent smaller than if the country had stayed in the EU, the head of the governments fiscal watchdog confirmed on Sunday. Asked how much stronger the economy would have been without Brexit, he told the BBC: We think that, in the long run, [Brexit] reduces our overall output by around 4 per cent compared to had we remained in the EU. While the OBR first predicted a 4 per cent long-term hit to GDP in 2021, the chairman has been reluctant to be drawn into assessing the seriousness of the damage from Britains exit from the bloc. Grilled by host Laura Kuenssberg on the scale of the harm done, Mr Hughes said: Ive struggled to put it in any kind of sensible context. Its a shock to the UK economy of the order of magnitude to other shocks that weve seen from the pandemic, from the energy crisis. The OBR chief said the country is undergoing the biggest squeeze on living standards on record. But we do expect, as we get past this year and we go into the next three or four years, that real income starts to recover. He added: But its still the case that peoples real spending power doesnt get back to the level it was before the pandemic even after five years, even by the time we get to the late 2020s. Mr Hughes said economic growth had been held back because of supply constraints pointing to labour shortages and an investment slump. Weve lost around 500,000 people from the labour force, weve seen stagnant investment since 2016 and also our productivity has slowed dramatically since the financial crisis and not really recovered, he said. Cabinet minister Michael Gove blamed the Ukraine war and Covid for Britains economic woes. Were dealing with the aftershocks of two significant events, he told the BBC. Asked if he accepted that Britain has become a poorer country, he said: Everyone accepts if we hadnt had the war if hadnt had the pandemic we would have been in a position when the growth rate was significantly higher. In December, the Centre for European Reform (CER) found that Brexit cost the UK a staggering 33bn in lost trade, investment and growth. The CER also estimated the tax loss from Brexit at around 40bn. The research first shared with The Independent showed that by June of this year Britains economy was 5.5 per cent smaller than it would have been if the country had remained in the EU. Brexit has cost households more than 5.8bn in higher supermarket bills pushing up UK food prices by 6 per cent, a study by the Centre for Economic Performance also found in December. It comes as Bard Googles new artificial intelligence chatbot said Brexit was a bad idea and the UK would be better off remaining in the EU. An experiment on the AI systems left wing political views found Bard like Jeremy Corbyn and called Keir Starmer an experienced politician and a competent barrister. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Kwasi Kwarteng told a fake South Korean firm set up by campaign group Led by Donkeys that he might be able to set up a meeting with great guy Boris Johnson. The former chancellor and ex-health secretary Matt Hancock were by both drawn in by the ruse and were caught on camera offering to work for the firm for thousands of pounds per day. Mr Kwarteng told the fake company that he would be able to put them in touch with other MPs, and suggested he could arrange a potential meeting with the former prime minister Boris Johnson. He said: Lets talk. Im sure we could try and arrange that. Im not promising anything, but hes someone I know. Hes a great guy. Mr Kwarteng added that Mr Johnson who is currently embroiled in the Partygate scandal is the best campaigner you will ever see. The former chancellor went on to suggest he could work with the firms offer of paying him between 8,000 and 12,000 for each of the six annual meetings of its non-existent international advisory board. Mr Kwarteng added that the Tory whips would allow him to attend board meetings for a foreign company. Asked about attending board meetings, he said: I could do that. Im very flexible. He said: We have whips but I can work with them to make sure that as long as the meetings arent like a whole week, Im sure I can make that work. Asked if he could also attend one-off meetings, he said: I should be. I think you seem extremely professional and I would be very interested to see what you had to offer in this regard. I have a broad experience of business and finance I would say of my generation in the UK there are very few people who have had the breadth of experience that Ive had across business and politics at the highest level, probably only two or three people. Former health secretary Matt Hancock was caught up in the Led By Donkeys sting (PA Archive) Mr Hancock, when asked whether he had a daily rate during an online interview, said: I do, yes. It is 10,000 sterling. Led By Donkeys said it created a company called Hanseong Consulting, setting up a website which included made-up testimonials and paying for a so-called fake virtual office in the South Korean capital Seoul. It said, after consulting the register of interests, that it approached 20 MPs from different parties asking if they would join the phoney firms international advisory board. According to its preview video posted on social media, campaigners said 16 of the MPs contacted were Tory, two Labour, one a Liberal Democrat and the other an independent. Five of those were said to have progressed to an online interview stage, including Mr Hancock, Mr Kwarteng, former defence secretary Sir Gavin Williamson, former minister Stephen Hammond and Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Tories 1922 Committee. There is no accusation of wrongdoing, with MPs permitted to seek employment outside of parliament, but Rishi Sunak faced calls to suspend those caught out by the sting. Former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng leaves 11 Downing Street last year (PA Wire) Labours shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell called on Mr Sunak to suspend the Tory whip saying there should be an investigation into any potential rule breaches around the use of parliamentary offices to garner such income and such jobs. She told Times Radio: When I see MPs, selling themselves in this way for their political advice and consultancy ... it absolutely sickens and angers me to be honest. Because I know that it reflects on all of us, not just those Conservative MPs. Cabinet minister Michael Gove said the Tories caught up in a sting operation had been operating within the rules but said MPs should ask themselves if they are putting public service first. The levelling-up secretary told Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: Inevitably all of us will reflect on this and think the first duty of a member of parliament is towards their constituents. And ultimately, the really important thing is, is an MP delivering for their constituents, is a member of parliament doing everything they can to put public service first? A spokesperson for Mr Hancock said: The accusation appears to be that Matt acted entirely properly and within the rules, which had just been unanimously adopted by parliament. Its absurd to bring Mr Hancock into this story through the illegal publication of a private conversation. All the video shows is Matt acting completely properly. Sir Graham, who is stepping down as an MP after his term ends, said: I made it clear any arrangement would have to be completely transparent and that, whilst a member of parliament, I would only act within the terms of the code of conduct. I also made it clear that while I could be flexible in attending international meetings in person, this would be subject to some important votes or commitments in Westminster. Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng are among the MPs who agreed to work for thousands of pounds per day for a fake South Korean firm after being duped by campaign group Led by Donkeys. The ex-health secretary and former chancellor were caught on camera discussing a day rate for work, with Mr Kwarteng adding that he would expect to be reimbursed for his travel but would not expect a kings ransom. Mr Kwarteng initially said he would expect 10,000 per month but appeared to agree with an offer of 8,000-12,000 per day for six board meetings a year that could be face-to-face or virtual. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Michael Gove was challenged over his own history of cocaine use as he revealed plans to ban laughing gas on the streets of Britain. The levelling up secretary said Rishi Sunaks government would ban the sale of nitrous oxide, also known as hippy crack, to stop public places being turned into drug-taking arenas. But Mr Gove who has admitted taking cocaine on several occasions in the past was challenged on his own drug use on Sky News politics show Sophy Ridge on Sunday. Asked if he was being hypocritical, Mr Gove said: No. Its because Ive learnt that its a mistake worse than a mistake to regard drug-taking as somehow acceptable. He added: We cant have a situation where our parks, our public spaces, become drug-taking arenas... these laughing-gas canisters are an increasing scourge. Mr Gove said the use of laughing gas was despoiling public spaces but also that the drug can have a psychological and neurological effect, and one that contributes to antisocial behaviour overall. The levelling up secretary said ministers had not yet decided on the appropriate drug classification level for laughing gas. The ban comes in spite of a recommendation by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs not to make the drug illegal. Shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell said the Labour Party also wants to see laughing gas banned. I think it does cause a huge amount of littering, of disruption, and of antisocial behaviour challenges as well, she said. It follows Sir Keir Starmers attack on class-B drug-taking as part of his pledge to get tough on antisocial behaviour. The Labour leader said that the smell of cannabis coming through the windows of peoples homes in some areas is ruining lives. Asked if he thought cannabis use was a low-level crime, Mr Gove said: I dont believe its a low-level crime, saying it ruins community pride to see a free-for-all on casual drug use. Michael Gove has admitted using cocaine in the past (PA Wire) Drugs policy charities condemned the governments decision to ignore advisers on the question of whether to ban laughing gas, saying there is a bigger risk associated with criminalising young people. Release, an NGO that describes itself as the national centre of expertise on drugs and drug law, said that banning the drug could have an impact on education and employment. Niamh Eastwood, executive director of the charity, said it was an attempt to outmanoeuvre Labour as both of the main parties try to appear tough on drugs, adding: This is all about winning elections and has nothing to do with preventing harms or protecting young people. The Drug Science Scientific Committee, part of an independent advisory group, also attacked the same old tired drug policy. David Badcock, the organisations chief executive, said a blanket ban would be completely disproportionate to the harms that are caused by nitrous oxide and would likely deliver more harm than good. But the National Police Chiefs Council said it backed the move. Chief Constable Richard Lewis said: Officers would welcome the ability to seize and dispose of nitrous oxide, as well as provide warnings and carry out arrests, depending on the situation. Michael Gove backtracks on Boris comments insisting hes a 'man of integrity It comes as Mr Sunak prepares to announce that offenders blighting their communities will be put to work in jumpsuits or hi-vis jackets, cleaning up graffiti and other vandalism, within 48 hours of being handed punishments. The prime minister said his plan, due to be announced on Monday, would crack down on antisocial behaviour once and for all. Other punishments could include picking up litter, washing police vehicles, or doing unpaid work in shops, according to No 10. Mr Sunak will announce an approach known as immediate justice to be piloted in 10 areas before a rollout across England and Wales next year. The plan is set to include new funding for police and crime commissioners to ensure that offenders are punished as soon as possible. Along with clean-up schemes, Mr Sunaks crackdown is reportedly set to include more than doubling on-the-spot fines issued to those caught fly-tipping, from 400 to 1,000. People found littering or spraying graffiti could be hit with 500 fines, an increase from the current 150 maximum. Asked if antisocial behaviour was the right priority for the government in the light of terrible rates of prosecution for rapes and violent crimes, Mr Gove told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: I think you have to do both, you have to walk and chew gum. Rishi Sunak will unveil a plan to crack down on antisocial behaviour (PA Wire) Mr Gove also claimed that the police need to do more to prioritise these offences telling Times Radio: Some police forces have been more anxious to virtue-signal than to punish vice. Asked on Sky News whether the public could trust the police with more power, Mr Gove said visible change was needed from the police, but added that the overwhelming majority of police officers are people with a sense of vocation. Labour frontbencher Ms Powell said the Tory governments antisocial behaviour plan amounts to nothing. Speaking on Sophy Ridge On Sunday, the shadow culture secretary said: Weve heard it all before from this government, and I think we have to judge them by their record, and community sentencing over the last 13 years is down not just by a third, but by two-thirds. It comes as Mr Gove said he believed Mr Johnsons defence given at the Partygate inquiry. Asked on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg whether he accepted the former PMs evidence, he said: Yes, I did. Asked whether Mr Johnson had always told the truth, the levelling up secretary replied: I think that all of us will, at some point, have told a white lie or an untruth. He continued: But I think the fundamental thing here ... what was Boriss argument? He was working incredibly hard [during Covid], every hour that the lord sent, in order to try and do the right thing. He added: I am inclined to give him not just the benefit of the doubt, but to believe that when he places his hand on his heart and he says he did not think he was breaking the rules, I do believe him. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Britain should be embarrassed that it has never had a female chancellor, the woman lined up to take the role for the first time has said. In an interview with The Independent, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves also insisted that she wants to smash glass ceilings and end the gender pay gap. Unlike other countries, in 800 years the UK has never had a woman serve as chancellor, Ms Reeves said, adding: Britain should be embarrassed that we have never had a woman in that top finance job here. In a wide-ranging interview, she also said that todays version of the infamous Im afraid there is no money note should consist of an apology for making Britons poorer. And she hit out at the governments changes to pension tax, which she said would benefit only those with pots 10 times larger than the UK average. Outlining an electoral divide between the Conservatives and Labour, she has pledged to reverse what she says is chancellor Jeremy Hunts giveaway for the wealthy. Rachel Reeves is hoping to become the UKs first female chancellor (PA Wire) A new analysis by Labour of data from the Office for National Statistics found that the median private pension pot was just over 110,000, while Mr Hunt has scrapped the tax-free limit for those with pension savings of more than 1.07m. Ms Reeves accused Rishi Sunaks government of spending money like confetti, and said that an honest Conservative Treasury minister leaving a written message for an incoming Labour government would apologise. She said the note would read: Weve made people poorer, and what have we got to show for it? Public services on their knees. Earlier this month, Greg Hands, the new chair of the Tory party, tweeted a picture of the now legendary note left in 2010 by the outgoing Labour chief secretary to the Treasury, Liam Byrne, which read: Im afraid there is no money. But a recent focus group in Swindon found that the note appears to be losing its political potency and risks backfiring, according to organisers More in Common. Shadow chancellor Reeves with Labour leader Keir Starmer (PA) Ms Reeves also accused Mr Hunt, who was brought in to steady the ship after last years disastrous mini-Budget, of continuing to exacerbate the issue. Its sort of like somebody who is digging a hole, and they are now digging it a little bit more slowly than they were before. And so the problem is still getting worse. She pointed to warnings of a fall in living standards, saying: Things are still getting worse for people. [The Tories] may not have used this Budget to actually crash the economy. But people are still seeing their living standards deteriorate. On the possibility of becoming the first female chancellor, she said: Theres been a chancellor of the Exchequer now for just over 800 years, and theyve always been men. And I think, if you look at the history of women in parliament, its always been women who have championed issues that have improved the lives of women. Whether it was Barbara Castle and equal pay ... [or] Harriet Harman on tax credits, the history of women in parliament has been about championing women. Reeves has accused Rishi Sunaks government of spending money like confetti (pixel8000) Ms Reeves has commissioned former TUC boss Frances OGrady to conduct a review for Labour on the gender pay gap, more than 50 years after legislation covering equal pay came into force. I want to be the chancellor who closes that pay gap between men and women, she said. She added that she is determined to have a childcare system that works for working parents and particularly mums, and to be a role model for young women. Theres never been a woman chancellor, theres never been a woman governor of the Bank of England, theres never been a woman permanent secretary of the Treasury, and I want to be the person who changes that. She said that huge progress has been made, but there are still glass ceilings I want to smash, adding that she wants to see women at the top of all walks of life. That top job in finance, the chancellor, has always been done by a man. But if you look at France, it has had a female finance secretary; the US has ... Britain should be embarrassed that weve never had a woman in that finance job here. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Rishi Sunak has been warned by Tory moderates not to cave in to a push for the partys right to give UK courts the power to ignore rulings by judges at the European Court of Human Rights. Home secretary Suella Braverman is said to be considering a move to toughen the Illegal Migration Bill and ban Strasbourg court orders to remove a barrier to the deportation of migrants arriving on small boats. But Tory moderates told The Independent that flouting decisions by the court which oversees the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) would erode hard-won public trust. Ms Braverman is in talks to head off a rebellion by 60 Tory MPs on the right who want to stop Britain from following decisions made by the European court, according to the Sunday Telegraph. As the bill returns to the Commons on Monday, rebels on the right have backed amendments that would stop British judges using legal precedent from Strasbourg when considering deportation cases a move which halted Rwanda flights last year. Tory ministers are thought to fear the court cannot be defied without breaching the breaching the UKs obligation to uphold the European convention of human rights. In 2022, the European Court of Human Rights granted an injunction via its rule 39 that effectively grounded a flight sending asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda. Ms Braverman told reporters on her recent trip to Rwanda that she was encouraged by constructive talks with Strasbourg to overhaul court injunctions. The government has requested a higher threshold for any rule 39 injunction on attempted deportation flights. But Ms Braverman could reportedly insert a new clause into the bill banning rule 39 orders from applying in the UK if exemptions cant be negotiated with the Strasbourg court. Senior Tory MP Tobias Ellwood told The Independent that Ms Braverman should ignore the push from the right. There is simply no way this bill will secure parliamentary support unless its fully compliant with international laws, including our commitments to the ECHR. The defence committee chair added: The only reason why its suggested we might leave ECHR is to shore up support from a corner of our party. But every time such comments are made the trust we are beginning to rebuild with the British public thanks to Rishi Sunaks leadership is eroded. Suella Braverman in Rwanda (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) On the Strasbourg-focused amendments proposed by right-wing Eurosceptic Sir Bill Cash, one former Tory cabinet minister said: I would hope that the government would oppose those amendments [on the European court and EHRC]. As the bill returns to the Commons on Monday for its committee stage, moderate Tories are trying to win support for their own amendments aimed at creating stronger protections against child detention. Campaigners and MPs from across the House have condemned a move in the bill allowing the detention of families with children reversing a ban introduced by the David Cameron-led coalition government a decade ago. Equalities committee chair Caroline Nokes has shared her absolute horror at the reversal, while former justice secretary Robert Buckland said the government shouldnt be locking children up its not right. It comes as Labour propose an amendment that would force the Sunak government to offer a framework for a new asylum returns deal with EU states within three months of the bill passing. Mr Sunak agreed on a recent Paris visit that the UK would pay France to step up patrols to crack down on small boat crossings. But he was unable to get a deal that would replace the so-called Dublin convention which allowed some asylum seekers to be returned lost to Britain after Brexit. Meanwhile, the United Nations refugee agencys representative to the UK has warned that the Illegal Migration Bill effectively extinguishes the right to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees. Vicky Tennant, of the UNHCR, told Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: Were very concerned that this sets a global precedent, it effectively extinguishes the right, as youve said, to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees. The UN representative added: If other countries were to follow suit it would have a very significant impact on refugee protection globally. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The SNP is poised to reveal who will replace Nicola Sturgeon as party leader and Scotlands first minister as a chaotic and bitterly-fought six-week contest comes to an end. Frontrunners Humza Yousaf and Kate Forbes, along with outsider Ash Regan, will find out shortly after the members ballot closes at 12 noon on Monday who has the difficult job of replacing Ms Sturgeon in charge of the country. The race for the SNP leadership has been a rocky affair, with dramatic resignations and acrimonious clashes on major issues between the candidates during live TV debates ending the partys reputation for discipline and unity. Interim chief executive Mike Russell admitted the party was in a tremendous mess after a major row over membership numbers and the transparency of the contest, while even Ms Sturgeon acknowledged the party was suffering from growing pains. Mr Yousaf, seen as the continuity candidate, is the bookmakers favourite to take over. But the most recent Ipsos Scotland poll put him only narrowly ahead among SNP voters, with a net favourability of 11 per cent compared to 6 per cent for his rival Ms Forbes. Awkwardly for the party, Ms Forbes can claim to most popular among the general public in Scotland with an approval of 8 in the same poll, compared to Mr Yousafs 20 rating. Mr Yousaf the health secretary who has come in for criticism from Ms Forbes over NHS waiting lists once again positioned himself as continuity choice at the weekend, saying he would have the departing leader on speed dial if he is elected. I have tremendous amounts of admiration for both Nicola and John [Swinney]. Theyve already said to me that Were only ever a phone call away On speed dial is what I think I would say [to Nicola], he said. Ms Forbes sparked a row with the Scottish Greens the SNPs coalition partners in government at Holyrood, saying she could govern without them if necessary. The finance minister, a committed Christian, looked to be heading for a very early exit from the contest when she opened up about her personal views opposing same-sex marriage in the first week of campaigning. Although her campaign recovered, Ms Forbes said she would happily run an SNP-only government if the Greens could not accept her views. Im relaxed about leading a minority government, she told the Mail on Sunday. SNP leadership candidates Humza Yousaf and Kate Forbes (PA Wire) She added: I have always held out the hand of partnership to the Greens and its for them to decide whether or not they can accept that. I have no fear of a minority government. The Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater told Sky News on Sunday she hoped to continue working with the SNP after a really productive relationship. But Ms Slated also warned that the coalition hinged on an agreed progressive programme including the controversial gender recognition bill, which would make it easier for trans people to legally change their gender. Only Mr Yousaf has said he would continue to fight the UK government in court after Rishi Sunak and his ministers blocked the gender self-ID legislation, while Ms Forbes was one of a small number of SNP figures to speak out against the bill and call for a delay. Nicola Sturgeon received ovation after her final FMQs at Holyrood (PA Wire) Widely viewed as a rank outsider in the contest, Ms Regan enjoyed a net favourability of 24 with the public and 7 with SNP voters in the most recent survey. She has staked out a hardline position on Scottish independence, insisting that a vote for the SNP at the next general election is the same as a referendum on separation. She suggested ever election should now be used as a trigger point to demand negotiations with the UK government on a breakaway. But perhaps the most dramatic moment in the leadership campaign has been the resignation of Peter Murrell, who had served as SNP chief executive for almost 25 years, and is married to Ms Sturgeon. He quit with immediate effect after the party initially rubbished reports that its membership had dropped by 30,000 with the then-SNP head of communications Murray Foote dismissing the claims as drivel. In an embarrassing U-turn, however, the party then admitted that as of February this year, its membership was at 72,000 - down from 103,000 in 2021. Mr Foote quit his SNP role, with Mr Murrell then resigning the following day. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Britains middle-class voters are beginning to return to the Conservatives because they like Rishi Sunak, according to a top polling guru. Labour has become overconfident in recent months, said elections expert Lord Hayward describing the large poll leads enjoyed by Sir Keir Starmers party as overestimated. The influential Conservative peer said: Rishi is seriously outrating the Tory party. It has the potential as long as Rishi doesnt screw it up for Rishi to drag the party up to his level. Lord Hayward said there were straws in the wind from national polls and local by-election results of a Sunak-inspired revival in Tory fortunes which could see the party cling onto blue wall territory in the south of England. He added that there was evidence of voters in affluent areas being won over by the competency of Mr Sunak. The real shift [back to the Tories] appears to be the middle class, where the Liberal Democrats are the threat. The peer said recent council by-elections in Dunblane and Cambridgeshire classic middle-class territory saw a huge improvement for the Tories compared to the partys 2022 local election results. Local elections in May will show if the Tories can stop significant gains by Sir Ed Daveys party in the affluent parts of the South, he added. I think the Lib Dems may face a bigger challenge than they thought they would. No 10 and Tory MPs were buoyed by the most recent Delta poll showing the Tories up eight points on 35 per cent cutting Labours lead to just 10 points. But other recent polls have Labour enjoying 20-point leads. Conservative peer Lord Hayward says the Lib Dems may be a bigger challenge in parts of the South Lord Hayward said voters who backed the Tories in the 2019 general election but deserted them over Boris Johnsons Partygate fiasco and the disastrous premiership of Liz Truss have become a nightmare for pollsters because so many are undecided on how they will vote. He said there was evidence many of them like Rishi but arent yet convinced the Tory party has its act together. They left the party in droves but they havent necessarily gone somewhere else, the peer explained. They are not convinced by Keir Starmer. Many of the Brexit-backing former Labour voters in red wall areas of the North and Midlands who backed the Tories in 2019 still like Boris and could turn to Reform UK or decide not to vote, Lord Hayward conceded. Boris Johnsons Partygate fiasco hurt the Tory party in the polls (PA) Despite expectations of a Labour victory in the 2024 general election, Lord Hayward suggested a slow-but-steady Sunak-inspired revival could see a hung parliament. The balance of expectation is for a Labour victory at the next election, but it is not clear. Overconfidence is [how] I would describe the Labour mood but I was with some Labour people recently and I was told their mood is beginning to shift, Lord Hayward added. Theyve stopped measuring the curtains [at No 10]. Lord Hayward said it wasnt clear if the present moment precedes the 1992 general election when the Tories clung on to power unexpectedly or 1997 when Labour won in a landslide victory. The most clear indication will come with the local elections results on 4 May, he said. He said the Labour vote share was regularly over 40 per cent at local elections in 1994, 1995 and 1996, while the past two local elections saw the party get only 30 per cent and 35 per cent. The challenge for Sir Keir is getting something like the figures Tony Blair was getting, said Hayward, but he warned: There are clear indications the public has not taken to Keir in the way he would have wanted. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The people of Wales lost out on 155.5 million of public funding due to poor account management by First Minister Mark Drakefords Government, a Senedd committee has claimed. A report published on Monday by the Senedds Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee (Papac) claims significant funding was lost to Wales as a result of the Welsh Governments 155.5 million underspend in 2020-21. This figure is the result of the difference between the balance of the Wales Reserve on April 1 2021, 505.5 million, and the Wales Reserves limit of 350 million. The Welsh Government said the Chief Secretary to the Treasury had rejected its request to carry forward funds in excess of the Wales Reserve limit, according to Papac. As a fiscal devolution measure, the Wales Reserve was established for Welsh Government to deposit any resource or capital funds which can be drawn down to fund future spending. The reserve is held within the UK Government and is capped at 350 million. Papac has now questioned why the Welsh Government waited so long to be told it could not do as it wished with the underspend, and why such a request was made retrospectively. It said the Welsh Government appears to have assumed, based on previous HM Treasury decisions, that it would be granted flexibility to use the funding. The committee said this raises questions as to whether making a request sooner may have enabled the funds to be used, as it warned lessons must be learnt to ensure such vital funding is not lost from Wales again. Chairman of the Papac, Mark Isherwood, a Conservative Member of the Senedd for North Wales, said: Our report highlights a number of serious issues within the Welsh Governments Consolidated Accounts 2020-21, which was not only significantly delayed and signed nine months later than the timetable originally agreed, but qualified by the Auditor General on three separate issues. We are very concerned that significant funding was lost to Wales as a result of the underspend in 2020-21. This money could have been used to fund essential services and it is especially frustrating now when there are such pressures on public funding. It is one of many examples where poor record keeping and mismanagement of public accounts has cost the people of Wales. A Welsh Government spokesperson said: The Finance Minister has made clear that the actions of the UK Treasury on this issue were wholly unacceptable. We stayed within our overall control total but the UK Government refused a switch between revenue and capital budgets, a process which has been agreed many times before. Our underspends during the exceptional 2020-21 financial year were very significantly below those of UK Government departments and our focus on achieving value for money meant we didnt have the scandals of PPE contracts as we saw in England. The Treasurys arbitrary application of its guidance in this instance was deeply regrettable and left Wales deprived of 155 million. The spokesperson added: We welcome the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committees ongoing scrutiny of the Welsh Governments 2020-21 annual accounts. We continue to work constructively with both the committee and Audit Wales, and will respond to their recommendations in due course. The Treasury has been approached for comment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The United Nations refugee agencys representative to the UK has warned that the Governments Illegal Migration Bill effectively extinguishes the right to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees. The controversial Bill, aimed at tackling Channel crossings, returns to the House of Commons on Monday for its committee stage, and MPs will scrutinise it over two days. Vicky Tennant, of the UNHCR, told Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme that the proposed legislation is in breach of international law and the UKs obligations under the International Refugee Convention. But the Home Office said it is satisfied that this legislation is within the bounds of international law and is compatible with the Refugee Convention. Ms Tennant said: Well, were very concerned that this sets a global precedent, it effectively extinguishes the right, as youve said, to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees. We know that those coming across the Channel broadly reflect the nationalities of countries affected by crisis, by persecution globally. So were talking about countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Albania, several of these, as Ive said, countries that are producing high numbers of refugees. She added: We think the focus of attention really needs to be on the asylum system, on asylum processing, getting that working properly so people are able to present their claims. If theyre not refugees decisions can be made quickly, they can be returned to their own countries, and if they are refugees, then theyre able to embark on that integration journey. We think thats in everyones interests, not just the refugees interest, but also the interests of the British public. The Bill aims to stop people claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means, but the UNHCR has called it an effective asylum ban. Pressed on what action the UNHCR might take if a country is found to be in breach of international law, she said there is no sanction as such but claimed violations have an impact globally. Ms Tennant added: You know, we have to remember that the vast majority of refugees are hosted in countries neighbouring their own. So more than 69/70% are in countries neighbouring their own. Now, if youre a country like Turkey, hosting more than three million refugees or Bangladesh hosting, you know, just short of a million refugees with all the impact that has on your economy, on your infrastructure on your services. And then you look at a country like the UK much further away, much less impacted, many fewer refugees, that sends a really unfortunate signal. So we believe that if this goes ahead, if other countries were to follow suit, it really would have a very significant impact on refugee protection globally. Home Office guidance states that the Illegal Migration Bill will change the law so that those who arrive in the UK illegally will not be able to stay here and will instead be detained and then promptly removed, either to their home country or a safe third country, such as Rwanda. A Home Office spokesperson said: The UK has a proud history of providing protection for those who genuinely need it through safe and legal routes offering safety and protection to almost half a million men, women and children since 2015. More routes to safety for vulnerable people across the globe will be created but the rise in illegal migration must be stopped first. People who come to the UK illegally will be liable for detention and prompt removal. The asylum system is being reformed at the same time. Shorter interviews, simpler guidance and more decision makers will help clear the asylum backlog by the end of the year. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A new video has revealed the moment that a massive tornado tore through an empty high school in Mississippi on Friday night. Surveillance footage captured the moment that the roof of Amory High School partially collapsed while electrical cables and other debris were sent flying through corridors. A severe tornado-spawning storm system killed at least 26 people and injured dozens as it tore across Mississippi and Alabama. In a statement on Saturday morning, the high schools management said: We hope you are all safe through this awful disaster. Students and parents, please do not come to Amory High School this weekened due to the possibility of multiple gas leaks. We have people on the way to fix the problem. As a tornado approached Amory, TV weather forecaster Matt Laubhan was so alarmed by its seriousness that he began to pray live on-air, blurting out: Dear Jesus, please help them, Amen. Residents later told The Independent that his urgency and worried demeanor probably saved lives, making it clear to locals who have an unfazed attitude to severe weather in their area how bad the disaster could be. Amory resident Leah Ann Hubbard said that when she went outside on Saturday morning it looked like an apocalypse, with roads covered in debris and trees fallen on houses. An aerial view of a destroyed neighborhood in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, after the tornado (AFP via Getty Images) Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency in all affected counties on Saturday and asked people to pray for the victims and their loved ones. It is the deadliest tornado to strike the state in more than a decade. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency provisionally classified Friday nights twister as a Category-4, causing devastating damage. The town of Rolling Fork on the Mississippi River Delta was all but destroyed, with houses and businesses flattened and vehicles, trees, and power cables strewn everywhere. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Former US president Donald Trump has vowed to crack down on transgender insanity and pledged to revoke every Biden policy promoting the disfigurement of our youth. At the first rally of his 2024 presidential campaign on Saturday in Waco, Texas, Trump doubled down on a vow he made last month to revoke his successors policies on gender-affirming care for transgender children. Trump said that he would keep men out of womens sports if re-elected president, after he last year misgendered transgender athlete Lia Thomas. Donald Trump set the stage for his re-election campaign at the Waco Regional Airport on Saturday (Getty Images) The former president said he would also support and fight for parents rights, including universal school choice. He added: I will immediately sign an executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other racial, sexual or political content on our children. Trumps comments came after a slew of state-level bills targeting healthcare for transgender youth across the United States. Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson has described the wave of legislation as historically bad and that it is wasting energy attacking so few and most vulnerable. Trump also used the rally to hit on a number of other culture war issues, including Covid mask mandates and border security, before attacking his likely Republican rival Ron DeSantis. However, the largest portion of his nearly two-hour speech was dedicated to attacking the multiple investigations that have put him in potential legal jeopardy. Trump attacked Republican rival Ron DeSantis at the rally (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) He told the thousands of fans gathered for the rally that the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden was guilty of orchestrating his criminal prosecution to undermine his bid for the White House. The Biden regimes weaponization of law enforcement against their political opponents is something straight out of the Stalinist Russia horror show, Trump said. From the beginning its been one witch hunt and phony investigation after another. On DeSantis, Trump said: Im not a big fan. Florida has been tremendously successful for many years, long before this guy became governor. The speech at times veered into apocalyptic tropes, with Trump speaking of demonic forces trying to demolish the country, which he said was at risk of falling into a lawless abyss unless he is voted back into the White House. The crowds turned out for the former US President (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Either the deep state destroys America, or we destroy the deep state, he added. Were at a very pivotal point in our country. The former president is being investigated by prosecutors in Manhattan for campaign finance violations stemming his alleged payment of hush money to an adult film actress ahead of the 2016 election. A special counsel appointed by the Department of Justice is investigating allegations he hoarded top-secret documents and masterminded a plot seeking to overturn the 2020 election. A parallel effort by prosecutors in Georgia is also examining his 2020 actions. Additional reporting by agencies Close Shae Sanderson accuses Gwyneth Paltrow of ignoring her father in mountain ski crash Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A juror in Gwyneth Paltrows ski collision trial spoke out for the first time after the Goop mogul won the high-profile case. Samantha Imrie told ABCs Good Morning America that the panel was not influenced by Paltrows celebrity when they sided with the Hollywood star. The whole thing was a little shocking to me. We did have a unanimous decision. I think its important the public doesnt just think this was a win because Gwyneth is a celebrity, she said. Its based on the evidence and the law. On Thursday, jurors returned a verdict in favour of Paltrow, finding that Terry Sanderson, 76, was 100 per cent at fault over a ski collision at the luxury Deer Valley Resort near Park City, Utah, on 26 February 2016. Retired optometrist Mr Sanderson, 76, had sued Paltrow claiming she crashed into him leaving him with a permanent traumatic brain injury. Paltrow claimed it was Mr Sanderson who crashed into her. Jurors heard two weeks of complex testimony by neurology and brain injury experts for both sides. Eyewitnesses, Deer Valley employees, Ms Paltrows children Apple and Moses, and Mr Sandersons daughters also testified under oath. During closing arguments, Mr Sandersons attorney Lawrence Buhler argued that for 16 hours every day, Mr Sanderson is forced to live with the consequences of his brain injury. Mr Bhuler randomly suggested that jurors considered granting his client $33 per every hour hes suffered from cognitive decline since the accident seven years ago, and for the ten years he is estimated to live. Meanwhile, Paltrows defence attorney Steven Owens told the court that his client was a punching bag for Mr Sanderson and his family throughout the proceedings. He hurt her and then he asked $3m for the pleasure of it, Mr Owens said. After two hours and 20 minutes of deliberation, the jurors sided with Paltrow and awarded her a symbolic $1. In the aftermath, Paltrow said: I felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity. I am pleased with the outcome and I appreciate all of the hard work of Judge Holmberg and the jury, and thank them for their thoughtfulness in handling this case. For his part, Mr Sanderson insisted that he stands by his version of events. Asked what he plans to do now, he joked maybe Disneyland! His lawyer Kristin van Orman said he was a very nice man who is suffering. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A passenger opened an emergency exit door on a Delta Airlines flight on Saturday as the plane pulled away from the gate at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), police said. The man escaped via the deployed slide and jumped onto a baggage cart before being detained. He had been traveling on a Delta Air Lines flight 1714 from Los Angeles to Seattle when he got out of his seat around 10am on Saturday. Fellow passengers told Fox 11 that the passenger asked a flight attendant: What do I do now? before he was asked to sit down. He then ran to one of the doors, turned the latch, and leapt onto the emergency slide which had deployed. He then got into the passenger seat of a baggage vehicle and was detained by luggage workers until police arrived, passengers told the TV station. The aircraft was holding to taxi for takeoff when the passenger exited the aircraft and was initially detained by Delta staff ahead of being arrested by local law enforcement, Delta Airlines said in a statement on Sunday. LAX Police Captain Karla Rodriguez later told The Associated Press that the man was not arrested but instead transported to a local hospital for mental evaluation. She added that the FBI was also notified. The plane returned to the gate and passengers were put on another plane, according to Delta. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The death toll from an explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pennsylvania, has now climbed to seven, after rescuers pulled two more bodies from the rubble on Sunday. West Reading Police Chief Wayne Holben confirmed at a press conference on Sunday evening that the search for two people still missing after Fridays blast at the RM Palmer Co plant in Berks County had ended tragically. The two bodies were discovered sometime late on Sunday and are believed to be the two people who were unaccounted for. The search was subsequently called off at the plant. Officials have not released the identities of the victims or their connection to the plant however Diana Cedeno had been previously identified by her family as one of the two missing. Her cousin Danny Wyatt told WPVI that shes a God-fearing woman. Shes beautiful, shes a great person. He added that she had just started her shift when the blast occurred. Were holding onto faith and hope. It just gets more antagonizing as time goes on, he said prior to Sundays tragic discovery. Frankie Gonzalez previously told WPVI that his sister was also among the missing. She came to work and she never made it home, he said. Theres still a couple people that are unaccounted for, shes one of them. Were hoping she found a pocket she could hide in, we wont give up our hope. The brother said she has a husband, a son, and a daughter. Earlier in the day, Chief Holben had insisted authorities will not rest until every single person affected by this tragedy has been accounted for. Heat-imaging gear and dogs were used in the search as well as heavier equipment used to carefully remove debris from the area. In total, seven people died as a result of the explosion which took place just before 5pm on Friday in the small town located about 60 miles from Philadelphia. One person was found alive during the search efforts and 10 were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Witnesses say they heard a loud blast, followed by a blaze. Kristen Wisniewski, who lives three blocks away from the factory, told WPVI that it was the loudest thing Ive ever heard in my life. It literally felt like the ground fell out from underneath you. The whole house shook and my dogs froze, they couldnt move, it was scary, she added. Rubble is cleared at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pa., Saturday, March 25, 2023 (AP) Officials have said that one of the RM Palmer buildings has been destroyed while another has been damaged. Mayor Samantha Kaag said, its pretty leveled, unfortunately theres not too much to be able to salvage from it. In the front, with the church and the apartments, the explosion was so big that it moved that building four feet forward, she added, according to WPVI. The cause of the blast has not yet been determined. A UGI Utilities spokesperson said crews were called to the scene after damage from the explosion lead to gas being released, which spurred on the fire that followed the blast. We did not receive any calls regarding a gas leak or gas order prior to the incident, but we are cooperating with the investigation and part of that will be to check all our facilities in the vicinity, spokesperson Joseph Swope said on Saturday. The survivor who was pulled out of the rubble overnight on Saturday was a woman who worked on the second floor of the balcony. She was found by rescue crews in the basement between 2am and 3am. She was found when crews yelled, this is the fire department, is anyone there? The unnamed woman spent eight hours in the debris and was taken to a hospital following her rescue. Her condition remains unclear. Tower Health said on Saturday that Reading Hospital had taken in ten people from the factory blast. Of those, one was transferred to Lehigh Valley Hospital, one to Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center, two have been admitted and are in good and fair condition, and the others have been discharged, they said in a statement. Garry Witmoyer heard the explosion. I didnt know, I just come running out and saw that mess over there. I think it was a gas explosion the way it sounded, he told WPVI. It was very scary, the building filled with smoke from just the explosion. I didnt see flames at first, just a bunch of shingles and materials falling from the sky. I knew it was an explosion, his son Garry Witmoyer Jr added. Emergency personnel work at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pa., Saturday, March 25, 2023 (AP) RM Palmer Company said in a statement on Saturday night that everyone at RM Palmer is devastated by the tragic events at one of our West Reading facilities and we are focused on supporting our employees and their families. We have lost close friends and colleagues, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all who have been impacted, they added. We are sincerely grateful for the extraordinary efforts of all of the first responders and for the support of our Reading community, which has been home to our business for more than 70 years. We will continue to coordinate closely with local and national agencies to assist in the recovery process. We are anxious to be in touch with all employees and the families of employees who have been impacted, but the companys email, phones, and other communication systems are down, and therefore we are relying currently on first responders and disaster recovery organizations to provide any available information to impacted families, the company said. We will be providing additional information and making contact with employees, impacted families, and the community as soon as possible. Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro and the director of the states Emergency Management Agency, Randy Padfield, visited the town on Saturday. Our hearts break for the families of those who didnt come home, Mr Shapiro said in a statement, according to WPVI. We are with you - and my Administration is here to provide all the resources and support West Reading needs. Help began pouring into one of the poorest regions of the United States after a deadly tornado ripped through several towns across a 170-mile stretch of the Mississippi Delta. At least 26 people were killed and dozens injured as massive storms hit Mississippi and Alabama. Based on early data, the tornado received a preliminary EF-4 rating, with top wind gusts between 166 mph and 200 mph (265 kph and 320 kph), according to the National Weather Service office in Jackson. Officials said the twister was on the ground for more than an hour. President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration for Mississippi on Sunday, making federal funding available to hardest hit areas. Help is on the way, Mississippi governor Tate Reeves said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Voters in Turkmenistan cast ballots Sunday for a new parliament that is expected to have no members of opposition parties and be loyal to the government of the gas-rich Central Asian nation. The election for 125 members included 258 candidates, put forward by three political parties or running independently. All of them support President Serdar Berdymukhamedov. Berdymukhamedov, 41, was elected last March to succeed his father, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who had run the isolated ex-Soviet country for more than a decade. Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov came to power after the death of the eccentric Saparmurat Niyazov in 2006 and established a pervasive personality cult similar to that of his predecessor. Under his rule, Turkmenistan has remained difficult for outsiders to enter. It has also struggled to diversify its economy, which is overwhelmingly dependent on its vast natural gas reserves. The elder Berdymukhamedov has cultivated an image of robust health with media stunts that included firing a pistol at a man-sized target while riding a bicycle and hoisting a gold weightlifting bar, to the applause of his Cabinet. He has the title Arkadag, or Protector, and last year stepped down, giving way for his son to assume office. Earlier this year, Serdar Berdymukhamedov appointed his father to be the chairman of Halk Maslahaty, or Peoples Council, the country's supreme representative body. The Peoples Council has the power to change the countrys constitution and determine the main guidelines of domestic and foreign policies, giving Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov powerful levers to shape the countrys course. Loud patriotic music played at polling stations in the capital and dance troupes performed. Although the central elections commission reported that 91% of the electorate turned out, there did not appear to to be long lines at the voting stations. Some who showed up were enthusiastic. Election day is a holiday for us. I would like to see such classy holidays as often as possible, said Arzygul Bekmuradova, a teacher. Others took a dim view. Aside from the biographies of the candidates in the Turkmen language, I didn't see any other information about their platforms. I don't even know who I voted for," said a voter who gave his name only as Begenc. Both Berdymukhamedovs voted at the same polling station. In remarks shown on state television, the elder one said most of the candidates were representatives of the youth. The fact that the youth contingent prevails in the composition of the deputy corps allows us to work out the national legislative and legal framework in accordance with the existing realities and the identified prospects," he said. The results were expected to be announced within several days. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Cubans voted Sunday in National Assembly elections with attention focused on voter turnout amid a deep economic and migratory crisis. With 470 candidates running for the legislatures 470 seats, and no opposition challengers, the election's outcome is a foregone conclusion. Voters essentially will do no more than endorse a slate of candidates vetted by Communist Party officials, critics say. What observers will be watching Sunday is whether a trend in declining voter participation continues as Cubas government struggles to turn around deteriorating economic conditions. Participation in elections in Cuba is high but has been on the decline for a decade. The National Electoral Commission said that for last Novembers municipal elections about 31% of eligible voters abstained from voting, That translates to 69% participation, which is still high by international standards, but a substantial decline for Cuba where voting is not compulsory but traditionally was considered a national duty. The rate of abstention for national elections was 14% in 2018, and only 6% in 2013. Cuba's government says the system is inclusive and builds unity, while steering clear of the divisiveness of party politics or any ill effects of big-money donors. President Miguel Diaz-Canel voted Sunday in the province of Villa Clara where he was born. He acknowledged the economic difficulties, power outages and fuel shortages amid which the elections were being held. Some may put the economic situation ahead but most people know that despite the difficult economic situation we are working together, he said. "If we were once again a colony of the United States, the problems would only increase. Julio Antonio Martinez Estrada, a lawyer, professor and a fellow at Harvard University, said he believes participation will continue to decline, in part due to the economy. It is a response to the political and socio-economic problems of recent years, Estrada said, adding that it reflects distrust and an enormous hopelessness among Cubans. The voting takes places as hundreds of thousands of people migrate, including 300,000 alone to the United States in recent months. National Assembly elections are held every five years and are technically nonpartisan. But they fall under the indirect control of the countrys true power under the constitution, the ruling Communist Party. Half of the candidates come from municipal assemblies chosen in local elections last November. The other half are nominated by groups representing broad swaths of society such as a womens group and workers unions. All are vetted by election committees with ties to the party. The National Assembly is nominally the countrys highest governing power. It approves laws and votes for the president and executive officials from among its members. In practice, the chamber typically endorses initiatives and the leadership favored by the Communist Party, which is the only political party allowed on the island nation. The new National Assembly is expected to convene April 19, when it will vote on the executive leadership, with current President Miguel Diaz-Canel expected to be re-elected. Candidates include major Cuban leaders such as Diaz-Canel, semi-retired former Communist Party leader Raul Castro and Economy Minister Alejandro Gil. Candidates also include musician Eduardo Sosa, LGBT community representative Mariela Castro and Elian Gonzalez, who as a child in 2000 famously became the center of a diplomatic custody battle between Cuba and the United States. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump railed against demonic forces and pitched the 2024 presidential race as the final battle at the first rally of his third campaign for the White House in Waco, Texas, on Saturday. Mr Trump opened the rally by playing a song recorded by a choir of men imprisoned for their involvement in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. He then launched into a speech that echoed the same incendiary language he used in the run-up to that day. If we dont win this election in 2024, I truly believe our country is doomed, he said, hitting out at demonic forces who are destroying the country. Either the Deep State destroys America or we destroy the Deep State, the former president said. Theyre flooding your towns with deadly drugs selling your jobs to China, mutilating your children setting fire to your life savings, releasing violent criminals to prey on innocent people. I am your warrior. I am your justice. And I took a lot of heat for this one, but I only meant it in the proper way to those who have been wronged and betrayed, of which there are many people out there, I will be your retribution, he added. Mr Trump, who is facing a potential indictment for the payment of hush money to an adult film actress with whom he allegedly had an affair, and is also under investigation for election meddling and mishandling of documents, took aim at the various law enforcement agencies investigating him, describing them as "something straight out of the Stalinist Russia horror show." This is really prosecutorial misconduct, thats what its called. The innocence of people makes no difference whatsoever to these radical left maniacs, Mr Trump said. The thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited and totally disgraced, he added. Queues started to form early on Saturday morning at Waco Regional Airport where field after field was filled with vehicles decked out in Trump flags. Mr Trump held the rally in the city of Waco on the 30th anniversary of a militarised standoff between federal agents and the Branch Davidian religious sect in nearby Elk, Texas claimed the lives of more than 80 people. The event partly inspired Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh to attack two years later, and for those on the militant fringe of American life, Waco came to serve as a symbol of violent government overreach or the beginning of the end times. Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at his rally in Waco, Texas (AP) Mr Trump also attacked rivals in his own party including potential primary challenger Ron DeSantis and Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell. Mr Trump used the epithet he has coined for the Florida governor, calling Ron DeSanctimonious. Mr Trump said that in 2018, Mr DeSantis begged the then-president to endorse him in the Republican primary for governor in Florida. But Im a loyalist and when a man comes to me with tears in his eyes, hes had almost nothing in the polls, he told rallygoers. Mr Trump noted how at the time, Mr DeSantis registered much lower in the polls than then-agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam, who also had a significant money advantage. Hes at almost nothing, hes got no cash, Mr Trump said. Mr DeSantis has yet to announce whether he will challenge Mr Trump. But many conservative activists have rallied behind him after he won re-election last year by almost 20 points. Among the crowd, Mr Trumps supporters were less than enthused about Mr DeSantis potentially challenging their candidate. DeSantis is great, but I think he needs to let Trump do four more years, Tammy Pavelka of Waco told The Independent. Hell take over the next eight. From the stage, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell went further, going directly after the Florida Republican and calling him Trojan horse Ron DeSantis. The best thing he can do is endorse Donald Trump tomorrow morning, Mr Lindell told the crowd, to applause. Trump said the next election would be the final battle to save the United States (AP) Mr Trumps supporters also hit out at the various investigations into him in New York for campaign finance violations, in Georgia for election meddling, and in Washington for mishandling classified documents. Many in the crowd held aloft signs "WITCH HUNT" in reference to the probes. I dont think itll stick, Trump supporter Karey Cottrell told The Independent of the potential charges in New York, which are expected to drop sometime next week. Its complete garbage, she added. Its ridiculous. I didnt think they would stoop this low. Many who spoke to The Independent believe that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs probe, into alleged hush money payments made by Mr Trump to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign, is an exercise in partisan politics. Theyre just attacking him, said Steve Harris, a retired statistics professor, who lives in Waco. Its ridiculous to indict somebody on something when the statute of limitations ran out a long time ago. (Manhattan prosecutors will likely argue the statute of limitations hasnt run out, given pandemic-era legal extensions and Donald Trumps regular travel in and out of New York, according to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington , a watchdog group.) The MAGA faithful said that the multiple legal probes against Mr Trump - who has survived two impeachments, a special counsel investigation, and numerous lawsuits and probes throughout his life will flame out. For almost eight years, thats what theyve been doing, rallygoer Tammy Pavelka told The Independent. Hes draining the swamp, so theyre after him. Mention of Mr Bragg, the New York prosecutor, was particularly unpopular at the rally. Bragg, hes just looking for popularity, Ms Pavelka said. Another man was seen holding an Arrest Alvin Bragg t-shirt. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Kamala Harris has landed at Ghanas Kotoko International Airport on the first stop of her three-nation African tour. The vice president has been sent to deepen ties with the continent, amid growing competition from the likes of China and Russia, as she attempts to win over their support. Later in the year, president Joe Biden is set to make his own trip over. Harris will start her nine-day trip in Ghana before moving on to Tanzania and Zambia - countries which are all facing times of economic hardship. It comes shortly after secretary of state Anthony Blinken visited Ethiopia and Niger, and hopes to overshadow Ghanaian finance minister Ken Ofori-Attas China visit. So far, very positive and encouraging meetings in China, he tweeted following his trip, prompting swift action to win the country back over. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Lincoln Project has taken aim at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for saying that he doesnt know where he was on 9/11. In an ad, the political action committee formed by moderate Republicans, slammed the GOP leader for comments he made during an interview, dubbing him not ready for primetime. Piers Morgan sat down earlier this week with the Florida governor, who its widely believed will challenge former president Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. During the interview, Mr DeSantis was asked where he was on the day that the terrorist attacks took place. He appeared to fumble the question, saying: I think Id just graduated college and I didnt have a care in the world and all of a sudden, Boom. You know, it happened. The Lincoln Project later released an ad which said: [Governor Ron DeSantis] wants to be the next Republican president, yet he doesnt remember the day every American can never forget. Hes not ready for primetime. Rick Wilson, a founder of the Lincoln Project, also noted: Every American knows where they were on 9/11, and though he refuses to say it, we know Ron DeSantis was teaching at the elite Darlington school in Georgia on that day. Why he refused to answer has left America questioning his honesty. He continued: The Piers Morgan interview was the cherry on top of one of the worst rollouts of a Presidential candidate in decades. In a week where his main rival is terrified hes about to be arrested, DeSantis actually managed to come out worse. Mr Wilson added: Ron should stick to fighting with cartoon mice, because hes not ready for a banking crisis or a war in Europe. In the TalkTV and Fox Nation show, Piers Morgan Uncensored, Mr DeSantis also said that he was unfazed by Trump mocking him and nicknaming him Ron DeSanctimonious. I dont really know what it means, but I kinda like it, he told Morgan, calling the jibes background noise. He added: You can call me whatever you want, just as long as you also call me a winner because thats what weve been able to do in Florida, is put a lot of points on the board and really take this State to the next level. Mr Trump branded Piers Morgan a ratings-challenged TV host ahead of the interview. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Former president Donald Trump ramped up his criticisms of his potential 2024 challenger Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during his rally in Waco, Texas on Saturday. Mr Trump used the epithet he has coined for the governor, calling him Ron DeSanctimonious. Mr Trump said that in 2018, Mr DeSantis begged the then-president to endorse him in the Republican primary for governor in Florida. But I'm a loyalist and and when a man comes to me tears in his eyes, he's had almost nothing in the polls, he told rallygoers. Mr Trump noted how at the time, Mr DeSantis registered much lower in the polls than then-agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam, who also had a significant money advantage. He's at almost nothing, He's got no cash, Mr Trump said. And I said, I can't give you an endorsement. There's no way you can when you're dead. In 2018, Mr DeSantis, then a congressman who helped start the House Freedom Caucus, tried to show his pro-Trump bona fides by doing an ad featuring himself building a toy version of Mr Trumps proposed wall on the US-Mexico border with his child. Mr Trump said that Mr DeSantis won him over by criticising the investigation into Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election and claims that Mr Trumps campaign colluded with Russia. He fought a little bit, just a little bit, on impeachment hoax number one, impeachment hoax number two, meaning on television, because I didn't know him very well, he said. Mr Trump added that Mr DeSantis begged for the endorsement. I said lets give it a shot Ron, he said. I endorsed him. he became like a rocket ship. Within one day the race was over. Mr DeSantis has yet to announce whether he will challenge Mr Trump. But many conservative activists have rallied behind him after he won re-election last year by almost 20 points. Mr Trump, who also calls Mr DeSantis DeSanctus, said he did not have the same support among groups of Republican voters. They keep saying I think DeSanctus could do well with farmers, he said. I dont think so. Based on polls, hes not doing ok with anything. Mr Trump continued his attack that Mr DeSantis wanted to cut Social Security. Its not good when you look at statistically how he did on Covid, not good at all, he said. Look at how does on crime. Not good. We have great Republican governors, actually, who really did much better, who shut down their states for a very short time, or in some cases, didnt shut them down at all. Earlier this week, Mr DeSantis said he would take no action if Mr Trump had to be extradited from Florida to New York if Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg were to indict the former president. Mr Trump said last weekend that Mr Bragg planned to indict him for allegedly paying hush money to adult film actress to keep quiet about a sexual liaison. Mr DeSantis took a swipe at Mr Trump during an event earlier this week. Look, I dont know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair. I cant speak to that, he said. That earned sharp criticism from Mr Trump and his allies. But Mr DeSantiss numbers had begun to take a hit even before then after a series of missteps and calling Russias invasion of Ukraine a territorial dispute. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump, at the end of a long rally to kick-off his 2024 presidential campaign, treated himself to perhaps his favourite food - McDonald's. Boxes of food from the fast-food chain were seen being carried on to Mr Trumps private plane after the event in Waco, Texas, in pictures shared by the former president's adviser Jason Miller. The image showed a box of 20 Chicken McNuggets and a Quarter-Pounder with cheese. "Tasty treats," Mr Miller wrote. Mr Trump's staff was also photographed carring McDonald's bags onto the plane. The 45th president bragged about his knowledge of the menu at a McDonalds outlet during a visit last month to a community impacted by a toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Accompanied by the press, Mr Trump walked into the McDonalds to order a nice array of food for himself. Hello, everybody. Whats your speciality today? he asked an employee, and went on to compliment the staff. Hello everybody, thats a nice, beautiful looking group of people, he said. So I know this menu better than you do. I probably know it better than anybody in here, Mr Trump quipped to the employees. Knock it out fast for us... well be eating it on the plane back. At Saturdays rally, Mr Trump opened with the song, Justice For All, sung by a choir of men imprisoned for their role in the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol. Footage of the insurrection was also shown on large screens. "You will be vindicated and proud and the thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited and totally disgraced," Mr Trump told the crowd. "That's what's happening." Mr Trump declared that his enemies are desperate to stop us, and our opponents have done everything they can to crush our spirit and to break our will. He added: But they failed. Theyve only made us stronger. And 2024 is the final battle, its going to be the big one. You put me back in the White House, their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again. He also denied an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels as he faces a potential criminal indictment from the Manhattan District Attorneys Office over allegations he paid hush money to her during the 2016 presidential campaign. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Russian president Vladimir Putin has reached an agreement with Belarus to station tactical nuclear weapons on its neighbours territory. Mr Putin said his plan was in direct response to Britains decision to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium, which Moscow falsely claims contain nuclear components. Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, a staunch ally of Mr Putin and supporter of Russias war in Ukraine, has long asked for the weapons on his territory, the Russian president said in an interview on state television. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin (AP) There is nothing unusual here either: firstly, the United States has been doing this for decades, the Russian president said. They have long deployed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allied countries. We agreed that we will do the same - without violating our obligations, I emphasize, without violating our international obligations on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, he added. The Belarusian army has not formally fought in Ukraine, but Minsk and Moscow have a close military relationship. Minsk allowed Moscow to use Belarusian territory to send troops into Ukraine last year and the two nations stepped up joint military training. A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is test-fired as part of Russia's nuclear drills from a launch site in Plesetsk, northwestern Russia (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service) Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraines National Security and Defence Council, called it a step towards internal destabilization of the country adding it maximizes what he called the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society. The (K)remlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage, he wrote on Twitter. Washington has played down concerns about Mr Putins announcement and the potential for Moscow to use nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine. We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon. We remain committed to the collective defence of the NATO alliance, a senior U.S. administration official said. The US believes the risk of escalation to nuclear war still remains extremely low (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The official noted that Russia and Belarus had been speaking about the transfer of nuclear weapons for some time. Analysts at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that the risk of escalation to nuclear war remains extremely low. ISW continues to assess that Putin is a risk-averse actor who repeatedly threatens to use nuclear weapons without any intention of following through in order to break Western resolve, it wrote. However, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons called Putins announcement an extremely dangerous escalation. Ukrainian soldiers in captured Russian tanks T-72 hold military training close to the Ukraine-Belarus border (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) In the context of the war in Ukraine, the likelihood of miscalculation or misinterpretation is extremely high. Sharing nuclear weapons makes the situation much worse and risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences, it said on Twitter. Putins plan to move tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus comes just days after Dmitry Medvedev, deputy secretary of Russias Security Council, warned about the rising threat of nuclear war. When asked if the threat of nuclear war had receded, he said: No, it hasnt decreased, it has grown. Every day when they provide Ukraine with foreign weapons brings the nuclear apocalypse closer. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists estimates that Russias current nuclear stockpile consists of approximately 4,477 warheads, of which around 1,588 are strategic warheads that can be deployed on ballistic missiles and at heavy bomber bases, while an approximate additional 977 strategic warheads, along with 1,912 nonstrategic warheads, are held in reserve. Ukraine has demanded an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over Vladimir Putins plans to place tactical atomic weapons in Belarus, saying Minsk was being used as a nuclear hostage. In one of his most pronounced nuclear threats since the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian president said construction of facilities for the weapons would be completed by 1 July. He said Russia was following the lead of the United States, which has nuclear weapons based in Europe and Turkey, and Britain, which is providing Ukraine with armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Close Putin visits Russian troops in Ukraines Kherson and Luhansk regions For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Thousands have been evacuated from their homes in the Russian city of Belgorod after an undetonated bomb was found. Over 3,000 people were evacuated on Saturday two days after Russia accidentally dropped a bomb on the same city, which is located about 25 miles from the border with Ukraine. It is not known if the bomb came from the same aircraft. However, the undetonated device was found in the same area as the bomb that was accidentally dropped on Thursday evening. Local governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov said that 17 apartment buildings had to be cordoned off within a radius of 200 metres of the undetonated bomb. At least two people were injured after the bomb was dropped on Thursday evening, which left a crater of about 20 metres wide. Buildings were destroyed and a car was blown on to the roof of a nearby shop. The Russian defence ministry admitted that one of its fighter jets had accidentally discharged aircraft ordnance over the city. Michael Gove was challenged over his personal cocaine use as he set out the government's plans to ban 'laughing gas'. The levelling-up secretary appeared on Sky News Sophy Ridge on Sunday, where she questioned why politicians who have taken drugs themselves can impose public bans. Gove himself admitted taking cocaine on a number of occasions back in 2019. "It's worse than a mistake to regard drug-taking as somehow acceptable", Gove responded. We cant have a situation where our parks, our public spaces become drug taking arenas... these laughing gas cannisters are an increasing scourge. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia will be storing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, sending a clear message to the West that theyre not backing down. While control of the weapons wont be handed over to Minsk, Putin defended the choice by saying the US had been storing their weapons with allies for decades. We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture, the US Defense Department said in a statement, responding to the news. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. Donald Trump has been accused of provoking riots during his rally in Waco, Texas yesterday (25 March), after he showed clips of those involved in the January 6 riots, and played Justice For All. The messaging was especially poignant as Waco is the location of the deadly 1993 siege , and theres concern about its right-wing connections. After the song, which was performed by those imprisoned for their involvement in the Capitol riots, a recording of Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance was played out. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. A regulated financial services firm with ties to wind energy investment firm Arena Capital has been ordered by the Central Bank to suspend the provision of financial services. The directive by the Central Bank to Arena Financial Services Limited (AFSL) comes just as a row between the shareholders of Arena Capital a substantial player in the loan note market which claims to have 500m of assets under management is due to be aired in the High Court tomorrow. Although the two issues are not connected, the two firms share an office building at Dublin Airport Business Park and have had common shareholders and directors. On Tuesday, AFSL, an investment intermediary, wrote to clients giving notice that the Central Bank directs the firm to suspend the provision of any financial services for a period of 12 months from March 7, 2023. I, Barry Corcoran of Arena Financial Services Ltd, with regret have been ordered by the Central Bank to notify you of the direction they have put on the firm, wrote Corcoran, the owner and a former director of the firm. He cited Section 45 of the Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Act 2013 explaining the Central Bank deemed it necessary to take the action in the interests of the proper and effective regulation of financial service providers. AFSL must suspend provision of regulated financial services, including insurance distribution, investment business services and mortgage intermediary and advisory services. The direction from the regulator does not prohibit AFSL from providing administrative support or information to its existing customers or product providers. Read More Neither AFSL nor Arena Capital has responded to detailed questions from the Sunday Independent. AFSL, which previously sold Arena Capital loan note products, and other financial services, was originally established by former aircraft engineer Ian Greer, now CEO of Arena Capital, as a partnership with Corcoran and Thomas Costello. It was later incorporated as a limited company and Costello subsequently became owner and managing director of AFSL. Although Costello is still listed as sole director of AFSL at the Companies Registration Office he no longer has any involvement. In June 2020, after he initially tendered his resignation, the entire shareholding of AFSL was transferred to a firm controlled by Corcoran. Separately, Corcoran and Costello each own 33pc of loan note specialist Arena Capital. The remaining 34pc is owned by Arena Capital CEO Ian Greer, who owns 34pc. Corcoran and Greer are currently directors of Arena Capital but Costello resigned as a director in 2021. A preliminary hearing in a legal case between the shareholders of Arena Capital completely unrelated to the Central Banks supervisory actions is due to be heard in the High Court tomorrow. That action is being taken by Greer and Corcoran, represented by legal firm Arthur Cox, against Costello. The latest direction from the Central Bank to AFSL follows a previous temporary suspension of new regulated business for eight months in 2022, the Sunday Independent has learned. Last week, when contacted regarding the 2022 suspension, a Central Bank spokesperson said it confirms that Arena Financial Services Limited is authorised/registered as an investment business firm under the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, as an insurance intermediary under the European Union (Insurance Distribution) Regulations 2018, as a mortgage credit intermediary under the European Union (Consumer Mortgage Credit Agreements) Regulations 2016 and as a mortgage intermediary under the Consumer Credit Act, 1995. The Central Bank cannot comment on matters in relation to individual firms. Issues in relation to an entitys compliance with requirements arising from the Companies Acts are a matter for the Corporate Enforcement Authority, it said. Asked on Thursday to comment further on the new suspension that began on March 7, the Central Bank declined to provide any further details as it cannot by law discuss details relating to a regulated firm. The suspension of AFSLs financial service business comes at a time when the Central Bank has voiced concern about the selling of unregulated financial products by regulated financial firms. While there is no suggestion of any such issue linked to AFSL or other Arena linked companies, in February, the Central Bank said it was concerned that there are risks for consumers from the rapid rise of the marketing of new types of unregulated financial products, it said. The Great Resignation that led to widespread staff shortages during the pandemic shows signs of turning into the Great Regret with a new poll finding that more than two thirds of Irish employees are willing to return to their pre-pandemic jobs. A survey of 2,000 professionals by recruiter Robert Walters found that 69pc of them were open to returning to their previous workplace, with 45pc of this cohort saying that their current employer was no longer meeting their needs. A third of these so-called boomerang workers cited the cost-of-living crisis for changing how they feel about their employment situation, while a quarter blamed hybrid-working fatigue. The 43pc of workers who had left their job after Covid did so for better pay, with 37pc leaving for a better workplace culture or for more purpose and fulfilment in their roles. Across 2021, we saw record pay rises offered to professionals, with promises of a flexible and hybrid culture, said Suzanne Feeney, country manager at Robert Walters Ireland. Come 2023, and these pay rises now pale in comparison to the rising cost of living, with those new starters who were offered inflated salaries being much less likely to have received a pay increase this year. Read More It appears that workers are realising the grass may not have been greener after all. The post-pandemic bounce-back saw record numbers of employees leave their job in what was billed the Great Resignation. However, our research indicates the first signs of the Great Regret with an overwhelming number of professionals stating that they would be willing to return to their pre-Covid employer, a mere 18 months after leaving. The Great Resignation was a trend first noticed in the US, where quit levels rose in 2021 amid the disruption caused by Covid, with workers apparently ditching unfulfilling jobs, seeking new challenges, and pursuing long-deferred dreams. In Ireland, a 2021 survey of 1,000 employees by the WorkFutures Lab at the University of Limericks Kemmy Business School found around 40pc of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that my future career lies outside of this organisation. The latest survey showed that 80pc of professionals have kept in contact with a previous manager to some degree, with 31pc attributing this to wanting to keep a foot in the door. A quarter of professionals admitted to reaching out to a previous employer in the past year about job opportunities, with a further 10pc stating that they had not yet done so but intended to make contact. However, boomerang employees may find their previous employer unwilling to embrace them back into the fold. The survey found that 46pc of managers are hesitant to welcome back a former employee, with just a fifth stating that they would consider it if the worker had been exceptional employee. Im afraid managers and employers need to swallow their pride here, Feeney said. In what is still one of the most candidate-short markets in decades, the idea that a pool of talent is open to joining your company should be music to your ears. Read More Under Irish law, all employers proposing a collective redundancy must notify the minister (pictured, Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney) ahead of time The number of potential collective redundancies signalled by companies to the Enterprise Minister has hit a two-year monthly high of nearly 1,900. The figures show 1,862 potential redundancies were advised to the Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister, Simon Coveney last month. Twenty-eight companies made the notifications. The figure for February, a 24-month high, was up from 1,284 potential redundancies from 17 companies in January. Read More The second-highest figure was November 2022, with nearly 1,700 potential redundancies from 20 companies. According to Irish law, all employers proposing a collective redundancy must notify the minister ahead of time. Collective redundancy notifications do not reflect the total number of redundancies across the workforce The notification must be made 30 days before the first dismissal. Employers should notify the minister of a collective redundancy where five employees are to be made redundant in a company of between 21 and 49 people and 10 employees in a firm of between 50 and 99 people. In larger companies, the minister should be informed if there is a plan to make 10pc of employees redundant where the business employs between 100 and 299 people and 30 employees in an establishment with 300 or more people. Collective redundancy notifications do not reflect the total number of redundancies across the workforce. Several large tech firms have already announced job losses. Silver Hill Duck is to invest north of 30m to expand its food production operation in Co Monaghan as it plans to grow internationally. Last week, the company received notification from Monaghan County Council that its plans to expand the facility in Emyvale had been granted. Micheal Briody, managing director of Silver Hill Duck, said the company was looking to expand production to match the demand it has seen in international markets. It is specifically earmarked for halal products for Malaysia, UAE and Saudi Arabia It is a new plant, a new building on a brown-site facility where we would be increasing our capacity from 80,000 ducks a week to up to 120,000. We would be modernising the plant as well. It will specifically be earmarked for producing halal products for the Malaysian, UAE and Saudi markets, which will hopefully be coming on stream soon. Read More Briody said the investment would be more than 30m. He said it would create jobs at the construction stage and in production. He estimates employment could grow to 270 at the plant, up from 220. The company is also developing a pet food facility, adding value to the waste offal it produces. Expand Close Jimmy Clerkin of Silver Hill Farm, Co Monaghan, herding ducks over the border at Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone. Photo: Mark Condren / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jimmy Clerkin of Silver Hill Farm, Co Monaghan, herding ducks over the border at Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone. Photo: Mark Condren Briody said the company had been planning the expansion for many years. In 2021, the company had initial plans for the project approved, but An Bord Pleanala eventually rejected them. The issue had been around wastewater discharge. However, an innovative new drip irrigation system helped Silver Hill with the new plans. We are still not over the line, said Briody of the current permission grant, as it can still be appealed to An Bord Pleanala. The expansion is part of an international push, after having tasted success in Singapore. The demand at the moment is about 110,000 ducks, so as those other markets open up, it will be more, he said. At the moment, our biggest issue is capacity. We have grown the business over the last number of years, but the planning has been the backstop to crystallise that growth. Silver Hill Duck was founded in 1962 by Ronnie and Lyla Steele. In March 2019 Northern Irish agri-food company Fane Valley Group acquired the company for an undisclosed sum. As Dee Forbes prepares to head out the door at Montrose and a new, as yet unnamed, director general vies for the top job at RTE, the potentially costly decision as to who will be the next presenter of the Late Late is being worked on with urgency. Will Forbes leave a parting gift to her successor? In the context of a large media organisation with a suite of radio, digital and television platforms bringing in commercial revenues of around 150m a year, how much difference will the success or failure of one show make? Some back of the envelope estimates suggest that the Late Late Show alone brings in close to 3.5m a year. It airs 37 episodes a year with slots bringing in around 1.7m in total based on some industry estimates of the value of its ad spots. According to its rate card, sponsorship of the show is worth around 900,000. The festive jewel in the crown is of course the Late Late Toy Show and its popularity means it can secure a number of special deals such as gold packages for advertisers which bring in around 200,000, media buyers suggest. Read More Meanwhile special promotions are estimated to bring in another few hundred thousand euro a year. One industry insider commented that the value of competition phone calls was a lucrative, and often-underestimated, source of revenue for broadcasters these days. Of course, its very difficult to pull together hard data, but some television number crunchers believe this is in or around the commercial worth of the flagship talk show. So, keeping the Late Late Show on course is very important for RTE with those numbers showing just why the choice of a new host needs to be handled with care. After Ryan Tubridys announcement that he was leaving the show, Forbes indicated that some changes to the format are likely. The world has changed, she told RTE Radio 1s News at One. The world when Ryan began 14 years ago is now completely different and we are looking at a lot more fragmented viewing, people are viewing in different ways but the engagement with the Late Late is second to none, but again people watching live, or watching catch up. One possible change would be reducing the run t ime of the show but RTE wont want to shave off any valuable ad time. Bill Kinlay of Group M, one of Irelands largest ad agencies, is confident that RTE will have a good plan in place and said the advertisers pick for a new host is simple: Whoever pulls in the most viewers. He suggested that having a radio show would be essential for the next host given the importance of cross promotion. Front-runner Claire Byrne would tick that box. People love to give out about the Late Late Show and it is much harder than it used to be to get big name global guests live in studio, but it remains one of the top programmes in Ireland. Its a lynchpin, its a crucial entity within the RTE portfolio and its very, very important that they get it right, said Kinlay. No pressure then. Supermarket squeeze The CEO of Aldi Ireland recently told me about the lengths the grocery chain is going to so as to make savings in its product line. An extensive review of processes found, for example, that when it comes to half pans it was better to bake full loaves of bread and halve them afterwards rather than baking lots of half loaves. Expand Close Aldi store / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Aldi store It is a tiny tweak, yielding a tiny saving but at the moment, margins are under the microscope. As reported in these pages last week, Tesco is now seeking to introduce fulfilment charges for online orders in Ireland, as well as the UK. The amounts are likely to be small a few cents per unit sold. Meanwhile, Sky News and others in the UK report Tesco is cutting the value of its Clubcard rewards scheme, with customers no longer able to get triple their value when they cash them in with scheme partners. All of this reflects just how competitive the supermarket space is at present. In the UK, German discounters Aldi and Lidl have a smaller share than they have in Ireland, but during the cost of living crisis they are gaining. Over Christmas, Aldi and Lidl sales rose 26pc and 25pc respectively. Between them, they have more than 16pc of the British market and analysts and academics forecast that will double within a decade. It is little wonder, therefore, that Tesco is looking at ways of squeezing a little bit more from suppliers and customers. During several years of stable pricing, supermarket chains were able to run special promotions and cut-price deals to get shoppers through the door. Now there is a razor sharp focus on competing on price. The catchphrase every little helps has never been truer. March 2023 has been a month of comebacks and revenge served cold. Chris Rock bided his time for a full year before unleashing a ferocious riposte to Will Smith just before this years Oscars. At the ceremony itself, downtrodden and forgotten stars like Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan emerged from showbiz purgatory to grab gongs. But perhaps the months most anticipated revenge moment of all begins tomorrow night on Sky Atlantic, when we learn what happened next when televisions greatest toady, Tom Wambsgans switched sides in the final season of Succession. Toms avenging of festering sores has been a long time coming. In the jostling for power at the heart of a media dynasty, he has been something of an outsider, cuckolded and bullied by his wife Shiv (a steely-eyed Sarah Snook), who demands an open marriage on their wedding night, and set up as the fall guy for a corporate malfeasance case. In the finale of the last series spoiler alert it sensationally emerges that he has foiled Shiv and her siblings in their attempt to usurp their father, Logan. As the episode closes Tom embraces Shiv from behind and her eyes dart to one side like a character in a Graham Knuttel painting, as it dawns on her what has happened. Could the familys whipping boy, the mid-western lad mixing with billionaires, be finally, as he puts it himself, heading away from the endless middle? Expand Close Succession is gearing up for a big finale. Above, Greg (Nicholas Braun) and Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) in survival of the fittest mode / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Succession is gearing up for a big finale. Above, Greg (Nicholas Braun) and Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) in survival of the fittest mode The actor who portrays him, Matthew Macfadyen speaking to me via Zoom from Michigan where hes shooting for the film Holland Michigan, starring opposite Nicole Kidman wont be drawn on whether the character becomes the new dark prince of Waystar RoyCo, the company thats a fictional counterpart to any number of moral-free media behemoths. But he understands why Toms riveting mixture of cruelty and comedy has made him the real star of the show for many fans. Read More Playing him is therapeutic precisely because he is so excruciating and so much of what he does is so embarrassing the contortions he gets himself into and the way hes by turns so obsequious and such a bully. Its liberating to play that because you can say these hurtful, vile and appalling things but its all serving a story. Tom is utterly sycophantic to one character, and then will eat buckets of shit for another character, and then will bully this one until they want to kill him. The subject of much of his bullying is his RoyCo underling, cousin Greg, with whom Tom enjoys the most twisted of bromances. Even amid the bounty of zingers the show has thrown up, theres no doubt their relationship has given the series some of its most memorable lines. You cant make a Tomlette without breaking some Gregs, Tom tells his baffled adjutant at one point, in a moment that has spawned endless memes, merchandise and mimicry. In another scene which seems to sum up their lovingly abusive dynamic Tom tells Greg: Well, Nero pushed his wife down the stairs, and then he had Sporus [his boy slave] castrated and he married him instead. Id castrate you and marry you in a heartbeat. Its saying something that, in many ways, theirs is the purest relationship in Succession. At rest Macfadyens face has the look of someone who might have just done something terrible, if slightly comic, like a house cat that has just swallowed the pet budgie Macfadyen says that it was one of the early scenes with Greg (played with bumbling brilliance by Nicholas Braun, with whom Macfadyen is good friends) which helped him tap into Toms motivations. Video of the Day When I read the script for the pilot, theres a bit where Tom turns on Greg and f**ks with him and starts saying: Will you kick me? Im joking. Am I joking? Im not joking. And I thought, oh, OK, this is a nice little sort of characterisation of the guy and how he operates. The discordant and deeply funny note of weirdness was established. And yet, he adds: Underneath it all there is real affection there. Tom and Greg get each other and they need each other. Its difficult to imagine any other actor playing Tom. At rest Macfadyens face has the look of someone who might have just done something terrible, if slightly comic, like a house cat that has just swallowed the pet budgie. And little black jokes dance on his lips: Macfadyen says that in another era Tom could have been in charge of some terrible genocide. This is the death camp, come in, he imagines Tom exclaiming, as though leading some corporate tour. Ill turn on the ovens. But there are also other quieter elements of his own personality in the character. I recognise aspects of myself in Tom, like I want to please. And theres this sort of insecurity that he has that I can recognise in myself. Theres always different things you can find, but conversely, its really fun to lean into and relish the stuff you wouldnt do or you dont recognise in yourself. Like addressing a boardroom and firing people and all that stuff. Id rather kill myself. I cant imagine doing that in real life. Ive had a very weird and unstructured existence so the idea of being in that corporate system is kind of alien to me. Expand Close Macfadyen in the acclaimed production of The Duchess of Malfi. Photo: Robbie Jack / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Macfadyen in the acclaimed production of The Duchess of Malfi. Photo: Robbie Jack Macfadyen always seemed destined to be an actor. His mother Meinir, whose family are Welsh, was a drama teacher and former actress. I was encouraged by my parents, I suppose, but my mum certainly wasnt pushing me on stage or anything. She was just like, oh, my little boy likes doing this. I was probably quite shy and yet I didnt feel shy when I was on stage. I think because you have that structure you have a safety net. And I guess the sort of performative aspect of it, the gladiatorial aspects of it, being up there in front of everyone and trying to make them feel something, that was appealing to me. His father Martin was an oil engineer and his work necessitated moving the family around a lot, resulting in a fairly peripatetic childhood. I didnt like the endless arriving at a new school halfway through a term, I suppose, but then who does? But overall I had a very happy childhood. My mum and dad, they were happy, and so me and my brother were happy. Youre happy if your parents are happy, and it was exciting, an adventure. I went to a boarding school when I was around 11. We lived in Jakarta at that time. And then I had a continuity of being there until I was about 17 when I left, when I did my A-levels, and so Id go back to these lovely holidays in the Far East and various places, while my mum and dad moved around. After school he was accepted into RADA, a decision which gobsmacked him. I didnt think Id get in. I thought I should sort of test myself with a big grown-up audition, and I was quite young and I got a place. That was probably the red letter day of my life at that point. At 20 he moved straight from RADA to the renowned Cheek by Jowl theatre group and starred in the companys acclaimed production of The Duchess of Malfi. He was mentored by Declan Donnellan, who remains one of the most respected directors in British theatre. Declan is a very close friend of mine, and hes probably the one person I think of if I feel sort of in a rut with a character or a scene or something. Hes probably the biggest influence in terms of a teacher or director that Ive had. He wouldve happily continued as a theatre actor but when he was 25, Marcia Gresham (Daniel Radcliffes mother) cast him in BBC drama Warriors, about UN peacekeepers in Bosnia. Soon after he starred in the hit spy drama Spooks alongside his future wife, Keeley Hawes. Expand Close Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightley in 'Pride and Prejudice' / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightley in 'Pride and Prejudice' He recalls it as the first time he began getting recognised on the street, something that has ebbed and flowed over the years, depending on which of his series are currently being streamed. His big break is generally taken to have been 2005s Pride & Prejudice but he doesnt remember it that way. It was a break in terms of it being a big film but I was already working happily enough. I didnt think I was very good in it. But it was fine. It was another job. He has worked a number of times with Hawes since meeting her on the set of Spooks, most recently on Stonehouse. He also starred in Quiz, a dramatisation of the so-called coughing major, Charles Ingram, who was caught cheating his way to victory on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. Macfadyen says you do sort of worry about the difficulty of working with a spouse, but actually it was a treat because so often were like ships passing in the night. And so to go to work with your nearest and dearest, whos also an amazing actress, was a real treat. The couple, who married in 2004, have two children together and Macfadyen is stepfather to Hawess son from a previous marriage. Fatherhood, he says, was lovely when the kids were small and is now [that theyre grown] lovely in a different way. The emotions are endless joy and worry, a mix of those two. He still thinks of himself as cool he adds, but he thinks they see him as a little fuddy duddy. But I dont mind that, I quite like it. Thats how it should be. I think it would probably be excruciating if I was really down with the kids. Like I said to my son the other day: Im not your mate, Im your Dad. Expand Close Keeley Hawes and Matthew Macfadyen in West Hollywood, California. Photo: FilmMagic / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Keeley Hawes and Matthew Macfadyen in West Hollywood, California. Photo: FilmMagic He turns 50 next year and says: Im quite happy about it. I was relieved when I turned 40. I dont mind getting older. Im not particularly looking forward to falling to bits and aches and pains and all the rest of it. But I dont mind, as long as Im sort of fit and healthy, I quite like it. Succession is one of the ground-breaking shows of the last few years and started a trend which now runs through films like Triangle of Sadness and series like The White Lotus, of mocking the rich. He says he agrees with one of the shows writers, Lucy Prebble, who last year told People & Culture that all this satire hasnt had any noticeable real-world effect: if anything, inequality has gotten worse. And he suggests the mega-wealthy may take a certain pleasure in being skewered. Succession is really popular with the titans of industry and hedge fund managers as well. They seem to love it. Im certain wealthy people are not happier [because of their wealth]. Theres that thing where if you earn over a certain amount of money, depending on where you are, the amount of noughts [on your bank balance] doesnt make any difference to your happiness. Stardom, he says, certainly doesnt make you happier. Absolutely not. One of Toms most memorable scenes in Succession was with the dynastys scion and the man destined to never take over, Kendall Roy (played by Jeremy Strong). My hunch is youre going to get f**ked, Tom tells him. Because Ive seen you get f**ked a lot. And Ive never seen Logan get f**ked once. Kendall revels in scandal, consoling himself that being lampooned on social media still means he is part of the conversation. At times life has seemed to imitate art, and I wonder how Macfadyen felt when he saw his recent Vanity Fair interview which suggested he was irritated when they brought up an infamous New Yorker profile of his co-star which focussed on Strongs eccentricities and method acting. They [Vanity Fair] said that I was visibly annoyed, but I wasnt really, its just that anything that skews the attention to one thing is not healthy and sort of not correct. Because its an ensemble piece. Its not all about one persons process. But we all have different ways of working and thats absolutely fine. Expand Close Tom marrying Shiv in Season 1 of 'Succession' / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tom marrying Shiv in Season 1 of 'Succession' The speculation about how the show will end has prompted endless fan speculation but has been such a tightly guarded secret, Macfadyen says, that he was never sure how the series will bow out. Jesse [Armstrong, the shows creator] had a particular idea and they thought it might be the last one and they had gotten to the end of the story they wanted to tell. But then there was a doubt, so right until the end we [the actors] were wondering, oh, whats going to happen. It has been a tumultuous time in his life, in which he has become very much an A-list actor, recognised on the streets of Manhattan when he walks around. Sometimes you want to walk around and think your own thoughts and gaze, walk, and you cant do that. Now that the question posed by the title of the series is about to finally be answered, I wonder how he feels about it ending. Its odd, there is a sort of heartbreak because you get very close to people and its been a happy time. But after six years I have played every colour in this part. So theres grief, but relief as well. Succession Season 4 premieres March 27 at 9pm on Sky Atlantic When I first heard about the new documentary series Waco: American Apocalypse (Netflix), I was a bit ho-hum. I thought why now? (Its the 30th anniversary of the siege at Waco duh). But I also wondered what relevance this terrible story could have today. Eighty two people, including 25 children and four federal agents, died in the carnage, which ended when the Davidian cults compound was engulfed in a hellish inferno. Then, lo and behold, I heard Donald Trump was due to hold the first rally of his 2024 presidential campaign in the Texan city today. It seems strange that anyone would wish to associate themselves with Waco. Nobody comes out of it well. The forces of law and order were almost comically incompetent. The followers of David Koresh, a conman who sold himself to his devoted followers as the new messiah, are almost criminally gullible. For example, when asked if Koresh had had sexually abused girls as young as 12, one female follower a mother herself replied that that would not have been outrageous because, under the rules of Davidians, followers were adults when they reached the age of 12. Of course they were. Koresh annulled all the marriages of his followers so that he could have sex with the wives. It was at this point that Heather Joness mother left. Heather wasnt allowed to speak to her father, who remained at Waco and seems to have remained as devoted to Koresh as ever. On the other hand, the local Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) believed that the Davidians had been stockpiling weapons at their huge compound. They were right about that. Three hundred firearms and two million rounds of ammunition were found at the site at the end of the siege. But the ATF were wrong about everything else. What was supposed to be a surprise raid became a bloodbath when a press photographer, who was lost, stopped a local postman to ask him where the compound was. Expand Close The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) outside the Davidian compound in Waco, Texas before the inferno. Photo courtesy of Netflix / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) outside the Davidian compound in Waco, Texas before the inferno. Photo courtesy of Netflix Unfortunately for the ATF, that postman was David Jones, Heathers father. He alerted the cult, who started firing. Shortly after that debacle, the FBI arrived. Tanks arrived. Communications between the FBI and the ATF were poor. Negotiations were botched. It was a disaster. The only person who seemed to do well out of it was Koresh, who traded the release of some children for airtime on the media. He talked about how, as an American, he had every right to both religious freedom and to carry arms. Unbelievable though it may seem, in the years since, Waco has become a rallying point for Americas far right. Because Waco is now synonymous, as one commentator put it, with the worst failings of the federal government. No one seems to worry about what Koresh and his followers did to 12-year-old girls, or about the human weakness for cheap and narcissistic conmen. Some things are eternal. How to describe the second series of Kin (RTE One)? Well, there is a lot of whispering, a lot of squealing tyres and there is scary music playing even when a couple who love each other are just standing in the kitchen, whispering. People in Kin dont smile. Its all a bit monotonous, even though the body count is bracingly high and the Kinsellas have to find 70m, for reasons that are too unlikely to explain. So much about the first series seemed refreshing a gay male gang boss, a female gang boss on the make, and a multiracial modern Dublin. But now it seems a bit flat. The churches are almost empty, which is accurate. There are an awful lot of cars, so thats about right. Everyone drives everywhere; theyre always getting in and out of cars and theres all that tyre squealing. Also, we see that cars are good for hiding bodies, particularly if you set them alight. But its early days and maybe Kin will surprise us. It would want to get a move on, though. Expand Close Paul 'Wicky' Wickstead (Greg Davies) and Karl (Asim Chaudhry) in The Cleaner. Photo by Jonathan Browning / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Paul 'Wicky' Wickstead (Greg Davies) and Karl (Asim Chaudhry) in The Cleaner. Photo by Jonathan Browning I tell you what wont surprise anyone is The Cleaner (BBC One). It stars comedian Greg Davies as Paul Wickstead (Wicky), a crime scene cleaner. Most episodes have a famous guest star. This week it was the fantastic Harriet Walter (seen most recently as the Roy siblings mother in Succession) as a pub landlady. She was a blizzard of orange foundation and fag smoke, Walter being the only person on television who can smoke a cigarette properly. Next week its Simon Callow as the manager of a small theatre, and so on. The problem with The Cleaner is that it is too clean. Crime scenes are usually filthy places, awash with blood and a whole lot else, but most of the time Wicky is just soaking up just a pint of blood before going on to dab at a few shelves, while wearing a protective suit that never has a stain on it. A lot of the time hes not even wearing his protective gloves. And the plots are similarly half-hearted. Its a shame. The Dry (RTE One) was never half-hearted. Its script and its cast were all in, all the time. It built itself up very nicely over the past few weeks and it felt funny and true. So, at the end of the series, Im still at a loss as to why it received negative reviews. Video of the Day Young people attending a specialist addiction treatment centre run by the HSE in Dublin have reported an increasing trend of youth gangs who bully, threaten and intimidate other teenagers. The latest annual report of the HSEs Adolescent Addiction Service said the prevalence of such youth gangs which involved both males and females was an emerging and worrying feature of youth activity in some communities. The report claimed service users reporting gang members would force other young people to kiss their shoes or the ground in order to let them pass or pull hats off their head or urinate on them. It said some gangs were also challenging adults including gardai. The service, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, provides support and treatment for addiction issues to young people and their families from parts of west Dublin including Ballyfermot, Clondalkin, Palmerston, Lucan and Inchicore. The report shows 65pc of young people attending the service last year came from families where there is some history of alcohol or drug abuse up from 42pc the previous year. The report also recorded a 10pc increase in the number of young people referred to the service for treatment for alcohol and drug abuse during 2022. A total of 53 young people and their families received treatment from the service last year, while it also worked with concerned individuals in relation to two other teenagers who did not attend the service an increase of five over 2021 levels. The average age of adolescents attending the centre was 15 years with participants ranging in age from 13 to 18. More than three-quarters of those using the service were male, while 7pc were non-nationals. In addition, the parents of 44pc of young people attending treatment from the service last year were separated compared to 28pc in 2021. The overwhelming majority of cases involve cannabis with the drug being used by 98pc of teenagers receiving treatment. The report found that adolescents had been taking drugs for an average of 17 months before they were referred to the service. It noted that there is increased tolerance for cannabis use at a societal level with the drug available in many formats including vapes and edibles. The proportion of young people drinking alcohol last year was 35pc down from 54pc in 2021. There was also a reduction in the number of teenagers using cocaine down to 9pc in 2022 from 16pc the previous year. However, the HSE reported almost a three-fold increase in the proportion taking nitrous oxide with 22pc admitting taking the substance which is also known as laughing gas last year. The report said almost 7 in 10 teenagers attending the service had a history of contact with the HSEs Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service which reflected the extent to which young people using drugs and alcohol experienced mental health issues. Among issues reported were attention deficit disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, self-harm, suicide ideation, depression, anorexia and anxiety. The report said the problems were compounded by the closure of schools and other services due to Covid-19 restrictions. It claimed issues with some teenagers included absconding and indebtedness as well as holding, distributing or dealing drugs. It noted such issues were further compounded by food and fuel poverty and accommodation insecurity or overcrowding. The author of the report and family therapist, Denis Murray, said social media was having a big impact on the lives of young people in terms of influencing their perspectives of the world and attitudes to sex and sexuality, the role of women in society and other peoples lived experiences. It is distracting from other areas of life as well as disrupting sleep and exposing young people to bullying, rumour spreading and unrealistic views of the world, said Mr Murray. The therapist said the main challenges within communities were for parents and other adults to identify young people at risk at an early stage and to elevate concern for them by making referrals in a timely manner. However, Mr Murray said professionals working with young people were concerned about the normalisation of drug use within society especially in relation to alcohol and cannabis. Given the level of tolerance for substance use within the community and petitions for the decriminalisation and legalisation of all drugs, young people are being given mixed messages with some adults not fully appreciating the consequences of substance use for young people, said Mr Murray. For the first time in its history, the HSE said no young person attending the service last year of compulsory school-going age was no longer in education or training. This marks a significant development compared to the 1990s when most young people attending the service had dropped out of secondary school in first year and many could not read or write, it added. The service, which is based in Cherry Orchard Hospital in Dublin, was originally established in response to the heroin crisis of the 1990s when its primary intervention was prescribing methadone to young people. Mr Murray said 66pc of delegates at a conference to mark the services 25th anniversary last year had reported that young people with whom they had worked had engaged in substance use before they were 14 years with 21pc stating it had begun before the age of 12. Ellie Kisyombe, a high-profile campaigner and former Social Democrats local election candidate, has agreed to accept an adult caution for assaulting a Ukrainian kitchen assistant in 2019. Kisyombe was awarded the Mum of the Year award by Womens Way magazine last year and runs the Ellies Kitchen sauce and catering business. Last Thursday at Blanchardstown District Court, Kisyombes barrister said that while his client had previously pleaded not guilty, she was now willing to accept a caution that had been previously proffered by the State. The change in approach came after the barrister reviewed CCTV of the assault and consulted with Kisyombe. The barrister apologised to the court for clogging up its time. Judge John Brennan adjourned the case until May 18 for mention to allow for the administration of the caution in a garda station. Introduced in 2006 to allow for the issuing of cautions where prosecution of an adult is not in the public interest in the opinion of a Garda superintendent, the caution will require Kisyombe to accept responsibility for her behaviour. She will be warned that any future criminal behaviour will likely result in a prosecution and the caution will be made known to a court in the event of a conviction. Cautions are usually only available to first-time offenders and they are not disclosed in garda vetting reports. Some 6,000 were issued in 2021 with 574 for assaults. Expand Close Svitlana Voloshchuk from Ukraine leaving Blanchardstown court. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Svitlana Voloshchuk from Ukraine leaving Blanchardstown court. Kisyombe, originally from Malawi, shot to public attention as a campaigner against the direct provision system for asylum seekers such as herself. A chef and caterer, she campaigned for the rights of asylum seekers to be able to cook for themselves. She also featured in a number of TV and newspaper interviews and in a music video for Hozier, because of her campaigning. In 2019 she ran unsuccessfully for the Social Democrats as a Dublin City election candidate while still an asylum seeker. She was supported in her canvassing by Social Democrat TD Gary Gannon and Una Mullally, an Irish Times journalist. During the campaign it was revealed that Kisyombe had given false information in interviews and her election literature about coming to Ireland as an asylum seeker in 2010. Lawyers for Kisyombe tried to prevent publication of the story, by claiming it was a criminal offence to reveal details of her asylum claim. She originally arrived in Ireland in 2011 and obtained a student visa. She then travelled to the UK and claimed asylum there, before she was sent back to Ireland. She claimed asylum in Ireland in November 2011. The Malawian left Ireland for the UK again but was arrested there in 2014, and returned to Ireland in May 2014. The revelations caused the Social Democrats to carry out an investigation, which led to it correcting her biography. Three members of the partys national executive resigned in protest at the inquiry, feeling it was unfair on Kisyombe. Kisyombe was granted leave to remain in Ireland in the summer of 2019 around the same time that her twin children, who moved to Ireland some years after her, were granted international protection. Last week, Gary Gannon, who has been described as Kisyombes mentor, said he did not want to comment on her assault case but said she was no longer a member of the party. Kisyombe posted a picture on Instagram of her in the Dail as Gannons guest in January. The woman assaulted by Kisyombe is Svitlana Voloshchuk, a 46-year-old mother of three. She is originally from Ukraine but has lived in Ireland for over 20 years and has Irish citizenship. Speaking to the Sunday Independent after the hearing, Voloshchuk who is now a managerial assistant said she had never experienced anything like the physical assault from Kisyombe in her 12 years working as the Balseskin reception centre for asylum seekers. Voloshchuk was supported at the hearing by a group of co -workers from the reception centre in north Dublin. They described how, on the morning of February 21, 2019, Kisyombe had asked for paper cups from the centres kitchen but none were available. A colleague of Voloshchuks said Kisyombe returned shortly after to the kitchen to show she had been able to obtain a stack of the cups from the office. Voloshchuk said she did not know Kisyombe at the time, and was unaware of this earlier encounter with her colleague. When she saw Kisyombe walking away with the cups she said she left the kitchen to ask where she had taken them from. I said: Excuse me, please. Where did you get those cups? She did not answer. So I started again. Excuse me... She turned around, looked and then just started running at me. She was silent, she didnt say anything. And she grabbed me and started pulling and grabbing me on my arm. It all happened very fast. I had bruises the next day. I had not expected it. After that she tried to grab me and pull me to the office. But I didnt know what she wanted to do with me at that second. I was trying to remove her hand. "It was scary. I didnt know what she wanted to do to me. A male colleague said he heard calls for help from Voloshchuks female colleague and he rushed down to see Kisyombe dragging, dragging and dragging at Svitlana. I ran over and shouted: Get your hands off her. She [Kisyombe] said: She hit me first. The male colleague said he was able to check the CCTV footage which showed this claim against Voloshchuk was completely untrue. She grabbed me several times, said Voloshchuk. It felt like it was so strong, her hands. I dont remember pain but I remember being scared because I didnt know what she wanted to do with me. Voloshchuk said she was forced to take three months off work to deal with the stress and anxiety caused by the attack. When she returned to work, she said she would hide in the kitchen whenever she heard Kisyombe approach. She said she felt scared again of Kisyombe after seeing her in court, and did not understand what the caution process which is supposed to take the views of victims into account meant. I feel like she has been playing some game, said Voloshchuk. I didnt know she turned this [caution] down already. The Ukrainian mother of three said she believed the Kisyombe portrayed in many media appearances is fake. I feel when I see that, that its all fake, its not real, she said. Some people can play that game. but I cant. "Shes a fake person who starts crying and turns around and starts blaming someone, until someone believes her. On that day she started blaming me, saying its my fault. I do not believe a person who just turns like that, starts crying, blames me and then says: Poor me. I was asked if Id take an apology but I cant. Theres no excuse for what she did. After the case, Kisyombe posted a quote from Nelson Mandela on Twitter about triumphing over ones fears. An accompanying statement said she was fighting powerful people. It was me alone against the whole organisation that came in organised to impose fear into me, she claimed, adding that she stood firm in her beliefs. Kisyombe did not respond to a request to comment on the assault on Voloshchuk. A significant development likely led to gardai upgrading the case of missing person Annie McCarrick to a murder inquiry, a former senior officer who investigated the case for over a decade believes. Last week gardai said advances in investigative techniques may help solve the 30-year mystery surrounding the murder of the young American, who was last seen alive on this day in 1993. Her case was officially upgraded to a murder inquiry last Friday with a senior detective saying gardai now accept the likelihood is that she came to a foul demise. Ms McCarrick, a native of Long Island in New York, was 26 when she was last seen alive on March 26, 1993. She had been living in Sandymount and working in Dublin city centre at the time. The last confirmed image of her is a grainy still captured on a CCTV camera inside the AIB on Sandymount Road. Read More It is believed that shortly after this Ms McCarrick boarded a bus to Enniskerry in Co Wicklow to go for a walk, but she never returned. Retired Detective Sergeant Alan Bailey was formally attached to a Garda cold case unit and Operation Trace, both of which probed the disappearance of Ms McCarrick and interviewed key witnesses who last saw the young woman. There has obviously been some form of significant development, because it would not have been upgraded to murder otherwise. As it is now a murder investigation, it will be assigned more resources. Also the case is now back in the public domain, which is always helpful, Mr Bailey said. Over the past 30 years, concerns have grown that Ms McCarrick met a violent end. Rapist Larry Murphy has been linked to her disappearance, as has the Spanish serial killer Antonio Angles, who is wanted in Spain over the November 1992 murders of three teenage girls near Valencia and would have been in Dublin just before Ms McCarrick disappeared. Mr Bailey stressed both Murphy and the Spanish serial killer, who has never been located, are both people of interest rather than suspects. Witnesses said they saw the American in the Sandymount Green area, boarding the No 44 bus to Enniskerry. She was later seen at Johnnie Foxs pub in Glencullen. Ms McCarricks father John died in 2009 without ever knowing what happened to his daughter. Her mother Nancy lives in Long Island and was recently visited by senior gardai. Speaking to RTE News from her home, Nancy McCarrick said she didnt believe it was remotely possible that Annie was alive after all these years. I did for a very, very, very long time, but not after 30 years, she said. Further advances in investigative techniques may assist gardai in finally bringing closure for the McCarrick family. So far gardai have discovered and collated over 5,000 documents and reports, taken more than 300 statements of evidence, and retained several exhibits. The murder inquiry will also be following up on all reported sightings of Ms McCarrick. The elderly man accused of the sexual abuse and rape of several boys spanning decades as a senior member of St John Ambulance (SJA) is living in squalor at his home in Dublins south city. When the Sunday Independent called to the house last week, a female foreign national living with him at his property invited us inside. The invitation was extended after the man, aged in his late 80s, declined to come to the front door. Once inside the house, the squalor was evident. Bags of rubbish were strewn around, and a strong odour of decay was present throughout. The top section of the sitting-room window was covered with black bags to keep out the light. I just hope there isnt a child living in that house The former SJA senior volunteer, attached to the Old Kilmainham division, was sitting in a back room with a blanket covering his legs. He confirmed his name when asked. The man is aged 89 and cannot be named here for legal reasons. Less than a fortnight ago, a major independent review into the handling of past complaints of sex abuse by SJA, led by Dr Geoffrey Shannon, was published. The alleged perpetrator of abuse was not named in the report but the man visited by this newspaper last week is understood to be the person named in the report, accused by more than a dozen men of sustained sexual abuse. Asked several times if he had read Dr Shannons report, which also examined the adequacy of current protection arrangements for children and vulnerable adults, the former paramedic volunteer responded that he had not. Asked if he had any response to the men who have accused him of rape and sexual assault, or if he felt he owed them an apology, the elderly man insisted: I have nothing to say, I have absolutely nothing to say. Expand Close Abuse survivor Mick Finnegan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Abuse survivor Mick Finnegan It is understood a married couple live at the house with the man and have been there for a number of years. Allegations of child sexual abuse made against the former senior officer have been deemed founded in recent years, following an investigation by Tusla, the child and family agency. Mick Finnegan (40), who first reported allegations of sexual abuse against the man to gardai and the organisation more than 20 years ago, has terrible memories of being abused in the mans home as a child. Read More I think its upsetting to know he is still living there, and that he has a couple living with him. Ive mentioned to Tusla on several occasions in the past that I wasnt sure if a child was living there and that they should at very least go and check. I said it again to them when the findings of the report were published, he said. I just hope there isnt a child living in that house. My heart was beating so fast in my chest but I couldnt move, I was too afraid of him "When I was a child, I was always terrified of going in there alone. Particularly as the sexual abuse progressed the longer I stayed in St John Ambulance. Another abuse survivor, Paul Mulholland (46), a married father-of-four, previously lived at the house with his alleged abuser. He moved in during his late teens after joining SJA aged 15 and called it his home into his 20s, following a sustained period of grooming. Mr Mulholland, originally from Dublin but now living in Cavan with his family, recalls how the now-elderly man preyed upon his innocence from the moment he met him. He remembers very well the first time he realised his abuser was targeting others and how this was the catalyst for eventually escaping from him. One night in 2000, I was lying in his bed watching TV when the front doorbell rang. A short time later he came into his bedroom panicking. He said to me the police were downstairs and that the f*****g bastard Mick Finnegan has told them that I raped him and abused him. I was shocked to think that firstly he had abused somebody else, but more so by the fact that he was shocked that someone had reported him. He was getting changed into some different clothes. I lay there frozen, shaken up but afraid. I wanted so much to have the courage to walk down the stairs and say: Yes, this must be a true accusation because he has been doing it to me for years too. But I couldnt. My heart was beating so fast in my chest but I couldnt move, I was too afraid of him, he recalled. When he left I cried, because I thought: Yes, at last he has been caught and thats the end of this abuse for me. But though he was in the garda station being questioned, he was still sending me text messages saying he was innocent. I couldnt believe him, not one bit. A few hours later he came home. He was so mad and annoyed, saying after everything he had done for Mick how could he say such a thing about him. Mr Mulholland recalls that after his accused abuser was quizzed by gardai over alleged abuse of Mr Finnegan, he got rid of his double bed and replaced them with bunk beds. The abuse and mental torture destroyed my childhood and ruined my life His idea would be that if the gardai were to search his home there would be no double bed, so that would make Mick out to be a liar and discredit his story. I was also told that if I was questioned to say there never was a double bed, and that the bunk beds had been there for years. This made me sure he was guilty, he added. After the bunk beds were installed, the abuse faded more and more because he couldnt lie beside me. At this stage, Mr Mullholland had begun dating the woman who would later become his wife. He eventually found the strength to move out of the former SJA volunteers home and start his own life. But the abuse he suffered has taken its toll. The abuse and mental torture he destroyed my childhood and ruined my adolescent years. These are the years and experiences that I will never get back. "I will never get to recover my youth. I have never been able to live the life that most people have lived. He had me under a spell and wouldnt allow me mix with other people. I never got to go out with friends because I never had any, he wouldnt allow it. I still to this day find myself socially inept, because this part of my life is missing. Years later, the Dubliner went to gardai and reported the abuse. An investigation was launched but, as was the case with Mr Finnegans investigation, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) ruled there was insufficient evidence. However, the 89 year old remains under garda investigation in relation to complaints made by other men. The Sunday Independent also understands that the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) is now examining Dr Geoffrey Shannons report in detail, as gardai continue to pursue criminal charges against the alleged perpetrator of abuse. Helplines: If you have been affected by the contents of this article, click here for more information A convicted fraudster at the centre of allegations around her latest business venture has had her case assessed by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB). Denyse OBrien, originally from Cork but believed to be living in Kerry, set up a human resource business called Watch Your Back Ireland. Some of her former clients have contacted gardai alleging she was hired and paid to do work on their behalf, which was not carried out. These individual complaints are being dealt with at different garda stations around the country. It is understood OBriens case has now been referred to the GNECB, commonly known as the fraud squad, and specialist officers are reviewing the case. The specialist unit has not yet taken over the case, but it is expected it will do so. The GNECB have been made aware of the case. It would make more sense for the GNECB to take over this case, and that is probably what will happen but resources are a constant issue. But for the moment, individual garda stations are handling the investigations on a case-by-case basis, a source said. The website for Watch Your Back Ireland has been removed from the internet in recent weeks. The human resources company had purported to assist employees who believe they have been mistreated or wronged in the workplace. The company was set up by OBrien in 2019. She changed the spelling of her first name to Denise for the business venture. In 2015 OBrien pleaded guilty to fraud amounting to 3,000. At the time she was an organiser of a major charity event in Limerick, which collapsed after it emerged that she admitted to defrauding a woman of 3,000 on her debit card. At least three former clients of Watch Your Back Ireland have raised concerns about how OBrien handled their cases. One woman made a complaint at Drogheda garda station on November 3 last year. This woman said she paid OBrien almost 3,800 for her services, and alleged OBrien did not undertake much of the work she claimed to be doing on her behalf. The womans case against her employer has yet to be resolved at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). Watch Your Back Ireland is no longer assisting her. She alleged she was completely fooled and has outlined to gardai her business dealings with OBrien. Before it was taken down, OBrien stated on the website: Like most of us, I only ever associated HR with being in trouble at work because I had no positive experience of HR for a long time as an employee. Sadly, this is often the experience for people who come to us for advice for different things like bullying, unfair dismissal, returning to work after sick leave and so on. I noticed a gap in the market for HR advice for both employers and employees, so I took myself off to study human resource management at UCD. In 2015, OBrien, then of Sruthain an Padraig, Rhebogue, Limerick, pleaded guilty to fraud amounting to 3,000. OBriens solicitor told the court the fraud had coincided with a very difficult period in OBriens life. For those who havent lived through it, the Ireland of the 1980s was an almost unimaginably different place from today. In 1983, following an acrimonious debate, a referendum banning abortion was passed by an overwhelming majority, 70pc. A few months later in Granard, Co Longford, 15-year-old schoolgirl Ann Lovett died giving birth outdoors after a concealed pregnancy. That same year, a Kildare doctor was found guilty and fined for supplying condoms to an unmarried man. Though contraception had been legalised four years earlier, it was strictly limited to bona-fide family planning purposes effectively, married couples. If Baby John had been blood group O, Joanne Hayes might have been found guilty of murder But there was also considerable evidence that the sexual habits of young people were changing rapidly. For 10 years, so-called illegitimate births had been rising sharply. The number of women going to Britain for abortions was also increasing. And despite the legal restrictions, contraception was being widely availed of. There was one other feature of the 1980s that has receded in peoples memories. In the decades leading up to the 1970s, An Garda Siochana policed a peaceful, largely rural and quiescent Ireland. The terror campaign of the Provisional IRA changed all that. A largely unarmed police force was catapulted into dealing with large-scale paramilitary violence. It was a role for which gardai were neither prepared nor equipped. Many terrorist suspects refused to say anything and just stared at a dot on a wall during interrogations. Increasingly, the gardai began to rely on signed confessions taken in custody as the sole basis for securing convictions in terrorist cases. 80pc of serious crime was being solved by voluntary confessions made while in garda custody IRA trials became swearing matches with the accused claiming the statements had been beaten out of them or concocted by gardai, with gardai counter-claiming the statements had been freely and voluntarily given by the accused. The Murder Squad, which had dealt with the usual run-of-the-mill murders for decades, suddenly became the frontline unit in this fight against terrorism. Soon, 80pc of serious crime was being solved by voluntary confessions made while in garda custody. Read More As the volume of allegations against the garda grew, the public became increasingly disquieted and the courts began to rule some of these self-incriminating statements inadmissible. By then, the media was regularly referring to the Murder Squad as the Heavy Gang. In April 1984, when the body of a new-born baby with 28 stab wounds was discovered washed up on White Strand, Cahersiveen, a shocked nation demanded that gardai find the killer, or killers. Two weeks of intense investigations by local gardai came up with a suspect Joanne Hayes. The head of the Murder Squad, Superintendent John Courtney, soon arrived in Tralee with his chief lieutenants to take over the investigation. Joanne Hayes and her family were taken to Tralee garda station for questioning, and within hours Joanne had signed a statement confessing to murder. Expand Close A protester outside the Kerry Babies tribunal in 1985 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A protester outside the Kerry Babies tribunal in 1985 However, subsequent forensic analysis of blood group evidence showed it was impossible for Joanne Hayes to be the mother of the Cahersiveen baby. At the end of September, the Director of Public Prosecutions instructed that all charges should be withdrawn at the earliest opportunity, which happened on October 10. A week later, I drove to Abbeydorney to conduct a film interview with Joanne for RTE which was broadcast on the Today Tonight programme on October 16. In it she made serious allegations about being pressurised and physically abused by gardai into making false statements about stabbing a baby to death. There was an explosive reaction to the programme, which prompted immediate calls for a tribunal of inquiry. This was set up in early December by the Minister for Justice, Michael Noonan. It seemed to the Irish public that Joanne Hayes was in the dock In establishing the tribunal, few were in any doubt that it was the gardai who were in the dock. The question that needed answering was: how did four members of a family sign detailed statements confessing to crimes they could not have committed? Yet, by mid-January 1985, given the line of questioning being pursued by some tribunal lawyers, it seemed to the Irish public that Joanne Hayes was in the dock. When Martin Kennedy SC began asking Jeremiah Locke, the father of Joanne Hayess daughter Yvonne, to point out on an Ordnance Survey map where exactly he and Joanne had had sex in a parked car, tribunal chairman Justice Lynch intervened. What was the relevance of this line of questioning, he asked? Kennedy replied: I am trying to establish the sexual life of this man and Joanne. "If I can show the tribunal that Joanne had a previous sexual history and was having sexual intercourse with others; and if one of the others turns out to be blood group A it is not only possible but probable that of twins born as a result of that union, one twin would have A and the other will have O. Kennedy had outlined the central argument of the gardai. Joanne Hayes had had sex with two men with different blood groups within a 24-hour period. It is called superfecundation and though biologically possible, it is one in a million chance. Apart from that, no evidence whatsoever was presented to the tribunal that Joanne had a relationship with anyone other than Jeremiah Locke. Her crime, it seemed, was to have fallen in love with a married man, get pregnant, and raise the child herself. For most of us in attendance, the tribunal had gone off the rails though it would take almost 40 years before that reality was finally accepted by the State. What happens to the two new suspects in the case who were arrested last week will be determined, it appears, by the results of DNA testing. It was very different in the early Eighties. Forensic science was far less sophisticated and revolved principally around blood-group analysis. This gives rise to one final and very troubling concern regarding the Kerry Babies episode. It is summarised in the final paragraph of my book on the sad story, Lost Innocence. It is hard to resist the conclusion that had the baby on the beach near Cahersiveen been blood group O, the garda case would have held on the basis of the signed statements. If it had, then the charges of murder against Joanne Hayes might not have been dropped. "There would have been no public tribunal of inquiry. A young woman would probably have been found guilty of a crime she could not have committed. Read More The couple arrested last week on suspicion of the murder of Baby John almost 40 years ago in Kerry were subjected to intense interrogation by gardai who wanted an admission, their solicitor has claimed. Padraig OConnell said all gardai wanted was an admission from the couple, who were questioned in Castleisland and Listowel over 24 hours on Thursday night and into Friday. There would be no admission, he said, because the couple would not be admitting to something that is untrue. The Sunday Independent understands the woman who was arrested is the daughter of a Kerry garda who passed away in the 1970s, several years before the now-discredited investigation into the infants death. Mr OConnell said the treatment of his clients in terms of the breaches of privacy and the attention focussed on the case was not dissimilar to the treatment of Joanne Hayes in 1984. Expand Close Key locations in the Kerry Babies scandal / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Key locations in the Kerry Babies scandal Bolt out of the blue The knock on the door came shortly before 7.30pm on Thursday. The couple were at home in Kerry, dinner over and getting on with household chores. There was only themselves in the house: a mother in her late 50s and her partner, who is in his early 60s. Their two grown-up children no longer live in the family home. Gardai stood in the doorway, armed with a warrant, on a mission to bring to the surface secrets they believed the couple had allegedly buried for almost 40 years. Officers told each in turn they were being arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act on suspicion of the murder of a child. They were told they were being brought to garda stations for questioning. The couple were stunned. They were never in a garda station. They never had so much as a penalty point on their licences. They are hardworking members of their community; they are respected and, as far as they are concerned, it was a bolt out of the blue, their solicitor Padraig OConnell said. The allegations are utterly refuted, totally refuted. As far I am concerned there is not one scintilla of evidence to in any way substantiate an allegation of murder. The arrests on Thursday have shocked not just the couple who found themselves bundled out of their homes and into garda cars, bound for garda questioning. Their arrests are also a pivotal moment in the cold case investigation into the death of Baby John. The murder of the infant is at the heart of what became the Kerry Babies scandal a profoundly shameful episode in Irelands history that resonates to this day. The infant was discovered on April 14, 1984, by Jack Griffin who was out for a run on White Strand Beach near Cahersiveen. He saw a shape on the rocks. It was pink in colour, face downwards, with black hair and I thought to myself, it cant be a baby. I was trying to say to myself it was a doll, but deep down I knew it wasnt so I blessed myself, he told journalists years later. When gardai had finished their examinations, Tom Cournane, the local undertaker, carried the infant in his arms from the rocks to a stream and christened him John. He had 28 stab wounds to his body and a broken neck. He had been dead for two days and he was five days old when he was killed. Expand Close The grave of Baby John in Holy Cross Cemetery, Cahersiveen, Co Kerry. Photo: Domnick Walsh / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The grave of Baby John in Holy Cross Cemetery, Cahersiveen, Co Kerry. Photo: Domnick Walsh With no family to claim him, Cournane organised his burial at Holy Cross Cemetery outside the town. He asked his daughter, Catherine, then a schoolgirl, to come to the funeral with her friends to give him a send-off. Scores of local schoolchildren turned up. The discovery of his body triggered a flawed murder investigation false confessions secured from a young woman who lived more than 80km away on the other side of the county, who had also had a baby that had died. Joanne Hayes and her family were later traduced in a tribunal of inquiry that was so shameful they later secured a public apology and compensation from the State. In the bitter aftermath of the scandal, there was little appetite among gardai to find out who did actually murder Baby John, and no family ever came forward to press for justice on his behalf. Read More DNA tests In January 2018, gardai announced that fresh DNA tests proved beyond doubt that Joanne Hayes was not Baby Johns mother, and there would be a cold case review of the murder. The superintendent in Killarney, Flor Murphy, promised it would be sensitive, and that this time the focus would be on south Kerry, specifically Cahersiveen and the Iveragh Peninsula overlooking White Strand. He warned the case would take time. The clues to this crime had been locked away for 40 years. There was little physical evidence left. The fertiliser bag in which the baby was placed, and which detectives hoped could be traced back to where the infant came from, had gone missing during the investigation. But a DNA sample, and fresh samples taken from the exhumed body of the infant, provided the breakthrough. Tests are capable of identifying not only the parentage of the baby but also blood relatives such as siblings. Detectives obtained DNA samples voluntarily from residents across south Kerry, from Valentia Island to Cahersiveen. According to one informed source, more than 400 people in south Kerry and beyond volunteered DNA samples. DNA stored on genealogy databases was another source of data mined by investigators. Eventually, detectives found a DNA sample that was a match. Whether it was volunteered or mined from one of the public DNA databases is unclear. However, according to sources, the DNA sample was from someone connected to Baby John but who was not the parent of the infant. Further investigations into the background of that person led gardai to an ordinary couple who had lived unassuming lives raising their family in Kerry. Neither has been among the 400 who had volunteered DNA to gardai over the last four years. According to Mr OConnell, they had never been asked. They had never been approached by gardai previously in relation to the much-vaunted mission of gardai calling door to door, he said. The timing of their arrest and where they would be brought for questioning had been planned. According to a source, it was decided to arrest the man and woman at evening time, when it was dark and when both would be home, rather than in the early morning. Garda stations at Castleisland and Listowel were selected as the interview venues, both a discreet distance from south Kerry at more than an hours journey north. Local people had observed signs that something was afoot. Some civilian staff at Castleisland Garda Station and at Listowel Garda Station were asked to work from home on Friday, unaware why this was the case. The Garda Traffic Unit for Kerry was asked to have vehicles on standby at both garda stations to take samples of evidence to the Forensic Science Ireland laboratory in Dublin. The couple were taken in two separate cars, the woman to Castleisland and the man to Listowel. Over 24 hours, they were questioned separately about the birth of Baby John and about the first five days of his life. Expand Close White Strand Beach near near Cahersiveen where the newborn was discovered by jogger Jack Griffin. Photo: Tim Clayton / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp White Strand Beach near near Cahersiveen where the newborn was discovered by jogger Jack Griffin. Photo: Tim Clayton Solicitors from Mr OConnells firm sat in on the interviews with both clients. Andrew OConnell was in Listowel and Eimear Griffin sat in Castleisland for the entirety. They know exactly what was said, they know exactly what was put. And I am telling you categorically there is not a scintilla of evidence that was put to my clients that would substantiate an allegation of murder, Mr OConnell said this weekend. The couple were arrested on suspicion of murder because the gardai believe them to be the parents of Baby John. At the very least, gardai hoped the woman who gave birth to the infant would have knowledge of what happened to the infant at five days old. The couple, according to garda sources, have not admitted they are the childs parents. Media commentary that they were less than cooperative was denounced yesterday by the couples solicitor as an outrage. All the gardai wanted was an admission. There will be no admission because it would be absolutely impossible to admit to something that is untrue, he said. Mr OConnell said he cannot comment on allegations relating to the paternity of Baby John as it was not appropriate to do so at this time. Nor will Mr OConnell comment on whether the couple accept they are the babys parents, and whether they can help solve the mystery of what happened to him. But, he added: An allegation of paternity does not in any way culminate in an allegation that can be substantiated of murder. They are worlds apart. Right now, he said, he was dealing with two arrests on a suspicion of the murder of a child the most heinous of crimes on the statute book, subject to intense interrogation. The murder allegations are being denied. As for the babys paternity: They gave DNA samples voluntarily in the garda station. When the DNA results come, there will be further comment. The woman was released without charge on Friday at 7.30pm, shielded by her solicitor from a bank of photographers. Her partner was released at 1.30am yesterday. They were not allowed to go home, according to Mr OConnell, because gardai were still searching the property. Files on the couple are now expected to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Gardai have released little information about their inquiries this weekend but in a statement described the arrests as a significant development in this investigation in an effort to establish the truth surrounding the death of Baby John. The investigation into the murder continues, and garda sources have urged that there be no rush to judgment. Even before the garda interviews with the couple had concluded, rumours circulated around Kerry about who they were and where they were from. Rumours that the woman was the daughter of a garda who had investigated the Kerry Babies case added a cruel, conspiratorial twist to an unremittingly sad and shocking tale. While the womans father was a member of An Garda Siochana, he died in the 1970s. Michael Healy-Rae, the South Kerry TD, said the overwhelming feeling in the community was sadness. Theres no winners in this, starting with the little baby that lost his life and everyone else coming out from that, said the TD, who was a teenager in 1984. This baby had his own life taken away from him. At the end of the day, the right thing has been done for this baby. As news of the arrests spread to the parish house in Cahersiveen on Friday morning, and reporters began calling local priest Fr Larry Kelly, he felt compelled to make a statement asking people not to judge. They also must have gone through years of pain and suffering and loss, he said. Society in the 1980s was very different to our society today. People were more judgmental. There was a lot of shame and fear and moral judgment. There was very little help available or places to go for help or advice in those days. 59pc of those who went to mass before Covid-19 are back attending church regularly, a new survey shows. Photo: Getty Images A new poll has revealed the impact that Covid-19 has had on attendance at Catholic church services in Ireland with many former mass-goers still not returning to services in the wake of the pandemic. The survey by Amarach Research of 1,500 adults throughout Ireland found that 41pc of Catholics who went to mass before Covid, no longer do so. This figure is up from 25pc last year. The survey found that 59pc of those who went to mass before Covid-19 are back attending church regularly, up from 47pc just 12 months ago. Twenty-four per cent of respondents were regular mass goers before the pandemic. When asked if they had returned to services, 59pc of this group answered yes, while 41pc said no. Among previous regular mass goers who had not returned, 31pc said their faith isnt as strong since the pandemic. Thirty-seven per cent of men and 26pc of women felt this way. A quarter of men and 23pc of women surveyed said they went to mass regularly before the pandemic. Among the under-35s surveyed, 11pc said they were previous mass-goers. This figure was 20pc in the 35-44 age gr oup, 18pc in the 45-54 group and 40pc among the over-55s. In other findings, 32pc of men and 25pc of women said they were satisfied with the way Pope Francis is doing his job as leader of the Catholic Church. Of all respondents, 12pc of men and 11pc of women said they considered themselves religious while 36pc of men and 25pc of women said they considered themselves neither religious nor spiritual. Fifty-two per cent of men and 58pc of women said they believed in God while 34pc of men and 45pc of women said they believed in heaven. Some 19pc of men and 14pc of women said they believed in the devil. Of the Catholics, 20pc of men and 39pc of women said they no longer attend mass because they still have concerns about Covid-19 while 18pc of men and 22pc of women said they prefer to watch mass on TV or online. Asked if Ireland has lost her soul, 44pc of men and 35pc of women said yes. Archbishop Eamon Martin, leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, previously told the Sunday Independent that a decline in the number of people attending mass coupled with run-down buildings could result in some churches in Ireland closing for good. It has to be a possibility, yes, he said. We have to recognise the numbers are down, therefore we dont have the same needs or ability to maintain all of our properties. Charlie Bird has asked his followers to join him in honouring his late friend Vicky Phelan on the anniversary of his Climb With Charlie fundraising hike. The cervical cancer campaigner died aged 48 surrounded by her family at Milford Hospice in Limerick in November. She and Charlie became fast friends following his motor neurone disease diagnosis in 2021 and had planned to climb Croagh Patrick together last April to raise money for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and Pieta House. Unfortunately, Vicky was simply not well enough either physically or mentally to take part at the time. Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Charlie paid tribute to the remarkable Limerick woman as he marked the upcoming anniversary of Climb With Charlie on April 2. Speaking through voice-cloning technology as he sat with his beloved dog Tiger on his lap, he asked his followers to light a candle for Vicky, as well as those suffering with terminal illnesses and mental health problems. We are just a week away from the anniversary of that great day last year when thousands and thousands of people across the country and abroad supported Climb With Charlie, the former broadcaster said. There has been great reaction right across the country for my suggestion that to mark the anniversary that we all light a candle, firstly in memory of Vicky Phelan, then everyone who has a terminal illness and for everyone in a dark place, and then for all our frontline workers who every day do incredible work to help us, and finally for the people of Ukraine. I got very emotional this morning when I got a message saying Vickys family will be joining me next Saturday to light the candles. Lets all extend the hand of friendship and light a candle. In the tweets caption, he explained that one amazing aspect of his motor neuron disease diagnosis is that it allowed him to become friends with Vicky. My diagnosis of a terminal illness had one amazing aspect to it. As a result I got to meet the remarkable Vicky Phelan and we kept in contact with each other for over a year. Vicky helped me through some tough times. Please help me next weekend to honour Vicky and others, he wrote. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Last year, Climb with Charlie raised 3.5million for Pieta House and the Irish Motor Neuron Disease Association. Charlie previously explained that although he will not be able to climb Croagh Patrick in April to mark the one-year anniversary, he is still preparing to celebrate the milestone. "Hi from myself and Tiger, even though my health is deteriorating, he said in another social media message earlier this year. Yes, I am struggling now, but as long as I can I want to extend the hand of friendship to everyone. You have lifted my spirits. A lot of people have been asking me how Im going to mark the amazing day on the second of April. Well, to be very honest, while Im still mobile, with my deteriorating health condition there is no way I could climb a mountain again. As long as I have a breath in my body. Im going to continue extending the hand of friendship, the 73-year-old added. Housing Minister Darragh OBrien is facing a potential ethics inquiry after he overruled the planning regulator and zoned a Galway site, owned by one of the countrys biggest developers, for housing development. Mr OBrien accepted all but one of the Office of the Planning Regulators (OPR) recommendations to reverse decisions by Galway City councillors to zone 26 different sites for housing development. But the Fianna Fail minister rejected the OPRs recommendation that land at Rahoon where the owner of the site, Cairn Homes, says it intends to build 100 homes should remain zoned for agricultural use in a draft direction to the local authority issued in January. Instead, Mr OBrien backed councillors decision to zone the 2.8-hectare site, at a townland to the west of Galway city, for housing. Cairn Homes repeatedly lobbied local Fianna Fail and Fine Gael councillors to zone the site for residential use last year. Mr OBrien claims neither he nor his officials had any knowledge about the ownership of the site. The OPR argued the Rahoon land and 25 other sites zoned for development by councillors were not in compliance with national policy objectives around compact growth and higher housing densities in urban areas. Galway City Councils chief executive Brendan McGrath had also argued against zoning the land during the deliberations on the Galway City Development Plan for the next six years. Read More The matter is now the subject of a complaint to the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) by journalist Liam Deegan who alleges Mr OBriens decision is in breach of the Ethics in Public Office Act. Cairns chief executive Michael Stanley met Mr OBrien twice last year to discuss the Irish housing market, but Cairn and the minister denied the Rahoon site was discussed at their meetings. Cairn can confirm that they did not contact the OPR or the minister prior to the directive the minister issued, the company said. Expand Close Michael Stanley, Chief Executive, Cairn Homes plc / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michael Stanley, Chief Executive, Cairn Homes plc Mr OBriens spokesperson said: The minister did not discuss the Rahoon site or any other specific site. By law Mr OBrien had to submit a statement to the Oireachtas explaining why he disagreed with the OPR, which he did on January 13. He argued the Cairn-owned site was serviced for water and contiguous to zoned land, as well as being adjacent to the existing urban environment of Galway therefore zoning the land was reasonable in a city context. His spokesperson said: The minister has regularly said publicly that land that is zoned and serviced for residential development should not be dezoned. However, one local developer, who asked not to be named, said Mr OBriens decision to reverse zoning for 25 sites but not the Cairn-owned site stuck out like a sore thumb and has dramatically increased the value of that site. Without a fair and transparent system for zoning, planning and building then it is almost impossible for smaller players in the private sector to participate, they said. Green Party councillor Niall Murphy, who voted against zoning the Rahoon site, said Mr OBriens decision does stand out a little given he had accepted all other OPR recommendations on the Galway City Development Plan. Another councillor, who asked not to be named, said it was highly unusual that Rahoon was omitted from the Ministers draft direction to the council following the regulators recommendations. The councillor had voted to zone the Rahoon site for housing along with other sites that the OPR subsequently recommended to the minister be reversed. Fianna Fail councillor John Connolly, who was lobbied by Cairn and backed the zoning of the Rahoon site, said while he supported Mr OBriens decision to reject the OPRs advice on the Cairn site he believed Mr OBriens decision on some of the other sites, where the minister had sided with the OPR, was unfair as they disadvantaged families living in the area for generations. He said the council had tried to assist families to develop family homes in particular parts of the city yet the regulator has sought to overturn that and the minister seems to have sided with the regulator, Mr Connolly said. Another Fianna Fail councillor, Peter Keane, backed Mr OBrien. We are a government thats trying to provide housing, this site is ready to go. Theyre [Cairn] not speculators, theyre home providers, he said. Mr Deegan alleges in his complaint that Mr OBriens intervention on the Rahoon site is unprecedented. The ministers spokesperson insisted such actions were not unusual and the minister was empowered under the legislation to deviate from an OPR recommendation where appropriate. They added: We have no knowledge of a complaint to the Standards in Public Office Commission. In a statement, the OPR said: Ultimately, it is the decision and legal function of the minister whether or not to support direction issues. The OPR will continue to work closely with Galway City Council and all local authorities to ensure that their development plans develop in a way that creates vibrant communities, protects the environment and supports sustainable growth. Sipo told Mr Deegan it would respond to his detailed complaint in due course. Mr Deegan previously filed a complaint against Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe over the erection of posters during the 2016 general election that was paid for by businessman Michael Stone. On foot of the complaint, Mr Donohoe, who initially claimed his election returns were in order, was forced to apologise and disclose what amounted to thousands of euro in effective donations. Mr Stone paid for the erection of posters in Mr Donohoes Dublin Central constituency in the 2016 and 2020 general election campaigns. Moments after arriving in La Rochelle, I already know its a place Ill come back to. Anchored between land and ocean in the Charentes department of Frances Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, this small city by the sea feels like holiday heaven with plentiful sunshine, shopping and, above all, seafood. Nothing turns my head quite like a steaming bowl of mussels or an oyster platter. Passing by lively restaurant terraces, I eye up long tables laden down with les fruits de mer. I check into Hotel Saint-Nicolas (hotel-saint-nicolas.com), a comfortable three-star situated in a former fishermens neighbourhood now home to indie shops and art galleries. The hotel features an appealing living-room-style bar and restaurant but I cant linger. Ive a date with a guy called Langoustine. A five-minute walk brings me to the old port and past La Rochelles iconic towers which served as medieval navigational landmarks. By night, theyre bathed in a pink light that guides me along the quays, through historic alleyways to Concurrence beach and my first seafood fix. At La Yole De Chris, I want everything on the menu. This seafood bistro is named after chef Christopher Coutanceau and the boat he fished from as a young boy with his father. Hes best known for his three-star Michelin restaurant next door but I enjoy La Yole with its buzzy atmosphere and tasty crustaceans. Expand Close Oysters, the fruits de mer / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Oysters, the fruits de mer The following morning, I set off on a tour of the old port with guide Anne Lepelletier. The pace of life in La Rochelle is relaxed, the way of life is green it introduced Yelo city bikes in 1976, decades before other cities and towns even dreamed of the idea. Electric water buses and tourist cruisers sail over and back, past the St Nicolas, Chain and Lantern towers. I climb the tower stairs for mesmerising views and a touching piece of history. La Rochelle became a Protestant stronghold during the Reformation, when the Lantern Tower was used to imprison Catholic priests. During the French Revolution, it was again used as a jail in the Wars of the Vendee. The walls of the tower are still scratched with the inscribed names of prisoners some of them Irish. Its incredible to think of those men, hundreds of years ago, leaving their mark for us to find. From history to food, we stop off at the market to taste local products. At Cave Le Taste Vin we sample Pineau de Charentes a popular local drink, made of 70pc grape juice and 30pc Cognac. It gains depth and interest as it ages, and often finds its way into the suitcases of homeward-bound tourists. Next, shucker Didier Roumegous offers us seven different types of oyster. It takes three years to make an oyster, and three seconds to eat it, he says. Its the best 21 seconds of my day. La Rochelle is easy to get around with beaches, restaurants and shopping areas all close by. Anne takes me along the Rue Bletteries shopping arcades, past buildings covered with slate to protect their wooden structures from the sea air. Expand Close Saint-Martin-de-Re, the main city on Ile de Re / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Saint-Martin-de-Re, the main city on Ile de Re Theres plenty to see and do, with six beaches, four harbours and three nearby islands, including lIle de Re, nicknamed the 21st arrondissement due to its popularity among wealthy Parisians. It has many annual events, including major nautical shows and excellent jazz and film festivals. You dont need a car to get around La Rochelle, as public transport links are good and cycle routes are plentiful so consider stepping outside the old sea port to visit some of the surrounding villages, or travel 15km to Charron in June for the annual MoulStock festival of mussels and music worth visiting for the name alone. No La Rochelle holiday would be complete without a sunset sailing trip a balade en mer. We stroll through what is now one of the largest marinas in the world to meet Bertrand, our skipper. Bertrand has achieved his dream of living on the ocean and offers a range of sailing trips to visitors through his company (kelone.fr). The beauty of a sunset trip with him is that you can sit back and relax with a sundowner or help him to sail the boat your call. Expand Close The marina at La Rochelle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The marina at La Rochelle His is an enviable way of life, and its no exaggeration to say that by the end of the evening, half the women in the group are eyeing up his wedding ring finger. Charentes, situated on the south-western Atlantic coast of France, has many faces. My plan is to enjoy a relaxing seaside holiday then move inland to explore the culture and history of the region. From La Rochelle, I travel to the town of Cognac and spend a day exploring contrasting sides of the local industry from a slick tasting tour and educational boat ride at the Hennessy Distillery, to a five-generation family distilling business at the Normandin-Mercier estate. I travel on to Angouleme, known as the Capital of Comics thanks to its annual International comics festival, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in January. Street names in the town centre are written in comic book speech bubbles. Until now, I knew nothing about the art and history of this vibrant city, despite its links to one of my favourite Netflix series. Call My Agent creator Dominique Besnehard has a great love for Angouleme, and acts as a self-appointed ambassador for the place as well as being founder of its annual Francophone film festival. Its easy to see why he loves it the contrast between Angoulemes medieval history and modern street art; the treasures of its 12th century cathedral; its membership of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and the fact that half of Frances animated movie productions are created here. Angouleme is 30 minutes from Bordeaux and just two and a half hours from Paris so its easy to get to. I check into the Saint Gelais (hotel-saint-gelais-angoulem), a four-star hotel with an outdoor pool and self-confident boutique style. It pays homage to Wes Andersons The French Dispatch, which was filmed in the town, with posters and signed images of the cast who stayed there. A word of warning here Angouleme is really quiet on Sundays and Mondays, but a unique experience awaits at the cathedral. Tresor De La Cathedrale dAngouleme is a publicly commissioned work by artist Jean Michel Othoniel, combining Romanesque artefacts with a modern perspective. The high point is The Extraordinary room where Othoniel has created a flamboyantly theatrical yet sacred exhibition. As I admire the artists intricate and inspired work, a mass choir sings below. Its a moving experience. The room is bathed in gold and blue colours with 10,000 pieces of glass used in the central piece and simply standing alone in the room is the best way to experience and remember it. I find more theatricality and ingenuity at Restaurant Sources, a one-star Michelin restaurant at Les Sources de Fontbelle, where chef Guillaume Veyssieres style is as arresting as the concrete, steel and glass architecture of the building. Expand Close Chef Guillaume Veyssiere of Les Sources de Fontbelle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chef Guillaume Veyssiere of Les Sources de Fontbelle Motorbike-lover Veyssiere is a self-made chef who began cooking at the age of seven. Its no surprise to find his wife and daughter sharing front-of-house duties while his young son is perched on a kitchen counter-top, watching us as we begin a chefs table experience. Veyssiere, who is on his way to a Michelin green star thanks to his use of local produce, cares deeply about guests experience. While we eat in order of flavour with each dish explained and wine-paired, its clear he likes to have fun with haute cuisine. Our meal includes snail cromesquis (croquette), pollock with beet, apple, butternut and grey shrimp sabayon, cauliflower sorbet with hazelnut crumble, tarragon and chervil and grapes with vine shoot smoke, vanilla and Cognac ice cream. His approach is a nice contrast to the monastic vibes at Maison des Sources, a guesthouse next door which was once a priory. It now offers contemporary accommodation to those looking to enjoy the Restaurant Sources experience as they explore the many sides of Charentes. Expand Close The Charente River at Angouleme / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Charente River at Angouleme Getting there Murder in slow motion. That is how UK campaigner Laura Richards described the harmful effects of being stalked. It is the drip, drip, drip of direct and indirect stalking behaviours over time that makes it so insidious and damaging psychologically and physically, she wrote in 2017. Historically, as a culture, we have tended to attribute less seriousness to forms of aggression that cause mainly mental, rather than physical harm. And yet, anecdotally, those who are victimised, especially in cases of family or intimate partner violence regularly report that psychological abuse can cause more long-term damage than physical abuse, because of the insidious way it undermines the victims peace of mind, their sense of safety, their trust in themselves and the world. When she spoke in the Oireachtas on this issue 18 months ago, Senator Mary Fitzpatrick described stalking as behaviour that is fixated, obsessive, unwanted and repeated. Last week, researchers from University College Cork released findings from their recent study the first of its kind, into the effects of stalking. It laid out in harrowing detail the elaborate avoidance strategies victims currently use in an effort to protect themselves, and the long-term psychological distress that stalking often causes. Almost half (44pc) of the 1,000 respondents surveyed said their experience of stalking had included direct threats of physical violence. The evidence has brought renewed attention to the issue and is intended to support the work of defining new legislation to make stalking a stand-alone crime, carrying penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment. This legislation was approved by the Dail last autumn, following a tireless campaigning by two female victims, Una Ring, from Cork, and Eve McDowell from Galway, but has since stalled. Read More The delay of this long-overdue piece of legislation has real-life consequences for the victims who are, at this moment, experiencing the torment of stalking. And there are lots estimates suggest around one in five women and one in 10 men will be stalked at some point in their lives. It also appears to be a growing problem facilitated in many cases by digital culture and compounded by the pandemic. In the UK, complaints of stalking rose by over 200pc in 2020. For campaigner Eve McDowell, the delay has effectively thrown her back into the lions den. In 2020, her stalker, Igor Lewandowski, was finally jailed after a long and targeted campaign against her came to a terrifying culmination when he broke into her apartment in Galway armed with a claw hammer, which he used to attack her friend, who was sleeping on the couch at the time. He was convicted of harassment and aggravated assault, but was released from prison last month, leaving Eve with no remaining legal protections against him. Under the current law she cannot apply for barring or protection orders against him because they were not involved in a relationship. Despite the feebleness of the law on this issue, most people can easily conceive of stalking as, not just psychological abuse, but a form of psychological warfare. Like most abuse, it is born out of the over-inflated sense of entitlement on the part of the aggressor, who determines to take, by force if necessary, that which they feel they have been denied; in the case of stalking this starts by forcing the victim to pay them attention, to engage with them, but often escalates. Like all abuse, it is a bid for control. A stalker tries to control their victim by launching a sustained and violent incursion into their interior life. Or as campaigner Laura Richards puts it: Its a war of attrition... on many fronts to retain your sanity and stay safe whilst simultaneously fighting the system and those in it who blame and judge you, creating secondary trauma as well as placing you further at risk by their ignorance, inertia or dangerous action. Its hard to see the experience of Una Ring, a single mother living with her teenage daughter, as anything other than a war. She endured months of letters, messages and threats of rape, both to herself and her daughter. Her ordeal began with an unwanted sexual advance her former colleague, James Steele, lured her to an empty office on the pretext of handing over work files, and then cornered her, and steadily escalated until the point that he broke into her house with a rape kit, including duct tape, a sex toy and a crowbar. Only then, was the law sufficiently potent to protect her. Since he had entered her home and put her in immediate danger he was convicted of aggravated assault and is now in prison. Evidence on stalking, just like gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, demonstrates that once the process of control has begun, it often escalates, and sometimes has tragic consequences. That is why the laws on stalking cant come soon enough. Did our nations troika of leaders suffer from collective amnesia last week? Did they dismiss nagging echoes of Irelands history from their minds? Perhaps those posh Dublin private schools Kings Hospital attended by Leo Varadkar and Gonzaga by Eamon Ryan taught the landlords version of Irish history? Tanaiste Micheal Martin was once even a history teacher after a more modest local schooling in Cork. God knows what Micheal told his pupils about the Great Famine, the landlords and evictions but last week all three Coalition leaders turned their backs on a shameful chapter in Irelands past. Evictions have eerie resonances in Ireland, especially as the worst examples happened under British rule. The injustice of evictions remains deeply embedded in the Irish psyche, a historically emotive part of our folklore. Leo, Micheal and Eamon have revived an extinct political monster: the hated eviction is back. A completely new group has won a permanent place at the top table Detached from the historical ghosts of the past, indifferent to the potential political fallout today, they insisted that strong governments make hard choices. Next week, more homeless families will begin to walk the streets with suitcases in their hands. Its as bad as that. The Government is boasting of a big Dail victory, carrying its bring-back-eviction measure by 83 votes to 68 on Wednesday night. It will comfortably face down a no-confidence motion on the same eviction controversy this week. It only lost one TD, the Greens Neasa Hourigan. Read More Coalition TDs were joined in the Dails division lobbies by eager new backers. A cohesive gang of Independents, the Regional Independent Group (RIG), lined up behind Leo, Micheal and Eamons folly. The Coalitions victory is hollow. Mary Butler warned of a flood of older people into nursing homes, after the RIG deal It marks much more than a once-off Dail win. The way this Government operates has changed permanently. The big winners were not Leo, Micheal and Eamon. The victory belongs to the RIG, who spent the days before the Dail vote dictating housing policy to the troika. Housing Minister Darragh OBrien devoted hours negotiating with members of the new power bloc. A deal was cooked up, enabling key members of the RIG Michael Lowry, Denis Naughten, Cathal Berry, Sean Canney and Matt Shanahan to vote for the Government. One of the changes which the five RIG TDs brokered allowed residents of nursing homes to keep 100pc of the rent from their residences. A big victory for the independents, but a slap in the face for Minister for Older People, Fianna Fails Mary Butler. The minister was not even consulted about a measure for the elderly with which she had publicly disagreed. Mary, very reasonably, feared the unintended consequences of the concession to the RIG. The RIGs are positioning themselves to be the guys who can pull the plug on the Dail She warned of a possible premature flood of older people into nursing homes. Unscrupulous family members might see the arrangement as beneficial to themselves and put pressure on their vulnerable elderly parents to accept it. Nobody gave a hoot what Mary thought. The dynamic of power had changed. Government is now a numbers game; people come second, including the evicted. Ministers are fig leaves, bowing to the demands of key independents. Such a power shift will now last until the next election. Not that the RIG demands were unreasonable. Far from it, but a completely new group has won a permanent place at the top table. They will provide a fourth leg to the Coalition. Their support will be conditional. Nothing is surer than that they will demand their pound of flesh. And that they will get it. The centre of power has shifted from a troika with urban leadership, to a coalition dependent for its survival on TDs from outside the big cities. Ministerial titles and the trappings of power will remain the same, but the realpolitik will be different. The troika are very short-term winners, but their number is probably up. The regional TDs are positioning themselves to be the arbiters of the date for a general election, the guys who can pull the plug. The loss of Hourigan has made them pivotal, as her departure has left the troika with a majority of just one vote. Expand Close TD Neasa Hourigan has read her history / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp TD Neasa Hourigan has read her history Neasa is a short-term loser but she emerged from this weeks turmoil with her stock at a new high. She has been vindictively over-punished, stripped of her 10k a year stipend for chairing an Oireachtas committee. The conscience of the Green Party has been banished into outer darkness for a penal 15 months. Neasa has read her history. She lives in Dublins Cabra, the middle of next months eviction country, acutely aware of the homeless misery beckoning some of her constituents. Her leader, Eamon Ryan, lives in Dublin 4. No one has more clearly exposed her former comrades in the Green Party as blueshirts on bicycles. The Greens are one-term, one-issue radicals, genuine about climate change, who simultaneously embrace ruthless conservative economic policies. Not Neasa. The Greens are heading for a hiding. Coalition has sidelined their souls. Neasa could do worse than make a call to Holly Cairns, the refreshing new leader of the Social Democrats. Cairns has made an instant impact as a woman with a Green agenda, a social conscience and a political mission. Neasas arrival might meet some resistance from Gary Gannon, who already shares the Dublin Central Constituency with her, but she now has a high national profile, earning countrywide respect for sacrificing perks for principles. Neasa is only one of the women with conviction who have dictated the pace of Irish politics in recent weeks. Women leaders of the opposition face three conservative men in government Not a single man in the Green Party including Patrick Costello voted to ban evictions. The emergence of Cairns as leader of the Social Democrats gave her party a significant boost in the Sunday Independent/Ireland First poll three weeks ago. The no confidence vote being proposed this week will be moved by Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik. Indeed, the leader of the opposition who started this particular eviction ball rolling is another woman, Mary Lou McDonald. The only brave dissident voice on the government benches is a female minister, Mary Butler. Opposite them, in the Landlords and Evictions corner, stand men galore. Three males Leo, Micheal and Eamon lead the coalition parties. The deal with the Regional Independent Group has been struck with five men, all seeking special arrangements for their constituencies. Verona Murphy, the only woman in the RIG, opted out of the wheeling and dealing. There is hopefully no gender war brewing, but women leaders of the opposition parties, Mary Lou, Holly and Ivana, face three conservative men in the governing Coalition, supported from the shadows by the five males from the RIG. Whatever the doubtful merits of the Governments arguments over lifting the ban, its lack of preparation for the restoration of evictions has been chaotic; its surrender to multiple demands from local constituency TDs has been absolute; its treatment of Hourigan a woman with an inconvenient conscience has been revealing; the by-passing of one of its own women ministers was humiliating; and its insensitivity to history has been damning. The utter dominance of unionism in Northern Irelands first half century can be conveyed in three facts: in that period the Unionist Party never won less than 60pc of Stormont seats; in one election more than half of Stormont MPs were elected unopposed, and when Ian Paisley challenged the then prime minister of Northern Ireland, Terence ONeill, in 1969, it was the first time that ONeill had been opposed in his 22-year political career. Such electoral grandeur had a price. The lethargy which one-party rule encouraged was caustically summarised by ONeill when he wrote of his part-time predecessor, Lord Brookeborough: He was good company and a good raconteur, and those who met him imagined that he was relaxing away from his desk. However, they did not realise that there was no desk. Now two years into its second century, Northern Ireland remains a part of the UK, but a radical reshaping has begun. Just as the ineluctable logic of power shaped Northern Ireland into what David Trimble came to describe as a cold house for Catholics, so the dramatic decline in support for unionism as an ideology will increasingly transform the land crafted by Carson and Craig. The last century has demonstrated how major developments in the North inevitably impact the south. Brexit shows a border does not prevent contagion. There remains clear support for Northern Ireland to stay part of the UK. But while the citadel still stands, those in charge are not the people who built it. It took 51 years for one-party rule to go, but the pace of change is accelerating. The Protestant majority has long gone, and now even the Protestant majority over Catholics has gone. The unionist majority in the capital has gone. The unionist majority in the legislature has gone. The unionist first minister has gone. Read More Rather than being the end, these changes are but the start. The trend is unmistakable, even if its end point is not necessarily the Irish unity which some nationalists assume to be inevitable. Instead, what lies ahead are many years decades, perhaps of a Northern Ireland which remains within the union, but increasingly unlike Great Britain. Unionism has won the union, but is losing how it looks. The North will become more explicitly Irish the Irish language will grow in prominence, the GAA will become more societally significant, and the symbols of nationalism are likely to involve statues of people such as John Hume or Martin McGuinness at Stormont, where for decades bronze likenesses of Carson and Craig have had the place to themselves. The Irish Sea border will accelerate these tangible changes, but it is a symptom of unionisms underlying illness rather than the cause. Under the DUP, unionism has become increasingly insular, with not even the pretence of seeking to persuade non-unionist voters to come on board. Its not that nationalism has been winning; both ideologies are stuck at around 40pc of the vote, while the dramatic growth is of the unaligned centre ground. But in any democratic society, lost votes mean lost power. Stormonts power-sharing system disguises this to an extent, but the true scale of how much unionism has lost will eventually be revealed. The most significant example of this is now unfolding: The DUP is denouncing the Windsor Framework for failing to remove the Irish Sea border. But its complaints are blunted by the fact its opposition to the deal does not come close to having a majority in Northern Ireland. A referendum on the UK-European Union deal would see the DUP resoundingly defeated. That would not be without difficulty; the whole point of the Good Friday Agreement was to get away from majoritarian rule. But in a context where the DUP said a narrow majority for Brexit was enough to take Northern Ireland out of the EU, its hard to argue that a strong majority in favour of a particular form of Brexit should be disregarded. In dismissing a legal challenge to the Northern Ireland Protocol brought by the unionist parties last month, the UKs Supreme Court ruled that the agreement does not regulate any change in the constitutional status of Northern Ireland other than the right to determine whether to remain part of the United Kingdom or to become part of a united Ireland. That means Irish unity could theoretically happen gradually over a long period of time or some other yet unforeseen arrangement could develop with no need for a referendum unless there was a final transfer of sovereignty from London to Dublin. The Windsor Framework will not be the last time that unionism realises that its past reliance on the will of the majority can now be turned against it. This article was updated on March 27, 2023 to clarify that the 1969 election in Bannside was the first time that Terence ONeill had been challenged there, not the first contest in the history of the constituency, as originally stated. Back in 1989, John A Carrick, the irrepressible Kildare County Engineer, learned that a new American corporation was thinking of setting up in Ireland. After they had met with Dublin County Council, he contacted them, and asked they consider his county instead. He painted a vision for them of a new motorway junction and huge new water services connections that didnt exist yet. Theyll be ready for your opening, he promised. The Americans were impressed by the forwardness, and by the offer of officials to meet over a weekend. This reeked to them of an ambition and energy that fitted with their own ethos. This is how Intel ended up in Leixlip, Co Kildare. This is the type of can-do attitude in Irish public service that too many are unaware of. The incoming IDA chief executive Michael Lohan knows this story well. He is a veteran IDA leader in the white-hot field of attracting life sciences to this country. Lohans inbox is different to so many of his predecessors. We need to realise that we are getting in our own way This year Germany successfully persuaded Intel to locate a huge new chip factory in Magdeburg. They beat Ireland with promises of vast subsidies (nearly 7bn, with another 5bn already sought by the company). They also promised that Germanys local authorities would help Intel navigate through legal, environmental and engineering complexity just like Carrick did in Kildare years ago. The focus of Lohans challenge, however, will be on addressing internal Irish factors factors that many experts now see as reducing Irelands ability to attract large-scale high-tech industry. As an aside to those who imagine that we already have enough, it is sobering to realise that these huge new investments have very short lives. All too soon they must be replaced by ever-more sophisticated upgrades, so the work of attracting new investment is never-ending. Read More Most specialists in Ireland are advising that three major factors are reducing our ability to attract and deliver the huge next-generation industries that are key to our future prosperity. The single biggest issue is not planning. The problem is the Irish legal system, which is internationally recognised as being slow, complex, and subject to archaic practices. The recent so-called Planning Bill is mostly a clumsy attempt to deal with slow, complex judicial reviews. These would be summarily dealt with in most other countries by an Administrative Court. Instead, we have made the problem worse, involving even more lawyers in a dedicated planning and environment division of the High Court. The second issue is the lack of adequate independent oversight of many of the key rule-makers that form the legal context for planning and development. Too many senior officials in Ireland are pleased to self-identify as environmental advocates. In an international context, Ireland is often seen as a pleaser which craves the respect of its peers. Expand Close An architect's impression of the new Intel plant in Magdeburg / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An architect's impression of the new Intel plant in Magdeburg Many, if not most, Irish environmental standards for ecology, water, energy and air are regarded as significant outliers by international standards. They are generally characterised as being purist, and lacking the pragmatic accommodation necessary to allow development and environmental protection to co-exist. The third, but not the least important, obstacle is the ever-increasing centralisation of Irish planning and decision-making. With an inexpert and under-resourced centre overwhelmed by local micro-management, there are simply no resources for addressing the high-level strategic issues that hamper our access to the future. There would be no place for John Carrick in todays world of Irelands ever-more-centrally planned economy. Localisation and flexibility were the keys that allowed Germany to attract Intel to Magdeburg. What do all of these problems have in common? They are all issues of our systems of governance, administration, and oversight that all lost their way. The two most important skills in navigation are, first, to know you are lost and, second, to admit it. In terms of attracting and sustaining large-scale industrial foreign investment, our previously successful road map is no longer applicable. It is excessively based on tax-based enticements combined with the 3S approach sites, services and skills to compete internationally. While we still need to compete internationally, we first need to get our national house in order. The real issues for attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) are different now. They consist of two drivers. The first is a changed international context of highly subsidised industrial nationalism or near-siding. The second is an internal context of completely outmoded administrative, governance and oversight structures. We cannot fix most of the international context, but we most certainly can change the internal issues. We need to realise that we are getting in our own way. Without serious and rapid change, Ireland has a very short shelf life as an FDI destination. So many people are calling for change. For too many people, change means breaking stuff. But what if we made improvements instead, and maybe even tried innovating things? The core institutions of the Irish State are 100 years old. Many are threadbare, most are no longer fit for purpose. These need to change quickly and radically. The world is entering a crucial time when many global certainties appear to be unravelling. Ireland will need to move quickly and nimbly to continue to prosper. We need to stay ahead of this curve of change. Last week I disappeared. Turned the aul phone off and vanished. I hope ye missed me. You see, I have been a very, very busy little bee. Theres lots going on for sure. But back to life in Talkey Dalkey and how the week played out. On Tuesday I got up at 5.30am. You see, I have always been an insomniac. From that time onwards the day was punctuated by the first of many cups of Barrys Tea. And then do you know what I did next? I stood in front of my mirror and gave myself a pep talk for the day. I reminded myself how absolutely f**king drop-dead gorgeous I am. Then I popped into the bath. More tea, a bit of scrutiny of the aul bod, and I traipsed down to the village. Jesus, all I seem to think about is food. A lady of habit, I perched myself in the window of Thyme Out with a coffee and a slab of dark stem ginger cake and then headed off to the DBK gym in Glasthule. Yep, you heard me right. I know, I do the exact opposite of what Im told I should do. I do it arseways. But sure it works for me. And as I said, I am seeing the results. The lads in the gym are like a little family. Im addicted. I mean, I used to lift wine bottles, now Im doing 15-kilo weights. Read More There is only one problem. Im scared of one woman that comes to my class. When I see her put her hair up into a pineapple, then snap it with an elastic band, you just know shit is going to happen. The minute she squats or deadlifts, all you hear is loud Uuuuuhs and grunts which drive me nuts. But the lads say its good to grunt. Anyhow, after the session I walked back to Dalkey and got a few groceries in SuperValu, some apple cider sausages and potato cakes in Hicks. Do I love myself or what? Hows our golden wonder? shouts the lad in the vegetable shop, laughing. Then it was off to Pepper Laine, the most Zen-like coffee shop in the village. The minute you enter the door you want to snooze. I mean in a good way. But wait for it. What happened? As I sat myself on to a high stool at the window looking at the bustle outside, didnt I overhear a bit of aul scandal from two wans sitting outside. Did you hear that one Biddy McLaughlin is selling her cottage? says one, who was dressed in a fluffy orange jumper. They were totally oblivious to Yours Truly sitting right behind them. Sure I was only in my element listening to them. Begod they werent fans at all. Twas shocked, I was. That column she writes... pure rubbish, says one, curling her teeth around a cinnamon bun. She always looks full of herself. Im not joking, they tore me to shreds. Well, I got up from my high stool and deliberately stood outside sipping my latte. Tis a grand day, says I, sniffing the sunshine. Well, the two of them nearly passed out when they saw me. And what did I do then? I told them a hape of fibs about my new Japanese girlfriend and moving to Kyoto and left them satiated and full of false gossip. On the way back to the cottage I wanted to drop some hot cross buns into Leo, an aul neighbour of mine living near the quarry. He met this Polish girl, who is in her 30s, on Tinder. Begod, he is like a new man. Im not joking his house used to be such a kip and the man was so manky that when he went into St Vincents hospital for the first time they gave him a right scrubbing. And guess what? When they were finished they realised he still had a vest pasted on to him which they had to peel off and scrub him all over again. Sure I was always concerned for him. Not any more. This lovely lady has moved in with him and cant stop cleaning the place to within an inch of its life. Biddy, you will have to wipe your boots on the mat and leave your shoes there, says he, his new red handkerchief hanging out of his breast pocket like a silk tongue. I looked at him astonished. Begod John, I remember the time you had to wipe your feet coming out, says I. On Wednesday I walked through Missy Moops in Dun Laoghaire. Hey Biddy, I hear you are leaving us? Jesus, news spreads fast. Twas my old pal Tab, aka George Hunter, tucking into a big fry up. Wheres Cozy and Paddy, normally ye three are stuck together like clams? Ah poor Paddy is having a tough time with his health and you just missed Noel. The men in question here are jazz legend Paddy Cole, pal of Elvis and Roy Rogers no less, and comedian Noel V Ginnity, Irelands last vaudeville star. I often sit with these three legends and the craic is always good. Dont forget to tell your readers, says Tab, I am doing a tribute to Sonny Knowles in the Sallynoggin on April 1. Done. On Thursday a letter plopped into the postbox. Dear Brighid, your fans in Belfast would be honoured to host you in our city as part of Imagine! Belfast 2023 Festival of Ideas and Politics. We would love if you would give a talk on your life. It would take place in the Grand Central Hotel. Regards, Peter O Neill, Festival Director. How nice is that? Sure I was only delighted to attend. By the time ye read this I will be back home with all the news of my trip. I can tell you this, tis been a long time since I have been from Belfast with all the news. Not many of ye would know this but I was married to a Belfast man, a Catholic from Finaghy when I was very, very young, albeit for the shortest period of time. It didnt work out. I tortured the poor fellow but ironically I kept in touch all these years with his best man and his wifey, good-humoured Protestants from Stormont, who I call Mr and Mrs Orange. The slagging does be great altogether. By the time ye read this, The Oranges will have collected me from the train station and Ill have downed a few pints in The Crown. My talk will be over and I will be back home with all the news. More of that next week. And yes. Changes are a-coming. But I cant disclose anything yet. On Saturday, as I lay under my big duvet and felt the cold sea air on my face and saw the stars sparkling through the skylight, I thought of two things Italy and Dungarvan. Now that should get ye thinking. More to come. Gardai in Wexford are investigating an alleged stabbing outside a premises in Courtown, County Wexford on Saturday afternoon. Members of the gardai responded to a report of a disturbance shortly after 2 pm on Saturday afternoon in Courtown. The emergency services were also called and a man, believed to be in his 30s, was brought to hospital after sustaining injuries during the incident. Footage of the incident has been widely shared on social media. A garda spokesman said: "On Saturday 25th March 2023 at approximately 2:30pm Gardai were alerted after a man was injured in the course of a disturbance involving a group of males outside a premises in Courtown, Co Wexford, "The man, who understood to be in his 30s, was taken from the scene by ambulance to St Vincents Hospital. "His injures are not thought to be life threatening. Enquiries are ongoing. A top security adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that Russian plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus would destabilise that country, which he said had been taken "hostage" by Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision on Saturday, sending a warning to NATO over its military support for Ukraine and escalating a standoff with the West. Although the move was not unexpected and Putin said it would not violate nuclear non-proliferation promises, it is one of Russia's most pronounced nuclear signals since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine 13 months ago. Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, called it "a step towards internal destabilization of the country" adding it maximizes what he called the level of "negative perception and public rejection" of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society. "The (K)remlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage," he wrote on Twitter. Putin likened his plans to the US stationing its weapons in Europe, and said Russia would not be transferring control of the weapons to Belarus. However this could be the first time since the mid-1990s that Russia has based such weapons outside the country. Another senior Zelensky adviser on Sunday scoffed at Putin's plan, saying the Russian leader is "too predictable". "Making a statement about tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, he admits that he is afraid of losing & all he can do is scare with tactics," Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted. Washington, the world's other nuclear superpower, played down concerns about Putin's announcement and the potential for Moscow to use nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine. "We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon. We remain committed to the collective defence of the NATO alliance," a senior US administration official said. The official noted that Russia and Belarus had been speaking about the transfer of nuclear weapons for some time. Analysts at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a note late on Saturday that the risk of escalation to nuclear war "remains extremely low". "ISW continues to assess that Putin is a risk-averse actor who repeatedly threatens to use nuclear weapons without any intention of following through in order to break Western resolve," it wrote. However, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons called Putin's announcement an extremely dangerous escalation. "In the context of the war in Ukraine, the likelihood of miscalculation or misinterpretation is extremely high. Sharing nuclear weapons makes the situation much worse and risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences," it said on Twitter. While the Belarusian army has not formally fought in Ukraine, Minsk and Moscow have a close military relationship. Minsk allowed Moscow to use Belarusian territory to send troops into Ukraine last year and the two nations stepped up joint military training. Putin on Sunday also denied Moscow was creating a military alliance with Beijing and instead asserted that Western powers are building a new "axis" similar to the partnership between Germany and Japan during World War Two. Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Ukraine has shown more optimism in recent days about the brutal months-long battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut. Bakhmut is a major Russian target as it tries to fully capture Ukraine's industrialised Donbas region. At one point Russian commanders expressed confidence the city would fall soon but such claims have tailed off amid heavy fighting. Ukrainian forces have managed to blunt Russia's offensive in and around Bakhmut, where the situation is stabilising, commander in chief General Valery Zaluzhniy said on Saturday. The General Staff on Sunday said Ukrainian forces had repelled 85 Russian attacks over the past 24 hours in several parts of the eastern front, including the Bakhmut area. The sale of laughing gas to the public will be banned as part of a wider crackdown on anti-social behaviour, a British Cabinet minister has confirmed. Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said the scourge of nitrous oxide is turning public spaces into drug-taking arenas and is helping fuel anti-social behaviour that ministers are determined to stamp out. The ban comes despite an assessment by the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) concluding it would be disproportionate to bring in an outright ban given the level of harm associated with nitrous oxide. But Mr Gove said he agrees with a view pushed by Britsh Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman that tougher action is required. Mr Sunak is due to outline a series of hard-hitting measures on Monday designed to clamp down on low-level crime, with plans for offenders slapped with community orders to be cleaning up their own graffiti or vandalism within 48 hours. Downing Street said the plans will include perpetrators wearing jumpsuits or hi-vis jackets while they carry out punishments, which could include washing police cars or carrying out unpaid work in shops. Announcing the laughing gas ban, Mr Gove told Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: I think any of us who have had the opportunity to walk through our parks in our major cities will have seen these little canisters, these silver canisters which are examples of people not only despoiling public spaces but also people taking a drug which can have a psychological and neurological affect and one that contributes to anti-social behaviour overall. He said ministers have not yet decided at what drug classification level laughing gas would be set, only that the Government wants sales restricted for its appropriate purpose. Nitrous oxide is included as an anaesthetic in medical and dental contexts. Mr Gove added: We cant have a situation, we mustnt have a situation where our parks, our public spaces become drug-taking arenas. And that is why we need to crack down on new manifestations of drug-taking and these laughing gas canisters are an increasing scourge. Current legislation bans the knowing or reckless supply of nitrous oxide for inhalation, with dealers facing up to seven years in jail. But there have been calls for a ban on all direct consumer sales. Prolonged use can cause vitamin B12 deficiency, anaemia and nerve damage. Doctors previously warned that using laughing gas could lead to spinal injuries. According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 36 deaths in Great Britain associated with nitrous oxide between 2001 and 2016. The British Prime Minister addressed the issue in his New Year speech, highlighting the blight of discarded nitrous oxide canisters in childrens playgrounds. Mr Sunak is expected to announce the trial in 10 areas of a concept called immediate justice, with the aim of rolling it out across England and Wales next year. The plan is set to include new funding for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to ensure those responsible for offences that blight communities are punished as soon as possible. Mr Gove said it will be backed with 160 million of new funding as well as increased police presence in hotspot areas where crime is a particular problem. He revealed that the proposals will also include increased drug testing for those caught regularly engaging in crime and anti-social activity. Labour said it wants to see tougher rules applied on laughing gas. Shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell told Sophy Ridge: I think we want to see it banned as well because I think it does cause a huge amount of littering, of disruption and of anti-social behaviour challenges as well. But Ms Powell said the Governments anti-social behaviour plan amounts to nothing. France is bracing for fresh violent protests and not just against pension reform amid hang-wringing over Emmanuel Macrons humiliation for postponing a state visit by Britains King Charles. Demonstrations against the French presidents pension reform to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 were expected in various cities, including Brest, Montpellier, Nice and Dijon. But police were reportedly most concerned about a separate demonstration at Sainte-Soline, central France where thousands of people were expected to turn out to a high-risk protest against the deployment of new water-storage infrastructure for agricultural irrigation, despite an official ban on the gathering. More than 3,000 police officers will face off against what they predicted could be up to 1,500 violent activists from among a crowd of up to 10,000 today. The construction site was the scene of very violent clashes last October when work was suspended. The Sainte-Soline water reserve is the second of 16 such installations, part of a project developed by a group of 400 farmers organised in a water co-operative to reduce mains water usage in summer. Opponents claim the megabasins are wrongly reserved for large export-oriented farms and deprive the community of access to water. Read More The protests come a day after Macron postponed King Charless first state visit to France due to fears of violence. A Le Figaro editorial called the postponement a humiliation, saying Frances Republican monarch caved in to a bunch of half-woke half-Bolivarian revolutionaries. But an Elysee source was quoted as saying: A state visit between our two countries cannot be mezzo voce, especially after the Boris Johnson period. It must be pleasant and festive for the King of England and Head of the Commonwealth. Laurent Berger, head of Frances largest union, on Friday urged Macron to put pension reform on hold for six months to allow tensions to cool down. But the president said that while he was at the unions disposal to discuss issues relating to labour, the pension reform was now in the hands of the constitutional council, Frances highest constitutional court, which must rule within a month whether it is viable. With public opinion firmly behind the protesters, unions have called another day of mass strike action for Tuesday. Meanwhile, a public opinion battle appears to have erupted over who is guilty in demo clashes protesters or police. Macron condemned the latest burst of violence overnight on Thursday, which saw 441 police officers injured and 900 fires lit, while a human rights watchdog criticised the excessive use of force by police during recent demonstrations. However, in a glimmer of hope for Parisians, a rubbish collectors strike that has seen 10,000 tons of bin bags pile up in the streets of the capital may have reached a turning point after unionists ended their blockage of two of the capitals three incinerators and the third was requisitioned. The garbage is currently fouling up Paris, causing a major health hazard. Piles of bin bags have also been convenient bonfires for pension reform protesters. The Paris police chief on Friday launched an internal investigation, after Le Monde and France Info released extracts of a recording in which anti-riot police can be heard insulting and slapping youths they had just arrested after last Mondays protests. Wipe that smile off your face, one can be heard saying before slapping him. Will you shut your mouth or do you want another one?, he can be heard before slapping him again. I can tell you we broke some elbows and mouths, he then adds. Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark are planning to form an integrated Nordic air defence of 410 fighter planes to counter the growing threat from Russia. The militaries of the Nordic countries announced the plan on Friday, saying their combined air defences would make them a formidable force. Our combined fleet can be compared to that of a large European country, said Major General Jan Dam, the commander of the Danish air force. The move to integrate the four air forces was triggered by Russias invasion of Ukraine. The war also prompted Sweden and Finland to abandon their non-alignment policies and seek membership of Nato. Finland looks likely to be admitted but Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president of Turkey is still blocking Swedens accession, over their domestic policy towards Kurdish independence. The four Nordic nations signed a letter of intent last week to create a unified Nordic air defence that would act in unison but according to Nato protocols. General James Hecker, commander of Nato air command, attended the signing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Read More Telegraph Media Group Limited [2023] Vladimir Putin has announced plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus for the first time, shifting his most destructive weapons closer to Europe and Kyiv. The shift will see Russia store part of its nuclear arsenal in another country for the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Putin told Russian TV broadcast yesterday: We agreed with Lukashenko that we would place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus without violating the nonproliferation regime. Putin went on to suggest that his announcement was in response to news that Britain was sending depleted uranium shells to Ukraine with its Challenger-2 tanks. He added: Russia has its own answer to ammunition with depleted uranium. We have similar weapons, but the Russian Federation has not yet used them. Experts insist however that depleted uranium is standard use in British armour-piercing shells and holds no nuclear value. Responding to Russias concerns around depleted uranium earlier in the week, the British ministry of defence said: The British Army has used depleted uranium in its armour piercing shells for decades. It is a standard component and has nothing to do with nuclear weapons or capabilities. Russia knows this, but is deliberately trying to disinform. Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian president, is a staunch supporter of Putin and allowed Russia to use Belarus as a launchpad for its invasion of Ukraine. He has resisted Putins pressure to directly enter the war but has allowed Russian warplanes to use Belarusian airspace to fire missiles at Ukrainian targets. Read More Last year, the Russian military upgraded Belarus air force so that it was capable of firing missiles with nuclear warheads and in February Belarus military said it had taken delivery of Iskander missile launchers from Russia which are capable of firing nuclear-tipped missiles. Putin said he wasnt breaking any international treaties because we are doing what the US has been doing for decades. We agreed that we will do the same, without violating our obligations, he said. The US stations nuclear missiles in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. Earlier this year, Russia pulled out of the Start Nuclear Treaty, the last remaining treaty with the US aimed at stopping a nuclear arms proliferation. Putin said the storage facility to house tactical nuclear weapons would be completed by July and that Russia would remain in control of the weapons. Russia is already suspected of stationing nuclear weapons in its European enclave of Kaliningrad, wedged between Poland, Lithuania and the Baltic Sea. It has also developed a missile called Satan-2 that can fire a nuclear warhead at any city in the world within minutes. Expand Close Ready for the big push ... Graduating officers of the Ukrainian National Guard at a ceremony in Kyiv / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ready for the big push ... Graduating officers of the Ukrainian National Guard at a ceremony in Kyiv Meanwhile Vlodymyr Zelensky has said his forces cannot launch a counter-offensive without more long-range Himars and other US equipment. In an interview with Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, the Ukrainian president said: We cant launch a counteroffensive yet. Without tanks, artillery and Himars, we cannot send our brave soldiers to the front lines. Himars high mobility artillery rocket systems can fire munitions very accurately up to 80km. They have been a game-changer on the battlefield since they were sent by the US last summer, hitting Russian ammunition depots, command centres, and barracks. Ukrainian military commanders have talked up a spring offensive and have refused to retreat from Bakhmut, the town in the eastern Donbas region where Russia has concentrated its attacks, to give its army more time to prepare for the spring battle. But Ukraines Western allies have said that Ukrainian forces have been firing ammunition at a faster rate than it can be resupplied. It is also taking time for Nato countries to send modern tanks and other kit to Ukraine. Some US military commanders have expressed concern at the time it will take to replace inventory being sent to Ukraine. The US has sent at least 20 Himars to date. Lockheed Martin, which makes the weapons, recently said it was increasing production to 96 a year from 60 a year. Honduras Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina Garcia, left, and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang pose with documents following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, at a ceremony in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Sunday, March 26, 2023 (Greg Baker/Pool Photo via AP/PA) Honduras has established diplomatic ties with China after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is increasingly isolated and now recognised by only 13 sovereign states. Foreign ministers from China and Honduras signed a joint communique in Beijing a decision the Chinese foreign ministry hailed as the right choice. The diplomatic victory for China comes as tensions rise between Beijing and the US, including over Chinas increasing assertiveness towards self-ruled Taiwan, and signals growing Chinese influence in Latin America. The new China/Honduras relationship was announced after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments made separate announcements that they were severing ties. China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since they split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its one China policy. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and refuses most contacts with countries that maintain formal ties with the island democracy. It threatens retaliation against countries for even increasing contacts. Chinas foreign minister Qin Gang said the establishment of ties proved that adhering to the one China policy was winning peoples hearts and was the general trend. Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan Honduran foreign ministry We inform sternly the Taiwan authorities that engaging in separatist activities for Taiwan independence is against the will and interests of the Chinese nation and against the trend of history, and is doomed to a dead end, he said. The Honduran foreign ministry said in a statement on Twitter that its government recognises only one China in the world and that Beijing is the only legitimate government that represents all of China. It added that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan. Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu told a news conference on Sunday that Taiwan had ended its relations with Honduras to safeguard its sovereignty and dignity. Mr Wu said that Honduran president Xiomara Castro and her team always had a fantasy about China and had raised the issue of switching ties before the presidential election in Honduras in 2021. Relations between Taiwan and Honduras were once stable, he said, but China had not stopped luring Honduras. Honduras had asked Taiwan for billions of dollars of aid and compared its proposals with Chinas, Mr Wu said. About two weeks ago, the Honduran government sought 2.45 billion US dollars from Taiwan to build a hospital and a dam, and to write off debts, he added. The Castro government dismissed our nations longstanding assistance and relations and carried out talks to form diplomatic ties with China. Our government feels pained and regretful, he said. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen said her government would not engage in a meaningless contest of dollar diplomacy with China. Over these past few years, China has persistently used various means to suppress Taiwans international participation, escalate military intrusion, and disrupt peace and stability in the region, she said in a recorded video. Her office spokesperson Olivia Lin said in a statement that relations between the sides had lasted for more than 80 years. Analysts have warned over the implications of the newly formed ties between China and Honduras. Political analyst Graco Perez in Honduras said Beijings narrative would highlight the benefits, including investment and job creation, but that is all going to be illusory. Mr Perez noted that some other countries had established such relations, but it didnt turn out to be what had been offered. For decades, China has funnelled billions of dollars into investment and infrastructure projects across Latin America. That investment has translated into rising power for China and a growing number of allies. In Honduras, it has come in the form of construction of a hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by the Chinese company SINOHYDRO with about 300 million US dollars in Chinese government financing. Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen first took office in May 2016. Taiwan still has ties with Belize, Paraguay and Guatemala in Latin America, and Vatican City. Most of its remaining partners are island nations in the Caribbean and South Pacific, along with Eswatini in southern Africa. Despite Chinas campaign of isolation, Taiwan retains robust informal ties with more than 100 other countries, most importantly the United States. The US does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but has maintained that Taipei is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific. Israeli police used water cannon to disperse people in Tel Aviv protesting against plans by Benjamin Netanyahus government to overhaul the judicial system (Ariel Schalit/AP) An Israeli good governance group has asked the countrys supreme court to punish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for allegedly violating a conflict of interest agreement meant to prevent him from dealing with the countrys judiciary while he is on trial for corruption. The request by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel intensifies a developing showdown between Mr Netanyahus government and the judiciary, which it is trying to overhaul in a contentious plan that has sparked widespread opposition. Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets, military and business leaders have spoken out against it and leading allies of Israel have voiced concerns. The prime minister will be forced to bow his head before the law and comply with the provisions of the law Eliad Shraga, Movement for Quality Government in Israel Mr Netanyahus government is pushing ahead for a parliamentary vote this week on a centrepiece of the overhaul a law that would give the governing coalition the final say over all judicial appointments. Defence minister Yoav Gallant, a senior member of Mr Netanyahus Likud party, became the first to break ranks late on Saturday by calling for the legislation to be frozen. Mr Gallant cited the turmoil in the ranks of the military over the plan. But it was unclear whether others would follow him. The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, which opposes the overhaul, asked the court to force Mr Netanyahu to obey the law and sanction him either with a fine or prison time for not doing so, saying he was not above the law. A prime minister who doesnt obey the court and the provisions of the law is privileged and an anarchist, Eliad Shraga, the head of the group, said. His language echoed that used by Mr Netanyahu and his allies against protesting opponents of the overhaul. The prime minister will be forced to bow his head before the law and comply with the provisions of the law. We are at the start of a constitutional crisis in the sense that there is a disagreement over the source of authority and legitimacy of different governing bodies Guy Lurie, Israel Democracy Institute The prime minister responded saying the appeal should be dismissed and said that the supreme court did not have grounds to intervene. Mr Netanyahu is barred by the countrys attorney general from dealing with his governments plan to overhaul the judiciary, based on a conflict of interest agreement he is bound to, and which the supreme court acknowledged in a ruling over Mr Netanyahus fitness to serve while on trial for corruption. Instead, justice minister Yariv Levin, a close confidant of Mr Netanyahu, is spearheading the overhaul. But on Thursday, after parliament passed a law making it harder to remove a sitting prime minister, Mr Netanyahu said he was unshackled by the attorney generals decision and vowed to wade into the crisis and mend the rift in the nation. This declaration prompted the attorney general, Gali Baharav-Miara, to warn that Mr Netanyahu was breaking his conflict of interest agreement by entering the fray. Expand Close Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is barred from dealing with his governments plan to overhaul the judiciary (Stefan Rousseau/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is barred from dealing with his governments plan to overhaul the judiciary (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The fast-paced legal and political developments have catapulted Israel into uncharted territory and a quickly developing constitutional crisis, Guy Lurie, a research fellow at the Jerusalem think tank Israel Democracy Institute, said. We are at the start of a constitutional crisis in the sense that there is a disagreement over the source of authority and legitimacy of different governing bodies, he said. If Mr Netanyahu continues to intervene in the overhaul as he promised, Ms Baharav-Miara could launch an investigation into whether he violated the conflict of interest agreement, which could lead to additional charges against him, Mr Lurie said. He added that the uncertainty of the events made him unsure of how they were likely to unfold. It is also unclear how the court, which is at the centre of the divide surrounding the overhaul, will treat the request to sanction Mr Netanyahu. Mr Netanyahu is on trial for charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate affairs involving wealthy associates and powerful media moguls. He denies wrongdoing and dismisses critics who say he will try to seek an escape route from the charges through the legal overhaul. The overhaul will give the government control over who becomes a judge and limit judicial review over government decisions and legislation. Mr Netanyahu and his allies say the plan will restore a balance between the judicial and executive branches and rein in what they see as an interventionist court with liberal sympathies. Critics say the plan upends Israels fragile system of checks and balances and pushes Israel down a path towards autocracy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday dismissed Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, triggering mass protests, a day after Gallant broke ranks with the government and urged a halt to a highly contested plan to overhaul the judicial system. As news of the dismissal spread, tens of thousands of protesters, many waving blue and white Israeli flags, took to the streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Crowds gathered outside Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem, at one point breaching a security cordon. Some three months since taking office, Netanyahu's nationalist-religious coalition has been plunged into crisis over the bitter divisions exposed by its flagship judicial overhaul plans. "State security cannot be a card in the political game. Netanyahu crossed a red line tonight," opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz said in a joint statement. They called on members of Netanyahu's Likud party not to have a hand in "the crushing of national security." In announcing Gallant's dismissal, Netanyahu's office did not name a replacement nor give any other details. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided this evening to dismiss Defence Minister Yoav Gallant," it said. Shortly afterward, Gallant, 64, wrote on Twitter: "The state of Israel's security has always been and will always be my life's mission." Netanyahu made the decision to sack Gallant after the former navy admiral warned on Saturday that the overhaul plans risked "a clear, immediate and tangible threat to the security of the state" and called for them to be halted. "At this time, for the sake of our country, I am willing to take any risk and pay any price," Gallant said in his televised address. Netanyahu acted in response on Sunday night as he was poised to ratify a central part of the overhaul package, a bill that would tighten political control over judicial appointments, handing the executive wider freedom to name judges to the Supreme Court. Earlier this month, President Isaac Herzog, the head of state who is supposed to remain above politics, warned that the country faced "disaster" unless a broader consensus could be reached on how to overhaul the judiciary. But Netanyahu, on trial on corruption charges which he denies, has vowed to continue with a project he says is needed to rein in activist judges and restore the proper balance between an elected government and the judiciary. As protesters poured into the streets, police used water cannons to push them back from Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem, while in Tel Aviv, where hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets since the beginning of the year, protesters lighted a large bonfire on a main highway. The crisis came as Israel's security establishment has been bracing for potential violence in the coming weeks as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan overlaps with the Jewish Passover and the Christian Easter celebration. Over the past year, Israeli forces have been conducting nearly daily raids in the occupied West Bank, killing more than 250 Palestinian fighters and civilians, while more than 40 Israelis and foreigners have been killed by Palestinian attackers. Gallant on Saturday became the most senior member of Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party to say he would not support the judicial overhaul, saying protests that have included growing numbers of military reservists were also affecting regular forces and undermining national security. In recent weeks senior Finance Ministry officials have warned of an economic backlash and business leaders have sounded the alarm for their companies' future. Adding to the pressure, the head of the Histadrut labour federation, the umbrella organisation for hundreds of thousands of public sector workers, said he was "astonished" by Gallant's removal and promised a "dramatic" announcement on Monday. Israel's consul-general in New York said he was resigning over the dismissal. Some of Netanyahu's hard-right coalition partners had called for Gallant to be sacked, but a number of other Likud lawmakers have backed his call for a halt to the reforms. A key bill effectively giving Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition more control over the appointment of judges is expected to be brought for ratification this week in the Knesset, where he and his allies wield 64 out of 120 seats. But how - or even whether - that as yet-unscheduled vote will proceed has been thrown into question by Likud dissenters and any potential backlash from Gallant's removal. Wonder Bolden cradles her year-old granddaughter Journey Bolden as she surveys the remains of her mothers tornado-demolished mobile home in Rolling Fork, Mississippi (Rogelio V. Solis/AP/PA) Powerful tornadoes that ripped through Mississippi killed at least 25 people and obliterated dozens of buildings, leaving an especially devastating mark in a rural US town whose mayor declared, My city is gone. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said in a Twitter post that search and rescue teams from local and state agencies were deployed to help victims impacted by the tornadoes. The agency later confirmed the death toll had risen to 26, including one man who died in neighbouring Alabama. Four missing people have been found but dozens have been hurt. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado caused damage about 60 miles north-east of Jackson, Mississippi. The rural towns of Silver City and Rolling Fork reported destruction as the tornado swept north east at 70 mph without weakening, racing towards Alabama through towns including Winona and Amory into the night. Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker told CNN that his town was essentially wiped out. Video shot as daylight broke showed houses reduced to piles of rubble, cars flipped on their sides and trees stripped of their branches. Occasionally, in the midst of the wreckage, a home would be spared, seemingly undamaged. My city is gone. But we are resilient and we are going to come back strong, he said. The National Weather Service issued an alert as the storm was hitting that did not mince words: To protect your life, TAKE COVER NOW! You are in a life-threatening situation, it warned. Flying debris may be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction is possible. Cornel Knight told The Associated Press that he, his wife and their three-year-old daughter were at a relatives home in Rolling Fork when the tornado struck. He said the sky was dark but you could see the direction from every transformer that blew. He said it was eerily quiet as that happened. Mr Knight said he watched from a doorway until the tornado was, he estimated, less than a mile away. Then he told everyone in the house to take cover in a hallway. He said the tornado struck another relatives home across a wide corn field from where he was. A wall in that home collapsed and trapped several people inside. As Mr Knight spoke to AP by phone, he said he could see lights from emergency vehicles at the partially collapsed home. The damage in Rolling Fork was so widespread that several storm chasers who follow severe weather and often put up livestreams showing dramatic funnel clouds pleaded for search and rescue help. Others abandoned the chase to drive injured people to the hospitals themselves. The Sharkey-Issaquena Community Hospital on the west side of Rolling Fork was damaged, WAPT reported. The Sharkey County Sheriffs Office in Rolling Fork reported gas leaks and people trapped in piles of rubble, according to the Vicksburg News. Some law enforcement units were unaccounted for in Sharkey, according to the newspaper. According to poweroutage.us, 40,000 customers were without power in Tennessee; 15,000 customers were left without power in Mississippi; and 20,000 were without power in Alabama. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said in a Twitter post on Friday night that search and rescue teams were active and that officials were sending in more ambulances and emergency assets. Many in the MS Delta need your prayer and Gods protection tonight, the post said. Watch weather reports and stay cautious through the night, Mississippi! Earlier on Friday, torrential rainfall in Missouri caused flooding that was blamed for the deaths of two people who were in a car that was swept away by high water. Another person was missing in another Missouri county hit by flash floods. A defiant and incendiary Donald Trump, facing a potential indictment, held the first rally of his 2024 presidential campaign on Saturday in Waco, Texas, a city made famous by deadly resistance against law enforcement. In an extraordinary display, Mr Trump opened his rally by playing a song, Justice For All, that features a choir of men imprisoned for their role in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol singing the national anthem and a recording of the former president reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Some footage from the insurrection was shown on screens. You will be vindicated and proud and the thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited and totally disgraced, the Republican former president said early in his speech. Thats whats happening. Mr Trumps rally at the airport grounds in Waco comes as he has berated prosecutors, encouraged protests and raised the prospect of possible violence should he become the first former president in US history to face criminal charges. Some of his recent rhetoric, including at the rally, has echoed language he used before the Capitol insurrection by a mob of his supporters seeking to stop the transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden, who won the presidential election. Mr Trump declared his enemies are desperate to stop us, and our opponents have done everything they can to crush our spirit and to break our will. He added: But they failed. Theyve only made us stronger. And 2024 is the final battle, its going to be the big one. You put me back in the White House, their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again. His eyebrow-raising choice of venue in Waco comes amid the 30th anniversary of a 51-day stand-off and deadly siege between US law enforcement and the Branch Davidians that resulted in the deaths of more than 80 members of the religious cult and four federal agents and has become a touchstone for far-right extremists and militia groups. Mr Trumps campaign insisted the location and timing of the event had nothing to do with the Waco siege or anniversary. A spokesperson said the site, 17 miles from the Branch Davidian compound, was chosen because it was conveniently situated near four of the states biggest metropolitan areas Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio and has the infrastructure to handle a sizable crowd. Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick said before Mr Trumps arrival that he was the one who had suggested Waco as the venue. Any suggestion Mr Trump had picked the city because of the anniversary was fake news. I picked Waco he told the crowd. Mr Trump did not make any direct references in his speech to Wacos history, telling the crowd he told Mr Patrick he wanted to hold his rally in a place with overwhelming support, not one of those 50-50 areas, and said he told Mr Patrick, Lets go right into the heart of it. But as far as the eye can see, he immediately added, the abuses of power that were currently witnessing at all levels of government will go down as among the most shameful, corrupt, depraved chapters in all of American history. Audience members were holding red and white signs handed out by the campaign that said Witch hunt and I stand with Trump. Mr Trump repeatedly railed against the investigations on Saturday, declaring prosecutorial misconduct in the ongoing criminal investigations but also decrying past probes, including the release of his tax returns by Democrats in the US House after a prolonged legal battle. It probably makes me the most innocent man in the history of our country. Mr Trump said. Friends of mine say that. The former president said he has had bad publicity, but his poll numbers have gone through the roof. At several points, Mr Trump criticised Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to run for president and is seen as his strongest potential challenger for the GOP nomination. Mr Trump called his one-time ally disloyal and said he was dropping like a rock. Hours before Mr Trump arrived, hundreds of his supporters began streaming into the airport past vendors selling merchandise including Trump flags, bumper stickers and action figures. There were no signs of counter protesters near the long line of Trump supporters waiting to get inside. Among them was Eugene Torres, 41, who said he was unfazed by the prospect that Mr Trump could be indicted. Its just another political attack on him to keep him from running and winning this race again, said Mr Torres, from Texas. Alan Kregel, 56, travelled with his wife from Dallas to see Mr Trump in person for the first time. While he voted for Mr Trump in 2016 and 2020, he said he felt the former presidents methods and vocabulary often detracted from his policies. But now, two years out of office, he said he is more supportive of Mr Trump than he was before. Hes an innocent man, just persecuted, said Mr Kregel, arguing an indictment would help Mr Trump win in 2024. The rally had already been organised before it became clear that a grand jury in New York was drawing closer to a possible indictment as it investigates hush money payments made to women who alleged sexual encounters with Mr Trump during the height of his 2016 campaign. Mr Trump has denied the womens claims. The grand jury investigating the hush money payments is expected to meet again on Monday in New York. Mr Trump has spent weeks now railing against the probe and in a post on his social media site on Friday warned of potential death and destruction in such a false charge if he is charged with a crime. In a move that seemed designed to preempt a formal announcement, he claimed last Saturday that he would be arrested the following Tuesday. While that did not happen, Mr Trump has used the days since to try to shape public perception. Trump has also repeatedly invoked violence, urging his supporters to protest, as he has launched ever more personal attacks against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. On Friday, a powdery substance was found with a threatening letter in a mailroom at Mr Braggs offices, authorities said. Officials later determined the substance was not dangerous. Even before the threatening letter was sent to Mr Braggs office, Democrats warned that Mr Trumps remarks had the potential to incite violence. The twice-impeached former presidents rhetoric is reckless, reprehensible and irresponsible. Its dangerous, and if he keeps it up hes going to get someone killed, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said. In addition to the Manhattan case, Mr Trump is also facing an investigation in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election as well as federal investigations into his handling of classified documents and possible obstruction, as well as his efforts on January 6. Image: Pixabay New research from Boston Medical Center found that substance use disorders do not increase the likelihood of dying from COVID-19. Published in Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment, the study showed that the increased risk for severe COVID-19 in people with SUD that has been seen may be the result of co-occurring medical conditions. Multiple large cohort studies from early in the pandemic have shown higher rates of hospitalization, intubation, and death from COVID-19 in those with SUD, while other studies found no association between SUD and COVID-19-related mortality or mixed results depending on substance use pattern. Given these conflicting data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified persons with SUD as suggestive of higher risk for severe COVID-19. The goal of this study was to assess the association between SUD and inpatient COVID-19-related mortality. BMC is known for excellent clinical care and innovative research related to substance use disorder. Since the early days of the pandemic, BMC has also been a leader in the treatment of individuals with COVID-19, including persons with complex medical and social needs, said first author Angela McLaughlin, MD, MPH, an infectious disease fellow at Boston Medical Center. These findings showing a similar likelihood of COVID-19-related complications in hospitalized patients with and without SUD helps expand knowledge of the infectious complications of SUD. As BMC sees a high proportion of patients who use substances, it was an apt location for the study: almost 14% of the study population had SUD, exceeding the national average of 10.8% in people ages 18 or older. Researchers reviewed medical records of 353 adults without SUD and 56 adults with SUD admitted to Boston Medical Center early into COVID-19 pandemic and compared the likelihood of COVID-19 related complications between individuals with and without substance use disorders. They compared the relationship between COVID-19 and mortality, clinical complications, and resource utilization. Early in the pandemic, BMC developed protocols to closely monitor and quickly manage COVID-19-related complications in all hospitalized patients, said senior author Sabrina Assoumou, MD, MPH, an infectious disease doctor at Boston Medical Center and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. The current findings suggest that such an approach might have benefited many patients, including individuals with substance use disorders. In this retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to a safety net hospital during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, SUD was not associated with the primary outcome of COVID-19-associated inpatient mortality. The secondary analysis showed that those with and without SUD had similar COVID-19-related clinical complications, including secondary infections, renal failure requiring dialysis, acute liver injury, venous thromboembolism, cardiac complications, and the composite any complications. Of note, some clinical outcomes such as stroke were very uncommon overall. Likewise, there was no difference in resource utilization secondary outcomes between the two groups. In contrast to other studies, this found similar likelihoods of mechanical ventilation and ICU admission in patients with and without SUD. Although patients with SUD presented to the hospital earlier in their disease course, their total hospital length of stay was ultimately similar to patients without SUD. Insights such as these into the clinical complications and resource utilization patterns of patients with SUD and COVID-19 can help clinicians anticipate the trajectory of infection and healthcare needs in this vulnerable group. There were some notable limitations to the study. The results are from a single site, which might limit generalizability of the findings despite the racial and ethnic diversity of the BMC patient population. Second, the data presented are from the earliest phase of COVID-19 in the United States, so trends may have differed with subsequent waves and as COVID-19 management strategies have evolved over time. Third, there were no specific controls for socioeconomic factors like medical insurance status or income level, as over 75% of the BMC patient population has public payer insurance (Medicare, Medicaid, or Childrens Health Insurance Program) or no insurance. Lastly, differences in COVID-19 outcomes between current versus past SUD could not be detected this area would benefit from further research. In conclusion, in this study of hospitalized individuals at an urban safety net hospital with a diverse patient population in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, inpatient mortality and morbidity between patients with and without SUD were similar. The findings provide a detailed evaluation of outcomes in a unique patient population that has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and may provide beneficial insights for similar settings across the country. These results point away from SUD as an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19 and further suggest a focus on medical comorbidities to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Additional studies are needed to further evaluate for differential outcomes in this high-risk population, particularly in an era of newer COVID-19-directed therapies. Image: Pixabay Hyderabad: Blood clots in blood veins can be avoided with just a mile's walk daily, an expert from KIMS hospital said here on Sunday. Blood clots in blood veins often cause chances of death. KIMS Hospitals conducted an awareness walk on Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) was held at the Jalavayu Vihar of Necklace road in the city. Internationally, March is observed as DVT awareness month. Cine actress Laxmi Manchu attended as the Chief Guest, and CMD of the KIMS group of hospitals, Dr. B. Bhaskar Rao attended as the guest of honor. Speaking on the occasion Dr Narendranadh Meda, HOD and Senior Consultant Vascular & Endovascular Surgeon, and Foot Care Specialist at KIMS Hospitals, said. "Acute venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is the most common preventable causes of hospital death, and a source of substantial long-term morbidity. The incidence of DVT is increasing in the general population as well, because of sedentary lifestyles, and unhealthy habituations among the general public, he said. DVT refers to a blood clot or thrombus that forms in one or more veins deep inside a persons body , Dr Meda said. it usually develops in the leg. It blocks blood circulation. The clots can break off and travel through the bloodstream, and thus become fatal, he said. Some symptoms are swelling, pain, discoloration, and abnormally hot skin in the affected area. In most DVT cases, these symptoms are not seen, the treatment gets delayed and it causes death, said Dr Meda. DVT is most accurately diagnosed through D dimer assessment along with venous ultrasound and venography. "People with prior DVT, stroke, pregnancy, obesity, undergoing major surgery, over the age of 65, and those confined to long periods of immobility such as travel or bed rest are more at risk for deep-vein thrombosis than others," he added. Laxmi Manchu said, "women have more chances to get DVT and specifically, estrogen hormonal therapy and hormonal birth control can raise a persons chances of developing DVT. From puberty to menopause, women bear the highest risk of venous thromboembolism, she said that even after menopause years, women have a high chance of getting VTE and DVT. Pregnants and women taking birth control medicines are at risk of DVT, she added. Dr. Bollineni Bhaskar Rao said, "Swelling in one leg, pain, heating of the affected area, reddishness, hard sensation of nerves are some of the symptoms of DVT. It can happen not only in the legs but also in the hands, abdomen, and other areas too. Some may feel breathlessness, and chest pain as well, he said. Those who are 60 plus of age, obese, smokers, and people who suffered from cancer, heart attacks, and varicose veins will have more chances to get DVT, said Dr Rao Those who travel for more than 3 hours either by Car, Train, or Flight also have risk. It can come even if one doesn't have any of these, he said. Daily walking, raising the affected leg while sitting, avoiding flight journeys for two or three weeks while using anticoagulants is always better, he added. (With UNI inputs) Image credit: S Jaishankar Twitter New Delhi/UNI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that India will not accept differential standards of security for its embassies and high commissions abroad and that the UK government failed to meet its obligation to provide security for the Indian High Commission, following the vandalization by pro-Khalistani supporters in London. Answering a question regarding the incident at a talk in Bengaluru, Jaishankar also said that freedom of expression doesnt extend to violence, it doesnt extend to someone desecrating my national flag, and that freedom of speech and civil liberties should not be misused to espouse radicalism, violence, terrorism. In this particular case, in the UK, whenever a country sends an embassy anywhere abroad it is the obligation of the receiving country to provide security for the diplomats to do their work. It is the obligation of the receiving country to ensure that the embassy or the high commission or the consulate, and their premises are respected. These obligations were not met. That day when those vandals appeared before the high commission, what was our expectation was not there in terms of security for the high commission. So, weve had conversations with the British government after that; the next time it happened, you saw, things were a bit different. But it is our expectation. Many countries are casual about it, they have a different view of their own security, and a different view of other peoples security," said Jaishankar. But I can tell you as Foreign Minister, we are not going to accept these kinds of differential stands, he said at the event held by the BJYM Yuva Samvad. He also said that Freedom of expression doesnt extend to violence, it doesnt extend to someone desecrating my national flag, that is not freedom of expression. We need to be firm about it, to call out other countries when these things happen; we should not be cowed down because something is happening in London, something is happening in Canada, therefore we have to accept it. If we have strong views and my view. I tell people, you can have views about me, but I will have views about your views. I will challenge it if I see you factually wrong and distorting reality. Dont think diplomacy means I will shut up and put up, I will not. Today there is confidence, we have reached that stage today to display that. Nobody argues with the fact that there should be freedom of speech, that there should be civil liberties; but these should not be misused to espouse radicalism, violence, terrorism; there is a difference between having rights, and misusing rights," he said. And when other governments dont appreciate this difference, I think they need to be reminded, sometimes effectively, he added. On March 19 night, India summoned the senior-most UK diplomat in New Delhi to convey its strong protest after some Khalistani supporters removed the Indian flag from outside the Indian High Commission in London. India had also demanded an explanation for the "complete absence of British security" that allowed the Khalistani elements to enter the Indian High Commission premises. Two days later, in what was being reported as a tit-for-tat move, the extra security barricades outside the UK High Commission in New Delhi and outside the residence of the UK High Commissioner were removed by Delhi Police. On March 22, London police massively beefed up security outside the Indian High Commission for a Khalistani protest held there, with the protesters kept firmly on the opposite side of the road. New Delhi/IBNS/UNI: India summoned the Canadian High Commissioner on Saturday to convey its strong protest regarding the actions of pro-Khalistani separatists and extremist elements against the Indian High Commission and Consulates in Canada over the week. The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said that it sought an explanation from the Canadian High Commissioner on how the Khalistani elements were allowed to breach the security of the Indian diplomatic mission and consulates despite the presence of police. The Canadian government was asked to arrest and prosecute the persons who had been identified as involved in the incidents. The summoning of the Canadian High Commissioner comes after India summoned the top diplomats posted in the UK High Commission and the US Embassy over similar incidents of vandalism and breach of security of the Indian diplomatic missions and posts in the countries by pro-Khalistani elements. The High Commissioner of Canada was summoned yesterday to convey our strong concern about the actions of separatist and extremist elements against our diplomatic Mission and Consulates in Canada this week," the Indian statement read. India sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of its diplomatic missions and consulates. The Canadian government was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts. It is expected that the Canadian Government will take all steps which are required to ensure the safety of our diplomats and security of our diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfil their normal diplomatic functions," it said. Khalistani supporters held protests in Ottawa in Canada on Thursday, according to reports. An event to be attended by an Indian diplomat in British Columbia province had to be cancelled after a violent protest by Khalistani supporters. Indian-origin journalist Sameer Kaushal, who was at the venue to cover the protest, was also assaulted by Khalistani supporters. The pro-Khalistani elements have become aggressive following the action to arrest separatist Waris Punjab De leader Amritpal Singh, who is on the run. Image Credit: Twitter video grab Chandigarh: Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Harpreet Singh urged fugitive Khalistani separatist leader Amritpal Singh to surrender to the police and cooperate with the investigation, a media report said. The leader of the Akal Takht, which is the highest temporal authority for Sikhs, expressed scepticism about the competence of the police in their efforts to apprehend the self-proclaimed Sikh preacher, despite their large presence and resources. Singh made these statements following the recent actions of the Punjab Police against Amritpal Singh, a radical preacher, and his organization, 'Waris Punjab De.' Amritpal Singh has been evading the police since the crackdown began on March 18, using multiple vehicles to avoid arrest. Despite being intercepted by the police in Jalandhar district, the preacher managed to escape their custody, and his current location is unknown. The Punjab government has imposed the strictest National Security Act (NSA) against him and his aides. In a video message released on Saturday, the Jathedar expressed the concerns of Sikhs worldwide about how Amritpal Singh had managed to evade arrest despite a large police force in the state, which raises questions about the police's efficiency. The Jathedar urged the police to clarify whether the preacher had already been apprehended, as his parents had expressed fears about his detention. Additionally, he asked the police to keep in mind that the Sikh youths detained in connection with the Amritpal Singh case had not committed significant offenses. Amritpal Singh and his associates have been charged in numerous police cases. The Jathedar of Akal Takht has organised a special meeting to discuss the situation in Punjab. The gathering will include representatives from approximately 60 to 70 Sikh organisations, seminaries, and Nihang groups, but no political parties will be in attendance. Xi sends message of sympathy to Brazilian president over illness Xinhua) 18:45, March 26, 2023 BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday sent a message of sympathy to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva over the latter's contraction of influenza and pneumonia. In his message, Xi said that upon learning of Lula's illness and thus having to postpone his visit to China, he would like to extend his sincere sympathy to the Brazilian president and wish him a speedy recovery. Xi also welcomed Lula's early visit when it is convenient for both sides. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Liang Jun) Image credit: Facebook/INC New Delhi/IBNS: Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s caustic attacks against the Gandhi family and insulted Rahul Gandhi's Kashmiri Pandit lineage. Calling his brother Rahul the "son of a martyr", Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the BJP insulted him every day and did not even spare their Nehru-Gandhi family. The Congress Sunday held a day-long demonstration across the country to protest his disqualification from the Lok Sabha. Priyanka and Kharge led a "satyagraha" outside Delhi's Raj Ghat after their protest request at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial was turned down by the police. "You call my brother, the son of a martyr, a traitor and Mir Jafar. You insult his mother. Your Chief Minister says Rahul Gandhi doesn't know who his mother is. You insult my family every day. But no cases are filed," she said. "Your Prime Minister, in a parliament full of people, says 'why doesn't this family use the name Nehru name'. He insults the whole family of Kashmiri Pandits, and the custom of a son carrying forward the family's name after the death of his father," she said. Countering the BJP's efforts to label Gandhi's remark which led to his defamation conviction and parliament disqualification as an insult to the Other Backward Class (OBC) community, Kharge said, "Is Nirav Modi OBC? Is Mehul Choksi OBC? Is Lalit Modi OBC? They are fugitives." "Rahul Gandhi only raised the issue of these fugitives fleeing with black money. The Congress will hold hundreds of such protests across the country. We will fight to preserve Freedom of Speech. I thank all opposition parties for standing with Rahul Gandhi," he said. Image: Pixabay San Francisco: A large number of Indian diaspora members assembled outside the Indian consulate in San Francisco city of the US on Saturday and showed solidarity after the mission was recently targeted by extremist and separatist elements. More than 100 locals, including Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus, gathered outside the consulate to show their support. In order to emphasise their unity, the supporters were spotted hoisting both the American flag and the Indian tricolour. The diaspora also chanted Vande Matram and Bharat Mata ki Jai in loud voices during the gathering, reports ANI. There were a few verbal altercations between the diaspora and Khalistan supporters who have been camping outside in tents for more than five days now, the news agency reported. Meanwhile, the High Commissioner of Canada was summoned on Saturday to convey India's strong concern about the actions of 'separatist and extremist elements' against Indian diplomatic Mission and Consulates in Canada this week. "The Government of India sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of our diplomatic Mission and Consulates," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. "The Government of Canada was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention, and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts," read the statement. "It is expected that the Canadian Government will take all steps which are required to ensure the safety of our diplomats and security of our diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfil their normal diplomatic functions," the statement said. Suspected Khalistani supporters recently attacked Indian missions in the UK and the US following Punjab government's crackdown on Waris Punjab De and its chief Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh. Last Sunday, an event in Canada was cancelled due to security concerns after a violent protest by Khalistan supporters, reports NDTV. The event had been organised at the Taj Park Convention Centre in Surrey to honour Sanjay Kumar Verma, the Indian envoy to Canada, while he was on his first visit to the west coast, the Indian news channel reported. Image Credit: tweeted by @hello_CAANepal Kathmandu: Three employees of Nepal's air traffic controller department have been suspended for "carelessness" by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), said spokesperson Jagannath Niroula. Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) of Tribhuvan International Airport involved in traffic conflict incident (between Air India and Nepal Airlines on 24th March 2023) have been removed from active control position until further notice. pic.twitter.com/enxd0WrteZ Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (@hello_CAANepal) March 26, 2023 An Airbus A-320 airplane belonging to Nepal Airlines, which was traveling from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Kathmandu, and an Air India plane en route to Kathmandu from New Delhi nearly collided on Friday morning, he said, reported media. According to the CAAN spokesperson, the Air India airplane was descending from an altitude of 19,000 ft, while the Nepal Airlines aircraft was flying at 15,000 ft in the same location. Upon detecting the proximity of the two aircraft on radar, the Nepal Airlines airplane descended to 7,000 ft, he added, the reports said. In response to the incident, the Civil Aviation Authority has established a three-person committee to investigate the matter. The CAAN has suspended the three officers, who oversaw the control room at the time of the incident. Mumbai: Bollywood star and UNICEF India Celebrity Advocate Kareena Kapoor Khan on Saturday visited Mitha Nagar Municipal School in Goregaon (West), Mumbai, to promote foundational learning (in early grades) and to support the #EveryChildReading Movement in the state that will be launched in April 2023. In her interaction with teachers and primacy grade children Kareena Kapoor Khan took a keen interest to understand how children coped with learning during and after the pandemic. She underlined how important it is for children to learn early to read, write and count; and the importance of offering learning options in childrens mother tongue. She then engaged children in a fun storytelling session where she read an interactive story to stimulate their imagination. The National Education Policy 2020 highlights that the ability to reading with understanding, along with writing and performing basic operations with numbers is the necessary foundation and an indispensable prerequisite for all future schooling and lifelong learning. The Government of Indias National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Mission aims to achieve the goal of universal proficiency in literacy and numeracy for every child by grade 3 by 2026-27. As per National Assessment Survey, conducted in November 2021, more than 30 per cent children in Grade 3 in Maharashtra, are unable to read small texts. By Grade 5, this number increases to 41 per cent of children not being able to read text appropriate to their grade level and to 43 per cent in grade 8. Launched by the Education Department, Government of Maharashtra in partnership with UNICEF and Pratham Books in 2020, the reading campaign, Goshtiche Shaniwar (or Reading Saturdays) provides children with one storybook every week, to promote their emotional well-being, as well as support their language proficiency. Under the campaign, one story each in Marathi, Urdu, and English is being shared with students in grades 1-8 every Saturday. The campaign covered all the 36 districts of Maharashtra and reached over 1 lakh schools, 2.6 lakh teachers, and 31 lakh children. Today I met with young children and saw their immense enthusiasm to read and learn. As a mother, I understand the power of reading and storytelling that can inspire and motivate young minds, especially if its in a language that they understand well, Kareena Kapoor Khan said. We need to create an environment where children would love to learn. School is one such space, and the learning environment at home is equally important. We need to make these spaces supporting and interesting for children to want to read. Teachers, parents, grandparents, can all help young children learn skills that will help them life-long. Rajeshwari Chandrasekar, Chief, UNICEF Maharashtra said, It's essential that we focus on foundational learning and equip our children with the basic skills they need to succeed in life. This includes reading, writing, and basic numeracy skills. Through initiatives like the Goshtiche Shaniwar Reading Campaign and #EveryChildReading Movement, we can inspire every citizen in the state to play their role in ensuring every child reading.. With a strong foundation in place, children not only can enjoy the magic of stories but also unlock their full potential and thrive in the future. Zafrin Chowdhury, Chief, Communication Advocacy & Partnership, UNICEF India said, We appreciate Kareena Kapoor Khan for taking the time for todays visit and encouraging children to read with joy and all of us to support in providing children with a learning environment. UNICEF India greatly values the relationship with Ms. Khan as a Celebrity Advocate and her support in spotlighting childrens issues over the past decade. UNICEF works closely with the government at national and state level and provided technical inputs for the national guidelines for foundational learning developed by the Ministry of Education. In collaboration with the Government of India, UNICEF has supported the first ever foundational learning study conducted in the country in March 2022. UNICEF continues to provide technical support to state governments in developing and implementing their five-year plans for NIPUN Bharat, the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission. Image Credit: wikipedia.org Gurugram/IBNS: IndiGo has commenced Delhi-Dharamshala flights, its 78th domestic and 104th overall destination, the carrier said in a press release. The destination marks the airlines entry in Himachal Pradesh and will strengthen domestic connectivity, and provide accessibility while making travel more affordable and hassle-free for customers during the summer season, it said. Speaking on the occasion, IndiGo Head of Global Sales Vinay Malhotra said, We are extremely pleased to announce the launch of our operations from Dharamshala, the 78th domestic destination in the 6E network, making our way into the serene valleys of Himachal Pradesh. Direct connectivity to Dharamshala will provide a gateway for the tourists to explore the local markets, temples and monasteries, museums, churches and unwind in the picturesque waterfalls and mountains of Himachal Pradesh, noted Malhotra. This move aims to bolster passenger traffic even further as we have witnessed a strong demand for connectivity to Himachal Pradesh. The direct flights from Delhi, will also connect Himachal Pradesh to the rest of the country and international destinations in Asia, Middle East, and Europe, he added. Located in the western Himachal region, Dharamshala is the perfect place to unwind and experience the scenic beauty of the valley and local markets. It is the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh and the residence of the spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. A well-known location for studying Buddhism and experiencing the culture's origins is Dharamshala. The hill station is divided into two distinct parts - Lower Dharamshala which is the commercial market district, and Upper Dharamshala with places like McLeod Ganj and Forsyth Ganj, which serve as historical markers for this region. The area makes a great starting point for hikes and treks into the Dhauladhar mountain range. The launch of direct flights to Dharamshala will enhance accessibility to nearby tourist attractions and provide more options to consumer looking for vacation in mountains. The Tsuglagkhang Complex, Dalai Lama, Namgyal Monastery, St. John in the Wilderness, The Tibet Museum, Bhagsu Naag Temple, Naddi Hill Point Mcleod Ganj, BhagsuNag waterfall, and Dal Lake are among the scenic and historic tourist attractions in Dharamshala that draw visitors from all over the country. Additionally, easy access to nearby locations like Kangra, Palampur, and Chamba will be made possible by direct flights to Dharamshala. xandreaswork/Unsplash Beijing: Honduras has ended its ties with Taiwan and formalised its diplomatic relationship with Beijing, giving a blow to the self-ruled island. The government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes the existence of one China in the world and that the government of the Peoples Republic of China represents China as a whole, its ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement on Saturday, local time, as quoted by CNN. Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and as of today, the government of Honduras has informed Taiwan about the rupture of diplomatic relations, it added. Taiwan reacts: Soon after Honduras made the announcement, Taiwan's Foreign Minister said: " By sending Foreign Minister Reina to China to discuss the establishment of diplomatic relations, the government of Honduras is disregarding the diplomatic friendship between Taiwan and Honduras that has endured for over 80 years." "Honduras is also ignoring the achievements of the long-standing cooperation between our nations, as well as Taiwans goodwill in providing assistance to help solve Hondurass problems," read the statement. "These actions seriously hurt the feelings of the government and people of Taiwan. The Taiwan government has therefore decided to recall its ambassador to Honduras with immediate effect to express its strong dissatisfaction," it said. What is the basis of Chinas claim over Taiwan? The basis of Chinas claim over Taiwan dates back to 1945 when Japan lost its control over the island in 1945,post-World War Two. The 1949 Chinese civil war lead to communists taking control and Chiang Kai-shek the one who lost fled to Taiwan. He ruled it for many decades. This is where Chinas claim to Taiwan emanates. The very fact that Chiang Kai-shek came to Taiwan and was not indigenous to the place is Taiwans argument against the claim. The question is why is Taiwan important to China? A lot of things actually, which of course are related to Taiwan but not necessarily direct to Taiwan. It's more about (China's) relationship changing with United States or we should say Western Countries, mainly United States and China. Taiwan then happens to become key player and main actor in this dynamics, said Alice. 100 miles from the coast of China, Taiwan is an island, that is located in the first island chain, this positioning makes it crucial to the US foreign policy. US-Sino relations hinge on, One China Policy, it acknowledges that, there is only one Chinese Government." The US recognises its formal ties with China. With Taiwan the US shares independent strong unofficial relations. Image: Fazila Baloch Twitter page Kabul: A group of women on Sunday demonstrated in Kabul city of Afghanistan against the ban imposed by the Taliban regime on female education, media reports said. Scores of women gathered in the capital, Kabul, on Sunday, for a peaceful march in response to the continued ban on womens education. Their chanting slogans demanded to reopen of schools and universities for girls, reports Khaama Press. However, the women protesters were attacked and dispersed by the Taliban security forces, the Afghanistani news agency reported. According to a protester who spoke to Khaama Press under anonymity, the womens movement for justice was responsible for organizing the demonstrations and added at least three protesting women were detained during the rally. The Taliban forces came to power in Afghanistan in 2021. The group has imposed several restrictions against women since coming to power. Image: Pixabay Kabul: An Afghan woman entrepreneur is touching hearts by trying to provide education to 500 girls on diverse subjects at a time when the Taliban imposed a ban on female education in the country. The 43-year-old woman, who used to run a restaurant before the Taliban era commenced in 2021, is educating girls under the cover of secrecy. At a time when a large section of people escaped Afghanistan as the power shift happened in 2021, the woman entrepreneur decided to stay in the country. I felt as though an earthquake had struck and taken everything away from me, she told Khaama Press. Taj Begum restaurant was closed as the Taliban did not allow women to run such businesses but the owner of it founded the Mother Educational Center (MEC) with the aim of educating the eves who are facing hardships under the new rule. Initially, MEC had two branches, one in the backstreets of Kabul, and another in the central Afghan province of Daikundi. Due to a lack of funds, the Diadundi branch shut down last year, however, girls still attend classes in the Kabul branch, reports Khaama Press. Image: Pixabay Islamabad: Station House Officer (SHO) Kabil Bhayo of the Khanpur police station in Pakistan was suspended after he allegedly tortured, harassed, manhandled and arrested Hindu shopkeepers for violating the Ramzan Ordinance by eating. In a video that went viral on social media, the police officer was seen roaming the Ghotki district with a stick in his hands, using it to hit shoppers including Hindu men who were reportedly preparing biryani for delivery orders in the local market, reported The Express Tribune. "I swear that I belong to the Hindu community, and he is taking away food. We do not run the dining service indoors during Ramzan, a man who was arrested by the police told the newspaper. The SHO publicly forced the Hindu restaurant owner to take an oath on his sacred book. The police officer reportedly arrested more than one dozen people after physically assaulting them. The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) later took notice and wrote to the deputy inspector general (DIG) Sukkur and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ghotki to take action against the police officer. "The act is a violation of fundamental rights of citizens regardless of their religion and beliefs and goes against Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which guarantees the freedom to profess and manage religious institutions, a letter issued by the SHRC stated. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons Dhaka: Bangladesh Muktijuddha Mancha recently hosted a demonstration-cum discussion session on Saturday in front of the National Museum in Shahbag, Dhaka, against the alleged genocide of 30 lakh people by the Pakistan Army during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971, media reports said. The protesters also demanded that the day be marked, henceforth, by the UN as the International Genocide Day", reports ANI. The protest was held between 3 pm to 4.30 pm. Addressing participants, the partys general secretary, Al Mamun, demanded the recognition of March 25 as International Genocide Day and justice from the United Nations and International Criminal Court for the Pakistan Armys Operation Searchlight, which led to the alleged genocide and mass rape, reports ANI. During the event, one of the participants, MM chairman Aminul Islam Bulbul criticised China, claiming it had helped Pakistan by supplying Chinese bullets, which were used in the killing of many Bengalis. Sculpturist Rasha and MM Leader Sonet Mahmud lauded the speeches and efforts of the visiting Barrister Peter Burgess, president of Asia Justice and Right (AJAR) and International Human Rights Expert, who has been taking up the cause of justice for the genocide victims, and, delivering lectures at various fora on the issue, during his ongoing visit to Bangladesh, reports ANI. Image: Pixabay Sukkur: Leaders of the Sukkur Hindu Panchayat led a big rally in the Pakistan region on Saturday to demand the recovery of a community member Sahil Kumar. Kumar went missing a week before and could not be recovered by the police so far. The Panchayat members spoke to the media and expressed their concern over the well-being of the missing man and inefficiency of the Sukkur police in finding a clue to the victim, reports Dawn News. They said that Sahil Kumar had gone missing in the Kandhrah area near Rohri taluka and his family members had reported the matter to the area police. However, they added, no progress had been made so far towards his recovery. They said the missing youths family feared for his life, and appealed to the Sukkur DIG and SSP, as well as the higher authorities, to take immediate measures for the safe recovery of Sahil Kumar. Image Credit: Pixabay Los Angeles: An unidentified man was arrested in the United States for allegedly activating the emergency slide on a Delta Airlines flight bound for Seattle from Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday, reported Fox News. The passenger allegedly opened an emergency exit door just before the take-off, causing the activation of the emergency slide of the plane. The report citing the eyewitnesses said that the man reached the front of the plane in haste while it was moving away from the gate and asked the flight attendant, "What do I do now?" The eyewitnesses further told the news organisation that the passenger allegedly ignored the flight attendant's repeated requests to remain seated, and instead ran to the emergency exit doors, unlatched and opened the door, and then slid down the emergency slide. Upon the activation of the emergency slide, the plane came to a halt, and witnesses reported that the man jumped onto the back of a baggage cart. The luggage workers on the cart then assisted him until the airport police arrived. According to CBS News, the airline in a statement said, "Delta flight 1714 operating from Los Angeles to Seattle returned to the gate due to an unruly passenger. The aircraft was holding to taxi for takeoff when the passenger exited the aircraft and was initially detained by Delta staff ahead of being arrested by local law enforcement." Separately, the Los Angeles Airport Police said that the FBI has been informed about the incident. "Airport Police responded and detained the passenger for further investigation. Due to the circumstances, FBI was notified," Los Angeles Airport Police told Fox News. After the occurrence, the man was also transported to a nearby hospital for a psychological examination. Meanwhile, the remaining passengers were escorted off the plane and relocated to another one. As per FlightAware.com, the flight encountered a delay of three hours because of the episode. Advertisements New expansion announced during 10th anniversary of AMS-IX Hong Kong HONG KONG, March 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC), a fully-fledged ICT service provider and network operator with extensive global coverage, and AMS-IX (Amsterdam Internet Exchange), the world leading Internet Exchange (IX), today announced the launch of a new Internet Exchange in Manila, the Philippines. The new Internet Exchange was officially announced and celebrated during the 10th anniversary festivities of AMS-IX Hong Kong, in the presence of the Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hong Kong and Macao and representative from the Office of the Communications Authority. Since then, the partners have fuelled their global IX footprint proving strong ties and commitment to the community through a close business relationship. The strategic partnership between HGC and AMS-IX aims to enhance the quality of internet all over the world. AMS-IX is one of the world's largest peering hubs. Their peering expertise complements HGC's extensive global network and digital infrastructure, which results in a partnership that is able to bridge the West and the East. Over the years, HGC and AMS-IX have successfully launched and fostered four IX's in Hong Kong, Singapore, Chicago and Bay Area, with AMS-IX Bangkok to go live later this year. AMS-IX along with HGC as the telco partner are committed to maintain Hong Kong as the digital gateway for Asia. With this strong partnership, HGC and AMS-IX will further eye on more emerging markets to contribute to the internet community. Ravindran Mahalingam, Senior Vice President, International Business of HGC, remarks, "We are honored and pleased to announce a tenable milestone of our cooperation with AMS-IX. HGC is ready to extend IX services as part of our edge ecosystem (EdgeX by HGC). We have faith to keep on investing in Hong Kong as a digital hub and further expand our coverage to the region." AMS-IX Manila The latest expansion in Manila, Philippines marks the 6th IX that HGC and AMS-IX operate together. The Philippines has one of the world's highest data usage with over 80 million internet users and one of the highest potential strategic hub for internet and cables. The country's digital boom is related to its thriving economic development hence making the country a market cornerstone for IX players. HGC and AMS-IX are ready to capitalise on the mass demand for low latency, resilient and cost efficient internet delivery through peering at a premium and neutral internet exchange. Through establishing an eminent IX with locally owned fibre infrastructure, this collaboration paves the way for data centres, OTT, content providers, gaming, cloud service providers, MNOs and hyperscalers to access the Philippines. Peter van Burgel, Chief Executive Officer of AMS-IX comments: "We are excited to launch a new Internet Exchange in the Philippines with a partner with whom we have such a strong and long-standing partnership. The people at HGC share our values, motivation and commitment to bring affordable, high-quality Internet to all corners of the world. We are looking forward to jointly engage the local Internet community and support the development of the Internet in the Philippines." About HGC Global Communications Limited HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC) is a leading Hong Kong and international telecom operator and ICT solution provider. The company owns an extensive network and infrastructure in Hong Kong and overseas and provides various kinds of services. HGC has 25 overseas offices, with business over 5 continents. It provides telecom infrastructure service to other operators and serves as a service provider to corporate and households. The company provides full-fledged telecom, data centre services, ICT solutions and broadband services for local, overseas, corporate, SME and mass markets. HGC owns and operates an extensive fibre-optic network, five cross-border telecom routes integrated into tier-one telecom operators in mainland China and connects with hundreds of world-class international telecom operators. HGC is one of Hong Kong's largest Wi-Fi service providers, running over 29,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in Hong Kong. The company is committed to further investing and enriching its current infrastructure and, in parallel, adding on top the latest technologies and developing its infrastructure services and solutions. In 2019, HGC Group completed the acquisition of Macroview Telecom Limited (Macroview), a leading digital technology solution and managed services provider. The addition of Macroview further accelerates HGC Group's digital transformation path and positioning as a pioneering ICT and digital services leader. HGC is a portfolio company of I Squared Capital, an independent global infrastructure investment manager focusing on energy, utilities and transport in North America, Europe and selected fast-growing economies. To learn more, please visit HGC's website at: www.hgc.com.hk About AMS-IX AMS-IX (Amsterdam Internet Exchange) is a neutral member-based association that operates multiple interconnection platforms around the world. Our leading platform in Amsterdam has been playing a crucial role at the core of the internet for almost 30 years and is one of the largest hubs for internet traffic in the world with over 11 Terabits per second (Tbps) of peak traffic. Connecting to AMS-IX ensures customers such as internet service providers, telecom companies and cloud providers that their global IP traffic is routed in an efficient, fast, secure, stable and cost-effective way. This allows them to offer low latency and engaging online experiences for end-users. AMS-IX interconnects more than 1000 IP-networks in the world. AMS-IX also manages the world's first mobile peering points: the Global Roaming Exchange (GRX), the Mobile Data Exchange (MDX) and the Internetwork Packet Exchange (I-IPX) interconnection points. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2039043/HGC_AMSIX_03123_danilofactorphoto__16_edited.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2039040/DSC07239.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hgc-and-ams-ix-start-new-internet-exchange-in-manila-301779739.html 1. Bhojpuri Industrys Dream Girl Akanksha Dubey Dies By Suicide In Varanasi Hotel; Probe On Fondly known as the Bhojpuri industrys dreamgirl, Akanksha Dubey died by suicide. The actress was found dead at the Sarnath Hotel in Varanasi where the actress was staying for the shooting of an upcoming project. This tragic news comes on the same day when her most-anticipated song Ye Aara Kabhi Hara Nahi opposite Pawan Singh is supposed to release. Akankshas case is under investigation and prima facie indicates it is a case of suicide. Read More! Instagram 2. Mujhe Bataya Bhi Nahi Tha, Sunil Grover Says He Was Replaced From A Show Within 3 Days Actor-comedian Sunil Grover popular for his characters like Guthi, Dr Mashhoor Gulati and Rinku Devi has opened up about being replaced from a show within just three days and that too uninformed. He who a few years back quit The Kapil Sharma Show after a tiff with Kapil has shared the ordeal of slipping into self-doubt. Sunil who is currently prepping up for Shah Rukh Khan starrer Jawan was last seen in Amitabh Bachchans Goodbye. Read More! ILN 3. Kaahe Ka Yash Raj?, Ashneer Grover Shares His Two Cents On Film Industrys Present Condition Entrepreneur Ashneer Grover shot to fame with the TV reality show Shark Tank India Season 1. Although Ashneer didnt return to the 2nd season of the business-based show, he is managing to remain in the headlines with his controversial statements. The unfiltered businessman has now reasoned why he doesnt wish to return to TV and in what state is the film industry running. Read More! ILN 4. Was Just Getting Rs 1800, Smriti Irani Recalls Taking Auto Whereas Her Makeup Man Came By Car Tulsi is a name that is etched in the hearts of all our mothers and grandmothers. This iconic character from the daily soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi was played by actor-turned-politician Smriti Irani. Smriti became a household name with this Shobha Kapoor production which ran for over 7 years till 2008. Irani has now shared all the ordeals that came her way during the production of that serial. Read More! ILN 5. Desi Dad Shares Baghban-related WhatsApp Status After Argument With Son; Internet Is In Splits! Maut Aa Jaaye Par Family Ke Saath TV Dekhte Waqt Baghban Naa Aaaye Every Indian youngster holds this thought. In the worst nightmare that an internet user had to face recently, a man became a victim of Baghban taunts. This Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini starrer family drama revolve around how their four kids treat their elderly parents as burdens after being raised selflessly. Read More! ILN (For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment, and let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below.) As people celebrate the holy month of Ramadan across the globe, many changes are also welcomed in the celebration. What is Ramadan? Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by fasting. After this month comes to the celebration of Eid. The observance of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Fasting is considered a way to show their devotion to God. It is also believed that almost 1,400 years ago, it was during this month when God revealed the first verses of the holy Quran to Muhammed- the prophet of Islam. In addition to fasting, this holy month is also a time for self-reflection through prayers and charitable giving. Though exceptions are made for the young children, the sick and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating. The end of the fasting is marked by Eid al-Fitr, when families come together to break their fast and exchange gifts, gratitude, and blessings. Holy Month of Ramadan in the UAE A Second Chance In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the President ordered the release of 1025 prisoners to observe the celebrations of Ramadan. These prisoners have been charged with a variety of offenses. It is a common practice in the UAE for the rulers of different emirates to release prisoners on the significant Islamic occasions. This step is believed to encourage everyone to rethink their future and to contribute positively to the society- a second chance. TOI/Representational Image Official Working Hours in Oman Oman welcomed the month of Ramadan by bringing changes in the official working hours. The civil state offices and the private sectors have changed their working hours to facilitate a smoother fasting period for their employees. Different time slots are considered working hours; offices can choose the slot that suits their units better. To extend flexibility, the option of working from home is also given if it suits the nature of work. The working hours in the month of Ramadan are 6 hours per day, not extending 30 hours a week. Ramadan and Offices in India AP/Representational Image Last year, the Telangana government also reduced work hours for Muslim employees in government services. The work hours were shortened by one hour. The working day was reduced from 5 pm to 4 pm for fasting and other necessary rituals practiced in the month of Ramadan. The Chief Secretary of Telangana Somesh Kumar issued the order, granting one hour off, except when their presence is required to exigencies of services. AP/Representational Image This year too, the Chief Secretary of Telangana, Santhi Kumari, has issued an hour reduction for Muslim employees on March 20. The circular memo stated: Permission to all Muslim Government Employees/Contract/Out Sourcing/ Boards/ Public Sector Employees to leave Offices/ Schools early by an hour during the month of Ramzan from 23.03.2023 to 23.03.2023 (both days inclusive Accorded. The memo too mentions the exception of exigencies of services. The order is initiated from March to April till the celebration of Eid. Its Chuseok, when Koreans remember the deadTherell always be flowers, blossom that blows. I catch a memory in fragrance: Peace, my fathers favorite rose. Joharis Window, Suzy Davies Chuseok: Korean Thanksgiving Day Agricultural Festivals, as mentioned above take place annually or periodically, depending on the crop rotation, many communities observe the day of harvest as a day of celebration, one such community is the Korean community. Chuseok (), literally meaning autumn eve is a major harvest festival, which is collectively observed in both the Koreas. It is also known as the Korean Thanksgiving Day and is celebrated on the 15th day of 8th month of the lunar calendar on the full moon. It is one of the most important festivals, which goes on for 3 day and is also known for causing one of the biggest traffic jams of the year as people take to roads to reach their hometowns. AP/Representational Image Origin Conventionally, Chuseok originated from Gabae, which started during the reign of the 3rd king of the kingdom Silla (57 BCE 935 CE). The origins of Chuseok can also be traced to early Korean agrarian society, when Chuseok was known as Hangwai, meaning, the 15th day of August, according to the lunar calendar. This day would observe a full harvest moon in the sky while families gather to enjoy together and express gratitude to their ancestors for the plentiful harvest. The women prepare an ancestral memorial called Charye. Cultural Aspects Charye is prepared by filling a table with food out of the newly harvested rice and fruits. It is also a traditional view of spiritual life beyond physical death, which takes into account the afterlife. It is believed that the ancestors in the afterlife are the ones protecting their descendants. In the offerings, along with newly harvested rice and fruit, alcohol, and songpyeon (half-moon rice cakes) are also prepared for the ancestors. After performing the rites, families enjoy a feast including bulgogi, Korean pancakes and fruits. AP/Representational Image The act of visiting ancestors graves is known as Seongmyo and Beolcho is the act of cleaning the grave sites which is done as a preparation for Chuseok. These traditions are carried out to show respect and appreciation for family ancestors. Days before Chuseok, graves are visited in order to remove weeds that have grown over the summer; this custom is also considered as a duty and expression of devotion. In Seongmyo, family members gather at their ancestors graves and pay respect to the deceased with a simple memorial service. Apart from these rites and traditional food items, certain traditional games or folk dances or performative arts are also performed. Ssireum is the most popular Korean sport of wrestling, Taekkyon is the oldest tradition of Korean martial arts, Juldarigi is the Korean version of tug of war and Ganggansullae is a Korean traditional folk dance performed under the Chuseok full moon. Economic Aspects As time has changed the Chuseok traditions in South Korea, have also been evolved throughout; though there are still people who stick to the old tradition of preparing the Chuseok feast, however, a large part of Korean population have moved out of their hometown, Chuseok therefore gives them a perfect reason to visit their families, annually. Masses of people travel long distances and travel tickets are sold out three months in advance, travel companies and transportation companies are the beneficiaries. Another modern-day Chuseok tradition is that of gift-giving. Wine shops, Korean make-up brands, fruit-sellers, Korean Snack Companies and Korean traditional restaurants are the most benefitted from this tradition. Varieties of gifts are exchanged and these are sold at high prices in the weeks before Chuseok. Political Aspects AP/Representational Image During Chuseok, different fairs and festivities are held at the National Folk Museum of South Korea, whereas other institutions like postal services, banks, schools, etc., observe a national holiday. Chuseok is also observed as the reunion of families between South and North Korea. Chuseok has worked as a political instrument to facilitate friendly ties between the two Koreas, where reunions are organized through video calls, restoring a permanent meeting place, writing letters, etc. These meeting places are designated slots where people can sit, and meet their relatives from across the borders. Despite the rivalry, on the festival of Chuseok, two Koreas re-live the nostalgia of unity. Chuseok in North Korea AP/Representational Image Since Chuseok was a traditional holiday before the division of Korea, these celebrations are also observed in North Korea. Since the division, South Korea has adopted a westernized way of life, which caused differences between both Koreas. Meanwhile, North Korea did not celebrate Chuseok until the mid-1980s. In 1986, Chuseok was designated an ethnic festival by Kim Jong-il, and it became a national holiday in 1988. North Koreans today celebrate Chuseok in a more limited fashion than that South Koreans due to poor infrastructure and state dictatorship. Ramadan, the ninth month, is one of the holiest in the Islamic calendar. Muslims worldwide follow sawm (fasting - one of the five pillars of Islam) to commemorate the sacred month. Therefore, Ramadan rituals are observed for 29-30 days from the first sighting of the crescent moon to the other. Moon sighting is important to decide the beginning and the end of the month of Ramadan. Ramadan 2023: Sehri and Iftar Timings For 5th Roza Of Ramadan On March 27 | Pixabay Muslim community observes fast (Roza) from dawn to dusk. After the day is over, in the evening, they break their fast (Roza) by eating meals, known as Iftar with family or friends. It is believed that by refraining from food and water throughout the day, one understands the pain and suffering of other people and gets closer to the almighty God (Allah). Here's the list of major cities with Sheri and Iftar timing for 5th Roza on March 27, 2023. Take a look: Also Read: Ramadan 2023: 100+ Top Wishes, Messages, Quotes, Whatsapp Status And Images To Send Your Loved Ones ALSO READ: Ramadan 2023: Dua For Iftar And Sehri And Laylatul Qadr in Holy Month Of Ramazan ALSO READ: Ramadan 2023: Paanchvi Sehri Mubarak Images, Wishes, Messages Quotes & Whatsapp Status For Near & Dear Ones On 5th Day Of Ramazan Ramadan 2023: 5th Roza City-wise Sehri and Iftar Timings 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Mumbai on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 5:23 AM 6:51 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Delhi on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 4:57 AM 18:39 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Chennai on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 4:57 AM 6:21 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Hyderabad on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 5:06 AM 6:42 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Lucknow on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 4:44 AM 6:23 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Kanpur on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 4:47 AM 6:25 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Bengaluru on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 5:08 AM 6:35 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Kolkata on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 4:19 AM 5:51 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Jammu & Kashmir on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 5:02 AM 6:50 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Patna on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 4:29 AM 6:05 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Noida on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 4:57 AM 6:38 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Ajmer on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 5:10 AM 6:49 PM 5th Roza Sehri and Iftar Timings for Ahmedabad on March 27: Roza Date Sehri Iftar 5th March 27, 2023 5:21 AM 6:54 PM Ramadan 2023: Dua for Sehri and Iftar Dua For Keeping The Fast? (Sehri Ki Dua | Suhoor Dua) "Wa bisawmi ghaddan nawaiytu min shahri ramadan" Dua For Breaking A Fast? (Iftar ki Dua | Iftar Dua) " Allahumma inni laka sumtu wa bika aamantu wa 'alayka tawakkaltu wa 'ala rizq-ika aftarthu fathakabl minni" In India, The holy month of Ramadan 2023 is likely to begin on March 23, this depends on the sighting of the crescent moon and will last for four weeks and ends with Eid-ul-Fitr. On April 24, Eid-ul-Fitr will be observed. Every nation observes its holy month on a different day. Muslim communities all over the world observe Ramadan. Ramadan 2023: Sehri and Iftar Timings For 5th Roza Of Ramadan On March 27 | Pixabay In Indonesia Ramadan started on March 22, while in Dubai and UAE, Ramadan begins on March 23. On March 23, 2023, Ramadan begins in Turkey, Lebanon, Kuwait, Morocco, Maldives, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. Ramadan 2023 Schedule When does Ramadan start in India? Thursday, March 23, 2023 How long is Ramadan 2023? 30 days (From March 23 to April 23) When does Ramadan end? Saturday, April 22, 2023 When Is Laylat al-Qadr? On or around Monday, April 18, 2023 When Does Eid al-Fitr Start? Sunday, April 23, 2023, or April 24 Here's how Ramadan Roza is observed During the holy month of Ramadan Roza (fasting) begins after sunrise and culminates with sunset Consumption of food and water is prohibited between sunrise and sunset. Interestingly, the days start with Fajr (prayer during dawn), followed by Zhuhr (midday), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (evening) and conclude with the Isha (night). Muslims consume a pre-dawn meal called Suhur, and they break their fast by having Iftaar during this month. Ramadan Timings 2023 Calendar, Sehri & Iftar Time DATE SEHRI TIME IFTAR TIME 23 Mar 2023 05:03 AM 6:35 PM 24 Mar 2023 05:01 AM 6:35 PM 25 Mar 2023 05:00 AM 6:36 PM 26 Mar 2023 04:59 AM 6:37 PM 27 Mar 2023 04:58 AM 6:37 PM 28 Mar 2023 04:56 AM 6:38 PM 29 Mar 2023 04:55 AM 6:38 PM 30 Mar 2023 04:54 AM 6:39 PM 31 Mar 2023 04:53 AM 6:39 PM 01 Apr 2023 04:51 AM 6:40 PM 02 Apr 2023 04:50 AM 6:40 PM 03 Apr 2023 04:49 AM 6:41 PM 04 Apr 2023 04:48 AM 6:42 PM 05 Apr 2023 04:46 AM 6:42 PM 06 Apr 2023 04:45 AM 6:43 PM 07 Apr 2023 04:44 AM 6:43 PM 08 Apr 2023 04:42 AM 6:44 PM 09 Apr 2023 04:41 AM 6:44 PM 10 Apr 2023 04:40 AM 6:45 PM 11 Apr 2023 04:39 AM 6:45 PM 12 Apr 2023 04:37 AM 6:46 PM 13 Apr 2023 04:36 AM 6:47 PM 14 Apr 2023 04:35 AM 6:47 PM 15 Apr 2023 04:34 AM 6:48 PM 16 Apr 2023 04:32 AM 6:48 PM 17 Apr 2023 04:31 AM 6:49 PM 18 Apr 2023 04:30 AM 6:49 PM 19 Apr 2023 04:29 AM 6:50 PM 20 Apr 2023 04:28 AM 6:51 PM 21 Apr 2023 04:26 AM 6:51 PM About the Holy month of Ramadan According to Islamic culture, the origins of Ramadan can be traced back to the seventh century, when the Prophet Muhammad received the first verses of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, during the month of Ramadan. According to Islamic tradition, the revelation of the Quran to Muhammad began on the 27th night of Ramadan, a night that is known as Laylat al-Qadr, or the Night of Power. Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the holiest night of the year and that praying on this night is more valuable than praying for a thousand months. When is Ramadan 2023? All About the Holiest Month | Unsplash The practice of fasting during Ramadan is based on the Quranic injunction to "fast for a fixed number of days". Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs during daylight hours throughout the month of Ramadan. The fast is broken at sunset with a meal known as iftar, which typically consists of dates, water, and a light meal. After the meal, Muslims perform the Maghrib prayer, the fourth of the five daily prayers in Islam. Ramadan is also a time for spiritual reflection, prayer, and charitable giving. Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Quran during the month, and many mosques offer daily prayers and study groups. In addition, Muslims are expected to give to charity during Ramadan, with many mosques and charitable organizations organising food drives and other initiatives to help those in need. Note: Dates/timings may be subject to change; details mentioned here are as per the information available. Former Chief of Staff in General Sani Abachas military junta, Lt-General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (retd) is dead. His death was confirmed by Prince Oyesinmilola Diya. He said the former military administrator of Ogun State passed on to glory in the early hours of 26th March 2023. Born on the 3rd of April, 1944, Diya was military Governor of Ogun State after the Buhari-Idiagbon coup of December 31st, 1983. Diya joined the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna and fought during the Nigerian Civil War. He later attended the US Army School of Infantry, the Command and Staff College, Jaji (19801981) and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru. READ MORE: Sani Abachas Son, Abdullahi, Is Dead While serving in the military, Diya studied law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained an LLB degree, and then at the Nigerian Law School, where he was called to bar as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He held other top military posts like GOC, 82 Division and finally the Chief of General Staff (military Vice President) to Gen Sani Abacha The statement read: On behalf of the entire Diya family home and abroad; We announce the passing on to Glory of our dear Husband,Father, Grandfather,brother, Lt- General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (Rtd) GCON, LLB, BL, PSC, FSS, mni. Our dear Daddy passed onto glory in the early hours of 26th March 2023. Please keep us in your prayers as we mourn his demise in this period. Further announcements will be made public in due course. Barrister Prince Oyesinmilola Diya, on behalf of the family. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Adamawa chapter, has called on people in the state to remain calm and renew confidence on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the re-run election in the state. Rev. Stephen Mamza, chapter Chairman, made this known while addressing journalists on Sunday in Yola. Recalls INFORMATION NIGERIA reported that, INEC declared the governorship election held March 18 in the state as inconclusive. Mamza said that as Christian leaders in the state, they did everything possible by mobilizing people to exercise their franchise based on trust and the promise made by INEC for a free, fair and credible polls. READ MORE: Adamawa Guber Rerun: PDP Demands Removal Of REC Over Alleged Attempt To Introduce More Polling Units We, therefore, call on all to remain calm and to renew their confidence in INECs independence and Professionalism for openness, transparency and fairness in handling the votes of the electorates as we set to go for a re-run. We are also calling with a strong voice on both the law enforcement agencies and the media not to allow institutional pressure and interference affect them as they try to give an unbiased and extensive security coverage of the process of voting, collation and tabulation of results. The Chairman also appealed to politicians to keep all political activity and exchange civil so as to enable an atmosphere of tolerance and respect to flourish in the state. He equally called on all citizens, especially community and religious leaders and the youth, to continue to be law-abiding citizens. We as good people of Adamawa will continue to commit ourselves to every cause that will promote the common good of all and shun whatever will bring dishonour to our state. As we remain prayerful and hopeful that all shall be well, we still pray that INEC will strengthen our confidence in the process through their openness, transparency and fairness. It is our desire and strong wish that the entire electoral process will be credible and thus respect the will of the people of Adamawa State, he said. Prior to the conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary elections to hold in April, one of the aspirants of Kogi States first seat and senator representing Kogi West, Smart Adeyemi has urged incumbent governor Yahaya Bello not be a tribal leader. Adeyemi who made the disclosure on Saturday while addressing newsmen, shortly after his screening session with the APC National Working Committee (NWC) team also said it is time for the North Central State to concede the ticket to his zone. Information Nigeria had earlier reported that the ruling APC NWC screened 24 governorship aspirants from Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States yesterday ahead the governorship primary elections in preparation for the November election. However, for the governorship seat, checks reveal that the contenders for the party ticket cut across the three senatorial seats in the State. Kogi West has about four aspirants for the ticket while Kogi Central, the zone of the incumbent governor embodies seven aspirants. While scouting zoning, Adeyemi insisted that Kogi West (Okun) be allowed to produce the APC candidate to inspire a sense of belonging in the State. READ ALSO: APC Sacks Adamawa Ward Excos For Suspending Boss Mustapha From Party According to him, the call was made following speculations in some quarters that the governor was working towards ensuring that another zone succeeds him. He said: Democracy is all about the people. And I want to appeal to Governor Yahaya Bello, who tried to be a statesman in the way he has done his appointment. But what will define Yahaya Adoza Bellos administration is the courage to which he eventually decides whom he gives his support to. He should not allow people to turn him into a tribal leader. Okun west in the last 30 years, we have not produced a governor. And we are not conquered, we are not slaves. So we are eminently qualified to govern our State. Adeyemi who is the Chairman Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory also maintained that his experience in public service would endear him to the delegates in the primary scheduled for next month. Governance is not just about expenditure. It must be about wealth creation. It is when wealth is created that the security of lives and property is guaranteed. I have been exposed to the world. As a journalist, who has travelled to over 35 countries of the world and so structural and human development is not strange to me. So, what is required is a man who can do the job. When I look at all the other contestants, I want to challenge them to a two-hour radio and television debate. Let them come and tell Nigerians what they can do and I will tell them why I am better than them. Victor Oye, the national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has said that the Supreme Court did not sack him from his position. He described the claim by Edozie Njoku that the Supreme Court delivered a judgment removing the leadership of APGA as nothing but a baseless and unfounded falsehood that the public should disregard. Information Nigeria had reported on Saturday that Njoku had claimed that the Supreme Court met, corrected its earlier judgment and affirmed him as APGA national chairman in place of Oye. However, Oye reacting to the fresh claim by Njoku dismissed it as a total falsehood adding that what the apex court did was merely to correct a clerical error. According to him, the claim that the Supreme Court delivered any judgment (on) 24/3/2023 affecting the leadership of APGA is nothing short of a baseless and unfounded falsehood which must be roundly condemned and retracted by various media platforms that have shared the unfortunate news. The chairman explained that the application which the apex court heard on February 20, 2023, and brought by Edozie Njoku was merely to correct a typographical error contained in the lead judgment delivered by Justice Mary Odili on October 14, 2021. Oye disclosed that he approached the Court of Appeal, Kano Division, to challenge the judgment which affirmed the factional national convention of APGA allegedly held in Owerri, Imo State. Consequent upon the grant of application for joinder, the Court of Appeal, Kano division in a unanimous judgment delivered on 10th of August, 2021 allowed the appeal of Victor Oye and set aside the judgment of Jigawa High Court, he said. READ ALSO: Supreme Court Affirms Njoku As APGAs National Chairman He also said the decision of the Court of Appeal, Kano Division was predicated on an earlier judgment of a high court of Anambra State which had earlier upheld the national convention of APGA held in Awka, Anambra State on May 31, 2019. It is interesting to note that the Supreme Court while upholding the finding of the Court of Appeal, Kano division that the Jigawa High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the original suit filed by one Alhaji Garba Aliyu, went on to affirm all the findings made by the Court of Appeal, Kano division. Its, therefore, most bemusing and smacks of deliberate mischief for anyone to remotely contemplate that the Supreme Court delivered another judgment on March 24, 2023 Indeed, the allusion to Edozie Njoku in the body of the corrected judgment stems from the facts of the case as filed by Alhaji Garba Aliyu in the High Court of Jigawa wherein it was alleged that Chief Edozie Njoku was suspended by the NEC of APGA. Effectively, the correction made by the Supreme Court in its said ruling was to the effect that the issue of whether Edozie Njoku was purportedly suspended or not (a fact alleged in the originating summons filed at Jigawa High Court) is within the internal affairs of a political party and therefore non-justiciable. Oye said it was on the above basis that the Supreme Court decided that the Jigawa High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit and deliver the judgment it delivered He therefore furthered that the Nigerian public should therefore disregard Edozie Njokus claim, insisting that the Supreme Court has never affirmed him (Njoku) as the National Chairman of APGA. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the Chairman, Council of Elders, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has stated that there is no war whatsoever between the Igbos and Yorubas in Lagos State. Iwuanyanwu who disclosed this on Saturday at a ceremony in Anambra State to commemorate Governor Chukwuma Soludos one year in office, also condemned individuals he described as political rascals for the ethnically charged rhetoric against Igbos in the State. In the midst of the elections, particularly last Saturdays governorship election, there were targeted attacks on voters of southeastern extraction. I want to tell those in Lagos to realise that there is no war between us and Yorubas. They are just political rascals, and were going to handle them, Iwuanyanwu said. READ ALSO: Soludo, Okonjo-Iweala, Best Appointments I Made As President Obasanjo The elders have directed the secretary general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, [Okey] Emuchay, to set up a commission of inquiry to find out things destroyed; people are going to pay. The Igbo elder stated that he convened a meeting of the Ohanaeze Council of Elders worldwide, who X-rayed the events in Lagos during the meeting held on Wednesday. I want to tell you that people who attended from our branches in America, Canada, Europe, London and Nigeria have resolved and I want those from Lagos to go home and tell those in Lagos, he said. We have resolved that never again can we allow anybody to take the life of any innocent person. All of us are going to fight the person. Never again! The Ohanaeze leader asserted that southeastern natives were fellow Nigerians who had so much investments in the country. Reacting to the rhetoric ordering Igbo sojourners to leave other regions, he said, We are not going anywhere. Fast-rising Nollywood actress, Gbemi Anjola is dead. The 33-year-old actress reportedly died on Friday, the 24th of March, 2023, after a prolong battle with ovarian cancer. Gbemi was diagnosed with the ailment in 2021. As a result of this, she traveled to Dubai, UAE for chemotherapy which lasted about 6 months. READ ALSO: Native Doctor Murders Mentally Challenged Man During Treatment In Adamawa After her medical treatment in Dubai, she reportedly retured to Nigeria cancer-free. On Friday, the actress reportedly complained of headache and she was taken to the hospital, but, unfortunately, Gbemi was pronounced dead. The tragic news was shared by the late actors colleagues, Itele and Zainab Balogun who mourned her on their Instagram pages. Nkechi Blessing, Kunle Afod and Biodun Okeowo all took to the comment section to drop their condolences. See post below: A commercial driver, identified as Taiwo, reportedly assaulted nurses at the Mother and Child hospital, Oke aro, Akure, the Ondo state capital, with cutlass, over the death of his five-year-old son. Taiwo was said to have gone haywire when his son passed on in the hospital as he beat a doctor and nurse on duty with cutlass and chased other medics, blaming the staff of the hospital for death of the five-year-old boy. The incident was said to have paralysed all activities in the government-owned hospital for several hours. READ ALSO: Police Rescue Seven Abducted Children, Arrest Three Suspects In Niger After beating the medical practitioners, it was gathered that the angry man allegedly left the hospital with the remains of the deceased. A source who spoke to The Punch said the matter was reported at the B Division Police Station, Akure, but saying the police could not arrest the attacker. The source narrated, The man and his wife suddenly rushed in their sick child into the emergency ward with a cry for help in order to save his life who was almost at a point of death. Immediately the man came in with the child, all the nurses on duty came to his rescue and the child was admitted and was put on life support. The father of the child was later told to pay the sum of N8,000 but unfortunately during that process the child gave up. When he was informed that the boy was dead, he angrily rushed into his car and brought out a cutlass which he used to beat a nurse and a doctor on duty. He was really mad. So everyone on duty had to run for safety. Reacting to the incident, the state chapter of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners, condemned the attack their numbers. The association also denied a report that the workers on duty did not pay attention to the sick boy. In a statement issued by the chairman and secretary of the association, Dr Makinde Olugbenga and Dr. Adeniyi Adetayo respectively, the group said the doctors on call made effort to save the life of the patient and not doing another thing. The statement read, It saddens our hearts to inform the general public of the unwarranted premeditated attack on hapless doctors on call duty at Mother and Child Hospital, Akure by a patients relative (father) of a chronically ill child rushed to the facility on the 24th day of March, 2023 at about 11:00PM.. While the pediatrics call Doctor was in the Emergency ward attending to a patient, a five-year-old male child chronically ill looking was brought in by his parents. At the time of arrival in the hospital, the childs condition has deteriorated and immediately the call doctors rushed to see the child leaving what she was doing since the condition looks more severe. The child was also noticed to be gasping. Upon arrival, the doctors immediately attended to the child and began resuscitative measures on him. Despite the assistance of another fellow senior doctor who until then was busy in the obstetrics and gynecology department, joining to assist her colleague by using her phone to illuminate the cannular site, the patient finally died. But to the great surprise of the doctors and other present in the hospital, the patients father stormed out of the ward and returned thereafter with a cutlass, moving from ward to ward and assaulting any doctors and nurses on sight, the other hospital personnel were not spared. In the process, the senior doctor who came to lend a helping hand was assaulted with a cutlass and sustained grievous bodily injury and she is currently undergoing treatment. We wish to inform the Hospital Management and the general public that this assault on our Doctors and Nurses was premeditated, contrary to the misinformation being circulated in the public domain that the doctors on duty were pressing phone rather than attending to a chronically ill child. Reacting to the news, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, said she was yet to be briefed about the incident. The Osun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged the All Progressives Congress, APC, and former Governor Gboyega Oyetola to accept the court judgement following the unanimous decision of the appellate court that validated the mandate of Governor Ademola Adeleke. Disclosing this in a statement, the state Chairman of PDP, Dr Akindele Adekunle, said beyond going to the Supreme Court, if Oyetola and his followers approach ECOWAS Court or the International Criminal Court, (ICC), Governor Adeleke and Osun PDP will remain victorious. Today, (Friday), God has defeated the desperate mandate usurpers over the Osun gubernatorial election. The unanimous decision today has validated peoples will in Osun. We want to urge the Osun APC and enjoin Oyetola to bury their hatchet, congratulate Governor Adeleke and join hands with the PDP government in the state to move Osun forward instead of embarking on another futile mission to the Supreme Court. If truly Oyetola loves Osun State, he should by now have understood the people have chosen who they want to govern them. It is only a sadistic and vindictive element that will find it difficult to congratulate an eventual victor in an elective position since last year July till this present moment. If his fellow APC candidate in the neighbouring Oyo State can call his counterpart within 24hrs that INEC declared the PDP governor victorious, what stops Oyetola from doing the same if truly he has a sincere heart to serve the people of the state?, the chairman asked. The PDP Acting Chairman further said he was waiting to see who APC will blame for their self-inflicted problems after the Appeal Court verdict. READ MORE: Appeal Court Sets Aside Tribunal Judgement, Upholds Adeleke As Osun Gov When APC lost in the 2022 July 16th gubernatorial election, they blamed over-voting for their defeat. At another emphatic victory of PDP during the 2023 National Assembly election, they opined it was due to intimidation and at the last state assembly election which PDP had an overwhelming majority, they engaged in their usual blame gaming tactics again. The question is, when will Osun APC stop shifting blame for their self-inflicted problems? Cant they do a self-appraisal and realise Osun people have rejected them and theyre beyond redemption? the chairman asked. The PDP Chairman further commended the Lord Justice of the appellate court for restoring the confidence of the people in the judiciary. We wish to commend and applaud the Lord Justice of the appellate court for upholding the tenet of justice and fairness in the Osun gubernatorial case The unanimous decision by the three judges had shown what we had at the Tribunal before was utterly a miscarriage of justice. However, by this judgment, the Peoples confidence in the Judiciary has been restored and reinforced as the last hope of the common man. For deep political thinkers, they understood the previous Tribunal judgment was to evoke a political end, however aftermath of that, Governor Ademola Adeleke had shown hes fully in charge of the state and that PDP is firmly rooted in Osun State. We hope the coup plotters will by now have understood the reality in Osun State instead of going through the backdoor for someone that cannot deliver for them when they need him most for their political battles or political survival. With this judgment, we wish to tell Osun APC and their sponsors to quit unnecessary grandstanding. No matter the legal hurdles they create as an obstacle towards the mandate of Governor Ademola Adeleke, he will continue to remain victorious Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, daughter of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has urged Nigerians to support and pray for her father in order to govern the country successfully. Tinubu-Ojo said this at the Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADSN) 28th annual Ramadan Lecture and Special Prayer for the Nation, held in Abuja, on Saturday. At the event themed: Ramadan: Islam and Good Governance: the Role of Muslims, which took place at the ADSN Central Mosque, Maitama, she said her father must succeed for the good of Nigerians. I called on Nigerians to pray and support our president-elect to make him succeed in making Nigeria the best for all. He cannot do it alone and Nigerians must support him, even after the elections, Tinubu-Ojo said. READ MORE: Your Days Are Numbered Onanuga Threatens Those Calling Tinubu Drug Dealer Speaking on the theme of the lecture, the Chairman, ADSN, Northern States Council of Missioners, Sheikh Muhydeen Ajani Bello, cautioned against frivolity and wastefulness and sought help for the needy to engender societal and national development and wellbeing. Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered the payment of five million naira compensation to an Uber driver, Adedotun Clement, who was assaulted on October 20, 2021, during a rally to mark the one-year anniversary of the #EndSARS protest in the state. The governor in a statement on Saturday said he had directed the Honorable Attorney General to set up a meeting and pay him the compensation awarded by the court. On March 14, 2023, the court ordered the state government to pay the sum of N5m as compensation to Adedotun who was said to have been tortured on October 20, 2021 at the Lekki Toll-Gate during the first #EndSARS anniversary. Adedotuns counsel, Inibehe Effiong, had in a statement on Friday, claimed the Lagos government was rejecting the judgment of the High Court over lack of evidence for the torture. READ ALSO: EndSARS: Court Orders Lagos Govt To Pay Assaulted Uber Driver N5m Adedotun, according to his lawyer, was carrying a passenger to Lagos Mainland when he encountered a gridlock at the Lekki Toll-Gate during a protest to commemorate the first anniversary of #EndSARS. He was tortured and pepper-sprayed by officers of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency and policemen. But on Saturday, the justice ministry in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Grace Alo, said during the hearing of the matter, the state government opposed the claims of the Applicant on grounds of law and facts. Alo said, As is customary when a judgment is delivered against the State Government, the counsel handling the matter is enjoined to file an appeal (a right provided by the Constitution) along with an application to stay execution of the judgment in order to protect and reserve the rights available to the State Government under the law. However, Governor Sanwo-Olu, in his position, said he was committed to upholding the rule of law. The governor in a statement on his verified Twitter page said, Good evening Lagos, as governor, Im committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting citizens rights with empathy and authority. I recently became aware of the case involving Mr. Clement Adedotun and the judgement by the Federal High Court, and I understand the impact this legal battle has had on him. After reviewing Mr. Clements case, Ive directed the Honorable Attorney General to set up a meeting and pay him the compensation awarded by the court. According to the governor, although the state government has appealed the ruling, Ive interceded in this instance in the interest of the public good, and requested that the states Attorney General comply with the courts ruling. Sanwo-Olu said as a strong advocate for the rule of law, he commended all parties for seeking justice through the appropriate channels, adding that he remained committed to upholding the rights of all Lagosians. The 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore has said he has never seen anybody among Nigerians that has probably killed more Igbos than former president Olusegun Obasanjo. According to Politics Nigeria, Sowore reportedly made this statement on The Mic On Show podcast while reacting to Obasanjos recent comment where the former Nigerian leader condemned the anti-Igbo sentiments in Nigeria, which he called Igbophobia. The former president said he was so happy with the current governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludos performance that he decided to send him to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) where he performed so wonderfully well. However, he said after he appointed Soludo and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the finance minister then, someone told him he had made a terrible mistake by appointing Igbo to handle those positions. There is a guy who went to the East and shot people dead because they wanted Biafra, Sowore said. He was one of the officers that obtained the surrender of Biafrans. READ ALSO: Dont Be A Tribal Leader Adeyemi To Gov. Bello On Zoning Ahead Kogi Guber Obasanjo and others, Theophilus Danjuma, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Murtala Muhammed, they went to the East and killed people, up to 3.5 million people. They did not even apologise for it, and 60 years later, you are saying you suddenly found out that people hate Igbos, when you in Nigerian uniform went and killed children, women, men, who are not of your peoples extraction. When the Nigerian Army carried out massacre of Igbos, and because he wants to play on the intelligence and emotions of Igbos, they will be clapping for him, oh, Obasanjo is now our human rights defender. I have never seen anybody among Nigerians that has probably killed more Igbos than Obasanjo Mujidat Folashade Tinubu Ojo, daughter of president-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has urged Nigerians to support her fathers administration which he will take on after swearing in, May 29. Information Nigeria reports that Mujidat made this call on Saturday in Abuja at the Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADSN) 28th annual Ramadan Lecture and Special Prayer for the Nation, themed: Ramadan: Islam and Good Governance: the Role of Muslims. According to her, even though her father won the presidential election, it is the beginning of work for Tinubu and all Nigerians. Mujidat said, I called on Nigerians to pray and support our president-elect to make him succeed in making Nigeria the best for all. He cannot do it alone and Nigerians must support him, even after the elections. READ ALSO: Our Silence Not Cowardice, Tinubu Will Be Inaugurated May 29 Keyamo Fires Opposition Speaking on the theme of the lecture, the Chairman, ADSN, Northern States Council of Missioners, Sheikh Muhydeen Ajani Bello, cautioned against frivolity and wastefulness and sought help for the needy to engender societal and national development and wellbeing. Bello said, Those at the helm of affairs must help the needy and those also not at the leadership positions must also help the needy to engender societal and national development. The renowned Islamic cleric noted that Prophet Muhammad had said that We should help the needy even if the person asking for help was riding on a horse and you are walking. Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), have arrested another suspected serial fake traffic officer of the agency, Mr. Omotutu Bamidele, 55, around Ikoyi area of the state. Bamidele, who hails from Atijere Town in Ondo State, confessed that he and his colleagues still at large were making an average of N35,000 from extortion acts on daily basis. The suspect, confessed to have been impersonating with a reflective jacket as a LASTMA officer and extorting money from motorists particularly private car owners/ drivers at highbrow areas across the state. Meanwhile, the General Manager, LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, confirmed that the suspect was nabbed at Olu Holloway Road by Alfred Rewane area of Ikoyi by a men of the agencys Monitoring/Surveillance team, led by Mr. Ashafa Moyosore (Zonal Head). Oreagba, confirmed further that the Agency carried out a special monitoring/Surveillance operations about the suspect and got him arrested in response to complaints from motoring public (Obinna Kingsley and Adewusi Adebola) via LASTMA hotlines/social media handles. READ ALSO: LASTMA Rescues Passenger From One-Chance Abductors, Nabs Suspects According to Oreagba, investigation conducted revealed that the arrested suspect have been extorting huge sum of money from motorists for various traffic offences ranging from seat-belt, obstructions, illegal over-taking and One-way at different locations around the Lagos Island. It is disheartening getting complaints from road users particularly motorists on activities of these unscrupulous elements impersonating and extorting money from them. LASTMA boss, therefore, urged the general public to be wary of those fake traffic officers stating that the agency operates a cashless policy as any violators apprehended are charged to court with a Referral Notice issued to them. Let me warned motoring public to desists from inducing traffic officers in any form (money) as both the giver and taker are liable before the law, Oregaba charges. He however warned other impersonators disguising as LASTMA personnel to immediately desist from such illegal acts as more surveillance personnel have been strategically deployed to hunt for them. Bamidele, who confirmed to be living with his junior brother inside one of the Army Barracks in Lagos, confessed further to have operated around Ikoyi, Obalende, Apongbon Bridge, Iporin, Olowu areas apprehending both commercial and private cars for various traffic infractions, including driving against traffic (One-Way). According to him, Any motorists particularly private car owners i caught dropping someone at any undesignated bus stop paid between N15,000 to N20,000, while those caught for driving against traffic (One-way) paid a minimum of N35,000. One Mr. Adewusi Adebola (a complainant) confirmed that the suspect (Bamidele) apprehended him for obstruction on March 6, 2023 around Spac Bus smStop by Awolowo Road, Ikoyi and collected N20,000 from him for dropping his colleagues. While, Obinna Kingsley complaint via one of the LASTMA social media handles (Twitter) that he was forced to transfer N50,000 to the arrested suspect Bamidele for Obstruction on Awolowo Road by Obalende Bridge towards Tafawa Balewa Square, T.B.S. One of the victims of Bamidele, Mr. Adewusi Adebola owner of a Toyota Corolla (LSR 299 AY), when contacted simply said, Honestly speaking i had written series of negative stories about activities of LASTMA on social media particularly on Twitter since the ugly incidents happened Until i was called by LASTMA management that the man I reported that extorted money from me was a fake traffic officer and that he has been arrested. Meanwhile, the Director, Legal Department (LASTMA) Barr. Akerele Kehinde, disclosed that the arrested suspect would be charged to court with all items recovered from him (fake identity card and a reflective jacket) as exhibit son Monday, March, 27, 2023 in accordance with the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State. The unmarked grave of Mexican poet Gilberto Owen Estrada in Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pa. His is the plot in front of the gravestone on the right. Read more On a quiet morning in March, members of the Mexican Consulate of Philadelphia gathered under a green awning at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon to visit an unmarked grave. The grassy spot, sitting empty and mostly unrecognized for 71 years, is an easily overlooked foot-sized gap in between rows and rows of tombstones. Underneath lies a beloved artist, abandoned so far from his home. Bienvenidas y bienvenidos todos a esta celebracion para recordar a un gran diplomatico, escritor, poeta de nuestro pais que esta enterrado en este cementerio Holy Cross, Head Consul Carlos Obrador Garrido said to the small audience. Welcome all to this celebration to remember a great diplomat, writer, poet of our country. The group was paying respects to Gilberto Owen Estrada, a notable poet and diplomat from the Mexican state of Sinaloa, and one of Mexicos great 20th-century writers. In Mexico, there are huge cultural institutions with his name and a literary award that gives a lot of money to writers, said writer Carlos Jose Perez Samano, referring to the Premio Internacional de Poesia Gilberto Owen Estrada or the Gilberto Owen Estrada International Award for Poetry. He is known in Mexico a lot, but in the U.S., hes just completely anonymous. Advertisement Now, thanks in part to Perez Samano, a poetry-loving artist determined to identify the gravesite, Owen Estrada may soon return home. The wandering poet Owen Estrada was born in 1904 to a Mexican mother and Irish father. As a child, he moved with his mother to Mexico City, where he attended elite schools, developing a love for literature and language. At 19, Owen Estrada wowed Mexican President Alvaro Obregon Salido with a speech and got a job briefing the president on current events, according to Aurora Camacho de Schmidt, professor emerita of Latin American literature at Swarthmore College. Simultaneously, he joined a buzzy group of Mexican intellectuals called los contemporaneos, or, the contemporaries, which produced a literary magazine and poetry anthologies amid a tense post-revolutionary Mexico. Many of los contemporaneos became diplomats or joined the foreign service. Owen Estrada wrote his own verses and translated poetry by Emily Dickinson and Louis Zukofsky into Spanish. His notable works include the short novel La llama fria, or, The Cold Flame, and the poems Libro de Ruth (Book of Ruth) examining the Bible story of Ruth and Boaz and Sindbad el varado (Sinbad the Stranded), composed of diary entries from the sailor Sinbad of One Thousand and One Nights. He came to Philadelphia in 1947 to serve as the Mexican consul before dying of cirrhosis due to alcoholism five years later, when he was 48. His family was unable to arrange for his body to be returned to Sinaloa, so he was interred at Holy Cross in 1952. Though his family members always knew where Owen Estrada was buried, the site had fallen into neglect and disrepair. The haunted writer Poet Carlos Jose Perez Samano moved to Philly in 2016, about 69 years after Owen Estrada. He was the Philadelphia Museum of Arts first artist-in-residence, in 2021, and always eager to find the citys connections to Mexican culture. One day, he picked up Valeria Luisellis Los ingravidos (which translates to the weightless ones but the official English title is Faces in the Crowd), which imagines the ghost of Gilberto Owen Estrada haunting a young writer in New York. Aware that Owen Estrada was buried in Philadelphia, Perez Samano struggled to locate the unmarked grave. Eventually, he tried findagrave.com, a crowd-sourced database of burial locations, which pointed him to Holy Cross in Yeadon. When Perez Samano finally stood in front of Owen Estradas resting place, he said, he couldnt stop thinking about the poets musings on mortality. He has this line that says, Because of my death, you will know about my life, Perez Samano said. Another line says he will follow the calls [of death] as if it were like an older brother to the grave. Like, whoa, Im like following the calls to his grave, as he did in his poetry. Perez Samano tweeted about discovering the gravesite in 2022, but it wasnt until he tweeted again in January this year that news outlets in Spanish and English took notice. Perez Samano helped to kick-start conversations between the consulate, the government of Sinaloa, and Owen Estradas family about bringing him back to Mexico. Oigans, a quien le gusta Gilberto Owen o alguien que me contacte con su familia? Lo que pasa es que encontre su tumba. Si, senores y senoras. Y esta abandonada (no tiene ni lapida) y le quiero hacer un homenaje. Ya hable con el Consulado y expresaron interes. Please RT Carlos Jose Perez Samano (@carlosjoseperez) January 18, 2023 Perez Samano wrote: Listen, to all who like Gilberto Owen or to anyone who can connect me with his family? What happened is, I found his grave. ... It was abandoned (it doesnt even have a tombstone) and I want to pay tribute to him. I already spoke with the consulate and they expressed interest. Returning home, with honor The poets family and Mexican authorities had discussed repatriation about 10 years ago, but the movement stalled. According to Garrido, Guillermo Owen, the poets elderly son, has consented to the current repatriation effort. Its still in the early stages, though, and the process succeeds only with sustained family support and the willpower to navigate the bureaucracy and cost of exhuming Owen Estrada and arranging transport to Mexico before he can be re-interred. Garrido feels hopeful that they can finally move forward, but the timeline is still uncertain. The Instituto Sinaloense de Cultura, which formed a committee dedicated to repatriating the lost-poet in January, plans to organize a festival celebrating Owen Estradas life and career once he returns to his birthplace more than 70 years after his death. There have been talks of building a monument. I am very glad that Mexico wants to have him back. I am immensely sorry for him, said Camacho de Schmidt, who relates to the loneliness she imagines Owen Estrada felt as an immigrant in Philadelphia. I feel in my heart his abandonment and how far he was from the people who he loved. Though Owen Estrada may one day leave Philadelphia, his mark will remain. At the Mexican Consulate of Philadelphia in Center City, a tiny free library called a guacalibrero carries his name. Christine Meyer in her office in Exton. The physician wouldn't hesitate to hire residents who had been involved in union organizing. Read more Breaks equal weakness. Thats how Christine Meyer, an Exton internal medicine specialist, explained the typical ethos of doctors, who are forced to work grueling schedules and 80-hour workweeks while training. But that mentality may be evolving. More than 1,400 residents and fellows at Penn Medicine became the first of their kind in Pennsylvania to pursue unionizing in February. They are among a growing number of medical residents exploring labor organizing nationwide, and the movement has spurred conversation among more veteran doctors about whether other groups of physicians could unionize. Advertisement Both residents and nurses unions described the punishing experience of the COVID-19 pandemic as a catalyst for a reenergized labor movement. The same could happen among more experienced doctors. Its getting closer to happening, said Michael DellaVecchia, an Ardmore ophthalmologist who as a former president of the Philadelphia County and Pennsylvania Medical Societies discussed labor issues with doctors. We are not there yet but once again, you push people against the wall and theyll come out swinging. Why resident unions are different Residents and fellows are a natural fit for labor organizing because they are hospital employees, and are locked into working at one place for the duration of their residency. The National Resident Matching Program, known as The Match, handles hospital placement for residents. The Match is a mathematical algorithm designed to place residents at their top-choice program. But because positions are limited and some programs are more competitive than others, the algorithm also considers how institutions ranked candidates to assign them a hospital. Not everyone gets their first choice, and theres no negotiating reassignment after The Match. What other job is one that a computer has an algorithm that assigns where youre going to work? said Chantal Tape, a third-year resident in family medicine at Penn and member of the residents organizing committee. It shifts the dynamic a lot in favor of residents having very little power or control over their work lives. Penns residents and fellows cited low pay, long hours, and cost cutting as issues a union could address. Several veteran doctors empathized. They remembered residencies as grueling. The pressure from attending physicians and program directors filters down to residents, and creates a tense environment, even among peers. If Im tired and I cant function well I cant take care of myself, let alone my patients, DellaVecchia said. Doctors also emphasized, though, that residencies need to be rigorous. You have to get to that point where youve seen things so many times you just instinctively know that something is wrong, said Lawrence Ward, a specialist in internal medicine and vice president for physician services at Bayhealth Medical Group in Dover, Del. Thats only gotten by hours and hours of training and seeing so many patients. He acknowledged, though, residencies can tilt from hard work into a sense of being exploited and not having control over their situation. READ MORE: Penn Medicine residents and fellows want a union, citing grueling workloads and 80-hour workweeks Matthew Phillips, a cardiologist in Austin, Texas, for 40 years until retiring six years ago, has been following the Penn residents unionizing effort. I dont think its reasonable to pay residents very little money anymore, Phillips said, noting the cost of a medical education. You need to be paying them enough that theyre not looking for a second job. What changed for doctors Examples of unionized veteran doctors are rare. The American Medical Association, which supports doctors rights to collective bargaining, reported just over 7% of practicing physicians were in a union in 2019, and among them are government employees, residents, and staff at nonprofit health-care clinics. About a third of podiatrists are unionized through Office and Professional Employees International. Some doctors worry the process of creating a union or negotiating a new union contract could conflict with oaths to put patients first. For instance, unions in other fields may call for a strike to advance a stalled contract negotiation. A 2020 article in the American Medical Associations Journal of Ethics identified labor actions short of striking unions can take, such as refusing to perform elective surgeries. Doctors would have to guarantee patients still had access to emergency care and hospitalized people continued to receive treatment, the article said, and strikes should ideally be motivated by concerns that working conditions hurt patient care. Some physicians believe that doctors lucrative salaries, their power to negotiate their contracts independently, and the ease with which doctors can find another job would also undermine a labor organizing effort. If you made me angry, you treated me badly, I can leave, Ward said. Traditionally, most doctors worked in private practice or contracted with hospitals, said Rebecca Kolins Givan, an associate professor of labor studies at Rutgers University. Doctors who essentially act as independent contractors cant coordinate to set prices, she said, as it could be interpreted as a violation of antitrust law that bars competitors in a market from colluding. Thats been a major obstacle to unionizing. Now, though, more doctors are direct employees of hospitals, health systems, and corporations than even a few years ago. Practicing medicine now doesnt look like practicing medicine in the past, Givan said. The grueling conditions of the pandemic coincided with tens of thousands of private practices acquired by hospitals and corporate entities, according to a 2021 study from the Physicians Advocacy Institute. Consolidation, already in progress for decades, accelerated as private practices faced financial pressure due to COVID, an article in the Harvard Business Review said. In January 2019 about 62% of doctors worked directly for a hospital or corporation. By 2021, that jumped to almost 70%, according to the PAI study. Legislative fixes In the meantime, state legislation may address doctors most urgent concerns. Arvind Venkat, an Allegheny County Democrat and emergency physician, plans to introduce two bills that would create staffing requirements in health care and eliminate noncompete contract clauses that prevent health-care workers from finding other employment. READ MORE: Penn Medicine residents seeking union may have a fight ahead. Heres what comes next. Noncompete clauses bar physicians from practicing within a certain radius of their employer for a period of time after they leave a job. The radius can be so large doctors, especially those in big cities, may have to move to continue working. Youre not going to be able to practice, Venkat said. Its unfair to family members, its unfair to practitioners. The Federal Trade Commission has also proposed a national ban on noncompete clauses, Venkat said. Generational differences Whether labor organizing spreads more widely among doctors may depend on how the residents organizing now are received when they seek out their next jobs. Even doctors who empathize with the residents said they would have felt pampered by an 80-hour-a-week schedule during their residency, which is now the maximum. Its a reaction these more experienced doctors say they try to push aside. I dont want them to think Im saying I did it so you have to do it thats a false argument, Phillips, the retired Austin physician, said. Meyer, the Exton physician, still runs her own practice and said she wouldnt hesitate to hire a resident who had been involved in labor organizing if they were competent and compassionate, though she acknowledged some in the profession will likely be less understanding. I think theyre going to get laughed at as long as theres old-school doctors practicing and theyre the ones doing the hiring, she said. Todays unionizing residents, she said, may end up bringing that labor organizing spirit with them as they enter the larger medical workforce. Jessie Ge, a resident at Stanford Health Care in California, led the unionizing effort there, and expects to continue labor organizing throughout her career. I think its a necessity for health-care providers to realize they do hold power and have a voice in the system, she said. Editors note: A previous version of this story mistakenly asserted that The National Resident Matching Program, known as The Match, determines pay for resident physicians. The error has been corrected. SEIU member Kim Stanford, of West Philadelphia, at an SEIU Rally in Philadelphia in October. SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania is against the use of noncompete agreements, which some Pennsylvania lawmakers have tried to eliminate for health-care workers. Read more A newly proposed federal regulation that would bar noncompete clauses in employment contracts would mark a big change for workers in the Philadelphia area and could eventually lead to better pay. The Federal Trade Commission proposed the new rule on Thursday, estimating that it would expand career opportunities for 30 million people and increase wages by $300 billion per year. This would most benefit lower-wage employees who have been held back from taking higher-paying positions at competitor businesses, local experts said. If the proposed rule is passed, its a big win for workers across industries, said economist David Abrams, a professor at the University of Pennsylvanias Carey Law School. Noncompetes have gotten way overused in recent years, from their origin of trying to protect firms intellectual property, Abrams said. Its gotten silly, pernicious, and harmful to competition. Advertisement These agreements do sometimes benefit the greater good, Abrams said when companies are constantly worried about losing employees to competitors, they might withhold information and create roadblocks to productivity and innovation. But, Abrams said, in many cases, the loss of a noncompete agreement will not put intellectual property such as inventions, designs, and innovative business practices in danger. Eliminating noncompete agreements would not only increase workers ability to change jobs as a way of earning more pay, but it also could push employers to offer more competitive pay and benefits to retain them, experts said. Common and enforced in Pa. Noncompete agreements are already banned in California, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Washington, D.C., but the new federal regulation would bar them nationwide. Some other states restrict how theyre enforced, often designating a minimum salary for employees subject to a noncompete. Pennsylvania doesnt require a minimum salary to uphold a noncompete agreement, though state courts have found reasons not to enforce them in some instances. An employer that tries to enforce a noncompete by suing the former employee often has to show a legitimate business reason for the arrangement. Its difficult to know exactly how many workers are bound by valid noncompete agreements. Workers themselves are often unsure whether they agreed to one, experts said, and many employers hold back from enforcing them because its not worth the effort, or they worry the agreement could be struck down in court. Wayne Stansfield, a lawyer at Reed Smith who represents employers, estimated that more workers are bound by noncompetes in Pennsylvania than the national average. They really permeate all types of industries, Stansfield said, particularly in roles that require direct relationships with clients or customers, such as sales or consulting. In the Philadelphia region, the proposed change could be especially significant in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, Abrams noted, because many employees have access to valuable trade secrets. Still, he noted, these companies are likely to respond by using stronger nondisclosure agreements, which keep employees from sharing confidential business information. An Economic Policy Institute survey from 2019 estimated that 42% of workplaces in Pennsylvania require some or all of their employees to enter noncompete agreements. State lawmakers have made some effort to change the rules. A bipartisan group of state representatives sponsored a bill in the last session that would have prohibited noncompete agreements for health-care workers. The bill, which ultimately died in September, cited a shortage of health-care workers and the high level of education debt faced by many of them as a financial stressor adding to the shortage. Asked about the FTCs proposal, Silas Russell, political director of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, noted the proliferation of noncompete agreements. Health-care workers go where were needed most, and noncompete clauses only serve to keep experienced caregivers from the patients, residents, and consumers who need us, Russell said in an email. The best way for an employer to keep a worker is to offer the wages and benefits those workers deserve, not threaten to sue them for seeking a better opportunity. No sudden changes For those who watch employment issues closely, the FTCs move was unsurprising. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order calling for a ban or limitation on noncompetes as one of several measures to curb anticompetitive practices in tech and health care. Before announcing its rule change, the FTC took its first major step in this direction by taking legal action against three companies that had imposed unfair noncompete restrictions on their employees. A lot of large companies have already dropped their noncompete clauses, said Lauri Kavulich, a Philadelphia-based employment lawyer at Clark Hill. Instead, theyre strengthening other parts of their employment contracts, such as nondisclosure agreements and nonsolicitation agreements, which bar ex-employees from soliciting the companys clients. Jessica Gomez, an HR consultant at One Digital in Philadelphia, said that even her local small-business clients are increasingly hiring people outside Pennsylvania, sometimes in states where noncompete clauses are limited, now that remote work has become common because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stansfield said nonsolicitation agreements may also face additional scrutiny if the FTCs proposed rule goes into effect as its currently written because the FTCs definition of what would constitute a noncompete is broad. The rule will be subject to public comment and may be revised before it becomes final. Even then, its likely to face challenges from those who say its bad for businesses, creating an unmanageable workload for employers who will have to rewrite agreements and notify current and former employees of the changes. Smaller companies dont necessarily have the legal resources that larger companies do, said Gomez, the HR consultant, whose clients sometimes have no internal HR staff. It will be more time-consuming for them to figure out what exactly is needed. Still, the proposed rule could slow enforcement of noncompete agreements. Courts were already applying more scrutiny, Stansfield said, and may do so more earnestly even before the FTC finalizes its regulation. That could cause employers to think differently about whether to pursue ex-employees for violating their noncompete clause. Its also unclear what would happen to pending noncompete cases while the regulations fate is sorted out, Stansfield added. Worker mobility may not boom right away, Abrams said, but some companies could become more bold in recruiting. Any kind of change takes a while to filter into peoples consciousness and acknowledge that you can leave a little more easily, Abrams said. Other firms, competitors, may get aggressive a little more quickly. A group, who identified themselves as working at the factory, embrace after a body was removed from the scene of the explosion at the R.M. Palmer chocolate factory in West Reading Sunday. Read more WEST READING, Pa. Almost 48 hours after an explosion at the R.M. Palmer chocolate factory in Berks County, all Frankie Gonzalez and his family could do on Sunday was pray. Pray that his sister Diana Cedeno, one of the people still missing Sunday morning, was found in the wreckage. Pray that the families of those confirmed dead could find some solace. Pray for those who survived. Congregants at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Parish at the edge of West Reading echoed Gonzalezs prayers. West Reading is a small town and everyone is wondering what they could do to help, Natalie Parisi, 55, said after the service. Advertisement By Sunday night, the hope for survivors came to an end, the death toll having risen to seven. The final bodies pulled from the debris were believed to be unaccounted for workers, according to authorities. This is still a devastating loss, Mayor Samantha Kaag said Sunday night in front of a handmade Palmers Strong sign, but we are truly grateful to be able to account for all presumptive missing and bring closure to families involved in the upcoming days. The identities of the final bodies still need to be confirmed. Kaag said the names of identified victims would not be released until it was clear that their families had been notified. Officials announced the creation of the West Reading Disaster Relief Fund on Sunday. The Berks County Community Foundation and the United Way of Berks County will help distribute the funds to organizations assisting families who lost loved ones in the explosion or those who lost work as a result of the blast. Any remaining funds will go to honoring those who died, said Tammy White with United Way of Berks County. People want to help, they want to provide contributions, said White, adding that donations could be made online or by mailing them to the Berks County Community Foundation (237 Court St., Reading, Pa. 19601). The devastating news capped another day of dedicated searching. Rescue workers from local fire departments, EMS agencies, police departments, and the states search and rescue task force continued to unearth debris at the explosion site. Kaag said rescue workers had to be pulled from their 12- and 16-hour shifts, with many desperate to keep going, aware that they were racing the clock. Citing the violence of the explosion, West Reading Fire Chief Chad Moyer said Saturday that the chances of finding survivors would diminish as time progressed. Rescue teams tweaked their search methods as time passed, moving from heat-imaging devices and drones to heavy machinery to methodically remove debris Sunday. As the hours passed, families grew increasingly desolate. Gonzalez spent Saturday afternoon atop a hillside where he could see rescue teams at work. He fiddled with a pair of binoculars hed bought in hopes of catching a glimpse of his sister. She worked in packaging at the factory and hadnt been heard from since Friday. He returned to the hillside Sunday, and saw a body bag removed from the scene but was unclear whether it was his sister. Another man sought the mayor at West Reading Borough Hall on Saturday night, begging for an update. Kaag consoled him, offered her cell phone number, but had nothing new to report at the time. Weve had people reaching out; unfortunately, at this point, we just havent had information to give, Kaag, a volunteer firefighter, said Sunday morning. West Reading had command centers set up to deliver any information to families when it became available, she said, with in-person meetings with families of the deceased held Sunday. With West Reading about 0.6 of a square mile and a population of about 4,500 people, the town cant help but be tight-knit, residents said. The town is small enough that most people know either someone who lived near the blast or someone who worked at the company, which was founded in 1948. According to Palmers website, the company employs 850 people in its facilities. Palmers chocolate eggs, miniature peanut butter cups, and Yoo-hoo mini bars are offered at such major stores as CVS and Walmart. Palmer operated two buildings at the explosion site. One was completely destroyed in the blast. A building next to the Palmer factory had apartments. Local authorities said the apartments sustained some damage but were otherwise structurally sound. As of Sunday morning, local authorities still could not say how many employees were working at Palmer at the time of the explosion. But West Reading Police Chief Wayne Holben said they were certain no passersby were unaccounted for. The status of survivors was also not entirely clear Sunday. Eight people were taken to Reading Hospital after the blast, according to a spokesperson. Of those, one was transferred to Lehigh Valley Hospital, two have been admitted in fair condition, and the others have been discharged. A search dog helped locate a survivor in the rubble overnight Friday. That persons condition was not immediately known. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency initially said that gas was a possible cause of the explosion, although Kaag said was too early to say. As the Pennsylvania State Police continue to investigate, three buildings near the explosion will be closed down for the time being. Kaag said they arent uninhabitable but need to be examined by structural engineers before being released. Palmer had initially said that it was trying to reach employees and members of their families but that all forms of communication were out of commission. Our focus remains supporting our employees and their families and our thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted, said a Palmer statement Sunday, which was read by the mayor. Palmer has set up a family support line at 610-374-5224, Ext. 539. A candlelight vigil is planned for Friday at 7:30 p.m. where Reading and West Reading connect. Lamar Hunter was incarcerated on and off throughout his life. He's now a bakery manager at ParkWest ShopRite in West Philadelphia's Parkside neighborhood. Read more At 35 years old, Careem Hines landed one of his first real jobs. I never really had a job because I always ran the street, said Hines. I was a drug boy. But after years of jail stints for drug, assault, and gun offenses, a seven-year sentence after a probation violation was the last straw. Hines, 44, now helps run the ShopRite in West Philadelphias Parkside neighborhood, working as an assistant grocery manager, ordering product, overseeing inventory, and managing associates when needed. When I started doing the right thing, everything is ending good, said Hines, who grew up in South Philadelphias Tasker Homes, Advertisement Stories like Hines of ex-offenders who got a second chance at life from employment at ShopRite have become a significant piece of the political platform offered by Democratic mayoral candidate Jeff Brown. Brown, until his mayoral run, owned the ParkWest ShopRite where Hines works, along with a dozen total grocery stores in his Browns Super Stores empire. About 20% of Browns Super Stores employees are returning citizens, or people who have been formerly incarcerated, according to an estimate by the company. As a first-time candidate in a city that twice elected a progressive district attorney who ran on criminal justice reform, Brown has said he would try to expand that returning-citizens program and give ex-offenders more chances to work. Some of Browns opponents have accused him of exaggerating his help. After Brown said Black people have been his lifes work, and touted the jobs hed created by putting grocery stores in predominantly Black neighborhoods, mayoral rival Cherelle Parker said Brown had white privilege wealth. She drew a contrast between primarily Black, hourly workers and the companys executive staff, though Browns campaign pushed back on Parkers characterization. Philadelphia is home to 400,000 people with convictions and criminal records. About 40,000 come home from incarceration each year. Browns Super Stores partner with organizations like Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity to provide their employees with record expungement and pardon services at no cost to workers. According to ex-offenders who are or have been employed with Browns Super Stores and advocacy groups that work with them, Browns programs mostly work. READ MORE: Philly grocer Jeff Brown launches mayoral run on a pledge to upend the whole City Hall establishment Lamar Hunter manages the Parkside ShopRite bakery and works with Hines. A lot of us been kicked and put down a lot, said Hunter. It means something when you got somebody to actually lift you up instead, and thats what you get in here. For mothers, though, shifting schedules and location changes at the grocery chain can prove unbearable, even for people who feel its the only job they can get. Gainful employment for ex-offenders Hunter, 36, was caught carrying an unlicensed gun and spent five years in prison before being released in 2021. He came to ShopRite through Uplift Solutions, a nonprofit Brown founded that includes a returning-citizen workforce program. It helps people who have been entangled in the justice system get assistance such as cognitive behavioral therapy and job training. Browns company hired its first ex-offender in 1996, said Sandra Sandy Brown, Jeff Browns wife and executive vice president for Browns Super Stores. Jeff Brown, whose family has long run grocery stores, offloaded his business to his son before running for mayor and now holds a 5% stake. Hunter had prior bakery managing experience and started at $15 an hour before being promoted within just two months. Today, he estimates he makes $65,000 before taxes. Wayne Garrett keeps his salary closer to his chest. Im not rich, but I have everything that I want is all hell say. Garrett, 49, manages a ShopRite in Southwest Philadelphia on Island Avenue. He started as a cashier making $8.25 an hour. I was used to the fast money. Not sitting there [making] $8.25. It got something to do with my ego. After a final, seven-year prison term for robbery, though, Garrett was ready. I worked like I was getting real good money, he said. Within six months, he was promoted. He was one of five returning citizens who currently or formerly worked for Browns Super Stores who spoke with The Inquirer for this article. The Inquirer reached them through social media, advocacy organizations who serve ex-offenders, and through Browns executives. READ MORE: Mayoral candidate Jeff Brown got $18.7 million in taxpayer support to open ShopRite stores in food deserts Every formerly incarcerated person who spoke to The Inquirer was promoted to some sort of management capacity. According to John Vining, the companys director of human resources, there are no executives who were formerly incarcerated. Like Hines and Hunter, Garrett was moved from store to store. Hes worked in Wyncote, East Norriton, Roxborough, Parkside, and Fox Street. The shifting locations and schedule, he said, didnt bother him much. He has a theory about why. This might sound harsh, but Im a man. So Im not usually the one thats gonna be stuck with the kids, said Garrett, who has three grown children. I dont mean that condescendingly, but usually the children live with their mothers. Former evening manager Dayna Chandler is a mother. For her, the inflexible scheduling and location switches made a life-saving career unsustainable. A tearful goodbye to a once-dream job Chandler was about to end her life. It was 2017 and the mother of three had struggled to find employment since 2012, when she was charged with a disorderly conduct misdemeanor and spent one month in jail. Despite a resume that included jobs as a bank teller and an insurance professional, Chandler said, one stupid mistake ruined my life. Trapped in an abusive relationship, she logged on to Facebook to write her goodbye. And the first thing that popped up on my timeline was the flier for Uplift, she recalled. I felt like that was God talking to me. She quickly ascended into management before running her own store, with her photo on the wall at the Fresh Grocer on City Avenue. Chandler spent five years as part of Browns Super Stores, a company she said helped mold her into the woman she is today. Thats why leaving was so heartbreaking. I got to the point where I was mentally going insane, she said, getting teary-eyed. Chandler, 38, felt she lacked support, felt unsafe as a woman evening manager working six nights a week, and endured what she called abuse from customers. The location changes, from Island Avenue close to her Chester home to North Philly, a $70 Uber ride away, strained the young mother. When the pandemic hit and she had to homeschool her children, scheduling conflicts got worse. Chandler finally quit in 2022. Within a week, she scored a new job 20 minutes from home that gives her more time with her family. Makeba Champagne said it wasnt unusual to hear this type of feedback from clients of the Home4Good program, which worked with ex-offenders and had what she described as a really good partnership with Browns. Despite Browns commitment to hiring ex-offenders, Champagne witnessed high employee turnover. Inflexible schedules made it hard for workers to take on second jobs, Champagne said. Especially with some of our clients who had children, it was really problematic finding and securing day care, she added. READ MORE: Philadelphia mayors race sees a first public spar over race, privilege, and wages Vining, the HR director, said schedules vary frequently but thats part of retail life. We do our best to work with that, Vining said. As a candidate, Jeff Brown has spoken against Philadelphias Fair Work Week legislation, designed to help stabilize scheduling for hourly workers. As youre there a little bit longer, you get seniority and you can have more of your choice of hours, said Sandy Brown. Andre Douglas said he saw a lot of single moms at Browns. Typically, they would want day schedules so they could get home to their children, he said. Some of them couldnt get it. Douglas, 57, spent 33 years incarcerated for robbery and assault and worked at Browns Super Stores for a year and-a-half. Hewas fired but quickly found new employment and attributes the fast turnaround to his experience at Browns. There was a culture there of second chance, Douglas said. Hunter goes a step further. For a lot of us, its not a second chance. Its the first chance, he said, because the reason why you was in the situation was because nobody never gave you a chance. An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the origins of Jeff Browns Super Stores Inc. Brown founded the grocery chain in 1988. Eight people vying to be Philadelphias next mayor promised much Tuesday night, from tearing down dozens of schools and building new ones to establishing an independent charter authorizer. They vowed to be tough on crime, to value teachers, to win millions more from Harrisburg. The candidates declarations came at an education-focused forum, held at the Central branch of the Free Library and sponsored by Philadelphias school board. Here are some key takeaways from the event, attended by candidates Warren Bloom Sr., Amen Brown, Jimmy DeLeon, Derek Green, Helen Gym, Cherelle Parker, Rebecca Rhynhart, and Maria Quinones Sanchez. Schools need more resources, without raising taxes Several candidates said they would give the schools more money, not by raising taxes but by shifting the districts share of the citys property tax revenue, so it receives more than its current 55%. Helen Gym, the former City Council member and longtime education advocate, first floated the idea Tuesday night. Cherelle Parker, another former councilmember and state legislator, agreed, saying she wants to increase the districts piece of the pie to 58%, which would amount to an increase of about $50 million annually, she said. Advertisement Parker also seemed to bristle at Gyms claiming the issue. (Gym publicly advocated increasing the districts share of property tax revenue to 59% in 2018; her call is not new.) Im an English teacher. Plagiarism doesnt sit well with my spirit, said Parker. Its not plagiarism, its good ideas, said Quinones Sanchez, who pushed moving the districts share to 60% as a councilmember but said she couldnt get the votes to support the increase at the time. (Bloom, who earned the most laughs of the evening by frequently repeating rhyming campaign slogans, was frank: Everybody up here has great ideas, and Im not ashamed to say Im going to adopt a lot of these ideas.) The school board has asked for an additional $318 million in recurring city funding over the next four years. READ MORE: The Philly school board wants the next mayor to prioritize these four things Give more money to teachers of color, and offer year-round school Quinones Sanchez said the district needs more teachers of color, and more bilingual and multilingual teachers. To recruit more Black and brown teachers, I would pay them differently, and I would challenge systems that do not allow me to do so, Quinones Sanchez said. Parker said shes for year-round school, and more emphasis on trades in the curriculum. People are not working the farms in the summer, said Parker, who also called for incentivizing city residency for district teachers. Tensions between the school board and city must be mended Green mentioned the elephant in the room that relations between the city and district are not exactly warm and fuzzy since the district sued the city over a law that Green sponsored in City Council. The law established an oversight panel for environmental issues in city schools and gave Philadelphias managing director ultimate authority over whether schools are fit to open. We should not be seeing our tax dollars being used in a fight between two parts of city government, Green said. Most candidates said there needed to be better collaboration between the district and school system. Gym, another former teacher, suggested Philadelphias superintendent would be a part of her cabinet if elected. And, she said, were going to present a unified budget. The city and the school district should not have separate budgets. The mayor cant govern from a place of privilege For Philadelphia to move forward equitably, the next mayor needs to understand the neighborhoods and life situations of most Philadelphians, said Quinones Sanchez, who grew up in North Philadelphia, attended public schools, and transferred to Mastbaum High School, a vocational school, after a counselor at Girls High told her she was not college material. Are we building this city for us, or are we building it for someone whos going to come save us? she said. The person who manages this cannot do it from a place of privilege. They have to have lived it. Candidates promised changes they cant make alone Nearly every candidate promised things that Philadelphias mayor does not actually have the power to control, or suggested they would fix problems that would take millions to solve or have plagued Philadelphia for years. Brown said that if he is elected, the city would evaluate each and every school within the first 100 days, to see what it needs to be done, whether it be renovation or knocking down buildings. The district has estimated it has $5 billion in unmet capital needs. DeLeon, a retired municipal court judge, said that if he is elected, teachers pay would be raised and there would be stipends for their continuing education, more money for non-teaching assistants, and more services for students. Youre going to have teachers that feel like they want to teach you, said DeLeon. Youre going to have green spaces. Youre going to have social-emotional learning. Gym said extra pay was nice but more pressing were the issues of fixing staff vacancies and investing directly in classroom supports. I dont think theres any amount of pay thats going to make a teacher walk into a school without a nurse, she said. Teachers will go to an education system they believe in. Thats the bottom line. Bloom said he would ask teachers whom they want appointed to the school board. Under city law, the mayor currently appoints school board members, who are confirmed by Council. Green said an independent authorizer ought to be established for charter schools, which are currently approved by the school board. Charter-school parents do not believe theres not bias in the approval process for charter schools, Green said. Under state law, local school boards govern charter-school authorization. Kooth, an online wellness program where students have access to licensed therapists, is being offered free to all Philadelphia School District high schoolers. Read more Jayme Banks worried last summer at the end of a school year that was tough for nearly everyone, with students coming off a year of pandemic-forced virtual classes, in a city traumatized by gun violence that kids mental health was fragile. I was just thinking: How do I know the kids are OK? How do I know that they have resources? said Banks, the Philadelphia School Districts deputy chief of prevention, intervention, and trauma. So when the opportunity to use a state grant to offer district high schoolers a free, digital mental health platform providing 24-hour access to therapeutic content, counseling, moderated forums, and other resources, Banks said she and other district officials were eager to sign on. We really look at this as strengthening our continuum of support for students, and allowing them to really know their options, Banks said. We want to give them as many opportunities as possible. Advertisement READ MORE: From 2022: It cant ever be as bad as it was: A look inside the challenging, complicated year at one Philly elementary school Kooth, which operates via smartphone or other device, is not meant to replace in-person supports in school or at home, officials said. Students still have access to counselors, city behavioral health workers, and other mental health professionals though educators here say there are not enough of those workers to meet student need: Currently, 18,000 students at 139 district schools receive individual support and group services by counselors in schools. In addition, the district offers students free access to the Philly HopeLine, a telephone hotline staffed by local mental health professionals. Still, some parents are worried about the potential implications of an online wellness platform. Vince Feldmans two children, who attend Central High and Masterman, wont be among the ranks of Philadelphia students who use Kooth, which he called a black box to parents. He objects to the service on multiple levels. Its targeting a generation thats really in trouble with mental health. The phones, they already take credit for breaking social skills, lowering self-esteem, and certainly increasing anxiety. I dont think more digital mediation is the solution when we already know the phones are the problem, said Feldman, who thinks schools need more counselors to offer one-on-one support. Also, said Feldman, you need to be cautious with anything that ... collects your information, particularly your childs information. I think theres a lot of red flags I see a parade of them. Kooth launched in Philadelphia in February, but the company has a 22-year history in the United Kingdom, where it partners with the National Health Service to provide digital mental health and wellness services. Kooth inked a $3 million deal with Pennsylvania to provide services to up to 30 districts across the commonwealth, but Philadelphia is its largest U.S. school system to date. The state is picking up Philadelphias $1.8 million tab for Kooths services through the 2024-25 school year; eventually, it hopes to offer the service to all sixth through eighth graders, as well. Kooth, district officials said in announcing the platform to parents this year, is a safe and confidential community where students can access professional counseling, peer-to-peer support and vital self-help tools like goal-setting resources, advice and opinion pieces, and written personal experiences from peers and experts. Students utilizing Kooth might listen to a podcast on mindfulness or link to a TikTok video on self-care. For students who opt for counseling, all sessions occur via text, either in drop-ins or scheduled sessions; no video options are available. All Kooth clinicians are Pennsylvania-certified, masters-level professionals, officials said. Though Kooth knows users identities, they receive an alias, and schools and parents do not have access to what they post or share with counselors if they opt for counseling. Mental health professionals monitor and moderate all content on any Kooth platform, Banks said, and alert schools if anything concerning is posted or shared with them. We do not routinely share information relating to chat sessions, as we know that this can prevent young people from talking to us, which can therefore increase risk, rather than reduce it; however, we will always ensure that the relevant services/adults are alerted when significant safeguarding or risk concerns are identified, Kooth officials said in a frequently asked questions section on its website. A Philadelphia student advisory board helped weigh in on Kooth, and ultimately gave its blessing, Banks said; going forward, the group will continue to provide feedback, as well as make peers aware of the resource. There are times when a child is going through things and maybe its something theyre not ready to talk to their [school] counselor about, said Banks. The aim, said Kevin Winters, general manager of Kooth US, is to flip the script in terms of the model of mental health care; we want to move to the model of early identification and prevention. This is based on choice, not prescription. We go directly into the schools and provide as much broad-scale access as we can. While face-to-face therapy is effective for many young people, Kooth offers easy access to mental health services without barriers, Winters said. Across all Pennsylvania districts where Kooth has been rolled out, Winters said, about 25% of eligible students are taking advantage of the platform. Central student Jeron Williams II knows that Kooth is an option, but would prefer working with a single therapist face-to-face or via video chat. I dont think its something most of my classmates would seek out, said Williams. And I would worry, whats being done with all our data? Kooth officials said students data are kept confidential. A person rides by the Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church in Society Hill. Read more On a late Friday afternoon in July, a driver got out of a car on a typically serene block of Society Hill and opened fire at another vehicle. Bullets peppered a nearby UPS truck. Neighbors ducked for cover. But no one was hurt. It was a rare shooting in one of the citys wealthiest neighborhoods, a historic enclave wedged between Old City and South Street. But the incident has since galvanized a group of residents to form a town watch, pool their money, and do something to prevent crime in the area. The newly formed Delancey Square Town Watch has secured more than $39,000 to hire a private security guard to patrol a swath of the neighborhood by vehicle this summer. The goal is not only to prevent violent crime but also deter homelessness, drug use, and petty theft. In Society Hill, theres always been a sense that theres been this kind of imaginary gate around it. Theres almost like this feel of a gated community, but its not, said Joe Dain, 50, cofounder of the town watch. Advertisement Some are skeptical about the impact of a security guard to solve ubiquitous problems like stolen packages and people sleeping outdoors. READ MORE: From 2020: Italian Market and Manayunk business owners hired armed security agents to scare off looters Nonetheless, pandemic-era violence has led some residents to pursue extra patrols on public property. Business owners in the Italian Market and Manayunk hired a security firm during the 2020 social unrest, and some Temple University parents sought to do the same amid concerns about off-campus crime. Delancey Square plans to contract with OPS Security to patrol from 7:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. on weekends during the summer. The hope is that the Philadelphia-based firm will provide more eyes on the street, amid a broader policing shortage that has strained patrols citywide. They just do not have the number of bodies that they need, so were faced with this perfect storm, said Steve Smith, the 46-year-old cofounder of the town watch, whose family moved to the neighborhood from Fishtown two years ago. Not everyone has been on board with the plan. Some argued that Society Hill remains among the safest places in the city and that security might invite more problems than it solves. Dain assured neighbors the patrol would not turn into some Wild West scenario. The guard will be unarmed, and serve as a visual deterrent who will contact the Police Department in the event of an incident. Worry in Delancey Square Delancey Square does not exist on a map. But the town watch a portmanteau of a Delancey Street and the nearby Headhouse Square has grown from a few concerned neighbors on an email chain to dozens of active members. Neighbors were unified by incidents beyond the July shooting. There was an uptick in packages being stolen, there was an uptick in some really aggressive panhandling. We started to see car windows being smashed, Dain said. A person experiencing homelessness twice attacked parents walking with their children, he said. In a separate incident, a brick was thrown through an elderly residents window. Town watch members now volunteer for walking patrols around the neighborhood. A town watch newsletter this week included names and pictures of various dangerous people on our streets alongside allegations of assaults and sex offenses. Still, Society Hill remains a relatively sleepy hollow compared with other neighborhoods. So far this year, police data show two aggravated assaults in the town watch area, which runs from Front to Fifth Street, from Spruce to Lombard, and the area around Headhouse Square, but most of the reported crimes are property-related thefts. READ MORE: From 2021: How South Streets new plaza became another heat island | Inga Saffron The security patrol GoFundMe drew more than 80 contributions, including $2,000 from the Society Hill Civic Association, the neighborhoods most prominent advocacy group. Some of our members think that, generally in our neighborhood, we dont need this sort of thing, but the city is in real trouble right now, said group president Susan Burt Collins. Recent violence on South Street including last summers mass shooting in which 14 were shot, three fatally brings concern about problems bleeding north during the summer. Delancey Square Town Watch said neighbors feel the city police dont have the resources. People really said, you know, were not as safe as we thought we were, Smith said. The Police Department does not publicize staffing levels by neighborhood or police district, but a spokesperson said the force remains about 860 officers short of its budgeted 6,380. Thats an improvement from last summer, when about 1,300 positions sat unfilled due to a wave of departures and sluggish recruitment efforts, but the department remains beset by internal staffing problems as well. The town watchs GoFundMe has also attracted criticism from outside the neighborhood. Some said it felt like a gatekeeping mechanism I would be embarrassed if I lived in Society Hill and my neighbors thought this is what they should do to make their community better, said Dena Driscoll, a public space advocate who lives in South Philadelphia. Do people steal packages? Absolutely. Do people sleep in the park by my house? Yes. But none of those things make me feel unsafe. The unarmed deterrent When he approaches people struggling with homelessness or drug use hanging out in the neighborhood, Dain said, hes had some success with offering to connect them to outreach services. When it comes to sleeping outside, he refers to a city ordinance that bans encampments to discourage people from congregating overnight. Dain and his husband moved back to his native Philadelphia last year after 27 years in Los Angeles, where he said he saw encampments and crime overrun neighborhoods. He argued that people sleeping outside and thefts have a spiral effect, but some neighbors have pushed back on this approach. We keep trying to educate, Dain said. We have an opportunity to get out ahead of it before it gets too bad. How exactly a security guard will curtail issues like outdoor sleeping or drug use remains unclear. In the event the guard witnessed a crime, they would have to notify the Police Department to handle it. If patrolling a certain area, private security guards have no authority to enforce laws, said Cpl. Jasmine Reilly, a department spokesperson. The town watch said that, once the contract is signed before Memorial Day, the hired guard will meet with residents in the neighborhood for a meet-and-greet before a patrol begins. R. Paul McCauley, a professor emeritus of criminology at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, said supplementing the police force with private security is a touchy issue that requires ironclad agreements between parties. If something goes south, it will all come down to whats in the contract, McCauley said. The devil is in the details. Turns out leaving a SEPTA job can be just as lucrative as working there at least when youre at the top. The agency effectively paid an executive to leave and has been responsible for his six-figure salary plus severance costs ever since he departed the agency, way back in December 2021. Former SEPTA deputy general manager Robert L. Lund, Jr. remained the agencys third-highest paid employee last year, collecting a $297,076 annual salary despite formally exiting the organization well over a year ago, according to an Inquirer review of the transit agencys payroll records. SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch confirmed that Lund, who has moved to the Pacific Northwest, will continue being paid until June 30, after which he will become eligible for pension benefits. By then he will have collected a total of nearly $450,000 in salary and severance payments since SEPTA terminated his employment. Advertisement Busch explained that SEPTA eliminated Lunds position in a COVID-era reorganization about a year into a three-year employment contract he and the agency signed in January 2020. While the spokesperson called his departure a mutual parting of the ways, under the contracts terms SEPTA must continue paying him through the end of the contract and provide six months of severance as a penalty for termination. Lund won a raise that increased his final salary by $32,000, or 12%, before SEPTA opted to terminate his contract. Reached by text message, Lund declined to comment. Oregon property records show he and his wife, longtime Berwyn, Pa., residents, purchased a half million dollar home outside of Tumelo, Ore., in August 2017. According to his LinkedIn, Lund has worked since May 2022 as a program manager for the Seattle-based engineering firm Gannett Fleming. SEPTA has meanwhile grappled with critical ridership declines and grim finances since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic. SEPTA expects its $423 million in federal COVID aid to dry up next year and plans to dip into its $300 million rainy day fund to make up the difference. Even so, Brian Pollitt, president of the Transit Workers Union Local 234, which represents about 5,000 SEPTA employees, said he wasnt surprised by Lunds deal. This is just another example of SEPTA having tons of money for managerial personnel and no money for the frontline workers, he said. Thomas J. Ellis, a SEPTA board member, said employment contracts like Lunds are necessary to ensure executives remain independent and are able to speak out against the general manager rather than be wary as an at-will employee. He noted that the board does not approve these contracts. Asked if it was a problem to continue paying employees who no longer work at the agency, Ellis said buying out execs was a common business practice. If that helps the agency, then I dont have a problem with it, he said, adding that were an agency that spends a lot of money, so something may look large when it really isnt, or could actually be saving us money. Terminating Lunds contract a year early triggered a severance provision requiring SEPTA to pay him another $148,000 or six months of pay. Lund, a 20-year veteran of the agency, oversaw the agencys construction and maintenance division prior to his promotion to deputy general manager in 2020. The division included a team that was investigated by the FBI for the misuse of company credit cards. A string of those employees pleaded guilty to bilking SEPTA out of nearly a million dollars. Lund was not charged by the FBI. Pollitt referenced the FBI investigation when speaking about Lunds deal, saying SEPTA rewards bad behavior of its managers. SEPTA has a record of enticing other top officials to leave. In 2019, it agreed to pay its then-assistant general manager of operations Ron Hopkins 13 months of his $201,011 salary after he departed. The deal, according to Hopkins agreement, intended to provide him the opportunity to retire from the Authoritys service with an unreduced pension and certain retiree benefits. SEPTA gave similar deals to at least six other officials over the last decade including special counsel Robin Lewis, who received six months of pay to leave in 2020. SEPTA sued The Inquirer last year to keep the agreements private. Lewis declined to comment last week. The elimination of Lunds position came about a year after General Manager Leslie S. Richards took over at the agency, and reshuffled a number of top leadership roles. It also came a few months after Lunds name surfaced in connection with an ethics scandal. The agency has long engaged in a practice of rehiring recently retired staffers to so-called part-time jobs that sometimes paid annual salaries higher than $200,000, while those staffers also had begun collecting their pensions. In late 2019, Lund oversaw one such subordinate who retired and was hired back for a position earning $129,000 annually. A few months later, the same employee quit this part-time role to take a job with a private engineering firm only to be contracted as a $60-an-hour consultant reporting to Lund. A SEPTA lawyer had signed off on the arrangement, records show, but he later said he did so mistakenly. In October 2021, about two months before Lunds departure, the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission found the arrangement violated both state ethics guidelines and SEPTAs own contracting rules. Staff writer Thomas Fitzgerald contributed to this article. More than 8,000 gallons of a hazardous solution have spilled into Otter Creek near the Delaware River in Bristol Borough, Bucks County, officials said late Saturday, and the total potentially could reach 12,000 gallons. The Coast Guard said the spill of what it described as a water-soluble latex finishing material was reported about 11:40 p.m. Friday. READ MORE: Philly residents advised to drink bottled water Sunday afternoon following chemical spill, officials say Cleanup operations are underway, and the Coast Guard was urging people to stay away from the area. It said it had received no reports of harm to wildlife. The Coast Guard did not identify the source of the spill, but other news outlets reported that it was the Trinseo chemical plant. The Coast Guard said the source has been secured and is under investigation. Agencies involved the investigation include the EPA, NOAA, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the state Fish and Boat Commission, the Coast Guard said. On a Saturday when dark clouds and even killer tornadoes were wending their way over huge swathes of the United States, the sun rose brightly over Waco. On a dusty patch of land in a central Texas town tagged by historic infamy, Donald Trumps army of supporters came early and in surprisingly large numbers on the first weekend of an uneasy American spring. In the shadow of massive pro-Trump flags Trump Or Death 1776 2024 read one fastened to the front bumper of a blue Jeep flew the undercurrent that the runaway front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination has sparked in a recent speech. Call it vengeance, or retribution, or old-fashioned smiting your enemies. On this day, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg the Black, progressive-minded prosecutor who may win an indictment of Trump as early as this week was the new Public Enemy No. 1. Alvin Bragg is overstepping his boundaries, a man in a Trump hat, brandishing a T-shirt with a picture of the New York prosecutor reading ARREST ALVIN BRAGG, told a conservative news network. We the people are calling for the arrest of Alvin Bragg for crimes of treason and election interference I dont even know if election interference is a crime but election interference, obstruction of justice, even lying to a grand jury. Trump done nothing wrong. Were here to show support for the greatest president ever. This random dudes words were echoed by the more powerful in attendance, such as Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who increasingly sits at the right hand of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. We have to stop allowing Democrats to abuse us, said Greene of Bragg, echoing the call for his arrest, while also calling him a puppet of Jewish billionaire George Soros in an antisemitic trope. She pled victimization: Its like we are a beaten spouse. Moments later, the jet rebranded as Trump Force One flew in for its dramatic landing, now accompanied by a favorite from the 1980s Top Gun soundtrack. Kenny Loggins blared from the loudspeakers: Ride into the danger zone ... Danger zone, indeed. Do not be fooled by the calming blue of a Texas big sky: the 747 of American democracy is flying on a collision course toward a steep mountainside. With the weight of four separate criminal probes dealing with Trumps outrageous behavior before, during, and after his disastrous 45th presidency coming down on him, the hero of Americas authoritarian right is gaining altitude in utter defiance of political gravity. Advertisement With every headline about porn star payoffs, or threatening phone calls demanding that Georgia politicians find him votes, or a more aggressive federal investigation of his attempted coup on Jan. 6, 2021, Trump seems to rise another point or two in the polls building a huge early lead in the race to win the GOPs 2024 White House nod. The only candidate whos shown signs of mounting an intraparty challenge Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis looks increasingly like a frozen deer on the Trump runway, unable to respond to attacks, caught between his me-too, Trump-lite policies and his need to appease traditional Republican fat cats and inside backers like Jeb Bush. No one knows how a scenario like this ends. But it clearly cannot end well. Will America really see a 2024 campaign where one partys leading candidate isnt jetting around to rallies on Trump Force One but instead is flown between courtrooms in New York, Atlanta, and Washington by armed marshals, wearing an ankle bracelet? And what if the Republican nominee is convicted? How serious to take Trumps prediction in a recent Truth Social post of potential death & destruction if hes charged? What to expect from fans vowing Trump or Death? Theyre not coming after me, theyre coming after you, Trump said Saturday after ambling to the Waco stage, unveiling what ought to be his 2024 campaign slogan. The candidates occasional rambles into policy a likely abandonment of Ukraines defense of democracy, or a fascist level of state control over the classroom are not what this campaign is about. Trumps only real promise is a red wedding of revenge, against a deep state that ranges from the FBI to COVID-19 bureaucrats, against the army of prosecutors who happen to be Black, against anybody really schoolteachers and college professors, or white-coated doctors, or journalists that people willing to stand for eight hours in Texas dust think are looking down on them. READ MORE: America needs to confront its Mussolini moment | Will Bunch Newsletter Why is this working? Dont ask the pundits who get paid a handsome six figures to talk about politics, who seem just as clueless today about Trump and, more importantly, his appeal maybe more so than when he cruised down that Trump Tower escalator in 2015. You know what I dont get, and Im going to look stupid on TV for saying this, but I havent gotten this for the last five or six years, John McWhorter, a Columbia University linguist, New York Times op-ed contributor, and a frequent critic of the left, said recently on HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher. Is it really true that there are really these people, quote, unquote, sitting in diners with their hats on, etc., who are existentially upset that people like us in blue America look down on them? It seems to me most people arent caring what the wider world thinks about them theyre buying their groceries ... I dont believe they think about us. John, you need to get out of the Upper West Side more often. They are absolutely thinking all the time about you and your Columbia colleagues and op-ed writers like me and you even when youre intellectualizing their hatred of college campuses and climate scientists and bureaucrats like Anthony Fauci (successful grandson of immigrants who once would have been lauded by conservatives) and, of course, lawyers like Alvin Bragg. Anyone who brandishes a diploma and tells them what they dont want to hear. Bonus points for anyone who tells them what they dont want to hear while Black, or while female. Ive spent a lot of time since the 2000s listening to people on the right on my car radio, or at tea party gatherings and outside Trump rallies and their message is pretty unambiguous. Their movement isnt defined by what they want but by whom they hate, and Donald Trump is the first politician who could articulate that rage with crude bluntness. McWhorter also said on HBO that Trump is charismatic, but hes not not in the sense of JFK or the Gipper. Its only that he hates the right people, that he is the enemy of their enemy. For people fearful that whites or churchgoers are becoming a minority in America, or angry that cosmopolitan elites were redefining society as a rigged meritocracy where people without diplomas could be viewed as losers, Trumps hokey 2016 message that I am your voice resonated. But the perceived slights of the seven years since then peaking in 2020 with the massive Black Lives Matter protests, the social controls needed to fight a pandemic, and Trumps Big Lie around his election defeat have inspired 2023s much more dangerous message, that he is your retribution. No wonder that Trumps looming potential indictments by two Black big-city prosecutors that Fox News regularly blames for urban crime, and by the deep state of the U.S. Justice Department are making him stronger by the day. No wonder his Waco throng stood with Trump in a sick musical celebration of the jailed thugs who attacked police officers in their Capitol Hill insurrection, Beer Hall Putsch martyrs for a new millennium. In an unreality zone called MSNBC, producers have reinvented the Trump saga as a political version of the O.J. Simpson trial sometimes giving the whole hour to breathless coverage of the legal dramas for a shrinking audience in McWhorters blue America. Those viewers remain certain that Bragg or Jack Smith or Fani Willis will finally take down Trump despite seeing that the Access Hollywood tape and two impeachments and everything else did not. Heres whats real: American democracy has been in a doom loop ever since 2015. Thats because the establishment keeps reaching into the traditional toolbox for the things hard-hitting investigative reporting, congressional hearings, special prosecutors, and even impeachment that always took down the bad guys of yesteryear, like Richard Nixon. The tools dont work on a movement based around hatred of journalists and prosecutors and even the FBI. Today, we stand on the banks of the Rubicon, and I would argue that the Alvin Braggs and Fani Willises and all of us treading water in a faith in democracy and the rule of law have no choice but to cross it. Prosecuting Donald Trump for both his high crimes and his misdemeanors is necessary to keep the republic even if the consequence is some kind of Trump or Death civil war. We are on the highway to the danger zone, but theres no exit ramp. READ MORE: SIGN UP: The Will Bunch Newsletter LONDON A record rebound in merger activity this year and a rise in litigation has brought with it an upsurge in insurance policies that give companies and private equity firms cover for when a deal goes wrong, industry officials say. Keen for revenue after a year marked by payouts for event cancellations and shuttered businesses, insurers are tapping into the appetite of deal-seeking firms to protect themselves should the businesses they want to buy misrepresent their accounts. For the sellers, insurance can help to guarantee a clean exit from any deal. M&A protection can also remove a companys need to set money aside for potential disputes and help them to avoid costly and lengthy litigation. As a result, a spate of insurers has entered the market, with around 30 crowding in in Europe alone, broker Paragon said. Despite the rising level of claims, the entrants have pushed down premiums, but that could be temporary. In 2008, you could have probably sat the whole of the London M&A insurance community round a meeting room table, said Adrian Furlonge, partner at M&A insurance broker Helmsley Wynne Furlonge. Now there are more than 300 people in that market. Mark Fellows, head of financial lines at Aviva, said the British insurer entered the sector in 2019, and M&A was becoming an established class of insurance. M&A insurance premium is likely to total $2 billion worldwide this year, James Swan, partner at broker McGill and Partners, said. The most common M&A protection in Europe is warranty and indemnity (W&I) insurance, to cover the warranties and indemnities provided in a deals sale and purchase agreement. The buyer would take out insurance against any company information in those warranties such as financial statements being inaccurate. The seller, which in many cases may be a private equity firm, would buy insurance instead of holding money in an escrow account in the event of a dispute. Brokers said the sector, while small, had seen growth that continued this year, although companies have yet to give full-year figures for 2020. Lloyds of London pointed to W&I insurance as one of the main contributors to increased premiums in 2019 and law firm CMS said 19% of the European M&A deals on which it advised last year used W&I insurance. The expense is small compared with the cost in money and time when a deal goes wrong, a marked tendency as COVID-19 has led to claims of misleading valuations and broken business models. Among high-profile deals leading to court battles, U.S. software giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) is suing Autonomy founder Mike Lynch along with his former finance chief Sushovan Hussain for more than $5 billion, alleging they inflated the value of the British data firm before selling it in 2011. Small Beginnings M&A insurance started with small deals involving private equity firms eager to avoid tying up money against future legal claims. It has evolved for larger deals up to $10 billion is not unusual, brokers say and listed companies are also using it. The London Stock Exchange bought insurance for the $27 billion purchase announced last year of data company Refinitiv, in possibly the largest deal using such cover, brokers said. LSE said at the time of the deal announcement that it bought insurance providing $1.2 billion in cover from a group of insurers. Refinitiv is 45%-owned by Reuters parent Thomson Reuters. Swan at McGill said the broker was fielding enquiries about M&A insurance from executives setting up special purpose acquisition companies, blank-check deal-hunters that have become the darling of the U.S. stock market this year. Broker BMS said demand was also growing for M&A insurance to cover potential tax bills arising from a deal. M&A activity, meanwhile, has rebounded. The second quarter was barren for deals as the pandemic caused lockdowns around the world. But the third quarter hit a record $1 trillion. And Furlonge said November had been the six-year-old broking firms busiest yet. Changing Rates Companies generally insure around 10% of the transaction value of the deal. The premium is around 1% of the sum insured, with premiums having fallen 50% in the last two-to-three years, brokers said. So for a $10 billion deal, policyholders might insure $1 billion at a cost of $10 million. Claims are also rising, deterring some market players and potentially paving the way for rate increases, industry sources said. Nineteen percent of material claims made against AIG M&A policies in 2019 totalled more than $10 million, compared with 8% in 2017, the insurer said, with the increase partly down to greater use of the insurance for large deals. Allianz and Canopius, which operates in the Lloyds of London market, are among a handful of insurers to have withdrawn from the sector, sources say. Allianz was no longer backing an underwriter offering M&A insurance in North America, it said in an emailed statement, though it remained involved in Europe and Asia. All parts of its underwriting book had to meet optimal portfolio performance criteria, the insurer said. Canopius declined to comment. More insurers may withdraw in January, the traditional season for policy renewal, because of rising claims exposure, brokers said, which could drive premium increases of 10% or more. Joe OBrien, co-managing director for Howden M&A, said a reasonable chunk of M&A provision could leave the market, potentially driving prices up. Thats where we see a bit of a correction coming, he said. (Reporting by Carolyn Cohn; editing by Barbara Lewis) Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Trends Market Business owners and consumers are rethinking their finances and insurance needs due to the current economic uncertainty. However, new research suggests insurance customers and their agents are not always on the same page; there are gaps between what agents and their customers think and agents may not be giving customers everything they want. Thus insurance agents face some challenges when helping customers, according to a report from Nationwide Insurance. At the same time as they face these new obstacles, agents have a compelling opportunity to serve as a knowledgeable resource for current and prospective customers to strengthen and grow their portfolio or business, the report says. Nationwide identifies four themes in its study: A perception gap: There are gaps between agents and customers when it comes to perception of service levels. Customers want more than just property and casualty support from agents. Understanding policy coverage and price are shared challenges across all audiences. The economy is a concern, and customers are looking to agents for guidance. Our latest research shows some emerging opportunities in the agent-customer relationship particularly when navigating this current environment and economy, said Jeff Rommel, senior vice president of Property and Casualty sales at Nationwide. But while the data pinpointed gaps, agile agents will see ways to address their clients concerns, enhance retention and grow their business. A Few Tips for Agents: Set up regular calendar reminders to check in with top commercial lines clients every six months to understand the challenges their business is facing and evaluate evolving insurance needs. Reach out to all personal lines customers at least once a year. Ask your carrier partners for tools to talk to clients about employee benefits, loss control, retirement planning. Nationwides Set up regular calendar reminders to check in with top commercial lines clients every six months to understand the challenges their business is facing and evaluate evolving insurance needs. Reach out to all personal lines customers at least once a year. Ask your carrier partners for tools to talk to clients about employee benefits, loss control, retirement planning. Nationwides My Loss Control Services and the Nationwide Retirement Institute are two resources. When you touch base with clients, brainstorm insurance scenarios together to identify potential gaps and where business continuity and disaster planning may help. Help your clients understand that price is only one of several important considerations when evaluating insurance. Look to your carrier partners to share technical expertise and resources to help you advocate for your clients and provide safety resources that mitigate their risks. Explore telematics products with both commercial and personal lines clients. Share your knowledge and research on the state and future of the economy with customers. A Perception Gap There is a perception gap in the value agents believe they are bringing to their customers. Agents are confident they are meeting the needs of their customers, yet some business owners and consumers have a different perspective on the services agents should provide, indicating gaps that can be closed: 95% of insurance agents believe they are always there when their clients need them but only 79% of customers felt the same. While 91% of agents said they can offer the best prices, only 74% of customers agreed. 94% of agents reported they are regularly checking in with their customers to make sure their policy fits their needs. However, only 69% of customers reported sufficient check-ins from their agent. What Customers Want The research identified areas where agents can go above and beyond traditional insurance guidance. While most customers seek counsel on conventional insurance, some business owners are looking for help on succession planning, disaster recovery and employee benefits. Additionally, general property/casualty customers are asking agents about retirement and banking advice. 57% of mid-market business owners are asking about employee benefits. 45% of mid-market business owners and 35% of small business owners are asking about safety and loss control. 26% of consumer customers want guidance on retirement planning. Physical location is something customers value. While there is a desire for digital platforms, small business owners (68%), and consumers (51%) still prefer to have an insurance agent where they are physically located. Shared Challenge The research identified two consistent challenges across all audiences surveyed understanding policy coverage and finding the best price. 46% of small business owners, 71% of mid-market business owners and 47% of consumers said it is a challenge to understand what is and what is not covered in their policy. 44% of small business owners, 69% of mid-market business owners and 45% of consumers said it is a challenge to find the best price for protection needs. Similarly, 55% of agents say they struggle educating clients on the coverage they need and 46% of agents say providing the level of service customers demand is a challenge. Many customers also wrestle with understanding different types of coverage, the time it takes to settle a claim, insurance terminology and understanding how much coverage they need. Nationwide Research Methodology: Nationwide commissioned Edelman Intelligence to conduct a 20-minute quantitative online survey among a sample of 2,600 U.S. independent insurance agents, small business owners, mid-market business owners, mid-market business owners with fleet vehicles, African American business owners, Hispanic business owners and general consumers between June 9 June 25. Agents reported it particularly challenging to: Adopt new technology to keep up with the industry (55%) Understand the nuances between different industries (53%) Help clients with disaster prep or mitigation practices (51%) An Economic Outlook Over half of agents think their clients feel uncomfortable talking about economic uncertainty. However, more than half of business owners and consumers feel like their agent was prepared to have these discussions. 47% of agents are optimistic the economy will recover in the next year but 66% are concerned about making it through this economic climate. 81% of agents say their customers are unsure how the current economy will impact their business and their insurance needs. Topics Agencies Property Casualty This is part of a series of articles from Insurance Journals annual Insuring Cannabis Summit on Oct. 14. You can find more articles from the summit at the bottom of this one. One big reason carriers arent offering a broad array of coverage to cannabis companies maybe because it isnt being demanded enough. I mean I think at least from my perspective, unfortunately, the typical cannabis policyholder is still too often viewing coverage as a box to check off for compliance purposes, said Jason Horst, managing partner for Horst Legal Counsel PC, a boutique law firm serving the litigation and risk management/insurance coverage needs of cannabis businesses. So, theres not a great deal of pressure being placed on carriers to really push the envelope and broaden coverage from your average insurance consumer in the cannabis industry. Horst added that broadening coverage will soon be necessary to eliminate some of the more problematic exclusionary language that still exists in a number of policies that are written in this industry. Horst was speaking during Insurance Journals annual Insuring Cannabis Summit on Oct. 14 on a panel titled Legal Spotlight. He was answering a question from moderator Ian Stewart, founder and co-chair of the cannabis law practice at Wilson Elser. The other panelists were Jodi Green, an attorney at Miller Nash LLP, who focuses on cannabis, insurance, and general business advice, including risk management, and Katie Podein, an attorney with Clark Howell LL, who has been with the industry from the start of regulation when she began providing general counsel services to cannabis companies throughout the supply chain in 2015. Stewart and Green discussed product liability lawsuits, something they agreed hasnt happened so far in the numbers they thought they would yet. Weve been wondering when the metaphorical dams going to break, and the product liabilities are going to come out of the woodwork, Green said. I feel like were starting to see the cracks in the foundation happening now, in respect of the product recalls. Podein called cannabis an industry thats going through growing pains, and offered some good advice for brokers in the business of insuring cannabis. And so from previously under regulated, unlicensed, underground, however you want to describe it, these were business owners who did not necessarily know the standard business practices or get the insurance because they werent allowed to, she said. So, there is going to be a lot of fact finding that needs to happen and a lot of questions that should be asked to the businesses. For example, relying on these businesses to come to you with pertinent information is ill-advised, because they may not even know what to disclose, she advised. Lack of access to banking has also made these businesses a target of theft and crime. So for all different types of operators, I would really try to look at the security measures that theyre implementing, she said. Understanding what security measures a state requires, and checking to see if an operator goes above and beyond that, is another step she advises taking. So when were talking about security measures, its seeing what type of lighting they have around the perimeter. The fencing. Patrol. Is it on 24 hours? she said. Do they have limited access areas where only certain managers or employees can access? Key coded areas? Do they keep cash on hand? How much do they keep on hand? What is the vault like, or the safe room? Are they bolted to the floor and they fireproof? They attorneys also discussed the numerous cases ongoing related to cannabis businesses, Prop 65 issues, exclusions, errors & emissions exposures, rulings from certain courts and precedents, and efforts to legalize cannabis at the federal level. Topics Cannabis A federal bankruptcy court in Alabama has approved insurance payments totaling $73 million by four insurers to the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre. The settlement with gunmaker Remington Arms and its companies, which are now in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, was announced yesterday. At the time of the shooting, four insurers had a total of five policies in effect on Remington Arms and its companies. The four insurers sharing in the settlement payout to the families of the shootings victims are Ironshore (a Liberty Mutual subsidiary), James River Insurance Co., ACE (now Chubb), and North American Capacity Insurance Co. (Swiss Re Corporate Solutions America Insurance Corp.). According to the court, the total stated limits of these five policies is $76 million. However, James River previously paid $2.5 million on a different related claim, reducing the potentially available limits to $73.5 million. In addition, as part of the order, James River must reserve $500,000 for a separate suit brought by plaintiff Precious Seguin in the event the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirms the judgment in her favor. If Seguins judgment is reversed, then James River will pay the $500,000 to the Sandy Hook families. Remingtons Insurance Policies According to court documents, four insurers issued a total of five liability insurance policies to one or more of the Remington companies covering the period Dec. 1, 2012 to Dec. 1, 2013, which includes the time when the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary took place: Ironshore issued a first-layer general liability policy providing limits of $1 million per-occurrence / $3 million aggregate, subject to a $1 million per-occurrence self-insured retention (SIR) and an additional $1 million per-occurrence / $1 million aggregate corridor retention. James River issued a second-layer excess policy providing limits of $10 million, per-occurrence and aggregate, subject to a $1 million per-occurrence SIR. Ironshore issued a third-layer excess policy providing limits of $25 million, per-occurrence and aggregate, subject to a $25,000 per-occurrence SIR. ACE P&C issued a fourth-layer excess policy providing limits of $25 million, per-occurrence and aggregate. The ACE P&C policy does not have an SIR. NAC issued a fifth-layer excess policy providing limits of $15 million, per-occurrence and aggregate. The North American policy does not have an SIR. According to court documents, four insurers issued a total of five liability insurance policies to one or more of the Remington companies covering the period Dec. 1, 2012 to Dec. 1, 2013, which includes the time when the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary took place: Twenty students and six adults were killed on Dec. 14, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut, by shooter Adam Lanza. Lanza used a Remington Bushmaster AR-15 rifle in the shooting. This settlement involves nine families of five adults and four children who were killed. The settlement marks the first time a gunmaker has been held responsible for a mass shooting in the country. The plaintiffs lawyers took the unusual route of focusing not on Remingtons manufacturing of the gun used but on its marketing. While the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act grants firearms makers immunity from product liability, the plaintiffs argued that law did not apply. Instead, they focused on Remingtons aggressive and violence-glorifying marketing of its AR-15s as an unfair trade practice and a violation of Connecticut law. The legal strategy sought to uncover how Remington marketed the AR-15 to young, violence-prone men. The families and their lawyers hope the settlement sends a message to insurers and banks as well as to gunmakers and marketers. These nine families have shared a single goal from the very beginning: to do whatever they could to help prevent the next Sandy Hook. It is hard to imagine an outcome that better accomplishes that goal, said Josh Koskoff, lead counsel and partner at the Connecticut law firm Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, which represented the Sandy Hook families. This victory should serve as a wake-up call not only to the gun industry, but also the insurance and banking companies that prop it up. For the gun industry, its time to stop recklessly marketing all guns to all people for all uses and instead ask how marketing can lower risk rather than court it. For the insurance and banking industries, its time to recognize the financial cost of underwriting companies that elevate profit by escalating risk. Our hope is that this victory will be the first boulder in the avalanche that forces that change. In addition to full insurance payouts, the plaintiffs insisted on another condition. The gunmaker must make public thousands of pages of internal documents and depositions that the families say will unveil Remingtons wrongdoing. They claim that the company, driven by parent private equity firm Cerberus, put profits over public safety and changed its previous approach to marketing firearms in favor of an aggressive, multi-media campaign that pushed sales of AR-15s through product placement in first-person shooter video games and by touting the AR-15s effectiveness as a killing machine. According to Koskoff, an earlier $33 million settlement proposal in July by Ironshore and James River was rejected. Photo: In this Jan. 28, 2013, file photo, firearms training unit Detective Barbara J. Mattson, of the Connecticut State Police, holds up a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle, the same make and model of gun used by Adam Lanza in the Sandy Hook School shooting. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File) Topics Carriers Gun Liability Connecticut Answers Common problems in the use and maintenance of lithium batteries The European Union recently approved sweeping new sanctions against Russia, including bans on imports of coal, timber, chemicals, and other lithium-ion battery. 1. Basic concepts of lithium-ion battery: The lithium-ion battery has a nominal voltage of 3.7V (3.6V) and a charge cut-off voltage of 4.2V (4.1V, which has different designs according to the brand of the battery). (The specification for lithium-ion batteries is: lithium-ion secondary batteries 2. Requirements for charging lithium-ion battery (GB/T182872000 specification) First of all, constant current charging, that is, the current is constant, and the battery voltage gradually increases with the charging process. When the battery terminal voltage reaches 4.2V (4.1V), the constant current charging is changed to constant voltage charging; the voltage is constant, and the current is based on the battery. The saturation level gradually decreases as the charging process continues, and when it decreases to 0.01C, the charging is considered to be terminated. (C is a way of expressing the battery's nominal capacity against the current. For example, if the battery has a capacity of 1000mAh, 1C is the charging current of 1000mA. Note that it is me instead of mAh, and 0.01C is 10mA.) Of course, the standard representation is 0.01 C5A, simplified here. 3. Why do you think 0.01C is the end of charging? This is stipulated by the national standard GB/T18287-2000, and it is also discussed. In the past, everyone generally ended with 20mA. The industry standard YD/T998-1999 of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications also stipulates that no matter how large the battery capacity is, the stop current is 20mA. The 0.01C specified by the national standard helps charge more fully, which is beneficial for the manufacturer to pass the appraisal. In addition, the national standard stipulates that the charging time should not exceed 8 hours; that is to say, even if it has not reached 0.01C, the charging is considered to be over after 8 hours. (Batteries with good quality should reach 0.01C within 8 hours, for batteries with poor quality, it is meaningless to wait). 4. How to distinguish whether the battery is 4.1V or 4.2V? Consumers are indistinguishable; it depends on the product specification of the cell manufacturer. Some brands of batteries are 4.1V and 4.2V universal, such as A&TB (Toshiba); domestic manufacturers are 4.2V, but there are exceptions, such as Tianjin Lishen is 4.1V (but it is currently 4.2V). High-quality graphite supplier Luoyang Moon & Star New Energy Technology Co., LTD, founded on October 17, 2008, is a high-tech enterprise committed to developing, producing, processing, selling, and technical services of lithium-ion battery anode materials. After more than 10 years of development, the company has gradually developed into a diversified product structure with natural graphite, artificial graphite, composite graphite, intermediate phase, and other negative materials (silicon-carbon materials, etc.). The products are widely used in high-end lithium-ion digital power and energy storage batteries. If you are looking for Lithium battery anode material, click on the needed products and send us an inquirysales@graphite-corp.com. Because of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, there is a shortage of natural gas supply. At the same time, other renewable energy sources cannot produce enough electricity, so electricity prices have soared in many countries of the world. For this reason, I assume the supply and prices of the lithium-ion battery would keep being influenced by the high energy prices. Inquiry us Answers Different Types of Foaming Agents (4) The China Securities New Energy Vehicle index rose as much as 4.1 percent after a strong rally in lithium-ion shares on the Chinese stock market. Brokerages said lithium enterprises would usher in marginal expectations, and currently, it may be the best time to layout power/energy storage lithium batteries. According to a securities research report, the price of lithium carbonate in the upstream resource end continues to hit a new high, which reflects the shortage of lithium mineral resources, and lithium has become one of the core elements of the development of the lithium electricity industry. In 2022, global demand for lithium carbonate continues to grow strongly, while the supply-side growth is relatively limited. And, because related mining enterprises experienced the last lithium down cycle, they would expand concrete foaming agents are expected to rise. Introduction to Foaming Agents The foaming agent is a kind of material that makes the object matter into pores. It can be divided into chemical foaming agents, physical foaming agents, and surface-active agents. The chemical foaming agent is a compound which can release gas such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen and form fine pores in polymer composition after decomposition by heating. The physical foaming agent is the change of the physical form of a certain kind of material through the fine pores of foam, namely through the expansion of compressed gas, liquid volatilization, or solid dissolution and the formation of the compound. In the last article, we talked about the chemical foaming agents of OBSH and DPT. In this article, ADC foaming agents will be talked about. 3. ADC Foaming Agents With the development of the plastic industry, a single ADC foaming agent can no longer meet the demand, so the modified ADC foaming agent came into being. Abundant modification methods bring diversity, specialization, and serialization of ADC. Modification research has become the key to the development of ADC in recent years. Moreover, the ADC modification process basically has no waste, needs less investment, and has considerable economic and social benefits. The modification of ADC products is to optimize the gas generation, particle size, color, and thermal decomposition temperature of the foaming agent, mainly through changing certain reaction conditions or adding certain additives in the preparation process. ADC particle micro refinements; Add additives in ADC powder; Different types of foaming agents were mixed to achieve the modification effect. Currently, the main types of modified products are: 1. Particle micro refinements type; 2. Low-temperature type. The decomposition temperature of ordinary ADC is generally higher than 200. Many resins with low softening points and easy aging under heat hope to have low-temperature decomposition products. At present, the development of low-temperature ADC is one of the main research topics in its modification field. It mainly selects one or more activators and combines them with ADC in a certain proportion. The activators can choose metal compounds such as chromium, zinc, lead, urea derivatives and nitroguanidine, etc. After modification, the lowest decomposition temperature of the ADC foaming agent can reach 80. 3. Highly dispersed type. In order to obtain a uniform polymer with a smooth surface without holes, it is necessary to completely disperse the foaming agent proportionally in the polymer. Generally, ADC foaming agents are susceptible to static electricity and other factors, which agglomerate and affect product quality. It is very important to develop highly dispersed products. ADC foaming agents can be mixed with fine powder of some inert inorganic compounds, and highly dispersed products can be prepared by adding surfactants to ADC products. 4. Inhibit foaming. Dicarboxylic acids and their hydrazides, phenols, amines, and triazoles can inhibit the decomposition of ADC, and the inhibition effect is better when a metal ion activator is available. For example, the addition of inhibiting foaming foaming agent materials will cause uneven patterns due to the difference in foaming effect, from which the production of foaming wallpaper and other interior decoration materials; 5. Compound. Other additives with specific functions can be mixed with ADC, or several foaming agents can be mixed with each other, according to the principle of synergy between various additives, compound into one. Compound additives have become the mainstream of the development of the plastic additives industry. 6. Foaming agent masterbatch. Like other synthetic material additives, master leasing has become one of the modification trends of foaming agent ADC. Mixing ADC, foaming agent, and polymer to get masterbatch, effectively solving the problems of dispersion and dust pollution. Suppliers of Concrete Additives TRUNNANO is a reliable foaming agents supplier with over 12-year experience in nano-building energy conservation and nanotechnology development. If you are looking for high-quality CLC foaming agents, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. (sales@cabr-concrete.com) We accept payment via Credit Card, T/T, West Union, and Paypal. TRUNNANO will ship the goods to customers overseas through FedEx, DHL, by air, or by sea. The impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the supply and prices of commodities is widening, and commodity prices remain at high levels. There is still great uncertainty about the future price of the concrete foaming agents. Inquiry us Answers High Purity Magnesium Diboride MgB2 Powder CAS 12007-25-9, 99% For billionaires, the new crown epidemic is like a 'gold rush'! The Deutsche Presse-Agentur said on the 17th that in 2022, the wealth held by the world's top ten richest people will jump from $700 billion to $1.5 trillion, an average daily increase of $1.3 billion, an increase that exceeds the past 14 years. These 10 people The wealth held by the worlds poorest 3.1 billion people is six times greater than that of the worlds poorest 3.1 billion people. The 10 richest Germans have increased their assets from the equivalent of about 125 billion euros to about 223 billion euros since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, An increase of about 78%. This wealth is roughly equivalent to the total wealth of the poorest 40% of the population, or 33 million Germans. In the future, demand for Magnesium Diboride will grow as fast as the wealth of the rich during the pandemic. About Magnesium Diboride MgB2 Powder: Magnesium diboride is an inorganic compound with the molecular formula MgB2. It is a dark gray, insoluble solid. It is an ionic compound with a hexagonal crystal structure. It is an intercalated compound with alternating layers of magnesium and boron. This compound is of interest because it is superconducting at 39 K(234C).In terms of composition, MgB2 is markedly different from most transition-metal-based cryogenic superconductors. Magnesium diboride has been known to scientists for nearly 50 years, but no one has ever studied the material's superconductivity -- whether it can conduct electricity perfectly without resistance when cooled to temperatures close to absolute zero. All that changed in January 2001, when Jun Akimitsu of Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo announced that he and his team had found that magnesium diboride became superconducting at 39 degrees Kelvin (-389 degrees Fahrenheit), almost twice the temperature of current intermetallic conductors. The announcement sent experimenters around the world scrambling to replicate and confirm the Japanese findings. Magnesium diboride is converted into a superconductor at a temperature slightly close to the absolute temperature of 40K (-233 C). Its transition temperature is nearly twice as high as that of other superconductors of the same type, and its actual operating temperature is between 20 and 30K. This temperature can be achieved by liquid neon, liquid hydrogen, or a closed cycle freezer. These methods are simpler and cheaper than the industry's use of liquid helium to cool niobium alloys (4K). Once doped with carbon or other impurities, magnesium boride is as good at maintaining superconductivity in the presence of a magnetic field or a current as niobium, or better. Feel free to send an inquiry to get the latest price if you would like to buy Magnesium Diboride MgB2 Powder in bulk. Specifications of Magnesium Diboride MgB2 powder Magnesium Diboride powder Purity:98.5% or Customized Magnesium Diboride powder Size:5-15um or Customized Magnesium Diboride powder Colour:Black Magnesium Diboride powder CAS No.:12007-25-9 Magnesium Diboride powder EINECS No.:234-501-2 Fe Mn Cu Ca Ni Zn Pb Sn 48ppm 0.1ppm 0.06ppm 0.04ppm 7.4ppm 0.2ppm 0.14ppm 0.4ppm Magnesium diboride is an ionic compound, with the hexagonal crystal structure. Magnesium diboride at absolute temperature slightly 40K (equivalent to -233 ) will be transformed into a superconductor. And its actual operating temperature is 20 ~ 30K. To reach this temperature, we can use liquid neon, liquid hydrogen or closed-cycle refrigerator to finish cooling. Compared to current industry using liquid helium to cool the niobium alloy (4K), these methods are more simple and economical. Once it is doped with carbon or other impurities, magnesium diboride in a magnetic field, or there is a current passing, the ability to maintain the superconducting is as much as niobium alloys, or even better. How is Magnesium Diboride MgB2 Powder produced? The preparation method of MgB2 is mainly the reaction synthesis of magnesium powder and boron powder mixed. MgB2 was obtained by mixing 99.9% magnesium powder with 99% amorphous boron powder at the ratio of 1:2, pressing it into small balls and adding heat in high-pressure nitrogen. At present, the commonly used method is to mix amorphous elemental boron powder and magnesium powder according to the stoichiometric ratio (or add excessive magnesium), and then put them into a sealed refractory metal container (such as tantalum), and then put them in a quartz tube for vacuum pumping, and then sintered at 700~950 for 1~4 h to synthesize MgB2. Applications of Magnesium Diboride MgB2 Powder: Potential applications for Magnesium diboride include superconducting magnets, power transmission lines and sensitive magnetic field detectors. Magnesium diboride is the attention of new materials, the research mainly focused on the synthesis and superconducting element performance for the industrial synthesis and sintering properties, electrical conductivity at room temperature, the liquid aluminum erosion resistance of fluoride such as corrosive resistance study is less, so far no will MgB2 and its composite materials used in aluminum electrolysis cathodic area coverage. MgB2 is easier to be sintered and densified than TiB2, and its electrical conductivity basically meets the requirements of aluminum electrolysis cathode. Therefore, MgB2 and its composite materials are likely to be widely used as cathode materials for aluminum electrolysis. Propellants, Explosives, pyrotechnics: Unlike the element boron, which burns incompletely through glass oxide layers that block oxygen diffusion, magnesium diboride burns completely in oxygen or oxidizer mixtures. Therefore, magnesium boride has been proposed as fuel for ramjet jets. In addition, the use of MgB2 in enhanced explosives and propellants has been proposed for the same reason. Storage Conditions of Magnesium Diboride MgB2 powder This product should be sealed and stored in a cool, drying chamber and should avoid exposure to the air in order to prevent moisture reunion which will affect the dispersion properties and result use. Stress should be avoided. Packing & Shipping of Magnesium Diboride MgB2 powder: We have many different kinds of packing which depend on the magnesium diboride MgB2 powder quantity. Magnesium diboride MgB2 powder packing:vacuum packing, 100g, 500g or 1kg/bag, 25kg/barrel, or as your request. Magnesium diboride MgB2 powder shipping: could be shipped out by sea, by air, by express, as soon as possible once payment receipt. Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology Co. Ltd. (TRUNNANO) is a trusted global chemical material supplier & manufacturer with over 12-year-experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and Nanomaterials, including boride powder, nitride powder, graphite powder, sulfide powder, 3D printing powder, etc. If you are looking for magnesium diboride, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry, email address: sales3@nanotrun.com Magnesium Boride Properties Other Names magnesium boride powder, MgB2, MgB2 powder, agnesium diboride CAS No. 12007-25-9 Compound Formula MgB2 Molecular Weight 45.927 Appearance Gray to Black Powder Melting Point 830 C Boiling Point N/A Density 2.57 g/cm3 Solubility in H2O N/A Exact Mass 46.003653 Monoisotopic Mass 46.003653 Magnesium Boride Health & Safety Information Signal Word N/A Hazard Statements N/A Hazard Codes N/A Risk Codes N/A Safety Statements N/A RTECS Number N/A Transport Information NONH for all modes of transport WGK Germany 3 Commodities such as crude oil, wheat, cotton, and nickel have rallied since Russia's "special military operations" began in late February. On the last trading day of this quarter, commodities were on track for their biggest gain since 1990. For this reason, it is expected that the price of the Magnesium Diboride will continue to increase. Inquiry us Answers High Purity Silicon Boride SiB6 Powder CAS 12008-29-6, 99% Now China has become a powerful country in science and technology, but do you know how powerful China's technology is? The manned space station alone is not enough, and now it has successfully broken through the key technology of nuclear fusion, even leading the world by 15 years. Does this mean that China is not far from the artificial sun? It turned out that the fully superconducting tokamak nuclear fusion experimental device developed by China at the Hefei Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences successfully achieved a record of 101 seconds of continuous operation at 120 million degrees Celsius, and broke the world record. Compared with the previous record in South Korea, China has time has been directly extended by 5 times, and it seems that we are one step closer to the practical stage of artificial sun. The success of nuclear fusion technology will lead to the development of Silicon Boride. CAS No. : 12008-29-6 EINECS No.: 234-535-8 Appearance: dark grey Molecular Formula: SiB6 Molecular Weight: 92.952 About Silicon Boride SiB6 Powder: Silicon boride (Silicon Hexaboride) is a shiny black-gray powder with a relative density of 3.0g/cm3 and a melting point of 2200C. Silicon boride is a lightweight ceramic compound formed between silicon and boron. It is insoluble in water, resistant to oxidation, thermal shock, and chemical attack, especially with high strength and stability under thermal shock. The grinding efficiency is higher than that of boron carbide. The SiB6 crystal structure includes interconnected icosahedrons (polyhedrons with 20 faces), icosahedral hexahedrons (polyhedrons with 26 faces), and isolated silicon and boron atoms. Compared to hexaboride, it is metastable. However, since crystal nucleation and growth are relatively easy, they can be prepared. When heated in air or oxygen, the surface of SiB6 is oxidized, and it is attacked by boiling sulfuric acid and fluorine, chlorine and bromine at high temperatures. Silicon boride is conductive. The hexaboride has a low thermal expansion coefficient and a large nuclear cross-section for thermal neutrons. Feel free to send an inquiry to get the latest price if you would like to buy Silicon Boride SiB6 Powder in bulk. Feature of Silicon Boride SiB6 Powder: 1. Nano-silicon boride has high purity, small particle size distribution, high specific surface area. 2. The melting point up to 2230 C. It can not be soluble in water and antioxidation and high resistance to chemical attack. especially in the high thermal impact and stability; 3. Grinding efficiency of silicon boride is higher than that of boron carbide, it can be used as abrasives, grinding and engineering ceramics such as nozzles, gas turbine blades and other different sintering conditions and sealing line How is Silicon Boride SiB6 Powder produced? A kind of step of preparing silicon boride powder is as follows: Silicon powder with an average particle size of less than 1 micron and boron powder with an average particle size of fewer than 20 microns are mixed uniformly by a ceramic ball milling tank; the weight ratio of silicon powder and boron powder is 2.85-2.95:7. After loading the crucible, put it into the gas protection furnace, pass in argon gas, and heat up to 1400-160 (TC, hold for 50-70 minutes; At the beginning of heat preservation, put ASiCl4 into the furnace, 3-5ml per minute, dripping time 9-11 minutes; After cooling, the final SiB6 powder product is obtained by crushing with a ceramic pot ball mill. Application of Silicon Boride SiB6 Powder: Main uses of silicon boride SiB6 Powder: 1. Used as various standard abrasives and grinding cemented carbides; 2. Used as engineering ceramic materials, as various standard abrasives, and grinding cemented carbide. 3. It is also used as engineering ceramic materials, sandblasting nozzles, and manufacturing blades of gas engines and other special-shaped sintered parts and seals. 4. Used as an anti-oxidant for refractory materials. Storage Condition of Silicon Boride SiB6 Powder: The damp reunion will affect SiB6 powder dispersion performance and using effects, therefore, silicon boride SiB6 powder should be sealed in vacuum packing and stored in cool and dry room, the silicon boride SiB6 powder can not be exposure to air. In addition, the SiB6 powder should be avoided under stress. Packing & Shipping of Silicon Boride SiB6 Powder: We have many different kinds of packing which depend on the silicon boride SiB6 powder quantity. Silicon boride SiB6 powder packing:vacuum packing, 100g, 500g or 1kg/bag, 25kg/barrel, or as your request. Silicon boride SiB6 powder shipping: could be shipped out by sea, by air, by express, as soon as possible once payment receipt. Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology Co. Ltd. (TRUNNANO) is a trusted global chemical material supplier & manufacturer with over 12-year-experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and Nanomaterials, including boride powder, nitride powder, graphite powder, sulfide powder, 3D printing powder, etc. If you are looking for silicon boride, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry, email address: sales3@nanotrun.com Silicon Boride Properties Other Names silicon hexaboride, SiB6 powder CAS No. 12008-29-6 Compound Formula SiB6 Molecular Weight 92.9515 Appearance Dark Grey to Black Powder Melting Point 1950 Boiling Point N/A Density 2.43 g/cm3 Solubility in H2O Insoluble Exact Mass 93.036391 Silicon Boride Health & Safety Information Signal Word Warning Hazard Statements H315-H319-H335 Hazard Codes Xi Risk Codes 36/37/38 Safety Statements 26-36 Transport Information N/A The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic not only had a significant impact on public health, it also severely affected one of the linchpins of the global economy the tourism industry. As many countries introduced curfews and travel restrictions to contain the spread of the virus, travel across the world significantly declined from early 2020 onwards. The financial repercussions of the coronavirus have already begun to manifest themselves within the tourism industry. In 2020, global revenue from the travel and tourism industry was estimated to drop from a forecasted 711.94 billion U.S. dollars to 568.6 billion U.S. dollars, representing a decrease of over 20 percent. The region predicted to see the highest decline in revenue was Europe, decreasing from 211.97 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 to roughly 124 billion U.S. dollars in 2020.The downturn in tourism has caused the recession, and the weakening of the economy has also affected the market demand for Silicon Boride. Recently, however, the demand for Silicon Boride has increased, so contact us for the latest news on Silicon Boride. Inquiry us Concrete Admixtures The main characteristics of bismuth oxide powder The biggest immediate challenge for the EU will be replenishing its depleted gas inventories. While the EU could still increase LNG imports from countries such as the US, such purchases would be more expensive. Refilling natural gas storage space to historical average levels this year could cost 70 billion euros, a sevenfold increase, compared to 10 billion euros in previous years. " A complete replacement for Russian gas is not only very expensive, but it also may not be possible. In the next 12 months, there is little way to meet the demand for a "normal" year in the absence of Gazprom, which also includes Bismuth Oxide Bi2O3 Powder ,Overview of Bismuth Oxide Bi2O3 Powder,Application of Bismuth Oxide Bi2O3 Powder,Bismuth oxide Bi2O3 powder price,Bismuth oxide Bi2O3 powder supplier. Overview of Bismuth Oxide Bi2O3 Powder Bismuth Oxide Bi2O3 Powder is one of the most important bismuth compounds with excellent dielectric properties, high oxygen mobility, large energy gap, high refractive index, remarkable photoconductivity and photoluminescence, and is an advanced functional material ; The pure products of bismuth trioxide are -type and -type. -type is a yellow monoclinic crystal with a relative density of 8.9 and a melting point of 825C. Soluble in acid, insoluble in water and alkali. type is bright yellow to orange, cubic crystal system, relative density 8.55, melting point 860 , easily soluble in acid, insoluble in water. It is easily reduced to metal bismuth by hydrogen and hydrocarbons. The main characteristics of bismuth oxide powder Bismuth oxide is an important additive in electronic ceramic powder materials. Generally, the purity is required to be above 99.15%. The main application objects are zinc oxide varistors, ceramic capacitors and ferrite magnetic materials. Bismuth oxide powder properties The pure products of bismuth trioxide are -type and -type. -type is a yellow monoclinic crystal with a relative density of 8.9 and a melting point of 825C. Soluble in acid, insoluble in water and alkali. type is bright yellow to orange, cubic crystal system, relative density 8.55, melting point 860 , soluble in acid, insoluble in water. It is easily reduced to metallic bismuth by hydrogen and hydrocarbons. Application of Bismuth Oxide Bi2O3 Powder For the preparation of bismuth salts; as electronic ceramic powder materials, electrolyte materials, optoelectronic materials, high temperature superconducting materials, catalysts. As an important additive in electronic ceramic powder materials, bismuth oxide usually requires a purity greater than 99.15%. The main application fields are zinc oxide varistor, ceramic capacitor, ferrite magnetic material; and glaze rubber compounding agent, medicine, red glass compounding agent, etc. Bismuth oxide Bi2O3 powder is widely used in electronic industry, chemical industry, glass industry, plastic industry, ceramic glaze and other material industries, such as electronic ceramic powder materials, electrolyte materials, magnetic materials, optoelectronic materials, high temperature superconducting materials, catalysts, fireproofing Materials (paper fireproof materials), nuclear reactor fuel, fireworks materials, radiation protection materials, ceramic packaging materials, etc. Bismuth oxide Bi2O3 powder price The price of Bismuth oxide Bi2O3 powder will change randomly with the production cost, transportation cost, international situation and market supply and demand of Bi2O3 bismuth oxide powder. Tanki New Materials Co.,Ltd aims to help various industries and chemical wholesalers find high-quality, low-cost nanomaterials and chemicals by providing a full range of customized services. If you are looking for Bi2O3 Bismuth Oxide Powder, please feel free to send an inquiry to get the latest price of Bismuth Oxide Bi2O3 Powder. Bismuth oxide Bi2O3 powder supplier As a global bismuth oxide Bi2O3 powder supplier, Tanki New Materials Co.,Ltd. has extensive experience in the performance, application and cost-effective manufacturing of advanced and engineered materials. The company has successfully developed a series of powder materials (including boron carbide, aluminum carbide, titanium carbide, etc.), high-purity target materials, functional ceramics and structural devices, and provides OEM services. Technical Parameter of Bismuth Oxide Bi2O3 powder Bi2O3% 99.99min Cu 8 Ag 8 Mg 6 Sb / Ni / Zn 5 Bi / Mn / Ca 5 Fe 6 Cd 5 Co 3 As / Si 8 Al 6 Se 4 Pb 4 Sn 4 Na / Bismuth Oxide Properties Other Names bismuth trioxide, Bi2O3 powder CAS No. 1304-76-3 Compound Formula Bi2O3 Molecular Weight 465.96 Appearance Light Yellow Powder Melting Point 817 C Boiling Point 1890 C Density 8.9 g/cm3 Solubility in H2O N/A Exact Mass 465.945541 Bismuth Oxide Health & Safety Information Signal Word Warning Hazard Statements H315-H319-H335 Hazard Codes Xi Risk Codes 36/37/38 Safety Statements 26-36/37 Transport Information NONH With the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the market is increasingly worried about the potential disruption of Russia's energy supply. Geopolitical premiums have pushed up the price of crude oil and natural gas, and the energy price is expected to remain high in the short term. Affected by this, the market price of the Bismuth Oxide Bi2O3 Powder ,Overview of Bismuth Oxide Bi2O3 Powder,Application of Bismuth Oxide Bi2O3 Powder,Bismuth oxide Bi2O3 powder price,Bismuth oxide Bi2O3 powder supplier may continue to rise. Inquiry us Elementary What is Fumed Silica? Wholesale gas prices in the Netherlands and the UK have risen 20 percent recently amid concerns about Russian supplies. The EU plans to cut its dependence on Russian gas by two-thirds this year and stop importing Russian fossil fuels by 2027. Russia exported about 155 billion cubic meters of gas to the EU in 2021. The US recently said it would try to supply 15bn cubic meters of LNG to the EU this year. U.S. LNG plants are running at full capacity, and analysts say much of the extra gas the U.S. sends to Europe comes from what should have been exported elsewhere. The German government called Russia "an unreliable energy supplier". Even though the German government claimed that they have been preparing for the situation for a long time that Russia may stop sending gas one day, experts say it is hard for the EU to replace all of Russia's gas exports any time soon. The supply and prices of many fumed silica will continue to be influenced by international situations. Fumed silica is a nanometer white powder produced by the hydrolysis of silicon halide at high temperature in an oxyhydrogen flame. It is a kind of amorphous silicon dioxide product, the primary particle size is between 7~40nm, the aggregate particle size is about 200-500 nm, the specific surface area is 100~400m2/g, high purity, and SiO2 content is not less than 99.8%. The vapor phase silica aggregates with untreated surfaces contain a variety of silica hydroxyl groups. One is an isolated, undisturbed free hydroxyl group; The other is bonded silyl groups that are linked and form hydrogen bonds to each other. The vapor phase silica aggregates with the untreated surface are aggregates containing multiple -Oh compounds, which can easily form a uniform three-dimensional network structure (hydrogen bond) in the liquid system. This three-dimensional network structure (hydrogen bond) with external force (shear force, electric force, etc.) will be destroyed, the medium becomes thin, the viscosity drops, and once the external force disappears, the three-dimensional structure (hydrogen bond) will restore itself, the viscosity rises, that is, this thixotropy is reversible. Fumed silica is one of the most important new inorganic materials. It has a small particle size, large specific surface area, strong surface adsorption, large surface energy, high chemical purity, good dispersion performance, thermal resistance, resistance, and other aspects of specific performance. In addition, its high stability, its reinforcing effect, thickening, and thixotropy, in many fields of unique characteristics make it irreplaceable. It is widely used in various industries as additives, catalyst carriers, petrochemical, decolorizing agent, matting agent, rubber reinforcing agent, plastic filling agents, ink thickening agents, metal soft polishing agents, insulation and adiabatic filler, advanced daily cosmetic filler, and spraying materials, medicine, environmental protection, and other fields. Fumed silica mainly has two "sex: hydrophilic and hydrophobic. People can use physical, chemical, and mechanical methods to deal with the fumed silica surface or interface, in order to change its chemical and physical properties of the fumed silica surface, such as surface energy, surface wettability, electrical, adsorption, and reaction characteristics, surface structure and functional groups, etc. Therefore, it can meet the modern new material, new technology, and the needs of the development of new technology. Hydrophobic fumed silica applications Thickening of polar liquids, such as epoxy resins; Silicone elastomer reinforcement; High addition, as in molded products; Good hydrophobicity, improving anticorrosion; Improved dielectric properties, as in cable composites; Powder flow AIDS, such as powder coatings and fire extinguishing agents; Improve scratch resistance in coatings and plastics. Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology Co. Ltd. (TRUNNANO) is a trusted global chemical material supplier & manufacturer with over 12-year-experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and Nanomaterials, including silicon powder, nitride powder, graphite powder, zinc sulfide, calcium nitride, 3D printing powder, etc. If you are looking for high-quality fumed silica at a very good price, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. ([email protected]) Chile's government has decided to create a state-owned lithium enterprise and hopes to establish a model for the company by the end of the year, Mining Minister Marcela Hernando said in an interview. Chile is the world's second largest lithium producer and has the largest reserves of lithium in the world. The domestic lithium industry is currently dominated by two private companies, Albemarle and SQM. Chile wants to participate more closely in the booming lithium market after leftist President Gabriel Boric took office in March. The accelerating electrification of the global auto industry has helped push prices of lithium, a key raw material for electric car batteries, to record highs over the past year, lapping up more players, including Mexico and Argentina, who want a piece of the market. According to Hernando, the government is setting up a task force to determine the best way to run state-owned lithium enterprises. She said the government hopes to establish plans by the end of the year for how the company will develop and what business model it will operate under. Hernando stressed that while the state would be a major shareholder in the proposed company, it was open to private investment. Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology (TRUNNANO) is a global chemical material supplier providing high-quality chemicals and Nanomaterials including graphite powder, 3D printing powder, the fumed silica. Inquiry us Lithium Battery Anode 3D Printing Alloy Spherical Tungsten Carbide-Cobalt Cemented Alloy Powder US President recently decided to invoke a Cold War-era defense law to encourage domestic Spherical Tungsten Carbide Powder. About 3D Printing Alloy WC-Co Powder: Product name: Spherical Tungsten Carbide Powder Product Specifications: 5-25m, 15-45m, 15-53m, 45-75m, 45-105m, 75-150m. (Can be customized according to customer requirements) Powder properties: high purity (99.9%), low oxygen (300ppm), high sphericity (95%), smooth surface, no satellite ball, uniform particle size distribution, excellent flow performance (10.0s/50g), high loose density (7.0g/cm3) and vibration density (7.5g/cm3). Applicable technology: Laser/electron beam additive manufacturing (SLM/EBM), laser direct deposition (DLD), hot isostatic powder molding (HIP), metal injection molding (MIM), powder metallurgy (PM), laser deposition (LC) and other processes. Powder application: Tungsten-cobalt carbide is a kind of tungsten carbide composed of WC and Co metal, according to the different cobalt content can be divided into high cobalt (20%), medium cobalt (10%), low cobalt (3%) three types, cobalt for bonding phase, tungsten carbide for hard phase. Rf plasma spheroidized TUNGSTEN carbide and cobalt hard alloy powder has the characteristics of uniform distribution of cobalt elements, high sphericity, good fluidity, large loose density, dense particles inside, less hollow powder and so on. It can be used in cemented carbide, diamond tools, die casting mold, welding materials, vacuum coating, thermal spraying and so on. Composition(percentage by mass) of Spherical Tungsten Carbide Powder Specifications and properties of Spherical Tungsten Carbide: Quantity 1kg Appearance Silver gray powder of flakes Assay Percent Range 99.8% (Metals basis) Mesh Size As request Odor Odorless Physical Form Spherical Powder Color Silver to Gray Chemical Name or Material Tungsten Carbide Storage Condition of Spherical Tungsten Carbide Powder: Damp reunion will affect Spherical Tungsten Carbide powder dispersion performance and using effects, therefore,Spherical Tungsten Carbide Powder should be sealed in vacuum packing and stored in cool and dry room, the Spherical Tungsten Carbide Powder can not be exposure to air. In addition, the Spherical Tungsten Carbide powder should be avoided under stress. Packing & Shipping of Spherical Tungsten Carbide Powder: We have many different kinds of packing which depends on the Spherical Tungsten Carbide Powder quantity. Spherical Tungsten Carbide Powder packing:vacuum packing, 100g, 500g or 1kg/bag, 25kg/barrel, or as your request. Spherical Tungsten Carbide Powder shipping:could be shipped out by sea , by air, by express as soon as possible once payment receipt. Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology Co. Ltd. (TRUNNANO) is a trusted global chemical material supplier & manufacturer with over 12-year-experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and Nanomaterials, including boron powder, nitride powder, graphite powder, zinc sulfide, 3D printing powder, etc. If you are looking for 3D printing metal powder, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry, email address: sales2@nanotrun.com 3D Printing Alloy Spherical Tungsten Carbide-Cobalt Powder Properties Other Names Tungsten Carbide-Cobalt Powder CAS No. N/A Compound Formula WC-Co Molecular Weight N/A Appearance Gray metallic solid in various forms (ingot, tubing, pieces, powder) Melting Point N/A Solubility in water N/A Density NA Purity N/A Particle Size 0-20m, 15-45m, 15-53m, 53-105m, 53-150m, 105-250m Boling point N/A Specific Heat N/A Thermal Conductivity N/A Thermal Expansion N/A Young's Modulus N/A Exact Mass N/A Monoisotopic Mass N/A 3D Printing Alloy Spherical Tungsten Carbide-Cobalt Health & Safety Information Safety Warning N/A Hazard Statements N/A Flashing point N/A Hazard Codes N/A Risk Codes N/A Safety Statements N/A RTECS Number N/A Transport Information N/A WGK Germany N/A The current international situation is highly uncertain, and its economic impact has not been able to be assessed properly. In addition, rising energy and commodity prices and supply chain disruptions are expected to push the price of the Spherical Tungsten Carbide Powder higher. Inquiry us Nanoparticles What is Manganese Dioxide MnO2 Used For? The US President recently said the conflict between Russia and Ukraine had driven up the prices of all the world's major food staples, including wheat, corn, barley, oilseeds and edible oils, and that Russia and Ukraine together supplied more than 25% of the world's wheat exports and about 20% of its barley exports. To address the food shortage, the Biden administration says it plans to increase the number of counties eligible for insurance for double cropping. Double cropping is when farmers grow two different crops a year on the same field. Under Biden's plan, the number of counties eligible for two-season crop insurance would increase by 681, for a total of 1,935. The UN has warned that up to 1.7bn people are "highly exposed" to the domino effect of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on the global food, energy, and financial systems. The agency says conflict could increase hunger in countries where people are already suffering from malnutrition. Even countries where food is less scarce are being hit by rising prices. U.S. grocery prices rose 1% in April, compared with a 10.8% increase over the past 12 months, the Labor Department said recently. According to the White House, global food prices have risen nearly 13 percent since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Besides, affected by the ever-changing international situation, the supply and prices of international bulk MnO2 powder are still very uncertain. What is Manganese Dioxide MnO2? Manganese dioxide is an inorganic compound with the molecular formula MnO2. This black or brown solid is the natural mineral pyrolusite, the main ore of manganese and a constituent of manganese nodules. The main use of MnO2 is in dry batteries such as alkaline batteries and zinc-carbon batteries. Manganese dioxide is also used as a pigment and a precursor of other manganese compounds, such as potassium permanganate. It is used as a reagent in organic synthesis, for example, for the oxidation of allyl alcohol. What is Manganese Dioxide MnO2 Used For? Used as a dry cell depolarizer. Used as catalysts and oxidants for the synthetic industry. Used as colorants, bleaching agents, and iron removal agents for the glass industry and enamel industry. Used for manufacturing manganese metal, special alloy, ferromanganese castings, gas masks, and electronic materials such as ferrite. Used in the rubber industry to increase the viscosity of rubber. Organic synthetic use: Manganese dioxide is very useful in organic chemistry. Manganese dioxide is used as an oxide in different forms, because manganese dioxide has multiple crystalline forms, the chemical formula can be written as MnO2x(H2O) N, where x is between 0 and 0.5, and n can be greater than 0. Manganese dioxide can be formed from the reactions of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and Manganese sulphate (MnSO4) at different pH values. One chemical reaction specific to manganese dioxide is the conversion of alcohols to aldehydes. Even if the alcohol has a double bond, it will not be oxidized by manganese dioxide: cis-RCH=CHCH2OH + MnO2 cis-RCH=CHCHO + H2O + MnO No matter how active the product is, it doesn't get oxidized again. Diols can be oxidized to dialdehyde by manganese dioxide. Other reactions of manganese dioxide are very many, and can be used in the oxidation of amines, aromatic substances and triols. Laboratory use: Used as a catalyst for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to produce oxygen; Used as a catalyst for the decomposition of potassium chlorate to produce oxygen; Manganese was prepared by aluminothermic reaction with elemental aluminum powder. Used as pigment, yellow glass, etc. Reaction with hot concentrated hydrochloric acid to produce chlorine gas; Reaction with molten potash (potassium hydroxide) in the air to prepare potassium manganate; In the decomposition reaction of potassium permanganate, manganese dioxide acts as self-catalyst of potassium permanganate. Is MnO2 Explosive? It reacts violently with combustible and reductive substances. This creates fire and explosion hazards. Is Manganese Dioxide Harmful? Strong oxidant. Contact with other materials may cause a fire. Harmful by inhalation or swallowing. May cause eye, skin, and respiratory irritation. May cause central nervous system effects. Inhalation of smoke may cause metal smoke fever. According to animal studies, it may cause adverse reproductive effects. MnO2 Price The price is influenced by many factors including the supply and demand in the market, industry trends, economic activity, market sentiment, and unexpected events. If you are looking for the latest MnO2 price, you can send us your inquiry for a quote. ([email protected]) MnO2 Supplier Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology Co. Ltd. (TRUNNANO) is a trusted global chemical material supplier & manufacturer with over 12-year-experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and nanomaterials including silicon powder, nitride powder, graphite powder, zinc sulfide, calcium nitride, 3D printing powder, etc. If you are looking for high-quality MnO2, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. ([email protected]) Recently, Russia's deputy prime minister said that the number of countries buying Russian oil is increasing, including Asian countries. Russia will use the "East Siberia-Pacific" pipeline system to increase exports to Asian countries and promote the diversification of oil output. He also said that Russian oil MnO2 powder are expected to continue to increase in the future. Inquiry us News 3-12 Kinds of Concrete Additives Used in Refractory Castable, Plastic and Ramming Materials (3) The European Commission has submitted to member states a new draft of sanctions against Russia, including an oil embargo. Some member states that rely heavily on Russian energy sought exemptions. Western media reported that the European Commission draft of the sixth round of sanctions against Russia includes within six to eight months gradually banning oil imports from Russia, but allowing Hungary and Slovakia to extend the transition period for several months; The Russian Savings bank and other large financial institutions on the sanctions list. The European Union has imported 44 billion euros of fossil fuels from Russia since Russia launched its special military operation against Ukraine in late February, according to Finland's Energy and Clean Air Research Center. The Institute for European and Global Economics in Brussels estimates that the European Union currently consumes about $450 million worth of Russian oil a day. Among EU members, landlocked Hungary and Slovakia, which import most of their oil from Russia, cannot quickly find alternative supplies. Slovakia says the transition will take years. Some officials believe Bulgaria and the Czech Republic may also seek to opt out of oil sanctions against Russia. Affected by the ever-changing international situation, the supply and prices of international bulk pce powder are still very uncertain. The properties and varieties of concrete additives for refractories, especially refractory castables, ramming materials, plastics and other amorphous refractories are different. The role of an concrete additive is also different due to the difference of the amount of concrete additive, the type of binder used, the ingredients and so on. In the production process of amorphous refractories, the concrete additives mainly used can be divided into the following twelve categories according to their uses: 9. Defoamer Defoamer can quickly escape the bubbles produced by amorphous refractories during mixing or vibration molding. Defoamer is also a surface active substance, and its ability to reduce liquid surface tension is much stronger than that of foaming agent. The strength of the formed liquid film is greatly reduced, the foam loses its stability, and the spreading speed on the liquid surface is faster, the faster the spreading speed is, the stronger the defoaming effect is. The types of defoamers include alcohols, fatty acids and fatty acid salts, organosilicon compounds and so on. 10. Anti-shrinkage agent Anti-shrinkage agent can reduce or prevent the shrinkage caused by heating and use of refractories after forming, also known as volume stabilizer or expansive agent. Its anti-shrinkage principle is: Thermal decomposition: The anti-shrinkage agent will be pyrolyzed after high temperature heating, and the molar volume of the product is larger than that of the original material before pyrolysis, thus compensating the sintering shrinkage of the material. Such as kyanite anti-shrinkage agent. Chemical reaction: After high temperature chemical reaction, the molar volume of the new phase is larger than that of the original reaction phase, thus the sintering shrinkage can be compensated. If -Al2O3 is added to magnesia castables as anti-shrinkage agent, the volume expansion effect can be produced by the formation of alumina-magnesia spinel by high temperature reaction. For example, the bonded clay or silica powder is added to the high alumina castable to compensate the sintering shrinkage by the volume expansion effect of mullite produced at high temperature. Crystal transformation: The added anti-shrinkage agent can not only change the crystal form of expansion in the process of high temperature heating, but also compensate the shrinkage of sintering. For example, in aluminosilicate castable or plastic, an appropriate amount of silica powder is added to compensate the sintering shrinkage of the matrix with the help of the volume expansion when quartz is transformed into cristobalite or cristobalite. 11. Preservation agent The preservation agent can keep the construction performance unchanged or unchanged after the amorphous refractories are stored for a certain period of time. For example, Al2O3-SiO2 series refractory plastics and ramming materials, which are usually combined with phosphoric acid or aluminum dihydrogen phosphate, will react with Al2O3 in the material to form insoluble aluminum orthophosphate, which makes the mixture dry prematurely and lose its workability. Therefore, it is necessary to add a concealer which can form a complex with Al3+ ion to inhibit the formation of insoluble aluminum orthophosphate and prolong the shelf life. The preservatives used for plastics and ramming materials combined with phosphoric acid or aluminum dihydrogen phosphate are oxalic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid and so on. Sulfonic salicylic acid and dextrin also have the role of preservative. 12. Inhibitor Inhibitors can inhibit the expansion caused by the reaction of iron and iron compounds in amorphous refractories with acidic chemical binders, so it is also called anti-expansion agent. When acidic chemical binders (such as phosphoric acid, aluminum dihydrogen phosphate, aluminum sulfate, aluminum chloride and polyaluminum chloride, etc.) are used as binders, the mixture generally needs to go through trapped materials. in order to make the acid binder fully react with the metal iron or ferrous compounds contained in the mixture to release hydrogen, otherwise it will produce expansion and make the material become loose and porous and the strength decreases. If it is used directly without trapping material, an inhibitor must be added. Inhibitor is a kind of complexing agent, which can react with metallic iron to form a complex, which can inhibit expansion. These inhibitors include CrO3, diacetone alcohol, ferric phosphate and so on. Concrete Additives Supplier TRUNNANO is a reliable concrete additives supplier with over 12-year experience in nano-building energy conservation and nanotechnology development. If you are looking for high-quality concrete additives, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. (sales@cabr-concrete.com) We accept payment via Credit Card, T/T, West Union, and Paypal. TRUNNANO will ship the goods to customers overseas through FedEx, DHL, by air, or by sea. Researchers at the University of Warwick in the UK have developed a lithium battery technology innovation. Adding graphene beams doubles battery life. By strengthening the structure of the anode with graphene beams, they have found an effective way to replace the graphite in the anode with silicon. Thereby increasing the capacity of the lithium-ion battery and more than doubling the lifespan.As a supplier of anode materials for lithium batteries, we also provide pce powder. We will continue to provide pce powder for the global market, please feel free to contact us. . Inquiry us News Brief Introduction of the Development of HIV Rapid Detection Kit and sti home testing kit The application of fourth-generation and fifth-generation rapid test kits is currently high. The adoption and innovation of digital HIV self-testing tools have increased in recent times, with website-based innovation becoming highly popular. HIV rapid test kits have evolved into advanced forms of testing. The application of fourth-generation and fifth-generation rapid test kits is currently high in the market and is expected to become popular in the upcoming years. Fourth-generation HIV test kits are designed to identify HIV antibodies with a blood sample and HIV-specific antigen (p24). Hence, the introduction of fourth-generation HIV kits expects to increase the revenue of the blood sample-based kits in the upcoming years as their acceptance is likely to increase. Older-generation HIV test kits, such as third-generation HIV test kits, are unreliable until three months after exposure to HIV. Hence, these limitations increase the demand for fourth-generation HIV rapid test kits globally. Moreover, the introduction of digital support for HIV self-testing and government initiatives to boost the sales of the market. The application of digital tools in HIV management is increasing rapidly, which is expected to fuel the adoption of HIV self-testing rapid test kits. These interventions are currently improving HIV care and diagnosis. In 20212022, the HIV Self-Testing (HIVST) deployment and digital tool integrations in health services were emerging, but it was a priority for UNAIDS. In healthcare services, digital health technologies are achieving high traction in high-and middle-income countries. Furthermore, telemedicine has allowed the continuity of HIV care for many patients. The COVID-19 pandemic covers the roadmap for the evolution of HIV self-testing with digital support to reduce the gap in HIV care deliveries. . The application of digital tools in HIV management is increasing rapidly, which is expected to fuel the adoption of HIV self-testing rapid test kits. These interventions are currently improving HIV care and diagnosis. In 20212022, the HIV Self-Testing (HIVST) deployment and digital tool integrations in health services were at an emerging stage, but it was a priority for UNAIDS. In healthcare services, digital health technologies are achieving high traction in high-and middle-income countries. Furthermore, telemedicine has allowed the continuity of HIV care for many patients. The COVID-19 pandemic covers the roadmap for the evolution of HIV self-testing with digital support to reduce the gap in HIV care deliveries. Implementing digital tools in the HIV rapid test kits market has a high potential to reach diverse audiences with the potential for widespread scale-up. The effective and efficient linkage between health services and patients increasing access to HIV testing. These factors are expected to increase HIV rapid test adoption in the diverse patient population, thereby driving the demand for market growth in upcoming years. According to the Lancet, the adoption and innovation of digital HIV self-testing tools have increased in recent times, with website-based innovation becoming highly popular. Around 54% of HIV self-testing digital tool innovations are related to website-based innovations based on studies run by the Lancet. These studies are conducted in Asia, North America, Europe, South America, and Africa. Digital tools support in HIVST have been acceptable, feasible, and preferable in the last decades, however, they are currently showing uptake, with improvement in the access to HIV rapid test kits and associated clinical outcomes. If you want to know more about medical testing reagents, please email sales@genmebio.com, and our engineers will contact you within 48 hours. The positive impact of the sti home testing kit The sti home testing kit can be more convenient, improve testing coverage and participation, and help prevent or diagnose some diseases; Reduce the burden on the healthcare system and improve the efficiency of the effective use of medical resources; Protect patient privacy and reduce the misuse of medicines such as antibiotics. Public medical perspective, sti home testing kit risk There are also some risks in the use of sti home testing kit. Whether the self-examiner can correctly judge the timing and results of the test and can correctly decide whether to seek medical treatment, Causing psychological burden on self-examiners, leading to overtesting, which in turn increases the financial burden; Inability to understand the instructions, incorrect operation or interpretation of results by the self-examiner, resulting in false negatives and false positives; Causing psychological burden on self-examiners, leading to overtesting, which in turn increases the financial burden; Future development of sti home testing kit Although the new crown epidemic has had a global impact on the economic and social level, it has made global regulators and society pay attention to the development of self-test reagents. Compared with the situation where many suspected patients gather in hospitals and cause a run on medical resources, the home testing application scenario of self-test reagents has natural advantages. On the one hand, it can improve the testing coverage and speed of the whole society, on the other hand, it can implement the home isolation policy more quickly to facilitate the accurate control of the epidemic, which will neither cause a run on medical resources nor cause panic. Therefore, the social benefits of self-test reagents with similar sti home testing kit significantly outweigh the risks. The sti home testing kit is Turnkey Service Provider Genmebio is mainly engaged in international trade in the medical industry. Its main products include in vitro diagnostic reagents, professional laboratory reagents and consumables, PPE, and other medical supplies. The company's founder has more than 20 years of experience in the medical industry and has established good relationships with major medical companies at home and abroad. The company's products have been sold to more than 20 countries and regions worldwide. Please send an email with your request to: sales@genmebio.com, and our professional sales engineer will get back to you within 48 hours. Inquiry us News Does the EU coal power emergency have an impact on the reverse power relay schneider market The latest report, "Coal Is Not Making a Comeback: Europe predicts Limited carbon growth," is released today by British think tank Ember. Using a series of quantitative analyses, the report concludes that the currently planned restart of coal-fired power plants in Europe will have a limited impact on Europe's carbon emissions and climate change commitments. Overall, even in the worst-case scenario, the EU's emissions would increase by only 1.3% a year. Since February of this year, Europe has been facing an increasingly severe gas supply crisis. Gas supplies from Russia, Europe's biggest supplier, now look likely to fall further ahead of winter. While the European Union has taken steps to increase gas storage, Germany, Austria, France, the Netherlands and other countries plan or have already started to restart coal power generation. The report's analysis finds that 14GW of coal-fired power is already on standby, increasing the EU's total installed capacity to 920GW (up 1.5%), while increasing existing coal capacity by 12% to 109GW. Most of the new coal-fired generation is in Germany, where the government has approved 8GW of spare capacity. In addition, the Netherlands allows hard coal plants (4.5GW) to operate at full capacity until the end of 2023, rather than at a 35% loan rate. France will open 595MW coal-fired power plants this winter. Austria suspended the decommissioning of 246MW units. These units can only generate power in emergencies and remain on standby at other times. In a worst-case scenario, the coal-fired reserve plant will operate at a load rate of 65% in 2023, generating 60Twh of electricity, enough to power Europe for a week, the report argues. This would add an additional 30 million tonnes of co2 emissions in 2023, representing 1.3% of the EU's total emissions in 2021 and 4% of annual emissions from the power sector. Market introduction of reverse power relay schneider Time relay Industry competition and marketization degree: relay industry development is more mature, the market competition is more sufficient, major producing countries including China, the United States, Japan, Germany, etc., including the United States, Japan, Germany enterprise occupies most of the high-end relay market share, is mainly used in industrial automation control, automotive, communications, aerospace and other fields. The output of relays of Chinese enterprises accounts for about half of the global output of relays, but they are mainly medium and low-end products, which are mainly used in household appliances, electricity, automobiles and other fields. Buy Safe and affordable reverse power relay schneider time relay, solid state relay and other relay accessories from Juzlong; Solid State Relay Accessories and Time Relay . Email: juzlongchina@gmail.com Basic principles and classification of reverse power relay schneider Basic concept and principle of relay: relay is a control component that automatically disconnects when the input parameters (such as electricity, magnetism, light, heat, sound and so on) in the circuit reach a specified value, which can make the output parameters of the circuit change in a predetermined step. In circuits, relays mainly control, protect, regulate and transmit information. The relay has an induction mechanism that reflects external input parameters, an executive mechanism that realizes "on" and "off" control of the controlled circuit, and an intermediate comparison mechanism that compares, judges and converts the size of the input. As a control element, relays have the following functions: (1) Expand the control range, such as multi-contact relay control signal reaches a certain value, according to the different forms of the contact group, at the same time open and close the multi-circuit; (2) amplification, such as sensitive relay, intermediate relay, etc., with a very small amount of control, can control a large power circuit; (3) comprehensive signals, such as when multiple control signals are input into the multi-winding relay in a specified form, after comparison and synthesis, to achieve the predetermined control effect; (4) Automatic, remote control, monitoring, such as the relay on the automatic device and other electrical appliances together, can form a program control circuit, so as to realize automatic operation. In the competition of the reverse power relay schneider market, enterprises in the United States, Japan and other developed countries constantly consolidate their dominant position in the global market by establishing technical standards, controlling core technologies, strengthening the integration of industrial chains, and firmly mastering the dominance of technical standards and international rules. In recent years, in order to further strengthen the core competitiveness, enterprises in the United States, Japan and other developed countries continue to expand reverse power relay schneider products and speed up technology integration. Their business scope has broken through simple relay manufacturing and developed to industrial control, system integration and other fields. The key to the competition in the high-end field has developed from the competition of quantity to the competition of the basic research and development of new relays, key materials, special equipment and other core products. The raw material of the reverse power relay schneider The reverse power relay schneider cost of relay is mainly determined by raw materials, which are mainly iron, silver, copper and other metals, accounting for about 74.4% of the production cost, labour and manufacturing costs accounting for 13.7% and 11.9% respectively, silver, copper and iron materials accounting for 36%, 21% and 7% of the raw material cost respectively. The price of three raw materials has a certain impact on the profitability of the whole industry. In addition to the main metal raw materials of the reverse power relay schneider, engineering plastics and enamelled wire are also important components of relays, and the overall supply of raw materials is stable at present. The application of the reverse power relay schneider The rapid development of reverse power relay schneider emerging relays. The application field of relays has changed from traditional application fields, such as household appliances and power automation control equipment, ships and new energy. Relay products have been transformed from low-end products to high-end products, such as high-voltage DC relay, high-performance industrial control relay, low-power energy-saving relay, new-generation communication relay, high-frequency relay, relay control components and other high-performance relays. The value chain of the relay industry is constantly extending to the high-end. In terms of product performance, it is developing towards the direction of more sensitive (low power consumption), smaller volume and higher performance (such as high-frequency relay). Safe and affordable reverse power relay schneider supplier Juzlong Electric Co., Ltd. is a high-tech industry integrating research, development and sales. The main products include time relay , small intermediate relay, solid state relay, temperature control instrument, counter, microcomputer time control switch and other piezoelectric devices. Juzlong took the lead in implementing lean production in the industry and established a small-displacement, multi-batch pull production model with Junlong characteristics. Based on the operating system of business value stream, the organization forms an information flow control triggering mode from manufacturing end to business order, and builds a stable production management system. No matter who you are, Junlong technology will provide you with the best quality products at very competitive prices. You are welcome to contact us at any time to obtain the latest quotations for our professional piezoelectric devices. G et a quote for the latest price. Email: juzlongchina@gmail.com Telephone: +86 181 06796660 Inquiry us News Impact of rising thermal coal prices in Europe on wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet prices In the European market, due to the heat wave in Europe, the Rhine River, one of the main traffic arteries in Europe, has fallen sharply, causing logistical problems for barges transporting imported coal from ports to coal-fired power plants. In addition, high temperatures have limited the efficiency of nuclear and hydroelectric power across Europe, which has the highest number of DAMS per capita, and a drought-induced drop in water storage has hit hydropower across Spain. In the European market, thermal coal spot is relatively scarce, and at the same time, the reduction of new energy generation output increases the demand for coal consumption, and the price of thermal coal rises again. In terms of Indonesian coal demand, prices have rebounded recently, mainly driven by the recovery of demand from end users in China. The recent domestic hot weather, and at the same time parts of hydroelectric power ability is limited, imported coal market heat continued to heat up, after the last test at the same time, the Indonesian coal cif compared to domestic coal has a certain price advantage, increase power plant bidding, power plant bidding price and traders bids for power plants generally rises. However, due to the uncertain market trend in the later stage, the current domestic power enterprises are bidding for spot coal, and with the reduction of spot supply, the willingness of miners to support the price is gradually enhanced, in the later stage, the price advantage of imported coal or will narrow again, and the terminal inquiry enthusiasm will also be affected. India's low power demand since the monsoon season has dampened its appetite for imported coal. In addition, after the announcement of a ban on Russian coal by Western countries, Russia offered large discounts on coal, and Indian buyers increasingly used Asian currencies, including the Chinese yuan, Hong Kong dollar and UAE dirham, in Russian coal transactions, and Indian end users showed greater interest in Russian coal than Indonesian coal. On the coal supply side, Indonesia's energy and mineral resources minister said at a parliamentary hearing that the government would impose penalties on 48 coal exporting companies for failing to meet domestic market obligations, and the exporters involved would temporarily suspend coal export operations. However, it is reported that these 48 coal exporting companies usually mix their own coal with other coal purchased for export, and they have a small volume in the export market. Therefore, this penalty has a limited impact on the supply side of the market, which is not enough to provide significant support to Indonesia's coal price. The prolonged drought across Europe has reduced hydropower production by 20 percent , the wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet market, as well as the cost of wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet , is changing rapidly . These changes are indicators of market growth. This year-over-year uptrend in the market indicates oval but steady growth between August 2022 and August 2025. If you are looking for a wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet or bulk purchase wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet , please send email to: sales@shzpower.com . The wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet prices continue to be influenced by factors such as market momentum, opportunities and challenges. However, the global wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet sales market is expected to continue to be above average during the forecast period 2022 to 2025. Growth rates will continue to rise. The wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet prices are expected to increase from today through next week. The cost of wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet is constantly changing due to changing consumer needs, changing import and export conditions, and various investigations into wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet development. The cost of the wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet is also affected to some extent by the macroeconomic parameters, value chain analysis, channel partners, supply and demand of the current market. Expect the cost of wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet to increase slightly between today and next week. With the higher and higher cost of labor, more and more companies began to try to use the wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet of automatic mechanization production. Automated production and processing is today's technological diversification of the development of the era more typical characteristics and trends, in some processing fields for a variety of wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet equipment production application has reached the level of delight. As a result, the cost of wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet is constantly changing. "Shunzhi power electric provides professional, high quality, reliable and stable quality and price. In order to give feedback to regular customers, the company maintains full operation and provides wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet at competitive prices. "Shunzhi power sales manager said. Leading One-stop Power Distribution and Electrical Automation Solutions Manufacturer the wholesale low-voltage ac power distributing cabinet supplier Shzpower electric Equipment Co., Ltd. (SHZPower) is a long-history high-tech enterprise dedicated to the scientific research, design and domestic and foreign trade of CNC glue dispensing machine, Multicolor Industrial Inkjet Printing Machine,electrical automation, medium and low voltage switch cabinets, box-type substations, power distribution cabinets, and multimedia boxes. The company provides one-stop foaming sealing equipment, colorful inkjet equipment, power distribution and electrical automation solutions . With years of industry experience, strong technical strength, sufficient production capacity, reasonable prices, and good business reputation, the products are widely used in industry, power stations, real estate, transportation, construction machinery, new energy power, photovoltaic power generation, energy storage, Communication and other fields of electricity use. We are willing to work hard for your satisfaction and bring you a satisfactory solution. Feel free to contact Shzpower . Email: sales@shzpower.com Inquiry us News Precautions for import and export commodity inspection and sea logistics companies In international trade, the indirect and local inspection of import and export commodities is closely related to the vital interests of buyers and sellers, as it involves inspection rights, inspection agencies and related claims. According to international practice, the inspection time and place of import and export commodities generally have the following three practices: 1. Subject to offshore quality and quantity. That is, before shipment at the port of shipment, the seller applies for an inspection agency to inspect the quality and quantity (weight) of the exported goods, and the inspection certificate issued after inspection is used as the final basis for the quality and quantity (weight) of the goods. In this practice, the buyer has no right to reexamine the goods, i.e., no right to make a claim. 2. Subject to landed quality and quantity. After the goods are transported to the port of destination, the inspection certificate issued by the local inspection agency is the final basis, if the quality, quantity (weight) are not consistent with the provisions of the contract, the buyer submits a claim to the seller on the basis of the inspection certificate, unless the above discrepancy is the responsibility of the carrier or the insurer, the seller generally cannot refuse to settle the claim. 3. The buyer has the right to re-inspect. The inspection certificate that the seller inspects before shipment is not the final basis but the basis for delivery. The goods arrive at the destination. The buyer is allowed to re-inspect. Suppose it is found that the quality and quantity (weight) of the goods received is inconsistent with the contract's provisions. In that case, it is the seller's responsibility. The claim can be filed against the seller based on the inspection certificate. This approach balances the interests of both buyers and sellers. Internationally, the institutions responsible for the inspection and appraisal of import and export commodities include official institutions set up by the national government and non-governmental inspection agencies and inspections carried out by the producers. Their background, ability, technology, and reputation are different, so it is necessary for the buyer and seller to jointly select an inspection agency agreed by both parties, and stipulate in the contract that its inspection certificate can be accepted by both parties. Factors affecting freight forwarder sea logistics companies Freight transportation In international freight transport, one of the most concerning issues is the price of freight transport. The cost is directly related to the cost of transportation. Because many exporters do not understand the price of transportation very much, and often have a lot of extra spending, then today to understand the factors of the price of international freight transportation? Do You Need Freight Forwarders? China DDP for World is a full-service and shipping forwarder dedicated to assisting our clients in focusing and growing their businesses. Send an Email to info@ddpforworld.com and get the latest freight price. The transportation prices are different for different sea logistics companies In the general international trade process, the price of transport according to different modes of transport, price is also different. International freight rates are divided into sea freight, air freight and rail freight. The specific sea logistics companies freight rate can also be subdivided. For example, rail freight can be divided into passenger freight and freight. Shipping rates are also divided into tramp rates and liner rates. Tramp rates are also affected by market supply and demand relations at that time, while liner transport costs are relatively fixed. Airfreight can be divided into general goods, designated goods and special goods, and the specific transportation price is also determined according to the weight of transportation, at the same time, even if the volume is small, the weight is also counted by weight, but if the opposite is large, small weight, also according to the specific volume to calculate. The choice of international logistics, the quality of logistics will affect the seller's store score, but also affect customer satisfaction rate. Logistics advantages of the sea logistics companies in the destination country and region In Eastern Europe, DHL has advantages in Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Hungary and other places while EMS has advantages in Greece, Russia, Turkey and other places. Western Europe, Northern Europe, southern Europe can use DHL international express, TNT international express, these two kinds of customs clearance capacity. TNT has a clear advantage in the Netherlands and Belgium. For Canada, the United States and other American countries, FedEx, UPS and DHL are all suitable for their strong customs clearance capacity and fast time. Applicable to Asia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries DHL, FedEx. DHL and FedEx are time-saving, but THE price of DHL is higher. Indonesia also suggests USING DHL because it has a stronger customs clearance capacity. In Oceania, DHL and UPS aging fast, with high prices; TNT and FedEx have lower prices but relatively few outlets. Particular attention should be paid to the "Made in China" label on the packaging of Australian products. Middle East express ARAMEX, EMS for Middle East region. Commercial express in Africa is very expensive. In remote areas, IT is suggested to send EMS international express. EMS countries have the strongest customs clearance capacity. The air express sea logistics companies can reach many countries and regions that commercial express and postal express cannot reach, so the wide range of sea logistics companies transportation is its advantage. Factors affecting the shipping price of sea logistics companies In the process of international transportation, there are many factors affecting the price of transportation, in addition to some fuel and labor costs, there are many important factors. For example, the nature of the sea logistics companies, its own value and packaging form, as well as stowage factor and transporter's requirements for transportation, etc. There will be some fixed costs during the use of the ship, such as the ship's maintenance insurance and fuel consumption. There is also the change of supply and demand in the sea logistics companies market. In the transport off-season, transport prices are relatively low, in the transport of the peak season, transport prices will be relatively high. Contact a professional freight forwarder- DDPFORWORLD - Professional freight forwarder in China Do You Need Freight Forwarders from China ? Please contact DDPFORWORLD ! DDP for World is a full-service and shipping forwarder dedicated to assisting our clients in focusing and growing their businesses. We do DDP shipping since 2015 by handling home decor, Pet products, battery, power banks, DG cargo, general cargo and Amazon FBA shipping forwarding service. We make your shipping easier and faster by Sea, Air, Express, Truck or Railway. If you have any questions or needs about freight forwarder, please feel free to contact us, we will serve you wholeheartedly. Email: info@ddpforworld.com Inquiry us News What are New Military Materials? In terms of international pricing benchmarks, according to the CP data released by Saudi Aramco, the propane contract price (CP) in March was $895 / ton, up $120 / ton from the previous month, up 15.48% from the previous month and up 43.20% from the same period last year. Butane contract price (CP) in March was 920 US dollars/ton, up 145 US dollars/ton compared with last month, up 18.71% month-on-month, up 54.62% compared with the same period last year; In March, CP in Saudi Arabia rose sharply, giving a strong boost to the international and domestic LPG market. Benchmark LPG prices are higher than a year ago as the economy continues to recover and demand for crude oil continues to repair. According to this trend, the market price of nickel alloy will also be affected to a certain extent. New military materials are widely used in aviation, aerospace, weapons, ships, and other fields. Mg alloy As the lightest engineering metal material, magnesium alloy has a series of unique properties such as light specific gravity, high specific strength and stiffness, good damping and thermal conductivity, strong electromagnetic shielding ability, and good vibration damping, which greatly meet the needs of aerospace, modern weapons and equipment, and other military fields. Magnesium alloy has many applications in military equipment, such as tank seat frames, vehicle length mirrors, gun length mirrors, gearbox boxes, engine filter seats, inlet, and outlet water pipes, air distributor seats, oil pump housing, water pump housing, oil heat exchanger, oil filter housing, valve chamber cover, breathing apparatus, and other vehicle parts; Tactical air defense missile support cabin and aileron skin, wall, strengthening frame, rudder plate, frame, and other missile and arrow parts; Fighters, bombers, helicopters, transport planes, airborne radar, ground-to-air missiles, carrier rockets, satellites, and other spacecraft aircraft components. Magnesium alloy has the characteristics of lightweight, good specific strength and stiffness, good vibration damping performance, electromagnetic interference, and strong shielding ability, which can meet the requirements of military products for weight reduction, noise absorption, shock absorption, and radiation protection. It occupies a very important position in aerospace and national defense construction and is the key structural material of aircraft, satellites, missiles, fighter and combat vehicles, and other weapons and equipment. Aluminum alloy Aluminum alloy has always been one of the most widely used metal structure materials in the military industry. Aluminum alloy material has the characteristics of low density, high strength, and good processing performance, as a structural material, because of its excellent processing performance, can be made into various sections of the profile, pipe, high reinforcement plate, etc., to give full play to the potential of the material, improve the stiffness and strength of the component. Therefore, aluminum alloy is the first choice of lightweight structural material for weapon lighting. The development trend of aluminum alloy is to pursue high purity, high strength, high toughness, and high-temperature resistance. The aluminum alloy used in the military industry mainly includes aluminum-lithium alloy, aluminum-copper alloy, and aluminum zinc magnesium alloy. The new aluminum-lithium table gold applied in the aviation industry is expected to reduce the weight of aircraft by 8%~15%. Aluminum-lithium alloys are also candidate structural materials for space vehicles and thin-walled missile shells. With the rapid development of the aerospace industry, the research focus of al-li alloy is still to solve the problem of poor toughness and cost reduction in a thickness direction. Structural ceramics The commonly used structural ceramic materials mainly include aluminum oxide, lead oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, and its composite materials. Structural ceramics are widely used in the field of national defense and military industry because of their high strength, high hardness, high-temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance. Ceramic materials are the fastest developing high-tech materials in the world today. It has developed from single-phase ceramics to multi-phase composite ceramics. Structural ceramics have a good application prospect in the military industry because of their excellent properties such as high-temperature resistance, low density, wear resistance, and low thermal expansion coefficient. The high hardness and wear resistance of structural ceramics can be used to prepare ceramic cutting tools, ceramic bearings, bulletproof armor, various valves, wear-resistant linings, sealing rings; High-temperature ceramic heat exchangers, automobile exhaust filters, and gas turbine high-temperature overcurrent components can be prepared by using the high-temperature resistance of structural ceramics. The transparency of structural ceramics can be used to prepare transparent lamp tubes and missile window materials. Ultra-high strength steel For ultra-high-strength steel the yield strength and tensile strength is more than 1200MPa and 1400MPa steel, it is to meet the requirements of aircraft structure of high specific strength materials and research and development. Ultra-high strength steel not only has high tensile strength but also has certain plasticity and toughness, small notch sensitivity, high fatigue strength, certain corrosion resistance, good process performance, in line with resources and low price, etc., so it is more and more widely used in the aviation industry. Ultra-high strength steel is used to make rocket engine casings, aircraft fuselage skeletons, skin and landing parts, as well as high-pressure vessels and some conventional weapons. The use of steel in aircraft has decreased due to the expansion of titanium alloys and composite materials, but the key load-bearing components in aircraft are still made of ultra-high-strength steel. At present, the international representative of the low alloy ultra-high-strength steel 300M, is a typical aircraft landing gear steel. In addition, low alloy ultra-high-strength steel D6AC is a typical solid rocket engine housing material. The development trend of ultra-high-strength steel is to improve toughness and corrosion resistance while ensuring ultra-high strength. Advanced superalloys Superalloy in 600~1200 high temperature can withstand certain stress and has oxidation resistance or corrosion resistance of alloy, with high-temperature strength, good oxidation resistance and corrosion resistance, good fatigue performance, fracture toughness, and other comprehensive properties are widely used in aviation, aerospace, petroleum, chemical industry, ship an important material. According to the matrix elements, superalloys are divided into iron base, nickel base, cobalt-base, and other superalloys. The use temperature of iron base superalloy can only reach 750~780 in general, for heat resistant parts used at higher temperatures, the use of nickel base and refractory metal-based alloy. Nickel-based superalloys play a very important role in the whole field of superalloys. They are widely used to manufacture the hottest parts of aviation jet engines and various industrial gas turbines. If the 150MPA~100H durable strength as the standard and the current nickel alloy can withstand the highest temperature of more than 1100, and nickel alloy is about 950, iron-based alloy less than 850, that is, nickel-based alloy correspondingly higher than 150 to 250 or so. So, they call nickel alloy the heart of the engine. At present, in advanced engines, nickel alloy has accounted for half of the total weight, not only turbine blades and combustion chambers, but also turbine disks, and even the last several compressor blades began to use nickel alloy. Compared with iron alloy, the advantages of nickel alloy are higher working temperature, stable structure, less harmful phase, and oxidation resistance to corrosion. Compared with cobalt alloy, nickel alloy can work at higher temperatures and under stress, especially in moving blades. Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology Co. Ltd. (TRUNNANO) is a trusted global chemical material supplier & manufacturer with over 12-year-experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and Nanomaterials, including silicon powder, nitride powder, graphite powder, zinc sulfide, calcium nitride, 3D printing powder, etc. If you are looking for high-quality materials at very good prices, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. ([email protected]) The technology and telecommunications industry is advancing at a rapid pace in a process of constant innovation and excitement. Tech devices and infrastructure are becoming smarter and more connected, powered by emerging technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence (AI) for the Internet of Things. Advances in IT service delivery, particularly the adoption of cloud computing and edge computing technologies, are supporting digital transformation in businesses and the wider economy. Product name are widely used in technical equipment, the market demand for nickel alloy continues to expand, and a series of processes such as the management and sales of nickel alloy will continue to improve and develop. If you need a nickel alloy, please contact us. Inquiry us News What is Molybdenum Silicide MoSi2 Powder? Following the progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks, the gold price fell more than 1% the next day, hitting its lowest in a month, and palladium prices briefly tumbled by nearly 9%. "We have seen metal prices going into free fall when the Russia-Ukraine situation is likely to see a major detente, which spurred people's risk preference and optimism that the war could end at a time," said OANDA senior market analyst. A Russian deputy defense minister says Moscow has decided to sharply curtail its military activities around Kyiv and Chernikov in Ukraine, following talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Istanbul. Where the prices of metals, natural gas, and commodities like the MoSi2 Powder will go in the future, is still very uncertain. Introduction to Molybdenum Silicide MoSi2 Powder Molybdenum silicide was discovered in 1906. Under different conditions, silicon and molybdenum can form molybdenum trisilicide (Mo3Si), molybdenum pentasilicate (Mo5Si3), and molybdenum disilicate (MoSi2). The most important one is the Molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), which is a Dalton-type intermetallic compound. The atomic combination in its crystal structure shows the coexistence of metal bonds and covalent bonds, and has excellent high-temperature essential characteristics. Molybdenum disilicide is an inorganic compound, the chemical formula is MoSi2, gray metal solid. Insoluble in most acids, but soluble in nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid. The two kinds of atoms have similar radii and electronegativity, which is similar to metal and ceramic. Molybdenum disilicide is electrically conductive and at high temperatures forms a passivation layer of silicon dioxide on the surface to prevent further oxidation. It can be applied as high-temperature oxidation-resistant coating materials, electric heating elements, integrated electrode film, structural materials, composite reinforcement, wear-resistant materials, structural ceramics, and other fields of bonding materials. Physicochemical Properties of Molybdenum Silicide MoSi2 Powder MoSi2 is a kind of intermediate phase with the highest silicon content in the Mo-Si binary alloy system, and it is a Dalton-type intermetallic compound with a fixed composition. It has dual characteristics of metal and ceramic, and is a kind of high-temperature material with excellent performance. Good high-temperature oxidation resistance, oxidation resistance temperature up to 1600, and SiC equivalent; Moderate density (6.24g/cm3); Low thermal expansion coefficient (8.110-6K-1); Good electric conductivity; Higher brittle and ductile transition temperature (1000) below the hard brittleness of ceramics. Above 1000 it is metal-like soft plastic. MoSi2 is mainly used as heating elements, integrated circuits, high-temperature oxidation-resistant coating, and high-temperature structural material. In MoSi2, molybdenum and silicon are bonded by metal bonds, while silicon and silicon are bonded by covalent bonds. Molybdenum disilicide is gray tetragonal crystal. Insoluble in general mineral acids (including aqua roya), but soluble in nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid mixed acid, has good high-temperature oxidation resistance, can be used as high temperature (<1700) oxidation atmosphere work heating element. In an oxidizing atmosphere, a protective film is formed on the surface of dense quartz glass (SiO2) burned at a high temperature to prevent continuous oxidation. When the temperature of the heating element is higher than 1700, SiO2 protective film is formed, which is thickened at the melting point of 1710 and fused with SiO2 into molten droplets. It loses its protective ability due to its surface-extending action. When the element is used continuously under the oxidant, it forms a protective film again. It should be noted that this element cannot be used for long periods at 400-700 due to strong oxidation at low temperatures. Molybdenum Silicide MoSi2 Powder Properties Other Names molybdenum disilicide, MoSi2 powder CAS No. 12136-78-6 Compound Formula MoSi2 Molecular Weight 152.11 Appearance gray to black powder Melting Point 1900-2050 C Boiling Point N/A Density 6.23-6.31g/cm3 Solubility in H2O N/A Exact Mass 153.859261 Molybdenum Silicide MoSi2 Powder CAS 12136-78-6 Applications of Molybdenum Silicide MoSi2 Powder MoSi2 is widely used in heating elements. Molybdenum disilicide heating elements can be used at temperatures up to 1800C for electric furnaces used in laboratories and production environments in glass, steel, electronics, ceramics, and for heat treatment of materials. Although these components are brittle, they can operate at high power without aging, and their resistivity does not increase with operating time. Main Supplier of Molybdenum Silicide MoSi2 Powder Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology Co. Ltd. (TRUNNANO) is a trusted global chemical material supplier & manufacturer with over 12-year-experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and Nanomaterials, including silicon powder, nitride powder, graphite powder, zinc sulfide, calcium nitride, 3D printing powder, etc. If you are looking for high-quality molybdenum silicide MoSi2 powder, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. ([email protected]) The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic not only had a significant impact on public health, it also severely affected one of the linchpins of the global economy the tourism industry. As many countries introduced curfews and travel restrictions to contain the spread of the virus, travel across the world significantly declined from early 2020 onwards. The financial repercussions of the coronavirus have already begun to manifest themselves within the tourism industry. In 2020, global revenue from the travel and tourism industry was estimated to drop from a forecasted 711.94 billion U.S. dollars to 568.6 billion U.S. dollars, representing a decrease of over 20 percent. The region predicted to see the highest decline in revenue was Europe, decreasing from 211.97 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 to roughly 124 billion U.S. dollars in 2020.The downturn in tourism has caused the recession, and the weakening of the economy has also affected the market demand for MoSi2 Powder. Recently, however, the demand for MoSi2 Powder has increased, so contact us for the latest news on MoSi2 Powder. Inquiry us News What is the scope of application of boron nitride? After Russia pledged to scale back its military operations around Kyiv and in northern Ukraine, the prices of most industrial metals fell, led by aluminum, showing people's concerns for supply shortage eased. At an earlier time, the West imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, which aroused concerns about the supply problem because Russia is a major producer of nickel, aluminum, and copper. Russia is also a major gas supplier to Europe, where potential supply disruptions are seen as hitting power-intensive aluminum and zinc Boron nitride,Overview of boron nitride,Application of boron nitride,The price of boron nitride,Suppliers of Boron Nitride are still very uncertain. Overview of boron nitride Boron nitride industrial powder is a pure white ceramic material with a hexagonal crystal structure similar to graphite.Boron nitride can withstand temperatures exceeding 2,000C,and depending on the grade,its dielectric strength is close to 1000 volts/mil.Boron nitride is hot-pressed in the form of billets,which can be easily processed into rods, bars,plates and even customized shapes. Application of boron nitride 1.Release agent for metal forming and lubricant for metal drawing. 2.Special electrolysis and resistance materials in high temperature state. 3.High-temperature solid lubricants,extrusion anti-wear additives,additives for the production of ceramic composite materials,refractory materials and antioxidant additives,especially in the case of corrosion resistance of molten metals,heat-enhanced additives,high-temperature insulation materials. 4.Heat-sealing desiccant for transistors and additives for polymers such as plastic resins. 5.Pressed into various shapes of boron nitride products,which can be used as high temperature,high pressure,insulation and heat dissipation parts. 6.Thermal shielding materials in aerospace. 7.With the participation of catalysts,it can be converted into cubic boron nitride that is as hard as diamond after high temperature and high pressure treatment. 8.The structural materials of the atomic reactor. 9.Aircraft,rocket engine nozzle. 10.Insulator for high-voltage and high-frequency electricity and plasma arc. 11.Packaging materials to prevent neutron radiation. 12.The superhard material made by boron nitride processing can be made into high-speed cutting tools and drill bits for geological exploration and oil drilling. 13.Separation ring for continuous cast steel in metallurgy,flow slot for amorphous iron, release agent for continuous cast aluminum(various optical glass release agents) 14.Make all kinds of evaporation boats for capacitor film aluminum plating,picture tube aluminum plating,display aluminum plating, etc. 15.Various fresh-keeping aluminum-plated packaging bags,etc. 16.All kinds of laser anti-counterfeiting aluminum plating,brand hot stamping materials,all kinds of cigarette labels,beer labels,packaging boxes,cigarette packaging boxes,etc. 17.The filler used in cosmetics for lipstick is non-toxic,lubricating and shiny. In terms of optical applications,due to the high hardness of the c-BN film and the high transmittance of the entire wavelength range from ultraviolet(from about 200 nm)to far infrared,it is suitable as a surface coating for some optical components, and is particularly suitable as Coating of window materials such as zinc selenide(ZnSe)and zinc sulfide(ZnS).In addition,it has good thermal shock resistance and hardness,and is expected to become an ideal window material for high-power lasers and detectors. The price of boron nitride The price of boron nitride will vary randomly with the production cost, transportation cost, international situation, exchange rate and supply and demand of boron nitride market. Tanki New Materials Co., Ltd. aims to help various industries and chemical wholesalers find high-quality, low-cost nanomaterials and chemicals by providing a full set of customized services. If you are looking for boron nitride, please feel free to send an inquiry to get the latest price of boron nitride. Suppliers of Boron Nitride As a global boron nitride supplier,Tanki New Materials Co.,Ltd has extensive experience in the performance, application and cost-effective manufacturing of advanced and engineered materials.The company has successfully developed a series of powder materials(titanium nitride,nitride Silicon,titanium nitride,etc.)high-purity targets,functional ceramics and structural devices, and provide OEM services. Boron Nitride Properties Other Names Boron nitride CAS No. 10043-11-5 Compound Formula BN Molecular Weight 24.82 Appearance Colorless crystals Melting Point 2973 C Boiling Point N/A Density 2.1 g/cm3 Solubility in H2O insoluble Electrical Resistivity 13 to 15 10x -m Poisson's Ratio 0.1 Specific Heat 840 to 1610 J/kg-K Thermal Conductivity 29 to 96 W/m-K Thermal Expansion 0.54 to 18 m/m-K Young's Modulus 14-60 GPa Exact Mass 25.0124 Monoisotopic Mass 25.0124 Boron Nitride Health & Safety Information Signal Word Warning Hazard Statements H319-H335 Hazard Codes Xi Risk Codes 36/37 Safety Statements 26-36 RTECS Number ED7800000 Transport Information N/A WGK Germany 3 Maximo Pacheco, chairman of Codelco, Chile's state copper company, said in a recent interview that he expects copper prices to remain 'very strong in the future,' despite the recent drop. Codelco is the world's largest copper producer. Copper prices suffered their biggest weekly drop in a year this week on concerns that tightening policy by central banks will dampen global growth and reduce demand for industrial metals. With its wide range of industrial and construction uses, copper prices are often seen as a bellwether of economic activity. London copper closed at $8,325 a tonne on Friday after touching $8,122.50 a tonne, down 25 per cent from its Peak in March and its lowest level since February 2021. In addition to copper, other industrial metals also fell sharply. Tin, for example, fell nearly 15% at one point on Friday, bringing its losses for the week to about 25%. "We may be in a temporary short-term turbulence, but what is important is the fundamentals and the balance of supply and demand [currently] looks very favourable for those of us with copper reserves," Mr. Pacheco said. Chile is the world's largest copper producer. Mr. Pacheco adds that in a world where copper is the best conductor and there are not many new reserves, copper prices look very strong because the future is very favourable for electrification. Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology is a trusted chemical supplier and manufacturer providing high-quality chemicals and Nanomaterials. If you are looking for the Boron nitride,Overview of boron nitride,Application of boron nitride,The price of boron nitride,Suppliers of Boron Nitride, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. Inquiry us Stearic Acid Series What does superplasticizer for concrete admixture do Recently, the EU proclaimed new sanctions on Russia, including coal, timber, rubber, cement, and fertilizer, as well as high-end seafood superplasticizer for concrete admixture,superplasticizer used in concrete. Superplasticizer used in concrete refers to the fact that after mixing, it can reduce the water demand of concrete under the condition of maintaining basically the same fluidity, thereby improving the strength and durability of concrete, or under the condition that the amount of cement used and the water-cement ratio remain unchanged , Add the admixture of concrete fluidity and improve concrete workability. 1. Lubrication effect: The polar hydrophilic groups in the concrete admixture superplasticizer are directionally adsorbed on the surface of the cement particles, and are easily associated with water molecules in the form of hydrogen bonds. The force of this hydrogen bond association effect far exceeds the molecular attraction between water molecules and cement particles. When the cement particles absorb sufficient water reducing agent, the surface layer of the cement particles forms a stable layer of solvated water by virtue of the association effect of R-SO3 and the hydrogen bonds in the water molecules and the hydrogen bond association between the water molecules. The film plays a three-dimensional protective effect, blocks the direct contact between the cement particles, and plays a lubricating effect between the particles. 2. Wetting effect: After the cement is mixed with water, the surface layer of the particles is wetted by water, and its wet condition has a great influence on the characteristics of freshly mixed commercial concrete. amount that can be reduced. 3. Water reduction effect:After adding a superplasticizer to the commercial concrete, the water-cement ratio can be significantly reduced under the condition of maintaining fluidity. The water reducing rate of high-efficiency water-reducing agent can reach 10% to 25%, while the water-reducing rate of ordinary water-reducing agent is 5%-15%, and high-efficiency water-reducing agent is also famous for this. The reason for the water reducing effect is mainly because of the adsorption and dispersion effect of commercial concrete on the water reducing agent. 4. Plasticizing effect:After adding the polycarboxylate based superplasticizer to the commercial concrete, the fluidity can be added without changing the water-cement ratio. The usual water-reducing agent can increase the slump of freshly mixed commercial concrete by more than 10 cm under the condition that the amount of cement used remains unchanged. TRUNNANO is a concrete additives supplier with over 12 years experience in nano-building energy conservation and nanotechnology development. We accept payment via Credit Card, T/T, West Union and Paypal. Trunnano will ship the goods to customers overseas through FedEx, DHL, by air, or by sea. If you are looking for high quality Superplasticizer used in concrete, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. sales@cabr-concrete.com With the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the market is increasingly worried about the potential disruption of Russia's energy supply. Geopolitical premiums have pushed up the price of crude oil and natural gas, and the energy price is expected to remain high in the short term. Affected by this, the market price of the superplasticizer for concrete admixture,superplasticizer used in concrete may continue to rise. Inquiry us Surfactant Market Trend and Demand Saudi petrochemical product prices rise Will Affact the Price of Optoelectronic materials The price of petrochemical products in Saudi Arabia continues to increase. Driven by oil prices rising by more than 30%, coupled with the optimism of global new crown pneumonia vaccine distribution for health needs, the average price of polymer products in the first quarter of this year increased by 4-15% from the previous quarter. According to data from Al Rajhi Capital Research, the recent supply disruptions caused by the winter blizzard in the United States, coupled with rising upstream costs and healthy downstream demand, have made spot prices 18-56% higher than the average price in 2019. "We predict that polymer prices will remain at a high level for at least most of the year, due to tight supply and gradual improvement in global demand. However, the average raw material price in the first quarter of this year increased by 30% year-on-year. It is mainly driven by rising oil prices, which may partially offset the improvement in spreads for most products." Al Rajhi said: "Nevertheless, due to seasonal factors, we expect the prices of key raw materials (propane and butane) for Saudi producers to gradually decline in the next few quarters." In general, Saudi oil producers are likely to benefit from the recent surge in oil prices, and profits may recover strongly in 2021 (close to the level of most companies in 2018), which means that there may be higher dividends this year. Affected by the eight Saudi petrochemical product prices rise, the product name market has changed rapidly. These changes are indicators of market growth. This year-on-year upward trend in the market indicates that the next November 2020-2026 will be oval but stable The growth. If you want to find the name of the product or the name of the product purchased in bulk, please send an email to: sales1@ozbo.com The price of Optoelectronic materialss continues to be affected by market growth momentum, various opportunities and challenges, and other factors. However, during the forecast period from 2020 to 2026, the global Optoelectronic materials sales market is expected to continue to be above average. The growth rate will be Continue to improve. It is expected that the price of the Optoelectronic materials will increase to a certain extent from today to next week. Due to consumer demand, changes in import and export conditions and various investigations on the development of Optoelectronic materialss, the cost of Optoelectronic materialss is constantly changing. Taking into account the macroeconomic parameters of the current market, value chain analysis, channel partners, demand and supply, products The cost of the name will also be affected to a certain extent. It is estimated that the cost of the Optoelectronic materials will increase slightly from today to next week. However, Ozbo.com provides high-purity nano Optoelectronic materialss at a stable price. In order to reward old customers, the company is still in full operation and provides Optoelectronic materialss at competitive prices.Ozbo.com sales manager Olina said. About Ozbo.Com Ozbo.com (also known as Tanki New Materials Co., Ltd.) is a reliable global supplier and manufacturer of chemical materials, with more than 12 years of experience in providing ultra-high quality chemical materials and nanomaterials. As a leading nanotechnology development and Optoelectronic materials manufacturer, PuYang Tanki Dominates the market. Our professional work team provides comprehensive solutions to help improve the efficiency of various industries, create value and easily respond to various challenges. If To find the Optoelectronic materials, please send an email to: sales1@ozbo.com Or contact us through the following link: https://www.ozbo.com/contact-us.html Inquiry us They first met at drama school and forged a friendship through a shared sense of black humour, storytelling, and the music of Leonard Cohen. Now Irish and Canadian pals Susan Stanley and Sarah Goldberg are ready for their close-ups as two very different women who discover theyre half-sisters. Filmed on location in Ireland, edgy new series SisterS stars Goldberg as Sare, a woman who discovers a huge family secret on the death of her mother. The dad she knew as dad isnt her biological father after all - that would be an Irish busker her mother had a fling with decades earlier. Seeking to trace him, theres an even greater shock when Sare discovers she has a half-sister, Suze (Stanley) - a straight-talking thirtysomething at the centre of some drama of her own. Inspired by other storytellers like Sharon Horgan and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the friends co-created the show out of a desire to play real and complicated women. It was partly driven in the early days of their careers, they say, by frustration at a dearth of strong stories - so they set about creating their own. I think as we were on the hustle for our acting careers, we were inspired by Phoebe Waller bridge, Michaela Cole, and all of these women who were out there telling those stories, says Sarah. We were often feeling frustrated by either work environments we were in or roles we were playing, where the things we wanted to articulate and the stories we wanted to tell werent necessarily on the page. So I think some of it was born out of frustration and need. I think that what both of us had in common in our performance style is that were incredibly story-driven people. I know an egoless actor is an oxymoron. But I like to think that we live in that terrain, where we care more about the story than our own vanity. Both keen writers, the two women started to discuss creating a project together. The result is SisterS - a dark new comedy shot on location in Ireland. The collective focus of storytelling is the thing that drew us both to wanting to do this with our lives, says Sarah. Sometimes when youre playing wife number seven - with three lines - behind the seven blokes, you feel an existential puncture to the soul. A pile of those, and the frustration can really yield good work. A LONG TIME COOKING Even before it debuts on RTE, SisterS is already growing legs internationally. A co-production between Ireland and Canada, it already has broadcasters on board in several countries including the United States. But success does not come easily, and the friends spent six years developing, writing, and filming the show. They collaborated with and supported each other through a connection that was first forged in the prestigious drama school - The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art - where they met almost two decades ago. They have fond memories of when their friendship began. Its been a long time cooking, smiles Susan. Sarah and I met 19 years ago at drama school in London. When we met, I was a bit older than Sarah - Sarah was 19, I was 24. I came from Dublin and I got to LAMDA and I was a bitI was obviously deeply insecure and in over my head, she laughs at the memory of her college days. But I had this cool attitude, smoking fags, going Ive seen it all. And then this bright-eyed 19-year-old optimistic Canadian walked in (Shes washed it all off me since then! adds her friend). She also had zero self-loathing, which was really discombobulating for me. Very soon after that, we bonded over Leonard Cohen and I couldnt believe that this woman who seemed so bright was a real fan of Leonard Cohen, her countryman. From then on, our relationship was forged in fire and we sort of fell in love. Sarah Goldberg & Susan Stanley: dedicated friends and collaborators across two decades Sarah, too, has vivid memories of first encountering Susan when new students were asked to entertain the class with a real-life anecdote. The Dubliners story involved a wedding she had to attend in borrowed clothes because shed forgotten to bring her dress. She got up and she had this big mane of curly hair. And I listened to her story, and I just thought: I want to be best friends with that girl. She was so cool. Susan and Sarahs quirky, offbeat, and often macabre sense of humour feeds into SisterS, a series that they created, wrote, star in, and co-produce. There was, they say, a commonality to what they wanted to achieve in their careers even from those early days. We were really interested in writing our own work, says Sarah. We always had an ambition to do that. We both started theatre companies before we went to LAMDA and wed had that in common. Back when we were in theatre school, there wasnt a huge amount of emphasis on creating your own work as there is now. That mould wasnt set, there was a huge emphasis on fitting the mould. And as two foreigners in London, you know, it was about changing our accents and changing our posture. That didnt really connect for us and so we were writing our own projects. I think we saw ourselves as Sarah Kane wannabes, she adds, referring to the cutting-edge English playwright and director. We wrote a lot of projects with bathtubs full of blood, that sort of thing - your typical drama school pretension. FIRE IN THE BELLY On leaving drama school, Sarah and Susan toyed with the idea of setting up a theatre company. They dreamed big but also had to manage the realities of forging an acting career while trying to pay the rent. It took a long time, they say, to have the confidence and the time to invest in creating their own work. Even a generation ago, young actors would have worked odd jobs while waiting for the casting agents phones to ring. But that has changed, and its now common to see them create and produce their own work as part of a career push. Finding the right story was another matter, and by now living in different continents, the two women would encourage and motivate each other as they developed concepts and ideas. Sarah and I always had a fire in our belly that sort of wouldnt go out, even through all the years of coming up with ideas, but them not coming to fruition, says Susan. And then with this one, we really hit on something that stuck. Also wed come into a time in the last couple of years where womens stories are really valued and they are heard, adds her friend, who was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for her role in another dark comedy, Barry. Sharon Horgan paved the way of course, and the women before her, but with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Michaela Cole, with Billie Piper, there is now an appetite to hear these stories, which is really exciting. It seems like there was a vacuum before. Now were in a thrilling time, and we wanted to be part of it. Sarah Goldberg & Susan Stanley in SisterS: a labour of love Directed by Declan Lowney (Ted Lasso) and Alicia MacDonald (The Outlaws), SisterS is often hilariously funny, but it has an edge and a darkness that reveals itself at various points in the series. I think for us, we never wanted to make a straight comedy, says Susan. What we were always interested in, all the challenges weve had in our lives and whats helped us cope with them is this macabre humour that comes out of that. The series - which is set on the west coast - was shot on location in Wicklow, Greystones, Bray and Galway, with the eastern locations standing in for the west. The women are up for another series and are waiting to see whether that will happen. But the storytelling continues regardless - they are developing both a feature film and another unnamed TV series, this one set in the west of Ireland in the 1980s. I think our lifes work is going to be trying to push those boundaries as far as they can go and dig down for some of these truths that we didnt feel were articulated when we were fans of television, when we were leaving school, says Sarah. Were trying to add our voices to a conversation thats ongoing. SisterS debuts on RTE One and RTE Player on March 30 Zoologist and artist Desmond Morris, 95, grew up in Swindon, England. In 1950, he shared an art exhibition at the National Gallery, London, with Joan Miro. He has presented hundreds of wildlife programmes on British television. In 1967, he published The Naked Ape, his seminal study of human behaviour, which has sold over 20 million copies. In 2019, a year after his wife passed away, he moved to Co Kildare to live. Dun Laoghaire Institute of Visual Art, which is run by his granddaughter Tilly Morris, is his gift to Ireland. See: www.divadunlaoghaire.com Candide Voltaires Candide: or The Optimist is one of my favourite books. I read it in university and I was completely bowled over by it. I was fascinated by the story, which may or may not be true, that he shut himself in a room and wrote it in three days. That is the myth surrounding it. I believed it then. I thought in future when I'm writing something, I'm going to shut myself away and do it quickly. When I came to write The Naked Ape, the book that changed my life, I wrote it in four weeks. If you write fast, it keeps the language understandable. Dylan Thomas I was conscripted into the army after World War Two. My boss was at school with Dylan Thomas. Dylan came to stay with him so I was able to spend time with Dylan Thomas. He could hardly say a sentence without it being beautiful. I spent a lot of time just sitting and listening to him. I was very young. He recognised that I was interested in words. He was very kind and helpful. He made a number of suggestions which lasted a lifetime. My boss was a very short man. When we were having lunch, Dylan Thomas said, I'm going to compose a poem to our host. He stuck his fork into a potato and held it up so it looked like a microphone and he said, Our midget, who art in heaven. Miniature be thy name He went right through the Lord's Prayer, changing it to suit a short man, and ended up, Forever and ever, Tom Thumb. He did it spontaneously. It just flowed out of him. He was such a great wordsmith. James Joyce James Joyce was very important to me. In sixth form, you had to read a passage from the Bible in front of the school assembly. One day, the headmaster said, Look, we've had rather a lot of Bible readings. They're getting repetitive so you can find a passage from somewhere else. So I got up in front of the school and read a passage from Finnigan's Wake. I have never seen such an ocean of astonished faces. It's very difficult to read, but I managed it. Rebel with a cause At school, I become a rebel, not a destructive rebel, but a creative rebel. I looked for anti-establishment things. I was trained as a schoolboy to become a pilot. Luckily for me, the war stopped before it reached me, only just. The older boys were all shot down in their Spitfires. As a schoolboy, I thought the adult world had gone mad because when I grew up I had to kill people. That's what adults did, so I became a rebel and my rebellion took the form of rebellion in all the arts. I became devoted to surrealism, to modern poets and writers, and jazz. Pablo Picasso Pablo Picasso commented favourablly on the paintings done by Morris's chimp. In 1945, I went to Londons Victoria & Albert Museum for a big exhibition of Picassos work. It was the first time we'd seen Picasso as a solo artist in London. Before the war, he joined in with the surrealists. This was all the work he did during the war. It was violent. It was incredible. It blew me away. I stood in front of it and thought: how on earth can anyone produce such powerful work? This is a man who has taken art by the scruff of the neck and turned it into something incredibly powerful. He was on exhibition with Matisse, who was a wonderful colourist, but I found his work overpowered by Picasso. Monkey art I had a chimpanzee called Congo. I did experiments with him in which I got him to paint pictures. Picasso was given one of these paintings and he loved it. He said, I understand. The chimpanzee is trying to make shapes and patterns. It wasn't random. He couldn't make images, but he could make lovely abstract patterns. A journalist went to see him and said, What do you think about this chimpanzee painting? Picasso jumped on him and bit him. It was Picasso's way of saying, The chimp and I are in the same business. When Salvador Dali looked at one of Congo's paintings, he said, The hand of the chimpanzee is crazy human. The hand of Jackson Pollock is totally animal. Joan Miro and Henry Moore What I loved about Joan Miros painting was that it was completely wild. He himself was not. There is no such thing as an artistic personality. Some artists like Francis Bacon and Salvador Dali live lives which most of us would think were crazy, but artists like Miro and Henry Moore lived very quiet family lives. Outside the studios, both very down to earth, people with no artistic temperament at all, but once they got in their studio they took off. Salvador Dali Salvador Dali. When he got in his studio, Salvador Dali sat down and he did the work. If you look at his work, the technique is astounding. He must have sat at that easel for hours and hours. That's the Dali you didn't see. All you saw was Dali the buffoon, doing silly things in public, which was the way he enjoyed spending his life, making people think he was crazy. Actually he painted like an old master. Marlon Brando Marlon Brando took terrible risks. His portrayals on screen nearly always had some element of shock. I was huge fan. I was unpacking once after a filming trip in Africa. My head was still a bit woozy. The phone went. The voice said: Marlon Brando here. My immediate reaction was now which of my friends does silly voices? Maybe it's David Attenborough. He said, I wanna come and talk to you about the banality of evil. I want to make a documentary film about the human condition. Let's dine in London. To cut a long story short, I'm in my apartment in London. The doorbell goes, and it's one of those apartments where you have a screen to see who's at the front door. I looked up at the screen, and there was the Godfather. I couldn't believe it. We had a wonderful dinner together. He lived up to expectations. He was the most wonderful man to talk to. His great problem, he said: Why are people so violent? I play these violent men. I keep asking myself why is humanity so violent? When the official trailer for the Banshees of Inisherin was released, one of the many stunning shots of both the Aran islands and Achill was at the back of Inis Mor where the Conneely fishing family have their home. The cottage where Colin Farrells Padraic and Kerry Condons Siobhan lived with Jennie the donkey was constructed up at Gort na Capall, close to the islands cliffs and not far from Poll na bPeist. The cottage was built from scratch and then dismantled, the Conneelys recall. Such has been the reaction to the film that this years tourist season on Inis Mor is expected to be more feverish than ever, and the Conneelys are delighted with Martin McDonaghs success. However, their own future, and that of remaining fishing families, on Inis Mor is far less certain. In a few weeks time, John Conneely will deliver two fishing vessels to yards where they will be broken up, piece by piece. A Government scrappage scheme will take out half of the remaining Aran island fishing fleet. One of Conneelys two vessels, the 17-metre Connacht Ranger, has been in the family for over half a century. It was one of a fleet of timber boats built at boatyards then run by the States sea fisheries board, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). Now the same State board - which had been tasked with building up a much-neglected industry half a century ago - is now responsible for the scheme to slim it back down. Initiated last year, the scrappage scheme was drawn up by a seafood task force to pay up to 60 skipper owners compensation for destroying their vessels - due largely to the loss of quota caused by Brexit. A total of 42 owners have accepted offers, out of 57 letters issued by BIM. The funding comes from an EU pot which doesnt involve a penny from the taxpayer. The Brexit Adjustment Reserve, as Brussels calls the compensation fund, amounts to almost 1 billion euro and must be spent within two years. However, only a small percentage of this has been allocated for the fishing vessel scrappage scheme, in spite of the major impact of Brexit on coastal communities. John Conneely and his wife Mary-Frances Beatty, - facing an uncertain future after Brexit 'GET OUT' John Conneely, who is a fourth generation skipper, took up fishing with his father, Gregory, and sister Cliona at the age of 16. The late Gregory Conneely was something of a legend, having survived a serious deck injury at an early stage in his career. Back in 1968, Gregory was at home on Inis Mor with his wife, Maggie - who was about to deliver their first child - when he had a premonition that something was wrong. Sure enough, his first vessel, the Ard Aengus, had run up on rocks. Gregory launched his brothers boat, the Ard Colum, with several young fit men from the island. In a terrific feat of seamanship, they saved crew from the Ard Aengus before the vessel broke up in heavy seas. John Conneely was 21 when he became skipper in 1998, and loved nothing better than catching glimpses of the west Irish coast from a deck, and witnessing sunrises and sunsets at sea. However, though he still loves his job, he says fishing has become harder, due to difficulties recruiting crew in an industry far less attractive to young people, along with decreasing quotas, and the increasing cost of fuel. After the familys vessel Maggie C was arrested back in 2006, his father Gregory advised him to get out. Gregory could see how difficult it was to operate within the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). That policy initiated in 1983 had given Ireland just 4% of quota, with 16% of waters back then. In May 2015, Conneely was acquitted of breaching EU fishing regulations in a case held almost 10 years after the initial detention. I didnt want to listen to my father then fishing was all I wanted to do, just as he had, Conneely says. But now I would not like my young son Gregory (almost three years old) to go into this industry, as I dont see a viable future, he says. Loss of access to British waters after it withdrew from the EU was a final hammer blow to an Irish offshore fleet already working in often hostile conditions within these narrowing margins. The Conquest - one of two Aran Island fishing vessels set for decommission 'BRUSHED AWAY' As Johns wife, Mary-Frances Beatty explains, the many challenges and the increasing bureaucracy makes it very difficult for family businesses to survive. Ive worked in the State and private sector, and have never encountered anything like the complexity of running a fishing business, she says. The push for offshore wind to meet climate targets has also generated a lot of fear within the fishing industry, as grounds selected by developers tend to overlap with vital fishing areas. BIMs new chief executive Caroline Bocquel warned offshore renewable energy (ORE) developers at a recent conference that they must ensure minimal impact with commercial fishing. She also emphasised that communication by developers which was poor in some cases - must be embedded into the consenting regime. We feel we are just being brushed away by offshore wind developers, Conneely said. They could learn from us. One storm was so strong in 2013 that it blew boulders from the top of the cliffs here inland. In that sort of weather, no structure can survive out there, he says. John Conneely says he is fortunate in that he has some family land and can take up farming. He believes poor management by the State has led to a situation where those who remain in the industry will find it difficult to make a decent living. There was a time when Aran island vessels using the better harbour of Ros-a-Mhil in south Connemara would have to queue for several hours to land fish. However, landings by Irish vessels are becoming increasingly infrequent. Landings of foreign vessels into Irish fishing harbours increased by 48% over the past decade, while there has been a big drop in the amount of fish landed by Irish vessels. Aran Island skippers were among those who agreed to conservation measures for the Porcupine Bank prawn fishery, to the south-west, but now Irish vessels have to tie up early due to the small quota, while French, Spanish, Northern Irish and other vessels continue to fish there. Conneely believes the Government would have been better off using the BAR funding to purchase excess quota from France than to be breaking up vessels. The EU has stipulated the vessels must be destroyed, rather than recycled. Even that, he says, seems a terrible waste. What is the scheme? Irelands 75 million euro fleet decommissioning scheme is being funded by the EU from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) - the compensation fund worth almost 1 billion euro which Brussels drew up for Ireland to soften the Brexit blow. Minister for Marine Charlie McConalogue has defended the fact that only a percentage of this BAR fund is being given to the marine sector a sector of the Irish economy which may be small, but which is proportionately the hardest hit by Brexit. Speaking to this reporter at the recent Skipper Expo in Limerick, McConalogue said he had announced 267 million euro to date for the fishing sector, to ensure the potential of the sector was maximised, that it is innovative, that it is dynamic. He said there would be investment in processing, in piers and harbours, in boats and making it attractive for young people is a really important part of that as well". Asked if he was still fighting tooth and nail for more quota - as he had pledged after the Brexit Trade and Co-operation Agreement resulted in a severe hit to the Irish prawn and mackerel fleets in particular - McConalogue said he was continuing to do so every month, and every time we engage swords on it. One of the fishing industry organisations has proposed that tonnage from vessels which are scrapped should be put into a State bank to ensure an entry in the future for people of young Gregory Conneelys generation. McConalogue has declined to be drawn on this proposal, beyond stating that fishing industry organisations had agreed on the structure of the decommissioning scheme. A secondary school in Kildare has been reaping the rewards since a community dog named Viggo arrived on site in September. Viggo is a two-year-old labrador who didnt make the cut as an Irish Guide Dog for the Blind and now spends his time roaming the corridors alongside students and staff at Scoil Dara in Kilcock. Transition year (TY) students at Scoil Dara had been campaigning tirelessly for a community dog since the Covid-19 pandemic began. According to teacher Melissa Hickey: During that time, TY students couldnt do anything. They couldnt go on any trips and there were no workshops. Thats when they came up with the idea of getting a dog for the school. Melisss Hickey, teacher, and 6th year pupils in Scoil Dara, Kilcock, Fodhla Dwyer, Grace Tallon, Jack Peggs, Jill Grimes Aaron Phelan , Jack O'Connor and Tadgh Fahey with their school community's therapy dog, Viggo. After presenting to the schools board of management and gaining their seal of approval, Scoil Dara was vetted by Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. Students and staff then had to undergo training in Cork before Viggo was introduced to the school community of about 800 students. Viggo has three official handlers at the school. In addition to Ms Hickey, there is special educational needs (SEN) co-ordinator Claire Kenny, and chief handler and vice principal Clodagh Ward with whom Viggo lives after school and at weekends. Grace Tallon, a 6th year pupil in Scoil Dara, Kilcock with Viggo the school community's therapy dog Viggo. At school, Viggo has a timetable, and according to Miss Ward, he really is a working dog. In the morning time, well go on rounds of the school and greet students as they arrive," she said. There are smiles and there is warmth. Usually, there is a chat about Viggo he creates opportunities for relationship-building all the time. Vice principal Clodagh Ward and teacher Melissa Hickey with Fodhla Dwyer and Grace Tallon, sixth year pupils from Scoil Dara in Kilcock, with Viggo. Ms Ward also believes that Viggo helps reduce stress levels among students and staff every day, in particular during exam times and for students who are experiencing anxiety. She said: If there is a class test on, Viggo is invited because his presence settles students and gives them a different focus. He alleviates some of the pressure that they are feeling. I brought Viggo into a maths exam during our Leaving Cert mocks. I didnt speak, I just acknowledged the students, but he walked around the room with their permission. And students who were working on difficult trigonometry or calculus problems, reached down and gave him a little rub, and you could just see that stress easing. Students came up to me afterwards and said: That was such a help or that really gave me a boost when I felt the paper was going against me. According to Ms Ward, Viggo is also a huge comfort to students who are experiencing or struggling with anxiety. She said: We have set up sessions for them to be with Viggo, to help with his feeding or grooming Viggo sheds quite a bit. Scoil Dara also has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) class, and Viggo is available to them all the time. They dont necessarily love him coming into their space all the time, but they do love to come and visit him," said Ms Ward. A lot of the students with additional educational needs find comfort in him and having that treat as part of their day is really important. Ms Ward strongly believes that community dogs should be part of more Irish workplaces. Everyone needs a Viggo She said: Every community and every organisation needs a Viggo nursing homes, hospitals, hospices, schools. He brings a gentleness and a magic; he is non-judgemental, and he softens everything every exchange, every meeting, every class he goes to. Having him here is a morale booster, it unifies our community. He is a living symbol of our togetherness. Ms Hickey also cannot imagine school life without Viggo, and she says he is a brilliant advertisement for the school. We would miss him terribly if he wasnt here," she said. He is an absolute joy. He is like our mascot now. He goes to every event that we have. He was fabulous at the schools open night, with all the potential new students coming in and their parents. Melisss Hickey, teacher, and 6th year pupils in Scoil Dara, Kilcock, Aaron Phelan , Tadgh Fahey, Jack O' Connor Grace Tallon, Fodhla Dwyer, Jill Grimes and Jack Peggs with their school community's therapy dog, Viggo . Photograph Moya Nolan Fifth year student Aaron Phelan played an integral role in advocating for a community dog at Scoil Dara. He was part of the TY class that campaigned and persuaded the board of management to allow Viggo on site. He believes that Viggos arrival makes school a more pleasant place for all students. He said: He is fantastic. Just seeing him and being in his presence completely changes the atmosphere. School can be difficult enough, but having Viggo there is a game-changer, especially for younger students. He is brilliant. Tanaiste Micheal Martin has said that Bertie Ahern is welcome back in Fianna Fail because the party does not "give life sentences" to people. Mr Martin also said he no longer counts to ten while dealing with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. He said when he made this comment previously in an interview with the Irish Examiner, he was referring to one issue during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Tanaiste was speaking during an interview in New York last week and said Mr Ahern rejoining his local party organisation in Dublin Central is not about whether its good or not for Fianna Fail. We don't give life sentences generally in life to people, he said. Hes always been involved locally in Drumcondra and hes basically applied to join his local branch. Now are we really saying that the person shouldnt be allowed to join a local branch of a party? I don't think he has any ambitions politically. Mr Ahern resigned from the party in 2012 before Mr Martin moved to expel him following the publication of the Mahon Tribunal report. Mr Martin said it is "possible" that Mr Ahern has simply played up speculation linking him to the presidency, but he thinks the aim of rejoining was more in the context of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement next month. Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. File Picture: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie He said Mr Ahern was critical to the agreement and said we cant underestimate that. He said during his public life there has been an established protocol not to speculate on future presidencies out of respect to the current president and said he finds in recent times that protocol is being eroded. Meanwhile, Mr Martin said his relationship with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has changed in the last two and a half years while in government, adding hes an easy enough guy to talk to. He said it has been a professional relationship and he is not counting to ten every week, referring to comments he previously made. We have the capacity to contact each other if there are issues that emerge and we get on quite well, he said, also referring to Green Party leader Eamon Ryan. When asked how his leadership style differs to Mr Varadkar, Mr Martin said he would prefer others to judge that adding we are different people, you know and he puts a lot of work into it and hes meticulous too. The Tanaiste said he thinks it is politically immature of politicians to be speculating when they believe the next General Election could be. It comes after the Irish Examiner reported some Government ministers are already discussing the possibility of an early election, with sources saying it could be as early as November this year. Mr Martin said he is impatient with some people strategizing and thinks it is silly and foolish given he believes that it puts the game of politics ahead of the needs of the people. He said that he thinks the public would be very angry if an election was sprung on them. The public are not fools and the public are not going to tolerate parties working in their own electoral self interest, thats just my own view. Capacity issues, emerging trauma, and upheaval as accommodation changes at the last minute; new documents reveal just some of the challenges faced by schools at the front of Irelands educational response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. A little over a year into the war, almost 15,000 Ukrainian students have now enrolled here. Its thanks to a heroic effort and one that comes off the back of the exhausting emergency response to the covid-19 pandemic. While the integration of thousands of students into the education system here has run better than what might have been initially anticipated, it hasnt been without its hitches. The Department of Educations response to supporting the needs of Ukrainian students has been led locally by Regional Education and Language Teams (REALTs), which are hosted by the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The REALTs act as a point of contact with the Department of Education, assisting families to secure school places while also supporting schools in their area as different needs emerge on the ground. Documents released to the Irish Examiner under Freedom of Information offer a snapshot of the hands-on issues experienced by schools and reported to the teams in Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, and Dublin from September to the end of February. A spokesman for the Department of Education said the documents represent a snapshot in time. Issues raised by school principals have been addressed and procedures put in place where possible to ensure that situations were not repeated, he added. Schools at full capacity School place capacity issues across each of the five counties are evident from the documents. In Kerry, by mid-February, schools reported no post-primary capacity in Killarney, Tralee, and Caherciveen, and no primary school spaces in Ballyferriter, Ventry, Derryquay, Killorglin town, Ballybunion, Kenmare, Dingle, Killarney or Caherciveen, going out further and further. It notes that it is now harder to get children into schools as most are at full capacity and that there will be big issues if a new bus route is requested as this has to be sanctioned and can take a few weeks. In February, a REALT in Dublin noted that the opening of new IPAS accommodation centres in various parts of the city is further increasing the demand for school places. Earlier this year, it was also noted that parents, project workers and outside agencies in Dublin were reporting frustration in terms of being turned away from schools in particular post-primary schools, and being told the school is full without further explanation or communication. In Cork, it was noted that capacity in post-primary schools, as well as school transport, are big issues. There are a number of families joining centres and new centres continue to open, so school places are needed all the time." The REALT for Limerick and Clare noted that sourcing school places was becoming difficult, particularly in pinch-point areas". Post-primary places for first-year students from this September are a concern while there is also a shortage of places in special schools, the documents add. A number of REALTs report to the Department of Education about the psychological trauma experienced by Ukrainian students. "School principals are starting to contact more now about issues which are arising in schools, in post-primary around behaviour, issues of communication with parents, online schooling," one note reads. "In primary, issues arising include possible undiagnosed additional needs, some behaviour issues, staffing recruitment issues, parents of children disengaged and in need of support themselves." Upheaval The documents also reveal the upset and upheaval caused by moving families from different accommodation centres at the last minute. One principal wrote directly to the Department of Education when they learned that six of their families were to be moved. We are very concerned about the effect on these seven students if the change in their accommodation arrangements necessitates a change of school. "Such a move could very well be another source of trauma for these teenagers and we feel that it should be a priority that these families are able to stay within reach of our school." Another REALT asked if representations could be made to the Department of Children to try and ensure families re-accommodated as close to their original accommodation as possible to avoid having to commence everything over again and further disruption and trauma". Ongoing trauma It noted it had ongoing contact with some of the families who have deep concerns that the children are being traumatised again when it could be avoided. A spokesman for the Department of Education said its officials and officials from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration continue to liaise closely to ensure as much as possible the alignment of accommodation placement of families with known school capacity. A number of supports and resources are available to schools including a helpline for school principals, a collation of resources, and the circulation to all schools of NEPS resources to support all children during a time of conflict, he added. More than 960 English as an additional language (EAL) posts, 187 additional special education teachers and more than 233 additional special needs assistants have also been provided to date, he added. Schools continue to be supported through the REALTs to work collaboratively to use each schools existing capacity in the most flexible way possible. While pressures still remain, this department, the REALT teams along with other stakeholders are endeavouring to provide support to the school communities and children, young people and their families arriving from Ukraine into our schools," the department said. In recent years, artificial intelligence has been making great strides in various fields, including education. One of the most remarkable examples of this is ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI. While ChatGPT's primary purpose is to assist users in generating human-like text, it has also made significant contributions to the field of philosophy. This, in turn, has had a significant impact on educational assessment, enabling educators to evaluate students' critical thinking skills in new and exciting ways. or so the enthusiasts say. The doomsayers, by contrast, are sceptical. Here at UCC, for example, Ive heard more than a few colleagues echoing Socrates, who, in Platos dialogue Phaedrus (370 BC), expresses similar worries about the invention of wait for it writing. He says: "This invention will produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it ... you offer your pupils the appearance of wisdom, not true wisdom, for they will read many things without instruction and will therefore seem to know many things, when they are for the most part ignorant and hard to get along with since they are not wise, but only appear wise." Fast forward a couple of millennia and the worry is the same; students might use this new technology to write their essays for them, in ways that escape the notice of standard plagiarism-detection tools, giving rise to a new form of turbo-charged AI-powered cheating. Whats particularly unsettling is that language use has long been regarded as the hallmark of intelligence. The philosopher Rene Descartes (who you may remember from such lines as I think, therefore I am) held that linguistic ability is what distinguishes humans from animals; he thought it was evidence that we have immortal souls, whilst they are mere automata. The Turing Test Despite his general scepticism about AI, Descartes thereby anticipated another famous 20th-century development in the field: the Turing Test. In his landmark 1950 essay entitled Computing Machinery and Intelligence, Alan Turing suggested that instead of asking the somewhat nebulous question Can a machine think?" wed be much better off addressing the more concrete issue: Could a machine deceive a human interlocutor into thinking that they were conversing with another human? Turings idea was that we can never really be certain what, or that, another person (or machine) is actually thinking, but that conversational ability is like the tip of an iceberg: a pretty good and generally reliable way of inferring that theres a whole lot more going on beneath the evidence at the surface. I sometimes joke with my students that the essays and exams that I ask them to write serve much the same purpose as the Turing Test. I cant really be certain that theyve learnt and understood everything that weve covered, but the 2,500 words that they hand in at the end of the semester is like the tip of an iceberg; if I construct the assignment carefully, it gives me a pretty good and generally reliable way of inferring that theyve learnt a whole lot more, as a backdrop to the evidence presented in the essay. So the worry I mentioned earlier is that since ChatGPT can clearly pass the Turing Test, then it could also pass university courses on behalf of cheating students in the same way. Or could it? Notice that I said ...if I construct the assignment carefully. Many standard paper topics (e.g., Describe and explain theory X about topic Y) are the sorts of prompts for which ChatGPT can produce a perfectly serviceable passing essay in response. But these have never been good essay questions, because they encourage exactly what Socrates was worried about: rote learning and boring, formulaic answers. Reduce likelihood of cheating Instead, by finding ways for students to work with ChatGPT, we can reduce the likelihood of cheating, make the assignments more interesting, and really develop the critical analytic abilities that we were seeking all along. I imagine that this is the reasoning behind the recent announcement that pupils will be allowed to use ChatGPT as part of their coursework for the International Baccalaureate. So rather than playing the role of ostrich or cop (and either pretending ChatGPT doesnt exist, or else trying to prevent its use by implementing honour codes and harsher plagiarism penalties), this semester I plan to lean in. In one of my classes, students must first ask ChatGPT to answer as if it were Rene Descartes (it refuses to impersonate someone, but it responds well if you start with Lets play a game...) They must then conduct an interview about its views on the nature of the mind, using ChatGPT to role-play a dialogue, and then critique the answers based on what they know from the philosophical texts. In another class, Ive asked students to conduct an actual Turing Test with ChatGPT, and then to evaluate its performance based both on what theyve read in Turings paper, and on what they know about how ChatGPT works. In class, we have discussed how ChatGPT works, its strengths and its limitations, with a view to enabling students to treat it just like they would any other source. Pocket calculators and spell-checkers didnt imperil the maths and English skills of previous generations. Weve learnt to use the written word quite well, despite Socrates worries. So I believe we can do the same thing with new AI technologies too. For that reason, on balance and contrary to the doomsayers, I am inclined to side with the slightly more optimistic opening paragraph above, even though its a sentiment for which, Im willing to admit, I had a co-author: User: Write the opening paragraph of a short article for the Irish Examiner, about ChatGPT, philosophy, and its impact on educational assessment. ChatGPT: In recent years, artificial intelligence has been making great strides in various fields, including education. One of the most remarkable examples of this is ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI. While ChatGPT's primary purpose is to assist users in generating human-like text, it has also made significant contributions to the field of philosophy. This, in turn, has had a significant impact on educational assessment, enabling educators to evaluate students' critical thinking skills in new and exciting ways. One million homes in a decade. If the Labour Party felt the sting of accusations that its brand of politics was too incrementalist, Ivana Bacik's speech to the party faithful at the Silver Springs Hotel in Cork was a decent, but possibly misguided riposte. She would later clarify that that figure would include 50,000 refurbs a year alongside 50,000 new builds. Given that most experts put the country's capacity to deliver at a maximum of around 60,000 units a year, 100,000 is what the tech industry would call a moonshot a deliberately high bar that even getting close to would constitute success. And why not? We are in a crisis that needs bold thinking and tinkering around the edges is what Labour's opponents to the left constantly accuse it of, so why not go all in? Ivana Bacik: Her speech was light on detail. The idea was presented by some as Ms Bacik "pledging" to deliver on the promise, but nobody in the party has any illusions that Labour will be the senior partner in whatever government comes after the current one. The speech itself was light on detail on how this would be done. "In a strong economy with financial surpluses, we can do this. With new thinking and new ideas, we can do this," Ms Bacik said. With a national housing emergency causing suffering for thousands we have to do this. "Thats our ambition for housing." Ms Bacik has said that she wants to see a state-owned building company established, but without any detail on who might staff it to improve capacity. For Labour, the one million homes announcement could become a millstone around the party's collective neck, similar to one made a year ago. A hostage to polling fortune In spinning the parliamentary party's ousting of leader Alan Kelly as an issue of opinion polling and not one of internal personalities, Labour unwittingly made Ms Bacik a hostage to polling fortune Every discussion of the party focuses around what kind of job the polling says she is doing. To that end, the party has polled as high as 6% just once in her tenure. It is perhaps somewhat unfair to compare that to the Social Democrats, but given the astounding 9% result in an opinion poll the week after Holly Cairns was announced that party's leader, it bears mentioning. Former tanaiste and former leader of the Labour Party, Joan Burton. The problem the Labour Party faces is that it will always be compared to those in the centre-left and left with whom it is competing, and the party understands it needs to get away from this. This worked particularly well in Ms Bacik's by-election win in Dublin Bay South in 2021. While it was pitched online as a referendum on the Government versus Sinn Fein, Ms Bacik's campaign understood that there was an appetite for more than a binary choice. The increasingly rancorous relationship between Sinn Fein and Fine Gael works for both parties, other politicians understand. If Irish electoral politics is all about which side of the fence you are one, you are more likely to land on one. But our system and the reality are not like that. There are many options for people to support. Third force Labour's pitch is to be that third force in Irish politics a party that can operate in opposition but is determined to lead. The fact that this week's motion of confidence in the Government has been brought by Labour is telling in itself the party has not done this in a quarter of a century. Labour Party TD Brendan Howlin listens to Ivana Bacik's keynote speech. This now is a party ready to attack the Government more vociferously and doggedly, but always with an eye on stealing a march or standing out from Sinn Fein. It will be a real challenge, however, and the polling currently suggests that the message is not getting through. There are many for whom a vote for Labour will never be a thing again, such is the depth of feeling about the party's time in government from 2011 to 2016 and the centre-left space is now more crowded than it would have been even a decade ago. So, can Labour really stand out in this environment? Much will depend on its success or otherwise in next year's local elections the party is strong at council level and has over 50 councillors. But, as a starting point, pinning yourself to an ambitious, if unrealistic, idea isn't the worst idea. So, why not one million homes? Rescuers are continuing the search for four people missing after an explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania which killed three people. Crews using dogs and imaging equipment continued to scour the rubble after the blast that happened just before 5pm on Friday at the RM Palmer plant in the borough of West Reading, about 60 miles (96km) north-west of Philadelphia. West Reading Borough Chief of Police Wayne Holben said the death toll rose with the discovery of a third body at the site on Saturday. The Berks County Medical Examiner and Coroner also confirmed three fatalities. Three people were confirmed dead after the explosion on Friday evening (Jeff Doelp/Reading Eagle/AP) Borough Fire Chief Chad Moyer said four people remained missing as emergency personnel continued searching for victims and state and local fire investigators examined the scene to determine a cause. Due to the violence of the explosion and the amount of time that has passed, the chance of finding survivors is decreasing rapidly, he said. However, please be assured that our primary goal is accounting for all missing individuals and reuniting them with their loved ones. Earlier, Mr Holben said one person was pulled alive from the rubble overnight and that provides hope that others still may be found. Officials said dogs and imaging equipment were being used to look for signs of life during the careful removal of debris. The blast destroyed one building and damaged a neighbouring one. Roads near the site will be closed until 8am on Monday, Mr Holben said. Mayor Samantha Kaag said of the explosion site: Its pretty levelled. The building in the front, with the church and the apartments, the explosion was so big that it moved that building four feet forward. Emergency personnel at the scene in West Reading, Pennsylvania (Jeff Doelp/Reading Eagle/AP) Reading Hospital said it had received 10 patients, of whom one was transferred to Lehigh Valley Hospital and another to Penn State Health St Joseph Medical Centre. Two were admitted to Reading Hospital, and the others were later discharged, officials said. UGI Utilities said crews were brought in after the blast caused a gas leak that was helping to fuel the fire. We did not receive any calls regarding a gas leak or gas order prior to the incident, but we are co-operating with the investigation and part of that will be to check all our facilities in the vicinity, UGI spokesman Joseph Swope said. RM Palmer said in a statement late on Saturday that everyone at the company was devastated by the tragic events and focused on supporting our employees and their families. We have lost close friends and colleagues, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all who have been impacted, the company said, expressing gratitude to the extraordinary efforts of first responders and the support of the Reading community, which has been home to our business for more than 70 years. Utility company crews were brought in after the blast caused a gas leak that was helping to fuel the fire (Ben Hasty/Reading Eagle via AP) The company said it is anxious to get in touch with its employees and their families but its email, phones and other communication systems are down, and it is relying on first responders and disaster recovery organisations to provide information to affected families. It added that it would be providing additional information and making contact with employees, impacted families, and the community as soon as possible. Mayor Kaag said people were asked to move back about a block in each direction, but no evacuations were ordered. She had issued an emergency declaration only to allow more resources for first responders. Borough manager Dean Murray said some residents were displaced from the damaged apartment building. Governor Josh Shapiro, who visited the site along with the emergency management agency director, vowed any and all commonwealth resources needed to support ongoing recovery efforts in addition to the extensive assets that have already been deployed. A team of structural engineers and search dogs from a state urban rescue taskforce have been assisting, and additional personnel arrived on Saturday, he said. A state police fire marshal is also assisting in the investigation, he said. Fire investigators are continuing to examine the scene to try to determine the cause of the blast (Ben Hasty/Reading Eagle via AP) Philip Wert, vice president of West Reading Council, said the building had been constructed in the late 1950s or early 1960s, and officials had to access our archive to pull the blueprints in order to get a better layout of the building and the mechanicals and the utilities, where things are The silver lining in all this is someone was found alive, someone was found alive that was in rubble, not knowing whether they were going to live or die, and fortunately we found that person and theyve got a second chance, and hopefully fingers crossed were going to find more, he said. Frank Gonzalez stood on a hill overlooking the blast site, watching the rubble being cleared. He said his sister, Diana Cedeno, was working at the plant at the time of the blast and was among the missing. Its not good. Its just stressful waiting, not knowing, he said, expressing frustration at what he perceived as a lack of communication from authorities about the search. We keep reaching out, bugging, keeping her name alive just in case she is in there and says her name. He said his sister has two adult children, including a son who is deployed overseas. She has a side job decorating for parties and has also been studying for ministry at her church, he said. Mr Gonzalez said his son and nephew had also worked at the plant, but that his son had quit a few months ago because he said he didnt like the smell of the gas that was in there. Four people are still missing after Fridays explosion (Michael Rubinkam/AP) His son and nephew had complained about the smell to plant supervisors, who told them Its all right. We got it. Its being handled. Dont worry about it, he said. Frank DeJesus said his stepdaughter, Arelis Rivera Santiago, a Palmer employee, was working in the building next door at the time of the blast. The ceiling caved in, and she had to crawl under machinery to make it out, he said. He added that he rushed to the scene to find her shaking and crying hysterically and she was still too shaken to speak about what had happened. Plant employees, including his stepdaughter, had complained about smelling gas throughout the day on Friday, he said. Everyone complained about smelling gas, and they kept making them work, he said. The supervisors told them it was nothing. It was being taken care of. A message was sent earlier to RM Palmer seeking comment about the blast. Smoke rises from the RM Palmer plant in West Reading (WPVI-TV/6ABC/AP) Doug Olexy was home from work and checking email when the blast shook his house, rattling windows and making the walls vibrate. It sounded like a bomb went off, he recalled. I mean, all of our houses shook. Ive never heard as loud of an explosion in my life. He and his neighbours ran out on to the street immediately afterwards and were met by thick black smoke. At first, Mr Olexy thought it was a train derailment because there are tracks nearby. Then he learned it was the Palmer plant, which he called a West Reading institution. Everybody knows Palmer chocolate, he said. RM Palmers website says it has been making chocolate novelties since 1948 and now has 850 employees at its West Reading headquarters. Its Facebook page included entries earlier this month advertising Easter treats such as chocolate rabbits and the newest milk chocolate hollow in its bunny family as one with jelly beans inside. Ukraines top security official has denounced the Kremlins plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus, saying that Russia was taking its ally as a nuclear hostage. But Moscow said it was making the move in response to the Wests increasing military support for Ukraine. Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the plan in a television interview that aired on Saturday, saying it was triggered by a UK decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Mr Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the US. He noted that Washington had nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews, he said. Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defence Council, tweeted on Sunday that Mr Putins announcement was a step towards internal destabilisation of Belarus that maximised the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Mr Putin in Belarusian society. The Kremlin, Mr Danilov added, took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. Mr Putin argued on Saturday that Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko had long asked to have nuclear weapons in his country again to counter Nato. Russian president Vladimir Putin said construction of storage facilities for the weapons would be complete by July 1 (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Belarus shares borders with three Nato members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging ground to send troops into neighbouring Ukraine on February 24 2022. Both Mr Lukashenkos support of the war and Mr Putins plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus have been denounced by the Belarusian opposition. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over the ones it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them would be completed by July 1, Mr Putin said. The comparison drawn by President Putin to Nato's nuclear participation is misleading and cannot be used to justify the step announced by Russia Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there. The US said it would monitor the implications of Mr Putins announcement. So far, Washington had not seen any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. In Germany, the foreign ministry called it a further attempt at nuclear intimidation, German news agency dpa reported late on Saturday. The ministry went on to say that the comparison drawn by President Putin to Natos nuclear participation is misleading and cannot be used to justify the step announced by Russia. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired his defence minister, a day after Yoav Gallant called for a halt to the planned overhaul of the countrys judiciary that has divided the country. Mr Gallant, a former army general, is a senior member of Mr Netanyahus ruling Likud party. Galit Distal Atbaryan, Mr Netanyahus public diplomacy minister, said that the prime minister summoned Mr Gallant to his office and told him that he doesnt have any faith in him any more and therefore he is fired. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said that Mr Gallants dismissal was a new low for the anti-Zionist government that harms national security and ignores warnings of all defence officials. The prime minister will be forced to bow his head before the law and comply with the provisions of the law The prime minister of Israel is a threat to the security of the state of Israel, Mr Lapid wrote on Twitter. The move comes after an Israeli good governance group asked the countrys supreme court to punish Mr Netanyahu for allegedly violating a conflict of interest agreement meant to prevent him from dealing with the countrys judiciary while he is on trial for corruption. The request by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel intensifies a developing showdown between Mr Netanyahus government and the judiciary, which it is trying to overhaul in a contentious plan that has sparked widespread opposition. Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets, military and business leaders have spoken out against it and leading allies of Israel have voiced concerns. Mr Netanyahus government is pushing ahead for a parliamentary vote this week on a centrepiece of the overhaul a law that would give the governing coalition the final say over all judicial appointments. Mr Gallant became the first to break ranks late on Saturday by calling for the legislation to be frozen. Mr Gallant cited the turmoil in the ranks of the military over the plan but it was unclear whether others would follow him. The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, which opposes the overhaul, asked the court to force Mr Netanyahu to obey the law and sanction him either with a fine or prison time for not doing so, saying he was not above the law. A prime minister who doesnt obey the court and the provisions of the law is privileged and an anarchist, Eliad Shraga, the head of the group, said. His language echoed that used by Mr Netanyahu and his allies against protesting opponents of the overhaul. The prime minister will be forced to bow his head before the law and comply with the provisions of the law. We are at the start of a constitutional crisis in the sense that there is a disagreement over the source of authority and legitimacy of different governing bodies The prime minister responded saying the appeal should be dismissed and said that the supreme court did not have grounds to intervene. Mr Netanyahu is barred by the countrys attorney general from dealing with his governments plan to overhaul the judiciary, based on a conflict of interest agreement he is bound to, and which the supreme court acknowledged in a ruling over Mr Netanyahus fitness to serve while on trial for corruption. Instead, justice minister Yariv Levin, a close confidant of Mr Netanyahu, is spearheading the overhaul. But on Thursday, after parliament passed a law making it harder to remove a sitting prime minister, Mr Netanyahu said he was unshackled by the attorney generals decision and vowed to wade into the crisis and mend the rift in the nation. This declaration prompted the attorney general, Gali Baharav-Miara, to warn that Mr Netanyahu was breaking his conflict of interest agreement by entering the fray. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing heavy criticism (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The fast-paced legal and political developments have catapulted Israel into uncharted territory and a quickly developing constitutional crisis, Guy Lurie, a research fellow at the Jerusalem think tank Israel Democracy Institute, said. We are at the start of a constitutional crisis in the sense that there is a disagreement over the source of authority and legitimacy of different governing bodies, he said. If Mr Netanyahu continues to intervene in the overhaul as he promised, Ms Baharav-Miara could launch an investigation into whether he violated the conflict of interest agreement, which could lead to additional charges against him, Mr Lurie said. He added that the uncertainty of the events made him unsure of how they were likely to unfold. It is also unclear how the court, which is at the centre of the divide surrounding the overhaul, will treat the request to sanction Mr Netanyahu. Mr Netanyahu is on trial for charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate affairs involving wealthy associates and powerful media moguls. A protest in Tel Aviv against plans by Mr Netanyahus government to overhaul the judicial system (Oded Balilty/AP) He denies wrongdoing and dismisses critics who say he will try to seek an escape route from the charges through the legal overhaul. The overhaul will give the government control over who becomes a judge and limit judicial review over government decisions and legislation. Mr Netanyahu and his allies say the plan will restore a balance between the judicial and executive branches and rein in what they see as an interventionist court with liberal sympathies. Critics say the plan upends Israels fragile system of checks and balances and pushes Israel down a path towards autocracy. Satellites are effectively small autonomous space stations that are launched into orbit (space) around our planet by a powerful rocket (e.g. ESA Ariane 5) and used as specialised wireless transceivers (receiver/transmitters) to relay information between different points on the ground. Their high altitude above the Earth gives them almost 100% coverage of the UK, which is especially useful in remote rural areas. On the surface this sounds ideal, especially with service speeds of up to c.100Mbps (Megabits per second) being available from some of the latest networks (Eutelsat, Starlink, OneWeb etc.), although there can also be some caveats to consider, depending upon the platform. Satellite systems require the installation of a special receiving dish on your property (pictured top right), which isn't cheap and may in some areas cause a conflict with local planning permission (check with your council first). It's also not uncommon for hardware and setup fees to reach up to c.500, but in other cases this may be covered by your monthly rental. Rental fees can vary but start at around 25-30 per month. In the current environment there tend to be two very different types of satellite platform, which also come with very different pros and cons. NOTE: As a general rule, the lower a satellite orbits, the better its latency (faster server response times in milliseconds) but the more platforms you need to deliver wide coverage. 1. Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit (GEO) or Geostationary Satellites (GSO) This tends to reflect large - double-decker bus sized - communication satellites, such as Eutelsat's KA-SAT, Avanti's HYLAS or others from SES Astra that orbit high above the Earth at altitudes of about 35,000km+. Such satellites can cost hundreds of millions to build, often only have limited capacity (this only improves as they're replaced over many years) and suffer from extremely slow latency times (e.g. 600-1000 milliseconds or worse). Network congestion, particularly at peak times, can also cause problems. Older platforms also suffer from meagre usage (data) allowances. On the other hand, modern GEO/GSO broadband satellites can deliver fast download speeds and aren't as congested as older alternatives. For example, Eutelsat's KONNECT satellite can deliver speeds of up to 100Mbps (75Mbps average) and 5Mbps uploads (3Mbps average) for around 70 per month, with a 49.99 setup fee. Slower and cheaper plans are available. One other benefit of GEO/GSO spacecraft is that they deliver coverage over an extremely wide area (e.g. one satellite may be able to cover the UK and most of Europe, as well as some of North Africa and the Middle East). 2. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Over the past few years' a new generation of compact LEO satellite has emerged via companies such as Starlink (SpaceX), OneWeb and Amazon (Kuiper) etc. Each one is roughly the size of a large suitcase (with solar panels folded-in) but, unlike those above, LEOs orbit much lower at altitudes of between 160 to 2000 kilometres (99 to 1200 miles). At this height latency times can be much more akin to fixed line broadband connections (c.20-40ms), which provides for a much smoother experience. The catch is that you need hundreds, even thousands, of them to ensure good coverage and over time they will naturally (or intentionally) de-orbit to burn up in our atmosphere due to gravity. All of this makes them expensive to deploy, launch and run as a mega constellation (whether LEO or GEO/GSO, space is not cheap!). However, aside from the latency advantages, large mega-constellations of LEOs could potentially deliver gigabit speeds to consumers in the future and have more scope for adapting to future capacity demands (i.e. greater numbers and rapid evolution). But some cost problems remain. Starlink currently charges 89 per month for the service itself, plus 54 for shipping and 439 for the kit (dish, router etc.). For that you can expect unlimited usage, good latency times of 20-40ms, downloads of between 50-150Mbps and uploads of c.20Mbps. It's not cheap, but this is closer to a good fixed line service than you could expect from GEO/GSO satellites. 3. Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) A third category also exists (MEOs), which typically sit in-between LEOs and GEO/GSOs. For example, OneWeb have plans to deploy 1,280 MEOs at 8,500km, which could introduce some global positioning technologies alongside broadband connectivity. At this height MEOs improve coverage (fewer platforms needed to cover the same area as LEOs), but they'll also suffer an impact to their latency times, albeit not as drastic as on GEO/GSOs. With the exception of the aforementioned LEO constellations above, satellite services are generally no good for fast paced multiplayer gaming due to the time that it takes for signals to go from the Earth, to the satellite and then back down again (high latency). This, when combined with aggressive traffic limits and the use of NAT based IP addresses by some (but not all) providers, can also hinder the use of VPN, VoIP (Skype), IPTV and other latency-based internet services. One challenge here is that, in order to compensate for the high cost of deploying satellite broadband services, operators often have to contend their capacity much more in order to make it affordable for consumers (i.e. sharing limited capacity between many users). Often this won't be a big problem when a new satellite or constellation launches, but over time it may creep in. It's also important to recognise that some Satellite services are not able to allocate a UK based Internet Protocol (IP) address to your connection. As a result, that can make certain region-locked online services, such as TV content via the BBC's iPlayer, difficult to access. It might also result in Google returning search results for the wrong country, although that example is easy to fix. Get unlimited access to all content and features at ivpressonline.com with our Full Online Access Subscription. Read our E-Edition, the digital replica of the print newspaper online, access content in exclusive sections including Family, Teen, Business, Databases, Farm and more. This option does not include daily home delivery of the Imperial Valley Press newspaper. For home delivery service, please select Premium or Premium Plus. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- After a good start this year, the Chinese economy will buoy steady and sustained development, adding certainty to global growth clouded by upheavals, an official said on Saturday. The country has hit the "fast-forward" button on its economic growth after it optimized the epidemic prevention and control measures, said Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the office of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs, at the economic summit of the ongoing China Development Forum 2023. Passenger flows, logistics, and business trips in China are normalizing fast, while the domestic demand has recovered, said Han, citing major economic indicators in the first two months. The country's retail sales, a gauge of consumption growth, increased 3.5 percent year on year in the January-February period, reversing declines seen in the previous three months. In the period, China's value-added industrial output went up 2.4 percent year on year, while the index gauging the country's service industry output rose 5.5 percent. With the accelerated implementation of supporting policies, the confidence of enterprises and investors is also on the mend, Han said. He also noted that China's economic operation still faces challenges such as stagflation risks and spillover effects brought by the tightened monetary policies of developed economies, saying that the country's 2023 growth target is set after taking the above factors into consideration. China aims to expand its economy by around 5 percent in 2023, according to its government work report. "The current development momentum bodes a promising prospect for the full-year growth target," said Han, adding that China will remain a significant engine fueling global economic growth. The contribution of China's economy to the world economic growth has exceeded 30 percent on average in the past decade, and the figure this year will surpass that in 2022, providing market demand and a strong impetus to the global recovery, he said. Han also pointed out that China is proactive in stabilizing global industrial and supply chains, defusing financial risks, attracting foreign investments, and upholding multilateralism. To further revive the economy, China will make more efforts in Chinese modernization to cultivate development in the medium and long term, said Han. China will expand international innovation cooperation and achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, he said. Han noted that the country would improve birth policies and the elderly care service system and stick to high-level opening up. "The pursuit of Chinese modernization will surely inject vitality into the world's prosperity," he added. A demonstrator is in crucial situation after clashes with police in a protest in opposition to the French water tank A protester with head trauma was combating for his life Sunday after clashes with police throughout an indication over water storage services in France, the general public prosecutor stated. Protest organizers within the southwestern village of Sainte-Sollen on Saturday had earlier stated one demonstrator was significantly injured. In line with the newest figures launched by the Public Prosecutors Workplace early Sunday afternoon, seven protesters had been injured, together with three hospitalized. Twenty-nine policemen had been additionally injured, two of them so badly that they had been taken to hospital. Prosecutor Julian Watbled stated a 30-year-old man with head trauma was combating for his life after he was amongst three protesters admitted for emergency remedy. He stated a particular investigation had been opened to decide the precise nature of the three individualss accidents and the situations during which they had been obtained. The opposite two significantly injured protesters had been a 19-year-old lady who suffered facial trauma and a 27-year-old man with a damaged foot. Campaigners in Saint-Sollen have been attempting to cease the development of big water troughs to irrigate crops, which they are saying will distort entry to water amid drought situations. As quickly as they reached the development web site, which is being defended by the police and gendarmerie, AFP correspondents reported, clashes shortly broke out between probably the most radical activists and the safety forces. The demonstrators threw projectiles, together with explosive units, whereas the police responded with tear fuel, water cannons and rubber bullets. The clashes in Saint-Sullen got here after days of unrest elsewhere in France over President Emmanuel Macrons pension reforms, which led to the cancellation of a go to by Britains King Charles III. Anger over Macrons imposition of the legislation with out a parliamentary vote has sparked every day clashes between protesters and police in French cities in current days. However a whole bunch of hundreds of French individuals have marched peacefully since January in opposition to the reform, which incorporates elevating the retirement age from 62 to 64. This week, the safety forces confronted criticism for his or her harsh techniques in coping with the protests. The Council of Europe warned on Friday that sporadic violence at protests cant justify extreme use of drive. (AFP) A Swiss regulator is contemplating disciplinary motion in opposition to Credit score Suisse after an emergency bailout A media report stated Sunday that the Swiss monetary regulator Fenma is investigating how bosses at Credit score Suisse have been held accountable following its emergency takeover of rival UBS. Were not a felony authority however were exploring counter-possibilities, Finma president Marlene Amstad was quoted as saying in an interview with the weekly NZZ am Sonntag. Switzerland, whose vibrant banking scene is a central a part of the nations tradition, was shocked by the compelled merger between Credit score Suisse and UBS on the authoritiess behest. Quite a lot of observers have expressed issues that the brand new entity rising from the gun marriage can be much less too large to fail than to succeed though the SNB maintains that the merger has averted triggering a broader banking disaster. Amstad noting the brand new entitys want for capital and liquidity to develop incrementally in accordance with its new measurement has not held again from criticizing the tradition that led to its predicament. The turmoil provides to the widespread banking turmoil attributable to the current collapse of three US banks. The issues werent confined to a single a part of the enterprise, however unfold throughout completely different sectors of the group and an expression of an insufficient threat tradition in all respects, added Amstad. He stated this interprets right into a normal lack of accountability. It conceded that the financial institution has undoubtedly a really massive variety of employees whore working correctly and reliably, however stated this was not sufficient. Credit score Suisse chairman Axel Lehmann sought to shift a few of the blame for the financial institutions issues on social media, one thing Amstad rejected. Its clear that the social media storm was not the reason for the issue at Credit score Suisse, these items return a very long time. The explanations have been numerous scandals and errors by the administration lately, she stated. The financial institution was already in a disaster of popularity and confidence. On the finish of the day, (Credit score Suisse) failed due to many scandals and dangerous administration choices. The financial institutions administration has been caught for a very long time in a high-risk technique however has not been capable of take care of these dangers correctly. The issues have been happening for a number of years, Amstad stated, including that she didnt identify names. Some business watchers blamed the authorities for not taking immediate motion, however Amstad stated FINMA was working behind the scenes and that its actions werent at all times public. She concludes by emphasizing that Poor company tradition and strategic miscalculations on the a part of administration cant be fully eradicated by means of strict regulation. (AFP) At the very least 19 African migrants have been killed within the newest catastrophe off Tunisia At the very least 19 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa died when their boat sank off Tunisia whereas making an attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Italy, a human rights group stated Sunday, within the newest migrant boat catastrophe off Tunisia. Prior to now 4 days, 5 migrant boats sank off the southern metropolis of Sfax, leaving 67 lacking and 9 useless, after a major enhance in boats heading in the direction of Italy. Roumdan Benomar, an official with the Discussion board for Social and Financial Rights, instructed Reuters that the Tunisian coast guard rescued 5 individuals from a ship off the coast of Mahdia after a voyage that set off from the shores of Sfax. Tunisian authorities couldnt be reached for remark. The coast guard stated it had stopped some 80 boats certain for Italy previously 4 days and detained greater than 3,000 migrants, most of them from sub-Saharan African international locations. The coast close to Sfax has turn into a serious departure level for individuals fleeing poverty and battle in Africa and the Center East with the hope of a greater life in Europe. The most recent catastrophe comes within the midst of a marketing campaign of arrests by the Tunisian authorities of undocumented sub-Saharan Africans. In response to UN knowledge, at the very least 12,000 migrants arriving in Italy this yr have set sail from Tunisia, in comparison with 1,300 in the identical interval in 2022. Beforehand, Libya was the principle departure level for migrants. In response to FTDES statistics, the Tunisian Coast Guard prevented greater than 14,000 migrants from setting off on boats in the course of the first three months of this yr, in comparison with 2,900 throughout the identical interval final yr. On Thursday, the Italian Coast Guard stated it had rescued some 750 migrants in two operations off the southern Italian coast. Italys Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, stated on Friday that Europe dangers seeing an enormous wave of migrants attain its shores from North Africa if monetary stability is just not assured in Tunisia. Meloni referred to as on the Worldwide Financial Fund and a few international locations to assist Tunisia shortly to keep away from its collapse. (Reuters) China and Honduras started formal diplomatic relations on Sunday, with Taiwan accusing Beijing of utilizing coercion and intimidation to lure its few remaining allies. Chinas announcement of the transfer got here shortly after Tegucigalpa introduced that it had formally reduce ties with Taipei. China and Honduras simply established diplomatic relations, Chinese language Overseas Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying stated on Twitter. The change, simply days after Honduran Overseas Minister Enrique Reina visited Beijing, leaves Taiwan with solely 13 nations to acknowledge China, having misplaced a number of Latin American allies in recent times. China considers a self-governing, democratic Taiwan to be a part of its territory, to be taken again sooner or later by pressure, if mandatory. Underneath the One China coverage, it doesnt permit nations to acknowledge each Beijing and Taipei. Earlier, Reina stated that, on the directions of President Xiomara Castro, he knowledgeable Taiwan of the choice to droop diplomatic relations, the ministry stated in a press release. The Honduran Ministry of Overseas Affairs stated, The federal government of the Republic of Honduras acknowledges that theres just one China on the earth, and that the federal government of the Folkss Republic of China is the one authorized authorities that represents the entire of China. Taiwan is an inalienable a part of Chinese language territory. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen stated the change was a part of a sequence of coercion and intimidation by China. China has suppressed (Taiwans) worldwide sphere for a very long time, unilaterally endangering regional peace and stability, stated a press release from her workplace. Stress and intimidation Taiwans Overseas Minister Joseph Wu confirmed the severing of ties, accusing China of providing monetary incentives to lure the islands allies. After our negotiations with (Honduras) got here to no avail, weve determined to instantly finish efficient diplomatic relations to protect our nationwide sovereignty and dignity, he stated. Well finish all cooperation initiatives and shut our embassy, he added. Wu reiterated Taiwans agency place of viewing itself as an unbiased and sovereign nation. Our nation wont give in to the stress and intimidation of the Chinese language authoritarian authorities, and well uphold the values of freedom and democracy, he stated. Earlier this month, Reina stated that financial necessity was behind his nations resolution, and that the federal government of Honduras had requested Taiwan to extend monetary help and reorganize $600 million in debt owed to Taipei. Honduras is among the poorest nations in its area, with about 74 p.c of its 10 million folks residing in poverty. Tegucigalpas transfer adopted negotiations with China over the development of a hydroelectric dam. Dwindling recognition: Latin America has been a serious diplomatic battleground for China and Taiwan because the two nations cut up in 1949 after a civil struggle. The Honduras declaration continues the pattern within the area, with Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica all shifting diplomatic recognition to Beijing in recent times. The USA stays Taiwans most vital ally and largest arms provider, regardless of its switch of recognition to Beijing in 1979. This week, Taiwan confirmed that President Tsai will later this month go to Guatemala and Belize two remaining diplomatic allies whereas additionally stopping in america. Tsai will go away Taiwan on March 29 for a 10-day journey, stopping in New York and Los Angeles whereas en path to and from Central American nations, in accordance with the ministry. (AFP) Netanyahu fires the protection minister after calling for the suspension of judicial reforms Hundreds of Israelis took to the streets on Sunday to protest the dismissal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his protection minister who urged the federal government to halt a controversial plan to reform the justice system. Reuters TV footage confirmed large crowds blocking Tel Avivs fundamental freeway, in addition to a gaggle of demonstrators setting fires in the course of the freeway. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday sacked Protection Minister Yoav Gallant, a day after he defected for calling a halt to the federal governments controversial judicial reforms. On a day when 200,000 individuals took to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest the reforms, Gallant who has been a staunch ally of Netanyahu stated on Saturday that we should cease the legislative course of for a month due to its division. Plans to present extra management to politicians and cut back the function of the Supreme Courtroom have been referred to as into query by Israels high allies, together with the US, as they usually spark protests in Israel. The rising social divide has made its manner into (the military) and the safety companies. Its a clear, instant and tangible menace to Israels safety, stated Gallant, a member of Netanyahus right-wing Likud get together. Im dedicated to the Likuds values and placing the State of Israel above all the pieces however main adjustments on the nationwide degree have to be made by means of deliberation and dialogue, he stated. In a quick assertion, the Prime Ministers Workplace stated that Netanyahu selected Sunday to dismiss Protection Minister Yoav Gallant. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu determined this night to dismiss Protection Minister Yoav Gallant. Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 26, 2023 Opposition Chief Yair Lapid praised Galants remarks as a brave and very important step for Israels safety. Gallant referred to as for a pause earlier than lawmakers vote subsequent week on a central piece of the federal governments proposals, which might change the way in which judges are appointed. Slim Majority Two different Likud lawmakers tweeted their assist for Gallant, elevating questions on whether or not the federal government might rely on a majority if it went forward with the vote. Gallant is the primary casualty, however different high-ranking officers have expressed reservations. Earlier this month, President Isaac Herzog, in a largely ceremonial function, expressed concern about deepening rift in society and offered a proposed compromise that the federal government rejected. Anybody who thinks that an actual civil battle, with human lives, is a line we will by no means attain has no concept what theyre speaking about, Herzog warned. Israels legal professional common on Friday accused Netanyahu of unlawful public interference within the reform agenda, after he gave a nationwide televised deal with the earlier night. Netanyahu is being tried on fees of bribery, fraud and breach of belief, which he denies. Prosecutor Ghali Bahrav Mayara stated the prime ministers televised assertion and all of your interference within the course of of adopting judicial reforms are unlawful. Bahrav Mayara argued in an open letter revealed by the Ministry of Justice that the prime minister ought to keep away from any interference in adjustments within the judicial system and particularly within the technique of appointing judges, as this places you able of battle of curiosity. In his speech, the prime minister vowed to responsibly push reforms and finish the rift theyve created within the nation. Critics see the reform mission as threatening Israeli democracy, however the authorities says the adjustments are vital to revive a steadiness of powers between lawmakers and the judiciary. ( Jowhar with Reuters, AFP) We gathered in the cold rain to reject Bezalel Smotrichs violent and anti-democratic rhetoric. Now, lets build on our shared concern to seek a better future for the region. Waging Nonviolence ) Earlier this month, I attended the large Jewish-led demonstration in Washington, D.C. ( un)welcoming Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich to the U.S. We gathered in the cold rain to say that his remarks celebrating a brutal pogrom and suggesting the state should take over from the settlers and wipe out a Palestinian town are morally unacceptable and antithetical to the values at the core of our faith. We agree that, in this moment, the future of Israeli democracy is being decided. I found it quite moving to be among so many Jews united in our outrage and concern. It strikes me that there is much agreement among those gathered, and I get the impression that there are important potential disagreements we should discuss openly. First, lets focus on the points of agreement between us. Since the protest was organized around letting Smotrich know he doesnt represent us or Judaism, we can assume there is consensus in opposing his rhetoric and policies. My ancestors fled Eastern Europe running from violent pogroms. I never imagined that my people the people of the book and of the Exodus would make the word pogrom relevant and force us to face its clear painful definition. But sadly that is where we are. Turning away from this reality does not make it any less real, but instead blocks our chances of co-creating positive change, So we stood together in Washington, D.C. to call us forward to a better future. I assume we also agree that Smotrich and his ilk cant define us out of Judaism. Those who have such a narrow, limited, unloving view of Judaism must not be allowed to decide if we, the vast majority of the worlds Jews, are indeed Jewish. I know who I am. They can never take my identity away from me. Nor yours from you. I hope we also agree that we must actively oppose any attempts to use warped theological cover as an excuse for what comes down to Jewish supremacy. Every group should celebrate the unique beauty of their traditions, but whenever people suggest that we are somehow inherently better than the other, danger is close at hand. Anyone who pretends that a Jewish soul is superior to all others is warping our faith in a way that undermines our proud history. This belief is having a profound impact on key policy decisions and thus on peoples lives. We have a clear and ongoing obligation to call out this evil from within our community. As Jews, our scripture makes clear that freedom is the universal right of all people. In this moment, I hope we can all agree that Palestinians are human beings deserving of the same basic rights as all other precious human beings. This should not be controversial, but sadly it clearly is. As we mourn the current state of democracy in Israel, I hope we can also agree that the occupation is corrupting Judaism and leading us down a dangerous path. We were told the occupation was defensive in nature and only temporary. Anyone watching closely now knows that is not accurate. As those who long advocated for a two-state solution, we must admit that approach is no longer possible. Instead we are called to the difficult and essential task to find a way to live together. Maybe those with me on the street that day are not yet in agreement about some of what Ill raise below, but I hope building on the major points of agreement above we can engage in mutually respectful dialogue about these other vital issues. And, at the end of this piece, I offer an invitation to begin that conversation. Some who gathered to greet Smotrich seem to be of the belief that all was well prior to the last election. They suggest that somehow we could restore a democracy by avoiding the worst excesses of this new extreme government. Im not Israeli, but instead, like most on the street that day, Im one of many American Jews who have cared about the region for years. When we came together to let Smotrich know he was not welcome, we brought with us a range of beliefs and approaches to street protest. Remember the old joke about a gathering of Jews always having one more opinion than people? It proved true that day. Article continues after bonus IC video Al Jazeera Newsfeed | Jewish Americans arrested in protest over Israeli minister visit | Al Jazeera English Ive organized many events and I understand the valid concern about message discipline. Still, it was troubling that those in the large group with many Israeli flags were harshly unwelcoming of Palestinian flags joining in. From my perspective, the image of those flags together better represents our deep concerns about Israeli democracy itself. With deliberate intent, Israelis have been told that the Palestinian flag is a symbol of hate. Wed be much better off if people could understand the flag and the familiar head scarf (keffiyeh) as symbols of a people whose basic human needs have not been met. Of course, that vast understatement does not adequately reflect the scope of Palestinian suffering that should concern us all. It is self-evident to me that you cant have a healthy democracy while actively implementing oppressive policies that demean the basic humanity of others. If you have another view, Id like to understand it. I celebrate those standing up for democracy in Israel and ask them to extend their compassion to include Palestinians. It seems to me that any true understanding of democracy requires this simple and essential step. The changes we need to make are systemic, and still we recognize that all systems are built on individual actions. What we each do over time creates the system we live in. Maybe if those of us who ended up on that same street, at the same time, can find a way to better understand each other, we can do our small part to help create that larger system-wide change we so desperately need. Having celebrated dialogue groups in the past, I now see both their power and their limitations. It seems they can give good-hearted caring people something meaningful to do while the oppressive structure remains firmly in place. Still, in these troubled times, Im not willing to give up on communication between people, even those with fundamental disagreements. So I invite each of you reading this to join a Global Town Hall on Tuesday, March 28 . We will gather to hear from two renowned nonviolent Palestinian scholars and activists, one just returned to the U.S. and the other joining us while on a trip to the region. These smart visionary leaders are worth listening to. A young Jewish woman will host the online event, and all those ready to engage in respectful dialogue are welcome. Of course, this is not the only opportunity to listen to Palestinians or engage with others coming to terms with what is happening in the world these days. If you cant make this particular conversation, please find others. Consider getting in touch with me and seeing what kind of forum we might craft together. In particular, I ask readers to help get this piece in front of the new organization UnXeptable and the longtime Progressive Israel Network , which both played key roles in the protest. To all those who were with us on the street that day and to those with us in spirit, lets build on our shared concern for peace and democracy in the region and be ready to listen and learn together as we seek a path forward to a better future. We all agree that we stand at a crossroads. For many of us, this perilous moment is deeply frightening, but we must not hide from that fear. I still believe that if we work together it might also prove to be a moment of opportunity. The veil has been lifted. Let us be brave enough to see clearly the challenges we face and together find a way to overcome them. ( Michigan Advance ) Unions and other pro-labor groups on Friday celebrated the signing of a set of bills to reverse GOP former Gov. Rick Snyder-era laws that have curtailed union power and pushed down wages. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday afternoon signed House Bills 4004 and 4007 and Senate Bill 34. HB 4004 repeals Right to Work for public-sector employees, while SB 34 does the same for private-sector workers. HB 4007 restores the practice of prevailing wage into law. These bills will protect health and safety, ensuring healthcare workers can put patient care ahead of profit, construction workers can speak up when theres a safety issue, and employees can call attention to food safety threats and other problems, Whitmer said in a statement. Lets continue delivering for working people and ensuring Michigan is open for business. With her signature, Michigan is now the first state in nearly 60 years to repeal any Right to Work laws. The 2012 laws, which were highly controversial, allowed workers to get all union benefits without having to pay dues. Its passage in the GOP-led Legislature drew a crowd of roughly 12,000 protesters. It also contained an appropriation, rendering citizens unable to repeal it. In 2018, the GOP-led Legislature also approved an initiative repealing prevailing wage for contracted workers on state projects. Both policies have been a major target for Democrats, who have gained control of the Michigan Legislature for the first time in decades. After decades of anti-worker attacks, Michigan has restored the balance of power for working people by passing laws to protect their freedom to bargain for the good wages, good benefits, and safe workplaces they deserve, said Ron Bieber, president of Michigan AFL-CIO. Ten years ago, Governor Whitmer was standing side by side with well over ten thousand working people who showed up in Lansing to protest the devastating attack on their rights. Today, she has demonstrated yet again her unwavering commitment to putting working families first. After decades of attacks on working people, its a new day in Michigan, and the future is bright. Republicans and some business groups, like the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, opposed their repeals. Union members and supporters rally in solidarity with striking Kellogg workers at Festival Market Square in Battle Creek, Dec. 17, 2021 | Laina G. Stebbins Gov. Whitmer and Democrats have hurt Michigans ability to compete to attract high-paying careers, said House Minority Leader Matt Hall. (R-Richland Twp.). Their pay cut plan has repealed our right-to-work law, forcing unionization on Michigan workers and taking the fruits of their labor. Without right-to-work, businesses will find more competitive states for their manufacturing plants and research and development facilities, and workers and careers will drift away. To add economic insult to injury, the Democrats prevailing wage law will expose small businesses in our communities to frivolous legal harassment from competitors and activists. Other groups praising the RTW repeal and prevailing wage enactment Friday include SEIU Michigan, Michigan Nurses Association (MNA), Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, AFSCME Council 25, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951, Upper Peninsula Regional Labor Federation and Michigan United. This is a historic day for Michigans working families. For more than a decade, working Michiganders predominantly Black and brown have fought the unjust right to work law, said SEIU Local 1 President Genie Kastrup. With this harmful law being repealed, working people will be able to build a stronger worker-led union, and win higher wages and better benefits. SEIU Local 1 working families have fought long and hard to raise the labor standard in Michigan and build a state that works for all of us this is a great leap in the right direction. Besides the much-awaited sequel returning to the small screen, one of the surprising team up this 2023 is an action-comedy K-drama starring Jang Hyuk and Jang Nara. The duo will headline "Family: The Unbreakable Bond" where they are set to play husband and wife. In an interview cited by a media outlet, the 46-year-old actor spoke about his experience being reunited with Jang Nara for the fourth time. Moreover, he also discussed the factors why he accepted the offer to star in the upcoming series "Family: The Unbreakable Bond." Jang Hyuk on Playing Secret Agent in 'Family: The Unbreakable Bond' The award-winning star revealed that he agreed to become part of the series because of how " intrigued" by the drama's genre. Moreover, Jang Hyuk says he is also "captivated by the character of Kwon Do Hoon" who needs to keep his identity secret in order to protect his family. In "Family: The Unbreakable Bond," Kwon Do Hoon is an ordinary office worker by day but in reality, he is a black agent at National Intelligence Service (NIS). Interestingly, Do Hoon poses a different personality around his wife, Kang Yoo Ra, played by Jang Nara. She is a dotting mother and a loving wife who works for a housekeeping team struggling for their family. Set to be released on April 17 via TVING and tvN, "Family: The Unbreakable Bond" cast includes Chae Jung An, Kim Nam Hee, veteran actor Lee Soon Jae, and more. In addition, Jang Hyuk also hints about what to expect in the upcoming series. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: tvN Unveils Jang Hyuk's Shocking Transformation for New Series 'Family' He says that "Family: The Unbreakable Bond" consists of various genres like comedy, action, and family. Moreover, he shared that viewers would get to see "great chemistry" not just with Jang Nara but also with the cast. Jang Hyuk on Having Successful Team Up With Jang Nara The action comedy series is Jang Hyuk's comeback after starring in the historical K-drama "Bloody Hearts." Interestingly, this is also his fourth project with Jang Nara whom he previously co-starred in the series "Successful Story of a Bright Girl" in 2002. According to the actor he and Jang Nara have built a strong chemistry which makes them "created a beautiful harmony in the show." In addition, the actors went on to praise the 42-year-old beauty, pointing out how she can "seamlessly blend that into the story" and saying that she does a "good job of capturing the realistic part of the story." With their numerous projects together, it appears that he and Jang Nara have been comfortable around each other, which makes them trust and "react naturally to each other's actions during the shooting. Besides "Successful Story of a Bright Girl" and "Family: The Unbreakable Bond" Jang Hyuk and Jang Nara both starred in the 2014 MBC Drama Festival "Old Goodbye," and the smash hit rom-com K-drama "Fated to Love You." READ MORE: Jang Hyuk Rumored to Leave Long-Time Agency Sidus HQ After 26 Years KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills Police tape is shown in Toronto, Tuesday, May 2, 2017. Police say they've identified a 16-year-old boy as the victim of an "unprovoked," deadly stabbing inside a Toronto subway station and laid a murder charge in the teen's death. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy Counseling and mental health services business A Healing Place celebrated the opening of its Kenosha office last week, featuring a scenic view of Downtown on the fifth floor of the Kenosha National, 625 57th St. Started in 2017 by owner and founder Lisa Anderson, A Healing Place now has two offices, the first in Neenah, and the newest in Kenosha. Anderson said she hopes to have up to five or six therapists in the Kenosha office, joining her roughly dozen staff members at the Neenah office. A Healing Place specializes in mindfulness, positive psychology and providing therapy for patients with trauma histories, ;ost traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression, working with children, adolescents adults, couples and families. If you need to see somebody, Ill see you, Anderson said. Patients will also be able to meet A Healing Places mascot and therapy-dog-in-training Woofie, a miniature Schnauzer, Pomeranian and Chihuahua mix. During last weeks ribbon-cutting event, Anderson gave Kenosha Chamber of Commerce representatives a tour of the space, including several rooms for patients and therapists. The office has an emphasis on aesthetics, Anderson said, which was part of the reason she chose an older Downtown building with a view. Aesthetics are important with mental health treatment, Anderson said. I want a building that feels comfortable and friendly. I always head to downtowns when I look at places. The benefits of having her office in Downtown goes both ways, providing patients a nice area to explore and, much like at her previous locations, bringing new business to the area. People who come here will appreciate its a place to heal, Anderson said. Although Anderson was just starting the new Kenosha office, she had plans for the future, hoping to open more offices across Wisconsin. The goal is to really expand, Anderson said. After years working in the human services sector, Anderson decided to open her one-stop shop for mental wellness, starting her first office in 2017. She struggled, however, to come up with a name. I had to make a decision in two weeks, Anderson recalled. I talked with my daughter, and I said I want something that conveys its a healing place, Anderson said. Her daughter offered a simple solution, just call it A Healing Place. For more information about A Healing Place and its services, go to ahealingplaceccc.com, or call the Kenosha office at 262-419-2277. A Healing Place can also be found online on Facebook and Instagram. The Kenosha County Board has approved terms in anticipation of a second round of settlement payments from federal lawsuits it joined to hold major pharmaceuticals and distributors responsible for their part in the national opioid crisis. The board voted unanimously on the terms that include two pharmaceuticals and three well-known distributors at the March 21 meeting. The terms were also approved unanimously by the countys Finance and Administration Committee earlier this month. Earlier this year, a tentative agreement was reached with Teva and Allergan pharmaceuticals along with national distributors Walgreens, Walmart and CVS pharmacies, according to the resolution. The county is being represented by special counsel through von Briesen & Roper, S.C., Crueger Dickinson LLC and Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC in the opioid lawsuit. In 2017, the county joined the list of Wisconsin counties that filed separate federal lawsuits seeking to hold makers and distributors of prescription painkillers responsible for bringing about a nationwide opioid epidemic. The suits alleged drug manufacturers and distributors used deceptive marketing campaigns that misrepresented the safety of long-term opioid use and sought unspecified monetary damages for the financial strain caused by counties response to the epidemic. In Wisconsin, with 87 counties and municipalities signed on, the lawsuit is estimated to yield more than $402 million including all parties, with nearly $282 million in payments to local governments, including $10 million over a period of 18 years to Kenosha County. Two years ago, the county received about $1.75 million from an initial round of payments from settlements with McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health Inc., AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc. In December, the county established an Opioid Settlement Advisory Panel, which currently is charged with developing recommendations for the use of the opioid settlement funds the county receives from pharmaceutical companies. The panel includes representation from law enforcement agencies, behavioral health service providers and county government. The final amount for the settlement payments to the county is not currently known. Under the terms of the settlement, the funds would be kept into an opioid abatement account, separate from the countys general fund. About 20 percent would go toward attorney costs, according to the terms, an amount that was lowered from 25 percent. Corporation Counsel officials said the soonest the county could receive the next round of payments would be by the end of summer, however, they anticipated that a more realistic expectation for attaining the funds would be closer to the fall or by the end of the year. Earlier this month, the county medical examiners office responded to three suspected drug overdose deaths. While it is still unknown whether the deaths are opioid related, Medical Examiner Patrice Hall has said drug overdoses are a reminder of the toll that illegal and counterfeit prescription medications have taken on the local community and nationally. Last year, 33 of the countys 48 confirmed drug toxicity deaths involved fentanyl or a fentanyl analog (a chemical that produces a similar effect), according to the medical examiners office. Some cases are still pending toxicology results. In 2021, 40 of the 53 toxicity deaths involved fentanyl or its analog. County officials said that help is available for those who are seeking drug rehabilitation and can contact the Kenosha County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Resource Center at 262-764-8555. Most common types of care at Americas 16,000-plus drug treatment facilities Most common types of care at Americas 16,000-plus drug treatment facilities #10. Hospital inpatient treatment #9. Hospital detox care #8. Residential detox care (non-hospital) #7. Outpatient detox care #6. Day treatment or partial hospitalization #5. Short-term residential care (non-hospital) #4. Long-term residential care (non-hospital) #3. Methadone/buprenorphine maintenance or naltrexone treatment #2. Intensive outpatient care #1. Regular outpatient care When 72-year-old Wisconsin resident Myra Gallagher was given a bladder cancer diagnosis several years ago, she was among the more than 80,000 Americans diagnosed that year. She would spend months taking an aggressive regimen of radiation therapy and chemotherapy, but by the end, her cancer remained. Her oncologist, Dr. Malik T. Bandealy of Kenosha with Aurora Cancer Center, then told her she was qualified for an ongoing clinical trial called TAPUR, and Gallagher leapt at the chance. I was thrilled, Gallagher said. In the beginning, this wasnt there. It wasnt an option. Last fall, Aurora Health Care cancer clinics across Wisconsin joined the Target Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry study, which is looking into approaching cancer treatment from a different angle. That included the Aurora Medical Center Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic, 10400 75th St. Bandealy explained that rather than categorizing cancers by their location, TAPUR categorized cancers by their DNA data. Cancers that originated from different parts of the body could theoretically be treated with them same drugs. Looking way ahead, maybe a decade or two, there will come a time where wont be talking about somebody having lung cancer or bladder cancer or breast cancer, Bandealy said. It wont matter where it started, the cancer will be known by its mutation. Across the country, more than 3,300 participants will be enrolled into the trial study. Throughout the Aurora system, more than 20 patients have consented to join, including Gallagher. She praised the center and its staff who she said had kept pushing her throughout her treatments. I cant speak highly enough about this facility, Gallagher said. They dont let up here. They dont let you sit back on your haunches. One of the reasons that cancer research is progressing so rapidly recently, Bandealy said, was that such trials werent open to just universities, but to centers like in Kenosha. Many larger and even moderately sized community cancer centers are now participating in clinical trials, and its easier to recruit 3,300 patients, Bandealy said. In Gallaghers case, a laboratory test examined her cancer cells and determined that the DNA closely resembled that of breast cancer. She was provided anti-cancer drugs that targeted breast cancer. The treatment has been successful so far. Gallaghers cancer has stabilized and her energy and strength have remained throughout treatment, unlike with chemotherapy. A couple of years ago, I wouldnt think that would be possible, Gallagher said. So its like its hope. Clinical trials are hope. Not for a cure, but hope that you can continue being stable, and live as close to a normal life as you can. Beyond the benefits Gallagher has receivedand the potential implications for cancer treatment in the future Bandealy said the trial highlighted the high-level of care that is offered at the Kenosha facility. The fantastic thing is that all of the high-level technology that is available at those big centers, weve been able to condense them down to this community, Bandealy said. At this cancer center, were able to do all types of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, were able to do state-of-the-art radiation techniques. The TAPUR study is available through Advocate Auroras National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program at all 17 of its Wisconsin community cancer clinics. To learn more about Advocate Auroras research, visit aah.org/research. According to the government official, heavy rains are expected until May, as a consequence of this weather event, with this being the first scenario in which he said it is appropriate to be prepared and respond. Chavez underscored that the second scenario will be after the rains, since all necessary measures must be taken to be able to face a global El Nino, which could occur as of January 2024. "All the actions they are taking right now are precisely intended to face these two scenarios," the minister told TV Peru. Chavez, together with Housing Minister Hania Perez de Cuellar , traveled to Piura region, delivering four tons of humanitarian aid, in addition to the goods delivered in recent days. "The aid not only includes tools and non-food humanitarian aid goods, but complements everything we have in our warehouses and everything that has already been delivered," the high-ranking official remarked. The Defense sector's head noted that, within the framework of the level 5 state of emergency declaration in Piura which also includes Tumbes and Lambayeque all the capacities are being made available so that the National Government, through the National Civil Defense Institute (Indeci), can manage the emergency together with the regional governor. Level 5 of the state of emergency is declared when the impact, magnitude, and circumstances of disasters exceed or may exceed the response capacity of the State and country. (END) MRCA/RMCH/RMB YEREVAN, March 20, ARMENPRESS. Resource scarcity and the need for sustainable practices are key issues in the transition towards a green and Circular Economy. For this reason, under the European Union (EU) funded, EU4Environment programme, UNIDO is helping industries in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region become greener by introducing practices related to Circular Economy and Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP). Concretely, on 13 March 2023, a hybrid event took place in Armenias capital to introduce the potential impact of the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology in Armenian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The methodology, part of the EU Single Market for Green Products (SMGP) initiative, has emerged as a valuable tool in recent years, as it measures the environmental impact of a product across its entire lifecycle (from production to disposal). By using PEF to assess products, SMEs can identify ways to improve resource efficiency, reduce waste, and minimize environmental harm. PEF is also a crucial component in the drive towards a more sustainable future, as producers and consumers become increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of products and manufacturing practices. On behalf of the Ministry of Environment, I would like to emphasize that the engagement with SMEs and the business community is crucial in the shift towards a green economy. Whereas the Government can provide support and help exchange experiences, the green transition depends on the ability of Armenian enterprises to seek and utilize the opportunities available at hand. Such an opportunity is embracing a green mindset when it comes to production. Here, Armenia is already piloting several novel concepts which are also resource efficient, said Ms. Gayane Gabrielyan, Deputy Minister of Environment, Republic of Armenia. Gathering over 50 participants, the event was packed with presentations and discussions with experts in the field and provided a comprehensive understanding of the concept of PEF and that of environmentallyfriendly products. The introduction of the EU SMGP initiative is a crucial component in our efforts to embrace a green economy, as we firmly believe that its success depends on the collaboration of all relevant stakeholders. As Government representatives, we are committed to working together with the private sector and creating a regulatory framework and level playing field for all producers. In this sense, todays event is an important way to provide information and a platform for discussion and collaboration, said Mr. Alik Sargsyan, Head of EU Programmes Division, Department of EU Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Economy, Republic of Armenia. The three major topics that marked the event revolved around the applicability of green product instruments to support sustainable economic growth, the EU policy landscape on green products (with a focus on the EU SMGP, PEF and the EU Green Deal), and ways to apply PEF at the company level (by looking at preliminary assessments on green products initiatives in Armenia, existing eco-labelling practices, and the relevant legislative background). When it comes to promoting green production, we have come a long way both within the European Union and outside it. The EU has high ambitions when it comes to green, sustainable development, and tools such as the EU Green Deal will help transform the economy into a modern, competitive, and resourceefficient one, while decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation and leaving no one behind. In this sense, we appreciate our cooperation with UNIDO in the country as well as in the EaP region to promote sustainable economic growth, said Mr. Frank Hess, Head of Cooperation Section, EU Delegation to Armenia. Within the EU4Environment Action, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is introducing the EU SMGP and PEF methodology in the EaP region, including Armenia, where it is supported by Civitta (a consultancy firm with extensive experience in environmental and sustainability projects). While remembering the results of a previous regional programme on resource efficiency, EaP GREEN, we are grateful to the Government of Armenia for being receptive and results-oriented in both programmes. Resource efficiency is a core aspect in developing industries as it orients them towards the benefits of becoming greener. From theory to practice, as the Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) methodology encourages circularity, today, we also have a first attempt to speak about green products, starting with their very design. Here, we bring forth the opportunities of the EU SMGP and encourage SMEs to become pioneers in the Armenian market by looking at their environmental footprint and by greening their supply chains. We also work to bring this notion closer to stakeholders and industries to boost inclusive and sustainable industrial development, said Ms. Tatiana Chernyavskaya, EU4Environment Project Manager, UNIDO. Background The European Union for Environment (EU4Environment Green Economy) Action helps the Eastern Partnership countries preserve their natural capital and increase people's environmental well-being, by supporting environment-related action, demonstrating and unlocking opportunities for greener growth, and setting mechanisms to better manage environmental risks and impacts. It is funded by the European Union and implemented by five Partner organizations - OECD, UNECE, UNEP, UNIDO, and the World Bank over the 2019-2024 period, with a budget of EUR 20 million. For more information about the Action, please visit: www.eu4environment.org. For more information about resource efficiency in Armenia, please visit: www.recp.am 33 Shares Share We must confess: We both have Apple iPhones and have never read Apples user or licensing agreements. Have you? We assume that most of you have not read Apples agreements. And like most of you, we aint got time for that. We agree to the terms, unaware of what is in those documents. Is that a problem? Right or wrong, we presume that by using Apples iPhone, they have access to my contacts, emails, and location. We also believe they listen in on every conversation and bad joke we tell. We assume that since others have signed it, we probably should follow their lead. Come on now, are we really going to call Apples lawyers to have the agreement edited? Because none of us read the Apple agreement, it does not mean that we should behave similarly regarding other legal documents requiring our review. In a highly litigious and high-stakes environment like medicine, we should review each document we sign and agree to. Why is it that we dont do the same when it comes to reviewing our malpractice policies? Shouldnt we know how well we are protected in case we are involved in a malpractice suit? It is safe to say that most physicians have never read or considered reading their actual malpractice policy documents. We are busy; we aint got time to read that. Instead, we are handed a certificate of insurance (COI) that confirms that we are covered and never take the time to read the actual policy documents. The COI makes us feel warm and toasty on the inside, knowing that we are covered for malpractice, but are we? The COI can be misleading. It is a single-page document demonstrating proof of insurance. Thats it! The COI tells us the name of the malpractice carrier, the policy number, the dates the policy is active, and if it is a claims-made or occurrence-based policy. That is it! Dont you think there is more to a malpractice policy than those items alone? As with most things in life, the devils are in the details. In this case, the details are in the policy documents, not the COI. Knowing that you have a claims-made or occurrence-based policy from the COI is not enough. There is more to these policies, much of which is hidden in the policy documents. Not all claims-made policies are the same, and neither are the occurrence-based ones. The policy documents highlight how well the malpractice carrier will protect you if there is an error, mistake, or frivolous claim. Malpractice policies are complex and have many clauses and provisions you might not be aware of. Dont you think we should know more about our malpractice policies than if it is a claims-made or occurrence-based policy? We briefly review some items found within malpractice policies. This is meant only as an overview. Each physician should research these items further. Individual vs. group policy Individual policies generally benefit the physician. The more expensive the policy, usually the better it is. Group policies are often written to benefit a facility or malpractice carrier over the physicians. Claims-made vs. occurrence-based malpractice policies Occurrence-based is best and usually does not require tail insurance. An occurrence-based policy provides a new $1/3 million policy each year, so after 20 years, you really have a $20/60 million policy. A claims-based policy requires you to purchase tail insurance if you cancel the policy. You can also keep the policy active to avoid having to get tail insurance. Claims-made policies are cheaper and only provide a $1/3 million coverage for the length of the policy, unlike an occurrence-based one. Exclusions Each policy will have exclusions stating which procedures and medical treatments they do not cover. You may do hair transplant procedures, but are you covered for them? Deductibles Some cheaper policies will require the physician to pay a deductible before the carrier pays to defend you. Hammer clause This clause is found in cheaper policies, especially cheaper group policies. This clause is built so the malpractice carrier can limit their legal fees and potential losses. The malpractice carrier can inform the physician they would prefer to settle a claim for an X amount of dollars. Suppose the physician does not agree to settle, and a judgment is made against the practitioner. In that case, the physician will be on the hook for the additional losses beyond what the carrier initially wanted to settle for. Deems expedient The malpractice carrier can elect to settle a malpractice suit without the physicians consent in this clause. The policy is preferred to have a pure consent to settle clause, which requires the physician to decide if they are to settle or go to trial. Legal fees Ensure that no policy verbiage requires the physician to pay legal fees. More so, ensure the carrier covers legal fees and that the legal fees do not count against your $1/3 million policy. In other words, make sure that $1 million is reserved to settle a claim, not to pay the carriers lawyers. Admitted vs. non-admitted carriers It is preferred that you work with admitted insurance carriers that offer standard market malpractice policies. Admitted carriers must follow state guidelines and are backed by the states guaranty fund if they become financially insolvent. There are many different types of non-admitted carriers, and these carriers are not required to follow state guidelines, nor do they have access to the guarantee fund. Final thoughts This is only the start. There is much more to learn about malpractice policies and how well they protect you. It would benefit physicians to educate themselves about the details of a malpractice policy. At the beginning of a new policy, ask for the policy documents. Unlike your iPhone agreement with Apple, take the time to read this. You never know what might be lurking in the policy documents that you would not have known by only looking at a COI. Aaron Morgenstein is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and founder, FlexMedStaff.com, a fully transparent and free marketplace for physicians to find new clinical and non-clinical opportunities to improve work-life balance. Contact Aaron here. Laura Fortner is an obstetrician-gynecologist. Primary school pupils across County Kilkenny are being encouraged to put the finishing touches on their projects in time for the closing date for submissions as the entry deadline for the 2023 Our World Irish Aid Awards approaches. As in previous years, primary schools throughout the country are competing for the national Our World Irish Aid Awards School of the Year award, as well as the Teacher of the Year, Best Entry Submitted in Irish and Best Creative Project titles. This years theme Equality for All encourages pupils to follow the lead of activists such as education campaigner and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and take a stand for Equality for All. Learning about how inequality affects young people like them in different parts of the world, pupils throughout Ireland have been discovering how activist Malala Yousafzai uses her voice to raise awareness of gender inequality amongst governments, agencies and groups to help build a better world where all children can learn without fear. The Our World Irish Aid Awards have featured in classrooms every year for the last 18 years, said Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora Sean Fleming. They are the Department of Foreign Affairs flagship global citizenship award scheme for primary schools. The awards form an important part of Irelands commitment to overseas development and global citizenship education, helping to reinforce the importance of the global development work carried out by Government on behalf of the people of Ireland. The entries received so far are of an exceptionally high standard and demonstrate a real commitment amongst our young people to challenge inequality wherever they find or experience it. I wish every school the very best of luck and look forward to meeting the finalists at the national awards ceremony in June. This years Our World Irish Aid Awards will include a series of Global Goal Getters online multi-media magazines featuring projects submitted by pupils as a way of showcasing learning, creativity, and actions nationwide. All entries will be assessed on their creativity, understanding of the theme and their impact. The top entries will win a place at the final awards ceremony in June where pupils and their teachers will gather to hear the names of the winners. The deadline for entries is Friday, March 31. A second Qatari bid to buy Manchester United has been submitted, according to widespread reports. Sheikh Jassim was expected to lodge an improved second-round offer, and so it proved overnight into Saturday. No figures have been confirmed but improved bids are expected to be worth north of 5billion. The Qatari bid is reportedly the strongest, headed by the chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank and the son of a former Qatari prime minister. Rivals bids are also in Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus. The first round of bidding took place last month and it has been reported there are as many as eight separate potential investors. The Glazers acquired the club for 750million in a highly-leveraged deal in 2005. After a controversial reign, they announced they were seeking "strategic alternatives" that could include a sale last year. Ratcliffe, who made an unsuccessful bid to buy Chelsea in 2022 and already owns French club Nice, visited Old Trafford last week. The 70-year-old was born in the Manchester area and is a boyhood United fan. He is one of the richest people in Britain with an estimated personal fortune of 6bn. Sheikh Jassim has said his interest is a private initiative through his Nine Two Foundation and is not connected to the Qatari state. His representatives also visited Old Trafford last week for talks, which were understood to be positive and constructive. Finnish businessman Zilliacus confirmed earlier this week that he has also submitted a bid. Zilliacus, founder and chairman of investment company Mobile FutureWorks, wants to buy United in a 50-50 partnership with their fans, who will have a say in the decision-making process at the Premier League club. Until now, little or nothing is known of other potential bidders, while it has been reported that US hedge fund Elliott Management has made a proposal that would involve offering finance to either new bidders or the Glazers. Additional reporting by Press Association. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Weather Alert ...FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures as low as 33 will result in frost formation. * WHERE...Boone MO, Moniteau MO, Saint Louis City MO, and Saint Louis MO Counties. * WHEN...From 1 AM to 9 AM CDT Monday. * IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. && Just Group plc (LON:JUST Get Rating) has earned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the seven research firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is GBX 125 ($1.54). JUST has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Just Group from GBX 115 ($1.41) to GBX 120 ($1.47) and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Just Group from GBX 100 ($1.23) to GBX 115 ($1.41) and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating and issued a GBX 90 ($1.11) price objective on shares of Just Group in a research note on Wednesday, March 8th. Barclays reissued an overweight rating and set a GBX 135 ($1.66) target price on shares of Just Group in a research note on Monday, March 20th. Finally, Numis Securities reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a GBX 170 ($2.09) price target on shares of Just Group in a research note on Monday, February 6th. Get Just Group alerts: Just Group Stock Performance Shares of JUST opened at GBX 80.60 ($0.99) on Friday. The firms fifty day simple moving average is GBX 84.69 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 75.49. Just Group has a 12 month low of GBX 53.20 ($0.65) and a 12 month high of GBX 98.80 ($1.21). The company has a current ratio of 6.01, a quick ratio of 4.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 105.06. The stock has a market capitalization of 838.24 million, a P/E ratio of -322.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.47 and a beta of 1.64. Just Group Increases Dividend About Just Group The firm also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 17th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 13th will be paid a dividend of GBX 1.23 ($0.02) per share. This represents a yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. This is a positive change from Just Groups previous dividend of $0.50. Just Groups payout ratio is -800.00%. (Get Rating) Just Group plc provides various financial services in the retirement income market in the United Kingdom. It offers de-risking solutions, guaranteed income for life, secure lifetime income, care plans, lifetime mortgages, and protection products. The company also provides professional services, including regulated financial advice and guidance services; and a range of business services, such as consultancy and software development, and outsourced customer service delivery and marketing services. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Just Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Just Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. China has taken a significant step to counter Australian ally the US, reminding Washington any attempts to challenge Beijing on Taiwan are "doomed". Honduras established diplomatic ties with China on Sunday after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is increasingly isolated and now recognised by only 13 sovereign states. Foreign ministers from China and Honduras signed a joint communique in Beijing a decision the Chinese Foreign Ministry hailed as the right choice. Australia involved in strategic struggle The diplomatic victory for China comes as Australia finds itself at the centre of a global strategic struggle, with the confirmation of its landmark AUKUS deal solidifying Canberra's relationship with the US. The Albanese government is also acting quickly to ensure it does not lose its foothold in the increasingly-important Pacific, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong signing a security agreement with Kiribati last month. China has long criticised Australia and the US's alliance. Source: Getty/ AAP Tensions continue to rise between Beijing and the United States, including over Chinas increasing assertiveness toward self-ruled Taiwan, and signals growing Chinese influence in Latin America. The new China-Honduras relationship was announced after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments made separate announcements that they were severing ties. China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since they split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its one China policy. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and refuses most contacts with countries that maintain formal ties with the island democracy. It threatens retaliation against countries merely for increasing contacts. Nations supporting Taiwan independence 'against the trend of history', China warns Chinas Foreign Minister Qin Gang said the establishment of ties proved that adhering to one China policy is winning peoples hearts and is the general trend. Story continues We inform sternly the Taiwan authorities that engaging in separatist activities for Taiwan independence is against the will and interests of the Chinese nation and against the trend of history, and is doomed to a dead end, he said. The Honduran Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Twitter that its government recognises only one China in the world and that Beijing is the only legitimate government that represents all of China. Honduras Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang raise a toast following the establishment of diplomatic relations. Source: Reuters It added that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan. Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told a news conference Sunday that Taiwan had ended its relations with Honduras to safeguard its sovereignty and dignity. Wu said that Honduran President Xiomara Castro and her team always had a fantasy about China and had raised the issue of switching ties before the presidential election in Honduras in 2021. Relations between Taiwan and Honduras were once stable, he said, but China had not stopped luring Honduras. Honduras had asked Taiwan for billions of dollars of aid and compared its proposals with Chinas, Wu said. About two weeks ago, the Honduran government sought $2.45 billion from Taiwan to build a hospital and a dam, and to write off debts, he added. The Castro government dismissed our nations longstanding assistance and relations and carried out talks to form diplomatic ties with China. Our government feels pained and regretful, he said. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said her government would not engage in a meaningless contest of dollar diplomacy with China. China's promise of financial aid an 'illusion', expert warns Analysts have warned over the implications of the newly formed ties between China and Honduras. Political analyst Graco Perez in Honduras said Beijings narrative would highlight the benefits, including investment and job creation, but that is all going to be illusory. Perez noted that some other countries have established such relations, but it didnt turn out to be what had been offered. For decades China has funneled billions of dollars into investment and infrastructure projects across Latin America. That investment has translated to rising power for China and a growing number of allies. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. Curbstone Financial Management Corp cut its stake in General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS Get Rating) by 33.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 8,784 shares of the companys stock after selling 4,400 shares during the quarter. Curbstone Financial Management Corps holdings in General Mills were worth $737,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board boosted its holdings in General Mills by 56,697.1% in the 3rd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 857,636 shares of the companys stock valued at $65,703,000 after purchasing an additional 856,126 shares during the period. Intech Investment Management LLC grew its position in General Mills by 209.9% during the third quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 790,928 shares of the companys stock worth $60,592,000 after buying an additional 535,715 shares in the last quarter. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC bought a new position in General Mills in the 3rd quarter worth about $33,708,000. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of General Mills by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 51,625,506 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,955,030,000 after acquiring an additional 360,830 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of General Mills by 1,225.6% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 380,114 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,679,000 after acquiring an additional 351,439 shares during the last quarter. 74.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get General Mills alerts: General Mills Price Performance GIS stock opened at $84.80 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $50.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.32, a PEG ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 0.28. The firms 50-day moving average price is $78.60 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $80.08. The company has a current ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78. General Mills, Inc. has a 12-month low of $64.94 and a 12-month high of $88.34. General Mills Announces Dividend General Mills ( NYSE:GIS Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 23rd. The company reported $0.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $5.13 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.97 billion. General Mills had a return on equity of 24.51% and a net margin of 14.04%. General Millss revenue was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.84 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that General Mills, Inc. will post 4.25 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Investors of record on Monday, April 10th will be paid a $0.54 dividend. This represents a $2.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.55%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 6th. General Millss payout ratio is 46.65%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on GIS shares. Mizuho began coverage on shares of General Mills in a research note on Wednesday, February 1st. They issued a neutral rating and a $75.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of General Mills from $88.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday. StockNews.com raised General Mills from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday. UBS Group raised General Mills from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $85.00 to $88.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 26th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on General Mills from $76.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, General Mills presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $83.13. Insider Activity at General Mills In other General Mills news, insider Sean N. Walker sold 27,157 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $84.87, for a total value of $2,304,814.59. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 90,975 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,721,048.25. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, insider Sean N. Walker sold 27,157 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $84.87, for a total transaction of $2,304,814.59. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 90,975 shares in the company, valued at $7,721,048.25. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CAO Mark A. Pallot sold 1,955 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $85.99, for a total transaction of $168,110.45. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 17,146 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,474,384.54. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 40,006 shares of company stock worth $3,393,359 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.67% of the companys stock. General Mills Company Profile (Get Rating) General Mills, Inc engages in the manufacture and marketing of branded consumer foods sold through retail stores. The firm operates through the following segments: North America Retail, Europe & Australia, Convenience Stores & Foodservice, Pet, and Asia & Latin America. The North America Retail segment includes grocery stores, mass merchandisers, membership stores, natural food chains, drug, dollar and discount chains and e-commerce grocery providers. See Also Receive News & Ratings for General Mills Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Mills and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Howmet Aerospace (NYSE:HWM Get Rating) in a research note published on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The firm issued a buy rating and a $50.00 target price on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group also issued estimates for Howmet Aerospaces Q1 2023 earnings at $0.39 EPS, Q2 2023 earnings at $0.43 EPS, Q3 2023 earnings at $0.42 EPS, Q4 2023 earnings at $0.39 EPS, FY2023 earnings at $1.63 EPS, FY2024 earnings at $2.05 EPS, FY2025 earnings at $2.45 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $2.80 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $2.95 EPS. Other research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Howmet Aerospace from $47.00 to $49.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Argus lifted their target price on Howmet Aerospace from $43.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, February 21st. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Howmet Aerospace from $43.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. KeyCorp lifted their target price on Howmet Aerospace from $41.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, February 16th. Finally, Benchmark lowered Howmet Aerospace from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Howmet Aerospace presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $45.10. Get Howmet Aerospace alerts: Howmet Aerospace Stock Performance Shares of HWM opened at $40.25 on Wednesday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $41.11 and its 200 day moving average price is $38.00. Howmet Aerospace has a 12-month low of $29.84 and a 12-month high of $44.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.59 billion, a PE ratio of 36.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 2.12 and a quick ratio of 1.04. Howmet Aerospace Announces Dividend Howmet Aerospace ( NYSE:HWM Get Rating ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 14th. The company reported $0.38 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.38. Howmet Aerospace had a return on equity of 17.53% and a net margin of 8.28%. The firm had revenue of $1.51 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.47 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.30 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Howmet Aerospace will post 1.63 EPS for the current year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 10th were issued a dividend of $0.04 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 9th. This represents a $0.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.40%. Howmet Aerospaces dividend payout ratio is 14.41%. Insider Activity at Howmet Aerospace In related news, EVP Neil Edward Marchuk sold 57,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.61, for a total value of $2,485,770.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 286,751 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $12,505,211.11. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Howmet Aerospace news, VP Barbara Lou Shultz sold 4,627 shares of Howmet Aerospace stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $42.16, for a total value of $195,074.32. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 20,542 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $866,050.72. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Neil Edward Marchuk sold 57,000 shares of Howmet Aerospace stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.61, for a total value of $2,485,770.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 286,751 shares in the company, valued at $12,505,211.11. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.64% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Institutional Trading of Howmet Aerospace Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. State of Alaska Department of Revenue raised its stake in shares of Howmet Aerospace by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 51,541 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,031,000 after buying an additional 270 shares in the last quarter. Prudential PLC grew its holdings in shares of Howmet Aerospace by 3.5% in the 2nd quarter. Prudential PLC now owns 8,976 shares of the companys stock worth $282,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Utah Retirement Systems grew its holdings in shares of Howmet Aerospace by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Utah Retirement Systems now owns 67,074 shares of the companys stock worth $2,074,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Howmet Aerospace by 2.9% in the 4th quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 10,605 shares of the companys stock worth $418,000 after purchasing an additional 301 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Shell Asset Management Co. grew its holdings in shares of Howmet Aerospace by 29.6% in the 4th quarter. Shell Asset Management Co. now owns 1,328 shares of the companys stock worth $52,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.49% of the companys stock. Howmet Aerospace Company Profile (Get Rating) Howmet Aerospace, Inc engages in provision of engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries. It operates through the following segments: Engine Products, Fastening Systems, Engineered Structures, and Forged Wheels. The Engine Products segment produces investment castings, including airfoils, and seamless rolled rings primarily for aircraft engines (aerospace commercial and defense) and industrial gas turbines. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Howmet Aerospace Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Howmet Aerospace and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC lessened its stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Rating) by 4.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 96,859 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 4,130 shares during the quarter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $10,634,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in ABT. Insight Inv LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. JDM Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. EdgeRock Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 28.7% during the 3rd quarter. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC now owns 560 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Glassy Mountain Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter worth about $44,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 72.93% of the companys stock. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Insider Activity at Abbott Laboratories In related news, SVP Randel William Woodgrift sold 1,032 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.70, for a total value of $103,922.40. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 52,203 shares in the company, valued at $5,256,842.10. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other Abbott Laboratories news, SVP Randel William Woodgrift sold 1,032 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.70, for a total transaction of $103,922.40. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 52,203 shares in the company, valued at $5,256,842.10. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 679 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.70, for a total value of $68,375.30. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 70,427 shares in the company, valued at $7,091,998.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 1,971 shares of company stock worth $199,140 over the last three months. 0.52% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets Abbott Laboratories Trading Up 1.0 % Several brokerages have recently weighed in on ABT. Mizuho raised their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $117.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, January 6th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a buy rating on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Abbott Laboratories presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $124.67. Shares of ABT stock opened at $98.05 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. Abbott Laboratories has a twelve month low of $93.25 and a twelve month high of $124.36. The company has a market capitalization of $170.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.35 and a beta of 0.68. The businesss 50 day moving average is $105.28 and its two-hundred day moving average is $104.69. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 25th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.90 by $0.13. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 26.09% and a net margin of 15.88%. The firm had revenue of $10.09 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.69 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.32 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.38 EPS for the current year. Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, April 14th will be paid a $0.51 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.08%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 52.17%. Abbott Laboratories Profile (Get Rating) Abbott Laboratories engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of a broad and diversified line of health care products. It operates through the following business segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The Established Pharmaceutical Products segment refers to the international sales of a line of branded generic pharmaceutical products. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, March 24. AP-Yonhap President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday celebrated the close, "inseparable" U.S.-Canada relationship and vowed that the two nations remain committed to defending Ukraine as it tries to repel a Russian invasion that has no end in sight. Biden and Trudeau met just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks for the first time since the start of the war. The Chinese and Russian leader agreed to deepen economic bonds between their two countries. But Biden argued that Western resolve remains stronger and warned Russia that the U.S., Canada and their allies would defend "every inch of NATO territory." The president also bristled at the notion that Russia has managed to expand a partnership with Beijing that is allowing Moscow to sustain its economy and war effort despite the U.S. lining up an international coalition to economically isolate Russia with a barrage of sanctions. China, however, thus far has refrained from providing Russia weapons since the start of the war, according to the White House. "We have significantly expanded our alliances," Biden said with Trudeau by his side during a joint news conference. "Tell me how in fact you see a circumstance where China has made a significant commitment to Russia? What commitment can they make?" At an earlier appearance with Biden before the Canadian Parliament, Trudeau said his country which has provided Kyiv with artillery, ammunition, armor and tanks remained committed to Ukraine's cause. "As you well know, Mr. President, Canada will continue to stand strong with Ukraine, with whatever it takes," Trudeau said. The whirlwind visit by Biden his first visit to Canada as president was meant to showcase U.S.-Canada ties, and both leaders offered full praise of each other. Biden, addressing Canada's Parliament, even said the U.S. was "lucky" to have Canada as its neighbor as both countries grapple with the rapidly changing global economy, climate change, war in Europe and more. "Today our destinies are intertwined and they are inseparable," Biden said. "Not because of inevitability of geography, but because it's a choice, the choice we made again and again." "Two people, two countries, in my view sharing one heart." On one often-difficult subject, immigration, Biden and Trudeau used the visit to announce an agreement aiming to stem the flow of asylum seekers at unofficial border crossings from the U.S. to Canada. The accord eliminates a loophole under existing rules and will allow both countries to turn away asylum seekers at their borders. At the same time, Canada announced that 15,000 migrants from the Western Hemisphere will be given official slots to apply to enter the country. U.S. President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire pose for a picture ahead of a gala dinner in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, March 24. Reuters-Yonhap The leaders also sat down with top aides for a private conversation. Besides Ukraine and defense spending, the wide-ranging talks touched on shared concerns about China's aggressiveness and violence and political instability in Haiti. Trudeau noted Beijing's growing economic power and a need for the U.S. and Canada to work together to address it. To that end, Canada said Friday it was entering an arrangement with IBM to expand domestic research and development and advanced packaging of semiconductors and planning an investment of up to $250 million to "improve North American competitiveness and supply chain resiliency, help cut pollution, foster economic and national security." Trudeau also spoke of a need to coordinate even more closely to combat climate change and grow both countries' economies. "We have to stick together," Trudeau said. "We have to continue to face down authoritarian threats, both at home and abroad. We have to continue to defend what is right. This is not the time to compromise on our values." At their joint news conference later, Biden briefly veered away the day's themes to send a warning to Tehran , after a suspected Iranian-made drone on Thursday killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria. U.S. forces responded to the attack with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Activists said the U.S. bombing killed at least four people. "The United States does not, does not seek conflict with Iran," Biden said. But he said Iran and its proxies should be prepared for the U.S. "to act forcefully to protect our people." The subject of difficult relations with China was an undercurrent of Biden's visit. Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, arrested in China in 2018, were in the balcony for the speeches in Parliament. The two were taken into custody shortly after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, technology company Huawei's chief financial officer and the daughter of the company's founder, on a U.S. extradition request. The Canadians were held for more than two years in China before the Biden and Trudeau governments managed to win their release. Kovrig is a former diplomat, Spavor a businessman. Regarding Haiti, Canada is being nudged by the U.S. and other allies to lead an international mission there to deal with the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis. Canada on Friday announced $100 million ($72.7 million in U.S.) in new aid for support and equipment for the Haitian National Police. Biden said the idea of deploying an international force was "not in play at the moment" but had not been taken off the table. Trudeau said the international community can have the most impact in the long term by being "there to support the capacity of the police in Haiti." Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry and the country's Council of Ministers sent an urgent appeal last October calling for "the immediate deployment of a specialized armed force, in sufficient quantity" to stop the crisis caused partly by the "criminal actions of armed gangs." But more than five months later, no countries have stepped forward. Canada's top military official has suggested the country doesn't have the capacity. Biden endorsed Trudeau's efforts to focus on capacity building but also noted the situation in Haiti remains fragile as "gangs have essentially taken the place of the government." "It's a work in progress," he said. U.S. President Joe Biden attends a welcome ceremony with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, March 24. Reuters-Yonhap Honduras has ended its decades-long relationship with Taiwan and says it only recognises China, as Taiwan's foreign minister accused the Central American country of demanding exorbitant amounts of money before being lured away by Beijing. The ending of ties with Taiwan had been expected after the Honduran foreign minister travelled to China last week to open relations and President Xiomara Castro said her government would start ties with Beijing. China said its foreign minister, Qin Gang, and Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina signed the deal on diplomatic recognition in Beijing, ending relations with Taiwan dating back to the 1940s. In a brief statement late on Saturday, the Honduran foreign ministry said it recognised the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate government that represents all of China and that Taiwan is an "inseparable part of Chinese territory". China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taipei strongly rejects. China demands that countries with which it has ties recognise its position. Speaking in Taipei, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Castro, who took office early last year, and her government had "always had illusions" about China and China's "luring" had never stopped. "The foreign ministry and embassy grasped the relevant information and handled it carefully," Wu said. "However, the Castro government also asked us for billions of dollars in huge economic assistance and compared prices for assistance programs provided by Taiwan and China." Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, in a video statement, said Taiwan will not compete with China in "meaningless" dollar diplomacy. "Taiwan's people have proved to the world that we never cower from threats," she said. "Taiwan's co-operation and links with allies and like-minded countries to jointly promote international well-being and security will only increase, not decrease." Story continues Neither the Chinese nor the Honduran statements made mention of aid. Wu said Reina wrote to Taiwan on March 13, the day before Castro's original announcement, demanding a total of $US2.45 billion ($A3.68 billion) in aid, including the construction of a hospital and a dam and to write off debt. "It felt like what they wanted was money, not a hospital," Wu said. Reina told Reuters last week the $US2.5 billion ($A3.8 billion) figure was "not a donation" but rather "a negotiated refinancing mechanism". Tsai is due to depart on a sensitive visit to the United States, Guatemala and Belize on Wednesday. She is expected to meet U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles at the end of the trip. Wu said he was "highly suspicious" of the timing of the Honduran decision so close to Tsai's overseas tour. "China seems to be doing this intentionally," he said. Taiwan now only has formal diplomatic relations with 13 countries, mostly poor and developing countries in Central America, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Stock photo of a supertanker (AFP via Getty Images) A giant super-tanker anchored off the coast of Yemen is likely to sink or explode at any moment, a United Nations official has said. The FSO Safer, which contains more than a million barrels of oil, was abandoned in 2015 during the Yemen civil war and is now starting to fall apart. David Gressly, UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, said authorities need to act quickly to stop one million barrels of oil from spilling into the Red Sea. He told Sky News: We dont want the Red Sea to become the Black Sea, thats whats going to happen. Its an ancient vessel, a 1976 super tanker from that era, and therefore is not only old but unmaintained and likely to sink or explode at any moment. Those who know the vessel, including the captain that used to command the vessel, tell me that its a certainty. Its not a question of if, it is only a question of when, so it is important that we act as quickly as we can or it will eventually spill one million barrels of oil into the Red Sea. We really have no way out except to solve the problem. An oil spill would take two to three weeks to spread all the way up to Saudi Arabia, across to Eritrea and down to Djibouti, according to recent modelling by the Nature Sustainability scientific journal. Within days it would shut Yemens key Red Sea ports of Hudayah and Salif, ending food aid relied upon by nearly six million people. It would have a devastating environment impact and is likely to destroy coral reefs and protected coastal mangrove forests. Dehradun, March 26: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday inspected the under-construction National Highway at Asarodhi, Dehradun. Speaking to ANI, CM Dhami said, "This elevated road of ours is going to be completed soon, after which the journey from here to Delhi will be very short." Char Dham Yatra 2023: 6.34 Lakh Devotees Registered for Annual Yatra, Says Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council. This highway will help in reducing the travel time from Delhi to Dehradun to just 2-2.5 hours. In future, tourists will easily be able to come from Delhi, he said. "The work is going on very fast and we ensure that it will be completed by January 2024," Dhami said. Earlier on March 25, CM Dhami inspected a bridge being built on the Saung river that was affected by the disaster in October 2022. He also inspected the roads and pillars damaged by the disaster in Khairi Mansingh of the Dehradun district, officials said. (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 26 (ANI): The second Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting will begin on Monday in which 130 delegates from G20 member countries along with 11 invitee countries and 14 international organizations will take part at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The second ECSWG meeting will be held from March 27-29, 2023 in Gujarat's Gandhinagar. Also Read | Delhi: Three Injured As Crane Falls on Vehicles at Saharanpur Highway Construction Site in Pushta Kartar Nagar (See Pics). The meeting would focus on thematic areas like arresting land degradation, accelerating ecosystem restoration and enriching biodiversity; encouraging resource efficiency and circular economy and promoting a sustainable and climate-resilient blue economy. Special presentations on major initiatives like Namami Gange, Climate Resilient Infrastructure, Participatory Ground Water Management, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Swachh Bharat Mission will also be made during the meeting. Also Read | G20 Summit: Visakhapatnam Beautified, Around 200 Delegates From Different Countries Likely To Attend (See Pics and Video). According to the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry, "The delegates will get an opportunity to witness a mix of modernity and tradition during the excursions, organised as a part of the meeting." India's ancient water management practices will be demonstrated at the Adalaj Vav- Ancient Stepwell and India's engineering prowess will be on display at the Sabarmati siphon, the ministry said. "Delegates will also have an opportunity to experience Gujarat's vibrant cultural traditions through specially curated dance and music performances, and will also have the opportunity to taste the local cuisine during their visit," the ministry added Ministry further said that the conference will commence with a side event on Water Resources Management led by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, where G20 member countries will make presentations on best practices on this subject. The final day will feature more technical sessions and a discussion on the outline of the final Ministerial Communique, it added. Various organizations under the Ministry of Jal Shakti will also put up stalls on themes including Atal Bhujal Yojana, Swach Bharat Abhiyan, Jal Jeevan Mission, Namame Gange, Jal Shakti Abhiyan, National Water Mission etc during the meeting showcasing and sharing the high-quality work with the delegates. The second ECSWG meeting is a step in fostering the efforts of the G20 countries, invitee countries, and international organizations towards a sustainable and resilient future. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is committed to working with all stakeholders to drive outcomes under each of the priority areas, and to achieve a sustainable and resilient future for all. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ranchi, Mar 26 (PTI) India's highways infrastructure will match that of the US by 2024 for which work in time bound 'mission mode' is on including construction of green expressways and rail over bridges, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said. He said cabinet nod to 'Bharatmala 2' is likely soon and once obtained it will meet the requirements of a robust infrastructure in the country. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi Disqualification: Delhi Police Refuses Permission To Party for Observing 'Satyagraha' in Solidarity With Congress Leader at Rajghat. "I am confident that India's highways will be on par with that of the US by 2024. Work in a time bound mission mode is on to build a robust infrastructure including a network of green expressways across the length and breadth of India," Gadkari told PTI in an interview. The Road Transport and Highways Minister said in this year railway over bridges are being constructed at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore which will be increased to Rs 50,000 crore in five years. Also Read | Navi Mumbai: Harassed For Dowry, Woman Kills Self While on Video Call With Her Father in Kamothe; Three Booked. On the Kailash Mansarovar highway project via Pithoragarh, Gadkari said "Ninety three per cent work on Kailash Mansarovar project has been completed." With the completion of this project, the arduous trek through treacherous high-altitude terrain can be avoided by pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the period of journey will be reduced by many days. At present, travel to Kailash Mansarovar takes around two to three weeks through Sikkim or Nepal routes. On Bharatmala Phase 2, the minister said: "Nod is likely soon to Bharatmala Phase 2 that will further accelerate the making of highways." About 5,000 km of highway network is envisaged under phase 2 initially. Bharatmala Pariyojana is India's largest infrastructure programme to develop about 35,000 km of National Highway corridors, connecting over 580 districts in the nation. The programme signalled a paradigm shift to corridor approach of infrastructure development. The overall network of the nation was reimagined through scientific studies including, Origin - Destination study of freight movement across 600 districts and crow-flight alignment for optimised routes to reduce transit time. "In Jharkhand, work of seven greenfield expressways, economic corridor and inter corridor is being done at a cost of Rs 70,000 crore," Gadkari told PTI. Besides work worth Rs 50,000 crore is being done for better connectivity with states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, he said. Providing details of the projects, the minister said 4-lane inter corridor work is being done at a cost of Rs 6,200 crore for Ranchi-Varanasi Inter Corridor which will reduce the travel time significantly between Ranchi and Varanasi. Likewise, the 635 km Raipur-Dhanbad economic corridor is being constructed at a cost of Rs 15,000 crore and would ensure faster movement of coal, steel, cement and minerals, he said. The other projects included Rs 22,000 crore Varanasi-Ranchi-Howrah 620 km access-controlled green expressway and Rs 6,300 crore Ranchi-Sambalpur greenfield economic corridor for 230 km. Apart from these Varanasi-Chordaha (Jharkhand-Bihar border) 6-lane 262 km economic corridor being built on completion will provide excellent hassle free connectivity to Kolkata, Assam, Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh from Jharkhand, he added. Other projects, the minister said include the Rs 5,000 crore Ranchi Ring Road and added that the detailed project report for this 194 km highway will be completed in May 2023. This ring road will pass through Hazaribag, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Khunti, Jamshedpur and Hazaribag. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) By Zhu Jing, Gao Shanshan Three key words made headlines of most major media outlets on March 24: U.S. lawmakers, grill, and TikTok. Amid calls from U.S. politicians to ban the app nationwide addressing national security issues, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on the previous day. It took more than five hours for the Singaporean CEO to explain that neither ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, nor the Chinese government has been using the app to collect data from American users. But Chew was repeatedly required to answer only Yes or No, and was constantly interrupted by questions such as Mr. Chew, does TikTok access the home WiFi network? John McKinnon, a tech policy reporter with the Wall Street Journal,said he was really surprised to hear so many unfriendly questions from so many lawmakers in a row. In a statement after the hearing, TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter said: Shou came prepared to answer questions from Congress, but, unfortunately, the day was dominated by political grandstanding that failed to acknowledge the real solutions already underway through Project Texas or productively addressing industry-wide issues of youth safety. It was echoed by numerous netizens whether they are TikTok users or not on different social media platforms. Twitter user @evacide said what the U.S. needs is a comprehensive privacy law regulating data brokers, but not the hatred of a Chinese company that built a dominant social media platform. It was not the first time that people read headlines constituted by these keywords. The witch-hunt against the popular video-sharing app traced back to the Donald Trump era in 2020. Even though Joe Biden revoked his predecessors executive order that sought to ban the app shortly after taking office, his administration made a U-turn in recent months, by demanding that the video app divest itself from its Chinese parent or face a U.S. ban. Despite the fail to produce evidence that ByteDance has ever exploited American users' data, the U.S. government has introduced a bipartisan bill - the RESTRICT Act, which would enable its Commerce Secretary to ban foreign technology companies, including TikTok. Carme Ferre-Pavia, professor of communication studies at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, said she didnt see a difference in nature between TikTok and Facebook or WhatsApp. Its not clear yet how the hearing will translate into action. Either a forced sale or a nationwide ban is an interference with the normal operations of relevant enterprises in the U.S. and violates the principles of fair competition and free trade in the market economy. The hegemonic logic of the U.S. administration only sets a dangerous precedent for the future of the U.S. market and will eventually backfire. A group of officials and professionals is working to prepare Cayuga County's workforce for a multi-billion-dollar undertaking not far across the eastern border with Onondaga County. A workforce development subcommittee has formed in response to the news that Micron, a leading company for semiconductor chips, intends to invest $100 billion over 20 years to create a manufacturing facility in the town of Clay. The endeavor is projected to create 9,000 new jobs, plus over 40,000 more jobs in supporting industries. Construction is currently expected to begin in 2024. Micron workers and employees at supply chain businesses that could open in the company's wake may decide to live in nearby counties, such as Cayuga. And current Cayuga County residents will have job opportunities at those businesses. Kelly King, the employment and training director for Cayuga Works Career Center, is the chair of a local employment and training subcommittee. It's part of a larger committee started toward the end of last year to look into how Cayuga County can capitalize on the Micron project. Other subcommittees are focused on energy, housing and site development. The workforce group includes members of the Auburn City Council and Cayuga Economic Development Agency, workforce force development professionals, business managers and officials with the Auburn school district, Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES and Cayuga Community College. King said she feels good about how the group is going. "The primary reason that we came together was to make sure that we're at the forefront of the table in terms of workforce development, and what we can do for Micron and also what we can do to enhance and to open up pathways for folks in our community to be successful with the Micron adventure, basically," she said. Bringing all of these professionals to the table, King continued, "has really allowed us to do something we should have done years ago, and collaborate in terms of workforce, not just for Micron but for the existing businesses that we have now." That effort has included identifying different "gaps and barriers," she said, as the group has recognized childcare transportation is a big issue for modern workforces. Subcommittee members have been discussing the existing training programs and offerings currently available through BOCES and CCC, in addition to looking at opportunities in nearby counties. To that end, the group is creating an inventory of trainings offered in Cayuga and counties close by. "Based on that, we're going to identify where we're lacking in relation to Micron, but also in relation to other high-growth sectors" and existing businesses, King added. Other discussions have included the idea that the Micron development and those jobs would increase growth in fields such has healthcare and retail, along with a population increase. "Those people have to have doctors, they have to go the grocery store," King said. "There's going to be an influx in construction, so we do talk about that as well, and making sure that we have training and pathways for those folks to enter into those careers." The Micron project is expected to bring in a lot of jobs "that aren't just Micron," she added, so the group wants to address barriers that could pop up with those fields and create pathways and educational opportunities in fields Micron and other businesses are looking for. King feels positive about what the group could achieve in the future. "I'm optimistic that we will be able to create what we need to create to be at the forefront when Micron does come here," she said. Others are enthusiastic about the possibilities as well. Dr. Brian Hartwell, the district superintendent for Cayuga County and Dr. Brian Durant, president of Cayuga Community College, both told The Citizen they are excited about possible opportunities connected to the project. In an email, Hartwell, who is on the county's employment and training subcommittee, talked about how he envisions BOCES getting potentially involved in the project. "Because of the enormity of this endeavor all educational entities will have an opportunity, and perhaps the responsibility, to do their part," he said. "Our purpose at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES is to 'Unleash potential in our community.' We take this seriously. To maximize access to this field for those that otherwise might not find it accessible, will truly will require an 'All hands on deck' approach. We look forward to continuing our great partnerships with local businesses and industry and welcome the new partnership to come with Micron and others." Durant said via email CCC's involvement with the project has come primarily "through our participation and cooperation with our leadership in Cayuga County and workgroups in both Cayuga and Oswego Counties." "Were also engaging in regular conversations routinely with other entities who are working to support Micron, including Onondaga Community College (OCC)," Durant said. "Were staying connected as needs get identified, particularly during the current planning process as programmatic necessities and other opportunities are recognized. Were ready to participate in any way we can, and were excited for Micron and to support our partners at Syracuse University and OCC." He also talked about how the college's efforts could fit with the institution's incoming workforce development center, which CCC is currently creating at the site of the Cayuga County Cornell Cooperative Extension office building. Construction for the center in which different workforce development groups that help workers gain skills desired by local employers would all be under one roof began earlier this month. "Theres a natural symmetry between these projects. Micron will need a vast workforce that is properly trained and comes equipped with the skills to make their business continue flourishing. Our Workforce Development Center is at heart a way for those looking for career services to find these agencies in a single location," Durant said. "One location for these agencies facilitates not only the agencies working together, but also simplifies the process for the future workforce and the unemployed or underemployed who are looking to revitalize their careers. Once the Center is operational, accessing these services is a prime example of how our workforce can prepare to succeed at Micron. These projects are natural partners that will benefit each other and the surrounding region." Srinagar, Mar 26 (PTI) Sheer determination to save the dying 'papier-mache' art has led two brothers in Jammu and Kashmir to learn the ropes of the craft, introduce latest designs and patterns and advertise the products on social media, thus making it a profitable pursuit. In times when the young hesitate to pursue traditional forms of art due to their commercial viability, here are two brothers -- Hashim Ali Khan and Maisar Ali Khan -- who not only breathed fresh air into the 'papier-mache' art in the Valley, but also turned around its economic prospect. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Father Dies of Shock After Son's Arrest in Rae Bareli, Probe Ordered. Hashim and Maisar, both residents of Hassanabad locality of the city, learnt the craft from their father Shabir Hussain Khan who has been into the craft for the last 50 years. We learnt the art form from our father. We developed an interest in the craft after seeing our father work during our school days, Hashim told PTI. Also Read | OneWeb Satellites Carried by India's LVM3 Rocket From Sriharikota Begins Orbiting. He said his father's work included using pure gold for creating designs and colour schemes for papier-mache items. We developed an interest in the art and made it our calling," he added. His brother, Maisar, said like most of the crafts in the Kashmir Valley, the art of making papier-mache items has also been handed down from one generation to the other. We brothers decided to take forward the work done by our father. We have been working on new designs and colour schemes. Customers are liking it and the demand is growing, he said. Maisar said the number of papier-mache artisans in the Valley is decreasing as many have left it. People in Kashmir are not taking it up. (But), we do not want it to die. We want to keep it alive. We have to bring changes in it, we have to create new designs and colour combinations so that the customers like them and the same increases the demand, he said matter-of-factly. Hashim said they want Kashmir's tradition and rich cultural heritage to thrive. I left my government job. I had the interest to keep this culture alive and also support my father. We have got a huge response and we sell our products abroad as well. Unfortunately, the younger generation is not keen on pursuing the traditional art forms. So, the number of artisans is falling. This work also demands a lot of patience, which unfortunately, our young generation lacks, he said. The brothers emphasised that reviving such traditional art forms can also be commercially viable. Me and my brother did not go for any government job. We took up the craft and have been faring well. We earn a good amount and are living a good life. We get many orders and also export to foreign countries. We also export Christmas items like balls etc to many countries, Maisar said. Shabir Hussain Khan said his sons became interested in the craft while watching him work. After they came home from school, they used to watch me doing this work. They showed interest in learning the art. After completing their graduation, they got many job offers but did not take them up, he said. Khan said a papier-mache artist should have the expertise to think outside the box which can only sustain him. "Hashim and Maisar learnt the craft at home and earn well. By the grace of God, they have helped me a lot in my work," he added. The brothers are also avid users of social media to connect with the customers and sell their produce. In the process, they also try to attract the youth to the craft. We connect with our customers, including in foreign countries, and have been receiving a lot of orders. Sometimes, we get so many orders but lack the required manpower for making the products," Hashim noted. Although no help or recognition has come their way by the government, the duo feels the state needs to devise programmes to teach youngsters these art forms just like modern art is taught in schools. Mehmood Shah, Director, Handloom and Handicrafts said the government is trying to infuse interest in the youth and artisans with capacity building, including design improvements. It is really important to have new designs and colours. Craft evolves through fusion, new designs and colour schemes. Our endeavour is to have design improvement in the crafts. We have also brought designers and university students for capacity building of the artisans, he said. Shah said two institutions are dedicated for craft development - the Craft Development Institute and the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology. ... We also have a tie-up with the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) under which we teach new designs of papier-mache. We are in talks with Centre Skill Council, and are making a centre of excellence. A lot of work is on which is focused on new designs. There is a need to provide new designs to the artisans and to get experts here to teach them, the director added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, Mar 26 (PTI) In a remark apparently meant for the Congress, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the national parties should support regional parties fighting the Bharatiya Janata Party in their states. While answering a question on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha, the former UP chief minister said he wanted to congratulate the party for observing satyagraha. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi Disqualification: I and Bhupesh Baghel Are Both OBCs and Congress Has Made Us CMs, Says Ashok Gehlot. When asked if his party would support the Congress' movement, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) said the question is not whether the Samajwadi Party is sympathetic towards Rahul Gandhi, but whether the country's democracy and constitution will survive or not. "We cannot sympathise with any party," he said, adding that the national parties should cooperate and help the parties that are fighting against the BJP at the state level. Also Read | Loan EMIs Likely To Rise As RBI May Go In for 25 Basis Point Interest Rate Hike in Monetary Policy Meet on April 6, Say Experts. Yadav said the national parties should forget that the regional parties have done them any harm. It is the government at the Centre which have harmed the regional parties. "Today CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax are targeting regional parties," he said, adding, "Be it Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav), Lalu Prasad Yadav, Jayalalithaa, Stalin, KCR or Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party," all have been tragetted by the parties at the Centre. Replying to a question on the alliance, he said, "It is not our job to form an alliance. It is our job to cooperate with the alliance." On communalism, Yadav said, "The question here is not who is communal. If the educated class of our country becomes communal and starts believing the lies as truth, then there can be no bigger threat to society and democracy than that. Today we have reached that situation." He said the Samajwadi Party will have a cadre at every single booth of all the parliamentary constituencies in the state by June 5 and will fight the BJP strongly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking on the occasion, SP National Vice President Kiranmoy Nanda said in the recent meeting of the party's national executive committee in Kolkata, a target was set to win at least 40 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Yadav claimed that the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government has made false claims and presented wrong development figures. He said in the budget speech, the state's growth rate was pegged at 16.9 per cent and claimed that the Yogi Adityanath-led government paid Rs 200 crore to Deloitte "for converting this lie into truth." An international professional services network headquartered in London, Deloitte is included in the world's largest accounting firm. The company provides audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory and legal services. Yadav said, "Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath while celebrating the six years of his government yesterday (Saturday) said the per capita income of the state has doubled. Don't know which economist is sitting here who tells this." Accusing the BJP government of the youth unemployment rate, Yadav said, "Every time the government is asked about the rate of unemployment. It says that the unemployment rate in the state is only 4.2 per cent. This means that you have given jobs and employment to everyone, but the truth is that a large number of youth are sitting at home after completing their studies." Referring to Arif, a resident of Amethi district, who became famous for his friendship with saras, said, "The government should have honoured Arif as a friend of saras and given him a prize. If there was a Samajwadi government, we would have promoted such a youth." (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, March 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address his third 'Mann Ki Baat' of this year on Sunday.The 99th edition of 'Mann Ki Baat', a monthly radio programme of the Prime Minister, will be aired at 11 am today. The programme which was started on the occasion of Vijayadashami on October 3, 2014, has completed its 98 editions to date. The last 'Mann Ki Baat' program was aired on February 26. Its first show was aired on 3rd October 2014. Mann Ki Baat 2023: PM Narendra Modi Addresses First Monthly Radio Programme of the Year, Urges Citizens To Read About Padma Awardees. 'Mann ki Baat' is a monthly address, aired on All India Radio on the last Sunday of every month, through which Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with countrymen. The show will air on All India Radio and Doordarshan's entire network, as well as on the AIR News website and newsonair mobile app. It will also be broadcast live on the Information and Broadcasting Ministry's, AIR News', DD News', PMO's, and YouTube channels. Following the Hindi broadcast, AIR will broadcast the program in regional languages. In the last programme, the PM touched upon a lot of topics while also declaring the winners of the 'Unity Day' special three competitions. He also discussed various topics including the replacement of plastic bags and the revival of 'Tribeni Kumbho Mohotshav' at Bansberia in West Bengal. However, 'Mann Ki Baat', will complete its 100th edition on April 30. In the run-up to the centenary episode, All India Radio (AIR) is launching a unique campaign from March 15 to focus on the impact of the program on the transformation of India, according to a statement. Mann Ki Baat 2023: PM Narendra Modi To Address First Monthly Radio Programme of The Year Today. The campaign will bring out 100 identified themes highlighted by Prime Minister in Mann Ki Baat episodes till date. The relevant sound bytes of the Prime Minister from each episode of Mann ki Baat shall be broadcast in all Bulletins and other programmes across the AIR network. The campaign shall be on-Air from March 15 and concludes on April 29, a day before the momentous 100th Episode The campaign shall be carried by various AIR stations including 42 Vividh Bharati stations, 25 FM Rainbow channels, 4 FM Gold channels and 159 Primary channels in the country. The bytes shall be aired in all major bulletins across all regions. Citizens can also listen to the Program on 'News On AIR' App and YouTube channels of All India Radio. Prime Minister's unique and direct communication with the citizens through the medium of Radio, Mann Ki Baat has completed 98 Episodes till now. It has been the genesis, medium and amplifier of social changes like Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Water conservation, Vocal for Local etc. The programme has shown a tremendous impact on Industries like Khadi, Indian Toy Industry, Startups in Health, AYUSH, Space etc. With its innovative and unique interactive style of presentation, the programme has carved out a niche for itself as a unique paradigm of communication, said the statement. (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 26 (PTI) Rajasthan government officials on Sunday held a meeting with a delegation of private hospital doctors on strike against the Rajasthan Right to Health Bill and assured them of a detailed discussion on their suggestions over the proposed law. The protesting doctors, however, demanded the withdrawal of the bill which they claimed was "unconstitutional" and will increase bureaucratic interference in the functioning of private hospitals. Also Read | Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde Visits MNS President Raj Thackeray at His Mumbai Residence (Watch Video). The meeting was held on the instructions of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The bill, which was passed in the Rajasthan Assembly on March 21 by voice vote, gives every resident of the state the right to emergency treatment and care "without prepayment of requisite fee or charges" by any public health institution, health care establishment and designated health care centres. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi to Address Top Military Brass, Witness Military Innovations in Bhopal. It defines a "health care establishment" as the whole or any part of a public or private institution, facility, building or place operated to provide health care. If a patient does not pay the charges after emergency care, stabilisation and referral, the government will reimburse the health care provider. "Chief secretary Usha Sharma and other officers were present in the meeting. During the meeting, Sharma said the bill has been introduced to further strengthen the rights of the people of the state to their health. The chief secretary also assured the delegation of a detailed discussion on their suggestions," a release said. However, the secretary of the Private Hospital and Nursing Home Society Dr Vijay Kapoor told reporters after the meeting that their demand for the withdrawal of the bill will continue. "We told the officials that this bill is unconstitutional and only we will discuss the errors in it only after the bill is withdrawn," he said, adding that a rally will be organised in Jaipur on Monday to protest against the bill. "The officials asked the delegation to talk on every point of the bill... but the delegation said that any discussion will be possible only after it is withdrawn. For this, we want a written assurance. Until that happens, neither this movement will stop nor will there be further talks," Dr Kapoor said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot again appealed to the doctors to withdraw their strike, saying it is not in the public interest. "The chief minister is sad that despite the appeal, the doctors have not understood his point. He is reaching Jaipur and will hold another meeting with the officials over the matter," an official source said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], March 26 (ANI): Leaders and workers of Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress on Sunday undertook a 'Sankalp Satyagraha' in protest against Rahul Gandhi disqualification from Lok Sabha as part of All India Congress Committee's call to save democracy. The one-day "Satyagraha" was organized by the State Congress in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at all district headquarters including the state headquarters in Dehradun.Party workers gathered in front of Gandhi statue with placards and posters that bore slogans like Also Read | Paytm Gets 15-Day Extension to Apply for Online Payment Aggregator Permit. "Stop murdering democracy", "We stand with Rahul Gandhi."Meanwhle, Congress leader and Rahul Gandhi' sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra participated in a day-long 'Sankalp Padyatra' near Raj Ghat in the national capital and launched a scathing attack alleged the leaders of ruling BJP of insulting her family. "My father was insulted in the Parliament; my brother has been given names like Mir Jafar. Your ministers insult my mother in the Parliament. One of your chief misisters said that Rahul Gandhi does not even know who his father is, but no action is taken against these people", said Priyanka Gandhi. Also Read | Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde Visits MNS President Raj Thackeray at His Mumbai Residence (Watch Video). Responding to BJP's allegation on Congress of being dynast she said, "You (BJP) talk about 'Pariwarvaad', I want to ask who was Lord Ram? Was he 'Pariwarvaadi', or were the Pandavas 'Pariwarvaadi' just because they fought for the culture of their family? Should we be ashamed because our family members fought for the people of the country? My family has nurtured the democracy of this country with their blood" Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a Member of Parliament following the Surat court order convicting him in a criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark. (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, March 26: Digital financial services firm One97 Communications, which operates the Paytm brand, has 15 days more to apply for the online payment aggregator licence for its subsidiary PPSL, a regulatory filing said on Sunday. The Reserve Bank of India in November rejected its application for a payment aggregator (PA) licence for Paytm Payments Services Limited (PPSL) and asked to resubmit the application for the same within 120 days. One97 Communications (OCL) in the regulatory filing said that it has received a letter from the RBI, which says PPSL can continue with the Online Payment Aggregation business, while it awaits approval from the central government for past investment from OCL into PPSL as per FDI Guidelines. "As per RBI's letter, on receipt of approval from GoI, PPSL will have fifteen days to submit the application, seeking authorisation for PPSL to operate as an online PA," the filing said. Paytm requires a permit to operate its payment gateway business through which it facilitates payments to various merchants. The company said that during the pending process, PPSL can continue with its online payment aggregation business for existing partners without onboarding any new merchants. "This continues to have no material impact on our business and revenues since the communication from RBI is applicable only to onboarding of new online merchants and we can continue to provide payment services to our existing online merchants," the filing said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Thane, Mar 26 (PTI) A woman security guard in Maharashtra's Thane district has been arrested for allegedly operating a sex racket, a police official said on Sunday. Also Read | Google Bard AI Chatbot Released to Public: What Is It? How Is It Different From ChatGPT? Learn It All Here. Acting on a tip off, the woman was arrested from Mumbra railway station on Friday, Anti Human Trafficking Cell senior inspector Mahesh Patil said. Also Read | Walmart Layoffs: Retail Giant Fires Hundreds of Employees at Its E-Commerce Facilities Across the US. The racket used to be operated via WhatsApp with women being sent to places of the customer's choice, he said. She has been booked under Indian Penal Code and Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, he added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, March 26: The Delhi Police has denied permission to the Congress for holding 'satyagraha' at Rajghat to protest against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha, officials said on Sunday. In a letter, the Delhi Police said the request was rejected due to law and order and traffic reasons and prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC imposed in and around Rajghat. Rahul Gandhi Disqualification: Congress Leader Priyanka Gandhi To Hold Sankalp Padyatra Near Raj Ghat in Delhi Today. A senior police officer told PTI that while permission for holding the satyagraha has been denied, adequate security arrangements have been put in place. The Congress has announced plans to hold a day-long satyagraha in front of Gandhi statues at all states and district headquarters on Sunday to protest against Gandhi's disqualification. Rahul Gandhi Disqualification: Congress Leader Says He Isnt Savarkar, Wont Apologise (Watch Video). Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. The disqualification will bar Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting polls for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction. Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 26 (ANI): Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner Andalib Elias on Saturday said Bangladesh has been demanding the United Nations to declare March 25 as World Genocide Day. "Since 2017, we've been observing this day as the genocide day of Bangladesh. We've been pursuing two things from UN, to declare this as world genocide day and recognition of what happened in Bangladesh in 1971 as a genocide," Elias said. Also Read | Russia Will Station Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Belarus in Response to UK's Decision To Send Depleted Uranium to Ukraine, Says Russian President Vladimir Putin. On December 16, 1971, Pakistan Army surrendered to a joint India-Bangladesh force, formally making Bangladesh a new nation under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman. "On this day (March 25) in 1971, Pakistan army attacked unarmed people in the middle of the night and killed 1000s of people and within the next nine months, they killed nine million people in Bangladesh. This is one of the most brutal genocides ever," the Bangladeshi Deputy High Commissioner said. Also Read | Emil Bocek, Last Czech Royal Air Force Pilot During World War II, Dies at 100. Meanwhile, International Forum for Secular Bangladesh (IFSB) Switzerland chapter on Saturday held demonstrations at the Broken Chair square in front of the UN building in Geneva demanding recognition of the Bangladesh genocide perpetrated by the Pakistan Army in 1971. A total of 25 Bangladeshi diasporas from Europe gathered in front of the United Nations office to seek justice against the 1971 genocide by Pakistan and for its recognition by the international community. 'Genocide Day' has been observed in Bangladesh since 2017 against the atrocities committed by the Pakistan Army on civilians on the night of March 25, 1971, when it launched 'Operation Searchlight' in Dhaka to crush the Bengali nationalist movement. Leaders of all European Freedom Fighter Sangsad of Bangladesh, Awami League members of Switzerland, and other International NGOs also participated in the protest. Tazul Islam, a Bangladesh freedom fighter from Zurich urged the UN Human Rights Council to recognize March 25 as "Bangladesh genocide day". Khalilur Rahman, Chairperson of the IFSB, Switzerland chapter said that BNP and Jamat are terrorists in Bangladesh. Aminul Rahman Khusru, another Bangladeshi freedom fighter from Frankfurt also condemned Pakistan Army for the genocide. Mohsin Rahman Suman, Sahal Alam Agor, Suman Chakma, and Mohammad Mojammel, all active members of Switzerland Awami League raised slogans against BNP/Jamat and termed them as collaborators of the Genocide of Bengalis who were associated with Pakistan Army during torture, sexual abuse, and mass killings in 1971 war. On December 16, 1971, Pakistan Army surrendered to a joint India-Bangladesh force, formally making Bangladesh a new nation under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman. The Broken Chair sculpture symbolizes both fragility and strength, imbalance and stability, violence, and dignity. Broken Chair is the work of renowned sculptor Daniel Berset in 1997 at the request of Humanity & Inclusion (the new name of Handicap International). (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], March 26 (ANI): Hindu shopkeepers were assaulted in Bahawalpur Division in the Punjab province of Pakistan for allegedly "violating the Ramzan Ordinance" for preparing food for delivery, Pakistan based The Express Tribune newspaper reported. The police officer in a video that went viral on social media, was seen roaming the Ghotki district with a stick in his hands. Also Read | Russia Will Station Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Belarus in Response to UK's Decision To Send Depleted Uranium to Ukraine, Says Russian President Vladimir Putin. The police officer thrashed Hindu restaurant owners including Hindu men who were reportedly preparing biryani for delivery orders in the local market. "I swear that I belong to the Hindu community, and he is taking away food. We do not run the dining service indoors during Ramzan," a man who was arrested by the police said, according to The Express Tribune. Also Read | Emil Bocek, Last Czech Royal Air Force Pilot During World War II, Dies at 100. The SHO, however, publicly forced the Hindu restaurant owner to take an oath on his sacred book. He tortured, harassed, manhandled, and arrested more than one dozen people including Hindu shopkeepers after physically assaulting them, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), after the video went viral, took notice and wrote to the deputy inspector general (DIG) Sukkur and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ghotki to take action against the police officer, The Express Tribune reported. "The act is a violation of fundamental rights of citizens regardless of their religion and beliefs and goes against Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which guarantees the freedom to profess and manage religious institutions," a letter issued by the SHRC stated. It added that the SHO's behaviour was against the landmark judgment by former chief justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani on minority rights, issued on June 19, 2014. SHRC Chairperson Iqbal Detho asked senior police officials to probe into the matter and take action against the SHO. Station House Officer (SHO) Kabil Bhayo of the Khanpur police station has been suspended. According to The Express Tribune, it is important to note that the Ramazan Ordinance states that only people who are obligated to fast under the tenants of Islam are barred from eating, drinking, and smoking in public places during fasting hours in the month of Ramazan. Pakistan's minority communities, including Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and Ahmadis, continue to live under clouds of fear and persecution by the majority community, according to Pakistan vernacular media. Several members of minorities, including a Sri Lankan national, have been killed and attacked in various cities and towns of Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for allegedly committing blasphemy, which in this country is commonly used to settle personal scores relating to business, financial and land issues. Abduction, forcible conversion to Islam and marriage of Hindu girls, mostly minors to Muslims, continue unabated in various areas of Pakistan, particularly in Sindh without invoking any concern and attention of the administration, human rights organisations, mainstream media and social media platforms in Pakistan. Amid the persecution of minorities, rights experts have said Pakistan's legal system is in need of urgent reform to protect the safety and dignity of the minorities including the Ahmadi community. Notably, the Ahmadi community in Pakistan lives as second-class citizens. The anti-Ahmadi Muslim sentiment is powerful in Pakistan. It is amongst one of the most persecuted minority communities in the country. A member of rights groups expressed alarm and a strong sense of outrage at the continued exodus of religious minority communities in the country and said that the state has consistently failed to allay the concerns of these communities despite repeated reminders by civil society. Meanwhile, Dawn recently reported that this year, Ramazan in Pakistan will be tougher than previous years for many low and middle-income group people due to skyrocketing prices. During Ramazan, after over 12 hours of fasting, people try to enjoy lavish iftar by arranging many items. But many people with mediocre wages and salaries are likely to limit their purchases this year, according to Dawn. The responsibility thus lies with the government to ensure the availability of edible items at cheaper rates not only throughout the year but especially in the holy month. It is, however, hard to expect any special measures to bring price relief, as the government continues to remain engaged in political and economic chaos and hopes for approval of the International Monetary Fund loan (IMF). (ANI) The police officer in a video that went viral on social media, was seen roaming the Ghotki district with a stick in his hands. He was using it to hit shoppers including Hindu men who were reportedly preparing biryani for delivery orders in the local market. "I swear that I belong to the Hindu community, and he is taking away food. We do not run the dining service indoors during Ramzan," a man who was arrested by the police said, according to The Express Tribune. The SHO, however, publicly forced the Hindu restaurant owner to take an oath on his sacred book. He tortured, harassed, manhandled, and arrested more than one dozen people including Hindu shopkeepers after physically assaulting them, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), after the video went viral, took notice and wrote to the deputy inspector general (DIG) Sukkur and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ghotki to take action against the police officer, The Express Tribune reported. "The act is a violation of fundamental rights of citizens regardless of their religion and beliefs and goes against Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which guarantees the freedom to profess and manage religious institutions," a letter issued by the SHRC stated. It added that the SHO's behaviour was against the landmark judgment by former chief justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani on minority rights, issued on June 19, 2014. SHRC Chairperson Iqbal Detho asked senior police officials to probe into the matter and take action against the SHO.SHO Kabil Bhayo of the Khanpur police station has been suspended. According to The Express Tribune, it is important to note that the Ramazan Ordinance states that only people who are obligated to fast under the tenants of Islam are barred from eating, drinking, and smoking in public places during fasting hours in the month of Ramazan. Pakistan's minority communities, including Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and Ahmadis, continue to live under clouds of fear and persecution by the majority community, according to Pakistan vernacular media. Several members of minorities, including a Sri Lankan national, have been killed and attacked in various cities and towns of Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for allegedly committing blasphemy, which in this country is commonly used to settle personal scores relating to business, financial and land issues. Abduction, forcible conversion to Islam and marriage of Hindu girls, mostly minors to Muslims, continue unabated in various areas of Pakistan, particularly in Sindh without invoking any concern and attention of the administration, human rights organisations, mainstream media and social media platforms in Pakistan. Amid the persecution of minorities, rights experts have said Pakistan's legal system is in need of urgent reform to protect the safety and dignity of the minorities including the Ahmadi community. Notably, the Ahmadi community in Pakistan lives as second-class citizens. The anti-Ahmadi Muslim sentiment is powerful in Pakistan. It is amongst one of the most persecuted minority communities in the country. A member of rights groups expressed alarm and a strong sense of outrage at the continued exodus of religious minority communities in the country and said that the state has consistently failed to allay the concerns of these communities despite repeated reminders by civil society. Meanwhile, Dawn recently reported that this year, Ramazan in Pakistan will be tougher than previous years for many low and middle-income group people due to skyrocketing prices. During Ramazan, after over 12 hours of fasting, people try to enjoy lavish iftar by arranging many items. But many people with mediocre wages and salaries are likely to limit their purchases this year, according to Dawn. The responsibility thus lies with the government to ensure the availability of edible items at cheaper rates not only throughout the year but especially in the holy month. It is, however, hard to expect any special measures to bring price relief, as the government continues to remain engaged in political and economic chaos and hopes for approval of the International Monetary Fund loan (IMF). (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Three Auburn museum staff members will attend the Museum Association of New York's annual conference April 15-18 in Syracuse, "Finding Center: Access, Inclusion, Participation and Engagement." The members will be attending with scholarship support, which was awarded after a competitive application process. Emma Dailey, director of collections and exhibitions at the Seward House Museum; Kate Grindstaff, education and outreach coordinator at the Seward House Museum; and Karyn Radcliffe, collections manager at the Cayuga Museum of History & Art will attend with the support of a Central New York Community Foundation Scholarship. For more information about the conference, visit nysmuseums.org/annualconference. London, Mar 26 (PTI) Hindus living in the UK are among the healthiest and well qualified religious groups and Sikhs are most likely to own their homes, according to latest census data for England and Wales. The UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been analysing census statistics to release information across various subcategories for the country's population based on the responses of the online census conducted in March 2021. Also Read | Swiss Hat Trick Hero Takes His Chance to Set Up Winning Start Latest Tweet by Reuters. In its latest release entitled Religion by housing, health, employment and education' this week, the ONS finds that life outcomes for religious groups varied considerably. In 2021, those who identified as Hindu' had the highest percentage of their population reporting either very good' or good' health (87.8 per cent), compared with 82.0 per cent of the overall population, the ONS finds, adding that the Hindus also reported the lowest prevalence of disability. Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Criticises President Arif Alvi for One-Sided and Anti-Government Views. People who identified as Hindu' had the highest percentage with a Level 4 or above' [certificate-level] qualification (54.8 per cent), compared with the overall population (33.8 per cent), it noted. People who identified as Sikh' were more likely to live in households that owned their home 77.7 per cent of those who identified as Sikh' lived in households that owned their home, the ONS said. The religion question is voluntary in the census and in 2021, 94 per cent of the overall population in England and Wales of 56 million chose to answer the question. The ONS said that many of the life outcomes discussed in its analysis may be influenced by the differing age and sex profiles of religious groups. In 2021, people who identified as Muslim' were nearly four times more likely to live in overcrowded homes than the overall population of England and Wales, the statistics show. In 2021, people who identified as Muslim' had the lowest percentage of people aged 16 to 64 years in employment (51.4 per cent compared with 70.9 per cent of the overall population); this resulted from the high percentages of people who were students or looking after home or family in this group, it said. The ONS pointed out that life outcomes for religious groups often overlap, as people in poor health or caring for others may be less able to work or gain education. Income, where people live, and cultural background, also have an influence on outcomes. The analysis reveals that those who identified as "Christian" had an older age profile and reported poorer health than the overall population. People who identified as Christian' were most likely to live in households that owned their home outright (36 per cent), 8.9 percentage points higher than the overall population (27.1 per cent). This group had a median (average) age of 51 years, compared with 40 years for the overall population, suggesting that they may have had time to pay off a mortgage or loan, the ONS said. The 2021 census survey was filled out by more than 24 million households across England and Wales and data from the survey is being published in stages by the ONS since then. According to an earlier release, people identifying as Christian fell below half the population for the first time, while those identifying as Hindu, Muslim or Sikh registered a small rise. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lahore, Mar 27 (PTI) In a startling remark, Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has termed ousted prime minister Imran Khan 'enemy' of the ruling PML-N saying he has taken the country's politics to a point where either "he (Imran) will get murdered or us". The remarks of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) senior leader, who is very close to former premier Nawaz Sharif, sparked an outcry among the political circles especially Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). Also Read | Gregory A Locke: New York City Judge Fired for Moonlighting As Online Pornstar on OnlyFans. Khan, after surviving a gun attack on him during a rally in Wazirabad, Punjab in November last year, named Rana Sanaullah behind the assassination attempt on him. Khan, 70, also mentioned the names of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a senior ISI officer in an application for FIR for their role in the murder plot. Also Read | Pakistan: Martial Law Can Be Imposed in Country If Parties of Imran Khan, Others Continue Tussle, Says Report. In an interview to a couple of private TV channels on Sunday, Sanaullah said: Either Imran Khan or us will get murdered. He has now taken the country's politics to a point where only one of the two can remain -- PTI or PMLN. PMLN's entire existence is in jeopardy and we will go to any extent against him to settle a score with him. Khan has turned politics into enmity. Khan is now our enemy and he will be treated like that," Sanaullah declared. Asked if such remarks could result in anarchy in Pakistan, the minister said: Anarchy already prevails in Pakistan. Reacting strongly to Sanaullah's statement, PTI leader and former federal information minister Fawad Chaudhry said: "This is a direct life threat to Khan from the PMLN coalition government." Is Sanaullah running a gang or government? The Supreme Court had rightly declared Sharifs-led PMLN a Sicilian mafia and his statement is evidence of it," he said. The PTI has also urged the SC to take notice of this as it is an open threat to Khan's life. If anyone has any doubts about Sanaullah's murderous intent towards Khan. This is a direct threat given by the cabal of crooks' interior minister. The judiciary should take note, PTI senior leader and former minister Shireen Mazari said in a tweet. The PTI said it has never witnessed in the past that a ruling party openly declared eliminating a popular leader of Pakistan. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, March 26: Washington-based Indian journalist Lalit Jha was physically attacked and verbally abused by pro-Khalistan supporters in Washington while he was covering a pro-Khalistan protest outside the Indian Embassy on Saturday afternoon. Jha on Sunday thanked US Secret Service for protecting him, and helping him do his job. He said he was hit on his left ear with two sticks by pro-Khalistan supporters. He also shared a video of the Khalistani supporters on his Twitter handle. Pro-Khalistan Protesters Attempted to Set on Fire India's Consulate in San Francisco (Watch Video). Pro-Khalistani Supporters Attack Journalist Lalit Jha Outside Indian Embassy: Thank you @SecretService 4 my protection 2day 4 helping do my job, otherwise I would have been writing this from hospital. The gentleman below hit my left ear with these 2 sticks & earlier I had to call 9/11 & rushed 2 police van 4 safety fearing physical assault. pic.twitter.com/IVcCeP5BPG Lalit K Jha (@lalitkjha) March 25, 2023 "Thank you @SecretService 4 my protection 2day 4 helping do my job, otherwise I would have been writing this from hospital. The gentleman below hit my left ear with these 2 sticks & earlier I had to call 9/11 & rushed 2 police van 4 safety fearing physical assault," Jha tweeted on Sunday. "At one point I felt so threatened that I called 911. I then spotted Secret Service officers and narrated the incident to them," Jha told ANI, adding the protesters took charge of the situation. However, the journalist decided to take no action against those who heckled him. "The pro-Khalistan protestors in support of Amrit Pal waved Khalistan flags and descended upon the embassy in the presence of the US Secret Service. They even openly threatened to vandalize the embassy and threatened the Indian Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu," Jha told ANI. The protesters included turbaned men of all ages who raised pro-Khalistan slogans. They came in from different parts of the DC-Maryland- Virginia (DMV) area. The organisers used mics to make anti-India speeches both in English and Punjabi languages and targeted the Punjab Police for alleged human rights violations. UK: Punjabi Eatery Allegedly Vandalised by Anti-India Khalistani Elements in London (Watch Video). Multiple events of protests by supporters of Khalistan have been staged outside the Indian embassy and the San Francisco Consulate. Earlier this week the Indian Consulate in San Francisco was also attacked on March 20. Visuals shared online show a huge mob brandishing Khalistan flags mounted on wooden poles, using them to smash glass doors and windows of the consulate building. They raised pro-Khalistan slogans as they broke through makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two Khalistani flags inside the premises. The United States strongly condemned the attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco by a group of separatist Sikhs, terming it absolutely unacceptable. The United States has condemned the attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco and any attack against diplomatic facilities within the US. The US has pledged to defend the safety, and security of these facilities as well as the diplomats who work within them. "The United States condemns the attack against the Indian Consulate and any attack against diplomatic facilities within the United States. We pledge to defend the safety and security of these facilities as well as the diplomats who work within them," US State Department spokesperson told ANI. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said via Twitter that the US condemns the acts of violence against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. He further said that the US is committed to the safety and security of Indian diplomats. He confirmed that the US State Department is in touch with the local law enforcement authorities. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], March 26 (ANI): Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday urged his supporters not to back off "under any circumstance" and said that "reaction" to the "atrocities done to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)" would come from the public at the party's Minar-e-Pakistan rally tonight amid a "threat alert" issued by the interim Punjab government, Pakistan based Dawn newspaper reported. Imran Khan was referring to clashes that erupted between the police and his party workers who gathered outside his residence on March 18 in Zaman Park to foil his arrest in the Toshakhana case. Also Read | Russia Will Station Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Belarus in Response to UK's Decision To Send Depleted Uranium to Ukraine, Says Russian President Vladimir Putin. Khan made the remarks while speaking to reporters on reaching a Lahore Anti-Terrorism Court to secure interim bail in three terrorism cases. Khan while talking to the media outside the court, said a public "reaction would come today to whatever method they (the government) will use." Also Read | Emil Bocek, Last Czech Royal Air Force Pilot During World War II, Dies at 100. "We will not back off under any circumstance," the PTI chief said. In the alert, Punjab government has said that terrorists, carrying explosive material, have reached Lahore and will either target political rallies or law enforcers deployed for the security of those events. As the party prepares to hold the gathering, the government has placed containers on the way leading to Minar-e-Pakistan, leading to hurdles for people seeking to partake in the jalsa. Prior to the PTI rally, internet outage was reported in Lahore's Gulberg, Minar-e-Pakistan, Data Darbar, Lari Adda and nearby areas. PTI also shared footage through party's Twitter handle showing party workers and supporters had packed the venue in anticipation of Imran, who reached Minar-e-Pakistan a little before midnight. Imran Khan further added: "I am saying today, that they (the government) will see the largest rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in the country's history." The PTI chief went on to claim, "1,600 workers of ours have been taken away only because they want to fill our Minar-e-Pakistan rally today," Dawn reported. Imran castigated the government for "using every method to crush the PTI" and for "torturing and picking up people", according to Dawn. Khan further said: "Atrocities are being committed but this is a fight and a jihad for haqeeqi azaadi (real freedom) [so] sacrifices will need to be given. I am also ready for this and my entire team is ready as well." Meanwhile, Pakistan police on Saturday launched a crackdown on party workers and blocked the road leading to the location, ahead of the PTI's public gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan, Geo News reported. The routes leading to the Minar-e-Pakistan from Ravi Bridge and Railway Station have been blocked and containers have been placed at the Shah Alam Market. PTI has also claimed that their 50-plus workers from different areas of Rahim Yar Khan, while 26 workers including PTI leader Javed Akhtar Ansari's son were arrested in Multan, Geo News reported. The PTI claimed that many workers have also been detained from Lodhran and Bhakkar. Earlier today, Imran Khan tweeted, "Tonight will be our sixth jalsa at Minar-e-Pakistan and my heart tells me it will break all records. I am inviting everyone in Lahore to attend after the Tarawih (special Prayer Muslims perform only in the month of Ramadan) prayers. I will give my vision of Haqeeqi Azadi and how we will pull Pak out of the mess cabal of crooks have put our country in." "They will put all sorts of hurdles to prevent people from attending, but I want to remind our ppl that it is their fundamental right to attend a political gathering. Everyone must assert their right as people of a free nation that won its independence & come to Minar e Pakistan," he added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Socialite Paris Hilton doesn't want her son to be in the spotlight. The 42-year-old star who's a mother to a two-month-old baby boy called Phoenix, says that she'd prefer her son to pursue a different kind of career, reports aceshowbiz.com. "I'm never going to stop my son from doing what he wants to do in life. I'm just hoping he doesn't want to be in the spotlight," she told The Independent. Paris enjoyed huge success during her own career, but the Stars Are Blind hitmaker insists she doesn't take herself or her public persona too seriously. She explained, "I can laugh at myself and have fun with the character and play into it. I didn't mind doing that. I feel like that's just a part of me - that character. It's the fun, playful side. Paris Hilton Welcomes First Child With Husband Carter Reum Via Surrogate (View Pic). But now everyone realises that I'm not a dumb blonde, I'm just very good at pretending to be one." Paris created her persona during her teens, and it's helped her to deal with criticism over the years. The heiress shared, "I'd say to myself, 'They're not talking about you, they're talking about the character.' It'd make it hurt less." Earlier this month, Paris revealed that she's loving her experience of motherhood. The reality star and her husband Carter Reum welcomed their first child in January via surrogate, and Paris revealed that she's relished the challenge so far. Paris Hilton Names Her Son Phoenix Barron Hilton Reum, Explains the Significance Behind It (Watch Video). She said, "My favourite moments are when he's just laying on my chest and he's looking into my eyes and my heart just melts and I just feel that this is just the most magical time in my life." Paris has also enjoyed sharing her story with fans through Paris: The Memoir. She said, "This has just been the most therapeutic experience of my life, putting it all out there. (There are) just so many emotions and just so many experiences that I endured and tried to forget, but writing them all out and putting them out there has just made me feel just really incredible." (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 26, 2023 04:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Demonstrators were only allowed to carry government-approved banners, and were barred from "seditious" acts. Critics say a national security law imposed by Beijing has stifled civic expression in Hong Kong.Dozens of protesters returned to Hong Kong streets on Sunday, in one of the the first authorized rallies since Beijing enacted a national security law in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 which facilitated a crackdown on civil disobedience. Also Read | Patna, Bihar | The Fertility Rate Was 4.3% in Bihar & Today It is 2.9% Because We Latest Tweet by ANI. Demonstrators gathered in the eastern Tseung Kwan O district, protesting against a proposed land reclamation and garbage processing project. Also Read | Sankalp Satyagrah: Gujarat Congress Functionaries Detained While Protesting Rahul Gandhis Disqualification. Protesters carried security-approved banners and chanted slogans that would not qualify as "seditious" displays or speech. The city's police had granted the protesters permission to assemble on condition that they do not violate the national security law. How do the protesters see the new restrictions? The protest authorization restricted the protesters to 100 participants. Around 50 were on the streets on Sunday. Many welcomed the return to activism, but criticized the strict measures imposed on the march. "We need to have a more free-spirited protest culture," James Ockenden, a protester marching with his three children, told the Reuters news agency. "But this is all pre-arranged and numbered and it just destroys the culture and will put people off from coming for sure." Other restrictions involved making participants wear numbered badges around their necks. The police said in its letter to the organizers that it was important to identify the protesters, to prevent any "lawbreakers" from infiltrating the march. Masks were also banned, unless protesters could come up with a "reasonable excuse." During Hong Kong's 2019 anti-government movement, the government also banned masks from public gatherings. Why was today's protest highly anticipated? Sunday's protest is the first to be authorized since strict COVID-19 restrictions were lifted earlier this year. Protests were rare throughout the three years of the pandemic. In parallel, activism was silenced, with several activists jailed since the 2019 protest movement and subsequent 2020 national security law. Many fear Hong Kong's once vibrant civil movement scene has now been eroded. All eyes are on June 4 and July 1, when major demonstrations would historically take place in Hong Kong to mark the anniversaries of the Tiananmen protests and the British handover of the city to Beijing, respectively. Authorities denied an application for a candlelight vigil to commemorate the victims of the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, Reuters said, on grounds of COVID social distancing. rmt/wd (AP, Reuters) (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 26, 2023 04:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Congress leader Rahul Gandhi updated his Twitter bio to DisQualified MP today after he was disqualified as a Member of Parliament following conviction in a criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark. Now, description of his Twitter account mentions about his membership of the Indian National Congress along with 'Dis'Qualified' membership of the Parliament. Rahul Gandhi Disqualified as a Member of Lok Sabha Over Conviction in Modi Surname Remarks Case. Rahul Gandhi Updates His Twitter Bio Congress leader Rahul Gandhi updates his Twitter account bio to Dis'Qualified MP. Congress party's Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a Member of Parliament after he was convicted in a criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark. pic.twitter.com/EdDEC0WaQv ANI (@ANI) March 26, 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.) The letter was sent to me in early December from Connie out of state, with a request for any information on the one-room Lakeview Schoolhouse in Owasco. She mentioned, "It was just a curiosity and where is it located? I never knew it was called Lakeview, and was pleased to hear from her. I wrote that it was above Rockefeller Road on Route 38, also called Owasco Road. Connie explained the picture she sent included her mother-in-law, Carolyn, of Durham, North Carolina, as a student in 1943, with younger sister Susanne Trainer in the group. I was glad to share what I knew and went out to take a picture of the schoolhouse as it is seen today. It is now a private home. There was no snow on the ground, and it was a balmy day in the high 50s when I took the pictures. The property also has a long, interesting history. The 1853 map of Owasco shows the schoolhouse as No. 1 in the town, making it the earliest one in the town. It was a schoolhouse for many years. The early records list Roeliff Brinkerhoff from Brinkerhoff Point (now Burris Point) walking up the hill to teach the pioneer settlers children in the early 1800s. Roeliff later traveled to Hermitage to teach President Andrew Jackson's children. Mable Crosby, the former town of Niles historian, also rescued some early schoolhouse records from the building when it was sold and empty years ago. A few weeks later, I heard from Carolyn, who shared her memories with me. There was no indoor plumbing, so the students and teachers used an outdoor privy. She told me about getting to school in the winter from their home on Rockefeller Road. A picture she sent me has the students identified. They include Teddy Acre, Jane Richards, Carol Day, Suzanne Trainer, Jean Frisbee, Raymond Cronk, Sammy Day, Junior Cronk, Marianne Duckett, Sammy Denman and Carolyn Trainer. A standing-room-only crowd of Lower Saucon Township residents packed a meeting of the township council last week, where 86 acres were rezoned to permit warehouses and other commercial and industrial uses along Easton Road. The crowd rivaled the attendance at councils Christmas week meeting where approval was given to rezoning land next to Bethlehem Landfill, paving the way for the current ongoing proposal to expand the landfill. But while the landfill rezoning crowd was unanimously opposed, the audience for the Easton Road decision featured arguments on both sides of the issue. Council members on Wednesday voted 3-2 to rezone the acres along Easton Road from a residential designation to Light Manufacturing. Township Solicitor B. Lincoln Treadwell Jr. said the proposal that was adopted had come about in response to the acres being positioned between Interstate 78 and an industrial complex in Bethlehem. The concept was that people out there didnt want to live across the street from whats in the City of Bethlehem, Treadwell said during Wednesdays meeting. So they couldnt sell their houses because no one wanted to live there. So if you change the zoning you have the option of living there or selling your house to somebody who might want to do something else. With the rezoning, existing homes can remain in place, while the township is opening the properties up for sale to become a host of commercial, retail or industrial uses. My problem is the warehouses included in here, Councilwoman Priscilla deLeon said. Councilwoman Sandra Yerger raised concerns, as well, including about traffic associated with industrial uses in the area of the homes smashed right up against I-78. Wednesdays vote also consolidated commercial zoning districts along Routes 412 and 378 into a new General Business designation, with no change in the types of uses permitted, according to Treadwell. deLeon suggested breaking out the Easton Road rezoning but was pre-empted by council President Jason Banonis calling for a vote, seconded by Councilman Thomas Carocci. The rezoning along Routes 412 and 378 and Easton Road passed with deLeon and Yerger opposed and Vice President Mark Inglis joining Banonis and Carocci in voting for approval. Kevin Reilly-Rice, who lives off Easton Road, challenged the township on a lack of an environmental impact study on the change, raising concerns about pollution, effects on well water and impacts on the cemetery and ballfields in the area. Janet Reilly raised similar issues, adding in the disruptions that I-78s completion in 1989 introduced to her property thats been in her family for 200 years. I invite you all to come and have a nice quiet night, she said. Do any of you live by I-78? You dont know what its like. We had beautiful country and youre destroying it. Denise Vanbuskirk, of Easton Road, raised noise from the Bethlehem industrial park, truck brakes, vehicles racing on the highway My ears are ringing for the last year and a half from this noise, she said but she voiced strong support for the rezoning. Rezoning gives the option and a choice since we didnt get one when that park was put across the street, said Vanbuskirk, whos lived in her home for 24 years. I thought that house was going to be my forever home. I cant wait to get out. If you dont want to sell your house, dont sell your house, but at least give us the option. Easton Road resident David Landers speaks during a standing-room-only meeting of the Lower Saucon Township Council on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com Easton Road resident David Landers lived in his home since 1979, witnessing changes like the closure of the former Bethlehem Steel Corp.s coke works 25 years ago this month on March 28, 1998. So Ive been around this Saucon Valley for some time. My next move from my home ... is going to be to the pearly gates, said Landers, who argued the worst thing the township can do is permit more warehouses in that area: That road cannot even support the traffic its taking now. Other residents spoke of the Easton Road rezonings effects on property values, while Gordon Fiegel wanted to know what the changes mean for him burning when he needs to and shooting guns on ranges he has set up on his land. For me I wanna know in laymans terms, can I live the same way that Ive been living? Fiegel said. Thats all I wanna know. The short answer to that is yes, replied Treadwell. All this does is change the zoning designation of that property that would allow you if you wanted to do a use thats permitted in the LM district to do that. If you want to keep your house, keep your house. Legal concerns also surfaced during Wednesdays meeting, with 2023 council candidate Kathy Pichel McGovern noting the township currently faces four lawsuits. She suggested putting the Light Manufacturing designation in existing commercial areas like Lower Saucons shopping centers instead of the appalling move to disrupt the Easton Road residents lives. Banonis noted that a developer could file whats called a substantive validity challenge against the township if they believe the townships pre-existing Light Manufacturing area along Applebutter Road offers too little land for those permitted uses. The rezoning the council adopted will reduce the risk of such a challenge, Treadwell said. The proposed expansion of the Bethlehem Landfill, meanwhile, is the focus of an ongoing township conditional use hearing that is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 30, at Lower Saucon Fire Rescue, 3621 Old Philadelphia Pike. Documents on the hearing are available at lowersaucontownship.org. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Cracker Barrel has decided to close its last remaining locations near Portland, Oregon, becoming the second notable chain this year to leave the area altogether. The restaurant shuttered spots in Beaverton and Tualatin on March 20. A third location in Bend about a 3.5-hour drive from Portland also closed. Earlier this month, Walmart announced a plan to shutter its last stores in Portland. The retailer cited an inability to meet financial expectations as the reason, although reports indicate theft also played a role. Cracker Barrel cited the pandemic as the reason for the store closings. We are saddened that we have been unable to overcome the impact the pandemic had on our business and have made the difficult decision to close the Beaverton, Tualatin and Bend locations, a spokesperson said. Cracker Barrels lone remaining restaurant in Oregon is located in Medford, about a 4.5-hour drive from Portland. The southern-themed restaurant chain operates over 600 locations nationwide. RELATED STORIES ABOUT RETAIL AND SHOPPING: Budding salad chain continues expansion in N.J. Mob-themed burger joint to open 2nd N.J. location Foot Locker to close hundreds of stores by 2026 Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Christopher Burch can be reached at cburch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisBurch856. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tip UPDATE: Another body found in rubble of chocolate plant explosion A fourth deceased person was pulled early Sunday morning from debris at the R.M. Palmer chocolate factory explosion in West Reading, and three people remain missing, authorities said at a Sunday morning news conference. Police Chief Wayne Holben said crews initially used heat imaging devices and drones to search for people, but are now using heavy equipment to methodically pull debris from the site on South Second Avenue. He said it will be a long process, but first responders will not rest until every person has been found. West Reading, we have your back and we will get this job done together, Holben said. Officials did not have an update on the conditions of the people injured in Fridays blast. Apartments above the building were affected, but West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag said they have been able to get resources to people so no one has been displaced. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, she said. A lot of peoples time stopped on Friday and were looking to get people answers. Right now, the families are our focus, but an investigation will be done and will be throughly done and we will try to find answers (as) to why this happened, Kaag said at a Sunday morning news conference. Right now, were just trying to get the answers for the people that are waiting for their loved ones to come home or are just waiting to hear something. Officials have said its a race against time to try and find survivors in the blast site; one person was found alive in the rubble during the search Friday night into Saturday morning. Were still hopeful to still get some answers and still get some recoveries, Kaag said. Its a hold out for hope. Officials said they plan to coordinate Sunday with local service agencies to support the affected families, and while officials would be reaching out, Kaag urged them to contact her office or the police department. Kaag acknowledged the concerns and frustrations from the families and the community. Were here for them and were trying to provide as much support as possible, she said. The United Way of Berks County and the Berks County Community Foundation have created a West Reading Disaster Recovery Fund to help families who lost loved ones, the injured, displaced residents and those now unemployed by the blast. We value the trust that has been placed in us, said Tammy White, president of United Way of Berks County. Officials said they hope to have another update Sunday night. Officials said they have been overwhelmed by support from Berks County businesses and organizations, and local, state and federal officials. Gov. Josh Shapiro went to the blast site Saturday morning and Kaag said officials received a call from the White House. Kaag became emotional as she described the first responders and emergency personnel who have been working since the Friday evening explosion. We really truly do take this seriously, and we really truly do feel for everybody affected by this, she said. R.M. Palmer has been making chocolate novelties since 1948 and employees 850 people in West Reading. The mayor read a statement from the company Sunday morning, similar to a statement it posted online Saturday evening. The company said the blast has had a profound impact and the company offered its heartfelt condolences to those families who have lost loved ones and hope those injured will recover quickly. The company created a crisis hotline staffed 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at 610-374-5224 x539. Grief counseling will also be offered to all employees. Kaag said Gage Personnel would be offering free grief counseling Monday as well. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. By Ryan Aument Student academic performance and readiness to enter our workforce has been declining for many years. Despite historic increases in education funding, the numbers continue to fall, and more and more employers look to the Commonwealth to do something to better prepare kids to become productive members of society. The truth is the problem is far bigger and more complex than money alone can fix. Pennsylvanias school system is no longer preparing students for the jobs of today, much less the jobs of tomorrow. Our students have been failed not by teachers, but by an antiquated system built over a century ago with goals that are no longer relevant in todays globally competitive, knowledge-based job market, which we know is prone to rapid change and disruption. In the recent Commonwealth Court ruling on Pennsylvanias school funding system, the Court acknowledged something we have known for some time - that funding is not the sole answer to improving student outcomes. The Court not only points to whether or not schools receive sufficient funding, but whether students are receiving meaningful opportunity to succeed academically, socially, and civically. In order to be successful in those areas, students must have a school system designed to prepare them for the jobs in the Commonwealths economy. I recently participated in an international education study that looked at the highest performing education systems in the world. These systems all have key aspects that Pennsylvania must replicate if we truly want to be able to compete in a global economy. We need effective teachers and principals, a rigorous and adaptive learning system, and an evenhanded foundation of support all held to the highest standard of excellence and efficiency. In studying these countries, a common theme emerged pointing to their success: a shared vision and expectation of what an education system needs to look like in order to serve the students, the economy, and the community. To replicate this, I introduced a bill to establish the Commission on Education and Economic Competitiveness, a bipartisan and bicameral group that will study the challenges within the current system, learn from approaches to systemic redesign all over the world, and come up with innovative policy solutions that will enable educators and students to meet the future head on. The Commission will consist of representatives from key Pennsylvania stakeholder organizations representing diverse views who will conduct statewide hearings, in-depth research, and policy analysis, as well as seek public comment. All of this will inform the Commissions final report containing a long-term vision for Pennsylvanias education system and legislative recommendations for how to get there. The Commissions work is designed to look at the exact areas highlighted by the Commonwealth Court decision. While we must review our structure for funding education, we shouldnt throw more and more money at a failing system that we know is not meeting the needs of our students or the workforces. Doing so would be a disservice to both students and taxpayers. Every child should have the opportunity to achieve at high levels. I look forward to working with the Commission on Education and Economic Competitiveness to design a world-class education system in Pennsylvania that does just that. Our children deserve our very best effort and there is no time to waste. Ryan Aument is the Pennsylvania state Senate Majority Whip. His district is in Lancaster County. He is a Republican. State and federal officials are monitoring the water quality of the Delaware River following a chemical spill on Saturday near Bristol, Pennsylvania. New Jersey American Water President Mark McDonough said the company was keeping a close eye on the situation and, as of Saturday, there were no contaminants found in New Jerseys water system. At this time there is no impact to the source water outside of the companys Delaware River Regional Water Treatment Plant, McDonough said in a statement released Saturday. Although it occurred below Trenton, New Jersey, city Mayor Reed Gusciora said the citys water utility - Trenton Water Works, which provides water to four Mercer County townships as well - is also monitoring the spill. Gusciora said Sunday evening that New Jersey environmental officials said the spill does not affect Trenton Water Works, but customers should be on the lookout for water discoloration. More than 8,000 gallons of latex finishing material, a water soluble acrylic polymer solution, spilled into Otter Creek Saturday afternoon, with a maximum potential release of 12,000 gallons, according to a statement from the U.S. Coast Guard. We are working with the responsible party and local and federal agencies to ensure a safe response effort, Capt. Jonathan Theel, commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, said in a statement. We are also working with our state counterparts in Pennsylvania. A pipe rupture at Trinseo PLC, a chemical plant in Bristol, Pennsylvania, was the source of the spill, according to a report from 6abc. Though Philadelphia officials advised Philly residents to drink bottled water, McDonough said New Jersey Americans water supply had not been affected by the spill. The health and safety of our customers is our top priority, McDonough said in the statement. We will continue to monitor the source water and provide updates if we receive additional information or there are any developments. The U.S. Coast Guard is currently working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to investigate the spill. Later Sunday, McDonough, of New Jersey American Water, issued a statement asking their customers in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties to voluntarily conserve non-essential water usage to assist the entire regions water supply. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Amira Sweilem may be reached at asweilem@njadvancemedia.com. A couple admitted stealing groceries worth an estimated 2,500 during a four day crime spree in Laois. Jordan Byrne, 22, and Daisy OConnor, 22, both with an address at Derrylusk, Mountrath admitted stealing the items from Tesco and Dunnes Stores in Portlaoise in November of last year. Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the pair entered Dunnes Stores in the Kyle Centre, filled their trolleys and left without paying for an estimated 800 worth of goods on November 2 last. On the same date, they stole alcohol valued at 71.85 from Tesco in Portlaoise. Three days later on November 5, the pair entered Dunnes Stores and filled their trolleys before leaving with an estimated 1,000 worth of groceries. A day later they returned to Dunnes Stores in the Kyle Centre, filled their trolleys and left with 700 worth of goods. They are also accused of taking 70 worth of goods from Tesco on the same date. Sgt Kirby said the female accused had no previous convictions while the man had three which he described as minor convictions under the Road Traffic Act. He estimated that the thefts had left Dunnes Stores at a loss of 2,500. Representing Mr Byrne, Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client had relocated to Laois from Dublin. He said the couple had been in financial difficulty as they had a newborn baby at the time of the offending. Are you suggesting the baby was eating 2,500 worth of food? asked Judge Cody. Mr Fitzgerald said his client was entering a plea at the earliest opportunity and had no previous record for this type of offending. He said he had letters of apology for the managers of the stores but his client was not in a position to make good on the loss at present. Judge Cody asked for an explanation for the offending. Mr Fitzgerald said there was no logical explanation but his client was entering an early plea. We are not wasting the court's time and we are making a commitment to make good on the loss, Mr Fitzgerald said. Representing the second defendant, Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick explained that her client had no buggy, steriliser or other necessities for her newborn. She said at the time her client was on the verge of losing her house and had been terrified of being made homeless with a young child. She used this as an opportunity to provide for her baby, she explained. Ms Fitzpatrick said her client has since secured work and with her partner had brought 200 to court. She said her client can pay 100 a week in compensation. Calling the offending serious, Judge Cody said it was, what can only be described as a crime spree over four days. He noted that among the stolen items were alcohol and earbuds which have nothing to do with a child. Ms Fitzpatrick explained that the items had been stolen and sold in order to obtain money. I accept they werent going to be providing for the child with alcohol and gift sets, she said. Judge Cody adjourned the case until September 28 in order for the full amount of 2,500 to be paid to Dunnes Stores. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. A custodial sentence was imposed on a Dublin man produced at Naas District Court on Thursday, March 23, for a driving offence committed in North Kildare. Jonathan O' Neill, with an address given as 50 Basin Street Flats, Dublin 8, County Dublin, but who is remanded in custody, was convicted of the offence by Judge Desmond Zaidan. Gardai at Naas District Court told the judge that the 40-year-old was caught driving without a valid driver's licence and without insurance at the N7 Castlewarden in Kill on August 6, 2020. Mr O' Neill was brought in for the execution of a bench warrant. He pleaded guilty to the offence. Gardai explained that when he was stopped and questioned, he was initially evasive of giving his name to them, and added that he was disqualified from driving at the time of the offence. It was heard that he has 52 previous convictions, 36 of which are for road traffic-related offences. Of the 36 road traffic offences, eight are for driving with no insurance, and one is for a drink-driving offence. His longest driving ban was for ten years. Defending barrister Donncha Craddock told the judge that his client is doing well in custody, and is trying to secure a place in an addiction rehab course. He added that Mr O' Neill is already serving a lengthy sentence. After consideration, Judge Zaidan said that he believed that 'the aggravating features outweigh his personal circumstances' and sentenced him to a total of eight months in custody: five months for the no insurance offence, and three months for the no licence offence. He also imposed an eight-year driving disqualification on Mr O' Neill. Irish Labour party leader Ivana Bacik has said the partys aim to deliver one million homes in 10 years includes properties that are already built and occupied. Announcing the plan at the Labour party conference in Cork on Friday, Ms Bacik said: Our ambition is for one million homes in 10 years, starting now. Ivana Bacik said the State can deliver 50,000 new builds and 50,000 refurbished homes a year for the next decade. She told Newstalks On The Record that the target includes retrofitting homes that are already occupied. She said not all the homes that will be refurbished are currently derelict. The deep retrofit is going to be part of the picture in bringing more homes into proper usage and making them more affordable, she said. Ms Bacik added: Certainly of that additional 50,000 some will already be occupied but some will not, some will be under-occupied, and some will be unaffordable currently. Speaking to RTEs The Week In Politics, Ms Bacik acknowledged the overall figure does sound large but said it was needed. The governments own targets are 30,000 a year, they cant quite meet those targets. But were now told by the governments own housing commission that the target must be closer to 50,000 or indeed higher than 50,000 simply to address the need there. Asked about how the homes would be built, she called for an aggressive recruitment campaign of construction workers. The Irish built Britain. Lets think about the scale of ambition of Irish construction workers in the past. We can do this. We have a budget surplus of 5.3 billion last year, the highest budget surplus in Europe. So its not the economy thats holding back construction, its ideology. Labour has also put down a vote of no confidence in Government over a catastrophic failure on housing. Last week, the Government won a Dail vote on ending the eviction ban at the end of March following a deal with a group of independents. Ms Bacik said it did not mean those independents would not support Labours motion on confidence. Independents are independent of course, just because they vote one way one week does not mean theyre necessarily felt the same way on a different vote the following week, she told Newstalk. A man who defiled a 14-year-old schoolgirl, who was sleeping over at her friends house, has had the final year of his prison sentence suspended on appeal. The 42-year-old man, who details cannot be published to protect the victim's identity, pleaded guilty to five counts at Naas Circuit Criminal Court, including the defilement of a child and sexual assault, at a location in Co Kildare on dates in January and February 2014. He was given an effective eight year sentence by Judge Michael O'Shea on December 4, 2015. The Court of Appeal suspended the final 12 months of his eight-year term today, Friday, May 26, after holding that the man's early guilty plea was significant enough to have been specifically referred to in the sentence. Giving judgment, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the man, who was 38 at the time, was in a relationship with a lady whose daughter was the 14-year-old victim's school friend. The victim had gone to the man's home for a sleepover with her friend. Initially there was contact between the parties through Facebook and some of this involved suggestive messaging from the man. The victim indicated that matters progressed until a date between January 21 and 23 when the victim was sleeping over with her school friend. The man's partner was out working and, when the victim went upstairs to charge her phone, the man came into her room. The sentencing judge described the impact on the victim, who has Asperger's Syndrome, as catastrophic. The sentencing judge was criticised for commenting that the sexual abuse could only be described as disgusting, denigrating, repulsive, horrific, shocking and humiliating. It was submitted by Karl Monahn BL, for the man, that those remarks indicated the judge was not approaching his task of sentencing in a dispassionate way. Mr Justice Birmingham said the offences were very serious. The age gap was very considerable, the injured party was visiting the house for a sleepover with her school friend, there was an element of grooming, gradual progression and despite being specifically averted to the risk of pregnancy, the man proceeded to have intercourse without a condom. In the Court of Appeal's view, the case had to be met with a significant sentence. Mr Justice Birmingham said it was not clear how the mitigating factors, particularity the early guilty plea, impacted on the sentence that was actually imposed. The guilty plea was offered at a sufficiently early stage to obviate the need to transfer the case off circuit or to Dublin. Mr Justice Birmingham said the it would have been appropriate to address it specifically in the sentence. For this reason, Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Hedigan, said the court was prepared to suspend the final 12 months of the eight year sentence. So providing will strengthen the provision for three years post-release supervision which of course remains in place, the judge said. BRUTUS Jeanne Scharett and Sharon Krickovich paid rapt attention as Paul Saxton explained the mechanics of how maple sap in a tree becomes maple syrup at a breakfast table. Like other visitors to the Smokey Hollow sugar farm, the two Auburn women learned that far more work goes into syrup production than they had imagined. Its all more complicated than I thought, said Scharett, during her tour of the Brutus operation Saturday. Smokey Hollow was one of an estimated 150 maple syrup operations throughout New York State to open their doors the past two weekends to provide visitors with everything one might wish to know about syrup but never had a chance to ask. In one building at the farm, Paul Saxton, who assists with several different tasks, explained the natural mechanics that occur inside a maple tree, displaying for visitors segments of split maple logs. At night, he explained, more water comes into the tree, which helps with production of more sugar in the sap. The in daytime the sunlight comes out and starts beating on it, Saxton said. Sunlight is now heating up the tree, causing a positive pressure. That pushes the sap to anywhere it can get out. When the trees are tapped, workers explained, thats when the farms vacuum devices receive sap ready for processing. Some sugar farmers still use the old-fashioned bucket hanging on the tree method. But most farms use the vacuums. It is a science and its a lot of math, said James Hotaling, who has produced Maple syrup at Smokey Hollow since 1975. We have to kill any bacteria and know our temperatures when we get the sap and boil it. It has to get filtered to meet the regulations and controls that we have to be careful with. The Cayuga County area is not one of the major maple producers in New York state, said Helen Thomas, director of the Syracuse-based Maple Producers Association. Clinton and Lewis counties in particular, she said have major industrial maple operations. But throughout the state, she said, are farms like Smokey Hollow, regarded as emblematic of the those found in the Finger Lakes region. The farms in the Finger Lakes are relatively small scale compared to the rest of the state, and its a really nice model, Thomas said. They are family operated and serve their communities, largely their products are sold in the local community. Hotaling said his farm has about 1,600 taps in trees over four different lots. The mathematics tell an interesting story. An estimated 250 gallons of maple sap with two-percent sugar content is required to get six gallons of syrup, Hotaling said, as he rang up visitor purchases at the farms retail store. A long line had formed, as visitors waited to leave with maple treasures ranging from traditional syrup to maple cotton candy. A few picked up bottles of maple syrup that had been aged in a whiskey barrel, giving it a distinctive spirit aftertaste as a result. I feel good about doing this because education is a big factor, Hotaling said, as he took payment for a bottle of maple hot sauce. The more you can educate people as to what you are doing the better off we are, its a big plus for the maple industry. The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon is hosting an informal, free meet-and-greet event open to artists, musicians, theatre makers, writers, and anyone interested in meeting other practitioners! The series will take place on Saturday morning, April1 as an initiative to create a friendly meeting space for creative workers in the region. With three galleries, a cosy coffee shop, black box theatre space and the Leitrim Design House also onsite, the location could not be more suitable! Led by artist-in-residence Fiona Reilly, herself relatively new to the area, the meet-up has expanded its scope since its inception last year, and is now an opportunity for all artists, both new to the area and those who are long established in the locality, to meet up, exchange ideas and share opportunities and hopefully forge new friendships and collaborations. Conversations often circl around the lived realities of balancing art practice and daily life; the group is open to all artists whether practising at present or not. Fiona is a multidisciplinary artist based in the North West. She graduated from Limerick School of Art and Design in 2014 with a first class Hons. Masters Degree in Social Practice and the Creative Environment. She also holds a BA Hons degree in Fine Art from The National College of Art and Design, Dublin. Fiona has exhibited throughout Ireland and abroad and is the recipient of numerous awards, most recently the Arts Council of Ireland Next Generation Art Award 2016. She works using a combination of performative and event based actions and the production of objects. Site, context and circumstance are of fundamental importance and works often emerge in response to personal and social situations. Play, experimentation and repetition are tools she regularly employs. The next artists' meet up will take place in The Dock on Saturday, April 1 at 11.30am. Call (071) 965080. 11:30 a.m. ET Notes: Media attending the event in person are asked to arrive no later than 11:15 a.m. EST. A livestream of the announcement can be viewed on YouTube. Demonstrators confront armed police during a rally in Sainte-Soline (Deux-Sevres), March 25, 2023. THIBAUD MORITZ / AFP Thousands of protestors were unable to reach the top of the Sainte-Soline water reservoir (Deux-Sevres, western France) on Saturday, March 25, but they were still pleased by the end of their day with the "historic" success of their protests. Announced over three months ago, the national rally saw some 30,000 demonstrators protest the under-construction reservoir, which occupies 40 acres of land, almost the size of France's biggest stadium, the Stade de France, and which has the capacity to store 190,000 gallons of water. Demonstrators converged on the small villages of the region, with local police reporting at the start of the day some 6,000 participants and activists from all over France, who were joined by foreign protestors from Italy, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, and Germany, representing landless people from Mali, Colombia, Chile, and Native Americans. Read more New violent clashes in France over water protest Ajouter a vos selections Ajouter a vos selections Pour ajouter larticle a vos selections identifiez-vous Sinscrire gratuitement Se connecter Vous possedez deja un compte ? However, the predominant feeling among the demonstrators in the evening in the mud of the base camp in Vanzay, which had to be dismantled so that the marchers could join those in Melle for a big party, was concern and anger at the "violence" of law enforcement. According to the gendarmerie at the scene at 7 pm, 24 armed officers were injured, including one who was sent to an ICU, and seven demonstrators, including one also in an ICU. "Like the police officer, the demonstrator was airlifted to hospital by the EMT and the police. The officer could potentially lose the use of their legs," the minister of the interior reported at the end of the day, denouncing the presence of "a thousand radicalized people." He stressed that "the armed officers who were helping evacuate injured demonstrators were attacked by the most radical elements present." About 15 arrests have been made since Friday, with 12 people in custody. The gendarmes used 4,000 grenades, including tear gas and sting grenades, as well as projectiles from rubber bullet guns. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes French police getting 'rougher' as spontaneous protests grow Ajouter a vos selections Ajouter a vos selections Pour ajouter larticle a vos selections identifiez-vous Sinscrire gratuitement Se connecter Vous possedez deja un compte ? 'We've never seen this level of violence before' Demonstrators say that the number of people injured was 200, with three in ICUs and one of them in critical condition. In a press release, the organizers of the demonstration announced that "around 40 people have deep wounds and shrapnel, particularly in the legs and face, because of the sting grenades and rubber bullets. A dozen seriously injured people were taken to the hospital. One demonstrator is in a coma in critical condition [in the evening, the police said their condition was no longer critical], two others are in serious condition." You have 63.13% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traore (center), attends the closing ceremony of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou on March 4, 2023. OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP The question is on the minds of more and more public figures in Burkina Faso. How much longer will they be able to express themselves freely? Since the junta came to power in a coup in September 2022 the second in eight months freedom for political parties, human rights activists and journalists has been dwindling. Parties have had their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of assembly curtailed. In a statement issued on February 14, the Union for Progress and Reform party, which has long been in opposition, said the government had prohibited the next meeting of its political bureau. At the end of January, another party, the Congress for Democracy and Progress, was issued a "warning" after meeting in an ordinary session. The reason given by the authorities was contained in a simple statement issued on September 30, the day of the coup that brought the military to power, ordering the suspension of "the activities of political parties." "A very dangerous language is emerging, marginalizing and even intimidating dissenting voices," Ousmane Diallo, Amnesty International's West Africa researcher, said. For the military, the objective is to consolidate power by unifying public opinion around a single narrative marked by the army's victories over jihadist groups that have been steadily expanding their hold since 2015, to the point where they now control more than 40% of the country. In mid-January, a series of four unsigned posters targeting "all those who do not support the defense and security forces (FDS)" circulated online. "If you tarnish the image of the FDS, I will expose your private life on social media," one read while another called "civilian terrorists" those whose online posts are seen as going "against the fight against terrorism." Kidnappings and executions Committed to an all-security strategy aimed at arming more than 50,000 civilians to fight with the army against terrorism, the junta and its supporters "are trying to muzzle freedom of expression, especially that of human rights defenders," Daouda Diallo said. Diallo, the secretary general of an organization fighting officials' impunity and ethnic stigmatization, experienced this bitterly after denouncing, at the beginning of January, the "extrajudicial executions" carried out by armed men "claiming to be 'volunteers for the defense of the country (a name given to civilian auxiliaries of the army)'" in the city of Nouna, western Burkina Faso. In this locality, on December 30 last year, 30 were killed according to the government. Witnesses interviewed by Amnesty said that more than 80 people, mainly Fulani, were killed. Diallo, himself a Fulani, claims to have been the subject of "surveillance" and even "kidnapping attempts." "I received calls saying that I should be put out of existence. On the radio, speakers also called to kill people like me who, they said, were accomplices of the terrorists," he said. On January 8, the government said it deeply regretted "the hateful or ethnicist language seen on social media." You have 62.84% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. In this file photo taken on September 30, 2022, Brazilian presidential candidate for the leftist workers party (PT) and former President (2003-2010), Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, gestures during a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. CARL DE SOUZA / AFP Brazils President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has canceled his trip to China after contracting pneumonia, the presidential palace said on Saturday, March 25. Lula, 77, was admitted to a hospital in the capital of Brasilia with flu-like symptoms and was diagnosed with bacterial and viral bronchopneumonia due to influenza A, the palace said in a statement, quoting a medical note signed by Dr. Ana Helena Germoglio. The leftist leaders health was reassessed on Saturday and, despite improvement, he was advised to postpone the trip to China until the cycle of viral transmission ends, the medical note said. His press office later confirmed that the trip had been canceled. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes In Brazil, Lula takes his first difficult steps Ajouter a vos selections Ajouter a vos selections Pour ajouter larticle a vos selections identifiez-vous Sinscrire gratuitement Se connecter Vous possedez deja un compte ? Chinese authorities have been informed, with the reiteration of the desire to schedule the visit on a new date, the palace said. Lula had been expected to leave for China on a multi-day visit on Friday or Saturday, but the trip was pushed back on Friday. China is Brazils biggest trade partner A delegation composed of ministers, senators, lawmakers and hundreds of businessmen had been set to accompany Lula during his first state visit to Brazils biggest trade partner since taking office in January. The Brazilian president and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping were scheduled to meet next Tuesday. Trade, investment and climate change were on the agenda and 20 bilateral agreements had been expected to be signed, according to a statement Thursday from the presidential palace. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Biden-Lula meeting: War in Ukraine high on the agenda Ajouter a vos selections Ajouter a vos selections Pour ajouter larticle a vos selections identifiez-vous Sinscrire gratuitement Se connecter Vous possedez deja un compte ? Lula, who rarely postpones or cancels trips due to health reasons, traveled to Argentina in January and the US in February, marking a departure from Brazils foreign policy under former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who showed little interest in international affairs or travel abroad. Le Monde with AP and AFP Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu speaks during a press conference in Taipei on March 26, 2023. Honduras announced on March 25, 2023 that it has broken off diplomatic relations with Taiwan, 11 days after saying it would establish diplomatic ties with China. SAM YEH / AFP Honduras announced on Saturday, March 25, that it had broken off diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a move that drew an immediate rebuke from Taipei as Tegucigalpa switches allegiances to China. Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina said that upon instructions from President Xiomara Castro he "has communicated to Taiwan the decision to cease diplomatic relations," a ministry statement said. The formal severing of ties comes two days after Reina's trip to Beijing to discuss the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, and 11 days after Castro first announced the switch. China considers self-ruled democratic Taiwan as a part of its territory, to be retaken one day by force if necessary. Under its "One China" policy, it does not allow countries to recognize both Beijing and Taipei. Read more Honduras to establish diplomatic ties with China Ajouter a vos selections Ajouter a vos selections Pour ajouter larticle a vos selections identifiez-vous Sinscrire gratuitement Se connecter Vous possedez deja un compte ? "The government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes the existence of only one China in the world, and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents all of China," the Honduras Foreign Ministry said Saturday. "Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory," it said. "As of this date, the government of Honduras has communicated to Taiwan the rupture of diplomatic relations, committing to no longer having any relationship or contact of an official nature with Taiwan," it added. In a press conference held shortly after, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu accused Castro of being misled by Chinese promises of financial aid for her country. "President Castro and her ruling team have been harboring illusions on China and had brought up the issue of switching recognition on the campaign trail," Wu told reporters at a press conference. "China has not ceased its attempts to lure away Honduras with financial incentives." Dwindling recognition Honduras's move followed negotiations with China on building a hydroelectric dam in the country. Wu announced that Taipei was similarly cutting ties with Honduras after Reina's announcement. The switch leaves Taiwan with 13 countries that formally recognize it over China, having lost several Latin American allies in recent years. The United States remains Taiwan's most significant ally, and largest weapons supplier, despite having switched recognition to Beijing itself in 1979. Latin America has been a key diplomatic battleground for China and Taiwan since the two split in 1949 after a civil war. Saturday's development continues a trend in the region, with Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica all switching diplomatic recognition to Beijing in recent years. This week, Taiwan confirmed that President Tsai Ing-wen would be visiting Guatemala and Belize later this month, while also making stopovers in the United States. Tsai Ing-wen will depart Taiwan on March 29 for the 10-day trip, stopping in New York and Los Angeles while en route to and from the Central American countries, according to the ministry. Le Monde with AP and AFP Police stand watch as a group of residents hold the first authorised protest and march in several years in Hong Kong against the proposal for reclamation in the district on Tseung Kwan O on March 26, 2023. PETER PARKS / AFP Dozens of people on Sunday, March 26, joined Hong Kong's first authorized protest since the lifting of major Covid-19 restrictions under unprecedentedly strict rules, including wearing a numbered badge around their necks. The rules set out by the police, who cited security reasons, came as the financial hub was promoting its return to normalcy after years of anti-virus controls and political turmoil. During the pandemic, protests were rare due to Covid-19 restrictions. In addition, many activists have been silenced or jailed after Beijing imposed a national security law following massive protests in 2019. Critics say the city's freedom of assembly that was promised Hong Kong when it returned to China from Britain in 1997 has been eroded. Sundays demonstration against the proposed reclamation and construction of rubbish-processing facilities was the first police-approved march of its kind after the city scrapped its mask mandate and social distancing limits. Cordoned-off But organizers had to comply with police requirements such as taking measures to ensure the number of participants would not exceed the expected turnout of 100 people and asking for proof of a "reasonable excuse" from protesters who wore masks during the event. At the height of the 2019 anti-government movement, Hong Kongs government invoked emergency powers to ban masks from public gatherings so it can identify protesters who officials accused of illegal acts. On Sunday, about 80 people expressed their opposition to the plans in Tseung Kwan O, a residential and industrial area, the organizer said. They had to walk in a cordoned-off moving line in the rain amid heavy police presence. In granting its approval, police also requested that organizers ensure there would not be any acts that might endanger national security, including displaying anything seditious. Cyrus Chan, one of the march organizers, said demonstrators had communicated with police on their promotional materials and slogans. Officers earlier had told him that participants should not wear all-black outfits, he said. Protesters commonly wore black during the 2019 protests. "It's definitely strict," Chan said. "We hope this is just an individual case. We hope to show them that Hong Kong society has the ability to have peaceful marches and they do not need to set that many conditions to restrict us." Earlier this month, the Hong Kong Women Workers' Association planned a march to call for labor and womens rights but canceled it at the last moment without specifying why. Days later, the association said on its Facebook page that police had invited it for further meetings after granting it the approval and that it had tried its best to amend the agreement. But it still could not launch the protest as it had wished, it wrote at that time. A pro-democracy group separately said national security police had warned four of its members not to participate in the association's march. Le Monde with AP GVM AUCTIONEERS have brought three very different residential holdings to the market this month and are selling a house for a snip. First up is 40 acres and a large family home at Willowbrook, Mountshannon, Lisnagry - just off the Mackey Roundabout. Tom Crosse, GVM group property director, says this is an excellent purchase now and perhaps even more so in the future. There is 40 acres of land and there is a fine house. The new Northern Distributor Road could be traversing it which potentially opens it up for development in time. It is a long-term play but it might come into money in time. The location is top class, close to UL, Plassey Technological Park, motorway, Annacotty and more, said Mr Crosse, who is guiding at 1.35m. It is very early days but he expects interest from the business community, those in search of a family home with land, a hobby farmer or an opportunistic investor with an eye to the future. Next up is OGradys Cottage, Dromoland Estate, Newmarket on Fergus. It is a grandiose address but it is part of the original estate. This wonderful holding comprises of a period cottage situated on 50 acres - 21 acres of limestone land with the remaining set out in mature woodlands, said Mr Crosse, who is guiding at 695,000. Both the properties in Lisnagry and Dromoland are for sale by private treaty. While 47 acres of good quality agricultural land and a bungalow at Portboy, Herbertstown is up for auction on Wednesday, April 12 at 3pm at GVMs Glentworth Street auction rooms. Mr Crosse said 30 of the acres are the best you will walk. He expects interest from expanding dairy farmers and the presence of the bungalow might prove attractive for someone who wants to refurbish or knock and build a new house on a fine farm. The guide is 500,000. Last but not least is a two storey house at Pallas, Kilmeedy. Mr Crosse said the disclosed reserve of 50,000 is a snip. The three bedroom home in need of refurbishment is for sale by public and online auction on Friday, March 31 at noon. Interested parties are asked to contact GVM. WITH her new book, a Limerick endocrinologist hopes to encourage people to balance their hormones and unlock better health. In Its Probably Your Hormones: From Appetite to Sleep, Periods to Sex Drive, Balance Your Hormones to Unlock Better Health, Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist at Bon Secours Hospital, Dr Mary Ryan, explains the importance of a good hormone health, and how we can take control of our well-being by tackling problems when they arise. According to the specialist, a lot of patients dont seem to understand what hormones are. People dont realise that we cant do without chemical messengers. They basically control your muscles, organs, and theres a master control land called the pituitary gland, which basically regulates the whole lot of the hormones, she explains. Chemicals that coordinate different functions in the body, hormones carry messages through blood to organs, skin, muscles and other tissues. These signals tell the body what to do, and when. On a daily basis, Dr Ryan sees women dealing with a constant flux of hormones. She points out: I deal with this all the time with women, because we have a cycle from puberty right up to the menopause, that affects the sort of constant hormone flux from the time of puberty right up to the menopause. With her new book, she hopes to highlight hormonal health, and how it has an impact on our feelings. Speaking of why its important to understand our bodies, she explains: For years, I've listened to women who have been saying they feel very emotional, that theyre not listened to, that they feel depressed or very tired. And in fact, they might just have a heavy period, or might be suffering from PMS, which is when they get very emotional around the time of ovulation, and it all is down to hormone imbalance. Dr Ryan believes we need to understand what is triggering it all. As she points out hormones control our muscles, immune system, organs, she adds: People would understand better why they need to pace, why they need to rest, and why they need to listen to their bodies. Comparing bodies to phones that need to be charged, she says: That hormone control centre is controlling everything and, like the phones, they need to be plugged in. And women in particular, they work a lot, but don't really listen to their bodies. Published by Gill Books, Dr Ryans new book will be available on March 30. THE MOST valuable dog in Ireland isnt an Irish Greyhound Derby winner - it is a Terrier Pomeranian cross called Toby! Toby's owners, Philomena and Patsy Dalton, from Galbally, have quite the 'tail' to tell after Tobys name was pulled out of a raffle for a John Deere tractor or its value of 100,000. Mr Dalton bought the ticket at a machinery auction in Portlaoise ahead of the draw on St Patricks Day. It was organised by Clough Community Vision Committee to fundraise for a community centre for their school and village in County Laois. It was pure luck that Mr Dalton was there that day as he had previously forgotten the tax book for a jeep he was selling and had to come back again. He bought two raffle tickets for 50 and put down the names of the couples beloved pooches Toby and Susie. Mrs Dalton said it is the "biggest thing they have ever won in their lives". "We were at a local wedding - Eamon McCormack and Ellen McGrath - on St Patricks Day in the Ballykisteen House Hotel. We were just finishing the main course when these strange numbers ringing Patsys phone. "We couldnt really hear the person with the noise inside so we had to sit into the car in the car-park and ring the number. We thought at first it was somebody inside the wedding having us on, smiled Mrs Dalton, who worked as a nurse for 25 years in the Daughters of Charity in Limerick city. She says they "wouldn't go anywhere without Toby" so they had to bring him to the presentation in Clough on Friday, complete with a Limerick riband around his neck. Mr Dalton said they had a "mighty day". "They gave us a great welcome. There were about 60 people. All the children wanted photos with Toby. They are lovely people, said Patsy, who hails from Garryspillane and played minor hurling with Limerick when he was a young fellow. The Daltons, who would be well known from being the previous owners of the Bit and Bridle Inn in Limerick Junction, have a beef farm in Elton. However, Toby wont need to upgrade his dog licence to a tractor licence as Mr Dalton picked the 100,000 instead of the John Deere 6100M Series. "Ill be taking the money. Its a very modern tractor. Im 72 - it was hard enough to get up on the tractor not to mind coming down out of it," laughed Mr Dalton, who turned 72 the day after they found out about their big win. He says he loves dogs and cats and years ago won a raffle in Tipperary under a previous dogs name, Scottie. Mr Dalton is on a roll as he won 140 in Galbally GAAs split the sport draw a couple of weeks ago. But he cant compare with Tobys 100,000 win. As Clough Community Vision Committees fundraising target from the raffle fell short by 1,500, Mr Dalton generously said he would cover that. The organising committee greatly appreciate the gesture as they weren't expecting it. Mrs Dalton said the couple have worked hard all their lives but now they can start to to relax a small bit knowing they have that extra win in the background thanks to Toby. She boiled up some tasty bones for Toby, and Susie, during the week as a thank you! AUBURN A smoke shop in Auburn that had been the target of a police raid last year, as well as numerous complaints and criminal investigations, is now closed. A hearing on Auburn Smoke Shop, which had been located at 67 Franklin St., was set to take place during a city Nuisance Abatement Committee meeting at Memorial City Hall, but the hearing did not take place in light of the shop's operations seemingly stopping, city officials said last week. After a search warrant on the smoke shop was executed in February 2022, the Auburn Police Department reported discovering over 18,000 illegal items, including untaxed cigarettes, marijuana and flavored vaping items. Zakarya H. Alharbi, the shop's property manager, and Mohamad A. Algamal, the owner of the business, were convicted on criminal charges connected to the raid. The property owner for 67 Franklin St., Auburn-Franklin Ventures LLC, based in Rochester, had told city officials last year it was evicting the smoke shop. During the March 15 Nuisance Abatement Committee meeting, Auburn Corporation Counsel Nate Garland said the property owner and the business previously reached an agreement for the smoke shop to leave the property at the end of February 2023, though he noted "there was some indication that that had not occurred." Garland said he reached out to a representative of Auburn-Franklin Ventures and told the representative that the committee would need an indication that those operating the smoke shop had vacated from the site. After that conversation, Garland said, activity at the location has since stopped. He suggested setting a hearing for the property for next month's committee meeting just in case it reopens, but said he feels the closure will likely make the hearing not necessary. Auburn Police Chief James Slayton said those operating the smoke shop did not leave the premises on the day the building was supposed to be vacated. "I kept a close eye on it, morning and night. Since then, activity has stopped, the doors are locked, there are no lights on," Slayton said. He also noted there are many products still in the building, adding, "it doesn't look like they got rid of anything, so I don't know what their future plans are, but there has been no activity and it has not been open." On Wednesday afternoon, minimal lighting was visible through the window at the 67 Franklin St. building, with decorations and items still inside. Bars protected the front door. Garland told The Citizen Wednesday he feels the closure is a good outcome. He added that he feels "it shows what an engaged neighborhood can do," noting that neighbors of that property had talked at previous committee meetings about how the shop was "negatively impacting their lives." "Also, it shows how the nuisance abatement committee is such a valuable tool in fighting blighting behaviors in neighborhoods," Garland said Slayton also talked about how he feels about the business being shuttered. "There were some serious incidents that happened there, and obviously, we are concerned about public safety, and (people) loitering around the place, and that's been resolved at this point," he said. One of the other incidents connected to the shop was an armed robbery reported there on Dec. 31, 2021, in which a nearby resident was later apprehended and arrested. That defendant, who was accused of using a Glock replica ghost gun in the alleged crime, pleaded guilty in Cayuga County Court in April 2022 to charges related to that incident and was sentenced that June. A TRIO of much sought-after Irish talent will play in Limerick this April. Led by one of Irelands most spectacular sopranos, an ensemble of talent will tour across the island this spring and make a stop in the Lime Tree Theatre on Friday, April 21. One of the countrys foremost classical musicians, Soprano Claudia Boyle will be joined by trumpet player Niall OSullivan and pianist Conor Linehan. With dazzling interpretations, from Handels Let The Bright Seraphim to Mozarts Exsultate Jubilate, the trio will present a varied and eclectic programme. After having secured an international profile in recent seasons through acclaimed performances in European cities and in New York, Claudia Boyle recently returned from making her house debut for Opera National de Paris, where she proved her linguistic strengths. Her career highlights include the roles of Konstanze in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail and Alice in Alices Adventures Underground. Classical musician, Niall OSullivan has performed all over Europe, Asia and the USA, appearing in prominent concert halls to sell-out crowds with an ensemble of world-class musicians. As a featured guest, he has performed with Josh Groban, The Priests and The Unthanks and as a sideman he has shared the stage with Tom Jones, Amy Winehouse, Jose Carreras, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Dionne Warwick and Sinead OConnor. He has also performed for every president in Ireland since 1990 and was principal trumpet for the Popes Irish visit in 2018. Conor Linehan is a composer, pianist and teacher based in Dublin. As a pianist, Conor is a regular performer with both the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and the RTE Concert Orchestra and performs a wide range of solo and chamber music. He is a member of the piano faculty of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where he also teaches courses in improvisation. In high demand as a composer, Conor has composed theatre scores for the all of the major Irish companies as well as The Royal Shakespeare Company, The National Theatre and many other British theatres. Recent commissions include Joyce's Women (Abbey Theatre), The Tin Soldier (Gate Theatre and Galway International Arts Festival), Gravity (Bottom Dog Theatre Company), Three Short O'Casey Comedies (Druid Theatre) and Backwards Up A Rainbow (Landmark). To book tickets, visit limetreetheatre.ie. Gautam Adani is the public face of Adani Group, the sprawling Indian conglomerate that has been accused by an American short-seller firm of stock manipulation and accounting fraud. Behind the scenes, another family member has played a pivotal role in the companyand the activities that critics say misled investors: his elder brother, Vinod Adani. For decades, according to allegations published by Hindenburg Research, the elder Mr. Adani was instrumental in managing overseas shell companies that Hindenburg says Adani Group used to manipulate the stock price of Adani companies, and artificially boost the financial health of its family-run firms in ways that were hidden from investors. In one example, Hindenburg alleged that Vinod Adani used a Singaporean entity to remove impaired assets from the books of an Adani mining company in Australia so that the business wouldnt have to reflect the losses on its balance sheet. In another instance, which hasnt been reported previously, a Singaporean entity that lists Vinod Adani as a director received large loans from a Dubai investment firm that he manages, and then lent funds to Adani firms in Australia. The loans occurred around the same time that Adani Group was planning to build a railroad in Australia, but ran into funding complications after an Australian state government vetoed a federal government plan to extend a loan for the project. The Wall Street Journal wasnt able to determine the source of the Dubai companys funds. The rail line was eventually built in 2020 and 2021. The Hindenburg report prompted a stock selloff that wiped out $105 billion in market value from the seven public companies that bear the Adani name. Indias Supreme Court recently formed an expert panel and asked the countrys market regulator to investigate the Hindenburg reports allegations, including whether Adani Group failed to disclose transactions from groups related to the Adani family. In a 413-page rebuttal to the Hindenburg report, Adani Group denied allegations that it committed fraud or stock manipulation, and said it properly disclosed all related-party transactions, including some involving overseas companies, as required by law. Adani Group also said that Vinod Adani has no managerial position or role in the day-to-day operations of Adani companies, and that it has no control over the investment decisions of many overseas entities mentioned in the report. In response to a request for further comment, an Adani Group spokesperson said it had disclosed Vinod Adanis role as part of Adanis promoters, a term used in India for founders and their associates, when required. The spokesperson said it was inappropriate to comment further, pending the Supreme Court expert panels review. Efforts to reach Vinod Adani through multiple email addresses for him, an investment company he runs, Adani Groups spokesperson and people who know him were unsuccessful. Corporate filings in Mauritius, the Bahamas, Cyprus and other countries, reviewed by the Journal, show that Vinod Adani has been deeply entwined with Adani Group operations for decades. In some of the filings, the conglomerate said that the name Adani Group" refers to three people and their relatives: Gautam Adani, Vinod Adani and Rajesh Adani, a younger brother who serves as a managing director. Unlike Gautam Adani, who has done interviews over the years, little is known about Vinod Adani, beyond a few paid advertorials in Indian media boasting of his business prowess and strong moral core. The Wire and The Morning Context, two well-known news sites in India, have dubbed him the elusive brother." One of the few photos available online shows a bespectacled Mr. Adani holding a glass trophy encasing an Indian flag and bearing his name. The 74-year-old has operated largely overseas for decades, living in Dubai and holding a Cyprus passport and permanent residency in Singapore, according to Indian government documents and corporate filings in the Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands that were leaked as part of the Pandora Papers and Panama Papers and disclosed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and Suddeutsche Zeitung, a German newspaper. Growing up in the Indian state of Gujarat, where the Adani family were commodity traders, Gautam Adani considered Vinod Adani a father figure, said R. N. Bhaskar, who wrote a biography of Gautam Adani published last year. Vinod Adani was operating a textile business in Mumbai when he took in a teenage Gautam Adani, who quit school and got into the diamond trade, Mr. Bhaskar said. When Gautam Adani went into the import-export business, Vinod Adani oversaw international shipments in Dubai from the port of Jebel Ali. He later helped raise funds for building his brothers port in the Indian city of Mundra, which became the cornerstone of the Adani Groups business, Mr. Bhaskar said. Vinod was his man on the ground," Mr. Bhaskar said. The two are close, extremely close." In 1994, Adani Exports, which later became the Adani flagship company Adani Enterprises, went public. That same year, Vinod Adani moved to Dubai, according to his paid advertorial in Indian media, and began building a network of overseas shell companies, according to registration and corporate filing documents from the Bahamas, revealed during the Panama Papers leaks. In January 1994, Vinod Adani set up a company in the Bahamas, which listed him and his wife, Ranjanben Vinod Adani, as directors, according to registration documents in the Bahamas in the Panama Papers leaks database. Two years later, he applied for a correction to his name, from Vinod Shantilal Adani to Vinod Shantilal Shah, according to an internal document from the Mossack Fonseca law firm that comprised the Panama Papers leaks. That name has appeared over the years in numerous corporate filings related to Adani companies. Hindenburg said in its report that it had identified 38 Mauritius shell entities controlled by Vinod Adani or close associates, as well as shell companies controlled by Vinod Adani in Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and several Caribbean islands. Many of the foreign entities controlled by Vinod Adani appear to function as middlemen for shifting money around the conglomerate while obscuring the source of those funds, analysts and critics said. Many of the companies had no obvious signs of operations or reported employees, yet collectively moved billions of dollars into Indian Adani entities, often without required disclosures, Hindenburg said. Ive never seen a corporate structure so opaque, so untraceable," said Tim Buckley, director of Sydney-based research firm Climate Energy Finance, which has examined the Adani Group and its Australian operations. In the instance that wasnt included in the Hindenburg report, a Singapore-based company named Abbot Point Port Holdings Pte. Ltd. received more than $1.1 billion in loans in the 2021 and 2022 fiscal years from Adani Global Investment DMCC, according to corporate filings in Singapore. Adani Global Investment is a Dubai-based investment firm managed by Vinod Adani, according to its website. The source of Adani Global Investments funds couldnt be determined. Over that two-year period, Abbot Point, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of another Singapore entity that lists Vinod Adani as its sole director, lent out $955 million to Adani companies involved in the Adani Groups Australian coal, railway and port businesses, according to its last annual report. The Adani operations in Australia had been planning to use a $600 million federal government loan to help pay for building a rail line. But a state government vetoed that plan amid opposition from environmentalists. Vinod Adanis activities have also drawn scrutiny in Indian investigations into Adani entities. In 2014, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the Indian agency that investigates tax fraud, accused Vinod Adani of taking part in a scam to inflate the cost of imported power machinery in order to avoid paying taxes and to siphon nearly $900 million into a Mauritius company that Vinod Adani was linked to, according to a notice issued by the agency. The agency didnt say what the money was intended for. The agency later expanded its investigation and alleged that Adani Group inflated the price of imported coal, which would allow its companies to charge higher prices for supplying power to electricity-distribution companies in India. The finance ministry said that the investigation into over-invoicing of power equipment was finished and a report had been sent to relevant authorities, but it didnt release any judgment. The case involving imported coal is pending. One former Adani employee who worked from 2010 to 2012 at the Tiroda coal power plant, which is owned by Adani Power Ltd., said in an interview that he created false invoices on behalf of PMC Projects (India) Pvt. Ltd., a contractor that Adani hired to manage the plants construction in the state of Maharashtra, and which government investigators alleged was a shell company. The employee said he used to write up inflated work orderssometimes pricing goods and services at 10 times the real coston behalf of PMC and submitted them to the Adani firm in charge of the power plant. He said the invoices were always approved. An Adani spokesperson said the company couldnt comment on the agencys allegations of over-invoicing of power equipment because the case was under judicial consideration. The Adani Group has submitted all necessary documents in the case of the imported coal, the spokesperson added. The spokesperson said the former employees account was baseless. NEW DELHI : The government plans to raise nearly 3,000 crore in FY24 by selling engineering and ground handling companies that used to be units of Air India Ltd, two people aware of the matter said. We expect the divestment process for AI Engineering Services Ltd and AI Airport Services Ltd to take place in 2023-24. We have feedback of a strong appetite for these two companies, so we are hopeful of a successful transaction," one of the two people mentioned above said on condition of anonymity. The divestment process for Air India and its five subsidiaries received in-principle approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in June 2017. The five subsidiaries included AI Airport Services (AIASL), regional carrier Alliance Air, Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL), Air India Express, and Hotel Corp. of India Ltd. Among these, AI Engineering Services and AI Airport Services have been the most profitable. AI Engineering Services is the biggest company in Indias maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector, handling around 450 aircraft in FY22. Net profit during the year was 844 crore, including other comprehensive income. Meanwhile, AI Airport Services provides ground handling services at 105 airports in India and generated a net profit of 15.4 crore in FY22. The government sold 100% of Air India and Air India Express to the Tata Group in January 2022, but not the remaining four companies. For warehousing Air Indias four subsidiaries, non-core assets, paintings and artefacts, as well as other non-operational assets and liabilities, the government formed a special purpose vehicle in February 2019 called Air India Assets Holding Ltd (renamed AI Asset Holdings Ltd after divestment). There are at least 3-4 suitors for AIESL and another 7-8 potential bidders have already shown interest in the ground handling arm AIASL. The successful bidder for AIASL is also likely to get grandfather rights. The roadshows for both these companies have been completed," the second person cited earlier added. Government expects 1,800-1,900 crore from the sale of the engineering arm of Air India and 700-800 crore from the ground handling arm, officials said. The government will commence the divestment process for Alliance Air, but it is likely only in 2024 as there seems to be a lack of appetite for it given the consolidation and cost restructuring underway in Indian aviation," another official added. Alliance Air is also asset-light and is expected to garner interest. The roadshows are around 50% completed. So presently, the time is probably not right for its sale, but it is also in pipeline," he said. For the engineering arm, Tata Group is among the front-running contenders, as this will lead to better synergies with the organizations narrow-body and wide-body fleet, he added. Air India managing director and chief executive officer Campbell Wilson last week said absence of AI Engineering Services from Air India divestment was a negative surprise, and they had to start building in-house capabilities from day one. Negative surprises...the fact that on day one of privatization, Air Indias engineering capabilities disappeared, and it was retained by the government," he had said, adding that the airline has access to the AIESL for some engineering services until the end of next year under the transaction. As part of the Air India divestment, the government took over the airlines debt of about 45,000 crore and all non-core assets (about 111 properties), including the office building and housing colonies, estimated to be valued at 14,718 crore, according to an official statement in 2021. Under the governments plan, the disinvestment proceeds will go to AI Asset Holdings. They will be utilized to set off the working capital loan liability of Air India not backed by any asset and also to service interest payments on non-convertible debentures issued as part of various Air India debt recasts in the past. So far, most properties with clear records have been sold under four rounds of e-auctions, and a few big-ticket properties are under process to be monetized, including the iconic Nariman Point building in Mumbai, Vasant Vihar colony in Delhi that is spread over 30 acres and a large plot measuring 14,326 sq. m at Baba Kharak Singh Marg in Delhi. Mint reported on 20 March that Maharashtra is poised to become the new owner of the iconic Air India building at Nariman Point, Mumbai, following the state governments fresh offer of 1,600 crore to acquire the property. NEW DELHI : Reliance Consumer Products Ltds aggressive efforts to expand distribution in a short time, a feat that typically takes years, as it enters the household goods market is expected to trigger a pricing war, according to industry experts. The unit of Reliance Industries Ltd, which unveiled its packaged consumer products brand, Independence, in December, has also invested in and partnered with companies to gain access to categories such as beverages, biscuits, and chocolates. Last week, Reliance Consumer announced plans to expand its portfolio of packaged consumer goods to include home and personal care products. The move will bring brands such as Glimmer beauty soaps, Get Real natural soaps, Puric hygiene soaps, Dozo dish wash bars and liquids, HomeGuard toilet and floor cleaners, and Enzo laundry detergent powder, liquid, and bars to mom-and-pop stores in smaller pack sizes, in addition to Reliance Retails nearly 3,000 modern trade stores where some of these brands are already sold. Several executives Mint spoke to said the company has aggressive plans to focus on categories such as beverages and home care productswhile pushing these products in mom and pop stores. In addition, the company has appointed distributors and roped in senior fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company executives. One of the executives familiar with the development said the company is adopting an aggressive pricing strategy, offering products at less than the competition and also at entry-level price points. For example, in Dozo liquid dish wash, the company is offering a 1 single-use pouch. On the other hand, a 100-gram bar of Get Real soap is priced at 25. Lower-priced stock-keeping units may work in the underserved market to induce usage, this person said. A Reliance Consumer spokesperson did not respond to email queries sent by Mint on Saturday. Reliances entry into the market may impact pricing in categories such as home care products and staples, including floor cleaners and pulses, industry experts said, adding that for categories such as packaged foods and personal care, where brand loyalty is crucial, the company may need to earn consumer trust over time. In staples, up to a certain extent, yes, they may be able to create pricing pressure. Within staples, brand loyalty does not exist beyond wheat flour and rice. But they may not take away shares from players like ITC and Adani Wilmar," said an executive at a large FMCG company. Meanwhile, Reliance has also acquired a clutch of small brands while investing in overseas players and bringing their brands to Indiathis includes its acquisition of beverage brand Campa. Another person involved with Reliances FMCG business said the company would largely target consumers in mass market and use pricing as a plank to enter shops and households. Whatever products they have are not exactly differentiated from what is already in the marketthey are standard products at a lower price," said another retail executive, speaking on condition of anonymity. For instance, on Reliance Retails online commerce platformJioMarta 600 ml bottle of lemon-flavoured Campa is priced at 25; Coca-Cola is priced at 31, which includes platform discounts. The move could ignite a serious price war", he said, declining to be named. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the third Mann Ki Baat of 2023 today, March 26, Sunday. The 99th edition of Mann Ki Baat, a monthly radio program of the Prime Minister, will be aired at 11 am today. The show will air on All India Radio and Doordarshan's entire network, as well as on the AIR News website and newsonair mobile app. It will also be broadcast live on the Information and Broadcasting Ministry's, AIR News', DD News', PMO's, and YouTube channels. Following the Hindi broadcast, AIR will broadcast the program in regional languages. The program is held every month on the last Sunday, through which the PM Modi interacts with the nation. Its first show had aired on 3rd October 2014. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making some special arrangements for the 100th episode of PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat radio program which will be broadcasted on April 30. This time not only India but even other countries too would listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 100th episode of the radio program Mann Ki Baat and for this, the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) is also preparing in full swing. Speaking to ANI, a BJP source said, Purpose of broadcasting this program across the world is because Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a global leader. All the countries appreciate the work of the Prime Minister. People want to hear him. Our aim is that we broadcast Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat to as many countries as possible." "Notable names that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken in the Mann Ki Baat series will be honored and welcomed by the Chief Minister and Governor of their states. Plans are being made to welcome these remarkable unsung heroes in Delhi as well. Along with all this, the 100th episode of Prime Minister Mann Ki Baat will be heard", the source said. In every Lok Sabha, in 100 places, 100 people will sit and listen to the Mann Ki Baat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which different groups of doctors, engineers, teachers, and social workers will listen to this program and all other sections of the society. Apart from this, those who are honored with Padma Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan will also be honored and will be heard. BJP's National General Secretary Dushyant Gautam and Vinod Tawde are in charge of the Mann Ki Baat program, under their leadership, this program is being conducted across the states. BJP has prepared a whole team for this. To make the 100th episode a success, BJP is preparing to telecast it at more than one lakh booths. The aim is to unite the country in one thread and develop by taking everyone along. (With ANI inputs) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday made a statement stating that the larger issue confronting the nation is the survival of democracy. As per the news agency ANI, the Samajwadi party chief said, The biggest question is whether democracy will survive or not. BJP is not a party, it is an organization." Furthermore, Yadav expressed his support for the Congress party's "Sankalp Satyagraha," which aims to protest against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a member of the Lok Sabha. "I want to congratulate the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi for the satyagraha," the former UP chief minister said. Congress party initiated a Sankalp Satyagraha protest at Raj Ghat, which was attended by Priyanka Gandhi and several party leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary KC Venugopal. Samajwadi Party leader pointed out that the same fate that befell Rahul Gandhi had also befallen Azam Khan and his son. Azam Khan, a Samajwadi Party leader, was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in October 2022 after being sentenced to three years in jail in a hate speech case. Azam Khan had been elected as MLA from the Rampur Sadar constituency, which was won by the BJP in the by-polls held the previous year. Yadav further pointed out that the same fate that befell Rahul Gandhi had also befallen Azam Khan and his son. Azam Khan, a Samajwadi Party leader, was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in October 2022 after being sentenced to three years in jail in a hate speech case. Azam Khan had been elected as MLA from the Rampur Sadar constituency, which was won by the BJP in the by-polls held the previous year. On Friday, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a Lok Sabha member following a Surat court's decision to sentence him to two years in jail for defamation. The case was filed against him for making a remark about the 'Modi surname.' Radical preacher and fugitive Amritpal Singh had wished to create an extremist outfit Warris Panj-ab De, phonetically sounding similar to the one created by late actor Deep Sidhu's brother Waris Punjab De. In a report, news agency PTI has stated that Deep Sidhu's family has refused to accept Amritpal Singh as the heir to the extremist outfit Waris De Punjab. In documents seized during the crackdown ont he pro Khalistan preacher, the Punjab Police has stated that Amritpal Singh was planning to encash Deep Sidhu's extreme popularity when the latter failed to take control of Waris Punjab De before his death in 2022. Amritpal has been on the run since 18 March when the Punjab police and RAF launched a crackdown against the elusive preacher, who gave the police the slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Punjab's Jalandhar district. Here are the big points to this story Creation of Waris Punjab De Deep Sidhu's brother Mandeep created an organisation in Fathehgarh Sahib on 4 July 2022, in accordance with Deep's desires to promote 'Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan', spread awareness about pollution-related issues, draw drug-addicted youths towards sports, and aid people during natural disasters, among other goals. It was established with strict regulations in place, including the roles and election of office-bearers. Mandeep stated that the organisation was created to fulfill his late brother's vision of serving the people of Punjab. Amritpal returns and demands Waris De Punjab papers When Amritpal returned from overseas in August 2022 and demanded the papers for 'Waris Punjab De', Mandeep refused to hand them over. The Sidhu family refused to acknowledge Amritpal as the heir to Deep's ideology and said the Deep Sidhu had blocked his number before his tragic road accident in February 2022, PTI reported. Warris Panj-Aab De created A new organisation called 'Warris Panj-Aab De' surfaced, with Deep Sidhu's official Facebook page linked to it. It was registered in Moga district, with its inception date set being mentioned as 15 December 2021. The Facebook page amassed a huge following, causing confusion among people, who assumed that Amritpal had taken over the organisation created by Deep Sidhu. Amritpal backdated documents to amass followers Documents suggest that the establishment of 'Warris Panj-Aab De' was potentially backdated. The organisation's registered address was "Guru Nanak Furniture Store", owned by Amritpal's close associate Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, in Duneke village in Moga district. Bukkanwala has been taken into custody and charged under the National Security Act and shifted to Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam. During questioning, Gurmeet claimed that the organisation was established much later, and some contacts were used to register it backdated from Moga district. The Moga-based organisation did not mention Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. It focussed rather on real estate and providing security at religious functions. (With inputs from PTI) Indian-American lawmaker Ro Khanna drew flak on social media after he said that disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a member of Parliament deep betrayal of the Gandhian philosophy and India's deepest values. After his post in support of Gandhi, Khanna was reminded that his grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar was a supporter of Indira Gandhi during the the time of Emergency. Khanna also retweeted a post by The Pamphlet which stated, Though it seems as If Ro has forgotten that Amarnath Vidyalankar (his grandfather), an INC loyalist, was part of Indira Gandhis govt during the harsh period of emergency in India. He did not oppose the brutal atrocities on Indian masses during the Emergency." Also Read: Rahul Gandhi news LIVE In his reply, Khanna wrote, Its sad to see people maligning my grandfather who worked for Lala Lajpat Rai, was jailed in 31-32 and 41-45, and wrote two letters to Indira Gandhi opposing the emergency, leaving parliament right after. Attack me. Dont attack Indias freedom fighters. And facts matter." Its sad to see people maligning my grandfather who worked for Lala Lajpat Rai, was jailed in 31-32 and 41-45, and wrote two letters to Indira Gandhi opposing the emergency, leaving parliament right after. Attack me. Dont attack Indias freedom fighters. And facts matter. https://t.co/mPnFS0Dftu Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) March 25, 2023 He was also criticized by Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri who said, Wasnt your grandfather the one who supported Indira Gandhi on Emergency? Always stood for fascist decisions?" Btw, wasnt your grandfather the one who supported Indira Gandhi on Emergency? Always stood for fascist decisions? https://t.co/1I3BQ1zDaq Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) March 25, 2023 Gandhi has been disqualified as a Member of Lok Sabha (MP) from the date of his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark. Rahul Gandhi was an MP from the seat of Wayanad in Kerala. Also Read: Plea filed in SC challenging Representation of the People Act that took away Rahul Gandhi's MP status His disqualification came after the Surat court on Thursday, sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years imprisonment in a defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark made in 2019 during an election rally in Karnataka. Rahul made the "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname" remark in April 2019, at a Lok Sabha election rally at Kolar in Karnataka. The criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by BJP MLA from Surat West Purnesh Modi. Reacting to his disqualification as a member of the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Rahul on Friday said he was fighting to restore the country's voice and will pay any price to do so. "I am fighting for the voice of India and am ready to pay any price (for it)," Gandhi tweeted in Hindi. Rahul Gandhi who held his 1st press conference yesterday and said that he is not scared of going to prison and that his disqualification from Parliament was aimed at distracting people from the Adani issue. During his press conference, the former Congress chief also said My name in not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi. Gandhis don't apologise to anyone" Gandhi has often targeted late Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar, saying that he helped the British rulers and wrote a mercy petition to them out of fear. After his comment on Savarkar, he might may soon find himself facing other defamation cases - in connection with remarks against VD Savarkar and the RSS. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde came down heavily against him as the latter insisted that his name was 'not Savarkar' and that 'Gandhis don't apologise to anyone'. The Shiv Sena chief also recalled Gandhi's earlier comments against the Hindutva ideologue - including his November 2022 assertion that Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had helped the British'. "Savarkar is not only Maharashtra's deity but is an idol for the whole country and Rahul Gandhi has defamed him. Any criticism of Rahul Gandhi will be lesser for his this deed. Today also, he said that I am not Savarkar who will apologise. What does he think of Savarkar? He must be punished for this," CM Eknath Shinde said in the Assembly. (With inputs from agencies) The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has pulled up BMC as it found irregularities in the account books of Mumbai's civic body. A report by CAG on Saturday highlighted the lack of transparency and planning as well as the careless use of funds by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The auditing body also flagged concerns about not sharing Covid-19 management expenditure records. The CAG report scrutinised the expenditure of 12,023.88 crore made by nine departments of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation between 28 November 2019 and 31 October 2022. The auditing body said that several works were awarded without tendering or choosing proper contractors, including one case of an influent pumping station. The CAG report also stated that records relating to the expenditure for the management of the Covid-19 pandemic were not produced despite repeated requests to the civic body by the Office of the Accountant General (Audit)-I, Maharashtra. It said the BMC did not allow inquiry into the expenditure of funds to the tune of 3538.73 crore citing the pandemic act. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the probe was restricted to only 12,000 crore and more irregularities would have been unearthed if the entire functioning of the civic body was taken into account. Further, Fadnavis said the special audit report will be submitted to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Legislature and appropriate action would be taken if any instance of corruption is found. The audit observed that BMC awarded 20 works across two departments valuing 214.48 crore without inviting tenders, which was against the Manual of Procurement of the civic body as well as established vigilance guidelines. Further, in 64 works costing 4,755.94 crores across five departments, formal agreements were not executed between the contractors and BMC, in the absence of which the civic body would not be able to take any legal recourse against these contractors in the event of default, the report said. Moreover, in 13 works costing 3,355.57 crore across three departments, third-party auditors were not appointed to ascertain the quality and quantity of works executed by the contractors, which points to scant respect for established procedures and weak internal controls in BMC, the report said. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray hit back at the Maharashtra government over the CAG report. Thackeray's party controlled the BMC for 25 years. He requested that CAG should also audit Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, Nashik, and Nagpur municipal corporations. Thackeray's reference to the civic bodies of Thane and Kalyan-Dombivali civic bodies was aimed at attacking Chief minister Eknath Shinde who indirectly controlled them, while the Nagpur civic body was controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Delhi government-run hospitals conducted a mock drill on Sunday to assess their preparedness to deal with any eventuality or surge in cases, as India registered the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the past five months. The directive was made to check the preparedness of health, infrastructure and logistics including the availability of oxygen in view of increasing Covid-19 and influenza-type cases. Dr Suresh Kumar, MD, Lok Nayak Hospital told news agency ANI We have reserved 450 beds for Covid. We have 5 PSA oxygen plants. We also have D-type oxygen cylinders. Earlier there were zero patients, but in the last 2-3 days four patients have been admitted". Delhi | We have reserved 450 beds for Covid. We have 5 PSA oxygen plants. We also have D-type oxygen cylinders. Earlier there were zero patients, but in the last 2-3 days four patients have been admitted: Dr Suresh Kumar, MD, LNJP Hospital https://t.co/mBzxqbh6Hp pic.twitter.com/mP1ASNfrFJ ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2023 "All the MS/MDs and CDMOs of all the hospitals of Delhi government are hereby requested to hold a mock drill on 26.03.2023 (Sunday) to check the preparedness of health, infrastructure, and logistics including availability of oxygen, so as to prepare for any eventuality, especially in view of increasing COVID-19 and influenza type cases," according to the order. Delhi has seen an increase in the number of Covid cases over the last few days amid a sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country. Delhi recorded 139 fresh coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 4.98 per cent on Saturday, according to data shared by the health department. Delhi reported 152 coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 6.66 per cent on Friday. It had logged 117 cases with a positivity rate of 4.95 per cent on Thursday. The Centre's health ministry also directed states to conduct a mock Covid drill on 10-11 April. A joint advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) read that both public and private health facilities in all districts are likely to take part in the exercise to assess the availability of medicines, hospital beds, medical equipment, and medical oxygen. Meanwhile, India on Sunday recorded 1,890 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, a press release issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Sunday. The Health Ministry said that India's active caseload currently stands at 9,433. The total recoveries are at 4,41,63,883 with 1,051 recoveries in the last 24 hours. Currently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.79 per cent. The Daily positivity rate and Weekly Positivity Rate stand at 1.56 per cent and 1.29 per cent, respectively. When U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney introduced a proposed constitutional amendment to establish term limits for members of Congress, she received backlash from an unexpected source. U.S. Term Limits, a group that supports passage of a constitutional amendment to set congressional term limits, is accusing Tenney, R-Canandaigua, of reneging on a campaign pledge. Tenney is among the members of the 118th Congress who committed to co-sponsoring and voting for a proposed amendment that would limit representatives to three two-year terms and U.S. senators to two six-year terms. Other pledge signers include Republican U.S. Rep. Brandon Williams, who represents the Syracuse and Utica areas. U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman has reintroduced a resolution that aligns with what U.S. Term Limits supports a constitutional amendment limiting House members to three terms and U.S. senators to two terms. Norman's proposal has 82 cosponsors, including eight from New York. Congressional records show Tenney cosponsored Norman's resolution in the last Congress. But she has not signed as a cosponsor in the current Congress. Her office says she is in the process of being added as a cosponsor. In the meantime, Tenney has introduced her own proposal that would limit members of the House of Representatives to six consecutive terms and U.S. senators to two consecutive terms. Unlike Norman's legislation, these would not be lifetime term limits. Under her proposed amendment, lawmakers who serve the maximum number of consecutive terms could run for a House or Senate seat again after taking a two-year break. U.S. Term Limits blasted Tenney's proposal and urged her to withdraw the resolution. "Running for office, Representative Tenney pledged to the voters that she would only support the U.S. Term Limits amendment limiting congressional terms," said Nicolas Tomboulides, executive director of U.S. Term Limits. "Yet now in office, she has proposed a bill that would dilute the intention of limiting congressional terms that breaks her solemn pledge to voters to only sponsor and support term limits that limit House members to three terms and Senate members to two terms." U.S. Term Limits escalated its criticism of Tenney by paying for a billboard that is displayed along Route 481 in Fulton, Oswego County. The billboard accuses Tenney of violating her term limits pledge. In a statement, Tenney reiterated her support for term limits. "I have signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge, support Congressman Norman's legislation and other legislation that ensures parity between the House and Senate," she said. "I'll continue to fight for term limits and will support whatever legislation is brought to the floor to end Washington's politician-for-life syndrome and retire career politicians." House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to allow a vote on Norman's resolution. That vote has not been scheduled and it's unknown if the proposal will be amended before it reaches the floor. NEW DELHI : The G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) will meet at Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Monday to discuss on thematic areas including arresting land degradation, accelerating ecosystem restoration & enriching biodiversity. 130 delegates from G20 member countries along with 11 invitee countries and 14 international organizations will take part in this second G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting. The three-day (27-29 March 2023) meeting would also focus on encouraging resource efficiency and circular economy and promoting a sustainable and climate resilient Blue economy. Special presentations on major initiatives like Namami Gange, Climate Resilient Infrastructure, Participatory Ground Water Management, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Swachh Bharat Mission will also be made during the meeting. Darshana Vikram Jardosh, union minister of state (railways & textiles) is expected to inaugurate the meeting on 28 March, said a statment from the union ministry of ministry of environment, forest and climate change. The delegates will get an opportunity to witness a mix of modernity and tradition during the excursions, organised as a part of the meeting, it said. The conference will commence with a side event on water resources management led by the ministry of jal shakti, where G20 member countries will make presentations on best practices on this subject. The final day will feature more technical sessions and a discussion on the outline of the final ministerial communique. Various organizations under ministry of jal shakti will also put up stalls on themes including Atal Bhujal Yojana, Swach Bharat Abhiyan, Jal Jeevan Mission, Namame Gange, Jal Shakti Abhiyan, National Water Mission etc during the meeting showcasing and sharing the high-quality work with the delegates. The statement said that the 2nd ECSWG meeting is a critical step in fostering the efforts of the G20 countries, invitee countries, and international organizations towards a sustainable and resilient future. India's Ministry of External Affairs has summoned the Canadian high commissioner over the violent protest by Khalistani supported outside the Consulate General of India in Toronto. The central government has conveyed its strong concern about the actions of separatist and extremist elements against its consulates. The Cente sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police. The MEA has asked about the breach of security of its diplomatic mission and consulates. Besides, the external affairs ministry reminded Canada of its obligations under the Vienna Convention and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts. The ministry hoped that the Canadian government will take all steps needed to ensure the safety of its diplomats and the security of its diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfill their normal diplomatic functions. Recently, an event to be attended by the Indian envoy to Canada in British Columbia province had to be cancelled due to security concerns after violent Khalistani protestors arrived at the premises. The event was organised at the Taj Park Convention Centre Surrey to welcome the high commissioner of India, Sanjay Kumar Verma's first visit to the west coast. The event was ultimately cancelled for security reasons. The event was organised at the Taj Park Convention Centre Surrey to welcome the high commissioner of India, Sanjay Kumar Verma's first visit to the west coast. The event was ultimately cancelled for security reasons. A journalist from India who was at the venue to cover the protest was also assaulted by protesters. Canada has also seen a rise in anti-India activities recently by Khalistan supporters who have vandalised some Hindu temples. In addition to this, a group of Khalistan supporters gathered in front of the Indian Embassy in Washington on Saturday. Separatist Sikhs hurled abusive language and openly threatened Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. The Ambassador was not in the embassy at the time of the protest. Some of the speakers were seen inciting fellow protestors to indulge in violence and break the windows and glasses of the building across the road. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 26 March said that the LVM3-M3/OneWeb India-2 mission was accomplished with all 36 satellites deployed into intended orbits. The mission launch took place from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Network Access Associates Ltd, United Kingdom (OneWeb Group Company) has signed an agreement with ISRO's commercial arm NewSpace India Ltd to launch 72 satellites into Low-Earth orbits (LEO). On 23 October 2022, ISRO had launched 36 satellites of OneWeb. It was the first satellite deployment collaboration between the two organizations. After the launch, OneWeb in a tweet wrote, We have lift off! Thanks to our colleagues at ISRO and NSIL_India for a successful launch." #WATCH | Andhra Pradesh: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launches Indias largest LVM3 rocket carrying 36 satellites from Sriharikota (Source: ISRO) pic.twitter.com/jBC5bVvmTy ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2023 Here's all you need to know: The first set of 36 satellites for OneWeb Group company was launched on October 23, 2022. At the end of the 24.5 hour countdown, the 43.5 metre tall rocket blasted off at 9 am from the second launch pad, about 135 km from Chennai. OneWeb is a global communication network powered from the space, enabling connectivity for governments and businesses. Bharti Enterprises is a major investor in OneWeb group, which is engaged in the implementation of the constellation of low earth satellites. In an notification on Saturday, ISRO said, "LVM3-M3/OneWeb India-2 mission. The countdown has commenced." According to OneWeb, Sunday's launch would be the 18th launch and third this year and it would be completing the first generation of LEO (Low Earth Orbit) constellation. For ISRO this is the second launch in 2023 after the successful launch of SSLV-D2/EOS07 mission in February. OneWeb said, "17 launches completed. One pivotal launch remains - OneWeb Launch 18. As we launch another 36 satellites with our colleagues at ISRO and NewSpace India Ltd this weekend (March 26), we will reach 616 satellites in-orbit more than enough satellites to launch global services later this year." The company said the mission would be one of the "most significant milestones" in the history of OneWeb as it will add 36 satellites to the OneWeb fleet and complete first ever global LEO constellation. "OneWeb will soon be ready to roll out its global coverage", the Indian space agency said. ISRO said the launch vehicle mission would place the 36 first generation satellites weighing 5,805 kgs into a 450 kms circular orbit with an inclination of about 87.4 degree. This is the sixth flight of LVM3 which was earlier known as Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MkIII (GSLVMkIII). It had five consecutive missions including the Chandrayaan-2. Union Minister Jitendra Singh lauded ISRO for Sunday's successful launch. "Proud to be associated with the department of space #ISRO at a time when India under PM @NarendraModi has emerged as the frontline Space Tech nation of the world," he wrote on Twitter. "Team ISRO adds yet another feather to its much decorated hat. Successful launch of LVM3-M3/OneWeb India-2 MIssion", the Union Minister of State (independent incharge) Science and Technology said. Anand Mahindra too lauded and said, Whoaaa! That is one BIG rocket Lifts my heart up with it to the skies. Bravo, yet again #ISRO (LVM3-M3/Oneweb India-2 Mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre" Whoaaa! That is one BIG rocket Lifts my heart up with it to the skies. Bravo, yet again #ISRO (LVM3-M3/Oneweb India-2 Mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre pic.twitter.com/Osh753ds22 anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) March 26, 2023 (With inputs from agencies) New Delhi: India should refrain from auctioning airwaves needed for satellite broadband services, Sunil Mittal, executive chairman of OneWeb Ltd, said, calling upon the Indian telecom regulator to create policies to facilitate spectrum allocation for satellite services. Trai (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) must come with a policy that fully capitalizes on these projects for the benefit of Indias remotest parts and emergency services," Mittal told reporters after the launch of OneWebs final 36 satellites required for global coverage from Sriharikota by the Indian Space Research Organisation on Sunday. Mittal added that Indias spacecom policy needs to be in place for OneWeb to launch services since it will pave the way for foreign investment into the Indian joint venture of OneWeb India. OneWeb plans to launch broadband satellite services in India by July or August, depending on the spacecom policy and spectrum allocation that the country will adopt, Mittal said. Im hoping by July-August, we should have all the permissions in place," he said. He added that OneWeb was readying landing stations in Madurai, Gujarat and Mumbai to ensure that once it receives government permission for the signals, it can begin offering services immediately. Landing stations form the third critical component for offering satellite broadband services. Mittal said that tariffs for satellite broadband services offered by OneWeb would be similar to tariffs for mobile phone services in developed markets like the US and Europe but would be higher than mobile tariffs in India. He added that tariffs might fall further with the advent of Gen2 or the second generation of satellite services, which will have larger capacities to service more markets. With 42 landing stations globally, a large majority of its capacities would be focused towards the US, Canada, Europe and Africa, with India taking up not more than 1.5% of the share. Mittal said that the Middle East was also emerging as a new market where OneWeb has signed a contract with Saudi Arabia. Being the only satellite broadband operator with global coverage, Mittal said that OneWeb was ahead of even Starlink despite having a larger number of satellites and would be able to provide services in terrains where setting up mobile towers was difficult and in critical areas such as maritime security. He added that OneWeb tested in-flight connectivity speeds of 128 Mbps which was similar to the 4G speeds. Mittal said that OneWeb would not sell its services directly in any market and has partnered with several companies globally. In India, he said that Airtels enterprise division would sell to its enterprise customers while the joint venture between Hughes and Airtel would sell to the rest of the market, including government and defence forces, with 80% of its broadband capacity already contracted. Talking about the market, Mittal said that the satellite services would cater to over 3 billion people globally that do not have access to high-speed broadband in their parts of the world, a market that will be tapped into by OneWeb and its competitors, including Elon Musks Starlink and Amazons Kuiper, even as the sector itself was undergoing consolidation. With a total investment of more than $6 billion in setting up the OneWeb constellation of satellites, Mittal said he expected revenues of over $1 billion in the coming years on the back of very high Ebidta margins of over 70%. Currently, the company is making several million dollars a month in revenues. Mittal added that he was in discussions with Indian authorities to create opportunities for manufacturing companies to make user terminals needed for satellite services in India. Having launched OneWeb satellites twice and commercial satellites for other players, Mittal said that India had a massive opportunity to establish itself as a serious player in the commercial spaceflight industry at a time when the global competition was reducing due to several factors. OneWeb will launch 16 satellites in May through SpaceX, which will add to its present count of 618 satellites, of which 588 will be needed for providing satellite broadband connectivity while the rest will be spares for redundancy. Mittal added that OneWebs merger with French satellite operator Eutelsat was in the final stages and was expected to close soon. That will also ensure the Gen2, which will require $3-4 billion to build in the next several years, is fully secured in terms of cash flows. As a company, we should have a lot of evidence to deal with continuous development investments into the satellite industry." Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that people from within the country are taking politics outside, and people from outside the country are interfering in Indian politics. Foreign Minister was addressing the BJYM Yuva Samvada event in Bengaluru. "People from inside this country are taking politics outside, and people from outside are interfering in politics inside", says EAM Jaishankar on politics pic.twitter.com/bc1vDWyPpN Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) March 25, 2023 Jaishankar further emphasized "Many people in the world were very comfortable with how things were in India till 2014 and after things changed, they saw different confidence, different beliefs. Suddenly people started saying there is something wrong, the court is not performing properly, the election commission is not okay, the press is being restricted. Everything happened after 2014 only?" "Why is that happening? You have people outside India who have an interest in people inside India. And when those people do not get electoral success and they are today seen as less and less representing the reality of India, there is an attempt from outside to make out as though that is normal and somewhere India has started to deviate. Now if you look historically, this is the normal -- what you are seeing today," Jaishankar said. The comment by Jaishankar comes in the midst of a political controversy revolving around Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded an apology from Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi for a speech he made in London. In his speech, Rahul Gandhi, who had previously been disqualified from the Lok Sabha due to his conviction in a 2019 defamation case, was accused of seeking the help of foreign countries in India's internal politics. Jaishankar also commented on the recent attack on Indian missions abroad. "It is the obligation of the receiving country to ensure the embassy or the high commission or the consulate and their premises are respected. These obligations were not met," Jaishankar added. On Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs in India summoned the Canadian High Commissioner Cameron MacKay and expressed its strong concerns about the actions of pro-Khalistan elements targeting Indian missions in Canada. Indian Air Force (IAF) official told the Indian parliamentary committee that Russia had been unable to honour commitments in delivering vital defense supplies owing to the ongoing war with Ukraine, according to a report on CNN . This can potentially pose a threat to the relationship between India and Moscow, India's largest defense supplier. The statement comes even as Moscow attempts to ramp up weapons production. Moscow is India's largest source of defense supply, and Delhi has been worried that this would be affected owing to the war with Ukraine that has been going on since February 2022. The IAF statement is the first official confirmation of such shortfalls, reports Reuters. An IAF representative told the panel that Russia had planned a "major delivery" this year that will not take place. The biggest ongoing delivery is the S-400 Triumf air defence system units India bought in 2018 for $5.4 billion. Three of these systems have been delivered and two more are awaited, according to Reuters. IAF also depends on Russia for spares for its Su-30MKI and MiG-29 fighter jets, the mainstay of the service branch, according to Reuters. The IAF also informed the parliamentary panel that the Russia-Ukraine war affected its supplies so much that it slashed its projected capital expenditure on modernisation for the financial year ending March 31, 2024, by nearly a third compared to the previous fiscal year. The air force had projected a capital expenditure of 853 billion rupees ($10.38 billion) for fiscal 2022-23 and cut it to 588 billion rupees ($7.15 billion) in the national budget presented in February. Russia is the worlds second-largest arms exporter, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Russia accounted for $8.5 billion of the $18.3 billion India has spent on arms imports since 2017, according to the latest data from the SIPRI. Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a large-scale effort to build up capacity to produce more weapons for the war in a move he said was urgently needed." Putins order also followed repeated complaints by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin that his mercenaries were not receiving sufficient munitions in their prolonged battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut. This also comes at a time when India has been looking to reduce its dependence on Moscow for delivering defense weapons. India has been looking west for its defense demands- France, the United States and Israel. Further, the Narendra Modi-led government has also emphasised on manufacturing defense weapons in the country itself under the Atmanirbhar Bharat push. (With inputs from Reuters) President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said that Russia is preparing to station tactical nuclear weapons in the neighboring Belarus. This marks the country's latest attempt to use the threat of a nuclear war to ramp up tensions with the US and NATO over the invasion of Ukraine. Putin announced that the stationing of nuclear weapons in Belarus would not violate nuclear non-proliferation agreements. Belarus is a landlocked country, bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. While Belarus's neighbouring countries are part of NATO and EU group, Belarus has remained tightly under Russia's influence. Also Read: Mint Explainer: Why Belarus holds a key position for Russia? Putin said work would be completed on building storage units for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus on July 1, a move he likened to US nuclear deployments in Europe. "Tactical" nuclear weapons refer to those used for specific gains on a battlefield rather than those with the capacity to wipe out cities. Speaking on this, the senior US administration official noted that Russia and Belarus had been speaking about the transfer of nuclear weapons for some time. "We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon. We remain committed to the collective defence of the NATO alliance," the official said. As the country prepares for a nuclear station in Belarus, let's look at Russias nuclear arsenal: Russia has the worlds biggest stockpile of nuclear warheads. As of 2022, Putin controls about 5,977 such warheads as compared with 5,428 controlled by US, a report by Aljazeera has stated citing the Federation of American Scientists. Of these 5,977, an estimated 1,500 of warheads are retired but still intact, 2,889 in reserve while 1,588 are deployed strategic warheads. About 812 are deployed on land-based ballistic missiles, about 576 on submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and around 200 at heavy bomber bases, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Reuters has also reported that Russia operates 10 nuclear-armed nuclear submarines which could carry a maximum of 800 warheads. It has around 60 to 70 nuclear bombers. The report stated that during the Cold War, Russia's nuclear arsenal reached a peak of about 40,000 nuclear warheads while of the US it was about 30,000. As of 2022, The United States has around 1644 deployed strategic nuclear warheads. Countries like China, France, UK has 350, 290 and 225 warheads respectively, Reuters has reported citing the Federation of American Scientists. The United States has said the world faces the gravest nuclear danger since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis because of remarks by Putin during the Ukraine conflict, but Moscow says its position has been misinterpreted. The United States said in its 2022 Nuclear Posture Review that Russia and China were expanding and modernising their nuclear forces, and that Washington would pursue an approach based on arms control to head off costly arms races. Putin said he had information that the United States was developing new types of nuclear weapons. Russia has been modernising its nuclear weapons. Since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, only a few countries have tested nuclear weapons, according to the Arms Control Association: The United States last in 1992, China and France last in 1996, India and Pakistan in 1998, and North Korea last in 2017. The Soviet Union last tested in 1990. What are the tactical Nuclear Weapons? Academics and arms control negotiators have spent years arguing about how to define tactical nuclear weapons (TNW). The clue is in the name: they are nuclear weapons used for specific tactical gains on the battlefield, rather than, say, destroying the biggest cities of the United States or Russia. Few people know exactly how many TNW Russia has because it is an area still shrouded in traditions of Cold War secrecy. Russia has a huge numerical superiority over the United States and the transatlantic NATO military alliance when it comes to TNW: the United States believes Russia has around 2,000 such working tactical warheads, 10 times more than Washington. These warheads can be delivered via a variety of missiles, torpedoes and gravity bombs from naval, air or ground forces. They could even be simply driven into an area and detonated. The United States has around 200 such weapons, half of which are at bases in Europe. These 12-ft B61 nuclear bombs, with different yields of 0.3 to 170 kilotons, are deployed at six air bases across Italy, Germany, Turkey, Belgium and the Netherlands. The atomic bomb dropped by the United States on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945 was about 15 kilotons. Who is ultimate decision maker to using Russian nuclear weapons? The president is the ultimate decision maker when it comes to using Russian nuclear weapons, both strategic and non-strategic, Reuters has reported citing Russia's nuclear doctrine. To prepare a TNW strike, it is likely that Putin would consult with senior allies from the Russian Security Council before ordering, via the general staff, that a warhead be joined with a delivery vehicle and prepared for a potential launch order. (With inputs from Reuters) Choosing the right college abroad is not only confusing but also challenging for a student because this crucial life decision can impact a student's future. It can take around one to four years to complete your higher education in any country, depending on the university and the duration of the entire course as it's going to be an expensive affair. Hence, it is extremely important for students and parents to select the right college abroad and make the investment worthwhile. A huge number of universities offer multiple courses to choose from, which often becomes a tedious task. To make it simpler, we have listed five important parameters to look at while selecting the best place for higher education. Here are 5 tips to choose the right college abroad 1) Course curriculum: First of all, the student needs to be 100% sure about the subject because he will spend the next at least three years studying it abroad, and may be working in the same field there. Before picking up the college for your desired subject, one should also look for job options, scope, and salary in the field. Another important thing to keep in mind while selecting the course and college in any other country is to check the admission procedure; application start and end dates; campus life; extracurricular activities; accommodation options, etc. 2) Check university rankings: One should look for the major rankings of all universities. You may also calculate the student:staff ratio because the lower the ratio is the better you can study. In smaller classrooms, the students can ask questions and understand the concepts more easily. You can also get personal advice through webinars that take place in an online mode. 3) Budget: The most important factor to study abroad is budget because it's going to be expensive as compared to pursuing any course in your home town. One should know about the tuition fee the college and course requirements. Many official websites provide a detailed breakout of the tuition fee for all the courses. Students can also apply for education loans through various banking and non-banking financial institutions that would help them to finance their studies abroad. 4) Accommodation Location: This is a part of your budget because a good amount will also be spent on living expenses which are affected by the choice of location. Students are advised to keep the location, security, climate, and ease of transportation in mind while making decisions about the location. A student living in a metro city would always cost him higher than a student living in a suburban area. 5) Social Relations: Having relatives or friends residing in a particular country can be a bigger help when choosing the right university for you. People living there can provide you with better information about the country, college, living expenses, and other important details about the country. The candidate who wants to travel abroad for higher education should definitely consult his social ties in that particular country, if any. Top 10 universities for higher education abroad 1) Harvard University, USA 2) Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA 3) University of Cambridge, UK 4) The University of Chicago, USA 5) University of Toronto, Canada 6) University of California - San Diego Campus, USA 7) King's College London, UK 8) The University of Melbourne, Australia 9) National University of Singapore, Singapore 10) Heidelberg University, Germany The destruction from the massive tornado continues as it rips through several areas of the state of Mississippi in the United States. A WTVA meteorologist working on the geographical coordinates of the tornado became emotional on camera seeing the level and damage and prayed to God for help. WATCH: WTVA meteorologist Matt Laubhan overwhelmed as major tornado hits Amory, Mississippi pic.twitter.com/JDd8n46X31 BNO News Live (@BNODesk) March 25, 2023 The meteorologist Matt Laubhan can be seen tracking the movement of the tornado in the video. As he realizes as the tornado will directly hit the town of Amory, he just bends down on his system and said Oh man" and let out a heavy sigh. "Dear Jesus, please help them. Amen," Laubhan said after a pause. The death toll in the Mississippi tornado rose to 25 on Saturday as rescue workers continue their search through debris. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said dozens of people were injured in the storms. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has declared a State of Emergency and pledged to assist in the reconstruction efforts as he travels to observe the destruction in a region that contains numerous large fields of cotton, corn, soybeans, and catfish farms. President Joe Biden has also made a commitment to provide federal aid, describing the devastation as "heartbreaking." The extent of the destruction in Rolling Fork was so extensive that multiple storm chasers, who typically track severe weather and broadcast live footage of dramatic funnel clouds, requested assistance for search and rescue efforts. Some even halted their pursuit to transport injured individuals to medical facilities. Unfortunately, the situation was further compounded by the fact that the local hospital on the town's western side sustained damage, resulting in the transfer of patients to alternative medical centers. Images of devastation released by news networks depicted complete structures reduced to debris and automobiles toppled onto their sides, with individuals making their way through the wreckage in the absence of illumination. With inputs from agencies Amid Punjab Police's crackdown on radical preacher Amritpal Singh, Canada Foreign Minister has said that Canada is "very closely" following the developments in Punjab and will continue to address the concerns of the community. Joly was answering a question from Indo-Canadian MP Iqwinder S Gaheer in the House of Commons on Thursday. The self-styled Sikh preacher continued to be on the run for a week now following the police crackdown against him and his Waris Punjab De outfit. The whereabouts of Amritpal Singh and Papalpreet Singh remain unknown after they were allegedly harboured by a woman at her home in Shahabad in Haryana's Kurukshetra district on March 19. "We are aware of the evolving situation in Punjab, and we are following it very closely. We look forward to a return to a more stable situation," she said. "Canadians can always count on the Government of Canada to make sure that we will continue to address the concerns of many members of the community," she added. Gaheer said he had heard about the ongoing mass suspension of Internet services in Punjab and asked Joly to update the House about the situation in India. Responding to questions about foreign leaders and parliamentarians commenting on the action against Amritpal Singh, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi urged people residing abroad not to believe "inaccurate and motivated narratives" that are being circulated by some elements on social media. "Authorities in Punjab are undertaking operations to nab a fugitive. Information regarding that operation is being shared by authorities concerned on a regular basis," the spokesman said in New Delhi. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday also said that CM Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab will not hesitate in taking tough decisions to maintain law and order as he asserted that those trying to spoil the atmosphere in the state are on the run. Yesterday, a new CCTV footage emerged purportedly showing him wearing a jacket and trousers and speaking on a mobile phone. There was no official word from police on the undated footage, which is circulating on social media and is said to be from Patiala. In the footage, the 'Waris Punjab De' outfit chief could be seen holding a bag with his face covered with a white cloth. His key associate Papalpreet Singh could also be seen in the footage. Authorities in Punjab last week had suspended internet and SMS services in the state following the police crackdown against elements of 'Waris Punjab De,' headed by the radical preacher. Police in Punjab are still searching for Amritpal Singh. Speaking on Singh's manhunt, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday had said in the House of Commons, We are looking forward to a swift return to a more stable situation." Canada has also seen a rise in anti-India activities recently by Khalistan supporters who have vandalised some Hindu temples. A Ram Mandir in Mississauga was defaced by 'Khalistani extremists' with anti-India graffiti on February 13, drawing a strong reaction from the Indian Consulate in Toronto. "We strongly condemn the defacing of Ram Mandir in Mississauga with anti-India graffiti. We have requested Canadian authorities to investigate the incident and take prompt action on perpetrators," India's Consulate in Toronto had tweeted. NEW YORK Throngs of protesters gathered at the courthouse steps, chanting for freedom for their embattled hero. Police kept watch as passions flared and voices roared. Squad cars and television trucks encircled the commotion. Its a scene New York City authorities have been bracing for as prosecutors consider an indictment against former President Donald Trump, who has invited followers to rally on his behalf. But on Saturday, it was just a movie shoot for the Joker sequel to be precise. The roars faded and the crowds dispersed on command when the director yelled, Cut! The New York City shoot for the upcoming Joker sequel had been planned for months; but in recent days, production crews wrestled with the possibility that filming could be disrupted by real-life protests over the Trump case none of which have so far materialized. In the end, film workers forged ahead, said Leo Maniscalchi, a production assistant, who was taking a break at a nearby coffee house. They needed to do what they needed to get this done, he said. In the film, the Joker, played by Joaquin Phoenix, inspires protests against Gothams elites. In real life, Trump has inspired protests, too. In recent weeks, the former president has called on his supporters to protest what he said was an impending indictment accusing him of paying $130,000 to buy the silence of porn actor Stormy Daniels. They cant stop production for anything, really, Maniscalchi said. The scene didnt call for rain, but were still out here. For the past week, crowds mostly news media have been staking out another courthouse up the street from filming. Earlier in the week, a band of young Republicans staged a protest but its numbers were dwarfed by a crush of journalists. A rumored caravan of Trump adherents also did not take place, neither did a march dozens of blocks from the Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue to the Manhattan courthouse in the lower city. When we last saw the Joker, he was running down the halls of a mental asylum with Frank Sinatra singing Thats Life. In the sequel, called Joker: Folie a Deux, Lady Gaga joins the cast as Harley Quinn, his love interest. Fittingly, the new movie, expected to be released late next year, is being billed as a musical. Siris Pagan, 30, arrived in lower Manhattan with his friend, Marissa Perez, to watch the filming. When some of the shots were being filmed, we started hearing loud chanting in the background and everybody was just turning around," Pagan said. Just a block away, both sides of the abortion issue were competing for attention. He thought it might have been part of the movie, but soon realized: Oh, no, its a whole different thing going on. Reality and make-believe were suddenly colliding, he said. Jaymie Robinson, a 24-year-old extra from Newark, New Jersey, recounted how she heard one bystander who seemed confused about whether she was part of a real protest. The cameras and phony police cars and signs saying Free Joker should have been a dead giveaway, she said. Laurie Allard, who was visiting from Montreal, Canada, came upon the outdoor movie set while touring downtown Manhattan and initially didnt know it was related to filming. She was vaguely familiar with the Trump case and knew it was happening nearby. So when she saw the throngs, she was a bit startled. I didn't want to be trapped in a protest or something ... if there's one happening, Allard said. Filming continues Sunday. Amid the prolonged war between Russia and Ukraine, the former has decided to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday announced that the stationing of nuclear weapons in Belarus would not violate nuclear non-proliferation agreements. Putin took the decision after discussing it with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko who had long raised the issue of stationing tactical nuclear weapons in his country. Putin said, "There is nothing unusual..The US has been doing this for decades. They have long deployed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allied countries". According to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, there are about 100 US nuclear weapons, stored in Europe across six bases in five countries. But they are under the control of the US. Putin added that Moscow will complete the construction of a storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus by 1 July. Why Belarus holds a key position for Russia? Belarus is a landlocked country, bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. While Belarus's neighbouring countries are part of NATO and EU group, and it has remained tightly under Russia's influence. Belarus was part of the Soviet Union and became independent in 1991 after the collapse of the USSR. Since then, the country with a population of around 9.2 million has maintained close economic and political ties with Russia. The Belarusian regime, headed by President Lukashenko, has backed the invasion of Ukraine. Belarus helped Russia launch its initial invasion of Ukraine last February, allowing the Kremlin's troops to enter the country through the 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) Ukrainian-Belarusian border to the north of Kyiv. Why is Belarus aiding Russia amid the war with Ukraine? For decades, Lukashenko had played Belarus as something of a neutral state, shifting his overtures from Russia to West and back as his needs suited. In power since 1994, Lukashenko has also moved to suppress his political opposition and pro-democracy activists. But a key turning point came in 2020 after Lukashenko declared victory in a disputed presidential election. Lukashenko's claim of a landslide victory--80% for Lukashenko versus 10% for his popular opponent, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya --was instantly disputed, both by the opposition and by the US and its European allies. Subsequently, protests erupted on an unprecedented scale in the tiny country. Facing the biggest popular challenge in his 26 years of power, Lukashenko turned to President Putin for help. And Putin delivered, announcing that the Russian military stood ready to intervene "if necessary." An emboldened Lukashenko embarked on a vicious crackdown, with mass arrests and torture of detainees. As a result, the current stand of Belarus on the Russia-Ukraine war can be that Lukashenko is returning the favour to Putin. US's takes on Belarus for supporting Russia Yesterday, the US imposed fresh sanctions on seven Belarusian elections officials, two state-owned automotive manufacturers, and President Alexander Lukashenko's aircraft. Lukashenko accused the opposition presidential candidate, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, of plotting to overthrow the government. This month, a Belarusian court sentenced Tsikhanouskaya, now living in exile, to 15 years in prison. Lukashenko's aircraft, a Boeing 737 that he uses for international travel, was also designated for sanctions, which blocks its use in the US. BelAZ, one of the largest manufacturers of large trucks and dump trucks in the world, and the automotive manufacturer MAZ were also sanctioned. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the US "will continue to impose costs on the regime and those who support it for their repression of the people of Belarus" and for the Belarusian government's support for Russia's war. The State Department also imposed visa restrictions on 14 additional people involved in policies to threaten and intimidate the Belarusian people." Amid growing calls for a TikTok ban, US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy indicated on Sunday that it would move forward with legislation to protect Americans from the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party. The development comes mere days after TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was grilled by US lawmakers about national security and other concerns involving the app. It's very concerning that the CEO of TikTok can't be honest and admit what we already know to be trueChina has access to TikTok user data. The House will be moving forward with legislation to protect Americans from the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party," McCarthy said. The TikTok CEO had asserted on Thursday that the social media app had not spied on Americans at Beijing's request. "I don't think that spying is the right way to describe it," he added, upon being asked about the company's earlier disclosures. TikTok had said in December that China-based employees at ByteDance improperly accessed TikTok user data of two journalists and were no longer employed by the company. It's very concerning that the CEO of TikTok can't be honest and admit what we already know to be trueChina has access to TikTok user data. The House will be moving forward with legislation to protect Americans from the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party. Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) March 26, 2023 Western governments are growing increasingly worried that TikToks owner, Beijing-based ByteDance, might give browsing history or other data about users to Chinas government or promote propaganda and disinformation. The US and other nations have banned TikTok from government-owned devices, as have several states. The US Committee on Foreign Investment, part of Biden's Treasury Department, has reportedly threatened to ban TikTok if ByteDance doesn't sell its stake in the app Meanwhile many of the app's 150 million US users have protested the move, determined to keep making and watching short, fun videos on the platform. They have also found support in some Democratic lawmakers, who joined protests earlier this week. (With inputs from agencies) The oil tanker Turba normally should have been melted down by now. The 26-year-old vessel hasnt had a full inspection since 2017, according to a database dedicated to promoting safe shipping. It also lacks industry standard insurance and sails under the flag of country with a poor standing for the oversight of maritime safety. But rather than being steered onto a beach in Bangladesh, India or Pakistan for dismantling, the 1997-built tanker is collecting heavy fuel at the Russian port of St. Petersburg. ALso Read: Indias opaque purchases of Russian oil emerge as sanctions test The aftermath of European Union sanctions on Russia mean that the Turba has been enlisted into a vast shadow fleet carrying Moscows oil around the globe. Its continued operation is a stark reminder that Group of Seven sanctions on Moscow carry an environmental risk. The big concern is that some older vessels the global fleet is now the oldest in almost two decades may not be properly inspected and maintained, leading to a catastrophic accident at sea. Also Read: Indias Russia exports in Feb up 25% to hit pre-Ukraine war level Theyre an environmental disaster waiting to happen," said Lars Barstad, chief executive officer of the management unit of Frontline Plc, one of the largest owners of supertankers. In normal times, owners start to consider demolishing tankers when theyre about 15 years old. By year 20, the ships fate to be sold for scrap is usually sealed. Right now, though, shipowners are squeezing a few more years out because theres money to be made. The sanctions imposed Dec. 5 are forcing vessels to sail thousands of miles further, boosting demand and freight rates. Inspections At least 40 vessels hauling Russian oil to China and India between early December and early February lacked insurance from members of the International Group of P&I clubs or routine safety-management certificates, according to data from Equasis, the maritime safety database. Three, including the Turba, didnt have something called classification that would demonstrate how seaworthy they are. Also Read: US says Russia not benefiting from +$60/bbl oil to India The Turba brings up uncomfortable memories of one of the worst oil spills from a tanker in European history. The tanker Prestige broke in half and leaked thousands of tons of heavy fuel oil onto the coast of Spain in November 2002. Seabirds and fisheries were decimated, and beaches in Spain and Portugal were ruined. The Turba is the same age as the Prestige was, and it just collected the same type of cargo from the same Russian port, according to data from Kpler, a shipping analytics firm. Russias Ministry of Transport, the nations Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport, and Rosmorport, an entity that oversees port infrastructure, didnt respond to emailed requests for comment. Spains merchant navy pointed out that it cannot control activity outside its territorial waters. Good Reasons There are sound reasons for scrapping tankers by the time theyre 20. Often, its about the cost of trying to keep them in service as safety and maintenance requirements become more onerous. But there is also the effect of years of pounding waves, saltwater corrosion and near-constant use that place a strain on hull integrity and propulsion systems. Also Read: Russian oil becomes more pricey with pool of Asian buyers expands Tankers normally receive inspections known as special surveys about every five years. By the fourth time around, the economics of continuing to trade diminish sharply. The surveys can cost $3 million to $4 million for big tankers, and they will then require an intermediate inspection about 2 1/2 years later. Port authorities also tend to scrutinize older ships more closely. The increased expenses, and the lack of customers, would in normal times encourage owners to sell them for scrap. Everything needs looking at steel, engine," said Halvor Ellefsen, a shipbroker at Fearnleys Shipbrokers UK Ltd. whos worked in the industry for almost four decades. The older they are, the more they find." European Cutoff The EU, for years the top buyer of Russian oil, banned almost all seaborne exports from its one-time trading partner and joined the G-7 in capping the price of Moscows crude at $60 a barrel. Its still possible to transport Russian oil at prices above the threshold but not with Western services such as insurance, crewing, vessel classification, financing and transport. The net effect has been an increase in long-distance deliveries to Russias big remaining markets in Asia and the creation of a shadow fleet of tankers operating outside the sphere of G-7 companies. The traders and shipping firms doing these deals often have opaque ownership structures. ALso Read: Mint Explainer: Why Belarus holds a key position for Russia? Last year saw a surge in sales to unknown buyers, with 100-plus oil and fuel tankers changing hands. Over the same period, there also was a sharp decline in the number being scrapped, according to Clarkson Research Services Ltd., a unit of the worlds oldest shipbroker. Some of the aging ships are transferring their hazardous cargoes on the high seas, often in international waters off Greece or the Spanish exclave of Ceuta in north Africa. This is a huge environmental risk," said Adi Imsirovic, a veteran oil trader whos now director of the Surrey Clean Energy consultancy. Tankers that should have been scrapped by now are doing loads of ship-to-ship transfers of millions of barrels of oil without proper insurance." The Turba recently transported Urals Russias flagship crude grade to India and loaded heavy fuel oil in the port of St. Petersburg, according to Kpler. If it sails to Asia, it will involve navigating the Baltic Sea and passing several European coastlines. The Aframax-class vessels owner is Scoot Chartering Corp., which is registered in the Seychelles, according to IHS Maritime data compiled by Bloomberg. Its last class renewal survey was in 2017. Its class was withdrawn by Bureau Veritas in 2021, the Equasis database shows. High Risk Half-a-dozen tanker brokers and owners said they didnt have a means to contact Scoot, which doesnt appear on a Seychelles corporate register. The tanker flies the flag of Cameroon, one of a handful of blacklisted countries under something called the Paris MOU, an international organization that promotes and coordinates safe shipping. Its the only blacklisted nation that also has a high risk" designation. Approval by a member of the International Association of Classification Societies which the Turba lacks, according to Equasis means an audited international body of surveyors will have checked a vessel to monitor that its hull is structurally sound, and its propulsion, steering and power systems are reliable and functional. The average age of the tanker fleet is now 12 years, according to data from Clarkson. Almost a third of vessels are older than 15, and the ranks of aging vessels is forecast to expand rapidly in coming years, said Svein Moxnes Harfjeld, CEO of DHT Holdings, an oil tanker company. Given the lack of clarity around ownership, its likely the new operators dont have the same levels of experience and professionalism normally associated with the Russian fleet, Ben Luckock, co-head of oil trading at Trafigura Group, said at an FT Commodities Global Summit in Lausanne, Switzerland, this week. Youve got a lot of 17-, 18- and 19-year-old boats transiting the Danish straits with the oil," he said. We have changed the logistics skillset around Russian oil in a very short period." Over the past decade, a global survey has been asking thousands of people across the world how happy they are on a scale of zero to ten, in six distinct ways of being happy. Their answers form the core of the annual World Happiness Reports , which have been a source of periodic unhappiness for many Indians. India is consistently ranked at the bottom, among dystopian nations, unhappier than even Pakistan, which triggers special trauma in sensitive Indians. The 2023 World Happiness Report does not actually rank India 126th out of 137 nations. Indians have ranked themselves, inadvertently showing us as people who are sadder than Ukraine, Russia, Iraq, Sri Lanka and, of course, Pakistan. Any measure of happiness involves a few foolish processes, and these reports do couch left-wing righteousness as anthropology, but they are less nonsensical than a fable my generation grew up hearing: that Indians are the happiest people on earth". Among the first things we heard as children was that the rich were unhappy and the poor were happy. Also, Indians apparently had an innate spiritual power that no one else possessed, some great ancient secret that the West came seeking. Every now and then, a public figure would speak of an unhappy West and our joyful poor. In a Shah Rukh Khan film, his character scoffs at the loneliness of Americans who had everything" but did not have family, while admiring Indians who had nothing but whose lives were filled with family. In the age of social media, we see posts claiming to be true portraits of happiness. These often feature images of the poor diving into a pond or enjoying rain. It appears water is somehow vital to the visual representation of joy. All through this farce, India has been one of the most miserable places on earth. As an Indian reporter who has travelled through India and the West, I find it easy to believe the broad conclusions of the 2023 reportthat West Europeans are most likely to rate themselves as happy, that suicide rates say nothing about happiness anywhere, and that the average Indian is among the worlds least happy. This rings untrue to upper middle-class Indian patriots because they are among the happiest. They would score well on the World Happiness Reports survey that asks people to rate their own happiness on six aspects of life: social support of peers, financial well-being, health, freedom to make important decisions, generosity of society and the absence of corruption. The bafflement of Indias middle class at the nations rank among the most miserable is actually predicted by the report in one of its more credible exercisesa countrys measure of joy inequality. To measure this form of inequality, the report takes the happiest half of a sample in a nation and its unhappiest half, and then considers the gap that separates them. In Finland, ranked the happiest nation in the world, the gap between the top half and bottom half is narrow. This means there is a near uniformity in how people rate themselves. Several affluent nations demonstrate such uniformity. But the nation that is most equal in its self-valuation of happiness is not a happily rich nation, but Afghanistan, which is among the worlds most miserable places. This means that in Afghanistan, the happiness of the top half is not much higher than that of the bottom half. In other words, the country is almost uniformly miserable. On the equality of joy, too, India fares poorly. Indians who rate themselves as happy are much happier than those who say they are unhappy. This reflects an India that even the sightless can seea country where life is very good for the rich and miserable for the poor; where it is vastly advantageous to be born in the right home, and a severe handicap not to. There is, of course, a big problem in this attempt to measure the happiness of nations. It is not, as patriots argue, in its methodology". Asking people whether they are happy is a reasonable way to measure this abstract quantity. The problem is not with the sample size either. The report claims that typically" around 1,000 people, irrespective of population, participate in the survey every year. We can quarrel with the report on whether this is enough to make overarching pronouncements on our sense of well-being, but this is not an important argument. The reports real problem is why it even exists. This is not an exercise a Donald Trump or Elon Musk or a conservative strongman anywhere would consider worth his time. That should point us to the sort of people who would be interested in such a surveyeconomists who want a welfare state. Not very long ago, the same kind of people promoted Bhutan as the happiest place on Earth. It worked. In the 2013 Hindi film, Lunchbox, an unhappy woman in Mumbai plots to flee to Bhutan in search of joy. Bhutans experiments with happiness began in 1972, when king Jigme Singye Wangchuck popularized the idea of gross national happiness. In the 2000s, this juvenile idea caught the imagination of liberal economists who thought they had found a tool to defame the focus on economic growth. But, it turns out, Bhutanese people do not rate themselves well on the happiness scale. The first World Happiness Report, published in 2012, pays rich tribute to Bhutan, but the country is ranked low. It is western Europe that has consistently regarded itself happy. The moral of the story is that the secret to happiness may lie in colonizing, brutalizing and plundering vast regions of the world so that you can one day raise a financially pampered and socially compassionate population that cycles to work. Manu Joseph is a journalist, novelist, and the creator of the Netflix series, Decoupled As Thomas Fuller rightly said, Health is not valued till sickness comes". In Rajasthan, the focus of post-covid policy has been on healthcare services. It was the first state to ensure the Right to Health under Article 21 of the Constitution by clearing the Rajasthan Right to Health Bill 2022 in the state assembly on 21 March. Under this law, every resident of the state would be guaranteed access to free healthcare services, including consultations, medications, diagnostics, emergency transport, procedures, emergency care, and safe and quality healthcare at all public health institutions and select private institutions. The rules are yet to be framed so it isnt clear yet if non-emergency cases will be covered under the guarantee. The states health minister said in a media briefing that the provisions will apply to private hospitals with more than 50 beds. Healthcare providers are expected to give emergency treatment and care without waiting for prepayment or police clearance, and will be entitled to reimbursements from the state government. Those violating the law would be fined up to 10,000 for the first violation and 25,000 for subsequent ones. Under the bill, the state government must make appropriate provisions in the budget, increase access to healthcare services, and develop and institutionalise a human resource policy to ensure the availability and equitable distribution of health workers at all levels. It is also to set up grievance redressal mechanisms and constitute state and district health authorities that will formulate, implement and monitor mechanisms for quality healthcare and management of public health emergencies. Health schemes in the state The state government launched two health schemes in 2021 the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) for public servants and pensioners, and Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme for the general public. Both schemes provide beneficiaries with cashless medical services at every public hospital and most private ones in the state. After they were launched, footfall in the public healthcare system declined as people preferred private health services. SMS Hospital, the biggest multispecialty public health institution in the state, has seen a decline in surgeries since the launch of these schemes, according to the senior doctors of the surgery department. This has reduced the workload for doctors, residents, and medical students at the medical college, which has affected the training rigor and quality of prospective doctors. By introducing the bill the state has tried to show its commitment to people's right to health, but will it become a reality or will it prove to be just another populist measure, introduced with an eye on the state assembly election thats due by the end of the year? Key issues with RTH Doctors at private establishments have been agitating since September 2022, when the bill was first introduced in the assembly. Here are some of the issues with the bill: Firstly, it directly affects the financial viability of private healthcare providers, thereby hindering investments in private companies. It gives people the right to get free healthcare from any medical establishment but provides no clarity on how private healthcare providers will be compensated. If the government fails to reimburse the costs efficiently, private establishments will not be commercially sustainable. Secondly, the state may see its financial obligations shoot up if the right to health is implemented. In 20222023, Rajasthan spent 7.3% of its total budget on health, which is more than the national average of 6%. This is on account of higher spending on the Chiranjeevi Scheme and RGHS, and the plan to establish medical colleges in every district will raise it further. As per the Rural Health Statistics (2021-22) released by MoHFW, the state has a shortage of health workers, especially at Community Health Centres (CHCs) in rural areas, which needs to be corrected for the effective implementation of the bill. According to National Health Accounts Estimates for India (2022), in 2018-19 in Rajasthan, the total expenditure on health was 29,905 crore. Of this, 43.7% was spent by the government (both centre and state), while 44.9% was spent by private firms, leading the state to pay a sizeable portion of what is right now people's out-of-pocket expenses. The state is now expected to push the private sector to spend more to meet the demands of right to health on account of the increase in IPD/OPD patients at private establishments due to lack of access and absence of quality healthcare in public establishments, and by keeping reimbursements in abeyance. Thirdly, the quality of treatment may be compromised to keep private entities viable. To meet their obligations under the Chiranjeevi scheme, private hospitals have been creating separate wards that doctors dont visit regularly. Patients here are discharged within a day, the minimum requirement, and then asked to get readmitted under the cash (self-payment) option. If a patient needs to remain in hospital, treatment is chargeable over and above the scope of the insurance scheme. Healthcare services will most likely be negatively affected by the additional obligations that fall on private healthcare suppliers under the RTH bill. By providing the right to health, it seems the state is making quality treatment harder to obtain. Fourthly, there is a lack of clarity on various forms of emergency treatment and care that can be modified by the State Health Authority from time to time. This has caused apprehension among the medical fraternity and private entities. And finally, with an anticipated adverse impact on the private healthcare sector, the state may not be able to attract the big healthcare conglomerates. This will affect the investment climate in its health sector and perhaps other sectors as well, as the state's proclivity for sacrificing the viability of privately owned commercial enterprises for fulfilling public services obligations is clear. The Delhi High Court stated in a 2007 ruling that private hospitals that get land on concession should be subject to the state's commitment to providing healthcare for its residents, but this should be commercially viable. Hence, 10% of patients in the OPD and 25% in the IPD must get free care at these facilities. While private healthcare facilities that acquired land at concessions are subject to these obligations, they should not be imposed on facilities that did not get concessions. The RTH bill, though, puts all private institutions under the same umbrella, threatening their commercial viability. Way forward This is not to say that the initiative is not well-intentioned. It is crucial to achieve the target of universal health coverage. But not enough thought has been given to its implementation. Here are a few suggestions: First, the Right to Education model could have been replicated, thereby equally distributing the burden of providing quality healthcare between state and private healthcare providers. Private entities could also have been encouraged to expand healthcare services in the state to make the sector financially viable. Second, a clearly defined mechanism with a single-window system should have been proposed for reimbursing private institutions. Third, the asymmetry of information between patients and private healthcare providers should have been cleared by the government by making them aware of the coverage of the bill. For example, in the Chiranjeevi scheme, patients are often unaware of the package limits and they expect the full cover of 10 lakhs as publicized by the government. Fourth, the government should set up a grievance redressal system to address the complaints of healthcare providers. Fifth, the government needs to focus on strengthening public hospitals rather than just shifting the burden onto private hospitals. Sixth, how will the state government raise the money needed to implement all this? While framing the rules, the state should prioritise these issues to allay the fears of all stakeholders. The proposed act should focus on the delivery of quality healthcare rather than free healthcare even for those who can afford it. This should not be a mere populist measure or citizens will end up the biggest losers. The author is Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, St. Xavier's College, Jaipur. VILNIUS : Lithuania said on Sunday it would call for new sanctions against Moscow and Minsk in response to Russia's plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. The statement from Lithuania's foreign ministry came hours after NATO criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin for what it called his "dangerous and irresponsible" nuclear rhetoric. Lithuania will ask for the additional sanctions on Russia and Belarus to be included in a package of penalties being discussed in Brussels, the ministry's spokesperson said. "Together with its Euro-Atlantic partners, Lithuania will decide how to react to these militaristic plans of the Russian and Belarusian regimes," the ministry said in a statement. "Belarus, which is increasingly losing its sovereignty, supports and helps Russia's aggression, and is increasingly integrated into Russia's military plans, is an additional risk factor for the Baltic region", it added. Putin on Saturday likened his plans to the U.S. stationing its weapons in Europe, while insisting that Russia would not violate its nuclear non-proliferation promises. Sharks are a diverse group of fish that have been prowling our oceans for hundreds of millions of years. The group includes several large, food chain-topping predators from the extinct Helicoprion, which had a jaw like a circular saw, to modern-day great white sharks (opens in new tab) that accelerate through water like a bullet as they hunt down their prey. Giant sharks have evolved and gone extinct throughout Earth (opens in new tab)'s history and plenty of behemoths still lurk in the ocean today though not all are ferocious predators. Here are eight of the biggest sharks from past and present. 1. Megamouth shark Megamouth sharks are rare and live in deepwater. (Image credit: NOAA) (opens in new tab) Megamouth sharks (Megachasma pelagios) are filter feeders and eat vast quantities of tiny shrimplike crustaceans and plankton, rather than hunting larger prey. The sharks feed by taking big gulps of seawater and then pushing the water out through their gills, leaving their mouth full of tasty little critters. Megamouth sharks can grow to about 16 feet (5 meters) long and weigh 1,650 pounds (750 kilograms), according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web (ADW) (opens in new tab). The species was first discovered off the coast of Hawaii in 1976 when a megamouth shark was struck and became entangled in the anchor of a Navy ship, Live Science previously reported (opens in new tab). Megamouth sharks spend their days deep in the ocean but ascend to surface waters at night as they follow their food source. They live in all major oceans around the world but their exact distribution remains poorly understood by scientists, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (opens in new tab). 2. Thresher shark One look at a common thresher shark (Alopias vulpinus) and it's easy to see where the bulk of its size comes from their long, sickle-shaped tails make up half their total body length, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (opens in new tab). Thresher sharks swipe their enormous tails like a whip to stun fish, smacking them directly and with the powerful waves generated by the swipes, making their prey easier to catch, Live Science previously reported (opens in new tab). The sharks often grow to 20 feet (6.1 m) long. The largest thresher shark ever recorded was 24.9 feet (7.6 m) long, and the heaviest weighed more than 750 pounds (340 kg), according to the Florida Museum of Natural History (opens in new tab). Thresher sharks live in tropical and cold sea waters worldwide and mostly eat small, schooling fish such as herring. Related: Whodunit solved when 'sword' is found embedded in thresher shark (opens in new tab) 3. Greenland shark Greenland shark swimming with an isolated on black background. (Image credit: dotted zebra / Alamy Stock Photo) (opens in new tab) Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) are peculiar animals that inhabit deep, cold waters in the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans. Ocean parasites often attach themselves to the eyes of Greenland sharks, which can render them partially blind. But that doesn't seem to bother these sharks much, as they use their other senses to catch prey, according to ADW (opens in new tab). Greenland sharks eat fish and marine mammals such as seals. They grow slowly but can reach lengths of 24 feet (7.3 m) and weigh up to 2,645 pounds (1,200 kg), according to the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory (opens in new tab) in Canada. Related: No, scientists haven't found a 512-year-old Greenland shark (opens in new tab) A 2016 study of Greenland shark eye tissue published in the journal Science (opens in new tab) estimated that these sharks don't even reach sexual maturity until they are about 156 years old, Live Science previously reported (opens in new tab). The study also suggested that the maximum lifespan of a Greenland shark is at least 272 years, with the oldest shark in the study estimated to have been about 392 years old. "It's important to keep in mind there's some uncertainty with this estimate," Julius Nielsen, co-author of the 2016 paper previously told Live Science. "But even the lowest part of the age range at least 272 years still makes Greenland sharks the longest-living vertebrate known to science." 4. Great white shark Great white shark at the surface with its mouth open wide. (Image credit: Stephen Frink via Getty Images) (opens in new tab) Great white sharks (opens in new tab) (Carcharodon carcharias) are perhaps the best-known predators in the ocean and the largest living sharks that don't filter feed. The biggest great white sharks are estimated to grow to 20 feet (6 m) long but there are unconfirmed reports of these sharks reaching lengths of 23 feet (7 m), according to the Florida Museum of Natural History (opens in new tab). They can also weigh up to 7,000 pounds (more than 3,000 kg), according to the World Wildlife Fund (opens in new tab) (WWF). As juveniles, great white sharks spend most of their time hunting fish and other small prey on and near the seafloor, Live Science previously reported (opens in new tab). When they grow up, the sharks hunt down marine mammals such as sea lions and dolphins. Great white sharks have a wide geographic range but are most common in temperate waters, such as off the west coast of the U.S. in the Pacific Ocean, according to the IUCN (opens in new tab). 5. Helicoprion An illustration of two Helicoprions (Image credit: HYPERSPHERE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images) (opens in new tab) There are a handful of extinct sharks that would comfortably meet and surpass the size of modern great white sharks and Greenland sharks, but the Helicoprion is perhaps the most bizarre example. This ancient ratfish relative is nicknamed the "buzz saw shark" as it had a whorl jaw with a spiral set of teeth. Fossilized Helicoprion jaws, which resemble spiky ammonites, indicate these sharks may have grown up to 25 feet (7.7 m) long, making them the largest predator on Earth when they lived nearly 270 million years ago, Live Science previously reported (opens in new tab). Related: Toothy spiral jaw gave ancient sea predator an edge (opens in new tab) 6. Basking shark A basking shark swimming underwater. (Image credit: George Karbus Photography via Getty Images) (opens in new tab) Great white sharks may be the largest predatory shark alive today but they seem almost quaint next to the biggest filter-feeding sharks. Although basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) only eat plankton, they can reach up to 40 feet (12.2 m) in length and weigh more than 5 tons (4.5 metric tons), according to the Florida Museum of Natural History (opens in new tab). These behemoths are most commonly found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, according to the IUCN (opens in new tab). Basking sharks are often regarded as slow, gentle giants but they are capable of rocketing out of the water at speeds of 11 mph (18 km/h) and jumping 4 feet (1.2 m) in the air to breach, Live Science previously reported (opens in new tab). This breaching behavior may be used to communicate with other basking sharks or to rid themselves of parasites. 7. Whale shark A whale shark swims next to a person in Isla Mujeres, Mexico (Image credit: Colors and shapes of underwater world via Getty Images) (opens in new tab) Whale sharks (opens in new tab) (Rhincodon typus) are the biggest filter-feeding sharks and the biggest fish in the world. They usually grow to between 18 and 33 feet (5 to 10 m) long and weigh around 21 tons (19 metric tons). However, the largest whale shark ever recorded was a whopping 66 feet (20 m) long and weighed 46 tons (42 metric tons), according to the Zoological Society of London (opens in new tab). Whale sharks live in tropical and warm temperate oceans around the world, except for the Mediterranean Sea. Whale sharks are categorized as an endangered species by the IUCN (opens in new tab) and are threatened with extinction due to fishing, boat strikes and other human activity. 8. Megalodon Two megalodon sharks on the prowl. (Image credit: Herschel Hoffmeyer/Shutterstock) (opens in new tab) The undisputed king of predatory sharks is the megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon). Members of this extinct species are the largest sharks to have ever lived and the biggest fish known to science. The exact size of megalodon (opens in new tab) is debated within the scientific community but they may have been up to about 60 feet (18 m) long based on teeth fossils, and perhaps even 80 feet (24 m) long. That's three to four times the length of the biggest great white sharks. They may also have weighed up to 50 tons (45.4 metric tons), according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (opens in new tab). Related: Megalodon shark mamas had human-size cannibal babies (opens in new tab) Most megalodon fossils are dated to between the middle Miocene epoch and the Pliocene epoch (15.9 million to 2.6 million years ago) and there is no record of them existing after this period. Megalodon have been resurrected on the big screen, such as in the 2018 science fiction thriller "The Meg," but the real megalodons are long gone (opens in new tab). A major railroad merger last week saw Canadian Pacific acquire Kansas City Southern for $31 billion. Both companies involved and local leaders have stated that the merger is a good thing for the area that will only bolster Laredo as the countrys No. 1 inland port, create more jobs for the community and benefit the overall economy. The effects of the merger are expected to be seen soon in the routes along the corridor in which the merger will take effect. As the largest inland port in the U.S., Laredo has been and will remain a key and vital inland port for the lifeline of trade between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, said Andy Cummings, a spokesperson for the Canadian Pacific Railroads. The CP/KCS combination will create the first and only single-line railroad in North America offering one-of-a-kind, single-line service to Canadian, U.S. and Mexican shippers. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to inject new rail competition into important north-south trade flows, making Laredo an even more important and more competitive port for the future. Cummings said the combination will enable rail transportation services that better meet the needs of both companies' customers. It should also expand their markets and facilitate economic growth in Laredo and across the entire rail network. Gene Lindgren, the president & CEO of the Laredo Economic Development Corporation, commended the railroad merger and said it will bring great benefits to the area. The LEDC applauds the decision by the U.S. government to approve the merger between Kansas City Southern and Canadian Pacific Railroads, Lindgren said. The merger is creating a larger and more efficient railroad that will make the entire North American region more competitive, and that by itself will have long-lasting positive impacts into reshoring and near-shoring investments in the U.S. and Mexico where Laredo will be the beneficiary due to our leadership in the supply chain. Lindgren also said the merger will help make a big local impact economically, as he states that Kansas City Southern has been deeply involved in the community working with the public and private sectors to make infrastructure and process improvements to reduce traffic and noise in the area. Another reason why the merger is being celebrated locally is that it will potentially bring new jobs to the area. Cummings confirmed that this is a new reality coming soon to the corridor in which Laredo is located. Youll note 85 new positions resulting from the merger on the corridor between Beaumont and Laredo, the spokesperson said. We forecast eight additional trains per day on the Laredo-Robstown route. To help provide more capacity to handle this anticipated growth, last year KCS began construction on a second rail bridge between Laredo and Nuevo Laredo to improve the flow of freight across the border and help reduce congestion. Also last year, KCS partnered with the City of Laredo in submitting (an) application for a federal CRISI grant where KCS will fund the local match to do planning and engineering for improvements along the KCS line through downtown Laredo, including grade separating in the future some crossings and other improvements, creating a secure rail corridor through Laredo, Cummings said. Lindgren further states that infrastructure projects can be expected to continue now that the merger is approved. Reports suggest that more traffic and congestion may be caused because of the merger, but he does not believe that this will be a long issue to deal with. According to Cummings in a report done by the STB's Office of Environmental Analysis, it was concluded that apart from train noise -- which could result in adverse impacts at some locations -- the potential adverse impacts of the Proposed Acquisition would be negligible, minor and/or temporary. CPKC will bring a new standard of safety to the routes it operates, Cummings said. CP has been the safest railroad in North America for 17 straight years, as measured by the Federal Railroad Administration train accident frequency ratio. In 2022, CP had an all-time best frequency of 0.93, a rate nearly half what the company produced a decade ago and 69% lower than the Class 1 average. Lindgren said that evidence of this can already be seen as Kansas City Southern is constructing a new rail bridge that will cost them about $100 million to be able to have dedicated northbound and southbound bridges. We are also aware of proposals to elevate the downtown tracks which would completely remove commuter issues, and we will work with the management team for the new railroad Canadian Pacific Kansas City to support these initiatives, Lindgren said. Overall, the people at CPKC believed that this will all help Laredo grow further as an inland port and its place on the commercial trade map. These actions combined will help Laredo remain and grow as an important inland port, bring new opportunity and jobs, and secure Laredos role in the border economy -- all while making investments in new capacity and corridor improvements along the route to benefit the community, Cummings said. The City of Laredo Utilities water pollution inspector accused of exposing his private part to a Jack in the Box employee inside the restroom is denying the allegations, according to an arrest affidavit. Juan Cardenas, 60, claimed he needed to use the restroom due to stomach issues, which included diarrhea. But on March 15, Cardenas was served with an arrest warrant that charged him with indecent exposure. Webb County Jail records show he was later released on bond. "The City of Laredo is currently going through the appropriate process and is finalizing the internal investigation on this case. Once that is completed we will take the appropriate action. In the meantime, the employee is on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation," the city said in a statement. The case unfolded at about 4:50 p.m. March 10, when police officers responded to an indecent exposure report at the Jack in the Box on 3501 San Dario Ave. A male employee stated that on March 9, a City of Laredo Utilities worker had exposed his genitals to him while working as a water pollution inspector. Authorities identified the inspector as Cardenas. The man stated he was working for Jack in the Box carrying supplies to a vehicle in the parking lot when Cardenas approached him to ask him personal questions. Questions included his name, dating status and the time the employee would get out from work, states the affidavit. As the two walked toward the entrance of Jack in the Box, Cardenas asked the man where the restroom was. The man found this odd since Cardenas had used the restroom minutes before. He directed Cardenas to the restroom. Cardenas then asked him to follow him, court documents state. Since Cardenas was conducting an inspection of the establishment, the man believed Cardenas asked him to follow him to continue the inspection. Cardenas then held the door for the male employee so he could enter. (The male) detailed that once inside the restroom, Cardenas unzipped his pants, pulled his pants and underwear down and exposed his erect penis to (the male) who was shocked at the act and immediately exited the restroom, states the affidavit. The male employee then told the on-duty manager about the incident. Cardenas then departed in his official vehicle. Authorities said the interaction prior to going inside the restroom was recorded in the surveillance video. On March 13, Cardenas met with an LPD investigator to talk about the allegations. Cardenas stated he was conducting an official inspection of the restaurant while working as a City of Laredo Utilities water pollution inspector. During the inspection, Cardenas asked the male employee where the water meter was located. This contradicted what surveillance footage showed. In addition, Cardenas had already inspected the water meter as per documentation on his work iPad, according to court documents. Cardenas added that after completing his inspection, he felt he needed to defecate due to stomach issues, including diarrhea, and he cannot wait if he has to go to the restroom. Cardenas went back inside Jack in the Box to use the restroom, states the affidavit. Cardenas stated he never asked (the male employee) where the restroom was or to follow him into the restroom, states the affidavit. Cardenas claimed he entered the restroom by himself. He added he observed the male employee entering the restroom several seconds later. This contradicts what the surveillance footage shows, authorities said. Cardenas denied exposing his erect penis to (the male employee) inside the restroom, states the affidavit. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Consulate General of Mexico in Laredo held a ceremony to celebrate the 217th birthday of Benito Juarez, this week at Bruni Plaza. Also in attendance were the mayor of City of Laredo and the Symbolic Lodge Caballeros del Silencio #4. Benito Juarez (1806-72) was a Mexican national hero and president of Mexico from 1861-72. For a span of three years from 186467, he fought against foreign occupation under the emperor Maximilian and sought constitutional reforms to create a democratic federal republic. During the ceremony, the Consul General of Mexico in Laredo, Juan Carlos Mendoza Sanchez, strongly condemned the plans of Republican politicians so that Congress of the United States authorizes a military intervention in Mexico under the pretext of confronting drug cartels. During the administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, our military forces have destroyed 1,307 clandestine laboratories and have arrested 1,393 drug traffickers through military intelligence actions, Mendoza Sanchez said. He added that the Mexican military has seized, among other drugs, 6,115 kilograms of fentanyl -- an amount that can make up to 3.5 billion doses. The respect for the rights of others means peace, Mendoza Sanchez said, quoting Juarez's famous phrase. "Viva Benito Juarez and viva the friendship between Mexico and the United States." Laredo Mayor Dr. Victor Trevino said Benito Juarez's leadership earned him his place as a Mexican national hero. The message (from Juarez) should be continuous and propagate because the deeds of such an important person should continue to be the model to function as citizens and having that sense of humanism, Trevino said. Jimena Morales, from the Consulate General of Mexico in Laredo, said that Juarez was the forger of the Mexican State. Therefore his figure transcended his time because of his teachings and principles that remain valid nowadays, she said. For Mexico, his mandate marked a before and after in history. It is important to remember the heroes whom made our country grow in order to understand our present. Identified with liberal ideology, Juarez undertook a series of reforms in 1859 that definitively separated political and ecclesiastical power. With this, Mexico was established as a secular state, said Jazmin Castillo, from the Consulate General of Mexico in Laredo. However, it would be a mistake to interpret the figure and actions of Juarez as isolated since they come from specific political and ideological movements, one of them was freemasonry. Juarez explained that he decided to become a freemason out of love for the institution's philanthropic motto: 'Liberty, equality and fraternity.'" Castillo added that the motto inspired him to fight for the poor and those who were "thirst for justice" to practice tolerance without distinction and to fight against "hypocrisy and fanaticism." Thus the Respetable Mexican Lodge in Texas celebrates Juarez by keeping him present during their sessions and by keeping a bust of Juarez in their establishment, Castillo said. They were also present at the ceremony. Castillo added that the ceremony took place in Plaza Bruni because from about 1900, it was known locally as Juarez Plaza, named for the organization Sociedad Mutualista Hijos de Juarez. Finally, Mendoza Sanchez said that Mexico and the United States are experiencing an integration process that deepens the economies of both countries. The best way to face problems and differences is dialogue and cooperation that respects the sovereignty of the neighbor, as agreed by both countries in the "Declaration of Friendship" during the celebration of the Bicentennial of Diplomatic Relations between Mexico and the United States, which it was signed in December, Mendoza Sanchez said. AUBURN The Rev. Banu Moore spent over a week preparing an array of Turkish foods for a fundraiser supporting the country she originally hails from. A fundraiser for survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey was held at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday, with crafts from vendors, a bake sale, a raffle, a buffet of Turkish foods and more. Moore, who was born and raised in Turkey and is co-pastor of the church, was one of the organizers for the event. Money raised will go to Samaritan's Purse International Relief Assistance, which opened an emergency field in the city of Antakya, a page from the Samaritan's Purse website said. Three earthquakes struck the country in February, with two Feb. 6 and another Feb. 20. Over 60,000 people in 10 cities have died as a result. Moore noted her family members in the country are safe, but said she has relatives and friends who were impacted. She acknowledged the current need in Turkey due to the disasters and said she was still happy to help "It's just a little bit of a drop in a big bucket," Moore said. "Everything helps." Looking around at the people eating, chatting and looking at vendors' good, Moore said she was delighted by the support and thanked the volunteers helping with the event. "This is what community does, right?" she said. The buffet spread of Turkish foods included meatballs, bread and other dishes, with the aroma filling the air. Volunteers serving food at the buffet included troop leader Heather Demaria and members of Girl Scout Troop 60311, of Auburn. Members Lydia Wasilenko, 12, and MacKenna Bauso, 11, said they wanted to help and wanted something to do this weekend. MacKenna, who had been handling Turkish tea, said she had few spills. Moore said she spent over a week creating the food, although Laura Hahn, owner of catering business Little Yard Farm, helped Friday and Saturday. Moore, who said she still greatly appreciates Turkish food and culture, used the recipes of her mother, who was a classically trained chef. Praising church members and other volunteers for their efforts for the event, Moore talked about why she wanted to devote so much time to the fundraiser. "We want to help people, they need the medical care ... they need the funds," she said. Ethel Shaw, a deacon at the church, was at the register for a table filled with baked goods. Another side of the room had items created by Marianne Langtry of the business MiMi Repurposed It!, Ann Frame of the business SkinnyAtlasRose and Donna Miner. In a different part of the church, volunteers Jayla Garrigan and Dixie Tindall, both 15, high school students at Cato-Meridian Junior-Senior High School, were making bracelets. Volunteer Teena Johnson-Rice was holding down the fort at the tables for the raffle prizes. Johnson-Race, who said that her and her family had been assisted by the church before, talked about what it was look seeing people support the event and the cause. "No. 1, people getting together is a blessing in and of itself," she said. "No. 2, this is something I fully believe in because we're helping somebody else, and they have a heart, and that's what it's all about, is being there for one another." Friends Barbara Gray, Nancy Pennypacker, Terri Fitzmaurice and Maryjane Benson said they hadn't been familiar with Turkish food, said they wanted to help and praised the event. Benson said she wishes there were more cultural events like this in the area "Tasting more foods, there's a big heritage in this area for a lot of different cultures," she added. For more information or to donate to Samaritan's Purse International Relief Assistance, visit samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/turkey-earthquake-response. Close Ethel Shaw, a deacon at Fist Presbyterian Church in Auburn, organizes bake goods for sale during a fundraiser to benefit survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. Marianne Langtry of MiMi Repurposed It!, left, Ann Frame of SkinnyAtlasRose and Donna Miner hold down the fort at tables with crafts they made, during a fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday. The fundraiser is meant to benefit survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. Teena Johnson-Rice poses by raffle prizes during a fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday. People eat and talk during a fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday to benefit survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. Art created by Mary Byrne is displayed at an installation of artwork during a fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday. The fundraiser is meant to benefit survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. The Rev. Banu Moore, who was born and raised in Turkey and is co-pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Auburn, speaks to people during a fundraiser at the church Saturday to benefit survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. People gather at a fundraiser Saturday for survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn. Jayla Garrigan and Dixie Tindall make bracelets for sale during a fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday for survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. Gallery: Fundraiser for Turkey earthquake survivors held at Auburn church People spend time with each other during a fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday. The fundraiser is meant to benefit survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. Ethel Shaw, a deacon at Fist Presbyterian Church in Auburn, organizes bake goods for sale during a fundraiser to benefit survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. Marianne Langtry of MiMi Repurposed It!, left, Ann Frame of SkinnyAtlasRose and Donna Miner hold down the fort at tables with crafts they made, during a fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday. The fundraiser is meant to benefit survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. Teena Johnson-Rice poses by raffle prizes during a fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday. People eat and talk during a fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday to benefit survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. Art created by Mary Byrne is displayed at an installation of artwork during a fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday. The fundraiser is meant to benefit survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. The Rev. Banu Moore, who was born and raised in Turkey and is co-pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Auburn, speaks to people during a fundraiser at the church Saturday to benefit survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. People gather at a fundraiser Saturday for survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn. Jayla Garrigan and Dixie Tindall make bracelets for sale during a fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church in Auburn Saturday for survivors of recent earthquakes in Turkey. A Laredo federal grand jury has returned a 13-count indictment accusing a Zapata resident of fraud and obtaining benefits illegally, according to court documents. Mirza Lydia Rodriguez, 45, was arrested on March 24 on the charges of bank fraud, fraud by wire, radio or television, aggravated identity theft, Housing and Urban Development/FHA fraud and false statement to federal agency or agent. Rodriguez is expected to make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga on March 27 at 9:30 a.m. If convicted, Rodriguez faces up to 30 years for her one count of bank fraud, 20 years for each of her three counts of wire fraud, a mandatory two years for her charge of aggravated identity theft, up to two years for each of her three counts of Housing and Urban Development fraud, and up to five years for each of her four counts of lying to authorities. In total, she faces up to 118 years in prison for the 13 charges she faces. Rodriguez will also receive a mandatory two years for the identity theft upon conviction, which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. It was part of the scheme that Rodriguez would submit fraudulent applications with the Laredo Housing Authoritys Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP). Rodriguez also submitted paperwork for the HCVP in relation to her residence in the 600 block of Falcon Avenue in Zapata, Texas, according to the indictment. The HCVP is the federal governments major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly and disabled to afford decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market. Public housing agencies administer the housing choice vouchers who receive the finds from Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The (Laredo Housing Authority) is the local agency responsible for the administration of the HCVP, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. When submitting applications to the housing authority, Rodriguez omitted information relevant to considering whether she would qualify for housing assistance, authorities said. The charges allege she submitted paperwork to (the housing authority) under the guise that someone else was the property owner and landlord of where she was living, when this was not true. She then submitted a direct deposit authorization using this same falsified information for the propertys landlord, but included banking information allegedly belonging to herself, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Falcon International Bank was responsible for maintaining LHAs funds, according to the indictment. The bank would allegedly disburse housing and utility assistance payments, which are, under the HCVP, meant for the propertys landlord. However, the charges allege the funds were directly deposited into Rodriguezs account. Rodriguez allegedly received more than $30,000 over the course of five years. She is also accused of wire fraud in relation to applications to the Texas Workforce Commission, the state agency tasked with administering Texas unemployment insurance program. Rodriguez promoted herself as a tax preparer and collected personal identifying information for her clients when preparing returns telling people she could assist in obtaining unemployment benefits, according to the indictment. It was further part of the scheme that defendant Rodriguez would thereafter receive the unemployment benefits, designed for another, into her bank account via direct deposit, states the indictment. As a result of the execution of the scheme to defraud, defendant Rodriguez, over the course of sixteen individually disbursed payments, fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits funds from the (Texas Workforce Commission) which resulted in a cumulative loss of $30,505. The FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety-Texas Rangers, Zapata County Sheriffs Office and Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Texas Workforce Commission and the Laredo Housing Authority. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew is prosecuting the case. Some abortion advocacy nonprofit groups have resumed paying for Texans to get abortions out of state after a court ruling last month. These groups, called abortion funds, stopped paying for abortion procedures and travel to out-of-state clinics after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, citing confusion and fear of violating Texas intersecting abortion bans. Virtually overnight, all of Texas abortion clinics closed and the infrastructure that helped Texans access out-of-state care evaporated alongside them. Many of the people these funds work with likely could not afford to leave the state without their financial support, said Denise Rodriguez, communications director with the Texas Equal Access Fund. When we found out we had to pause funding, that was something that was really heartbreaking for everybody on our team, Rodriguez said. Now that were able to start funding abortions again, thats what this organization was started for, so everybody is just excited. The Dallas-based TEA Fund provides Texans vouchers that lessen the costs of abortions at out-of-state clinics. Rodriguez said they have enough funding to assist anyone who calls in between Monday, when their hotline reopens, and June 24, the one-year anniversary of the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Fund Texas Choice, a statewide group that assists with travel expenses, said on Twitter that they have reopened their hotline and are resuming limited practical support. The Austin-based Lilith Fund has also reopened its hotline and is funding out-of-state abortions again, a spokesperson said. Other groups are preparing to relaunch their funding mechanisms as well. This flurry of activity comes after a federal judge granted a temporary injunction in February, blocking a handful of county prosecutors from pursuing charges against anyone who helps a Texan access abortion out of state. The ruling is not binding statewide, but it has reassured some groups enough to resume operations. All of it is so uncertain, but were going to fund abortions until were forced to stop, Rodriguez said. Abortion opponents, including state Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, have long threatened legal action against abortion funds for helping Texans leave the state for abortion. Last March, Cain sent cease-and-desist letters, warning the funds that they and their donors were violating the law. These are criminal organizations, Cain wrote. It is a crime to pay for another persons abortion in Texas, and anyone who gives money to these abortion funds will be prosecuted. As abortion funds celebrated the recent court ruling and announced their new plans on Twitter, abortion opponent Mark Lee Dickson replied, warning them about potential liability under sanctuary city for the unborn ordinances. These ordinances, which Dickson has helped pass in more than 50 cities nationwide, ban abortion within city limits, and some prohibit assisting a resident with an abortion, even outside city limits. These laws have not been tested in court. The TEA Fund responded to Dicksons tweet, asking their supporters to make a donation in his honor. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/24/texas-court-abortion-funds/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. Tesla has issued a safety recall for 2,649 units of Model S luxury electric sedans in China which were manufactured in the US, reports CnEVPost. These Tesla Model S sedans come with a faulty frunk lid, which pops open automatically while driving, posing a safety risk for the vehicle and other cars. Interestingly, Tesla recalled several Model S sedans in late 2021 for the same reason, and now the campaign has expanded. The report states that the affected Tesla Model S sedan's front trunk's latch lock is faulty. This results in a chance the frunk lid could pop open while driving. This could result in a safety risk since it would limit the driver's forward visibility. Also Read : Fourth-gen Porsche Cayenne EV to be built at VW Groups Slovakia plant The report also claims that the affected Tesla Model S were produced between 14th October 2015 and 23rd August 2020. These particular vehicles have a secondary latch alignment that has been described as slightly backward, which could prevent it from locking. However, the frunk's primary latching system claims to be unaffected. Also check these Cars Find more Cars UPCOMING Tesla Model S 70 Lakhs - 1 Cr* *Expected Price View Details UPCOMING Mercedes-benz Eqe 70 - 90 Lakhs* *Expected Price View Details UPCOMING Tesla Model 3 70 - 90 Lakhs* *Expected Price View Details Mercedes-benz V-class 71.1 Lakhs - 1.46 Cr* Ex-showroom price Add to compare Check latest offers Mercedes-benz Eqb 74.5 Lakhs* *Ex-showroom price Add to compare Check latest offers The report also says that when the Tesla Model S' primary latch is accidentally released, the frunk could suddenly open while the EV is still in motion since there's a chance the secondary latch isn't properly locked. Previously, Tesla recalled a total of 19,167 Model S sedans on 31st December 2021 for similar reasons. The impacted sedans by the previous recall were produced between 21st January 2015 and 18th November 2020. Tesla doesn't manufacture Model S cars in China or other countries around the world except for the US. The Tesla Model S, which is the auto manufacturer's flagship sedan, is built at the Fremont factory in California along with the Tesla Model X SUV. The automaker will inspect the affected car's frunk lid's secondary latch lock. If the locking system isn't functioning properly and keeping the frunk lid closed when the primary lock is released while the car is in motion, Tesla will reposition and reinstall the secondary latch with the proper alignment without any charge to the consumer. First Published Date: US helicopters opened fire on insurgents in Basrah, killing one and wounding three. Insurgents killed two Iraqi soldiers in Mosul and two more in Baghdad. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. US Central Command [CENTCOM] attempted to distinguish between the Al Nusrah Front, al Qaedas official branch in Syria, and the so-called Khorasan Group in yesterdays press release that detailed airstrikes in Syria. CENTCOM, which directs the US and coalition air campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, denied that the five airstrikes targeted the Nusrah Front as a whole due to its infighting with the Syrian Revolutionaries Front, but instead claimed the attacks were directed at the Khorasan Group. These strikes were not in response to the Nusrah Fronts clashes with the Syrian moderate opposition, and they did not target the Nusrah Front as a whole, CENTCOM noted in its press release. The CENTCOM statement goes a step further by implying that the Al Nusrah Front is fighting against the Syrian government while the Khorasan Group is hijacking the Syrian revolution to conduct attacks against the West. They [the US airstrikes] were directed at the Khorasan Group whose focus is not on overthrowing the Asad regime or helping the Syrian people, CENTCOM continues. These al Qaeda operatives are taking advantage of the Syrian conflict to advance attacks against Western interests. Before stating this, CENTCOM noted that members of Al Nusrah are part of the Khorasan Group. The Khorasan Group is a term used to refer to a network of Nusrah Front and al Qaeda core extremists who share a history of training operatives, facilitating fighters and money, and planning attacks against U.S. and Western targets, CENTCOM said. However the Al Nusrah Front disagrees with CENTCOMs attempt to draw distinctions between the Khorasan Group and the Nusrah Front as a whole. In a series of tweets from its media branch in Idlib, where the strikes took place, Al Nusrah decried the attacks as being directed against the group. Al Nusrah released photographs purporting to show a headquarters and some of its infrastructure that were destroyed in the airstrikes. [See LWJ report, Al Nusrah Front tweets photos allegedly showing aftermath of coalition airstrikes.] CENTCOMs attempt to distinguish between the Al Nusrah Front and the Khorasan Group is curious given that some of Nusrahs top leaders are seasoned al Qaeda leaders who are also top officials in the Khorasan Group. Among them are Muhsin al Fadhli, a Kuwaiti who started working with Al Nusrah in 2013, and an al Qaeda leader known as Sanafi al Nasr. Fadhli was a target of the first wave of US airstrikes in Syria, which killed Abu Yusuf al Turki, a senior jihadist who was suspected of taking part in an al Qaeda plot to assassinate President George W. Bush at a NATO summit in 2004. Al Turki trained snipers for the Al Nusrah Front, but his career began years before Al Nusrah was even established. Sanafi al Nasr is a good example of just how integrated the Al Nusrah Front is with other parts of al Qaedas international network. Nasr leads a strategic planning committee for al Qaedas senior leadership and also serves at the highest levels of Al Nusrah. The US Treasury Department has described Nasr as one of the Al Nusrah Fronts top strategists and a senior leader in the group. Nasr is involved in both Al Nusrahs fight against the Assad regime and the planning of mass casualty attacks in the West. [For more on Sanafi al Nasr, see LWJ reports: Treasury designates 2 key al Qaeda financiers, Head of al Qaedas Victory Committee in Syria and Senior al Qaeda strategist part of so-called Khorasan group.] The Al Nusrah Front itself is an official al Qaeda branch. Abu Mohammed al Julani, Nusrahs emir, has sworn allegiance to al Qaedas leader, Ayman al Zawahiri. And when Zawahiri sided with Nusrah in its dispute with the rival Islamic State, Zawahiri assigned Syria to the Al Nusrah Front. The US recognizes the Al Nusrah Front as an official terrorist group. In December 2012, the State Department listed it as a Foreign Terrorist Organization [FTO]. Additionally, two Al Nusrah operatives were listed as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. In the 2012 FTO designation, State noted that the Al Nusrah Front itself was an attempt by al Qaeda to hijack the Syrian revolution. Al Nusrah has sought to portray itself as part of the legitimate Syrian opposition while it is, in fact, an attempt by AQI [al Qaeda in Iraq, the founder of the Al Nusrah Front] to hijack the struggles of the Syrian people for its own malign purposes, State continued. Today, CENTCOM implied that the Al Nusrah Front was fighting the Assad regime whereas the Khorasan group is attempting to hijack the Syrian civil war. The truth is that there is no firm dividing line between Al Nusrahs role in the anti-Assad fight and its anti-Western designs. The Khorasan group is merely a group of senior al Qaeda leaders who are embedded within Al Nusrah, and they have been attempting to identify Western recruits who joined the fight in Syria but can be repurposed for attacks in their home countries or elsewhere abroad. This is entirely consistent with al Qaedas modus operandi elsewhere. Al Qaeda is principally an insurgency organization, which seeks to challenge and supplant various governments throughout the Muslim-majority world. Its regional branches, such as Al Nusrah and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), will continue to devote some part of their resources to attacking the West. That is, al Qaeda is devoted to both guerrilla warfare and plotting spectacular terrorist attacks in the Western world. It does not make sense to pretend that there is some wide gulf between these two objectives. After all, al Qaedas so-called Khorasan group is pursuing both aims at the same time. CENTCOM is wrong to suggest, therefore, that the Khorasan group is substantively different from Al Nusrah. Both are simply al Qaeda. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. U.S. officials blame Iran-backed groups for targeting a facility housing U.S. military personnel near Hasakah in northeast Syria on Thursday. The attack killed one American contractor and wounded several U.S. service members. American intelligence estimates a drone of Iranian origin carried out the strike. A Syrian militia, called Liwa al-Ghaliboun, say they are behind the assault near Hasakah on Thursday. However, the group did not provide evidence to support the claim. For its part, Kataib Hezbollah leader Abu al-Askari congratulated the Syrian people for the strikes on American bases but denied his group was behind the offensives. In response to Thursdays attack, the U.S. military carried out airstrikes against facilities used by Iran-backed militias in Deir Ezzor near the Syria-Iraq border. A statement by CENTCOM commander Mike Kurilla detailed the American response following the drone assault. This evening, we responded to an attack on our forces that killed an American contractor and wounded our troops and another American contractor by striking facilities used by groups affiliated with Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Following the U.S. strikes in Deir Ezzor, ten rockets targeted U.S. personnel at the Mission Support Site Green Village in northeast Syria on Friday morning. No American troops were injured, but civilians were wounded when a rocket strayed off course and struck a home, according to a CENTCOM statement. On the morning of Mar. 24, at approximately 8:05 a.m. local time, ten rockets targeted coalition forces at the Mission Support Site Green village. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted that U.S. strikes in Deir Ezzor were also a response to a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria by affiliated with the IRGC. In addition to the Friday morning rocket offensive, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News that more strikes were launched on American bases by Iran-backed groups in eastern Syria that day, resulting in one wounded American soldier. Militias loyal to Iran have been operating in Syria since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, and these deployments include Lebanese Hezbollah, Pakistani Zainebiyoun, and Afghan Fatemiyoun Brigades. U.S. troops have been assaulted about 78 times in Syria since the beginning of 2021, according to data published by the U.S. military. The U.S. has previously responded with force against Iran-backed groups in Syria. In Dec. 2019, the U.S. attacked Kataib Hezbollah facilities in Iraq and Syria, killing at least 25 members. While militias in Syria have previously targeted American forces, Shiite groups based in Iraq have also carried out offensives. On Jan. 24, 2023, an Iraqi facade group called Tashkil al-Warithin said it was responsible for attacking a U.S. military base in al-Tanf, Syria, with drones. In 2020, Iran-backed groups launched a campaign of onslaughts against American coalition forces in Iraq. [See FDDs Long War Journal Analysis: Irans propaganda game inside Iraq.] David Adesnik, an FDD senior fellow and director of research, noted that Tehran had taken notice of the U.S. militarys underwhelming response to strikes from its proxies in the region. The frequency of attacks on U.S. targets demonstrates the failure of the Biden administrations efforts to deter Tehran. Its rare counterstrikes impose limited costs that the IRGC and its proxies can easily bear. Joe Truzman is a contributor to FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. " " The diesel engine was invented in 1878 by Rudolf Diesel who then patented his new invention in 1892. u3d/Shutterstock Diesel engines work on the same basic principles as an internal combustion engine, but they do the work differently. Let's take a closer look. The story of the diesel engine actually begins with the invention of the gasoline engine. Nikolaus August Otto invented and patented the gasoline engine in 1876. His invention used the four-stroke combustion principle, also known as the "Otto Cycle," and it's the basic premise for most car engines today. In its early stage, the gasoline engine wasn't very efficient, and other major methods of transportation, such as the steam engine, fared poorly as well. Only about 10 percent of the fuel used in these types of engines actually moved a vehicle. The rest of the fuel simply produced useless heat. Advertisement In 1878, Rudolf Diesel created an engine with a higher efficiency, and he devoted much of his time to developing a "combustion power engine." By 1892 Diesel had obtained a patent for what we now call the diesel engine. For decades, diesel engines had a reputation for being sooty, dirty and loud. While Europe adopted the technology pretty widely, most drivers in the United States said no, thank you. By the 21st century, though, diesel engines became far cleaner, much quieter and even more efficient, but they experienced a setback in popular opinion because of the Volkswagen diesel scandal in 2014. Thanks to their proven efficiency, though, diesels are regaining some ground. In this article, we unlock the secrets of the diesel engine and learn about some new advancements. L.A.B are taking on the world, and we wanna send you along to their show in Honolulu HAWAII!!! Jose Maria Manso is the chief inspector of the National Police's immigration division in the Balearics. In recent years, the number of people arriving illegally in small boats has risen sharply, and he says that "unfortunately, it's a great 'business' and it's very profitable". Last year, the police arrested some fifty skippers of boats. They were from 'mafias' dedicated to the human trafficking of migrants, and he explains that in Algeria - which is where the boats come from - these criminal groups select people who know how to navigate the boats. "The skippers are sailors and knowledgeable people." The journey is some 270 nautical miles and can normally be done in around 24 hours. The price varies. "It depends on the number of people travelling, the type of boat and the origin. The average cost of the trip is usually 1,000 euros if they are Algerian and 1,500 if they are sub-Saharan." The profile of migrant "has changed a lot". "It used to be that they were only young Algerians but now we find absolutely everyone. Men, women, the elderly, children and babies. Anyone who can pay the mafias can get a ticket and come." It's said that the Balearics are a transit destination. Chief Inspector Manso agrees that this was normally always the case. Migrants were either expelled or left for other European countries. "But now, as the number of new arrivals increases and they cannot be expelled, there are many who decide to stay here. It's no secret that Spain and Algeria broke off relations some time ago. From that moment the procedure for expelling people was closed; Algeria won't accept people being repatriated." He addresses a couple of myths, one that migrants are brought by a mother ship and then put onto boats near the coast. "That's completely false. They arrive by boat on the direct Algeria-Mallorca route. They've been coming for centuries." Another is that migrants are fleeing war and hunger. "In Algeria there is no war and therefore they are not fleeing from any armed conflict. There is hunger like anywhere else, but there is also aid and there are social services. The reasons are very different, such as those for people who arrive relatively well dressed and with the latest generation phones." Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass. The Bank of the Philippines Islands (BPI) secured back-to-back awards from a multitude of notable local and regional awarding entities throughout 2022. These recognitions underscore the banks purpose-driven and staunch commitment in promoting conscious consumerism and sustainable operations by embedding positive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into its core. BPI received a record-high 10 recognitions which further affirmed its position as the leader in sustainability in the Philippine banking industry and as among the best in the Asia Pacific region. BPI was recognized as the Most Sustainable Bank (Philippines) by International Business Magazine Awards; Best Bank for Sustainable Finance (Philippines) by Global Finance Sustainable Finance Awards; Best Sustainable Bank (Philippines) by FinanceAsia Country Awards; Top Sustainability Advocates in Asia by Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards; Sustainability Company of the YearCircle of Excellence by Asia CEO Awards; and Best Bank for Sustainable Finance Domestic, Philippines by The Asset Triple A Country Awards for Sustainable Finance. The Bank also clinched the Financial Leadership in Sustaining Communities (Asia Pacific) citation from Global Finance Sustainable Finance Awards, House Awards Service Providers APAC: ESG Solution from Corporate Treasurer Awards, Market Leader in ESG from Euromoney Market Leaders, and Award for Sustainable Development Finance Program from Manila Bulletins Sustainability Recognition Night. Jose Teodoro K. Limcaoco, BPI President and CEO, vows to further broaden the Banks ESG impact to consistently deliver great value to its stakeholders, guided by its culture, mission, and values. ADVERTISEMENT We are grateful for the continuing support that we receive from our clients, investors, partners, employees, and regulatorssupport that has helped BPI be recognized as the top bank for sustainability in the Philippines and among the leaders in Asia Pacific. These awards inspire us to develop more actionable solutions so that we, in turn, can help our clients and the communities we serve achieve their own sustainability initiatives, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, he said. Some of BPIs sustainability highlights last year included the launch of new sustainable products that promote responsible banking such as the BPI Sustainable Invest Funds, BPI MyBahay, Energy Transition Finance Facility, Pamilya Protect, NegosyoKo Lite, and the Green Saver Time Deposit. BPI also doubled down on its commitment to achieving responsible operations and creating a positive impact on the environment and society by launching the BizKo and VYBE App; conducting a sustainability summit for employees; transforming three BPI offices into 100% renewable energy-powered branches; organizing sustainability trainings and learning sessions for clients. The Bank also achieved the IFC-EDGE certification of its five branches namely BPI Iloilo Solis, BPI Loyola Katipunan, BPI Guiguinto, BPI San Fernando Highway Main, and BPI North Greenhills. Last year, BPI also organized its first Sustainability Awareness Month in June, to bring companies, communities, and citizens together to address the problem of climate change. The bank also introduced its first celebrity endorser for sustainability, actress and sustainability advocate Bea Alonzo, to spearhead its #BPISustainableWithYou campaign. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Due to its booming economy, rich history and culture, and captivating landscapes, the island group of Visayas continuously impresses local and international personalities from various industries. For instance, Region VI (Western Visayas, composed of Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo) is home to the world-renowned Boracay beach and famous festivals, like Dinagyang, Masskara, and Ati-Atihan. On the other hand, Region VII (Central Visayas, composed of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor) is the gateway for foreign and domestic tourism. These features are only some of what makes the two Visayan regions worth visiting and empowering. Fortunately, they have competent lady legislators representing them in the House of Representatives to voice their needs and wants for a more secure and progressive future. HON. JANE T. CASTRO (Capiz, Second District) I can encourage and inspire women to reach for their dreams, contribute to society, and take on leadership roles despite their circumstances in life; that whether they are stay-at-home mothers like I was before I entered politics, or executives in large corporations, as long as they work hard, and push for small changes to better themselves and their environment at home and at work, it will slowly improve womens affairs. After serving as the Representative of Capizs Second District, Castro successfully returned to the position for the 19th Congress. It shows how the people trusted her brand of public service as it positively impacted her community throughout the years. ADVERTISEMENT Castro is a seasoned and wise public servant. She actively led her constituents in developing and preserving Capizs heritage. The lawmaker also embraces change in the modern world, allowing her to connect more with Filipinos. In the 19th Congress, she pushed for several acts, including encouraging corporate social responsibility, establishing an aquaculture feed mill in a barangay in Panay, Capiz, and providing for developing sustainable cities and communities in the Philippines. HON. MA. LUCILLE L. NAVA, M.D. (Guimaras, Lone District) Standing in a crucial position to transform the women in our community, I endeavor to embody strength and light. My advocacy is to give them a voice in policies affecting them, to teach them financial literacy and to sustain the livelihood that is granted to them by the government. This was my guiding principle when I founded the Integrated Womens Alliance of Guimaras in 2017. The Integrated Womens Alliance of Guimaras is taking bigger strides by becoming an active contributor to their community, as they become an integral member of the Development Councils in the Province. This has proven successful in improving the role of women in their communities, and not just as the housewives and mothers, but in giving them a powerful voice to steer the development of their Barangays and Municipalities, and later, even at the Provincial level. Today, members of the Integrated Womens Alliance of Guimaras have found their collective voice as they continue to create opportunities for themselves. This has led to success stories of sustainability paving the way for financial stability. As their founding chairwoman, this gives me the opportunity and duty to open more doors for them and bridge institutional and societal gaps. As a legislator, I became the Chairperson for the House Committee on Population and Family Relations during the previous 18th Congress. During my stint, I dealt with all referred matters relating to population growth, family planning and the rights and responsibilities relating to family relations. This 19th Congress, as a Vice-Chairperson in the Committee of Appropriations. I endeavor to use this new position to ensure programs that cultivate health, education and the protection of women and seniors remain in place. At this juncture in my political career, I hope to inspire more young people, especially young girls, that the possibilities are endless. Work hard. Follow your dreams. Be the voice where there is none. Since the pandemic struck two years ago, people began to appreciate the relevance of having someone knowledgeable about medicine representing the community. Fortunately, Nava already established herself as well-versed in politics and health. As an example of a modern woman, she proves she can have a flourishing career and a happy home. Even though shes in her last term as a legislator, Nava remains dedicated to providing a better life for her constituents. Her recent goal is to have better infrastructure in her district to improve the publics quality of living, tourism, and economy. Nava has principally authored bills that advocate education, health and environmental protection. These include the conversion of Guimaras State College into Guimaras State University, the upgrading of Dr. Catalino Gallego Nava Provincial Hospital to a Level II hospital, the declaration of Taklong Marine Reserve to be protected as a Natural Park, and the Permanent Validity of Certificates of Live Birth, Death and Marriage. HON. JANETTE L. GARIN (Iloilo, First District) As women, we have to work doubly hard to ensure that our voices are not drowned out in a patriarchal society. As a legislator, I understand that my voice is powered by the voices of my constituents. With this challenge and responsibility in mind, my voice should echo that of my people and be loud enough to be heard by those in power. By leading with honesty and integrity and ensuring that I am serving my people effectively, I can empower both girls and women to believe in the power of their own voices and to see that they too can lead. I will work to break down the barriers that hold Filipinas back and to create opportunities for them to succeed. Together, with women leaders in the House, we can create a society that values and uplifts women, where their voices are heard and their contributions are celebrated. I believe that nothing is louder than the voice of a fiery woman with an advocacy to work for, principles to stand for, and people to serve. Doc Nanay, as she is endearingly called by her constituents, has always prioritized legislation and projects that empower the people, going beyond the boundaries of the First District of Iloilo. Her deep understanding of the plight of women, children, the elderly, and the less privileged drives her to ensure that public welfare comes first. Employing her background in public health and medicine, she ushered the enactment of laws such as the Cheaper Medicines Act, Reproductive Health Law, and Magna Carta of Women. Garins brand of service is a perfect mixture of head, heart, and hands. She launched several livelihood projects in her district, providing earnest ways for Ilonggo families to have additional income despite the pandemic. She was chosen as one of the Top 100 Inspiring People of the World in 2011 by Women Deliver New York and was conferred with the Order of Lakandula, the highest honor given by the Philippine President, citing the important contributions she has made to Public Health. In the 19th Congress, Garins principally authored bills include strengthening the technical, vocational, and livelihood curriculum for senior high school students, providing for early voting by qualified senior citizens, persons with disabilities, lawyers, and human resources, and an act instituting the Magna Carta of Filipino seafarers. Her Waray blood mixed with her Ilonggo heart and mind empowered her to be an example of a strong woman leader from Western Visayas. HON. JULIENNE JAM BARONDA (Iloilo City, Lone District) Shattering the glass ceiling when it comes to advancing womens causes has been my advocacy. In fact, I championed the passage of the Iloilo City Gender and Development Code when I was a City Councilor. As a House legislator, I have always supported legislative measures that would redound to the reshaping of a Filipino society where women are empowered, strong and independent. I have also provided training opportunities to capacitate my fellow women. Locals from Iloilo City know that Baronda always considers their welfare across all industries, such as health, culture and arts, safety and security, and education. Shes the first female House Member in Iloilo, allowing her to set an example for women who want to become a trailblazer for nation-building like her. Baronda always keeps herself busy as a public servant. If shes not outside to greet her constituents and show them something new, shes always deep in thought to inspire innovative ideas to improve her peoples lives. In Congress, Baronda pushes several bills, including granting additional benefits to Filipino centenarians, recognizing octogenarians and nonagenarians, creating a special economic zone at the free port in Iloilo, and establishing the Iloilo City Geriatric Medical Center. HON. JULIET MARIE DE LEON FERRER (Negros Occidental, Fourth District) As a lawyer and ex-officio Judicial and Bar Council member, Ferrer exercises her knowledge of Philippine law by prioritizing justice. She appropriately uses her platforms to ensure Filipinos receive fair treatment when they fight for what they believe is right. Shes also the Chairperson for the 19th Congresss Committee on Justice. Ferrer acts confidently, which she also brings to the House of Representatives. Locals from the Fourth District of Negros Occidental know they have the congresswoman to turn to when they need her the most. She also advocates for her provinces economic benefit and womens and childrens welfare. Some of her authored bills include reinstituting absolute divorce as an alternative mode for the dissolution of marriage, establishing the Negros Island Region, and founding the Negros Occidental Heart, Lung, and Kidney Center. HON. MERCEDES ALVAREZ (Negros Occidental, Sixth District) I am a woman; therefore, I lead. I have the privilege of helping write the law of the land because women before me have paved the way. This cycle of solidarity must continue. May we build this culture of empowering one anotherbecause weve got each others back. Even though being a lawmaker is a challenging position to be in, Alvarez doesnt let it keep her from being positive. She always finds new ways to share happiness with her fellow Filipinos. After all, being happy with oneself is also an ideal way to show enthusiasm for ones job and encourage others to do the same. The lady legislator is a staunch advocate of sustainable tourism, especially for the sites in her province. Her dedication allows Filipinos to see the beauty around themif they know where to look. Her authored bills in the 19th Congress include the establishment of dialysis clinics in all national, regional, provincial, and strategic district hospitals, strengthening mental health services of state universities and colleges, and fortifying the particular program in creative arts for junior and senior high school. She currently serves as the Chairperson of the Committee on Local Government and a Vice Chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations. She was also a Deputy Speaker during the 17th Congress. Alvarez also furthers her passion for public service through her position as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Philippine Army Reserve Command and holds a Masters Degree in National Security Administration. HON. EMMARIE LOLYPOP M. OUANO-DIZON (Mandaue City, Lone District) I always consider womens welfare in legislative proposals presented, covering women in education, livelihood, and other fields. Our social media pages trumpet womens triumphs, especially in business. I want to be an instrument in sending the message to everyone that if these women were able to achieve these, so can you. Over the years, Ouano-Dizon established herself as an ideal political figure to her people. She pushed for more representation in Congress for Mandaue citizens. She now serves as the peoples voice to address their concerns better. She launched various programs in Mandaue, such as scholarships for hundreds of interested applicants and to better equip them to find jobs. She works closely with government agencies, like TESDA, to ensure the success of her endeavors and reach more Filipinos in the process. Her contributions to the 19th Congress include several bills recognizing several locations in the Philippines as tourism sites. Others include strengthening the mental health services of state universities and colleges, and establishing the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines. Shes also a principal author in the House of Representative who filed the Malasakit Bill, which has now become the R.A. No. 11463, otherwise known as the Malasakit Centers Act. In this 19th Congress, she filed House Bill No. 2373, otherwise known as the Dialysis Center Act, seeking to establish facilities that would provide quality renal health services for Filipinos. It will also establish health facilities at the national, regional, and provincial levels that will give free dialysis to indigent Filipinos. HON. KRISTINE ALEXIE TUTOR (Bohol, Third District) In the words of Ms. Universe Catriona Gray, [But] I stand here today because someone believed in me and we owe it to our children to believe in them. As a member of the House of Representatives, I advance womens causes and rights through active participation in spreading awareness through healthy discourse and informing others of the said advocacy. By utilizing my platforms in social media in spreading truthful information, and also speaking up by supporting bills that seek to support women in the various committees in which I am a member, I am able to inspire women and bring attention to womens plights in our community. I also believe that a major part of being a guiding light is urging educational institutions to provide comprehensive and inclusive sexual education that tackles womens rights, health, and well-being, as it is a form of support for the youth to further utilize and amplify their own voices by being well-informed citizens who can also do their part in protecting womens causes through grassroots solutions. When Tutor won the elections for Representative of the Third District of Bohol in 2019, she became the first lady legislator from her constituency and the second from Bohol. Despite being young, she bested experienced solons in the bid for the position to prove that age or gender isnt a factor that defines her competency as a public servant. In November 2020, she launched several notable projects in her district. These included a patient transport vehicle (PTV) service for residents of the Third District. It became possible under the Oplan Tabang program, which provides free transportation services and access to the provinces medical facilities for indigent patients, PWD, and senior citizens. She also passed bills in the 19th Congress, including requiring the registration of subscriber identity module cards, upgrading salary scales of public dentists, and increasing the monthly social pension of senior citizens, to name a few. HON. RACHEL MARGUERITE DEL MAR (Cebu City, First District) It wasnt always like this. Only 12 women legislators were elected during Batasan Pambansa from June 12, 1978 to June 5, 1984. The number increased a little during the 8th Congress where we had 20 lady legislators in 1987 to 1992. In 2010 during my first term in Congress (15th Congress) we were 64 lady legislators. Today, I am proud to be one of the 84 lady legislators in the 19th Congress. We have lots of ladies in public service from SK Councilors, SK Chairmen, Brgy. Councilors, Brgy. Captains, Mayors, Governors, Congresswomen, Senators, Cabinet Secretaries. Our country even had women Vice Presidents and not just one,but two women Presidents. I would like to encourage women to continue to be great leaders and inspire the next generation to achieve even greater heights! Del Mar, who also goes by the moniker Cutie, leads the proud region of Cebu and its First District. She upholds a brand of excellence in her duties as a House Member. No matter how big or small, Del Mar offers whatever she can to her constituents. Its this level of commitment that pushes the people she leads to trust her. The lawmaker often goes around her district to show how active she is in nation-building. She focuses on almost all aspects to secure her regions prosperity, including health, safety, education, and more. In Congress, her contributions benefit the people from her district and Filipinos nationwide. Some examples include creating the Mega Cebu Development Authority, strengthening the peoples right to information, and regulating the operations of motorcycles-for-hire. HON. JOCELYN SY LIMKAICHONG (Negros Oriental, First District) Being the first woman representative in Negros Oriental, I recognize the immense responsibility that comes with this position. As a woman public servant, I have a special responsibility to ensure that women in our community have the support and resources they need to succeed. I will continue to use my voice and platform to champion legislative measures that seek to promote gender equality, greater access to healthcare and education, and better economic opportunities for women. Through my work, I hope to inspire and guide future women leaders to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact in their communities. Hindi tayo babae lang. Babae tayo. Together, we can make a difference and create a brighter future for all women. As a legislator of her caliber, Limkaichong doesnt let anything get past her. She continues to address her constituents concerns, including health, agriculture, education, rural development, and tourism. She serves her public passionately, as evident in their smiles whenever she meets them on the field. Limkaichong also recognizes the youths power in nation-building. Her projects also empower the younger generation as she teaches them the values of the things she advocates. She also finds ways to provide women with livelihoods as they work toward better lives. The lawmaker even advocates for sustainable tourism, evident in the bills she pushed in the 19th Congress to recognize several key destinations in the country. She also pushed for instituting the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, among others. HON. JANICE SALIMBANGON (Cebu, Fourth District) A leader is not gender-based. A man or woman can be a good and effective leader. What matters is the character and aspirations of a person. As a woman legislator and a mother, my focus is on the welfare of the family, children, health, and environment. I filed and supported bills that gives equal opportunities for all, provides platform for quality education, access to good health services, and protects the environment. Due to Cebus location as an economic and tourism hub, Salimbangon has to lead with bravery, strength, and gracewhich she does. She often keeps herself busy by going around her district to see where she could help. Despite the responsibilities, Salimbangon always shows up with a smile to show her unwavering passion for public service. She now focuses on establishing infrastructure projects, including multi-purpose buildings and more. She also advocates the welfare of women and children, agriculture, education, and others through her various activities. In the meantime, her contributions to the 19th Congress include an act imposing an excise tax on plastic bags, an act creating the Philippine centers for disease prevention and control, and an act providing for the enabling environment to foster the growth of public-private partnerships for infrastructure and other development projects. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. The Aboitiz Group, bidding to become the Philippines first techglomerate, has launched Fresh Depot, the first-ever physical and digital solutions platform for farmers in the country. The first phase involves piloting a modular and sustainable cold storage unit in Mankayan, Benguet province, with the vision of helping farmers reduce their post-harvest losses and maximize crop yield. Fresh Depot aims to transform the lives of our farmers by offering a platform that optimizes their yield and income while reducing waste, making a significant contribution to our countrys food security, said Aboitiz Group president and chief executive officer Sabin Aboitiz. Aboitiz and government officials show off the first crates of vegetables during the launching of the Fresh Depots cold storage unit in Mankayan. From right are Benguet Governor Melchor D. Diclas, M.D., Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region Regional Technical Director for Operations Engr. Danilo Daguio, Mankayan Mayor Dario Banario, Manpat-A Farmers Association president Basilio Ngaseo Jr., Aboitiz Equity Ventures vice president for Transformation Dea Franko Csuba and Hedcor president and chief operating officer Rolando Pacquiao. Uplifting the agricultural sector and our farmers is crucial to strengthening our food supply chain and reducing our reliance on imports. We see various opportunities to make an impact in this sector and this is just one of the many projects were working on, he added. A study conducted by the Institute of Food Science and Technology of the University of the Philippines Los Banos said about 42 percent of locally grown produce goes bad before they can be eaten, and that farmers, consumers and other supply chain players are suffering from the spoilage. ADVERTISEMENT The Department of Agriculture (DA) in 2020 underscored the need to establish more cold storage facilities in the country. The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) concurred with the observation, stressing the facilities can reduce post-harvest losses and improve farmers income. In the Philippines, however, most cold storage facilities are located near urban areas and are used for storing meat and other frozen products. These conventional, energy-guzzling cold storages are not built for farmers, who need farm-level and affordable cooling facilities for their crops. The Aboitiz Group, thus, launches Fresh Depot, an integrated solution that aims to help farmers reduce their post-harvest losses and maximize crop yield. In addition to offering sustainable modular cold storage, Fresh Depots second phase will involve digitizing farmers land, planting practices, pre-harvest, harvest, and market information. Digitization will allow Fresh Depot to offer advisory services, explore market linkage opportunities and financial inclusion programs, as well as build a database of information that the government can utilize for their agricultural programs. This pilot, which will initially run for three to six months, will become a case study for this new type of enterprise, which the Aboitiz Group hopes to scale up across other farm locations in the Philippines if proven viable. Ultimately, Fresh Depot is envisioned to assist the government in enabling millions of farmers. Among those in attendance during the pilot launch in Mankayan were Benguet Governor Melchor D. Diclas, M.D., Mankayan Mayor Dario Banario, Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region Regional Technical Director for Operations Engr. Danilo Daguio, Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal chairman James P. Estong, NVAT general manager Gilbert Cumila, EcoZen Solutions president Ravindra Dolare, Hedcor president and Chief operating officer Rolando Pacquiao, and Aboitiz Equity Ventures vice president for transformation Dea Franko Csuba. Aboitiz plans to launch a second pilot location in the next few weeks. Collaboration With the support of government units and agencies, Fresh Depot is working with Mankayans Manpat-A Farmers Association for its first pilot site of the cold storage unit. The Benguet region is home to quality highland crops and thousands of farmers. For its pilot project, Fresh Depot is also teaming up with two leading international agri-tech players: Ecozen Solutions Pvt. Ltd., which is backed by Nuveen global impact fund USA and EXIM Bank of Government of India, and Cropin Technology Solutions Pvt. Ltd., which is backed by Impact Assets Singapore, as one of its investors. Ecozen manufactured the modular hybrid cold storage unit called Ecofrost. Ecofrost is designed with climate-smart deep tech to harness solar energy to power the unit, with a proprietary technology for battery-less back-up, which after pre-cooling will keep the fresh produce market-ready 24/7. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Aruba is inviting remote workers to bring their dog and work from their island paradise. If youre working from home, why not try working from paradise instead, the website states. The program, One Happy Workation, is through Aruba Tourism Authority and encourages U.S. nationals to work, play and stay up to three months. They also get special rates, free WiFi, breakfast, all-inclusive food and beverage options and more, according to the website. We recognize the desire to travel safely and have noticed a rising trend of visitors in Aruba extending their stays, so we knew the appetite for longer trips was growing, Sanju Luidens, the CMO of the Aruba Tourism Authority, told Travel + Leisure. With many Americans working remotely, we curated the best workation experiences and deals to make it easier to not only work from paradise, but also experience living like a local. With Arubas perfect location under the hurricane belt, our One happy island comes with peace of mind that sunny, warm weather is practically guaranteed. Those who want to participate just need a remote job and a valid passport. As a visitor in Aruba, you are not allowed to render services to and receive income from an Aruban company or individual, as this requires a work or business permit, the website states. In addition, you may not perform work that include any activities that are illegal in Aruba. The number of Caribbean islands offering remote-work visas has expanded. This includes Barbados, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, according to Travel Weekly. Asadollah Badamchian, general secretary of Iran's Islamic Coalition Party, speaks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Tehran, Iran, March 15, 2023.(Xinhua) TEHRAN, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Global Civilization Initiative recently proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping aims to promote unity based on diversity, veteran Iranian politician Asadollah Badamchian has said. Badamchian, general secretary of Iran's Islamic Coalition Party, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua after attending the opening ceremony of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting via a video link on March 15. Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, proposed the initiative in a keynote address at the meeting. Under the initiative, Xi called for respecting the diversity of civilizations, advocating the common values of humanity, valuing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and strengthening international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. Badamchian said, "the approach pursued by Xi is based on the notion that human civilizations should all join together and enable their diversity to cause greater growth and better transformation." "We also believe that the world's peoples should be invited to put their civilizations and cultures in the global civilization basket and all together move toward a civilization built upon all human civilizations within the present framework of international relations and communications and in view of the future industrial advances," he said. China's approach is unlike the West's rampant plunder and slavery over the past two centuries, Badamchian said. "(For instance,) when arriving in the Americas, the West looted the continents' resources, and its presence in Africa led to the enslavement of the peoples," he explained, stressing that "China has never established slavery in any place." The West attempted to push the entire world toward becoming Western, European and American-like, he said, adding that the West sought to pass itself off as the most civilized of all civilizations. "We maintain that the entire world's people would like to escape the arrogant and imperialistic oppression of the United States and other similar states that seek to impose their cultures on others," Badamchian said. He expressed the hope that relations between Iran and China, and those between his party and China's ruling party, would be strengthened. "We also wish to witness the expansion and strengthening of the ties and trade transactions between Iran and China," he said. Advocates believe it can be, but they say much more money needs to be allocated to the issue, and that the infrastructure bill is definitely not enough on its own. And it's not just about money. There also need to be plans in place to help school districts through the transition to electric buses. "The critical piece that any successful plan must include is an avenue for school districts to receive technical assistance," Justice says. Advertisement While most school buses are still diesel-powered, some districts have been adding electric buses to their fleets. In Maryland, for example, the Montgomery County Public Schools has plans to get 326 electric school buses over the next four years. This is the largest commitment by any single school district to date. However, as previously mentioned, there is inequality baked into the system, and that is just as true for which areas will get more electric school buses more quickly. Already, the largest share 36 percent of school districts with at least one electric school bus are in suburban areas, which tend to be wealthier. In addition, two-thirds of all committed future electric buses are in suburban areas, with just a quarter in cities, and 7 percent and 6 percent in towns and rural areas respectively. However, 33 states have electric school buses announced, procured, delivered or in operation. Along with the infrastructure bill, there are numerous other programs and political initiatives to electrify the nation's school buses. In February of this year, the Clean School Bus Act was reintroduced in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. This act would establish a "Clean School Bus Grant Program" to award grants to replace existing school buses with electric ones. However, as of now, the bill is stalled in subcommittee. Another program highlighted by Justice is the Federal Transit Authority's "Low or No Emission Vehicle Program," which allocates roughly $182 million in funding for low- and no-emissions buses and the facilities that support them. Its goal is to support the infrastructure bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by the end of the decade. While Justice and other clean transportation advocates are pleased that the infrastructure bill is addressing this problem, they know that there is a still a long way to go when it comes to electrifying the school buses in the U.S. " " The Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education (Maryland) will convert its entire school bus fleet to electric, starting with 326 school buses over the next four years. This project represents the largest single procurement of electric school buses in North America. Proterra Now It's Electric! Electric school buses do cost more than diesel-powered, but they can lead to long-term savings for school districts who purchase them for several reasons. Electricity is typically less expensive than diesel fuel, and electric buses require less maintenance. If the districts equip their schools with vehicle-to-grid technology, they can both draw energy from and return it to the electrical grid. LONGMEADOW When a letter from the Department of Justice arrived in the Longmeadow Historical Societys mailbox in 2018, it set off a flurry of research by members of its board. What the DOJ was looking for was information related to a series of thefts that occurred nearly 50 years earlier at historical societies and museums up and down the East coast including the museum on Longmeadow Street. A large stash of valuable antique firearms and other items had been stolen from these small organizations all those years ago. An East Dennis home where two people died in a fire Sunday morning was not outfitted with working smoke alarms, officials say. The fire was reported at about 6:52 a.m. in a two-story duplex at 3 Niblick Road, according to a press release from the State Fire Marshal. When firefighters arrived, they could see smoke coming from the building. Firefighters were able to enter the building quickly and put the fire out, containing it to the unit where it started, after which they found a man and a woman inside. Both victims were brought to Cape Cod Hospital for treatment but ultimately died from their injuries. A dog also died in the fire, officials said. Its too early to say how the fire started, but we know there were no working smoke alarms in the unit where it began, Dennis Fire Chief Robert Brown said in a statement. Please check your smoke alarms today to be sure theyre working properly on every level of your home. Yarmouth Fire Department provided mutual aid at the scene and the Harwich Fire Department provided station coverage. The victims have not yet been identified. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Dennis Fire Department, Dennis Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and the State Fire Marshal. From March 30 to April 2, the Northern Arizona Book Festival will once again be taking over downtown Flagstaff and hosting a wide variety of literary events. In a press release, festival President Margarita Cruz explained there will be events held for all ages and interests such as readings from local authors, poetry slams, workshops and an entire day of interactive activities as well as live performances. Cruz said the festival prides itself on its ability to bring a multitude of different authors and literary presses together to create a community event like no other. Lawrence Lenhart, the executive director of the Northern Arizona Book Festival, said he has been working with the nonprofit festival for seven years. Lenhart described the festival as a way to respond to the defining cultural issues of Northern Arizona through workshops, readings, performances and more. We are a hub organization that supports local reading series, programs and independent presses year-round, Lenhart said. For the concentrated weekend of programming each spring, we partner with literary and cultural organizations throughout the Colorado Plateau and desert southwest to develop dynamic events related to Indigenous, youth, environmental and interdisciplinary storytelling and aesthetics. Micaela Merryman, inaugural youth poet laureate of Flagstaff and festival programming specialist explained the sheer amount of dedication and hard work that is put into the event each year. As an organization run primarily by volunteers, each event at the book festival is someone's labor of love, Merryman said. There's a lot of passion being put into everything, on everyone's part to bring more literature to Flagstaff. The festival, Merryman said, truly highlights the literary community that the Northern Arizona region has created and upheld over the years. This year, alongside its typical readings and workshops, the book festival will be hosting a full day of events and performances in Heritage Square. From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 1, Heritage Square will be filled to the brim with panels, readings and live music performances. Both Lenhart and Merryman said they are hopeful that this festival event will enable them to bring in new audiences from around town. The best part of running this festival is the feeling we get when after 362 days of fundraising, designing, tinkering and promoting the audience finally arrives, Lenhart said. Without an audience, none of this would be possible or necessary. Additionally, Merryman said she has been able to focus her efforts on incorporating events for the youth to participate in and enjoy at the festival, such as the newly implemented Youth Poet Laureate program and Youth Poetry Council. I've gotten to focus my efforts on bringing events to our community that serves my particular demographic; the incredible young people of Flagstaff, Merryman said. It's been exciting to help coordinate the Young Reader's aspect of the festival to try to bring opportunities to the table that I wish I had in college. Students and young people from around the Northern Arizona region will be visiting the festival due to many of these new youth programs, Lenhart said. In order to engage even more audiences this year, Lenhart said that festival coordinators have collaborated with different organizations, performance troupes, musicians and environmentalists to embrace the countless forms of storytelling that exist. Among these forms of storytelling, Lenhart explained that there will be multiple Indigenous voices and literary works available to the public in attendance. Amber McCrary, poet and owner of Abalone Mountain Press, said she is most looking forward to the Indigenous literature events at the festival. In my opinion the best part of the festival are the Indigenous author readings, McCrary said. I am looking forward to seeing Bojan Louis (Sinking Bell), Darcie Little Badger (Elatsoe), Tate Walker (The Trickster Riots) and Kinsale Drake (Humming Bird Heart Zine) read. Lenhart explained that the inclusion of Indigenous authors and audiences are a big part of what makes the festival what it is and what he envisions it to continue growing into. Ultimately, the festival is about creative place making, Lenhart said. The past few years, we have been envisioning a festival that establishes Northern Arizona and the Colorado Plateau as a place of literature. We have worked closely with collaborators like Abalone Mountain Press and Saad Bee Hozho to envision the re-indigenization of literary culture in Kinan. McCrary stressed the importance of community involvement within the festival, both in creating the events and in attendance. The Northern Arizona Book Festival is community-led and always has the community first in mind, McCrary said. As a board member and being a Dine woman, I have tried my best to bring Native authors such as Darcie, Kinsale and Tate to read at NABF. With this, I think the Native community will feel seen and heard through a book festival, and I hope it gives some young Native inspiration to become a writer and reader. Overall, the festival has something to offer to everyone in the community, which is their goal year after year, Lenhart explained. He encourages everyone to attend at least one event at the festival and craft their experience to their interests. We want to make it clear that our events are for everyone, Lenhart said. Storytelling is a hardwired, biological part of the human experience. Everyone is encouraged to come, including casual readers, novice writers, artists across disciplines and those who are just looking for something fun to do this weekend. Merryman shared Lenharts sentiments and said she looks forward to seeing the various artistic talents that this festival will undoubtedly bring to light. Our community is filled with such bright, artistic people from so many different mediums, Merryman said. And I hope the Northern Arizona Book Festival provides a venue for them to encounter each other in a way they haven't before. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 26, 2023 Siding with book publishers, a federal judge ruled late Friday that the digital library created by the nonprofit Internet Archive is not protected by fair-use principles. In a 47-page decision, U.S. District Court Judge John Koeltl in the Southern District of New York said the Internet Archive's lending program -- which involves digitizing books and lending the digital versions to consumers -- infringes the publishers' copyright. Although [the Internet Archive] has the right to lend print books it lawfully acquired, it does not have the right to scan those books and lend the digital copies en masse, Koeltl wrote in a decision awarding summary judgment to Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, John Wiley & Sons, and Penguin Random House. The Internet Archive said Saturday it plans to appeal. This decision impacts libraries across the US who rely on controlled digital lending to connect their patrons with books online, the nonprofit said in a blog post. It hurts authors by saying that unfair licensing models are the only way their books can be read online. And it holds back access to information in the digital age, harming all readers, everywhere. advertisement advertisement The ruling came in a battle dating to June of 2020, when the publishers sued the Internet Archive over two different initiatives -- the 12-year-old controlled lending program, and the national emergency library, which only operated between March of 2020 and that June. The controlled lending program involves loaning one digital copy at a time for each hard copy that has been scanned and digitized. The emergency program was launched during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, when libraries across the country shuttered. That short-lived program offered downloads of the same scanned hard copy to multiple users at once. The publishers contended in their lawsuit that both programs were unlawful, arguing that copyright principles don't allow the Internet Archive to copy and distribute digital book files. The Internet Archive countered that both programs are protected by fair use. Among other arguments, the Internet Archive said the lending programs were transformative, because digital lending is more efficient than physical lending. Koeltl rejected that argument. There is nothing transformative about [Internet Archive's] copying and unauthorized lending of the works, he wrote, adding that the nonprofit isn't copying the books in order to provide criticism or commentary. The battle drew the attention of numerous outside groups. Organizations including the Authors Guild, National Writers Union, and American Society of Journalists and Authors weighed in on the publishers' side, while more than 300 writers -- including Neil Gaiman, Lemony Snicket and Cory Doctorow -- were among the Internet Archive's supporters. Pregnancy significantly affects the overall daily functioning of women. Pregnancy is often a time filled with excitement and nervous anticipation. Most women think of names, plan nurseries and shop for the tiny dresses, toys and shoes to give a heartiest welcome to there tiny sweetheart . Few think of the vast physical changes that will soon take place. As the body structurally begins to accommodate the new life growing inside, the mother starts getting affected like never before. The mother starts gaining weight and the shape of her body starts getting altered in order to provide a nurturing environment and nutrition to her child. Ligaments get relaxed to allow expansion of the pelvis. Thereby, the body prepares for delivery. It is always best to be aware of the very early signs of pregnancy and to take good care during this period. The vital systems of the body namely, cardiac, pulmonary, renal and gastrointestinal start working overtime in order to house the new life. The mothers posture, energy level and overall sense of well-being start getting affected. A womans body goes through immense physical and hormonal changes before and after delivery. For years, discomforts associated with pregnancy has been accepted as a normal part of the process. But today, people are being more health conscious and they have started understanding the need of taking special care and nutrition during the time of pregnancy. Physical Therapy helps relieve discomfort experienced during pregnancy and also, prepares the body for delivery. A carefully designed exercise program benefits a pregnant women and her baby by keeping her fit and active during her pregnancy and helps in easing and hastening the process of labor and delivery. Not only prenatal, it is also effective in improving postnatal well-being. Marjory, it helps a women fight the risk of postnatal depression (PND). Some of the problems that may occur during pregnancy are postural low back ache, pelvic pressure, bowel/bladder stress incontinence, leg pain and numbness, leg cramps and carpal tunnel syndrome. Post delivery, discomfort in the sacroiliac and abdominal region may continue in the form of sacroiliac (SI) pain, weakened abdominal muscles, pain from an episiotomy or c-section scar, urinary/fecal stress incontinence or pain during sexual intercourse. Advertisement Physical therapy helps recover and train the musculoskeletal system. It is of extreme importance for pregnant women to do light physical activities and continue with her daily household works. Exercise helps the abdominal muscles to minimize strain and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Perineal massage prepares the pelvic floor muscles for the mega stretch that these muscles face when the babys head is exited out of the vaginal opening and improves the elasticity of these muscles. Kegels exercise helps in training the Physiological Pull phenomenon. A mother gets physical and emotional support to cope with childbirth by this physical training. After childbirth, the mother should undergo postpartum assessment to analyze the level of strength, elasticity and power of abdominal and pelvic muscle tissues after birth. This is very necessary in multiparous women as the more the children are delivered, the more weakened becomes the pelvic floor, no matter; the deliveries are vaginal or Caesarean. Physical therapy helps accelerates the normal muscular healing process. Police are attempting to locate the young man (pictured) who appears to have robbed Sunwest Bank Friday afternoon. They're asking anyone with information, to call the Flagstaff Police Station at 928-774-1414 or Silent Witness at 928-774-61111. MISSOULA, Mont. Nathan McLeod keeps having flashbacks of watching helplessly as his 4-year-old son Sawyer slipped through his hands and fell off a mangled, malfunctioning chairlift after it smashed into a tower and broke last Sunday at Montana Snowbowl, the ski hill just north of Missoula. This is a parents worst nightmare, McLeod recalled. Im just watching him fall and hes looking at me. Theres nothing I can do and hes screaming. I just have this mental image of his whole body slipping out of my arms and it's terrible. McLeod, a Missoula resident, was riding the Snow Park chairlift, which was purchased used from a Colorado ski resort and installed in 2019. The chairlift accesses beginner and intermediate terrain, and McLeod was riding on the outside seat of the lift so that his young son could be helped up on the inside by the lift attendant, who was the only person working at the bottom of the lift. McLeods other 6-year-old son, Cassidy, was riding a chair ahead with a snowboarder. McLeod recalled the lift operator had a little trouble loading his older son, so the chair was swinging. Then he and his younger son got loaded. Were going and Im watching Cassidys chair in front of me and its just, like, huge violent swings and in my mind, I dont know what to do about that, because Im a chair behind him, McLeod recalled. Im worried hes gonna hit that next tower. And its like 40 feet off the ground at that point. As thats going through my head, all of a sudden, our chair smashes into the tower, the first one, as it starts going up. He described the impact as super strong. And just like that, I reach for my son and he just slips from my arms, McLeod said. He estimates the boy fell 12-15 feet to the snow below, which at least one other witness agreed with. Im yelling like someone help us and the lift stops a few seconds later, he said. But at the same time, as Sawyer is falling, the lift chair just breaks apart and it just flips backwards. Like the backrest just falls off the back and so Im like clinging on to the center bar while the chair is swinging. My son is screaming and I dont know what to do. Im like, do I jump right now?. He watched the lift attendant come up and give Sawyer a hug. Its still unknown if hes hurt or not, McLeod recalled. Theres zero communication with me at this point. She starts walking back down to the lift terminal with my son and I still dont know if hes OK or not. Apparently he can walk so thats good." "So I shouted for someone in the lift line to get her attention and Im like so whats your plan?. She kind of looks at me and she says Oh, Ill just load him in the next chair. And then at that point she looks up and sees me and sees that the chairs just mangled. After sitting for a second, McLeod takes his skis off and lowers himself down and jumps off the chair. Hes 63, and he estimates that with his arms stretched above his head his body stretches to a little over 8 feet. A photo taken from a witness shows several, or more than several, feet of space between his boots and the snow below as he hangs off the chair with his full body extended. First thing I do is run up to my son and give him a hug, McLeod said. And then the attendant is just like watch out, were gonna start the lift again. Not a single person looks at the chair. You dont walk up to make sure the cable isnt mangled? I would assume they would want to like, check it out? She just starts loading the next people in line. Im just shaking because theres so much adrenaline. And somebody makes an offhand comment like yeah, thats Snowbowl ha ha. Thats when McLeod lost it. I was like Hell no. We have to stop making excuses for this place, he said. We are so lucky that Sawyer didnt just die and like someone is going to get seriously hurt if something isnt done. We cant have this attitude of like ha, this is funny, like Snowbowls a sh-- show. You cant do that. McLeod said some people seemed to agree with him, but then everyone just gets back on the lift, as its the only way back down to the lodge and parking lot. McLeods older son is still sitting on the chairlift wondering whats going on. As McLeod rides up, he sees the broken chair pass him by with some pink flagging on it. He finally gets to the top to meet his other son. And Ski Patrol is standing up there drinking a Red Bull talking to somebody, McLeod said. They do not address me, they dont look at me, they dont address Sawyer, not a single person who works at Snowbowl talks to us or addresses us or really makes any acknowledgment happen. Were standing there for at least 10 minutes. McLeod notes that Snowbowl has had to shut down lifts this year due to power outages and that many people had to hike out from the bottom of LaValle Lift on at least one occasion this year. On New Years Day in 2020, a chair was ripped off the haul rope of LaValle Lift after it unloaded skiers on the top. The lift had to be closed for repairs for three weeks. What other chairs are deficient and just getting painted over, who knows?" McLeod said. "My worry is we got extremely lucky. If conditions had been different, Sawyer could have been killed. If nothing changes, is someone going to die?" He was unsatisfied with the response he got at the lodge. The Morris family of Missoula owns and operates Snowbowl, and McLeod said he talked to both Brad Morris and his son Andy Morris. Andy showed up and I went through the whole thing with him, and all he could really say was that isnt our protocol, if they had a bad load, they should have stopped the lift, McLeod recalled. And I said, what about the fact that ski patrol never checked on us? What about that they didnt look at the lift and just started loading again and running it? But he really had nothing. He had no idea. No one had called down to the owners or anyone else to let them know. Overall, McLeod said he's extremely frustrated at the lackluster response to what he believes could have been a deadly situation. Investigation promised In a phone call with the Missoulian on Thursday, Andy Morris said that the engineer who designed the Snow Park lift inspected it. "There was an unbalanced load that caused the lift to swing," he said. "One chair started swinging and then the next chair the one the father and son were on didn't get loaded correctly. If you're delaying the chair, it pushes back and causes it to swing. And the chair struck the tower and caused the back portion of the chair to bend back." Morris said that lifties (lift operators) are trained to respond to problems with the lift, but he wasnt sure what happened with this incident and hadnt spoken to the person involved. Morris also had no explanation for why the chair would fall apart after hitting a portion of the tower. Were committed to making sure the lifts are safe, Morris said. Anyone who has ridden Snow Park chair since it opens knows that the chair often swings violently after it loads and the chairs often bang into one of the first few towers on the way up. Morris acknowledged that swaying is something that occurs on the lift. "It's a Riblet lift, and our engineer said Riblet chairs are light and they get to swaying pretty badly when they misload or something causes them to get going," he said. He said that the lift is inspected on a cycle thats required by Snowbowls insurance provider and the Lolo National Forest, which leases land to Snowbowl. Morris was not able to confirm the exact date the last time the Snow Park lift was inspected for safety. Snowbowl operates on Lolo National Forest land under a special use permit. Lolo National Forest Supervisor Carolyn Upton said on Thursday that her agency asked that the Snow Park lift be shut down until an investigation and inspection is completed and that request was granted by the ski area. "Public safety has to be, and is, our top priority and concern," Upton said. "There are lots of activities and businesses under permits on National Forest land, and Snowbowl is an important partner and one of our permittees. When we have something happen our first concern is public safety and then we're going to look at the permit and what gets triggered." Upton said the Forest Service would have an expert examine the lift as soon as possible and that an investigation will be conducted. She also said she was aware of the incident just a few hours after it happened. On Thursday evening, Morris said he and Snowbowl's management had met with Lolo National Forest officials and the engineer. Morris said a "minor change" in one of the towers was completed on Thursday. "The chair that struck the tower, chairs are normally supposed to hit the halo," Morris said. "This one was swinging so badly it caused it to hit a different portion of the tower. The guy that engineered it came and looked and we think the change they agreed to will fix the problem." When asked if he's confident that the chair will not malfunction again, even if an adult and a child load the same way as McLeod and his son in the future, Morris said that's what Snowbowl is "expecting." If the Forest Service signs off on it, the lift may be open as soon as this weekend. As of Thursday evening, the Forest Service had not acknowledged the review. Chairlift safety McLeod said Brad Morris gave him one adult lift ticket and two child tickets after the incident. A ski patroller had him fill out an incident report and shined a flashlight in Sawyers eyes. And were walking out the parking lot and Andy runs up and he was receptive, McLeod said. He listened. He didnt try to make excuses, which I appreciated, but at the same time this is just something that shouldnt have happened and were so lucky were not hurt. But the response just wasnt there. A man who witnessed the accident, Corey Stickle, estimated that McLeods son fell between 12-15 feet. It was kind of terrifying, Stickle said. Its a toddler falling from a f---ing lift, man. Thats the scariest thing you can see. The liftie did a good job. She kept her cool. It was the chair that was set up by Snowbowl that failed. Stickle said riding up the chairlift after the accident was not easy. I mean, it was a little scary, he said. We got stopped while they were taking a check of the chair that fell. I was just holding onto the bar for dear life the whole time. McLeod said he thinks it was fortunate that the afternoon snow was soft, because if the accident had happened in the morning it might have been a different story. I just think there needs to be an investigation into the safety of that mountain, McLeod said. Because what my fear is that if something isnt done, someones gonna die. And thats going to be the catalyst to make something happen. And it should never come to that. So maybe this is an opportunity to enforce Snowbowl and change their management practices. Because I would say clearly, theyre not taking safety seriously. McLeod said Snowbowl is an important community asset and that a lot of families and young kids assume that they're safe on the chairlifts. "I just want Snowbowl to be successful and safe," he said. Top places to ski in the US Top places to ski in the US Alaska: Alyeska Resort Girdwood California: Mammoth Mountain Colorado: Vail Connecticut: Mohawk Mountain Idaho: Bald Mountain Sun Valley Illinois: Snowstar Maine: Sunday River Massachusetts: Wachusett Mountain Michigan: The Highlands at Harbor Springs Minnesota: Lutsen Mountains Montana: Big Sky Nevada/California: Heavenly New Hampshire: Bretton Woods New Jersey: Mountain Creek New Mexico: Angel Fire New York: Whiteface North Carolina: Sugar Mountain North Dakota: Huff Hills Ohio: Snow Trails Oregon: Mt. Bachelor Pennsylvania: Camelback South Dakota: Terry Peak Utah: Park City Vermont: Killington Virginia: Wintergreen Resort Washington State: Mission Ridge West Virginia: Timberline Mountain Wisconsin: Granite Peak Wyoming: Jackson Hole When Apple CEO Tim Cook casually strolled into an Apple store in Sanlitun, Beijing, on Friday, while on a tour of the company's largest overseas market, he was greeted with spontaneous applause by the customers after he was recognized. In contrast, at the same time, Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, was testifying before the US House Energy and Commerce Committee in an interrogation-style hearing to prove his company's integrity. The dramatically different treatment of the CEOs the two big multinational internet companies received shows the world's two largest economies' different attitudes to each other's companies. While the US is constantly stooping to new lows to smear and stifle the Chinese companies, claiming they represent a security threat, China is opening its arms to US corporations. Washington's endeavor to ban TikTok is a "xenophobic witch hunt" dating back to the previous Donald Trump administration, as Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a regular news conference in Beijing on Friday. The US government has provided no evidence or proof that TikTok threatens US national security, yet it has repeatedly suppressed and attacked the company based on the presumption of guilt. Which is brazen hypocrisy given the US' own track record of using tech to snoop, invade privacy and steal data. The around five-hour hearing in the US Congress was nothing but a farce, as it has not proved TikTok's "guilt" but only served to expose, as many observers said, the amateurship and ignorance of the US lawmakers. The extent to which they are out of touch with the times was revealed not only by the questions they threw at Chew, such as does TikTok connect to Wifi, but also the way in which they made their inquiries: Let me ask you this very in-depth question which requires a very complex answer, but only allows you to respond with yes or no. The witch hunt of TikTok primarily stems from the company's huge success in the US, where it has more than 150 million active users and provides nearly 5 million US businesses with a platform to find customers and fuel growth, which has made it an envy of other US internet companies, such as Facebook. It is TikTok's algorithms that constitute its core competitiveness, but it is also these which have put the company in the US government's crosshairs. No matter how far the Trump and the Joe Biden administrations and Congress have gone in trying to ensnare the company, they don't want to see the company collapse. Rather, they want to bring it under the control of the US. Something then US president Donald Trump made crystal clear on Aug 3, 2020, when he said that he didn't oppose Microsoft or other US companies purchasing TikTok. The so-called Congress hearing on Friday Beijing time is just the latest attempt by the US to steal the company. In weaponizing national security, it has only laid bare to the world Washington's readiness to bend the rules, laws and values it asks others to respect, follow and practice as long as that serves its own ends. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) The actor Jonathan Majors was arrested Saturday in New York on charges of strangulation, assault and harassment, authorities said. On Sunday, an attorney for Majors said there's evidence that he is entirely innocent." New York City police said that Majors, star of the recently released Creed III" and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, was involved in a domestic dispute with a 30-year-old woman. Police responded around 11 a.m. Saturday to a 911 call inside an apartment in the Manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea. The victim informed police she was assaulted," a spokesperson for the NYPD said in a statement. "Officers placed the 33-year-old male into custody without incident. The victim sustained minor injuries to her head and neck and was removed to an area hospital in stable condition. A representative for Majors denied any wrongdoing by the actor. He has done nothing wrong," the representative said in an email to the AP on Saturday. "We look forward to clearing his name and clearing this up. On Sunday, an attorney for Majors, Priya Chaudhry, came out more forcefully, saying Majors is provably the victim of an altercation with a woman he knows" and blamed the incident on the woman having an emotional crisis. Chaudhry said there was evidence clearing Majors, including video footage from the vehicle where this episode took place, witness testimony from the driver and others who both saw and heard the episode, and most importantly, two written statements from the woman recanting these allegations. An email seeking additional comment from the NYPD based on Chaudhry's assertions was not immediately returned Sunday. Majors was arraigned Sunday on a complaint involving misdemeanor charges for assault and aggravated harassment, the Manhattan district attorney's office said. A judge ordered Majors released on his own recognizance on Saturday night with a limited order of protection. He was scheduled to appear in court on May 8. In the meantime, the U.S. Army suspended its TV ad campaign featuring Majors that was intended to target younger audiences. The Army Enterprise Marketing Office said in a statement Sunday that the U.S. Army is deeply concerned by the allegations surrounding his arrest. While Mr. Majors is innocent until proven guilty, prudence dictates that we pull our ads until the investigation into these allegations is complete, the office said in a statement. Majors is one of the fastest rising stars in Hollywood. After breaking through in 2019's The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Majors has starred in Da 5 Bloods, The Harder They Fall" and last year's Devotion. He also stars in the recent Sundance Film Festival entry Magazine Dreams, which Searchlight Pictures is to release in December. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MANISTEE Manistee had 40.6% more larcenies and a 33% decrease in crashes in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to a new report shared with Manistee City Council. Josh Glass, Manistee City Police Department chief, gave a report at the March 21 city council meeting detailing statistics and a review of what the department accomplished last year. Higher call volume Officers responded to more calls for service overall and they also self-initiated more in 2022 compared to the two previous years. Manistee's 2022 police stats snapshot The following changes were reported for the Manistee City Police Department from 2021-2022: Dispatched complaints 9.3% increase Self-initiated (traffic stops, etc) 33.3% increase Written complaints 1.3% increase Tickets 96.6% increase Crashes 33% decrease Larcenies 40.6% increase See More Collapse During his presentation, Glass showed graphics detailing numbers from 2020 through 2022 in categories such as the number of calls officers were dispatched to and the number of self-initiated complaints like traffic stops. Traffic stops have gone up significantly, Glass said. In 2020, the department recorded 4,893 dispatched complaints. That number grew to 5,445 in 2021 and then 5,950 last year. Glass explained that self-initiated responses can be a variety of tasks. That's when the officers not being dispatched. What are they doing: are they enforcing traffic, are they following up on a criminal investigations, ordinance enforcement, things of that nature, Glass told council members. The following numbers were reported for the Manistee City Police Department from 2020-2022: 2020: 160 tickets 2021: 352 tickets 2022: 692 tickets The department had a 96.6% increase in tickets from 2021-2022, tying into Glass priorities. One of our goals was to be more visible in an attempt to deter crime. In our profession, traffic stops are one of the most visible things our officers can do, he said. The officers did a wonderful job doubling our traffic citations. Provided graphic/City of Manistee Changes over time According to the reports, the city saw a decrease in burglary cases and malicious destruction of property incidents since 2021. The area also saw an increase last year in criminal sexual conduct cases, non-aggravated assaults and larcenies compared to the previous year. Last year, there were 135 larcenies, 117 non-aggravated assaults and 72 malicious destruction of property incidents, the report shows. Of the larcenies reported, 23 were larcenies from vehicles. Glass encouraged residents to lock their vehicles So, a slight uptick in larceny from motor vehicles, he said. I think Ive put it out in the public (before): Our goal this spring and summer is to raise public awareness to eliminate opportunities (for theft and) to work with residents to make sure they lock their doors. While sometimes a person might smash windows to get into a vehicle to steal items, Glass said that is very rare. Glass pointed out that crashes have significantly decreased. One of my sergeants asked if there is a correlation between our traffic enforcement and accidents. I dont know if you can get to there in one year of data but Id be curious to see what happens next year if we have a pattern. I might be a little more encouraged to make that correlation, Glass said. Crashes were reported to have been at 132 in 2020, then 227 in 2021 and then dropped to 152 in 2022. Provided Graphic/City Of Manistee Blight, mental health calls Glass also highlighted noncriminal focuses like blight enforcement and mental health calls. There were also 395 blight complaints with 45 civil infractions issued and 21 municipal citations issued in 2022. Some of the blight cases dealt with siding replacement, windows, full structure demolitions and trash issues. Glass said entities like the Manistee County Land Bank, Safebuilt and the Neighborhood Restoration and Beautification Committee have been a significant part of resolving blight elimination projects. Officers spent 1,117 hours on 38 written mental health complaints in 2022. Glass said many of the complaints require him to collaborate with other agencies. Glass and other law enforcement and mental health leaders in the county have previously noted the topic as an area of increasing frustration and focused efforts for the last two years at Manistee County Public Safety meetings. The topic has also been raised at city council meetings. This isnt something I think we can impact at a local level but your voices can be heard as far as resources and beds and things of that nature, Glass told council. Efforts to better connect people in crisis with mental health services is an ongoing focus between Manistee County leaders, Glass told council. More coverage of mental health crisis calls in Manistee County Police and health care officials in Manistee County have increasingly been raising concerns and awareness over the impacts and availability of limited resources surrounding mental health crisis calls in the area for the last two years. Here are some of the News Advocate's articles covering the ongoing issue: Mental health, violent juveniles impact short-staffed police departments How local mental health services span schools, jail, courts Manistee area has increase in mental health calls to police From crisis to protective custody: How police respond to mental health calls Jennifer Nosakowski is a BioMedical Science CTE Program Coordinator and Facilitator, Work-Based & Experiential Learning Coordinator, 9th & 12th Grade Advisory Curriculum Coordinator and the varsity girls track and field coach. She coordinates 9th-12th grade high school curriculum and teaches mostly 10th-12th graders at Meridian Early College High School. Whats your classroom, or area of service, size? "The BioMedical Science CTE classes range from 12-21 students. There are currently 11 work-based learning students in local businesses and 20 at Greater Michigan Construction Academy. There are over 20 students placed in teaching aide positions across the Meridian Public Schools district. Advisory curricula impacts approximately 200 students at the high school." How would you describe the school culture? "Meridian administrators, educators and support staff strive to foster a culture of care through equity and support. Our student body is small, allowing educators and students to build relationships so that students are met where they are at and team strategies are developed to meet every students needs for social-emotional growth, academic and skills growth, and post-secondary college and career preparation. The school atmosphere is friendly, communication is open, and new ideas, feedback and continual improvement is a shared value." What are your goals for this school year? "My goal is to provide students with authentic experiences and a collection of college and career opportunities to look forward to as they develop skills and knowledge that will help them succeed in their next steps. I am working to develop problem solving, credentialing, and a variety of work-based learning opportunities for students to interact and connect with project partners and community members related to class content and their career interests." How long have you been in this profession? "This will be my 10th year at Meridian Early College High School and 11th year in the teaching profession." Why did you choose this profession? "As a career changer, I saw an opportunity to bring my career experience along with the invaluable training from a full secondary science education program to help students develop not only their content knowledge but employability skills that will help them in any career that they choose to pursue. I absolutely love seeing students progress from their freshman year to a senior or fifth-year student. My students communication skills, ability to self-advocate, love of learning, curiosity and confidence continually impress me as they work in the classroom, area businesses and embark on their college courses." Why did you choose this district? Meridian Early College is an innovative district that encourages a growth mindset (for educators and students) and has been on the forefront of educational advancements since I arrived. The school model embraces Project-Based Learning and 1:1 Technology in a way that meets students interests as well as future community and industry needs. We offer students so many opportunities beyond the classroom such as CTE Programs on- and off- campus as well as the opportunity to earn college credits beginning junior year through an associate degree or other credentialing in a fifth-year program. Educators, students and community partners work collaboratively to think critically, problem-solve and learn deeply while meeting course content standards. The support I have received from my colleagues and administration has been pivotal in encouraging me to grow programs that I am passionate about to provide better opportunities for our students." Whats some advice, or a message, that you wish you had been given as a student? "I wish someone had told me that it was okay to ask for help and encouraged me to explore many opportunities early on. At Meridian, I think we do this and let students know that exploration now will help them to find a program or career that they truly love and that they can continue to build upon with their changing passions as they become lifelong learners." With a new CEO and hundreds of employees, one of Livingstons largest businesses is doing better than ever since its founding 26 years ago. These last eight months have been the strongest sales period in the companys history, said Dave Hawkins, who became the new CEO of PFL in January. We have become more focused on serving primarily large enterprises through direct mail automation and print and fulfillment. Keeping employees inspired and motivated at PFL is one of the keys to the companys success, helped by traditions of taking dogs to work, maintaining an on-site childcare facility, company horseback rides, whitewater rafting trips, winter potlucks, summer barbecues, monthly primetime meetings, employee anniversary kits, open-plan offices and competitive benefits packages, officials with the company say. Most of our employees do consider it a very family friendly environment, said Suzie Lalich, PFLs vice president of employee success. Theres lots of opportunity for professional growth. In fact, some of the children at PFLs pre-K daycare grew up and went on to take summer jobs with the company or serve as interns, Lalich said. We have a lot of related people working here but no spouses reporting to one another, Hawkins said. Dogs roam freely in portions of the Livingston headquarters a tradition that began in 1999, when the companys founder, Andrew Field, brought his border collie/black lab, Jessie, to work. On Wednesday, some of the office dogs preferred to stick by their owners, while others were more adventurous, greeting people in the hallways or making the rounds to particularly friendly workstations. Theres a few that are very persistent about their biscuits, Lalich said. One of PFLs elder canines, 11-year-old Tater, was on hand Wednesday with his owner, Maria Siebeck, who also has some longevity with the company. A production coordinator, Siebeck has worked at PFL for 21 years. Asked whats kept her at PFL for so long, she smiled and said, Bringing my dog to work. Tater is the second of her dogs who has accompanied her to the office, she said. Life with the company was much different 21 years ago. We were crammed into one little, teeny weeny building, she said from the cavernous office area. We have a lot more room now. I had like a closet I shared with six other people [21 years go]. To push back your chair, you had to ask the guy behind you to suck it in. Originally from Chicago, Siebeck appreciates rural Montana. I love Livingston small town, Siebeck said. An upper story, outdoor break area at PFL headquarters gives employees quite a view of the mountains just one of the features of western Montana that make it desirable for many locals who opt to stick around. Peyton Kimmel expressed gratitude for the chance to stay in her neck of the woods. One of the main reasons why I chose PFL was because I could stay in a place I love, said Kimmel, who works for PFL as a customer advocate. A resident of Big Timber, Kimmel started working at PFL right after graduating from Montana State University in 2022 with a degree in business marketing. As she spoke with the Livingston Enterprise on Wednesday, her five-year-old dog, Snip, reclined in a bed under her workstation. Shes retired from being a cow dog to an office dog, Kimmel said. Keith Jacobik, senior vice president of production, was on hand Wednesday to show the Enterprise various areas of the 55,000-square-foot facility added a few years ago. The building, which doubled PFLs capacity, houses two laser engravers, three digital print machines, kitting area, fulfillment area, mailing area and more. A UV flatbed box printer on a second level was in the middle of printing a 750-unit order and had recently completed a 10,000-box run that took about four days, Jacobik said. A resident of Paradise Valley, Jacobik has been with the company for 14 years. Its been great just awesome people, great challenges all the time, Jacobik said. Its really nice to have a great place to work in a beautiful spot. Theres been lots of opportunities given to me along the way. New leadership Hawkins was recruited to PFL in 2022 and promoted from the position of chief financial officer. A resident of Ann Arbor, Michigan, has three grown children in their mid-20s and lives with his wife within an hour of them. Although Hawkins calls Michigan home, he spends a lot of time in Livingston and makes personal connections with the staff there. People do a lot of stuff together outside of work, Hawkins said. Me and a few guys were at the bar doing trivia night [at the The Owl Lounge] and won 300 bucks. Last month, we won 500 it was a bigger crowd. Before joining PFL, Hawkins served in a variety of executive roles with private equity backed tech firms, focusing on growing businesses and helping them achieve sustainable profitability. Most recently, he was CEO of ImageSoft, a leading provider of document management systems and eFiling for courts. The reason I agreed to come [on board with PFL] is I saw tremendous opportunity to impact millions of people through the power of effective engagement, Hawkins said. We serve a lot of big-name customers Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, Blue Cross, AT&T. PFL also counts banks, universities, health care firms and insurance companies among its clients, Hawkins said. While our e-commerce print business thrives serving SMBs (small and medium businesses), our MarTech business sells software subscriptions to Fortune 500 companies, enabling them to include print and direct mail as an integral component of their hitherto digital-only marketing efforts, said PFL founder Andrew Field in a Wednesday email. These customers spend hundreds of thousands to millions each year, because they see such outstanding results on the programs they run with us. A scare for locals With PFL being such a major employer in the area, some residents were alarmed when they noticed the company had sold one of its buildings in January. But this sale, in fact, wasnt a sign of trouble but a smart business movie, Hawkins told The Enterprise. We sold the building to free up $11 million in cash to invest in further growth, Hawkins said. It was a really healthy thing for us to do. This practice of selling a building to a third party and renting it is known as a sale and lease back transaction a way to raise funds to expand operations, Hawkins said. Another business move made in recent years was bringing on Goldman Sachs as an investor. They do not have a controlling interest, so they have a partial share of ownership, and that happened in 2018, Hawkins said. It enabled us to expand our software development and sales and marketing functions. Many ways to contribute PFL employs people in sales, accounting, childcare, procurement, the print and finishing area and in the warehouse, among other roles. The company had a little more than two dozen open positions as of Wednesday, Lalich said. The company also has a full product and software development team, created in 2014. In addition to designing software that helps companies automate and personalize direct mail processes, PFLs software engineers also created the database program used by employees throughout the company. Some of this software interfaces with various machinery on site in Livingston. We have a really strong partnership with Salesforce, Hawkins said. They consider us to be in the top 10 percent of all their partners. So that means they work with us to sell our products together. As they sell to their prospects, they mention they can add our software into theirs and create more functionality for their customers. In the beginning Field retired as PFLs CEO a little over a year ago and sits on the companys board of directors, but isnt involved in daily operations these days. He started the company in 1996 after a fishing buddy suggested starting a print shop. At the time, Field was selling auto supplies to businesses, but he had experience working for Minneapolis-based Meyers Printing in the 1980s, as well as Sir Speedy. After about six weeks of market research, he discovered there were only two other printers in the Livingston area. Field hired six employees, bought a $425,000 Heidelberg sheetfed press, and saw the business revenue reach $80,000 a month in short order. More than 220,000 customers have been served since the companys founding, and in the last two years alone, its sent 58 million pieces of mail, according to Jennifer Bellin, the companys chief marketing officer. He was a very active leader, Hawkins said of Field. Theres not that many people who can say they grew a company to nearly $50 million in annual revenue. Lalich said she knows Field well, having been with PFL for the last 16 years. He was such a visionary, Lalich said. He built an amazing company and was also very passionate about his people, and I would say he left a very strong foundation for us to continue to build on. The future With Hawkins as the new CEO, PFL is still in good hands, Lalich said. Hes really embraced who we are, she said. Hes come in and really listened to our employees and is really focused on trying to make the employee experience a really exceptional one, and I think hes really helped with the growth and the strategies behind driving our growth. Hawkins said company officials had contemplated changing PFLs name. We had thought about it last year but decided not to, Hawkins said. We have a lot of brand equity in the PFL name, its been around for 25 years a lot of people know us. Hawkins said the company wants to continue growing, but isnt looking to change its vision of improving lives by connecting people through authentic moments. Manchester Police Department MANCHESTER A worker at a massive distribution center off Interstate 84 was injured Saturday in a collision involving two pieces of machinery, police said. The worker was injured around 3:20 p.m. at a 1-million-square-foot facility at 1315 Tolland Turnpike, according to Manchester Police Lt. Ryan Shea. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CHICAGO (AP) The voting precinct could have been any one of hundreds throughout Chicago, except that these voters in the first round of the mayoral election were all wearing the same beige smocks. And the security at this polling place wasnt intended to keep disrupters and campaigners out, but the voters in. When first-time voter Tykarri Skillon finished studying the list of nine candidates, looking for those who shared his priorities on jobs and affordable housing, he marked his ballot and then was escorted with other voters back to their cells in the Cook County Jail. The 25-year-old, awaiting trial on a weapons charge, is part of a group not always mentioned in discussions about voting disenfranchisement. People serving sentences for felony convictions lose their right to vote. Detainees awaiting trial or serving misdemeanor sentences do retain that right, but face barriers to exercising it in many parts of the United States. The Cook County Jail, with more than 5,500 inmates and detainees, is one of the largest such facilities in the nation. It is one of several lockups where voting rights advocates have worked with local election and jail officials to offer voting for those held there. The list includes jails in Denver; Harris County, Texas; Los Angeles County; and the District of Columbia. Expanding jailhouse voting is one of the latest steps to combine voting rights with criminal justice changes. It feels good to have a voice, Skillon said after casting his ballot during early voting, before the race went to an April 4 runoff. Were going home someday, so we should have a voice in our community. Candidates he chose from included the current mayor, Democrat Lori Lightfoot. Among the issues that damaged her politically was rising crime. She eventually came in third in the election, bumping her from an April 4 runoff between the two top vote-getters, also Democrats. The most recent survey from the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, released last December, showed that 451,400 of the 636,300 people held in jails across the country had not been convicted and thus should retain their right to vote. Voting rights for pretrial detainees and inmates serving sentences for misdemeanors were upheld in a U.S. Supreme Court decision from 1974, in a case from New York, O'Brien v. Skinner. Despite that ruling, voting rights advocates say a de facto disenfranchisement exists because of mistakes over eligibility and the difficulties that detainees and prisoners face in registering or voting. In a 2020 report, the Prison Policy Initiative focused on three main reasons: registration is difficult due to issues such as mail-in ballot deadlines and voter ID laws; detention does not meet the criteria for absentee voting in some jurisdictions; and the churn of the jail populations. At least one state, Tennessee, had a bill introduced this year to address one of the barriers. Being in jail as a pretrial detainee is not one of the reasons considered valid for granting a mail ballot request, said Democratic state Sen. Jeff Yarbro, the bill's sponsor. Yabro, who recently announced he was running for mayor of Nashville, wants that changed. Being a full citizen should be the default," he said. "Everybody ought to have the expectation of fully participating in a democracy." In Harris County, Texas, which includes Houston, about 75% of the nearly 10,000 people held in jail are pretrial. The sheriff's department established a polling place there in 2019, working with the county elections office, and has allowed voting during the past two election cycles. Before that, detainees voted only by mail. The move started in 2017 with the Houston Justice Coalition and an initiative known as Project Orange that has helped register thousands of detainees and taught them how to navigate the mail ballot process, Nadia Hakim, a spokeswoman for the Harris County Elections Administration, said in an email. Previously if detainees wanted to vote, they had to do the legwork, she said. They had to know their registration status and make the request for the mail ballot application. In-person voting has multiple advantages. The mail ballot application deadline is April 25 for this year's May 6 election. Someone booked after the deadline would not be able to request a mail ballot, Hakim said. With the in-jail polling place, all detainees can vote, as well as members of the staff and public because machines are available in secure and public spaces. In last November's election, 528 people checked in to vote there, including detainees, employees and members of the public, she said. In California, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Capt. Roel Garcia said staff members let pretrial detainees know they can register and vote and hold voter registration drives. Garcia, who oversees the inmate reception center, said the department works with groups such as the League of Women Voters to get information to the detainees about candidates and issues on the ballot. The department and the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk have teamed up on a pilot program since 2020 that allows voting in two jails. There are plans to expand it to all eight county jails in 2024. Registrar Dean Logan said as many as 11,700 people could be eligible at a given time when the voting goes countywide. He said it could serve as a model for other counties. I think the in-person vote centers is something where people are watching to see how thats going to work and whether or not they have the infrastructure, the equipment and the capacity to offer that, Logan said. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said in an interview that giving detainees a sense of empowerment and finding ways to get them to rethink their place in the world and to inspire them to change are constant challenges. He said engaging them as elections approach presents an opportunity to accomplish that. If you are trying to get inside someones head what better way to do that than to say we want you to be a real decision-maker?" he said. Im not saying it is magic fairy dust. But all (these) things start moving the dial. A 2019 state law required that jails take steps to enable voting by detainees who have not been convicted. Smaller jails aren't required to have polling stations but must arrange for absentee ballots. Dart said the jail helps organize classes overseen by university staff and other organizations to instruct inmates and detainees, before they vote, on everything from the electoral process to the rationale behind judicial elections. Detainees also are able to tune into televised debates between candidates. Their election IQ is off the charts, Dart said. Participation level, turnout is higher than it is outside. The sheriff's office said about 1,500 inmates and detainees or roughly 27% of the jail's population voted during the first round of the Chicago mayoral election. The Chicago Board of Elections brought in several voting booths this year along with a large ballot-collection machine and put them in a section of the jail called the chapel, which is normally used for religious services and small concerts. With just a few guards looking on, half a dozen board of elections staff managed the jail polling stations, first helping with registration. Among the voters was 20-year-old Tony Simmons, who marked his ballot while a dozen others sat in an adjoining room, waiting their turn. For safety reasons, just four were brought into the polling station at a time. Simmons, who is awaiting trial on burglary, robbery and other charges in Cook County, said he had seen campaign ads on jail televisions featuring tough-on-crime messages. It didnt bother him, he said, adding that crimes rates should come down. Asked what kinds of candidates he voted for, he answered: Ones who were more lenient on issues surrounding the law and crime. First-time voter Skillon, the one awaiting trial on a weapons charge, said he believed what many jaded voters outside the walls don't. Your vote matters," he said. "One vote can most definitely make a difference. ___ Fields reported from Washington. ___ Associated Press coverage of democracy receives support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukraine's government on Sunday called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to counter the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail after Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus. One Ukrainian official said Russia "took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. Further heightening tensions, an explosion deep inside Russia wounded three people Sunday. Russian authorities blamed a Ukrainian drone for the blast, which damaged residential buildings in a town just 175 kilometers (110 miles) south of Moscow. Russia has said the plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus comes in response to the West's increasing military support for Ukraine. Putin announced the plan in a TV interview that aired Saturday, saying it was triggered by a U.K. decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the United States. He noted that Washington has nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews, he said. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned the move in a statement Sunday and demanded an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. Ukraine expects effective action to counter the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail by the U.K., China, the U.S. and France, the statement read, saying these countries have a special responsibility regarding nuclear aggression. The world must be united against someone who endangers the future of human civilization, the statement said. Ukraine has not commented on Sunday's explosion inside Russia. It left a crater about 15 meters (50 feet) in diameter and five meters deep (16 feet), according to media reports. Russian state-run news agency Tass reported authorities identified the drone as a Ukrainian Tu-141. The Soviet-era drone was reintroduced in Ukraine in 2014, and has a range of about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles). The explosion took place in the town of Kireyevsk in the Tula region, about 300 kilometers (180 miles) from the border with Ukraine. Russia's Defense Ministry said the drone crashed after an electronic jamming system disabled its navigation. Similar drone attacks have been common during the war, although Ukraine hardly ever acknowledges responsibility. On Monday, Russia said Ukrainian drones attacked civilian facilities in the town of Dzhankoi in Russia-annexed Crimea. Ukraines military said several Russian cruise missiles were destroyed, but did not specifically claim responsibility. In December, the Russian military reported several Ukrainian drone attacks on long-range bomber bases deep inside Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said the drones were shot down, but acknowledged that their debris damaged some aircraft and killed several servicemen. Also, Russian authorities have reported attacks by small drones in the Bryansk and Belgorod regions on the border with Ukraine. On Saturday, Putin argued that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has long asked to have nuclear weapons in his country again to counter NATO. Belarus shares borders with three NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging ground to send troops into neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Both Lukashenko's support of the war and Putin's plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus has been denounced by the Belarusian opposition. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, tweeted Sunday that Putins announcement was a step towards internal destabilization of Belarus that maximized the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society. The Kremlin, Danilov added, took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over the ones it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them will be completed by July 1, Putin said. Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there. The U.S. said it would monitor the implications of Putins announcement. So far, Washington hasn't seen "any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. In Germany, the foreign ministry called it a further attempt at nuclear intimidation, German news agency dpa reported late Saturday. The ministry went on to say that the comparison drawn by President Putin to NATOs nuclear participation is misleading and cannot be used to justify the step announced by Russia. ___ Kirsten Grieshaber contributed to this report from Berlin. 24-31 July 1944: The Normandy Breakout Operation Cobra aimed to smash the German line and enable an Allied breakout from Normandy. Operation Cobra was a resounding success for the Allied forces on their path to liberating France in the summer of 1944, and one of the key turning-points in the history of the Second World War. Those days of fast-moving action between 25 and 30 July saw the beginning of the final collapse of the German occupation of France. Yet these events are overshadowed by the battles on the beaches. The Operation Cobra battlefields are poorly documented, in some cases unlocated, often lost amid the hedgerows and sunken lanes of Normandy. The map below shows the Operation Cobra breakout in late July 1944, and comes from our 15-page special feature in issue 103 examining the Allied breakout from Normandy after D-Day including a detailed analysis of the intense bocage fighting in the fields and hedgerows of the French countryside. Map showing the Operation Cobra breakout in late July 1944. Click to load a larger version of the image. Cobra: The Plan With the capture of Saint-Lo a major German communications hub by Lieutenant-General Omar N Bradleys V and XIX Corps, the front was quickly consolidated for the next phase of operations. Bradleys plan for the operation code-named Cobra was for a specific location on the German front to be carpet-bombed, then stormed by infantry, and finally penetrated by an armoured spearhead. The key concept here was extreme concentration of firepower, assault troops, and armour to open a narrow gap through which the tanks could pass into the open country beyond. First we must pick a soft point in the enemys line, next concentrate our forces against it. Then, after smashing through with a blow that would crush his front-line defences, we spill our mechanised columns through that gap before the enemy could recover his senses. This is an extract from the April 2019 issue of Military History Matters. To find out more about the magazine and how to subscribe, click here. In the Second World War, the dockyards and riverside factories of Londons East End were essential to the countrys struggle against the Nazis. But this also made them a key target for enemy attack. Over 25,000 German bombs fell on the area during the war, causing immense damage, particularly to the West India and St Katherines yards. But the campaign failed in its ultimate objective to strong-arm the country into surrender. Yet the Blitz had a massive human cost. The area was densely populated with the homes of factory workers and dockers, and their families. Although thousands were evacuated, most essential workers had no choice but to stay put. As if their work was not punishing enough, they had to live in constant fear of death from the indiscriminate bombardment from above. This was the secondary motive of the German campaign to crush the morale of the countrys population and further hinder its ability to fight. Morale-boosting campaigns were therefore a necessity. This is probably the reason Prime Minister Winston Churchill toured the docks in September 1940, 80 years ago, as is depicted in this picture from a new gallery on the Blitz at the Museum of London Docklands. A visit from the countrys leader was an early form of public relations; a reminder that the sacrifices of those in the East End, as well as of those in cities throughout Britain, were appreciated at the top. The Royal Family also got in on the act. When Buckingham Palace was hit, the Queen consort commented that it allowed her to sympathise with those targeted at the docks. It makes me feel I can look the East End in the face, she said. Not that such visits were universally welcomed. Somewhat out of keeping with the Blitz spirit of common endurance, the Queen was often jeered for touring the bombed-out suburbs in her most expensive clothes. Nor was Churchill here dressed in his trade mark bow tie and hat, and staring intensely at an unknown sight immune to criticism. There is no sign of the public in this picture, only his wife, Clementine, herself quite strikingly dressed, and some dockyard officials and auxiliary firemen. It was wartime after all, and the East End was very much a war zone. Lavish visits with thronging crowds were a thing of the past. But if Churchill provided the moral and rhetorical leadership for the war effort, then it was places such as Londons docks that provided the industrial might to accompany it. The gallery Docklands at War: 1939-1945 can be visited for free during the Museum of London Docklands opening hours. For more information, visit their website. Robbie MacNiven explores the fate of the Scots who survived Culloden. On a bitterly cold April afternoon in 1746, on moorland just east of the town of Inverness, the power of Scotlands Highland clans was forever broken. The Battle of Culloden Moor marked not just the final defeat of Charles Edward Stuart and his Jacobite followers, but also the destruction of the deeply ingrained martial aspect of Gaelic Highland life. Whilst Jacobitism was a pan-British cause, the final rebellion of 1745 would not have been possible without the efforts of thousands of Highland clansmen. The British government, long exasperated by what it saw as the lawless north, used its new-found military supremacy in the wake of Culloden to pass the Acts of Proscription. These represented nothing less than an attempt to dismantle the ancient clan structure. Highlanders were forbidden to carry weapons such as muskets, dirks, or the famous broadsword. Highland dress was outlawed. The playing of the bagpipes was banned. Prayers for the Hanoverian monarch and his family were imposed before school lessons every day. Fines, imprisonment, and exile awaited those clansmen who dared defy the new laws. It is here that the popular histories often end, the romantic image of the Highlander the noble savage thereby pickled for posterity. In reality the warlike customs of the Gael for long persisted, only now they were channelled overseas in the service of the British Empire. Highland regiments became integral components of the British Army in the 18th and 19th centuries. Nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the post-Culloden careers of a number of prominent former Jacobites. Such men were at the forefront of Britains 18th-century imperial expansion, fighting hard for the Establishment they had defied for the last time in April 1746. To end their stories at Culloden does them a grave disservice. Simon Fraser Of all the Jacobites who survived Culloden, perhaps the most famous is Simon Fraser of Lovat. Born in 1726 the son of one of Scotlands most infamous Jacobite nobles, he led his clansmen at Culloden in support of Charles Stuart. Legend claims that, as the Jacobite army disintegrated, a British officer (some say the infamous General Hawley, others the Duke of Cumberland himself) ordered a subordinate, Major James Wolfe, to shoot Fraser. Wolfe refused, and Fraser escaped. His father was not so lucky, and became the last man in Britain to suffer execution by public beheading. After such traumatic exertions for the Jacobite cause, it might be imagined that Fraser would remain an eternal, embittered enemy of the House of Hanover. Such a view, however, would overlook the reality of Highland life following 1746. The clan system was in decline long before the death-blow of Culloden. Crop failure, disease, economic downturn, and a lack of decent employment prospects all combined to ensure that throughout the 1740s and 50s thousands of Highlanders, many of them young and active men like Fraser, were seeking escape. The Act of Proscription provided a way out, for it was a deliberately double-edged sword whilst it banned the traditional form of the martial culture so central to Highland life, it permitted a new form of it to flourish in the service of the British Army. Highlanders who took the Kings shilling and donned the red coat could again carry their swords and muskets and wear the plaid and bonnet, recapturing the essence of their warlike traditions. Fighting Indians and the French These incentives combined with their dire economic situation overcame much of the animosity felt by Highland Scots towards the British Establishment. All that was needed was a conflict through which to channel the restless Gaels energies. When war with France again broke out in 1755, the perfect theatre presented itself: North America. The French and Indian aspect of the Seven Years War proved to be a sharp learning curve for the British Army, plunging it into an alien wilderness inhabited by a fearsome, unconventional foe. British officers like James Wolfe, who had served in the suppression of the Jacobite risings in Scotland, recognised the potential value of the Highlanders in America, accustomed as they were to rugged terrain and hard living. When the British government authorised a recruitment drive amongst the clans that had once defied it, Simon Fraser was the first to answer the call. Disaffected, destitute Highlander youths rallied to their clansmans banner 800 in all. These men were quickly organised into the 78th Highland Regiment, also known as Frasers Highlanders. Simon Fraser and his regiment, along with its twin, the 77th or Montgomerys Highlanders, served at the forefront of the war in America, and were present at James Wolfes defining victory on the Plains of Abraham in 1759. Nor did their service end with Britains triumph. When war again flared in the colonies in 1775, the regiment was reinstated, and went on to serve again with distinction. By this point, Fraser had gone full circle, from rebel to government soldier serving to suppress rebels. This is an extract from an article that appeared in issue 52 of Military History Monthly. Robbie MacNiven is a University of Edinburgh history graduate currently enrolled in the School of War Studies at Glasgow University. In his spare time he volunteers as a re-enactor at the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre. Cold Harbor is misleadingly named. The area just north of Richmond, Virginia is hot for most of the year. Nor will you find any kind of river or port there. In June 1864, it was the site of a fortnight-long battle during the American Civil War, part of General Grants Overland Campaign. A year later, photographer John Reekie visited the battlefield and captured pictures of men as they roamed the fields, collecting and reburying the bones of dead soldiers. The bulk of the fighting had taken place on 3 June, when Grant ordered that the fortifications of Confederate General Robert E Lee be attacked early in the morning. The plan was a suicide mission. Neither Grant nor his second-in-command had inspected the battlefield properly. If they had, they might have realised that their opponent was too well entrenched. So when the attack was put into action, the result was carnage. The Union army entered a blizzard of converging fire, with those not immediately cut down scrambling for cover behind the bodies of their fallen comrades. Others used cups, bayonets, and their bare hands to dig makeshift shelters for themselves. The Confederates lost some men, but nothing in comparison to the Union death-toll of between three and seven thousand, most of them killed within the first hour of the attack. By midday, Grant had called it off. It would be the last large-scale field victory for Lee. And although Grants wider campaign was a success, he came to regret the bloodbath at Cold Harbor, reflecting in his memoirs that: no advantage whatsoever was gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained. Quite right. In this respect, with its entrenched defences and disproportionate losses, the battle resembled some of the more futile engagements of the First World War. As had become official practice by the time of that conflict, some at Cold Harbor attached identification tags to their uniforms before they fought. This might have made the job of those pictured here a little easier. TALLINN, Estonia (AP) Advertisements promise cash bonuses and enticing benefits. Recruiters are making cold calls to eligible men. Enlistment offices are working with universities and social service agencies to lure students and the unemployed. A new campaign is underway this spring across Russia, seeking recruits to replenish its troops for the war in Ukraine. As fighting grinds on in Ukrainian battlegrounds like Bakhmut and both sides prepare for counteroffensives that could cost even more lives, the Kremlin's war machine badly needs new recruits. A mobilization in September of 300,000 reservists billed as a partial call-up sent panic throughout the country, since most men under 65 are formally part of the reserve. Tens of thousands fled Russia rather than report to recruiting stations. The Kremlin denies that another call-up is planned for what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine, now more than a year old. But amid widespread uncertainty of whether such a move will eventually happen, the government is enticing men to volunteer, either at makeshift recruiting centers popping up in various regions, or with phone calls from enlistment officials. That way, it can avoid declaring a formal second mobilization wave after the first one proved so unpopular, according to a recent report by the U.S.-based think tank Institute of the Study of War. One Muscovite told The Associated Press that his employer, a state-funded organization, gathered up the military registration cards of all male employees of fighting age and said it would get them deferments. But he said the move still sent a wave of fear through him. It makes you nervous and scared no one wants to all of a sudden end up in a war with a rifle in their hands, said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared reprisal. The special operation is somewhat dragging on, so any surprises from the Russian authorities can be expected. It's been more than a week since he handed in his card, he said, and exemptions usually get resolved in a day or two, heightening his anxiety. Russian media report that men across the country are receiving summonses from enlistment offices. In most of those cases, men were simply asked to update their records; in others, they were ordered to take part in military training. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last week that serving summonses to update records in enlistment offices is usual practice and a continued undertaking. Other unconfirmed media reports say authorities have told regional governments to recruit a certain number of volunteers. Some officials announced setting up recruitment centers with the goal of getting men to sign contracts that enable them to be sent into combat as professional soldiers. Ads have appeared on government websites and on the social media accounts of state institutions and organizations, including libraries and high schools. One of them, posted by a municipal administration in the western Yaroslavl region, promised a one-time bonus of about $3,800 to sign up, and if sent to Ukraine, a monthly salary of up to $2,500, plus about $100 a day for involvement in active offensive operations, and $650 for each kilometer of advancement within assault teams. The ad said the soldier would also get tax and loan repayment breaks, preferential university admission status for his children, generous compensation for his family if he is wounded or killed in action, and the status of a war veteran, which carries even more perks. In the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, officials asked universities, colleges and vocational schools to advertise for recruits on their websites, said Sergei Chernyshov, founder of a private vocational school there. Chernyshov posted the ad on his social media account so that everyone knows what our city hall is up to, but he told the AP that he doesn't plan to put it on the school website. Its weird to target vocational school students, he said. Other efforts include enlistment officials meeting with college students and unemployed men, or phoning men to volunteer. A Muscovite who spoke on condition of anonymity for his own safety said that he received such a call and was surprised at how polite it was: After my No, there were no threats or (attempts to) convince me - (just) Thanks, goodbye. There have only been isolated cases of enlistment officials really pressuring men to sign up, said Grigory Sverdlin, founder of a group called Go by the Forest that helps men avoid mobilization. The group gets up to 100 messages a day from men seeking advice on dealing with summonses or enlistment officials, he said, compared with dozens per day in recent months. In most cases, the officials wanted to update their records with addresses and phone numbers, and they might try to recruit men during that process. But Sverdlin said some cases stand out. In the Vologda region, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of Moscow, the group received messages saying that almost everyone going to the enlistment office after receiving a summons "is forced to sign a paper barring them from leaving the region, he said. Lawyer Alexei Tabalov, who runs the Conscripts School legal aid group, believes there's nothing unusual in authorities handing out summonses now. Some of the notices are traditionally served before Russia's spring conscription draft, scheduled to begin April 1 for those eligible for mandatory service. All Russian men from age 18 to 27 must serve one year in the military, but a large share avoid the draft for health reasons or get student deferments. The share of men who avoid the draft is particularly big in Moscow and other major cities, and many simply evade enlistment officials bearing conscription summonses. Tabalov said that men have reported going to enlistment offices to update their records but have officials there who beat around the bush and promote the idea of signing the contract, talk about how one should love their motherland and defend it. He doubted anything could make volunteering attractive after 13 months of a war that has killed and wounded tens of thousands. "People already understand what it means to sign a contract, he said. Those who got burned once are unlikely to fall into the same trap. Tabalov said that his group continues to get messages from soldiers who want to terminate their contracts, but that isnt legally possible until President Vladimir Putin ends the partial mobilization, which began in September, with a new decree. Getting out of the war automatically means criminal prosecution, Tabalov said, adding there have been a flurry of criminal cases since December, with prosecutions of soldiers who desert or go AWOL. The news outlet Mediazona counted 247 verdicts in 536 criminal cases on these and similar charges, adding that over a third of those convicted got suspended sentences, which allows authorities to send them back to the front line. The current recruitment campaign is similar to one enacted last summer, before the September call-up, said Kateryna Stepanenko, a Russia analyst with the Institute of the Study of War. Back then, authorities also used financial incentives, and various volunteer battalions were formed, but the effort clearly wasn't successful, because Putin eventually turned to the partial mobilization. Whether this one will succeed or not is unclear. Theyve already recruited a significant portion of people that were financially incentivized last summer. And they struggled to do so last year, Stepanenko said. The current recruitment effort shows the military's awareness of manpower needs in Ukraine. What the mobilization campaign of 300,000 servicemen told us is that it's not enough to form a sufficient strike group for Russia to push forward with its offensive operations," she said. ___ Associated Press writer Yuras Karmanau contributed to this report. The Guardians and Reds finalized the deal that sent Will Benson to Cincinnati tonight, with left-handed pitcher Steve Hajjar, a second-round pick in the 2021 draft who the Reds acquired from the Twins in the Tyler Mahle trade last summer alongside Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, headed to the Guardians. Both teams have announced Hajjars inclusion in the deal. Hajjar, 22, joins Justin Boyd, Cincinnatis second round pick in the 2022, as the return going to Cleveland in exchange for Benson, who struggled in a 28 game big league debut for the Guardians last year. Benson, who slashed .252/.353/.479 in 116 games at the Triple-A level for his career, figures to open the 2023 season in the Reds starting outfield alongside TJ Friedl and Jake Fraley. Hajjar, posted a 3.61 ERA in 52 1/3 innings of work in 2022, his first professional season. While Hajjar played in complex ball, Single-A, and High-A during his first season, the bulk of his innings came at Single-A, where he posted a 2.47 ERA in 43 2/3 innings. Boyd, meanwhile, appeared in 22 minor league games after last summers draft, struggling to a .203/.277/.270 line while spending most of his time at Single-A. March 30: The Marlins officially selected Gurriels contract today, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. To open a spot for him on the 40-man, right-hander Max Meyer was placed on the 60-day injured list. Meyer underwent Tommy John surgery late last year and will miss most of the upcoming campaign. March 26: The Marlins will select the contract of first baseman Yuli Gurriel, GM Kim Ng said today during the team radio broadcast (hat tip to Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald). Both Gurriel and Jose Iglesias recently signed minor league deals with the Fish, and both had the ability to exercise opt-out clauses in those contracts yesterday if Miami didnt place them on the Opening Day roster. Ng said that Iglesias wont break camp with the team, but the veteran infielder has chosen to pass on his opt-out in order to remain in the minors. Signs were pointing towards the Marlins decision yesterday, since the club was leaning towards utilityman Jon Berti as the right-handed complement to Joey Wendle at the shortstop position, rather than Iglesias. Jordan Groshans, Jacob Amaya, and Garrett Hampson also provided further shortstop depth at Triple-A, making Iglesias less of a true need as Wendles timeshare partner. By contrast, the Marlins have a lot less depth at first base, giving Gurriel an opportunity to join with Garrett Cooper as Miamis top two options at the position. Cooper can also play in the corner outfield, and naturally either player could serve as the DH whenever Jorge Soler is in the outfield. The financial terms of Gurriels minor league deal werent reported, but hell lock in a guaranteed salary whenever Miami officially selects his contract prior to Opening Day. Gurriel and the Marlins were linked on the rumor mill for quite some time before he actually put pen to paper, with the result being a minors contract after the Fish reportedly took a one-year deal in the $2MM off the table earlier in the offseason. From Iglesias perspective, his decision to decline the opt-out clause makes sense. Iglesias only just signed with the Marlins a little over two weeks ago, and he apparently preferred the opportunity to ramp up in the minor leagues over another trip into the free agent market. Iglesias also has two more opt-out dates built into his contract, as he can again decide on his future on May 1 and June 1 if Miami hasnt already added him to its 26-man roster. Miami still has to place Max Meyer (Tommy John surgery recovery) onto the 60-day injured list, which will create space for Gurriel on the 40-man roster. As for 26-man roster space, the Marlins have two spots to work with, since left-hander Steven Okert and right-hander Tommy Nance are both going to start the year on the 15-day injured list. Manager Skip Schumaker told McPherson and other reporters that Okert will miss a couple of weeks as the southpaw recovers from a left adductor issue, while Nance faces a longer recovery period from a bout of shoulder stiffness. Nance isnt expected to start throwing until closer to the middle of April. Ranked choice voting is as easy as one, two, three. In a recent op-ed making its way around the state, the author says that ranked choice voting can lead to second-preference votes counted as first-preference votes when a ballots first-preference candidate comes in last place in the first round of counting and is therefore excluded in the second round of counting. Overall, even if a candidate received the most votes but did not eclipse 50%, that candidate may not win. Ill admit, this characterization of ranked-choice voting (RCV) is absolutely true. This is the whole point of RCV: to determine the most-preferred candidate among voters by eliminating the least-preferred candidate. It is this very simple point that detractors are trying to confuse you with when they say, the winner didnt get the most first-place votes. Again, that is the point of ranking our choices: the most preferred candidate will not always equal the most first-place votes. Representative Nikolakakos (R) from Great Falls said on the House floor, Its not complicatedIts very simple. Its very easyand we should not override local control for a type of voting that is basically just an instant runoff. The purpose of RCV is to ensure that the winning candidate has broad support among voters. By allowing voters to rank their candidates, RCV can reduce the impact of candidates splitting the vote, promote positive campaigning and it has been shown to reduce the amount of wasted votes by three times. Perhaps, youve never heard of this voting system that allows you to rank your candidates in order of preference, but that doesnt mean its confusing or untested. Nikolakakos reminds the House, Its passed in Maine. Its passed in Alaska. Its passed in states where people still have an independent mind like we do in Montanaindependent people like ranked choice voting. Besides statewide use in Maine and Alaska, RCV is used in several countries around the world, including Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand. In the United States, seven states use RCV for military and overseas voting and several cities have adopted RCV for local elections, including San Francisco, Oakland, Austin, New York City, Minneapolis and twenty-three cities in Utah. However, in Montana, even though no jurisdiction currently uses RCV, HB 598 seeks to preemptively ban RCV from being used or even considered in Montana. Representative Paul Green (R) from Hardin, representing the southeast area of Lame Deer stated on the House floor, I dont believe that I have the capacity to tell another local community how they go about their elections. For that Im gonna be a No. Ryan Williamson from R Street Institute recently reviewed Alaskas first run with RCV and Final Four Open Primaries. A review of initial evidence found that races in the state became more civil and competitive overall, writes Williamson. Importantly, Alaskans viewed the process favorably, largely describing it as simple despite some arguments to the contrary. In addition, Walter Olson from the Cato Institute states, Alaska's new election system appears to have made races more competitive and voters found it easy to use. Candidates with crossover appeal may have benefited, but contrary to some chatter, Republicans overall did just fine. Catcher Jorge Alfaro is in camp with the Red Sox on a minor league deal and it was reported about three weeks ago that he has an upward mobility clause in his contract. Today, Chris Cotillo of MassLive has the details on how that will play out. If Alfaro is not added to the clubs 40-man roster today, he can request that the Sox email the other 29 clubs, which they must do within 24 hours. Those other clubs will then have 24 hours to express their interest in giving Alfaro a spot on their own respective rosters. If one or multiple clubs are willing to give Alfaro a spot, Boston has 72 hours to decide whether or not to add Alfaro to their roster or let him join one of the other interested teams. If more than one team is interested, the Sox can choose which one he goes to. The Red Sox only have two catchers on their 40-man roster at the moment, who are Reese McGuire and Connor Wong. The latter of those two was dealing with a hamstring strain earlier in spring, which seemed to open the door for Alfaro to get a job. However, Wong now seems healthy and back in the mix for a spot on the Opening Day roster. The Sox would surely love to keep Alfaro around as depth in the event another injury pops up, but it will depend on his level of interest from other clubs around the league. Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com reports that utility player Niko Goodrum also has an upward mobility clause that gets going today, though its not known if it will take the exact same shape as Alfaros. The 31-year-old signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox on the heels of a rough season with the Astros. He hit .116/.156/.163 last year while striking out in 51.1% of his 45 plate appearances. He was optioned by the Astros but an injury limited him to just 20 minor league games for the year. He was released by Houston and the Red Sox took a flier on him but hes hitting just .178/.275/.178 in spring so far. He can play all over the diamond but likely has steep odds of making the team, as hes competing against guys who already have roster spots. Rob Refsnyder and Jarren Duran are candidates for a backup outfield job, while Bobby Dalbec and Yu Chang are potential bench infielders. Another option for a job with the Red Sox is outfielder Raimel Tapia, whos also in camp on a minor league deal. Hatfield adds that Tapia can opt-out of his deal on Monday if not added to the roster. Tapia was with the Blue Jays last year and hit .265/.292/.380 for a wRC+ of 90. With the Sox moving Enrique Hernandez to cover shortstop while Trevor Story is injured, they have some uncertainty in center field. Adam Duvall is set to be the regular option there, though the 34-year-old has never seen extended time there. Tapia has primarily been a left fielder in his career, though he did play center in 38 games last year and the Sox are reportedly open to using him there as well. Perhaps that ability to play center gives him an edge in the battle for bench jobs in Boston, though hes not on the 40-man right now. The club will evidently have to make a decision in the next couple of days or they could watch him walk away from his contract. Hes having a nice spring, hitting .325/.372/.600 thus far. The Sox currently have a full 40-man roster and would have to open up some spots if they want to add anyone from this group. Should any of this group not make the club and then end up sticking around, they will have more options to opt out in the future. Per Hatfield, Goodrum can opt out on May 1 and July 1, Alfaro on June 1 and July 1 and Tapia on July 1. Additionally, outfielder Greg Allen has an upward mobility clause on May 15 and June 15. Infielder Mike Moustakas has told reporters, including Danielle Allentuck of The Denver Gazette, that the Rockies have informed him that hes made the clubs Opening Day roster. Moustakas, 34, signed with the Rockies after being released by the Reds earlier this offseason. As Moustakas is still owed $22MM of his four-year, $64MM contract with the Reds, the Rockies will only pay Moustakas the big-league minimum salary of $720,000 this season. In addition, the Rockies are set to select the contract of left-hander Ty Blach, sources tell MLBTRs Steve Adams. Allentuck adds that infielder Harold Castro will also be on Colorados Opening Day roster, and that Brendan Rodgers, Sean Bouchard, and Ryan Rolison were moved to the 60-day IL to clear 40-man roster space for Moustakas, Blach, and Castro. Over twelve seasons as a big leaguer, Moustakas has proven to be a roughly league-average bat with a career slash line of .247/.308/.434 (97 wRC+). That being said, he was an above average regular from 2015 to 2020, as he slashed .262/.326/.490 with a wRC+ of 113 in 661 games for the Royals, Brewers, and Reds. The past two seasons have been difficult for Moustakas, however. In 140 games between 2021 and 2022, Moustakas has struck out in 24.6% of plate appearances, a significant leap from his career 16.8% rate. Between that strikeout rate and a dip in slugging (his .145 ISO from 2021-2022 is a step back from his career level of .187), its no surprise that the aging slugger struggled to a wRC+ of just 73 the past two seasons. Despite his struggles, the Rockies decided to take a chance on Moustakas following Rodgerss shoulder injury this spring, which will likely cause him to miss the 2023 campaign. Moustakas figures to be the everyday third baseman for the Rockies, with Ryan McMahon sliding over to second to cover for the injured Rodgers. With top prospect Ezequiel Tovar entrenched at shortstop, Castro appears set to play for the Rockies in a utility role this season. Such a role is familiar to Castro, who has played every position on the diamond except catcher during his career. Since debuting with the Tigers in 2018, Castro has appeared in 351 games, slashing .284/.309/.377 for a wRC+ of 88, just below the league average of 100. Despite that mediocre slash line, Castro still provides a versatile lefty bat off the bench for the Rockies. Blach, meanwhile, figures to slot into a long relief role for the Rockies. With 370 2/3 career major league innings under his belt, Blach has a 5.10 ERA, good for an ERA+ of just 82, though his 4.35 FIP and a strand rate of just 55.4% in 71 1/3 innings since the start of the 2019 season indicate there may be bad luck baked into his run prevention numbers. With his first season following Tommy John surgery in 2020 under his belt, the 32 year-old Blach will look to bounceback into the swing role he held for the Giants from 2016 until 2019. Claudia Holewinski was still in high school when she and her 24-year-old sister became caregivers after their mom was diagnosed with leukemia. Darcy Thiel helped care for her mother and husband, who both died from cancer, and later her father, who succumbed after eight years to complications from Parkinsons disease. Angela McIntyre, a nurse who cares for vulnerable patients, soldiered through a tough job before the pandemic made it a heavier lift. All these women have found the physical demands of caregiving a challenge. The mental pressures? Youre on overload in every sense of the word, said Thiel, a mental health counselor in Buffalo. Youre coping with all of these in-the-moment things, but you also know youre losing your person. That never leaves your mind. That pressure has become more common. AARP estimates the number of unpaid caregivers roughly one of every five adults has grown nearly 25% during the last half-decade, to about 50 million people. They spend an average of 24 hours a week with hands-on care and managing housework, finances and transportation for a family member or friend with a serious illness, developmental disorder or disability. Many juggle employment and almost all limit time for self-care as they struggle to navigate a complex and overburdened health care system, according to caregiving advocacy groups. There are angels in health care, Thiel said, but when I tell caregivers, Hey, listen, we need to be well educated because our medical system is kind of a disaster, Nobody goes, Oh, no, we found it to be completely helpful. Those angels include many of the 4.5 million paid caregivers in the United States who work in private homes, residential care, nursing homes and hospitals, a number expected to grow by 1 million more within five years. Compassion fatigue was always a danger. It grew worse with the pandemic. I wanted to be there for people in their hardest moments, said McIntyre, a registered nurse at Ascension Borgess-Pipp Hospital in Plainwell. But sometimes they die, and that can take its toll. The American Society on Aging also estimates there are more than 5 million caregivers under age 18 supporting a parent, grandparent, sibling, spouse or friend. That included Holewinski, of Kalamazoo, who was 16 when her mother fell ill. I was just anxious all the time, she said, unsure of how her mothers illness would progress and what that would look like, but also conscious of putting on a brave front for her mother. I didnt want her to feel worse, Holewinski said, and I knew she already felt bad. An emotional toll Roughly half of 1,000 unpaid caregivers surveyed last year in the Buffalo, Rochester and Detroit regions said physical and mental health challenges came with their roles. The more hours spent caregiving, the greater those burdens. The same held true for the youngest, least educated and lowest wage earners, according to the survey, commissioned by the New York-Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative. The findings followed a 2021 report in the New England Journal of Medicine that found symptoms of anxiety and depression were a serious problem for more than one-third of unpaid caregivers in Massachusetts, and a moderate problem for another 51%. Researchers who issued the report called on health care providers to recognize the important role caregivers play as part of a medical care team. They urged providers to help find better ways to help caregivers connect with respite services and other resources to buttress their mental and emotional well-being. The toll on caregivers, broken down by how many hours per week they spend giving care. Paid caregivers face daunting challenges of their own. One in three doctors, physician assistants and nurses in an American Medical Association survey during the last half of 2020 said they wanted to reduce their hours. One in five physicians and two in five nurses wanted to leave their jobs. In a related survey the following year, the most common reason nurses gave for planning to leave was because of the way work affected their health and well-being. The second most common reason was insufficient staffing. During COVID, we werent always able to get to everyone in time, and that was horrible, said Kelly Asselmeier, a nurse who works with McIntyre. It could be overwhelming, and we would call on the emergency department nurses to help, but we could still fall behind. We love our work, but that was hard. Caregiving and work A National Survey of Caregiver Stress in the U.S. Workforce, released in fall 2021 by the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, reported the emotional stress of handling both a job and caregiving responsibilities was the biggest challenge. That is no surprise to Thiel, whose caregiving journey started with her mom, Vera, who died three weeks after being diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer in 2007. Thiel posed lots of questions to health providers as her mothers health deteriorated. She backed down at first on treatment decisions, she said, because Im not a doctor. After a tough conference call involving her mothers primary care physician, it was decided that hospital-based hospice was the best option because Vera Thiel was too sick to leave. She died four hours after it started. It was the only four hours she didnt suffer, Darcy Thiel said. Her siblings learned during the process that her sister Lisa provided the best hands-on care and Thiel was the best advocate, despite her inexperience. Three years later, Thiel became a primary caregiver when her husbands routine gallbladder surgery revealed a large tumor, which turned out to be cancerous. The doctor left the operating room, seeking her consent to either remove it or take a biopsy and leave it in. Her intuition told her the tumor should come out. She asked the surgeon what he would do if her husband was one of his loved ones. He said hed get a biopsy, because recovery would be so taxing that it could delay cancer treatment and most likely shorten his life. The weight of the world is suddenly on your shoulders, Thiel said, and youre not equipped. Learning as you go Thiel and her husband, Tim Colvin, an engineer, were told he had one to two years to live, so both chose to keep working. They also made a key decision: Accept help offered by family, friends, fellow church members and strangers. When we did that, it was enormously helpful for our own mental health and emotional health, Thiel said. The people in our lives told us we helped other people and they asked us not to rob them of the opportunity. They helped us with just about everything. They walked our dog, they provided meals, they went shopping. They cleaned our house, they transported our son, they did research for us. That support allowed Thiel to arrange and keep track of her husbands growing number of medical appointments; learn what medications, foods and activities could support his health; and handle the abundant paperwork that goes into cancer treatment and end-of-life care. The support team and resilience were vital, as Colvin took a turn for the worse three months after his diagnosis. He died 10 weeks later, leaving three adult children from a previous marriage along with Thiel and their 8-year-old son, David Thiel-Colvin. The caregiving journey, including the tighter bond she forged with her husband during his last months, inspired Thiel to write a book, Bitter and Sweet: A Familys Journey with Cancer. I dont know how people do this for years, she said as she remembered those days. Statistics show caregivers are more accident prone, she said, and more likely to get sick themselves. Protracted caregiving Thiel came better prepared to manage protracted caregiving for her father, David, a General Motors retiree diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 2010. He agreed to move into assisted living in 2017, as his health worsened and it became too hard to live on his own. By that time, Thiel had improved the kind of notebook she started when her husband was sick. It included end-of-life plans that included a living will, health care proxy, power of attorney, Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment and Do Not Resuscitate order. Darcy Thiel, right, lays in a hospital bed with her father, David Thiel during one of his hospitalizations before his death in 2018 of complications from Parkinson's disease. I was kind of famous in the family even with my mom for crawling in bed in the hospitals, Darcy Thiel said. My dad was mortified when it was my mom, and my sister said, Dad, Mom sleeps better when she's sleeping with her. My dad got used to me. David Thiel was exhausted and in pain when he got his last urinary tract infection and decided he would pass on an antibiotic. An emergency room doctor who talked with him and his daughter supported the decision, Thiel said, but the assisted living staff pushed back. Their doctor came to the apartment to see Dad and literally was bullying him, she recalled. Thiel filed a complaint with the state Department of Health to stop the harassment. Her father died in August 2018, at age 86. Roadblocks and solutions Two years ago, Thiel launched the Resilient Caregivers Lifeline, a self-paced online support program that bubbled out of her counseling practice during the pandemic. She helps those who enroll compile a binder that includes sections for medical and real estate information, treatment and end-of-life directives, and how to sell homes, declutter and downsize. That kind of organization is key for caregivers because it makes it easier to communicate with health care providers and a support team, as well as advocate for those in their care. Support groups with fellow caregivers are also important, she said. Her program includes two weekly online group sessions in which participants can interact with caregivers from across the country. It also provides access to a private Facebook page with tips and short informational videos for caregivers. Throughout her caregiving experiences, Theil regularly visited a mental health counselor and continues to do so as part of her self-care. McIntyre, the registered nurse in Michigan, does the same each week as part of her workplace benefits. I do it on video, right from my couch with my cup of coffee, she said. My therapist is cool because she understands caregiver burnout. This and other self-care may bring on some guilt, Thiel said, but she advises caregivers to do it anyway, because it brings perspective and revitalization. Thiel can arrange a free 15-minute consult for her program for those who visit marriageandfamilycounseling.net. It runs six months. It isnt for everyone. The cost is $1,500 to $2,000, which Thiel considers an investment in a journey that can become much more expensive. Thiel has worked closely with two dozen caregivers who chose to take the program and traded text messages and emails with more than 300 others, providing tips and encouragement. Those who decide not to participate in the program say the cost in time and money are the biggest barriers. The program also is open only to those who speak English. Marla Elrod, of Nuevo, California, signed up for the program last April, five months after her 90-year-old father fell and broke his hip and a hospital and health insurance company placed him in a rehab center of their choosing without consulting his family. About the time I connected with Darcy, I was mentally and physically drained, Elrod said. Working full time, talking with him daily, sometimes more than once, and visiting as much as possible. I took all the calls from the assisted living facility, doctors and physical therapy as well as getting him to and from all appointments. That required arranging medical transport because I wasnt physically able to move him and put his wheelchair in the car. Talking with Thiel and other caregivers who understood the circumstances made things more manageable, as did the caregiving notebook. It was key to her decision to start hospice care after her father was hospitalized July 5 with fluid on his lungs, surgery was considered and Elrod asked doctors the right questions about its potential risks and benefits. Her father died three days later. The whole experience would have been much less stressful if I had Darcys input earlier, Elrod said. A lot of those who use her program care for someone with dementia. Many also turn to author Teepa Snow and her Positive Approach to Care online program. Snow, a dementia care consultant and educator, offers online programs for a cost and free tips on her YouTube channel. The amount of caregivers getting assistance, broken down by income level. Other resources are available free, though many who enter caregiving arent sure where to look, especially as illnesses and needs progress. County Offices of Aging, regional chapters of the Alzheimers Association and the Caregiver Action Network can be a good place to start. AARP can provide valuable tips, as well as Trualta, an online platform for family caregivers available free for all New Yorkers through the state Department of Health and in several Michigan counties through senior services programs. Paid caregivers can usually find support through workplace programs, some of the tools unpaid caregivers use and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation, which provides solutions and resources for health care workers and facilities where burnout is common. The bottom line Thiel tells prospective caregiving lifeline clients that her program can provide greater assurance, balance and meaning. She underlines that caregiving will still be the hardest thing theyve experienced including when its over. She has learned there is no quick fix, magic bullet or mountaintop revelation to protect and preserve a caregivers mental health. Acceptance, she said, does the most to lighten the load. I try to help people distinguish between feeling guilty and feeling badly, she said. Guilt is a healthy emotion, when its appropriate. Its our moral compass. But theres a lot in life that we have inappropriate guilt for, and it helps caregivers to change their narrative... You need to accept that your loved one is going to die not necessarily because of this illness, not maybe for a long time but to really grapple with mortality, she said. Whatever mentally, spiritually and emotionally you need to do to come to terms with that, you are going to exponentially be able to help your person so much better. It clears up what you need to make decisions and help them make that journey. Freelance writers Zinta Aistars and Julie Mack of the Southwest Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative contributed to this story. ABOUT THIS STORY This article is part of Overloaded and (Often) Unpaid, a joint solutions journalism project on caregiving and mental wellness between the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative and the New York and Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative, a partnership of news and community organizations dedicated to rigorous and compelling reporting about successful responses to social problems. The groups are supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. DETROIT, MI Rescue crews were able to free a driver from a vehicle that crashed into a light pole, Michigan State Police reported. The driver, a 72-year-old person from Detroit, was listed in critical condition following the crash on Saturday, March 25. Troopers responded to a 9:35 a.m. report of a crash along I-94, near Concord Street, in Detroit. Police said the driver was traveling in the left lane on I-94 and made an abrupt lane change. The driver lost control and the vehicle went up the right embankment, rolled over, and struck a light pole. The driver was trapped inside the vehicle and freed by Detroit Fire personnel. Police said the driver was alert and oriented on scene and was later transported to a local hospital for treatment. Troopers followed up at the hospital, which revealed the driver suffered multiple broken ribs and possible internal injuries. Always drive at a speed where you can control your vehicle, Lt. Mike Shaw, public information officer with MSP, stated. While this driver was able to survive this serious crash, others have not been as lucky. As always be careful out there and drive Michigan safely. Read more on MLive: Crews rescue driver trapped inside vehicle overturned in a swamp Michigan teen starts her own baking business from scratch, shipping sweet treats nationwide Please, hurry up, 911 calls detail fear, chaos of MSU shooting WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - Several major streets projects are chugging ahead in downtown Ann Arbor and U.S. 23 bridge replacement-related closures are in effect north of Milan. Heres a list of road work that could affect commute times and travel across Washtenaw County for the week beginning Sunday, March 26. ANN ARBOR Scio Church Road: A section of the road between South Seventh Street and South Maple Road is closed until May for a resurfacing project, bringing improvements for pedestrians and cyclists. Construction on the first phase of the project is set to run through Friday, May 26, when Scio Church Road will reopen in the eastbound direction, and officials will notify residents of a new traffic pattern. During the project, the Maple Road intersection will remain open to traffic turning left onto Maple or right onto Scio Church to ease congestion because of the recent damage to the Liberty Road I-94 overpass. Read more: $3.58M resurfacing project set to begin, bringing closures to southwest Ann Arbor road Liberty Road bridge: The Liberty Road bridge over I-94 will be reduced to single-lane traffic, with temporary traffic signals, until further notice after being struck by a semi-truck on March 13. The Michigan Department of Transportation plans to design and contract for a bridge replacement, officials say, though no timeline has been released for the project. Read more: Herculean effort reopens Ann Arbor I-94 overpass hit by truck South Ashley Street and West Jefferson Street: South Ashley Street is closed to southbound traffic between Jefferson and William streets, while West Jefferson Street is completely closed between Ashley and First streets. The closures are for a city sewer-lining project slated to conclude on Wednesday, April 12. Read more: Sewer project shutting down Ann Arbor streets near downtown through April South State Street: The downtown street is closed to vehicle traffic between North University Avenue and Huron Street until Sept. 1 for the second phase of a major overhaul extending curb-less design in the area near the University of Michigan Diag. The intersections on either side of the work zone will remain open. Regular updates can be found online from the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority. Read more: 6-month closure coming as State Street overhaul resumes in downtown Ann Arbor South Main Street: The street is closed between William and Liberty Streets until Friday, May 5 for the first phase of an $8-million resurfacing project. The Liberty and Main street intersection also is closed. Local businesses will remain open, and pedestrians can still access the businesses in the Main Street commercial district. Crews will replace a water main, make crosswalk improvements and put new pavement on the crumbling downtown street. The project will progress between Liberty and Huron streets between May and July, with additional sewer work at the Main and Huron intersection in July and August. Read more: Expect closures for $8M project to fix Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor Long-term projects: North Fifth Avenue from Detroit to Catherine streets will have a lane shift through June 2024 for a new development. Eastbound South University Avenue traffic between East University Avenue and Church Street is closed long-term for high-rise construction. OTHER WASHTENAW COUNTY PROJECTS: Pittsfield Township - U.S. 23/Michigan Avenue: A major project widening Michigan Avenue (U.S. 12) in Pittsfield Township and upgrading the U.S. 23 interchange will cause shoulder closures and intermittent nightly lane closures on a stretch of U.S. 23 south of Ann Arbor. The construction is scheduled to run through November. Pittsfield Township is posting regular updates here. Read more: Closures coming to U.S. 23 near Ann Arbor for $69M construction project York Township - U.S. 23/Willis Road interchange: Willis Road at U.S. 23 is closed in both directions through late June as bridge construction takes place, with a detour route available here. The eastbound Willis Road ramp to northbound U.S. 23 also is closed during the project. The detour route is here. Read more: U.S. 23 closing for bridge demolition, ramp construction in Washtenaw County Pittsfield/Ypsilanti townships - Michigan Avenue: Michigan Avenue near the I-94 interchange will see daily single-lane closures beginning Monday, March 27 and running through Monday, April 3 for permit work. They will be present Monday through Friday in both directions at Hunt Club Drive and at the I-94 interchange. Pittsfield Township - Morgan Road: The road between Carpenter Road and U.S. 12/Michigan Avenue is closed for sanitary sewer installation until April 14. This project has been extended. A detour map is available here. Pittsfield Township - Intersection of Morgan Road and Platt Road: The intersection will see intermittent lane closures until April 14 for a private road installation. This project has been extended. Pittsfield Township - Platt Road: The road will see intermittent lane closures between Bemis Road and Michigan Avenue through September for construction of a non-motorized pathway. Pittsfield Township - Bemis Road: Intermittent closures are expected through April 10 between Moon Road and east of North Warner Road for forestry and drainage improvements. This project has been extended. Pittsfield/Ypsilanti townships - Textile Road: The road will see intermittent lane closures running through April 10 between Crane Road and Rawsonville Road for forestry and drainage improvements. This project has been extended. Ypsilanti - Clark Road: The road will see intermittent lane restrictions west of Leforge Road until April 30 for forestry work. An updated list of Ann Arbor city street closures is available online here. The weekly Washtenaw County Road Commission schedule is here. And the MDOT road closure map is here. More from The Ann Arbor News: DTE power line upgrades rip up Ann Arbor nature area Neighbors oppose Ann Arbor suicide prevention nonprofits plans for new center 90 homeless families are sheltered in Washtenaw County hotels. Whats next? New life for Water Street? 2 new developers make pitches for contaminated Ypsilanti lot FOWLERVILLE, MI They say a parent should never have to bury their child. For Cindy Salfate, it all happened so quickly. Her son and best friend, Oliver, went from being a perfectly healthy 28-year-old to passing out with a brain aneurism. Within a day, the family was forced to make a decision to take him off life support. Oliver died on Jan. 14, 2021. I mean it killed us, Salfate said. We had no idea. Oliver was in between jobs when he suffered a brain aneurism, and his life insurance was only $2,000 a sliver of the final costs for a burial and funeral service. Salfate called on her large support system -- nine brothers and sisters -- to help raise money for Olivers burial. Throughout this process, as Salfate organized her sons headstone, she noticed that many people didnt have any headstones at all. Many gravesites just have a piece of plastic with a name on it. Thats when Salfate, alongside her daughter and husband, came up with the idea to honor Oliver and buy headstones for families that cannot afford them through a nonprofit organization. Olivers Stones was founded in May 2022, just over a year after Olivers death. Its a way for Salfate and her family to both mourn the loss of her beloved son and honor his name. During the first year after his death, Salfate said she couldnt even say her sons name without crying. I was like a basket case, she said. Salfate tried therapy, support groups and everything else she could think of but she still couldnt get over the grief. It wasnt until she started working with families through Olivers Stones that she turned the corner in the grieving process. Salfate called it my therapy. It has been a coping mechanism for me to get through the grief. This has given me the opportunity to say his name to remember him, she said. A teacher at Durand Area High School in Shiawassee County, Salfate quickly recognized the powerful impact that Olivers Stones could have. The organization has provided 13 headstones since it began and is currently in the process of giving four more. Four of those headstones have gone to Salfates former students. The relationship was strong between Salfate and her son. Just a month before Oliver died, the duo took an impromptu trip to Cancun. It was things like that which made them inseparable. I would drag him everywhere. You know, as a teacher, I mean I remember taking them to class with me like at the parent-teacher conferences. Im like, Okay, you can just hang out in my classroom for a little bit. Once I get done with these, well go do something, Salfate said. For every new applicant to Olivers Stones, Salfate will call, explain who she is and just have a conversation about their lost loved one. Its therapeutic for them. Its therapeutic for me. Everyone wants to talk about their loved one, Salfate said. From there, they start the process of designing a headstone. Most headstones and plot reservations end up costing the organization from $800 to $1,200, with no cost to the families. Its just to show families to tell them were still here and we love you, Salfate said. Theyre not alone in this journey. Salfate now hopes to grow the organization to serve more families after receiving the official nonprofit designation. She hopes Olivers Stones becomes a charity that gives for generations to come. The organization accepts donations on its website, oliversstones.com, where an application request form and additional information about its efforts can be found. Read more at The Flint Journal: Controversial LGBTQ+ memoir the subject of heated Lapeer library meeting A Michigan 14-year-olds struggle to find shoes that fit 8 priorities for Flint Community Schools administration approved by board NASCAR driver Erik Jones donates book vending machine to hometown elementary school GAINES TOWNSHIP, MI A Kentwood-based development firm says it hopes to begin construction by late next month on a 200,000-square-foot industrial building on 60th Street SE near Patterson Avenue in Gaines Township. The structure, which could host multiple businesses, will provide space for distribution, warehousing and logistics, or light manufacturing, said Natalie Amrhein, sales and leasing agent at Robert Grooters Development Company. Its putting industrial space on the market, which there is a lack of, she said. She added its becoming very hard to find industrial space of 50,000 square feet and above. No clients have signed on to lease space at the building yet, but Grooters Development Company is working with a few potential tenants, Amrhein said. Overall, the early projected cost estimate for the facility is more than $9 million. Amrhein said the project could take about a year to complete, but shes hopeful it could be complete by late fall if everything lines up perfectly. The industrial building is located near M-6, which provides high visibility and prime logistical building access, according to a press release. It also is slated to include multiple dock and grade-level doors and high-energy efficient motion-activated lighting. Our clients have been seeking space near Middleville and nearer to operations in mid-state, said Robert Grooters, owner of the 49-year-old company. With this new facility, we will solve expansion challenges for Michigan companies ready to grow. Wolverine Building Group is serving as the architect and general contractor. Robert Grooters Development Company says it has built over 25 million square feet of manufacturing, warehouse and office space in West Michigan. Read more: Grand Valley State University denies claims of segregating graduation ceremonies by race Lawmakers want more public notice when toxic waste enters Michigan Beach Street along Lake Michigan reopens for the season in Muskegon HOLLAND, MI Four years ago, 17-year-old Lilly Turner had no idea how to bake she barely even knew how to use a cutting knife. Today, the Michigan teen is the owner of a successful baking business, baking up delicious homemade treats including layered cakes, cupcakes, cookies, crumble bars, cheesecake cones, and more. Turners business, Lilly Janes Treats and Eats, has grown a nationwide customer base, landing sales as far as California and Mississippi. She estimates that she spends at least 24 hours each week on her business, from baking goods from scratch, to packing up orders and shipping them to her customers. I work throughout the day, Turner, of Holland, told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. I have two different computers, I have my business one and then my school one, so Im usually just flipping (between the two) all day. Lilly Janes Treats and Eats doesnt have a storefront yet, so Turner does the baking at home and out of her church kitchen. Turner, a junior at Michigan Connections Academy, taught herself how to bake during the COVID-19 pandemic. After her dad taught her the basics, Turner has spent the last few years developing her baking skills and teaching herself new techniques like layering and design work. Its been a trial-and-error process, she said with a smile. The young entrepreneur took her first shot at selling sweets at a school bake sale, where she sold basic treats like muffins, cookies and brownie pops. After making $400 in just two days, she was inspired to keep going, and she began selling treats to neighbors, friends and family. Her first official order came last year from her cousin in California, who ordered a batch of cupcakes. That was when Turner had to navigate the hardest part of the process: figuring out how to ship baked goods. Shipping is a major part of it, she said. Cookies are really easy to ship out. But cakes and cupcakes, thats a whole different thing, because you need it temperature controlled. And theres usually a big fee for shipping. Since launching her business, Turner said shes learned a lot about patience and perseverance. Her dad has always told her, In order to achieve your dreams, you need perseverance. That saying has rang true for the young entrepreneur. In my baking business, theres been like a lot of low times and high times, Turner said. I could get a lot of orders, and then sometimes I dont get any orders for a long period of time, and that can make you feel real low. So being patient and being confident is a major role in this. Turners dad has been a huge inspiration, she said. An entrepreneur himself, Lillys dad John Turner has inspired all of his kids to start their own businesses. For example, two of Lilly Turners brothers started their own car detailing business, she said. My dad has taught us about providing job security for ourselves, and how (starting a business) provides job security for others, and not being a boss but being a leader, she said. Turner attends Michigan Connections Academy, an online school, which allows her to balance her work with her schooling, she said. The flexibility is a huge benefit for Turner, who sometimes stays up until 6 a.m. practicing her skills in the kitchen. Turner plans to start a foundation so that the proceeds from her business go toward helping women who have been sexually assaulted. Eventually, Turner wants to open up her own bakery and employ other young women, she said. She wants to provide job opportunities to other people who also have a passion for baking. When you have a job that you like doing, its way easier, she said. Its like a hobby. So, if baking is (someones) hobby, Id like to employ them so they have something that they love doing, so that theyre not just going into work just to go to work. To see more photos of Turners products, check out her Facebook page. Customers can place orders or make inquiries by emailing ljtreatsandeats@gmail.com. More on MLive: Please, hurry up, 911 calls detail fear, chaos of MSU shooting Grand Valley State University denies claims of segregating graduation ceremonies by race Massive fentanyl shipment from Grand Rapids enough to kill everyone in Michigan, feds say A Michigan 14-year-olds struggle to find shoes that fit JACKSON COUNTY, MI Betty Gardner and her three daughters went to the Jackson County Animal Shelter specifically to see a dog they had seen in a social media post. However, another dog -- a hound named Vrbo -- caught their eyes. When they met that dog, Gardner, a Jackson resident, said it was love at first site. I just kind of fell in love with her because she was so sweet and so timid, Gardner said. We went and got our other dog, Cooper, from home so they could meet, and they did really well together. And, when Gardner went to adopt Vrbo, she was met with a pleasant surprise. Her adoption fees had been completely covered by the vacation rentals company Vrbo. The 2-year-old dog came to the shelter at 3370 Spring Arbor Road in late February with five puppies of her own. She was transferred from a Van Buren County animal shelter, which often sends pets to Jackson County if its having space issues, Jackson County Animal Shelters Marketing and Events Manager Amy Kinder said. The Jackson County Animal Shelter staff named the dog Vrbo because the shelter was acting as her vacation home before she went to a real home, Animal Shelter Director Lydia Sattler said. Our kennels are set up a little bit more bougie I think compared to the other shelter, Sattler said. So, we kind of felt like she was on her own little vacation. The dogs name caught the attention the Vrbo company, which learned about the dog through the MLive/Jackson Citizen Patriot Pets of the Week feature. Company representatives reached out and, once they heard the story, decided to help the dog Vrbo get a home, a spokesperson said. Vrbo sponsored the $150 adoption fee for Vrbo the dog. It also donated an additional $1,000 to the shelter, which will go into its emergency medical fund, Sattler said. This was a unique sponsorship, as Vrbos headquarters are in Austin, Texas, Sattler said. The shelter has never seen an outside company step up like this to help a dog find its forever home, she said. We were so excited. Were a smaller, local shelter and we think all of our pets are a huge, big deal, Sattler said. So, just having one of them capture the attention of that company was super exciting. Adoptions usually happen pretty fast at the shelter, and Vrbos puppies all were adopted fairly quickly, but mom herself was not, Sattler said. The shelter believes the sponsorship helped her finally find a home. Gardner has had Vrbo a little more than a week. The dog has been renamed Misty, she said, and so far, Misty has been easing into the family. She loves playing with Cooper, a golden retriever and lab mix, and cuddling with everyone in the house, Gardner said, adding their cat Jedi is still unsure of her, but Misty is very curious about him and wants to play. More from the Jackson Citizen Patriot: See what Westerns new centralized elementary school will look like Jackson murder case paused for review of music video Records detail brutal slaying of Jackson High teacher Local painters, composers being featured in next Jackson Symphony Orchestra concert Setting young women up to succeed was driving force for retiring Jackson pageant director KOCHVILLE TWP, MI-- Author and memoirist Anne-Marie Oomen will be making a stop in Bay City for an upcoming lecture based around her most recent publication on parental relationships among a number of other interactive discussions. According to a release by the university, An Evening with Anne-Marie Oomen will begin at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 6, at the Alice & Jack Wirt Public Library, 500 Center Ave., in Bay City. Ooman recently received the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Sue William Silverman Nonfiction Award and a Michigan Notable Book Award for her 2022 memoir, As Long As I Know You: The Mom Book which focuses on her account of her difficult-yet-ultimately rewarding relationship with her mother. The release shared that Oomens other readings span a range of inspirational sources including intergenerational challenges, like her own with her mother; travel adventures, like one surrounding the loss of a passport; and how she discovered poetry from a 1969 Camaro. In addition to The Mom Book, Oomen has authored what the university calls other socially relevant memoirs, including: Pulling Down the Barn: Memories of a Rural Childhood, House of Fields: Memories of a Rural Education, And Love, Sex and 4-H, which won a Next Generation Indie Award for Memoir. Among her other work, Oomen co-authored, with Linda Nemec Foster, Lake Michigan Mermaid, which was named a Michigan Notable Book of 2019. The release shared that Oomen currently teaches at the Solstice MFA at Lasell University in Newton, Massachusetts, at Interlochens College of Creative Arts in northern Michigan, and at conferences throughout the country. More from MLive: Hemlock girls basketball team cuts down the net to celebrate state championship Saginaw residents frustrated with MSP speak at CAPs community-policing discussion Body of 26-year-old man missing in Tittabawassee River found Cesar Chavez Solidarity Walk hopes to further unite Saginaw Bay City Public Schools could get $100K in class-action lawsuit against e-cigarette company JUUL Northwood University sending two teams to eSports world championship event Over the past two years, Montanans watched the Presidents attack on oil, coal and natural gas bring our nation to the brink of an all-out energy emergency. Gas prices rose to more than $5 a gallon and many Montanans are worried about how to heat their homes without breaking the bank. We arent the only country grappling with the effects of a leader who is unrealistic about our nations domestic energy needs. Over the course of the last decade, Europe tirelessly pursued a green agenda with the goal of being climate-neutral with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The results are devastating. The U.S. and others who choose to go down this road should take a lesson from Europes folly. Europe is our canary in a coal mine. Europes energy crises over the past year make it clear that energy security is national security. When decision-makers start yielding to the whims of the radical green movement, terrible things happen. Look no further than Germany shutting down its coal and nuclear plants. Remarkably, Germany has over 35 billion tons of accessible coal within their reach and just a few years ago had 17 fully functional nuclear plants, but in 2022 the country was faced with crippling energy shortages and even rolling blackouts. Families reported seeing their monthly energy bills increase from roughly $150 to over $1,600 and households in rural areas turned to timber as the only way to heat their homes. In addition, Lithuania went from a net energy exporter to net energy importer. Since shutting down their reliable, baseload power as a misguided condition to satisfy the European Union, the country now consumes three times as much energy as it produces. Poland saw demand for firewood increase by almost half last year as people scrambled to find a way to heat their homes that wouldnt bankrupt their families. The U.K.s pursuit of the green agenda led to sky-high energy prices and brought the nation to the brink of recession. In addition, Western Europes dependence on cheap Russian energy in tandem with their decision to abandon reliable domestic energy put entire economies at the brink of collapse. This should serve as a warning for the havoc the Biden administration and Senate Democrats will wreak on American energy independence if they have their way. In a meeting with Romanias Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, one of the few European leaders to deliver a balanced energy portfolio to his nation, he told me something I will never forget that a vision without an action plan is a hallucination. We cannot let President Biden and Senate Democrats push the same green hallucination that has crippled European economies on an unprepared U.S. During his State of the Union Speech, President Biden said we might need oil for 10 more years. According to Joe Bidens Department of Energy, over the course of the next 25 years, global energy demand is going to increase 50 percent. In that same time, petroleum and natural gas will still be the most relied on energy sources in the United States. Sadly, that hasnt stopped the President from doing everything in his power to undercut our energy security. From shutting down the Keystone XL pipeline to obstructing new drilling projects to draining our Strategic Petroleum Reserve for political purposes, President Biden has paved a path toward an American energy crisis. Im a chemical engineer by degree and a big believer in innovation. I support the development of renewable sources of energy. However, our energy policy going forward needs to be about addition, not subtraction. We need a diverse portfolio of made-in-America energy that includes renewables like hydropower, wind and solar. We should use them to add capacity, not subtract. But the facts are fossil fuels will remain the most relied upon sources of energy for the next 30 years or more. We cannot burn the existing bridges of reliable, affordable energy before the new bridges of future energy sources are built. Thanks to Europe serving as a canary in a coal mine, the signs of a looming energy crisis could not be clearer. Its time to protect American energy security and break free from this radical, green hallucination before its too late. Its no secret Michigan has a government transparency problem. Years of data indicate the state routinely ranks among the lowest in the country for government ethics and accountability measures. The state even earned an F-grade from the Center for Public Integrity in 2015 for poor corruption deterrent efforts. More recently, Michigan ranked 48 out of 50 in the nation for anti-corruption measures for public officials, according to a 2020 scorecard from the Coalition for Integrity. Its also one of two states, alongside Idaho, where both the legislature and executive branch are not subject to Freedom of Information Act requests. So, when Democrats took control of the Michigan legislature for the first time in four decades, there was a chance things could be different. Three months into a new majority, however, the status quo appears largely in tact. Lawmakers passed multi-million dollar supplemental bills late into the night. House and Senate agendas are posted without any substance to them, and Democrats passed, and the governor signed into law, referendum-proofed bills generated by a party whod previously sworn against the move. The more things change, the more they seem to be staying the same. For this, Democrats have come under fire, particularly by Republicans, in recent weeks. Democrats, however, contend they are acting in line with powers offered through majority legislative rule. There has been a lot to do; give them time, they say. Frankly, its been discouraging to see how the Democrats have conducted session these last few weeks, said Rep. Bill G. Schuette, R-Midland. Last week, for example, the House Appropriations Committee received an agenda 12 minutes before legislators voted on more than $500 million in state taxpayer spending, he said. We were told what wed be voting on 12 minutes ahead of time. Thats not an opportunity for anyone to credibly vet and go through what is a massive investment of taxpayer funds. The more things change... Schuette is one of several Republicans who have criticized Democratic lawmakers current way of conducting business. Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton, railed against Senate Democrats when passing a repeal of right-to-work this month, because the bills contained a $1 million appropriation for implementation. Its a decision that renders voters unable to referendum the bills if they wanted. Fiscally referendum-proofing bills was an effort Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, when first running for office in 2018, pledged never to do if elected to office. She even reupped that promise by way of an executive directive in 2019. On Friday, without fanfare, she signed bills repealing right to work with the appropriations. I have made a promise to restore workers rights in Michigan, Whitmer told reporters at an event Monday, March 20. I have fought against the creation of this barrier in the first place. I did not ask the legislature to put that part into the bill and it certainly is not on my agenda. But I am going to sign a bill that restores workers rights. Existence of the appropriation is what prompted Theis to ask the Senate, when passing the repeal March 21, if the chamber could pretty please have some intellectual honesty from what it was we said we stood for before? The criticisms, however, have done little to sway Democrats like Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield. In recent years, Moss has led the charge on trying to open the governors office to FOIA while subjecting the Michigan Legislature to a similar version known as the Legislative Open Records Act, or LORA. He, alongside Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, have routinely attempted bipartisan legislation on the subject only for the bills to never survive the legislative term. As Republicans have controlled the House for the last decade, and the Senate for 40 straight years, Moss said there has always been an avenue for conservatives to make the legislature more transparent there just hasnt been an appetite since the system has served to benefit Republicans. He used the example of Theis comments, saying the senator was not opposed to adding appropriations to referendum-proof bills when it helped further conservative policy issues. To get leveled accusations of hypocrisy from Republicans, who invented these tactics, is rich, Moss said. He went on to note the way the Michigans legislature is constructed, the majority party will always better know the agenda by virtue of being the ones setting it. Or, theyll be able to decide which bills will come to the floor for a vote, Moss said, adding: I think, in many regards, thats just a function of governance. Matt Grossmann, director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University, would be inclined to agree. He said there are benefits in the political process, for instance, to keeping hot-button issue items under wraps until they are brought up for votes as it limits the opportunity for mobilized opposition. Thats not unique to the Michigan legislature, he added: Thats just politics. It doesnt, however, mean constituents are better off for it, as it potentially opens legislation to last-minute revisions or court challenges and and could limit time to study its efficacy. As to whether a lack of transparency in the legislative process is the fault of Democrats or Republicans, Grossmann said it really depends on whos driving the legislature. Of course, youve got hypocrisy on both sides, he said. The minute that someone is in the majority versus the minority, their incentives change, and then they change back when they go from the minority to the majority. So, lets say Republicans took control again over the legislature we would hear all the same things in reverse. ...the more they dont have to stay the same Whitmer, when campaigning for governor in 2018, released a 10-part Michigan Sunshine Plan, intending to make state government more open, transparent and accountable to Michigan taxpayers. The plan includes a promise to veto all legislation designed to circumvent the publics right to referendum, expand FOIA to include the governors office and legislature, and a call to instate by legislation a five-year cooling off period for former legislators-turned-lobbyists. This hasnt happened. Gov. Whitmer believes that state government must be open, transparent and accountable to taxpayers. She is the first governor in state history to voluntarily disclose personal financial information, income tax returns, travel records, and public calendars online, Whitmers spokesperson Bobby Leddy said in a message to MLive. In her first weeks in office, the governor signed numerous executive directives outlined in her Michigan Sunshine Plan that require state departments to create a FOIA liaison, encourage the live streaming of all state board and commission meetings and prohibit use of personal email to do government business. He noted the Democratic majority would pass good-government legislation required by Proposal 1, passed by voters in November by a wide margin. Because Michiganders deserve a state government that works every day to serve people in the best way possible. To date, the governor has not opened her own offices to FOIA, however, and the past Republican-led legislatures have not advanced bill packages intent on transparency reform. Its part of whats prompted Schuette to introduce a Republican bill package that would work to open up Michigans legislature to transparency. Last week was Sunshine Week, and it was the fifth Sunshine Week in the Whitmer administration, he said. This is the same governor who ran on a form of large promises regarding transparency, and weve yet to see any movement namely, opening up her own office to the Freedom of Information Act. The bills within are incredibly similar to a package Moss introduced last session with McBroom and Sen. Rosemary Bayer, D-Keego Harbor. Moss, too, said he plans to introduce a Freedom of Information Act/Legislative Open Records Act plan in the Senate in the coming months. As part of that effort, hes been working with the governors office, McBroom and other stakeholders in the conversation to find a product that can pass in the legislature and get the governors signature. In the meantime, Moss also chairs the Senate Elections and Ethics Committee, which is tasked with finessing Proposal 1s implementation legislation. The initiative will rework how the state legislature handles term limits and require certain officials file annual financial disclosure reports on a host of topics. He said once thats taken care of the proposal must be legally fleshed out by Dec. 31, 2023, or the state could open itself to lawsuits then the committee would focus on implementing transparency-focused legislation for the legislature and governors office. This has been a focal point of my tenure in the legislature, Moss said. I am committed to getting this done and getting it done right. Moss would not set an artificial timeline as to when that would occur. Grossmann said the sooner its done, the better, not just because Proposal 1 would require state government be more transparent, but also for Democrats who have made transparency and ethics a focal point of their politics. If not, Grossmann added, the sentiment rings somewhat hollow. (Proposal 1) is tied to a real issue where Michigan lags other states, he said. That, I think, has a different context than just how fast they pass legislation. ... If the Prop 1 implementation legislation is not passed until December, and its passed at the very last minute and it doesnt seem very strong then you have more of a case. More from MLive What has changed? Lawmakers unload on Michigan utility reps after outages Firearm dealer lawsuit immunity point of contention in passage of safe storage bills Conspiracies and a Holocaust meme mark the dawn of Karamos Michigan Republican Party Michigan AG sues developer who allegedly drained wetlands Speeding cameras at Michigan work zones? Bills hope to save lives As Democrats barreled through their policy agenda, the Michigan Republican Party held its first conference under chair Kristina Karamo to defend a Holocaust-invoking tweet. This is your guide to Michigan politics. Your Sunday read: Michigan has a transparency problem. Will the Democratic majority fix it? After first being enacted on March 28, 2013, Michigans right-to-work law was repealed Friday, four days before its decade anniversary by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer with little fanfare, and at the same time she restored the states prevailing wage policy with another stroke of her pen. Whitmer also signed the repeal of a reading law passed in 2018, which requires third graders to be held back if they cant read at grade level. It marked a massive win for organized labor in Michigan, after years of declining power in the state. Still, the overall legacy of right-to-work remains hazy. And as my colleague Alyssa Burr notes, a resurrection of the policy might already be in the works. The week began with the possibility of major news: Former President Donald Trump took to social media last Sunday with the claim hed be arrested the following Tuesday. It never happened. Nevertheless, a smattering of supporters showed up in Livonia Wednesday to protest the possibility of his prosecution, and Ben Orner spoke with them about their fervent loyalty to the 45th president. The same day, the Michigan Republican Party walked into a controversy of its own making, when the state party published a tweet comparing Democrats gun violence legislation to steps Nazi Germany took that led to the murder of more than 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. That legislation is moving closer to becoming law, but whether firearms manufacturers should have immunity from lawsuits has remained a sticking point. The Friday before, I had spent two hours speaking with partys new leader, Kristina Karamo her vision for the party and her own beliefs. She was outspoken and unabashed about her views and concerns, which at times waded into conspiracy theories. For Karamo, the changes she aims to make are about returning the party to honoring its base. The party fundamentally is populist, if you look at the platform, but unfortunately, many people in positions of leadership have moved away, Karamo said in our interview. That said, the self-described everyday mom is also a relative newcomer to politics, and as she ascended in the Michigan Republican world, the party was quickly changing around her and has, in some ways, taken on a markedly different base. The full story: Conspiracies and a Holocaust meme mark the dawn of Karamos Michigan Republican Party We spoke for nearly two hours, and beyond the threat of one world government, she also called Whitmer a monster who should face criminal investigation for her COVID-19 response and said voters who supported enshrining abortion access in Michigans Constitution last November were participants in murder. MLives Rose White checked out a key point in Karamos conspiracy theory The World Economic Forum-partnered U.S. Center for Advanced Manufacturing in Troy but wasnt able to turn up any plots for global domination there. Anger from the lengthy power outages Michiganders endured last month has endured. The Michigan Public Service Commission held its first town hall on the outages in Jackson, where residents voiced displeasure with the meager reimbursements for those who endured days without electricity in freezing cold. The first state Senate hearing on the outages was also held Thursday as where regulators and utility leaders alike took turns in the hot seat. Though no promises of significant change were extracted during the meetings, regulators did finalize a rule Friday that would up the credits customers receive from $25 to $35 after four days in the dark, with $35 a day for each day after that. Other news worth catching up from the past week: 26.03.2023 LISTEN UK-based Ghanaian gospel musician, Alice McKenzie, has officially released her first single for the year 2023. The song "Omo God" which was produced by Moris D Voice and featured him as well, is expected to receive massive airplay across Ghana and beyond. According to Alice McKenzie Omo God is a Yuroba word which means Gods child or child of God the song will add up to the 14-track of songs she has released in her music career so far, with two albums. On record, this will be the second time Alice McKenzie is collaborating on a song with popular music producer, Moris D Voice. The first song she collaborated on with Morris D Voice titled "Ahuntahunu" in 2018 got massive airplay with several awards and nominations in the Ghana Music Awards UK. The musician, who doubles as a nurse in the UK, stated in a social media post that she believes her latest song will do better, inspire, and encourage music aficionados. Music fans can relish Omo God on all Apple stores, as well as listen to it on major radio stations across Africa today. https://open.spotify.com/track/03UUkHvQA9bev7KbD2OsbI Popular Ghanaian Youtuber, Ras Nene (Dr Likee) has received a brand new car from dancehall star, Shatta Wales Shaxi Team as the latest brand ambassador. The ride-hailing service was founded by Charles Nii Armah Mensah who commercialized its operations in December 2021 as part of his plans to provide a source of income for the youth in Ghana. In a video post on Twitter, the company said it had rewarded Ebenezer Antwi popularly known as Dr Likee for his efforts in promoting the brand. On behalf of shattawalegh the Shaxi team lead by @sambahflex @ms_daviz made a trip to Kumasi to welcome Mr. Ebenezer Antwi a.k.a Dr.Likee @RasNeneOfficial to the Shaxi family as our newest brand ambassador. His hard work, dedication, and passion has not gone unnoticed, the post said Sharing the news of his new ambassadorial role on Instagram, Ras Nene said he was grateful to Shatta Wale, Medikal, and Shaxi team for the gesture. Thank you @shattawalenima , @amgmedikal & @shaxiofficial.gh team, I appreciate . May the good lord bless you for all what you have done for me. We will continue to push the brand @shaxiofficial.gh to another level, he posted 26.03.2023 LISTEN Former President John Dramani Mahama has dismissed claims that he sees himself as the saviour of Ghana. He said he does not have those spiritual connotations, but rather, has garnered enough experience as a former President. Mahama made these comments in a recent interview with TV3, where he discussed his plans for the country if he is re-elected as President. According to the former President, he is the right person to lead Ghana out of its current economic turmoil, thanks to the experience he has gained from working in various levels of leadership. "I wouldnt say that Im the hope, like a messiah. I dont have those spiritual connotations. But Ghana has given me much, it has given me a lot of experience. I have worked in various levels of leadership and I think that at this time of crisis, I should put the experience I have garnered, at the service of my nation, he said. He believes that he can put this experience to good use and work towards putting Ghana back on its feet. Mahama also emphasized the importance of unity in getting Ghana back on track, calling on all Ghanaians to work together towards this goal. He vowed to bring every Ghanaian on board if he is elected, unlike the current government which he accused of failing to include all stakeholders in its decision-making. Mahama's comments come as Ghana gears up for presidential elections later next year. His party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is hoping to unseat the ruling NPP and return the NDC to power. During the holy month of Ramadan, Kano State's Hisbah Board has deployed what they called religious police to mosques to safeguard the safety of people and property, as well as arrest Muslim youths eating in public. In a statement issued on Thursday, the board warned that those who engage in social vices during the sacred month will be punished. The religious police force also called on Muslims to assist orphans and the needy during the fasting period which started on Thursday. The board's commander-general, Harun Ibn-Sina, stated that the youths who eat in public during the fasting period will not be spared. Some of the youth who eat in public during the fasting period will not be spared, he said. Mr Ibn-Sina urged Muslims to assist orphans and the needy during the fasting period, which started on Thursday. The board's commander-general, Harun Ibn-Sina, urged Muslims to uphold the values of Ramadan and to avoid engaging in any form of social vice that would undermine the essence of the holy month. Kano State's Hisbah Board is responsible for enforcing Islamic law in the largely Muslim state. The deployment of religious police to mosques during Ramadan is aimed at ensuring a safe and peaceful environment for Muslims during the holy month. A bill to restrict how North Dakotas public schools treat transgender students will be the first test of Gov. Doug Burgums appetite for socially conservative legislation aimed at gender issues. The Republican-led North Dakota House of Representatives voted 60-32 on Wednesday to approve Senate Bill 2231, which would bar school districts and their governing boards from creating policies to accommodate transgender students unless parents give explicit permission. The proposal sponsored by Sen. Larry Luick, R-Fairmount, at the request of the North Dakota Catholic Conference, says public school teachers cannot be required to use a students pronoun if it doesnt align with their sex at birth. A teacher would be allowed to use a transgender students preferred pronoun but only if the childs parents and a school administrator give their blessing. Schools would be prohibited from providing classroom instruction that recognizes the concept that gender identity can differ from sex at birth. The bill also states that public agencies and other government entities cant require employees to use a transgender colleagues preferred pronoun in work-related communications. Supporters say the bill supports teachers who are caught in the crossfire of a national debate on pronouns. Opponents contend the legislation discriminates against transgender youth, who are already at risk of mental health issues. The bill, which the Senate passed last month, represents the first in a wave of legislation opposed by LGBTQ advocates to reach Burgums desk. Lawmakers also are considering about a dozen proposals that would restrict health care, activities and personal expression for transgender residents. Burgum can sign Luicks bill into law, veto the proposal or allow it to take effect without acting on it. A spokesman for the Republican governor declined to comment on the proposal. In 2021, Burgum vetoed a bill to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in K-12 sports. Conservative lawmakers narrowly failed to override the governors rejection. The Legislature can override the governors veto with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber. Luicks bill passed the Senate with a veto-proof majority, but fell three votes short of that threshold in the House. Rep. Lori VanWinkle, R-Minot, promoted the proposal as a "back-to-the-basics bill" that would allow teachers, children and parents to focus on academics rather than divisive issues. Children deserve a learning environment that is academically strong, safe and without social distractions, VanWinkle said. State Rep. Lori VanWinkle, R-Minot, speaks in favor of Senate Bill 2231 on Wednesday afternoon in the House chamber of the state Capitol. Rep. SuAnn Olson, R-Baldwin, said the bill "allows teachers to know where they stand" on the pronoun issue. Teachers shouldn't be subject to discipline if they refer to students by pronouns they don't prefer, she said. Several Democratic lawmakers spoke against the bill, including Fargo Rep. Mary Schneider, who noted that mental health professionals, school officials, student groups and human rights organizations opposed the legislation. House Minority Leader Josh Boschee, D-Fargo, questioned whether prohibiting classroom instruction on gender identity would prevent teachers from offering lessons on current events and sociology. Boschee added that respecting students by using their gender pronouns is simple and considerate. "Sometimes the most important thing we can do for some of these kids is acknowledge them as they wish to be acknowledged, Boschee said. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) party leadership suffered a heavy blow Friday when it lost a crucial vote in Parliament. The defeat has left many wondering if the party will ever be able to unite and deliver on the many pressing issues that Ghanaians are facing. The loss has also raised questions about whether the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has once again outsmarted the NDC leadership. With the 2024 elections approaching, time is running out for the NDC to regroup and mount a credible challenge to the ruling party. Social commentator Franklin Cudjoe took to Twitter to express his concerns, saying, "The NDC party leadership in Parliament and out of Parliament lost the vote. Will they ever be united and deliver on the many vexed issues Ghanaians want? Or the NPP just outsmarted them again? 2024 is slipping away..." This follows the approval of six candidates for various ministerial jobs after the Minority pledged to reject all nominations as part of its strategies to force government to downsize. However, the six cabinet nominations were confirmed by Parliament after hours of debate. The NDC has been plagued by infighting and internal divisions in recent times, and the defeat in Parliament is a testament of the party's internal cracks. Many Ghanaians are increasingly frustrated with the economic situation in the country and are calling on both the NDC and the NPP to put aside their differences and focus on the needs of the people. View Franklin Cudjoes tweet below; Dozens of people were injured on Saturday as French security forces clashed with environmental campaigners in Sainte-Soline in western France. The activists were protesting against the construction of water reservoirs for the agricultural industry. According to local authorities at least 6,000 people formed a long procession earlier on Saturday morning, culminating at the construction site of the Sainte-Soline water reservoir. Organisers put the turnout at closer to 25,000 people, despite demonstrations having been banned by the police. "While the country is rising up to defend pensions, we will simultaneously stand up to defend water," protesters said, holding a banner with the words "Bassines non merci" ("Reservoirs, no thank you"), also the name of a collective. They were joined by members of the environmental movement Soulevements de la Terre (Earth Uprisings) and the Confederation paysanne (Peasant Confederation). More than 3,000 members of the security forces were deployed, with "at least 1,000" potentially violent activists, including some from Italy, present, officials said. Around the construction site, defended by the police, violent clashes quickly broke out between the security forces and radical activists, correspondents from the French news agency AFP said. Weapons seized, numerous injuries Multiple projectiles and improvised explosives were thrown by protesters, with police responding with tear gas and water cannon. Some of the protesters managed to pierce the steel of the reservoir project slightly using a grinder, a journalist from Franceinfo reported. Eleven people were detained after police seized weapons, including petanque balls and meat knives, as well as explosives. Several protesters and a photographer were injured according to organisers. "It was a scenario written in advance with excessive intervention by the police", Daniel Salmon, a Green senator of Ille-et-Vilaine who came to demonstrate with other elected environmentalists and France Unbowed party (France Insoumise) told the press. The leader of the LFI Jean-Luc Melenchon, wrote on social media that he accused the police of allowing things to get out of hand. "No one should tolerate this. Full support for our law enforcement," responded Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Twitter. Controversial solution to recurring droughts Saint-Soline is part of a set of 16 reservoirs, with a total capacity of around six million cubic meters, which are to be built as part of a project carried out since 2018 by a cooperative of 450 farmers, and supported by the state. The aim is to store water drawn from surface water tables in winter, in order to irrigate crops in summer when rainfall is scarce. Its supporters say it is essential for the survival of farms in the face of the threat of recurring droughts. Opponents -- who have been occupying the site for the past few months -- denounce a "water grabbing" scheme by the agriculture industry. They are demanding a moratorium on the construction to launch "a real territorial project" by bringing into force better farming techniques, choice of crops and the management of water resources. The debate comes amid a worsening situation in France, in part due to climate change and unsustainable agricultural and industrial practices. Saturday's demonstration came against a backdrop of national agitation over President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform with daily clashes in the streets of Paris and other cities. Now the biggest domestic crisis of Macron's second mandate, it has been cited as the reason for the cancellation of a visit by King Charles III of the UK next week. 26.03.2023 LISTEN If anyone thought that the current hung parliament was going to further polish and enhance our democratic process, then it was a dead thought on arrival. Because; the two major political parties are the same when it comes to the issues of national interest against their interest. Why will an opposition party keep wailing about the huge size of a government when it can't refuse to approve more numbers to become ministers and deputies? How many times haven't we heard, those in the NDC complain about the size of the current government? But when the opportunity is given to them to cut the numbers short, they rather went in for material gains at the expense of the interest of the people they represent. Can we trust the NDC to do better than the NPP? Your guess is as good as mine. The political cabal that exists between the duopoly NDC and NPP must be broken to set the country free from its current economic mess. Until we tell the two political parties to go and stay in opposition for a decade, they will never understand the pain they subject the ordinary people to. Must we allow ourselves to be subjected to this politically abusive treatment from the two sides? No! We must resist it at the polls during elections. Certainly, the NDC isn't an alternative to rejuvenate our wobbling and messy economic situation. They are merely empty when it comes to putting checks and balances on the current government. They can shout boisterously on all the social media platforms and pretend to be the Messiahs. But I tell you they aren't showing any positive signs of rescuing this country. They may even be worst than the devil we know. I'm deeply saddened by their display of parochial desire that continues to put the state at this tremendous risk. What prevented the NDC MPs from staging one of the numerous walkouts they have always done? That would have informed Ghanaians that they have no hand in any increase in the number of the government's appointees who do nothing but worsen the plight of the economy. Or at least, the NPP wouldn't have had the numbers to execute this diabolical agenda of increasing the number of appointees for the sake of jobs for the boys. If I knew how my MP( Nadowli -Kaleo) voted in this approval process, trust me, he would have lost my vote in the coming election. But, unfortunately, I'm not privy to such vital information. The NDC MPs never learn their lessons. First, it was the opportunity to reject the current finance minister. They lost it only to come back and move a motion for a censor which never fly. So, why should they continue to make the same mistake? Anyway, a repeated mistake is a deliberate act. Furthermore, it's now crystal clear that the two major political parties are treating each other with golden gloves in matters of national interest. Just ask yourself if the promise of jailing corrupt appointees has ever been fulfilled by any of the two parties. They tell us when they come, they will jail A, B, C, and D for E, F G, H, etc crimes. But they end up paying lip services to it. Since 1992 till date, just a selected few have been jailed. But even those who are jailed never spent their full jail terms. And this is enough to tell us who they are. What's pathetic is to see the ordinary youth fighting for these smart political armed robbers to continue to create, loot, and share among their families and friends while they, the poor and unemployed are content with the GHC 5 and T-shirts they are given. While the citizens continue to live in abject poverty. Is it that the size of the current government isn't a subject of contention or what? What therefore is the assurance that if the NDC comes to power, they wouldn't do more than what we are going through now? I seriously weep for mother Ghana. If we can't stage an uprising, we can put up a positive resistance during the election by rejecting both parties to prevent being taken for granted by their actions and inactions. We are politically mature to cause any unfavourable political uprising in this country, but we can't also afford to allow them to push us to the wall. Hence, it is about time we acted proactively to curb the current political cabal which is inimical to our democratic dispensation and development. Ghanaians are watching! Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education has assured private school owners and teachers of the Ministrys commitment to creating an enabling environment for them to thrive. He said the Ministry and for that matter, the Government appreciated and valued the contributions private schools were making towards the socio-economic development of the country. Therefore, the Minister said, he would not implement policies and programmes that would sabotage the efforts of private schools in the country. Dr Adutwum said this at the opening of the 12th The Education Network (TEN) Conference by the Lincoln Community School, in Accra. The conference sought to equip teachers, both from private and public schools with the best teaching practices to enable them to effectively deliver on their mandate. The one-day conference, held on the theme: of Belonging brought together about 560 teachers, both private and public, from across the country. Areas the conference would focus on included literature, mathematics, class management, administration, science and technology. Dr Adutwum said commended Lincoln Community School for its contribution to education in the country, indicating that, he believed in private schools. I believe that private schools are contributing to the socio-economic development of Ghana in a very positive way. Sometimes when I hear my colleagues from the private sector talking about, you don't value private schools, no, that's not me. I'm one of you, I value you because, you see, for every 30 students that enter a private school, you are saving me the salary of one teacher. That's a salary I don't have to pay, he said. So, the least I can do is to make your job easier. I will not do anything that will disadvantage you. If I disadvantage you, I'm hurting myself, I will be called upon to come up with money that I don't have to take care of the children you are taking care of now, he said. Dr Adutwum said Ghana was on the right path to achieving its transformation agenda in education. He indicated that the current administration had committed more resources towards education development in the country than any other, adding that it had secured more funding to construct more primary, junior high and senior high schools across the country. We are very fortunate to have Nana Akufo-Addo as the President in charge of our nation. He has committed to education like none other, and for the benefit of some of you who may not know much about our public education system, we have been able to secure more funding to build more schools, to build more basic schools, not just high schools, he said. Ms Lesley Tait, Head of School, Lincoln Community School said, emphasized the need for schools to create an environment where every student would feel welcome. She said creating a sense of belongingness in schools was critical in the development of every child. Ms Tait said one key lesson the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic taught the world was that schools were communities, adding that, students missed out greatly when schools were closed own. She said following on from the COVID, from the times it was difficult for students to come to school. We've realised that school, actually is a community and students and all of us as adults crave a sense of belonging that comes from the communities. Belonging matters, she added. At the conference, Ms Tait said more than 500 teachers participated, adding that is a great sign for the Ghanaian education system. She urged participants to listen and learn to enable them to replicate the same at their various schools. GNA 26.03.2023 LISTEN Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, says the recent rejection of major government policies by the public was because of the manner they were communicated. He noted that policies such as the passage of the Electronic Transfer Levy and the debt exchange programme were all made without recourse to the importance of communication and engagement and were only forced down the throat of Ghanaians. Dr Ashigbey said this during a panel discussion at the opening ceremony of a three-day National Public Relations and Communication Summit and Annual General Meeting of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), in Nkwatia-Kwahu, in the Eastern Region, on Thursday. The conferences objective was to reflect on last years activities, look at contemporary trends, and bring new practices to bear, as well as plan for the following year. It was attended by both public and private sector communication professionals. Other personalities on the panel were Brigadier General Eric Aggrey-Quarshie, Director General, Public Relations, Ghana Armed Forces and Madam Molieli Molekoa, Managing Director, Magna Carta Reputation Management Consultants, South Africa. Discussions were held on the theme: Staying Credible Through Rough Patches. The Government has been criticised for the way it introduced certain policies and programmes recently. Most recent is the massive backlash it received over the debt exchange programme, where some groups, including the Pensioners Bondholders Forum and the Individual Bondholders Forum, refused to take offers from the government over the lack of engagement. Dr Ashigbey noted that as much as a lot of the problems in the country were purely economic, there was a critical need to have professionals communicate the issues to the citizens. It is because, it is not for the fact that we don't have people who can communicate, who are not credible, but I think that the challenge we have is that the leadership of the day is not taking communication very seriously, he said. You have people who can help us do a lot more when it comes to communication but, they seem to be pushed to the back by the people who are taking the decisions under the. And the good thing is that, if you look at the results that have happened, credibility deficit is very wide. Buttressing his point, Dr Ashigbey indicated that many things the government had initially assured it was not going to do, it ended up doing them. Let us see the E-Levy for example. We said we were not going to the IMF, we have gone to the IMF. You take it from E-Levy, we said it was going to be the solution to our problems, what happened to that? If you look at the debt exchange, we said there is not going to be a haircut, but it has happened, he said. Madam Molekoa said PR professionals must devise strategies to effectively communicate in times of difficulties, especially, what to say and at what time. She indicated that trust and credibility were important tools in effectively managing challenging times, noting that communication at the right time could achieve remarkable results Trust needs to be built and the right people must be put in the right positions to ensure that communication is accepted at every level of the organisation, she added. Brigadier General Aggrey-Quarshie, on his part, urged organisations to accord Public Relations practitioners the needed respect to enable them to effectively deliver on their mandates. Mr Mawuko Afadzinu, President of IPR Ghana called on Parliament to expedite the passage of the IPR Bill currently before it to regulate the practice of the profession, enhance professionalism and improve credibility. GNA 26.03.2023 LISTEN The Peoples Choice Campaign held its maiden Town Hall Meeting on the 23rd of March 2023 at the MJ Grand Hotel, Accra. The Peoples Choice Campaign believes that, of all the candidates interested in the flagbearership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Presidential office of the Republic of Ghana, Hon. Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen is the peoples choice. To endorse this conviction, distinguished representatives from Alan Kyerematens official campaign team were invited to speak at the town hall and provide concrete and relatable information on the events theme. Unsurprisingly, the main highlights of all their speeches were Hon. Alan Kyerematens unblemished record and personality as well as his marketable political brand which has been built on 30 long years of integrity and service to the NPP and Ghana as a whole. Michael Osei Boateng a.k.a. Pope, former National Youth Organizer aspirant and former Ahafo Regional Youth Organizer, announced his endorsement of Hon. Alan Kyerematen and his new position as coordinator for the Youth Caucus for Alan (YCA). Mr. Boateng was met with raucous applause from the over 200 youth delegates assembled at the meeting. In his address, Michael Osei Boateng underscored the necessity of sticking to the long-held tradition of the party that rewards long service and sacrifice. He emphasized that the Hon. Alan Kyerematen has the right character, credibility, and competence. As such he is trusted by most Ghanaians, and they desire his leadership. If we, therefore wish to win power in the 2024 general elections, we have no better choice than Hon. Alan Kyerematen. On his part, Chairman Sammy Crabbe, a former 1st Vice Chairman of the NPP stressed the need for the party to vote for a candidate with a proven track record and known to be an achiever. This is because Ghanaians are tired of talkers and are clamouring for one who can achieve what he promises on the basis of his track record, he stated. For him, Alan Kyerematen has distinguished himself in that regard. Dr. Alhasan Samari, one-time regional minister of the Upper East Region emphasized the need for the party to choose a unifier who can bring the party together to secure victory for the NPP. He explained in clear practical terms why Hon. Alan Kyerematen was that unifier. In his words "we need a unifier with a big vision who has an impeccable track record of integrity. Hon. Frank Agyekum, erstwhile Minister of Information added that despite the current challenges, the NPP had a great track record as a party. What we need now is a leader who understands how to transform the economy through industrialization and that person is the Hon. Alan Kyerematen. Youth delegates at the event engaged in a spirited question and answer session regarding how Hon. Alan Kyerematen intends to advance policies impacting the youth of Ghana. Youth delegates were presented with a detailed presentation on how Hon. Alan Kyerematens Great Transformational Plan would create policies that improve the lives of the youth in Ghana. After a deeply insightful presentation on the personality, track record, and policy ideas of Hon. Alan Kyerematen, Hon. Catherine Afeku, Spokesperson for the Alan Kyerematen campaign summed it all up by saying Alan has the right experience, the right character, and the right vision to lead the party and the nation. She urged delegates of the NPP to choose the best candidate, Alan Kyerematen, to lead the party to a brighter future. The event was attended by Constituency Youth Organizers and their deputies, TESCON Presidents, and Polling Station Executives. The town hall meeting was organized to engage grassroots delegates and young leaders of the NPP and to affirm Alan Kyerematen as the peoples choice of leader for Ghana in the 2024 general election. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed displeasure at some Minority Members of Parliament's decision to vote to approve the new ministerial appointees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. In a press release from the largest opposition party, it said it sees the decision taken by the unidentified Minority MPs who helped the Majority to approve the nominated ministers as not only a betrayal to the NDC but the Ghanaian people. Insisting that the economic crisis facing the country is getting worse, the NDC indicated that the right decision would have been to disapprove of the ministers to force government to cut down its size. Regardless of the approval of the new ministers, the NDC says it will continue to push to save Ghana from its current economic gloom. The NDC shall continue to hold the government accountable for the socio-economic quandary that our country finds itself and present our superior alternatives to Ghanaians in our bid to rescue the soul of our nation. We are not oblivious of the fact that, the road to rescue will at a point become rough, howbeit such obstacles only strengthen our resolve to achieve the rescue mission. We shall leave no stone unturned in our quest to bring our dear nation out of our present economic doldrums, a release from the NDC signed by its General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey said on Saturday, March 25. Read the full release from the NDC after the approval of the new ministers. PRESS STATEMENT For Immediate Release: 25th March, 2023 NDC REAFFIRMS ITS POSITION ON THE NEED FOR THE PRESIDENT TO DOWNSIZE HIS GOVERNMENT IN THE WAKE OF PARLIAMENT'S APPROVAL OF NEW MINISTERIAL NOMINEES. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken notice of the outcome of a vote on new Ministerial nominees on the floor of Parliament, yesterday, 24th March, 2023. Ghanaians would recall that the party issued a directive to the Minority Caucus in Parliament to reject the new Ministerial nominees a few weeks ago. This was in alignment with the pervasive view of Ghanaians that this moment of economic crisis and financial haircuts, calls for the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to show by example that it is willing to reduce its expenditure by downsizing its government among other things. We note however, that some Members of Parliament on the side of the NDC Minority for reasons known to themselves, elected to place their parochial interest ahead of the interest of Ghanaians. The party, on behalf of all Ghanaians, condemns this conduct in no uncertain terms, as it not only betrays the expressed will of the party, but the desire of the Ghanaian people and constitutes a massive stab in the back of the good people of Ghana. The party wishes to reaffirm its principled position for President Akufo-Addo to downsize his bloated government and reset his priorities to reflect the difficult times Ghanaians find themselves in. The party commends highly, the leadership of the Minority caucus in Parliament and Members of Parliament who stayed true to the expectations of the party and the Ghanaian people. We will stop at nothing to identify them and publicly laud them in due course. Their loyalty and patriotism will not be forgotten. It must be noted that, the National Democratic Congress as a body corporate, has multiple structures, represented by elected and appointed officers who are expected to act in the supreme interest of suffering Ghanaians, particularly the over six (6) million supporters of the party. The party as a corporate entity therefore bears no liability for the deviant action of the few self-seeking Members of Parliament who betrayed the collective cause of the party and the nation. Undoubtedly, our country currently faces the biggest economic meltdown in living memory. It is therefore unpardonable for any person, not to talk of a Member of Parliament who believes in the ideals of the NDC, to lend support to the ongoing recklessness by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government. The NDC shall continue to hold the government accountable for the socio-economic quandary that our country finds itself and present our superior alternatives to Ghanaians in our bid to rescue the soul of our nation. We are not oblivious of the fact that, the road to rescue will at a point become rough, howbeit such obstacles only strengthen our resolve to achieve the rescue mission. We shall leave no stone unturned in our quest to bring our dear nation out of our present economic doldrums. Signed. Comrade Fifi Fiavi Kwetey General Secretary 26.03.2023 LISTEN The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the decision by some Minority Members of Parliament to vote to approve the new ministerial nominees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as a massive betrayal of the party. READ MORE: All six new ministerial appointees of President Akufo-Addo approved by Parliament In a press release, the party said the approval of the ministers is a massive stab in the back of Ghanaians. The party, on behalf of all Ghanaians, condemns this conduct in no uncertain terms, as it not only betrays the expressed will of the party, but the desire of the Ghanaian people and constitutes a massive stab in the back of the good people of Ghana, part of the NDC press release issued on Saturday, March 25, said. In a release signed by party General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, it said the NDC is firm in its principled position for President Akufo-Addo to downsize his bloated government and reset his priorities to reflect the difficult times Ghanaians find themselves in. Indicating that Ghana currently faces the biggest economic meltdown in living memory, the NDC insists that it is unpardonable for some of the Minority MPs to vote to approve the ministerial appointees of President Akufo-Addo. It is therefore unpardonable for any person, not to talk of a Member of Parliament who believes in the ideals of the NDC, to lend support to the ongoing recklessness by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government, the release from the opposition party shared. The NDC release concluded, We are not oblivious of the fact that the road to rescue will at a point become rough, howbeit such obstacles only strengthen our resolve to achieve the rescue mission. We shall leave no stone unturned in our quest to bring our dear nation out of our present economic doldrums. Read the full release from the NDC below: PRESS STATEMENT For Immediate Release: 25th March, 2023 NDC REAFFIRMS ITS POSITION ON THE NEED FOR THE PRESIDENT TO DOWNSIZE HIS GOVERNMENT IN THE WAKE OF PARLIAMENT'S APPROVAL OF NEW MINISTERIAL NOMINEES. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken notice of the outcome of a vote on new Ministerial nominees on the floor of Parliament, yesterday, 24th March, 2023. Ghanaians would recall that the party issued a directive to the Minority Caucus in Parliament to reject the new Ministerial nominees a few weeks ago. This was in alignment with the pervasive view of Ghanaians that this moment of economic crisis and financial haircuts, calls for the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to show by example that it is willing to reduce its expenditure by downsizing its government among other things. We note however, that some Members of Parliament on the side of the NDC Minority for reasons known to themselves, elected to place their parochial interest ahead of the interest of Ghanaians. The party, on behalf of all Ghanaians, condemns this conduct in no uncertain terms, as it not only betrays the expressed will of the party, but the desire of the Ghanaian people and constitutes a massive stab in the back of the good people of Ghana. The party wishes to reaffirm its principled position for President Akufo-Addo to downsize his bloated government and reset his priorities to reflect the difficult times Ghanaians find themselves in. The party commends highly, the leadership of the Minority caucus in Parliament and Members of Parliament who stayed true to the expectations of the party and the Ghanaian people. We will stop at nothing to identify them and publicly laud them in due course. Their loyalty and patriotism will not be forgotten. It must be noted that, the National Democratic Congress as a body corporate, has multiple structures, represented by elected and appointed officers who are expected to act in the supreme interest of suffering Ghanaians, particularly the over six (6) million supporters of the party. The party as a corporate entity therefore bears no liability for the deviant action of the few self-seeking Members of Parliament who betrayed the collective cause of the party and the nation. Undoubtedly, our country currently faces the biggest economic meltdown in living memory. It is therefore unpardonable for any person, not to talk of a Member of Parliament who believes in the ideals of the NDC, to lend support to the ongoing recklessness by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government. The NDC shall continue to hold the government accountable for the socio-economic quandary that our country finds itself and present our superior alternatives to Ghanaians in our bid to rescue the soul of our nation. We are not oblivious of the fact that, the road to rescue will at a point become rough, howbeit such obstacles only strengthen our resolve to achieve the rescue mission. We shall leave no stone unturned in our quest to bring our dear nation out of our present economic doldrums. Signed. Comrade Fifi Fiavi Kwetey General Secretary 26.03.2023 LISTEN The Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe says he is completely opposed to the idea of the state bearing some of the cost incurred by political parties during elections. This comes on the heels of former President John Dramani Mahama's suggestion that the state finances campaigns of viable political parties in order to prevent financiers from determining electoral outcomes. I totally oppose any attempt by the state to fund political parties. Even if we were to consider the idea, it would be predicated on performance. But that's even the second order of things. The first order of things is a no no no. Political parties pride themselves as mass mobilisers of people and in this country, I'm sure NDC and NPP can boast of about half the number of people that go to the polls. It is not in the place of citizens to contribute towards a party but its members. If the party while in power had contributed to the growth and development to the extent that the individuals had built for themselves sufficient bulwarks against poverty there would have been no qualms at all about people being asked to contribute. Mr. Franklin Cudjoe indicated that he truly understands and supports John Mahama on his call for political campaign reforms, he however has reservations. In fact, the only part I support is the crowd-funding as it will eliminate situations where political parties owe big wigs who fund them. Mr. Mahama during a public lecture on March 22, at UPSA auditorium in Accra said viable political parties play a strong role in promoting democracy in the country hence the need for the state to incur some of their expenditure in future. He admitted that the state is now broke and therefore financing political campaigns going into the 2024 general elections is not an option. He recommended that public funding of political parties be scaled up in the future supervised by an independent and credible institution to ensure fairness in the sharing formula. citinewsroom 26.03.2023 LISTEN Dr. Frederick Mac-Palm, one of the persons accused of attempting to overthrow the Akufo-Addo's government in 2019 has died. Citi News understands he collapsed in his house and was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Details of his passing are currently sketchy. Background on his arrest Dr. Fred Mac-Palm, a native of Kpando in the Volta Region and owner of the Bawaleshie-based Citadel clinic was arrested, together with nine others in 2019. With Dr. Mac Palm, security officials also said they seized several weapons, ammunition, and explosive devices at the Citadel Hospital, at Alajo and at another location at Kpone Bawaleshie near Dodowa in Accra. Dr. Mac Palm is among nine persons facing charges of treason felony. Other persons standing trial are Col. Samuel Kodzo Gameli, W.O.2 Esther Doku, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Lance Corporal Albert Baba Ibrahim, Lance Corporal Sylvester Akapewon, Bright Alan Debrah and Corporal Seidu Abubakar. The accused persons are said to be part of a group known as the Take Action Ghana (TAG). The group, according to the prosecution, planned to organise a series of demonstrations and also to overthrow the government. They reportedly put together a plan to target some key installations including the Jubilee House, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, the National Police Training School, 37 Military Hospital and Burma Camp. Their arrests, in September 2019, followed 15 months of surveillance and gathering of evidence on the activities of the suspects. The government also said meetings between the civilian suspects and serving military personnel with a view to executing a plot to obtain weapons, take over key installations, and secure funding for the purported coup were closely monitored. By Citi Newsroom French riot police run past a fire during a demonstration in Paris on March 23, 2023. Alain Jocard, AFP Hundreds of thousands of French workers on Thursday rallied in a new show of rage against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform, with protests turning violent in Paris and other cities in a battle that shows no sign of abating. More than 149 police and gendarmes were injured and 172 people arrested, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Thursday evening. Read our live blog to see how all the day's events unfolded. All times are Paris time [GMT+1]. 10:22pm: French interior minister Darmanin slams violence from 'far-left thugs' French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Thursday slammed what he called violence from "thugs" on the "far left" that broke out on the sidelines of protests against pension reform. He said that "1,500 rioters" had attended the Paris rallies to "break cops and public buildings". To date, he said that 172 people had been arrested in France, including 77 in Paris, some of them for "attacks on persons in charge of public authority" or "fires", he added. 9:31pm: Violent protests not what unions wanted, but blame may fall on government Calls by union leaders for non-violent protests to keep public opinion onside were ignored by a number of demonstrators throughout France who clashed with police and lit fires in major cities. Images of tear gas, violence and fires was not what the unions wanted, said FRANCE 24s Marc Perelman, but, that being said, according to a poll that came out today 70% of those asked are blaming the violence on the government. 26.03.2023 LISTEN Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States of America, is expected to arrive at the Kotoka International Airport, Accra, this morning. She will be spending three days in Ghana, and two nights in Tanzania before stopping over for another night in Zambia, as her country deepens relations with Africa. The visit by Harris, who is travelling with her husband, Doug Emhoff, will focus on economic development, climate change, and food security. The highlight of her trip to Ghana will be the delivery of a speech at the Black Star Square on Tuesday, March 28. Harris will also visit a recording studio, meet with female entrepreneurs in Accra and visit the Cape Coast Castle, Central Region, Ghana, where enslaved Africans were once loaded onto ships for America. GNA A group of 380 rebels handed life sentences over the 2021 death of former ruler Idriss Deby Itno have been pardoned, a statement from the president's office said Saturday. More than 400 rebels had been sentenced Tuesday following a mass trial for "acts of terrorism, mercenarism, recruitment of child soldiers and assaulting the head of state". The trial had opened last month behind closed doors at Klessoum prison, 20 kilometres southeast of the capital N'djamena. But a statement Saturday from the office of transitional president General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, one of the former ruler's sons, said 380 had received a presidential pardon. Contacted by AFP, one of the lawyers for the defendants, Francis Lokoulde, spoke of his "relief" at the news. The exiled head of the country's main rebel group FACT, Mahamat Mahdi Ali, who was tried and convicted along with 55 other members of the organisation, was not included in the pardon, he added. Government spokesperson Aziz Mahamat Saleh said Deby's decision for clemency coincided with the Muslims' holy month of Ramadan. "It is, in my opinion, a strong act, one that has an important symbolism for the Chadian nation, to really allow to be able to rebuild on new bases," he said. Offensive in the north In early 2021, the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), launched an offensive on the north of the country from bases in Libya. On 20 April, the army announced that the elder Deby Itno, Chad's ruler for the previous three decades, had died from wounds sustained in the fighting. His death was announced just a day after he had been declared victor of a presidential election that gave him a sixth term in office. He was immediately succeeded by his son at the head of a 15-member military junta. While General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno promised to hold democratic elections after 18 months which would have fallen in October 2022 he announced that a vote would not be held for another two years. This lead to violent anti-government protests in which at least 60 people died, hundreds were arrested. The main leaders of Chad's opposition now live in hiding or in exile, even though the junta lifted a suspension of several opposition parties in January. 26.03.2023 LISTEN The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has urged the public to regularly check the cylinder rubber seals (washers) in the valves and the connecting hoses to see if they are worn out or damaged. The hoses serve as the gas distribution line between the cylinder and the cooker. The Consumer Services Manager of NPA, Mrs Eunice Budu Nyarko, asked the people not to repair damaged hoses and rubber seals by themselves. They should rather take the cylinders to nearest LPG dealers for a safety check and replacement of the worn out hoses and seals. Additionally, hoses should be secured with proper hose clips. She made the call at LPG awareness and sensitization campaign durbars in the Upper West, Savannah, Bono East, Bono and Ahafo regions. The NPA team from the Corporate Affairs and Gas Directorates conducted the sensitization campaign through one-on-one engagements with traders, market women, drivers, durbars and radio interviews. The LPG awareness and sensitization campaign conducted in collaboration with Lyme Haus Solutions and the Ghana National Fire and Rescue Service (GNFRS) aims to create awareness among consumers on the need to switch from firewood and charcoal to LPG usage. Mrs Nyarko urged the public to keep liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders outside the kitchen to prevent explosion and resultant injury, death and property damage. She said the cylinders should be placed on wooden platforms with roofs to prevent the cylinder foot ring from getting rusted or damaged from direct sunlight, rain and tampering. For his part, the NPA Communications Manager, Mr Mohammed Abdul-Kudus, who welcomed the people on behalf of the NPA Chief Executive, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, noted that in Europe and America the people use gas for all their domestic activities but they barely record accidents. Therefore, he said, if people observed the LPG safety requirements, they would not experience any accidents. Mr Abdul-Kudus stressed that LPG was the most convenient, safe and fast fuel for cooking. He said medical experts had indicated that heat and smoke from charcoal and firewood posed long term health complications, such as respiratory conditions. The NPA Communications Manager, therefore, urged the people to switch from wood fuel to LPG to avoid the health challenges associated with the use of charcoal and firewood. In his presentation in Sunyani, the NPA Bono Regional Manager, Mr Kwadwo Odarno Appiah, cautioned motorists to switch off the engines of their vehicles when buying fuel. He also asked the public to desist from using mobile phones while at a fuel station to prevent explosions. A safety officer with the Bono Reginal office of the GNFRS, ADOII Emmanuel Kyeremeh, urged the public to keep fire extinguishers in their homes and vehicles to fight fires and also reach out to fire stations for assistance. Source: National Petroleum Authority 26.03.2023 LISTEN Henry Deku, the driver of the Hyundai vehicle that was involved in the fatal accident that occurred in the early hours of Saturday together with a male passenger passed on at the Akuse Government Hospital where they were receiving treatment. The incident happened at King David Commercial College between Akuse and Kpong in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality. The two, who were in critical condition could not survive as medical professionals tried their best to save them. 3 out of the 4 other victims who were also rushed to the hospital have since been referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra and the Eastern Regional Hospital for further emergency treatment. The death toll has now risen to eight. According to eyewitnesses, the Hyundai grace commercial vehicle from Juapong heading towards Accra with registration number GB 4642-20 on reaching the King David Commercial college while trying to overtake a stationary truck crashed head-on with an oncoming truck with registration number GT 6473 21 fully loaded with railway lines with an embossed pass permit from the Ministry of Railways Development. Both the injured and dead were quickly rushed to the Akuse government hospital by rescue operators consisting of personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service, Ambulance Service and the Akuse Police where medical officers at the hospital confirmed six deaths. The situation resulted in a gridlock for several hours until the police managed to control the traffic congestion on that stretch. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday he would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighbour and ally Belarus. Ukraine on Sunday called for an emergency meeting of the United Nation's Security Council, accusing Moscow of holding Minsk as a "nuclear hostage". Putin said the move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was "nothing unusual." "The United States has been doing this for decades. They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies," Putin said. Putin said he spoke to Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko and said "we agreed to do the same." Putin has previously issued thinly veiled warnings that he could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine if Russia were threatened, reviving Cold War-era fears. The move saw Ukraine's foreign ministry call on the United Nations to hold an emergency meeting. "Ukraine expects effective actions to counteract the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail from the United Kingdom, China, the United States and France... We demand that an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council be immediately convened for this purpose," the Ukrainian foreign ministry said on Sunday. Earlier, Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council secretary Oleksiy Danilov, condemned the move on Twitter. "The Kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage," he said, adding it was "a step towards the internal destabilization of the country". For Danilov, Putin's announcement "maximizes the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society". Key ally Lukashenko, who has been in power in Belarus for almost 30 years, is a key Putin ally. Back in February 2022, Minsk allowed the Kremlin to launch its invasion of Ukraine from his country's territory. Fears have since risen that Belarus may join its ally's offensive, but Lukashenko said he would do so "only if attacked". Russia has also helped equip Belarusian planes "without violating our international agreements on nuclear-non-proliferation... 10 planes are ready for this type of weapon to be used," Putin said. Russia has given Belarus an Iskander system that can carry nuclear weapons, he indicated. It will start training crews on 3 April and plans to finish the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons by 1 July. Depleted uranium ammunition Putin also said that Russia would respond if the West supplied Ukraine with depleted uranium ammunition. "Russia of course has what it needs to answer. Without exaggeration, we have hundreds of thousands of such shells. We have not used them yet," Putin added in an interview on Russian television. He said the weapons "can be classified as the most harmful and hazardous for humans... and also for the environment." Depleted uranium munitions are highly effective at piercing armour plate, but their use is controversial. The metal is toxic for the soldiers who use the weapons and for civilians in areas where they are fired. Putin has previously said nuclear tensions were "rising" globally but said Moscow would not deploy first. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) has warned nuclear threats were creating a dangerous sense of uncertainty around their possible use. The longer Russia's operation in Ukraine grinds on, the greater the nuclear strike risk, ICAN warned last month ahead of the offensive's first anniversary. Fears of a 'dirty bomb' Putin announced last month that Moscow would suspend its participation in New START, the last remaining arms control treaty between the world's two main nuclear powers, Russia and the United States. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg slammed the move, saying it marked the end of Europe's post-Cold War arms control architecture. The announcement came after Moscow last August suspended US inspections of its military sites under New START. US officials have voiced fears that Russia could use nuclear weapons if it feels routed on the battlefield and could plant a fictitious story to justify its actions. Russia has already spoken of supposed Ukrainian attempts to detonate a "dirty bomb," drawing strong denials from Ukraine and a sharp rebuke from the United States, which had rare direct communication with Moscow to warn against nuclear use. Neither the United States nor Russia -- by far the largest nuclear weapons powers -- officially has a policy of no first use of the ultra-destructive arms. (with AFP) Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, Ugandan State Minister for Primary Education 26.03.2023 LISTEN The Ugandan State Minister for Primary Education, Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, has indefinitely suspended the boarding section at Mubende Public Model Primary School after seven pupils were reportedly sodomised by a warden. According to Dr Kaducu, the boarding section was congested with pupils sleeping on outlawed triple-deck bunk beds which provide a fertile ground for evil acts like homosexuality. I want you to tell the parents that you have been operating an illegal boarding section and no guidelines were being followed. I guess that is why homosexuality has been thriving in the dormitories. How can you let children sleep in that manner? the minister angrily questioned as she ordered the school management to close the boarding section on Friday. The minister said in each dormitory, pupils were sleeping two on one bed, which is illegal. The minister also faulted officials in Mubende Municipality's education department for not doing their work of inspecting schools. This boarding section could have been closed a long time ago if the local authorities were doing their work, she said The minister's intervention came days after police in the area arrested a warden at the school after seven boys accused him of sodomising them. 26.03.2023 LISTEN Last Wednesday altogether 9 districts and 211 upazilas across Bangladesh have been declared as homeless and landless free. The number of rehabilitated people is 3,856,505. The beneficiary includes widows, deserted women, bedes, low-caste people, hijras and climate refugees. This is a significant achievement in ensuring fundamental human rights. Bangladesh is lauded for its recent socio-economic development. It has made commendable progress in education and health sector, reducing gender gap, poverty elevation and handling climate change vulnerability. Despite national and international conspiracies the existing legal system has ensured the trial and punishment of the war criminals. Bangladesh has accommodated more than a million of Rohingyas, which demonstrate its commitment to protect human rights. Some observation on the human rights report of the USA State Department (2022) The currently published human rights report of the USA State Department gives some interesting perspective on human rights discourse. Since the report is quite big I will focus on few pertinent issues. The report starts with the claims that the 2018 national election of Bangladesh was not considered free and fair. Further it claims that the election witnessed low voter turnout, intimidation, irregularities, and violence during campaigns. The USA stood silent in 1970 when the Awami League won landslide victory in the election. Why democracy and rule of law was not their concern at that time? Since 1975 undemocratic governments have ruled Bangladesh for nearly 20 years which did not allow the State institutions to flourish. Since 2009 elections are taking place at periodic intervals which manifest formal democracy and the country is striving for substantive democracy. The said USA 2022 report also states that leaders and members of some political party in the country, could not exercise their constitutional freedoms of speech and assembly because of harassment by law enforcement authorities. But in reality, political parties in Bangladesh enjoy their political rights. They always protest in the street. Last 10 December, 2022 was the best example to Understand it. They can be critic against government. They are talking whatever they are thinking. Media alwyas promote their rights. Human chain, movement, protest are being organized regularly on the streets in the Capital Dhaka. We can not see any kind of government obstacle in this regard. Is not a freedom of specch, movement, political rights? The report of the USA further mentions that the Rohingya refugees do not have any freedom of movement and the government did not register births for nor extend citizenship to Rohingya refugees born in the country. We have to remember that Bangladesh did not provide refugee status to the Rohingya; instead recognize them as forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals. Bangladesh is not a party to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or the 1967 Protocol. As a result, the government is not under legal obligation to uphold the basic rights enshrined in this treaty. Therefore freedom of movement, formal education, or livelihood opportunities could not be afforded to the Rohingya population. Bangladesh accommodated these destitute Rohingyas on humanitarian ground and the government is committed to repatriate this huge number of people who has the potential to spoil our national security. The concern of the USA for the Rohingyas can make one question apart from enacting Burma Act, what effective measure did the USA take to ensure human rights of these Rohingyas? The report of the USA State Department also states that the government prevented war crimes suspects from the 1971 independence war from leaving the country. If the suspects of war crimes leave the country to avoid legal proceedings and later they do not return then how justice would be ensured? Bangladesh does not have agreement with many countries to repatriate criminals. History shows that even the USA did not take any initiatives to send back one of the murderers of Bangabandhu. Referring Freedom Houses annual report the said USA report mentioned that corruption is endemic. According to Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Bangladesh stood first among 180 countries in corruption index from 2001 to 2005. Gradually it became 13th in 2009, 16th in 2013 and 17th in 2017. TIB report shows that in the last 10 years the position of Bangladesh in corruption index remained the same. It is imperative to note that Bangladesh has made tremendous economic progress in recent years and many economists also opine that during the early years of development some corruption might take place. The government announced zero tolerance against corruption and now social movement against corruption is desirable. The USA human rights report is based on the information of various non-governmental organizations. Some of these organizations are not non-partisan and have reputation of producing false news. Human rightsU discourse: some perspective The counter-terrorist response of 9/11 carried out in many parts of the world also marks human rights abuses. Human rights violations were considered as an inevitable part of that struggle. But those violations also fueled more terrorism, human rights abuses and mass migration. Though at times the USA imposes sanction on individuals and governments for committing human rights abuses it also forms alliance with abusive government and hence violates international human rights law. Tom Malinowski the former US Assistant Secretary of State once commented that some use human rights only as a club to hit governments they disagree with, while allowing those they are allied with to commit violations with impunity (Andrew Gilmour, March 2018). The USA enthusiastically proclaimed the rights of Iranians to protest for a better life without getting killed, but it is silent when it comes to Palestinian protestors doing the same thing. The self declared Responsibility to Protect invoked by the USA is viewed by many people beyond the west as examples of Western values and policies being imposed on them from outside. Wang Wenbin spokesman of Chinese Foreign Ministry remarked that the Human Rights Practices of Various Countries published by the US is an example of political lies and bias and shows US dominance and abuse. The double standard of the super powers and their selective approach to some extent enables the actual violators of human rights to commit more abuses. In the rapidly changing geo-political order human rights plays a major role in the rhetoric of the opposing sides. In essence human rights are subjected to the enormous challenge of manipulation of the superpowers which want to impose imperial designs on the world in the name of peace. Therefore, issue of human rights should be considered in the context of society, law and order situation, extremism, terrorism, growing intolerance and stability of the specific country. Bangladesh understands human rights are not luxury and it is impossible to achieve sustainable development and peace without having human rights as a basis. The State of Bangladesh is committed to prevent abuses, protect rights and promote values not to please any superpower but to ensure fundamental rights of its citizens, human development and sustainable socio-economic growth. Hence constructive engagement through technical cooperation to promote human rights should be welcomed but any biased statement to establish dominance must be protested. Author profile; Erina Haque is a Bangladesh affairs, Sino-Indo-Pak affairs, Myanmar, and Rohingya refugee affairs, an Afghan refugee affairs researcher, and a freelance writer. 26.03.2023 LISTEN The activities of political parties in Ghana are extremely expensive that the state cannot, and must not fund them. The issue of funding must properly be defined such that a structured form of financing will be developed in the end. There are no convincing reasons for the state to fund the extravagant activities of the political parties in Ghana when some critical issues of development are not being addressed. The state may have engaged in actions that constitute funding; the refund of filing fees to parties that obtain a certain threshold of votes in national elections, and the authorization of the state for political parties to use the national media for broadcasting their campaign messages are clear examples of indirect funding. The Constitution of Ghana clearly indicates the form of indirect funding of parties in Article 55 (11): The state shall provide fair opportunity to all political parties to present their programmes to the public by ensuring equal access to the state-owned media. Article 55 (12) states that all Presidential candidates shall be given the same amount of time and space on the state-owned media to present their programmes to the people. The state must not engage in direct funding of the parties in addition to these provisions previously made for the effective functioning of the political parties. Besides the access to state media, a party that obtains a certain percentage of votes is entitled to a refund of the filing fees of its Presidential candidate or Parliamentary candidates. Regulation 46 (1) and 46 (3) of C.I 127 spells out the conditions for a refund or forfeiture of deposits made by Presidential and Parliamentary candidates. A Presidential or Parliamentary candidate must obtain a minimum of 25% and 12.5% respectively in a general election to qualify for a refund. Such a criterion coupled with access to state media television and radio, is adequate in indirect funding of political parties in Ghana. The smaller parties are exempted from this strategy as they cannot obtain the required percentage that allows for a refund. The call for the funding of political parties by the state may introduce similar restrictions to cap funding to the larger parties that will perform outstandingly in general elections. The call for state funding of political parties in Ghana may not include the smaller parties as including them will open the floodgate for more mushroom parties to be founded. It may well be argued that state funding could bridge the gap between the smaller and the larger political parties in Ghana if a universal resource distribution ratio or formula is used in the process. But funding political parties in Ghana smaller or larger political parties, cannot guarantee a fair and free political competition. The larger political parties have already amassed huge Political Will and visibility. The circumstances under which modern political parties in Ghana operate have changed considerably over the last decade; they now need substantial financial resources to gain unnecessary visibility and political support for their ideas. The National Democratic Congress and the New patriotic Party are already visible and do not need the expensive billboards and campaign platforms to sell their ideas. The state may not be able to absorb all or a greater portion of the funding needs of the political parties. The state needs to enact legislations that structure private funding because there is improper influence of financial resources on political decisions and activities, and these are leading to the loss of independent thoughts and decisions of the political parties. Setting strict rules on parties campaign expenditures may partly resolve the issue of funding political parties. There is no appropriate funding amount for political parties in Ghana: the political parties in Ghana have allowed money to have indecorous influence on the political process that every activity on the political chain is monetized. Private funding of parties should be regulated. But political parties financing has similar characteristics like money laundering. The means to channel the financial resources meant for donations can be masked. There are vast opportunities for parties to receive illegal money for their political activities. It is, for instance, recommended in the European Union that parties raise money from the sale of newspapers, magazines or other party publications, fundraising, party festivals, social events and public collections. But fundraising and public collections will still give wealthy individuals the opportunity to involve in funding parties, and influence political decisions as well as parties independent thoughts. Capping the electoral expenditures of political parties, if effectively done, can reduce the demand for funding parties political activities in the country. The parties themselves need to cut back expenditure on unnecessary political activities. The larger political parties in Ghana have a crave for profligate political advertisements. They engage in the use of expensive billboards, expensive campaign programmes etc. The state can resolve the issue of financing parties if there is a ban on expensive political advertisements. Political parties can fund their activities with membership dues if they are not engaged in excessive spending. The National Democratic Congress garnered over six million (6 million+) votes in the 2020 general elections. Assuming the party has this following, a minimum contribution of Ghc50.00 per annum by each member will yield Ghc300 million a year. If members of the political parties in Ghana are loyal to make a minimum monthly contribution of Ghc20.00, they can finance the electoral activities of the parties they support. Parties produce Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives as well as Board Chairs, CEOs of sate corporations etc.: they can levy them to fund their activities. This option must be assessed properly because the parties are implicitly using this strategy illegally. MMDCEs are supposed to be given a percentage of a contract sum of which they pay a portion to the party. Parties can be funded by these individuals who benefit from a party winning political power. Monthly deductions from their allowances can be a source of funding for political parties. The debate about financing political parties in Ghana is a delicate one: the conclusion should be a result of thorough evaluation of all the key factors that impact on the subject. An attempt to limit the spending of political parties may be rejected by the parties; it is also difficult to achieve. But it appears to be one of the effective strategies to resolving the funding needs of political parties in Ghana. Direct funding of political parties will diminish over time as the type of funding is unknown: are political parties to be funded in election years or on monthly or quarterly basis? Direct funding of political parties must not be an option for financing political parties in Ghana. It is a financial burden that cannot be absorbed. Political parties as private voluntary associations should be in total control of their own financial affairs. But the state may pay heavily for allowing them to operate their campaigns and other political activities overpoweringly. Their expenditures must be structured with legislations. Emmanuel Kwabena Wucharey Economics Tutor, Advocate and Religion Enthusiast. 26.03.2023 LISTEN According to Nigerian media reports, President-elect Bola Tinubu left the country on Tuesday night for a trip to Paris and London. Oh, and the President-elect will make a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Tinubu, who was declared the winner of the presidential election on February 25th over his two main rivals, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, has reportedly left Nigeria, Africa's largest population and economy, and is now abroad, where he will rest. According to reports, the President-elect will also plan his transition strategy ahead of his May 29, 2023, inauguration. Despite media reports that Tinubu traveled to Europe for medical treatment after becoming ill following the recent elections, no specific date for his return to the people of Nigeria has been set. While millions of his citizens suffer from inadequate healthcare, President Muhammadu Buhari is known for consulting with doctors in London, United Kingdom, sometimes for months, weeks, or days, while the people remain silent and accept life and existence under the itinerant president. Even before his inauguration, the president-elect is following in the footsteps of Buhari, who is a downbeat role model, and is already influencing his successor, the man who will succeed him. Buhari, as a bad role model for Tinubu, is teaching him how to care less about a country of over 200 million people, and that their feelings are irrelevant because they are always subservient and docile. Under Buhari's military-style democracy. According to the media, Tinubu visits London frequently and once spent 90 days there in 2021 undergoing and reportedly recovering from knee surgery. During the campaign leading up to last month's presidential election, he dismissed concerns about his health raised by opponents and the media. Buhari, as a terrible role model, spent more than three months in London in 2017 for an undisclosed illness, a travel habit that Tinubu imitated in 2021 when he left Nigeria for a three-month medical trip. With Buhari as a negative and unwholesome role model for being out of the country on a regular basis, away from the people's concerns and pains for long, short, and unexpected medical care trips abroad, Nigerians may face a periodic absentee president once again. How long can the Nigerian people be presidentially traumatized, caught in presidential and leadership uncertainty? Can they speak out about these leadership uncertainties because, under Buhari, many people are afraid to engage in peaceful protest because they fear being shot by the police, military, and other security officials, as has happened in the past? Tinubu's absence from Nigeria is happening at a time when the country is in a state of political tension, disputed presidential elections, dire financial stress due to a cash crunch, and almost daily violence. I'm hoping he'll return "soon." Despite the fact that he is not yet in the presidency, his bad role model, Buhari, is still in power, ruling millions of Nigerians who are daily choking with visible and unnoticed pain. When Tinubu returns, he will encounter many Nigerians who are no longer afraid or hampered, including wailing nearly naked women accompanied by children who are saying enough is enough, whatever that means. Enjoy your rest and prayers, President-elect Tinubu, and hopefully you will return in stable or adaptable health. There is cause for concern because the citizens are no longer afraid, and their legitimate distress and anxiety await you as you join Buhari for whatever. Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Aha Eji Aga Mba Ndigbo 26.03.2023 LISTEN I was shocked to read the vituperation of a group that called itself Tinubu Elders Support Group, the sheer insult on the revered person of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu just because he described the recent happenings in Lagos which saw the Yoruba pitched against the Igbo as rascality. For that reason alone, this group of elders called him names and insulted him. But Chief Iwuanyanwu has never been a coward, either as an accomplished engineer or a statesman per excellence. He is distinguished for saying it as it is. A fact that is obvious about Lagos is that nearly every Lagosian migrated from somewhere else, including Yoruba people who hail from the remote parts of Western Nigeria but now claim to own Lagos. But while some families have lived in Lagos for three, four generations, others are just new in the place. Lagos was the capital city of Nigeria from the day the country acquired self rule on October 1, 1960 until 5 December 1991 when General Babangida implemented the idea of a new federal capital, now Abuja. The truth about Lagos was that, over the years, Nigerians in particular and non-Nigerians generally, regarded the territory as no mans land before Abuja came into the picture. That did not mean that every Nigerian or non-Nigerian who lived in Lagos migrated at the same time or that they all had the same social status in the land. Many Nigerians who came from other states, including the Yoruba from other states in Western Nigeria who now claim to be the landlords of Lagos, actually and physically bought the lands they had probably developed and paid for them to the real owners of the land. That is the truth. As Nigerians, we must not be in a hurry to forget that by the time Nigeria had self rule in 1960, Lagos was both the commercial nerve centre and the federal capital territory of our country. Lagos became a commercially thriving coastal city which held massive attractions for traders and business men and women from many parts of the world. Among the inhabitants were Sierra Leoneans, fondly called Saro, who later settled as Lagosians, Liberians, Ghanaians, Lebanese, and many bi-racial children whose either parents were white or black. And that was how Lagos swarmed with people. Being a coastal city, men and women arrived from all nooks and crannies of the world to add to the glamorous night life that made Lagos tick. Traders of all shades and business men and women of all persuasions trooped into Lagos in their droves from other parts of the country too, to make money and to develop the land. That included the Igbo. Lagos thrived like a beehive. And that was when the idea of Lagos becoming no mans land was hatched. It meant no harm, either to the traditional owners of the land or the subsequent Yoruba settlers or to the settlers who came from other parts of the country and the world. With time, Lagos became congested. The city began to find it difficult to accommodate the teeming number of people who came in daily to live and do business in the land. The infrastructure became over-burdened and consequently became inadequate for the swarming population that thronged into the city. Expansion became a necessity. And so was the urge to separate the seat of government from the commercial nerve centre. When the military government of General Yakubu Gowon was toppled in a military putsch on 29 July 1975, the new military Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed, appointed a panel to evaluate the possibility of relocating the federal capital. The panel approved a relocation of the federal capital and seat of government and recommended that while the seat of government can be moved to a new location, Lagos should remain the commercial nerve centre of the country. Government officials immediately set out to study world capitals. Nigeria was looking for a central place to build a new national capital where its citizens would be equally represented in their entirety. Like Lagos, the new territory was to have favourable climate conditions, vast acres of land and plenty of water. The officers looked at Brasilia, the new capital of Brazil. They visited Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. They went to Paris, the capital of France and to Washington D.C., the capital of the United States of America. In 1976, after Abuja was chosen as the land for the new national capital, General Murtala Mohammed spoke to the nation in what encapsulated what the current breed of Yoruba have turned into the controversy about Lagos, the first national capital. He said about Abuja: We believe that a new federal capital territory created on such virgin lands will be for all Nigerians a symbol of their oneness and unity. The federal capital territory will belong to all Nigerians. General Murtala Mohammed predicted a new era of justice, peace and unity for all Nigerians. But seven days later, he was assassinated. As a soldier, General Mohammed made the supreme sacrifice for what he believed in. Looking at Abuja today, we see a modern city sprawling with high rises and a lush topography no one would have thought possible only a few years before. As the capital city of their country, Nigerian citizens still refer to Abuja as no mans land, just as they referred to Lagos when Lagos was their federal capital territory. The federal capital territory has always been designed to be for all Nigerians a symbol of their oneness and unity. The federal capital territory is meant to belong to all Nigerians. First it was Lagos. Now, it is Abuja. So when some misinformed Yoruba people single out the Igbo as the ones who call Lagos no mans land, they need to appreciate that the Igbo were not the ones who named Lagos no mans land. That phrase was the governments way of expressing that the federal capital was the symbol of the unity and oneness of all Nigerians. And if the Yoruba are bitter about the oneness and unity of Nigeria because someone, anyone, called Lagos no mans land that would be very unfortunate. The Igbo have substantial investments in Lagos. The Igbo are involved in creating the wealth Lagos boasts of any day. This, I believe is the truth about the matter. As Abuja remains the federal capital territory and by design no mans land so also will Lagos remain the commercial nerve centre of the country and no mans land also by design. Both cities will continue to remain for Nigerians a symbol of their oneness and unity. To become petty about this national relationship will not help anyone, either in the short run or in the long run. Against this backdrop, one Yoruba commentator in the social media posted a soul-searching analysis of what he considered as the Yoruba position titled Sad Yoruba Nation? In that post, the anonymous writer who virtually summarized the situation that had hitherto forestalled the coming together of the Igbo and Yoruba ethnic groups asked: Did the Igbo put guns on anybodys head before buying up Alaba, Ajegunle, Isolo and Oshodi in Lagos? Did they use juju before Ibadan surrendered Iwo Road to them? And what were we (Yoruba) looking at before the Igbo took over Isida and Adeti in Ilesa? Where were the Yoruba when the Igbo thrived and built 90% of the hotels in Abuja? Was there a law that excluded Yoruba from selling building materials? Dei Dei Building Materials Market in Abuja is 90% Igbo-owned. So, the more we point one finger at the Igbo, the more we have the other four fingers pointing at our laziness and lack of initiative as a society. The Yoruba should have been better with all our education, but we may be worse than the Fulani who just roam about the bush. Why? It is because we lack the entrepreneurship spirit. We just want salaries from doing 8 am to 5 pm jobs. The Igbo are different hence we are now jealous and envious. We love wasteful parties and Aso Ebi. Just a little business without even making enough profit, yet we usually call musicians and spray money like confetti. That was a Yoruba. Sincere, almost to a fault, you might say. Apparently the Yoruba have no justification harassing the Igbo alone if they feel grieved about the term no mans land being applied to Lagos. The northerners are not annoyed when you call Abuja no mans land because they understand the position of government and the need to keep the country united. It is even worse when some group that calls itself Tinubu Elders Support Group starts to call Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu names, not showing any respect to an elderly Nigerian. This is absolute rascality. There is no better way to express the antisocial behaviour. If the Igbo should decide to relocate all their businesses to their homeland, I wonder what Lagos would look like and how the Yoruba can manage without the Igbo. Even the idea of disenfranchising and harassing fellow Nigerians because their mother is Igbo is the height of insensitivity. It is rascality in capital letters. One of the Yoruba governors is married to an Igbo woman. Then you stop their son from voting because his mother is Igbo. And someone who claims to be an elder stands there to justify this callous behaviour. It is a shame. This, I believe is the truth about the controversy. As Abuja remains the federal capital territory and by design no mans land so also will Lagos remain the commercial nerve centre of the country and no mans land also by design. Both cities will continue to remain for Nigerians a symbol of their oneness and unity. To become petty about this national relationship will not help anyone. Nobody is going to interfere in this. In my town there are many Yoruba business people there. Some are carpenters, some bricklayers, printers, teachers, drivers, business men and so on. Some married Igbo women. Even in my family, we are married to some Hausa women and some white women. Two of my first cousins are married to Yoruba men. They are not happy with what is trying to develop in Lagos and it is only obvious that many Yoruba share their emotion, their sentiment. Even though the last elections were gravely flawed and aggrieved parties have taken the right course by going to court to contest the result of the elections, those of us who come from the South should be even more concerned with possibilities of what Alhaji Ismailia Aliyu Gwarzo said to us once. He said: The problem with you Southerners is that you can never understand the north. We are a mystery to you and you cannot comprehend us despite all your boasting that you are better than us. You claim to be educated but in fact you are uneducated and uncivilized. What do you know about education and what has it done for you? We Fulani toss a small bone to you from our table and you betray and fight each other like dogs for it. You crawl before us and beg us for crumbs. That is your lot in life. You are nothing more than beggars. Cowardly and contended slaves! Just like your fathers served us, so you shall serve us. Just as you serve us, so your children shall serve us. And just as your children shall serve us, so their children shall serve us. We are born to rule. Leadership is our blood. No-one in this country can stop or change it. No-one can touch us. Allah has given us Nigeria. It is gift to our forefathers from him. Our great grandfather Sheik Othman Dan Fodio and the Mujahedeen fought for it. Our grandfather the Sarduana, Sir Ahmadu Bello expanded our borders and frontiers. Our father President Muhammadu Buhari has come to complete the job and he is doing very well. You see the most effective chains are the invisible ones. We already have you in those chains but you just dont know it. We took our power back in 2015. We will not release it to southerners or unbelievers again. Not in the next 100 years! It is true that we came from Futa Toro and Futa Jalon many years ago and conquered the north. Now every inch of it belongs to us. Every Fulani whether from Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Niger, Chad, Cameroon or anywhere else is our brother and has a right to be here with us. We are Fulani before Nigerian and our allegiance is to our Fulani brothers all over West Africa more than you. Now we will conquer south and we do it in the name of one Nigeria. In that one Nigeria we shall remain the masters and you shall remain the slaves! None of you are going anywhere. Nigeria will never break. We will not allow it For those Nigerians who have never heard of, or known, Alhaji Ismailia Aliyu Gwarzo, he is a retired security and intelligence official of the Nigerian government. He was an assistant inspector general of police and subsequently became the first director of the State Security Service soon after it was formed on 5 June 1986 by Military President Ibrahim Babangida to replace the National Security Organization, NSO. He later became Babangidas National Security Adviser and that of Presidents Ernest Shonekan and Sani Abacha. He is a man who understands. So, we southerners should ask ourselves: if, for instance (but God forbid) Jargaban is unable to stand the rigors of the presidential office as was the case with Musa Yar Adua (of blessed memory), where would that lead us? Our people should be more reasonable than quarrelling over Lagos and no mans land. Asinugo is a London-based veteran journalist, author and publisher of ROLU (Website - https://rolultd.com) Duri Jarman (R) talks with his younger brother who also lives in Aimin Village of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 21, 2023. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Gvzalnur (R, front), niece of Duri Jarman, dances with her friend at Duri's home in Aimin Village of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 21, 2023. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Duri Jarman dances to celebrate the Noruz Festival at his home in Aimin Village of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 21, 2023. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Duri Jarman (1st R) talks with friends at his home in Aimin Village of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 21, 2023. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Neighbors offer their blessings as Duri Jarman relocates to his new home in Aimin Village of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nov. 18, 2018. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Nanik Kukan gives a phone call to her busband Duri Jarman in Aimin Village of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nov. 25, 2019. Before the relocation, she had to go to the township government if she wants to call her relatives. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Nurkerim Duri, youngest son of Duri Jarman, applies flour on visiors' shoulders as a traditional means of blessing in Aimin Village of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 21, 2023. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) This combo photo shows Nanik Kukan, wife of Duri Jarman, sewing clothes for their relocation in Ak Toga Langar Village deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County on Nov. 13, 2018 (above) and making hand embroidery at her new home in Aimin Village on June 3, 2020. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Duri Jarman checks a refrigerator he has bought for his store in Aimin Village of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 24, 2020. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) This combo photo shows Nanik Kukan, wife of Duri Jarman, fetching coal for cooking in Ak Toga Langar Village deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County on Nov. 16, 2018 (above) and Duri Jarman repairing liquid gas storage tank at his new home in Aimin Village on June 3, 2020. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) This combo photo shows the exterior view of Duri Jarman's new house upon his relocation in Aimin Village of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County on Nov. 18, 2018 (above) and Duri Jarman watering willows in his yard on March 21, 2023. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Nurkerim Duri (C) and his mother Nanik Kukan (L) shop for daily necessities in the downtown area of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 19, 2023. Before their relocation in Aimin Village, Nanik seldom visited the county due to inconvenient transportation. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Duri Jarman checks dendrobium officinale planted at his home in Aimin Village of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 26, 2019. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) This combo photo shows Duri Jarman herding before relocation in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County on Nov. 16, 2018 (above) and arranging watermelons for selling at his store in Aimin Village on June 24, 2020. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Duri Jarman moves his cows to a standard cowshed in front of his home in Aimin Village of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 26, 2019. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) This aerial combo photo shows the valley where Duri Jarman and his family used to live before relocation in Ak Toga Langar Village deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County on June 20, 2019 (above) and the view of the resettlement area in Aimin Village where they live now on March 17, 2023. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) This areial photo taken on March 19, 2023 shows Nurkerim Duri driving back to Aimin Village after replenishing shop stock in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The life of herdsman Duri Jarman is closely tied to two places: the village of Ak Toga Langar, nestled deep in the mountains of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, and Aimin Village, located near the county seat. Duri, now 52 years old, spent 47 years living in Ak Toga Langar Village. In the winter of 2018, his family benefited from the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and settled in Aimin Village. There, they gradually adapted to the changes, enjoying a new life different from that of their ancestors. Duri and his youngest son, Nurkerim, opened a small shop, while both his eldest and second sons found new jobs. The village committee led the villagers in transforming barren land, leveling it, and repairing ditches. Duri's family was allotted 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of land, which they used to grow forage grass. After roads are improved, Duri's family opted for a modern means of transport instead of camels. Nurkerim has also bought a pickup truck which he uses to run a transport service from the county seat to the village and from the county seat to the Kashgar city area. As spring arrives, Duri's family and their fellow villagers are celebrating the Noruz Festival, which is observed by various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They are immersed in the joy of a better life. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Esther Williams seems to be everywhere these days. Kino Lorber recently released a couple of the star's dramatic forays (The Unguarded Moment and Raw Wind in Eden) that followed her MGM musical career and now Warner Archive jumps back into the pool to once again showcase the aquatic talent that put Williams on the cinematic map. On the heels of Million Dollar Mermaid, Ziegfeld Follies, and Take Me Out to the Ball Game, the beguiling Neptune's Daughter arrives on Blu-ray with the promise of more Esther in the offing. Directed by journeyman Edward Buzzell, who also helmed a couple of Marx Brothers movies (At the Circus and Go West) and a Thin Man film (Song of the Thin Man), Neptune's Daughter resembles several mistaken identity screwball comedies from the 1930s. When a South American polo team comes to town, swimming-star-turned-bathing-suit-designer Eve Barrett (Williams) and her perennially smitten business partner Joe Backett (Keenan Wynn) see a marketing opportunity...and Eve's man-crazy younger sister Betty (Betty Garrett) sees a chance to snare a Latin lover. Betty hopes to meet the team captain, Jose O'Rourke (Ricardo Montalban), but after Jose advises bumbling masseur Jack Spratt (Red Skelton) to speak with a Spanish accent if he wants to attract women, the fickle Betty mistakes Jack for Jose and falls madly in love with him, much to the bewildered Jack's dismay. Predictably, Eve catches Jose's eye, but she thinks he's beholden to Betty, who he's never met. Eve disapproves of their "relationship" and Jose agrees to "break up" with Betty if Eve will go out with him. To keep her sister away from Jose, Eve agrees, then finds herself falling for Jose against her better judgment. More zany complications ensue, including one involving a mobster (Ted de Corsia) and his burly henchman (Mike Mazurki), before everything gets ironed out in the end. Though an opulent water ballet featuring Williams and Montalban caps this light, airy musical, Neptune's Daughter is best known for introducing the popular - and now controversial - holiday song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" to the moviegoing public. The tune won a Best Song Oscar for composer Frank Loesser, who would mine Broadway gold a year later with the premiere of the instantly immortal Guys and Dolls. Ironically, "Baby, It's Cold Outside," which has become the musical poster child for 21st century sexual harassment, was a last-minute replacement for "(I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China," which the censors deemed too suggestive for contemporary audiences! Though "Baby, It's Cold Outside" gets a bad rap today because it details a man's brazen attempts to ply a woman with alcohol so he can dull her defenses and seduce (sexually assault?) her, the song, as performed in Neptune's Daughter, gives both a man and a woman the chance to be the aggressor (see clip below). The duet is first sung by Montalban and Williams (with Montalban trying to cajole an unwilling Williams), then immediately reprised by Skelton and Garrett, with Garrett trying even harder to stoke the passions of the shy, insecure Skelton. If only someone had dragged out a print of Neptune's Daughter when the furor over the song erupted, we all might have been spared the ridiculous controversy. (The song is also somewhat of a misnomer here, because Neptune's Daughter takes place in balmy Southern California, where it's rarely cold outside.) The broadly comic story doesn't make much sense, but it breezes along, thanks to a lively script by Dorothy Kingsley, who wrote screenplays for seven - that's right, seven! - Williams pictures and received her sole Oscar nomination for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. The madcap antics especially suit the always hilarious Skelton, who appeared with Williams five years earlier in her breakout film Bathing Beauty, and the spritely Garrett, who would pursue Frank Sinatra with the same shameless vigor in the much more acclaimed On the Town later the same year. Sadly, following that film Garrett and her husband Larry Parks would be blacklisted after Parks refused to name names when he was called to testify before the House UnAmerican Activities Committee. (He later capitulated.) If Williams' swimming in the movie seems more sedate than usual, it's because the star discovered she was pregnant with her first child just before shooting commenced. As a result, the "chorus" performs the sliding and diving stunts during the finale while Esther cheers them on from a platform above. Montalban, who previously appeared with Williams in Fiesta and On an Island with You, more than holds his own in the water, matching Williams stroke for stroke, and his vocal talent and Mexican charm make him a vital and virile musical leading man. Neptune's Daughter is also notable for a rare on-screen performance by Looney Tunes voice virtuoso Mel Blanc, who debuts the nasally, Spanish-accented voice he would later adopt for the animated Speedy Gonzalez character. Though Neptune's Daughter occasionally goes overboard, it remains a colorful, tuneful, and entertaining diversion that showcases all of Williams' myriad talents. They certainly don't make 'em like this anymore, which is why it's always fun to take a dip in the pool with the wet and wonderful Williams. Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray Neptune's Daughter arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu with music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it. 26.03.2023 LISTEN The presidential campaign of Honourable Kennedy Agyapong has sprung from the fringes into the mainstream, making him a serious contender and catching many people offguard. What suddenly changed? And what comes next? Varied opinions, perspectives, and personalities have sought to either demystify his rising popularity or attack his qualifications to become President of the republic. They have made assertions that his low frustration tolerance, impulsive temperament, vulgar utterances, arrogance, and contemptuous disregard for those who disagree with him make him distinctly unsuitable for the highest office of the land. Notwithstanding these varying opinions, one thing is clear: in moments of crises, opportunistic and populist leaders bully the silent majority into submission and use fear, intimidation, and manipulation to occupy the political space. Examples abound in the wake of the disastrous legacies of Jacob Zuma of South Africa and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil. Certainly, the global economic crisis unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic has presented populist politicians such as Honourable Kennedy Agyapong with the opportunity to project themselves as Messiahs. However, as was the case in Jacob Zumas South Africa, while populist politicians are often crafty at using their narcissistic impulses to connect with the discontented masses for their own self-aggrandizement, their inherent flaws become readily apparent once they assume office and leave behind a legacy of shattered economies and weakened democratic institutions. Today, thanks to the populism of Jacob Zuman and his henchmen, South African, which has the most sophisticated and advanced economy on the entire African continent, is in a state of unprecedent decline. The legacy of Jacob Zumas reckless rhetoric includes the formation of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) whose proclivity to violence, disruption and sabotage is unparalleled in the history of democratic South Africa. The South African experience could be replicated in Ghana if Honourable Kennedy Agyapongs rhetoric prevails because history does not only give us the tools to analyze and explain problems in the past, it provides us a crucial perspective for understanding current and future problems. The purpose of this article is to call out Honourable Kennedy Agyapongs populist impulses as potential fodder for both anarchism and fascism in Ghana. Words are potent forces for all causes, good or bad. And as Dorothy Neville eloquently said, the real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. If Honourable Kennedy Agyapongs bombastic rhetoric prevails, like Jacob Zuma, he can incite a crusade that can quickly morph into an intolerant and anti-state movement, which will ultimately undermine our pluralistic state and stability. Honourable Kennedy Agyapong is an unusual politician: he is both a successful businessman and a vociferous lawmaker. In business, he has leveraged his shrewdness and access to power to build a successful empire. For example, he was an influential member of former president Kufours government. He is the current Board Chair of Ghana Gas, a position he occupies from President Akuffo Addos appointment. Notwithstanding his access to power, influence, and resources, he projects himself as nonconformist, a maverick and not part of the elite. He also portrays himself as a pragmatic politician who has the requisite courage to uproot corruption, fix our broken systems and turn the economy around. In so doing, Honourable Kennedy Agyapong has set out to occupy the crowded space of would-be Messiahs who believe they can rescue Ghana from the global economic crisis and finally deliver the democratic promise of providing prosperity for all. Unsurprisingly, Honourable Kennedy Agyapongs prescriptions for turning the economy around and eradicating corruption are so vague that everyone seems to agree with him, yet nobody knows how he will get them done or even get parliament to ratify them. Nonetheless, when challenged, he uses the populist playbook of deflecting accountability by attacking his critics and casting them as enemies of the people. Drawing from the playbook of Jacob Zuma, Robert Mugabe, and Hugo Chavez, he sees politics as a war between good and evil. Hence, his penchant to demonize his rivals. Interestingly, it his unorthodox politics that is appealing to people who are deeply dissatisfied with the status quo and with rising poverty. These people are yearning for a radical change because state institutions have either lost their legitimacy or public confidence in their ability to deliver good governance. He has therefore tapped into the rising discontent to demand allegiance to his-all-powerful, enigmatic personality. He stokes the enthusiasm of his followers by identifying with their cause and inciting suspicion of those who question his rhetoric. The inherent danger in his populism is that even if he can change the status quo and weed out corruption as he has promised, which of course is unlikely, his us versus them approach will always carry the seeds of intolerance, hate, division, and authoritarianism, which will ultimately set the grounds for anarchism and fascism. Throughout history, anarchist, demagogues, fascist, and their henchmen who claimed privileged knowledge and skills to solve societys problems have ended up crushing the very people they claim to represent. When populists portray their opponents as inferior, idiotic and incompetent, it is only a matter of time before they trample on their rights and anyone who disagrees with their agenda -- thereby undermining pluralism and rule of law. The current discontent in the country is not unique to Ghana but stems from the apparent failure of democracies to close the disparity between the rich and the poor. The situation has been compounded by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, democracy, which as a social contract derives its legitimacy from the promise of improving the lives of all the people, is failing to deliver. Thus, even in even advanced democracies such as the United States, Italy, Sweden, etc., populist mobilization has undermined democracy and pluralism. Honourable Kennedy Agyapongs populism is gaining ground because he promises renewal and a shift in focus from meeting the needs of the powerful elite to representing the people. However, given his narcissistic personality traits, and inability to respond to constructive criticism, he may choose to ignore key customary practices of good governance such proper consultation and respect for independence of institutions once in power, which will ultimately undermine democracy and rule of law. Win or loose, Honourable Kennedy Agyapong has taken populism to new heights in Ghana. And if democratic governments appear unresponsive to public opinion and demands, then, just like in the United States, populism in Ghana is likely to become entrenched. The country may enter a dark era of serial populism, fostering the environment for anarchy and fascism. Written by Kwame Attakora Abrefah, Esquire. 26.03.2023 LISTEN In his bid to contribute his quota towards the development of Awutu Senya West Constituency, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, has introduced a couple of projects. Through the Eugene Arhin Foundation, he has addressed a few educational challenges in the area. He has for instance, built a Community Library and ICT Centre at Awutu Beraku and a school for the people of Obodakaba to stop the children in this community from travelling to other towns for their basic education. Mr Arhin has also leveraged his position as the Director of Communications at the Presidency and close relations with President Akufo-Addo to lobby for the construction of the Akoti Junction-Senya Beraku and the Ofaakor-Bawjiase Roads. Recounting how Mr Arhin pressurized him for these projects, President Akufo-Addo once said, "Eugene Arhin does not give me briefing space because of his people." Upon introducing numerous projects in the constituency, including providing Senior High Schools in the area with mechanised boreholes, Mr Arhin has realised that Awutu Senya West is still saddled with many problems. This has perhaps influenced the kind hearted young man to go the Ubuntu way. Thus, he has started inculcating the spirit of "I am because you are." in the youth of the area. He is doing this by lobbying permanent job opportunities for the long forgotten youth who had fruitlessly searched for those jobs. To this end, he has assisted 16 qualified youth in Awutu Senya West to secure jobs with the Ghana Education Service (GES). Sources close to the Director of Communications have also revealed that he is currently working for some 26 more slots. Similarly, through his recommendations, youth in the area have also secured jobs with Ghana Audit Service, Ghana Cocoa Board, Ghana Revenue Authority, the security agencies and other public and civil service institutions. When Mr Arhin was once asked why he had resorted to empowering the youth of the area, he gave a response that I believe the assisted youth would be fired up to give their best to their communities and the country as a whole if they hear it.He said, "Though unfortunate, we have found ourselves in a country that the rich and the poor produce their kind." "This should tell you that a community without capable hands might also produce its kind," he stressed. He further explained that it would take the people of Awutu Senya West Constituency to develop the place. He therefore, concluded that if the people themselves are not developed, they will not be able to meaningfully contribute to the development of their communities. What was more touching was when he referenced the South African concept of Ubuntu, which is literarily translated to mean, "I am because you are" and said it was time to let the youth appreciate the fact that their welfare is connected to the welfare of others. He believes the best way to inculcate this into them is to offer them the assistance they need to live fulfilled lives. It is my wish that all the indigenes of Awutu Senya West Constituency will embrace this Ubuntu Culture that Eugene Arhin preaches and practices. If they do, the place will soon experience a jet propelled development. The author is an essayist and a social commentator. By Bala Ali AE Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Nordic American Tankers Limited (NYSE:NAT Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund purchased 11,352 shares of the shipping companys stock, valued at approximately $35,000. Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Arete Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Nordic American Tankers in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Nordic American Tankers in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Nordic American Tankers during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Mackenzie Financial Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Nordic American Tankers during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Finally, Prospera Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Nordic American Tankers during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. 40.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Nordic American Tankers alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts have recently weighed in on the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Nordic American Tankers in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. B. Riley lifted their price objective on Nordic American Tankers from $5.00 to $5.50 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, February 28th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Nordic American Tankers from $4.50 to $5.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, February 27th. Finally, TheStreet raised Nordic American Tankers from a d+ rating to a c rating in a report on Wednesday, November 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $5.25. Nordic American Tankers Price Performance NAT stock traded up $0.01 during trading on Friday, hitting $4.04. The company had a trading volume of 1,694,630 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,808,094. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $3.65 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $3.35. The company has a current ratio of 1.96, a quick ratio of 1.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49. The company has a market cap of $781.58 million, a P/E ratio of 67.33 and a beta of 0.14. Nordic American Tankers Limited has a fifty-two week low of $1.74 and a fifty-two week high of $4.65. Nordic American Tankers (NYSE:NAT Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 27th. The shipping company reported $0.17 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.22 by ($0.05). The company had revenue of $71.10 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $83.48 million. Nordic American Tankers had a net margin of 8.95% and a return on equity of 2.96%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned ($0.12) EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Nordic American Tankers Limited will post 0.58 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Nordic American Tankers Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 14th will be paid a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 13th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 14.85%. This is a positive change from Nordic American Tankerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.05. Nordic American Tankerss payout ratio is currently 1,000.00%. Nordic American Tankers Company Profile (Get Rating) Nordic American Tankers Ltd. operates as an international tanker company. It owns and operates Suezmax crude oil tankers. The company was founded by Herbjorn Hansson on June 12, 1995 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NAT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Nordic American Tankers Limited (NYSE:NAT Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Nordic American Tankers Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nordic American Tankers and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Scotiabank upgraded shares of Africa Oil (CVE:AOI Get Rating) from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note published on Wednesday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has C$3.50 target price on the stock, up from their previous target price of C$3.25. Africa Oil Stock Performance Africa Oil has a 1-year low of C$9.85 and a 1-year high of C$30.70. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Africa Oil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Africa Oil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Auckland International Airport (OTCMKTS:AUKNY Get Rating) from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report report published on Wednesday, The Fly reports. Auckland International Airport Price Performance OTCMKTS AUKNY opened at $27.57 on Wednesday. The firms fifty day moving average price is $26.68 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $24.43. Auckland International Airport has a 1 year low of $19.60 and a 1 year high of $28.32. Get Auckland International Airport alerts: Auckland International Airport Company Profile (Get Rating) Featured Articles Auckland International Airport Ltd. engages in the provision of airport facilities and supporting infrastructure. It operates through the following segments: Aeronautical, Retail and Property. The Aeronautical segment includes services that facilitate the movement of aircraft, passengers and cargo and provides utility services that support the airport. Receive News & Ratings for Auckland International Airport Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Auckland International Airport and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Banco Santander (NYSE:SAN Get Rating) from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research report released on Wednesday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on SAN. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Banco Santander from 3.50 ($3.76) to 3.60 ($3.87) in a research report on Wednesday, December 7th. StockNews.com downgraded Banco Santander from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, March 15th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Banco Santander presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $3.94. Get Banco Santander alerts: Banco Santander Stock Down 1.1 % Banco Santander stock opened at $3.45 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.40, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a current ratio of 0.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $57.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.95 and a beta of 1.10. Banco Santander has a fifty-two week low of $2.26 and a fifty-two week high of $4.09. The stocks fifty day moving average is $3.62 and its two-hundred day moving average is $3.04. Banco Santander Increases Dividend Institutional Trading of Banco Santander The business also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 5th. Investors of record on Friday, April 28th will be given a dividend of $0.0631 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 27th. This represents a yield of 2%. This is a positive change from Banco Santanders previous semi-annual dividend of $0.06. Banco Santanders payout ratio is currently 13.79%. Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Banco Santander by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 145,100,488 shares of the banks stock worth $428,046,000 after buying an additional 5,489,652 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership grew its holdings in shares of Banco Santander by 87.6% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 10,708,245 shares of the banks stock worth $36,194,000 after acquiring an additional 4,999,413 shares during the last quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky purchased a new position in shares of Banco Santander during the third quarter valued at $9,521,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Banco Santander by 37.3% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 13,999,050 shares of the banks stock valued at $47,316,000 after buying an additional 3,805,547 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC grew its stake in Banco Santander by 116.0% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 6,417,059 shares of the banks stock valued at $21,690,000 after purchasing an additional 3,445,757 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 1.90% of the companys stock. About Banco Santander (Get Rating) Banco Santander SA is a banking services company, which engages in the provision of banking services to individuals, companies, and institutions. It operates through the following segments: Europe, North America, South America, and Digital Consumer Bank. The Europe segment comprises business activities carried out in the region. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Banco Santander Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banco Santander and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) by 5.8% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 494,696 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 27,146 shares during the period. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLCs holdings in Bank of America were worth $16,384,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BAC. Roundview Capital LLC grew its position in Bank of America by 1.5% during the first quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 135,764 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $5,596,000 after buying an additional 2,013 shares during the period. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P grew its position in shares of Bank of America by 150.3% in the first quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 1,985 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $82,000 after purchasing an additional 1,192 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Bank of America by 4.2% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 405,098 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $16,698,000 after purchasing an additional 16,319 shares during the period. First Western Trust Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Bank of America in the first quarter valued at about $586,000. Finally, Pearl River Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bank of America in the first quarter valued at about $534,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.34% of the companys stock. Get Bank of America alerts: Bank of America Price Performance Shares of BAC stock opened at $27.14 on Friday. The firms 50-day moving average is $33.34 and its two-hundred day moving average is $33.87. The company has a market capitalization of $217.22 billion, a PE ratio of 8.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 1.40. Bank of America Co. has a 12 month low of $26.32 and a 12 month high of $44.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 0.78 and a quick ratio of 0.77. Bank of America Announces Dividend Bank of America ( NYSE:BAC Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 13th. The financial services provider reported $0.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $24.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.17 billion. Bank of America had a net margin of 23.93% and a return on equity of 11.41%. The businesss revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.82 EPS. Analysts predict that Bank of America Co. will post 3.37 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 3rd will be paid a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.24%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 2nd. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 27.59%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Piper Sandler lowered shares of Bank of America from a neutral rating to an underweight rating and dropped their target price for the company from $36.00 to $33.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 17th. Odeon Capital Group downgraded shares of Bank of America from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $35.20 price target on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, March 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded shares of Bank of America from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $45.00 to $36.00 in a research note on Friday, January 6th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods downgraded shares of Bank of America from a market perform rating to an underperform rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $35.00 to $33.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 8th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Bank of America in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $39.28. Insider Activity In other news, insider Matthew M. Koder sold 105,054 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.27, for a total value of $3,600,200.58. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 319,803 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $10,959,648.81. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, insider Matthew M. Koder sold 214,745 shares of Bank of America stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.91, for a total value of $7,711,492.95. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 214,747 shares in the company, valued at $7,711,564.77. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Matthew M. Koder sold 105,054 shares of Bank of America stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.27, for a total transaction of $3,600,200.58. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 319,803 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $10,959,648.81. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.27% of the companys stock. Bank of America Profile (Get Rating) Bank of America Corp. is a bank and financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking and nonbank financial services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth and Investment Management (GWIM), Global Banking, Global Markets, and All Other. The Consumer Banking segment offers credit, banking, and investment products and services to consumers and small businesses. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BAC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bar Harbor Wealth Management raised its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT Get Rating) by 1.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 53,733 shares of the retailers stock after purchasing an additional 975 shares during the quarter. Bar Harbor Wealth Managements holdings in Walmart were worth $7,618,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart during the second quarter valued at about $5,302,000. Windward Capital Management Co. CA lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 0.7% in the third quarter. Windward Capital Management Co. CA now owns 28,022 shares of the retailers stock worth $3,634,000 after buying an additional 201 shares in the last quarter. Spotlight Asset Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the third quarter worth about $536,000. Meritage Portfolio Management lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 35.2% in the third quarter. Meritage Portfolio Management now owns 20,160 shares of the retailers stock worth $2,615,000 after buying an additional 5,253 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norris Perne & French LLP MI lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 6.9% in the third quarter. Norris Perne & French LLP MI now owns 2,989 shares of the retailers stock worth $388,000 after buying an additional 194 shares in the last quarter. 31.27% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Walmart alerts: Walmart Stock Performance Shares of WMT stock opened at $141.80 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $141.82 and a 200 day moving average of $141.37. Walmart Inc. has a 52 week low of $117.27 and a 52 week high of $160.77. The firm has a market capitalization of $382.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.13, a PEG ratio of 4.21 and a beta of 0.48. The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. Walmart Dividend Announcement Walmart ( NYSE:WMT Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 21st. The retailer reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.51 by $0.20. Walmart had a return on equity of 20.45% and a net margin of 1.91%. The company had revenue of $164.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $158.67 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.53 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 7.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 6.08 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, December 8th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.61%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 7th. Walmarts payout ratio is 53.27%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on WMT. UBS Group set a $168.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, February 22nd. Oppenheimer decreased their price objective on shares of Walmart from $165.00 to $160.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a $155.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Tuesday, February 21st. Royal Bank of Canada set a $163.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, February 22nd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group set a $164.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, February 22nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, twenty-three have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $162.44. Insider Buying and Selling In other Walmart news, major shareholder Alice L. Walton sold 563,717 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $142.26, for a total transaction of $80,194,380.42. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 264,873,644 shares of the companys stock, valued at $37,680,924,595.44. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other Walmart news, major shareholder Alice L. Walton sold 563,717 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $142.26, for a total transaction of $80,194,380.42. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 264,873,644 shares of the companys stock, valued at $37,680,924,595.44. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, major shareholder Jim C. Walton sold 852,215 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.26, for a total value of $122,940,535.90. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 266,841,420 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $38,494,543,249.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 14,534,113 shares of company stock valued at $2,041,195,084 over the last quarter. 47.06% of the stock is owned by company insiders. About Walmart (Get Rating) Walmart, Inc engages in retail and wholesale business. The company offers an assortment of merchandise and services at everyday low prices. It operates through the following business segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sams Club. The Walmart U.S. segment operates as a merchandiser of consumer products, operating under the Walmart, Wal-Mart, and Walmart Neighborhood Market brands, as well as walmart.com and other eCommerce brands. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Walmart Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Walmart and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bar Harbor Wealth Management raised its position in Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE:D Get Rating) by 10.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 43,144 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 4,139 shares during the period. Bar Harbor Wealth Managements holdings in Dominion Energy were worth $2,646,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in D. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy by 329.6% in the 4th quarter. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,406 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $148,000 after buying an additional 1,846 shares in the last quarter. Farmers Trust Co. raised its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy by 18.2% in the 4th quarter. Farmers Trust Co. now owns 6,842 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $420,000 after buying an additional 1,054 shares in the last quarter. Benson Investment Management Company Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Dominion Energy in the 4th quarter worth approximately $3,802,000. Procyon Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy by 50.1% in the 4th quarter. Procyon Advisors LLC now owns 15,621 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $958,000 after buying an additional 5,215 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Oak Harbor Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy by 9.4% in the 4th quarter. Oak Harbor Wealth Partners LLC now owns 10,257 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $629,000 after buying an additional 878 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.30% of the companys stock. Get Dominion Energy alerts: Dominion Energy Stock Up 3.1 % Shares of D opened at $53.83 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $44.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.39, a PEG ratio of 0.89 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.73. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $58.25 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $63.18. Dominion Energy, Inc. has a 52 week low of $52.03 and a 52 week high of $88.78. Dominion Energy Announces Dividend Dominion Energy ( NYSE:D Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 8th. The utilities provider reported $1.06 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.03 by $0.03. Dominion Energy had a return on equity of 13.35% and a net margin of 5.79%. The firm had revenue of $4.91 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.21 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.90 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 26.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Dominion Energy, Inc. will post 3.96 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 3rd were given a $0.6675 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 2nd. This represents a $2.67 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.96%. Dominion Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 244.95%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on D. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Dominion Energy from $76.00 to $66.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 11th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on Dominion Energy from $66.00 to $61.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 27th. Guggenheim decreased their price target on Dominion Energy from $69.00 to $63.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 28th. StockNews.com started coverage on Dominion Energy in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Mizuho decreased their price target on Dominion Energy from $62.00 to $58.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $66.08. About Dominion Energy (Get Rating) Dominion Energy, Inc engages in the production and distribution of energy. It operates through following business segments: Dominion Energy Virginia, Gas Distribution, Dominion Energy South Carolina, Contracted Assets, and Corporate and Other. The Corporate and Other segment focuses on corporate, service company, non-controlling interest in Dominion privatization, and non-regulated retail energy marketing operations. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Dominion Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dominion Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft (ETR:BMW Get Rating) has been assigned a 99.00 ($106.45) target price by research analysts at Berenberg Bank in a research report issued on Friday, Borsen Zeitung reports. Berenberg Banks price objective would suggest a potential upside of 1.27% from the stocks current price. Several other analysts have also issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group set a 105.00 ($112.90) price objective on Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft in a research note on Wednesday, March 15th. Royal Bank of Canada set a 103.00 ($110.75) price target on Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft in a report on Wednesday, March 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a 120.00 ($129.03) price objective on shares of Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft in a research report on Monday, March 20th. Barclays set a 95.00 ($102.15) price objective on shares of Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft in a research report on Monday, February 13th. Finally, UBS Group set a 85.00 ($91.40) target price on shares of Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft in a report on Friday, March 10th. Get Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft alerts: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Stock Down 1.1 % Shares of BMW stock opened at 97.76 ($105.12) on Friday. Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft has a 52-week low of 68.44 ($73.59) and a 52-week high of 103.70 ($111.51). The stock has a market cap of $58.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.58, a PEG ratio of -0.28 and a beta of 1.13. The firms 50-day moving average is 96.44 and its 200-day moving average is 85.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 97.64, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 1.09. About Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and sells automobiles and motorcycles, and spare parts and accessories worldwide. It operates through Automotive, Motorcycles, and Financial Services segments. The Automotive segment is involved in the development, manufacture, assembling, and sale of automobiles, spare parts, accessories, and mobility services under the BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce brands. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A confidential report released by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors into the use of the San Mateo, California Sheriff's office to raid a custom automaker in the State of Indiana shows the event should never have happened. The investigation by a retired Alameda County Superior Court judge shows that a gentleman who was unhappy with the delivery date on his replica BatMobile used personal connections to have the Sheriff terrorize the replicar fabricator. This is certainly one for the books: a massive waste of taxpayer funds, a crime against the car fabricator, and a demonstration of why the public mistrusts the police all in one. While the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted to make the report public, it appears any crime will go unpunished as the County attorney seems unsure if "anything went wrong, per se." Image: YouTube/Screen Grab British Land Company Plc (OTCMKTS:BTLCY Get Rating) has received an average recommendation of Hold from the ten ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has given a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $463.33. BTLCY has been the subject of several analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on British Land from GBX 530 ($6.51) to GBX 505 ($6.20) in a report on Friday, December 9th. Peel Hunt upgraded shares of British Land to a buy rating in a research note on Monday, January 9th. The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded shares of British Land from a neutral rating to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 21st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on British Land from GBX 330 ($4.05) to GBX 345 ($4.24) in a research report on Tuesday, November 29th. Get British Land alerts: British Land Stock Up 0.4 % BTLCY stock opened at $4.57 on Friday. The business has a 50 day moving average of $5.36 and a 200 day moving average of $4.87. British Land has a twelve month low of $3.54 and a twelve month high of $7.21. British Land Company Profile The British Land Co Plc is a real estate investment trust, which engages in the ownership, management, financing and development of commercial properties. It operates through the following business segments: Offices, Retail, Canada Water, and Other or unallocated. The Canada water segment comprises of office, retail, residential, leisure, and public spaces to create new urban center for London. See Also Receive News & Ratings for British Land Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for British Land and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hudson Pacific Properties (NYSE:HPP Get Rating) had its target price reduced by Citigroup from $10.00 to $6.00 in a report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the real estate investment trusts stock. Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Hudson Pacific Properties in a report on Tuesday, March 21st. They set a sell rating and a $5.50 price objective for the company. Robert W. Baird upgraded Hudson Pacific Properties from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and cut their price target for the company from $13.00 to $12.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 5th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on Hudson Pacific Properties from $10.00 to $7.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. Mizuho cut their price target on Hudson Pacific Properties from $12.00 to $10.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 4th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on Hudson Pacific Properties in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $11.32. Get Hudson Pacific Properties alerts: Hudson Pacific Properties Price Performance NYSE HPP opened at $5.73 on Wednesday. Hudson Pacific Properties has a 52 week low of $5.27 and a 52 week high of $28.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $808.27 million, a P/E ratio of -14.69 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a quick ratio of 2.21, a current ratio of 2.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $9.40 and a 200-day moving average price of $10.37. Hudson Pacific Properties Announces Dividend Hedge Funds Weigh In On Hudson Pacific Properties The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 20th will be paid a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 17.45%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 17th. Hudson Pacific Propertiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -256.40%. Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in Hudson Pacific Properties by 36.1% during the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,930,097 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $18,780,000 after acquiring an additional 511,459 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Middle East FZE acquired a new position in Hudson Pacific Properties during the 4th quarter worth about $48,000. Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its stake in Hudson Pacific Properties by 10.9% during the 4th quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 12,625 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $123,000 after acquiring an additional 1,246 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC raised its position in Hudson Pacific Properties by 112.4% in the 4th quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 155,106 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,509,000 after purchasing an additional 82,064 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vestcor Inc acquired a new stake in Hudson Pacific Properties in the 4th quarter valued at about $279,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.57% of the companys stock. About Hudson Pacific Properties (Get Rating) Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc is a real estate company, which acquires, repositions, develops, and operates sustainable office and state of-the-art studio properties in high-barrier-to-entry submarkets in California, the Pacific Northwest, Western Canada, and Greater London, United Kingdom. It operates through the Office Properties and Studio Properties segments. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Hudson Pacific Properties Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hudson Pacific Properties and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC purchased a new stake in Quanex Building Products Co. (NYSE:NX Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 4,521 shares of the construction companys stock, valued at approximately $107,000. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its position in shares of Quanex Building Products by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 3,806,505 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $69,125,000 after acquiring an additional 63,504 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Quanex Building Products by 0.4% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,797,308 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $68,959,000 after buying an additional 16,153 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Quanex Building Products by 0.5% during the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,451,685 shares of the construction companys stock worth $44,523,000 after buying an additional 11,169 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its position in shares of Quanex Building Products by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 1,365,007 shares of the construction companys stock worth $31,054,000 after buying an additional 54,600 shares during the period. Finally, Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC increased its stake in shares of Quanex Building Products by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC now owns 1,264,927 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $22,970,000 after acquiring an additional 34,946 shares during the last quarter. 98.49% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Quanex Building Products alerts: Quanex Building Products Stock Up 0.7 % Shares of Quanex Building Products stock opened at $20.32 on Friday. Quanex Building Products Co. has a 1 year low of $18.00 and a 1 year high of $27.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 2.22 and a quick ratio of 1.16. The company has a market capitalization of $675.44 million, a P/E ratio of 8.50 and a beta of 1.37. The business has a 50-day moving average of $24.38 and a two-hundred day moving average of $22.92. Quanex Building Products Announces Dividend Wall Street Analyst Weigh In The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 14th. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.57%. Quanex Building Productss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 13.39%. Several research analysts recently weighed in on NX shares. StockNews.com lowered shares of Quanex Building Products from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, March 13th. Benchmark reissued a buy rating and issued a $28.00 price target on shares of Quanex Building Products in a report on Tuesday, March 14th. Insider Buying and Selling at Quanex Building Products In other news, SVP Paul Cornett sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.00, for a total transaction of $50,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 37,627 shares of the companys stock, valued at $940,675. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 2,704 shares of company stock valued at $69,012. 2.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. About Quanex Building Products (Get Rating) Quanex Building Products Corp. engages in the manufacture of components sold to original equipment manufacturers in the building products industry. It also designs and produces energy-efficient fenestration products in addition to kitchen and bath cabinet components. The firm operates through the following segments: North American Fenestration, European Fenestration, North American Cabinet Components, and Unallocated Corporate and Other. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Quanex Building Products Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Quanex Building Products and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Curbstone Financial Management Corp reduced its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating) by 9.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 21,086 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 2,122 shares during the period. Curbstone Financial Management Corps holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $1,517,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Boston Partners boosted its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 103.1% during the third quarter. Boston Partners now owns 10,166,384 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $725,297,000 after purchasing an additional 5,161,226 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 2.0% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 174,002,852 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $12,369,862,000 after purchasing an additional 3,357,590 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.6% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 199,886,585 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $14,209,937,000 after purchasing an additional 3,058,491 shares during the last quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec boosted its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 131.2% during the second quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 5,307,254 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $408,659,000 after purchasing an additional 3,011,581 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cowa LLC boosted its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 9,777.8% during the first quarter. Cowa LLC now owns 1,657,894 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,211,000 after purchasing an additional 1,641,110 shares during the last quarter. 75.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Bristol-Myers Squibb alerts: Bristol-Myers Squibb Price Performance Bristol-Myers Squibb stock opened at $67.68 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $70.52 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $72.87. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a one year low of $65.28 and a one year high of $81.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The firm has a market cap of $142.05 billion, a PE ratio of 22.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 0.46. Bristol-Myers Squibb Dividend Announcement Bristol-Myers Squibb ( NYSE:BMY Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.82 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $11.41 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.20 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 51.60% and a net margin of 13.71%. The companys revenue was down 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.83 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 8.06 EPS for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 10th will be issued a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.37%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 6th. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio is presently 77.29%. Insider Buying and Selling at Bristol-Myers Squibb In other Bristol-Myers Squibb news, CEO Giovanni Caforio sold 240,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.65, for a total value of $17,916,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 236,104 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $17,625,163.60. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, EVP Ann Powell sold 11,183 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.69, for a total transaction of $835,258.27. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 23,043 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,721,081.67. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Giovanni Caforio sold 240,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.65, for a total value of $17,916,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 236,104 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,625,163.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.09% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts recently commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Monday, March 6th. They set a hold rating and a $62.00 price target for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Tuesday, January 17th. They issued an overweight rating and a $95.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Friday, February 3rd. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a strong-buy rating for the company. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $70.00 to $78.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Bristol-Myers Squibb has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $79.69. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Profile (Get Rating) Bristol Myers Squibb Co engages in the discovery, development, licensing, manufacture, marketing, distribution, and sale of biopharmaceutical products. It offers chemically-synthesized drugs or small molecules and products produced from biological processes called biologics. The company was founded in August 1933 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BMY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Berenberg Bank set a 22.00 ($23.66) price objective on Deutsche EuroShop (ETR:DEQ Get Rating) in a research report report published on Wednesday morning, Borsen Zeitung reports. Separately, Baader Bank set a 23.00 ($24.73) price target on Deutsche EuroShop in a research report on Wednesday. Get Deutsche EuroShop alerts: Deutsche EuroShop Price Performance Shares of Deutsche EuroShop stock opened at 18.39 ($19.77) on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 62.17, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 1.26. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of 20.98 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of 21.84. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.37, a PEG ratio of 24.40 and a beta of 1.35. Deutsche EuroShop has a 12 month low of 14.92 ($16.04) and a 12 month high of 26.80 ($28.82). Deutsche EuroShop Company Profile Deutsche EuroShop AG is a German-based international real estate investment company headquartered in Hamburg. It is the largest German investor in shopping centers, and the country's only publicly traded company to do so exclusively. At the end of 2010 the firm held investments in 18 properties, of which 14 were in Germany, two in Poland and one each in Austria and Hungary. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Deutsche EuroShop Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Deutsche EuroShop and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Evermay Wealth Management LLC lessened its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating) by 6.6% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,118 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 1,000 shares during the quarter. Evermay Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $1,016,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. New Millennium Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. My Personal CFO LLC acquired a new stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. Clear Investment Research LLC bought a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. Western Pacific Wealth Management LP raised its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 878.6% in the 3rd quarter. Western Pacific Wealth Management LP now owns 548 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 492 shares during the last quarter. Finally, McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 3rd quarter valued at $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.51% of the companys stock. Get Bristol-Myers Squibb alerts: Bristol-Myers Squibb Trading Up 1.0 % NYSE BMY opened at $67.68 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $70.52 and a 200 day simple moving average of $72.87. The company has a market capitalization of $142.05 billion, a PE ratio of 22.94, a P/E/G ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 12 month low of $65.28 and a 12 month high of $81.43. Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Dividend Bristol-Myers Squibb ( NYSE:BMY Get Rating ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.11. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 51.60% and a net margin of 13.71%. The firm had revenue of $11.41 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.20 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.83 earnings per share. The companys revenue was down 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 8.06 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 10th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 6th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.37%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs payout ratio is 77.29%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several brokerages have issued reports on BMY. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $70.00 to $78.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 3rd. Cantor Fitzgerald began coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Tuesday, January 17th. They issued an overweight rating and a $95.00 price objective for the company. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Monday, March 6th. They issued a hold rating and a $62.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Friday, February 3rd. Finally, Atlantic Securities boosted their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, February 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Bristol-Myers Squibb has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $79.69. Insider Buying and Selling at Bristol-Myers Squibb In other Bristol-Myers Squibb news, EVP Ann Powell sold 11,183 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.69, for a total value of $835,258.27. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,043 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,721,081.67. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Giovanni Caforio sold 240,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.65, for a total transaction of $17,916,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 236,104 shares of the companys stock, valued at $17,625,163.60. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Ann Powell sold 11,183 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.69, for a total value of $835,258.27. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,043 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,721,081.67. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.09% of the companys stock. Bristol-Myers Squibb Profile (Get Rating) Bristol Myers Squibb Co engages in the discovery, development, licensing, manufacture, marketing, distribution, and sale of biopharmaceutical products. It offers chemically-synthesized drugs or small molecules and products produced from biological processes called biologics. The company was founded in August 1933 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BMY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Farmers Trust Co. lifted its holdings in shares of AmerisourceBergen Co. (NYSE:ABC Get Rating) by 0.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,765 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 72 shares during the quarter. Farmers Trust Co.s holdings in AmerisourceBergen were worth $1,618,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Czech National Bank bought a new position in shares of AmerisourceBergen during the third quarter worth approximately $2,445,000. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of AmerisourceBergen by 716.7% during the second quarter. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. now owns 1,225 shares of the companys stock worth $173,000 after purchasing an additional 1,075 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its holdings in shares of AmerisourceBergen by 2.2% during the third quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 143,276 shares of the companys stock worth $19,390,000 after purchasing an additional 3,100 shares during the period. State of Alaska Department of Revenue increased its holdings in shares of AmerisourceBergen by 10.4% during the third quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 38,076 shares of the companys stock worth $5,152,000 after purchasing an additional 3,600 shares during the period. Finally, Clarius Group LLC boosted its position in shares of AmerisourceBergen by 6.1% during the 3rd quarter. Clarius Group LLC now owns 2,534 shares of the companys stock worth $343,000 after acquiring an additional 146 shares in the last quarter. 84.79% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get AmerisourceBergen alerts: Insider Transactions at AmerisourceBergen In other news, CEO Steven H. Collis sold 10,499 shares of AmerisourceBergen stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.28, for a total transaction of $1,724,775.72. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 257,967 shares in the company, valued at $42,378,818.76. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Gina Clark sold 1,924 shares of AmerisourceBergen stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $156.22, for a total transaction of $300,567.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,733 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,176,229.26. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Steven H. Collis sold 10,499 shares of AmerisourceBergen stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $164.28, for a total transaction of $1,724,775.72. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 257,967 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $42,378,818.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 28,633 shares of company stock worth $4,490,081. Company insiders own 20.10% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades AmerisourceBergen Price Performance Several analysts recently issued reports on ABC shares. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of AmerisourceBergen in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a strong-buy rating on the stock. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of AmerisourceBergen from $162.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, February 2nd. Argus increased their price target on shares of AmerisourceBergen from $170.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 12th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of AmerisourceBergen from $199.00 to $201.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 2nd. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on shares of AmerisourceBergen from $184.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 31st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, AmerisourceBergen has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $180.08. Shares of NYSE:ABC opened at $156.41 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $31.64 billion, a PE ratio of 18.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 0.54. The firms fifty day moving average is $157.72 and its 200-day moving average is $156.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 63.30, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 0.91. AmerisourceBergen Co. has a 52 week low of $135.14 and a 52 week high of $174.63. AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 1st. The company reported $2.71 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.62 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $62.85 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $62.77 billion. AmerisourceBergen had a net margin of 0.72% and a return on equity of 597.57%. AmerisourceBergens revenue was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.58 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that AmerisourceBergen Co. will post 11.61 earnings per share for the current year. AmerisourceBergen Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 10th were issued a dividend of $0.485 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 9th. This represents a $1.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.24%. AmerisourceBergens dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 23.54%. AmerisourceBergen Company Profile (Get Rating) AmerisourceBergen Corp. engages in the provision of pharmaceutical products and business solutions that improve access to care. It operates through the Pharmaceutical Distribution Services and Other segments. The Pharmaceutical Distribution Services segment distributes an offering of brand-name, specialty brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to healthcare providers, including acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical clinics, and long-term care and alternate site pharmacies. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for AmerisourceBergen Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AmerisourceBergen and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kesko Oyj (OTCMKTS:KKOYY Get Rating) and Weis Markets (NYSE:WMK Get Rating) are both consumer defensive companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends and earnings. Insider & Institutional Ownership 36.6% of Weis Markets shares are held by institutional investors. 27.0% of Weis Markets shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Get Kesko Oyj alerts: Valuation & Earnings This table compares Kesko Oyj and Weis Markets revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Kesko Oyj N/A N/A N/A $0.81 12.58 Weis Markets $4.70 billion 0.47 $125.20 million $4.66 17.71 Dividends Weis Markets has higher revenue and earnings than Kesko Oyj. Kesko Oyj is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Weis Markets, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Kesko Oyj pays an annual dividend of $0.45 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.5%. Weis Markets pays an annual dividend of $1.36 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.6%. Kesko Oyj pays out 56.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Weis Markets pays out 29.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Weis Markets has increased its dividend for 2 consecutive years. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for Kesko Oyj and Weis Markets, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Kesko Oyj 0 1 1 0 2.50 Weis Markets 0 0 0 0 N/A Profitability This table compares Kesko Oyj and Weis Markets net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Kesko Oyj N/A N/A N/A Weis Markets 2.67% 9.85% 6.48% Summary Weis Markets beats Kesko Oyj on 10 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks. About Kesko Oyj (Get Rating) Kesko Oyj engages in the development, ownership, and management of store network. It operates through following segments: Grocery Trade, Building and Technical Trade, Car Trade, and Common Functions. The Grocery Trade segment comprises wholesale and business to business (B2B) trade of groceries; and retailing of home and specialty goods. The Building and Technical Trade segment focuses on the chains concepts, marketing, purchasing, logistics services, and store site network. The Car Trade segment includes business operations of K-Auto, K-Caara; and AutoCarrera; and importing and marketing of Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Porsche passenger cars, and Volkswagen and MAN commercial vehicles. The Common functions segment refers to the s group support functions. The company was founded on October 14, 1940 and is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland. About Weis Markets (Get Rating) Weis Markets, Inc. engages in the ownership and operation of retail food stores. Its retail stores offer groceries, dairy products, frozen foods, meats, seafood, fresh produce, floral, pharmacy services, deli products, prepared foods, bakery products, beer and wine, fuel, and general merchandise items. The company was founded by Harry Weis and Sigmund Weis in 1912 and is headquartered in Sunbury, PA. Receive News & Ratings for Kesko Oyj Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kesko Oyj and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Perfromance Wealth Partners LLC reduced its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWO Get Rating) by 3.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,124 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 119 shares during the period. Perfromance Wealth Partners LLCs holdings in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF were worth $670,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of IWO. CFS Investment Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 19,949.5% in the third quarter. CFS Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,596,010 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $260,000 after acquiring an additional 2,583,062 shares in the last quarter. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp lifted its position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 15.1% in the third quarter. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp now owns 2,528,125 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $522,286,000 after acquiring an additional 332,609 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 1.8% in the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,061,058 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $219,204,000 after acquiring an additional 18,747 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC lifted its position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 40.7% in the second quarter. FMR LLC now owns 640,470 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $132,135,000 after acquiring an additional 185,418 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Commonwealth Equity Services LLC lifted its position in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 1.2% during the third quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 601,047 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $124,170,000 after buying an additional 7,355 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF alerts: iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF Price Performance iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF stock traded up $1.28 during trading on Friday, reaching $217.81. 326,555 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 463,271. iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF has a 52-week low of $192.88 and a 52-week high of $265.24. The company has a market capitalization of $9.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.55 and a beta of 1.14. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $231.12 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $223.31. About iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Russell 2000 Growth Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the small-capitalization growth sector of the United States equity market. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IWO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWO Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:MDC Get Rating) by 0.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 251,421 shares of the construction companys stock after purchasing an additional 514 shares during the period. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC owned 0.35% of M.D.C. worth $7,945,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Amundi boosted its holdings in M.D.C. by 36.9% in the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 1,320 shares of the construction companys stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 356 shares during the period. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in M.D.C. by 1.7% in the 4th quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 21,969 shares of the construction companys stock worth $694,000 after buying an additional 359 shares during the period. CWM LLC boosted its holdings in M.D.C. by 70.3% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 901 shares of the construction companys stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 372 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A. boosted its holdings in M.D.C. by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 12,331 shares of the construction companys stock worth $338,000 after buying an additional 528 shares during the period. Finally, Lumbard & Kellner LLC boosted its holdings in M.D.C. by 0.5% in the 1st quarter. Lumbard & Kellner LLC now owns 106,585 shares of the construction companys stock worth $4,032,000 after buying an additional 529 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.21% of the companys stock. Get M.D.C. alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Herbert T. Buchwald sold 8,349 shares of M.D.C. stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.20, for a total value of $302,233.80. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other M.D.C. news, Director Herbert T. Buchwald sold 8,349 shares of M.D.C. stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.20, for a total transaction of $302,233.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director David E. Blackford sold 3,000 shares of M.D.C. stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.35, for a total transaction of $115,050.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 25,087 shares of the companys stock, valued at $962,086.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 15,849 shares of company stock worth $582,299 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 23.30% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In M.D.C. Stock Performance Several research analysts recently commented on MDC shares. Wedbush reaffirmed a neutral rating on shares of M.D.C. in a report on Tuesday, February 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of M.D.C. from $30.50 to $27.50 and set an underweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 6th. Finally, StockNews.com began coverage on shares of M.D.C. in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and three have issued a hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $27.50. Shares of NYSE MDC opened at $38.28 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $37.31 and a 200-day moving average price of $33.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 8.58 and a quick ratio of 2.84. The stock has a market cap of $2.80 billion, a PE ratio of 4.99 and a beta of 1.36. M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. has a 1 year low of $27.04 and a 1 year high of $41.41. M.D.C. (NYSE:MDC Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 31st. The construction company reported $1.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.53 by ($0.45). The firm had revenue of $1.49 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.31 billion. M.D.C. had a net margin of 9.83% and a return on equity of 19.24%. The companys revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.21 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. will post 2.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. M.D.C. Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 22nd. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 8th were paid a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.22%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 7th. M.D.C.s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 26.08%. M.D.C. Company Profile (Get Rating) M.DC Holdings, Inc engages in proving homebuilding and financial services. It operates through the following business segments: West, Mountain, and East. The West segment includes operations in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. The Mountain segment refers to the operations in Colorado, Idaho, and Utah. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MDC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:MDC Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for M.D.C. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for M.D.C. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Neighborhood opposition to a mixed-use development project at Elmwood Avenue and Bidwell Parkway has quieted from its previous roar, but concerns have not vanished. About 30 residents and business owners in the Elmwood Village gathered Saturday morning to receive a progress update and share parking fears about the controversial Elmwood Bidwell project that sits immediately northwest of Elmwood Avenue's intersection with Bidwell Parkway. Douglas Development faces harsh criticism over proposed expansion of Elmwood-Bidwell project Executives with Douglas Development Corp. got an earful of criticism from about 30 Elmwood Village residents, as neighbors of the company's proposed Bidwell Parkway redevelopment project voiced their displeasure with plans to add another floor and 16 apartments. Unlike a January meeting when Douglas Jemal's Douglas Development faced neighborhood opposition to a project that doubled in cost and proposed more residential units on a new fifth floor, Saturday's gathering in the back room of The Place restaurant focused on design updates and generally remained under control. While the tone became testy at times, Paul Millstein, vice president and head of development for Douglas Development, said after the meeting he believed residents now better understood the new plan after an abrupt change late last year to transform eight vacant buildings into six retail stores and 48 "boutique" residential units within the next eight months. "We went fast, it made information a little bit disorganized at times we didn't take the normal year or two to go through it but we've caught up now," Millstein said. "I think the community now understands it well. Some like it, some don't, that's the nature of the business." Buffalo resident voices traffic concerns regarding Elmwood Bidwell development As Douglas Development's Elmwood Bidwell project nears construction, a public meeting Saturday saw residents express concerns about how 48 res Douglas Development will appear before the City of Buffalo's Planning Board on Monday to receive final site plan approval. Barring any snags, Millstein said construction will ramp up quickly. "We've been on this corner a long time," he said. "It's been way too long for any of us." In the meeting, the couple that owns the buildings housing Caffe Aroma, Jim's SteakOut and McGarret's voiced concerns about how the influx of residents and business patrons would affect the limited parking around these businesses. Others worried about traffic volume and parking in relation to the popular Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market that thrives during warm weather months. Another resident urged the developers to contact the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority to increase the frequency of public bus transportation in the area. Millstein reiterated that Elmwood Bidwell development residents could use a parking lot about a mile away by the Richardson-Olmsted Campus, but he clarified there will be no shuttle service connecting the two Douglas Development properties. When the developer suggested maybe four of the 40 or so renters would use a vehicle regularly, a resident fired back: "I think you're being unrealistic." "If you are using your car every day, you are not going to rent from us," Millstein said. "If you use your car once a month or a weekend, you would it's less than a mile, you'll ride your bike. We specifically put bike racks at the lot at the Richardson to make it convenient." Lindsey Haubenreich, an attorney representing Douglas Development, said a transportation demand management plan indicated there was enough available parking on blocks near Elmwood during peak hours to accommodate new residents and businesses. Two racks with room for 11 bicycles apiece remain a key part of the plans, with a partnership with Reddy Bikeshare also expected. Some business representatives shared support. "This is going to be so good for all of the businesses," said Kristina Schmitt, a manager at Jack Rabbit, a trendy bar-restaurant just north of the site. Customers and residents "will Uber, they will ride bikes and they will find a parking spot. I think it will be incredible." Paul Lang and Dan Buchanan of Carmina Wood Design shared renderings and emphasized how the five-story addition set back from the street would complement the historic facade facing Elmwood "more like a cousin than a brother." ZBA approves five-story height for Jemal's Elmwood-Bidwell project Douglas Development Corp. won the right to build up to five stories for part of its controversial Elmwood-Bidwell project on Wednesday. Lang said the third and fourth stories will be brick, while the fifth story approved last month by the City of Buffalo's Zoning Board as part of five variances from the Elmwood Village Green Code would feature 17-foot by 42-foot Nichiha blocks for a modern look that would "break down the monotony of brick." "We've approached this project as if it's a state Historic Preservation Project," said Lang, pointing to the restoration of windows and storefronts. The design firm is working with Trautman Associates and lead engineer John F. Daly, Lang confirmed. The project's residential setup is six studios, 31 one-bedroom, 10 two-bedroom and one three-bedroom apartments. Millstein was hesitant to commit to rent prices; he estimated between $2 and $2.25 per square foot, but that the future market could dictate differently. "It's a boutique building that will have a beautiful experience," he said, later adding: "We're spending a fortune to build this project." Millstein detailed the trajectory of the developers' mission, which began as a wood addition while repurposing residential and reopening commercial businesses until conditions did not match plans. "Our guys could not even walk through the building safely and do the environmental abatement because of the disrepair and years of neglect," Millstein said. "It wasn't salvageable, and we had to tear the whole thing down." Douglas Development decided to maintain the historic front facades, which Millstein called "very valuable" to the project. Their precariousness necessitated accelerating the project timeline. "It's floating in the air with very little holding it up, so we felt like we had to hustle," Millstein said. "We're very concerned that these are going to be in the middle of Elmwood Avenue, and once they're gone, they're gone." Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC cut its position in shares of Gildan Activewear Inc. (NYSE:GIL Get Rating) (TSE:GIL) by 3.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,326,393 shares of the textile makers stock after selling 78,753 shares during the quarter. Gildan Activewear comprises about 1.3% of Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLCs holdings, making the stock its 29th largest position. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC owned 1.29% of Gildan Activewear worth $63,743,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Addison Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Gildan Activewear by 311.9% during the third quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 1,071 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 811 shares in the last quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Gildan Activewear by 16.9% in the 3rd quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 5,899 shares of the textile makers stock worth $167,000 after buying an additional 854 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Gildan Activewear by 36.1% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 3,381 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $127,000 after purchasing an additional 896 shares in the last quarter. Laurus Investment Counsel Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Gildan Activewear in the 4th quarter valued at $35,095,000. Finally, Prudential Financial Inc. boosted its position in Gildan Activewear by 11.3% during the 2nd quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 9,774 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $281,000 after buying an additional 990 shares during the period. 75.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Gildan Activewear alerts: Gildan Activewear Stock Performance Shares of Gildan Activewear stock opened at $31.82 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $5.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.86, a PEG ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $30.92 and a 200-day simple moving average of $29.87. The company has a current ratio of 2.69, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. Gildan Activewear Inc. has a 12-month low of $25.67 and a 12-month high of $39.91. Gildan Activewear Cuts Dividend Gildan Activewear ( NYSE:GIL Get Rating ) (TSE:GIL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 22nd. The textile maker reported $0.65 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.66 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $720.00 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $761.15 million. Gildan Activewear had a return on equity of 30.81% and a net margin of 16.71%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 8.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.76 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Gildan Activewear Inc. will post 3.09 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.14 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 13th. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.76%. Gildan Activewears dividend payout ratio is currently 25.60%. Analyst Ratings Changes GIL has been the subject of several research reports. National Bank Financial upped their price objective on shares of Gildan Activewear from C$45.00 to C$46.00 in a report on Thursday, February 23rd. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Gildan Activewear in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. TheStreet upgraded shares of Gildan Activewear from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. TD Securities downgraded shares of Gildan Activewear from a buy rating to a hold rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $43.00 to $36.00 in a report on Monday, January 23rd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and set a $39.00 price objective on shares of Gildan Activewear in a report on Thursday, February 23rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Gildan Activewear has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $41.50. About Gildan Activewear (Get Rating) Gildan Activewear, Inc is engaged in the manufacturing and sale of printwear and branded apparel. Its products include activewear, underwear, socks, hosiery, and legwear. The firm operates under the brand name Gildan, Alstyle, American Apparel, Comfort Colors, GOLD TOE, Anvil, Secret, Silks, and Peds. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GIL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Gildan Activewear Inc. (NYSE:GIL Get Rating) (TSE:GIL). Receive News & Ratings for Gildan Activewear Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Gildan Activewear and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Benson Investment Management Company Inc. lowered its holdings in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Get Rating) by 0.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 84,025 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 570 shares during the period. Pfizer comprises 2.5% of Benson Investment Management Company Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 10th largest position. Benson Investment Management Company Inc.s holdings in Pfizer were worth $4,305,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Saxon Interests Inc. boosted its position in Pfizer by 12.9% in the third quarter. Saxon Interests Inc. now owns 8,309 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $367,000 after purchasing an additional 951 shares during the last quarter. Platte River Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in Pfizer by 62.8% in the third quarter. Platte River Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 12,717 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $556,000 after purchasing an additional 4,905 shares during the last quarter. Accuvest Global Advisors raised its stake in shares of Pfizer by 16.6% in the third quarter. Accuvest Global Advisors now owns 12,994 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $569,000 after buying an additional 1,848 shares during the period. Ledyard National Bank raised its stake in shares of Pfizer by 0.5% in the third quarter. Ledyard National Bank now owns 364,223 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $15,938,000 after buying an additional 1,654 shares during the period. Finally, Oak Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Pfizer in the third quarter valued at $723,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.62% of the companys stock. Get Pfizer alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts have issued reports on PFE shares. Credit Suisse Group lowered their target price on Pfizer from $54.00 to $50.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a $45.00 price objective on Pfizer in a research note on Monday, February 27th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Pfizer from $55.00 to $53.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 1st. Bank of America lowered Pfizer from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $60.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, January 4th. Finally, UBS Group set a $45.00 price objective on Pfizer in a research note on Tuesday, March 14th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $50.38. Pfizer Price Performance PFE opened at $40.39 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $227.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.37, a PEG ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.64. Pfizer Inc. has a 12-month low of $39.23 and a 12-month high of $56.32. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $42.52 and a 200-day moving average price of $45.84. The company has a current ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 31st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.14 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.03 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $24.30 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $24.40 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 42.03% and a net margin of 31.27%. Pfizers quarterly revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.08 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 3.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity at Pfizer In related news, major shareholder Pfizer Inc bought 1,811,594 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 17th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $2.76 per share, for a total transaction of $4,999,999.44. Following the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 5,952,263 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,428,245.88. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.05% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Pfizer Profile (Get Rating) Pfizer Inc is a research-based global biopharmaceutical company. It engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, marketing, sales and distribution of biopharmaceutical products worldwide. The firm works across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE:KRG Get Rating) Research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group raised their Q1 2023 EPS estimates for shares of Kite Realty Group Trust in a note issued to investors on Thursday, March 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group analyst L. Tsai now anticipates that the real estate investment trust will post earnings per share of $0.48 for the quarter, up from their prior forecast of $0.46. The consensus estimate for Kite Realty Group Trusts current full-year earnings is $1.93 per share. Jefferies Financial Group also issued estimates for Kite Realty Group Trusts Q2 2023 earnings at $0.49 EPS, Q4 2023 earnings at $0.49 EPS, FY2023 earnings at $1.94 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $2.03 EPS. Get Kite Realty Group Trust alerts: Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Robert W. Baird lowered shares of Kite Realty Group Trust from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $26.00 to $25.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 5th. Raymond James reduced their price objective on shares of Kite Realty Group Trust from $27.00 to $26.00 and set a strong-buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 4th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Kite Realty Group Trust in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Kite Realty Group Trust from $24.00 to $27.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 6th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $25.29. Kite Realty Group Trust Stock Up 2.5 % Kite Realty Group Trust Announces Dividend KRG stock opened at $19.49 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. Kite Realty Group Trust has a 1 year low of $16.42 and a 1 year high of $23.35. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $21.20 and a 200 day simple moving average of $20.49. The firm has a market cap of $4.27 billion, a PE ratio of -278.43, a PEG ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 1.38. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 14th. Investors of record on Friday, April 7th will be issued a $0.24 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 5th. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.93%. Kite Realty Group Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -1,371.43%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of KRG. Heitman Real Estate Securities LLC bought a new position in Kite Realty Group Trust in the 3rd quarter worth $53,855,000. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Kite Realty Group Trust during the 4th quarter worth about $44,198,000. State Street Corp increased its holdings in shares of Kite Realty Group Trust by 15.0% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 13,205,735 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $300,695,000 after purchasing an additional 1,726,009 shares during the period. Waterfront Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Kite Realty Group Trust during the 3rd quarter worth about $23,523,000. Finally, Macquarie Group Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Kite Realty Group Trust by 16.6% during the 2nd quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 8,943,429 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $154,637,000 after purchasing an additional 1,275,585 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 96.84% of the companys stock. Kite Realty Group Trust Company Profile (Get Rating) Kite Realty Group Trust operates as a real estate investment trust. It engages in the ownership, operation, acquisition, development, and redevelopment of neighborhood and community shopping centers in selected markets in the United States. The company was founded on August 16, 2004 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, IN. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Kite Realty Group Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kite Realty Group Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ridgewood Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund bought 1,114 shares of the insurance providers stock, valued at approximately $209,000. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Travelers Companies by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 21,877,932 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $3,351,699,000 after buying an additional 61,656 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its position in shares of Travelers Companies by 5.3% in the 2nd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 7,376,802 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $1,247,639,000 after acquiring an additional 370,993 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in shares of Travelers Companies by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,195,030 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $489,535,000 after acquiring an additional 73,104 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc raised its position in shares of Travelers Companies by 4.3% in the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 2,348,197 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $397,156,000 after acquiring an additional 97,066 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS Asset Management Americas Inc. raised its position in shares of Travelers Companies by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter. UBS Asset Management Americas Inc. now owns 1,869,119 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $286,349,000 after acquiring an additional 80,922 shares in the last quarter. 81.59% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Travelers Companies alerts: Insider Transactions at Travelers Companies In other news, EVP Gregory C. Toczydlowski sold 5,420 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $184.19, for a total value of $998,309.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 18,416 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,392,043.04. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, CEO Alan D. Schnitzer sold 150,829 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $188.53, for a total value of $28,435,791.37. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 196,914 shares in the company, valued at $37,124,196.42. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Gregory C. Toczydlowski sold 5,420 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $184.19, for a total value of $998,309.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 18,416 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,392,043.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 188,163 shares of company stock worth $35,402,200 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 1.07% of the companys stock. Travelers Companies Stock Up 0.6 % TRV traded up $1.05 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $164.91. 1,200,277 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,762,664. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a current ratio of 0.33. The companys fifty day moving average price is $181.92 and its 200 day moving average price is $178.85. The company has a market cap of $38.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.61. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $149.65 and a one year high of $194.51. Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 24th. The insurance provider reported $3.40 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $3.40. Travelers Companies had a return on equity of 13.34% and a net margin of 7.71%. The firm had revenue of $8.83 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.78 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $5.20 EPS. The companys revenue was up 10.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts expect that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 14.11 EPS for the current year. Travelers Companies Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 10th will be paid a $0.93 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 9th. This represents a $3.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.26%. Travelers Companiess payout ratio is presently 31.66%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In TRV has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Travelers Companies from $190.00 to $195.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 25th. Raymond James lifted their price objective on Travelers Companies from $200.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 25th. StockNews.com began coverage on Travelers Companies in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on Travelers Companies in a research report on Thursday, January 19th. They issued an outperform rating and a $212.00 target price for the company. Finally, Piper Sandler boosted their target price on Travelers Companies from $182.00 to $190.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $189.71. Travelers Companies Company Profile (Get Rating) The Travelers Cos., Inc is a holding company, which engages in the provision of commercial and personal property and casualty insurance products and services. It operates through the following business segments: Business Insurance, Bond and Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance. The Business Insurance segment provides an array of property and casualty insurance, and insurance related services to its customers primarily in the U.S., as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and throughout other parts of the world as a corporate member of Lloyds. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TRV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Travelers Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Travelers Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mizuho started coverage on shares of Roper Technologies (NYSE:ROP Get Rating) in a research note published on Thursday, The Fly reports. The brokerage issued a neutral rating and a $475.00 price objective on the industrial products companys stock. A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on ROP. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Roper Technologies in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Truist Financial began coverage on shares of Roper Technologies in a research report on Monday, March 20th. They set a buy rating and a $510.00 target price for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of Roper Technologies from $423.00 to $468.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, December 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Roper Technologies from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and increased their price objective for the company from $385.00 to $420.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $528.00 price objective on shares of Roper Technologies in a research report on Wednesday. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Roper Technologies presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $492.08. Get Roper Technologies alerts: Roper Technologies Trading Up 1.1 % Shares of NYSE ROP opened at $429.59 on Thursday. The firms 50 day moving average price is $430.04 and its 200-day moving average price is $417.29. The company has a market cap of $45.64 billion, a PE ratio of 10.09, a P/E/G ratio of 2.54 and a beta of 1.03. Roper Technologies has a 52-week low of $356.21 and a 52-week high of $488.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.67. Roper Technologies Increases Dividend Roper Technologies ( NYSE:ROP Get Rating ) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 27th. The industrial products company reported $3.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.77 by $0.15. Roper Technologies had a net margin of 80.89% and a return on equity of 11.43%. The firm had revenue of $1.43 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.43 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.73 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 13.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Roper Technologies will post 16.07 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 21st. Investors of record on Thursday, April 6th will be paid a $0.683 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 5th. This is a boost from Roper Technologiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.68. This represents a $2.73 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.64%. Roper Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 6.41%. Insider Buying and Selling at Roper Technologies In other news, Director Christopher Wright sold 471 shares of Roper Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $429.55, for a total transaction of $202,318.05. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 38,127 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,377,452.85. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, Director Christopher Wright sold 471 shares of Roper Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $429.55, for a total transaction of $202,318.05. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 38,127 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,377,452.85. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Richard F. Wallman bought 1,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 14th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $424.95 per share, with a total value of $424,950.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 1,000 shares in the company, valued at $424,950. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Company insiders own 0.88% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Roper Technologies Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. acquired a new stake in Roper Technologies during the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. Phocas Financial Corp. acquired a new stake in Roper Technologies during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Compass Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Roper Technologies during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Roper Technologies during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Finally, U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Roper Technologies during the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.41% of the companys stock. About Roper Technologies (Get Rating) Roper Technologies, Inc is a diversified technology company, which engages in the provision of engineered products and solutions for global niche markets. It operates through the following segments: Application Software, Network Software, and Technology Enabled Products. The Application Software segment includes Aderant, CBORD/Horizon, CliniSys, Data Innovations, Deltek, Frontline Education, IntelliTrans, PowerPlan, Strata, and Vertafore. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Roper Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Roper Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Seelaus Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated (NYSE:RBA Get Rating) (TSE:RBA) by 11.9% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 7,529 shares of the business services providers stock after purchasing an additional 800 shares during the period. Seelaus Asset Management LLCs holdings in Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers were worth $435,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of RBA. Invesco Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers by 19.2% in the first quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,652,139 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $274,617,000 after purchasing an additional 747,804 shares during the last quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers by 124.7% in the third quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 1,098,934 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $68,575,000 after acquiring an additional 609,934 shares in the last quarter. Luxor Capital Group LP grew its stake in shares of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers by 29.5% in the third quarter. Luxor Capital Group LP now owns 2,148,711 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $134,251,000 after acquiring an additional 489,970 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers in the third quarter valued at about $27,553,000. Finally, BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp grew its stake in shares of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers by 188.3% in the third quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp now owns 470,364 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $29,351,000 after acquiring an additional 307,241 shares in the last quarter. 81.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers alerts: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Stock Up 0.4 % RBA stock opened at $54.43 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.31 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a current ratio of 1.21, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated has a 12 month low of $48.72 and a 12 month high of $72.73. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $59.42 and a 200-day moving average price of $59.51. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Announces Dividend Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers ( NYSE:RBA Get Rating ) (TSE:RBA) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 21st. The business services provider reported $0.60 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.50 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $443.86 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $430.21 million. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers had a net margin of 18.44% and a return on equity of 25.58%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 23.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.27 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated will post 2.34 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 17th will be paid a $1.08 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 21st. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneerss dividend payout ratio is currently 37.76%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades RBA has been the topic of several research reports. National Bankshares upped their price target on shares of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers from $62.00 to $63.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 22nd. Scotiabank upgraded shares of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their price target for the company from $59.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Monday, December 5th. Raymond James upped their price target on shares of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on shares of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers from $66.00 to $64.00 in a research report on Monday, March 20th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $61.44. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Company Profile (Get Rating) Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Inc is an industrial auctioneer, which engages in the sale of equipment to on-site and online bidders. It operates through the following segments: Auctions and Marketplaces, Ritchie Bros. Financial Services and Mascus. The Auctions and Marketplaces segment consists of live on site auctions, online auctions and marketplaces, and brokerage service. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RBA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated (NYSE:RBA Get Rating) (TSE:RBA). Receive News & Ratings for Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AECOM (NYSE:ACM Get Rating) was upgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday. Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on shares of AECOM from $90.00 to $103.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 7th. Credit Suisse Group raised shares of AECOM from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and raised their price target for the company from $95.00 to $98.00 in a report on Thursday, January 12th. KeyCorp raised their price target on shares of AECOM from $91.00 to $100.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 17th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of AECOM from $94.00 to $102.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. Finally, Citigroup raised their price target on shares of AECOM from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, AECOM has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $99.43. Get AECOM alerts: AECOM Price Performance AECOM stock opened at $81.18 on Friday. AECOM has a 52-week low of $60.74 and a 52-week high of $92.16. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $87.00 and a 200-day moving average of $81.05. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.97, a PEG ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a quick ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. Insider Transactions at AECOM AECOM ( NYSE:ACM Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 7th. The construction company reported $0.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.82 by $0.04. AECOM had a net margin of 2.54% and a return on equity of 18.50%. The company had revenue of $3.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.38 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.89 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 3.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that AECOM will post 3.67 EPS for the current year. In other news, President Lara Poloni sold 6,498 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.10, for a total value of $539,983.80. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 73,351 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,095,468.10. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In related news, President Lara Poloni sold 6,498 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.10, for a total value of $539,983.80. Following the sale, the president now owns 73,351 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,095,468.10. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Todd Battley sold 2,800 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.96, for a total transaction of $235,088.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 16,295 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,368,128.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.40% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On AECOM Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Quadrant Capital Group LLC increased its stake in AECOM by 20.3% during the 3rd quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 805 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $55,000 after buying an additional 136 shares during the period. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators increased its stake in AECOM by 6.3% during the 3rd quarter. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators now owns 2,771 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $189,000 after buying an additional 163 shares during the period. State of Alaska Department of Revenue increased its stake in AECOM by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 19,545 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $1,659,000 after buying an additional 175 shares during the period. Mutual Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of AECOM by 3.9% in the 2nd quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 4,901 shares of the construction companys stock worth $320,000 after purchasing an additional 184 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC grew its stake in shares of AECOM by 12.9% in the 4th quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,632 shares of the construction companys stock worth $139,000 after purchasing an additional 187 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.26% of the companys stock. AECOM Company Profile (Get Rating) AECOM engages in the design, manufacture, financing, and operation of infrastructure assets for governments, businesses and organizations. It operates through the following segments: Americas, International, and AECOM Capital. The Americas segment deals with planning, consulting, architectural and engineering design and construction management services to commercial and government clients in the United States, Canada and Latin America in major end markets such as transportation, water, government, facilities, environmental and energy. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for AECOM Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AECOM and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. LGT Capital Partners LTD. grew its stake in shares of The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL Get Rating) by 4.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,160,452 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 44,330 shares during the period. Estee Lauder Companies comprises approximately 8.4% of LGT Capital Partners LTD.s holdings, making the stock its 2nd biggest position. LGT Capital Partners LTD.s holdings in Estee Lauder Companies were worth $287,920,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in EL. Marion Wealth Management boosted its holdings in shares of Estee Lauder Companies by 21.1% in the 4th quarter. Marion Wealth Management now owns 3,424 shares of the companys stock valued at $849,000 after buying an additional 596 shares during the period. SeaBridge Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Estee Lauder Companies by 6.5% in the 4th quarter. SeaBridge Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,192 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,288,000 after buying an additional 315 shares during the period. Argus Investors Counsel Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Estee Lauder Companies by 5.0% in the 4th quarter. Argus Investors Counsel Inc. now owns 2,073 shares of the companys stock valued at $514,000 after buying an additional 98 shares during the period. Romano Brothers AND Company acquired a new position in shares of Estee Lauder Companies in the 4th quarter valued at about $48,000. Finally, Maryland State Retirement & Pension System boosted its holdings in shares of Estee Lauder Companies by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 18,058 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,480,000 after buying an additional 248 shares during the period. 55.74% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Estee Lauder Companies alerts: Insider Transactions at Estee Lauder Companies In other news, CEO Fabrizio Freda sold 6,831 shares of Estee Lauder Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $280.00, for a total value of $1,912,680.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 118,931 shares of the companys stock, valued at $33,300,680. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO Fabrizio Freda sold 6,831 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $280.00, for a total transaction of $1,912,680.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 118,931 shares of the companys stock, valued at $33,300,680. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Jennifer Hyman sold 5,234 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $266.88, for a total transaction of $1,396,849.92. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,000 shares in the company, valued at $266,880. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 33,511 shares of company stock valued at $8,943,120 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 12.75% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Estee Lauder Companies Stock Up 1.2 % EL has been the subject of several research reports. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Estee Lauder Companies from $224.00 to $290.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 10th. TD Cowen started coverage on shares of Estee Lauder Companies in a research report on Tuesday, March 14th. They issued an outperform rating on the stock. TheStreet downgraded shares of Estee Lauder Companies from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Friday, March 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Estee Lauder Companies from $274.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, January 13th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on shares of Estee Lauder Companies from $255.00 to $295.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $280.04. NYSE EL opened at $241.69 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.66 and a quick ratio of 1.11. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $253.86 and its 200 day simple moving average is $238.59. The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. has a 12 month low of $186.47 and a 12 month high of $289.59. The company has a market capitalization of $86.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 58.81, a PEG ratio of 5.24 and a beta of 1.00. Estee Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 2nd. The company reported $1.54 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.29 by $0.25. The business had revenue of $4.62 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.58 billion. Estee Lauder Companies had a net margin of 9.13% and a return on equity of 32.65%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 16.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $3.01 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. will post 4.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Estee Lauder Companies Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 28th were given a $0.66 dividend. This represents a $2.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.09%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 27th. Estee Lauder Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 64.23%. Estee Lauder Companies Company Profile (Get Rating) The Estee Lauder Companies, Inc engages in the manufacture of skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. It sells products under the following brand names: Estee Lauder, Clinique, Origins, MAC, Bobbi Brown, La Mer, Jo Malone London, Aveda and Too Faced. Its channels consist of department stores, multi-brand retailers, upscale perfumeries and pharmacies, and prestige salons and spas. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Estee Lauder Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Estee Lauder Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Describing the Janata Dal (Secular) a "natural ally", the Bharat Rashtra Samithi has decided to throw its weight fully behind the former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led party in the coming Assembly elections in Karnataka, BRS sources said on Sunday. Telangana's governing party was earlier weighing its option of fielding its candidates in some districts bordering Telangana in Kalyana-Karnataka (earlier known as Hyderabad-Karnataka) as part of its strategy to expand nationally but that plan is no longer on the table now. "JD(S) is our natural ally and we will go with the party. We want to ensure that the JD(S) is successful in the elections", a senior leader of BRS, headed by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. also known as KCR, told PTI. Sources said KCR would definitely campaign for JD(S) candidates, particularly in segments where "Telugu-speaking people are densely populated", as a BRS leader put it. Assembly elections are due in Karnataka by May. JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata last week and requested the TMC boss to campaign in the Karnataka Assembly polls. "Mamata Banerjee has agreed to Kumaraswamy's request to campaign in Karnataka. She has asked him to send her a schedule", a JD(S) leader had said after the meeting in the West Bengal capital. Kumaraswamy had attended the meeting of opposition parties convened by Banerjee in Kolkata in January 2019 ahead of the Lok Sabha poll that year. With PTI inputs The ongoing tensions between China and the United States are affecting the interest of US companies investments in the Asian nation, Michael Hart, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China), said. Earlier this month, AmCham China launched the 25th annual China Business Climate Survey (BCS) Report. The report highlighted a slightly pessimistic outlook for US companies in China, underpinned by the declining willingness of AmCham China members to increase investment in China. The trade war and other disagreements have made business very challenging, with a majority of AmCham Chinas more than 900 members no longer regarding China as a top-three investment priority, according to the latest survey findings by AmCham China. The percentage of companies which see the uncertainty of bilateral relations as their leading challenge in China has risen to 66 percent. At the same time, the number of companies which think that China has become less welcoming to foreign companies has grown to 49 percent, the survey found. Although trade between the two countries reached a record high of $690.6 billion in 2020, 66.4 percent of US imports from China and 58.3 percent of Chinese imports from the US are subjected to tariffs with little sign that either side will reduce the rates. In addition, more US companies are looking to move their supply chains outside of China. However, Chinas economic growth and the giant Chinese consumer market still make it a tempting prospect for US firms. AmCham China members include some of the most successful companies in the US, such as Nike, Intel, Pfizer and Coca-Cola. Trade has been at the heart of the relationship between China and the US since President Deng Xiaoping opened up the country to foreign companies in December 1978. Although corporate pessimism over the current state of the US-China relationship reflects a few tumultuous years, companies are also dealing with travel becoming more difficult, rising labour costs, executives who are just not willing to take up assignments in China, political pressure, and China becoming a less predictable place to do business. According to Eswar Prasad, professor of global trade policy at Cornell University and former head of the International Monetary Funds China Division, the mutual dependence between China and the US has implications for the health of the entire global economy. China needs many products, especially technology products from the US, and the US has many companies that run their supply chains through China. If the US starts withdrawing from engagement with multilateral institutions, that does not bode well for global governance. The souring US-China relationship also means that a growing number of US companies are looking at moving their supply chains outside of China. However, that will only have a limited impact on getting around the US-China tensions. Even if the US succeeds in building up an alternative supply chain, that alternative one will still largely depend on China. Those other countries will still rely on China for components, especially in industries such as green energy, medical technology and electronics. While firms are not shunning the South Asia nation altogether, they are trying to de-risk their supply chain, having more of a China plus one strategy and realising that they can no longer rely on the country. While national security concerns between the two nations have led to a growing number of measures by the Biden administration to try and stop China from accessing US technology, including trying to limit new investments in the country by US companies, this comes against a backdrop of China still wanting US companies to invest in the nation. The giant Chinese consumer market is probably the place where US firms remain the most optimistic, with McDonalds, Starbucks and Ralph Lauren all having major Chinese expansion plans in the pipeline. It is hence still to be seen how the two leading economic superpowers of the world in the US and China resolve their ongoing issues and bring much-needed stability to the global economy. Dr. Taosheng Huang came to Buffalo in September 2020, a well-known physician-scientist recruited here from Cincinnati to bolster the region's research and treatment of genetic and metabolic conditions in children. Huang's arrival meant Western New York had secured a difficult-to-find clinician with decades of experience, an international expert in his field that patients from all over the world sought out. But Huang may not be in Buffalo much longer and that has some of his patients and donors concerned. Huang opened his email Feb. 23 to find a letter informing him that his employment with UBMD Pediatrics, where he is the chief of human genetics, was being terminated, effective May 25. The letter, which provided no cause for the termination, was signed by Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, who resigned March 8 as president and CEO of UBMD Pediatrics and as chair of the Department of Pediatrics at University at Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. What preceded the abrupt resignation of UB pediatrics chair? Many believe the situation boiled over last month with Lipshultz's firing of leading clinical genetics expert Dr. Taosheng Huang, who made his displeasure over his termination without cause widely known. About a month before he received the termination letter, Huang had raised concerns in an internal meeting at UB about the culture under Lipshultz. The letter noted Huang's termination from UBMD Pediatrics, which is one of 18 practice plans within UBMD Physicians' Group, did not affect the income or benefits Huang receives as a state-salaried faculty member of the UB Department of Pediatrics, where Huang is a professor and division chief of genetics. But Huang said his UB employment and tenure also is in jeopardy and he has appealed the decision. His case is currently under review, he said. Since his termination letter, Huang has retained attorney Lindy Korn to represent him to explore all avenues of resolution or litigation. "This brilliant doctor came here to help children, and that effort has been abruptly terminated," Korn said. "His patients care about his work because of his rare talents, and this is a very dark day for both the medical community and for the university." As this has played out, several families of Huang's patients have reached out to The Buffalo News and expressed outrage over the doctor's termination. Many of those families recalled how difficult it was to find a clinical genetics expert such as Huang after their child was diagnosed with a little-known condition. Some have become donors to Huang's research at UB. Callum and Nikki McKeefery, who live in England, in 2021 donated $1 million to the Jacobs School to develop a patient registry for flavoprotein ferredoxin reductase mutation (FDXR) and to establish and equip Huang's laboratory for further research into FDXR, a rare genetic mitochondrial disorder that the couple's son, Hudson, was diagnosed with. The McKeeferys first spoke to Huang in February 2020, after their physician had given them a research paper that Huang had contributed to. In an email, Nikki McKeefery said her son is doing well today, noting Huang prescribed a mitochondrial cocktail, a personalized mix of prescribed vitamins and minerals, for Hudson and his specific gene mutation. Nikki McKeefery said that while they were very specific in how and where their donation is spent, the couple will demand their money back if Huang does not keep his position in Buffalo. "We have faith in Dr. Huang's work but do not trust it will benefit our son and many other families affected by FDXR under anyone else's care," she said. When the McKeeferys first met Huang, he was at the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. When Huang arrived in Buffalo in 2020, he also became the medical director of genetics and metabolism at the John R. Oishei Children's Hospital a title he also will lose if his termination from UBMD Pediatrics becomes complete. "We were told by multiple members of Buffalo staff that they were thrilled to have him join the team and would be fully supported to continue his FDXR research," McKeefery said. "It's extremely devastating to us as a family that that has not happened and that he could be possibly terminated." In a statement, UBMD Pediatrics said, in some cases, it "exercises its contractual right to, without cause, end its relationship with a physician." Symposium builds on a legacy of newborn screening research at UB Honoring renowned physician Dr. Robert Guthrie's legacy and bringing together like-minded genetics researchers is the idea behind the UB's 2022 Robert Guthrie Symposium. In an interview with The News, Huang said he left his longtime posts in Cincinnati to come to Buffalo because he was inspired by the work that Dr. Robert Guthrie had done more than six decades earlier at UB in developing a blood spot test to screen newborns for a genetic disorder called phenylketonuria, or PKU. The blood collected from that heel prick test is today used to detect as many as 50 genetic disorders, allowing babies to be treated immediately. At UB, Huang said he wanted to build the university's pediatric genetics program and continue his work diagnosing, treating and managing genetic and metabolic conditions in children. A UB news release as recently as August touted Huang's "groundbreaking innovations in detecting and treating genetic diseases." "I do good research and take care of patients," said Huang, noting he's brought in $2.6 million in research funding to UB. Ashley Brindley's daughter, Hadley Jo, has a rare form of mitochondrial disease called Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy, Type VIB (or HMSN6B) and has been treated by Huang since February 2017. The Bowling Green, Ky., family used to travel about four hours to see Huang when he was in Cincinnati and now they take a plane once a year for a visit with him in Buffalo. Brindley said Huang's treatment of Hadley Jo has included a mitochondrial cocktail that gets updated as she ages. Hadley Jo is now 8 years old. To help Huang's research, the Brindleys started the Hadley Jo Foundation in 2019, with 100% of the money raised going toward Huang's research. The family, Brindley said, has raised $255,000 to date and cut the most recent $50,000 check to UB earmarked for Huang's research in December. "We get on an airplane and fly to go see him," Brindley said. "I trust him 100%. She's our baby girl, and we would do anything for her, and we feel like he's the person to navigate us through this journey." Clinical genetics experts such as Huang are not easy to find, noted Brindley, McKeefery and Lindsey Allen. Allen's daughter, Sofia, was diagnosed in 2012 with autosomal dominant optic atrophy a rare hereditary genetic disorder characterized by impaired vision when she was 3 years old. Sofia has been one of Huang's patients since 2015. "He was one of the few doctors in the country I could find who even knew anything about it," said Allen, who lives in central Pennsylvania. Since there is no treatment or cure for autosomal dominant optic atrophy, Allen started a nonprofit foundation called the ADOA Association to raise awareness and to fund medical research. In the fall, the ADOA Association donated $100,000 to support Huang's research at UB. "He's a very prominent doctor," Allen said. "He's top of his field and at the same time, he's very down to earth and can be very helpful and supportive of his patients." The market ended lower for the second consecutive session on March 24 on weak global cues as banking sector weighed heavy, while a surprise 25 percent hike in securities transaction tax on futures & options trade at home dented the sentiment. The 30-pack Sensex fell 398 points to 57,527, while the broad-based Nifty declined 132 points to 16,945. The Nifty formed a long bearish candlestick on the daily charts, breaking the lower threshold of downward sloping channel, making the street nervous about the future trend. "A long bear candle was formed on the daily chart, which indicates a sell on rise action in the market around 17,200 levels. The recent swing high of 17,207 could now be considered as a new lower top of the sequence and the market is on the way down to the new lower bottom - below 16,800 levels in the near term," Nagaraj Shetti, Technical Research Analyst, HDFC Securities, said. For the Nifty, the short term trend continues to be weak. The index can slide to 16,800-16,700 during the week. On the upper side, the area of 17,050 could be a crucial resistance, Nagaraj said. We have collated 15 data points to help you spot profitable trades: Note: The open interest (OI) and volume data of stocks in this article are the aggregates of three-month data and not just the current month. Key support and resistance levels on Nifty As per the pivot charts, the Nifty has support at 16,917 followed by 16,872 and 16,798. If the index moves up, the key resistance levels to watch out for are 17,064 followed by 17,109 and 17,183. Nifty Bank The Bank Nifty, too, ended lower, closing 220 points lower at 39,395 and formed a bearish candle on the daily charts, with a long upper shadow, indicating continued pressure at higher levels. "The index as long as it does not surpass the level of 40,000 remains in a sell-on-rise mode. The immediate support on the downside is at 39,000 and a breach below this will lead to a sharp decline," Kunal Shah, Senior Technical & Derivative Analyst at LKP Securities said. The momentum indicator relative strength index (RSI) trading in the bearish zone confirms the weakness in the index, he said. The important pivot level, which will act as a support, is at 39,305 followed by 39,194 and 39,013. On the upside, key resistance levels are 39,667, 39,778, and 39,959. Call options data On a monthly basis, the maximum Call open interest (OI) is at 18,000 strike, with 1.28 crore contracts, which is expected to be a crucial resistance for the Nifty in the coming sessions. This is followed by a 17,100 strike, comprising 98.68 lakh contracts, and a 17,500 strike, where there are more than 89.99 lakh contracts. Call writing was seen at 17,000 strike, which added 52.88 lakh contracts, followed by 17,500 strike, which added 31.66 lakh contracts and 17,100 strike, which accumulated 28.87 lakh contracts. We have seen Call unwinding at 18,000 strike, which shed 14.45 lakh contracts, followed by 17,800 strike, which shed 12.03 lakh contracts, and 18,100 strike, which shed 6.14 lakh contracts. Put option data The maximum Put OI was at 17,000 strike, with 66.92 lakh contracts, which is expected to be a crucial level for the coming sessions. This is followed by the 16,500 strike, comprising 57.78 lakh contracts, and the 16,000 strike, where we have 54.33 lakh contracts. Put writing was seen at 16,800 strike, which added 19.61 lakh contracts, followed by 16,700 strike, which added 16.7 lakh contracts, and 16,900 strike, which added 15.4 lakh contracts. We have seen Put unwinding at 17,100 strike, which shed 24.73 lakh contracts, followed by 17,200 strike, which shed 7.55 lakh contracts, and 17,400 strike, which shed 2.07 lakh contracts. Stocks with a high delivery percentage A high delivery percentage suggests that investors are showing interest in these stocks. The highest delivery was seen in Bharti Airtel, Hindustan Unilever, Power Grid Corporation of India, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals and Marico among others. 10 stocks see a long build-up An increase in open interest (OI) and in price mostly indicates a build-up of long positions. Based on the OI percentage, 10 stocks, including Ramco Cements, IndiaMART InterMESH and Dalmia Bharat, witnessed a long build-up. 89 stocks see long unwinding In most cases, a decline in OI and a decrease in price indicates a long unwinding. Based on the OI percentage, 89 stocks, including Muthoot Finance, JK Cement, AU Small Finance Bank, and Abbott India, witnessed long unwinding. 80 stocks see a short build-up An increase in OI accompanied by a decrease in price mostly indicates a build-up of short positions. Based on the OI percentage, 80 stocks, including Metropolis Healthcare, Vedanta and Colgate Palmolive, saw a short build-up. 15 stocks see short-covering A decrease in OI along with an increase in price is an indication of short-covering. Based on the OI percentage, 15 stocks were on the short-covering list. These included Hindustan Aeronautics, L&T Technology Services, Atul, Divis Laboratories and Aditya Birla Fashion. Bulk Deals TTK Healthcare: Ace investor Sunil Singhania-owned asset management firm Abakkus Asset Manager LLP has bought 1.31 lakh equity shares at an average price of Rs 911.08 per share, and its Abakkus Diversified Alpha Fund purchased 1.15 lakh shares at an average price of Rs 910. MCap India Fund was the seller in a bulk deal, offloading 2.45 lakh equity shares in TTK at an average price of Rs 910 a share. Campus Activewear: Investment Trust Fidelity Series Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund has bought 33.39 lakh shares, Societe Generale 40.56 lakh shares and Fidelity Investment Trust Fidelity International Discovery Fund acquired 17.1 lakh shares at an average price of Rs 347 a share. TPG Growth III SF Pte Limited sold all its 2.32 crore shares in Campus at an average price of Rs 347.24 a share. (For more bulk deals, click here) Investors' meetings on March 27 Landmark Cars: Officials of the company will interact with Motilal Oswal Financial Services. Sundram Fasteners: The company's officials will interact with Capital Group and Marcellus Investment Managers. SRF: Rahul Jain, President & CFO, will meet institutional investors in the US. Stocks in the news Sun Pharmaceutical Industries: The pharma major has entered into an agreement to acquire a 60 percent shareholding in Vivaldis Health and Foods for Rs 143.3 crore. The remaining 40 percent shareholding will be acquired in the future on certain terms and conditions. Bharat Electronics: The defence ministry has signed a Rs 3,000-crore contract with Bharat Electronics for the supply of integrated electronic warfare systems to the Indian Army. BEL has also received several contracts adding to Rs 1,300 crore in the last fortnight from the Indian Navy. Alembic Pharmaceuticals: The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) conducted an inspection at Alembic Pharmaceuticals' injectable and ophthalmic facility (F-3) at Karkhadi during March 16-24. The USFDA has issued a Form 483 with 2 minor procedural observations. Eris Lifesciences: The pharma company completed the acquisition of nine dermatology brands from Dr Reddy's Labs for Rs 275 crore. L&T Finance Holdings: The Reserve Bank of India has given its approval for the merger of L&T Finance, L&T Infra Credit & L&T Mutual Fund Trustee with L&T Finance Holdings. The board had in January 2023 approved the amalgamation of subsidiaries L&T Finance, L&T Infra Credit, and L&T Mutual Fund Trustee with L&T Finance Holdings via merger. IndusInd Bank: The private sector lender has announced the appointment of Vikas Muttoo as COO & Head Member Services of its subsidiary Bharat Financial Inclusion. BBCC India: Subsidiary HSCC (India) has received a work order worth Rs 81.19 crore from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. Fund Flow FII and DII data Foreign institutional investors (FII) net sold shares worth Rs 1,720.44 crore, whereas domestic institutional investors (DII) purchased shares worth Rs 2,555.53 crore on March 24, National Stock Exchange's provisional data showed. Stocks under F&O ban on NSE The National Stock Exchange has retained Hindustan Aeronautics and Indiabulls Housing Finance on its F&O ban list for March 27. Securities banned under the F&O segment include companies where derivative contracts have crossed 95 percent of the market-wide position limit. Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. With a few days left to go before the new debt taxation rules kick in, Indian asset management companies (AMCs) have started to resume investments in their international funds. Edelweiss Asset Management, Mirae Asset Investment Managers and Franklin Templeton Asset Management have announced they will be open for subscriptions in overseas funds and securities up to the amount permissible, without breaching the overseas investment limit. The move by AMCs has come after the recent changes to the Finance Bill spelt doom for certain mutual fund (MF) categories. Tax googly In a big blow to MF investors, the government has decided that capital gains from debt funds and certain other categories of non-equity MFs are set to be taxed at a higher rate. According to the amendments to the Finance Bill on March 24, gains from MFs with less than 35 percent of their assets in equities will now be considered short-term capital gains (STCG) and taxed at a higher rate across tenures. Earlier, gains from investments in debt MFs for more than three years were subject to the long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax rate of 20 percent, after indexation. Also read | How Finance Bill amendment will affect debt mutual fund investors post April 1 The revised taxation rate will come into effect from April 1, 2023, and wont impact existing investments. The changes to the taxation rules mean that gold funds, international funds, funds of funds any product which invests less than 35 percent in Indian equities is going to lose out. Schemes in focus Per the announcement, Edelweiss Mutual Fund is opening up seven of its international funds for lump sum subscription and switch-in transactions from March 27. The schemes are the ASEAN Equity Off-shore, Greater China Equity Off-shore, US Technology Equity Fund of Fund (FoF), Emerging Markets Opportunities Equity Offshore, Europe Dynamic Equity Offshore, US Value Equity Off-shore, and the MSCI India Domestic & World Healthcare 45 Index. The fund house had implemented restrictions on lump sum investments in these schemes in February. Notably, fresh as well as existing instalments of systematic investment / transfer plans / dividend transfer plans were not affected and have continued as is. Also read | Indexation benefits on debt funds will go away now We had some limits, so we thought of letting investors to take benefit of taxation by investing before March 31, said Niranjan Awasthi, Head - Product, Marketing and Digital Business, Edelweiss AMC. Mirae Asset Mutual Fund is allowing lump sum and switch-in transactions with no upper limit in its NYSE FANG+ ETF FoF, S&P 500 Top 50 ETF FoF, and Hang Seng TECH ETF FoF. This move will be implemented with effect from March 27. Further, existing Systematic Investment Plans (SIP) / Systematic Transfer Plans (STP) will be allowed with effect from March 29. However, fresh SIP / STP registrations will not be allowed. In addition to this, direct applications received for the creation unit size mentioned in the scheme information document will be allowed with effect from March 27 in three Mirae Asset Mutual Funds exchange-traded funds (ETF). These are the NYSE FANG+ ETF, S&P 500 Top 50 ETF, and Hang Seng Tech ETF. In the case of Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund, the AMC has announced that lump sum subscriptions or switch-in will be accepted with effect from March 27 in Franklin India Asian Equity Fund, Franklin India Feeder - Franklin U.S. Opportunities Fund and Franklin India Feeder - Templeton European Opportunities Fund It is clarified that fresh registration under Transfer of Income Distribution Cum Capital Withdrawal Plan (TIDCW)/ Daily and Weekly frequency under Systematic Transfer Plans (STP) for investing into any of the Designated Schemes still remain suspended, the fund house said in a notice dated March 26. The fund houses may suspend the subscriptions prior to March 31 if investments come close to the permissible limit available as of February 1, 2022. What should investors do? There are two ways of looking at it. Markets have been falling, hence there are redemptions, and limits have opened up. At the same time, fund houses want to capitalise on the old taxation regime till March 31. If the taxation change had not happened, fund houses, most probably, wouldnt have rushed to open the schemes, despite the headroom available, said Kirtan Shah, Founder, Credence Wealth Advisors LLP. Shah said investors should not rush into making investments just based on taxation changes. Also read | Not just debt funds, gold and international funds to also lose from the Finance Bill tweak They should look at their asset allocation requirement, and if there is a need to buy more international funds, only then should they invest. Taxation shouldnt be the only reason to invest, he said. Regulatory overhang After nearly a year, most Indian equity funds investing in overseas markets started accepting funds from domestic investors in January 2023. In January 2022, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) had asked MFs investing in overseas securities to stop further such investments to avoid breaching industrywide limits imposed by the Reserve Bank of India. Theres an overall industrywide limit of $7 billion for mutual funds to invest in overseas securities and funds, and a separate limit of $1 billion for investing in overseas ETFs. A day after the Whitefield-Krishnarajapura Metro section was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was thrown open to public. Moneycontrol travelled in Bengaluru's first tech corridor connected by Metro on Sunday afternoon. 12:05 pm: Im at Whitefield (Kadugodi) Metro station on Sunday afternoon. It wears the look of a venue the day after festivities marigold garlands wilting, and bright cloth wrappings on railings yet to be taken off. PM Modi inaugurated the section on Saturday. It is the first day of commercial operations, and there is a curious Sunday crowd gathering at the station comprising children and elderly in fairly large numbers. The early birds are lucky enough to be welcomed with roses and chocolates by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) staff. The crowd is nothing like the weekday peak-hour hustle. No ones in a hurry. People stop to pore over the route maps. Names of six stations of the total 12 in the section were changed in the last-minute, just before the inauguration. Most maps at the station still carry the old names. There are snaking queues at the ticket counters and some surprised looks at the discovery of QR code tickets. Selfie hunters are not hard to spot and few middle-aged men, perhaps enthusiastic vloggers, are talking to themselves as they video record on their phones. I used Namma Metros QR code ticket via WhatsApp. It costs me Rs 33.25 (for tokens, its Rs 35). The Automatic Fare and Collection (AFC) gates are manned by cheery BMRCL staff, guiding and welcoming passengers. After the security check, I head towards platform 2 for my train to Krishnarajapura. 12:10 pm: Theres a train waiting when I arrive at the platform. The service has a frequency of 12 minutes. It is sparsely crowded when I board but fills up steadily and soon all the seats are taken. The train leaves the station at 12:12 pm. 12:13 pm: We stop at the Hope Farm Channasandra station next. A middle-aged man and an elderly lady seated opposite me are visibly overjoyed. They take selfies with the station name board in the background and the lady exclaims: Namma Metro namma manege banthu! (Metro has reached our home). It is perhaps the closest station to where they live. Apartments and a row of pink tabebuias race past our windows. After negotiating a steep curve, the train chugs into Kadugodi tree park station at 12:15 pm. The nomenclature can be confusing. Whitefield station too goes by the same first name Kadugodi. An elderly gentleman in olive-coloured baggy cap remarks to a younger friend that he can now go on daily morning walks to the park. A cluster of tech parks take over the surroundings as the train nears Pattandur Agrahara. See, thats my office! an excited passenger tells his friend, pointing to one of the glass buildings in the distance. Im going to sell off my car, buddy. Theres a look of relief on his face. The relief thats probably shared by many in the area, who can now do without their private vehicles for office commute. 12:17 pm: The train enters Pattandur Agrahara station and the familiar voice of the female Kannada announcer doesnt come on. The train operator hurriedly fills in and announces the station name. The majestic white building of Sri Sathya Sai hospital with its sprawling premises appears on the horizon. 12:22 pm: After negotiating a steep curve near Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC)'s Traffic Transit Management Centre (TTMC), its Nallurhalli station. A minute later, the train halts at Kundalahalli, right next to SAP Labs. I cant help but picture the mad rush of techies on weekdays. Thankfully theres none of it today. 12:25 pm: The train arrives at Seetharam Palya, a section that's high on road traffic and packed with commercial establishments. Theres a young couple with two toddlers seated beside me, who appear to be trying to figure out where to get off. After exchanging confused glances, the man turns to me and enquires, which station would be closest to Phoenix mall. I inform him that its still a couple of stops away Singayyanapalya. He thanks me profusely and keeps a watchful eye out. 12:27 pm: The train halts at Hoodi station and a fresh batch of passengers file in. Now theres a thin-standing crowd. The train drops speed marginally soon after through a sharp curve and reaches Garudacharpalya in three minutes. Trains run slow between Garudacharpalya and Krishnarajapura stations since it's a single track and passengers board and alight at the same platform. After Hoodi, Singayyanapalya arrives at 12:32pm and a significant number of passengers get off. Phoenix mall, on the opposite side, beckons. 12:35 pm: We pass the Krishnarajapura hanging bridge and snake our way into the station. The AFC gates are choked with passengers waiting to exit the Krishnarajapura station. 12:41 pm: Im no longer in the cool confines of the Metro with Kyoto-like pink blossoms all around. The afternoon sun is overhead as I wait for a feeder bus. I spot a non-AC bus waiting in front of the station. Around the same time, I realise that I'm not carrying any cash. I quickly check the fare with the conductor. Its Rs 10 to Byappanahalli Metro station. But Unified Payments Interface (UPI) wont work, the conductor informs me. He's carrying an Android electronic ticketing machine but clearly it's of little use. With BMRCL planning to distribute NCMC cards from March 30, I wonder when theyll catch up. I reprimand myself for being too spoilt by UPI. I havent visited an ATM in months. To my great relief, an auto driver at the nearby stand agrees to exchange cash for a UPI transfer. Happy with the barter, I board the bus with my clutch of soiled notes. 12:50 pm: The bus is crowded and there's little legroom. After what feels like a lengthy wait, the driver finally decides to depart. Though it was earlier announced that it will be a direct feeder bus service, I notice that it halts at Benniganahalli. Old Madras Road is unrecognisable without the choc-o-bloc weekday traffic. While passing through, I spot unfinished work near the Benniganahalli railway track, where BMRCL is yet to complete work on a span. 12:58: The bus empties itself on the opposite side of the Byappanahalli Metro station. The Foot Over Bridge (FOB) lift is not working so I climb the stairs with fellow passengers from the bus and a bunch of new faces. 1:05 pm: I board an empty train from platform 3 of Byappanahalli Metro station and pick a corner seat. It's another good seven minutes before the train departs. 1:24 pm: MG Road station. As I alight, I wonder how much faster and more seamless the Metro could get by July once the missing link between Byappanahalli and Krishnarajapura is completed. That will be the true game changer. India's highways infrastructure will match that of the US by 2024 for which work in time bound 'mission mode' is on including construction of green expressways and rail over bridges, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said. He said cabinet nod to 'Bharatmala 2' is likely soon and once obtained it will meet the requirements of a robust infrastructure in the country. "I am confident that India's highways will be on par with that of the US by 2024. Work in a time bound mission mode is on to build a robust infrastructure including a network of green expressways across the length and breadth of India," Gadkari told PTI in an interview. The Road Transport and Highways Minister said in this year railway over bridges are being constructed at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore which will be increased to Rs 50,000 crore in five years. On the Kailash Mansarovar highway project via Pithoragarh, Gadkari said "Ninety three per cent work on Kailash Mansarovar project has been completed." With the completion of this project, the arduous trek through treacherous high-altitude terrain can be avoided by pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the period of journey will be reduced by many days. At present, travel to Kailash Mansarovar takes around two to three weeks through Sikkim or Nepal routes. On Bharatmala Phase 2, the minister said: "Nod is likely soon to Bharatmala Phase 2 that will further accelerate the making of highways." About 5,000 km of highway network is envisaged under phase 2 initially. Bharatmala Pariyojana is India's largest infrastructure programme to develop about 35,000 km of National Highway corridors, connecting over 580 districts in the nation. The programme signalled a paradigm shift to corridor approach of infrastructure development. The overall network of the nation was reimagined through scientific studies including, Origin Destination study of freight movement across 600 districts and crow-flight alignment for optimised routes to reduce transit time. "In Jharkhand, work of seven greenfield expressways, economic corridor and inter corridor is being done at a cost of Rs 70,000 crore," Gadkari told PTI. Besides work worth Rs 50,000 crore is being done for better connectivity with states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, he said. Providing details of the projects, the minister said 4-lane inter corridor work is being done at a cost of Rs 6,200 crore for Ranchi-Varanasi Inter Corridor which will reduce the travel time significantly between Ranchi and Varanasi. Likewise, the 635 km Raipur-Dhanbad economic corridor is being constructed at a cost of Rs 15,000 crore and would ensure faster movement of coal, steel, cement and minerals, he said. The other projects included Rs 22,000 crore Varanasi-Ranchi-Howrah 620 km access-controlled green expressway and Rs 6,300 crore Ranchi-Sambalpur greenfield economic corridor for 230 km. Apart from these Varanasi-Chordaha (Jharkhand-Bihar border) 6-lane 262 km economic corridor being built on completion will provide excellent hassle free connectivity to Kolkata, Assam, Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh from Jharkhand, he added. Other projects, the minister said include the Rs 5,000 crore Ranchi Ring Road and added that the detailed project report for this 194 km highway will be completed in May 2023. This ring road will pass through Hazaribag, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Khunti, Jamshedpur and Hazaribag. (Spoilers ahead) A few days ago, the news broke: Perumal Murugans tale of caste-crossed lovers, Pyre, was placed in the longlist for the International Booker Prize, 2023. This prize, likely the greatest honour for a work translated into English, is awarded for books published in the UK and Ireland. The nomination is significant for India. Last year, the prize was won by Indian writer Geetanjali Shree for Ret Samadhi, a Hindi novel translated by Daisy Rockwell as Tomb of Sand. The nomination of Pyre sets up a tantalising probability of a one-two and reconfirms that the ecosystem of top prizes for works of art is having a series of "India moments". In the wake of the longlisting of Pyre, it's a good time to revisit the book which was written in Tamil as Pookuzhi in 2013 and translated into English by Aniruddhan Vasudevan in 2017. The fictional Pyre draws from real life to narrate the tragedy of Saroja and Kumaresan. The Tamil original was dedicated to the memory of R Ilavarasan, a Dalit youth who was found dead on a railway track, according to The New Indian Express, after his marriage to a dominant caste woman saw him being targetted and eventually, the woman (was) forced to abandon him. Given that Murugan has been a cause celebre in India, chances are that even before reading Pyre, you know how it ends. Murugan, in any case, uses foreshadowing liberally to create tension in the readers mind about the looming, tragic ending. But suspense or no suspense, it is how the narrative draws you in and makes you identify with the characters that leaves you feeling utterly bereaved when they meet their end. Youthful Kumaresan moves from his village home to a town, where, as happens in urban areas, caste rules are a bit relaxed. There he begins to run a soda-bottling shop, which incidentally is in the neighbourhood where Sarojas family lives. Sections dedicated to their falling in love is written movingly, evoking the sringara rasa, and, at times, humorously. The story trope isn't new, the skeleton of how caste combusts young love is a story older than time in a country like India. The couple knows them belonging to different castes will be a bone of contention between their families. But where could they elope to? Back to his home village. In the hope that the scandal wouldn't shadow the two, and the community might be accepted. But acceptance is not in their fate. The gatekeeper of this community, and from whom comes the very first rejection, is the person Kumaresan least expected it to be: his own mother. But Murugan doesn't sketch a black and white world. He adroitly shows the reader where the mother is coming from, too. Her verbal harassment of the young couple stems from her own insecurities and trauma. Murugan shows us Marayis predicament as a widow rendered largely powerless by her community, conditioned to turn against her son and daughter-in-law. In just a few pages, Murugan distills the bind of the cornered Marayi, who enables the hunting down of Kumaresan and Saroja. Kumaresans family, including his mother, is totally excommunicated. In a single stroke, their rights to livelihood, access to places of religion, and the basic need for social interaction are nipped in the bud, as is the possibility for nourishment, having been barred from local shops. The excommunication will last as long as Sarojas presence makes the village "impure". One by one, Kumaresans extended family shuns them, and in a foreshadowing of what is to follow, a relative roughs him up. The noose tightens around them, slowly but surely, there are violations of privacy and verbal abuse, and a palpable tension of the impending violence. The villagers are the perfect foil to any hopes of the couple to seek a safe haven in a distant town. Personal affairs and decisions are a public matter here, to be dealt with by the collective. In Murugans One Part Woman (Madhorubhagan, 2010), the community verbally humiliates and mentally harasses the couple for being unable to conceive; in Pyre, the community is out baying for their blood. In both, Murugan skillfully depicts the love and pain in a marriage being warped under community pressure. Murugan's writing, language, is readily accessible, welcoming any and every reader into its world-creation, and the credit for that also goes to his translator, for these two books in particular, Aniruddhan Vasudevan. Both the stories are riveting, powerful, moving tragedies. Sometimes, there is a lot to be said for the writer staying out of the way of his story, which happens here. Murugan is a great storyteller, smoothly segueing between subplots, scenes and the protagonists dilemmas and predicaments. Pyre artfully brings home to us privileged readers what it is to be isolated and targetted on account of caste, particularly when one is a woman with scant power and resources, and how community power dehumanises her first, so as to destroy her. Of special note is how superbly Murugan succeeds in putting you in the shoes of his characters, Saroja in particular, making you empathise with them, imagine what drives them, what theyre feeling and how they are suffering. To convey a sense of experience in the way Pyre does is to reaffirm the power of stories that transport you into a world far removed from yours, expanding your sense of that which Thich Nhat Hanh called "interbeing". To wish Pyre gets the International Booker is to hope that caste discrimination being reinforced in a culturally regressing India while being comfortably entrenched among the upper-caste Indians overseas is shown the mirror on an international level, that the West, the White man, gets a glimpse of the concept they can hardly wrap their heads around: caste. The Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee will hold a dawn to dusk fast here on Monday to condemn the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as member of Parliament. Former Puducherry Chief Minister and senior Congress leader V Narayanasamy told participants in a protest rally organised by the PPCC here Sunday that, the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi is a clear case of political vendetta unleashed by the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) headed NDA government at the Centre. He said that the Central government was attempting to gag the voice of the opposition particularly when the Congress leader was exposing the Narendra Modi led governments nexus with the industrialist and billionaire Gautam Adani. The Prime Minister tried to silence the opposition but our protests would continue unabated, Narayanasamy said announcing that a day-long fast would be observed here on Monday to condemn the disqualification of Gandhi. Gandhi was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat Court on March 23 in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark. A day later, the Lok Sabha Secretariat in a notification said that his disqualification was effective from the day of his conviction. Puducherry PCC leader A V Subramanian, party legislators M Vaithianathan and Ramesh Parambath and delegates from different wings of the party were among those who participated in the protest rally. 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I Accept In poll-bound Karnataka, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday hit out at the Congress alleging that it never remembered those who fought and sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Hyderabad from the 'brutal' Nizam rule. Addressing a public gathering after inaugurating the Gorata Martyrs' Memorial and statue of the countrys first Home Minister late Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Gorata village in this district, Shah also slammed the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Telangana government for hesitating to celebrate the Hyderabad Liberation Day. Shah also hoisted a 103 ft high national flag at Gorata, called Jallianwala Bagh of South India Recalling the horror of Gorata on May 9, 1948, the Union Minister recalled that 200 people were massacred by the "brutal Nizam even though the country had become independent. Shah said it was the most important day for an emotional person like him, because on that day the ruthless army of Nizam butchered hundreds of people for hoisting a 2.5 ft tricolour. Today, he can proudly proclaim that he hoisted the 103 ft tricolour, which no one can ever reach. Shah recalled that eight years ago he had visited the place as the BJP national president and laid the foundation for the Gorata Martyr's Memorial with direction to the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha workers to build a memorial that should be remembered throughout the country for hundreds of years. He said he is pleased that eight years later, he got the opportunity to inaugurate it. "More than 200 people were massacred here in Gorata by the brutal Nizam, but due to its appeasement policy, the Congress never remembered those who fought and sacrificed their lives for Hyderabad liberation only for its greed for vote bank," he added. Paying his obeisance to Sardar Patel, he said had there not been Patel, Hyderabad would not have been liberated. Hitting out at the Telangana government, the Union Minister said, "The Telangana government is hesitating to celebrate the Hyderabad Liberation Day (September 17) but the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to celebrate the day in a grand manner." He pointed out that the BJP had celebrated it last year in Telangana and this year too they will celebrate the day. Shah appealed to the people to form a BJP government in Karnataka so that it can build a grand martyrs' memorial at Gorata at a cost of Rs 50 crore which will attract tourists not only from Karnataka but also from across the country who will be told about the story of the people of Gorata. Once the BJP government returns to power in Karnataka and the grand memorial is built, the party would celebrate the next Hyderabad Liberation Day at Gorata, he affirmed. Noting that the BJP never believed in 'appeasement', Shah said B S Yediyurappa led BJP government had renamed the erstwhile Hyderabad-Karnataka region as Kalyana Karnataka. "Because Hyderabad Nizam ruled the region, it was called Hyderabad-Karnataka region. It is the Congress which allowed the symbols of India's slavery to continue here, but Yediyurappa renamed it as Kalyana Karnataka," the Minister said. He added that the Yediyurappa government had also given Rs 3,000 crore for the Kalyana Karnataka region while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai allocated Rs 5,000 for this area. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said a martyred prime minister's son who walked thousands of kilometres for national unity can never insult the country as the Congress held a nationwide protest against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha. Priyanka Gandhi was addressing a gathering at Rajghat the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi here to protest against Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case and his subsequent disqualification from the Lok Sabha. She said the time had come to raise a voice against an "arrogant government" as barring Rahul Gandhi from contesting elections does not bode well for the country and its democracy. The Congress leader alleged that Rahul Gandhi was disqualified for questioning the prime minister on industrialist Gautam Adani and people will give a befitting reply to those behind the action. "My family's blood has ploughed democracy in this country. We are ready to do anything for this country's democracy. Great leaders of the Congress laid the foundation of democracy in this country. "Time has come and we are not the ones who will remain silent anymore," she told the gathering at the "Sankalp Satyagraha" outside Rajghat. Asking if a martyred prime minister's son can insult the country, Priyanka Gandhi, "This is an insult to that prime minister who gave his life." USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age. *I agree to the processing of my personal information for personalized recommendations, personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites. I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS. (Optional). Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Lucknow, Mar 26 In a remark apparently meant for the Congress, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the national parties should support regional parties fighting the Bharatiya Janata Party in their states. While answering a question on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha, the former UP chief minister said he wanted to congratulate the party for observing satyagraha. When asked if his party would support the Congress' movement, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) said the question is not whether the Samajwadi Party is sympathetic towards Rahul Gandhi, but whether the countrys democracy and constitution will survive or not. We cannot sympathise with any party, he said, adding that the national parties should cooperate and help the parties that are fighting against the BJP at the state level. Yadav said the national parties should forget that the regional parties have done them any harm. It is the government at the Centre which have harmed the regional parties. Today CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax are targeting regional parties, he said, adding, Be it Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav), Lalu Prasad Yadav, Jayalalithaa, Stalin, KCR or Delhis Aam Aadmi Party, all have been tragetted by the parties at the Centre. Replying to a question on the alliance, he said, It is not our job to form an alliance. It is our job to cooperate with the alliance. On communalism, Yadav said, The question here is not who is communal. If the educated class of our country becomes communal and starts believing the lies as truth, then there can be no bigger threat to society and democracy than that. Today we have reached that situation. He said the Samajwadi Party will have a cadre at every single booth of all the parliamentary constituencies in the state by June 5 and will fight the BJP strongly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking on the occasion, SP National Vice President Kiranmoy Nanda said in the recent meeting of the partys national executive committee in Kolkata, a target was set to win at least 40 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Yadav claimed that the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government has made false claims and presented wrong development figures. He said in the budget speech, the states growth rate was pegged at 16.9 per cent and claimed that the Yogi Adityanath-led government paid Rs 200 crore to Deloitte for converting this lie into truth. An international professional services network headquartered in London, Deloitte is included in the worlds largest accounting firm. The company provides audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory and legal services. Yadav said, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath while celebrating the six years of his government yesterday (Saturday) said the per capita income of the state has doubled. Dont know which economist is sitting here who tells this. Accusing the BJP government of the youth unemployment rate, Yadav said, Every time the government is asked about the rate of unemployment. It says that the unemployment rate in the state is only 4.2 per cent. This means that you have given jobs and employment to everyone, but the truth is that a large number of youth are sitting at home after completing their studies. Referring to Arif, a resident of Amethi district, who became famous for his friendship with saras, said, The government should have honoured Arif as a friend of saras and given him a prize. If there was a Samajwadi government, we would have promoted such a youth. Several Congress functionaries were detained in Gujarat on Sunday during the party's 'Sankalp Satyagrah' agitation against the disqualification of their leader Rahul Gandhi as Lok Sabha MP following his conviction in a defamation case by a Surat court. Gandhi was sentenced to two years in jail on March 23 in a criminal defamation case over his Modi surname and thieves remark, and his disqualification notice was issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat a day later. Police detained state Congress chief Jagdish Tahor, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Amit Chavda and senior leader Bharatsinh Solanki along with party workers when they arrived at Lal Darwaza here to protest. The protesters were taken to the police stadium where they continued to shout slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party. "We have the power of Truth and resolution of Satyagraha. To expose the loot of BJP, with a firm determination to protect democracy, each and every worker of Gujarat Pradesh Congress is with Rahul Gandhi," Thakor tweeted. Such protests were also organised in all district headquarters in the state, including Vadodara. "Even before we could start the programme, the police detained us. We will continue our protest against the dictatorship of the BJP government, which puts even the erstwhile British rule to shame," said Vadodara Congress party leader Rutvij Joshi. USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age. *I agree to the processing of my personal information for personalized recommendations, personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites. I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS. (Optional). Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept For her 100th book club pick, Oprah Winfrey relied on the same instincts she has drawn upon from the start: Does the story move her? Does she think about it for days after? In a work of fiction, do the characters seem real to her? "When I don't move on, that's always a sign to me there's something powerful and moving," Winfrey told The Associated Press in a recent telephone interview. She announced this month that she had chosen Ann Napolitano's "Hello Beautiful," a modern-day homage to "Little Women" from the author of the bestselling "Dear Edward." Winfrey believes the novel's themes of family, resilience and perspective give "Hello Beautiful" a "universal appeal" that makes it a proper milestone. A Winfrey pick no longer ensures blockbuster sales, but it retains a special status within the industry; for authors, a call from Winfrey still feels like being told they've won an Oscar. Winfrey said she is in "awe" of the club and its history, "the very notion" that someone might go and buy a copy of "Anna Karenina" or a little known book simply because she suggested it. "She is the queen," says Jenna Bush Hager, who hosts the popular "Read With Jenna" club on NBC's "Today" show. "I remember being a high school senior, in AP English, and reading (David Guterson's) 'Snow Falling on Cedars' because I had walked into the local bookstore and seen that Oprah had recommended it." Kristen McLean, an analyst for NPD Books, which tracks industry sales, says that Winfrey is especially effective these days when promoting a known author such as Barbara Kingsolver and her novel "Demon Copperhead," a bestseller since Winfrey picked it last fall that has far outsold her two previous works of fiction. Since 1996, Winfrey's book choices have set her on a journey of extraordinary influence and success, frequent reinvention and the occasional controversy. It has endured through changes for both Winfrey and the publishing industry, through the rise of the internet and the end of Winfrey's syndicated talk show, through immersions in the classics and unexpected lessons in the reliability of memoirs and the lack of diversity of book publishing. Thanks to Winfrey, contemporary authors such as Jacquelyn Mitchard and Jane Hamilton found audiences they never imagined, while picks published decades or even centuries earlier, from "Anna Karenina" to "As I Lay Dying," placed high on bestseller lists. Winfrey didn't invent the mass market book club, but she demonstrated that spontaneous passion can inspire people in ways that elude the most sophisticated marketing campaigns. Her most troubled choices James Frey's fabricated memoir "A Million Little Pieces," Jeanine Cummins' "American Dirt," a novel criticized for stereotypical depictions of Mexicans made so much news in part because of the spotlight of a Winfrey endorsement. The club began as the extension of conversations between herself and her producer at the time, Alice McGee. They would talk about the books they liked until McGee finally suggested, in 1996, that Winfrey share the experience with her viewers. The first pick, Mitchard's "The Deep End of the Ocean," has sold more than 2 million copies. Other books also became major bestsellers, whether by established authors like Joyce Carol Oates ("We Were the Mulvaneys") and Toni Morrison ("The Bluest Eye") or then-emerging writers such as Janet Fitch and Tawni O'Dell. The club was so successful that some suspected a catch. Winfrey remembers Quincy Jones asking her: "How much money are they paying you for that book club, baby?" The process was so informal that Winfrey at first didn't even bother going through intermediaries. "I would just call Wally Lamb," she says of the author of "She's Come Undone," her fourth pick. "In the early stages, I would finish the book and then find the author. When you'd go to the back of the book, it gives you the bio of the author and it would tell you what city the author lives. And, this is when we had phone books, in every instance I was able to get the author's phone number because the author was listed." Winfrey's system is now only slightly more structured. Leigh Newman, books director of the online/print publication Oprah Daily, will call the publisher first and arrange a "surprise call" with the author and Oprah. Winfrey's staff will research the author's background to make sure nothing problematic turns up whether criminal charges or allegations of plagiarism. The vetting began, Winfrey says, after "A Million Little Pieces" turned out to have substantial falsehoods, leading to an extraordinary public scolding by Winfrey when she brought Frey back on her show to explain himself. (They have since reconciled). "I took it so personally," she says. "I probably should haven't taken it so personally but I felt like he had let me down and I let the audience down. ... I was the one saying, 'Can you believe this is a true story?' and shouting that from the rooftops. I felt foolish for doing that, embarrassed for doing that." Winfrey's book choices are still in-house and intimate mostly just determined by herself and Newman although Winfrey says she made a rare exception for "Hello Beautiful," recommended to her by the co-chairman of Creative Artists Agency, Richard Lovett. Otherwise, Newman will seek out books she thinks Winfrey might respond to fiction or nonfiction, as long as the story is "compelling," Newman explains. Winfrey will also come upon books on her own. The club follows no real formula. For the first few years, Winfrey averaged a selection nearly every month, a pace she came to find exhausting. She paused the club for much of 2002-2003, focused on older works in 2004-2005, and in other years only selected one or two titles. After her talk show ended in 2011, she launched Oprah's Book Club 2.0 the following year, with the emphasis on digital media. She is currently aiming for a new book every eight weeks, with author interviews and interactive reader discussions showcased on OprahDaily.com. Winfrey has no plans to stop, and no specific goals for selections. In the aftermath of "American Dirt," selected early in 2020, she had vowed to open herself up "to more Latinx books." But she has not since picked any for her club and is not committing herself for the future. "I'd never choose a book because the author is Hispanic, or Black, or Indian. I'm not going to be put in that box," she says. "The book has to live on many different levels to me. It doesn't mean there are not fantastic books by authors of every race and creed. It means I haven't seen one yet (for the club). But we're mindful of it and I've come close a couple of times." Winfrey's choices are influenced at times by a relatively recent trend competition. Over the past few years, Hager and Reese Witherspoon have demonstrated that they too, can win the trust of large numbers of readers, whether Witherspoon's early promotion of Delia Owens' blockbuster "Where the Crawdads Sing" or Hager championing such debut works as Katy Hays' novel "The Cloisters." The exuberance of young people on TikTok helped make Colleen Hoover the country's most popular fiction writer. Winfrey is respectful: If she hears a book she might choose is also being pursued by Witherspoon or Hager, she will step back and pick another. But she also claims her place. Yes, Witherspoon, Hager and the BookTok kids are all great, but no one should forget who came first. "We started this conversation," she says. "And I'm very, very proud of that." The most popular book the year you were born The most popular book each year since 1920 1920: 'The Man of the Forest' by Zane Grey 1921: 'The Brimming Cup' by Dorothy Canfield 1922: 'If Winter Comes' by A.S.M. Hutchinson 1923: 'Black Oxen' by Gertrude Atherton 1924: 'So Big' by Edna Ferber 1925: 'Soundings' by A. Hamilton Gibbs 1926: 'The Private Life of Helen of Troy' by John Erskine 1927: 'Elmer Gantry' by Sinclair Lewis 1928: 'The Bridge of San Luis Rey' by Thornton Wilder 1929: 'All Quiet on the Western Front' by Erich Maria Remarque 1930: 'Cimarron' by Edna Ferber 1931 and 1932: 'The Good Earth' by Pearl S. Buck 1933 and 1934: 'Anthony Adverse' by Hervey Allen 1935: 'Green Light' by Lloyd C. Douglas 1936 and 1937: 'Gone with the Wind' by Margaret Mitchell 1938: 'The Yearling' by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings 1939: 'The Grapes of Wrath' by John Steinbeck 1940: 'How Green Was My Valley' by Richard Llewellyn 1941: 'The Keys of the Kingdom' by A.J. Cronin 1942: 'The Song of Bernadette' by Franz Werfel 1943: 'The Robe' by Lloyd C. Douglas 1944: 'Strange Fruit' by Lillian Smith 1945: 'Forever Amber' by Kathleen Winsor 1946: 'The King's General' by Daphne du Maurier 1947: 'The Miracle of the Bells' by Russell Janney 1948: 'The Big Fisherman' by Lloyd C. Douglas 1949: 'The Egyptian' by Mika Waltari 1950: 'The Cardinal' by Henry Morton Robinson 1951: 'From Here to Eternity' by James Jones 1952: 'The Silver Chalice' by Thomas B. Costain 1953: 'The Robe' by Lloyd C. Douglas 1954: 'Not As a Stranger' by Morton Thompson 1955: 'Marjorie Morningstar' by Herman Wouk 1956: 'Don't Go Near the Water' by William Brinkley 1957: 'By Love Possessed' by James Gould Cozzens 1958: 'Doctor Zhivago' by Boris Pasternak 1959: 'Exodus' by Leon Uris 1960: 'Advise and Consent' by Allen Drury 1961: 'The Agony and the Ecstasy' by Irving Stone 1962: 'Ship of Fools' by Katherine Anne Porter 1963: 'The Shoes of the Fisherman' by Morris West 1964: 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' by John le Carre 1965: 'The Source' by James A. Michener 1966: 'Valley of the Dolls' by Jacqueline Susann 1967: 'The Outsiders' by S.E. Hinton 1968: 'Airport' by Arthur Hailey 1969: 'Portnoy's Complaint' by Philip Roth 1970: 'Love Story' by Erich Segal 1971: 'Wheels' by Arthur Hailey 1972 and 1973: 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' by Richard Bach 1974: 'Centennial' by James A. Michener 1975: 'Ragtime' by E.L. Doctorow 1976: 'Trinity' by Leon Uris 1977: 'The Silmarillion' by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien 1978: 'Chesapeake' by James A. Michener 1979: 'The Matarese Circle' by Robert Ludlum 1980: 'The Covenant' by James A. Michener 1981: 'Noble House' by James Clavell 1982: 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' by William Kotzwinkle 1983: 'Return of the Jedi' by James Kahn 1984: 'The Talisman' by Stephen King and Peter Straub 1985: 'The Mammoth Hunters' by Jean M. Auel 1986: 'It' by Stephen King 1987: "The Tommyknockers" by Stephen King 1988: 'The Cardinal of the Kremlin' by Tom Clancy 1989: 'Clear and Present Danger' by Tom Clancy 1990: 'The Plains of Passage' by Jean M. Auel 1991: 'Scarlett' by Alexandra Ripley 1992: 'Dolores Claiborne' by Stephen King 1993: 'The Bridges of Madison County' by Robert James Waller 1994: 'The Chamber' by John Grisham 1995: 'The Rainmaker' by John Grisham 1996: 'The Runaway Jury' by John Grisham 1997: 'The Partner' by John Grisham 1998: 'The Street Lawyer' by John Grisham 1999: 'The Testament' by John Grisham 2000: 'The Brethren' by John Grisham 2001: 'Desecration' by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye 2002: 'The Summons' by John Grisham 2003: 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' by J.K. Rowling 2004: 'The Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown 2005: 'The Broker' by John Grisham 2006: 'For One More Day' by Mitch Albom 2007: 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' by J.K. Rowling 2008: 'The Appeal' by John Grisham 2009: 'The Lost Symbol' by Dan Brown 2010: 'The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest' by Stieg Larsson 2011: 'The Litigators' by John Grisham 2012: 'Fifty Shades of Grey' by E.L. James 2013: 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck' by Jeff Kinney 2014: 'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green 2015: 'Go Set a Watchman' by Harper Lee 2016: 'The Girl on the Train' by Paula Hawkins 2017: 'Diary of a Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway' by Jeff Kinney 2018: 'Becoming' by Michelle Obama 2019: 'Where the Crawdads Sing' by Delia Owens 2020: 'A Promised Land' by Barack Obama 2021: 'Dog Man #10: Mothering Heights' by Dav Pilkey 2022: 'The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times' by Michelle Obama The national media, perhaps, has not been paying enough attention to the corruption scandals that have been plaguing Mamata Banerjees government in West Bengal for more than a year now. The revelations are still coming in every week, fast and furious. And they are shocking. Digitisation may have brought petty corruption down significantly in the last few years, but most of us in India still assume a certain level of it as a way of life. We coolly reach for our wallet when pulled up by a policeman for a traffic violation and most of the time it works. The man who brings your new passport to your home grins obsequiously and asks for some chai-paani and you give him some money; you are thankful to him for doing the basic minimum work that you, as a taxpayer, are already paying him for. We also take it for granted that many of our politicians are corrupt. We get agitated or even mildly excited only when the sums involved have more zeroes than we can count on two fingers. Yet, even by all our pretty low standards, the alleged corruption in West Bengal is quite amazing. And a very large number of Bengalis are riled up now because it involves something that they value above almost anything else education. Over the years, the people of West Bengal have not been too bothered about their politicians being supposedly involved in smuggling sand, coal and cows. They have also accepted extortion in various ways as normal hardly anyone even talks about it any more. Cut-money a bribe or a kickback for getting anything done is a unique word that is now an integral part of the Bangla vocabulary. In fact, after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) did not do as well as it expected in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Mamata Banerjee publicly ordered her party members to return the cut-money they had collected from citizens. But corruption in school education may have been a red line that TMC crossed. It is now more or less proved that in the last 10 years, the government appointed thousands of teachers in government schools not on merit but for cash. The actual results of the mandatory tests that applicants took for the posts were junked and even people who submitted blank answer papers were hired. The rates that were charged are now known from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, depending on whether it is a primary school job or a secondary or a higher secondary one. Much of the credit for exposing this goes to Abhijit Gangopadhyay, a Calcutta High Court judge who pursued the matter with zeal and courage and called in the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate. The rot goes astonishingly deep and amazingly high. Many of the top members of the state school board are now in prison, awaiting trial. Also a former education minister; central agencies seized more than Rs 50 crore in cash and heaps of jewellery from the home of an actress who was his close friend. Rs 50 crore is, in fact, a very minor amount in the scale of things. Small-time TMC politicians whom hardly anyone outside their neighbourhood had ever heard of have been arrested for amassing Rs 30-40 crore of illicit money directly related to the teacher recruitment scam. One can barely imagine how much the more senior people in the party and the government may have made. The Calcutta High Court has already declared appointments of thousands of schoolteachers as illegal and even ordered these hirees to pay back the salaries they have earned till now. There are several issues here and the Pandoras box has possibly been opened only just a bit. One, there are several videos of that which have gone viral and show that teachers in primary schools in West Bengal cannot do basic arithmetic. They cannot, say, add 11 to 26 on the blackboard and get the correct answer at the first try. What will be the fate of the children whom these idiots are teaching? Two, are these people even teaching, that is, coming to do the jobs they paid so much to get? The schoolteacher has a protected government salary and can go to work whenever he pleases to and also run a business or an extortion racket on the side. It is now known that the daughter of a now-in-prison TMC leader was a schoolteacher, never went to work, and had her attendance register marked at home, where school clerks came every morning to get her tick. Three, every investor has some sort of expectations of the returns he will get from his investment. If thousands of people have been betting all that their parents saved in their lives to get employed as a teacher in a government primary school, it is obvious that they believe its a worthwhile investment. For instance, the male schoolteacher can ask for a much higher dowry. He will also gladly become part of a pyramid scheme where he recommends other people for jobs and take his own cut of the cut-money. In fact, there seems to be also a nice funding network for the bribes. You can get a high-interest loan to pay the bribe, get the job and then generate your revenue streams to pay it off. All of this triggers a self-perpetuating process of extreme venality that can have no end. For anyone living in West Bengal who does not have the means to send their children to private schools, their very future is at stake. More importantly, there is no reason to believe that the corruption was limited only to the school education space. A few days ago, a minor TMC politician was arrested for allegedly getting at least 5,000 people recruited illegally by 60 municipalities in the state. It is quite possible that government jobs in every category were up for sale. If a person is willing to pay Rs 5 lakh to be employed as a teacher in a primary school, how much can you get out of someone for a police constables appointment? The potential return on investment for a constables job is far higher than a schoolteachers. All that one has to do is to harass random innocents, take their money and look the other way on actual crime committed by members and associates of the party in power. Imagine a society where the teachers in the school that you send your children to, the nurses in the government hospitals you go to when you are ill, the police who are supposed to protect you, the fire brigade men whom you call to rescue whatever little assets you have left, have all got their jobs through bribery and are propagating a system that has no regard for any competence. This is the dystopia that West Bengal may be hurtling towards. The US District Court has ruled in favour of four publishers, saying that the Internet Archive has infringed on their copyrights by offering scanned copies of their books online. The Internet Archive is an online library that provides free public access to a vast collection of materials, including archived websites, software, music and books, among others. Also Read | France bans TikTok, Twitter from government staff phones The archive has scanned millions of print books and lends out digital copies of them for free. As Engadget notes, the program was called "controlled digital lending", in which users had to sign up for a waitlist to borrow a book from the platform. During the pandemic, the archive lifted the restrictions, making it easier for the public at large to access rare books. In June 2020, book publishers Harper Collins, Penguin Random House, Hachette and John Wiley & Sons sued the archive over the matter. While the archive has turned the lending system back on again, hosting about 70,000 daily e-books that can be borrowed, it has had no impact on the case. Also Read | Twitter Blue users may get to hide the paid checkmark The US District Judge, John Koeltl, who issued the ruling said, "Although IA has the right to lend print books it lawfully acquired, it does not have the right to scan those books and lend the digital copies en masse." The Internet Archive has promised to appeal the ruling, saying that it "holds back access to information in the digital age, harming all readers, everywhere." Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is expecting his first child with girlfriend Erin Darke, his representatives confirmed to the Us Weekly magazine. Radcliffe, who shot to fame by playing the titular character in the fantasy film series, and Darke have been together since 2012. They met while shooting the film Kill Your Darlings. The couple were recently photographed walking in New York, after which Radcliffe's spokesperson confirmed that they were soon to become parents. Radcliffe, 33, has been in the spotlight since he was a child, with the Harry Potter films bringing him global stardom. The movies are based on British author JK Rowling's hugely popular children's books, centred on an orphaned boy's adventures at a school for wizardry and witchcraft. While Radcliffe played the lead character, actors Emma Watson and Rupert Grint portrayed Harry Potter's best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The trio have remained close in real life too, appearing last year in a Harry Potter reunion -- Return to Hogwarts -- to mark 20 years since the first Harry Potter film (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone). Radcliffe's castmate Grint is also a father now. He has a two-year-old daughter named Wednesday with partner Georgia Groome. Its like, super weird for me to think that we are all at the age where we are having children but we definitely are," Radcliffe had said in a 2020 interview. I texted him (Grint) the other day. Im so happy for him. Its very, very cool." (Spoilers ahead) All the worlds a stage And one man in his time plays many parts. Four hundred years since the Bard made the observation, and as Marx would have said, the root of all art is man. Malayalam filmmaker Don Palatharas films are chapters in character study, not mere slice-of-life observational ones, he doesnt set up the camera and then leave, hes very much present, in the way he manipulates the audiences perception of the characters he deftly curates, mostly grey and morally ambiguous. In his sixth film, Family, which premiered in the Harbour strand at International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) last month, and will have its India premiere in the Panorama of contemporary Indian cinema segment, on Sunday, March 26, at 7.30pm, Screen 3, at the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes, March 23-30), Palathara studies the individual in relation to his community, his environment. The community here is a village (in Keralas Idukki), is one big family, whose head is the omnipresent Church, which, like a panopticon, keeps surveillance. In Family, theres a leopard on the prowl, literally and metaphorically, which the villagers are unable to catch, only the children can see. The film and its universe, and the society that informs the filmmaker's life and art is built on seeing and unseeing, speaking up and silencing. Its been four years since that spectacular Malayalam film Madhu C Narayanans Kumbalangi Nights. One remembers it for myriad reasons, one among which is, of course, Fahadh Faasil, as a never-seen-before Jekyll and Hyde Shammi, a bone gets stuck in the throat creating havoc in two families. But once Shammis motivations are clear to those around him and to the audience, hes declared sick and socially unfit. The villain is clear. In Family, the villain is an unsuspecting Everyman, the hero is the anti-hero. The feral wildcat who wont attack unless provoked. Vinay Forrts goody-two-shoes Sony is a good Samaritan his community swears by. He does charity, recues a cow that falls into the leopard-trap ditch, tutors youngsters, advises them to take PSC exams, climbs trees to pick jackfruit for an acquaintance, peels beans for a pregnant woman, spouts progressive platitudes. But the walls that hide know it all. A younger boy checks for, perhaps, love-bruise marks on him, or a girl is susceptible to sexual harassment at the hands of her math tutor even as her father sits outside the room watching TV. The act is never shown, but real life equips the audience, especially women and gender minorities, with the knowledge of the unknown. Palathara opts for elliptical storytelling over expository. He will show the before or after of an action/incident and not the action itself. Carefully crafted, and yet so organic, the credit for mounting a character like Sony in his centripetal ecosystem, which closes in rank, partly goes to co-writer Sherin Catherine, who knows what Palathara expects of his characters having faced his camera in Everything is Cinema, which had premiered at IFFR, as well, in 2021. Forrts unassuming man-next-door personality makes him an apt choice for the liminal likeable-unlikeable role that he essays slithering-ly. Hes extraordinary in his ordinariness. Family is a horror film. We have been lied to that horror is always an alien force, horror is far more insidious when it manifests in the familiar. Like Simmy (Grace Antony), in Kumbalangi, who says sorry to Shammi once hes in his toxic zone, in Family, Neethu (Nilja K Baby) says sorry to Sony when he plays the victim card. Aah, men, and how they gaslight! Neethu is that village-ostracised girl whom Sony lends a shoulder to, builds a pucca road to her house and builds her hopes after her father dies because the villagers have to walk through the jungle to reach them (its a spectacular single-take shot, where one hardly notices Sony slithering in and out of the crowd in funeral procession when his evil intention finds no fruition). Women have to bear the cross of honour and shame, while men can have their silly ways, and their sinsabsolved by the vicar/Church with a confession. The nun/Church will also provide for Sony: a retreat, a high-school teaching job and a wife to rewire his life. The camera stays static. Out of the stillness of a verdant Idukki emerges a creature, in green. Sony will be wearing variants of green shirts through the film, except when hes supposed to be in pure spaces, meeting the vicar at the church or his future wifes family, the shirt becomes white, but not in the school. Family, like his Rima Kallingal-Jitin Puthenchery-starrer Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam/Joyful Mystery (2020), is a colour movie, which means indie filmmaker Palathara had a little more money (and producers) and, unlike his greyscale/black-and-white films (Shavam; Vith; 1956, Central Travancore; Everything is Cinema), where the audience can look anywhere on the screen and make a film of their own, in these coloured films, Palathara is directing our gaze to one film, as he wants to show it. Green signals the ominous. It is part of a continuum that is soon becoming a Palathara signature: whether of a colour to signal the outside-inside (green clothes to establish Mother Nature-human nature continuity, also seen in Joyful Mystery; and the bluish-grey claustrophobic walls inside the houses merge with the overcast skies in Family); or shot continuum, if at the end of Shavam (2015), the camera goes from the people on to the hills, in Family, the fear-frozen childrens faces as they see the leopard is juxtaposed with the frozen frame of Sonys shocked face in the school, what he sees, we dont get to know. Palathara leaves you at seen. In the second half, the camera will focus-out from a green-shirted smooth-operator Sony craftily wielding the victim card on to a green tree snake in the foreground. Where one nature ends and the other begins is a bokeh blur. The only adult who raises an alarm is a woman, muted by other women. A pregnant Rani essayed by Divya Prabha is shut down by fellow women of the village, and by the nun, the foot-soldier of the Church. Prabha is a neat actor, even with her silences she commands any scene shes in. Albeit helpless, shes the sole feeling/beating heart of the film who has the courage to call a spade a spade. For this is not the world, the community, a dungeon of danger, a soon-to-be mother would want to bring her child into. Like her Rashmi who faces misogyny in Mahesh Narayanans Ariyippu/Declaration (2022), Prabhas Ranis eye-witness account is shunned as gossip, seen as an attempt to malign the upright Sonys character. It reminds of #MeToo survivors whose accounts are rubbished because the allegations are against respectable men/artistes; look no further, one of the biggest, critical cases is in the Malayalam film industry itself. In Family, the cunning feral-feline creature in human skin is an obvious juxtaposition. Sonys are like that elder cousin or younger uncle in an extended family whos held up as an ideal, old enough to be the communitys voice of conscience and young enough to be paid heed to by the rebellious young. They seem unsuspecting but unfurl their fangs in private. Like Dostoevskys Raskolnikov, Sony has been taught to normalise/rationalise transgressions, perhaps, from his own life-experiences, his childhood, and the blame must fall squarely on the family, the community and institutionalised religion that shield many a delinquent Sony. But unlike Dostoevsky, Palathara is harsh, doesnt allow any interiority or redemption to his protagonist. Theres not an iota of psychological realism, we never get to know whats going on in Sonys mind, what are his intentions and motivations, what does he feel, does he ever feel any remorse or guilt for his actions? The mid-shots are just enough for us to see Sonys expressions but not close-enough to reveal whats hidden beneath this veneer. Sony, we are told by others, fears the father, both religious and biological (his patriarchal father would make his wife massage his feet while discussing about their son with the omniscient nun). The father-son conversations are bare minimum, and if it were the case, unlike Franz Kafka, Sony wont muster the courage to write a letter to his father calling him out as emotionally abusive. Producer Newton Cinema has intriguingly, perhaps not intentionally, been backing projects that tangentially depict the adult-child fairytale-gone-wrong dynamics, whether in Family, or Megha Ramaswamys Lalannas Song, or Varun Grovers Kiss. Grover had said in one of his stand-up acts that since childhood, one thing every Indian kid is taught is conformism. To dissent is to become an anomaly, an anti-what-have-you, for a family governed by a patriarch, or a community governed by a religious body, albeit benevolent, are only a microcosm for the nation at large, every rusted cog results in the whole machine to collapse, and so this centre (Church) must hold (and exert its power), lest things fall apart in this community/village/family. Modern nations, to borrow Benedict Andersons coinage are imagined communities. And, unlike a society, wherein all differences assimilate and cohabit, a community is built on sameness, discarding individual variations. The community/collective subsumes the individual, strips off their agency. In a community, everybody speaks the same language, no, not referring to Malayalam here, but the language of a singular discourse: in the case of Family, it is the Churchs supremacy and omnipresence in the lives of the villagers. Peppered across all of Palatharas films are Christian imagery, motifs, symbols; in Family, they take centre stage. Family is a taut film, compellingly written. And Renganaath Ravees (Lijo Jose Pelisserys Jallikattu) sound design, mostly natural sounds, like the films editing, is eerily controlled, lending the film a Hitchcockian tension, for emphasis. Heres a man looking at mens stories, and, thus, the women, their stories and their roles (caregiver, honour machine) are male-prescribed. By his own admission, theres a part of Palathara in all his actors, very few directors sketch the toxic, the shades of grey so skilfully, and be self-critical and self-reflective (perhaps, since Mrinal Sen) while doing so (Everything, Joyful). Palatharas filmmaking exists in its own universe of grey cinema. A man in Delhi recently bagged a job after facing rejection from more than 150 companies in eight months. Software engineer blamed the layoffs in the tech industry for making things more difficult than usual for job seekers. And, he may not be the only one who has had to struggle to find a new job with big tech companies such as Amazon, Meta, and Google laying off thousands of jobs in the wake of a recession and market uncertainty. Taking to LinkedIn, Farhan shared how he found it more difficult to get a job after he had some work experience compared to the time when he was looking for opportunities as a fresh graduate. "It's been a tough time for the tech industry cause of the layoffs," he wrote. "I faced hundreds of rejections during this time for various reasons. I had been on a job search since July 2022. I was surprised that getting a job despite being experienced was difficult compared to when I was a fresh graduate." Explaining the process, Farhan added that he "applied to 150+ companies, got response from about 10 of them and interviews scheduled at 6 companies". He cleared all rounds and had a final interview scheduled at Amazon's Scotland office but soon, a hiring freeze was announced. Farhan also made his way into Google India's recruitment process before being rejected in one of the rounds. Read more: Amid Google layoffs, staff write open letter to Sundar Pichai with 5 demands: 'Don't be evil' The Delhi resident, who had earlier worked with Zomato, then tried his luck with three mid-sized startups, but in vain. The companies, Farhan said, "ditched" him after final round of interviews due to hiring budget issues. He added that these issues were brought up by the companies after they made him work for more than 60 hours on "take home assignments". Things, however, finally worked out for him in February when an online marketplace hired him. Ending his note with a view from his office window, Farhan shared that the only intention to write the post was to acknowledge that things are not working as they were in the past and it would take extra efforts to get a job. "If you're also on a job search and especially if you're a fresh graduate looking to start your career then don't get discouraged... You have to constantly work on your skills and make meaningful connections. Just do your work, give your best and leave the rest to God." Read more: Amazon over-hiring: Nearly 25,000 openings posted when only 7,798 were cleared Meryl Streep read for the audiobook version of children's classic Charlotte's Web back in 2019. We will again have her reading to us - this time, she's lending her voice to Ann Patchett's Tom Lake which releases in India on August 8, 2023. Quentin Tarantino rendered his autobiographical Cinema Speculation in his own voice for the audiobook version when it came out late last year. To be sure, celebrities reading for audiobooks isn't new. What is interesting is what that can do for the overall quality of audiobooks. For what you say can easily become jarring, when how you say it and when you say it is not quite as refined - especially in the context of an audiobook. Audiobook sales went up during the pandemic. But they have been on a steady rise on many audio streaming platforms in the post-pandemic period too. So how do publishers, producers, and artists re-create that? And what does it mean for us readers? How to create an immersive experience I wanted the book to feel like a conversation with a friend, says sexual health educator Leeza Mangaldas, whose self-help title The Sex Book (HarperCollins, 2022) was trending online in both print and audiobook format at the time of writing she narrated the audiobook version in her own voice. Given that I use my voice for my work already, Ive written the book in a similar tone to the way that I speak in order to make it as easy to read and understand as possible. It felt like the best fit was for me to read it out loud myself, she says. The best audiobooks obviously go beyond being a listening experience and connect with the reader, to activate your visual imagination and analytical mental faculties. I like to close my eyes and really focus on whats being said, says Leeza. As opposed to watching something on TV or an OTT platform or scrolling on your phone, its nice to be able to relax your eyes and listen to a soothing, interesting audiobook. It helps calm my mind, and it allows for a uniquely focused and peaceful listening experience, she adds. The rhythm of the storytelling, the emotions of its characters and the settings, along with the ideas and underpinnings that the work is based on all of these trigger something special in you. What it takes to read for audiobooks As the volume of work grows, many voice-over artists today are honing their skills to read for an audiobook. Riya Mukherjee, radio-jockey-cum-voice-over-artist, says it helps to be an avid reader. Mukherjee, who began her career as a behind-the-scenes copywriter with Times FM back in the 1990s and has recently done the narration for a diverse set of books, says: In non-fiction, youve got to connect with the information, while in fiction, youve got to connect with the emotion. Mukherjee has lent her voice over the last few years to Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhars Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography (HarperCollins, 2022), Ira Saxena and Nilima Sinhas Indias Freedom Story (HarperCollins, 2021), and Anita Krishnans Ghosts of the Silent Hills: Stories Based on True Hauntings (Fingerprint! Publishing, 2019). Another requirement, Mukherjee says, is that if the narrator does not understand what they are reading, then how will the listener? Which is not to say that the reader needs to be an expert in the field. If you read the papers, if you read random magazines, if you read fiction/non-fiction, then what happens is that (even) if it is not a subject you are deeply into, it should at least be a subject that you can get curious about, she said. I am generally curious, she says, reflecting on why she hasn't limited herself to any one subject-matter, and gone on to voice a history textbook as well as ghost stories. Increasingly on platforms such as Storytel and Audible, audiobooks are not just an oral version of a book. According to Shailesh Sawlani, Director - Audible, their Amazon-partnered audio platform has seen a 39 percent growth in its paid listening hours and also a 30 percent increase in its catalogue size during 2022. Our talent base has grown and spanned across authors, celebrities, producers and influencers, he says. Curiosity has led audiobook publishers and artists alike to innovate, from fiction to non-fiction and from history to biography and business to sexual health. This is what has led to growth in this sector. Traditional publishers, too, instead of licensing away the rights to a studio for an audiobook, are now producing some audiobooks themselves. Intellectual property rights for audiobooks In the beginning of the pandemic, we began producing audiobooks ourselves, says Arcopol Chaudhuri, Executive Editor - Rights & New Media, HarperCollins Publishers India, adding that this became hugely profitable for them during the first lockdown when audiobook sales shot up at a time when Amazon was forced to restrict delivery of goods to essential items, and physical books could not be bought or sold for many weeks. When we would earlier license out rights to platforms, the platforms would themselves produce the audiobooks. In licensing, what happens is that, say, I license the rights to Audible, they will produce the audiobook and make it available on Audible only. However, we felt that restricting an audiobook to one platform alone was not such a good idea, because someone has a subscription somewhere, someone doesnt have a subscription somewhere, Chaudhuri says. We are still primarily a print-book-led publisher though, Chaudhuri adds. But we are also slowly and consciously becoming aware of the fact that stories are becoming platform-agnostic. So, if a story is pitched to us and we realise that, hey, this is not meant to be a physical book, we may find that we can do a lot more with it if we directly publish it as an audiobook, he adds. This has helped Harper reach a wider audience with its audiobooks, but it has also allowed them to commission more content across mediums. This has also made book publishers and audio streaming platforms more equal competitors in this market. So which audiobook titles do well in India? Sachin Sharma, Executive Editor of HarperCollins Publishers, says: ...business books make for good audiobooks, especially when talking about personal finance, self-help, leadership and business memoirs. But a technical business book may not always be a good listening experience. Take, for example, Daniel Kahnemans Thinking, Fast and Slow, a book with plenty of illustrations. Presenting illustrations in an audible format is impossible. Thats the reason why narrative innovation is crucial. In order to make technical concepts interesting without visuals, the writing must be engaging, captivating, and easy to understand, as Riya Mukherjee had also observed. In the bigger turn, anybody who likes longer stories and has a phone would be a target audience for audiobooks, says Yogesh Dashrath, Country Manager, Storytel India. Dashrath says that while personal development and romance are leading genres on Storytel, given how crime and romance are global favourites too, audiobook-listening patterns in India still reflect traditional book-reading trends. Sound effects / SFX Just as movies have VFX (visual effects), audiobooks, radio shows, podcasts and films can employ SFX (sound effects). Audiobook publishers and producers are increasingly realising that sound effects (SFX) can make the listening experience more enriching, especially where a voice-over narrative is not sufficient for the work. Natasha Kapur, Senior Vice President - Marketing and Digital at Penguin Random House India, says theyve brought in special sound effects in many audiobooks of their childrens titles, some of which are extremely picture-heavy too (such as those by celebrity childrens author Sudha Murthy). We are creating a lot of music and visual sound effects for these books in order to make them even more exciting, says Kapur. Nasscom co-founder Harish Mehta, whose autobiography The Maverick Effect became popular in 2022, is excited to see an audiobook version of his book despite the fact that he still hasnt found the right voice-over narrator for it. Yet, its not just about voice and a linear narration for a tech entrepreneur like Mehta, who brings his journey to life through witty anecdotes in his book. Mehta, whose expertise lies in artificial intelligence, says that technology will make many more things possible in the times to come. You can now do special effects in just a second, he said, citing the example of Bahubali, where the experience of descriptive elements of nature, such as waterfalls and mountains, were all brought out through sound effects. This kind of sensory convergence between VFX (visual effects) and SFX (sound effects) is the future for many international audiobook publishers such as Penguin Random House and HarperCollins. The same things can be done on 5G now, using cloud, says Mehta. That kind of computing power and speed will be available very soon and it will entirely change the creativity part of the media world. Because, while listening to a great narration can be an amazing audio reading experience, it is only the power of innovative sound editing that can transplant us into the fantastic visual worlds of books and literature. Rahul Gandhi, who was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, changed his Twitter bio to "Dis'Qualified MP". The word play on the social media site comes after a court in Gujarats Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. The disqualification will bar the Congress leader, a four-time MP, from contesting polls for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction. Rahul Gandhi, 52, claimed that the action against him was taken because Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "scared of his next speech in Parliament on the Adani issue and alleged that the "whole game was to distract people from the issue and the panic the government was feeling over the matter. , , #20000CroreKiskeHain pic.twitter.com/LO0tsYZTlk Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 25, 2023 The Congress has said that Rahul Gandhi is not alone and millions of Congressmen and people irrespective of their political affiliations will join him in this fight for truth and justice. The party organised a day-long 'Satyagraha in front of Gandhi statues at all states and district headquarters on Sunday to protest against the disqualification. The satyagraha began at 10 am and is scheduled to end at 5 pm. LIVE: Sankalp Satyagraha, Raj Ghat, New Delhi. https://t.co/ElTyxe5nC3 Congress (@INCIndia) March 26, 2023 Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took the stage during the protest at Raj Ghat in the national capital. Meanwhile, a plea has been filed in the Supreme Court (SC) challenging the validity of Section 8(3) of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951 under which Rahul Gandhi was disqualified. The plea states that automatic disqualification restrains the members from freely discharging their duties cast upon them by the voters of their respective constituency, which is against the principles of democracy. Read more: My name is not Savarkar, Gandhi doesn't offer apology to anyone: Rahul Gandhi In the summer of 2009, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was interning, for none other than Facebook -- one of his platform's biggest competitors today. Chew leads the short video sharing app whose popularity has exploded in recent years, leaving Facebook and Instagram scrambling to catch up. During his tenure, TikTok became the most downloaded app in 2022, clocking 672 million downloads, according to consumer insights platform Statista. Its popularity has led Facebook to turn attention to short video content. Interestingly, Chew has history with Facebook. He took up a summer internship with the company, while studying at Harvard Business School. I was working for a startup that summer," Chew was quoted as saying on the alumni website. It was called Facebook. After graduating from Harvard, Singapore-born Chew started as partner at the Hong Kong-based DST Investment Management, one the world's biggest investment firms. After five years at DST, he moved to China to serve as consumer electronics giant Xiaomi's director and international president. He stayed there for nearly five years and then joined TikTok as its CEO. TikTok has enjoyed immense success, attaining a billion monthly users in 2021. But the app, owned by Chinese corporation ByteDance, has also landed in political controversies. It has been banned from government devices in Canada and EU countries. India has placed a nationwide ban on it. In the US, TikTok faces the possibility of a ban, with lawmakers alleging it poses a threat to national security, besides carrying mental health risks. Potential TikTok ban sends advertisers scrambling This week, TikTok's CEO was grilled by American lawmakers about the app's links with China. "ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government and is a private company," Chew told lawmakers during his testimony. "We believe what's needed are clear transparent rules that apply broadly to all tech companies -- ownership is not at the core of addressing these concerns." The US administration will have to approach the TikTok ban carefully, as it will be blocking 150 million Americans from their favourite app. Its 4 pm on a warm March afternoon. Our jeep is slowly trailing behind a tigress, whom the local guides and drivers fondly call Pedwalli. Her love for climbing trees as a cub earned her this moniker. Shes the boss in these woods. Theres a swag in her walk, and a quick flick of her tail lets you know shes done with you. A sniff here and a quick scent marking there, and shes off into the dense canopy of trees by the road. Its our first safari in Uttarakhands famous Jim Corbett National Park. If youve ever planned a trip, chances are you too were told to abandon all hope ye who enter here. Many have returned without a tiger sighting. The forests of Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh or Tadoba in Maharashtra are probably far safer bets for spotting the elusive big cat. Its because unlike many other tiger reserves in the country, the landscape at Corbett is not dominated by flat, dry lands. Therein lies its charm. Depending on the zone you pick, you could be navigating steep ascents and descents, or gazing at grasslands that go on for as far as the eyes can see. Rivulets from the Ramganga river snake through parts of the park and the Kalagarh dam is nearby for animals seeking out water on a hot summer day. Stars in stripes What locals take pride in, however, is the parks contribution to wildlife conservation. It is Indias first-ever national park, established in 1936. This was also where the ambitious species conservation programme, Project Tiger, was launched on April 1, 1973. It made Corbett National Park one of the countrys first nine tiger reserves. The draft for tiger conservation, which is now applied to every other reserve in the country, comes from here. At last count, there are 252 tigers spread over 1288.31 sq km of the reserve. But tourists can spot a lot more than the majestic big cat. There are 55 mammal species in the park, including the leopard, bear, large herds of Asian elephants, and even sambar, barking and hog deer. Sightings of the yellow-throated marten and otters are rare but possible. We saw neither, but did get a glimpse of the fish-eating gharial - a critically endangered reptile - basking on the banks of a rivulet. Its one of Corbetts many success stories. In 1966, the creation of the Ramganga reservoir had led to the submergence of sandy beaches and resulted in a decline of the parks gharial population. Captive-bred individuals from Kukrail Forest Reserve were introduced in the 1980s to support the natural population in the Ramganga. As of 2022, there are 116 gharials in Corbett and it remains one of three important breeding grounds for them. There have been setbacks too. Wild dogs, striped hyena and the Indian fox that were listed in the National Park at the time of its formation can no longer be found here. Chowsingha and swamp deer that were often seen outside the park have now completely disappeared from the region. A lone swamp deer was last sighted in the Dikhala zone in 1977. Tourist attraction The park also brings in birders from all over the country and abroad. There are 600 avian species to be spotted here - from the common grey heron and cormorant to the rare Hodgsons bushchat and great slaty woodpecker. We lucked upon a fish owl and her baby, peeking out of their nest in a tree trunk, and a crested serpent eagle scanning the grasslands for prey. The Royal Bengal tiger, however, remains the main attraction. To give tourists the best chance to sight one, Corbett is divided into multiple ecotourism zones. Some are open throughout the year; others close during the rainy season. Authorities at the park ensure that the impact of tourism is low on the core forest. Safaris into zones such as Dikhala, which is among the oldest parts of Corbett, have to be booked online days in advance and usually, at a premium rate. Limited jeeps are allowed, and to be able to go on a safari within Dikhala, you need to have a night reservation at a forest rest house within the park. Guides insist that you can sight the tiger in almost every zone, and frequently at Jhirna and Bijrani. The beauty of Dikhala, however, is unmatched, with large grasslands, dense sal forests, and crisscrossing rivulets of the Ramganga dominating the landscape. If you enjoy the serenity that comes from just being in a forest, this is where you need to be. Its while we were taking in its beauty that we spotted our second big cat - a male this time, walking in the grasslands. Watching him walk freely on his home turf is proof of Project Tigers resounding success. As per the last census, the number of big cats in the wild has almost doubled - from 1,411 in 2006 to 2,697 in 2018. Indias now home to nearly two-thirds of the worlds tiger population. Impressive, to say the least. The road ahead Yet, the dangers to our national animal are very real. Loss of habitat, genetic isolation due to disappearing tiger corridors, disease, territorial fights and even poaching pose severe threats to the endangered species long-term survival. Just in 2022, 121 tigers were reported dead in the country. While forest officials say the rise in tiger population also increases deaths due to natural causes and animal conflict, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has expedited its investigation to decode the high death toll. 2023, however, could be a landmark year for the tiger and Corbett Tiger Reserve. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to kick off celebrations in April to mark 50 years of Project Tiger with the release of the 2022 tiger census, and other announcements. The timing could not have been better. A renewed interest in Project Tiger might just be the booster shot tiger conservation in India needs. It will ensure that Pedwalli and her future generations thrive in the forests in Corbett and around the country for years to come. Getting there Corbett National Park is well-connected by road and rail. It is a five to six-hour drive from Delhi. The closest station is Ramnagar, while Pantnagar Airport is 80km away. There are a wide range of resorts and hotels available, depending on your budget. Best time to visit March to June, if you wish to see the tiger. November to February is a good time to visit for birding. Visitors can book permits for jeep safaris and canter rides on the official website. The 30 women sat in wooden chairs, facing each other in a rectangular formation. At the front of the room was the ruling Communist Partys hammer and sickle logo, with a sign declaring the meetings purpose: Symposium of unmarried young women of the right age. Officials in Daijiapu, a town in southeast China, had gathered the women to sign a public pledge to reject high bride prices, referring to a wedding custom in which the man gives money to his future wifes family as a condition of engagement. The local government, describing the event earlier this year in a notice on its website, said it hoped people would abandon such backward customs and do their part to start a new civilized trend. As China faces a shrinking population, officials are cracking down on an ancient tradition of betrothal gifts to try to promote marriages, which have been on the decline. Known in Mandarin as caili, the payments have skyrocketed across the country in recent years averaging $20,000 in some provinces making marriage increasingly unaffordable. The payments are typically paid by the grooms parents. To curb the practice, local governments have rolled out propaganda campaigns such as the Daijiapu event, instructing unmarried women not to compete with each other in demanding the highest prices. Some town officials have imposed caps on caili or even directly intervened in private negotiations between families. The tradition has been met with growing public resistance as attitudes have shifted. Among more educated Chinese, particularly in cities, many are likely to see it as a patriarchal relic that treats women as property being sold to another household. In the rural areas where the custom tends to be more common, it has also fallen out of favor among poor farmers who must save several years of income or go into debt to get married. Even so, the governments campaign has drawn criticism for reinforcing sexist stereotypes of women. Chinese media outlets, in describing the problem of rising marriage payments, have often depicted women who seek big sums as being greedy. After the Daijiapu event went viral on social media, a flurry of commenters questioned why the burden of solving the problem fell on women. Some commenters urged officials to convene similar meetings for men to teach them how to be more equal partners in marriage. In China, as with most state policies regarding marriage, women are the central target, said Goncalo Santos, an anthropology professor who studies rural China at the University of Coimbra, in Portugal. Its a paternalistic appeal to women to maintain social order and harmony, to fulfill their roles as wives and mothers. Officials have acknowledged their limited ability to eliminate a custom that many families see as a marker of social status. In rural areas, neighbors may gossip about women who command low prices, questioning whether something is wrong with them, according to researchers who study the custom. The tradition is also linked to entrenched attitudes about the role of women as caregivers in families. In parts of rural China, the payment is still seen as a purchase of the brides labor and fertility from her parents, researchers say. Once married, the woman has typically been expected to move in with her husbands family, get pregnant and be responsible for housework, child raising and the care of her in-laws. But as the soaring cost of living has exposed gaps in Chinas social safety net, securing a high marriage payment can be a way for lower-income families with daughters to build savings for unexpected medical bills or other emergencies. And with parents living longer, some women are demanding higher prices as reimbursement for being the primary caregivers of the older generation, researchers say. Sociologists say a more effective way for the government to curb the tradition would be to put more funding toward child care and into health care for seniors. As more young Chinese delay or shun marriage altogether, their parents expectations around marriage payments are shifting, said Liu Guoying, 58, a matchmaker in Nanchang, the capital city of Jiangxi province, which is notorious for bride prices that can exceed $50,000. Parents eager to facilitate a smooth start to the marriage are increasingly passing the payment to the newlyweds as a gift, she said. Some parents so desperately want their daughters to be married, she said, that they are willing to settle for less cash as long as the prospective son-in-law treats their child well. Pity the hearts of the parents of the world, Liu said. A new generation of women, more educated than their parents, may also be playing a role in changing attitudes around the issue. A 2020 survey of around 2,000 people in China found that highly educated couples were less likely to pay bride prices, believing that loving each other was enough. But even for women like Luki Chan, 27, who went to college, an opportunity her mother never had, escaping the pressure of hometown traditions can be difficult. Chan grew up in a mountainous region of Fujian, a province in southeast China where marriage payments are often high. Her mother expects to receive at least $14,000 from the groom when Chan gets married, she said, as repayment for the money she spent on her schooling. Now, Chan is building her own career in Shanghai as a theater producer and is in the process of registering for marriage documents with her Taiwanese boyfriend. Chan fears that when her parents find out, their demands for a bride price will ultimately prevail. Chan rejects the tradition, regarding it as tantamount to being sold. When I see the patriarchal system that exploits women, and the misogynistic marriage customs, I am very scared to discuss marriage with my family, she said. (Author: Nicole Hong and Zixu Wang)/(c.2021 The New York Times Company) WASHINGTON Canada last week upped its commitment to protecting the Great Lakes, but the $420 million in funding promised in Canadian dollars over a decade still falls far short of what the U.S. plans on spending. The commitment in funding from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau comes after years of comparatively minimal investments north of the border that has left pollution untreated in some places and mired the agency that manages the Great Lakes fishery in a state of dysfunction. That being the case, Cameron Davis, the U.S. Great Lakes "czar" during the Obama administration who oversaw the formation of the big-money U.S. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, greeted Trudeau's Friday announcement not with joy, but with questions. "Will all of this be additional (new) money? Or will some of it be repackaged existing funds?" Davis asked via email. "What will the money be spent on? Who will be in charge of administering it so that it goes toward its intended purposes?" North of the border, Mark Mattson, president of Swim Drink Fish Canada, lauded the new Canadian investment in the lakes as "a significant commitment." But before the Trudeau announcement, Mattson acknowledged how far behind Canada has been in terms of caring for the world's largest body of fresh water. "It's a shared responsibility, but we've not been sharing that responsibility very well," he said in an interview. Trudeau's commitment Announced on Friday during President Biden's trip to Ottawa, Trudeau's commitment of new Great Lakes funding was brief and lacking in details. "The Great Lakes are a source of drinking water for 40 million people, and this shared resource needs to be protected," Trudeau said. "This is why Canada will make a major new investment of $420 million to continue safeguarding the Great Lakes for generations to come." Still, the Canadian commitment pales in comparison to what the U.S. plans on spending. In U.S. dollars, the Canadian commitment adds up to about $306 million, or about $30 million a year. Meanwhile, under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative which is already resulted in the revitalization of the Buffalo River shoreline and other improvements on the U.S. side of the lakes funding is authorized at about $625 million for each of the next five years. The increase in funding on the Canadian side of the border comes after five years in which Canada spent about $6.6 million (USD) a year on its Great Lakes cleanup programs. That compares to about $300 annually in the U.S. By some measures, it makes sense that the U.S. would spend more on the lakes. The U.S. has 25 remaining "areas of concern" or toxic hot spots in the Great Lakes basin, including the Buffalo River and the Niagara River, where cleanup work remains. Canada, meanwhile, has only 14, including the Niagara River, Thunder Bay and Hamilton Harbor. The U.S. also has nearly three times more people who rely on drinking water from the lakes, government statistics show. But then again, Canada has about three times more shoreline. No matter how you look at all those numbers, environmentalists say one thing is clear. "It's really confounding and disappointing that Canada has not invested as it should," said Jill Jedlicka, executive director of Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper. The consequences Canada's lack of investment in the lakes has taken a toll that's hard to quantify, but there are signs of trouble in spots throughout the region. City officials in Hamilton reported earlier this year that they had detected a sewage leak that dumped an estimated 337 million liters of untreated waste into Lake Ontario over 25 years. It was the second such leak they detected in recent years. Closer to Buffalo, parts of the Lake Erie shoreline in Canada remains damaged from storms in recent years, said Vance Badawey, the member of the Canadian Parliament who represents the Niagara region. Before Trudeau's announcement, Badawey said in an interview that he worried about how the historic imbalance in funding might affect the fight against algae blooms and invasive species. Fish that end up in American waters could suffer from the lack of investment on the Canadian side, he added. "Let's face it: fish don't have passports," he noted. In addition, the cleanup of Canada's toxic hot spots has proceeded at a lagging pace, said Davis, the environmental lawyer who previously served as the U.S. Great Lakes czar. And amid tensions over funding, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission the binational body that oversees a $7 billion industry, including sport fishing hasn't met for months. The commission's American members have been boycotting its meetings because, they say, Canada has been diverting funds targeted to the agency and using millions of those dollars for other purposes. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Canadian agency charged with funding the commission, has been using up to 40% of that money for its own internal uses, said Greg McClinchey, the commission's director of policy and legislative affairs. Because of the funding stalemate, the commission has been unable to press forward on its fight against the sea lamprey, a key invasive species. "It's not a good situation," McClinchey said. Asked about the issue, a spokesperson for Fisheries and Oceans Canada insisted in a statement that the agency had provided adequate funding "to ensure that Canada meets its international treaty obligations to the commission and its contributions to the health of the Great Lakes fishery." Prodding from Congress While it's unclear whether the money Trudeau announced Friday will benefit the Great Lakes Fishery Commission or any other particular Great Lakes effort, his announcement won praise from officials who have been pressing Canada to do more. Trudeau's funding commitment came two weeks after Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat, and Rep. Bill Huizenga, a Michigan Republican, and seven other U.S. lawmakers wrote to Biden, asking him to press Canada to devote more funding to the lakes. Not surprisingly, then, both Higgins and Huizenga issued statements praising Trudeau's announcement. "Canadas commitment, combined with the major investments made by Congress, will deliver economic and environmental returns for generations to come," Higgins said. "Protecting the Great Lakes has strong bipartisan support in Congress and I am glad to see increased bilateral support between the United States and Canada to preserve these international waters as well," Huizenga said. Badawey, the member of Parliament from Port Colborne, also praised Trudeau's announcement. "I want to say thank you for the hard work of the people of Niagara and our friends and neighbors on the Canadian and American side of Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and all the Great Lakes who have been working for more dedicated funding for Canada fresh water," Badawey, a member of Trudeau's Liberal Party, said in a statement. For his part, though, Davis said he wasn't sure how solid Canada's newfound commitment to the lakes will be, given that the next Canadian election could result in a new government. Noting that Trudeau made a 10-year funding commitment to the lakes, Davis said: "What assurances exist that there will be a follow-through for the remaining nine years if there is a change in administration in the next year or two?" Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called on Saturday for an immediate and temporary halt to the far-right governments contentious plan to overhaul the judiciary, the first public dissent from within Prime Minister Benjamins coalition. Citing the need for dialogue with the opposition, Gallant asked Netanyahus coalition to wait until after the Jewish passover holiday that begins on April 5 before pushing ahead with its divisive plan to overhaul the judiciary. He said he is worried that the overhaul plans pose a threat to the countrys security. The plan has sparked the largest protest movement in Israels history, bringing thousands to face off against police in the streets weekly. "I will not take part in this," Gallant said, although did not elaborate on what would happen if the government pressed on. His statement indicated the first crack in Netanyahus coalition, the most right-wing government in Israeli history. In recent weeks, discontent over the overhaul has even surged from within the Israeli army - what Israelis consider to be the countrys most respected and unifying institution. A growing number of Israeli reservists have threatened to withdraw from voluntary duty in the past weeks, posing a broad challenge to Netanyahu as he plows ahead with the reform while on trial for corruption. USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age. *I agree to the processing of my personal information for personalized recommendations, personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites. I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS. (Optional). Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept The Indian Space Research Organisations heaviest LVM3 rocket on Sunday successfully placed 36 internet satellites of UK-based OneWeb group company into intended orbits. The 43.5 metre tall rocket blasted off at a prefixed time of 9 am today, from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre here, about 135 kms from Chennai, at the end of a 24.30 hour countdown. This is the second dedicated mission of NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation. ISRO had signed an agreement with Network Access Associates Ltd, United Kingdom, a OneWeb Group Company, for the launch of 72 satellites into Low-Earth orbits (LEO). The first batch of 36 satellites were launched on October 23, 2022 by ISRO, and the second batch today. OneWeb is a global communication network powered from space, enabling connectivity for governments and businesses. Soon after takeoff, the rocket sequentially deployed the satellites into multiple orbits. While the first set of 16 satellites were injected around 20 minutes after lift off, the remaining satellites were placed into intended orbits later. ISRO said, LVM3-M3/OneWeb India-2 mission is accomplished. All 36 OneWeb Gen-1 Satellites injected into the intended orbits. In its sixth consecutive successful flight, LVM3 carried 5,805 kgs of payload to Low Earth Orbit, the space agency said on its official social media account. The launch vehicle took off with a total payload of 5,805 kg at 9.00 hrs and gained the required altitude of 450 km in about nine minutes of flight, and achieved satellite injection conditions, ISRO said in a statement. OneWeb confirmed the acquisition of signals from all 36 satellites, it said. ISRO chairman S Somanath congratulated NSIL, ISRO and OneWeb for the successful launch of the mission. As we know today the first 16 satellites of the series are already placed into the right orbit. And now it has gone into the far south of the Earth and we will be getting confirmation of the remaining spacecraft separation soon, once the onboard storage data is acquired by our Indian ground stations. he said, addressing scientists at the Mission Control Centre. The launch was the 18th for OneWeb while for ISRO, it would be the second mission in 2023 after the successful launch of the SSLV/D2-EOS07 undertaken in February. Till now, based on observations, the vehicle has done extremely well, it went up to the right orbit and placed the spacecraft at the right orbit and also with very minimal disturbances to it, Somanath noted. Somanath expressed gratitude to NSIL for its support and also for the confidence that the OneWeb India team reposed in ISRO for building the rocket. Union Minister Jitendra Singh lauded ISRO for Sundays successful launch. Proud to be associated with the department of space #ISRO at a time when India under PM @NarendraModi has emerged as the frontline Space Tech nation of the world, he wrote on Twitter. Team ISRO adds yet another feather to its much decorated hat. Successful launch of LVM3-M3/OneWeb India-2 MIssion, the Union Minister of State (independent incharge) Science and Technology said. OneWeb now has 616 satellites in its fleet, which is more than enough to launch global services later this year. This mission marks OneWebs second satellite deployment from India, highlighting the collaboration between the United Kingdom and Indian space industries, the company said. The first set of satellite separation (comprising four of the 36 satellites) took place around 20 minutes after lift-off while the remaining were deployed into their respective orbits in phases later. NewSpace India Ltd Chairman and Managing Director D Radhakrishnan hailed the Indian space agency for undertaking a complex mission and being successful in it. He termed it a momentous day for NewSpace India Ltd. One special thing that we see in this particular mission is the cryogenic stage being used for such a complex manoeuvre to meet the requirements of OneWeb in deploying the 36 satellites," he said. "It is extremely challenging stuff that has been done and repeated here once again in this second mission." He thanked OneWeb for putting its faith in NSIL's capabilities. "I would say we are doubly happy that we are part of such a big journey that OneWeb has gone through in the last three years by deploying this particular satellite." The satellites after being placed into the low-earth orbits were divided among 12 planes at an altitude of about 1,200 km from the Earths surface. Each plane would be separated at an altitude of 4 km to prevent inter-plane collision, ISRO said. This is the sixth flight of LVM3, which was earlier known as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III (GSLV Mk III) with a cryogenic upper stage. It was deployed in five consecutive missions, including Chandrayaan-2. President Joe Biden early Sunday issued an emergency declaration for Mississippi, making federal funding available to Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe and Sharkey counties, the areas hardest hit Friday night by a deadly tornado that ripped through the Mississippi Delta, one of the poorest regions of the U.S. At least 25 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Mississippi as the massive storm ripped through several towns on its hour-long path. One man was killed after his trailer home flipped several times in Alabama. Search and recovery crews on Sunday resumed the daunting task of digging through the debris of flattened and battered homes, commercial buildings and municipal offices after hundreds of people were displaced. Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell was scheduled to visit the state on Sunday to evaluate the destruction. FEMA Coordinating Officer John Boyle has been appointed to oversee federal recovery operations. Following Bidens declaration, federal funding can be used for recovery efforts including temporary housing, home repairs, loans covering uninsured property losses and other individual and business programs, the White House said in a statement. The twister flattened entire blocks, obliterated houses, ripped a steeple off a church and toppled a municipal water tower. Even with recovery just starting, the National Weather Service warned of a risk of more severe weather Sunday including high winds, large hail and possible tornadoes in eastern Louisiana, south central Mississippi and south central Alabama. Based on early data, the tornado received a preliminary EF-4 rating, the National Weather Service office in Jackson said late Saturday in a tweet. An EF-4 tornado has top wind gusts between 166 mph and 200 mph (265 kph and 320 kph), according to the service. The Jackson office cautioned it was still gathering information on the tornado. The Friday night tornado devastated a swath of the 2,000-person town of Rolling Fork, reducing homes to piles of rubble, flipping cars on their sides and toppling the town's water tower. Other parts of the Deep South were digging out from damage caused by other suspected twisters. One man died in Morgan County, Alabama, the sheriff's department there said in a tweet. "How anybody survived is unknown by me, said Rodney Porter, who lives 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Rolling Fork. When the storm hit Friday night, he immediately drove there to assist in any way he could. Porter arrived to find 'total devastation' and said he smelled natural gas and heard people screaming for help in the dark. "Houses are gone, houses stacked on top of houses with vehicles on top of that," he said. Annette Body drove to the hard-hit town of Silver City from nearby Belozi to survey the damage. She said she was feeling 'blessed' because her own home was not destroyed, but other people she knows lost everything. "Cried last night, cried this morning," she said, looking around at flattened homes. "They said you need to take cover, but it happened so fast a lot of people didn't even get a chance to take cover." Storm survivors walked around Saturday, many dazed and in shock, as they broke through thickly clustered debris and fallen trees with chain saws, searching for survivors. Power lines were pinned under decades-old oaks, their roots torn from the ground. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves issued a state of emergency and vowed to help rebuild as he viewed the damage in a region speckled with wide expanses of cotton, corn and soybean fields and catfish farming ponds. He spoke with Biden, who also held a call with the state's congressional delegation. More than a half-dozen shelters were opened in Mississippi to house those who have been displaced. Preliminary information based on estimates from storm reports and radar data indicate the tornado was on the ground for more than an hour and traversed at least 170 miles (274 kilometers), said Lance Perrilloux, a meteorologist with the National Weather Services Jackson, Mississippi, office. "That's rare, very, very rare," he said, attributing the long path to widespread atmospheric instability. Perrilloux said preliminary findings showed the tornado began its path of destruction just southwest of Rolling Fork before continuing northeast toward the rural communities of Midnight and Silver City and onward toward Tchula, Black Hawk and Winona. The supercell that produced the deadly twister also appeared to produce tornadoes causing damage in northwest and north-central Alabama, said Brian Squitieri, a severe storms forecaster with the weather services Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. A group of Khalistan supporters gathered in front of the Indian Embassy here and many of their speakers tried to incite violence, but timely intervention by an alert US Secret Service and local police prevented a repeat of London and San Francisco incidents of vandalism at the mission. Separatist Sikhs, who gathered outside the Indian Embassy in downtown Washington DC on Saturday, heralded abusive language and openly threatened Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu. The Ambassador was not in the embassy at the time of the protest.Some of the speakers were seen inciting fellow protestors to indulge in violence and break the windows and glasses of the building across the road. In their speeches, most of the protestors were seen trying to incite violence not only in India but here as well, including physical damage to the Indian Embassy property. Sensing that things might go out of control, the Secret Service and the local police quickly brought in reinforcement and more forces were deployed and at least three police vans were placed in front of the Embassy. At one point of time, five protesters quickly crossed the road and were about to break into the temporary marker of the embassy property near the pole unfurling the tricolour before they were asked to leave. Secret Service personnel, who were closely watching this, in no time rushed to the spot and asked the protesters to go back to the designated protest area, before any untoward incident could happen. It appeared that the protesters had come prepared to do something similar like damaging Indian properties at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco and the Indian High Commission in London. After the attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco by pro-Khalistan protesters last Sunday, India had registered its 'strong protest' with the US Charge dAffaires in New Delhi over the incident and asked the American government to take appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. During protest by Khalistan supporters at the Indian Embassy in Washington, the PTI reporter saw separatists bringing two bundles of wooden sticks that were kept in the park that has the status of Mahatma Gandhi in front of the embassy. The wooden sticks were similar to those which were used to break the door and windows and smash the glasses of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. While one bundle was used to display the separatist flag, the other bundle of about 20 sticks was kept aside. Organisers of the protest had a very hostile approach towards the Indian reporter covering the protest. They not only obstructed this reporter by coming in front of the camera and placing the Khalistan flag on his face, kept pushing him, but also threatened dire consequences.The reporter, apprehending physical harm, called 911 and ran towards the other side of the road for safety, looking for a police van. One of the protesters abused the reporter and was asking questions like you have to tell me what are you going to report? The organiser backed off as the reporter complained to the police about the potentially harmful activities of the protesters. Sometime later, two of the protesters came towards the reporters, who were standing near the Secret Service personnel. One of them told the Secret Service that the reporter be asked to leave 'my land' which is federal property. They warned that if there is any violence and the reporter is physically harmed, they should not be blamed for this. Immediately the other protestor heralded abuse against the reporter, used unparliamentary words, and moved the two Khalistan flags that he had in his hand in such a way that its sticks hit the reporter's left ear with a bang. The Secret Service personnel asked the reporter if he was ok. The secret Service warned the protester that this should not be repeated, and sought additional reinforcement from police personnel. The law enforcement official told the protestors that this was public land, and the reporter was all within his right to stand there and cover their protest. In their speeches, the protesters repeatedly pointing fingers towards the two reporters and used abusive words against them. While they prevented the journalists from doing their work, a group of protesters filmed the reporter covering their protest, took pictures and asked provocative questions. The illegal tin mine was so remote that, for three years, the massive gash it cut into the Amazon rainforest had gone largely ignored. So when three mysterious helicopters suddenly hovered overhead, unannounced, the miners living there scrambled into the forest. By the time Brazils environmental special forces team piled out, the miners were out of sight, but the mines two large pumps were still vibrating in the mud. The federal agents began dousing the machines in diesel fuel. As they were set to ignite them, about two dozen Indigenous people came jogging out of the forest, carrying bows and arrows taller than them. They were from the Yanomami tribe, and the miners had been destroying their land and their tribe for years. But as the Yanomami arrived, they realized these new visitors were there to help. The agents were dismantling the mine and then promised to give the Yanomamis the miners supplies. Friends are not miners, no, said the only Yanomami man who spoke basic Portuguese, with other men crowding around. An explosion of illegal mining in this vast swath of the Amazon has created a humanitarian crisis for the Yanomami people, cutting their food supplies, spreading malaria and, in some cases, threatening the Yanomamis with violence, according to government scientists and officials. The miners use mercury to separate gold from mud, and recent analyses show that Yanomami rivers contain mercury levels 8,600% higher than what is considered safe. Mercury poisoning can cause birth defects and neurological damage. The infant mortality rate among the 31,000 Yanomamis in Brazil now exceeds those of war-torn and famine-stricken countries, with 1 in 10 infants dying, compared with about 1 in 100 in the rest of the country, according to government data. Many of those deaths are avoidable, caused by malnutrition, malaria, pneumonia, and other illnesses. Lots of diarrhea, vomiting, said the Yanomami man at the mine, who would not give a name. No health, no help, nothing. But now Brazils new leftist president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has made saving the Yanomamis his top priority in his push to halt the Amazons destruction. The government declared a state of emergency in January and has airlifted severely malnourished people out of villages, set up a checkpoint at a major waterway into the territory and hunted and destroyed active mines. While the miners began arriving in 2016, the crisis erupted under former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, who after being elected in 2018, cut staffing and funding for the agencies tasked with protecting the forest. The area illegally mined in the lush Yanomami territory quadrupled during his tenure to nearly 20 square miles, or roughly the size of New Yorks Manhattan borough, according to satellite data. On the one hand, youre happy because youre fighting environmental crimes again, said Felipe Finger, the head of Brazils environmental special forces team, who led the operation at the tin mine. On the other hand, its sad, because its been four years since the forest began bleeding and it bled a lot. The government is fighting a literal gold rush. Thousands of prospectors have invaded the land for gold and other precious metals, with a productive dig site yielding roughly 11 pounds of pure gold a week, or about $300,000 on the local black market. Researchers estimate that there are hundreds of active mines in Yanomami land. For their part, the Yanomamis at the mine had never heard of Lula or Bolsonaro, but they were clear that the miners had brought hardship. People is hungry, the Yanomami man said, as Finger lit the rumbling pumps on fire. Nearby, other agents were searching the miners shelter, a wood-plank cabin with a refrigerator, stove and two satellite internet dishes from Brazils state telecom company. (Agents had recently discovered other miners using devices from Starlink, a satellite internet service run by Elon Musk.) At the cabin, they also discovered a miner who had lingered too long. Edmilson Dias said he had been working at the mine for two months, originally arriving via helicopter, and made $1,000 a week. Now he was sitting on a stump, his hands behind his back, two camouflaged agents with long rifles at his side. Yet he remained defiant. To tell you the truth, Ill leave here and go to another mine, he said, adding that the money was too good to stop. It underscored that the government and Yanomamis fight against the miners had only just begun. Mining is a fever, he said. You cant end it. Worse Than It Ever Was Instead of months, the Yanomamis count moons, and instead of years, they track the harvests of the pupunha fruit. Evidence suggests that they have lived in the Amazon for thousands of harvests. And unlike many other Indigenous groups, their way of life still bears some resemblance to that of their ancestors. Across 370 remote forest villages, multiple families share large domed huts but tend their own plots of cassava, bananas and papaya. The men hunt and the women farm. And they do not interact much with the outside world. Their first sustained contact with white people, American missionaries, came in the 1960s. Shortly after, more Brazilians arrived, carried deeper into the Amazon by new roads and an appetite for gold. With contact came new diseases, and thousands of Yanomamis died. Things got worse in the 1980s when a gold rush brought more illness and violence. In response, in 1992, the Brazilian government protected about 37,000 square miles of the forest along the border with Venezuela for the Yanomamis, creating Brazils largest Indigenous territory, an expanse larger than Portugal. But by 2018, as Bolsonaro ran for president, prospectors were already rushing in again, driven by rising gold prices. Illegal mining soared and Bolsonaros administration largely watched. In the last four years, we have seen apathy, perhaps intentional, said Alisson Marugal, a federal prosecutor investigating the Bolsonaro administrations handling of the Yanomami territory. They failed to act, aware that they were allowing a humanitarian crisis to happen. Marugals office accuses Bolsonaros government of weakening the Indigenous health care system, exacerbating the crisis. Health workers were sometimes blocked from buying food for the Yanomamis, his office said in a complaint in November 2021. The government had previously decided it should provide 23 doctors for the Yanomamis, but by late 2021, there were 12. Bolsonaro has said his government carried out 20 operations to aid Indigenous groups, helping 449,000 people. Never has a government given so much attention and means to the Indigenous people as Jair Bolsonaro, he wrote on Twitter in January. Today, the plight of many Yanomami children is unmistakable: They are starving. Their skeletons are visible through their skin, their faces gaunt and their bellies swollen, a telltale sign of malnourishment. A recent government study found that 80% of Yanomami children were below average height and 50% were underweight. Dr. Paulo Basta, a government physician who has studied the Yanomamis for 25 years, said malnutrition among Yanomami children is worse than it ever was. During the Bolsonaro administration, 570 Yanomami children died of avoidable causes, such as malnutrition, diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria, up from 441 in the previous four years, according to data compiled by a Brazilian environmental news site, Sumauma. (The government has not kept consistent, accurate records.) Scientists and researchers say the health crisis has a clear cause. The mining clears trees, disrupts waterways, and transforms the landscape, scaring away prey and hurting crops. The mines standing water breeds mosquitoes, which help spread malaria that the miners bring in from the cities. The disease had once been largely rooted out among the Yanomamis. In recent years, virtually every member of the tribe has had it. And then there is the mercury seeping into the ground and the rivers. At a childrens hospital in Boa Vista, Brazil, a city outside the Yanomami territory, Yanomami families crowded into a room with 12 hammocks strung from the ceiling. Some children were being treated for severe malnourishment, others for malaria. A young mother in a hammock breastfed her 8-month-old daughter, who weighed just 6 pounds. The girl was receiving a blood transfusion and a feeding tube. Crops in the village were failing, her father said. Its difficult to get them to sprout, a translator relayed. He said he doesnt know why. I Sell It to Whomever At a nearby restaurant, Eric Silva reached over a table with a nearly half-pound chunk of solid gold. Silva, a gold trader, had bought it that day for roughly $10,000. The government, he said, would never be able to stop the hunt for such wealth. Its a cultural thing, he said. Since Brazils founding, ore has been extracted. Silva spent 22 years as a miner, until the government burned his machinery, costing him $115,000. But now he has reinvented himself and buys and sells about 9 pounds of gold a month, or about $230,000 on the black market. I sell it to whomever arrives and pays the best price, he said. Ive sold gold to the Americans, to the French. I dont know where they take it, but I know I sell it. While Yanomamis are dying, the gold industry is thriving. All mining is illegal in Roraima, the state that includes much of the Yanomami land, but the streets of Boa Vista are lined with gold shops. At the start of the governments operation against miners in January, officials estimated there were up to 20,000 people connected to illegal mining inside the Yanomami territory, including miners, cooks, pilots and prostitutes. During the gold rush in the same land 30 years ago, it took the government years to extract all the miners. Fingers special forces team now leads the battle to run illegal miners off Indigenous land. On the recent trip into the forest, they found a recently abandoned gold mine and the active mine harvesting cassiterite, the main ore to make tin. At both, the main goal was to destroy the expensive machinery. They also were looking for mercury, and at the miners cabin, Finger found it. He emerged angry, holding a small bottle of the shiny liquid. Dias, the miner who had lingered, was nonchalant. Thats not much, sir, he said. The agents instructed the Yanomami people, who had been watching, to help clear the cabin. They piled bags of flour, rice and beans alongside clothes, pillows and cookware. Then they carried everything, including a large speaker, back to their huts. The agents lit the cabin on fire, boarded the helicopters and took off. Dias was left behind, without supplies. On the ride out, spirals of smoke rose from below. It then quickly became clear that the mine was part of a much longer string of destruction, open pit after open pit. On each side was thick forest cleared in some spots to make room for a Yanomami shelter. (Author: Jack Nicas)/(c.2021 The New York Times Company) A Cheektowaga strip club owner slated to go to trial on charges of bribing a DEA agent and conspiring to engage in drug trafficking and human trafficking was arrested Friday on new charges after he was accused of sending threatening Facebook messages to a potential witness against him, according to federal court documents and his attorney. A grand jury indicted Peter G. Gerace Jr., 55, on three counts of witness tampering and one count of distribution of cocaine. He was arraigned Friday and was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals. He was being held in the Niagara County Jail, where federal prisoners are held over the weekend. He is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing Monday afternoon. Strip club owner can spend more time at work while awaiting trial, judge rules Peter G. Gerace Jr. has received a judges permission to spend more time supervising operations at his Cheektowaga strip club while awaiting federal trial on drug and bribery charges. His attorney, Steven M. Cohen, said it is his understanding that all four of the charges involved one witness "who I am very much looking forward to cross-examining under oath." Federal authorities surrounded Gerace's home in Clarence at about 7 a.m. Friday and called out to him on a bullhorn as they prepared to arrest him on a warrant on the new charges, Cohen said. Gerace is accused in the court documents of three instances of "tampering with a witness" who is identified only as "Witness 1," all reportedly taking place on Nov. 19, 2019. The indictment against Gerace accuses him of "sending intimidating, threatening, and harassing Facebook messages to Witness 1 with the intent to influence, delay, and prevent the testimony of Witness 1 in an official proceeding, that is a federal grand jury investigation and subsequent criminal proceedings involving the defendant, Peter Gerace Jr." He is also charged with a single count of distributing cocaine. Cohen denied all of the charges and wondered whether the federal government's case against his client was in jeopardy. "We are not at all surprised that the U.S. Attorney is attempting to bring additional charges now. It has become apparent that there's no direct evidence against Peter" that he is facing in June in court, Cohen said Saturday. Gerace, owner of Pharaohs Gentlemens Club, was arrested in February 2021 on the bribery, drug and human trafficking charges and was released on conditions that included meeting regularly with a federal probation officer and wearing an ankle monitor to track his movements. Prosecutor voices concern for safety of witnesses in Buffalo trial involving organized crime allegations About 100 people will testify at the trial, and there are safety concerns about seven, eight or nine of the witnesses, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi told U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. on Friday. Earlier this year, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi said he was worried about the safety of some of the witnesses who will testify in the upcoming trial of Gerace and retired U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrative Agent Joseph S. Bongiovanni. About 100 people will testify at the trial, and there are safety concerns about seven, eight or nine of the witnesses, Tripi told U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. in January. Tripi made no claims that anyone had been threatened, but said there were some witnesses who could face danger if local criminals including those who have nothing to do with Bongiovanni or Gerace found out they were cooperating with law enforcement. Tripi told the judge that he hoped to keep some of the witnesses names secret from defense lawyers and the public past May 10, the date Sinatra has set for him to submit a witness list to the court. That would be roughly six weeks before the trial is scheduled to begin on June 21. Six weeks is a long time (for someone) to be whispered a name, and to be sent on a mission, Tripi said. Prosecutors can keep witnesses secret for now in bribery case tied to organized crime U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. ruled Monday that prosecutors may identify some witnesses only as "protected witness" because of concerns about their safety until May 10, and perhaps beyond then. Cohen and James P. Harrington, who represents Bongiovanni, told the judge they needed the names of witnesses and information on expected testimony as soon as possible, so they could prepare to defend their clients. In January, Cohen criticized Tripi for suggesting witnesses could be in danger without offering proof. He said his client has never threatened any witness. He cant just say it that my client poses a danger, Cohen said. They have to show cause. Bongiovanni is accused of taking $250,000 in bribes to help protect Gerace and others whom prosecutors say he believed were associated with Italian organized crime from being investigated and arrested. Gerace is accused of bribing Bongiovanni and conspiring to engage in drug trafficking and human trafficking at his strip club. Bongiovanni was arrested in November 2019, five months after a raid at his Town of Tonawanda home. He had retired from the DEA after learning that he was under investigation. News staff reporters Dan Herbeck and Ben Tsujimoto contributed to this report. March 26, 2023 The MoA Week In Review - (Not Ukraine) OT 2023-71 Last week's post on Moon of Alabama: --- Other issues: Well, who previously praised those guys? 'Disinformation': People Can Win - Matt Taibbi We've been trained to think that endless rule by tiny minorities of really horrible people is the natural order of things, but that turns out to be just another lie We've been trained to think that endless rule by tiny minorities of really horrible people is the natural order of things, but that turns out to be just another lie Mask-Off: US Reveals Real Intentions in Ukraine. Plus: Reporter Anya Parampil Confirms NSA Spied on Tucker - Glenn Greenwald Shipping: Aukus: Use as open (not Ukraine related) thread ... Posted by b on March 26, 2023 at 13:19 UTC | Permalink Comments next page Officials took a step forward testing continuous methane monitoring technology earlier this month. On March 10, World View launched a stratospheric balloon from the greater El Paso area to evaluate technology from Scepter Inc. on behalf of ExxonMobil The balloon launched from the El Paso area to a target altitude between 50,000 and 70,000 feet, traveled east where it touched down in a remote area east of the Val Verde Basin after a five to eight-hour flight. Technicians with ExxonMobil, World View and Scepter continue to analyze the data, a process expected to take a few weeks. But additional test flights are expected in the coming weeks. The flight is all part of ExxonMobils continuous methane monitoring program and is part of the oil giants long-term plan to deploy satellite technology to monitor and detect methane emissions. The test flight was part of ExxonMobils eight-month campaign to evaluate 30 emissions-detecting technologies. The first satellite deploying Scepters technology is expected to launch next year, increasing to 24 satellites over three years, forming a large constellation network capable of monitoring operations around the world. ExxonMobils goal is to achieve net zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its Permian Basin assets by 2030 and company-wide across its operated assets by 2050. As part of that campaign, the company has opened its Center for Operations and Methane Emissions Tracking in Houston to monitor sensors in the Permian Basin continuously 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Once deployed, the technology will be available to other oil and gas companies wishing to utilize the data provided by the satellite network. I was an early adopter of the idea that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) could beat Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination; I even put him ahead of Trump in my rankings as the most likely GOP nominee as far back as August 2022. Virtually everything in the six months that followed seemed to bolster that view. DeSantis was never regarded as a heavy favorite, but he rose steadily; he sometimes led Trump in head-to-head matchups in the polls, and his 19-point reelection victory in November - coupled with Trump's very bad midterm Election Day - felt like it could be a turning point. I'm less convinced now. It's not that DeSantis's national launch - his book tour - has been a disaster. It's not the notion that Trump would get a shot in the arm from an indictment. Nor is it just the two new high-quality polls showing Trump suddenly gaining on DeSantis since last month (although that's certainly notable and worth monitoring). Rather, it's that the Trump-usurper armor has shown some early cracks. DeSantis once could do no wrong, it seemed, and that threatened Trump. But the past two weeks delivered something of a reality check. DeSantis last week drew attention - and some pretty harsh rebukes from his party - by seemingly telling Fox News's Tucker Carlson what Carlson wanted to hear about Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While DeSantis had been hawkish enough on the Russia-Ukraine issue when he was in Congress, he suddenly labeled it a "territorial dispute" and emphasized the lack of a "vital U.S. interest" in further American involvement. DeSantis has walked it back, calling Vladimir Putin a "war criminal" and saying something he curiously didn't say in his statement last week - that the invasion was wrong. Perhaps most striking, DeSantis suggested that his "territorial dispute" comment had been misunderstood. He said it was a reference to the fact that eastern Ukraine includes many ethnic Russians. "It wasn't that I thought Russia had a right to that, and so if I should have made that more clear, I could have done it," DeSantis said. Politicians who admit that they failed to speak clearly should be commended. But the idea that DeSantis didn't know how "territorial dispute" would land is difficult to stomach. Despite GOP defenses suggesting that maybe this state-level pol just didn't yet know what he was talking about on foreign policy, he did serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee during his six years in the House. There also was DeSantis's "vital interest" line and the lack of any real condemnation of Russia by him. He had responded to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2015 by saying we should have given Ukraine both offensive and defensive weapons; this time, he said no to giving Ukraine weapons that could be used "to engage in offensive operations beyond its borders." DeSantis's shifting comments on Ukraine feel more like a miscalculation than a change of heart - the actions of a guy who said what he thought was the right answer, politically speaking, and soon decided it wasn't the right answer. The Ukraine flap doesn't mean DeSantis is suddenly a bad candidate. But it reinforces a difference between him and Trump: While Trump could say pretty much anything he wanted to and the GOP would contort itself to remain molded in his image, this suggests DeSantis doesn't wield the same kind of power. And if you're running against someone like Trump, that is a distinct disadvantage. For these reasons, we're dropping DeSantis below Trump on our list for the first time since August. The gap is not big and the situation is, of course, dynamic; we're awaiting some big news on Trump, after all. But for now, some of the DeSantis luster is gone. Below are our rankings of the 10 people from among whom the 2024 GOP nominee is likely to emerge. As usual, they are in order of likeliness to be nominated, which takes into account both how likely they are to run - or that they're already running - and their formidability if they do. Others worth mentioning: Former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, former White House national security adviser John Bolton, former congresswoman Liz Cheney (Wyo.), former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, former congressman Will Hurd (Tex.). 10. Vivek Ramaswamy: Points are obviously awarded here for actually being in the race. The biotech entrepreneur, one of three reasonably well-known declared candidates, also has demonstrated a knack for gaining right-wing media attention in his campaign against "woke"-ism. Don't be surprised if you see him one day on a debate stage; the challenge from there is making enough people think he's viable. (Previous ranking: n/a) 9. Kristi L. Noem: After our last rankings, the South Dakota governor told CBS News, "I'm not convinced that I need to run for president." But last month, she was more coy when asked a similar question. Also worth noting: Axios recently listed Noem and three other women as being among those from among whom Trump is considering picking a running mate. (Previous ranking: 10) 8. Chris Sununu: To the extent the 2024 GOP primary contains a formidable candidate arguing for a significant break from Trumpism, the New Hampshire governor appears the most likely possibility. Others have bowed out (ex-Maryland governor Larry Hogan) or don't really appear to have a shot (Bolton, Cheney). What's particularly interesting about Sununu, though, is that he's also arguing for a different course from the one offered by the other front-runner, DeSantis, who Sununu suggests is too willing to wield the power of government to crack down on supposed "woke" private entities. There probably isn't a market for this more-staid, traditional brand of conservatism, but Sununu would be a fascinating candidate to watch. (Previous ranking: 8) 7. Mike Pompeo: The former secretary of state came out relatively strongly against Trump this month. He obliquely criticized Trump not just for his poor recent electoral track record but also on a personal level. "We can't become the left, following celebrity leaders with their own brand of identity politics - those with fragile egos who refuse to acknowledge reality," he said at the Conservative Political Action Conference. He added: "We can't shift blame to others but must accept the responsibility that comes to those of us who step forward and lead." Expect to hear more where that came from, because Pompeo appears likely to run. (Previous ranking: 7) 6. Glenn Youngkin: The Virginia governor has now seen a top political adviser jump ship to another potential candidate, with Jeff Roe joining DeSantis's political operation. That could be seen merely as a move to a more formidable candidate. But The Washington Post's Michael Scherer and Hannah Knowles also reported that Youngkin recently seemed "uninterested in entertaining questions about a run for national office" during a recent donor retreat in Georgia. (Previous ranking: 5) 5. Nikki Haley: The good news for the former South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is that she's competing with Mike Pence in polls for the top non-Trump and non-DeSantis spot. The bad news is that still means she's around 5 percent. Haley has carved out early ground as perhaps the most hawkish potential 2024 candidate on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And many Republicans still think that helping Ukraine is important. But unless that becomes a much more prominent issue in the primary - and to the extent that DeSantis tacks toward the middle on it - it's not clear it will matter much. (Previous ranking: 8) 4. Mike Pence: Sometimes a quote about someone sticks with you. In his new article on the awful things Republicans in focus groups say about the former vice president, the Atlantic's McKay Coppins offered this very insightful line: ". . . In creating a permission structure for voters to excuse Trump's defective character and flouting of religious values, Pence was unwittingly making himself irrelevant. In effect, he spent four years convincing conservative Christian voters that the very thing he had to offer them didn't matter." (Previous ranking: 4) 3. Tim Scott: The senator from South Carolina is not polling like the top alternative to Trump and DeSantis; he's usually stuck with all the others around 1 percent. But he's doing just about everything you'd expect a would-be candidate to do, and he's someone you can see emerging as a credible alternative to Trump - especially if DeSantis does flame out or just fades. Perhaps nobody in the field could drive the kind of happy-warrior message Scott appears likely to go with. His presence in the 2024 race could also be unusual in another way: He well might be the only senator. (Previous ranking: 3) 2. Ron DeSantis: See above. (Previous ranking: 1) 1. Donald Trump: See above. (Previous ranking: 2) Jones Elementary School Principal Angie Aron has been named TEPSAN of the Year by the Texas Elementary School Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA). This is the second time Aron has been named TEPSAN of the Year for Region 18. Her first honor came in 2018 when she was principal at Burnet Elementary. "This is such a great honor," Aron said. "We have so many worthy principals in Region 18, and to be chosen a second time as the region's top elementary principal is surreal." Aron has been a principal for nearly two decades. When asked about what it takes to be successful in this role, she said it comes down to surrounding yourself with a great team and constantly learning. "When you stop learning, you stop thriving," Aron said. "I'm constantly learning myself, and I strive to maintain a vision focused on keeping everyone at Jones Elementary moving forward. Students, teachers, staff, parents and the community: We all succeed together." Members from 20 regions across Texas honor their colleagues annually for outstanding service to the association. Award recipients must be committed to advancing principalship and the association, as well as serving as a voice for all Texas students. "On behalf of MISD, we are incredibly proud of the work Angie has done at Jones Elementary," MISD Superintendent Stephanie Howard said. "To be recognized by her peers at TEPSAN of the Year is not only a testament to her talent as a campus leader, but her selfless sacrifice in ensuring the students at Jones receive a great education." Aron and other winners will be honored in June at an award ceremony in Round Rock. News / National by Staff reporter GOVERNMENT yesterday handed over its donation of 300 tonnes of mealie meal to Malawi to assist the country in coping with the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy, which hit parts of Southern Africa early this month.Speaking during the handover ceremony at the Grain Marketing Board Aspindale depot in Harare yesterday, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador James Manzou said Zimbabwe will mobilise more support and aid for Malawi."We are here today to witness the sendoff of 300 metric tonnes of maize meal, which His Excellency, President Mnangagwa, has donated to his Malawian colleague, His Excellency, President (Lazarus) Chakwera, after the devastating cyclone which hit that country," said Ambassador Manzou."This is a sign of solidarity, a sign of support."The people of Zimbabwe and Malawi are one."Therefore, we stand with them in times of need and also in good times."This is a small gesture from Zimbabwe to our brothers and sisters."Efforts are ongoing to continue mobilising more donations because the situation demands we all put our hands and efforts together."He said President Mnangagwa will hold a meeting with captains of industry this week at State House to facilitate mobilisation of more resources for the people of Malawi.Malawi Ambassador to Zimbabwe Dr Mwayiwawo Polepole expressed gratitude to President Mnangagwa for the donation.He said: "I want to express my gratitude to the President of Zimbabwe, who mobilised these resources after hearing about the devastating effects of Cyclone Freddy from his brother, Dr Chakwera. I would like to thank President Mnangagwa for his overwhelming support."This is a huge gesture and the people of Malawi appreciate the gesture very much."Government has set up a disaster relief committee, led by Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo, to draw up a comprehensive assistance package for Malawi. Staff Reporter Richelle obtained a bachelor of arts degree in mass communications from the Far Eastern University in Manila, the Philippines. She was a junior reporter for Marianas Variety from 2009 to 2010, and from 2014 to 2015. In the Maldives, she worked as a news reporter and marketing executive. In her free time, shes a painter, pianist, and mom baker. An aerial view of destroyed homes after thunderstorms spawning high straight-line winds and tornadoes ripped across the state in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, March 25, 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko observe training launches of ballistic missiles as part of the exercise of the strategic deterrence force, in Moscow, Russia Feb. 19, 2022. Treatment of animals is a top priority for those that are raising and showing animals at county fairs throughout the state. The Youth for the Quality Care of Animals is a course that teaches care of animals and life skills to the students in 4-H and is a required course each year. Emily Sidwell, 4-H Extension Program coordinator, said it is a required online or in-person course and certification program that all students in the program receive. "It covers the ethics and etiquette and how to care for animals properly," Sidwell said. "The program was recently changed and overlooks all species of animals. All counties in the state of Illinois require exhibitors to complete the course if they are participating in animal projects." During the 2019-20 showing year, the state began requiring the program's completion prior to any entries for any livestock shows. From the training, health, food and treatment of the animals, Sidwell said each student who is showcasing an animal must learn how to properly care for it. This is a reoccurring program, however, Sidwell said there are other programs that students can take in addition to this one that are one-time programs that deal with smaller animal species. "The state sets this requirement, but I think it is important to understand the role you play in the agricultural industry," Sidwell said. "If you are going to show animals, you have to understand why it's important to show care and respect to the animals." Though the course is to help teach student exhibitors about the safety and care of the animal, Sidwell said it also helps ensures the safety of food production. "There are three main areas: animal wellbeing, food safety and life skills," Sidwell said. "This year we are covering vet care." The documentation and proper care of an animal is necessary to ensure the safety of the animal, but also to make sure there are no unknown chemicals or medicines in the animal that could be unsafe to humans during consumption. "It goes over what to do when an animal gets sick, the importance of reading the label and understanding the medicine they are using," Sidwell said. The life skills portion of the program also teaches the telling of the student's and animal's story. "It talks about the 'elevator pitch' and sharing the member's story, advocating for yourself and the animal," Sidwell said. Sidwell said it is important for 4-Hers and other to learn these skills, even if they go on to non-agriculture-related jobs. "We work with them on how they present themselves, which is important when you are sharing your goals," Sidwell said. "That transitions into other things." News / National by Staff reporter Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) councillors in Bulawayo have blamed the government and Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) for the ongoing water crisis in the city.In a statement released Friday, the councillors said the electricity company should exempt areas that house pump stations from load shedding.They (councillors) also noted that the government's reluctance to declare the water challenges in the city a national disaster is a deliberate move not to address the situation.Bulawayo residents are struggling with water shortages and earlier this week, BCC said the major challenge is power cuts as they only have 8-10 hours to pump water from reservoirs."Bulawayo residents have gone for three weeks without water at a time when cholera is wreaking havoc in other parts of Zimbabwe. The acute water shortage poses a real cholera threat to Bulawayo residents," the statement read."This is taking place against a backdrop of fatal gastrointestinal outbreaks in Luveve, Pumula and Sizinda that claimed 13 lives and left +2000 others infected in 2020."The councillors said the water situation is so severe that only a few townships have been fortunate to receive water from Bulawayo City Council (BCC) bowsers."ZESA is load-shedding critical areas in which BCC water pumps are located smacks of sabotage on BCC by both government and the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC). It is self-evident that government and ZETDC should not shed areas vital to the City's water pumping system," the statement read."In addition, we feel that the refusal by the Zanu-PF government to declare Bulawayo's water situation a national disaster was in itself a refusal to mobilise leadership and resources to solve the nagging perennial water crisis."The councillors noted the need to uphold recommendations made in May 2020, by the late BCC Engineer Simela Dube, on how Bulawayo can overcome its water problems.They said the expedition of the Gwai-Shangani Water Project and augmentation of 11 Megawatts of power to pump water at Fernhill and Ncema constitute a solution to the City's water woes."Partnering with Williams Engineering will see Fernhill and Ncema augmented with at least 50 Megawatts of power," they said."Refusal to follow logic leads us to suspect that the Zanu-PF government intends to instigate another Gukurahundi genocide this time by denying Bulawayo residents water and exposing them to disease."The opposition councillors reiterated that the provision of water to residents is a fundamental human right, enshrined in Section 77 (a) of the Constitution, which states that "every person has the right to safe, clean and potable water". With 14.8 new words added to the English language daily, keeping up with their meanings is impossible. Social media fast-tracks new terms into mainstream conversations, with Google on standby, ready to crank out definitions for searchers trying to keep up with the times. Which new phrases recently rose to the top? Using Google search data, Freelance Writing Jobs found that "gaslighting," "narcissist," and "pushing p" take the lead as the three most searched-for terms in the U.S. A spokesperson for the research team says: "There are many reasons why we use slang. Often, it enriches our language and helps us feel closer to people. While these terms may have different meanings and connotations, they all speak to different aspects of modern life and the issues we are currently facing." You're not alone if you can't keep up with the influx of new words each day. Freelance Writing Jobs' spokesperson says, "The most-searched word definitions in the U.S. suggest that people are looking to better navigate complex issues such as controlling and self-obsessed behavior, varied political perspectives, and new digital technologies." Here are the top three most Googled word definitions for 2022, along with their meanings and examples of how they're used. Gaslighting Gaslighting tops the chart as the most Googled term in 35 states, with more than 600,000 searches per month by people trying to understand how to properly use it. Merriam-Webster took note of the 1,740 percent increase in searches for the term on its site and made it their 2022 Word of the Year. According to the dictionary, gaslighting means to "manipulate (someone) using psychological methods into questioning their sanity or powers of reasoning." Wikipedia adds that Gaslighting or gas-lighting is a form of mental abuse meant to cause the victim to doubt their own memory. Freelance Writing Jobs adds, "It's a serious issue and can affect a person's mental health. It is commonly associated with abusers in romantic relationships or friendships but can also refer to professionals, corporations, or governments' manipulation of the public. "Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in Our Shoes, focuses on helping parents navigate IEP meetings at their child's school and says gaslighting is not uncommon in these settings. "It's maddening. It makes you question your sanity, knowledge, and confidence. It can happen to even the most seasoned advocate." California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Nevada are among the states searching the most for the definition of gaslighting. Narcissist Six states searched for the definition of "narcissist" more than any other term. Merriam-Webster defines a narcissist as "an extremely self-centered person who has an exaggerated sense of self-importance." Narcissism is tied to narcissistic personality disorder, a mental health condition that involves self-centeredness, arrogant thinking, and a lack of empathy or care for others. The states that googled this definition most are Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Kentucky, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. "A narcissist is an individual who displays an exaggerated sense of self-worth," says Nicole Graham at Womenio. "This person seeks constant attention and admiration and may lack empathy towards others while frequently exploiting them for their own benefit. Typically, this personality trait is characterized by grandiosity, a strong desire for control, and an inability to handle criticism or rejection." Eric at CashBlog.com offers this example of how to use narcissist in a sentence. "My friend started a blog that pretends to be about personal finance, but actually, it's just the yammering of a narcissist with the word "money" thrown in." According to Google Ngram data, the frequency of the word narcissist' increased rapidly in books from 1992, after IBM announced the first smartphone. Pushing P Pushing P is a new term on the scene, originating from Atlanta rapper Gunna when he released his latest album, "DS4EVER," in January 2022. The slang phrase generally means being a stand-up guy of good character. Pushing P can mean "keeping it real," or it can simply mean good, whereas if something is "Not P," it is bad. Caitriona Maria at TPR Teaching explains, "Living the Pushing P lifestyle means staying true to one's unique identity and ambitions while proudly displaying accomplishments. It encourages people to show integrity, loyalty, ambition, and confidence in everything they do. It essentially means keeping it player' or keeping it real'." The slang term Pushing P is the most popular searched word in three states; Mississippi, Georgia, and Louisiana. TikTok was especially influential in, well, pushing the term to the top, along with an Internet meme that went viral. Three other terms round out the charts. "POV," (point of view) was the most searched term in Wyoming, North Dakota and Montana. "NFT," non-fungible token) was most popular in Washington and Colorado, while "SMH" (shaking my head) topped the chart in Alaska. New Hampshire searched the term "woke" more than any other term. This article was syndicated by Wealth of Geeks. The whole of Illinois is going through a mental health crisis, but it is hitting the rural parts of the state the hardest. Now, experts are trying to bring more attention to how it is impacting rural residents. Though improvements are being made, Illinois mental health advocates are calling for continued improvements to the availability of mental health services in the rural regions. Mental health services in rural Illinois were lacking even before the COVID-19 pandemic began. A 2019 report from the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center found that 93.7% of rural hospitals were in designated mental health shortage areas. NAMI Illinois Executive Director Andy Wade added that 81 out of 102 Illinois counties had no child psychiatrists working in them. Wade said that these service shortages had been going on for at least two decades, though they were exacerbated by the pandemic. Providers mostly served urban and suburban regions, he said. "It's not that people are suddenly different as human beings," he said. "It's that years of neglect in the health system have begun to catch up. Plus, we are in a uniquely stressful time." Heritage Behavioral Health Center CEO Mary Garrison said mental health practitioners were disincentivized from working in rural areas because urban areas offered better pay, as well as the isolation from other professionals that working in a rural area could bring. Accessibility was one of "four As" Garrison said were critical to mitigating the mental health crisis the others being availability, affordability and acceptability, which she said was the biggest piece of it. "Even though COVID brought it into light and everyone says, 'hey, it's okay to not be okay'... there's still a stigma about going in and getting the services," she said. However, Wade and Garrison both said that work was being done to help assuage the crisis in rural Illinois. Wade said the existence of networks like Southern Illinois University School of Medicine's Farm Family Resource Initiative, which provides free telehealth services to rural families, represented "a major step forward" in tackling the crisis. There also had been a significant expansion of the peer workforce, or people who suffered from mental illness becoming practitioners themselves, he said. Wade hoped that programs helping usher people into the peer workforce would come to rural parts of the state. "The talent is already there," he said, "(but) do we have the opportunities to sort of get people in to one position and support them as they move in to their next career step and go back to school, and all of that?" Garrison, meanwhile, said there were a crop of awareness campaigns from groups like NAMI Illinois and the Kennedy Forum to bring attention to mental health in the downstate region, though overcoming the stigma of receiving help for mental illness was still the largest obstacle for getting people help. "We'd love to have the problem (that) there's so many people coming forward and... now we've got to find them services," she said. "But people still are feeling like maybe they can't accept the help. They'll figure it out on their own." Jacksonville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Peyton J. Surratt, 19, of 929 S. Diamond St. was arrested at 10:24 a.m. Saturday on a charge of obstructing a peace officer after police said he did not follow commands from an officer at the scene of a disturbance. ACCIDENTS Tyler A. Graham, 21, of 865 W. Superior Ave. was arrested on charges of improper lane use and leaving the scene of an accident at 10:14 a.m. Saturday after a car was struck overnight while parked in the 1300 block of West Lafayette Avenue. Kierstyn A. Ruble, 22, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of improper backing after police said her vehicle hit a parked car in the 500 block of South East Street at 2:17 a.m. Saturday. Jason R. Lawrence, 46, of New Bern, North Carolina, was arrested on a driving under the influence charge and cited on charges of following too closely and operating an uninsured vehicle after his vehicle and one being driven by Jagpal Singh, 51, of Virginia collided at 11:38 p.m. Friday at Sandusky and West Walnut streets. The impact of the crash caused Singh's vehicle to go off the road and roll onto its side, but police said no injuries were reported. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The number of veterinarians practicing in rural areas is declining at the same time veterinary schools are turning out more graduates than ever. The result is fewer veterinarians available to care for large farm animals. "It's a geography problem," said Dr. Jim Lowe, an associate professor and interim assistant dean at the University of Illinois' College of Veterinary Medicine. "We are seeing the same thing in human medicine. Getting doctors to practice in Jacksonville is harder than getting them in Naperville. They are identical trends," Lowe said. It's an issue of where they grow up. If they grow up in a rural area, they usually return to a rural area." When Dr. Joseph Koch started practicing in Jacksonville in 1989, he only tended large farm animals. Now he uses Wednesday, a day he would normally take off, as the day to care for large animals. "Our business is now about 10 percent large animal. That's not an uncommon trend over the last 20 to 30 years," said Koch who owns Lincoln Land Animal Clinic with his wife, Dr. Colleen Koch. "We used to do farm calls all day. Now I am seeing small animals all day, except for the one day each week I do large animal calls. We work in emergencies as best we can," Koch said. The shortage of food-animal veterinarians in rural areas is a serious challenge confronting the livestock and poultry industries. "Veterinarians are a critical link in the food supply chain," said U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith, R-Mississippi, in a recent opinion column in the Washington Post. "They are on the front lines of treating and preventing the spread of animal diseases, keeping our food safe and helping ensure that diseases don't jump from animals to humans." Lowe said supplying rural areas with veterinarians is a simple problem with a difficult solution. "It's demographics. The students we accept into veterinary school mirror the applicant pool, so we are taking a slice of what is there," Lowe said. "People tend to migrate back to communities like the ones they grew up in. If we have a lower number of applications from rural areas, it trickles down into fewer people wanting to get into a rural practice," Lowe said. For Koch, one of his biggest challenges is looking into the future and trying to get a veterinarian into his practice who is willing to work with both large and small animals. Koch became a partner in the practice in the early 1990s. The practice continued to grow, and Jacksonville native Dr. Jennifer Artis joined in 2011, affirming Lowe's analysis of where people choose to work. Artis graduated from Jacksonville High School and Illinois College and worked at the clinic before veterinary school. She graduated from the University of Illinois' College of Veterinary Medicine and returned to Jacksonville. Lowe said the urban and suburban practices see mostly small animals, while rural veterinarians are going to see everything from small animals to horses, pigs and cows. Fewer veterinarians have resulted in producers doing more of their own veterinary care. Lowe said many farmers are doing what veterinarians were doing 40 years ago. "A lot of the routine care for large animals is being done by producers. They are quite capable of doing that. We give them guidelines to follow so they can raise animals that are safe for the public. We give guidance on medications," Koch said. "We help with programs to set up processing at once so they can get the care needed to go to specific markets. We also handle emergencies such as sick animals," Koch said. "The challenge is veterinarians cover a wider area. And now the drive is getting longer because they are covering a wider area. If there is an emergency, it might take an hour to get there instead of just 10 minutes," Lowe said. There is more training available for producers who want to be less reliant on a veterinarian. There are calf-birthing simulators to train producers, Lowe said, adding most producers have calved a lot of cows, so most already know what they need to do. Lowe said the struggle with veterinarians is similar to issues such as a dwindling number of grocery stores in smaller communities. "Where I grew up in Henry County, veterinarians used to be a part of the professional communities like school administrators, bankers and doctors. If you don't have a veterinarian, you lose a fabric of the community. It's one of those things that helped keep rural community vibrant," Lowe said. The number of people going to vet school is not the issue. There were 4,500 veterinary school graduates last year in the U.S. Lowe said class sizes are bigger and schools are producing more veterinarians than ever. "Just look at pet ownership. The standard of care has increased and the demands on veterinarians have increased. They can't serve as many pets because the standard has raised. In the suburbs, there are more people willing to pay more to treat pets," Lowe said. "You can practice a high level of medicine in an urban area, and it pays very well. As the rural population shrinks, fewer people are going into veterinary practice in rural areas," Lowe said. Recruiting efforts are going on, but it's not the schools doing the recruiting, but rather veterinarians and professional groups for large animals that have been pushing it. "We are trying to be creative to help students build relationships early in their veterinary career," Lowe said. "We're trying to partner with local practitioners and have them help pay for a student's final year of tuition if that student works there for a period of time." Lowe said his career has gone from doing less and teaching more to help producers solve problems. "If I'm running a syringe, I've done something terribly wrong. We can teach our producers to do that and ensure they are giving the right shot. It's a teaching moment, not a doing moment," Lowe said. "The veterinarian shortage in rural America is a real deal," Lowe said. "It's not just in Illinois, but all over the United States." A U.S. Department of Agriculture map at bit.ly/3l2LzyD shows see rural areas in Illinois where the lack of veterinarians is a serious concern. News / National by Staff reporter Dear @ukhomeoffice Uebert Angel, a British citizen, was witnessed by @AJIunit in Glasgow conspiring to launder US$1.2 Billion using his diplomatic bag. Kindly investigate his UK financial activities in line with the Proceeds of Crimes Act.@SuellaBraverman @NCA_UK#GoldMafia Team Pachedu (@PacheduZW) March 26, 2023 A shadowy group called Team Pachedu has written to the United Kingdom Home Office asking it to investigate Uebert Angel's UK financial activities in line with the Proceeds of Crimes Act.Pachedu claims that Angel is a British citizen and was witnessed by @Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit in Glasgow conspiring to launder US$1.2 Billion using his diplomatic bag.Angel, one of Zimbabwe's most influential diplomats, offered to use his status to launder millions of dollars through a gold-smuggling scheme, during an undercover operation by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit (I-Unit).Said Pachedu:"Dear @ukhomeofficeUebert Angel, a British citizen, was witnessed by @AJIunit in Glasgow conspiring to launder US$1.2 Billion using his diplomatic bag.Kindly investigate his UK financial activities in line with the Proceeds of Crimes Act."Angel, appointed ambassador-at-large and a presidential envoy by Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa in March 2021, told reporters he would be able to carry large volumes of dirty cash into the country using his diplomatic status.The 44-year-old, who claims to be a prophet and heads a congregation the Good News Church with branches in 15 countries, said he would facilitate a scheme through which unaccounted cash could be exchanged for Zimbabwe's gold. Recipients of the gold could then sell the precious metal for legitimate money, effectively turning their cash clean.Angel and his business partner Rikki Doolan also claimed that their laundering operations had the approval of Mnangagwa, who has been in power since November 2017, when Zimbabwe's controversial former leader Robert Mugabe was ousted in a military coup. Carlos Javier Sanchez /Contributor Its nearly time to go honking, San Antonio. A trailer for Primo, a new streaming series from Alamo City native Shea Serrano, just dropped and now has a release date. Fans of Serrano, who has gained fame with his infectious Twitter personality and, not to mention, multiple nods as a New York Times bestselling author, will finally get to see a bit more about the kid repping Valley-Hi and Millers Pond who went on to put San Antonio on the map. Primo, which will stream on Amazon Freevee as an original series, is a coming-of-age story inspired by Serranos own upbringing in San Antonio. The comedy series, set in the 2-1-0, follows 16-year-old Rafa Gonzales, raised by his mother Drea and five overbearing uncles, as he navigates high school, meets the girl of his dreams, and has the potential to be the first person in his family to go to college. The trailer sets up that Rafa must choose between higher education, enlisting in the military, or joining the family business. CAIRO, March 25 (Xinhua) -- It has been 10 years since the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind was proposed. Former Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf told Xinhua that this concept is "extremely important," and will prevail in the near future. Produced by Xinhua Global Service News / National by Staff reporter AFTER watching gold smugglers and money launderers breezing through Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare travelling to and from Dubai to deliver the proceeds of corruption in Al Jazeera's investigative documentary Gold Mafia, it has become even clearer that the country's biggest airport is now a gateway and paradise for smugglers, particularly gold.As a major trading corridor, the airport a gateway to Dubai and Johannesburg is intricately bound up with patterns of human and goods movement, and consequently also with operations of smugglers who facilitate corrupt mobility.This is happening while state security agents are sleeping on the job or at the centre of the criminal syndicates. The Harare airport is monitored by police, civilian intelligence and military intelligence services, but still smugglers outmanoeuvre them and do as they please.For instance, the Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit, a section of the police's Criminal Investigation Department mandated with monitoring and curbing illegal activities particularly that involving precious resources such as minerals, parks and wildlife resources and public utilities and infrastructure has offices at the airport.The Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) and military intelligence operate there too. However, runners of gold barons named in the film, such as Kamlesh Pattni, Simon Rudland and Ewan MacMillan, are seen in the footage walking in and out of the airport without being searched, while customs officers look aside.In fact, immigration and customs officials seem to be familiar and comfortable with the smugglers, and do not bother them at all while they move their contraband through the airport to Dubai using Emirates (flights EK714 and EK713) as explained by South African Airways client services agent Moses Nango.This means the airport is also a gateway for human and drug trafficking, besides illicit financial flows. The human smuggling economy is one of a range of illicit markets which exploits the enhanced connectivity facilitated by airports, in this case to coordinate irregular flows of people.The airport facilitates and preys upon the innate drive of people to seek out livelihoods, security, and opportunities, both for internal and transnational migration. For refugees, and those on the move due to conflict and violence who have not satisfied a state's asylum requirements, and who are therefore not recognised as refugees, cities and their airports offer a temporary haven, an administrative hub for those submitting asylum claims, and a place to connect with smugglers for those using them as a stepping stone for longer cross-border journeys. Corruption lubricates illegality and criminality.Entrenched corruption at points of entry and exit, and at national borders, facilitate the movement of illicit flows through cities and between countries. Patterns of corruption are first created to facilitate the movement of higher value illicit goods, such as gold or proscribed drugs. Smugglers rely on a system of bribes paid to customs officers at airports to border officials at national crossings and checkpoints. Once entrenched, this systematic corruption can then also be used to facilitate the irregular movement of people. In many contexts the same route and transport mechanism will be used to move illicit commodities and people, sometimes in opposite directions. This ensures profit is made on both legs of the journey by the smugglers. In 2021, police in Harare have arrested a CIO operative, Chamakandiona Nyahunde, also known as Vincent Moyo, for assisting a for mer aide of Zimbabwe Miners' Federation president Henrieta Rushwaya to smuggle 23 pieces of gold worth R11 million (US$782 712) to South Africa.Tashinga Nyasha Masinire was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg by the Hawks, South Africa's serious organised crime investigation unit, after a scan of his luggage by the South African Revenue Service customs section at international arrivals.South African police said Masinire failed to declare the gold and did not have any permit or licence authorising him to be in possession of the mineral. The Hawks were called in to effect the arrest and conduct further investigations.Masinire appeared in court where he was granted R100 000 bail. He was eventually fined and let go. However, following the arrest police in Zimbabwe had launched investigations to establish how Masinire had smuggled the gold, leading to Nyahunde's arrest.Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe then revealed that preliminary investigations and closed-circuit television images showed that Masinire walked into the airport without luggage. This suggested that he could have been assisted by airport staff or security personnel.National police spokesperson Paul Nyathi told The NewsHawks at the time that local law enforcement are collaborating with the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) to investigate the case.Airports Company of Zimbabwe boss Tawanda Gusha said work to enhance security at the country's airports was in progress."We are however working on improving the monitoring and screening of passengers at the airports. Interpol installed facial recognition systems at the airport. We are working to ensure that those systems are monitored 24/7."In October 2020, Rushwaya was nabbed at the airport trying to smuggle 6.09kg worth US$366 000 to Dubai. She was arrested in the departure lounge after going through all formalities, including security clearance, after being assisted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's security aide Stephen Chenjerai Tserayi and CIO operative Raphios Mufandauya.Rushwaya's accomplice, Gift Karanda, also of the Zimbabwe Miners' Federation, claimed that the gold belonged to First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and her son Collins, although the suspect later said it belonged to a Pakistani businessman, Ali Mohammed. Investigations resulted in the arrest of two senior police officers from the Criminal Investigations Department's Minerals, Flora and Fauna unit, Superintendent Douglas Shoko and Detective Chief Inspector Paul Chimhungu, who were accused of tampering with court documents that incriminated Mohammed, implicated by Rushwaya as the organiser of the smuggling attempt.They were charged with criminal abuse of duty. Smuggling through the country's airports continues to be rife despite the heavy presence of state security agents.Officials reveal that apart from state security agents, diplomatic passport holders are also involved in facilitating smuggling. Mnangagwa's Presidential Envoy and Ambassador-at-Large Prophet Uebert Angel is caught in a storm after promising to use his diplomatic passport to smuggle and clean US$1.2 billion for Chinese mafia.This is in the Al Jazeera investigation. A report by a global research group, the International Crisis Group, estimated that Zimbabwe is losing at least US$1.5 billion a year through the smuggling of gold, mainly to Dubai. Kazembe and other officials have previously said Zimbabwe loses US$100 million worth of gold every month through international smuggling rings and the country's porous borders. An anti-terrorism court in northwest Pakistan has convicted and sentenced a Muslim man to death after he was accused of posting blasphemous content in a WhatsApp group. Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations can stir mobs and violence. Syed Muhammad Zeeshan was convicted under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and Anti-Terrorist Act by the court in Peshawar on Friday. Accused Syed Muhammad Zeeshan, son of Syed Zakaullah, in custody has been convicted and sentenced after being found guilty, the court order said, a copy of which was obtained by AFP. Zeeshan, who is a resident of the northwest city of Mardan, was also fined 1.2 million rupees (US$4 300) and handed a total of 23 years imprisonment. Article continues below these jobs... Work In Zimbabwe Latest Jobs First Aid Instructor on 24 April 2023 Karo Platinum Private limited [] Laboratory Manager on 24 April 2023 Karo Platinum Private limited [] Senior Accounts Clerk on 24 April 2023 Hwedza Rural District Council [] Mechanic on 24 April 2023 Hwedza Rural District Council [] He has the right to appeal. The case arose after Muhammad Saeed, a resident of Talagang in Punjab province, filed an application with the Federal Investigation Agency two years ago, accusing Zeeshan of posting blasphemous content in a WhatsApp group, Saeeds counsel Ibrar Hussain told AFP. The FIA had confiscated Zeeshans cell phone and its forensic examination proved him guilty, he said. While Pakistans laws prohibiting blasphemy can carry a potential death sentence, so far it has never been enforced for the crime. Although many cases involve Muslims accusing fellow Muslims, rights activists have warned that religious minorities, particularly Christians, are often caught in the crossfire, with blasphemy charges used to settle personal scores. According to the National Commission of Justice and Peace, a human rights and legal aid group in Pakistan, 774 Muslims and 760 members of various minority religious groups were accused of blasphemy in the last 20 years. AFP Breaking News via Email Lambert here: In like a lion, out like a lamb. (The Democrats not only managed to avoid passing single payer during a pandemic, they managed to erase it from the discourse entirely. Impressive.) By Arthur Allen, KHN Senior Correspondent, who writes about the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry as well as covid-related topics. Originally published at Kaiser Health News. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who rose to national prominence criticizing big business in general and the pharmaceutical industry in particular, claimed the spotlight Wednesday on what might at first seem a powerful new stage from which to advance his agenda: chairmanship of the Senate health committee. But the hearing Sanders used to excoriate a billionaire pharmaceutical executive for raising the price of a covid-19 vaccine showed the challenges the Vermont independent faces. Though its formal name is the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), the panel Sanders chairs has little if any authority over drug prices. In the Senate, most of that leverage lies with the Finance Committee, which oversees Medicaid, Medicare, and Obamacare. As far as drug prices go, the platform Sanders commands is essentially a bully pulpit. So Sanders was left to bully his way toward results. And while some committee Republicans sympathized with his complaints, others bristled at his approach. By the end of the hearing, seeming to acknowledge the limits of his power, the former presidential candidate was pleading with Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel for a relatively modest concession on vaccine pricing. The CEO made no promises. Then again, pulpit proclamations can lead to corporate action, even if delayed and informal; in the weeks following President Joe Bidens State of the Union call for cheaper insulin, the companies that make it drastically cut their prices. Sanders began Wednesdays hearing with his usual fire and brimstone. All over this country people are getting sicker, and in some cases dying, because they cant afford the outrageous cost of prescription drugs, while companies make huge profits and executives become billionaires, Sanders thundered. Bancel had won his place in the witness chair with federal assistance. Moderna, which was founded in 2010 and had not brought a drug to market before the pandemic, received billions in government funds for research, guaranteed purchases, and expert advice to help develop and produce its successful covid vaccine. The payoff has been handsome. As of March 8, Bancel held $3 billion in Moderna stock. He also held options to buy millions of additional shares. Government research and support are foundational to many of the expensive drugs and vaccines in use today. But Bancel made himself the perfect foil for Sanders when he announced in January that Moderna planned to increase the price of its latest covid shot from about $26 to $110 or as much as $130. Denouncing greed, Sanders expounded on his dream of a system in which the government fully funds drug development and in exchange controls drug prices. Is there another model out there where, when a lifesaving drug is made, it becomes accessible to all those who need it? he asked. What am I missing in thinking that its cruel to make a medicine that people cant afford? Sanders overt moralizing and harsh attacks on big business make him an outlier in the Senate, even in his own party. Yet distaste for soaring drug prices extends across the aisle. On the HELP Committee, at least, Republican politicians seem about evenly split between populist and pro-business takes on the problem, showing both the possibilities and the pitfalls that Sanders faces. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) expressed disgust with the lack of transparency in the health care system and called Modernas planned price hike preposterous. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) called it outrageous. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who often bucks mainstream GOP views and has expressed rancor for the biomedical establishment, claimed Bancel was downplaying vaccine injuries to make money. (Paul vastly exaggerated those risks.) Ranking member Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who has pledged to work with Sanders, responded to the chairmans opening remarks with both a hedge and a warning. Im not defending salaries or profits, Cassidy said, but he added that he hoped the hearings goal wasnt to demonize capitalism. Only Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), a former private equity executive, came heartily to Bancels defense. If Im an investor, I have to expect that if a product Im backing works, I get to make an awful lot of money, he said. Ive heard people say, Thats corporate greed. Yeah, thats how it works. Sanders idealized vision of the pharmaceutical industry is, in any case, moot. Even the Biden administration, which successfully browbeat insulin makers into drastically lowering prices in March, revealed this week it would not use march-in rights to lower the price of a cancer drug, Xtandi, developed with government-licensed patents. March-in rights were established in the 1980 Bayh-Dole Act, which enabled companies to license federally funded research and use it to develop drugs. But federal courts and administrations have consistently said the government can seize a product only if the license holder has failed to make it available not because the price is too high. The administration did, however, announce a review of whether price might be considered in future march-in decisions. Sanders said before the hearing that he was extremely disappointed with the Xtandi decision. But he was ultimately realist enough to aim his bully pulpit at a lower target. Late in Wednesdays hearing, Sanders pushed for a minimal gimme from Moderna. Will you reconsider your decision to quadruple the price of your vaccine to the U.S. government and its agents? he asked politely. Bancel dodged, saying pricing was more complex now that Moderna faced an uncertain market, had to fill separate syringes with its vaccine, and needed to sell and distribute the vaccine to thousands of pharmacies, where previously the government did all that work. Later, he left open the possibility that negotiations could drive down the price paid by some government agencies or private insurers. For all the theatrics of such hearings and the mix of opinions among the senators, interrogations of figures like Bancel may help inspire a shift in how the National Institutes of Health does business in giving away its science to the private sector, said Tahir Amin, co-executive director of I-MAK, a nonprofit that advocates for equitable access to medicines. You have to prosecute it so you at least get these public comments on record, Amin said. Eventually, he said, this type of hearing could lead to a recognition that, Hey, we need to do this. Despite the HELP Committees lack of direct jurisdiction over drug prices, said John McDonough, a Harvard professor who was senior adviser for health reform on the HELP Committee from 2008 to 2010, Sanders uses his position of authority and influence to draw attention to this in a way that has been helpful. KHN correspondent Rachana Pradhan contributed to this report. (Natural News) While the story over at Fox News Tuesday afternoon will receive very little mainstream news attention because its got a little too much information that joe biden and the globalists dont want Americans to know, this tweet from Virginia Congressman Ben Cline lays it all on the table, with Cline warning: We know that the Chinese Communist Party will do ANYTHING to spy & steal Americans data. Now, the Biden admin is releasing Chinese illegal aliens into our country without an appropriate investigation. (Articles by Stefan Stanford republished from AllNewsPipeline.com) Including with his tweet a FOX News video of Chinese nationals being released publicly to an NGO in Brownsville, TX, with these illegal immigrants being released with NTAs (notices to appear) because there are so many of them now crossing the border and no more spaces to house them, think good and hard about that for a second before we continue: Thousands of military-aged men from China are being given free passes, NTAs, for coming into the country illegally, while the absolutely insane left is going after Americas last President to win an election legally here in their witch hunt for Donald Trump. Just the latest proof that the biden crime cabal is looking out for China more than hes looking out for America, (and of course the pathetic chump is, with China giving the biden crime family MILLIONS of dollars!,) as Steve Quayle warns Mike Adams of Natural News and all of us in the absolutely critical 1st video at the bottom of this story, the globalists coup over America is now all but complete. With the rogue DA in New York, Alvin Bragg, funded by globalist-stooge George Soros to the tune of at least $1 million by the way, ALSO CAUGHT HIDING nearly 600 pages of exculpatory evidence on Trump from the New York grand jury, as Steve Quayle warns us in that video, were witnessing nothing less than the heinous abrogation and dissolution of the due process of law unfolding before Americans eyes up in New York and nationwide, with no doubt in anyones minds anymore that the left totally expects to get away with committing the kinds of crimes that theyd throw the book at their political enemies for. PERFECLY seen in this House Oversight Committee press release from March 16th, just imagine how loudly the mainstream media would now be screaming and hooting and hollering if this press release described President Donald Trump or practically any one of their political opponents. Itd be pandemonium. Yet because its about the biden crime cabal, they are hugely silent. But think of THIS when you think about Steve Quayles warning and you think about all of the Chinese military-aged men flowing across the Southern border as seen in the 3rd video at the bottom of this story. Is this not outright treason?: Comer Reveals Biden Family Members Receiving Payments from Chinese Energy Company WASHINGTONToday, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability issued a memorandum revealing new evidence resulting from the investigation into the Biden familys influence peddling and business schemes. Subpoenaed financial records show that from 2015 to 2017, Biden family members Hunter Biden, James Biden, Hallie Biden, and an unknown Biden and their companies collectively received $1.3 million in payments from accounts related to Rob Walker, a Biden family associate. Notably, on March 1, 2017, less than two months after Vice President Joe Biden left public office, State Energy HK Limited, a Chinese company, wired $3 million to Rob Walkers company. The next day, the company wired $1,065,000 to a company associated with James Gilliar, another Biden family associate. Afterwards, the Biden family received approximately $1,065,000 in payments over a three-month period in different bank accounts. From the bank records, it appears that the Biden family received approximately one-third of the money obtained from the China wire. Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) issued the following statement on this new evidence of the Biden familys suspicious business transactions: Democrats described our subpoena as providing nothing more than records for Papa Johns and Starbucks, but they failed to mention the records weve received documenting the Biden familys business schemes. Over the course of several years, members of the Biden family and their companies received over $1.3 million in payments from accounts related to their associate, Rob Walker. Most of this money came as a result of a wire from a Chinese energy company and went not only to Hunter and James Biden, but also to Hallie Biden and an unknown Biden. It is unclear what services were provided to obtain this exorbitant amount of money. The Oversight Committee is concerned about the national security implications resulting from President Bidens family receiving millions of dollars from foreign nationals. We will continue to follow the money trail and facts to determine if President Biden is compromised by his familys business schemes and if there is a national security threat. Why in Gods name is joe biden still in office after revelations like that, especially seeing what were seeing now with young, military-aged Chinese men flowing into America, those numbers up a STAGGERING 900% as heard in that 3rd video below! Something stinks to high heaven here. And as Steve Quayle and Mike Adams also discuss in that critical video, Steve himself has heard that when whats going on in Ukraine is taking into account as well, there are BILLIONS OF DOLLARS of American taxpayer money involved in all of these shady biden family dealings, proving that if America still were a Fair and Just society, still functioning under the rule of law and not shady politics, it wouldnt be President Donald Trump theyre going after right now but joe biden whose neck was at the end of a very long rope, (after his trial and conviction for treason and selling out America, of course!) Read more at: AllNewsPipeline.com (Natural News) More good news has emerged from the United States legal system, which shot down fake president Joe Bidens order that all federal employees get vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19). The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans rejected argument from Biden that as the nations alleged chief executive, he holds the same authority as the CEO of a private corporation to mandate that all of his employees get injected for the Fauci Flu. It says a lot about the mindset of Biden and his puppet masters that they feel as though they own the American people like cattle, and can force them to take drug needles on demand any time there is a perceived public health threat, either real or fake (in this case fake). The ruling from the full appeals court, which included all 16 full-time judges at the time when the case was argued, reversed an earlier ruling by just three judges from the Fifth Circuit that sided with Bidens jab requirement. Judge Andrew Oldham, who was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump, wrote the opinion for the 10-member majority that sided with We the People over the fake president and his jab demands. (Related: In late 2021, the Oklahoma National Guard rejected Bidens jab mandate, prompting the Pentagon to issue a threat about retaliation.) Biden regime says covid emergency will officially end on May 11, 2023 In his ruling, Oldman upheld the preliminary injunction blocking Bidens mandate, which was issued by a federal judge back in January 2022. At the time, the Biden regime claimed that nearly 98 percent of covered federal employees had already been injected. With the preliminary injunction arguments now concluded, Oldman said the case will now return to that same court for further arguments. When that happens, both sides will have to grapple with the White Houses announcement that the covid emergency will finally end on May 11, 2023. Those in opposition to Bidens mandate argued that it encroaches on their rights and lives in direct violation to the U.S. Constitution. It all began in September 2021 when the Pedophile-in-Chief issued an executive order demanding that all executive branch employees, with the exception of those claiming medical or religious exemptions, roll up their sleeves for an experimental Big Pharma injection. That EO kicked in the following month in November. The following January, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown, appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of Texas, also by Trump, issued a nationwide injunction against the mandate, which then sent the case to the Fifth Circuit. One panel of three Fifth Circuit judges refused to immediately block the law. A different panel, after hearing arguments, upheld Bidens claims and position. Judges Carl Stewart and James Dennis, both nominated to the court by President Bill Clinton, were in the majority, AP News reported. Judge Rhesa Barksdale, nominated by President George H.W. Bush, dissented, saying the relief the challengers sought does not fall under the Civil Service Reform Act cited by the administration. The broader court majority agreed with Barksdale, stating that federal law does not preclude court jurisdiction over cases involving private, irreversible medical decisions made in consultation with private medical professionals outside the federal workplace. Following this, a majority of the full court voted to vacate the ruling and reconsider the case. Ten voted against Bidens mandate while six voted for it. Writing for the dissenting opinion, Judge Stephen Higginson, appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, argued that Biden does, in fact, have the power to make medical decisions on behalf of his employees. The latest news about the deeply corrupt Biden regime can be found at Treason.news. Sources for this article include: APNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci has confirmed that gain-of-function research was indeed performed on pathogen behind the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director made the confirmation during the March 21 edition of American Masters on PBS. How are you going to know whether or not theyre capable of infecting humans unless you examine them? Which means doing something under certain circumstances that make a pathogen more transmissible or more pathogenic, which some people refer to as gain of function, Fauci explained (Related: Rep. Jim Jordan: Fauci prioritized gain-of-function research, concealed real origin of COVID-19.) However, Fauci was adamant that the gain-of-function research behind COVID-19 did not happen at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China. The infectious disease expert also denounced Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) for insidiously questioning the work done at the WIV. Theyve looked at various grants and they make something of it that it isnt, Fauci said. The microbe [the WIV was] working on, not only was not SARS-CoV-2, it would be molecularly impossible for them to turn it into SARS-CoV-2. Fauci, Bowser rebuked while touring DC neighborhood A section of American Masters showed Fauci and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser visiting the neighborhood of Anacostia in June 2021. The two officials went house to house in the neighborhood to encourage residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine. In a voice-over recorded prior to the visit, Fauci explained that Anacostia is a historically marginalized Black area with low determinants of health, poor access to care and high rates of COVID-19 cases and vaccine hesitancy as a result. Theyre sort of the disenfranchised group that weve got to reach out to, he said. While some of the locals warmly received Fauci and Bowser, some had hesitations with getting vaccinated and peppered them with questions. But one man unloaded on both officials. The people in America are not settled with the information thats been given to us right now, the Anacostia resident pointed out, alleging that the the number of COVID-19 deaths is manipulated by the federal government. Its about inciting fear in people. You attack people with fear. Thats what this pandemic is fear. Fauci and his party eventually left, failing to convince the man to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The man explained that he would not take in vaccines that were developed in a short span of time. Michael Kantor, executive producer of the American Masters, said: Dr. Fauci is a very controversial figure, and there are going to be people who are going to voice just as in the film great displeasure about what hes done and about his approach to things. But isnt that the whole point of public media? It is intended to make that conversation happen in the best possible way. Not when there is censorship. But thats another story. Visit FauciTruth.com for more stories about the infectious disease expert and erstwhile government official. Watch the exchange between the Anacostia resident and Faucis group below. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: THREE YEARS LATE: Energy Department finally concludes that COVID probably came from a Chinese lab. ReFounding America: COVID-19 and AIDS pandemics under Faucis watch share similarities Brighteon.TV. Gain-of-function means bioweapon: Musk blasts Fauci for overseeing creation of COVID-19. Oversight on Faucis part allowed gain-of-function experiments in Wuhan to continue. Twitter slaps down Project Veritas moments after exposing major Fauci gain of function research lie with ban from platform. Sources include: Breitbart.com NYPost.com Independent.co.uk Brighteon.com (Natural News) Based on international law, it was wrong for Russia to invade Ukraine, despite the latters reputation for harboring Nazis and Nazi sentiment. Ukraine wasnt threatening Russia, and besides, Russian forces annexed (illegally) the Crimea region from Ukraine in 2014, so clearly Moscow is the aggressor here. But having said that, NATO countries appear to be sleepwalking into a much broader, far deadlier (and perhaps planet-ending) conflict with Russia, a significant power with thousands of nuclear warheads at its disposal. According to Breitbart News on Tuesday, the European Union has agreed to send one million artillery shells to Ukraine at a significant cost of two billion Euros, while the United Kingdom has confirmed that it will be donating main battle tanks to the country and will also provide depleted uranium anti-tank rounds. After lengthy negotiations, the European Defence Agency has finally agreed on a much-anticipated arms procurement deal between EU member states and Norway. This deal will involve the acquisition and delivery of one million 155mm artillery rounds to Ukraine, the report said, even as Russia appears to have a limitless supply, according to frontline Ukrainian troops. The cost of the arms procurement deal for the one million 155mm artillery rounds to Ukraine is 2 billion ($2.15 billion), which will be divided into two tranches. The first tranche, worth one billion euros, will be utilized to compensate EU member states for releasing shells from their own military reserves, with the objective of delivering them within two months. The second tranche of funding will be paid to armaments factories in European nations to manufacture new shells for shipment to Ukraine, the report noted further. Russia Threatens Canada With Most Serious Consequences After Trudeau Govts Regime Change Commentshttps://t.co/SvPWUkclQ3 Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) March 21, 2023 The EU aims to deliver the artillery rounds to Ukraine within a 12-month timeframe. However, there are concerns about the ability of Europes armaments factories to ramp up production quickly enough to meet this deadline. While extra shells could have been purchased from non-EU countries, France has pushed for a buy-European policy to safeguard the interests of the European industry, Breitbart News noted further. Josep Borrell, the EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, hailed the arms procurement deal as a historic moment. He further stated that this deal represents the EUs support for Ukraine. But the announcement of the EUs substantial arms procurement deal was somewhat overshadowed by the United Kingdoms revelation that depleted uranium anti-tank rounds would accompany their gift of Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks to Ukraine. These rounds are highly effective due to the unique properties of depleted uranium upon impact, making it an exceptional metal for tank-busting purposes and that has drawn the ire of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose troops would be on the losing end of those rounds. Alongside our granting of a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, we will be providing ammunition including armor piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium. Such rounds are highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armored vehicles, a UK government spokesman said, as reported by Breitbart News. The statement drew a swift and angry response from Russia. Following a meeting with Chinas Xi Jinping in Moscow, Putin threatened retaliation, stating: If all this happens, Russian will have to respond accordingly, Im talking about the fact the west is already beginning to use weapons with a nuclear component. The UK, in turn, criticized Russia for conflating depleted uranium rounds with the term nuclear component, as this could give the false impression that NATO is providing nuclear weapons to Ukraine. The use of depleted uranium rounds in combat has been primarily by the US and UK, and both countries maintain that these rounds are safe and do not pose a radiation threat during or after use. Either way, the introduction of those rounds is not going to sit well with Putin, who is being pushed further and further into a response no one should want to see. Sources include: Breitbart.com BusinessInsider.com (Natural News) Amid the justifiably shocked outcry from Credit Suisse junior debtors, who saw their entire AT1 debt tranche wiped out before the equity was fully impaired, violating every conventional liquidation waterfall, on Thursday Swiss financial regulator Finma has defended its decision to wipe out a huge swath of risky subordinated bonds as part of the Credit Suisse rescue deal even as an army of bondholders is preparing to sue the Swiss government. (Article by Tyler Durden republished from ZeroHedge.com) Sundays shocking bail-in, which rendered $17BN of investments worthless, has become one of the most controversial elements of the shotgun marriage between Credit Suisse and its larger rival, UBS, brokered by Swiss authorities. Just hours after the deal was announced, other large market regulators began to distance themselves from the decision, fearful that it would endanger banks ability to raise capital in the future. Meanwhile, enraged bondholders have pledged to sue the Swiss government and Finma over the matter the FT reported. In its first statement on the deal since the weekend, Finma said on Thursday that all the contractual and legal obligations had been met for it to act unilaterally given the urgency of the situation. On Sunday, a solution was found to protect clients, the financial centre and the markets, said Finmas chief executive Urban Angehrn. In this context, it is important that Credit Suisses banking business continues to function smoothly and without interruption. Speaking to the press on Thursday, Swiss National Bank chair Thomas Jordan argued that the purchase by UBS had been the only option for Credit Suisse, saying that a takeover of the bank by the government and stabilization of it in a process known as resolution would have risked a systemic crisis. Resolution in theory is possible under normal circumstances, but we were in an extremely fragile environment with enormous nervousness in financial markets in general, said Jordan. Resolution in those circumstances would have triggered a bigger financial crisis, not just in Switzerland but globally. [It] would not have worked to stabilize the situation but, on the contrary, created enormous uncertainty . . . It was clear that we should avoid it if there was any other possibility. None of that explains why the decision was taken to preserves CHF3.25BN in value for CS shareholders who would nominally be subordinated to any bondholders in the capital structure even as junior creditors were wiped out. That said, the additional tier 1 (AT1) bonds in question were warned as they contained explicit contractual language that they would be completely written down in a viability event in particular if extraordinary government support is granted, Finma said. This allowed the regulator to prioritise equity holders ahead of AT1 holders. Furthermore, when AT1s were created as a hybrid debt instrument after the financial crash of 2008, their whole purpose was to give banks greater capital flexibility in the event of crises, and for the bonds to be bailed in in case of need. Meanwhile, the governments intervention to bail out the combined UBS-CS entity because if Credit Suisse had gone under, UBS was certainly next is undisputable: as part of the acquisition deal by UBS, the combined bank will receive CHF9BN of government guarantees and a CHF100bn liquidity lifeline from the SNB. An additional emergency government ordinance issued by Bern on Sunday had further confirmed the power to take decisions over elements of a banks capital structure in Swiss law, Finma said. [The] instruments in Switzerland are designed in such a way that they are written down or converted into [equity] before the equity capital of the bank concerned is completely used up or written down, it said, pointing out that the bonds were designed for the use of sophisticated institutional investors because of their risky hybrid nature. None of that however has helped ease the anger of bondholders who over one weekend saw their entire investment wiped out. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and Pallas Partners are among the law firms representing bondholders that have pledged to fight the Swiss decision. Quinn hosted a call on Wednesday joined by more than 750 participants. Partner Richard East told the Financial Times the deal was a resolution dressed up as a merger and pointed to statements by the European Central Bank and the Bank of England, which distanced themselves from the Swiss approach. You know something has gone wrong when other regulators come and politely point out that in a resolution [they] would have respected ordinary priorities, he said. If this is left to stand, how can you trust any debt security issued in Switzerland, or for that matter wider Europe, if governments can just change laws after the fact, David Tepper, the billionaire founder of Appaloosa Management, told the Financial Times. Contracts are made to be honored. Tepper is among the most successful investors in troubled financial companies, famously making billions of dollars on a 2009 wager that US banks would not be nationalised during the last financial crisis. Appaloosa had bought a range of Credit Suisses senior and junior debt as the bank descended into chaos. Mark Dowding, chief investment officer at RBC BlueBay, which held Credit Suisse AT1 bonds, said Switzerland was looking more like a banana republic. His Financial Capital Bond fund is down 12.2 per cent this month. No matter how the lawsuits turn out, however, one thing is certain: Swiss banking as an industry that thrived and prospered for centuries, is effectively over and nobody will voluntarily either deposit or invest in Swiss banks after this catastrophically bundled government intervention. For the sake of whats left of the Swiss economy, we can only hope that the cheese and chocolate industries are not in need of bailouts. Read more at: ZeroHedge.com (Natural News) USA Today has picked a trans-identified male as its woman of the year for a second time running, and this time its someone who advocates for child sex changes. (Article by Steve Watson republished from Summit.news) The media outlet has chosen Leigh Finke as its woman of the year for Minnesota. Finke was the first transgender legislator to be appointed to the Minnesota House of Representatives in November. Today, @USATODAY released their Women of the Year project, picking one woman to represent each state, and they have selected me as Woman of the Year for Minnesota. https://t.co/cOKwoMrD9b Leigh Finke (@leighfinke) March 19, 2023 USA Today says the awards are a way of highlighting local and national heroines who make a positive impact in their communities every day. Finke has made it a priority to ensure children are allowed to have access to gender altering surgery, recently sponsoring a bill to make Minnesota a trans refuge state. As we highlighted last week, the Democrat Governor and lieutenant governor of the state are on an executive mission to force state agencies to push gender-affirming health care. Governor Tim Walz has labeled efforts to halt trans surgery on children as persecution, vowing to make sure that Minnesotas place as a welcoming, loving, neighborly state where you are welcome and will be free of persecution or anything else that were trying to see in some other states. Minnesota is also one of the states where shocking trans and gay porn books have been placed into school libraries, seemingly unbeknownst to school officials. USA Today now has a habit of picking biological men as woman of the year, having last year decided that Biden assistant secretary of health and human services Rachel Levine was worthy of the award. There is a pattern developing here: Read more at: Summit.news (Natural News) The past several months have revealed a huge amount of government pressure on social media platforms to censor public content. New emails revealed through Missouri v. Biden show the administration went further, urging Facebook to censor private communications on its WhatsApp messaging service too. (Article by Allum Bokhari republished from Breitbart.com) Facebook (now known as Meta) has censored its private messaging app before. Ahead of the Brazilian presidential election in 2018, WhatsApp banned more than 100,000 accounts amid scare stories that the platform was being used by supporters of populist candidate Jair Bolsonaro to spread misinformation. According to emails obtained through discovery in Missouri v. Biden, a multi-state lawsuit accusing the Biden Administration of colluding with tech companies to suppress First Amendment rights in the U.S., the White House also sought censorship on WhatsApp. Multiple emails beginning in March 2021 show Biden Director of Digital Strategy Rob Flaherty pressing Facebook executives to censor Americans on WhatsApp. Via Silent Lunch: Flaherty wanted to know what they were doing to reduce harm on the messaging app. Seemingly dissatisfied with earlier explanations, on March 22, 2021, he wrote, If you cant see the message, Im genuinely curioushow do you know what kinds of messages youve cut down on? Facebook told the White House that it sought to limit virality on its platform in general, which would in turn choke off the flow of misinformation to reach a wider audience. The suppression tools at their disposalspecifically, labeling and limiting message forwardsthe Meta employee explained, were blunt content-agnostic interventions. The premise was that messages that didnt originate from a close contact were more likely to contain misinformation. So by preventing virality in general, the company was automatically helping to prevent misinformation. The answer seemingly didnt satisfy Flaherty, who continued to press Facebook for more information on its efforts to stop vaccine-skeptical content. In one of the follow up exchanges, Flaherty seemed dissatisfied with the response, and again pressed Meta to take action on vaccine hesitancy. I care mostly about what actions and changes youre making to ensure youre not making our countrys vaccine hesitancy problem worse, he wrote. I still dont have a good, empirical answer on how effective youve been at reducing the spread of vaccine-skeptical content and misinformation to vaccine fence sitters. While there is no evidence that Facebook acquiesced to the governments demands, it shows how far the federal government wanted to go: censoring private messages as well as public ones. Of course, to achieve this, private messages would have to be monitored. The government of the UK, led by an ostensibly conservative party, is also waging an assault on private messaging apps. It is currently weighing legislation that would force private messaging apps to surveil private messages for illegal content. Signal, a popular encrypted app, said it would exit the UK if such proposals made it into law. Read more at: Breitbart.com News / National by Staff reporter THE Al Jazeera documentary which exposed how people close to President Emmerson Mnangagwa are involved in gold smuggling and money laundering has torched a storm, with citizens openly expressing anger at the plunder of the country's resources and unbriddled graft.Prominent people such as cleric Uebert Angel, Zimbabwe Miners' Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya, among others, are implicated in the documentary as enablers of gold smuggling and money laundering.The documentary attracted a lot of interest among Zimbabweans clocking 1.2 million views in one day and over 6 000 comments on social media. The snippet on the Al Jazeera Investigative Unit's Twitter handle attracted 88 000 views and 1 000 likes.Opposition Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa said the documentary exposes how corruption starts from the elite circles of Zimbabwe."The fish rots from the head. The Al Jazeera documentary graphically exposes the extent of the rot at the top, but it's just the tip of the iceberg. This clearly shows how corrupt, rotten & broken leadership has destroyed a jewel and great country. Zimbabwe is not poor, it's just poorly governed!," he tweeted.CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere, again tweeted, saying Zimbabwe is being led by thieves. Self-exiled activist Makomborero Haruzivishe shared his views on the matter on the Al Jazeera international news channel, saying the power of the mafia surpasses that of the government. "Other countries have a mafia. In Zimbabwe the mafia has a country," he said.Comedian and musician Prosper Ngomashi, popularly known as Comic Pastor, predicted that state-run newspapers will ignore the documentary."Herald mangwana ndopainomuka yakanyora nyaya dzemombe kuti: Foot and mouth disease hits Lupane. (Herald will have a story on cattle reading foot and mouth hits Lupane)," Ngomashi posted on Facebook. Opposition Lead president Linda Masarira did a four-part thread on Twitter, saying the documentary has just put faces to information that the nation already knows and that the way forward is to plug leakages."Sadly, the long awaited @ajenglish gold mafia documentary just put in the faces to a public secret that all Zimbabweans know about, there is really nothing new. Corruption has destroyed our economy left, right & centre. Getting angry & throwing insults won't fix the problem," she tweeted."Focus in my view should be directed on how best we should plug in leakages of gold, the resource case & a better legislative framework for natural resource governance without overlooking the existence of sanctions especially those imposed by the ofac & saps in their generality," she added.Presidential spokesperson George Charamba, speaking under his Twitter pseudonym Tinoedza Zvimwe, said the outrage is coming from a point of lack of knowledge, as mining is Zimbabwe's greatest income earner."Understand structure of Zimbabwean economy to know how to defend it: For the first time in its entire history, Zimbabwe's foreign currency earnings through exports have hit a record high."The figures are there for anyone to see. Much of that superlative performance has been led by the mining sector, principally gold! It therefore comes as no surprise that enemies of Zimbabwe's recovery will inevitably seek to target this stellar sector which, in any event, has been battleground for east-west global conflict."We are focused on building a usd12bn mining economy, which we should achieve this year. Nothing will stop that, least of all foreign media-led distractions. We keep our eyes fixed on the ball. Madhara ehovhorosi haanzi tsveta chaunacho tikupe chichichi chiri seri kwemusana!!!," Charamba tweeted. He added that the two-year investigation is premised on spurious agendas and it is not credible."How does an American ex-FBI agent become a soothsayer in a narrative of your country and nation, nhai maZimbabweans? A narrative which you a victim of american hostilities celebrate and treat as yours? Zvimwe zvinongoda kufunga so!! This made-in-America Al Jazeera becomes your celebrated organ for truth and defence of your national interest? Who doesn't know the genesis of al jazeera and its siblings like al-arabya, themselves cia propaganda projects in an era of global news networks? Hinga tinoti takagundha wani?," he added.The documentary comes at a time when multiple stories have been written about illicit flows in the mining sector but not as graphic as was done by the international news agency. When Al Jazeera announced that it was going to run the three-part documentary.The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, John Mangudya, released a statement rubbishing the findings of the investigation before they were even aired. Government apologists and spin doctors have sought to defend the rampant looting exposed in the documentary.Prominent Zimbabwean activist Evan Mawarire said: "Zanu-PF is a criminal enterprise to the core." Stargazers and aurora borealis lovers could witness the emergence of northern lights in the sky this week, which could dazzle parts of Washington to New York. Stargazers should not miss the moment, and keeping your camera to capture the rare moment is advisable. Northern Lights on Friday In the latest report, Business Insider explained that the northern lights are expected to unfold in the sky this Friday, reaching the parts of the north of the United States. According to the report, the northern lights light up in the night sky with the so-called solar wind. Although the northern lights are more stunning in parts of the Arctic, there is a possibility that it could likely unfold in the South depending on the solar winds. Based on the Library of Congress, Northern Lights refer to the astronomical event named Aurora Polaris, which shows visible, colorful lights in the sky. The report explained that polar lights, Aurora Polaris, occur in the northern and southern hemispheres. The Library of Congress added that the scientific name of the northern lights is known as aurora borealis. Meanwhile, the southern lights are known as aurora australis. While it is beautiful in the eyes, the report noted that the emergence of the Aurora could affect the electrical power and satellites in space. How to prepare for the Northern Lights Northern lights are considered spectacular, with a mesmerizing view. It is essential to capture rare events using your camera. The Northern Lights Center added that Aurora Borealis is also called the dawn of the north. meanwhile, Aurora Australians mean the dawn of the South. According to Space.com, Northern Lights, or the Aurora Borealis, unfolds a fantastic view of dancing light in the sky. The report noted that Galileo Galilei managed to coin the Autorar Borealis, which is related to Aurora or the North Wind Greek God. The Library of Congress added that Galileli witnessed the dancing light display in 1621. As a result, capturing the rare event is essential, especially for astronomy lovers, stargazers and fans of the Northern Lights. Also Read: NASA Rover catches Amazing Image of Cat Loaf Rock on Mars. The first thing to remember is to ensure you are on the day when the northern lights emerge. A video camera or mobile phone would be helpful to capture the event. More facts about Northern Lights The aurora lights might look closer, but the report explained that the display could reach a height of up to 620 miles. Furthermore, the Northern Lights Center reported that the aurora lights refer to electrically charged particles colliding with the gaseous particles. The Northern Lights have different colors. The report noted that pink and pale green are the most common colors that emerge during the northern lights. In contrast, red color aurora lights are considered rare. According to the report, the red auroras show after being produced by high-altitude oxygen. People may have seen a purple-red-looking aurora. The Northern Lights Center explained that it is produced by nitrogen. Related Article: Northern Lights Unfold in Skies of Canada, Northern United States For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature News. Tasmanian tigers once roamed mainland Australia and as far as the island of New Guinea in the north until it was only confined in Australia's island state of Tasmania Officially known as the Tasmanian wolf or the thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus), the last remaining member of the carnivorous marsupial was long thought to have died in 1936, mainly caused by anthropogenic extinction. Since then, there have been multiple marsupial wolf sightings reported over the past several decades. However, anecdotal evidence and the lack of hard evidence such as: paw prints, carcasses, and living Tasmanian wolf, did not prove that the wild animals never went extinct. In 1986, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) finally acknowledged the fate of the extinct animals. Now, a new study revealed the possibility that the thylacine survived into the 1980s or even at a later period than scientists had previously thought. Researcher from Australia collected massive amount of data from various sources to piece together the puzzle, suggesting the captive last member of T. cynocephalus that died in a Hobart zoo in Tasmania in 1936 was not the last one. Hunted to Extinction It is estimated that there are 5,000 Tasmanian tigers alive in Tasmania during the time of the European settlement in Australia, according to the National Museum of Australia (NMA). However, anthropogenic or human activities such as excessive hunting, along with habitat destruction and introduced disease, has led to the quick extinction of the species until the last one died at Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart. The death of the last known thylacine in September 1936 came two months after the said critically endangered species at that time was given a protection status. This came after the last known wild thylacine was shot in 1930, as mentioned in the image above. Prior to their extinction, the marsupial wolves received bounties since the establishment of the first European colonies during the 1800s, a period when settlers cleared large swathes of areas for agricultural activities such as farming and livestock raising, according to NMA. Also Read: 'Detailed' Tasmanian Tiger Sighting in Cape York Prompts Hunt for Extinct Creature Marsupial Wolf Sightings Since 1936, reports on marsupial wolf sightings revolved around whispers, anecdotal evidence, and other forms of unconfirmed data. This means that the continued existence of the 'striped dog' or those similar to a tiger came pouring down in the succeeding decades after the 1930s, according to the website Science Alert. In line with the recent study published in the journal Science of The Total Environment, scientists from the University of Tasmania collected 1,237 related sighting reports and developed a new method for determining the distribution of 'post-bounty thylacine holdouts.' Contrary to popular belief, the university's research team asserted Australia's iconic predator "probably" survived until the 1980s and there are ongoing sightings of alleged Tasmanian tigers even in recent years, the study said. Despite the new evidence, the official categorization of conservation authorities to thylacine is still 'extinct.' Related Article: Genetics Company Plans to Bring Extinct Tasmanian Tiger to Life, Will It Work? An endangered hooded vulture and five other exotic birds fled the Oakland Zoo's aviary in San Francisco Bay in a storm aftermath. During the storm, a downed tree tore through the mesh enclosure. However, the birds have remained on zoo property, and staff members were trying to lure them back on Thursday. Aviary Break According to zoo spokeswoman Erin Dogan, the male hooded vulture along with five other exotic birds, which include two pied crows and three superb starlings, flew out of the aviary at the Oakland Zoo on Tuesday amid a violent storm that battered the Bay Area. However, the animals remained on the zoo's property, and according to Dogan, a group of at least 12 zoo employees equipped with binoculars, nets, and crates have already located the three starlings. She continued by saying that it appears as though the birds prefer to stay close to the aviary and the zoo because they feel safe there. Since Tuesday, the team has been trying to lure the vulture with dead rats and also the crows with mealworms so they can be captured and brought back to safety, she said. All of the birds were born in captivity, so Dogan questioned whether the birds would know how to stay alive outside of the zoo. This means that all of these birds, according to her, were raised by humans, so they never had to rely on their own resources. None of these birds are predatory birds, according to Dogon, and neither are they a threat to people or other animals, KTLA reports. Update No animals at the zoo were hurt by the fallen tree. The zoo also stated that some areas of the African Savanna might be off-limits to visitors while they work to repair the aviary's damage. Three superb starlings, which they claimed had not wandered far from the damaged aviary, were recovered, according to zoo officials, who confirmed this Thursday afternoon. At the zoo's veterinary clinic, the said birds were being examined. Workers at the zoo were still looking for the two pied crows and the endangered hooded vulture, CBS News reports. Great news: we've successfully recovered 3 superb starlings, who hadn't strayed far from the damaged Savanna aviary. They're safe & sound at our vet hospital. We have yet to recover a hooded vulture & 2 pied crows, but will keep you posted as our recovery efforts continue. pic.twitter.com/meNIJBM49b Oakland Zoo (@oakzoo) March 23, 2023 Also Read: Vultures Avoid Giraffe Carcass After Lethal Lightning Strike: Are They Grossed Out? Endangered Hooded Vulture The hooded vulture or Necrosyrtes monachus is an Old World vulture. It is a member of the Accipitriformes order, which also includes buzzards, buzzard-like birds, buzzards, and hawks. It is a small, scruffy-looking vulture with a downy nape and hind neck, bare crown, face, and foreneck, long, thin bill, and dark brown plumage. Typically, it has a light red color on its face. According to Animalia, Typically, it scavenges domestic and wild animal carcasses. In some areas of The Gambia, the lower region of Casamance, and Guinea-Bissau, it is still a widespread species with a stable population; however, in other regions, such as Dakar, Senegal, population losses of more than 85% have been observed over the past 50 years. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated this species' conservation status as "critically endangered" in its most recent assessment. Threats include poisoning, hunting, habitat loss, and collisions with electrical infrastructure (2017). The Gambia's western region has the highest regional hooded vulture density at the moment. Related Article: Mysterious Death of 40 Vultures Around North Carolina Water Tower Prompts Speculations: Poison or Avian Flu? The Delta Works took approximately 45 years to complete after the North Sea Flood of 1953. We shouldn't wait too long to defend The Netherlands from sea level rise. But how much time still remains? A new formula was developed by an international team of researchers from Utrecht University, Deltares, and NIOZ, among other institutions, to determine when the likelihood of flooding in a particular area will increase. According to the calculations, in more than a quarter of the analyzed locations, the predicted likelihood of flooding will be 10 times higher in 30 years. The study's findings were published in Nature Climate Change. Flood Risk Will Be Ten Times Higher Very high water levels are becoming increasingly frequent as a result of sea level rise. Floods frequently result from exceptionally high water during a storm, therefore this is an issue. As a result of the Earth's continued warming, disasters are more likely to occur, as per Phys.org. However, scientists were unsure of the precise timing of an increase in the likelihood of flooding in particular locations. This is due to how widely protection standards differ globally. Thus, researchers developed a novel computation technique for this investigation. They then used this technique in around 500 locations worldwide. The calculations reveal that within the next 30 years, the anticipated likelihood of flooding will be 10 times higher in more than 25% of those locations. Because the likelihood of flooding is not precisely known everywhere, estimates are employed. Central America, southern Europe, South Africa, and some regions of Asia and Australia are where the growth is happening the fastest. The Dutch province of North Holland is also taken into account in the computations. The chance of flooding at a water level that now only happens once every thousand years serves as the criterion for the coastal fortifications around the city of Den Helder. According to the new method, sea level rise will cause this water level to occur 100 times more frequently on average in 2116. So, the likelihood of flooding in the area of Den Helder increases significantly. Knowing when a rise in the likelihood of flooding may occur, say the researchers, is crucial. "Planning and executing new adaptation measures takes time. For example, it took decades to accomplish the Delta Works following the North Sea Flood of 1953, even though the plans were there already," explains Marjolijn Haasnoot, a climate adaptation expert at Deltares and Utrecht University. Policymakers can now see how much time is available to implement such policies in various locations thanks to their new estimates. Such knowledge is crucial for planning adaptations. The height of extreme water levels is frequently used to determine the height of dikes and other obstacles. The degree of protection increases with decreasing probability of exceeding the maximum water level the dike can bear. The criteria for the likelihood that dikes may flood varies greatly across the Netherlands. The greatest likelihood of flooding in places near The Hague and Rotterdam is lower, at once every 10,000 to 30,000 years, but the lower limit is a probability of flooding once every 1,000 years in most locations on the northern shore and in Zeeland. Ameland and Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, on the other hand, have greater maximum probabilities. The level of protection varies greatly across the globe as well. Also Read: Heavy Rain Threatens 1,200-Mile Area with Flash Flood Risk from Kansas to West Virginia This Week What Causes The Rise In Sea Levels? Since 1880, the planet has warmed by 1C (2F). Because the ocean absorbs more than 90% of the extra heat that greenhouse gases trap in the atmosphere, the ocean's surface temperature increased by around 1.5F over that time, as per WHOI. The main cause of sea level rise over the past century was the thermal expansion of water, which causes warmer water to take up more space. Sea levels rise as a result of meltwater from the world's melting glaciers and ice sheets, which is currently the primary cause of sea level rise on a global scale. Warmer ocean water erodes ice shelves from the sides and below while hotter air melts the ice's surface, causing additional ice and meltwater to flow into the sea. The largest ice sheet in the world, Greenland, is melting four times more quickly than it did in 2003 and is to blame for 20% of the current rise in sea level. According to IPCC estimates, Greenland could raise sea levels by 3.1 to 10.6 inches (8 to 27 cm) by 2100, and Antarctic ice loss could raise sea levels by an additional 1.2 to 11 inches (3 to 28 cm). Subsistence, or when land sinks or settles as a result of natural geologic processes and man-made factors such as pumping water out of aquifers, is another cause of rising sea levels. Over the world, flooding is made worse by coastal survival and sea level rise, endangering densely populated areas. Related article: Tropical Moisture to Bring Wet Weather and Flood Risk to the Southern US by End of Week After a period of severely cold weather that will cause the temperature to plummet and cause massive snowfall, the UK might enjoy Springtime temperatures as high as 20C in a few of days. Following a stretch of very cold weather and significant snowfall that saw the Met Office issue hundreds of weather warnings, Britain has had a week of torrential rain. According to the most recent UK weather maps from WXCHARTS, temperatures might drop far below zero this weekend and into the next week, with an increased chance of snow in northern regions. Spring 20C Blast Could Hit In Days After Brutal Arctic Snap And Snow Heat could, however, return in a few of days, which would be incredibly nice following months of frigid weather. According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and Lead Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok, the UK will experience "two warm spells" during the next three weeks. Around the middle of next week, there is a "chance" that temperatures will reach 20 degrees Celsius or even higher. Around Easter weekend, another warm spell may send temperatures soaring once more to as high as 19 degrees Celsius. There will be two warm spells, he said. Middle of next week, the first could be a little on the wet side. Due to the rain and clouds, temperatures will probably range from 16 to 18 C. The possibility of rain and clouds may keep temperatures from rising beyond 20C. There is a better likelihood if there are breaks. The weekend sees a return to temperatures that are nearly normal and dry. Although the timing is difficult, a second warming up is anticipated the week of Easter. On whether the warm days will be April 4-5 or April 6-7, forecast models disagree. This time of year, the average high temperature is around 10 or 11 C. As stormier weather moves into this area the following week and the week after, the pattern warms as a result of a change in the Northwest Atlantic. Southwest Europe receives warmer air thanks to this pumping of the upper high. The most recent UK weather maps from WXCHARTS suggest that by next Wednesday, maximum temperatures will have finally returned to the double digits, with highs of 12C possibly occurring in southern England. The temperature will continue to rise through next Thursday before beginning to drop back into the single digits by the weekend. On April 4, however, significantly milder weather is expected to return, with highs of 13 to 14 degrees Celsius predicted for London, the Midlands, East Anglia, and the south coast of England. Scotland will stay frigid as temperatures struggle to reach double digits, even though it will be just a few degrees lower in many nearby locations. Also Read: UK Weather Forecast: Thunderstorms Expected Across UK as Flood Warnings Remain in Effect Northern Lights display dazzles West Midlands sky watchers The amazing Northern Lights put on a stunning show of colors for sky watchers in the West Midlands. Red, purple, and yellow hues were seen from Thursday night into Friday morning. The show could be seen from Wales to Yorkshire and as far south as Cornwall in the UK. According to BBC Weather, the spectacle was caused by a geomagnetic storm on the sun's surface. According to Simon King of BBC Weather, the aurora could be especially intense during the equinox, which occurred earlier in the week. He stated that when charged particles reached our atmosphere and reacted with oxygen and nitrogen, they produced colors. Louise Ward, a photographer, expressed her shock and amazement at the show. According to Mr. King, another factor that may have contributed to the display's excellence is the fact that more charged particles can enter our atmosphere during equinoxes. On the equinox, when the Earth's tilt in reference to the sun is at a straight angle, the magnetic field is stronger, producing a more colorful aurora. Related article: UK Weather Forecast: High Winds, Heavy Rain Expected to Unfold This Week One of three suspects remains at large in the March 15 murder of a Columbia-area man, the Tuolumne County Sheriffs Office said Friday. Ben Lindsey, 63, died of blunt force trauma at his home on Calle Quartz Drive, a Sheriffs Office Facebook post said. Authorities said neighbor and tenant Jon Starkweather, 63, was arrested near the home March 17 on murder and other charges. His daughter, Sabrina Starkweather, 28, had been staying with him but has since fled. She is a suspect in the homicide and is wanted for violation of probation. The womans boyfriend, Kasual McGuire-Meder, 22, was arrested on suspicion of murder, robbery and other charges March 17 after being held for an unrelated case in Washoe County, Nevada. He also was staying at the Starkweather home. The homicide scene is off the steep and winding Big Hill Road, about 3 miles east of Columbia State Historic Park. The post said an ambulance responded about 3 p.m. March 15 to a report of an injured man on the ground. Lindsey was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses told investigators the victims Jeep had been missing for a few days before his death, the post said. Jon Starkweather was booked into the county jail and faces charges of murder, robbery and conspiracy to commit a crime. McGuire-Meder was booked in connection with similar charges, as well as taking a vehicle without the owners consent. People with information on Sabrina Starkweathers whereabouts, and the case overall, can contact the Sheriffs Office investigations division at 209-533-5815. Gurbir Singh By Express News Service Justice Geeta Gopi of the Gujarat High Court had an out-of-the-box take on the recent decision of the Bar Council of India (BCI) to allow foreign lawyers and firms to practice in India.I am happy that now foreign lawyers are coming to India. At least they will treat litigants betterThey will be made to sit in the office. Forget offering water or tea, you (advocates) dont even allow them inside your chambers, she said. Continuing to admonish lawyers, Justice Gopi added: A farmers clothes are always dirty... A mechanics clothes are always oily. You cannot judge them by the clothes they wear..now there will be tough competition for you all. Then I am sure, you will yourself call litigants to your offices, offer not only tea but even food. Justice Gopi has, in a derisive way, pointed out what ails the justice system in India it is expensive and out of reach for the common man; and manned by lawyers who are snooty and overbearing, but mediocre in knowledge and practice. More opportunities While reforms in the economy opened up the country to foreign capital after 1991, the legal profession has been jealously guarding its turf. Foreign legal entities were kept out and it was only in March 2018 that the Supreme Court, while upholding the ban, allowed foreign lawyers to visit India on a temporary basis and advise their clients. With the new rules, foreign lawyers and firms can now register themselves and set up a practice in India. The BCI has however clarified that only non-litigious practice will be permitted and that foreign lawyers cannot appear in court or other judicial fora. But it is a foot in the door. The Bar Councils intent currently is to allow foreign law firms to set up consultancies for foreign clients to carry out transactional and corporate work aimed at acquisition, mergers, and the setting up of joint ventures. Their expertise can also be put to use in guiding the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI), and possibly make India a hub of International Commercial Arbitration. There are obvious advantages for the country. India will now open up to specific areas of international law like maritime law and laws governing air transportation. For the consumers of the justice system, the litigants, as Justice Gopi pointed out, more talent and competition will bring better services. And finally, lawyers will many more and exciting opportunities as international law firms begin poaching from Indian firms and recruiting in India. International arbitration But it is in the area of international arbitration and dispute redressal that India is decades behind its peers. India attracted the highest-ever foreign direct investment (FDI) last fiscal in FY2022 of $85 billion. Foreign investment needs to be in step and compliant with local laws; and then invariably there are disputes with the government and with local partners. It is because we shut out international arbitration, disputants had to look elsewhere. Cairn Energy for instance fought out a dispute on retro-taxation with the Government of India in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, The Hague, Netherlands for years before securing a $1.23 billion award in its favour in December 2020. More recently, a dispute between Amazon and Future Retail on the latters contractual obligations was decided in favour of Amazon by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). Singapore has emerged as a hub for international arbitration because of its business-friendly laws, and its positioning as a commercial capital of South Asia. In 2021, the SIAC adjudicated 469 cases and the sum in disputes it handled was a hefty $6.5 billion. A recent study by the School of International Arbitration (SIA), Queen Mary University of London, showed that the five most preferred seats for arbitration are London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Paris, and Geneva. The study also showed that international arbitration was the preferred method of resolving cross-border disputes for 90% of respondents, either on a stand-alone basis (31%) or in conjunction with Alternate Dispute Resolution methods (59%). There has been a late realization by the Bar Council that the country has missed out on being a hub for commercial dispute resolution. But, better late than never. Meanwhile, there are sections of the bar that have sounded an alarm. The All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ) said the BCI has compromised the interests of the Indian legal system and traded it for the Free Trade Agreement with the UK. The AILAJ feels a lot of those at the bottom of the pyramid junior and first-generation lawyers and women advocates might worsen. The Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) feels it is not a level playing field, and the Indian legal sector needs reforms before theyre ready to compete with foreign firms. As the world integrates increasingly towards a global village, these protectionist formulae have no place in a sector that should be at the centre of the churn. India began coupling itself to the world economy with the reforms of 1991. The Bar Council has woken up three decades too late. Foreign lawyers can now set up a practice in India With new rules, foreign lawyers and firms can now register themselves and set up a practice in India. In March 2018 the Supreme Court allowed foreign lawyers to advise their clients Justice Geeta Gopi of the Gujarat High Court had an out-of-the-box take on the recent decision of the Bar Council of India (BCI) to allow foreign lawyers and firms to practice in India.I am happy that now foreign lawyers are coming to India. At least they will treat litigants betterThey will be made to sit in the office. Forget offering water or tea, you (advocates) dont even allow them inside your chambers, she said. Continuing to admonish lawyers, Justice Gopi added: A farmers clothes are always dirty... A mechanics clothes are always oily. You cannot judge them by the clothes they wear..now there will be tough competition for you all. Then I am sure, you will yourself call litigants to your offices, offer not only tea but even food. Justice Gopi has, in a derisive way, pointed out what ails the justice system in India it is expensive and out of reach for the common man; and manned by lawyers who are snooty and overbearing, but mediocre in knowledge and practice.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); More opportunities While reforms in the economy opened up the country to foreign capital after 1991, the legal profession has been jealously guarding its turf. Foreign legal entities were kept out and it was only in March 2018 that the Supreme Court, while upholding the ban, allowed foreign lawyers to visit India on a temporary basis and advise their clients. With the new rules, foreign lawyers and firms can now register themselves and set up a practice in India. The BCI has however clarified that only non-litigious practice will be permitted and that foreign lawyers cannot appear in court or other judicial fora. But it is a foot in the door. The Bar Councils intent currently is to allow foreign law firms to set up consultancies for foreign clients to carry out transactional and corporate work aimed at acquisition, mergers, and the setting up of joint ventures. Their expertise can also be put to use in guiding the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI), and possibly make India a hub of International Commercial Arbitration. There are obvious advantages for the country. India will now open up to specific areas of international law like maritime law and laws governing air transportation. For the consumers of the justice system, the litigants, as Justice Gopi pointed out, more talent and competition will bring better services. And finally, lawyers will many more and exciting opportunities as international law firms begin poaching from Indian firms and recruiting in India. International arbitration But it is in the area of international arbitration and dispute redressal that India is decades behind its peers. India attracted the highest-ever foreign direct investment (FDI) last fiscal in FY2022 of $85 billion. Foreign investment needs to be in step and compliant with local laws; and then invariably there are disputes with the government and with local partners. It is because we shut out international arbitration, disputants had to look elsewhere. Cairn Energy for instance fought out a dispute on retro-taxation with the Government of India in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, The Hague, Netherlands for years before securing a $1.23 billion award in its favour in December 2020. More recently, a dispute between Amazon and Future Retail on the latters contractual obligations was decided in favour of Amazon by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). Singapore has emerged as a hub for international arbitration because of its business-friendly laws, and its positioning as a commercial capital of South Asia. In 2021, the SIAC adjudicated 469 cases and the sum in disputes it handled was a hefty $6.5 billion. A recent study by the School of International Arbitration (SIA), Queen Mary University of London, showed that the five most preferred seats for arbitration are London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Paris, and Geneva. The study also showed that international arbitration was the preferred method of resolving cross-border disputes for 90% of respondents, either on a stand-alone basis (31%) or in conjunction with Alternate Dispute Resolution methods (59%). There has been a late realization by the Bar Council that the country has missed out on being a hub for commercial dispute resolution. But, better late than never. Meanwhile, there are sections of the bar that have sounded an alarm. The All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ) said the BCI has compromised the interests of the Indian legal system and traded it for the Free Trade Agreement with the UK. The AILAJ feels a lot of those at the bottom of the pyramid junior and first-generation lawyers and women advocates might worsen. The Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) feels it is not a level playing field, and the Indian legal sector needs reforms before theyre ready to compete with foreign firms. As the world integrates increasingly towards a global village, these protectionist formulae have no place in a sector that should be at the centre of the churn. India began coupling itself to the world economy with the reforms of 1991. The Bar Council has woken up three decades too late. Foreign lawyers can now set up a practice in India With new rules, foreign lawyers and firms can now register themselves and set up a practice in India. In March 2018 the Supreme Court allowed foreign lawyers to advise their clients By Express News Service CHENNAI: The city corporation on Saturday released a list of the top 100 property tax defaulters who have defaulted in payments ranging from Rs 10.8 crore to Rs 7 lakh. The list features multiple Saravana Stores outlets at various locations in the city that together owe the civic body around Rs 1.4 crore in taxes. The highest defaulter on the list is RR Info Park Pvt Ltd at Mannurpet which owes the corporation Rs 10.84 crore. According to the list, Saravana Stores Gold Palace on OMR owes the corporation Rs 47.8 lakh, Saravana Stores outlet at T Nagars Ranganathan street owes Rs 49 lakh, Saravana stores Gold Palace on Usman road owes Rs 19.3 lakh and the store at Velachery owes Rs 18.49 lakh of dues. As per corporation records, the dues were in the name of Y Pallakkudurai. The Andhra Mahila Sabha at RA Puram owes Rs 17.3 lakh and the Andhra social and cultural association at T Nagar owes Rs 15.8 lakh. In addition, the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited Polytechnic College at Manali owes Rs 1.27 crore in dues and CeeDeeYes Standard Towers on Velachery main road owes Rs 98.75 lakh in dues. The city corporation also released the list of 100 cases pending in courts with dues ranging from Rs 8 crores to Rs 2 lakh. The list includes Sri Ramachandra Educational and Health Trust, Madras Race Club, Spencer and Company Ltd, Citadines OMR Apart Hotels, the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce and Chellamal College for Women at Guindy. Outlets of Saravana Stores Saravana Stores Gold Palace on OMR owes the corporation Rs 47.8 lakh, Saravana Stores outlet at T Nagars Ranganathan street owes Rs 49 lakh, Saravana stores Gold Palace on Usman road owes Rs 19.3 lakh and the store at Velachery owes Rs 18.49 lakh of dues CHENNAI: The city corporation on Saturday released a list of the top 100 property tax defaulters who have defaulted in payments ranging from Rs 10.8 crore to Rs 7 lakh. The list features multiple Saravana Stores outlets at various locations in the city that together owe the civic body around Rs 1.4 crore in taxes. The highest defaulter on the list is RR Info Park Pvt Ltd at Mannurpet which owes the corporation Rs 10.84 crore. According to the list, Saravana Stores Gold Palace on OMR owes the corporation Rs 47.8 lakh, Saravana Stores outlet at T Nagars Ranganathan street owes Rs 49 lakh, Saravana stores Gold Palace on Usman road owes Rs 19.3 lakh and the store at Velachery owes Rs 18.49 lakh of dues. As per corporation records, the dues were in the name of Y Pallakkudurai. The Andhra Mahila Sabha at RA Puram owes Rs 17.3 lakh and the Andhra social and cultural association at T Nagar owes Rs 15.8 lakh. In addition, the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited Polytechnic College at Manali owes Rs 1.27 crore in dues and CeeDeeYes Standard Towers on Velachery main road owes Rs 98.75 lakh in dues.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The city corporation also released the list of 100 cases pending in courts with dues ranging from Rs 8 crores to Rs 2 lakh. The list includes Sri Ramachandra Educational and Health Trust, Madras Race Club, Spencer and Company Ltd, Citadines OMR Apart Hotels, the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce and Chellamal College for Women at Guindy. Outlets of Saravana Stores Saravana Stores Gold Palace on OMR owes the corporation Rs 47.8 lakh, Saravana Stores outlet at T Nagars Ranganathan street owes Rs 49 lakh, Saravana stores Gold Palace on Usman road owes Rs 19.3 lakh and the store at Velachery owes Rs 18.49 lakh of dues By Express News Service Bhojpuri actor Akanksha Dubey died by suicide in a hotel room in Varanasi on Sunday. Her dead body was found in a hotel room in the Sarnath area. She was in Varanasi for the shooting of a film. Police have informed her family of the incident. Akanksha was born on October 21, 1997, in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. She was fond of dancing and acting from a young age, and so she began her acting career on TikTok and Instagram by sharing her short dancing and acting videos. Even on Saturday night, she shared a video on her Instagram account. Almost a month ago, the actress was in the news as she took to social media to make her relationship Instagram official on Valentine's Day. She had shared photos with co-star Samar Singh. She had written, 'Happy Valentine's Day.' Further details are awaited, and police officials refused to comment on the incident. Dubey starred in several regional films including Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki 2', Mujhse Shaadi Karogi' (Bhopuri) and 'Veeron ke Veer'. Bhojpuri film personalities such as Rani Chatterjee, Vinay Anand and Aamrapali Dubey took to social media to pay condolences. "Can't believe seeing this news. What should I write, it is not right to end your life like this. May your soul find peace wherever it is, which it could not find in this world, it could find in heaven. It is hurting a lot! Om Shanti! #rip #aakanshadubey," Chatterjee wrote on Instagram. Anand said he is pained by Dubey's demise and he would like the authorities to investigate the case. "Just found out that Bhojpuri artist Akansha Dubey died by suicide, so sorry to hear about that. We never worked together as far as I can remember. I'd like to know the reason behind this. May she rest in peace. Hari om," Anand said in an Instagram post in Hindi. Posting a photo with the 25-year-old actress on her Instagram, Aamrapali Dubey wrote, "I wanted to use our pictures together only to highlight your achievements!" (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express) (With inputs from PTI) (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (Available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.) Bhojpuri actor Akanksha Dubey died by suicide in a hotel room in Varanasi on Sunday. Her dead body was found in a hotel room in the Sarnath area. She was in Varanasi for the shooting of a film. Police have informed her family of the incident. Akanksha was born on October 21, 1997, in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. She was fond of dancing and acting from a young age, and so she began her acting career on TikTok and Instagram by sharing her short dancing and acting videos. Even on Saturday night, she shared a video on her Instagram account. Almost a month ago, the actress was in the news as she took to social media to make her relationship Instagram official on Valentine's Day. She had shared photos with co-star Samar Singh. She had written, 'Happy Valentine's Day.' Further details are awaited, and police officials refused to comment on the incident. Dubey starred in several regional films including Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki 2', Mujhse Shaadi Karogi' (Bhopuri) and 'Veeron ke Veer'. Bhojpuri film personalities such as Rani Chatterjee, Vinay Anand and Aamrapali Dubey took to social media to pay condolences.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "Can't believe seeing this news. What should I write, it is not right to end your life like this. May your soul find peace wherever it is, which it could not find in this world, it could find in heaven. It is hurting a lot! Om Shanti! #rip #aakanshadubey," Chatterjee wrote on Instagram. Anand said he is pained by Dubey's demise and he would like the authorities to investigate the case. "Just found out that Bhojpuri artist Akansha Dubey died by suicide, so sorry to hear about that. We never worked together as far as I can remember. I'd like to know the reason behind this. May she rest in peace. Hari om," Anand said in an Instagram post in Hindi. Posting a photo with the 25-year-old actress on her Instagram, Aamrapali Dubey wrote, "I wanted to use our pictures together only to highlight your achievements!" (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express) (With inputs from PTI) (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (Available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.) Niharika Saila By Express News Service HYDERABAD: While most of our museums are filled with items describing what the royal life looked like in its heydays, a senior professor has collected over 4,000 artefacts used by ancient nomadic communities with the hope that it will find a permanent place soon. The artefacts are currently housed at the Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University (PTSU). A team led by Prof Jayadheer Tirumala Rao, a noted historian and a professor at PTSU, has been touring the Telugu states and collecting the items. Recently, a group of public intellectuals wrote an open letter to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to support the five Aadya Kalas (Telangana ethnic arts exhibitions). Speaking to TNIE, Prof Rao underlines the importance of preserving the embodiments of living traditions along with protecting heritage structures. When we think of museums, we always think of displaying the clothes, utensils and other items used by the royal families and affluent members of society. In this process, we neglect the commoners who constitute 90 per cent of the society. Their costumes, manuscripts, paintings, tools, musical instruments and other items, which were made by hand, have great artistic and cultural expression as well. He points out that most museums have either archives of ancient artefacts or a replica, but many originals that have been used by people for centuries can still found in India. There is a need to preserve and protect them before this cultural and heritage legacy is lost, he opines. Explaining the conservation process, Prof Rao says they repair, clean and sometimes apply colour to help the collected artefacts last longer. He explains that they require five ethnic museums or Aadya Kalas to show the different parts of their lives musical instruments, script, language and literature, metal artefacts, paintings, wooden toys and leather puppets, and the early tools. He also plans to recreate an ethnic settlement or village to show how people lived a resourceful life in the olden times.However, the lack of prior research and work in the field hinders the groups work, he adds. Due to the lack of a separate space, we are unable to reach out to people who are interested in the subject. We need to write research articles and document the relevant information. As we are a group of four, each of whom are over 65-years-old, we are concerned about losing the information collected over the last couple of years and being unable to pass the knowledge of the rich history to the future generations. We also need support from the Telangana government to safeguard the culture, he says. As we are a group of writers and professors, we are not able to find a way to approach the higher political authorities. Hence, we require support and cooperation from civil society, Prof Rao asserts. HYDERABAD: While most of our museums are filled with items describing what the royal life looked like in its heydays, a senior professor has collected over 4,000 artefacts used by ancient nomadic communities with the hope that it will find a permanent place soon. The artefacts are currently housed at the Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University (PTSU). A team led by Prof Jayadheer Tirumala Rao, a noted historian and a professor at PTSU, has been touring the Telugu states and collecting the items. Recently, a group of public intellectuals wrote an open letter to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to support the five Aadya Kalas (Telangana ethnic arts exhibitions). Speaking to TNIE, Prof Rao underlines the importance of preserving the embodiments of living traditions along with protecting heritage structures. When we think of museums, we always think of displaying the clothes, utensils and other items used by the royal families and affluent members of society. In this process, we neglect the commoners who constitute 90 per cent of the society. Their costumes, manuscripts, paintings, tools, musical instruments and other items, which were made by hand, have great artistic and cultural expression as well. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); He points out that most museums have either archives of ancient artefacts or a replica, but many originals that have been used by people for centuries can still found in India. There is a need to preserve and protect them before this cultural and heritage legacy is lost, he opines. Explaining the conservation process, Prof Rao says they repair, clean and sometimes apply colour to help the collected artefacts last longer. He explains that they require five ethnic museums or Aadya Kalas to show the different parts of their lives musical instruments, script, language and literature, metal artefacts, paintings, wooden toys and leather puppets, and the early tools. He also plans to recreate an ethnic settlement or village to show how people lived a resourceful life in the olden times.However, the lack of prior research and work in the field hinders the groups work, he adds. Due to the lack of a separate space, we are unable to reach out to people who are interested in the subject. We need to write research articles and document the relevant information. As we are a group of four, each of whom are over 65-years-old, we are concerned about losing the information collected over the last couple of years and being unable to pass the knowledge of the rich history to the future generations. We also need support from the Telangana government to safeguard the culture, he says. As we are a group of writers and professors, we are not able to find a way to approach the higher political authorities. Hence, we require support and cooperation from civil society, Prof Rao asserts. Anuraag Singh By Express News Service MADHYA PRADESH : Back in 2015, while investigating a triple murder case, a woman officer of the Madhya Pradesh police posted as additional SP in Jhabua, came across a Pithora style painting in a village towards which she was so endeared that she took it up as a full-time hobby. Seema Alawa (46), a 1998-batch state police service officer, went on to meld the Pithora art style, with other folk styles like Gond and Warli paintings. Till date, she has done 180-odd acrylic paintings, one of which depicting Maa Narmada adorns the walls of the world famous Omkareshwar Temple located on the banks of river Narmada in Khandwa, where she is currently serving as additional SP. Her paintings are also displayed at the offices of the collector and police superintendent in Jhabua, Alirajpur, Khandwa and Betul districts; the Raj Bhawan; Central Academy of Police Training (CAPT) in Bhopal, the Indian Embassy in Doha and a prominent hotel in Leicester town of England. A painting made by her and her daughter Jahanvi, depicting the menace of child labour and early marriage, was shared by the UNICEF on its social media platform in 2019, to convey the importance of child education. Recently, she showcased 32 paintings at her first solo exhibition titled Essence of Folk Art in Khandwa. In the past, her creations have been featured in group exhibitions at the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers meet in Bhopal, by NGO Jwala in Indore and at Hanuwantiya in Khandwa, which is Indias largest water and adventure vacation destination. Alawa, who hails from tribal dominated Dhar district, says she was always interested in art, particularly painting, but couldnt find time and a proper forum to pursue the passion, particularly as her father was in a transferable job in the state commercial tax department. After joining service as a sub divisional officer police (SDOP), she got busy with battling crime, particularly crime against women. While serving in tribal areas, she paid particular attention to targeting of women over allegations of witchcraft, trafficking of women and related aspects. I hardly ever found time to wield the paintbrush, but I fell in love with a Pithora painting just by chance, she recounted. MADHYA PRADESH : Back in 2015, while investigating a triple murder case, a woman officer of the Madhya Pradesh police posted as additional SP in Jhabua, came across a Pithora style painting in a village towards which she was so endeared that she took it up as a full-time hobby. Seema Alawa (46), a 1998-batch state police service officer, went on to meld the Pithora art style, with other folk styles like Gond and Warli paintings. Till date, she has done 180-odd acrylic paintings, one of which depicting Maa Narmada adorns the walls of the world famous Omkareshwar Temple located on the banks of river Narmada in Khandwa, where she is currently serving as additional SP. Her paintings are also displayed at the offices of the collector and police superintendent in Jhabua, Alirajpur, Khandwa and Betul districts; the Raj Bhawan; Central Academy of Police Training (CAPT) in Bhopal, the Indian Embassy in Doha and a prominent hotel in Leicester town of England. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); A painting made by her and her daughter Jahanvi, depicting the menace of child labour and early marriage, was shared by the UNICEF on its social media platform in 2019, to convey the importance of child education. Recently, she showcased 32 paintings at her first solo exhibition titled Essence of Folk Art in Khandwa. In the past, her creations have been featured in group exhibitions at the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers meet in Bhopal, by NGO Jwala in Indore and at Hanuwantiya in Khandwa, which is Indias largest water and adventure vacation destination. Alawa, who hails from tribal dominated Dhar district, says she was always interested in art, particularly painting, but couldnt find time and a proper forum to pursue the passion, particularly as her father was in a transferable job in the state commercial tax department. After joining service as a sub divisional officer police (SDOP), she got busy with battling crime, particularly crime against women. While serving in tribal areas, she paid particular attention to targeting of women over allegations of witchcraft, trafficking of women and related aspects. I hardly ever found time to wield the paintbrush, but I fell in love with a Pithora painting just by chance, she recounted. Last summer, Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths hinted that the Spanish brand could make an entrance into the U.S. market but gave few details of how or when it would make that move. InsideEVs reported that Griffiths recently opened up a bit more during the automakers annual news conference, saying that Cupra had been testing vehicles with American consumers and found positive results. Part of the Volkswagen Automotive Group in Europe and a performance-oriented spin-off of the Seat brand, Cupra makes sharply styled vehicles with a performance flair. The brand has been riding a growth wave for the past few years, expanding outside Europe into Australia, Mexico, Turkey, and soon South America. That expansion could come here, as Griffiths outlined the companys efforts in the states during the press conference. As far as our ambition of being truly global, we are currently analyzing a possible entry into the North American market. At the moment, we are testing our brand with potential clients; we think Americans would love Cupras design and great performance. He didnt elaborate on which cars would come when Cupra arrives on our soil but said that American tastes lean toward larger EVs that the company doesnt currently offer. Speaking with Autocar, Griffiths said that to be successful here, you need a car in the U.S. thats fit for the U.S. and electric. A U.S. electric car is generally bigger, so it will be a next generation of electric cars that would be based on the SSP platform from VW. He said the costs involved with such an effort would be considerable. He noted that the automaker needs to bolster its position in Europe before targeting American drivers. Its worth noting that Cupras EV lineup currently consists of the Born, which shares underpinnings with the VW ID.3. As for when well see our first American-sold Cupra, it could be awhile. Griffiths noted that the move would coincide with the automaker going all-electric. Thats scheduled to be complete by 2030, but Cupras efforts to solidify its European position could be an uphill battle. As InsideEVs noted, the company wants to grow its market share from 1.2% to at least 3%, which wont be easy given the proliferation of compelling EV models on the continent. You Might Also Like Riddhi Doshi By Express News Service For about 200 years it has been happening. Then, the women of the family would sit on the floor, rotating a heavy grinding stone for hours in a hollowed granite block until the soaked mixture of rice and shorn lentil rose up to a frothing white batter. With practised sweeps of their hands, they would swipe the churning curls of the mixture back into the grindstone until it became one smooth paste. Now, the batter rises and swirls in a grinder that churns out kilos of idli batter all day long at the Saraswati Tea Stall, in Ramaserri village of Palakkad district in Kerala. Vinayak Grover Their USP is that unlike all other idlis, they are flat. The owners of the establishment, Smitha and Vijay Kumar, both 52, are up at 4 every morning to begin the work their ancestors started. The steamer doesnt stop until 9 at night. Kumars family is one among four othersall from the Mudaliar communitywhich makes the famous idlis. While Kumar runs the small eatery, the other three families are caterers who supply the idlis for weddings and other events. Though the tradition may be two centuries old, Saraswati Tea Stall was started by Kumars grandmother Bhagyalakshmi Amma only six decades ago. Her idlis were so famous that people came from all over the district to taste them. The tea stall has today put the district firmly on Keralas food map. Made exclusively with locally grown rice that adds sponginess to the idlis, the flat, snow-white pieces are eaten with sambar and a spicy powder locally called gunpowder; non-vegetarians can order chicken curry to go with the idlis. Rajinikanth and Mammootty have eaten our idlis, says Kumar proudly. A couple of centuries ago, members of the Mudaliar community travelled from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu to Palakkad in search of livelihood. They were weavers, and had invented the flat idlis, which didnt go bad for at least four days and hence could be eaten on the way. The community settled in Ramaserri, but their business failed to take off. Not ones to give up so easily, they changed their weaving career and became idli makers who catered to farm labourers. Had they been alive, they would wonder at the long queues of cars waiting outside the Saraswati Tea Stall every day to buy the flat delicacies. Its just become a thing you do when you are in Palakkad, says Kurush Dalal, archaeologist and culinary anthropologist. What adds to the charisma of the idli is its flat shape and the oft-debated question: is it an idli or a dosa? he adds. Being an entrepreneur, Kumar understands that though the village is a tourist attraction for the Ramaserri idlis, the challenge is to spread awareness about the specialty. The husband-wife team regularly travels to different destinations and puts up stalls, which sell the idlis. A second restaurant, Madura Cafe, reopened in Guruvayur in April 2022 after shutting down due to the lockdown. The idlis are made with local Palakkad rice, black gram, fenugreek, sea salt and two secret ingredients, says Kumar with an air of mystery. The manner in which the idlis are made is the key to its unique taste and fluffiness. They are steamed on tamarind wood-fired stoves and earthen pots. The batter is spread on a muslin cloth, placed on a net above the steaming pot, and is covered with another pot so that the idli cooks in the steam trapped within. It is the vapours that make the idli moist, says chef Regi Matthew of the gourmet Kappa Chakka Kandhari restaurant in Bengaluru and Chennai. They serve the Ramaserris, which Matthew discovered on his culinary research tour across Kerala. He even convinced some members of the Mudaliar community to relocate to Chennai and Bengaluru to make the idlis. On World Idli Day which falls on March 30, its worth remembering that you can take the Mudaliar out of Ramaserri, but you cannot take Ramaserri out of the Mudaliar. For about 200 years it has been happening. Then, the women of the family would sit on the floor, rotating a heavy grinding stone for hours in a hollowed granite block until the soaked mixture of rice and shorn lentil rose up to a frothing white batter. With practised sweeps of their hands, they would swipe the churning curls of the mixture back into the grindstone until it became one smooth paste. Now, the batter rises and swirls in a grinder that churns out kilos of idli batter all day long at the Saraswati Tea Stall, in Ramaserri village of Palakkad district in Kerala. Vinayak GroverTheir USP is that unlike all other idlis, they are flat. The owners of the establishment, Smitha and Vijay Kumar, both 52, are up at 4 every morning to begin the work their ancestors started. The steamer doesnt stop until 9 at night. Kumars family is one among four othersall from the Mudaliar communitywhich makes the famous idlis. While Kumar runs the small eatery, the other three families are caterers who supply the idlis for weddings and other events. Though the tradition may be two centuries old, Saraswati Tea Stall was started by Kumars grandmother Bhagyalakshmi Amma only six decades ago. Her idlis were so famous that people came from all over the district to taste them. The tea stall has today put the district firmly on Keralas food map. Made exclusively with locally grown rice that adds sponginess to the idlis, the flat, snow-white pieces are eaten with sambar and a spicy powder locally called gunpowder; non-vegetarians can order chicken curry to go with the idlis. Rajinikanth and Mammootty have eaten our idlis, says Kumar proudly. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); A couple of centuries ago, members of the Mudaliar community travelled from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu to Palakkad in search of livelihood. They were weavers, and had invented the flat idlis, which didnt go bad for at least four days and hence could be eaten on the way. The community settled in Ramaserri, but their business failed to take off. Not ones to give up so easily, they changed their weaving career and became idli makers who catered to farm labourers. Had they been alive, they would wonder at the long queues of cars waiting outside the Saraswati Tea Stall every day to buy the flat delicacies. Its just become a thing you do when you are in Palakkad, says Kurush Dalal, archaeologist and culinary anthropologist. What adds to the charisma of the idli is its flat shape and the oft-debated question: is it an idli or a dosa? he adds. Being an entrepreneur, Kumar understands that though the village is a tourist attraction for the Ramaserri idlis, the challenge is to spread awareness about the specialty. The husband-wife team regularly travels to different destinations and puts up stalls, which sell the idlis. A second restaurant, Madura Cafe, reopened in Guruvayur in April 2022 after shutting down due to the lockdown. The idlis are made with local Palakkad rice, black gram, fenugreek, sea salt and two secret ingredients, says Kumar with an air of mystery. The manner in which the idlis are made is the key to its unique taste and fluffiness. They are steamed on tamarind wood-fired stoves and earthen pots. The batter is spread on a muslin cloth, placed on a net above the steaming pot, and is covered with another pot so that the idli cooks in the steam trapped within. It is the vapours that make the idli moist, says chef Regi Matthew of the gourmet Kappa Chakka Kandhari restaurant in Bengaluru and Chennai. They serve the Ramaserris, which Matthew discovered on his culinary research tour across Kerala. He even convinced some members of the Mudaliar community to relocate to Chennai and Bengaluru to make the idlis. On World Idli Day which falls on March 30, its worth remembering that you can take the Mudaliar out of Ramaserri, but you cannot take Ramaserri out of the Mudaliar. Medha Dutta Yadav By Placed in the centre of a room full of varied canvases at the Gallery Art Exposure retrospective, Into the Half Light & Shadow Go I, in Delhis Bikaner House, is a non-descript notebook. On the cover neatly handwritten in Bangla is the name of the ownerJogen Chowdhury. Titled Amar prothom sketch boi (My first sketch book), the book is dated 1955. This was the year Chowdhury enrolled at the Government College of Art & Craft, Kolkata. He admits that before he joined the college, he was never trained in art. My art came from observing. I was very good at that, he says. Growing up in Daharpara village in Faridpur districtwhich is now in BangladeshChowdhury would observe his mother draw alpona (a folk art of motifs painted on the floor in white) and the idol-makers sculpt terracotta goddesses. Till date, the 84-year-olds steady hand and controlled lines are reminiscent of alpona, as is his trademark of drawing elongated, oval-shaped eyes like the kumhars (clay craftsmen) creating the eyes of the goddess. Forced to migrate to Kolkata during Partition when Chowdhury was nine, the once-affluent family was in dire straits. Chowdhurys canvasinfluenced by those difficult yearsis a dark one. It is this childhood that he still carries with him. In fact, one of his early works showcased at the exhibition is that of his elder brother studying by an oil lamp, engulfed in darkness. That was my reality. We didnt have much. I would come back from art college and practise by the lamp light, even as my brother and sister would study. The darkness is what I lived in and breathed and what I portrayed on canvas, says the artist, known for his pen and ink works. The ongoing exhibition boasts canvases and drawings from 1955 to 2023over 300 works in all. This is the first time that Chowdhurys oeuvre covering his entire life in art is on display. Needless to say, it helps you understand the artist a little better. For instance, there is a section where the works have moved towards abstract, with paint layered on paint. The year was 1965. This is the time Chowdhury was studying at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Here he saw for the first time works by Pablo Picasso. You cannot live through a time and not be influenced by it. In Paris, my style completely changed. So much so, that when I returned to India in 1968, I could not paint for a long time, says the artist, who instead wrote poetry during the time. His first book of poems, Hridoy Train Beje Othey, was published in 1970. Does he still write? Of course. Painting is not the only thing that occupies my day. I write essaysone of which is soon to be published. I write poems, I doodle, I encourage young talent. Im constantly working, says the octogenarian, who is now looking forward to putting together a new show of his oil works, a medium he has rarely worked in earlier, barring a few abstracts and self-portraits. On his return to India, he was recruited by doyen of the arts, Pupul Jayakar, as a textile designer and worked with the National Handloom Board in Chennai. It was during these years that his art evolved the most. He found his cross-hatch techniquemaybe inspired in some way by the textiles he was working withand also formed a deep connection with artist Bhupen Khakhar, famously known as Indias first pop artist. It is a surprise that till I was in Chennai, I was not familiar with Bhupens art. Later when I met him and saw his art, I realised what a tremendous talent he was. While his peers recognised the greatness of Bhupen, it took a long time for the world in general to wake up to his art, says the artist, who paid tribute to his friend with His Peaceful Life in Heaven: Homage to Bhupen in 2013. Bhupen deserved more, says Chowdhury, as he brushes aside his wispy white hair. Placed in the centre of a room full of varied canvases at the Gallery Art Exposure retrospective, Into the Half Light & Shadow Go I, in Delhis Bikaner House, is a non-descript notebook. On the cover neatly handwritten in Bangla is the name of the ownerJogen Chowdhury. Titled Amar prothom sketch boi (My first sketch book), the book is dated 1955. This was the year Chowdhury enrolled at the Government College of Art & Craft, Kolkata. He admits that before he joined the college, he was never trained in art. My art came from observing. I was very good at that, he says. Growing up in Daharpara village in Faridpur districtwhich is now in BangladeshChowdhury would observe his mother draw alpona (a folk art of motifs painted on the floor in white) and the idol-makers sculpt terracotta goddesses. Till date, the 84-year-olds steady hand and controlled lines are reminiscent of alpona, as is his trademark of drawing elongated, oval-shaped eyes like the kumhars (clay craftsmen) creating the eyes of the goddess.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Forced to migrate to Kolkata during Partition when Chowdhury was nine, the once-affluent family was in dire straits. Chowdhurys canvasinfluenced by those difficult yearsis a dark one. It is this childhood that he still carries with him. In fact, one of his early works showcased at the exhibition is that of his elder brother studying by an oil lamp, engulfed in darkness. That was my reality. We didnt have much. I would come back from art college and practise by the lamp light, even as my brother and sister would study. The darkness is what I lived in and breathed and what I portrayed on canvas, says the artist, known for his pen and ink works. The ongoing exhibition boasts canvases and drawings from 1955 to 2023over 300 works in all. This is the first time that Chowdhurys oeuvre covering his entire life in art is on display. Needless to say, it helps you understand the artist a little better. For instance, there is a section where the works have moved towards abstract, with paint layered on paint. The year was 1965. This is the time Chowdhury was studying at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Here he saw for the first time works by Pablo Picasso. You cannot live through a time and not be influenced by it. In Paris, my style completely changed. So much so, that when I returned to India in 1968, I could not paint for a long time, says the artist, who instead wrote poetry during the time. His first book of poems, Hridoy Train Beje Othey, was published in 1970. Does he still write? Of course. Painting is not the only thing that occupies my day. I write essaysone of which is soon to be published. I write poems, I doodle, I encourage young talent. Im constantly working, says the octogenarian, who is now looking forward to putting together a new show of his oil works, a medium he has rarely worked in earlier, barring a few abstracts and self-portraits. On his return to India, he was recruited by doyen of the arts, Pupul Jayakar, as a textile designer and worked with the National Handloom Board in Chennai. It was during these years that his art evolved the most. He found his cross-hatch techniquemaybe inspired in some way by the textiles he was working withand also formed a deep connection with artist Bhupen Khakhar, famously known as Indias first pop artist. It is a surprise that till I was in Chennai, I was not familiar with Bhupens art. Later when I met him and saw his art, I realised what a tremendous talent he was. While his peers recognised the greatness of Bhupen, it took a long time for the world in general to wake up to his art, says the artist, who paid tribute to his friend with His Peaceful Life in Heaven: Homage to Bhupen in 2013. Bhupen deserved more, says Chowdhury, as he brushes aside his wispy white hair. Sudhir Suryawanshi By Express News Service After Rahul Gandhi, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut may face disqualification as the breach of privilege motion has passed against him in Maharashtra state legislative assembly and referred to the chairman of the Rajya Sabha on Saturday. Sanjay Raut had called the state assembly members the gang of thieves chor mandal. The ruling party in Maharashtra took objections to Sanjay Raut's statement calling state assembly as chor mondal and demanded the privilege motion against Sanjay Raut for insulting the elected representatives and its House which has a very rich tradition. Maharashtra state legislative assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar read out the privilege committee report that recommended actions against Sanjay Raut. Narvekar said that he approves the breach of privilege motion that was filed against Sanjay Raut. We had issued notice to Sanjay Raut asking for his clarifications as part of natural justice. But he sought more time and more time was given, and later he replied but it was not satisfactory therefore decided to pass the privilege motion against him. Sanjay Raut is a member of the Rajya Sabha therefore they decided to refer this passed motion to the chairman of the Rajya Sabha for further actions, Narvekar added. Reacting to this development, Sanjay Raut confirmed that there is a conspiracy against him to disqualify him from membership in the Rajya Sabha like Rahul Gandhi, but he is not afraid of such actions. He said that his remarks calling elected members as a gang of thieves are misinterpreted. I was never meant to refer to the state assembly as a gang of thieves. But it was intended towards the 40 MLAs of Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena who snatched the Uddhav Thackerays father-founded party and its traditional bow and arrow symbol. They are a chor gang which are stealing from Uddhav Thackeray therefore my remark was limited to these 40 MLAs of the Shinde group only. I cannot insult the House and its elected members, Raut clarified. He said that he will not extend an apology for the statement that was never made. If I wanted to apologize, then I would not have gone to jail also. I am the true soldier of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Balasaheb Thackeray who will never bow to such frivolous pressure and blackmailing tactics of the BJP and his allied partners in Maharashtra. I will continue to fight at any cost, Raut said. After Rahul Gandhi, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut may face disqualification as the breach of privilege motion has passed against him in Maharashtra state legislative assembly and referred to the chairman of the Rajya Sabha on Saturday. Sanjay Raut had called the state assembly members the gang of thieves chor mandal. The ruling party in Maharashtra took objections to Sanjay Raut's statement calling state assembly as chor mondal and demanded the privilege motion against Sanjay Raut for insulting the elected representatives and its House which has a very rich tradition. Maharashtra state legislative assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar read out the privilege committee report that recommended actions against Sanjay Raut. Narvekar said that he approves the breach of privilege motion that was filed against Sanjay Raut.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); We had issued notice to Sanjay Raut asking for his clarifications as part of natural justice. But he sought more time and more time was given, and later he replied but it was not satisfactory therefore decided to pass the privilege motion against him. Sanjay Raut is a member of the Rajya Sabha therefore they decided to refer this passed motion to the chairman of the Rajya Sabha for further actions, Narvekar added. Reacting to this development, Sanjay Raut confirmed that there is a conspiracy against him to disqualify him from membership in the Rajya Sabha like Rahul Gandhi, but he is not afraid of such actions. He said that his remarks calling elected members as a gang of thieves are misinterpreted. I was never meant to refer to the state assembly as a gang of thieves. But it was intended towards the 40 MLAs of Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena who snatched the Uddhav Thackerays father-founded party and its traditional bow and arrow symbol. They are a chor gang which are stealing from Uddhav Thackeray therefore my remark was limited to these 40 MLAs of the Shinde group only. I cannot insult the House and its elected members, Raut clarified. He said that he will not extend an apology for the statement that was never made. If I wanted to apologize, then I would not have gone to jail also. I am the true soldier of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Balasaheb Thackeray who will never bow to such frivolous pressure and blackmailing tactics of the BJP and his allied partners in Maharashtra. I will continue to fight at any cost, Raut said. By ENS & Agencies NEW DELHI: The Congress' Rajasthan unit on Sunday began its day-long "Sankalp Satyagraha" here in support of Rahul Gandhi following his disqualification from the Lok Sabha. The party's state unit chief Govind Singh Dotasra, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas and several other leaders are taking part in the protest at the Collectorate Circle. Similar protests are also being organised in other districts. The Congress has launched a day-long satyagraha at all states and district headquarters to protest against Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case and his subsequent disqualification from the Lok Sabha. Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in the defamation case. The disqualification will prevent Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting elections for eight years unless a higher court stays the conviction. Calling Gandhi's disqualification "murder of democracy", Dotasra said, "We are holding this satyagraha" against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha." He was raising the issue of corruption done in connivance between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (industrialist Gautam) Adani and to suppress his voice, a decision was taken in haste to terminate his Lok Sabha membership. The Pradesh Congress Committee chief added that the BJP labels anyone who raises their voice against it as "anti-nationals" and claimed that it distorts their public image through social media. "Rahul Gandhi is someone whose grandmother and father sacrificed their lives for the sake of the nation," he said. Mentioning that Gandhi had made it clear that he was not going to be afraid, Dotasra said, "The Congress will expose the scam of Adani and the PM. We are ready for this from Parliament to the roads." Khachariyawas said Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha in a planned manner. This was a sin. The sin has been committed and its outcome will be dangerous," he said. Former mayor Jyoti Khandelwal said the prime minister maintained silence on the Adani issue but action was taken against Gandhi, who has been constantly raising the voice of the people of India. "Satyagraha is the power that had forced the British to bow down. The Modi government will also have to bow down," she said. During the protest, Dotasra also announced that he and the Congress' Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa will visit all divisions and meet party workers and the general public on the issue. They will then cover all the districts and blocks. On Tuesday, they will visit the Udaipur division, followed by Bikaner and Jodhpur divisions on Wednesday and Kota and Bharatpur on Saturday. ALSO READ | United Opposition takes govt head on over Rahul Gandhis disqualification 'Not Savarkar, won't apologise' Meanwhile, speaking for the first time since his disqualification, Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP government by reiterating that "democracy is under attack" in India. He also ruled out the possibility of an apology over his remarks on the Modi surname in 2019, which a Surat court found defamatory, saying My name is not Savarkar. My name is Gandhi. I wont apologise. Lambasting PM Narendra Modi, Rahul said that he had been disqualified because "the Prime Minister is scared about my next speech on Adani and that is why this whole game of disqualification, allegations by ministers aimed at distracting people from Adani issue." The Congress leader said: "This is the whole drama that is been orchestrated to defend the Prime Minister from the simple question- Who's Rs 20,000 crore went to Adani's shell companies? I am not scared of these threats, disqualifications, or prison sentences." He also said that the BJP was trying to divert the issue by alleging that he had insulted OBCs and he would continue to ask what is Modi's relationship with businessman Gautam Adani. The disqualification will bar Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting polls for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction. (With inputs from PTI) READ MORE: Nearly fifty years later, Rahul follows in grandma Indira's footsteps with disqualification Rahul refused to say sorry to Surat court, says Gujarat Congress leader Plea in SC against automatic disqualification of lawmakers upon conviction NEW DELHI: The Congress' Rajasthan unit on Sunday began its day-long "Sankalp Satyagraha" here in support of Rahul Gandhi following his disqualification from the Lok Sabha. The party's state unit chief Govind Singh Dotasra, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas and several other leaders are taking part in the protest at the Collectorate Circle. Similar protests are also being organised in other districts.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The Congress has launched a day-long satyagraha at all states and district headquarters to protest against Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case and his subsequent disqualification from the Lok Sabha. Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in the defamation case. The disqualification will prevent Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting elections for eight years unless a higher court stays the conviction. Calling Gandhi's disqualification "murder of democracy", Dotasra said, "We are holding this satyagraha" against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha." He was raising the issue of corruption done in connivance between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (industrialist Gautam) Adani and to suppress his voice, a decision was taken in haste to terminate his Lok Sabha membership. The Pradesh Congress Committee chief added that the BJP labels anyone who raises their voice against it as "anti-nationals" and claimed that it distorts their public image through social media. "Rahul Gandhi is someone whose grandmother and father sacrificed their lives for the sake of the nation," he said. Mentioning that Gandhi had made it clear that he was not going to be afraid, Dotasra said, "The Congress will expose the scam of Adani and the PM. We are ready for this from Parliament to the roads." Khachariyawas said Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha in a planned manner. This was a sin. The sin has been committed and its outcome will be dangerous," he said. Former mayor Jyoti Khandelwal said the prime minister maintained silence on the Adani issue but action was taken against Gandhi, who has been constantly raising the voice of the people of India. "Satyagraha is the power that had forced the British to bow down. The Modi government will also have to bow down," she said. During the protest, Dotasra also announced that he and the Congress' Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa will visit all divisions and meet party workers and the general public on the issue. They will then cover all the districts and blocks. On Tuesday, they will visit the Udaipur division, followed by Bikaner and Jodhpur divisions on Wednesday and Kota and Bharatpur on Saturday. ALSO READ | United Opposition takes govt head on over Rahul Gandhis disqualification 'Not Savarkar, won't apologise' Meanwhile, speaking for the first time since his disqualification, Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP government by reiterating that "democracy is under attack" in India. He also ruled out the possibility of an apology over his remarks on the Modi surname in 2019, which a Surat court found defamatory, saying My name is not Savarkar. My name is Gandhi. I wont apologise. Lambasting PM Narendra Modi, Rahul said that he had been disqualified because "the Prime Minister is scared about my next speech on Adani and that is why this whole game of disqualification, allegations by ministers aimed at distracting people from Adani issue." The Congress leader said: "This is the whole drama that is been orchestrated to defend the Prime Minister from the simple question- Who's Rs 20,000 crore went to Adani's shell companies? I am not scared of these threats, disqualifications, or prison sentences." He also said that the BJP was trying to divert the issue by alleging that he had insulted OBCs and he would continue to ask what is Modi's relationship with businessman Gautam Adani. The disqualification will bar Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting polls for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction. (With inputs from PTI) READ MORE: Nearly fifty years later, Rahul follows in grandma Indira's footsteps with disqualification Rahul refused to say sorry to Surat court, says Gujarat Congress leader Plea in SC against automatic disqualification of lawmakers upon conviction By PTI NEW DELHI: India has summoned the Canadian high commissioner and conveyed its strong concern about the actions of separatist and extremist elements against its diplomatic mission and consulates in Canada recently. The Government of India on Saturday sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of its diplomatic mission and consulates, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Canada was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention, and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts, it said. Statement released by the MEA The ministry hoped that the Canadian government will take all steps needed to ensure the safety of its diplomats and the security of its diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfil their normal diplomatic functions. On Sunday last, an event to be attended by the Indian envoy to Canada in British Columbia province had to be cancelled due to security concerns after a violent protest by Khalistan supporters. The event was organised at the Taj Park Convention Centre Surrey to welcome the high commissioner of India, Sanjay Kumar Verma's first visit to the west coast. The event was ultimately cancelled for security reasons, Global News, the news and current affairs division of the Canadian Global Television Network had reported. Indian-origin journalist Sameer Kaushal, who was at the venue to cover the protest, was also assaulted by protesters. Canada has also seen a rise in anti-India activities recently by Khalistan supporters who have vandalised some Hindu temples. Last September, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement condemning the rise of hate crimes against Indians and anti-India activities in Canada. READ MORE: Pro-Khalistani supporters abuse Indian journalist in Washington D.C. India summons UK envoy as Khalistanis pull down tricolour at High Commission in London NEW DELHI: India has summoned the Canadian high commissioner and conveyed its strong concern about the actions of separatist and extremist elements against its diplomatic mission and consulates in Canada recently. The Government of India on Saturday sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of its diplomatic mission and consulates, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Canada was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention, and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts, it said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Statement released by the MEA The ministry hoped that the Canadian government will take all steps needed to ensure the safety of its diplomats and the security of its diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfil their normal diplomatic functions. On Sunday last, an event to be attended by the Indian envoy to Canada in British Columbia province had to be cancelled due to security concerns after a violent protest by Khalistan supporters. The event was organised at the Taj Park Convention Centre Surrey to welcome the high commissioner of India, Sanjay Kumar Verma's first visit to the west coast. The event was ultimately cancelled for security reasons, Global News, the news and current affairs division of the Canadian Global Television Network had reported. Indian-origin journalist Sameer Kaushal, who was at the venue to cover the protest, was also assaulted by protesters. Canada has also seen a rise in anti-India activities recently by Khalistan supporters who have vandalised some Hindu temples. Last September, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement condemning the rise of hate crimes against Indians and anti-India activities in Canada. READ MORE: Pro-Khalistani supporters abuse Indian journalist in Washington D.C. India summons UK envoy as Khalistanis pull down tricolour at High Commission in London By PTI RANCHI: India's highways infrastructure will match that of the US by 2024 for which work in time bound 'mission mode' is on including construction of green expressways and rail over bridges, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said. He said cabinet nod to 'Bharatmala 2' is likely soon and once obtained it will meet the requirements of a robust infrastructure in the country. "I am confident that India's highways will be on par with that of the US by 2024. Work in a time-bound mission mode is on to build a robust infrastructure including a network of green expressways across the length and breadth of India," Gadkari told PTI in an interview. The Road Transport and Highways Minister said in this year railway over bridges are being constructed at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore which will be increased to Rs 50,000 crore in five years. On the Kailash Mansarovar highway project via Pithoragarh, Gadkari said "Ninety-three per cent work on Kailash Mansarovar project has been completed." With the completion of this project, the arduous trek through treacherous high-altitude terrain can be avoided by pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the period of journey will be reduced by many days. At present, travel to Kailash Mansarovar takes around two to three weeks through Sikkim or Nepal routes. On Bharatmala Phase 2, the minister said: "Nod is likely soon to Bharatmala Phase 2 that will further accelerate the making of highways." About 5,000 km of highway network is envisaged under phase 2 initially. Bharatmala Pariyojana is India's largest infrastructure programme to develop about 35,000 km of National Highway corridors, connecting over 580 districts in the nation. The programme signalled a paradigm shift to corridor approach of infrastructure development. The overall network of the nation was reimagined through scientific studies including, Origin - Destination study of freight movement across 600 districts and crow-flight alignment for optimised routes to reduce transit time. "In Jharkhand, work of seven greenfield expressways, economic corridor and inter corridor is being done at a cost of Rs 70,000 crore," Gadkari told PTI. Besides work worth Rs 50,000 crore is being done for better connectivity with states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, he said. Providing details of the projects, the minister said 4-lane inter corridor work is being done at a cost of Rs 6,200 crore for Ranchi-Varanasi Inter Corridor which will reduce the travel time significantly between Ranchi and Varanasi. Likewise, the 635 km Raipur-Dhanbad economic corridor is being constructed at a cost of Rs 15,000 crore and would ensure faster movement of coal, steel, cement and minerals, he said. The other projects included Rs 22,000 crore Varanasi-Ranchi-Howrah 620 km access-controlled green expressway and Rs 6,300 crore Ranchi-Sambalpur greenfield economic corridor for 230 km. Apart from these Varanasi-Chordaha (Jharkhand-Bihar border) 6-lane 262 km economic corridor being built on completion will provide excellent hassle free connectivity to Kolkata, Assam, Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh from Jharkhand, he added. Other projects, the minister said include the Rs 5,000 crore Ranchi Ring Road and added that the detailed project report for this 194 km highway will be completed in May 2023. This ring road will pass through Hazaribag, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Khunti, Jamshedpur and Hazaribag. RANCHI: India's highways infrastructure will match that of the US by 2024 for which work in time bound 'mission mode' is on including construction of green expressways and rail over bridges, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said. He said cabinet nod to 'Bharatmala 2' is likely soon and once obtained it will meet the requirements of a robust infrastructure in the country. "I am confident that India's highways will be on par with that of the US by 2024. Work in a time-bound mission mode is on to build a robust infrastructure including a network of green expressways across the length and breadth of India," Gadkari told PTI in an interview.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The Road Transport and Highways Minister said in this year railway over bridges are being constructed at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore which will be increased to Rs 50,000 crore in five years. On the Kailash Mansarovar highway project via Pithoragarh, Gadkari said "Ninety-three per cent work on Kailash Mansarovar project has been completed." With the completion of this project, the arduous trek through treacherous high-altitude terrain can be avoided by pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the period of journey will be reduced by many days. At present, travel to Kailash Mansarovar takes around two to three weeks through Sikkim or Nepal routes. On Bharatmala Phase 2, the minister said: "Nod is likely soon to Bharatmala Phase 2 that will further accelerate the making of highways." About 5,000 km of highway network is envisaged under phase 2 initially. Bharatmala Pariyojana is India's largest infrastructure programme to develop about 35,000 km of National Highway corridors, connecting over 580 districts in the nation. The programme signalled a paradigm shift to corridor approach of infrastructure development. The overall network of the nation was reimagined through scientific studies including, Origin - Destination study of freight movement across 600 districts and crow-flight alignment for optimised routes to reduce transit time. "In Jharkhand, work of seven greenfield expressways, economic corridor and inter corridor is being done at a cost of Rs 70,000 crore," Gadkari told PTI. Besides work worth Rs 50,000 crore is being done for better connectivity with states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, he said. Providing details of the projects, the minister said 4-lane inter corridor work is being done at a cost of Rs 6,200 crore for Ranchi-Varanasi Inter Corridor which will reduce the travel time significantly between Ranchi and Varanasi. Likewise, the 635 km Raipur-Dhanbad economic corridor is being constructed at a cost of Rs 15,000 crore and would ensure faster movement of coal, steel, cement and minerals, he said. The other projects included Rs 22,000 crore Varanasi-Ranchi-Howrah 620 km access-controlled green expressway and Rs 6,300 crore Ranchi-Sambalpur greenfield economic corridor for 230 km. Apart from these Varanasi-Chordaha (Jharkhand-Bihar border) 6-lane 262 km economic corridor being built on completion will provide excellent hassle free connectivity to Kolkata, Assam, Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh from Jharkhand, he added. Other projects, the minister said include the Rs 5,000 crore Ranchi Ring Road and added that the detailed project report for this 194 km highway will be completed in May 2023. This ring road will pass through Hazaribag, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Khunti, Jamshedpur and Hazaribag. SV Krishna Chaitanya By Express News Service SRIHARIKOTA: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday successfully placed 36 commercial satellites into orbit, arguably the heaviest payload carried in a single mission till date from Indian shores. With this, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, has successfully executed its contract to launch 72 satellites of OneWeb into low earth orbit. The first batch of 36 satellites was launched last year. #UPDATE: LVM3-MOneWebIndia-2 mission is accomplished! All 36 OneWeb Gen-1 satellites injected into the intended orbits In its 6th consecutive successful flight, LVM3 carried 5805 kg of payload to Low Earth Orbit@OneWeb @NSIL_India@NewIndianXpress https://t.co/jw2hn18ndZ S V Krishna Chaitanya (@Krish_TNIE) March 26, 2023 This also means that Bharti Enterprise-backed OneWeb Group based in the UK completes its first generation (Gen-1) low earth orbit (LEO) constellation, allowing it to offer broadband internet services all over the world. OneWeb confirmed the acquisition of signals from all 36 satellites The rocket, which will be used for the ambitious Gaganyaan mission, lifted off from Sriharikota at 9 am as scheduled. It gained the required altitude of 450km in about nine minutes and began injecting the satellites in the 20th minute. The C25 (cryogenic upper stage) performed a sophisticated manoeuvre to orient itself to inject satellites into precise orbits. ISRO chairman S Somanath expressed his happiness over the consecutive successful flight of LVM3 and thanked NSIL for the opportunity and the confidence the OneWeb team had in ISRO. I congratulate The Indian Space Research Organisation for making LVM3 rugged and demonstrating its capabilities of launching large, heavy payloads into the right orbit without any glitches. We look forward to greater engagement with commercial partners for making this rocket one of the best in its class, he said and thanked the government for the support and approvals for the missions. NSIL CMD D Radhakrishnan termed Sundays launch momentous. Having a repeat performance of any launcher is not an easy thing to do. A special thing seen in this mission is using the cryogenic stage to do such a complex manoeuvre to meet OneWebs requirement. We are happy to be part of OneWebs journey and want to reassure them that NSIL will continue to engage to meet any other requirement. OneWeb said its constellation as on date is 618 satellites. The design calls for 588 satellites for global coverage and additional satellites are planned for resiliency. In a statement, Sunil Bharti Mittal, executive chairman of OneWeb, said, Todays launch represents a major step towards closing the digital divide. OneWebs global constellation will play a pivotal role in realising this dream. ISRO launched 36 commercial satellites in a low-earth orbit at a 450km altitude | ISRO Lt Gen (retd) AK Bhatt, director-general of Indian Space Association, said the completion of the last leg of the first-generation LEO constellation of 600+ satellites by OneWeb has set a significant benchmark for the entire Indian space industry in downstream application of satellite communication in India. This launch is a significant milestone for India to move towards benefiting from the remarkable capabilities of LEO connectivity and the spread of space-based internet. "This will surely aid in addressing the issue of low fixed broadband penetration and bridge the digital divide in the country's most remote areas. We are excited about the potential it holds and the positive impact it will have on our nation's aspirations for digital transformation," he added. ISRO closer to Gaganyaan with the launch of LVM3 With an eye on the ambitious Gaganyaan mission, ISRO made a few design changes to the GSLV-Mk3 or LVM3 rocket that lifted off majestically on Sunday from Sriharikota with 36 commercial satellites onboard. ISRO Chairman S Somanath said there are several changes made in the LVM3 rocket that is human rated with an eye on the #Gaganayan mission. @NewIndianXpress @isro @DrJitendraSingh @NASA @NASAKennedy pic.twitter.com/lNoBVgeZNW S V Krishna Chaitanya (@Krish_TNIE) March 26, 2023 ISRO Chairman S Somanath told TNIE that the modifications were aimed to increase the reliability and safety quotient. We ruggedised possible points of failure. Increase the margins wherever there are thermally affected areas with extra insulation. The materials used are put through higher levels of screening and production controls. For instance, a typical rocket has two O-rings, now we have three so we have one more additional ceiling joint. Insulation which is given inside was almost 1.5 times what was done earlier, Somanath said. The configuration used on Sunday is similar to the one that would be used for Gaganyaan. To be specific, the S200 motors on board are similar to the launchers required for the Gaganyaan. This rocket (LVM3-M3) also has the S200 motors that are designed with increased margins and features which are suited for Gaganyaan configuration. We are happy that it performed very well in this mission, he said, addressing scientists at the Mission Control Centre. There were many more improvements in this rocket, which are aimed towards making it human-rated in the other stages and systems as well. I am very happy to see the progress incrementally happening towards Gaganyaan Mission as well. Only a few days back, ISRO received the crew module structure simulated assembly for the integrated Air-Drop test (IADT) meant for validating the sequence and performance of parachute systems in the Gaganyaan mission. The IADT will be performed, at Sriharikota, using an Indian Air Force helicopter by taking the crew module to an altitude of 3.6 to 4km to validate the deceleration system performance, ISRO said. Chandrayaan-3 launch likely in June-July Somanath told TNIE the next GSLV Mk-3 launch will be the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which is tentatively scheduled for June-July. There is also a GSLV-Mk2 launch carrying NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, whose integrated payload comprising ISRO's S-band Radar and NASA's L-band Radar reached UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru earlier this month for carrying out further testing and assembly. The official said the space agency was ready for the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The spacecraft successfully completed the essential tests recently that validated its capability to withstand the harsh vibration and acoustic environment that the spacecraft would face during its launch. SRIHARIKOTA: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday successfully placed 36 commercial satellites into orbit, arguably the heaviest payload carried in a single mission till date from Indian shores. With this, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, has successfully executed its contract to launch 72 satellites of OneWeb into low earth orbit. The first batch of 36 satellites was launched last year. #UPDATE: LVM3-MOneWebIndia-2 mission is accomplished! All 36 OneWeb Gen-1 satellites injected into the intended orbits In its 6th consecutive successful flight, LVM3 carried 5805 kg of payload to Low Earth Orbit@OneWeb @NSIL_India@NewIndianXpress https://t.co/jw2hn18ndZ S V Krishna Chaitanya (@Krish_TNIE) March 26, 2023 This also means that Bharti Enterprise-backed OneWeb Group based in the UK completes its first generation (Gen-1) low earth orbit (LEO) constellation, allowing it to offer broadband internet services all over the world. OneWeb confirmed the acquisition of signals from all 36 satellitesgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The rocket, which will be used for the ambitious Gaganyaan mission, lifted off from Sriharikota at 9 am as scheduled. It gained the required altitude of 450km in about nine minutes and began injecting the satellites in the 20th minute. The C25 (cryogenic upper stage) performed a sophisticated manoeuvre to orient itself to inject satellites into precise orbits. ISRO chairman S Somanath expressed his happiness over the consecutive successful flight of LVM3 and thanked NSIL for the opportunity and the confidence the OneWeb team had in ISRO. I congratulate The Indian Space Research Organisation for making LVM3 rugged and demonstrating its capabilities of launching large, heavy payloads into the right orbit without any glitches. We look forward to greater engagement with commercial partners for making this rocket one of the best in its class, he said and thanked the government for the support and approvals for the missions. NSIL CMD D Radhakrishnan termed Sundays launch momentous. Having a repeat performance of any launcher is not an easy thing to do. A special thing seen in this mission is using the cryogenic stage to do such a complex manoeuvre to meet OneWebs requirement. We are happy to be part of OneWebs journey and want to reassure them that NSIL will continue to engage to meet any other requirement. OneWeb said its constellation as on date is 618 satellites. The design calls for 588 satellites for global coverage and additional satellites are planned for resiliency. In a statement, Sunil Bharti Mittal, executive chairman of OneWeb, said, Todays launch represents a major step towards closing the digital divide. OneWebs global constellation will play a pivotal role in realising this dream. ISRO launched 36 commercial satellites in a low-earth orbit at a 450km altitude | ISRO Lt Gen (retd) AK Bhatt, director-general of Indian Space Association, said the completion of the last leg of the first-generation LEO constellation of 600+ satellites by OneWeb has set a significant benchmark for the entire Indian space industry in downstream application of satellite communication in India. This launch is a significant milestone for India to move towards benefiting from the remarkable capabilities of LEO connectivity and the spread of space-based internet. "This will surely aid in addressing the issue of low fixed broadband penetration and bridge the digital divide in the country's most remote areas. We are excited about the potential it holds and the positive impact it will have on our nation's aspirations for digital transformation," he added. ISRO closer to Gaganyaan with the launch of LVM3 With an eye on the ambitious Gaganyaan mission, ISRO made a few design changes to the GSLV-Mk3 or LVM3 rocket that lifted off majestically on Sunday from Sriharikota with 36 commercial satellites onboard. ISRO Chairman S Somanath said there are several changes made in the LVM3 rocket that is human rated with an eye on the #Gaganayan mission. @NewIndianXpress @isro @DrJitendraSingh @NASA @NASAKennedy pic.twitter.com/lNoBVgeZNW S V Krishna Chaitanya (@Krish_TNIE) March 26, 2023 ISRO Chairman S Somanath told TNIE that the modifications were aimed to increase the reliability and safety quotient. We ruggedised possible points of failure. Increase the margins wherever there are thermally affected areas with extra insulation. The materials used are put through higher levels of screening and production controls. For instance, a typical rocket has two O-rings, now we have three so we have one more additional ceiling joint. Insulation which is given inside was almost 1.5 times what was done earlier, Somanath said. The configuration used on Sunday is similar to the one that would be used for Gaganyaan. To be specific, the S200 motors on board are similar to the launchers required for the Gaganyaan. This rocket (LVM3-M3) also has the S200 motors that are designed with increased margins and features which are suited for Gaganyaan configuration. We are happy that it performed very well in this mission, he said, addressing scientists at the Mission Control Centre. There were many more improvements in this rocket, which are aimed towards making it human-rated in the other stages and systems as well. I am very happy to see the progress incrementally happening towards Gaganyaan Mission as well. Only a few days back, ISRO received the crew module structure simulated assembly for the integrated Air-Drop test (IADT) meant for validating the sequence and performance of parachute systems in the Gaganyaan mission. The IADT will be performed, at Sriharikota, using an Indian Air Force helicopter by taking the crew module to an altitude of 3.6 to 4km to validate the deceleration system performance, ISRO said. Chandrayaan-3 launch likely in June-July Somanath told TNIE the next GSLV Mk-3 launch will be the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which is tentatively scheduled for June-July. There is also a GSLV-Mk2 launch carrying NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, whose integrated payload comprising ISRO's S-band Radar and NASA's L-band Radar reached UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru earlier this month for carrying out further testing and assembly. The official said the space agency was ready for the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The spacecraft successfully completed the essential tests recently that validated its capability to withstand the harsh vibration and acoustic environment that the spacecraft would face during its launch. By PTI KOLKATA: Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said his party's leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha would strengthen the Congress, helping its prospects in next year's general election. Describing the political landscape as an "undeclared emergency", Chidambaram in an exclusive email interview, said the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has made the Congress its "prime target", wishing its elimination in order to more easily manage the regional parties. However, he asserted that Congress would not be "eliminated" and regional parties would "rise and fight" the BJP. Excerpts: Q: In the backdrop of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha after a court judgement in a defamation case, how do you read the country's political landscape? A: The country is already in an emergency-like situation. It is an undeclared emergency. One of the complaints during the emergency was that press freedom was snuffed out. Is it any different today? Journalists and the independence of the media are under numerous constraints today. The BJP's prime target is the Congress party. They think if they are able to eliminate the Congress party from the electoral battleground, the regional or state-specific parties will be easy targets. They are wrong on both counts. The Congress party cannot be eliminated. The regional or state-specific parties will rise and fight. Q: Do you think the Rahul Gandhi incident would help the Congress in the 2024 elections? A: The developments of the last few days have put more steel in the Congress party. We know we are fighting a formidable Leviathan. Fighting the BJP, unity of purpose, struggle, sacrifice etc., will indeed strengthen the Congress party. A stronger Congress will certainly be a major force in the (2024) election. TNIE EDITORIAL | A sentence over a phrase: Surat hands spotlight back to Rahul Q: As a senior leader of the Congress, what would be your advice to Rahul Gandhi at this hour? A: He (Rahul Gandhi) does not need my advice and I do not advise him. He is brave and fearless. In the Bharat Jodo Yatra he demonstrated his grit and determination -- qualities that many people were happy to discover in Mr Gandhi. Q: Though the Trinamool Congress has described Gandhi's disqualification from the LS "as a new low for Constitutional democracy," it has also earlier stated that the Congress "should not consider itself to be the big boss of the Opposition Front and should give due respect to the regional parties". What is your opinion on this? A: Broadly speaking, I agree with that view. To the best of my knowledge, the Congress' leadership does not think differently. We think that Opposition unity can be achieved and sustained only through a common understanding of the current political situation, shared goals, and mutual respect. No one in the Congress has suggested that the Congress should be the big boss. The way that Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh led the UPA (the alliance and the government) with exceptional grace and wisdom -- and successfully too -- is proof of the fact that no one in the Congress harbours any sense of superiority. Q: How important would be the regional parties' role for the next year's elections? A: The regional parties are an integral part of our federal structure. In fact, the presence and the success of several regional parties have underlined that the Indian political structure is essentially federal. I believe that the regional parties will play a crucial role in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. READ MORE | Ive been disqualified because PM was scared of my next speech on Adani: Rahul Gandhi KOLKATA: Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said his party's leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha would strengthen the Congress, helping its prospects in next year's general election. Describing the political landscape as an "undeclared emergency", Chidambaram in an exclusive email interview, said the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has made the Congress its "prime target", wishing its elimination in order to more easily manage the regional parties. However, he asserted that Congress would not be "eliminated" and regional parties would "rise and fight" the BJP.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Excerpts: Q: In the backdrop of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha after a court judgement in a defamation case, how do you read the country's political landscape? A: The country is already in an emergency-like situation. It is an undeclared emergency. One of the complaints during the emergency was that press freedom was snuffed out. Is it any different today? Journalists and the independence of the media are under numerous constraints today. The BJP's prime target is the Congress party. They think if they are able to eliminate the Congress party from the electoral battleground, the regional or state-specific parties will be easy targets. They are wrong on both counts. The Congress party cannot be eliminated. The regional or state-specific parties will rise and fight. Q: Do you think the Rahul Gandhi incident would help the Congress in the 2024 elections? A: The developments of the last few days have put more steel in the Congress party. We know we are fighting a formidable Leviathan. Fighting the BJP, unity of purpose, struggle, sacrifice etc., will indeed strengthen the Congress party. A stronger Congress will certainly be a major force in the (2024) election. TNIE EDITORIAL | A sentence over a phrase: Surat hands spotlight back to Rahul Q: As a senior leader of the Congress, what would be your advice to Rahul Gandhi at this hour? A: He (Rahul Gandhi) does not need my advice and I do not advise him. He is brave and fearless. In the Bharat Jodo Yatra he demonstrated his grit and determination -- qualities that many people were happy to discover in Mr Gandhi. Q: Though the Trinamool Congress has described Gandhi's disqualification from the LS "as a new low for Constitutional democracy," it has also earlier stated that the Congress "should not consider itself to be the big boss of the Opposition Front and should give due respect to the regional parties". What is your opinion on this? A: Broadly speaking, I agree with that view. To the best of my knowledge, the Congress' leadership does not think differently. We think that Opposition unity can be achieved and sustained only through a common understanding of the current political situation, shared goals, and mutual respect. No one in the Congress has suggested that the Congress should be the big boss. The way that Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh led the UPA (the alliance and the government) with exceptional grace and wisdom -- and successfully too -- is proof of the fact that no one in the Congress harbours any sense of superiority. Q: How important would be the regional parties' role for the next year's elections? A: The regional parties are an integral part of our federal structure. In fact, the presence and the success of several regional parties have underlined that the Indian political structure is essentially federal. I believe that the regional parties will play a crucial role in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. READ MORE | Ive been disqualified because PM was scared of my next speech on Adani: Rahul Gandhi Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW/AHMEDABAD: A UP police team comprising 45 cops left Sabarmati Central jail in Ahmedabad for Prayagraj by road taking gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed along on Sunday evening. The police convoy will cover around 1200-km distance ferrying the gangster to be produced in MP/MLA court of Prayagraj in connection with the 2007 case of abduction of Umesh Pal, who was murdered allegedly by Atiqs cohorts on February 24, this year. The gangster is being brought back in compliance with the production warrant issued by Prayagraj MP/MLA court which will pronounce the verdict in the Umesh Pal abduction case on Tuesday, March 28. Atiqs younger brother Ashraf, who is lodged in Bareilly jail, is also expected to be produced in the court on March 28. Notably, Umesh Pal was the prime witness in the then BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case of 2005. As per the police sources, a police convoy left Sabarmati central jail along with Atiq Ahmed, a former SP MP from Phulpur and five terms MLA, at around 6:30 pm on Sunday adding that it would take the shortest possible route to reach Prayagraj in UP. ALSO READ | Atiq Ahmad's wife, three sons to be included as members of his gang in UP police records According to Additional DG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar, a UP police team had gone to bring the gangster. We will be closely watching the movement of the police vehicles while sufficient force has been provided by Prayagraj police to ensure the safe arrival of the criminal, said the ADG avoiding to divulge the route to be followed by the police convoy from Ahmedabad to Prayagraj. However, he added that the convoy would travel around the clock to reach Prayagraj. The police sources confirmed that an IPS officer in the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) along with 45 cops were sent as a team to Sabarmati Central Jail to bring the mafia. Atiq was being brought in a hi-tech prison van Vajra-- accompanied by four police escorts, an additional prison van and an ambulance. Atiq is returning to Prayagraj, his bastion, after a period of four years. He was sent to Sabarmati jail in 2019. He has over 100 criminal cases lodged against him and is among the main accused along with his wife Shaista Parveen, their two sons and other close aides in the Umesh Pal murder case. Donning a white head gear and a black kurta, Atiq was made to sit in the Vajra (number UP 70 AG 4078) along with a team of cops while departing from Sabarmati jail amid heavy security arrangements. While proceeding towards the police van, Atiq told to the media persons that he was feeling a threat to his life. These people have planned to assassinate me, said the gangster while getting into the van. However, as per the Gujarat police sources, the gangster would be ferried to Prayagraj by the UP police through a route crossing Madhya Pradesh and not Rajasthan. ALSO READ | Umesh Pal killing: Atiqs sister accuses UP minister of plotting against gangsters family The UP police team arrived at Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad on Sunday morning with a production warrant from Prayagraj court. Following this, the process of his transportation commenced and it took the Sabarmati jail authorities five hours to hand over the undertrial after verification of all the required documents. According to UP DG Prisons, Anand Kumar, Atiq Ahmed would be kept in isolation in a high-security barrack. Jail staff would be chosen and deployed based on records and would wear body-worn cameras. Jail HQ will monitor it round the clock through a video wall, said the DG Prison. Atiq Ahmed was shifted to Sabarmati jail in June 2019 in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court which had directed the UP police authorities on April 22, 2019, to shift Atiq Ahmad to a high-security jail in Gujarat after he was accused of orchestrating the abduction and assault on a real estate trader Mohit Jaiswal, from inside the jail. LUCKNOW/AHMEDABAD: A UP police team comprising 45 cops left Sabarmati Central jail in Ahmedabad for Prayagraj by road taking gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed along on Sunday evening. The police convoy will cover around 1200-km distance ferrying the gangster to be produced in MP/MLA court of Prayagraj in connection with the 2007 case of abduction of Umesh Pal, who was murdered allegedly by Atiqs cohorts on February 24, this year. The gangster is being brought back in compliance with the production warrant issued by Prayagraj MP/MLA court which will pronounce the verdict in the Umesh Pal abduction case on Tuesday, March 28. Atiqs younger brother Ashraf, who is lodged in Bareilly jail, is also expected to be produced in the court on March 28. Notably, Umesh Pal was the prime witness in the then BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case of 2005.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); As per the police sources, a police convoy left Sabarmati central jail along with Atiq Ahmed, a former SP MP from Phulpur and five terms MLA, at around 6:30 pm on Sunday adding that it would take the shortest possible route to reach Prayagraj in UP. ALSO READ | Atiq Ahmad's wife, three sons to be included as members of his gang in UP police records According to Additional DG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar, a UP police team had gone to bring the gangster. We will be closely watching the movement of the police vehicles while sufficient force has been provided by Prayagraj police to ensure the safe arrival of the criminal, said the ADG avoiding to divulge the route to be followed by the police convoy from Ahmedabad to Prayagraj. However, he added that the convoy would travel around the clock to reach Prayagraj. The police sources confirmed that an IPS officer in the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) along with 45 cops were sent as a team to Sabarmati Central Jail to bring the mafia. Atiq was being brought in a hi-tech prison van Vajra-- accompanied by four police escorts, an additional prison van and an ambulance. Atiq is returning to Prayagraj, his bastion, after a period of four years. He was sent to Sabarmati jail in 2019. He has over 100 criminal cases lodged against him and is among the main accused along with his wife Shaista Parveen, their two sons and other close aides in the Umesh Pal murder case. Donning a white head gear and a black kurta, Atiq was made to sit in the Vajra (number UP 70 AG 4078) along with a team of cops while departing from Sabarmati jail amid heavy security arrangements. While proceeding towards the police van, Atiq told to the media persons that he was feeling a threat to his life. These people have planned to assassinate me, said the gangster while getting into the van. However, as per the Gujarat police sources, the gangster would be ferried to Prayagraj by the UP police through a route crossing Madhya Pradesh and not Rajasthan. ALSO READ | Umesh Pal killing: Atiqs sister accuses UP minister of plotting against gangsters family The UP police team arrived at Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad on Sunday morning with a production warrant from Prayagraj court. Following this, the process of his transportation commenced and it took the Sabarmati jail authorities five hours to hand over the undertrial after verification of all the required documents. According to UP DG Prisons, Anand Kumar, Atiq Ahmed would be kept in isolation in a high-security barrack. Jail staff would be chosen and deployed based on records and would wear body-worn cameras. Jail HQ will monitor it round the clock through a video wall, said the DG Prison. Atiq Ahmed was shifted to Sabarmati jail in June 2019 in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court which had directed the UP police authorities on April 22, 2019, to shift Atiq Ahmad to a high-security jail in Gujarat after he was accused of orchestrating the abduction and assault on a real estate trader Mohit Jaiswal, from inside the jail. VIT University Engineering Entrance Examinations (VITEEE) 2023 https://career.webindia123.com/career/dates_and_events/entrance/eng/vit-university-engineering-entrance-examination-viteee.htm Details of VIT University Engineering Entrance Examinations (VITEEE) 2023 2022-11-17 2023-3-31 https://career.webindia123.com/career/images/exams.png India India VIT University Engineering Entrance Examinations (VITEEE) 2023 Engineering VIT University Engineering Entrance Examinations (VITEEE) 2023 VIT University Engineering Entrance Examinations (VITEEE) 2023 Category : Engineering Admissions 2023 Published : On November 17, 2022 By Webindia123 Editor Important Dates Issue of VITEEE-2022 Application Forms Ongoing Last Date for issue/ receipt of Application Forms 31st March, 2023 VITEEE-2022 15h-21st April, 2023 Declaration of Results (Tentative) - VIT University (formerly Vellore Institute of Technology) has been conducting an Entrance Examination, VITEEE (VIT Engineering Entrance Examination - 2023) for admission to B.Tech. Degree Programmes. The exam is a computer based test (CBT) that is held in centers across the country and abroad. Questions are based on the specified syllabus with options to attempt papers in either Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and English (PCM) or Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English(PCB). The exams will be conducted in 3 sessions on each day. Exam timings (IST) Session 1: 9:00 am to 11:30 am / Session 2: 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm / Session 3: 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm No Negative marks for wrong answers 'NIOS' candidates are eligible to appear for the VITEEE-2023as per norms NRI/PIO/OCI candidates are also eligible to apply for VITEEE-2023 B.Tech. Programmes offered at Vellore Campus Bio-Medical Engineering Biotechnology Civil Engineering Chemical Engineering Computer Science and Engineering Computer Science and Engg (Spec. in Bioinformatics) Electronics and Communication Engineering Electrical and Electronics Engineering Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering Information Technology Mechanical Engineering Mechanical ( Spec. in Automotive Engineering ) Mechanical ( Spec. in Energy Engineering ) Production and Industrial Engineering B. Tech. Programmes offered at Chennai Campus Civil Engineering Computer Science and Engineering Electronics and Communication Engineering Electrical and Electronics Engineering Mechanical Engineering Eligibility : The applicant should be a Resident / Non Resident Indian National. Candidates appearing for the VITEEE-2022 should have either completed or shall be appearing in 2022, in any one of the following qualifying examinations: The final examination of the 10+2 system of Higher Secondary Examination conducted by the State Board, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE, New Delhi), The Council for Indian School Certificate Examination (ISCE, New Delhi). Intermediate or Two-year Pre-University Examination conducted by a recognized Board/ University. High School Certificate Examination of the Cambridge University or International Baccalaureate Diploma of the International Baccalaureate Office, Geneva. General Certificate Education (GCE) examination (London/ Cambridge/Srilanka) at the Advanced (A) level. As per VIT norms, NIOS candidates are also eligible to apply Candidates appearing for the VITEEE in 2023 should have secured an aggregate of 60% in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics/Biology in the qualifying examination (+2/ Intermediate). The average marks obtained in the subjects Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics or Biology (PCM / PCB) in +2 (or its equivalent) put together should be 50% for the following categories: Candidates belonging to SC/ST Fill in the proforma as given in Annexure III and have it attested by a competent authority (The list of authorities empowered for the same is given in Annexure III). Candidates hailing from Jammu and Kashmir and the North Eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura Age Limit : Candidates whose date of birth falls on or after 1st July 1997 are eligible to apply for VITEEE-2023. The date of birth as recorded in the High School / SSC / X Certificate will be considered authentic. Candidates should produce this certificate in original as a proof of their age at the time of counseling, failing which they will be disqualified. Admission Procedure : The admission will be purely on the basis of the marks secured in the VITEEE-2023, conducted by VIT University. Candidates who have not appeared for the VITEEE are not eligible for admission. The candidates will be short-listed based on their entrance examination marks and will be called for the counseling. Issue of Application Forms - Online Candidates can also apply online at www.vit.ac.in through the following mode : (i) Net banking /Credit card/Debit card /Paytm for Rs.1150/- (ii) The online applicants (Except DD mode applicants), need not send the hard copy of the application form to the University. Issue of Application Forms - OMR The Prospectus and the information brochure for the B.Tech program, along with the necessary enclosures which include the Application Form and a printed self addressed envelope, can be obtained against cash payment of Rs.1200/- from the various post offices as given in the VIT website: www.vit.ac.in Candidates can obtain the application form in person from the (i) VIT University, Vellore Campus (ii) VIT University, Chennai Campus by handing over a Demand Draft for 1200/- drawn in favour of VIT University, payable at Vellore. Candidates can also obtain the application form through post by sending a Demand Draft for Rs. 1200/-drawn in favour of VIT University, payable at Vellore, with a covering letter addressed to Director-UG Admissions, VIT University, Vellore-632014, requesting for the application form and indicating their complete postal address. On receipt of the DD, the application form with the enclosures will be sent by post. The postal charges will be borne by the Institute. Candidate should write his/her name, Mobile Number and address on the reverse side of the DD. Test Centres : The VITEEE - 2023 will be held in 124 cities. The list of Test Cities along with their corresponding codes is found in the information brochure. More details can be available from the institute website. Contact Details Address : VIT University Vellore - 632 014, Tamil Nadu Chennai campus Vandalur- Kelambakkam Road, Chennai-600127 Phone : +91-416-220 2125, 220 2157, 220 2168 Chennai: +91-44-3993 1555, 3993 Fax : +91 416-224 5544, 224 5766 Mobile : E-mail : Contact I Website : www.vit.ac.in Find it Useful ? Help Others by Sharing Online Comments and Discussions Dilip Singh Kshatriya By Express News Service AHMEDABAD: Uttar Pradesh Police reached Gujarats Sabarmati Jail on Sunday, to interrogate Atiq Ahmed, who is the main accused in the Umesh Pal murder case. According to sources, by the warrant issued by the UP Police Atiq Ahmed might be arrested and transferred to Uttar Pradesh. He will also be interrogated about his previous offences. Early this morning, two UP Police vehicles, with armed policemen arrived at Ahmedabad Sabarmati Jail as part of the police convoy. ALSO READ | UP police reward for info on Atiq's wife an attempt to 'divert attention': BSP MLA Sources say that Atiq Ahmed has been summoned for the hearing of the 2007 extortion and rioting case against him, in Pragyaraj Court on Wednesday, to which he will be arrested and escorted by the UP police. Presently, the paperwork required for Atiq Ahmeds transfer is being completed. Atiq Ahmed could also be arrested in Uttar Pradesh in the Umeshpal murder case, say sources. Atiq Ahmed was in contact with his friends via WhatsApp from the Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad prior to Umesh Pal's murder, say sources. ALSO READ | Atiq Ahmad's wife, three sons to be included as members of his gang in UP police records In June 2019, Atiq was transferred to Sabarmati Jail. On April 22, 2019, the Supreme Court ordered that Atiq be transferred from UP's Deoria Jail to a high-security jail in Gujarat. Atiq was charged with plotting to kidnap and assault real estate developer Mohit Jaiswal. ALSO READ | Umesh Pal murder case: SC adjourns hearing on Atiq Ahmed's plea seeking protection AHMEDABAD: Uttar Pradesh Police reached Gujarats Sabarmati Jail on Sunday, to interrogate Atiq Ahmed, who is the main accused in the Umesh Pal murder case. According to sources, by the warrant issued by the UP Police Atiq Ahmed might be arrested and transferred to Uttar Pradesh. He will also be interrogated about his previous offences. Early this morning, two UP Police vehicles, with armed policemen arrived at Ahmedabad Sabarmati Jail as part of the police convoy. ALSO READ | UP police reward for info on Atiq's wife an attempt to 'divert attention': BSP MLA googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Sources say that Atiq Ahmed has been summoned for the hearing of the 2007 extortion and rioting case against him, in Pragyaraj Court on Wednesday, to which he will be arrested and escorted by the UP police. Presently, the paperwork required for Atiq Ahmeds transfer is being completed. Atiq Ahmed could also be arrested in Uttar Pradesh in the Umeshpal murder case, say sources. Atiq Ahmed was in contact with his friends via WhatsApp from the Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad prior to Umesh Pal's murder, say sources. ALSO READ | Atiq Ahmad's wife, three sons to be included as members of his gang in UP police records In June 2019, Atiq was transferred to Sabarmati Jail. On April 22, 2019, the Supreme Court ordered that Atiq be transferred from UP's Deoria Jail to a high-security jail in Gujarat. Atiq was charged with plotting to kidnap and assault real estate developer Mohit Jaiswal. ALSO READ | Umesh Pal murder case: SC adjourns hearing on Atiq Ahmed's plea seeking protection By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA/VISAKHAPATNAM: BJP State chief Somu Veerraju lambasted the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government for adopting a resolution in the State Assembly urging the Centre to amend the Constitution to provide Schedule Caste status to SCs, who converted into Christianity. Stating that it was nothing but encouraging religious conversions in a secular country, Veerraju demanded that the YSRC government withdraw the resolution. The State BJP chief said he will submit a memorandum to the Governor on March 27 in this regard. Speaking to mediapersons in Visakhapatnam, BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao said the party would oppose the resolution adopted by the YSRC government for the inclusion of Dalit Christians in the SC list. He recalled that they opposed when such a move was made during the TDP rule. We will chalk out an action plan against the decision soon, he added. GVL asserted that such inclusion would affect the interests of the real Dalits as they stand to lose part of the reservation. It will be a great injustice to Dalits. Hence, the YSRC government should withdraw the resolution. It is all part of vote bank politics of the ruling YSRC, he said. The MP also said the court verdict in the Rahul Gandhi case was being misinterpreted. The Congress, which suppressed democracy during the Emergency, was now talking about democracy, he alleged. VIJAYAWADA/VISAKHAPATNAM: BJP State chief Somu Veerraju lambasted the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government for adopting a resolution in the State Assembly urging the Centre to amend the Constitution to provide Schedule Caste status to SCs, who converted into Christianity. Stating that it was nothing but encouraging religious conversions in a secular country, Veerraju demanded that the YSRC government withdraw the resolution. The State BJP chief said he will submit a memorandum to the Governor on March 27 in this regard. Speaking to mediapersons in Visakhapatnam, BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao said the party would oppose the resolution adopted by the YSRC government for the inclusion of Dalit Christians in the SC list. He recalled that they opposed when such a move was made during the TDP rule. We will chalk out an action plan against the decision soon, he added. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); GVL asserted that such inclusion would affect the interests of the real Dalits as they stand to lose part of the reservation. It will be a great injustice to Dalits. Hence, the YSRC government should withdraw the resolution. It is all part of vote bank politics of the ruling YSRC, he said. The MP also said the court verdict in the Rahul Gandhi case was being misinterpreted. The Congress, which suppressed democracy during the Emergency, was now talking about democracy, he alleged. By PTI BENGALURU: Flaying the BJP-led Karnataka government for its decision to scrap reservation for Muslims under Category 2B in the OBC list, the Congress declared on Sunday that it would restore the quota to the minority community in the event of the party coming to power in the State, where Assembly elections are due by May. The Cabinet meeting on Friday also decided to split this quantum (four per cent) equally between Vokkaliga and Veerashaiva-Lingayats at two per each in jobs and admissions in educational institutions, which was welcomed by the two politically influential communities. The government moved Muslims into the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) pool. President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) D K Shivakumar termed the step "unconstitutional". "They (the government) think that reservation can be distributed like a property. It's not a property. It's a right (of minorities)", he told reporters here. "We don't want their four per cent to be scrapped and given to any of the major communities. They ((members of the minority community) are our brothers and family members". Entire Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats are rejecting this offer," Shivakumar claimed. Exuding confidence that the Congress party will come to power in the "next 45 days", he said: "we will scrap all this" and added that there is no basis to remove Muslims from the OBC list. Charging the Basavaraj Bommai-government with trying to rake up "emotional issues" as it's set to lose the polls, Shivakumar said as party president, he wants to declare that the first meeting of the Cabinet, in the event of Congress coming to power, would take a decision to restore the quota. A Congress statement said the complete taking away of the decades-old reservation for Muslim minorities of four per cent has caused great consternation and a sense of injustice in the minority community. It alleged that shifting of Muslims to the EWS quota is per se unconstitutional and is an attempt to deceive the minority community. "EWS quota is founded upon economic status and income. It is not based upon caste or religion. A member of any caste or religion would anyway be entitled to EWS reservation based on his or her economic status," the party said. "How is the (Basavaraj) Bommai government then making false claims of shifting Muslim minority to EWS quota?" BENGALURU: Flaying the BJP-led Karnataka government for its decision to scrap reservation for Muslims under Category 2B in the OBC list, the Congress declared on Sunday that it would restore the quota to the minority community in the event of the party coming to power in the State, where Assembly elections are due by May. The Cabinet meeting on Friday also decided to split this quantum (four per cent) equally between Vokkaliga and Veerashaiva-Lingayats at two per each in jobs and admissions in educational institutions, which was welcomed by the two politically influential communities. The government moved Muslims into the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) pool.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) D K Shivakumar termed the step "unconstitutional". "They (the government) think that reservation can be distributed like a property. It's not a property. It's a right (of minorities)", he told reporters here. "We don't want their four per cent to be scrapped and given to any of the major communities. They ((members of the minority community) are our brothers and family members". Entire Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats are rejecting this offer," Shivakumar claimed. Exuding confidence that the Congress party will come to power in the "next 45 days", he said: "we will scrap all this" and added that there is no basis to remove Muslims from the OBC list. Charging the Basavaraj Bommai-government with trying to rake up "emotional issues" as it's set to lose the polls, Shivakumar said as party president, he wants to declare that the first meeting of the Cabinet, in the event of Congress coming to power, would take a decision to restore the quota. A Congress statement said the complete taking away of the decades-old reservation for Muslim minorities of four per cent has caused great consternation and a sense of injustice in the minority community. It alleged that shifting of Muslims to the EWS quota is per se unconstitutional and is an attempt to deceive the minority community. "EWS quota is founded upon economic status and income. It is not based upon caste or religion. A member of any caste or religion would anyway be entitled to EWS reservation based on his or her economic status," the party said. "How is the (Basavaraj) Bommai government then making false claims of shifting Muslim minority to EWS quota?" By Express News Service KOCHI: An alleged custodial murder rocked the state on Sunday after a father of two school-going children died at the Tripunithura Hill Palace police station on Saturday night after being hit with a helmet by a policeman during a road inspection. Manoharan (53), a native of Irupanam and the sole breadwinner of his family, was declared dead at the Ernakulam Medical Trust, within one hour of being dragged to the police station. Eyewitnesses said Manoharan, who ran a small spare parts shop, was dragged to the police station though he did not drive his motorbike under the influence of alcohol, and nor was he overspeeding. Following the uproar, Sub-Inspector Jimmy Jose, who slapped Manoharan in the face during the inspection, was suspended from service. "Manoharan could not immediately stop his motorcycle when police waved him down. After stopping his two-wheeler a few meters ahead of the parked police vehicle, he drove back to the police vehicle. When he reached there, a police officer asked why he did not stop the bike. As Manoharan was removing his helmet, a police officer slapped his face," said Rema Devi, a neighbour who witnessed the police's high-handedness in front of her house. The police were camping at the narrow lane leading to Karshaka colony, a housing colony where daily wagers like Manoharan lived. Rama said Manoharan told the policemen that he could not stop the motorcycle immediately due to his fear. "Using a device (alcometer), police took his breath test and found that he was not involved in drunken driving. Manoharan was seen shivering after being slapped by the police officer. They later asked him to get into their vehicle in which a few others who were caught drunk driving were also seated. Later, they took them to the police station," she said. Girija Sasikumar, another neighbour, said a policeman hit Manoharan with the helmet. As per the FIR of the case, he collapsed at around 9.30 pm at the Hill Palace police station. After he collapsed at the police station, he was first taken to the nearby Tripunithura Taluk Hospital and from there to the Ernakulam Medical Trust, where he was declared dead at 10 pm. The inquest procedures were carried out by RDO at Medical Trust Hospital. By afternoon, the body was shifted to Kalamassery Medical College for postmortem. Kochi City Police Commissioner K Sethu Raman admitted that it was an inappropriate action on the part of a police official. "There is no permission granted to anyone for slapping a civilian. Manoharan was not found involved in drunken driving. The investigation into the incident is tasked to the DySP of the City Crime Branch," he said, adding that the postmortem report will reveal the actual reason behind the death. "From the preliminary assessment cardiac arrest is suspected. We have information that he was taking medicine for high blood pressure," Sethu Raman told TNIE. Meanwhile, custodial death has triggered a major political issue. Anoop Jacob, local MLA, said that police check on narrow roads are against the circular issued by Kerala Police Chief. "I receive frequent complaints regarding atrocities by police officials and the Station House Officer of Hill Palace Police Station. It was a narrow road and who gave police permission to conduct checking there? Who gave police permission to slap a person?" Anoop asked. Manoharan was not involved in drunken driving. He was not a history-sheeter. There is no case registered against him at any police stations, said the MLA. "This is a clear case of police atrocity. I am frequently receiving complaints from people in my constituency against police officials of Hill Palace Police Station who engaged in brutal torture methods," he said. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and his party workers visited Manoharan's house. "When the police atrocities are rising, the Chief Minister is sitting on the home minister's portfolio shamelessly," said Satheesan. Congress and BJP also conducted protest marches to the police station. More police were deployed in front of the Hill Palace Police Station to prevent any violence as part of the protest marches. KOCHI: An alleged custodial murder rocked the state on Sunday after a father of two school-going children died at the Tripunithura Hill Palace police station on Saturday night after being hit with a helmet by a policeman during a road inspection. Manoharan (53), a native of Irupanam and the sole breadwinner of his family, was declared dead at the Ernakulam Medical Trust, within one hour of being dragged to the police station. Eyewitnesses said Manoharan, who ran a small spare parts shop, was dragged to the police station though he did not drive his motorbike under the influence of alcohol, and nor was he overspeeding.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Following the uproar, Sub-Inspector Jimmy Jose, who slapped Manoharan in the face during the inspection, was suspended from service. "Manoharan could not immediately stop his motorcycle when police waved him down. After stopping his two-wheeler a few meters ahead of the parked police vehicle, he drove back to the police vehicle. When he reached there, a police officer asked why he did not stop the bike. As Manoharan was removing his helmet, a police officer slapped his face," said Rema Devi, a neighbour who witnessed the police's high-handedness in front of her house. The police were camping at the narrow lane leading to Karshaka colony, a housing colony where daily wagers like Manoharan lived. Rama said Manoharan told the policemen that he could not stop the motorcycle immediately due to his fear. "Using a device (alcometer), police took his breath test and found that he was not involved in drunken driving. Manoharan was seen shivering after being slapped by the police officer. They later asked him to get into their vehicle in which a few others who were caught drunk driving were also seated. Later, they took them to the police station," she said. Girija Sasikumar, another neighbour, said a policeman hit Manoharan with the helmet. As per the FIR of the case, he collapsed at around 9.30 pm at the Hill Palace police station. After he collapsed at the police station, he was first taken to the nearby Tripunithura Taluk Hospital and from there to the Ernakulam Medical Trust, where he was declared dead at 10 pm. The inquest procedures were carried out by RDO at Medical Trust Hospital. By afternoon, the body was shifted to Kalamassery Medical College for postmortem. Kochi City Police Commissioner K Sethu Raman admitted that it was an inappropriate action on the part of a police official. "There is no permission granted to anyone for slapping a civilian. Manoharan was not found involved in drunken driving. The investigation into the incident is tasked to the DySP of the City Crime Branch," he said, adding that the postmortem report will reveal the actual reason behind the death. "From the preliminary assessment cardiac arrest is suspected. We have information that he was taking medicine for high blood pressure," Sethu Raman told TNIE. Meanwhile, custodial death has triggered a major political issue. Anoop Jacob, local MLA, said that police check on narrow roads are against the circular issued by Kerala Police Chief. "I receive frequent complaints regarding atrocities by police officials and the Station House Officer of Hill Palace Police Station. It was a narrow road and who gave police permission to conduct checking there? Who gave police permission to slap a person?" Anoop asked. Manoharan was not involved in drunken driving. He was not a history-sheeter. There is no case registered against him at any police stations, said the MLA. "This is a clear case of police atrocity. I am frequently receiving complaints from people in my constituency against police officials of Hill Palace Police Station who engaged in brutal torture methods," he said. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and his party workers visited Manoharan's house. "When the police atrocities are rising, the Chief Minister is sitting on the home minister's portfolio shamelessly," said Satheesan. Congress and BJP also conducted protest marches to the police station. More police were deployed in front of the Hill Palace Police Station to prevent any violence as part of the protest marches. P Krishna By Express News Service MEDAK: With each passing day, Medak police are finding themselves in deep trouble with regard to the death of Md Qadeer. People from different sections of society have been vehemently condemning the police for allegedly beating up the victim so ruthlessly that he succumbed later in a hospital. Even as the Medak police have maintained that they are not responsible for Qadeers death, they have not been able to convincingly answer the questions being raised by the victims family members. The way police handled the entire case has also put a question mark on the friendly policing policy of the State government. Civil rights activists speak to Qadeers family members in Medak on Monday After the suspension of four cops Medak town CI Madhu, SI Rajasekhar, and Constables Prashanth and Pawan Kumar on Sunday, the victims family member demanded that criminal cases be registered against them. It may be mentioned here that a case of chain snatching was registered in Medak town on January 27. On suspicion of his involvement in the case, Qadeer was detained on January 29. As per the protocol, if a person is detained, police are supposed to produce him in court and seek remand or release the detainee if his involvement is not established. However, Qadeer was kept behind bars for at least five days and beaten up. Instead of releasing him, on February 3, the police handed him over to his wife Siddeshwari after having her sign a bind-over order by the Medak tahsildar. He (Qadeer) was beaten up so badly that his kidneys were damaged, Siddeshwari said.As his condition worsened, the police admitted him to a private hospital in Medak and paid bills worth Rs 2 lakh. If the police had nothing to do with it as they claim, why did they admit him to a private hospital and pay for his treatment, she asked. On February 17, as he showed no signs of recovery, doctors referred him to Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment. Even that could not save Qadeer. He finally passed away on Friday morning. Send police to jail Siddeshwari further alleged that while bringing the body back to Medak, the police changed ambulances twice and also burned some documents. If Medak police are not responsible for Qadeers death, they must explain why they had to change the ambulance to shift the body. They must also answer what documents did they burn and why they did it, said a furious Siddeshwari. Medak residents are wondering why criminal cases havent been filed against the errant cops yet. It has already been established that police were responsible for Qadeers death. Suspension is not enough. Those responsible must be sent to jail, said a local resident. Meanwhile, Civil Rights Association president Prof G Laxman, secretary Prof Narayana and advocate Bhupathi visited the victims family on Monday. They collected information about the case and demanded that the accused policemen be booked under Section 302 of IPC. They also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the victims family and a government job for his wife. Qadeer, who worked as a daily wage labourer, is survived by his wife and two children. HC takes TNIE report as sou moto petition The High Court on Monday took suo moto writ petition on the basis of a news article published in The New Indian Express under the headline Death of theft accused in police custody. The matter is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday. The TNIE report said that Mohammed Qadeer, a daily-wage worker, had died due to alleged Medak police torture in custody on January 27 during interrogation in an alleged theft case. The Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Home), DPG, Superintendent of Police, Medak district, and the SHO of Medak police station are named respondents in the petition. ALSO READ | Four Medak cops suspended for custodial death MEDAK: With each passing day, Medak police are finding themselves in deep trouble with regard to the death of Md Qadeer. People from different sections of society have been vehemently condemning the police for allegedly beating up the victim so ruthlessly that he succumbed later in a hospital. Even as the Medak police have maintained that they are not responsible for Qadeers death, they have not been able to convincingly answer the questions being raised by the victims family members. The way police handled the entire case has also put a question mark on the friendly policing policy of the State government. Civil rights activists speak to Qadeers family members in Medak on MondayAfter the suspension of four cops Medak town CI Madhu, SI Rajasekhar, and Constables Prashanth and Pawan Kumar on Sunday, the victims family member demanded that criminal cases be registered against them. It may be mentioned here that a case of chain snatching was registered in Medak town on January 27. On suspicion of his involvement in the case, Qadeer was detained on January 29. As per the protocol, if a person is detained, police are supposed to produce him in court and seek remand or release the detainee if his involvement is not established.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); However, Qadeer was kept behind bars for at least five days and beaten up. Instead of releasing him, on February 3, the police handed him over to his wife Siddeshwari after having her sign a bind-over order by the Medak tahsildar. He (Qadeer) was beaten up so badly that his kidneys were damaged, Siddeshwari said.As his condition worsened, the police admitted him to a private hospital in Medak and paid bills worth Rs 2 lakh. If the police had nothing to do with it as they claim, why did they admit him to a private hospital and pay for his treatment, she asked. On February 17, as he showed no signs of recovery, doctors referred him to Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment. Even that could not save Qadeer. He finally passed away on Friday morning. Send police to jail Siddeshwari further alleged that while bringing the body back to Medak, the police changed ambulances twice and also burned some documents. If Medak police are not responsible for Qadeers death, they must explain why they had to change the ambulance to shift the body. They must also answer what documents did they burn and why they did it, said a furious Siddeshwari. Medak residents are wondering why criminal cases havent been filed against the errant cops yet. It has already been established that police were responsible for Qadeers death. Suspension is not enough. Those responsible must be sent to jail, said a local resident. Meanwhile, Civil Rights Association president Prof G Laxman, secretary Prof Narayana and advocate Bhupathi visited the victims family on Monday. They collected information about the case and demanded that the accused policemen be booked under Section 302 of IPC. They also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the victims family and a government job for his wife. Qadeer, who worked as a daily wage labourer, is survived by his wife and two children. HC takes TNIE report as sou moto petition The High Court on Monday took suo moto writ petition on the basis of a news article published in The New Indian Express under the headline Death of theft accused in police custody. The matter is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday. The TNIE report said that Mohammed Qadeer, a daily-wage worker, had died due to alleged Medak police torture in custody on January 27 during interrogation in an alleged theft case. The Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Home), DPG, Superintendent of Police, Medak district, and the SHO of Medak police station are named respondents in the petition. ALSO READ | Four Medak cops suspended for custodial death Shahid Faridi By NEW DELHI: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday said that the BJPs attempt to give an anti-OBC twist to Rahul Gandhis controversial 2019 speech would not succeed as neither of the two fugitive businessmen referred to in the speech belong to the Other Backward Classes. The entire country knows that Lalit Modi and Nirav Modi belong to the upper caste. They do not belong to the OBC category. In any case, I have no doubt in my mind that the case against Rahul Gandhi was expedited not because he talked about these two fugitive businessmen. He has been ousted from Parliament because he asked questions about the relationship between Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Baghel said talking to this newspaper. He said that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress would not stop asking questions until we find the source of money in the offshore shell companies that invested heavily in Adanis group in India. Baghel said: I belong to an OBC caste and I say it with full conviction that the BJP is an anti-OBC party. My government in Chhattisgarh brought in a bill regarding OBC reservation in the state. This bill was passed unanimously in the state legislative assembly last year. But the BJP is stalling this OBC reservation by using the office of the Governor. The party has not allowed the Governor to sign the bill. Prime Minister Modi and his government are also opposed to the demand for a nationwide caste census because of which a large number of OBC communities across the country are deprived of reservation benefits. Now, these people are talking about OBCs. He said the fact that the case against Rahul Gandhi has everything to do with the Adani affair and the companys wrongdoings exposed by the Hindenburg report is evident from the chronology of the case against him. The case was filed in 2019 and has been lingering since. But it suddenly gained pace after Rahul Gandhi showed links between the Prime Minister and Gautam Adani during his speech in Parliament. The BJP was already shaken by the huge response Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Yatra received. The BJP was desperate to distract the people of the country from the successful Yatra and the emergence of strong evidence of wrongdoing by the Adani group and its close links with the Prime Minister. The case against Rahul ji and his disqualification from the Lok Sabha is part of the BJPs conspiracy to divert peoples attention from its failings. I want to know why the Prime Minister is shying away from answering Rahul Gandhis questions on the Adani affair. The PM gave a long speech in Parliament. But there was no mention of the words Hindenburg and Adani. The whole country, including the entire Opposition, is asking the Prime Minister to explain his position. But he has refused to provide any answers, Baghel said, adding, The Prime Ministers silence has given strength to our belief that theres something wrong in the whole Adani affair. Lakhs of crores of rupees of our banks, insurance companies, and common people have been lost after the Hindenburg report. Are we wrong in asking the government to explain? As a responsible opposition, we are raising peoples issues. The government has not allowed Parliament to function as it does not have answers. NEW DELHI: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday said that the BJPs attempt to give an anti-OBC twist to Rahul Gandhis controversial 2019 speech would not succeed as neither of the two fugitive businessmen referred to in the speech belong to the Other Backward Classes. The entire country knows that Lalit Modi and Nirav Modi belong to the upper caste. They do not belong to the OBC category. In any case, I have no doubt in my mind that the case against Rahul Gandhi was expedited not because he talked about these two fugitive businessmen. He has been ousted from Parliament because he asked questions about the relationship between Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Baghel said talking to this newspaper. He said that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress would not stop asking questions until we find the source of money in the offshore shell companies that invested heavily in Adanis group in India. Baghel said: I belong to an OBC caste and I say it with full conviction that the BJP is an anti-OBC party. My government in Chhattisgarh brought in a bill regarding OBC reservation in the state. This bill was passed unanimously in the state legislative assembly last year. But the BJP is stalling this OBC reservation by using the office of the Governor. The party has not allowed the Governor to sign the bill. Prime Minister Modi and his government are also opposed to the demand for a nationwide caste census because of which a large number of OBC communities across the country are deprived of reservation benefits. Now, these people are talking about OBCs.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); He said the fact that the case against Rahul Gandhi has everything to do with the Adani affair and the companys wrongdoings exposed by the Hindenburg report is evident from the chronology of the case against him. The case was filed in 2019 and has been lingering since. But it suddenly gained pace after Rahul Gandhi showed links between the Prime Minister and Gautam Adani during his speech in Parliament. The BJP was already shaken by the huge response Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Yatra received. The BJP was desperate to distract the people of the country from the successful Yatra and the emergence of strong evidence of wrongdoing by the Adani group and its close links with the Prime Minister. The case against Rahul ji and his disqualification from the Lok Sabha is part of the BJPs conspiracy to divert peoples attention from its failings. I want to know why the Prime Minister is shying away from answering Rahul Gandhis questions on the Adani affair. The PM gave a long speech in Parliament. But there was no mention of the words Hindenburg and Adani. The whole country, including the entire Opposition, is asking the Prime Minister to explain his position. But he has refused to provide any answers, Baghel said, adding, The Prime Ministers silence has given strength to our belief that theres something wrong in the whole Adani affair. Lakhs of crores of rupees of our banks, insurance companies, and common people have been lost after the Hindenburg report. Are we wrong in asking the government to explain? As a responsible opposition, we are raising peoples issues. The government has not allowed Parliament to function as it does not have answers. Shruti Kakkar By NEW DELHI: Days after Supreme Court collegium in its resolution took strong exception to the Centre withholding or overlooking the names recommended for appointment of judges, Supreme Court judge BV Nagarathna, who is set to become the first women CJI in 2027, said such delay can have serious effects for democracy in general and judiciary in particular. Speaking at the 5th Conference of Central Government Counsels of Southern States, organised in Bangalore, the judge said, I must say in my most humble way that governmental or executives inaction or delay in critical matters concerning the judiciary such as appointment of judges would have serious effects for democracy in general and in judiciary in particular. In fact, in my humble view, there is a constitutional obligation upon the executive to effectively process appointments and transfer of judges recommended by the collegium of the SC within the earliest possible time so that there are no vacancies in courts which could hamper effective judicial functioning. If empowerment of the judiciary is to be seriously considered then I would feel that the vacancies must be filled up and the transfers must be effected. She also said that lingering vacancies hamper effective judicial functioning. Voicing for inclusion of more women judges and underscoring the need for manning the judiciary, she said that if more women are in the judiciary then the entire judiciary will be empowered. The judiciary at every level is required to be free and independent from bias. Very often we carry many bias within us. While there is no simple antidote to these biases, the one way of diversifying experiences in adjudication of court would be by having a heterogeneous judiciary and not just a homogeneous judiciary. Diversity is therefore an essential aspect in order to give it more legitimacy, she said. She further said one of the ways for diversity in the judiciary is to have more women in the bench. Achieving equality for women judges at all levels is not just right of women, but for achieving just rule of law in society, women judges contribute to improving the quality of decision making and therefore i would say that the empowerment of judiciary by women is of vital significance. The judge said that fearless judges are necessary to ward off the executive pressure. She said, The extent of the judiciary however relates to the men and women who form part of the judiciary. Therefore I would like to next come to the salient aspect of the manning of the judiciary. The adequate manning of the judiciary at all levels. Independent and fearless judges is necessary to ward off any semblance of interference from any quarter. Women judges empower judiciary: SC judge Supreme Court judge BV Nagarathna said one of the ways for diversity in the judiciary is to have more women in the bench. Women judges contribute to improving the quality of decision making and therefore i would say that the empowerment of judiciary by women is of vital significance. NEW DELHI: Days after Supreme Court collegium in its resolution took strong exception to the Centre withholding or overlooking the names recommended for appointment of judges, Supreme Court judge BV Nagarathna, who is set to become the first women CJI in 2027, said such delay can have serious effects for democracy in general and judiciary in particular. Speaking at the 5th Conference of Central Government Counsels of Southern States, organised in Bangalore, the judge said, I must say in my most humble way that governmental or executives inaction or delay in critical matters concerning the judiciary such as appointment of judges would have serious effects for democracy in general and in judiciary in particular. In fact, in my humble view, there is a constitutional obligation upon the executive to effectively process appointments and transfer of judges recommended by the collegium of the SC within the earliest possible time so that there are no vacancies in courts which could hamper effective judicial functioning. If empowerment of the judiciary is to be seriously considered then I would feel that the vacancies must be filled up and the transfers must be effected. She also said that lingering vacancies hamper effective judicial functioning. Voicing for inclusion of more women judges and underscoring the need for manning the judiciary, she said that if more women are in the judiciary then the entire judiciary will be empowered. The judiciary at every level is required to be free and independent from bias. Very often we carry many bias within us. While there is no simple antidote to these biases, the one way of diversifying experiences in adjudication of court would be by having a heterogeneous judiciary and not just a homogeneous judiciary. Diversity is therefore an essential aspect in order to give it more legitimacy, she said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); She further said one of the ways for diversity in the judiciary is to have more women in the bench. Achieving equality for women judges at all levels is not just right of women, but for achieving just rule of law in society, women judges contribute to improving the quality of decision making and therefore i would say that the empowerment of judiciary by women is of vital significance. The judge said that fearless judges are necessary to ward off the executive pressure. She said, The extent of the judiciary however relates to the men and women who form part of the judiciary. Therefore I would like to next come to the salient aspect of the manning of the judiciary. The adequate manning of the judiciary at all levels. Independent and fearless judges is necessary to ward off any semblance of interference from any quarter. Women judges empower judiciary: SC judge Supreme Court judge BV Nagarathna said one of the ways for diversity in the judiciary is to have more women in the bench. Women judges contribute to improving the quality of decision making and therefore i would say that the empowerment of judiciary by women is of vital significance. Jitendra Choubey By NEW DELHI: India recently removed a ban on 24 pesticides, raising concerns of environmentalists. Before that, it continued to ban only three pesticides. The recent decision is a U-turn by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW) from its May 2020 decision to ban all 27 pesticides. Meanwhile, a couple of petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court asking for a complete ban on the use and manufacture of all 27 pesticides, as recommended by two expert committees. After questions were raised in the parliament over the use of six Neonicotinoid pesticides registered in India to have had a possible impact on the Honey bee population,the MoAFW formed a committee headed by scientist Dr Anupam Varma in August 2013 to examine the justification of its continued use. Later, another 66 pesticides were added. Dr. Varma submitted reports in December 2015 in four volumes in which the committee categorically recommended a ban on 13 pesticides out of 66. Six of them were to be phased out by 2020. The reports recommended the use 18 pesticides while suggesting data requirement for 27 pesticides. If I remember correctly, our committee didnt find data to take any call on those 27 pesticides and urged the government to provide field use data by 2017, Varma told this newspaper. Later, the pesticides industry association made objections to the committees recommendations. Then, in 2017, the government formed another Dr SK Malhotra Committee. The committee recommended the continued ban on 27 pesticides in 2018. After that, another sub-committee was formed by the pesticide Registration Committee (RC) -- an apex body to regulate pesticides in India to review 27 pesticides under Dr SK Khurana. Based on Khurana observation, MoFAW issued a draft notification to ban pesticides in May 2020. Later the Industry body filed a petition in the Rajasthan High Court and got a stay on the ban order. It is a story of review committee after review committee and the industrys delaying tactics, says Vipin Saini, an independent pesticide expert. "Besides the removal of ban, we also recommended changing the label of eight pesticides," said Rajendran. While experts disagree over the idea of change in labels on pesticides. "Recommendation for change of labelling a fraud act to hide its risk," says Dr Vipin Bhatnagar, Ex FAO-Expert panel member on pesticides specification. He said farmers use it as per local dealers direct them to use. "Pesticides should be banned or only allowed to be used under government supervision like some fumigants," said Bhatnagar. NEW DELHI: India recently removed a ban on 24 pesticides, raising concerns of environmentalists. Before that, it continued to ban only three pesticides. The recent decision is a U-turn by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW) from its May 2020 decision to ban all 27 pesticides. Meanwhile, a couple of petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court asking for a complete ban on the use and manufacture of all 27 pesticides, as recommended by two expert committees. After questions were raised in the parliament over the use of six Neonicotinoid pesticides registered in India to have had a possible impact on the Honey bee population,the MoAFW formed a committee headed by scientist Dr Anupam Varma in August 2013 to examine the justification of its continued use. Later, another 66 pesticides were added. Dr. Varma submitted reports in December 2015 in four volumes in which the committee categorically recommended a ban on 13 pesticides out of 66. Six of them were to be phased out by 2020. The reports recommended the use 18 pesticides while suggesting data requirement for 27 pesticides.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); If I remember correctly, our committee didnt find data to take any call on those 27 pesticides and urged the government to provide field use data by 2017, Varma told this newspaper. Later, the pesticides industry association made objections to the committees recommendations. Then, in 2017, the government formed another Dr SK Malhotra Committee. The committee recommended the continued ban on 27 pesticides in 2018. After that, another sub-committee was formed by the pesticide Registration Committee (RC) -- an apex body to regulate pesticides in India to review 27 pesticides under Dr SK Khurana. Based on Khurana observation, MoFAW issued a draft notification to ban pesticides in May 2020. Later the Industry body filed a petition in the Rajasthan High Court and got a stay on the ban order. It is a story of review committee after review committee and the industrys delaying tactics, says Vipin Saini, an independent pesticide expert. "Besides the removal of ban, we also recommended changing the label of eight pesticides," said Rajendran. While experts disagree over the idea of change in labels on pesticides. "Recommendation for change of labelling a fraud act to hide its risk," says Dr Vipin Bhatnagar, Ex FAO-Expert panel member on pesticides specification. He said farmers use it as per local dealers direct them to use. "Pesticides should be banned or only allowed to be used under government supervision like some fumigants," said Bhatnagar. By Associated Press BEIJING: Honduras established diplomatic ties with China on Sunday after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is increasingly isolated and now recognized by only 13 sovereign states, including Vatican City. Foreign ministers from China and Honduras signed a joint communique in Beijing a decision the Chinese Foreign Ministry hailed as "the right choice." The diplomatic victory for China comes as tensions rise between Beijing and the United States, including over China's increasing assertiveness toward self-ruled Taiwan, and signals growing Chinese influence in Latin America. The new China-Honduras relationship was announced after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments made separate announcements that they were severing ties. China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since they split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its "one China" policy. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and refuses most contacts with countries that maintain formal ties with the island democracy. It threatens retaliation against countries merely for increasing contacts. The Honduran Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Twitter that its government recognizes "only one China in the world" and that Beijing "is the only legitimate government that represents all of China." It added that "Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan." Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told a news conference Sunday that Taiwan had ended its relations with Honduras to "safeguard its sovereignty and dignity." Wu said that Honduran President Xiomara Castro and her team always had a "fantasy" about China and had raised the issue of switching ties before the presidential election in Honduras in 2021. Relations between Taiwan and Honduras were once stable, he said, but China had not stopped luring Honduras. Honduras had asked Taiwan for billions of dollars of aid and compared its proposals with China's, Wu said. About two weeks ago, the Honduran government sought $2.45 billion from Taiwan to build a hospital and a dam, and to write off debts, he added. "The Castro government dismissed our nation's longstanding assistance and relations and carried out talks to form diplomatic ties with China. Our government feels pained and regretful," he said. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said her government would not "engage in a meaningless contest of dollar diplomacy with China." "Over these past few years, China has persistently used various means to suppress Taiwan's international participation, escalate military intrusion, and disrupt peace and stability in the region," she said in a recorded video. Her office spokesperson Olivia Lin said in a statement that relations between the sides had lasted for more than 80 years. Analysts have warned over the implications of the newly formed ties between China and Honduras. Political analyst Graco Perez in Honduras said Beijing's narrative would highlight the benefits, including investment and job creation, "but that is all going to be illusory." Perez noted that some other countries have established such relations, but "it didn't turn out to be what had been offered." For decades China has funneled billions of dollars into investment and infrastructure projects across Latin America. That investment has translated to rising power for China and a growing number of allies. In Honduras, it has come in the form of construction of a hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by the Chinese company SINOHYDRO with about $300 million in Chinese government financing. Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen first took office in May 2016. Taiwan still has ties with Belize, Paraguay and Guatemala in Latin America, and Vatican City. Most of its remaining partners are island nations in the Caribbean and South Pacific, along with Eswatini in southern Africa. Tsai is set to begin a 10-day trip on Wednesday with visits to Guatemala and Belize. Her delegation will also stop in New York and Los Angeles, Lin said last week. Taiwan's Vice Foreign Minister Alexander Yui earlier said the purpose of Tsai's trip is to highlight the island's friendship with the two Latin American countries. Wu said he did not have any evidence that the timing of the announcement was related to Tsai's trip but noted "China seems to be doing this intentionally." Despite China's campaign of isolation, Taiwan retains robust informal ties with more than 100 other countries, most importantly the United States. The U.S. doesn't have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but has maintained that Taipei is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific. BEIJING: Honduras established diplomatic ties with China on Sunday after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is increasingly isolated and now recognized by only 13 sovereign states, including Vatican City. Foreign ministers from China and Honduras signed a joint communique in Beijing a decision the Chinese Foreign Ministry hailed as "the right choice." The diplomatic victory for China comes as tensions rise between Beijing and the United States, including over China's increasing assertiveness toward self-ruled Taiwan, and signals growing Chinese influence in Latin America. The new China-Honduras relationship was announced after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments made separate announcements that they were severing ties.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since they split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its "one China" policy. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and refuses most contacts with countries that maintain formal ties with the island democracy. It threatens retaliation against countries merely for increasing contacts. The Honduran Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Twitter that its government recognizes "only one China in the world" and that Beijing "is the only legitimate government that represents all of China." It added that "Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan." Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told a news conference Sunday that Taiwan had ended its relations with Honduras to "safeguard its sovereignty and dignity." Wu said that Honduran President Xiomara Castro and her team always had a "fantasy" about China and had raised the issue of switching ties before the presidential election in Honduras in 2021. Relations between Taiwan and Honduras were once stable, he said, but China had not stopped luring Honduras. Honduras had asked Taiwan for billions of dollars of aid and compared its proposals with China's, Wu said. About two weeks ago, the Honduran government sought $2.45 billion from Taiwan to build a hospital and a dam, and to write off debts, he added. "The Castro government dismissed our nation's longstanding assistance and relations and carried out talks to form diplomatic ties with China. Our government feels pained and regretful," he said. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said her government would not "engage in a meaningless contest of dollar diplomacy with China." "Over these past few years, China has persistently used various means to suppress Taiwan's international participation, escalate military intrusion, and disrupt peace and stability in the region," she said in a recorded video. Her office spokesperson Olivia Lin said in a statement that relations between the sides had lasted for more than 80 years. Analysts have warned over the implications of the newly formed ties between China and Honduras. Political analyst Graco Perez in Honduras said Beijing's narrative would highlight the benefits, including investment and job creation, "but that is all going to be illusory." Perez noted that some other countries have established such relations, but "it didn't turn out to be what had been offered." For decades China has funneled billions of dollars into investment and infrastructure projects across Latin America. That investment has translated to rising power for China and a growing number of allies. In Honduras, it has come in the form of construction of a hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by the Chinese company SINOHYDRO with about $300 million in Chinese government financing. Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen first took office in May 2016. Taiwan still has ties with Belize, Paraguay and Guatemala in Latin America, and Vatican City. Most of its remaining partners are island nations in the Caribbean and South Pacific, along with Eswatini in southern Africa. Tsai is set to begin a 10-day trip on Wednesday with visits to Guatemala and Belize. Her delegation will also stop in New York and Los Angeles, Lin said last week. Taiwan's Vice Foreign Minister Alexander Yui earlier said the purpose of Tsai's trip is to highlight the island's friendship with the two Latin American countries. Wu said he did not have any evidence that the timing of the announcement was related to Tsai's trip but noted "China seems to be doing this intentionally." Despite China's campaign of isolation, Taiwan retains robust informal ties with more than 100 other countries, most importantly the United States. The U.S. doesn't have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but has maintained that Taipei is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific. The Republican-controlled Legislature on Wednesday approved a handful of criminal justice bills, including one that would clarify the definition of violent crime in preparation for the anticipated passage of a state constitutional amendment that would allow judges to consider defendants past convictions in setting cash bail. The Assembly also approved two bills, one of which the Senate also passed, that would increase penalties for reckless driving, measures Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signaled he would sign. Besides taking up a couple of the same crime-related bills, the GOP-led Senate on Wednesday approved a measure that would continue to allow licensed counselors and others who attempt to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity through the discredited practice known as conversion therapy to operate in Wisconsin. Additionally, the Senate voted unanimously to confirm three members of Evers cabinet. Often a formality in the past, the Senate has stalled on Evers confirmations since he became governor, leaving many of his picks unconfirmed. Violent crime The Assembly and Senate approved, mostly along party lines, SB 75, a bill that clarifies the definition of a violent crime. Republicans stated purpose is to give judges a clear picture of what constitutes a violent crime as they factor in defendants past convictions to decide defendants bail amounts something they would be able to do if a proposed constitutional amendment passes on April 4. The Assembly approved the bill, 67-30, with five Democrats in favor. The Senate approved the measure 20-11, with Sen. Brad Pfaff, D-Onalaska, in favor. Unlike the proposed constitutional amendment, the bill to define violent crimes would need Evers support. The proposed bill would clarify that judges can consider dozens of defendants past violent crime convictions, from reckless homicide to intimidating a witness by use of force, when they set cash bail. Despite some bipartisan support, some Democrats said the proposed definition is too broad. Both Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates said at a Tuesday debate that they support the amendment, though neither commented on the accompanying bill. If (Evers) does veto it and the constitutional amendment passes, then its kind of a Wild West, Rep. Cindi Duchow, R-Delafield, said about the measure, adding that without the bill judges would have different definitions of what constitutes violent crime. Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback didnt clarify where the governor stands on the proposal. The Assembly also passed two measures, AB 55 and SB 92 that would increase penalties for reckless driving, which the bill proponents say are necessary given increasing rates of the offense and the low rate of compliance for paying reckless driving fines. Both bills passed 85-12. The first bill would increase several reckless driving-related penalties. The second bill, which the Senate passed 30-1 on Wednesday and now goes to Evers desk, would allow police to impound vehicles used in reckless driving offenses if the owner of that car was cited in a past offense without paying off a fine. Evers signaled to a TMJ4 reporter Wednesday that he would sign both reckless driving measures. Other measures The Assembly also passed AB 51, which would allow people living in the United States through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program created by the Obama administration in 2012 to become law enforcement officers. The bill, which was adopted on a voice vote Wednesday, passed the Assembly last year but did not receive a Senate vote. The Senate hasnt yet voted or held a public hearing on the measure. Michael Pyritz, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, didnt respond to a request for comment about the proposal. The Assembly approved a more divisive proposal, AB 58, that would increase penalties for people with felonies caught with guns. In Wisconsin, people with felonies cant possess guns. Those caught doing so can face up to five years in prison followed by five years of extended supervision. But there is no mandatory minimum sentence for the crime. The proposed bill, which passed 62-35 along party lines, would create a five-year mandatory minimum. Supporters say the measure would increase public safety, but opponents say it would result in overly harsh sentences. The public would be able to watch more parole deliberations in real time under another GOP proposal, AB 47, that the Assembly passed 77-20 on Wednesday. The bill was written after the Wisconsin Parole Commission came under scrutiny last year over whom it sought to release. The Senate hasnt voted for the measure, which would eliminate from the states open meetings law the exemption allowing the commission to go into closed session when it considers parole requests. The Senate also approved a Republican-written measure, SB 101, that would increase the maximum prison time for people who produce or sell drugs that cause another persons death. That bill passed 28-3. Conversion therapy The Senate approved a procedural move on Wednesday, SB 4, to prohibit any rule banning conversion therapy. Rather than vote on the bill itself, the Senate voted 20-11, with all Democrats opposed, to move the bill into committee. The Assembly voted along party lines to do the same last week. The move mirrors how Republicans handled the Department of Safety and Professional Services rule two years ago and effectively blocks the rule for the remainder of the legislative session, which ends in 2024. Moving the measure back to a committee also keeps the bill from reaching the desk of Evers, who would almost certainly veto it. This issue deserves a public hearing, a debate and a vote, Sen. Tim Carpenter, D-Milwaukee, said before the Senate session. The GOP cant be allowed to use the rules process again to continue holding back progress for the next four years under the Evers administration. The vote follows a January move by the Republican-controlled Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to strike a recently implemented rule that classified intervention by a licensed marriage and family therapist, counselor or social worker to try to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity as unprofessional conduct. The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group, calls conversion therapy, also known as reparative therapy, dangerous and discredited and it has been rejected by mainstream medical and mental health organizations for decades. Both the American Psychological Association and American Medical Association have also denounced conversion therapy. Confirmation votes The Senate unanimously confirmed Evers choices for secretary of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and secretary of the Department of Tourism. The votes followed years of clashes between Evers and the state Senate over that chambers unwillingness to confirm some of the governors appointees. The agency leaders appointments are subject to approval by the Senate, although they can serve in the role if the chamber refuses to vote on their appointment. Department of Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers, for example, was appointed in September 2021 but hadnt been confirmed until Wednesday, along with WEDC Secretary Missy Hughes and Commissioner of Insurance Nathan Houdek. The agency leaders confirmation comes as the relationship between Evers and LeMahieu appears to be thawing, with the leaders on speaking terms and each expressing willingness to compromise. At the same time, LeMahieu has called some of Evers past cabinet nominations politically charged. By PTI MARCH 26: A Press Trust of India (PTI) journalist was verbally intimidated and physically assaulted by Khalistan supporters protesting outside the Indian Embassy here, drawing a strong reaction from the Indian mission which said such activities underscore the violent and anti-social tendencies of these separatists. The US correspondent of the PTI, Lalit K Jha, was covering the pro-Khalistan protest when he came under attack. But the timely intervention by the US Secret Service and the local police saved him. "We have seen disturbing visuals of a senior Indian journalist from the Press Trust of India being abused, threatened & assaulted physically while covering the so-called 'Khalistan protest' in Washington DC earlier today," the Indian Embassy here said in a statement. "We understand that the journalist was first verbally intimidated, then physically assaulted, and fearing for his personal safety and well-being, had to call in law enforcement agencies, who responded promptly," the statement said. "Such activities only underscore the violent and anti-social tendencies of the so-called 'Khalistani protestors' and their supporters, who routinely engage in wanton violence and vandalism," it said. ALSO READ | India summons high commissioner of Canada over actions of separatist elements Thank you @SecretService 4 my protection 2day 4 helping do my job, otherwise I would have been writing this from hospital. The gentleman below hit my left ear with these 2 sticks & earlier I had to call 9/11 & rushed 2 police van 4 safety fearing physical assault.pic.twitter.com/IVcCeP5BPG Lalit K Jha (@lalitkjha) March 25, 2023 The Indian mission thanked the law enforcement agencies for their prompt response in the matter. The protesters not only obstructed this PTI reporter by coming in front of the camera and placing the Khalistan flag on his face and kept pushing him, but also threatened dire consequences. The reporter, apprehending physical harm, called 911 and ran towards the other side of the road for safety, looking for a police van. One of the protesters abused the reporter and was asking questions like you have to tell me what are you going to report? The organiser backed off as the reporter complained to the police about the potentially harmful activities of the protesters. Sometime later, two of the protesters came towards the reporters, who were standing near the Secret Service personnel. One of them told the Secret Service that the reporter be asked to leave "my land" which is federal property. They warned that if there is any violence and the reporter is physically harmed, they should not be blamed for this. Immediately the other protestor hurled abuses against the reporter, used unparliamentary words, and moved the two Khalistan flags that he had in his hand in such a way that its sticks hit the reporter's left ear with a bang. The Secret Service personnel asked the reporter if he was ok. The Secret Service warned the protester that this should not be repeated, and sought additional reinforcement from police personnel. The law enforcement official told the protestors that this was public land, and the reporter was all within his right to stand there and cover their protest. In their speeches, the protesters repeatedly pointed fingers towards the two reporters and used abusive words against them. While they prevented the journalists from doing their work, a group of protesters filmed the reporter covering their protest, took pictures, and asked provocative questions. "This violence against @lalitkjha is outrageous and an assault on journalism. I condemn it in the strongest terms. Lalit is one of the fairest and most thoughtful journalists. Thank you to our security for protecting Lalit and the diplomats and consulate," Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna tweeted. READ MORE: Pro-Khalistani supporters abuse Indian journalist in Washington D.C. India summons UK envoy as Khalistanis pull down tricolour at High Commission in London MARCH 26: A Press Trust of India (PTI) journalist was verbally intimidated and physically assaulted by Khalistan supporters protesting outside the Indian Embassy here, drawing a strong reaction from the Indian mission which said such activities underscore the violent and anti-social tendencies of these separatists. The US correspondent of the PTI, Lalit K Jha, was covering the pro-Khalistan protest when he came under attack. But the timely intervention by the US Secret Service and the local police saved him. "We have seen disturbing visuals of a senior Indian journalist from the Press Trust of India being abused, threatened & assaulted physically while covering the so-called 'Khalistan protest' in Washington DC earlier today," the Indian Embassy here said in a statement.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "We understand that the journalist was first verbally intimidated, then physically assaulted, and fearing for his personal safety and well-being, had to call in law enforcement agencies, who responded promptly," the statement said. "Such activities only underscore the violent and anti-social tendencies of the so-called 'Khalistani protestors' and their supporters, who routinely engage in wanton violence and vandalism," it said. ALSO READ | India summons high commissioner of Canada over actions of separatist elements Thank you @SecretService 4 my protection 2day 4 helping do my job, otherwise I would have been writing this from hospital. The gentleman below hit my left ear with these 2 sticks & earlier I had to call 9/11 & rushed 2 police van 4 safety fearing physical assault.pic.twitter.com/IVcCeP5BPG Lalit K Jha (@lalitkjha) March 25, 2023 The Indian mission thanked the law enforcement agencies for their prompt response in the matter. The protesters not only obstructed this PTI reporter by coming in front of the camera and placing the Khalistan flag on his face and kept pushing him, but also threatened dire consequences. The reporter, apprehending physical harm, called 911 and ran towards the other side of the road for safety, looking for a police van. One of the protesters abused the reporter and was asking questions like you have to tell me what are you going to report? The organiser backed off as the reporter complained to the police about the potentially harmful activities of the protesters. Sometime later, two of the protesters came towards the reporters, who were standing near the Secret Service personnel. One of them told the Secret Service that the reporter be asked to leave "my land" which is federal property. They warned that if there is any violence and the reporter is physically harmed, they should not be blamed for this. Immediately the other protestor hurled abuses against the reporter, used unparliamentary words, and moved the two Khalistan flags that he had in his hand in such a way that its sticks hit the reporter's left ear with a bang. The Secret Service personnel asked the reporter if he was ok. The Secret Service warned the protester that this should not be repeated, and sought additional reinforcement from police personnel. The law enforcement official told the protestors that this was public land, and the reporter was all within his right to stand there and cover their protest. In their speeches, the protesters repeatedly pointed fingers towards the two reporters and used abusive words against them. While they prevented the journalists from doing their work, a group of protesters filmed the reporter covering their protest, took pictures, and asked provocative questions. "This violence against @lalitkjha is outrageous and an assault on journalism. I condemn it in the strongest terms. Lalit is one of the fairest and most thoughtful journalists. Thank you to our security for protecting Lalit and the diplomats and consulate," Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna tweeted. READ MORE: Pro-Khalistani supporters abuse Indian journalist in Washington D.C. India summons UK envoy as Khalistanis pull down tricolour at High Commission in London By AFP DUBAI: Eight years after launching its military campaign in Yemen, Saudi Arabia wants to extricate itself from the conflict, despite slim hopes of lasting peace, to focus on ambitious projects at home. The oil-rich monarchy gave a signal this month by announcing plans to resume ties with Iran, which backs Yemen's Huthi rebels against the Saudi-supported government in a proxy war. But as Saudi Arabia instigates sweeping social and economic changes as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's "Vision 2030" reform, it "is seeking to shift its approach in Yemen from a military strategy to a soft security and political one", said Ahmed Nagi, from the International Crisis Group. Since the Saudi-led military intervention began on March 26, 2015, the kingdom has pounded its impoverished neighbour with air strikes in a conflict that has triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, according to the United Nations. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed through direct and indirect causes, with 4.5 million people internally displaced and more than two-thirds of the population living below the poverty line, according to UN estimates. Nagi said that "military operations, such as air strikes" are now likely to cease, adding that the priority now is a "diplomatic solution." The Saudi-led intervention, which marks its eighth anniversary on Sunday, came after the Huthis took control of the capital Sanaa in 2014. ALSO READ | Yemen rebels restrict humanitarian flights arriving in Sanaa Rebranding project An UN-brokered ceasefire that took effect last April brought a sharp reduction in hostilities. Even though the truce expired in October, fighting has largely remained on hold. Even before the truce, Saudi Arabia and the Huthis were engaging in back-channel negotiations, including talks in neutral neighbour Oman. Riyadh's top priority is securing border areas and stopping the drone and missile attacks that have targeted its all-important oil facilities, analysts say. "Saudi is currently negotiating with the Huthis to establish understandings that would enable it to secure its borderlands while maintaining influence" in areas controlled by Yemen's government, Nagi said. "This new approach could enable Saudi to remain the key actor in Yemen's domestic politics, to ensure that no security threats can affect the kingdom in case conflict continues at the local level," Nagi added. The Saudi-led intervention's stated aim was to protect civilians from Huthi attacks, restore the government and stop Yemen from becoming a safe haven for Iranian-backed forces. Eight years in, the rebels control swathes of the country and command an impressive arsenal of weapons that they have used to attack Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, another coalition member. For Riyadh, the fallout jeopardises a rebranding project that aims to turn the conservative country into a hub for tourism and investment. Saudi Arabia, relatively closed off for decades, is building a $500 billion futuristic new city, NEOM, and a swathe of holiday resorts and attractions. "There is a huge focus in Saudi now on development, tourism, mega-projects," said an analyst following the negotiations between Riyadh and Huthi officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the press. For Riyadh, there is concern that "anything involving conflict" will harm investment and stability, the analyst added. ASLO READ | Shakespeare in Arabic: Tragedy offers respite from war in Yemen 'Wash their hands' The unofficial talks with the Huthis are now maturing into a potential "understanding" that could pave the way for a slimmer Saudi military role ahead of an UN-sponsored inter-Yemeni dialogue, the analyst said. "They want to go from some form of Saudi-Huthi understanding to being able to hand it over to a wider UN process," he said. The Saudis "want to wash their hands of the situation," and avoid responsibility for any future flare-ups, he added. A Saudi official, also speaking anonymously, said the country "will not tolerate any threat to our security," noting it shares a long border with Yemen. "Iran can and should play a major part in promoting this -- and we hope it will," the official said, confirming negotiations with the Huthis aimed to revive UN-facilitated peace talks. "We did see some progress of course, and we want to build on that progress to achieve lasting peace to open up for a political solution," the official said. Many analysts are pessimistic that Riyadh's plans for a downsized military role will bring peace to Yemen, which remains deeply fractured along religious, regional, and political lines. Saudi Arabia, nonetheless, has "decided to leave Yemen whatever the price is", said an Arab diplomat in Riyadh. "They are... stuck in a swamp that is very costly on all levels." . Sorry, that page not found! Please visit our Home Page for latest updates 34 migrants missing as boat capsizes off Tunisias coast Tunis, March 25: Thirty-four migrants were reportedly missing after a boat capsized off Tunisia's southeastern coast, according to an official. 34 migrants missing as boat capsizes off Tunisia's coast The boat, carrying 38 migrants from sub-Saharan countries, left Tunisia's Sfax province on Thursday heading for the European coast, Xinhua news agency quoted the official as saying on Friday.Four migrants have been rescued, and the search for the missing is currently underway, he noted.The Tunisian Coast Guard has reportedly stopped 56 boats from leaving the country, bound for Italy, in the past 48 hours.Houssem Jebabli from the Tunisian National Guard said that more than 3,000 migrants had been detained attempting to leave the country, reports the BBC.This is the fifth migrant boat to sink in two days and authorities believe it was heading for Italy.Tunisia has become a launch pad for migrants to leave, bound for Europe.UN data reveales that at least 12,000 migrants who arrived in Italy this year left from Tunisia, compared to 1,300 in the same time period last year.Last month, Tunisian President Kais Saied accused sub-Saharan African migrants living in the country of causing a crime wave and described them as a demographic threat.IANS25 March 2023 Shared Recently! FAO pledges to actively follow up on new Water Action Agenda United Nations, March 25: As the conclusion of the three-day UN 2023 Water Conference, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reaffirmed its commitment to actively follow up on agreed actions included in the new Water Action Agenda. FAO pledges to actively follow up on new Water Action Agenda "At the critical point of the 2030 Agenda, all sectors must work together in an efficient, effective and coherent manner to co-create, co-design and co-advocate solutions, and to accelerate action on data and information, innovation, finance, capacity development and governance to implement the Water Action Decade," FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said while moderating a high-level dialogue at the UN headquarters in New York.The Water Action Decade (2018-2028) was created by the UN General Assembly to complement the process of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, moving away from silos and integrating efforts at the global level, reports Xinhua news agency.The meeting moderated by Qu aimed to take stock of the advancement in the objectives for the decade formulated by the UN secretary-general's plan.More than 20 member states also took the floor to deliver national statements underscoring how water is critical for sustainable development and the eradication of poverty and hunger.For Qu, the 2023 UN Water Conference provided great opportunities to discuss, collaborate and collectively identify solutions for efficient and effective action to realise water-related goals and targets to achieve the 2030 Agenda."Through our new FAO Water Journey we are raising attention on the crucial importance of water for agriculture and food security, as well as to all other SDGs," he emphasised.The conference was a call to action for every single person on the planet to accelerate change to solve the water and sanitation crisis around the world, he added.Currently, 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries, of which more than 733 million people -- approximately 10 percent of the global population -- live in countries with high and critical water stress.Water scarcity, drought, floods, pollution and other impacts of the crisis are key challenges to sustainable agriculture and rural development.During the three-day meeting, FAO provided support to two high-level interactive dialogues, organised a side event on national water roadmaps, and co-partnered three special events and over 20 side events.The Water Action Agenda that emerged from the conference is comprised of voluntary commitments, some of which are transformative in nature.FAO has engaged in seven commitments, in the framework of the Agenda, which include the initiative on the National Water Roadmaps towards the 2030 Agenda, a tool to foster collective action at the national level to improve cross-sectorial coordination on water management and governance in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.Water is essential for food production, enabling the production of over 95 per cent of the food on land.By 2050, to meet future demand, the global production of food, fibre and feed will need to increase by 50 per cent compared to 2012.To meet this goal, 35 per cent of additional water resources are needed, according to a FAO press release.IANS25 March 2023 Shared Recently! Aneri Vajani of Anupamaa fame looks forward to a working birthday Mumbai, March 25: Television actress Aneri Vajani, who is known for her work in shows such as 'Anupamaa' and 'Nisha Aur Uske Cousins' among many others, will be having a working birthday this year and says that she will be hosting a lunch for her entire unit. Aneri Vajani of 'Anupamaa' fame looks forward to a working birthday The actress, who will be turning 29 on Sunday, shared how her special day is going to look like. The actress said "It's going to be a working birthday for me and that in a way makes me happy as well. I enjoy working on my birthdays and so I don't think I will be taking a break on my birthday."I will however hold a birthday lunch for all of my entire unit and that's going to be fun. I feel it's great that I'm busy and hustling as I love my work. Celebrations will always be there but work comes first."Further adding to her plans for her special day, Aneri says, "My parents and family friends will come on set to celebrate with me so it's just going to be a sweet little birthday lunch."Aneri was recently seen in music videos such as 'Baad Marne Ke' and 'Awaaz'.IANS25 March 2023 Shared Recently! Institutional support must be given for presence of more women lawyers in courts: CJI Chennai, March 25: Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, said that institutional support must be given for the presence of more women lawyers in the country and also state of Tamil Nadu. Institutional support must be given for presence of more women lawyers in courts: CJI Speaking at a function to mark the inauguration of the district and sessions court and the chief judicial magistrate court in Myladuthurai, the CJI said that there was a very poor proportion of women practising as advocates in courts and added that while there are 50,000 male enrollments in Tamil Nadu, the women enrollment was only 5000.He said that the law chambers were skeptical in employing women and added that the familial responsibilities were cited as a reason for women being singled out.The CJI called upon all the courts in the country to open creches so that equal opportunities are given to women lawyers. He called upon courts to emulate the example of the Supreme Court of India and the Delhi High Court where creches are already in place.Justice Chandrachud asked the Madras High Court Chief Justice to take initiative for the formation of creches in all the high court as well as all the district courts in the state.The CJI said that the women lawyers were not employed in law chambers not because they lack talent and professionalism but because of the familial responsibilities attached with them. He said that young men lawyers must also take up child care and family care.He said , "As a society, we force the responsibility of family care only on women and then use that very bias against women that we hold, to deny them opportunities."Stressing on the increase in entry level pay for young lawyers, he said, "I've come to know that the entry level pay of young lawyers in Madurai region was in the range of Rs 5000-12000".The CJI said that such poor pay distances members of the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Women from entering into a full fledged profession like law. He said that the law chambers were justifying the poor payment to young lawyers with the theory that the first few years were their learning time and was being mentored at the chambers. He said, "Please shed away from this paternalistic approach."Justice Chandrachud said that the entry level barrier has forced several law graduates to take up other work totally unrelated to their branch of study so that they can meet both ends.The CJI stressed upon the need for more infrastructure so that there is a better environment for judicial officers. He also said that the judiciary was choking with pending cases and added that the Supreme Court of India has introduced the hybrid system wherein lawyers can appear both physically and virtually.He said that this facility provides a connect between a judge sitting at Tilak Marg in New Delhi and an advocate residing in Melur or Virdhunagar.He said that since the Supreme Court has commenced live streaming all constitution bench cases, which helps the students of law in government law colleges at Madurai and Tiruchi watch the court proceedings and assume knowledge.The Chief Justice of India said that during Covid-19 pandemic high courts and district judiciary had heard 2.62 crore cases through video-conferencing. Justice Chandrachud said that from March 23, 2022 to February 13, 2023, the Supreme Court heard 4,13,537 cases.Union Minister of Law and Justice, Kiran Rijjiju and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin were present on the occasion.IANS25 March 2023 Shared Recently! Karnataka has decided to bring back double engine government: PM Narendra Modi addresses public rally in Davanagere Devanagere, March 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed a public rally in Karnataka's Davanagere as part of his visit to the poll-bound state today. Karnataka has decided to bring back double engine government: PM Narendra Modi addresses public rally in Davanagere "Karnataka has decided to bring back the double engine government in the state," PM Modi said while addressing the public rally titled 'Vijaya Sankalp Yatre Maha Sangama' in Davanagere.Before the public rally, PM Modi held a mega road show. A huge crowd could be seen gathered to offer a grand welcome to the Prime Minister.The Karnataka assembly elections are likely to be held in April-May. An official announcement of the poll schedule by the Election Commission is expected soon.Political parties including the BJP and Janata Dal-Secular have already intensified their campaign in the southern state.The polls are being seen as particularly crucial for Congress for its national ambitions for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.ANI25 March 2023 Shared Recently! Jindal Business School breaks into QS World University Rankings, Law School Retains No. 1 slot in India Sonipat, March 25: Writing a new chapter in its institutional history, O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) has made it to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 for two subject areas - Law & Legal Studies and Business & Management Studies. It is the fourth time in a row that QS has ranked JGLS as India's No. 1 law school. Jindal Business School breaks into QS World University Rankings, Law School Retains No. 1 slot in India While Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) has emerged as India's No. 1 Law School for the fourth year in a row in the prestigious rankings, Jindal Global Business School (JGBS) has entered the QS World University Rankings by Subject for the first time.Reacting to this remarkable achievement, Naveen Jindal, Founding Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University, said, "The consistency with which JGLS has been featured as the country's top law school in the prestigious QS World University Rankings points to the fact that it has never wavered in its mission of providing world-class education in India. The emergence of JGLS as India's No. 1 law school in just over a decade of its existence also signifies the thirst for quality education among the youth of the country. It is a matter of immense pride for me that JGLS has been successful in fulfilling their aspirations. I am confident that the dedication of the faculty and staff of JGU will inspire us to remain steadfast in our commitment to raising the bar of legal education."On the achievement of JGBS, Naveen Jindal said, "The Jindal Global Business School was set up with the aim of becoming a top destination for global education. The recognition of JGBS as one of India's Top-20 business schools is a giant step in that direction. It is a result of the collaborative effort of the stellar faculty and staff who have nurtured an environment where students can thrive as they get the training to become global business leaders. I am sure this recognition will bolster the efforts to make JGBS one of the finest business schools in the world which can be a guiding light in solving the biggest problems that our planet faces today."Sharing his thoughts on the new rankings results, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University stated, "The inspiring leadership of our Founding Chancellor, Naveen Jindal, has been key to steering JGLS to the top-most position among the law schools in India and JGBS among the Top-20 business schools of the country. The significance of these achievements lies in the fact that Indian institutions have traditionally fared poorly in global rankings due to their inadequate focus on research quality. What has helped JGU buck this trend is the creation of a support system which includes a generous incentive structure for encouraging impactful research of the highest standards by the faculty members. It is heartening to note that in 2022, JGLS faculty members have published 123 research articles in SCOPUS-indexed journals, while JGBS has produced 242 Scopus-indexed research publications during the calendar year 2022. Significantly, these efforts of JGU are in line with the vision of promoting research underlined in the National Education Policy 2020.""It is not just in producing top quality research that JGU has aced. It has raised the bar in teaching by hiring top-notch global talents from the academia and the industry, promoting interdisciplinary education and collaborating with the renowned universities in the world. The world-class facilities at the JGU campus and placement support have also gone a long way in helping the students realise their full potential," he said.Commenting on the accomplishment, Professor (Dr.) S.G. Sreejith, Executive Dean, JGLS said, "At JGLS, all our efforts have been directed towards realising the vision of our founders who have relentlessly pursued the dream of providing world class legal education in Indian soil. The recognition of JGLS as India's No. 1 law school in the QS World University Rankings by Subject is a testament to the dedication of our faculty members towards equipping our students with the knowledge and skills required for becoming leaders and change-makers in their respective fields and beyond."The Jindal Global Business School, which was established in 2010, currently has over 2,100 students enrolled in different programmes of the school. It provides one of the best ecosystems for international student mobility among all the public and private B-schools in India as JGBS students have access to more than 175 collaboration agreements with international business schools and universities in 23 countries across 5 continents. The students can gain global exposure through different exchange programmes, immersion programmes, dual degree programmes, and short-term study abroad programmes.Reacting to the ranking of JGBS in QS World University Rankings, Professor (Dr.) Mayank Dhaundiyal, Dean, JGBS, said, "It is a matter of immense pride for all of us at JGBS as this relatively young B-School has found a place among the Top-20 business schools in India in the prestigious QS World University Rankings. The driving force behind the success of JGBS has been the visionary leadership of our founders who are committed to providing an educational experience in India which is comparable to the best in the world. The stellar faculty, cutting-edge global curricula and the wide range of international mobility options make JGBS an ideal destination for management education in the country. The recognition by QS will motivate us to continue the pursuit of excellence."Responding to this achievement, Professor Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik, Registrar, JGU, said, "The recognition of JGLS as India's No. 1 law school and the ranking of JGBS among the top 20 business schools in the country validate the belief of our founders that benchmarking against the best in the world can unleash the full potential of Indian institutions. I am confident that other 10 schools of JGU will also get global recognition in due course as we continue to raise the bar in social sciences and management and arts and humanities education."This story is provided by OP Jindal University. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/OP Jindal University)ANI25 March 2023 Shared Recently! Celebratory weekend kicks off with Womens Rally to Valley 2023 Mumbai, March 25: Another edition of the celebrated and hugely-successful WIAA Women's Rally to the Valley, organized by the Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) was flagged off, amidst thunderous support from the participants. Celebratory weekend kicks off with Women's Rally to Valley 2023 The rally had around 300 participants from various walks of life, coming together to voice for various causes including women's empowerment and women's safety. JK Tyre racer and one of India's leading professional women racer Mira Erda cheered for the participants and kickstarted the rally by driving the 'Zero Car'. The event commenced from NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai and after traversing through the city's major landmarks will conclude in Nasik where the winners will be awarded in the prize distribution ceremony.Sharing his delight on the conduction of this year's edition, Anuj Kathuria, President (India), JK Tyre and Industries, said "We're delighted to host another exciting edition of this prestigious rally and I congratulate all for their participation and support. Being a promoter of motorsport for decades now, JK Tyre has always been focused on making motorsport more inclusive and welcoming to all. This rally is a testament to our commitment to empower women and to create a more robust and diverse motorsports community."The event is held in TSD (Time, Speed, Distance) format which is a unique form of rallying where crossing the chequered flag fastest is not the objective. Each team comprises of a driver and a navigator, where the navigator has to bear in mind the route instructions, calculate the average speed and ensure the team is on track and not behind or ahead of the schedule as both scenarios attract penalty points. Participants have to maintain specified times and average speeds (which are at par or lower than the legal limits) on various segments of a predefined route.The participants put forward various themes ranging from child abuse, 'nari shakti', women empowerment, child marriage, women's leadership, women's safety and many more. The decorated cars and costumes evoked the messages of the participants.In their effort to give more exposure to women participants, JK Tyre will be rewarding the overall winner of the rally with a sponsored drive to take part in one of the most awaited TSD Drives in the Eastern Part of the country-the JK Tyre Himalayan Drive to be held from April 1st to 5th. The event will be flagged off from Siliguri and after covering Sikkim will conclude in Darjeeling.Thrill and excitement filled the air as the rally moved through the cities echoing the spirit of womanhood. The participants of the JK Tyre WIAA Women's Rally to the Valley came from different backgrounds including Indian Navy, Army, Airforce, Highway Traffic Police Maharashtra, Regional Transport Department and others.ANI26 March 2023 Shared Recently! West Reading Borough Chief of Police Wayne Holben said Sunday night that rescue workers found the bodies they believe to be the remaining two individuals who were listed as missing earlier in the day. Uttarakhand govt signs agreement with Hewlett Packard for health ATMs on Chardham route Dehradun, March 25: An agreement between the Uttarakhand government and Hewlett Packard Enterprise was signed to deploy 50 health ATMs during Chardham Yatra, through which the devotees will get medical services on the yatra route. Uttarakhand govt signs agreement with Hewlett Packard for health ATMs on Chardham route Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the health facilities are being continuously improved so that the pilgrims do not face any health-related problems during the Chardham Yatra.Hewlett Packard Enterprise will provide these services in the public interest.Ankur Malhotra, director, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, said these health ATMs will provided more than 70 medical tests and telemedicine services.These services, Malhotra assured, will be provided 24 hours by the Hewlett Packard Enterprise.ANI26 March 2023 Shared Recently! LIXIL launches a State-of-the-Art LIXIL Experience Center in Mumbai Mumbai, March 25: The LIXIL Group, which owns leading global brands GROHE and American Standard, has announced the opening of its first LIXIL Experience Center in BKC, Mumbai. Located in the heart of Mumbai and spread over an area of 4,694 sq. ft., the LIXIL Experience Center is a testament to the company's commitment to innovation, design, and sustainability. LIXIL launches a State-of-the-Art LIXIL Experience Center in Mumbai The LIXIL Experience Center is a design hub that includes a plethora of choices in bathroom products and its latest bath innovations. It offers complete bathroom solutions where customers can walk in and conceptualize their bathroom concept. From faucets and fixtures to stylish vanities and soaking tubs, the LIXIL Experience Center is a destination for customers to create their dream bathroom.Drawing upon the principles of design and innovation, the LIXIL Experience Center promises to bring a new level of luxury to bathroom spaces. The moment a customer steps in, they are enveloped in an atmosphere of opulence and refinement. From the curated selection of bathroom fixtures to the carefully chosen colors and textures, the LIXIL Experience Center has been meticulously planned to reflect the highest standards of excellence.The LIXIL Experience Center is designed to provide customers with an immersive experience, allowing them to explore and select the products they want. It features a range of interactive displays, allowing customers to try out different features and products before making a final decision. It also offers professional installation services, ensuring that customers get the results they desire for their bathroom project. The LIXIL Experience Center's knowledgeable staff can work with customers and clients to create a distinctive and luxurious bathroom.Speaking on the launch of the LIXIL Experience Center, Bobby Joseph, Leader, LWT India and Subcontinent (GROHE and American Standard), said, "The new LIXIL Experience Center in Mumbai marks an important milestone for the company. The LIXIL Experience Center offers a unique opportunity for customers to interact with the products and solutions in a highly immersive and engaging manner. With our commitment to innovation, design, and sustainability, LIXIL is well-positioned to make a lasting impact in the Indian bathroom industry."LIXIL Experience Center, G3 and G4, Platina BKC, Plot No. C-59, Platina G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai. The LIXIL Experience Center is open to visitors for guided tours Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.GROHE is a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen. In order to offer "Pure Freude an Wasser", every GROHE product is based on the brand values of quality, technology, design and sustainability. Renowned highlights such as GROHE Eurosmart or the GROHE thermostat series underline the brand's profound expertise. Focused on customer needs, GROHE thus creates intelligent, life-enhancing, and sustainable product solutions that offer relevant added value--and bear the "Designed in Germany" seal of quality R and D and design are firmly anchored as an integrated process in Germany. GROHE takes its corporate responsibility very seriously and focuses on a resource-saving value chain. Since April 2020, the sanitary brand has been producing CO2-neutral* worldwide. GROHE has also set itself the goal of using plastic-free product packaging by 2021. Find out more atAmerican Standard is one of the most iconic brands in sanitary ware and has earned the trust of its customers by constantly delivering style, quality, and reliability to their bathrooms. Today, backed by more than 150 years of pioneering legacy, American Standard continues to raise the bar in delivering dependable bathroom solutions that combine thoughtful designs and innovative technologies to create inviting bathroom sanctuaries that offer ultimate comfort and performance to its customers. Making life healthier, safer, and more beautiful at home, at work, around town, and throughout the world--that is the vision of American Standard. Find out more atGROHE and American Standard are part of the strong brand portfolio of the Japanese manufacturer of pioneering water and housing products, LIXIL.This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)ANI26 March 2023 Shared Recently! Assam inks MoU with Flybig for intra-state air connectivity Guwahati, March 25: In a further push to intra-state air connectivity, the Assam government inked a Memorandum of Understanding with Big Charter Private Limited ( or Flybig). Assam inks MoU with Flybig for intra-state air connectivity Under the signed understanding, a decision was made to operate flights between Guwahati-Dibrugarh-Guwahati and Guwahati-Silchar-Guwahati routes on a daily basis.Assam has a total of six-to-seven operational airports.While the flight operations will be in line with the centre's UDAN scheme, the state government will provide viability gap funding to the carrier operator.The services will give assured connectivity and assured price as the agreement has decided to keep a tab on the pricing as the maximum price has been fixed at Rs 4,000, and any additional prices will be borne by the state.Managing director of Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) Kumar Padma Pani Bora, on behalf of the state government and the director for Flybig, Sanjay Natavarlal Mandavia, inked the deal.Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the MoU with the Flybig will add a new height to intra-state air connectivity."The new services will add new momentum to Mohanbari airport at Dibrugarh and Kumbhirgram Airport at Silchar," the Chief Minister's Office said in a release.The chief minister said that his government is studying the feasibility to replicate the same services in Jorhat and Tezpur.The Ministry of Civil Aviation's flagship programme, Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik), has already completed five years. The first flight was launched in April 2017.The scheme was initiated in October 2016 with the objective of fulfilling the aspirations of the common citizen, with an enhanced aviation infrastructure and air connectivity in tier II and tier III cities.The government has approved the 'Revival of unserved and under-served airports' scheme for the revival and development of 100 unserved and under-served airports, helipad and water aerodromes by 2024.It is an ongoing scheme where bidding rounds are conducted from time to time for covering more destinations or stations and routes.ANI26 March 2023 Shared Recently! All eyes in Raj on Vaishnaw since his launch at Brahmin mahapanchayat Jaipur, March 26: At a time when the BJP has announced it will contest the assembly polls scheduled in December this year without naming a CM face, Ashwini Vaishnav, the Union minister of railways, seems to be a rising star in Rajasthan after he was 'launched in the desert state during the Brahmin Mahapanchayat on March 19. All eyes in Raj on Vaishnaw since his 'launch' at Brahmin mahapanchayat Vaishnav is usually not very active politically. However, when he was seen raising slogans in this panchayat, eyebrows were raised. This incarnation of his became a topic of discussion in the political circles of Rajasthan.The railway minister on this occasion appealed to the people present there to show unity to save their religion. He called for the temples to be freed from government control. He also said that the number of Brahmin MLAs should be more in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.Political leaders said that his visit to the Brahmin Mahapanchayat sends out many political signals. The Bharatiya Janata Party has now made CP Joshi the party's state president as a Brahmin face. In such a situation, it will be interesting to see what will be the role of Ashwini Vaishnav in Rajasthan at a time when many people are trying to project themselves as a future chief minister.Brahmins constitute just about 7-7.5 per cent of Rajasthan's population but a majority of the CMs in Rajasthan have been from the Brahmin community, though the last one was 33 years ago.Hari Dev Joshi was the last Brahmin CM till 1990 from 1989.The other Brahmin CMs in the state were Jai Narayan Vyas, Tikaram Palatal and Heeralal Shastri.So far there have been six Brahmin Speakers in Rajasthan. The first Speaker was Narottam Lal Joshi, followed by Niranjan Nath Acharya, Ram Kishore Vyas.After this, Giriraj Prasad Tiwari in the 80s and Harishankar Bhabhadra in the 90s were also the Speakers of the Assembly. After Bhabhadra, no Brahmin became a Speaker for a long time. Presently CP Joshi is the Speaker.However, over the years, the influence of the Brahmin community started decreasing in the state.Political analysts said that after 1980, there was a two-party competition in Rajasthan. Many non-Congress parties merged with the BJP.Meanwhile, the political parties' attention turned towards the SC and ST categories. The process of gathering SC-ST votes started from here.However, this time, the saffron party is trying to pitch in a Brahmin CM face to overcome the resentment brewing in the party, said sources, adding that earlier in the UP assembly polls, it was a challenge to convince the Brahmin voters.Now, the party is working to placate this community in central India and Brahmin leaders will be given a prominent place in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.Moreover, the party is searching for a CM face who is non-controversial and has hands-on experience to deal with the bureaucracy and politics and Vaishnav suits the role. He has worked as a bureaucrat and a minister. Also his stint under former Prime Minister late Atal Behari Vajpayee is a success story. So he maybe activated in the next few months. However, he will not be asked to contest the polls, but will be announced as the CM after the polls. Later, he might be asked to contest a by-poll, said sources.Politics is a game of changing equations. However, the present circumstances suggest that Vaishnav seems to be a rising star as he comes from Rajasthan and Pali is his native place, said sources.IANS26 March 2023 Shared Recently! RCBs Rajat Patidar likely to miss first half of IPL 2023 with heel injury: Report New Delhi, March 25: Right-hander batter Rajat Patidar, who had an impressive outing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2022, is doubtful for at least the first half of the upcoming season due to a heel injury. RCB's Rajat Patidar likely to miss first half of IPL 2023 with heel injury: Report According to an ESPNcricinfo report, Patidar is currently undergoing rehab at the NCA in Bengaluru and has been advised to rest for the next three weeks. An MRI scan will decide his participation in the second half of the tournament."He picked up the injury prior to joining the camp, and will need an NCA clearance before linking up with Royal Challengers," the report said.The 29-year old batter's absence could force RCB to rethink their batting combination. With him in the mix, Virat Kohli would continue to open the batting with Faf du Plessis. However, it will be now interesting to see whether Kohli bats at number three with one of Finn Allen or Anuj Rawat opening with du Plessis, or if the former India captain plays as an opener.Notably, Patidar wasn't picked at last year's mega auction but came in as a replacement midway through the season following an injury to wicketkeeper Luvnith Sisodia. He finished the IPL 2022 as the third-highest run-scorer for RCB, behind du Plessis and Kohli, scoring 333 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 152.75.Apart from Patidar, there are also doubts over the participation of Josh Hazlewood, who is currently recovering from Achilles tendonitis.The Australian fast bowler flew home midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in February after missing the first two Tests. Hazlewood's fitness is going to be monitored closely as Australia have the World Test Championship final and the Ashes coming up immediately after the IPL ends on May 28.IANS26 March 2023 Shared Recently! Amid US-China competition, Vice President Harris to embark on historic Africa trip Washington, March 25: Amid strained US, China ties, Kamala Harris is set to embark on a historic Africa trip, becoming the first woman US Vice President to visit the continent, reported CNN. Amid US-China competition, Vice President Harris to embark on historic Africa trip Harris' historic trip will come nearly eight years after former President Barack Obama made his last trip to the region while in office. Obama's first trip to the region was met with great fanfare, in large part due to his father's Kenyan roots."I'm going to Africa mainly to talk with African leaders about what we as the United States are prepared to do to have our role in investing in the future of that continent," Harris said in a radio interview on Friday.Administration officials previewing the vice president's trip said it's a "future-oriented" expedition to deepen relationships, crafted to recognize that the median age of citizens of the continent is 19 years old and its population is rapidly expanding, reported CNN.Harris hopes to build on themes of African innovation and technology, regional security, food security, women empowerment, climate and democracy, officials said, adding that she will bring with her continent-wide public and private sector investments."The Vice President is visiting the three countries where the government (is) investing in democracies, specifically at a time where we know there is a global democratic recession," a senior administration official said on the call with reporters, reported CNN.After departing Washington on Saturday, Harris will land in Accra on Sunday afternoon. From there begins a six-day march through three countries' capital cities, where Harris will hold bilateral meetings with all three top leaders including Tanzania's first female President Samia Suluhu Hassan.In Ghana, Harris will deliver a high-profile speech to young people before visiting the famous Cape Coast Castle, a relic of the slave trade system in West Africa and beyond. And in Zambia, Harris will convene US and local business leaders to discuss digital and financial leadership, reported CNN."The United States believes Africa is critical to addressing global challenges. And we view her visit as another opportunity to consult and engage with partners on our shared objectives," a senior administration official said.Notably, the Biden administration is accelerating its efforts to secure sustainable African partnerships to counter the weight of China and Russia's rising influence and Harris will be the highest-ranking Biden official to visit Africa to confront that challenge.The issue of China and its influence will hang in the backdrop of nearly all of Harris' closely watched engagements as officials seek to reassert US leadership in African nations to counter rival investments that have put the US on the back foot, reported CNN.In the wake of the US absence from the region, amplified by former President Donald Trump largely ignoring Africa and never visiting the continent, other nations made inroads. China has worked to grow trade relations with African nations and has developed major infrastructure projects there, some with high-interest loans.Harris will see one of the clearest examples of China's influence when she flies into Zambia. Air Force Two will land at the newly renovated Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, financed and designed with Chinese money.The VP's motorcade will likely drive down roads also financed by Chinese loans and pass buildings with Chinese advertisements, reported CNN.When Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited the rapidly expanding country in January, she called on China to restructure Zambia's billions of dollars of debt. Yellen warned that the scale of debt threatens progress as China holds about USD 6 billion out of USD 17 billion of the country's external debt.A senior administration official said that Harris will have direct discussions about debt with officials during a slate of meetings in Zambia and other nations like Ghana, reported CNN.Meanwhile, experts say Harris will have to convey the US' sincerity of its long-term commitment to the region and that her previous promises that the US would be a "better partner" for economic stability still ring true.In addition to her meeting in Zambia with US and local business leaders, Harris will meet with tech entrepreneurs in Tanzania and women entrepreneurs in Ghana, reported CNN.Harris' trip is the latest of several US officials, who plan on visiting or have visited, Africa. First Lady Jill Biden returned from her trip to Africa last month. US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield also visited the continent earlier this year.Secretary of State Antony Blinken travelled to Ethiopia and Niger last week, and President Joe Biden is expected to visit the continent later this year.ANI26 March 2023 Shared Recently! Putin, Erdogan discuss Russian-Turkish partnership over phone Moscow, March 26: Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed topics concerning the Russian-Turkish partnership in various fields during a telephone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Putin, Erdogan discuss Russian-Turkish partnership over phone "Both sides on Saturday expressed satisfaction with the positive dynamic of trade and economic relations, the successful implementation of joint strategic power engineering projects, including gas supplies, and the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Turkiye," the Kremlin said in a statement.Erdogan expressed his gratitude for the help that Russia rendered in overcoming the aftermath of earthquakes in Turkiye, the Kremlin said, adding that the presidents agreed to continue working on the potential delivery of construction materials from Russia to restore destroyed infrastructure and residential buildings, Xinhua News Agency reported quoting Kremlin's statement."The Turkish leader positively assessed Russia's consent to extend the Istanbul Agreements, which deal with the export of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports and the unblocking of exports of Russian food and fertilisers for 60 days," it said.The importance of continuing the normalisation of Turkish-Syrian relations was also underlined. "Erdogan highlighted the constructive mediatory role Russia has played in this process," said the Kremlin.IANS26 March 2023 Shared Recently! Brainwashed in Brampton: Khalistanis target new students from Punjab Toronto, March 26: As Khalistani activists in Canada grab the headlines after the Amritpal Singh incident in Punjab, Ujjal Dosanjh, the former Premier of British Columbia, says, They are playing a mindless game, with no purpose. It is just for gratification. Brainwashed in Brampton: Khalistanis target new students from Punjab Dosanjh, who was brutally attacked by Sikh radicals in Vancouver in 1986 at the height of terrorist violence in Punjab, says the Khalistan movement has no future."There was a demonstration by 25,000 in Vancouver in June 1984, but now just 100 people show up at Khalistani demonstrations," says Dosanjh.But many fear that the pro-Khalistani sentiment is rising in Canada."What did the promptness of NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, MP Sonia Sidhu, and others in tweeting about the Punjab situation after Amritpal Singh's arrest and ban on Internet services, say? It was done at the behest of radical votebanks," says a Brampton Sikh entrepreneur, requesting anonymity.He says the majority is silent because of the fear of reprisals."Nobody opens their mouth against the Khalistanis who enjoy political patronage. Any leader who says anything against them is banned from entering gurdwaras and joining Vaisakhi parades," he says."When events such as the Amritpal Singh incident happen, Khalistan supporters bombard the offices of mayors, MPs, MPPs and ministers with messages, forcing them to issue hasty statements or tweet," says an Indo-Canadian restaurant owner in Toronto.The restaurant owner claims that the Khalistanis are luring and using new students from Punjab to further their agenda.They brainwash these students while helping them with jobs, accommodation and food, he says."The students are being roped in for Khalistani demonstrations. In return for helping these students, the radicals ask the parents of these students in Punjab to help pro-Khalistan activists in the state," says the Toronto restaurant owner.Ritesh Malik, national convener of the Canada-India Foundation which has been targeted by radicals as being pro-RSS, blames the political appeasement for the rise of anti-Indian sentiment in Canada."Politicians must stop playing identity politics. A criminal is a criminal - not a Sikh or a Hindu or a Muslim. By supporting these elements, ministers and MPs are playing dangerous games and harming Canada which needs India more than ever now," says Malik.Brampton Punjabi journalist Balraj Deol also blames the Indian government for emboldening Khalistanis by deleting their names from the black lists. "The Modi government started this process in 2015 to win over the Khalistanis, but it was done without any thought. This action disheartened many moderates here who opposed the radicals. Today, we see the consequences of the Indian action," he says.IANS26 March 2023 Shared Recently! Delegates discuss energy security, climate change at second G20 Framework Working Group meeting Tamil Nadu (Chennai), March 25: The second G20 Framework Working Group (FWG) meeting under India's G20 Presidency concluded in Chennai on March 25. During the meeting, delegates discussed and agreed on the way forward for important deliverables, including those on macroeconomic consequences of food and energy insecurity and climate changes as well as transition pathways, G20 said in the press release. Delegates discuss energy security, climate change at second G20 Framework Working Group meeting The two-day meeting was co-chaired by V Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Adviser, Ministry of Finance and Clare Lombardelli, Chief Economic Adviser, UK Treasury. Around 87 delegates from G20 member countries, invitees, and international organizations attended the meeting.G20 delegates also discussed the impact of climate change as part of a side event in Chennai. Sharing details regarding the meeting the official account of India's G20 Presidency tweeted, "As part of the 2nd #FWG Meet, delegates discussed and agreed on the way forward for important deliverables, including those on macroeconomic consequences of food and energy insecurity and climate changes and transition pathways."The Framework Working Group focuses on global macroeconomic issues and deliberates on how policy cooperation can be enhanced to achieve strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth (SSBIG), according to the G20 press release.During the meeting held in Chennai, several international organizations, including the World Bank Group (WBG), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Energy Agency (IEA), Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) made detailed technical presentations on these issues to inform the FWG outcomes.The discussion on the global economic outlook and risks emphasised the need to continue efforts to manage global inflation and remain vigilant to emerging financial risks. G20 delegates deliberated on how food and energy prices remain elevated in many nations, disproportionately impacting vulnerable countries.The discussions in the meeting also highlighted the difficult trade-offs countries face as they balance short-term energy security with long-term structural reforms for the transition to cleaner energy, according to the press release.Ensuring the availability and accessibility of critical minerals to facilitate a smoother transition as well as generating domestic savings to address investment needs and boost economic growth for the transition were also discussed during the meeting.On the sidelines of the FWG meeting, a panel discussion on the "Macroeconomic Impacts of Climate Change and Transition pathways" was also organised in collaboration with UAE which will hold the Presidency of COP28.The session aimed to develop a collective understanding of the challenges facing countries during the climate transition and initiate a discussion on the macroeconomics around climate policy action and transition pathways.An outreach program with IIT Chennai and Madras School of Economics was also held in the run-up to the meeting. The Chief Economic Adviser interacted with students and researchers on India and the world economy, mainly focusing on India's 2023 G20 Presidency.In order to make the dignitaries experience the rich cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu and the diverse cuisine, the delegates were hosted for 'Ratri Bhoj Par Samvad' (Conversation over Dinner). The delegates also had the opportunity to experience the rich cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu during an excursion to a few landmark places in Chennai, according to the press release.Reserve Bank of India also conducted a host of 'Jan Bhagidari Events'. These included a financial literacy program in which several farmer-producer organizations, farmers, and self-help groups participated, followed by an awareness program targeted at students, events for promoting digital financial inclusion among street vendors and enhancing inclusive finance by building awareness among the MSMEs entrepreneurs and exporters.ANI26 March 2023 Shared Recently! The Orange County School Board plans to meet on Monday. The school boards agenda includes a presentation on an overnight field trip request for students to visit the Virginia Association of the Technology Student Association annual leadership conference, Technosphere, at Hampton Coliseum in Hampton. At Mondays meeting there will also be an update on the Smart Community STEM Camp, a presentation on the 2023-24 Perkins Grant application, a recommendation to award the contract for gym floor replacement and a presentation on 2023-24 lease renewals for ball fields. In closed session, the board intends to go over personnel matters. Mondays meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Taylor Education Administration Complex at 200 Dailey Drive in Orange. PM Modi pays tribute to woman power in Mann Ki Baat New Delhi, March 26: Prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday in his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat' paid tribute to woman power. PM Modi pays tribute to woman power in 'Mann Ki Baat' "This is the time of Navratri, the time to worship Shakti. Today, the potential of India which is emerging from a new perspective, our woman power has a very big role in it. Recently, many such examples have emerged before us. You must have seen Asia's first female loco pilot Surekha Yadav on social media. Surekha ji, setting another record, has also become the first woman loco pilot of Vande Bharat Express as well," he said in the address.Referring to film producer Guneet Monga, whose documentary 'The Elephant Whisperers' won the Oscar award earlier this month, Modi said, "This month producer Guneet Monga and director Kartiki Gonsalves brought laurels to the country by winning an Oscar for their documentary, 'The Elephant Whisperers'."Sister Jyotirmayi Mohanty, Scientist of Bhabha Atomic Research Center has also notched another achievement for the country. Jyotirmoyee has received a special award from IUPAC in the field of chemistry and chemical engineering. Earlier this year, India's Under-19 women's cricket team created history by winning the T-20 World Cup."Referring to women in politics, the prime minister said, "If you look at politics, a new beginning has taken place in Nagaland. In Nagaland, for the first time in 75 years, two women legislators have reached the Vidhan Sabha through their victory. One of them has also been made a minister in the Government of Nagaland, that is, for the first time the people of the state have also got a woman minister."PM Modi also mentioned women members of the NDRF contingent, which had gone for relief and rehabilitation work in quake-hit Turkey."India has also deployed a women-only platoon in the peacekeeping force under the UN mission," Modi said.The prime minister also referred to Group Captain Shalija Dhami, the first woman Air Force officer to get a Command Appointment in a Combat Unit.Modi also mentioned Captain Shiva Chauhan of the Indian Army, the first woman officer to be posted at Siachen.The prime minister also highlighted the importance of organ donation and solar energy in his broadcast.IANS26 March 2023 Shared Recently! Taiwans Ambassador to Honduras arrives home amid a break in diplomatic relations Taipei, March 25: Taiwan's Ambassador to Honduras, Vivia Chang, on Saturday arrived home as ties between the two worsen, with the Central American nation preparing to switch diplomatic recognition from the self-governing island to China, reported Taiwan News. Taiwan's Ambassador to Honduras arrives home amid a break in diplomatic relations Vivia told reporters that Taiwan had shown its utmost goodwill when she arrived at Taoyuan International Airport, reported Liberty Times.In a statement, Taiwan's foreign ministry said it had recalled the ambassador to "express our strong dissatisfaction" over Honduras sending its foreign minister and a delegation to Beijing this week.Fears about a break started on March 14 when President Xiomara Castro tweeted she had told Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina to start talks with China on opening official relations. Before winning the presidential election last year, she had hinted at a break with Taipei, reported Taiwan News.The move "ignores the traditional friendship" between Honduras and Taiwan, which stretches back more than 80 years, and "seriously hurts the feelings of the Taiwan government and people," said the statement.As Honduras decided to go ahead with sending Reina to Beijing, MOFA announced Thursday (March 23) it was recalling Chang to express its grave dissatisfaction.Honduras President Xiomara Castro announced last week that her government will seek to establish diplomatic relations with China, which would imply severing ties with Taiwan.China has welcomed Castro's announcement, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin saying Honduras was making the "right choice" that was "in line with the trend of historical development and progress of the times."If the break goes ahead, Taiwan will be left with 13 official diplomatic allies, with Guatemala and Belize the only partners in Central America. President Tsai Ing-wen was scheduled to visit both during a trip starting at the end of the month, reported Taiwan News.Taiwan and China have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since the sides split amid civil war in 1949 and China spends billions to win recognition for its "One China" policy.Under Beijing's "One China" principle, no country may maintain official diplomatic relations with both China and Taiwan. Taipei maintains a similar policy, having cut ties in the past with countries that switched recognition to Beijing.China considers self-ruled democratic Taiwan as a part of its territory, to be retaken one day -- by force, if necessary.Honduras would become the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen first took office in May 2016. She is due to step down next year at the end of her second term.Despite China's campaign of isolation, Taiwan retains robust informal ties with more than 100 other countries, most importantly the US.ANI26 March 2023 Shared Recently! Despite banking sector crisis, Washington kept wary eye on Moscow Washington, March 26: No summit not involving a US President has been followed with as much interest - actually, a mix of concern, alarm and gamesmanship - by the US government recently as the one wrapped by China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin earlier this week in Moscow. Despite banking sector crisis, Washington kept wary eye on Moscow The White House and the State Department kept up a daily commentary on the two leaders' meetings that took place over three days, some of them came in response to questions from reporters at the daily briefings respectively and others were entirely unprompted as if Washington DC was trying to get in a word, and turn the summit into a three-way dialogue.The US news media, the same time, tooth-combed the visit with breathless coverage of everything from the red carpet rolled out for President Xi, to the military guard and, to their rapturous dismay, the rapport shared by the two leaders who declared each other "dear friend".Washington DC could not have been more focussed, even as the summit came amidst a scary banking crisis precipitated by the failure of two regional Banks - the Silicon Valley Bank and Signature - and a highly anticipation arrest of former President Donald Trump in connection with an affair with pornstar Stormy Daniels, which, eventually did not happen.There were other developments in the days leading up to the visit such as China brokering a peace deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, delving into a region where the US called the shots; the announcement of a Chinese 12-point peace plan to end the war in Ukraine; and, an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal court for President Putin.The US went on the offensive even before a single word was uttered by the two leaders in Moscow. Secretary of State Antony Blinken cited the warrant to used it to question President Xi's intentions."That President Xi is travelling to Russia days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Putin suggests that China feels no responsibility to hold the Kremlin accountable for the atrocities committed in Ukraine, and instead of even condemning them, it would rather provide diplomatic cover for Russia to continue to commit those very crimes," he said before the Chinese leader touched down in Moscow.The White House leaned in around the same time, expressing doubts about Xi's sincerity in resolving the Ukraine conflict. Instead of pressing Putin to leave Ukraine and end the war, "we are concerned that, instead, China will reiterate calls for a ceasefire that leaves Russian forces inside Ukraine sovereign", John Kirby, the spokesman for the National Security Council told reporters on Monday, just before or around the time President Xi reached Moscow to begin his visit.Keeping a close eye on the visit, the US went to question the depth of the developing relationship between the two countries. Asked if the US considered the evolving relationship as an alliance, Kirby said he would call it a "marriage of convenience" between the two powers and, it added later, Russia was the "junior partner"."In President Putin and Russia, President Xi sees a counterweight to American influence and NATO influence certainly on the continent and elsewhere around the world," he said, adding "In President Xi, President Putin sees a potential backer here. This is a man who doesn't have a whole lot of friends on the international stage; they can count them on one hand mostly."Underlying the US response has been the Biden administration's stated assessment of China as the "only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it". Russia, it has said, has pursued "an imperialist foreign policy with the goal of overturning key elements of the international order".IANS26 March 2023 Shared Recently! Etihad Airways teams up with Emirati Chef for Contemporary Iftar meals New Delhi, March 26: The national airline of the UAE, Etihad Airways, is all set to welcome travellers with a specifically crafted inflight menu during the holy month of Ramzan. Once more working with Emirati Chef Khaled Alsaadi, Etihad's culinary design team is reimagining popular Ramadan dishes by combining traditional Emirati recipes with modern cooking methods and regional components. Etihad Airways teams up with Emirati Chef for Contemporary Iftar meals Turky Alhammadi, Head of Product and Hospitality, at Etihad Airways said, "Our continued collaboration with Chef Khaled brings together his culinary skills with a distinctively modern take on local dishes, working hand in hand with our culinary design team. We hope that our guests will enjoy this specially curated menu during their flight in the holy month. We look forward to hosting our guests and encourage everyone travelling with Etihad to savour these Ramadan specials."Iftar meals will be served onboard in addition to Etihad's regular hot meal service, and guests will be treated to dishes like Saffron curry crusted seabream, Lamb shank with black lime jus, Lentil soup, Chaami and beetroot salad, Machboos chicken ciabatta sandwich, Aseeda cheesecake, Saffron pot de creme with Batheeta crumble, and more.Chef Khaled Alsaadi said, "It was an absolute pleasure to work again with Etihad's culinary design team, the unique collaboration allowed me to present modern Emirati dishes to international guests travelling on board the UAE's national carrier. Travellers during Ramadan, long for a nourishing iftar meal, and I wanted to bring the essence of Emirati cuisine to Etihad's travellers to taste local flavours and leave a lasting impression on their taste buds."The Etihad Ramzan experience begins in the airport bars in Abu Dhabi, which will also offer special Ramadan foods and drinks as well as prayer spaces.Visitors will be able to replicate Etihad's distinctive inflight meals at home by accessing a selection of bespoke recipes online or by scanning QR codes located at the foot of the onboard menu. On particular flights that align with iftar times, Etihad's Ramadan menu will be accessible to guests in every cabin. Flights to and from the Gulf nations and flights for Umrah parties visiting Jeddah during Ramadan are included in this.(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)IANS26 March 2023 Shared Recently! IPL 2023: Five-time champion Mumbai Indians begin training at Wankhede Stadium Mumbai, March 26: Mumbai Indians, the five-time winners of the Indian Premier League (IPL), marked their return to their home ground, Wankhede stadium, after a gap of two years. IPL 2023: Five-time champion Mumbai Indians begin training at Wankhede Stadium As per a release from the franchise, the players were all excited to be at the Wankhede Stadium as they started their training session for the upcoming IPL 2023 on Saturday. The players had intense training under the floodlights, sweating it out in the nets and engaging with the coaching team on training and techniques.In IPL 2022, Mumbai Indians, led by India's all-format captain Rohit Sharma, had finished at bottom of the points table, winning just four out of 14 league stage matches. For IPL 2023, they will be without their fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for the first time in ten years, due to a back injury.Moreover, they will be without Australia fast bowler Jhye Richardson, who recently underwent hamstring surgery to fix his long-standing issues. As of now, Mumbai hasn't named replacements for Bumrah and Richardson.In terms of the coaching staff, Kieron Pollard will be the batting coach for this season. They also have a new head coach former South African coach Mark Boucher, with ex-USA coach and experienced Indian domestic coach J. Arunkumar being the assistant batting coach.They are also joined by Shane Bond and James Pamment as bowling and fielding coaches of the side respectively. In the IPL 2023 player auction held in December last year, Mumbai acquired the services of Australia's fast-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green for a whopping INR 17.5 crore.They also picked veteran India leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, uncapped South Africa all-rounder Duan Jansen, Kerala wicketkeeper-batter Vishnu Vinod, Mumbai left-arm spinner Shams Mulani, Punjab left-handed batter Nehal Wadhera and Haryana left-arm spinner Raghav Goyal.Mumbai will open their IPL 2023 campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 2.IANS26 March 2023 Shared Recently! Read how mindfulness activities can play important role in improving mental health Washington, March 26: A new study has found that normalizing mindfulness practices can improve the emotional well-being of a graduate student. Read how mindfulness activities can play important role in improving mental health The study was published in the journal, 'PLoS One'"Because of the state of graduate student mental health nationally, there's a tangible need for a concrete intervention like this," says Susan Hagness, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and one of the study's co-authors."How do we help our students develop resiliency and a really robust toolbox, both professional and personal, to flourish in an environment where there's inevitably going to be stress? We're getting the word out that investing in self-care is important, and it's normal."Cultivated through practices such as meditation, yoga or prayer, mindfulness centers around being in the present moment in an open, non-judgmental, curious, accepting way. In recent years, corporate giants like Google, Intel, Nike, General Mills, Target and others have included mindfulness in employee development activities to reduce employee stress and burnout, and enhance their focus, creativity, job satisfaction and wellness.The UW-Madison research included two studies involving a total of 215 participants across six academic semesters at UW-Madison (and the final four semesters concurrently at the University of Virginia). In the study, engineering graduate student cohorts participated in an hour-long, instructor-led mindfulness training program once a week for eight weeks. This "Mindful Engineer" curriculum was based on an existing Center for Healthy Minds training, "Cultivating Well-Being in the Workplace," and drew on neuroscience-derived concepts described in The Emotional Life of Your Brain, a book co-authored by center founder Richard Davidson, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at UW-Madison.Each weekly session built on the previous weeks' content; students learned about the brain's neuroplasticity and how it can be trained to change responses to emotions. They explored the six dimensions of emotional style (attention, self-awareness, resilience, outlook, social intuition and sensitivity to context) and learned strategies for creating and maintaining healthy mental and emotional habits. The graduate students also received training in mindfulness meditation and other contemplative practices, cognitive skills and techniques, and each session included time for meditation and cognitive exercises.In post-training surveys, students reported significantly improved emotional well-being, a more positive outlook, fewer negative emotions and increased mindfulness. Over the same period, the control groups (which received training at a later date) noted steady or decreased well-being. Mindfulness participants also reported they were better able to manage stress and anxiety, deal positively with setbacks, work more effectively with colleagues and focus on their research."What was beautiful is that we saw a really consistent pattern of results across all of the cohorts we did this study with," says Pelin Kesebir, an honorary fellow with the Center for Healthy Minds and a study co-author.Somewhat surprisingly, the researchers also found that engineering graduate students were open to mindfulness training and were not only highly satisfied with it, but also enjoyed the opportunity to connect with other graduate students."In the literature, there's evidence that engineers are less likely to seek treatment for mental health issues -- so our team wondered if engineers would engage with this," says Wendy Crone, a professor of engineering physics and mechanical engineering and a study co-author."The answer is that they did, and we had great cohorts throughout the project."The researchers say they'd like mindfulness training to be integrated into the graduate student experience in the future. In the meantime, they recommend the Healthy Minds Program app, which offers podcast-style lessons and seated and active meditations.And while the researchers focused on engineering graduate students, they note that adopting a mindfulness practice can be a positive step for anyone."Modest investments of your time can result in really significant benefits to your overall well-being," says Hagness. "Small investments in self-care can have long-term rewards."ANI27 March 2023 Shared Recently! Download Now The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the News-Gazette on your mobile device just as it appears in print. Mary Lucille Hays teaches writing at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and at Zhejiang University in Haining, China. If youre missing your weekly dose of Birdland Letters in The News-Gazette, you can still read them every week in the Piatt County Journal-Republican. Consider subscribing to support your small-town newspaper. You can see photos of her travels on Instagram @BirdlandLetters. Mary can be reached at letterfrombirdland@gmail.com or via snail mail care of the Journal-Republican, 118 E. Washington St., Monticello, IL 81856. Questions have been raised about the Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review after City Council overturned a pair of its recent decisions. But Mayor Lloyd Snook says the nine-member body still has his support within reason. I know there are a lot of folks out there who think the BAR has been getting in the way of progress, Snook told The Daily Progress. But I dont see it as an existential crisis. However, at the most recent City Council meeting fellow Council Member Michael Payne suggested otherwise. I think its going to take a long time to repair that reputational damage, Payne said on Monday after the council overturned a BAR decision that would have prevented a downtown church from installing solar panels. Facing an onslaught of allegations that the BAR was stuck in the past, the citys preservation planner Jeff Werner pushed back, showing that the BAR had approved all 15 prior requests for solar panels. Werner pointed to the removal of a swath of slate as the most recent sticking point. Obscuring and damaging the slate conflicts with the BARs guidelines, Werner told the council, and the proposed installation does not comply with the secretary of the Interiors standards. But the fact that the solar panels at First United Methodist Church on East Jefferson Street would be practically invisible from the ground seemed to win the day. The council voted 4-0 to overrule the BAR and allow the installation. After that vote, Payne alleged that the BARs solar denial hurt the cause of historic preservation. Clayt Lauter agreed with that assessment. A Ridge Street homeowner, Lauter appeared before the BAR late last year seeking permission to tear down an outbuilding in his backyard. His plan was rejected by the BAR in December; a month later, he won his appeal to City Council. The BAR should focus on the truly historic nature of Charlottesville, Lauter told The Daily Progress. They have experienced mission creep, and that is not serving them well. Lauters case is one that some critics have called shedgate. He ultimately convinced the council that he should be allowed to tear down a roughly 12-by-14-foot outbuilding behind his home. When he appeared before the BAR in December, he declared the building to be in disrepair. The small structure had termite damage, a plywood floor and it was standing in the way of his effort to construct a dwelling for his elderly father-in-law. The public cant see it, Lauter told the BAR. This shed, this shack is not visible to anyone unless youre my neighbor. City records paint a warmer picture. With two windows, a fireplace and chimney, it was constructed as a cottage according to the staff report, a servants dwelling built at the same time as the main residence on the property in 1895 by Edgar Gianniny, the proprietor of the former Gleason Hotel, a four-story commercial building on West Main Street. This house/property has one of the very rare remaining servants quarters remaining in structures from this era, wrote then city planner Ron Higgins in a 2003 letter urging the sites inclusion on the state landmarks register. That effort failed, and Lauter says the BAR needs perspective. Maintaining history for historys sake is to some degree ludicrous, Lauter said. For Mount Vernon, I get it. Monticello, sure. Their perspective on that shed was insane. Werner seemed to telegraph a philosophical or territorial divide just a moment after Lauters vow to See you at City Council following the 4-2 BAR vote on Dec. 20 to deny his demolition request. Whereas the BAR reviews things in a very small box, Werner explained, City Council is allowed to review other circumstances. Albemarle County doesnt see such controversy before its own Architectural Review Board, said former ARB Chair Paul Wright. Part of that, he said, stems from that fact that Albemarle has has no preservation ordinance; so the ARB has no mechanism to block a demolition. Another factor, Wright said, is that the ARB is a significantly smaller group, with just five members. With nine people its impossible to have predictable design, Wright told The Daily Progress. Wright said that the inevitable absences among such a large body contribute to the predictability problem because the membership changes. It can change from meeting to meeting, said Wright. That is burdensome to anyone who wants to build. Before he joined Albemarles ARB, Wright said, the group endured some scorn for forcing then-booming electronics retailer Circuit City to tone down its trademark entrance, which resembles a bright red plug, at Albemarle Square. He said the group was also criticized for forcing the developer of a planned Toys R Us on Branchlands Boulevard to clad the building in brick instead of a more colorful toy-oriented design. Just because corporate wants to do something and its a trademark doesnt mean you get to do it, said Wright, noting that both companies failed and closed. Those decisions turned out to be correct. During the recent solar slate debate, the BAR chair pointed out that slate is a local and long-lasting material, as its mined in adjacent Buckingham County. By contrast, the churchs planned asphalt roof tiles and photovoltaic panels will likely be imported from China. That discussion made Snook wonder if the BAR might have strayed from its mission. We have delegated to folks with some expertise some decisions that are within their expertise, and Im happy to have them be our architectural advisers, said Snook. Lets just identify when theyre speaking from an architectural standpoint and when theyre trying to blend architecture with environmental concerns. The first image is Jimmy Carter stepping out of the car during the inauguration parade and walking down the street with his wife. It embodied the message of his campaign and his understanding of how shaken Americans had become with the institution of the presidency. Many parts of rural America with less access to health care also have limited broadband internet that could help them take advantage of increasingly popular online health services. A new study by the University of Cincinnati highlighted disparities in access to digital technology that could widen the gap in access to health care. The study found that socially vulnerable communities in the United States face more barriers to adequate health care, live in areas with fewer health care resources and have less access to high-speed internet. UC researchers presented their findings this month at the American Association of Geographers' annual conference in Denver. The Biden Administration announced this month it will invest $73 million in outreach grants to provide affordable high-speed internet to more Americans. The program is designed to address a growing gap in access to health care created during the COVID-19 pandemic when providers began offering more health care services over the web. UC researchers conducted a county-level data visualization and spatial analyses to assess the geospatial association between digital disparities and health care in the contiguous United States. Study author and UC epidemiologist Diego Cuadros said patients need access to high-speed internet, computers or smartphones and familiarity with technology to use these systems comfortably so they can take advantage of the growing shift to telemedicine and online health services. His previous research found disparities in easy access to health care across the United States. Many of these same areas have limited access to digital technology such as high-speed internet. The point is telehealth is not going to be useful to everybody. It will be extremely useful to people who already have good access to health care, but it's not going to be very useful to those who don't." Diego Cuadros, UC epidemiologist "The digital divide is already here. But in the future, we'll be even more reliant on these technologies, so that divide is only going to get bigger," he said. Cuadros, an associate professor in UC's College of Arts and Sciences, runs UC's Digital Epidemiology Laboratory. He collaborated with University of Washington assistant professor of physiology and biophysics Claudia Moreno. "The pandemic was a tipping point for us. These technologies are here to stay. That's how we'll experience a lot of aspects of our life, from education to relationships to health care," Cuadros said. While the United States is a global telecommunications leader, it does not even crack a list of the top 20 nations in terms of per capita wireless coverage, according to a 2023 Statista survey. That's largely because it's a large country in square miles, Moreno said. "What was surprising was to see the strong correlation between the lack of broadband access and the socioeconomic and health care vulnerability of some regions," Moreno said. "This association suggests that broadband coverage can act as an institutionalized inequity that needs to be addressed to help vulnerable communities." Moreno said while the pandemic served as a catalyst that pushed many people to adopt new ways of doing things, not everyone has made the same digital transition. "The reality is that not everyone was thrilled with that option. Accessing telehealth is challenging for people that are not digitally literate or for people who do not own a smartphone or a computer," she said. "Telehealth has a huge potential to help vulnerable communities, but if we really want to exploit this potential, the country needs to create policies and programs that increase access within these communities." The traditional treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer is a lobectomy, where a surgeon eradicates cancerous tissue by removing an entire lung lobe. Yet, new research finds that select patients with early-stage disease who undergo a less invasive procedure have comparable outcomes, sparking hope for a less aggressive approach to lung cancer surgery. The 10-year study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and led by University of Chicago Medicine medical oncologist Everett Vokes, MD, adds evidence that supports a new standard to preserve lung tissue in cancer patients whenever possible. It's great to know that we can safely offer our patients a procedure that allows for the preservation of functional lung tissue as long as patients are properly staged and the surgical team has the necessary experience." Everett Vokes, MD, University of Chicago Medicine medical oncologist Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the United States and causes the most cancer deaths in both men and women. While related to having a history of smoking, lung cancer is increasingly diagnosed in nonsmokers as well as former smokers. An estimated 235,000 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2023. Most patients will be diagnosed after the cancer has spread to other parts of their body. Fortunately, improved screening in smokers means doctors are detecting lung cancer at earlier stages. In this study, 697 patients with peripheral stage 1 tumors less than 2 centimeters in size were randomly assigned to undergo a lobectomy or a sublobar resection, where part of the cancerous lobe is removed. In the case of the latter, patients received either a wedge resection, which involves removing a nonanatomic, wedge-shaped piece of tissue containing the tumor, or an anatomical segmentectomy in which surgeons remove the anatomic lung segment with the tumor, along with the small airway, individual artery and vein that feed and drain the region. After a median follow-up of seven years, the multicenter, phase 3 randomized trial found disease-free survival was similar between lobectomies and sublobar resections. Five-year disease-free survival and five-year overall survival were similar, supporting the less-invasive procedure as the preferred option. "This is a very important study that will change how we treat patients with small early-stage lung cancers especially as we move into the era of lung cancer screening, where we hope to find many more small nodules that could be treated with this tailored surgical approach," said UChicago Medicine thoracic surgeon Jessica Donington, MD, MSCR. The research follows a study by Japanese researchers published last year in The Lancet that compared lobectomy to segmentectomy (but not wedge resection). That study revealed patients who received segmentectomies fared better in terms of overall survival, but not for local recurrence. Saving lung tissue seemed to help with survival from other diseases and secondary cancers. "Overall survival in this most recent trial was around 80% in both arms," said Donington, adding that more therapies are needed for lung cancer. "These are the earliest-stage patients and our smallest tumors. We've done all of the currently recommended therapy and yet overall survival is still only 80%, when it's well above 90% for similar-stage breast cancer or prostate cancer." Generally, healthy nonsmokers with relatively good lung function can tolerate lobectomies without long-term side effects. However, patients with reduced lung function, due to smoking or other comorbidities, may be too sick to undergo the procedure. "There are times when we can't do a lobectomy because there's just not enough good lung for us to be able to remove an entire lobe," said Donington. "This research is good news for all patients." Both Donington and Vokes cautioned the importance of lung cancer patients finding a surgeon skilled in performing sublobar resections, which are more technically challenging surgeries than a lobectomy. The National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health supported the study. A bone marrow transplant can be a lifesaving treatment for people with relapsed blood cancers, but a potentially lethal complication known as graft-versus-host disease put limitations on this procedure. New research from the University of WisconsinMadison is helping to change that by identifying the cell population that causes GVHD, a target that may make bone marrow transplants safer and more effective. An allogenic (from a donor) bone marrow transplant is a common treatment for blood cancers and other diseases of the immune system. During the transplant, the patient's immune cells are replaced with the donor's healthy cells. While the donor cells can help cure the patient's blood cancer, they can also cause GVHD -; in which donor T cells, a specialized immune cell in the blood, attack the patient's healthy cells. This causes complications similar to an autoimmune disease that can be lethal. Graft versus host disease is one of the most common complications after an allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation procedure, and the field knows quite well that the T cells from the donor are the ones mediating the disease. Before this study, there was no finite T cell population that we've been able to identify as the cause of GVHD, so all our treatment regimens generally impacted the entire T cell population. But targeting all the T cells is not ideal, as they don't just cause this detrimental disease, they also have a beneficial impact on the ability to prevent relapses." Nicholas Hess, study's lead author, scientist at UWMadison's Carbone Cancer Center Today in Science Advances, Hess and collaborators including Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center members Christian Capitini, professor of pediatrics, and Peiman Hematti, professor of medicine, published their findings, identifying cells called CD4/CD8 double positive T cells (DPT) causing GVHD in immunodeficient mice. To further confirm their findings, the researchers directly investigated human patient samples. "We looked at over 400 clinical samples from 35 patients as a part of this study and found double positive T cells to be predictive of GVHD. We also found four other biomarkers which are predictive of not just GVHD, but also relapse in general," says Hess. "Based on that, our next step is to merge the biomarkers into a machine learning algorithm that can output a risk prediction model. Clinicians could then use this model to understand a patient's risk of relapse and GVHD." A team of physicians and scientists at UWMadison is working on ways to address the problematic cells in patients while leaving healthy and helpful T cells to flourish. Hess says that while the team is very confident the double positive T cells are directly involved in GVHD, the key step in bringing this discovery to the clinic will be developing a targeted depletion strategy and this prediction model. "When we can gain confidence in this biomarker research and our ability to identify patients at risk, then we will potentially be able to treat them before they have all the detrimental effects of this disease," Hess says. The study won a Best Abstracts Award from the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy and was presented at the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) and ECOG-ACRIN conferences, creating excitement based on the findings' potential impact beyond blood cancer and transplantation. "I've learned that DPTs have been found in a variety of chronic human inflammatory diseases, which goes to show that this is not a specific thing to graft-versus-host disease. It's probably a wider phenomenon that these human T cells are doing that we've never really appreciated before," says Hess. "It's very exciting because it gives us something to study further. I've always been interested in taking something you discover in the lab and translating it to the clinic. I think it's what gets me up every day. It is kind of the ultimate goal in my life to be able to say I participated in something that helped patients in some way." Etihad Airways will resume flight services between Kolkata and Abu Dhabi on Sunday, the airlines said. The flights, to be available every day, will be operated with an Airbus A320 aircraft, offering eight seats in business class and 150 in economy class, it said. With the recommencement of services to Kolkata, Etihad will now fly to 14 destinations across the region India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives, it added. Also Read: Alliance Air to Start One More Kolkata-Gorakhpur Flight From March 28 The aircraft will depart Abu Dhabi at 9.10 pm local time, and land in Kolkata at 3.30 am. It will take off from Kolkata at 4.35 am, and reach the UAE capital at 8.15 am local time. Our return to Kolkata will come at the same time as we go double daily to New York, providing better access between India and the United States via Abu Dhabi, where our guests can take advantage of our US preclearance facility for a seamless arrival into the States," said Martin Drew, the senior vice-president of global sales and cargo at Etihad. Last week, low-cost carrier Air Arabia launched its services between Kolkata and Abu Dhabi, flying three days a week. It is also operating an Airbus A320. Etihad had stopped its services between Kolkata and Abu Dhabi following the COVID-19 outbreak. Kolkata has direct flights to two other west Asian destinations, Dubai and Doha. Read all the Latest Auto News here The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they were imposing severe restrictions starting Saturday on U.N. and other humanitarian flights arriving in the capital, Sanaa. The Houthi-run Civil Aviation Authority said no humanitarian flights would land in Sanaa between March 25-30. It said in a statement they would allow such flights into Sanaa only on Fridays. The Houthis said their decision was in response to what they claimed was a prohibition by a Saudi-led coalition that backs the government on commercial flights to and from the Yemeni capital, and a ban on booking flights from Sanaa. Also Read: American Airlines to Suspend Flights to Madrid in May Due to New Boeing Jet Delay The Houthis provided no evidence supporting their claim of a ban on commercial flights, which were still partly operating as part of last years cease-fire deal between the warring parties. Yemens state-run airline operated flights between Sanaa and the Jordanian capital, Amman, as recently as Friday. Yemens war erupted in 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and forced the government into exile in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition entered the conflict in March 2015 to try to restore the internationally recognized government to power. The U.N.s World Food Program, which manages humanitarian flights to the war-torn country, expressed deep concerns about the Houthi move. This decision could have significant impacts on the ability of the United Nations and our NGO partners to deliver urgently required support to people in need, Abeer Etefa, a spokeswoman for the WFP, said in an email. Waleed al-Abarah, a spokesman for Yemens Human Rights Ministry in Aden, said the Houthi decision amounts to a war crime," accusing the rebels of weaponizing humanitarian activities to achieve political gains. In televised comments, he warned of a looming famine in Yemen amid funding shortages of the humanitarian response in 2023. The Sanaa International Airport was partly reopened for commercial fights last year as part of a U.N.-brokered cease-fire deal between Yemens warring parties. The cease-fire expired in October when the two sides failed to reach a compromise to renew the truce. The Houthi move comes amid an escalation in fighting in the central province of Marib, where the Houthi rebels in recent days attacked government-held areas. On Saturday, a suspected Houthi attack targeted the convoy of Nabil Shamsan, the governor of government-held province of Taiz, as he was returning from a visit to the city of Mocha on the Red Sea, according to Yemens Minister of Information Muammar al-Eryani. The attack killed one of Shamsans companions and wounded two others, al-Eryani said on Twitter. The provincial governor survived the attack, he added. While, al-Eryani said that attack was by an explosive-laden drone, the state-run SABA news agency later reported that the rebels used a missile and mortar shells in the attack. A Houthi spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. The escalation comes after Iran and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement earlier this month to restore bilateral relations, reviving hopes of a political settlement to Yemens conflict, where the two regional powerhouses support opposing sides. The Houthi restrictions on humanitarian flights is likely to exaggerate the suffering of Yemenis in Houthi-held areas, including the capital. Yemens conflict has created one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises. More than 21 million people in Yemen, or two-thirds of the countrys population, need help and protection, according to the U.N. Read all the Latest Auto News here The Japanese car manufacturer Toyota had received a massive boost in sales through its luxury sedan Camry from 2002 to 2016 back then. Now, it is struggling to retain its aura in the home country of Japan, where the company decided to put a complete full stop and end its production, including a few more countries. However, global production of Toyota Camry will continue. The big step from Toyota comes after it witnessed a massive downfall in sales of the Camry sedan as people nowadays give more priority to SUVs or hatchbacks. Amid this, there are also reports that surfaced on the internet, claiming that the company is likely to relaunch the Camry in a completely different avatar. The brand has not revealed any details about the same as yet. But, if rumors are to be believed, customers might be able to see the Camrys next generation in 2024. Also Read: All-New Toyota Camry Test Drive Review The German Killer Meanwhile, undoubtedly, Toyota Camry back then was considered one of the top hot-selling products globally. It used to sell more than 600,000 units worldwide. Half of the sales numbers came from the United States despite the fact that the sedan market was losing its shine. Currently, the sedan did not say completely bye as it continues to generate volume for Toyota in more than 100 markets globally including India, where it comes with petrol and petrol-hybrid engine options. Read all the Latest Auto News here Saab rolled out the newest member of the Gripen family of fighter jets the Gripen E. Saab defines the new fighter as revolutionary because it combines advanced technology and operational effectiveness in an affordable package that no other fighter aircraft can. Defense-Update takes a look at what the new fighter jet can do. Based on the proven Gripen C/D platform, the Gripen E (also referred to as Gripen E/F) is designed as a multi-role fighter designed to perform air/air, air/ground and aerial recce with the same aircraft on a single mission. Compared with previous Gripen models (C/D) the new version has increased range and mission endurance. Its redesigned airframe operates at higher weights and is configured for maximum takeoff weight of 16.5 tons, allowing Gripen E to carry more fuel and weapons. The aircraft has 10 hardpoints and carries additional pylons to increase weapon capacity. The integration of a powerful (98 kN) and efficient GE F414G engine provides a higher level of thrust. Digital fly-by-wire and canards are providing the high aircraft agility while the excess power delivered by the new engine sustains high speed (Mach 2) and super-cruising capability, a unique feature for a fighter jet of this size. Saab is developing the single-seat version of the aircraft Gripen E for the Swedish Air Force and the Brazilian Air Force. Brazils Embraer is responsible for the development of a two-seater variant (Gripen F). The Brazilian Air Force plans to operate six such aircraft. Since the Gripen A/B and C/D fighters currently fly with several NATO air forces, Gripen E is also designed to be NATO-interoperable and is tailored for the future Network Centric Warfare (NCW) environment. Such capabilities comprise advanced data communications, dual data links, satellite communications and video links. A formation of Gripen E will be able can share tactical and logistical information including the position, fuel and weapon status of each aircraft. Besides, the pilot can communicate two ways with every networked element, in the air, on the ground or at sea through the secure and multi-frequency data links, using line-of-sight or satellite links. Advanced sensors available on board add new capabilities to air/air and air/ground warfighting capability, these include the Leonardo Selex ES-05 Raven Active Electronic Scan Array (AESA) Radar and Infrared Search and Track (IRST) adding passive tracking and target acquisition capability to the Gripens tactics portfolio. The antenna uses a swash-plate solution that gives the radar an area coverage of 100. The Skyward IRST (also built by Selex) can operate in synch with the radar, to provide visual target identification from a long distance, or function as passive radar, enabling Gripen E pilots to track and engage targets without giving away their positions. The sensor is looking forward over a wide sector, registering heat emissions from other aircraft, helicopters, objects on the ground and sea surface. The third sensor on board is the electronic countermeasures system, that can operate with active (Missile Approach Warning MAW) and passive (Radar Warning Receiver RWR) sensors, detecting hostile radar emissions that paint the Gripen from a distance, or missiles closing in from afar, guided by radar signals. The EW system couples with active countermeasures, including chaff, flares and expendable decoys such as the BriteCloud, as well as RF jammer pod and anti-radiation missiles that could be integrated in the future, to defeat such threats. These sensors are combined with cockpit instrumentation to provide the pilot with situational picture, using comprehensive display systems that include Helmet Mounted Display (which also combines night vision), Head-Up Display (HUD) and Wide Area Displays (WAD) to be integrated into the Gripen NGs destined for the Brazilian Air Force. This combination of displays delivers the ability to detect and destroy a wide variety of targets, even at night or in poor weather conditions. American YouTuber, Arieh Smith, also known as Xiaomanyc, is famous for his videos of astounding people with his language skills. During a recent trip to a rural Maasai village in Kenya, he spent a day with the tribe and impressed them by speaking the Maasai language. He also participated in local customs, including a traditional naming ceremony, which he captured in a video shared online. In the YouTube video, Smith could be seen conversing with Maasai warriors in their native language, which he learned a month before the visit. The locals were surprised and impressed by his language skills and welcomed him warmly into their community. He was greeted warmly and welcomed into their homes, including a typical Manyatta hut made of stone and cow dung. During his stay, he learned about the local way of life, including livestock management and goat skinning, and learnt how to start a fire from scratch. Smith was even amazed to learn that one of the village elders had five wives and thirty children. He even attended a traditional naming ceremony around a bonfire. On the second day of his visit, Smith was offered Maasai tea, which in reality is made from goat heads. The Maasai tribe members enthusiastically made TikTok videos with him. Indeed he was moved by the experience, particularly learning how the Maasai people adapt to living in the wilderness and survive off the land for several months at a time. Overall, his visit to the Maasai village was an unforgettable and emotional experience. Watch the YouTube video Here: Previously, the YouTuber had the opportunity to visit Amritsar and impressed Indians with his proficiency in the Punjabi language. During his visit, he recorded his experience of being offered complimentary food and was deeply touched by the kindness and generosity of the locals. The video also features his visit to the Golden Temple, where he respectfully participated in the traditional rituals such as washing his legs in the sacred water and partaking in the langar meal. Read all the Latest Buzz News here The Ejipura flyover project in Bengaluru has been under construction for six years, causing frustration and inconvenience to residents. Recently, a Twitter user discovered that someone had tagged the incomplete project as a monument on Google Maps. The screengrab showed the project labelled as Bangalore Stonehenge, and sarcastic Google reviews touted it as a must-see tourist attraction. The post quickly gained attention online and sparked humourous reactions from users, many of whom used the opportunity to criticise the inefficiency of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Caleb Friesen, a Twitter user, recently stumbled upon an unusual discovery while using Google Maps. He posted a screenshot of the app, which showed an image of the stalled Ejipura flyover project in Bengaluru labelled as Bangalore Stonehenge. The post included two sarcastic Google reviews, one suggesting, Vegetation has taken over and ASI is in talks to declare these structures as monuments and take over their maintenance. Another review claimed, These monuments are epitome of tourism in the most happening part of Bangalore. Must visit!. However, Google has since removed the image and the reviews, citing doubts about their authenticity. Despite this, the screenshots continue to circulate on the internet, inspiring laughter and amusement among users. Okay, which one of you did this! pic.twitter.com/vS1J5A6X4m Caleb Friesen (@caleb_friesen2) March 25, 2023 If left unattended, they would soon be turned into local deities and no one can build anything on top of it, quipped a user. Thats how Bangalore folks test their Beta versions! remarked another. The Ejipura Main Road-Kendriya Sadan flyover project, spanning 2.5 km, was launched in 2017 and was expected to be completed in 2019. However, the contractor was only able to finish 32% of the work and withdrew due to outstanding payments, leading to the cancellation of the initial tender. Despite calling for tenders thrice, BBMP was unable to complete the retendering process. In March, BBMP launched a fourth tender to resume construction of the Ejipura flyover. Its the only way BBMP can finish it. May be all of us should put in reviews (unfortunately Google maps has removed it now( Sharath (@dnameis_sHARATH) March 26, 2023 If left unattended, they would soon be turned into local deities and no one can build anything on top of it Ramprasad (@ramprasadp20) March 26, 2023 Seems it was reported. Can we create a new listing on gmaps? Abhishek Kumar (@AbhiQmar) March 25, 2023 Best thing on Twitter this week voltairesdog (@voltairesdog) March 26, 2023 Well deserved recognition AInvestK (@AInvestK1) March 25, 2023 Residents have also protested against the BBMP, accusing them of delaying the project, which has now become a dumping ground for construction debris and waste materials, with truckloads of garbage piling up along the median of the flyover. Meanwhile, online users have discovered a new way to draw attention to the issue, as the now-infamous Bangalore Stonehenge has made its way onto the internet and amused many. Read all the Latest Buzz News here Its Navratri time and most people have to avoid their non-veg cravings and stick to vegetarian food. Amid all of this, Twitter user Aneetta shared a screenshot of a restaurant which is selling 100% Veg Butter Chicken. Yes! You read that right. Spot whats wrong," read the caption. The restaurant has listed several dishes, out of which, one is this veg butter chicken. The image, since uploaded, has gone viral with over 35K views. Along with this, the seller has also used a picture which looks like that of chicken and cream. Have a look: When you dont want to mention vegan but also want to play safe," wrote a Twitter user. Another person wrote, Lets start to consider fish and chicken in vegetarian. Only red meats should be considered for the red icon. PS - lets rebrand non veg to meat and veg to non-meat. One person also shared a similar screenshot where a restaurant is selling Ved Tawa Chicken. What's the problem? Butter is veg. And the chicken they use, is plant fed. So essential Veg. Simple! Rashida (@bonafide_urban) March 26, 2023 Veg bhi hai aur Chicken bhi aur Red Dot bhi.reminds me of Mr Duggal who has been it all Manan Sheel Bhasin (@BhasinSheel) March 25, 2023 That chicken is pure vegan I think Eating a vegetarian is vegetarian only irah_the cult rebel (@irah_cult_rebel) March 25, 2023 The star of 3.7 is not accurate. It half filled so it should be 3.5No thank you please Akhil Khandelwal (@akhilk0307) March 25, 2023 The chicken was certified vegetarian till it became part of your butter chicken, that is why "vegetarian butter chicken." Subhash Bhasker (@Subhash_Bhasker) March 25, 2023 Marne se pehle wo chicken srif veg khana khata thaMenu ekdum sahi hai Harsh Vardhan Shukla (@HarshVa77331600) March 25, 2023 Meanwhile, earlier, a Twitter user started the paneer over chicken debate while tweeting out her opinion on the better of the two and is now getting cooked. Unpopular opinion Paneer is better than Chicken>," one Tanya Bhardwaj wrote on Twitter. She posted a photo of her meal along with it. It consisted of some rotis, a cup of chai, some paneer and some ketchup on the side. She ended up, probably unwittingly, starting a food war. Many people spoke out in support of their favourite chicken; some supported Tanyas opinion. Read all the Latest Buzz News here Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SMSIMSR) & Sri Sathya Sai Rajeswari Memorial Block, a totally-free-of-cost medical college and hospital, at Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli in Chikkaballapura district. The SMSIMSR hospital has been established by Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence, an official release said. Situated in a rural area and established with a vision of de-commercialising medical education and healthcare, SMSIMSR would provide medical education and quality medical care completely free of cost to all, it said. The institute will start functioning from the academic year 2023, the release said. Read all the Latest Education News here From India recording more than 1,500 new COVID-19 cases to fourteen pro-Iran fighters killed in United States air strikes, a lot has happened this week. It is important for all, especially candidates who are going to appear for any recruitment exam to keep track of current affairs and news happenings around the world. To crack the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Exam, or any other competitive exams candidates are advised to read about whats happening across the globe. Here is a list of significant highlights from this week to prepare yourself for upcoming recruitment exams. India Witnesses More Than 1,500 New Covid-19 Cases India continues to witness a rise in new Covid-19. According to the Union Health Ministrys data released on Saturday, March 25, the country reported a single-day spike of 1,590 fresh infections in the past 24 hours, highest in 146 days. With the recent update, the countrys Covid-19 tally has jumped to 4,47,02,257. As per the ministrys data, the daily positivity was recorded at 1.33 percent whereas the weekly positivity is fixed at 1.23 percent. Earthquake in Afghanistan and Pakistan The death toll from earthquake in large parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday, March 22, stands at 12. According to reports, the number of injured has also climbed to 200. An earthquake of 6.5-magnitude jolted and damaged several buildings, triggered landslides in parts of both countries. The epicentre of this earthquake was a mountainous range in Afghanistans north-eastern area that borders Pakistan. Hunt for Amritpal The search for fugitive pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh has become intense as Delhi police suspect that the Waris Punjab De leader has entered the national capital. Raids were carried out in Jammu after which associate who was in touch with Amritpal before March 18 has been detained in the matter. Punjab police has reportedly asked the Delhi police to stay on high alert as Amritpal and his associate Papalpreet have entered the national capital after escaping from Kurukshetra, Haryana. 14 People Dead in US Strikes on Syria Fourteen pro-Iran fighters were killed in US air strikes on Syria. The air strikes were carried out in retaliation of a drone attack that killed an American and wounded six others, a war monitor informed on Friday, March 24. The Pentagon stated that a US contractor was killed, and 5 US service personnel were wounded in the strike, when a kamikaze drone of Iranian origin hit a maintenance facility near Hasakeh in north-eastern Syria. Read all the Latest Education News here ISROs heaviest rocket LVM3 carrying 36 satellites belonging to UK-based OneWeb Group lifted off from this space port on Sunday. The second dedicated mission for NewSpace India Ltd, the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation is part of the agreement signed with Network Access Associates Ltd, United Kingdom (OneWeb Group Company) for launch of 72 satellites into Low-Earth orbits(LEO). READ MORE #ISRO launches Indias largest LVM3 rocket carrying 36 satellites, which lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in #Sriharikota todayhttps://t.co/5YWiqwX0rI pic.twitter.com/Cz5W8HlJ2E News18 (@CNNnews18) March 26, 2023 The first set of 36 satellites of OneWeb Group company was launched on October 23, 2022 by ISRO. Amid the launch, lets unravel some of the scientific terms used here: First, What are Low Earth Orbit Satellites? According to the European Space Agency, a low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit that is close to the Earths surface. It is generally less than 1,000 km above Earth, although it can be as low as 160 km above Earth, which is low in comparison to other orbits but still quite far over the Earths surface. In comparison, most commercial jets do not travel at heights much higher than 14 km, so even the lowest LEO is more than ten times higher. Unlike geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites, which must always orbit near the equator, LEO spacecraft do not always have to follow the same path around the Earth - their plane can be inclined. This means that satellites in LEO have more potential paths, which is one of the reasons why LEO is such a popular orbit. Because of its close proximity to Earth, LEO is useful for a variety of reasons. It is the most widely utilised orbit for satellite photography since being close to the surface allows for greater resolution photographs, the report explains. It is also the orbit utilised by the International Space Station (ISS), as it allows astronauts to travel a shorter distance to and from it. Satellites in this orbit travel at around 7.8 km per second; at this speed, a satellite takes approximately 90 minutes to circle Earth, implying that the International Space Station travels around Earth approximately 16 times per day. Individual LEO satellites, on the other hand, are less effective for services such as telecommunication since they move so quickly across the sky and so need a lot of effort to track from ground stations. Instead, communications satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) sometimes operate as part of a huge combination, or constellation, of many satellites to provide continuous coverage. Now, You Will be Able to Understand the Purpose of These Satellites Better Bharti Enterprises is a major investor in OneWeb group, which is engaged in the implementation of the constellation of low earth satellites. It is a global communication network powered from space, enabling connectivity for governments and businesses. The launch was the 18th for OneWeb Group company while for ISRO, it would be the second mission in 2023 after the successful launch of SSLV/D2-EOS07 mission undertaken in February. With todays mission, OneWeb would have 616 satellites in its fleet which would be more than enough to launch global services later this year. A Space Collaboration The mission marks OneWebs second satellite deployment from India, highlighting the collaboration between the United Kingdom and Indian space industries, OneWeb said. Across India, OneWeb would bring secured solutions not only to enterprises but also to towns, villages, municipalities and schools including the hardest to reach areas across the country, the company said. The first set of satellite separation (comprising four of the 36 satellites) is scheduled to take place around 20 minutes after lift-off. The remaining satellites are expected to be placed into the 450 km circular orbits in sometime. The satellites after being placed into the low-earth orbits would be divided among 12 planes at an altitude of about 1,200 km from Earths surface. Each plane would be separated in an altitude by 4 km to prevent inter-plane collision, ISRO said. This is the sixth flight of LVM3 which was earlier known as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MkIII (GSLVMkIII) with a cryogenic upper stage. It had five consecutive missions including the Chandrayaan-2. About LVM3 The Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), also known as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk3), is a three-stage medium-lift launch vehicle designed by ISRO. It is primarily intended to launch communication satellites into geostationary orbit, but it will also conduct crewed flights as part of Indias Human Spaceflight Project, as reports. The payload capacity of the GSLV Mk III is greater than that of its predecessor, the GSLV Mk II. Following multiple delays and a sub-orbital test flight on 18 December 2014, ISRO successfully completed the maiden orbital test launch of the GSLV Mk III from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on 5 June 2017. It is a three-stage launch vehicle with two solid propellant S200 strap-ons on each side and a core stage with an L110 liquid stage and a C25 cryogenic stage. Among the satellites achievements are being able to handle several satellite separation events, increased nominal mission duration, increased safe separation distance, ensuring data availability for the duration of the mission, development of a novel payload adaptor and interface ring for satellite dispensers. Lets unravel some of these jargons more: What is a Launch Vehicle? A launch vehicle is typically a rocket-powered vehicle and is designed to transport a payload (spacecraft or satellites) from the Earths surface to outer space. The majority of launch vehicles are operated from a launch pad, which is supported by a launch control centre and systems such as vehicle assembly and fueling. And Payload Capacity? Payload capacity is the amount of weight a vehicle can carry. What is Rocket Staging? According to NASA, to overcome the weight of the rocket, all rockets utilise thrust provided by a propulsion system. The payload weight is only a small percentage of the lift-off weight for full-scale satellite launchers. The propellants account for the majority of the rockets weight. As the propellants are consumed during powered ascent, a greater proportion of the vehicles weight is converted to the near-empty tankage and structure that was required when the spacecraft was fully loaded. Most launchers jettison a portion of the vehicle during the staging procedure to reduce the weight of the vehicle and attain orbital velocity. Rocket staging is classified into two types: serial and parallel. Serial Staging A small second stage rocket is mounted on top of a bigger first stage rocket in serial staging. The first stage is ignited during launch and continues to burn through the powered ascent until its propellants run out. The first stage engine is then turned off, the second stage separates from the first, and the second stage engine is turned on. The payload is sent into orbit atop the second stage. Parallel Staging The other kind of staging is known as parallel staging. Many small initial stages are attached onto a central sustainer rocket in parallel staging. All of the engines are fired at launch. When the propellants in the strap-on rockets run out, the rockets are discarded. The sustainer engine continues to run, and the cargo is delivered into orbit atop the sustainer rocket. In the Space Shuttle, parallel staging is used. The expended solid rocket boosters are recovered from the ocean, re-fueled, and reused on the Shuttle. With PTI inputs Read all the Latest Explainers here Seven people have been killed in an outbreak of Marburg virus in Equatorial Guinea, with a further 20 deaths probably" due to the hemorrhagic fever, the World Health Organization had said on Thursday. Authorities in Tanzanias northwestern Kagera region stated earlier this week that five people had died and three others had been infected with the Marburg virus, a highly deadly, Ebola-like disease, according to report. The outbreak of the virus, which is almost as deadly as Ebola, has now spread beyond the province of Kie-Ntem, where it caused the first known deaths in January. Whats the Current Situation? The spread of Marburg is a critical signal to scale up response efforts to quickly stop the chain of transmission and avert a potential large-scale outbreak and loss of life," Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHOs regional director for Africa was quoted as saying by AFP. Since the start of the outbreak, there have been a total of nine laboratory-confirmed cases and 20 probable cases", the WHO said in a report on its website. Of the nine laboratory-confirmed cases, seven people have died and all probable cases have died." Among the 20 probable cases, the patients had all the symptoms of the disease and had been in contact with confirmed cases, but samples could not be taken from their bodies, or they could not be treated, a WHO official told AFP Thursday. The epidemic is a serious problem in three of Equatorial Guineas four mainland provinces. In eastern Africa, Tanzania said Tuesday that five people had died from the virus, while neighbouring Uganda, which had its last outbreak in 2017, said it was on high alert". The WHO said additional experts in epidemiology, logistics, health operations and infection prevention and control would be deployed in the coming days. What are Its Symptoms? The Marburg virus causes severe fever, often accompanied by bleeding and organ failure. The incubation period ranges from two to twenty-one days. The illness produced by the Marburg virus appears suddenly, with a high temperature, severe headache, and severe malaise. On the third day, severe watery diarrhoea, stomach pain and cramps, nausea, and vomiting may occur. Severe haemorrhagic signs frequently develop five to seven days after the onset of symptoms, and fatal patients usually have some sort of bleeding, often from numerous sites. Death occurs most frequently between eight and nine days following the onset of symptoms, and is usually preceded by substantial blood loss and shock, the WHO explains. It is part of the so-called filovirus family that also includes Ebola, which has wreaked havoc in several previous outbreaks in Africa. How Does it Spread? Marburg spreads through direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with infected peoples blood, secretions, organs, or other body fluids, as well as surfaces and objects (e.g., bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids, according to the WHO. Previously, healthcare personnel were infected while treating patients with suspected or proven MVD. Funeral ceremonies that entail close touch with the deceaseds body can also contribute to the spread of Marburg. From Where Does it Originate? The suspected natural source of the Marburg virus is the African fruit bat, which carries the pathogen but does not fall sick from it. The virus takes its name from the German city of Marburg, where it was first identified in 1967, in a lab where workers had been in contact with infected green monkeys imported from Uganda. The animals can pass the virus to primates in close proximity, including humans, and human-to-human transmission then occurs through contact with blood or other body fluids. Fatality Rate? Fatality rates in confirmed cases have ranged from 24 percent to 88 percent in previous outbreaks, depending on the virus strain and case management, according to WHO. There are currently no vaccines or antiviral treatments, but potential treatments, including blood products, immune therapies and drug therapies, as well as early candidate vaccines, are being evaluated, the WHO says. With inputs from AFP Read all the Latest Explainers here Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday he would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighbour and ally Belarus, bringing the arms to a country at the gates of the European Union. Putin has previously issued thinly veiled warnings that he could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine if Russia were threatened, reviving Cold War-era fears. He also said he would deploy depleted uranium ammunition if Kyiv received the controversial weaponry from the West, following a British suggestion that it could supply Ukraine. Putin said the move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was nothing unusual." Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over those it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them will be completed by July 1, Putin said. US Has Been Doing This for Decades The United States has been doing this for decades. They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies," Putin added. Putins claims in the interview on Saturday built on remarks he made in December at a joint news conference with Lukashenko in Minsk, when he suggested Moscow was preparing Belarusian pilots to fly jets capable of delivering a special warhead," said a CNN report. During that conference, Lukashenko declared to Putin, Now weve put the S-400 [air defence] system that you delivered to Belarus into combat-readiness, and, most crucially, the Iskander system that you also gave over to us, after promising it half a year ago." Russia has also given Belarus an Iskander system that can carry nuclear weapons, Putin said. It will start training crews on April 3 and plans to finish the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons by July 1. He didnt say how many nuclear weapons Russia would keep in Belarus. The U.S. government believes Russia has about 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons, which include bombs that can be carried by tactical aircraft, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery rounds, reported the Associated Press. Is There a Nuclear Threat? Putin also said that Russia would respond if the West supplied Ukraine with depleted uranium ammunition. Russia of course has what it needs to answer. Without exaggeration, we have hundreds of thousands of such shells. We have not used them yet," Putin added in an interview on Russian television. He said the weapons can be classified as the most harmful and hazardous for humans and also for the environment." Depleted uranium munitions are highly effective at piercing armour plate, but their use is controversial. The metal is toxic for the soldiers who use the weapons and for civilians in areas where they are fired. Putin has previously said nuclear tensions were rising" globally but said Moscow would not deploy first. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) has warned nuclear threats were creating a dangerous sense of uncertainty around their possible use. The longer Russias operation in Ukraine grinds on, the greater the nuclear strike risk, ICAN warned last month ahead of the offensives first anniversary. Putin announced last month that Moscow would suspend its participation in New START, the last remaining arms control treaty between the worlds two main nuclear powers, Russia and the United States. Read what the New START treaty is. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg slammed Russia for suspending the nuclear weapons limitation treaty with the US, saying it marked the end of Europes post-Cold War arms control architecture. The announcement came after Moscow last August suspended US inspections of its military sites under New START. US officials have claimed that they fear Russia could use nuclear weapons if it feels routed on the battlefield and could plant a fictitious story to justify its actions. Russia has already spoken of supposed Ukrainian attempts to detonate a dirty bomb," drawing strong denials from Ukraine and a sharp rebuke from the United States, which had rare direct communication with Moscow to warn against nuclear use. Neither the United States nor Russia by far the largest nuclear weapons powers officially has a policy of no first use of the ultra-destructive arms. Russian officials have repeated that Russia would only use nuclear weapons if it was facing an existential threat" but the definition of such a threat remains vague. A recent US posture review by President Joe Biden concluded that nuclear weapons should only be used in extreme circumstances." In response to Russias nuclear use, US President Joe Biden told CNN in October, It would be irresponsible for me to speculate about what we would or would not do." Yet, Biden suggested that circumstances might quickly escalate. Mistakes happen, miscalculations happen, no one knows what will happen, and it might all end in Armageddon," he warned. AFP, Associated Press contributed to this report Read all the Latest Explainers here The security has been beefed up near India-Nepal borders in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand following intelligence reports suggesting the absconding fugitive Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh is planning to escape the country through Nepal. The radical Sikh preacher, who is still on the run, was last seen wearing a jacket and trousers while escaping the Punjab polices dragnet during the massive crackdown on his outfit. In a new CCTV footage that emerged on Saturday, the pro-Khalistan radical preacher was purportedly seen wearing a jacket and trousers and speaking on a mobile phone. There was no official word from police on the undated footage, which is circulating on social media and is said to be from Patiala. Amritpal May Escape To Nepal Tightening its vigilance to capture Amritpal Singh and his associates, the Uttarakhand police have put up and distributed posters in villages across the Nepal border in view of their possibility to leave the country. Wanted posters of Amritpal Singh and his associates have been put near the India-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh & UttarakhandSSB (Sahastra Seema Bal), along with local police is conducting security checks of people and vehicles.#Punjab #AmritpalSingh #KhalistaniTerrorists pic.twitter.com/FReNiAZly3 # (@gayatrigkhurana) March 26, 2023 Posters of the fugitive and his two aides have also been put up in Rupaidiha town of Uttar Pradeshs Bahraich on the Indo-Nepal border. An alert has also been issued for districts bordering Nepal to avert the possibility of Amritpal fleeing the country via Uttar Pradesh. According to police sources, it is suspected that Amritpal may flee to Nepal via UP or Uttarakhand, directly from the Inter State Bus Terminal or ISBT in Delhi. On Friday, teams of the Delhi and Punjab police reportedly conducted a search operation in Delhi and its borders after receiving intelligence inputs that Amritpal Singh and his mentor Papalpreet Singh were seen at ISBT. Some areas near the Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh were also raided by the police. Amritpal Seen in Jacket, Trousers in Fresh CCTV Footage In the footage that is said to be from Patiala, the Waris Punjab De outfit chief could be seen wearing a jacket and trousers and speaking on a mobile phone, while holding a bag with his face covered with a white cloth. His key associate Papalpreet Singh could also be seen in the footage. In a second footage from the same spot, Amritpal Singh wearing goggles could be seen walking on the street and speaking on a phone. The self-styled Sikh preacher continued to be on the run for a week now following the police crackdown against him and his Waris Punjab De outfit. Punjab Govt Wont Hesitate in Taking Tough Decisions, Says Kejriwal Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab will not hesitate in taking tough decisions to maintain law and order as he asserted that those who were trying to spoil the atmosphere in the state are on the run. Kejriwals remarks come in the wake of Punjab police action against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and elements of an outfit, headed by him, named Waris Punjab De. Kejriwal said whoever tries to disturb peace in Punjab will not be spared. In the past few days, you saw how some people tried to disturb peace in Punjab, he said. We do not have to allow the atmosphere to be spoiled at any cost," he said, adding, We have to maintain peace, law and order in Punjab. Kejriwal said the Mann government took tough decisions to maintain peace in the state. Read all the Latest India News here Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet wants Khalistan sympathizer Amritpal Singh to cooperate with the investigations and surrender to the police". Singh has been on the run since March 18 when the police launched a crackdown against him and elements of Waris Punjab De (WPD), an outfit headed by him. The jathedar has also questioned the capability of police, asking why they have not been able to nab him. ALSO READ | Amritpal Singh News: High Alert Near Nepal Border as Cops Suspect Escape Bid via Delhi ISBT In a video message on Saturday, the jathedar said: The biggest question in the mind of every Sikh living across the world is how Amritpal could not be arrested despite a big police force in the state? Singh said that if the preacher has already been arrested, the police should say so". The jathedar has also called a special gathering of around 60 to 70 Sikh organisations, seminaries and Nihang organisations to discuss the situation in Punjab. No representative of any political party has been invited. WOMAN HELD FOR SHELTERING AMRITPAL The Punjab Police has arrested a woman from Patiala for allegedly sheltering Singh and his aide, officials said on Sunday. According to a senior police official, Singh and his aide Papalpreet Singh had allegedly stayed at the residence of Balbir Kaur in Patialas Hargobind Nagar on March 19. Kaur allegedly sheltered Singh and Papalpreet for five to six hours before they moved to Shahabad in Haryanas Kurukshetra district, the police said. ON THE RUN SINCE MARCH 18 The elusive preacher himself gave the police the slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Punjabs Jalandhar district. On Saturday, CCTV camera footage purportedly showing Singh, dressed in a jacket and trousers and speaking on a mobile phone, emerged in Patiala. In the footage, the Waris Punjab De chief could also be seen holding a bag with a white cloth covering his face. Papalpreet could also be seen in the footage. In a second footage from the same spot, a sunglass-wearing Singh could be seen speaking on the phone while walking on the street. THE ARRESTS Kaur is the second woman to be arrested for allegedly sheltering Amritpal. Earlier, a woman identified as Baljit Kaur was nabbed for allegedly harbouring Singh and Papalpreet at her home in Shahabad. The police in Khanna also arrested on Saturday a man identified as Balwant Singh for allegedly sheltering Amritpals associate Tejinder Singh Gill alias Gorkha Baba. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Payal) Harsimrat Singh said Balwant Singh, a resident of Khuli Khurd village, has been booked under Section 212 (harbouring offender) of the Indian Penal Code. Gill, who was part of Amritpals private security setup, was arrested on Wednesday. He was sent on police remand till March 27. The Punjab Police had said a phone recovered from Gill contained pictures of the flag, emblem and currency of Khalistan and videos of firearms practice by young men allegedly chosen for the radical preachers Anandpur Khalistan Fauz. ALSO READ | Amritpals Aides Leave Shri Sahab Hanging; Sikh Groups Upset | Exclusive Details from Video The incriminating material showed the sinister designs of the nascent militia force and the enormous threat it would have posed for peace and harmony in Punjab and national security, the police had said. With the Khalistan sympathiser continuing to remain untraceable, the police said efforts are underway to nab the fugitive. With PTI Inputs Read all the Latest India News here Hong Kong: TKO development explained The Development Bureau today said the development of Tseung Kwan O Area 137 and Area 132 seeks to make good use of the land. Responding to a public procession today on the provision of six public facilities at the waterfront off TKO Area 132, the bureau said the development of TKO Area 137 and Area 132 aims to create a new liveable community, including the development in TKO Area 137 with 50,000 housing units with population intake starting from 2030 onwards. The bureau proposes to make available about 25 hectares of newly created land off TKO Area 132 to relocate two existing public facilities in TKO Area 137 and accommodate four location-specific public facilities that all require marine frontage for daily operations. These public facilities are necessary to support the daily needs of the community, especially the eastern part of Hong Kong, the bureau added. Noting the Government respects the right to freedom of expression, the bureau said it has reached out to local residents to listen to their views through various channels. In addition to attending the Sai Kung District Council meetings in February and March, the Government held more than 10 consultation sessions with residents and at their invitation attended meetings organised by local leaders, including the one held on March 19 and the one yesterday, to impress upon them the need to provide the six public facilities as well as the related mitigation measures to reduce the impact, including the fact that such facilities will be located at least 1 km away from the nearest housing estates. The bureau said it will study the possibility to reduce the scale of reclamation by slope-cutting, as well as the feasibility of relocating part of the facilities into caverns. It will also ensure that the design, facade and operations of the six facilities are not obtrusive and will not bring any nuisance to the community. This story has been published on: 2023-03-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Yesterday (Wednesday, December 7, 2016) at 03:00 explosions shattered the night sky over Damascus, a fire that erupted at the military airport of Al Mezzeh, west of the Syrian capital continued to burn. By noon, the Syrian regime released a statement blaming the attack on Israel. As usual, no comment came from Jerusalem, but the Syrian statement added another bit of information. They claimed that surface-to-surface missiles were used in the attack, and claimed they were launched from a location west of Tel Avital (Tal Abu Nada) in the Golan Heights, about 56 km from the target. If the Syrian claim is correct, this incident is the first time that Israels Defense Forces (IDF) have used precision guided surface-launched missiles, a new type of weapon procured this year. The type of weapon and the range to the target does not leave much for guessing. Examining Israels rocket arsenal, only one precision strike rocket could reach this range the 306mm EXTRA. But, in fact, 50 km is less than a third of its maximum range the EXTRA can strike with the same precision, at targets 150km away. Its larger sibling the Predator Hawk, can reach targets at 250 km with warhead twice as heavy as the EXTRA. Although the weapon was developed more than a decade ago, EXTRA is relatively new in Israels arsenal. The IDF artillery corps fielded these weapons earlier in 2016. The IDF was not the first customer for this weapon. The designer and manufacturer Israel Military Industries (IMI) have sold these missiles to several countries in the past. In June 2016 Israel press reports mentioned the sale of Precision Guided 306mm EXTRA Rocket to the IDF. Originally developed in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries, EXTRA moved under the sole responsibility of IMI. Employed as a precision weapon for operation over the horizon, the missile can be used against targets in fixed positions, guided over its trajectory using a combined sensor integrating Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites and Inertial Measurement (IMU). In this mode, the missiles can attack fixed targets based on known coordinates (exploited from aerial or satellite imagery). The rockets can also attack stationary targets, such as command posts, surface-to-air missiles, force concentrations or weapons in transit, relying on near-real-time intelligence delivering positioning data from various sources. IMI has developed a family of precision-guided rockets, in calibers from 122 and 160mm to 306 and up to 600 mm. The largest variant is the new Predator Hawk missile, with a strike range of 250 km. All weapons have a strike accuracy of less than 10 meters (IDF officials have repeatedly determined an accuracy of 5 meters for some of these weapons). Some analysts assessed the Israeli choice of weapon to reluctance to engage with the Russian Air Defense systems currently deployed in Syria. The Russian contingent along the Mediterranean coast (in Latakia and Tartus) currently includes a unit of S-400 air defense missiles and the Kirov class battlecruiser (Pyotr Velikiy) that carries air defense systems similar to the S-300. However, these assets are operational in Syria for months and have not prevented alleged Israeli attacks in the past. The ground for Israels choice of weapon may be different for many years Israel have used air-launched precision strikes, but the increasing threat and accuracy of adversary weapons could potentially hinder those capabilities. Both Syria and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah have tactical ballistic missiles with certain guidance capability, enabling them to concentrate effective attacks against Israeli air-force bases and other strategic targets, thus risking to limit the Israeli freedom of action. Maintaining precision strike capability by tactical surface launched rockets is a way to maintain a credible deterrence throughout the region both against adversaries in the close range, as well as the long range. If these new and precise weapons were used in the recent attack, the official Syrian announcement was, in fact, a conduit for Jerusalem to send its message to the region Beware! Days after a massive fire raged on for over 10 days, yet another fire was reported at Kochi Corporations Brahmapuram dump site on Sunday, officials said. According to ANI, a fire was reported in Sector 1 of the Brahmapuram waste plant in Kochi. Two fire and rescue units were rushed to the spot to douse the fire. The second fire incident comes after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a heavy fine of Rs. 100 Crore fine against the Kerala government last week for failing to take meaningful action to avoid the disaster. The Principal Bench of NGT had earlier pulled up the Kerala Government over the disastrous fire at the solid waste treatment plant. This led to severe air pollution in Kochi for nearly two weeks. The fire which started on March 2 was doused completely only by March 13, while smoke reportedly lingered in the air for much longer. Several people Kochi district complained of breathing issues following the incident. Two weeks ago, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan issued a statement on the issue on the floor of the Assembly and announced a three-tier probe by different agencies into the fire. The special investigation team (SIT) of the state police would investigate the criminal case registered in connection with the fire that broke out on March 2, he told the state Assembly. Vijayan said as many as 1,335 residents have sought treatment in government and private hospitals after the incident. Among them, 21 people required hospitalisation and no one had serious health issues, he added. (With Inputs From Agencies) Read all the Latest India News here Mujhe inka program maloom hai, hatya (I know their plan is to kill me)- these were words of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad as he was pushed into a police van by Uttar Pradesh cops outside Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat. Atiq, who was lodged in Sabarmati jail since 2019, is being brought back to Prayagraj in connection with an old kidnapping case of Umesh Pal in which he is the main accused. He will be produced before the court in Prayagraj on March 28 when the verdict will be delivered. Atiq is being brought back to Uttar Pradesh in a police van and another escort van will accompany him during the 1,275 km road journey. Mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed being taken to UP from Ahmedabads Sabarmati Jail by a team of Prayagraj Police.As per a UP Courts order, the verdict in a kidnapping case will be pronounced on March 28. All accused in the case, including Atiq Ahmed, will be produced in pic.twitter.com/C5JkN6VZkq ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2023 Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Minister JPS Rathore said if Atiq plans to run away from the car then there might be disbalance and the car might overturn. As far as car getting overturned is concerned I just said that a criminal after being arrested by police should seat calmly in the car so that he reaches jail safely. If he thinks to run away from the car then there might be disbalance and the car might overturn, ANI quoted Rathore as saying. ALSO READ: Prayagraj Shootout: Who is Atique Ahmed & Why Was Umesh Pal Killed in Broad Daylight | News18 Explains Reacting to Rathores comment, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, The CM (Yogi Adityanath) must have told him (UP Minister JPS Rathore) earlier where and how the car would be overturned. If you take help from Google & America, they will show how and when the car was overturned. Akhilesh Yadav was apparently referring to an encounter of gangster Vikas Dubey by police when he was being brought from Ujjain to Kanpur. Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said, We are following the orders of the Court, whatever the Court says will be done. These kinds of talks dont matter." Dubey was killed in an encounter on July 10, 2020, when a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape from the spot in Bhauti area, the police had said. He was booked after eight policemen were killed following an ambush in Bikru village in Kanpur when they were going to arrest Dubey on July 3, 2020. WHO IS ATIQ AHMAD? Former SP MP Atiq Ahmad has over 100 criminal cases lodged against him including the latest in connection with Umesh Pals murder. Atiqs criminal story began in 1979 when he was named as an accused in a murder case. Ten years later, he stepped into politics and won the Allahabad West assembly seat as an Independent in elections in 1989, 1991 and 1993. He contested the 1996 elections from the seat on the Samajwadi Party ticket and emerged victorious. In 1999, he joined the Apna Dal (AD) and lost the Pratapgarh seat. He again won the Allahabad West seat in the 2002 Assembly elections on the Apna Dal ticket. In 2003, Atiq returned to the SP fold and in 2004, he won from the Phulpur Lok Sabha constituency the seat once held by Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He was named as an accused in Raju Pals killing in 2005. In the 2012 Assembly elections, Atiq again tried his luck with Apna Dal from the same seat but lost to BSPs Puja Pal by a margin of 8,885 votes. He also contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 from Shravasti on an SP ticket but lost. In 2019, while he was still in jail, Atiq filed a nomination from the Varanasi constituency against Prime Minister Narendra Modi but managed to get only 855 votes. In the sustained drive against gangsters under the Yogi Adityanath government, property worth over Rs 150 crore belonging to Atiq and his family members under the Gangster Act, has been attached, IANS reported. Read all the Latest India News here Uttar Pradesh Police will bring gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad from Gujarat to Prayagraj in a non-stop journey. The police convoy entered Kherwara town in Rajasthans Udaipur at around 8 pm and took the first refuelling stop in the district later. Atiq, who was lodged in Sabarmati jail since 2019, is being brought back to Prayagraj in connection with an old kidnapping case of Umesh Pal in which he is the main accused. According to sources, there will be no night stop during the 1,200 km road journey and the convoy will halt only for refuelling. There are additional drivers in the convoy for the tedious journey. The police are exploring two routes- the first is from Gujarat to Rajasthan and then enter Uttar Pradesh via Agra and the second is from Gujarat to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and then to Uttar Pradesh via Jhansi. The convoy is expected to reach Prayagraj by Monday evening. The prison cell in Prayagraj where he will be kept has been identified. It is equipped with CCTV cameras and the footage can be directly monitored at the jail headquarter in Lucknow, sources added. Director General (Jail) Anand Kumar is personally monitoring the arrangements. Atiq will be produced in court in Prayagraj at 11 am on March 28. Mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed being taken to UP from Ahmedabads Sabarmati Jail by a team of Prayagraj Police.As per a UP Courts order, the verdict in a kidnapping case will be pronounced on March 28. All accused in the case, including Atiq Ahmed, will be produced in pic.twitter.com/C5JkN6VZkq ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2023 ALSO READ: I Know Their Plan: Atiq Ahmad Fears Vikas Dubey-Like Encounter on Way to UP from Gujarat Meanwhile, Atiq said, Mujhe inka program maloom hai, hatya (I know their plan is to kill me). Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Minister JPS Rathore said if Atiq plans to run away from the car then there might be disbalance and the car might overturn. As far as car getting overturned is concerned I just said that a criminal after being arrested by police should seat calmly in the car so that he reaches jail safely. If he thinks to run away from the car then there might be disbalance and the car might overturn, ANI quoted Rathore as saying. ALSO READ: Prayagraj Shootout: Who is Atique Ahmed & Why Was Umesh Pal Killed in Broad Daylight | News18 Explains Reacting to Rathores comment, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, The CM (Yogi Adityanath) must have told him (UP Minister JPS Rathore) earlier where and how the car would be overturned. If you take help from Google & America, they will show how and when the car was overturned. Akhilesh Yadav was apparently referring to an encounter of gangster Vikas Dubey by police when he was being brought from Ujjain to Kanpur. Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said, We are following the orders of the Court, whatever the Court says will be done. These kinds of talks dont matter." Dubey was killed in an encounter on July 10, 2020, when a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape from the spot in Bhauti area, the police had said. He was booked after eight policemen were killed following an ambush in Bikru village in Kanpur when they were going to arrest Dubey on July 3, 2020. WHO IS ATIQ AHMAD? Former SP MP Atiq Ahmad has over 100 criminal cases lodged against him including the latest in connection with Umesh Pals murder. Atiqs criminal story began in 1979 when he was named as an accused in a murder case. Ten years later, he stepped into politics and won the Allahabad West assembly seat as an Independent in elections in 1989, 1991 and 1993. He contested the 1996 elections from the seat on the Samajwadi Party ticket and emerged victorious. In 1999, he joined the Apna Dal (AD) and lost the Pratapgarh seat. He again won the Allahabad West seat in the 2002 Assembly elections on the Apna Dal ticket. In 2003, Atiq returned to the SP fold and in 2004, he won from the Phulpur Lok Sabha constituency the seat once held by Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He was named as an accused in Raju Pals killing in 2005. In the 2012 Assembly elections, Atiq again tried his luck with Apna Dal from the same seat but lost to BSPs Puja Pal by a margin of 8,885 votes. He also contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 from Shravasti on an SP ticket but lost. In 2019, while he was still in jail, Atiq filed a nomination from the Varanasi constituency against Prime Minister Narendra Modi but managed to get only 855 votes. In the sustained drive against gangsters under the Yogi Adityanath government, property worth over Rs 150 crore belonging to Atiq and his family members under the Gangster Act, has been attached, IANS reported. Read all the Latest India News here Maharashtra recorded a rise of almost 100 Covid-19 cases in a single day with 437 fresh cases being reported on Saturday, as per the health department. The state recorded 437 new coronavirus cases, 94 more than the previous day, as well as two coronavirus-related deaths. On Friday, the state had recorded 343 cases and three fatalities. Maharashtras total Covid tally rose to 81,41,457, and death toll to 1,48,435. One fatality each was recorded in Aurangabad and Kolhapur districts. The case fatality rate in the state stands at 1.82 per cent, the health department said. As many as 242 patients recovered from coronavirus infection since previous evening, taking the total of recoveries to 79,91,066. The recovery rate in the state is 98.15 per cent. A total of 6,122 tests were conducted in the state since previous evening, taking the total of tests to 77,795. Mumbais Daily Tally Crosses 100 The daily tally in Mumbai crossed the 100-case mark after five months on Saturday, with 105 cases being recorded, as per a report by Times of India. 10 people were hospitalised on Saturday, the report said, making the total number of people hospitalised 32. 20 people needed oxygen support, the BMC said. Out of the 437 cases in Maharashtra, 207 were reported from the Mumbai circle, and 138 from Pune, while most other districts reported less than 10 cases, said the report. Influenza Infections in Maharashtra A separate bulletin by the state health department on influenza said that so far 306 people have been infected with H3N2 virus and 427 by H1NI virus in Maharashtra this year. Three fatalities have been reported due to H1N1 and one by H3N2 virus during this period, it said. Health Minister Tanaji Sawant reviewed the COVID-19 as well as influenza situation in the state and held meetings with top officials including health officials at the district level, officials said. (With PTI inputs) Read all the Latest India News here Late actor Deep Sidhus family refused to acknowledge Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh as the heir to his ideology. Sidhu had also blocked Amritpals number before his road accident in February 2022, documents confiscated during a crackdown on the radical preacher show. Amritpal Singh, who is now absconding, floated Warris Panj-Aab De, phonetically similar to Waris Punjab De already formed by Deep Sidhus brother, to piggyback on the late actors popularity after failed to take control of the existing outfit. In line with the late actors desires to promote Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, his brother Mandeep created an organisation in Fathehgarh Sahib on July 4, 2022 to spread awareness about pollution-related issues, draw drug-addicted youths towards sports, and aid people during natural disasters, among other goals. Mandeep has claimed that the organisation was created to fulfil his late brothers vision of serving the people of Punjab. He refused to hand over the papers for Waris Punjab De to Amritpal when the latter returned from overseas in August 2022. Out of the blue, a new organisation called Warris Panj-Aab De surfaced, with Deep Sidhus official Facebook page linked to it. It was registered in the Moga district, with its inception date set being mentioned as December 15, 2021. The Facebook page amassed a huge following, causing confusion among people, who assumed that Amritpal had taken over the organisation created by Deep Sidhu. Sidhu shot to fame after making headlines during the farmers protest in 2020. The actor was also booked for Republic Day violence in Delhi in January 2021. Some documents unearthed during the ongoing crackdown against Amritpal suggest that the establishment of Warris Panj-Aab De was potentially backdated. The organisations registered address was Guru Nanak Furniture Store", owned by Amritpals close associate Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, in Duneke village in Moga district. Bukkanwala has been taken into custody and charged under the National Security Act and shifted to Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam. During questioning, Gurmeet claimed that the organisation was established much later, and some contacts were used to register it backdated from Moga district. However, he was unable to provide further information on the matter. The Moga-based organisation did not mention Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. It focussed rather on real estate and providing security at religious functions. Amritpal has been on the run since March 18 when the police launched a crackdown against the elusive preacher who gave the police the slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Punjabs Jalandhar district. (With PTI inputs) Read all the Latest India News here Five women, including three senior citizens, were hospitalised after a fire broke on the fourth floor of a residential high-rise in Kanjurmarg in Mumbai on Sunday morning, an official said. The fire broke out in the gound-plus-14 storey building in Mhada Colony in Karve Nagar at 9:26am and was doused some 45 minutes later, he said. The fire was confined to the wiring, electric installation in the common meter cabin on the ground floor as well as the electric duct. Fire brigade and police personnel arrived at the spot and rescued five persons who were trapped," he said. They have been hospitalised after suffering injuries and suffocation from smoke inhalation. Their condition is stable," he added. Read all the Latest India News here In todays afternoon digest, read about pro-Khalistani extremists in Canada, Rahul Gandhis disqualification from the Lok Sabha, ISROs latest rocket launch and other top stories. India Summons Canada High Commissioner Over Protests by Khalistan Supporters, Extremists India on Saturday summoned the High Commissioner of Canada to convey concerns regarding the recent actions of Khalistani supporters and extremists in the country. READ MORE DisQualified MP: Rahul Gandhis New Twitter Bio With Intended Pun Disqualified Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi has updated his Twitter bio to reflect the same, but with an intended pun. Congress leader Rahul Gandhis Twitter bio now says DisQualified MP", two days after his disqualification from Lok Sabha following his sentence in the criminal defamation case of 2019 over Modi surname. READ MORE ISRO Launches LVM3 Rocket With 36 Satellites, But What Does it Mean? The Scientific Terms Simplified ISROs heaviest rocket LVM3 carrying 36 satellites belonging to UK-based OneWeb Group lifted off from this space port on Sunday. The second dedicated mission for NewSpace India Ltd, the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation is part of the agreement signed with Network Access Associates Ltd, United Kingdom (OneWeb Group Company) for launch of 72 satellites into Low-Earth orbits (LEO). READ MORE Taller Than Eiffel Tower, Worlds Highest Railway Bridge Over Chenab River in J&K to Open Soon | See Pics Taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Jammu and Kashmir will soon get a 1.315-km long bridge built at a dizzying height of 359 metres. The railway bridge operates over the Chenab River and is part of 35,000 crore worth Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL). READ MORE MM Keeravani Calls Ram Gopal Varma His First Oscar; Latter Reacts, Says I Am Feeling Dead Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma reacted after RRR composer MM Keeravani called him his first Oscar. Keeravani made India proud after bagging the Academy Award in the Best Original Song category for the RRR song Naatu Naatu. The SS Rajamouli film starred Ram Charan and Jr NTR in lead roles. In a recent interview, Keeravani opened up about the time when he was new in this industry and called Varma his first Oscar. READ MORE Question on Virat Kohli in Class 9th Exam Paper Has Fans Screaming Full Marks Virat Kohli has a massive fan following in India, where cricket is considered a beloved sport. Fans idolize him and his exceptional batting skills, often viewing him as a hero. Some enthusiasts go to extraordinary lengths to display their unwavering devotion towards their favourite cricketer, and their dedication is often awe-inspiring. READ MORE Read all the Latest India News here Rahul Disqualified as MP: Priyanka Asks Why No Case When Martyr PMs Son Called Mir Jafar Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday slammed the Bharatiya Janta party (BJP) for insulting Rahul Gandhi, son of a martyred prime minister, by calling a traitor and Mir Jafar. Addressing a gathering at Rajghat the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi to protest against Rahul Gandhis conviction in a 2019 defamation case and his subsequent disqualification from the Lok Sabha, Priyanka also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a Coward". READ MORE Amritpal, Surrender & Cooperate: Akal Takht Jathedars Message for Khalistan Sympathiser | Exclusive Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet wants Khalistan sympathizer Amritpal Singh to cooperate with the investigations and surrender to the police". Singh has been on the run since March 18 when the police launched a crackdown against him and elements of Waris Punjab De (WPD), an outfit headed by him. READ MORE Congress Begins Day-long Sankalp Satyagraha at Delhis Rajghat in Support of Rahul Gandhi The Congress on Sunday began a day-long Sankalp Satyagraha" at Delhis Rajghat in support of Rahul Gandhi following his disqualification from the Lok Sabha. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, senior leaders KC Venugopal, P Chidambaram and Salman Khurshid were among the partys top brass taking part in the satyagraha at Rajghat. READ MORE 12 Dead: Marburg Virus Raises Alarm in Africa, What is this Disease Almost as Deadly as Ebola? Seven people have been killed in an outbreak of Marburg virus in Equatorial Guinea, with a further 20 deaths probably" due to the hemorrhagic fever, the World Health Organization had said on Thursday. READ MORE Kochi Airport Runway Shut After Forced Landing of Coast Guard Helicopter, 2 Flights Diverted The runway of Keralas Kochi airport was closed on Sunday noon following an accident involving a coast guard helicopter. The helicopter was reportedly involved in an accident during take-off from Kochi airport. No casualties have been reported so far. READ MORE Constitutionally Invalid: Amit Shah Lauds Karnatakas Decision To Scrap 4% Reservation for Muslims Saying that it was constitutionally invalid," Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday lauded Karnatakas decision to scrap four per cent reservation for Muslims under 2B Other Backward Classes (OBCs) category. Shah also slammed the Congress party for introducing the reservation in the first place, and called it vote bank politics." READ MORE Read all the Latest India News here Read more Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other senior party leaders joined the Satyagraha at Rajghat in Delhi. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, while addressing the Sankalp Satyagraha attacked the Prime Minister and termed him coward and one who is hiding behind power to save one man. Delhi police have denied permission to the Congress party to carry out a protest at Rajgat. Police have cited the management of traffic as the reason for denying the permission and imposed Section 144 of CrPc in the area. The sit-in protests, which began around 10 am, are scheduled to end at 5 pm. Announcing the Satyagraha, the Congress alleged that Rahul Gandhis conviction and disqualification were done in reaction to his consistently questioning the relationship between PM Narendra Modi and businessman Gautam Adani, which poses a serious threat to the worlds largest democracy. The party said that disqualified member of Parliament is not alone and millions of congressmen and people irrespective of their political affiliations will join him in this fight for truth and justice. To this end, all Pradesh Congress Committees have been asked to organise a one-day Satyagraha in front of Gandhi statues in all State and District Headquarters from 10 AM to 5 PM on Sunday. The top Congress leadership also went into a huddle once again at the party headquarters In Delhi with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and general secretaries K C Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh, along with the two chief ministers Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel. Rahul Gandhi Holds 1st Presser After Disqualification from Lok Sabha Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi held his first press conference on Saturday a day after he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha over his conviction in a four-year-old defamation case. Addressing media, the Congress leader said that democracy is under attack and that he is not scared to ask questions about the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Adani Group. My voice is being suppressed, Rahul Gandhi said and claimed that he spoke to the Speaker against the false accusations made by four ministers but was not allowed to speak. He also alleged that the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gautam Adani is not new. I will not stop asking questions about whose money is the Rs 20,000 crore that has come out from shell companies, he added. Asked if he would apologise for his remarks, the Congress leader said that he was not Veer Savarkar and will not apologise. I am a Gandhi and not Savarkar and Gandhis do not apologise, he said at a press conference here a day after his expulsion from Parliament following his conviction in a defamation case. The former Wayanad MP also thanked the opposition for the support and said his disqualification will be a weapon against the Narendra Modi-led Central government. I am happy that they have given the best gift ever. He went on to say that the country has given me love and respect and alleged that his disqualification is because the Prime Minister is scared of his next speech in Parliament. The senior leader further said that he will continue doing his work and that it does not matter if I am inside the Parliament or not. I will keep fighting for the country. The former Congress president also said that he would write to the people of the Wayanad constituency to allay their apprehensions. BJPs Reaction After Rahul Gandhi said that he will not apologise to anyone, BJP leader and former Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Congress leader is trying to become a martyr. Speaking to media persons in Patna, Prasad said: Congress party could have obtained a stay on the decision of Surat court. They have deliberately not obtained the stay order to utilise the issue during the Karnataka assembly election. He is trying to become a martyr Rahul Gandhi did the press conference in Delhi in a well planned manner. He wants to present himself sacrificial and take benefit in the Karnataka assembly election, the BJP leader asserted. The Congress party has a number of prominent lawyers. Why they did not obtain the stay. Today, Rahul Gandhi has again told a lie that he had not said anything in London When his party wins election, Rahul Gandhi thinks the Election Commission is genuine and when he loses, the Election Commission becomes bad, Prasad said. Rahul Gandhis Conviction and Disqualification Rahul Gandhi, on Friday, was disqualified as a member of Lok Sabha a day after his conviction in the Modi surname defamation case. The Gandhi scion who represents the Wayanad parliamentary constituency of Kerala was disqualified under provisions of Article 102 (1) (e) of the Constitution of India read with Section 8 of the Representation of the Peoples Act. Rahul was on Thursday sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in the 2019 criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark. The case against Rahul was filed on a complaint by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi for his alleged remark, How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname? Plea in SC By NCP Leader Challenging Lok Sabha Secretariats Order Following Rahul Gandhis disqualification, Former Lakshadweep MP PP Mohammed Faisal moved the Supreme Court against Lok Sabha Secretariat for not revoking his disqualification. Faisal was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail on January 11. Two days later, he was disqualified from the Lower House of Parliament. Though the Kerala High Court stayed his conviction on 25 January, the Election Commission had announced by-polls in his constituency. Faisal reached the Supreme Court which stayed the EC order. Subsequently, the Union Law Ministry recommended his reinstatement following which the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP is awaiting the Lok Sabha Speakers nod to attend Parliament. Read all the Latest India News here INTERNATIONAL WHISKY DAY 2023: International Whisky Day is celebrated annually on March 27. The first mention of the day dates back to the year 2008. On this special day, there are many drinks that can set a romantic mood and create a special moment with your partner. Here are some of the best romantic drinks to share with your significant other: ALSO READ: Health Benefits and Side Effects of Whisky Champagne Champagne is a classic romantic drink thats perfect for celebrating special occasions or just enjoying a quiet evening with your partner. The bubbles and the elegant taste can create a luxurious and sophisticated atmosphere. Red wine Red wine is another popular romantic drink thats great for setting a cozy and intimate mood. Its rich, full-bodied, and pairs well with many romantic dinners. Chocolate martinis Chocolate martinis are a sweet and indulgent drink thats perfect for a romantic evening. Theyre made with vodka, chocolate liqueur, and cream, and can be garnished with chocolate shavings or a cherry. Mulled wine Mulled wine is a warm and spicy drink thats perfect for snuggling up with your partner on a chilly evening. Its made by heating red wine with spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Hot cocoa with Baileys Irish Cream Hot cocoa with Baileys Irish Cream is a delicious and comforting drink thats perfect for a cozy night in with your partner. Its made by mixing hot cocoa with a shot of Baileys Irish Cream, which adds a creamy and slightly boozy flavour. Ultimately, the best romantic drink is the one that you and your partner both enjoy and that helps you create a special and memorable moment together. Read all the Latest Lifestyle News here Sending machines to battle, instead of human operators, sounds like science fiction, but this is precisely what XTENDs Skylord does today. While the current Skylord family members do not shoot weapons, they perform missions in hazardous conditions, enabling their human operators sit inside the drones and perform the mission remotely. This telepresence technology disrupts HLS, military, and first responders markets, making the need to risk lives obsolete. The SkyLord family employs XTENDs edge technology with cognitive skills to safely perform dangerous missions. The system uses augmented reality (AR) guidance and control technology to enable an operator to perform complex missions with great ease and precision, using an AR vision system and a single-handed controller. Said Aviv Shapira, XTEND CEO. This telepresence interface enables operators to immerse themselves and step into a remote reality and engage targets effectively yet safely. This joint activity implements novel technological capabilities taken from the field of AR, from the world of gaming, said Lt. Col. Menachem Landau, Head of the UAV Branch in the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) of Israels Ministry of Defense. According to XTEND, only a few hours are required to master a flight, and, within a few days, soldiers can achieve initial operational capability with the system. It enables troops to employ intuitive, battle-proven, and precise systems, following a minimum training period, to engage hostile flying objects such as drones. SkyLord provides a common drone operating system enabling a single operator control of different drone platforms and missions. The current technology enables a single operator to control single or multiple drones. The patent-pending technology developed by XTEND is also designed to support the management and swarm layering, autonomous flight, and drone-team mission management. Skylord uses an integrated sensor and payload system, provided as part of the system. Computer vision processing of onboard camera feeds perform simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) calculations, enabling the drone to self localize in space. Additional processing using machine learning performs heuristic predictive visual and spatial analytics, enabling the drone to understand complex spatial relations with obstacles, and targets, thus follow operator directions and intent. While operation and control are best performed using VR, providing the most efficient and accurate means of control. By adapting communications techniques, using video compression and decompression, and optimizing interface, XTEND managed to overcome latency to comfortable levels. The sensor feeds from the drone can be displayed on tablets, eyepieces, and wrist displays. The entire system, including the controller and AR viewer, weigh less than two kilograms. The Skylord family comprises three platforms Xtender, Hunter, and Wolverine, each is designed to perform a specific mission set. Xtender a mini tablet-sized (25 cm) drone powered by four ducted rotors, Xtender is designed for indoor surveillance. The onboard cameras are used for localization and orientation, obstacle management, and situational awareness. Xtender packs powerful indoor navigation capabilities in a small form factor; AR telepresence enables human operators to sit inside, navigating the drone into the confined spaces, moving ahead of an assault team as they enter to clear a building in close-quarter combat (CQB). Using intuitive AR control, operators can easily slide under sofas or through narrow spaces, flying through galleries or underground spaces. Ido Baron, VP Business Development told Defense-Update. Designed for operation in close quarters, Xtender is equipped with communications to maintain a stable link with the lead section through several floors. When missions extend over more complex indoors, several Xtender drones will be able to implement a MESH network to cover a larger indoor space. Wolverine is the heavier member of the family, equipped with a mechanical arm that can grip packages or sling loads, lifting 3 kg. The Wolverine has been operational and has performed in over 100 counter-IED missions. The drone can deliver cargo within 10 centimeters of its designated target, thus safely manipulate suspected explosive device scenes, clearing within seconds events that would have taken hours to solve. Hunter: A multi-purpose drone system, the Hunter has been used primarily in Counter-UAV missions. This combat-proven system has been fielded with the Israeli military. It is undergoing testing as part of an operational pilot program launched by the US Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO). Under the program, XTEND is delivering dozens of systems, each weighing less than two kilograms, comprising three drones, an virtual reality viewing system, and a hand controller. The drone can be used for surveillance, dashing to its target at 150 km/h. It can also perform drone interceptor missions using a specially designed C-UAS net. For that mission, the Hunter is flown toward its target dragging a net; as it gets closer to the target, the drone takes a course that brings the net to entangle with the target drone. The net is detached from the Hunter that continues its flight and lands safely near the operator. According to Shapira, since the interceptor drone is fully controlled throughout the mission, Hunter provides a simple, safe, and cost-effective C-UAS hard-kill solution. Hunter was proven in over 2,500 successful intercepts over the border with Gaza, where it was deployed against hostile drones and incendiary devices. Since the Hunter drone remains intact through the intercept, and the net assembly can be reused, the system has a low cost per intercept. Among those that have seen extensive use, single Hunter platforms have downed more than 90 targets without a loss. XTEND, the Skylord drone familys Israeli developer, demonstrated drone-defeating capabilities to Spanish authorities as part of an evaluation event hosted by the Spanish Ministries of Interior and Defense in Asturias Airport, Spain. The event featured 16 counter-drone technologies; each company had to perform several tests to demonstrate how they maintain their designated area security and defeat hostile drones while being compatible with the airports operational communication and navigation services. According to Shapira, XTEND performed kinetic intercepts intercepting the target drone before entering into the airspace of the protected airport perimeter. Shapira concluded, The successful evaluation here shows the way we can revolutionize how airports can survey and protect their airspace from drones and other aerial threats that place aircraft at risk. Pudukkottai: Devadasis or Devaradiyars are the terms used to describe girls who are assigned to serve at temples at early age. They had mastered the art of singing and dancing to God as temple workers. The primary musical tradition in Tamil Nadu was led by the Devadasis, whose dancing style was referred to as Sathir and Dasi Attam. During the festivals, the Devadasis performed Sathir dance to amuse the worshippers while they worship the Gods. In this manner, Muthukannammal was the one dedicated in the Viralimalai Subramaniaswami temple for Lord Murugan. The 85-year-old Muthukannammal is currently the final heir of the Devadasi dynasty and was one of the 32 Devaradiyars recognized in the Pudukkottai princely realm. Muthukannammal, a resident of Viralimalai in Tamil Nadus Pudukkottai district, was conferred the Padma Shri last year, the highest honor bestowed in the field of arts. My entire family is Sathirattam (Sathir dancers) family. I didnt shout Sathir dance in a formal way until I heard it from my father Ramachandhran Nattuvanar. Hes also my mentor," Muthukannammal said. Further, As far as Viralimalai is concerned, mostly our family dances Sathir. I started playing Sathir when I was 7 years old. At the time, including myself, a total of 32 people had served the temple. It was our father who taught Sathir to all 32 people," Muthukannammal added. Our task is to climb and descend 400 steps every morning and evening to worship Subramaniaswami, sing songs and dance Sathir. Eventually, at temple celebrations, we predominately perform Sathir. Back then, there were no lights like now. Only Petromax light, yet witty. However, Sathir, Kummi and Kolattam are so wonderful to watch," Muthukannammal recalled. According to her, they were given all the amenities and privileges that they required by Pudukkottai Maharaja Rajagopala Thondaiman, who was in charge of the Viralimalai temple at the time and the community reportedly honored them as well. Meanwhile, Muthukannammal added, When it comes to singing, and dancing, Sathir is also quite nuanced, while we got a sizable crowd to watch us perform. Bharatanatyam has replaced Sathir in our current game. Our lives have changed significantly since gaining our Independence and it was stated that dancing Sathir was prohibited in temples. Subsequently, the Maharajas rule came to an end as well," she said. We dont perform Sathir in the temple thereafter. However, a few folks who knew about this art came up to me and requested to teach them. In that way, I tutored actor Swarnamalya. Also, some came from Karnataka and learned this art from me," Muthukannammal stated with pride. Despite the fact that Devadasis were forbidden from getting married, Muthukannammal had a life partner who fell in love with her after seeing her perform. She had a single demand in mind for him to consider moving in with her- she was not going to stop dancing. As Muthukannammal was no longer able to dance at the Viralimalai temple, she raised her children by grinding rice with an Aatu Kallu, which translates to hand grinder in English. Additionally, Kalamshu Art Award and Dakshina Chitra Award are some of the several accolades that Muthukannammal had received. (With inputs from Sneha Vijayan) Read all the Latest Lifestyle News here In a shocking turn of events, popular Bhojpuri actress Akanksha Dubey allegedly died by suicide at the age of 25. She was found dead in her hotel room in Varanasi where she was stationed for the shooting of her film. Hours before her alleged suicide, the actress came live on Instagram and seemingly had a breakdown. In a short video clip shared on social media, Akanksha can be seen covering her mouth and seems to be crying. Watch: According to reports, the actress was staying at Hotel Somendra in Sarnath, Varanasi with the rest of the film unit. On Sunday morning when she did not come out of the room even after a long time, the hotel staff got suspicious and the film crew was alerted about it. When the people of the unit and the hotel staff opened the door, Akanksha Dubey was found hanging in her room. The Sarnath police reached the spot and started their investigation. The body is sent for postmortem and the police is interrogating the people associated with the unit of the film. The family members of Akanksha Dubey have also been informed. The actress made her debut with the film Meru Jung Mera Faisla. She was seen in Bhojpuri films such as Mujhse Shadi Karogi, Veeron Ke Veer and Fighter King among others. Akanksha was also known for her music videos. She was shooting for her upcoming film Nayak. Akanksha was a top model and actress in the Bhojpuri film industry who has given about 50-60 superhit music albums. She appeared with many stars including Samar Singh, Khesari Lal Yadav, Pawan Singh and Pradeep Pandey. DISCLAIMER:This news piece may be triggering. If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata) Read all the Latest Movies News here Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe is all set to embrace parenthood as he will be welcoming his first child with his girlfriend Erin Darke. The couple were seen together in the 2013 film Kill Your Darlings and has been dating ever since. People had earlier quoted Daniel as saying that he is happy with Erin. The publication quoted him as saying, Ive got a really nice life. Ive been with my girlfriend for a decade, pretty much." They were also seen in the 2016 film Dont Think Twice and the third season of Daniels series Miracle Worker. He further told People, We definitely like [working together], but its not something we want to do all the time," and continued, Hopefully well get to do more in the future, but we also both write. So maybe wed write something together at some point, and that would be cool." Harry Potter fans were elated to hear the news and took to Twitter to congratulate the couple. One user wrote, Daniel Radcliffe is gonna be a dad, Im emo" while another user added, Daniel Radcliffe being a dad now is making me emotional " Another comment read, in full seriousness if there is one celebrity I am rooting for in all aspects it is daniel radcliffe" Daniel Radcliffe is gonna be a dad, Im emo coco (@coleenneidhart) March 26, 2023 Daniel Radcliffe being a dad now is making me emotional Vanessa Danica (@vanessadanica) March 26, 2023 in full seriousness if there is one celebrity I am rooting for in all aspects it is daniel radcliffe https://t.co/3g9a91Fg8g i hate you eric adams (@sonyashea3) March 26, 2023 Daniel made his acting debut at the age of ten with BBCs adaptation of Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield. However, he became a household name when he starred as a child actor in the Harry Potter series with Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. The actor was also a part of films such as The Woman in Black, Now You See Me 2, Guns Akimbo and The Lost City among others. He will next be seen in We Do Not Forget and Miss Sarajevo. Read all the Latest Movies News here Kareena Kapoor Khan was last seen in Aamir Khans Laal Singh Chaddha, the official Hindi remake of the critically-acclaimed film Forrest Gump. The actress now would be making her OTT debut with Sujoy Ghoshs adaptation of The Devotion of Suspect X. Besides acting, her bond with her BFFs Malaika Arora and Amrita Arora is quite wholesome as evident from her social media posts from time to time. In yet another instance, Kareena Kapoor posed with the glamourous girl gang from a get-together. On Saturday night, Kareena dropped a couple of pictures in her Instagram stories that featured her alongside Amrita Arora, Malaika Arora and Mallika Bhatt. The selfie captured Kareena and Malaika acing their pout game while Amrita smiled subtly while gave a hug to Kareena. The four gorgeous divas were dressed in white. Kareena Kapoor dearly missed her sister Karisma Kapoor as she wrote, Our forever Missing our Lolo..,". Kareena Kapoor also posted another selfie with just the three of them posing like boss girls. For this picture, she used the sisters sticker. Kareena Kapoor will be making her OTT debut with Sujoy Ghoshs adaptation of The Devotion of Suspect X.Touted to be a Hindi adaptation of Keigo Higashinos Japanese novel of the same name, the series was shot across various hill stations of West Bengal. It would depict the story of a single parent and her daughter, who would commit a crime, and a neighbour who would help them cover it up amidst a police investigation. Kareena Kapoor has also signed up for a Hansal Mehta film in which she would be playing a role quite different from all her previous acting stints. In a conversation with Mid-Day, the Kurbaan actress revealed that her role would be a bold and different move for her career. She said, We will roll in London. I play a detective, a rookie cop of sorts in the film. Its different for me because the audience has seen me in glamorous roles. But this will be a bold, different move for me." She further elaborated that this unique collaboration would lead to fireworks. She shared, Hansal and I come from different worlds. When two distinct worlds come together, I believe there will be fireworks. I am also a submissive actor; I like to submit myself to the director. He can mould me the way he wants." Read all the Latest Movies News here Manoj Bajpaaye recently enthralled everyone with his role in the OTT family drama Gulmohar. While the actor has a slew of stellar films under his credit, both independent as well as mainstream, Manoj Bajpaayes first ever brush with a huge commercial production happened in Veer Zaara. The actor recently shared how that opportunity helped him to catch up with Shah Rukh Khan as well as be part of Yash Chopras film even if it was a cameo. During a freewheeling conversation with Humans Of Bombay, the Gangs Of Wasseypur actor recalled, No offence to him (Shah Rukh), but I did this film because Mr Yash Chopra called me up and requested me to be a part of it. He was a big fan of my performance in Pinjar and once he saw the film in Delhi with Lal Krishna Advani ji, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, he was thoroughly impressed with my performance. Thats when he thought of offering me this role. It was a guest appearance; I was there only for four-five days. He treated me as good as anyone on the sets. I was welcomed so royally in that film family, the Veer Zaara family. I enjoyed every moment of shooting with Yash Chopra ji." He further added, Shah Rukh, I have known for many years from my days in Delhi, so it was also a chance to catch up. Because we dont meet up, we belong to two different kinds of films and filmmaking. So, it was a chance to catch up with him and also enjoy being on the sets of Mr Yash Chopra, who had been such a magnificent, successful mainstream director for so many years. We grew up watching his films! We used to chat for long, both Yash ji and me. He was very clear in telling me, I dont make films for an actor like you, so I dont think I would have anything else in the future, but this is very good and it will be great if you agree to do it. He was such a humble man." Veer Zaara is considered to be one of the most iconic films of Yash Chopra. The cross-border love story earned widespread critical and commercial acclaim at the time of its release. The film starred Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta in the lead roles. Read all the Latest Movies News here Actor Ram Charan is having the time of his life as Jr NTR and his film RRR bagged an Oscar for the song Naatu Naatu. Ram is also gearing up for the release of his next anticipated film dubbed RC15. Additionally, the actor will be welcoming his first child this year with his wife Upasana. Amid these, he will also be turning 38 on March 27. However, his advanced birthday celebrations have already begun. Ram Charan is currently shooting for his upcoming film RC15 with Kiara Advani. The actor celebrated his birthday on the set of the film with the actress and their crew. Photos shared by his fan pages give a glimpse of his birthday celebrations. The photos show Ram cutting the cake while rose petals are showered on him. Kiara can also be seen in the photo. The actor is wearing a blue shirt paired with blue pants. Director S Shankar and Prabhu Deva were also a part of the celebrations. Take a look at the photos: RC15 producer Dil Raju has revealed in an interview that the films title and first look will be unveiled on Ram Charans birthday. According to Raju, RC15s director S Shankar is working on a special design for the title logo. News 18 Telugu reported that the team was contemplating four titles Senani, Senapati, CEO and Soldier. As stated in the reports, everyone associated with the film has unanimously agreed on the title of CEO. Reportedly, the team felt that this title will be apt for all the languages, considering that this film is going to be a pan-India release. Reportedly, RC 15 is a political action drama made on a massive budget. According to a few leaked on-set pictures, RC 15 will be about elections, corruption, and how the protagonist fights the evils of society to gain justice. Read all the Latest Movies News here Renowned Malayalam actor Innocent Vareed Thekkethala passed away on Sunday. The actor, who became a household name with his versatile performances in the Malayalam film industry, died at the age of 75. The news of Innocents death came weeks after it was reported that he was hospitalised following complaints of breathing issues and uneasiness. He was admitted to a private hospital in Kochi. Innocent, who beat cancer when diagnosed in 2012, is survived by his wife Alice, and two children. Innocent, who was also a one-time MP, starred in numerous Malayalam films including Ramji Rao Speaking, the Malayalam film that was remade as Hera Pheri in Hindi. His other renowned works included Akkare Ninnoru Maran, Gandhinagar 2nd Street, Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam, Nadodikkattu, Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu, Vadakkunokkiyantram, Ramji Rao Speaking, Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal and Mazhavil Kavadi, Thoovalsparsham, Gajakesariyogam, Dr Pasupathy, No.20 Madras Mail, Kottayam Kunjachan, Kilukkam, Sandesham, Keli, Adhwaytham, Kabooliwala, Vietnam Colony and Devaasuram. Following the news of his death, Shashi Tharoor took to Twitter and paid his tribute. Mourning the loss of character actor, comedian & one-time Kerala MP Innocent, who has just passed away at age 75. Aside from being a brilliantly inventive & gifted actor, he was a fine human being whom it was a pleasure to interact with in the Lok Sabha. RIP. Om Shanti," he tweeted. Mourning the loss of character actor, comedian & one-time Kerala MP Innocent, who has just passed away at age 75. Aside from being a brilliantly inventive & gifted actor, he was a fine human being whom it was a pleasure to interact with in the Lok Sabha. RIP. Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/m9mFGI8DwM Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 26, 2023 Several fans of the actor also took to Twitter and remembered the actor. According to The New Indian Express, Innocent Vareed Thekkethala was born in Irinjalakuda, on February 28, 1948, and was the fifth child of eight children of his family. He reportedly studied only till the eighth standard after which he found studying difficult. After establishing himself as a popular actor, Innocent tried his hand at politics. In 1979, Innocent emerged as a winner at the Irinjalakuda municipal council elections. He contested as a candidate of the Revolutionary Socialist Party. The actor also wrote five books, one of which was on his experiences of battling throat cancer. He titled it Cancer Wardile Chiri (Laughter in the Cancer Ward). News18.com offers our condolences to his family. Read all the Latest Movies News here This appears to be a behind-the-scenes glimpse from the sets of RRR that sees the duo focused on something outside the lens frame. Some bonds take time to form. But when done, they are forged for life. I've forged one such bond with Tarak, my Bheem, said Jr NTR alongside the hashtag RRR Yeh Dosti. (Image: Instagram) A day after the Karnataka government, in its last cabinet meeting ahead of polls, decided to abolish the four per cent quota for religious minorities and added it to the existing quota of two dominant communities Panchamasali and Vokkaliga by scrapping the 2B category of Muslims, a war of words erupted between ruling the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress. The four per cent reservation will now be divided into two equal parts and added to the existing quota for the Vokkaligas and Lingayats for whom two new reservation categories of 2C and 2D were created during the Belagavi Assembly Session last year. The cabinet decided to bring religious minorities under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category. While a few senior Congress leaders called the reservation process unconstitutional" and said they will scrap the reservation once they come to power", a few leaders from the Muslim community met their religious heads and decided to move court against the CM Basavaraj Bommai government for betraying Muslims by moving them to the EWS", which gives 10 per cent reservation and is still sub-judice. The saffron party has refuted the allegations and called it polarisation politics". CONGs CLAIMS Bommai called Panchamasali seer Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami and Chunchanagiri seer 25 times and threatened them to accept the newly declared reservation quota, but Panchamasalis and Vokkaligas arent beggars. We will scrap this reservation once we come to power in the state," said Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Chief DK Shivakumar. ALSO READ | Karnataka Elections 2023: Why Quota Politics Is Key To Forming Govt In The State Whatever the Bommai government decided in the cabinet meeting is unfair and unconstitutional, thus we chaired a meeting with our religious heads and have decided to move court in the matter. We will not sit quiet, said Congress Working President Saleem Ahmed. BJPs STANCE Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during the public rally in Bidar, also said that the reservation provided to the minority wasnt as per the Constitution. Reservation provided to the minority was not as per the Constitution. There is no provision in the Constitution to provide reservation on the basis of religion. The Congress government, due to its polarisation politics, provided reservation to the minority. The BJP scrapped that reservation and provided reservations to Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities, said Shah. ALSO READ | If BJP Comes Back to Power in Karnataka BY Vijayendra on Justice for Lingayat Community | Exclusive Bommai said, KPCC President has said that I called seers 25 times and pressured them to accept the reservation. I want to tell him that I dont have to do all that. In fact, the seers were pressured by the opposition to not accept the reservation. This is a gimmick by them. I promise and say that I didnt call them. Meanwhile, BJPs senior leader and Minister of Animal Husbandry Prabhu B Chavan also wrote to Law Minister Madhu Swamy, requesting to review the Sadashiva commission report and Nag Mohandas committee report regarding the internal reservation to grant reservation in a scientific manner. Read all the Latest Politics News here Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday slammed the Bharatiya Janta party (BJP) for insulting Rahul Gandhi, son of a martyred prime minister, by calling a traitor and Mir Jafar. Addressing a gathering at Rajghat the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi to protest against Rahul Gandhis conviction in a 2019 defamation case and his subsequent disqualification from the Lok Sabha, Priyanka also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a Coward". You call my brother, the son of a martyr, a traitor and Mir Jafar. You insult his mother. Your Chief Minister says Rahul Gandhi doesnt know who his mother is. You insult my family every day. But no cases are filed," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said. The Congress leader flipped the BJPs pitch against Rahul Gandhi, saying BJP insulted the Gandhi familys Kashmiri Pandit lineage. Your Prime Minister, in a parliament full of people, says why doesnt this family use the name Nehru name. He insults the whole family of Kashmiri Pandits, and the custom of a son carrying forward the familys name after the death of his father," Priyanka Gandhi said. She said the time had come to raise a voice against an arrogant government" as barring Rahul Gandhi from contesting elections does not bode well for the country and its democracy. The Congress leader termed him coward" and one who is hiding behind power to save one man". Iss desh ka Pradhan Mantri Kaayar Hai (the Prime Minister of this country is a coward, she said. Priyanka gandhi alleged that Rahul Gandhi was disqualified for questioning the prime minister on industrialist Gautam Adani and that people will give a befitting reply to those behind the action. First they termed him papu, but they did not know that Papu was educated in top universities of Cambridge and Harvard. And, one day the Papu started walking with lakhs of people joining him even in snowfall and rain so they decided to keep him out of Parliament so that he could not ask questions," she said. She asserted that the tide will turn from today, and the whole nation will unite to throw the present regime, as the people have overthrown autocratic rulers. My familys blood has ploughed democracy in this country. We are ready to do anything for this countrys democracy. Great leaders of Congress laid the foundation of democracy in this country. Time has come and we are not the ones who will remain silent anymore," she told the gathering at the Sankalp Satyagraha" outside Rajghat. Asking if a martyred prime ministers son can insult the country, Priyanka Gandhi, This is an insult to that prime minister who gave his life." Top party leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh, P Chidambaram, Salman Khursheed, Ajay Maken, KC Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik Pramod Tiwari, and Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, also participated at partys protest at Rajghat, despite Delhi police denying permission for the gathering. Delhi Police maintained a tight vigil in the area and banned large gatherings around the area. BJP Slams Priyanka For Comparing Rahul Gandhi to Lord Ram The BJP on Sunday slammed the Congress over its Sankalp Satyagraha, alleging that it was agitating against the countrys Constitution and the court verdict against Rahul Gandhi to justify his remarks against the entire backward community of the country. Addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also dubbed the Congress stir as an insult to Mahatma Gandhi, saying while the Father of the Nation had organised Satyagraha for social causes, the Congress was holding so-called Satyagraha" for personal reasons. Replying to questions, Trivedi said its very sad that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra compared" her brother Gandhi with Lord Ram. Speaking at a protest in Delhi, she hit out at the BJP over the allegation of dynastic politics How much will you insult one person?" Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said and asked if Lord Ram, who was sent into exile, was a parivaarwadi". They accuse us of dynasticism. Who was Lord Ram? He was exiled and he fulfilled his responsibilities towards his family and motherland. Was Lord Ram parivaarwadi? Were Pandavas parivaarwadi because they fought to uphold the values of their family. Should we be ashamed that our family members sacrificed their lives for this country? the Congress leader said. Read all the Latest Politics News here What would happen to Iraq as US forces complete their withdrawal from the country? Will Shiite-oriented Baghdad be able to control the countrys Sunni-dominated regions? What will be the role of Iran and how this will affect the region? Our podcast provides some room for thoughts and poses questions. Recommended Posts Rahul Gandhi received massive backlash for his arrogance" towards a News18 journalist who he chided at his press conference on Saturday over a question. Political leaders and journalists across portals condemned the Congress leader for his outburst at the newsperson who has been covering the Grand Old Party for 15 years. Addressing a press briefing over his disqualification from Lok Sabha after his sentence in a defamation case over Modi surname, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday lost his temper at a journalist and accused him of working for the BJP, asked him to be a better pressman". FOLLOW RAHUL GANDHI DISQUALIFICATION NEWS LIVE UPDATES Having lost his MP status, a frustrated Gandhi asked the journalist hawa nikal gayi?" after snubbing the journalist for queries on the BJPs charge of insult to OBCs. The insult to the scribe drew sharp reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party and even from members of the journalist community. The Mumbai Press Club issued a statement, deploring Rahul Gandhi for humiliating" the journalist. The job of a journalist is to ask questions, and it is the duty of political leaders who call press conference and engage with journalists to answer these questions with dignity and decorum. It is unfortunate that as the leader of one of the oldest political parties of the country, Shri Gandhi failed to respect the dignity of the fourth estate," the statement by The Mumbai Press Club condemning Congress leaders outburst at the journalist read. The Mumbai Press Club deplores Congress leader Shri Rahul Gandhi for humiliating a journalist while addressing a press conference at his party office on Saturday morning.@RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/pOBkfmZQoK Mumbai Press Club (@mumbaipressclub) March 25, 2023 National Union of Journalists-India asked Rahul Gandhi to not angry on the questions and answer them instead. In a tweet, the journalists body wrote, Media also has the right to ask questions. We condemn such behaviour." The BJP, too, criticised Rahul Gandhi for his remarks, asking if this is the faith he has for democratic institutions like the media. BJP chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said, This is the kind of respect Rahul Gandhi has for all democratic institutions. Why does he hate Other Backward Classes so much. He became so rattled just because journalists asked him questions about the insult to OBCs." BJP I-T department head Amit Malviya tweeted, Rahul Gandhi, when asked a straight question on insulting the OBCs, calls the journalist a BJP spokesperson, asks him to wear a BJP badge, before he answers him. Last time he did something similar in Amethi, he lost the election there. OBC community is enraged at this defiance." He also posted a video clip of the exchange. Malviya dubbed it as Gandhis arrogance". In another tweet, Malviya wrote that the journalist, covering Congress for 15 years, was shot down the moment he stepped out of the line". I am told the journalist Rahul Gandhi snubbed for asking a perfectly legitimate question has been covering the Congress for 15 years and is fairly aligned. Yet, he was shot down, the moment he stepped out of the line. What arrogance!" Amit Malviya said. I am told the journalist Rahul Gandhi snubbed for asking a perfectly legitimate question has been covering the Congress for 15 years and is fairly aligned. Yet, he was shot down, the moment he stepped out of the line. What arrogance!But Rahul Gandhi is messiah of free press https://t.co/USqHjkbPQn Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) March 25, 2023 But Rahul Gandhi is messiah of free press," Malviya added. BJP MP Prakash Javadekar, in a tweet, wrote, This is how #RahulGandhi respects the Freedom of Press & Democracy!" This is how #RahulGandhi respects the 'Freedom of Press' & 'Democracy'!In response to a straight question on insulting the OBCs, he calls the journalist a 'BJP spokesperson', and demands he wear a BJP badge.#RahulGandhiDisqualified #Rahulinsultspress #CongressHatesOBCs pic.twitter.com/wLMVY2yMEo Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) March 25, 2023 In response to a straight question on insulting the OBCs, he calls the journalist a BJP spokesperson, and demands he wear a BJP badge," Javadekar said. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed that Gandhi was ill-prepared to answer the question and instead made scurrilous" comments against the journalist. Gandhi showed his contempt for the media and tried to destroy it with his conduct, he claimed. A journalist wrote on Twitter, Rahul Gandhis jibe at a journalist at his press conference proves that he hasnt matured as a politician and is holding political baggage of family history. Rahul was free to attack BJP and Modi Govt. Why take cheap juvenile potshots at journalists and media in mere frustration?" BJPs Shehzad Poonawalla also slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said in a tweet, First insult OBCs, Then insult courts, Now insult journalists." First insult OBCs Then insult courts Now insult journalists Typical behaviour of an entitled brat & Shehzada pic.twitter.com/xNd6p0FHt4 Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) March 25, 2023 Typical behaviour of an entitled brat & Shehzada," Poonawalla said. A court in Gujarats Surat held Congress leader Rahul Gandhi guilty on Thursday in the 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his Modi surname" remarks. The court also announced a two-year jail term as quantum of punishment, however, Gandhi was granted bail and the sentence was suspended for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court. The case was filed against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname? remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi. Read all the Latest Politics News here Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde has ordered probe into the corruption allegations by BJP MLA Ameet Satam against Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Satam had described in his speech how money was siphoned off by Kolkata-based companies, and named two persons related to the case. In a discussion held in the Legislative Assembly, Satam said, In the case, the money was siphoned off, laundered through some companies registered in Kolkata. Nandkishor Chaturvedi and Shridhar Patankar are common names in all the companies. Demanding an inquiry into the matter, the BJP leader said, I have already placed all the facts before the house and also submitted the documents. A probe should be conducted through anti-corruption bureau and culprits should be punished. This is looting of public money and somebody has to be made accountable for the corruption. In his reply, the Chief Minister agreed to conduct the inquiry into the matter. Ameet Satam has raised an issue related to corruption in the BMC. We will inquire the matter without any bias and book the culprits, he said. BJP has remained aggressive against corruption cases in the Shiv Sena-ruled BMC. Satam has been raising several corruption cases against BMC while the Sena was leading the civic body. He has written to the BMC commissioner and the state government on several occasions to take action and prevent misuse of public fund. Read all the Latest Politics News here Flaying the BJP-led Karnataka government for its decision to scrap the reservation for Muslims under Category 2B in the OBC list, the Congress declared on Sunday that it would restore the quota to the minority community in the event of the party coming to power in the State, where Assembly elections are due by May. The Cabinet meeting on Friday also decided to split this quantum (four per cent) equally between Vokkaliga and Veerashaiva-Lingayats at two per each in jobs and admissions in educational institutions, which was welcomed by the two politically influential communities. The government moved Muslims into the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) pool. President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) D K Shivakumar termed the step unconstitutional". They (the government) think that reservation can be distributed like a property. Its not a property. Its a right (of minorities)", he told reporters here. We dont want their four per cent to be scrapped and given to any of the major communities. They (members of the minority community) are our brothers and family members". Entire Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats are rejecting this offer," Shivakumar claimed. Exuding confidence that the Congress party will come to power in the next 45 days", he said: we will scrap all this" and added that there is no basis to remove Muslims from the OBC list. Charging the Bommai government with trying to rake up emotional issues" as its set to lose the polls, Shivakumar said as party president, he wants to declare that the first meeting of the Cabinet, in the event of Congress coming to power, would take a decision to restore the quota. Read all the Latest Politics News here The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched Indias largest LVM3 rocket carrying 36 satellites, which lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Sunday morning at 9:00 am. Indias heavies launch vehicle, Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM-III), will deploy 36 satellites of the UK-based Network Access Associated Ltd (OneWeb) to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) on Sunday. During the countdown, which began at 8:30 am on Saturday, the rocket and satellite systems were checked, while fuel for the rocket was filled, as per news agency IANS. LVM-III stands 43.5 metre tall and weighs 643 tonne. It will blast off at 9 a.m. from the second launch pad at the rocket port in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh carrying OneWebs final instalment of 36 Gen1 satellites weighing 5,805 kg, as per the IANS report. It is a three stage rocket with the first stage fired with liquid fuel, the two strap on motors powered by solid fuel, the second by liquid fuel and the third is the cryogenic engine. The upcoming rocket mission code named as LVM3-M3/OneWeb India-2 Mission by ISRO. Just over 19 minutes after the rockets blast off, the process of satellite separation will begin. The separation of 36 satellites will happen in phases. OneWeb is backed by Indias telecom major Bharti Group and with the successful launch of the satellites on March 26, the company will complete the global footprint of its Gen 1 constellation. It has 582 satellites now in orbit. On March 26 the total number is expected to go up to 618. ISROs commercial arm, NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) has signed a contract with OneWeb to launch 72 satellites in two phases for a launch fee of over Rs 1,000 crore, OneWeb Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal had said last October. You can watch the launch LIVE here. Read all the Latest Tech News here Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his defense minister on Sunday, a day after Yoav Gallant called for a halt to the planned overhaul of Israels judiciary that has fiercely divided the country. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided, this evening, to dismiss Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 26, 2023 Netanyahus office did not provide further details. The move signals the prime minister will move ahead this week with plans to overhaul Israels judiciary, which has sparked widespread opposition. Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets, military and business leaders have spoken out against it and leading allies of Israel have voiced concerns. Gallant, a former army general, is a senior member of Netanyahus ruling Likud party. On Saturday, he called for a pause in the controversial legislation until after next months Independence Day holidays, citing the rifts threat to Israels national security. Meanwhile, an Israeli good governance group on Sunday asked the countrys Supreme Court to punish Netanyahu for allegedly violating a conflict of interest agreement meant to prevent him from dealing with the countrys judiciary while he is on trial for corruption. The request by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel intensifies a brewing showdown between Netanyahus government and the judiciary, Netanyahus government is pushing ahead for a parliamentary vote this week on a centerpiece of the overhaul a law that would give the governing coalition the final say over all judicial appointments. Outgoing Defense Minister Gallant was the first to break ranks late Saturday by calling for the legislation to be frozen. Gallant cited the turmoil in the ranks of the military over the plan. But it was unclear whether others would follow him. On Sunday, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, a fierce opponent of the overhaul, asked the court to force Netanyahu to obey the law and sanction him either with a fine or prison time for not doing so. It said he was not above the law. A prime minister who doesnt obey the court and the provisions of the law is privileged and an anarchist, said Eliad Shraga, the head of the group, echoing language used by Netanyahu and his allies against protesters opposed to the overhaul. The prime minister will be forced to bow his head before the law and comply with the provisions of the law. The prime minister responded saying the appeal should be dismissed and said that the Supreme Court didnt have grounds to intervene. Netanyahu is barred by the countrys attorney general from directly dealing with his governments plan to overhaul the judiciary, based on a conflict of interest agreement he is bound to, and which the Supreme Court acknowledged in a ruling over Netanyahus fitness to serve while on trial for corruption. Instead, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close confidant of Netanyahu, is spearheading the overhaul. But on Thursday, after parliament passed a law making it harder to remove a sitting prime minister, Netanyahu said he was unshackled from the attorney generals decision and vowed to wade into the crisis and mend the rift in the nation. That declaration prompted the attorney general, Gali Baharav-Miara, to warn that Netanyahu was breaking his conflict of interest agreement by entering the fray. The fast-paced legal and political developments have catapulted Israel into uncharted territory and toward a burgeoning constitutional crisis, said Guy Lurie, a research fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank. We are at the start of a constitutional crisis in the sense that there is a disagreement over the source of authority and legitimacy of different governing bodies, he said. If Netanyahu continues to intervene in the overhaul, Baharav-Miara could launch an investigation into whether he violated the conflict of interest agreement, which could lead to additional charges against him, Lurie said. He added that the uncertainty of the events made him unsure of how they were likely to unfold. It is also unclear how the court, which is at the center of the divide surrounding the overhaul, will treat the request to sanction Netanyahu. The Movement for Quality Government said the court had given Netanyahu and the attorney general a week to respond. Netanyahu is on trial for charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate affairs involving wealthy associates and powerful media moguls. He denies wrongdoing and dismisses critics who say he will try to seek an escape route from the charges through the legal overhaul. The overhaul will give the government control over who becomes a judge and limit judicial review over government decisions and legislation. Netanyahu and his allies say the plan will restore a balance between the judicial and executive branches and rein in what they see as an interventionist court with liberal sympathies. Critics say the plan upends Israels fragile system of checks and balances and pushes Israel down a path toward autocracy. Read all the Latest News here China established diplomatic ties with Honduras on Sunday after the Central American country ended its decades-long relationship with Taiwan, as Taiwans foreign minister accused Honduras of demanding exorbitant sums before being lured away by Beijing. The ending of ties with Taiwan had been long expected after the Honduran foreign minister travelled to China last week to open relations and President Xiomara Castro said her government would start ties with Beijing. China said its foreign minister, Qin Gang, and Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina signed the deal on diplomatic recognition in Beijing, ending relations with Taiwan dating back to the 1940s. In a brief statement late on Saturday, the Honduran foreign ministry said it recognised the Peoples Republic of China as the only legitimate government that represents all of China and that Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory". China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taipei strongly rejects. China demands that countries with which it has ties to recognise its position. Speaking on Sunday in Taipei shortly after the announcement, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Castro, who took office early last year, and her government had always had illusions" about China and Chinas luring" had never stopped. The foreign ministry and embassy grasped the relevant information and handled it carefully. However, the Castro government also asked us for billions of dollars in huge economic assistance and compared prices for assistance programmes provided by Taiwan and China," Wu said. Neither the Chinese nor the Honduran statements made mention of aid. Wu said the Honduran foreign minister wrote to Taiwan on March 13, the day before Castros original announcement, demanding a total of $2.45 billion in aid, including the construction of a hospital and a dam and to write off debt. It felt like what they wanted was money, not a hospital," Wu said. Reina told Reuters last week the $2.5 billion figure was not a donation" but rather a negotiated refinancing mechanism". PROMISES Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is due to depart on a sensitive visit to the United States, Guatemala and Belize on Wednesday. She is expected to meet U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles at the end of the trip. Wu said he was highly suspicious" of the timing of the Honduran decision so close to Tsais overseas tour. China seems to be doing this intentionally," he said. The United States has been watching with concern as China expands its footprint in its backyard by taking away Taiwans Central American allies, and has repeatedly warned countries not to believe Chinas promises of aid. The U.S. State Department said while the Honduran action was a sovereign decision, it was important to note China often makes promises in exchange for diplomatic recognition that ultimately remain unfulfilled". Regardless of Honduras decision, the United States will continue to deepen and expand our engagement with Taiwan," it said in a statement. Relations between Honduras and Taiwan date back to 1941 when the government of the Republic of China, which remains Taiwans official name, was still in China before it fled to the island in 1949 after loosing a civil war with the Mao Zedongs communists. Taiwan now only has formal diplomatic relations with 13 countries, mostly poor and developing countries in Central America, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Read all the Latest News here India on Saturday summoned the High Commissioner of Canada to convey concerns regarding the recent actions of Khalistani supporters and extremists in the country. The Government of India sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of our diplomatic Mission and Consulates," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Sunday. The government sought an explanation from Canada on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of the diplomatic mission and consulates in Canada, sources told News18. The Government of Canada was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention, and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts," the statement added. According to reports, hundreds of protesters held demonstrations with Khalistani flags in front of the Indian consulate in Vancouver, Canada. The MEA further said that it expects the Canadian government to take all the steps required to ensure the safety of the Indian diplomats and the security of our diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfil their normal diplomatic functions. Earlier on Friday, Canadas foreign ministry said the Canadian government was aware of protests by Khalistani supporters at various locations across the country and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Indian diplomatic missions. Marilyne Guevremont, spokesperson of Canadas foreign ministry said that Canadian authorities are in contact with Indian diplomatic officials regarding the protests. Khalistan supporters held protests in Ottawa in Canada on Thursday, according to reports. An event to be attended by the Indian envoy to Canada in British Columbia province was also cancelled after violent protests by Khalistan supporters. Indian-origin journalist Sameer Kaushal, who was at the venue to cover the protest, was also assaulted by protesters. (With Inputs from Shailendra Wangu) Read all the Latest News here An Indian journalist on Sunday claimed he was physically attacked and verbally abused by Khalistani supporters in Washington while covering a pro-Khalistan protest outside the Indian Embassy. Lalit Jha, a Washington-based journalist, said he was hit on his left ear with two sticks by the Khalistani supporters and thanked the US Secret Service for protecting him. In a tweet, Jha shared a video of the Khalistani supporters and wrote, Thank you @SecretService 4 my protection 2day 4 helping do my job, otherwise I would have been writing this from hospital. The gentleman below hit my left ear with these 2 sticks & earlier I had to call 9/11 & rushed 2 police van 4 safety fearing physical assault. Thank you @SecretService 4 my protection 2day 4 helping do my job, otherwise I would have been writing this from hospital. The gentleman below hit my left ear with these 2 sticks & earlier I had to call 9/11 & rushed 2 police van 4 safety fearing physical assault. pic.twitter.com/IVcCeP5BPG Lalit K Jha (@lalitkjha) March 25, 2023 At one point I felt so threatened that I called 911. I then spotted Secret Service officers and narrated the incident to them," Jha told ANI. He further said that pro-Khalistan protesters in support of Amritpal Singh waved Khalistan flags and descended upon the Indian embassy in the presence of the US Secret Service. The supporters openly threatened to vandalize the embassy and threatened the Indian Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Jha added. The report said that the protestors in Washington included turbaned men of all ages who raised pro-Khalistan slogans. The Indian Embassy in US condemned the attack and said such incidents only underscore the violent and anti-social tendencies of the so called Khalistani protestors and their supporters. We have seen disturbing visuals of a senior Indian journalist from the Press Trust of India being abused, threatened & assaulted physically while covering so called Khalistan protest in Washington DC earlier today, the Indian Embassy in Washington said in a statement on Saturday. We have seen disturbing visuals of a senior Indian journalist from Press Trust of India being abused, threatened & assaulted physically while covering so called Khalistan protest in Washington DC. We understand that the journalist was first verbally intimidated, then physically https://t.co/Z3YikMu8OS pic.twitter.com/WP9eVcM08R ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2023 We understand that the journalist was first verbally intimidated, then physically assaulted, and fearing for his personal safety and well being, had to call in law enforcement agencies, who responded promptly, the statement added. Indian-American politician Ro Khanna also condemned the attack and called it an assault on journalism. This violence against @lalitkjha is outrageous and an assault on journalism. I condemn it in the strongest terms. Lalit is one of the fairest and most thoughtful journalists. Thank you to our security for protecting Lalit and the diplomats and consulate. https://t.co/XrBhogInEo Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) March 26, 2023 This violence against @lalitkjha is outrageous and an assault on journalism. I condemn it in the strongest terms. Lalit is one of the fairest and most thoughtful journalists. Thank you to our security for protecting Lalit and the diplomats and consulate," Ro Khanna said in a tweet. They came from different parts of the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area and were using microphones to make anti-India speeches both in English and Punjabi and targeted the Punjab Police for alleged human rights violations. The incident comes amid recent vandalism of Indian mission in San Francisco and London. A group of pro-Khalistan protesters attacked and damaged the Indian Consulate in San Francisco last Sunday. Raising pro-Khalistan slogans, the protesters broke open the makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two so-called Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. Two consulate personnel soon removed these flags. In London, the protestors held demonstration outside the Indian High Commission in London on Wednesday and hurled coloured flares and water bottles towards the mission. Last Sunday, pro-Khalistan extremists smashed windows and also attempted to pull down the Tricolour from its flagpole at the mission. Read all the Latest India News here Aviation regulator DGCA has sought details from the Nepal authorities regarding the incident of an Air India and a Nepal Airlines aircraft coming close to a mid-air collision, according to a senior official. On Friday morning, a Nepal Airlines plane coming to Kathmandu from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and an Air India plane coming to Kathmandu from New Delhi almost collided. Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) of Tribhuvan International Airport involved in traffic conflict incident (between Air India and Nepal Airlines on 24th March 2023) have been removed from active control position until further notice. pic.twitter.com/enxd0WrteZ Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (@hello_CAANepal) March 26, 2023 Authorities on Sunday said warning systems alerted the pilots whose timely action prevented the disaster. A senior DGCA official on Sunday said details are being obtained from the Nepal authorities on the airprox incident. Air India has submitted a report about the incident to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Nepal authorities do not have jurisdiction over Indian pilots. Pending further details, the crew of Air India involved in the incident was being off-rostered, the official added. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has written a letter to DGCA to conduct an investigation into the matter. Nepals watchdog has also asked the Indian regulator to take necessary action against the guilty and inform it, according to CAAN spokesperson Jagannath Niroula. In connection with the incident, CAAN has suspended three employees of the air traffic controller department for carelessness during duty hours. There was no comment from Air India on the incident. Read all the Latest News here Rescuers combed through rubble on Saturday after a powerful storm tore across Mississippi overnight, killing at least 25 people there and another in Alabama, levelling dozens of buildings and spawning at least one devastating tornado. The tornado stayed on the ground for about an hour and cut a path of destruction some 170 miles (274 km) long, according to preliminary information, said Nicholas Price, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson, Mississippi. Video taken in the town of Rolling Fork, a town of 1,700 in western Mississippi that was hit hardest, showed homes reduced to rubble, tree trunks snapped like twigs and cars that had been tossed aside. The towns water tower lay twisted on the ground. Governor Tate Reeves, who visited the tornado-struck town of Silver City, declared a state of emergency in the affected areas. The scale of the damage and loss is evident everywhere affected today, he wrote on Twitter. Homes, businesses entire communities. In Alabama, which was also struck by the same storm system, rescuers pulled a man from the mud when his trailer was overturned, but the man died from his injuries, according to the Morgan County Sheriffs Office. That appeared to be the only reported death in that state as of Saturday afternoon. US President Joe Biden described the images from Mississippi as heartbreaking and said in a statement that he had spoken with Reeves and offered his condolences and full federal support for the recovery. To those impacted by these devastating storms, and to the first responders and emergency personnel working to help their fellow Americans, we will do everything we can to help, Biden said. We will be there as long as it takes. We will work together to deliver the support you need to recover. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director Deanne Criswell will travel to Mississippi on Sunday, the White House said. Criswell told CNN that FEMA already had staff on the ground and that the American Red Cross was helping to set up shelters for people whose homes were destroyed. MY CITY IS GONE Mississippis emergency management agency said on Saturday afternoon that the death toll had risen to 25, with dozens more injured. Four people who had been reported missing earlier have been located, the agency said. At least 12 of those deaths occurred in Rolling Fork, its mayor, Eldridge Walker, told CNN earlier in the day. My city is gone, but we are resilient, Walker said on CNN. We are going to come back strong. Jarrett Brown, a volunteer with the disaster response organization Team Rubicon who traveled in Rolling Fork, told Reuters the damage showed that the storm was inescapable for some residents. In some of these areas, there was no safe spot to go to, he said via a video call. Jeremy McCoy, a constable in neighboring Yazoo County who had gone to Rolling Fork to assist with rescue efforts, told CNN of the grim situation on the ground and stepping on nails in the rubble. Ive never seen anything like that, said McCoy. You hope to hear somebody call, a baby crying, a dog barking or something, but hear nothing. Tim and Tracy Harden, owners of Chucks Dairy Barn in Rolling Fork, said in a Facebook post that they hid inside a small walk-in cooler one minute before the tornado demolished their building. Forever grateful to the customer with the broken arm that kept going and freed us all from the cooler, they wrote. The National Weather Service has deployed teams to assess the damage and determine how many tornados touched down, according to Price, the meteorologist. At least 24 reports of tornadoes, stretching from western Mississippi into Alabama, were issued to the National Weather Service on Friday night and into Saturday morning by storm chasers and observers. Read all the Latest News here Israel requests Washington for urgent delivery of two KC-46A aerial tankers, to bolster its capability of operations at long ranges. While the IAF already has several aerial tankers based on the Boeing 707, they are too old and inefficient to support a full-scale operational campaign of the size and complexity the IAF requires. This episode discusses the options Israel has to support this capability. Listen to more episodes of Defense-Brief Defense-Update recommends Play.ht for Text 2 Speech Services An anti-terrorism court in northwest Pakistan has convicted and sentenced a Muslim man to death after he was accused of posting blasphemous content in a WhatsApp group. Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations can stir mobs and violence. Syed Muhammad Zeeshan was convicted under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and Anti-Terrorist Act by the court in Peshawar on Friday. Accused Syed Muhammad Zeeshan, son of Syed Zakaullah in custody has been convicted and sentenced after being found guilty", the court order said, a copy of which was obtained by AFP. Zeeshan, who is a resident of the northwest city of Mardan, was also fined 1.2 million rupees ($4,300) and handed a total of 23 years imprisonment. He has the right to appeal. The case arose after Muhammad Saeed, a resident of Talagang in Punjab province filed an application with the Federal Investigation Agency two years ago accusing Zeeshan of posting blasphemous content in a WhatsApp group, Saeeds counsel Ibrar Hussain told AFP. The FIA had confiscated Zeeshans cell-phone and its forensic examination proved him guilty", he said. While Pakistans laws prohibiting blasphemy can carry a potential death sentence, so far it has never been enforced for the crime. Although many cases involve Muslims accusing fellow Muslims, rights activists have warned that religious minorities particularly Christians are often caught in the crossfire, with blasphemy charges used to settle personal scores. According to the National Commission of Justice and Peace, a human rights and legal aid group in Pakistan, 774 Muslims and 760 members of various minority religious groups were accused of blasphemy in the last 20 years. Read all the Latest News here Sudans army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan called on troops Sunday to end" support for authoritarian leaders as talks begin on military reforms, part of a prolonged transition to civilian rule. Burhan seized power in a 2021 coup that had derailed a short-lived democratic transition following the 2019 ouster of Islamist general Omar al-Bashir. During our history, the armed forces have supported dictatorial governments, and we want to put an end to that," Burhan, a career soldier during Bashirs three-decade rule, said in a speech to soldiers. Reform of the security forces in a key point of tension in discussions on a two-phase political process launched in December, envisaging generals exit from politics once a civilian government is installed. Critics have decried the deal, agreed by Burhan with multiple factions including a key civilian bloc, as vague". The proposed reforms include the integration into the regular army of the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Burhans deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Created in 2013, RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militia that Bashir unleashed a decade earlier in the western region of Darfur against non-Arab rebels, where it was accused of war crimes by rights groups. While experts have pointed to worrying rivalries between Burhan and Daglo, the two men took turns speaking on Sunday in the capital Khartoum, pleading for a successful integration. Daglo said he wanted a unified army", while Burhan called for a professional army that stays away from politics". The December deal came after near-weekly protests since Burhans October 2021 takeover, which had also triggered international aid cuts, adding to the deepening political and economic troubles in one of the worlds poorest countries. Daglo, the RSF commander also known as Hemeti, said earlier this month he was against anyone who wants to become a dictator", and that he opposed those clinging on to power". He said the latest coup had failed" because it had not brought change but rather the return of the old regime" of Bashir loyalists. Read all the Latest News here Elbit Systems has received an order from the UAE to supply J-MUSIC Directed Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) systems to protect the countrys Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) fleet. The UAE acquired three such aircraft from Airbus in 2013 and has recently ordered an additional two to be delivered in 2024. As part of the deal with Airbus, the existing aircraft will also be upgraded to the same configuration as the new MRTTs. The order announced by Elbit Systems is likely a part of this plan. J-MUSIC is Part of Elbit Systems aircraft self-protection capabilities. The system comprises missile warning sensors and a directional laser-emitter that point to the incoming threats and transmits powerful optical signals that disrupt the missile seekers, thus deflecting them from the protected aircraft. The system operates automatically and autonomously no crew involvement is needed during an engagement. The dual-band laser generating the countermeasures is placed in a hyper-hemispherical dome for maximum coverage. Each band is independently programmable, and the entire system is open to accept user-defined jamming codes to address user-specific requirements and threats. The missile warning system can also operate with other countermeasures against radar-guided missiles. The open architecture solution can also integrate other Missile Warning Systems (MWS) to meet customer requirements. Elbit Systems DIRCM and Electronic Warfare (EW) self-protection systems have accumulated more than 350,000 operational flight hours to date and are installed onboard more than 25 types of aircraft. Based on an open architecture design J-MUSIC supports a broad range of aircraft types, in both single and multi-turret configurations, including Germanys A400 aircraft and CH-53 helicopters, NATOs MRTT A330 fleet, Portugals KC390 aircraft, all of Israels commercial aircraft airliners fleets and Heads of State and VIP customers. The integration on the A330 MRTT was done by Elbit Systems, Airbus and NATOs joint procurement organization (OCCAR), and NATO Support Agency (NSPA) as part of the fielding of the aircraft with NATOs Multinational tanker Fleet (MMF). During these flight tests, the J-Music DIRCM system demonstrated flawless functionality. It showed the ability to defeat multiple threat types simulated at the A330 MRTT aircraft while conducting a series of flight maneuvers. The integration flight tests also established that the J-Music DIRCM system could handle simultaneous threat scenarios and overcome head-on, tail-on, and side-on threats, from several ranges and different altitudes. The MMF is expected to announce initial operational capability this month and reach its total capacity of nine aircraft by 2024, supporting 1,200 flight hours per year. The aircraft carries 111 tons of fuel and can deliver a maximum flow rate of 2,200 liters per minute with boom, hose, and drogue mechanisms supporting all NATO aircraft, including F-16, F-35, C-17, Typhoon, Gripen, and Tornado. The MRTT has gained much appreciation among users worldwide, 49 aircraft have already been delivered and 19 are on order. The aircraft is operated by the Air Forces of Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and France. In the UK, 14 aircraft are leased by Air Tanker Services, serving the training and operational activity of the Royal Air Force. Spain has ordered three and Egypt has requested to buy two planes recently. India and the USA are also potential customers. "We get thrown out of a lot of places," says Lini Ecker. The reason: her 59-year-old husband, who for 20 years has gone mostly barefoot. Writing for the New York Times, Katherine Rosman has the story of Joseph DeRuvo Jr. of Connecticut, who roughly 20 years ago scheduled surgery to have his painful bunions dealt with. He went without shoes in the lead-up to the procedure to alleviate the painand his feet began to feel better. That realization, combined with learning the screws that would be put into his feet during the surgery contained a metal he was allergic to, prompted him to call it off. The shoes stayed off, too. Rosman answers the questions that might prompt, like how he handles restaurants and grocery shopping (sometimes he gets asked to leave; he frequents mom-and-pop-type places that know him and his quirk; he keeps "loosefitting" sandals in the car in case of a venue he can't get kicked out of, such as a planned dinner with friends). As for work, he was a barefoot photographer who fielded plenty of foot-related questions while shooting weddings. Now he works in the barefoot-friendly field of Pilates. He's also a runner, and Rosman notes the hot days can be more painful than Connecticut's coldest ones, "forcing him to run on the painted centerline or in the shadows cast by telephone poles." But DeRuvo says nothing hurts as much as roads that have been salted for ice. "It gives me a lot of sympathy for dogs," he says. (Read the full piece.) UPDATE Mar 26, 2023 7:50 AM CDT Honduras on Sunday cut diplomatic ties to Taiwan and established them with China instead, reports the AP. The move, signaled earlier this month, is a political blow to Taiwan, which now has formal ties to only 13 sovereign states. The "islands diplomatic partners are now so few that any abandonment is a serious setback," per the New York Times. In a statement, the Honduran Foreign Ministry declared that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations." The statement added that Beijing is the only legitimate government that represents all of China. Mar 16, 2023 1:36 AM CDT In a move that will leave Taiwan with formal diplomatic ties with just 13 nations, Honduras has decided to switch things up. The president of the Central American country, Xiomara Castro, announced Tuesday that she has told her foreign minister to establish diplomatic relations with China, the Guardian reports. China does not allow countries to have official ties to both it and Taiwan amid the ongoing China-Taiwan dispute over Taiwan's sovereignty. Castro says the move is "a sign of my determination to [fulfill] the government plan and expand borders." Honduras' foreign minister tells the AP the move was necessary due to Honduras' economic ties to China. Honduras has a lot of debt, he says, and "the idea is to look for mechanisms for greater investment [and] commerce." Taiwan, however, warned: "Chinas only goal in developing relations with Honduras is to shrink our countrys international space, it has no sincere intentions to cooperate for the good of the Honduran people." As the AP explains, Honduras' move raises geopolitical concerns: It shows China's influence in Latin America is growing and, perhaps, America's is shrinking; the Biden administration had tried to convince countries in Latin America to maintain ties with Taiwan, but there are only a few left with diplomatic ties to Taiwan now. China has invested billions in Latin America, and recently announced it was helping to fund a hydroelectric dam project in Honduras. The remaining diplomatic ties Taiwan will have are with Eswatini, the Holy See, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Paraguay, the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. (Read more Honduras stories.) Stories about online romance scams are fairly common these days, but the one recounted by the Verge has some strange twists. For one thing, the victim wasn't an older person unsavvy about tech; it was a 32-year-old tech entrepreneur with deep pockets named Mike Vallejo. For another, this scam led not to online money transfers but to an old-fashioned car heistVallejo's Jaguar. And in perhaps the strangest twist of all, the scam culminated in a bizarre police sting in which the aforementioned Jaguar was demolished in a high-speed chase. As Ian Frisch recounts, the weirdness begins when Vellejo meets up with a woman from Tinder despite obvious warning signsbeforehand, she asked about his car and whether she could drive it, and about him bringing cash to pay for a hotel room. They had a late dinner at a Denny's near Portland, Oregon, before the woman drove them back to the place where she claimed to be staying (in a neighborhood known as "Methville"). She texted someone while they were still in the parked car, and eventually two armed men emerged to assault Vallejo and take the car. The woman went with them. Vallejo talked to police and shared his story on social media, along with the woman's profile, and soon was contacted by a man with info on the vehicle's whereabouts and the people trying to sell it. This person's "motives are still unclear to me," writes Frisch, but he did indeed help Vallejo and the police set up a sting that "turned into a disaster." The car got wrecked, but police arrested two 18-year-old males and, later, a 21-year-old woman, and their robbery cases are now working their way through the legal system. "The purported scammers were down on their luck and targeted someone whose priorities were accumulatingand boasting abouttheir wealth," writes Frisch. Read the full story. (Or check out other longform stories.) Badgers burrowing under rail tracks have halted trains in the northern and southern Netherlands, forcing lengthy cancellations on at least two lines. All trains were halted Tuesday afternoon on a busy line between the southern cities of Den Bosch and Boxtel after the animals dug into a dike carrying rails. The national railway company said the line would be out of service for at least a week. The badgers' digging means the rails can subside and then the safety of train traffic can no longer be guaranteed, ProRail, the company that maintains the Dutch rail network said in a statement. Earlier this month, badgers also burrowed under tracks near the northern village of Molkwerum in Friesland province, knocking a line out of service until next month while workers seek permission to shift the animals. Badgers are protected animals in the Netherlands, so rail operators have to get permission to move them or disturb their habitat before repairs can begin. John Voppen, CEO of ProRail, appealed for a speeding up of the procedures. In the interests of travelers and carriers, more space is needed to be able to take action more quickly, he said. We are of course in urgent consultation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management about this. ProRail says badgers like digging into the steep sides of earthen dikes that support many Dutch train tracks. (Read more badgers stories.) "My city is gone," Eldridge Walker, the mayor of Rolling Fork, said Saturday after a tornado ripped through the Mississippi Delta, killing at least 25 people. Entire blocks were flattened, home were reduced to piles of rubble, and cars were flipping in the storm. Rolling Fork's water tower was toppled, the AP reports. "Families are affected, homes are torn up, families are without a place to live, children are hungry this morning, no clothes," Walker said, per the Guardian. In Alabama, at least one person was killed by what was thought to be a tornado. Survivors described their fear and the destruction: "It just got calm" : Christine Chinn, her husband, and son covered themselves with a blanket in the hallway of their home in Silver City, Miss., a town of about 200. The roof's gone now, and cars are overturned in their yard. "It just got calm, and all of sudden everything justlike a big old train or something coming through," she said. : Christine Chinn, her husband, and son covered themselves with a blanket in the hallway of their home in Silver City, Miss., a town of about 200. The roof's gone now, and cars are overturned in their yard. "It just got calm, and all of sudden everything justlike a big old train or something coming through," she said. Crying and praying : Sheddrick Bell, his partner, and two daughters crouched in a closet of their Rolling Fork home as the tornado barreled through. His daughters wouldn't stop crying, and his partner prayed out loud beside him. "I was just thinking, 'If I can still open my eyes and move around, I'm good,'" Bell said, per the AP. : Sheddrick Bell, his partner, and two daughters crouched in a closet of their Rolling Fork home as the tornado barreled through. His daughters wouldn't stop crying, and his partner prayed out loud beside him. "I was just thinking, 'If I can still open my eyes and move around, I'm good,'" Bell said, per the AP. "Just the breeze" : Wonder Bolden, standing outside the ruins of her mother's mobile home in Rolling Fork, said there's nothing left. "There's just the breeze thats running, going throughjust nothing." : Wonder Bolden, standing outside the ruins of her mother's mobile home in Rolling Fork, said there's nothing left. "There's just the breeze thats running, going throughjust nothing." Screams and blood : Storm chasers who drove into Rolling Fork after the tornado hit said they immediately heard trapped people screaming for help and smelled natural gas, per NBC News . "People coming out of every corner with blood all over them, cuts," Zachary Hall said. "People had been thrown around in this tornado." : Storm chasers who drove into Rolling Fork after the tornado hit said they immediately heard trapped people screaming for help and smelled natural gas, per . "People coming out of every corner with blood all over them, cuts," Zachary Hall said. "People had been thrown around in this tornado." Historic damage: The emergency manager in Humphreys County, where Silver City is located, likened the destruction to that of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. "It is almost complete devastation," Royce Steed said. "This little old town, I don't know what the population is, it is more or less wiped off the map." (Read more tornado stories.) Jonathan Majors, described by the Hollywood Reporter as "one of the more in-demand actors working today," has been arrested in New York City after what the police describe as a "domestic dispute." The 33-year-old Creed III co-star was charged Saturday with strangulation, assault, and harassment, per the AP. Police responded to a call in the Manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea about 11am, where a 30-year-old woman told them Majors assaulted her. She was taken to the hospital with what police called minor injuries to her head and neck. Majors was arrested without incident and was no longer in police custody as of Saturday night. He has done nothing wrong," the actor's rep told media outlets. "We look forward to clearing his name and clearing this up. The AP calls him "one of the fastest rising stars in Hollywood," while the New York Times says he has "delivered a string of performances that have marked him out as a potential Oscar contender." Besides Creed III, he's had big roles in Magazine Dreams; Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania; The Last Black Man in San Francisco; Da 5 Bloods; The Harder They Fall; and last year's Devotion. (Read more domestic violence stories.) A meteorologist in Mississippi was on the air Friday night tracking a massive tornado about to touch down when he got a live update on the storm's path. "Oh man," said Matt Laubhan of WTVA, per Fox News. "North side of Amory this is coming in." Then he repeated, "Oh man" and bent over. "Dear Jesus, please help them. Amen," he said upon straightening back up and resuming the storm watch. Watch the clip here. More coverage in the aftermath of the deadly storm: Toll: As of Sunday morning, the death toll in Mississippi was 25, with dozens more injured, reports the AP. Another man was killed in Alabama when his trailer home flipped. The toll is expected to rise as rescuers dig through the wreckage. Disaster declaration: President Biden declared a major disaster in Mississippi and ordered federal aid to the state, reports NBC News. Pope Francis even offered a special prayer for residents of the state. FEMA chief Deanne Criswell planned to visit Sunday. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service warned of the possibility of more "strong tornadoes" in the central gulf states on Sunday. President Biden declared a major disaster in Mississippi and ordered federal aid to the state, reports NBC News. Pope Francis even offered a special prayer for residents of the state. FEMA chief Deanne Criswell planned to visit Sunday. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service warned of the possibility of more "strong tornadoes" in the central gulf states on Sunday. Where: The Mississippi counties of Humphreys and Sharkey were hit the hardest, especially the towns of Rolling Fork and Silver City, per the Washington Post. In Rolling Fork, with a population of 2,000, the scene is "utter destruction," according to the newspaper. "Homes and businesses have been reduced to rubble. Mangled cars lay flipped. Massive trees were uprooted and tossed." The Mississippi counties of Humphreys and Sharkey were hit the hardest, especially the towns of Rolling Fork and Silver City, per the Washington Post. In Rolling Fork, with a population of 2,000, the scene is "utter destruction," according to the newspaper. "Homes and businesses have been reduced to rubble. Mangled cars lay flipped. Massive trees were uprooted and tossed." The fury: Preliminary data from the NWS out of Jackson, Mississippi, ranks the storm as an EF-4, which means top winds of 166mph to 200mph. (Read more Mississippi stories.) Jimmy Carter has fondly written about and spoken of his Black childhood friend, Alonzo "AD" Davis. The bond forged between them in Plains, Georgia, decades ago led the future president to "question the Jim Crow norms" of the day, writes Danielle Paquette in the Washington Post. Davis died in 1985, and Paquette's story offers a never-before-told look at another aspect of their friendship, this one from adulthood. Davis was convicted of manslaughter in 1969 after killing his employer in what Davis' lawyer called a case of self-defense. Carter, then a rising political star in his home state, used his influence to help secure the lesser manslaughter convictionDavis was initially charged with murderthen helped get Davis out of prison in only 18 months, according to the story. Jimmy got him out, says Davis' 60-year-old son, Alonza. Jimmy took care of our family. A niece agrees with that take. The elder Davis was released from prison in 1971, less than a year after Carter became governor of Georgia. In his memoir An Hour Before Daylight, Carter briefly mentions Davis as an adult, saying he had been convicted of forgery. The Post finds no record of a forgery conviction, and Carter did not mention the manslaughter case. "My best guess is that Carter didnt want 'my childhood friend shot a guy, but it was self-defense' as the ending to his memoir, says Evan Kutzler, a history professor at Georgia Southwestern State University. Read the full story. (Carter remains in hospice care at his home in Plains.) With hundreds of thousands of people on the streets regularly protesting his plan to overhaul Israel's judiciary, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear Sunday night that he won't brook dissent from within. One day after his defense minister urged holding up on the change in a televised speech, saying the widespread opposition is threatening national security, he was fired. Netanyahu called in Yoav Gallant for a meeting on Sunday evening, Axios reports, and told him he was working against the government. "The prime minister told Gallant that he lost confidence in him," an aide to Netanyahu said. "Gallant didn't coordinate his speech with the Prime Minister and sabotaged the efforts to reach a solution." Gallant tweeted shortly after the announcement that "the security of the state of Israel always was and will always remain my life mission," per the AP. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said the firing is a "new low for the anti-Zionist government that harms national security and ignores warnings of all defense officials." On Twitter, Lapid posted, "The prime minister of Israel is a threat to the security of the state of Israel." Gallant was the first minister to speak out against the proposal that has led to weeks of civil unrest, per the New York Times. "The rift within our society is widening and penetrating the Israel Defense Forces," Gallant told the nation, adding: "This is a clear and immediate and tangible danger to the security of the state. I shall not be a party to this." The effect on the military includes thousands of reserve soldiers leaving service or saying they won't report for volunteer duty if the Netanyahu's plan proceeds. Many have signed petitions saying that won't serve under a "dictatorship," per the Wall Street Journal. The military's chief of staff said some operations may have to be cut back because of the dwindling number of reservists reporting this month. Gallant had called for holding up the overhaul until at least next month. Otherwise, Israel is looking at a contentious week ahead. Parliament is due to hold an initial vote on the overhaul as warnings of more political violence intensify; protesters returned to the streets Saturday night for the 12th straight weekend, and there were clashes with police. Israeli media estimated that 3% of the population, about 300,000 people, turned out. Postponing the issue, which Israel's president also had urged, might not cool the opposition: A group coordinating protests said they won't stop unless Netanyahu's plan is dropped completely. The prime minister did not immediately comment on Gallant's speech. (Read more Israel stories.) Rejon Taylor hoped the election of Joe Biden, the first US president to campaign on a pledge to end the death penalty, would mean a more sympathetic look at his claims that racial bias and other trial errors landed him on federal death row in Terre Haute, Indiana. But two years on, Justice Department attorneys under Biden are fighting the Black man's efforts to reverse his 2008 death sentence for killing a white restaurateur as hard as they did under Donald Trump, who oversaw 13 executions in his presidency's final months, the AP reports. "Every legal means they have available theyre using to fight us," said the 38-year-old's lawyer, Kelley Henry. "It's business as usual." Death penalty opponents expected Biden to act within weeks of taking office to fulfill his 2020 campaign promise to end capital punishment on the federal level and to work at ending it in states that still carry out executions. Instead, Biden has taken no steps toward fulfilling that promise. But it's not just inaction by Biden. An AP review of dozens of legal filings shows Biden's Justice Department is fighting vigorously in courts to maintain the sentences of death row inmates, even after Attorney General Merrick Garland temporarily paused executions. Lawyers for some of the over 40 death row inmates say they've seen no meaningful differences in the Justice Department's approach under Biden and Trump. "They're fighting back as much as they ever have," said Ruth Friedman, head of the defender unit that oversees federal death row cases. "If you say my client has an intellectual disability, the government ... says, 'No, he does not.' If you say 'I'd like (new evidence),' they say, 'You aren't entitled to it.'" The Justice Department confirmed that since Bidens inauguration, it hasn't agreed with a single claim of racial bias or errors that could lead to the overturning of a federal death sentence. Seven federal defendants are still facing possible death sentences. It's a thorny political issue. While Americans increasingly oppose capital punishment, it is deeply entrenched. In announcing the 2021 moratorium, Garland noted concerns about how capital punishment disproportionately impacts people of color. He hasn't authorized a single new death penalty case and has reversed decisions by previous administrations to seek it in 27 cases. Taylor was charged with killing restaurant owner Guy Luck in 2003. His lawyers say the 18-year-old "discharged his gun in a panic as Luck tried to grab a gun inside a van in Tennessee. The prosecution described Taylor to his almost entirely white jury as a "wolf" whom they had an "obligation" to kill. An alternate later said some jurors were determined to get Taylor, recalling: "It was like, heres this little Black boy. Let's send him to the chair." An appeals court rejected Taylors bias claims. As the 2024 election nearsand with the chance of someone even less sympathetic to their claims entering the Oval Officedeath row inmates know the clock is ticking. (Read more capital punishment stories.) Hungary will soon operate improved Gripen fighter jets similar to those used by the Swedish Air Force, following the modernization of its leased aircraft to the latest version MS20 Block 2 version. This upgrade brings several improvements in sensors, weapons, and avionics. The Swedish Air Force first introduced this upgrade in 2016. The radar is upgraded to the PS-05/A Mk 4 version, extending the target acquisition range, particularly at low altitudes. This allows better detection capability of small air-to-air targets and improved clutter suppression. It also enhances the performance of air-to-ground synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mode. The new version provides growth potential for further developments in the air-to-air and air-to-ground modes, as SAAB has been working on AESA technology for this radar. The MS20 Block 2 upgrade for the HunAF Gripen fleet also enhances the communication capabilities by enhancing Link16 (NATO Datalink) functionality and updating voice communication to the latest NATO secure communication standard. Ability to identify coalition aircraft will also be improved by introducing the latest Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) NATO Mode 5. Saab announced today that the Hungarian Government Commissioner Office responsible for defense development and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) had completed the negotiations for the MS20 Block 2 capability upgrade to the Hungarian fleet of Gripen fighter aircraft. The upgrade will allow Hungary to choose from a wider selection of weapons to fit their Gripens: IRIS-T infrared Within Visual Range (WVR) Air to Air missile and Meteor advanced, beyond visual range radar-guided missile (BVRAAM), GBU-49 dual-mode (GPS/SAL) air to ground laser-guided bombs and GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs, to name just a few. After Sweden and the Czech Republic, Hungary was the third nation to start operating Gripen C/D. The first Gripen lease contract was signed between the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) and the Hungarian Ministry of Defence in February 2003 to supply 14 Gripen C/D fighters (12 single-seater and two two-seater aircraft). Hungary extended the lease in 2012 with a ten-year contract and is now extending it until 2026. The extension required the Swedish Defense Material Command (FMV) to upgrade the HunAF Gripens to the MS20 version, clearing to add more flight hours (from 16000 to 20,000). After twisting in the Senate winds for nine months, President Biden's nominee to head the Federal Aviation Administration has given up on the job. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted Saturday night that Phil Washington has withdrawn, Politico reports. "The FAA needs a confirmed Administrator, and Phil Washington's transportation & military experience made him an excellent nominee," Buttigieg posted. "The partisan attacks and procedural obstruction he has faced are undeserved." Republican senators, mostly, said Washington didn't have the aviation experience to run the FAA, per the New York Times, and brought up a corruption investigation in Los Angeles, where he once worked. Washington has less than two years' experience in aviation, all in his current job as chief executive of the Denver airport, after working for transit agencies. The Senate committee handling Washington's nomination delayed a vote on it last week; two Democratic members hadn't committed to voting yes, and the party has only a one-vote majority on the panel. The FAA, which is dealing with a crisis of public confidence after large-scale flight cancellations and close calls at airports, hasn't had a permanent leader for a year, per Axios. The agency will be leaderless for months more while the Biden administration finds a candidate with a better chance of surviving the Senate confirmation process. (Read more Federal Aviation Administration stories.) Ukraine's government on Sunday called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over Russian President Vladimir Putin's plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned the move in urging the UN to step in. "Ukraine expects effective action to counter the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail by the UK, China, the US and France," the statement read, saying those countries "have a special responsibility" regarding nuclear aggression. "The world must be united against someone who endangers the future of human civilization," the statement said, per the AP. Further heightening tensions, an explosion deep inside Russia wounded three people Sunday. Russian authorities blamed a Ukrainian drone for the blast, which damaged residential buildings in a town 110 miles south of Moscow. Ukraine has not commented on the explosion, which media reports said left a crater about 50 feet in diameter and 16 feet. Russian state-run news agency Tass reported authorities identified the drone as a Ukrainian Tu-141. The Soviet-era drone was reintroduced in Ukraine in 2014 and has a range of about 620 miles. The explosion took place in the town of Kireyevsk in the Tula region, about 180 from the border with Ukraine. Similar drone attacks have been common during the war, though Ukraine hardly ever acknowledges responsibility. Russia has said the plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus is in response to the West's increasing military support for Ukraine. Putin announced the plan in a television interview that aired on Saturday. The US said it will "monitor the implications" of Putins announcement. So far, there haven't been "any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon," National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said, per the AP. In Germany, the foreign ministry called Russia's plan a "further attempt at nuclear intimidation," German news agency dpa reported late Saturday. The ministry said "the comparison drawn by President Putin to NATOs nuclear participation is misleading and cannot be used to justify the step announced by Russia." (Read more Russia-Ukraine war stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Light snow and gusty winds this evening will give way to mostly cloudy conditions late. Low 8F. Winds NE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 70%.. Tonight Light snow and gusty winds this evening will give way to mostly cloudy conditions late. Low 8F. Winds NE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Updated: April 14, 2022: Israels Minister of Defense Benny Gantz has approved allocating a significant budget to develop and produce a high-power solid-state laser system designed to intercept rockets, mortars, and UAVs. Rafael, the system developer, expects to sign the full-scale development contract with the Ministry of Defense in the coming days; the initial investment amounts to hundreds of millions of NIS. By mid-April 2022, the technology demonstrator completed the first test series, intercepting UAVs, mortars, rockets, and anti-tank missiles in various scenarios. The systems production and deployment will cost hundreds of millions of NIS more, and the funding approved will cover the system development, procurement, and initial deployment. As Iron Beam becomes operational, it will be integrated into Israels multi-tier air and missile defense system, providing a cost-effective and operationally efficient lower-tier defense against missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, rockets, and mortars. According to Rafaels CEO, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yoav Har-Even, the Iron-Beam system, is the most powerful laser system of its kind in the world. Rafael first introduced the Iron Beam high-energy laser technology concept in 2014, depicting a system consisting of a pair of high-energy lasers effectors. The two systems would deliver a combined effect with the power level required and dwell time necessary to defeat rocket and missile type airborne targets. The ministerial decision was announced by Minister of Defense Benny Gantz at Rafael compound, together with the head of Research and Development at the DDR&D Brigadier General Yaniv Rotem, where CEO of Rafael, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yoav Har-Even, and General Manager at Elbit Systems ISTAR & EW, Oren Sabag, presented the prototype. Subsequently, the Minister of Defense approved the plans progression according to the work plan and the agreement with Rafael. The funding approval follows the programs feasibility demonstration conducted by Israels Ministry of Defense (IMOD) Directorate of Defense R&D (DDR&D), which demonstrated the technological breakthrough in the development of the Iron Beam high-power laser system. DDR&D will be the program manager, with prime contractor Rafael and subcontractor Elbit Systems. Both companies have already demonstrated proof-of-concept land-based (Rafael) and airborne (Elbit Systems) high-power laser systems. Today we are advancing towards a dramatic change in the battlefield and enhancing Israels security in the face of growing threats emanating from Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, supported by Iran and terrorist organizations. Minister of Defense Benny Gantz said, The high-power laser system constitutes a strategic change in Israels defense of the home front in addition to the political and operational echelons flexibility during combat. As in the past, the DDR&D, Israeli industries, and the defense establishment continue to maintain Israels operational edge and save lives through creativity, flexibility, and ground-breaking technologies. We will do everything we can and allocate the necessary resources to complete the process as quickly as possible, and I am sure that along with the unprecedented operational and security gain, our investment will also lead to great economic gain for the State of Israel and ground-breaking collaborations with our allies. Ganz added. Israels investments in laser technology have led to the ability to precisely focus laser beams on long-range targets, overcoming atmospheric disturbances. The new technology is critical for the delivery of laser effects on target within a short time. It will enable the development of laser weapons capable of intercepting various threats. IMOD embarked on three parallel high-energy laser weapon systems demonstrator programs with Elbit Systems and Rafael based on that technology demonstration. In a recent test, Elbit Systems has already demonstrated the feasibility of such a laser to defeat airborne targets. Israels ground-based laser weapon system is developed as a containerized system that will field similar to the Iron Dome launchers. It will complement the capabilities of the Iron Dome, establishing the lowest tier layer to augment Israels four-layered air defense system. This lowest layer will be able to defeat mortar bombs, and short-range rockets fired at very short ranges, leaving a very short time for intercept. While the Iron Dome missile-based C-RAM has demonstrated the capability to engage those threats, their interception by missiles is too costly to deliver for an optimal response. DDR&D also develops a compact laser system mounted on vehicles to protect maneuver forces against direct and indirect threats. These lasers will complement the vehicle-specific active protection systems deployed on heavy and future armored combat vehicles, such as the Merkava and Namer, and provide a higher level of protection for less protected vehicles or troops in the open. Last week (21 September 2022), the Houthis of Yemen demonstrated an unprecedented military might in the largest military parade commemorating the 9th anniversary of their takeover of Sanaa, Yemens capital. This parade culminates in a series of parades performed on a smaller scale in other cities, the most recently held on 1 September 2022 in the Red Sea port city of Hodeida. Over 10,000 troops took part in each of these parades; the parade in Sanaa was even bigger, with an estimated number of 15,000 troops, hundreds of military vehicles, and spoils of war from the recent battles with Saudi and UAE participating. The Iranian-backed Houthi regime used these parades to deliver a clear message to the region and the world through the recent years of hostilities with the Saudi and UAE-led forces, they have mustered a significant offensive force, with tens of thousands of troops and powerful weapons that are dominating the region, on land and sea. Hostilities ceased on 2 April 2022 as an UN-brokered two-month ceasefire entered into effect. It was extended two times since, until 2 October 2022. The recent parades seem to be a statement towards the conclusion of negotiations on the further extension of this ceasefire and part of Irans power play in the region. Naval capabilities were shown in the recent parades highlighting fast attack boats, electronic attack boats, sea mines, and remotely controlled suicide boats, carrying 150 500 kg of explosives to their targets. Most recently, anti-ship ballistic missiles were introduced, designed to hit ships at sea at ranges of 200 nm and beyond, with a warhead weighing 100 400 kg. Subscribe to read the full report With these new weapons, Iranian-supported Houthis pose an exponentially growing threat to maritime traffic in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, far beyond the choke point of Bab-El Mandeb straits they already dominate. It seems they seek three classes of warheads light (<100kg), Medium (>100 kg ), and Heavy (400-550 kg) required to defeat different classes of vessels. These warhead sizes were first employed with remotely controlled suicide boats and sea mines. The Iranians and Houthis have gradually extended the range of their weapons from tens to a few hundred nautical miles. Rather than employing these weapons on board ships to extend range, they can now reach beyond 200 nm, using the new ballistic anti-ship missiles, practically blocking the movements of naval vessels well beyond Yemens coastal waters. Related post in this report: Is Bahrain really the best place for expatriates? Is Bahrain really the best place for expatriates? TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Report by Julia Cassano The latest Expat Essential Index 2023 by InterNations hails Bahrain as a place where placing your feet appears to be a breeze. The report also ranks Bahrain first for being the ideal place for easy beginnings. However, many residents told The Daily Tribune that this portrayal of life as an expatriate in the Kingdom is far from accurate! They say that although Bahrain is the ideal place for easy beginnings, as the index says, its not an accurate portrayal of life as an expatriate in the Kingdom. And when The Daily Tribune asked them why? They dropped the blame squarely on the absence of a minimum wage for expatriates! Citing several examples, they explained this as the primary concern we need to address for low-income migrant workers to make Bahrain truly an ideal place for easy beginnings. To know better, read it alongside a report by Bahrains Social Insurance Organization. The report says that about 71% of expatriates employed in the private sector in Bahrain earn less than BD200. Thus, experts point out that even though 82% of the expatriates say it is easy for them to find housing in Bahrain, we should not ignore the fact that only 39% have found housing affordable in the Kingdom. The Expat Essential Index 2023 said Bahrain is first among the 52-nation ranking that identifies the best and worst destinations to get started in. Evone Bhaskaran, head of the Action Committee for the Migrant Protection Society, told The Daily Tribune that she too agrees with this, citing the availability of several unfurnished, semi-furnished, or fully furnished towers, apartments, and compounds. The concern, however, Evone points out, is about affordability. A significant number of labourers, service industry workers, and domestic workers earn only an average of BD150 to BD200 per month. The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre also concurs with this assessment, stating that although the private sector is thriving, migrants in Bahrain are still grappling with meagre salaries and escalating living expenses. Evone adds: This is particularly true as the cost of living rises while their wages remain stagnant. For many labourers, domestic workers, and service workers, splurging on a nice or even decent place to live seems out of reach, Evone confirms. We are aware of situations where whole families are restricted to a single room and must make the most of it to create a comfortable living space, she stated. Explaining, she said, "A single room does not necessarily refer to a one-bedroom apartment; rather, it often means that a family of four must occupy a single room that either has a private bathroom or is shared with other families occupying adjacent rooms." This is usually how the lower and middle-income brackets make ends meet. Blue-collar workers frequently express dissatisfaction with their living arrangements in camps and staff accommodations, which can be inhumane at times, with men and women crammed together with very little space to move, Evone stated. In addition, she mentioned that a significant number of low-income workers in Bahrain send their salaries to their families to improve their standard of living. As the cost of living increases, low-income migrant workers in the Kingdom become even more susceptible to financial hardship. A minimum wage is crucial. In conclusion, they said that while Bahrain may be considered an ideal place for easy beginnings, the reality is that life as an expat in the Kingdom is far from accurate. As the cost of living continues to rise, low-income migrant workers in the Kingdom become even more vulnerable to financial hardship. Therefore, addressing the issue of the minimum wage is crucial to making Bahrain a truly ideal place for all. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain yesterday marked Youth Day, observed annually on March 25th, with a range of activities honouring the contribution of Bahraini youths in the national development drive. Health Minister Dr Jalila bint Al-Sayed Jawad Hassan took pride in the potential of young Bahrainis, hailing them as real assets and key contributors to a brighter future. The Kingdom, she said, had developed comprehensive strategies to leverage the potential of its youth to accelerate development. Dr Hassan also hailed the day as an opportunity to highlight the vital role of Bahraini youngsters play in the Kingdoms development and modernisation process. The minister further thanked His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister and the Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport, His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa for the support to young people. The simplest things in life are often the best: sharing a pizza with friends, watching the sunrise with a loved one or sipping a perfectly executed two-ingredient cocktail, such as a whisky and soda, on a sunny day. It wasnt until after the second world war, in the 1950s, that the whisky highball started gaining popularity among the masses in Japan. During this time, Suntory opened a string of bars in the big cities, called Torys Bar, to promote the drinks companys products. This is when the Kakubin Highball (made using the iconic Kakubin whisky, created in 1937) became its bestseller. Today, the drink is a staple in Japan; from yakitori bars to karaoke dens, and even vending machines stocked with delicious canned versions, the highball has become deeply ingrained in the countrys drinking culture. ...continue reading Prosecutors in Osaka have indicted a 37-year-old man on suspicion of killing a 21-year-old woman in Kyoto last October by poisoning her with thallium. According to the indictment, Kazuki Miyamoto, a real estate agent, who was arrested on March 3, poisoned university student Hinako Hamano by getting her to ingest a lethal amount of thallium, a highly toxic substance that was once widely used as rat poison. Miyamoto initially told police that on Oct 11, he and Hamano had dined out before going to Hamano's apartment for a drink. He said she started coughing repeatedly and that he gave her some cough medicine which he had bought at a pharmacy. Miyamoto contacted the woman's family, who took her to a hospital in Osaka Prefecture the next day. However, her condition worsened, and she died on Oct 15. An autopsy revealed her cause of death was acute respiratory distress syndrome, which prevents the lungs from providing vital organs with sufficient oxygen, due to thallium poisoning. ...continue reading EurekaMag bridges the gap between traditional library services and exclusive electronic provision of literature. It does so by scanning printed publications at currently 49 libraries in Europe. These institutions include several University libraries in East Europe with significant holdings of works published in Russia. While interlibrary loan (ILL) may take up to one month, EurekaMag delivers digitized articles and chapters within 1 workday. For facilitating translation, it supplies all texts in PDF format with OCR in their native language applied. The overwhelmingly important area of ordered literature from Japan is medicine which is covered by a range of journals published in Europe including: Revue de Laryngologie - Otologie - Rhinologie Helvetica Chirurgica Acta Dermatosen in Beruf und Umwelt Zentralblatt fur Bakteriologie, Mikrobiologie und Hygiene Acta Odontologica Scandinavica Hepato-Gastroenterology Annales d'Endocrinologie Following medicine, European or Russian published articles in the fields of zoology and paleontology are the second-most important category of orders from Japan: Biologia Vnutrennih Vod Ekologia Polska Coleopteriste Entomologicheskoe Obozrenie Entomologische Abhandlungen Entomologiske Meddelelser Bollettino dell'Associazione Romana di Entomologia Revue Francaise d'Entomologie Trudy Zoologicheskogo Instituta Other important categories of literature frequently supplied by EurekaMag include biomedical and pharmaceutical sources. Many of these articles are cited in PubMed and a simple search for the numeric PubMed ID allows users to order these articles with 1 Click. EurekaMag covers this database among others to contain a current total of nearly 71 million references to articles and chapters to choose from. For articles not referenced on the site, an extra order form is available to request any other text. Besides purchases made directly through its website, EurekaMag supplies institutional and corporate customers including law firms and libraries. Such customers order on a daily or weekly basis by emailing lists of references. Such customers get significant discounts of up to 33% of the standard rate. New ballistic, cruise and loitering missiles were shown by the Houthis in the recent military parade in Sanaa, Yemen. Among the new missiles on display was the Quds-3 cruise missile, believed to be a new, longer-range variant of the Iranian Soumar cruise missile. Quds 3 a new cruise missile. Like its two predecessors (Quds 1 and 2), Quds-3 is powered by a small turbojet engine, yet it is larger and capable of flying over a longer range. Quds cruise missiles are programmed to fly at a low level and have demonstrated effective radar avoidance capability. They are designed to perform precision attacks on a pre-programmed location based on the target coordinates. The missile achieves an initial velocity using a solid propellant booster which is separated once the missile achieves its cruising velocity. According to the Iranwatch.org missile report, Quds-1 has a range of 800 km. The second-generation Quds-2, which corresponds with the Iranian Soumar (also known as Hoveyzeh) missiles, has a range of 1,350 km. The range of Quds 3 was not mentioned by the Houthis but is believed to be longer than Quds 2, as the missile diameter is larger, thus capable of carrying a larger fuel tank and warhead. These missiles are based on an Iranian derived from Soviet-era air-launched Kh55 cruise missiles acquired from Ukraine in the late 1990s. The range of Quds-1 is assumed to be 700 km, with Quds-3 achieving three times that range. Other posts related to this topic: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIJING (AP) Honduras established diplomatic ties with China on Sunday after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is increasingly isolated and now recognized by only 13 sovereign states. Foreign ministers from China and Honduras signed a joint communique in Beijing a decision the Chinese Foreign Ministry hailed as the right choice." The diplomatic victory for China comes as tensions rise between Beijing and the United States, including over Chinas increasing assertiveness toward self-ruled Taiwan, and signals growing Chinese influence in Latin America. The new China-Honduras relationship was announced after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments made separate announcements that they were severing ties. China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since they split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its one China policy. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and refuses most contacts with countries that maintain formal ties with the island democracy. It threatens retaliation against countries merely for increasing contacts. China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang said the establishment of ties proved that adhering to one China policy is winning people's hearts and is the general trend." We inform sternly the Taiwan authorities that engaging in separatist activities for Taiwan independence is against the will and interests of the Chinese nation and against the trend of history, and is doomed to a dead end, he said. The Honduran Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Twitter that its government recognizes only one China in the world and that Beijing is the only legitimate government that represents all of China. It added that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan. Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told a news conference Sunday that Taiwan had ended its relations with Honduras to safeguard its sovereignty and dignity." Wu said that Honduran President Xiomara Castro and her team always had a fantasy about China and had raised the issue of switching ties before the presidential election in Honduras in 2021. Relations between Taiwan and Honduras were once stable, he said, but China had not stopped luring Honduras. Honduras had asked Taiwan for billions of dollars of aid and compared its proposals with China's, Wu said. About two weeks ago, the Honduran government sought $2.45 billion from Taiwan to build a hospital and a dam, and to write off debts, he added. The Castro government dismissed our nation's longstanding assistance and relations and carried out talks to form diplomatic ties with China. Our government feels pained and regretful, he said. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said her government would not engage in a meaningless contest of dollar diplomacy with China. Over these past few years, China has persistently used various means to suppress Taiwans international participation, escalate military intrusion, and disrupt peace and stability in the region, she said in a recorded video. Her office spokesperson Olivia Lin said in a statement that relations between the sides had lasted for more than 80 years. Analysts have warned over the implications of the newly formed ties between China and Honduras. Political analyst Graco Perez in Honduras said Beijing's narrative would highlight the benefits, including investment and job creation, but that is all going to be illusory." Perez noted that some other countries have established such relations, but it didnt turn out to be what had been offered. For decades China has funneled billions of dollars into investment and infrastructure projects across Latin America. That investment has translated to rising power for China and a growing number of allies. In Honduras, it has come in the form of construction of a hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by the Chinese company SINOHYDRO with about $300 million in Chinese government financing. Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since the pro-independence Tsai first took office in May 2016. Taiwan still has ties with Belize, Paraguay and Guatemala in Latin America, and Vatican City. Most of its remaining partners are island nations in the Caribbean and South Pacific, along with Eswatini in southern Africa. Some of these diplomatic recognitions were earned through Taiwan's financial and technical aid in the 1980s and '90s following its exceptional economic growth, Lorenzo Maggiorelli, a professor at the political science and international relations department of Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in Bogota, Colombia, wrote in his research. In 1998, Taiwan set up a $240 million aid fund for its Central American allies in a hope of retaining their support. Taiwanese businesses were also encouraged to invest in Central America to consolidate political ties, Maggiorelli wrote. Tsai is set to begin a 10-day trip on Wednesday with visits to Guatemala and Belize. Her delegation will also stop in New York and Los Angeles, Lin said last week. Taiwan's Vice Foreign Minister Alexander Yui earlier said the purpose of Tsai's trip is to highlight the island's friendship with the two Latin American countries. Wu said he did not have any evidence that the timing of the announcement was related to Tsai's trip but noted China seems to be doing this intentionally. Despite Chinas campaign of isolation, Taiwan retains robust informal ties with more than 100 other countries, most importantly the United States. The U.S. doesnt have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but has maintained that Taipei is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific. WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) President Joe Bidens choice to run the Federal Aviation Administration has withdrawn his nomination, a setback for the administration that comes after Denver International Airport CEO Phillip Washington appeared to lack enough support in the closely divided Senate. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed Washingtons withdrawal in a tweet Saturday night, calling him an excellent nominee and blaming undeserved and partisan attacks. Republicans were united in opposition to Washington, calling him unqualified because of limited aviation experience. Democrats and allied independents still might have pushed the nomination through, but key senators on their side balked at supporting Bidens pick. Washingtons fate appeared settled when Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., abruptly called off a scheduled vote last Wednesday a sign that she lacked enough votes to move the nomination out of committee. She said some senators wanted more information about Washington. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who was a Democrat until switching to independent in December, and moderate Democrat Jon Tester of Montana declined to say how they would have voted. A person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that Sinema was holding up the nomination and had indicated her opposition. The person was not authorized to discuss the process publicly and insisted on anonymity. Before the White House announces a new nominee, it likely will want assurances of support from Sinema, Tester and other moderates. The FAA has lacked a Senate-confirmed administrator since March 2022. The agency is trying to reassure Americans that air travel is safe despite a surge in close calls between planes this year. It is also struggling with aging technology that failed in January, briefly canceling all takeoffs around the country. And it is still trying to repair its reputation after approving Boeing planes that crashed in 2018 and 2019. The FAA needs a confirmed Administrator, and Phil Washingtons transportation & military experience made him an excellent nominee, Buttigieg tweeted Saturday night. The partisan attacks and procedural obstruction he has faced are undeserved, but I respect his decision to withdraw and am grateful for his service. Washington ran transit agencies in Denver and Los Angeles, but his only aviation-related experience is serving as CEO of the Denver airport for less than two years. He has strong ties to the administration, however he led Bidens 2020 transition team for the Transportation Department, which includes the FAA. Biden nominated Washington last July, but he didnt get a committee hearing for eight months. Republicans attacked his resume and seized on disclosures that his name appeared in search warrants related to a corruption investigation in Los Angeles. Washington said he did nothing wrong and had not been contacted by law enforcement. The agency is being led by an acting administrator, Billy Nolen, a pilot who has held safety jobs at three airlines and the FAA. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who led opposition to Washington, said Nolen could win bipartisan support. In a statement Saturday night, Cruz said Washington's lack of necessary experience was obvious. Given the significant challenges facing the FAA, this wasnt the time for an administrator who needed on-the-job training, he said. "The Biden administration must now quickly name someone to head the FAA who has an extensive aviation background, can earn widespread bipartisan support in the Senate, and will keep the flying public safe. ___ Koenig reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report. CHARLOTTETOWN - Prince Edward Islands election agency is describing turnout for the first advance poll as busy, after over 13,000 people cast ballots on Saturday. Elections P.E.I. says thats about 13 per cent of the electorate of 105,000 people eligible to vote in the provincial election on April 3. The polls were open for about 10 hours on Saturday, and turnouts varied widely by district. In Stratford-Keppoch, held by Progressive Conservative James Aylward, about 17 per cent of the eligible electorate turned out, while just seven per cent of eligible voters cast ballots in the riding of Belfast-Murray River, held by Darlene Compton of the Progressive Conservatives. There are two more advance polling days, with one set for Monday and another this Friday. At dissolution, the Progressive Conservatives held 15 seats, the Green Party held eight seats and the Liberals four. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2023. SHARE: After months of living in isolation after August 2021, Jawid decided to leave the house and head into the city. The decision would prove costly. He was in a taxi when confronted at a Taliban checkpoint. After asking him questions the fighters determined that he was gay. For a moment, the world went dark in my eyes and I thought I was seeing death with my own eyes, Jawid said via WhatsApp, speaking in Persian. The Star is publishing only his first name for security reasons. Jawid, 22, a member of Afghanistans LGBTQ community, who has been living secretly in Kabul for several months, told a painful story from his hometown of Herat. He said that under the rule of the Taliban, he rarely went out of the house in Herat and knew that facing the Taliban fighters carries the risk of torture or death. Jawid said that six months back when he was arrested, he was mocked by the fighters and they verbally harassed him. He said they then pulled his clothes off and sexually abused him. I said to myself every moment that I wish to die. Jawid said the fighters then made him lie on his face and beat him with a cable so much that his whole body hurt and he could not walk properly for several days. They tortured me in the most brutal way possible, they even burned the hair of my legs with a cigarette lighter. He said that after his release, the Taliban told him if they saw him again in that city, they would kill him. Jawid said he now lives secretly in a windowless hostel in Kabul, struggling financially and hoping to leave the country. These are the most bitter days of my life. Sometimes I say to myself, God, what is my sin if you made me gay? Jawid recalled the days during the Republic before the Talibans return in 2021 which he said had its challenges but was more open and when there was no fear of being tortured or killed.Now, being gay is a crime: by law, homosexuality is punishable by death. We had a community, we could go out and we lived a relatively human life, but with the return of the Taliban, life lost colour and our birth was considered a crime. Last year, Laila Sabour, a well-known 65-year-old who is intersex, also claimed in a video that she was kidnapped by the Taliban and her legs were burned after sexual abuse. Laila Sabour fled from Afghanistan after this incident. Last year, Outright International and Human Rights Watch published a report based on interviews with 60 LGBTQ Afghans. It said they experienced beatings, sexual assault or threats from Taliban members or supporters because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. While that report documented some abuses clearly linked to the Taliban forces, in many cases the first threats came from those closest to LGBTQ Afghans family members, romantic partners and neighbours who saw Taliban rule as an opportunity to act on their own prejudice or sought to curry favour with the new regime by turning in LGBTQ people. Artemis Akbary, 25, founder of the Afghan LGBT Organization (ALO), was smuggled from Iran to Turkey before the Taliban regained power, and is now settled in the Czech Republic. He said that a number of LGBTQ people were killed, tortured or sexually assaulted under the Taliban. According to Akbari, the ALO has documented many cases. The situation of LGBTQ people in Afghanistan is terrible. Many suffer from severe depression due to the fear of the Taliban, Akabary told the Star, speaking in Persian. Akbary, who still heads the ALO and defends the LGBTQ communitys rights through activism and media appearances, said that working with a number of governments, they have been able to evacuate some LGBTQ people to Europe and Canada. But he said some remain in Pakistan, Iran and Turkey in a precarious situation. Due to the conservatism of Afghan society, the danger to the LGBTQ community in Afghanistan has always existed, but the situation has become suffocating after August 2021, Akbary said. Akbary said that under the Taliban, violence against that community has been widespread, and some people have disappeared. The international community does not pay attention to the Afghan LGBTQ community and they are marginalized. This means the gradual death of a forgotten community. Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban has become a limbo of uncertainty, pain, suffering and sadness for the LGBT community. Matuba Mahlatjie, communications and media manager of Outright International, said that based on its recent report, the Taliban security officials now appear to be pursuing LGBTQ people especially gay men and trans women more systematically than during the first few months of their rule, subjecting them to physical and sexual assault and arbitrary detention. In several cases, the authorities have subjected people to public flogging for alleged same-sex relations, and the Taliban Supreme Court, on social media, has confirmed and defended the implementation of these punishments, Mahlatjie said to the Star. We have also highlighted how paths to safety have disappeared from the worsening situation inside Afghanistan. The risk of violence complicates LGBTIQ peoples ability to seek aid from groups inside the country. Late last year, Toronto-based Rainbow Railroad said it was working with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to resettle 600 LGBTQ Afghans, in addition to about 200 who were to arrive in 2022. Mahlatjie said Afghanistans neighbours have made it harder over the past year for Afghans to cross their borders, and those countries are far from safe for LGBTQ people. Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan also criminalize same-sex relations; in Iran, same-sex sexual acts can be punished by death. The U.S. and European countries provided far too few spaces for Afghans wanting to be resettled abroad, and even the few hundred LGBTQ Afghans accepted for resettlement have been forced to spend many months in dangerous limbo waiting for their cases to be processed. Read more about: SHARE: The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Imo State on Sunday, enumerated reasons residents of the state should cast their votes for Governor Hope Uzodimma during the November 11 2023 governorship poll. Speaking on behalf of the ruling APC to a cross-section of newsmen in Owerri, the state Publicity Secretary of Imo APC, Cajetan Duke, thanked Imolites who spoke through their votes for the candidates of APC. The APC spokesman maintained that the victory of the party was nothing but an implicit vote of confidence in Senator Hope Uzodimma, whom he described as a rare statesman and uncommon democrat who has restored the confidence of the people in the business of governance in the state. The party maintained that the victory of the party was nothing but an implicit vote of confidence in Senator Hope Uzodimma, whom he described as a rare statesman and uncommon democrat who has restored the confidence of the people in the business of governance in the state. According to the spokesman, The overwhelming victory of our party in the just concluded state assembly election is a reflection of our peoples opinion and confidence in the shared prosperity administration of our performing governor, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma. He added, Theres no other way to appreciate a governor who has kept his covenant with the people, particularly in the area of quality infrastructural development, recovery of stolen critical public assets as well as civil service reforms among others. There is no doubt that the governor has distinguished himself within the short stay in office as a leader that can be trusted. A governor who has refused to follow the unpopular trend of his predecessors leadership of my family, my family but chose to return governance to the people. According to Duke, the victory of the party is a revelation of what to come as the state approaches the much anticipated November 11, 2023 governorship election. What happened on March 18, is a peep into the mindset of our people as we navigate towards the 2023 governorship election in the state later this year. Our people have seen the evidence of shared prosperity and we believe that the people are committed to consolidating the gains of this administration through the re-election of our governor. Imo electorate will certainly re-elect Governor Uzodimma and return APC to power in Imo State this November, Duke enthused. The Department of State Service warned on Saturday that there were plots by some elements to stoke nationwide violence that could disrupt peace, law and order in the land. But, the DSS quickly warned those behind the evil plan to abandon their plot or be dealt with in accordance with the laws of Nigeria. The alarm was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Public Relations Officer of the DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya. The statement said: The Service hereby warns those desperate to cause a breakdown of law and order to desist from that. It is evident that some aggrieved politicians are already taking advantage of this legal process. This, without a doubt, is the beauty of democracy. It is strongly believed that this approach enhances peace and security. All and sundry should cherish it. Be that as it may, the DSS will not tolerate a situation where persons and/or groups take laws into their hands and champion anarchy. Those peddling fake news, hate speech and all forms of false narratives as basis to ignite violence or pit the people against the present or incoming administrations, at the Federal, State and Parliamentary levels, should stop forthwith. Those inciting violence have nothing to gain as doing so will not only consume them but also the innocent. It is otherwise disturbing to see respected personalities use their platforms to mislead or incite citizens. This, to say the least, does not augur well for peaceful coexistence and general order. Therefore, the Service will continue to take necessary measures to checkmate these elements who do not wish the country well. This is to ensure that a conducive environment is provided for citizens and residents to pursue their legitimate businesses. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine. Let all be guided, Afunanya warned. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently seek the appointment of an independent counsel to investigate allegations of electoral violence and other electoral offences including bribery against any state governors and their deputies during the just concluded general elections. SERAP also urged him to promptly and effectively investigate reports of electoral violence and other electoral offences committed during the general elections, and to identify suspected perpetrators and their sponsors, and ensure their effective prosecution, regardless of their political status or affiliations. In the letter dated 25 March 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: By allegedly engaging in electoral violence and other electoral offences in so blatant a fashion, suspected perpetrators and their sponsors have clearly acted in violation of constitutional provisions, international standards and the Electoral Act. SERAP said, Section 52 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, allows INEC to seek the appointment of an independent counsel to investigate allegations of electoral violence and other electoral offences such as bribery that may have been committed by any state governors and/or their deputies. According to SERAP, INEC should promptly collaborate with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other law enforcement agencies to identify any politicians and their sponsors suspected to be responsible for electoral violence and other electoral offences during the elections. The letter, read in part: Identifying, arresting, investigating and prosecuting those suspected of perpetrating electoral violence and other electoral offences during the 2023 general elections would act as a deterrent against electoral violence in future elections. We would be grateful if immediate steps are taken to implement the recommended measures within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel INEC to comply with our request in the public interest. Acting swiftly to address the brazen impunity and reports of electoral violence and other electoral offences during the 2023 general elections would also send a strong message to politicians that the INEC under your leadership would not tolerate any infringement of the electoral process. Electoral violence is a threat to fair and representative elections. It is inconsistent and incompatible with the principles of democracy, the rule of law, transparency and accountability for politicians to allegedly use violence to disrupt the electoral process. When politicians and their sponsors decide to engage in electoral violence and other electoral offences rather than contest fairly for peoples votes, there are possibilities that such politicians will show a disregard for democratic rules and a disposition to adopt illegal means becomes inevitable. If voting is as important as INEC always claims it is, now is the time to take meaningful steps and action to end impunity for electoral violence and other electoral offences during elections. Ending impunity for electoral violence and other electoral offences promote accountability of suspected perpetrators and their sponsors, ensure justice for victims, and ultimately advance the peoples right to vote and to participate in their own government, as well as bolster voter confidence in the electoral process. Identifying, investigating, naming and shaming those suspected to be involved in electoral violence and other electoral offences during the 2023 general elections will also send a powerful message to politicians and their sponsors that they will not get away with their crime against the Nigerian people. Electoral violence and other electoral offences reportedly committed during the 2023 general elections are contrary to the express provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act and international standards. Electoral violence and other electoral offences undermine the ability of INEC to discharge its responsibilities under Section 153 of the Nigerian Constitution and paragraph 15(a) of the third schedule of the Constitution, and the Electoral Act 2022. The Nigerian Constitution provides in Section 14(1)(c) that, the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution. Sections 121 and 127 of the Electoral Act prohibit electoral bribery and undue influence before, during and after any election. Section 145(2) provides that, a prosecution under this Act shall be undertaken by legal officers of the Commission or any legal practitioner appointed by it. Under section 2(b), the commission shall have power to promote knowledge of sound democratic election processes. According to our information, the just concluded presidential and national assembly elections and governorship elections in some states witnessed widespread reports of voter suppression, voter intimidation and the destruction or theft of election materials by political party agents and thugs across all six geopolitical zones. According to a report by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), several polling units recorded violence and/or fighting across the country. These violent incidents were often focused in political strongholds of opposition or perceived opponents which suggest that the use of BVAS which limits overvoting when properly used has resulted in a more concerted effort to stymie citizens casting their votes in opponents strongholds. Similar incidents of intimidation were reported in all geo-political zones. In several states, political thugs, apparently with the support of law enforcement officials, disrupted and sent back voters intending to vote for opposition parties. Party agents were reported to be directing people who to vote for while those unwilling to do as directed were denied ballot papers and forced to leave the polling units. There were reports of destruction of used ballot papers and vandalization of entire polling units in some states. Violence was also used to target BVAS machines in order to disrupt the process and ensure the cancellation of results. According to the CDD, there are reports of vote trading in zones across the country, with both cash and goods used by all political parties in an effort to entice voters to cast their ballots at their direction. The CDD noted vote buying at polling units during the elections across the country. There are indications that the father-son relationship between Senator Chimaroke Nnamani and his State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has hit the wall. In a series of tweets in the early morning of Sunday, Nnamani described Ugwuanyi as an epitome of shame for twice losing his polling booth in the recently concluded elections. It was reported that Senator Nnamani, a former state governor, had doubled on the attack against Ugwuanyi after losing election to Kelvin Chukwu of the Labour Party, LP, for the Enugu East senatorial district seat. He blamed Ugwuanyi as being responsible for his defeat. Recall that Ugwuanyi brought Nnamani back to the political limelight, a gesture he acknowledged and praised his governor for in the past. Narrating his experience after he had left office as governor, Nnamani, in one of his campaign tours recalled how Ugwuanyi brought him back to the political limelight and ensured that he returned to the Senate. It is because of the mandate given to me that I am here. When I came to campaign here, I did not know that it would take 15 years for me to be here again. For me, if every door is closed, one looks for a key. When darkness is everywhere, nobody knows who will bring the light and open the door. It is Ifeanyi Nwa Ugwuanyi, Udulekenyi 1 of Orba, that brought the light, the key and opened the door. He (Ugwuanyi) is not from Nkanu; he is from Udenu. This showed that indeed, Nwanne Di na mba, Nnamani had said. He later on announced that Ugwuanyi was now his leader and that of the Ebeano political dynasty. However, Nnamani had been groaning since Kelvin Chukwu defeated him, aiming missiles against Ugwuanyi. Below are some of his tweets on Sunday morning, alleging betrayal by Ugwuanyi. Peter MBAs betrayal is one more betrayal too many. I have difficulty processing it. I must confess #Chimaroke. And those who keep quiet in the face of injustice will reap its (sic) whirlwind! #Chimaroke. Betrayal in all things have (sic) the same Universal ending! A Governor who looses (sic) his polling booth twice is an epitome of SHAME! #Chimaroke. Limitless boundaries of Indoctrination! A new paradigm! Election rigging without structure! Just transferring filtered polling results figures #Chimaroke. Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, / The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere / The ceremony of innocence is drowned; / The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity. WB Yeats #Chimaroke. Before now, Chimaroke had claimed that Enugu PDP and his Ebeano political structure were overtly schemed out, with his suspension allegedly financed by the state governor to stop him from becoming Senate President. New ballistic, cruise and loitering missiles were shown by the Houthis in the recent military parade in Sanaa, Yemen. We reviewed the new cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and naval attack weapons in three recent posts. Parallel to the development of ballistic missiles, Iran is pursuing various types of aerial weapons based on unmanned aerial systems technologies. Shahed 131 and 136 are two models that have recently captured media attention. Still, these simple and rudimentary delta-winged flying bombs are only one type of a wide family of loitering weapons that Iran has used to hit targets far beyond its borders, dating back to the attack on Saudi oil fields in 2019. Among many types of loitering missiles and attack drones displayed was the local version of the Iranian Shahed 136 the Waid, new models of Samad and Qhasef, loitering missiles, Rased weaponized mini-drones, VTOL variant of Mersad-2, and the Masir hexacopter weaponized drone that was also demonstrated in formation flight. Please subscribe to read the full article. Related posts in this report: Following the emergence of Bola Tinubu as president-elect, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has accused the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo of lobbying for his next job. Atiku accused Keyamo of trying to suppress and abuse the rights of innocent Nigerians who oppose the alleged fraudulent victory of the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu. Speaking through his spokesman, Frank Shaibu, Atiku described Keyamo as a jobless Minister who abandoned his duties as a minister and opted for Tinubus spokesman. A statement by Shaibu reads partly: Keyamo is among those suppressing the rights of others. Keyamos job as campaign spokesman is officially over since the campaign has ended. But he is currently lobbying intensely for another appointment. With Sen Ovie Omo-Ageges failed governorship bid in Delta State, many from the APC in Delta have in their delusion shifted focus to the central government that will soon be delegitimized by the judiciary. Keyamo should save what is left of his legacy by facing his job as a minister and stop trying to suppress and abuse the rights of innocent Nigerians who oppose the fraudulent victory of Bola Tinubu. Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged those who contested the recent election with him to join him in making the state great. He made this disclosure on Saturday. Recall that the governor, who re-contested on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was on Sunday declared as winner of the gubernatorial election held last week Saturday. The election was conducted in all the 33 local government areas of the state on Saturday, 18th March this year. Makinde scored a total of 563,756 votes to defeat all other candidates. All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin scored 256,685 votes while Accord candidate, Adebayo Adelabu scored a total of 38,357 votes. Speaking during a radio programme monitored by newsmen on Saturday, he noted that the need for Folarin, Adelabu and other constants to join hands with him was necessary in order to move the state to greater heights. He described his victory during the election as a victory for the people of the state, adding that he is open to working with the ideas of his co-contestants wherever they are found to be superior to his. The issue of the electioneering campaign is behind us now and we are to battle the issue of governance now. This is our state and commonwealth and we must make sure we move our state forward. I also want to thank the political parties that collapsed their structures to support me, he said. A 43-year-old man, Abiodun Oladapo, has been arrested for reportedly impregnating his biological daughter. He was arrested on Friday following a complaint lodged at the Mowe police division by one Oluwatoyin Idowu, who said her son Michael Idowu, had been wrongly accused as the one who impregnated the said 19-year-old girl. The woman said she questioned her son and discovered the victim was not telling the truth. The Ogun State police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the police had, upon the report, invited the five-month pregnant lady, adding that she confided in the police that though Michael Idowu slept with her in December, 2022, it was her father, Abiodun Oladapo, who is responsible for her pregnancy. According to Oyeyemi, the teenage girl stated that her father had been sleeping with her since February 2022 with threat to kill her if she informed anybody about it. She admitted that it was her father who told her to lie against Michael Idowu as the one responsible for the unborn baby. The DPO of Mowe division, SP Folake Afeniforo, had detailed his detectives to arrest the randy father. On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime but blamed it on the devil, Oyeyemi said. Oyeyemi added that the suspect, who had long separated from the victims mother, took custody of the girl when her mother remarried, and they have been living together since then. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Frank Mba, had directed that the suspect be transferred to the State police headquarters for further investigation at the CIID. The Media Director of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, has issued a warning to those describing his principal as a drug dealer. Onanuga warned that the days of those using some hashtags to blast Tinubu are numbered. He said those behind the hashtags would face the wrath of God over malicious tweets against Tinubu. Prior to the presidential election, Tinubu was accused of being a drug dealer when he was in the United States, US. Some Nigerians had called for his arrest and a stop from participating in the presidential campaign. Following his victory, some Nigerians have been calling for his arrest and imprisonment. Responding, Onanuga tweeted: All those sons of bitches tweeting the hashtags #TinubuTheDrugDealer#TinubuForPrison, your days are numbered. One day, you will face the wrath of the law and God for tweeting malicious falsehood about Nigerias President-Elect. The United Kingdom has hit out at a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Femi Fani-Kayode, over controversial comments made during the electoral season. In an interview with Nigeria Info FM on Sunday, the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, faulted the APC presidential campaign councils director of new media, for making derogatory remarks. Last month, Fani-Kayode was invited for questioning by the Department of State Services (DSS), for claiming that the presidential flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, had a meeting with army generals before the elections. Yes, lets be specific, there were some people, like Femi Fani-Kayode, what is he saying and why is he saying it? I dont understand. It is wrong from my perspective that he will speak on behalf of a party and that party does not distance itself from him and say stop doing that. It is wrong to say that, Llewellyn-Jones said. Llewellyn-Jones has reiterated the fact that the UK government will issue visa bans to people undermining democracy. According to him, there are about 10 persons already on the watchlist. We have a list, we are working through our list but we dont publish those names. I know people say we should, but we have laws, and the law prevents us from doing that. At the moment the list is between 5 and 10 and it is growing, he added. Unknown gunmen resumed their attacks on security checkpoints in Enugu State on Sunday, reportedly killing two policemen. It was reported that the gunmen launched the attack at a police checkpoint close to the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, UNEC. A source hinted that the policemen, who were on stop and search, were caught unawares. A video currently trending on social media shows two of the officers lying in a pool of their blood. The United States President, Joe Biden, ordered federal aid to the state of Mississippi to support local recovery efforts in areas affected by a devastating tornado, the White House said on Sunday. The federal funding includes grants for temporary housing, home repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses. At least 23 people were killed as a devastating tornado ripped across the southern US state of Mississippi, tearing off roofs, smashing cars and flattening entire neighborhoods. The states emergency management agency said Saturday that at least four people were missing and dozens were injured, while tens of thousands of people in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee were without power. The powerful storm system that generated the tornado, accompanied by thunderstorms and driving rain, cut a long path across the state late Friday, slamming several towns along the way. In the town of Rolling Fork, home to less than 2,000 people, an entire row of houses and buildings was demolished, leaving only scattered debris. Cars were overturned, fences were ripped up and trees uprooted, television footage showed. My city is gone, Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker told CNN. Devastation as I look from left to right, thats all I see. Patricia Perkins, who works at a hardware store in the town, told AFP that most everything is wiped away. Resident Shanta Howard told ABC affiliate WAPT that locals had to help remove the dead from the wreckage of their homes. It was like no notice. We didnt know what was happening, a tearful Tracy Harden, the owner of Chucks Dairy Bar in Rolling Fork, told CNN. Search and rescue operations were also underway in Sharkey and Humphreys counties, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of the state capital Jackson. The emergency management agency put the latest death toll at 23 but cautioned that it could rise. The loss will be felt in these towns forever, state Governor Tate Reeves said on Twitter. Please pray for Gods hand to be over all who lost family and friends. A police officer injured in a South Jersey shooting remains in intensive care more than two weeks later, police said. Bobby Shisler, a patrol officer with the Deptford Township Police Department, suffered critical life-threatening injuries after being shot on March 10, according to the New Jersey State Policemens Benevolent Association. He was rushed to Cooper University Hospital for emergency surgery and was later listed in stable condition, the PBA said. The Deptford Township Police Department posted an update on social media on Saturday, saying that he is still in the ICU. Please keep our Officer, P.O. Bobby Shisler in your prayers. Hes still in Coopers Trauma ICU and hes fighting hard to recover!! the post read. Shisler stopped pedestrian Mitchell Negron Jr., 24, of Deptford, shortly after 12:30 p.m. on Delsea Drive, according to the state Attorney Generals Office, which is investigating the shooting. Negron took off running and Shisler chased after him before both men were shot in a struggle on Doman Avenue, according to investigators. Negron died at the scene, while Shisler suffered a leg wound. Shisler, 27, has been with the department for four years and is a lifelong Deptford resident, according to the agency. The Attorney Generals Office has not disclosed details of the shooting or said why the pedestrian was stopped. A GoFundme campaign was started by Nichole Rodgers, the wife of a Deptford officer, and has raised more than $114,000. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com. Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh has chosen sides after the fatal police shooting of Najee Seabrooks, saying he vehemently opposes a federal investigation of the corrupt and brutal department he oversees. This is how it works, nearly every time. When police departments go rogue, politicians rush to defend the status quo, and protect their own standing. Even this, a matter of life and death, goes into the political calculator. Gov. Christie Whitman resisted federal oversight of the State Police during her second term. Even Cory Booker, with his strong civil rights record, initially opposed federal intervention when he was mayor of Newark. (He soon reversed himself.) In both cases, the feds came anyway, because the evidence of rot in the foundation of these departments was undeniable. And in both cases, the interventions clearly worked. Rampant racial profiling by the State Police is thing of history, as is the white male monopoly that once ruled. Complaints of brutality against Newark police are way down, and in the full year of 2020, after de-escalation training, police did not fire a single shot. Anthony Ambrose was Newarks police director during the early years of the federal intervention and is known as a savvy political player. Politicians ask, How could this hurt me down the road? he says. And sometimes, police leaders are just in denial that the wrongdoing has become the norm. Sayegh, in a pair of interviews this week, argued that the city can fix its own problems. He paid for an outside audit of the department in 2020, fought to install body cameras before state law required it, tried to establish a civilian advisory board (but failed), and helped open new channels with the community, like a program where kids accompany cops in trips to local malls, he says. Hes visiting Omaha in April to examine their success in reducing gun violence. We got this, Sayegh says. Its a staggering claim -- even delusional -- when you look at the disastrous record of corruption and spilled blood hes overseen for the last five years. In the most recent case, Seabrooks was killed during a paranoid mental health breakdown after he barricaded himself in a bathroom and called 911. During a four-hour standoff, police rejected the help of two outside teams with staff trained to deescalate precisely this kind of standoff. Instead, police followed their macho playbook by bringing a SWAT team in full body armor, and pressing Seabrooks to surrender, even firing non-lethal projectiles at him when he cracked open the door. What we would have done is stand by the bathroom and say, Najee when youre ready, we will help you not bring in a SWAT team! says Liza Chowdhury, director of the Paterson Healing Collective, a state-funded violence intervention group where Seabrooks worked. At some point, they even tried to break down the door, using force on someone who is paranoid and having a mental health breakdown. Dont miss the best in editorials, opinion columns and commentary from NJ.com writers. Add your email here: Seabrooks killing is just the latest case in Paterson. Here are some others, cited in a letter to the Department of Justice asking for a full investigation, and signed by every leading civil rights group in New Jersey. In February, the Attorney Generals office filed charges against a Paterson officer who shot a fleeing suspect in the back. (Sayegh defended him, too, saying he was following the rules of force.) The city is being sued in the death of Jameek Lowery, who died in police custody in 2019. The city blames drugs, but the family says Lowery was restrained and beaten on the way to the hospital. The lawsuits cites several more cases and charges a pattern of brutality against those in mental health crises. Two officers were charged by the Department of Justice in the 2021 beating of a 19-year-old in custody, a video of which went viral. Five officers and a sergeant were convicted of robbing and beating innocent civilians during police stops over years, with the bravado to call themselves the robbery squad. The letter notes the case of Felix DeJesus, who was dropped off in a park by police a year ago and hasnt been seen since. The officers involved were suspended for turning off their body cams. There is more. But I reviewed that list with Sayegh and asked him if he still felt hes got this and doesnt need federal help. I wouldnt say its going well, he conceded. Id say its a work in progress. This is where cowardice comes in. Hes been in office for five years, he concedes that hes been unable to put this department on track in all that time, but hes still unwilling to confront his own police department and give up the reins. Peter Harvey is a former state attorney general who is overseeing the reforms in Newark. He says local political support is critical, and credits Mayor Ras Baraka and Ambrose for embracing the spirit of the effort. Most mayors, he says, resist. The local mayor loses control, Harvey says. And a lot of the mayors want to align themselves with where they see the real power is, and that is with police. Its not just the unions, but the police vote. And they can raise money. Ive heard it said often, Dont get into a fight with police. And a lot of mayors follow that rule. I reached out to the PBA in Paterson but got no reply. Sayegh talks about the expense of federal monitoring, noting that it has cost Newark more than $7 million. I asked him if he thought the transformation in Newark was worth that money. He didnt answer. In the end, this is not Sayeghs choice. If the DOJ investigates and finds a pattern and practice of bad policing that violates Constitutional rights, it can force its way in under a judicial order, or negotiate a consent decree with the locals. The reforms are spelled out with precision, along with measures of success. Federal agents would come to Paterson to oversee compliance, along with outside experts. But Sayegh could help. Paul Fishman, the U.S. Attorney who brought federal intervention to Newark, says it can be a shot of steroids for good police who want their departments to reform. Thats what happened in Newark, he says. Having the DOJ come in from the outside, take a deep look at whats wrong, and work with police and the administration to fix it, can be an extraordinarily positive thing. Its always more successful, and certainly succeeds faster, if the departments role is viewed with enthusiasm rather than resistance. After viewing the videos of the Seabrooks shooting, Id be shocked if the officers were charged for their split-second decision to fire their guns. But their supervisors should never have put them in that in position, and Sayegh wont even concede that much. Heres hoping that the Department of Justice comes to the rescue, whether Sayegh likes it or not. Maybe hell come around, like Booker, if he sees that its inevitable. More: Tom Moran columns Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or (973) 986-6951. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. The drone attack on the Russian Navys main Black Sea port of Sevastopol on 29 October represents a new phase in the modern drone war. While suicide boat attacks have been known since WWII, the recent strike demonstrates the unique value and potential of such combined attacks by unmanned aerial and surface vehicles (UAVs and USVs). According to Russian MOD, the attack involved nine unmanned aerial vehicles and seven unmanned strike boats. The Russians claim their naval forces destroyed four boats and three were destroyed from shore. Some of the boats directed their attack against the floating net boom in Yuzhnaya Bay. The Russian MOD admitted the boom was damaged by the attack. Another video captured by the USVs and released online shows the boat moving at a Russian combatant ship at high speed, with a Mi-8 helicopter engaging with machine gun fire and larger caliber fire from the shore or other vehicles splashing nearby. The attack boat managed to close in on the ship, a Project 11356R Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate. There are reports that Admiral Makarov, reportedly the Black Sea Fleets new flagship after the Project 1164 Slava-class cruiser Moskva sank in April, was damaged in the attack. The Russian Defense Ministry announced that the Natya-class minesweeper (Project 266M) Ivan Golubets of the Black Sea Fleet received minor damage in an apparent Ukrainian attack on targets in Sevastopol, Crimea. According to the Russians, the Ukrainian 73rd Marine Special Operations Center was responsible for this operation, assisted by British specialists. If the attack came from the city of Ochakov, Mykolaiv region in Ukraine, as the Russians claim, the strike force had traveled undetected to Sevastopol in Crimea, navigating +150 kilometers of rough waters at the open sea to create havoc at the protected enemy harbor. The recent attack was not the first operation of USVs in the black sea; the first discovery of such an attack boat was reported on 21 September 2022, as one such boat beached and was discovered at Omega Bay, just outside the entrance to the harbor and is in an area used by the Russian Navy. This attack caused the Russian Navy to call off patrols in the open sea and locate its vessels behind booms and barriers of the military harbor. The recent attack exploited this situation. The coordination of the air and maritime components enabled the attackers to obtain intelligence in real-time, confuse the enemy by creating chaos at the base, and enable the explosive-laden strike boats to close in on their targets with high precision, as can be seen from the videos showing the attacking boats moving at very close proximity to large naval combatants. Subscribe to read the background analysis of this operation The governor and his allies are one vote and one signature away from neutering a vital state commission -- one valued for its integrity and independence -- and turning it into a partisan cudgel. The bill scheduled for an Assembly vote Thursday would allow Gov. Murphy to unilaterally choose the officials who oversee the Election Law Enforcement Commission, the people that hire the watchdog who enforces New Jerseys campaign finance and lobbying rules. ELEC does its job well, but its days appear numbered with a bill that has been turbocharged by Democrats who monopolize power in Trenton: Murphy could stack the commission with appointees without Senate confirmation, replace its current director, and emasculate the agency by cancelling all cases that take more than two years to investigate. If this were Florida or Texas or Georgia, we know what our principle elected officials would call it: It is an obscene power grab masquerading as reform. But no matter what you call it, we have clearly arrived at the point-and-sneer phase of the Murphy Administration, where election integrity and campaign finance reform are mere phantoms. The Election Transparency Act does create a reporting system for the ubiquitous dark money groups and makes pay-to-play laws more uniform statewide these are good things but because of the power it gives to one man, the title of this bill will go down in the history of accidental comedy. We must have reform based on the foundation of public transparency, reform that secures our elections from improper influence and expands access, said Sen. Nia Gill (D-Essex), the only Democrat who voted against the bill in the upper chamber. This legislation, however, does not provide that. This legislation, in fact, provides the opposite. Across the aisle, Republicans are trying to rehinge their collective jaw. What would Democrats say if Chris Christie and a GOP-dominated Legislature tried to vitiate the agency in charge of election oversight and campaign finance investigations and called it transparency? Probably something like this: No one who voted for, or signs, this bill can ever again legitimately claim to give a damn about fair, clean and honest elections, Sen. Declan OScanlon (R-Monmouth) said. That the governor and Democratic legislative leadership can defang our elections watchdog agency without any sense of shame or fear of electoral repercussion is emblematic of whats so dramatically wrong with the balance of power in New Jersey. Two provisions in S-2866 are particularly vexing. The bill vacates the commissions four-member leadership panel three members are holdovers, and one seat is vacant and allows Murphy to make four appointments within 90 days without advice and consent from the Senate. Senate president Nick Scutari (D-Union) justified this by insisting that hes giving people what they want: People are always criticizing (senatorial) courtesy, and what were doing for this one limited time is getting rid of courtesy, he told NJ Spotlight News. An earlier version of the bill gave Murphy the authority to fire executive director Jeff Brindle directly and replace him with someone who serves at the pleasure of the governor. Now, Murphy can just get four toadies to sack the director for him. You could have, for the first time in New Jersey history, a partisan set of commissioners, said Philip Hensley of League of Women Voters, which would vastly damage the credibility and the independence of the agency. Murphy mum on lawsuit accusing him of trying to oust N.J. election watchdog, bill that could allow it https://t.co/HMUOyEVtpw njdotcom (@njdotcom) March 23, 2023 Equally revolting is a two-year limit the bill would place on ELEC to investigate complaints a ludicrous window, given its budget and staff size. Worse, the statute of limitations is retroactive: It would essentially give the states three largest Democratic political action committees a get-out-of-jail-free card: These PACs are facing potential five-figure penalties for complaints that date back to 2017, but the two-year statute would make them disappear. Dont miss an issue of our Opinion newsletter! Get it delivered each Wednesday right into your inbox by adding your email below and hitting "subscribe." In fact, roughly 80% of the current cases would vanish overnight, according to ELEC, which favors a five-year statute, down from its current 10. As ELEC chair Eric Jaso, a former federal prosecutor, wrote last week: Two years is simply an insufficient amount of time to prosecute and investigate. . . what are often-times complex cases. He added that campaign finance fraud and misconduct cases are by nature time consuming for investigators to do their jobs, and for enforcement agencies like ours to take action. That is precisely what the political players are counting on, so they will kneecap ELEC and call it reform. This political gambit began with the Murphy Administration trying to jettison Brindle, who has spent much of his laudable career speaking out against dark money of which Murphy is a willing recipient, from sources that dont disclose their identity. Brindle wrote several emails and shared items that seem to show hostility toward gays and drew complaints from a staff member. Whether that is cause for dismissal will likely be decided by the sitting commissioners Tuesday. But the bill is less about Brindle than the government he has fought so hard to keep from crawling into a political swamp. Now the independent organization that monitors our elections could soon be ruled by four county chairs, or four active campaign treasurers. This isnt just an insult to voters. It is, even New Jerseys dodgy standards, an alarming surrender to political hackery. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Three years ago, everyday life was hijacked by a disease and our lives changed, in some ways, forever. At first, it seemed like this unusually named virus would be a stutter step, that our lives would only be disrupted for a few days, maybe a week. On March 18, 2020 a normal Wednesday schools and colleges were closed, a curfew was put in place and New Jerseys National Guard was deployed. Then, two days later, on Friday, many of us packed a few items from our offices knowing we likely wouldnt be back for a couple of weeks. We had no idea that we would be gone for two years, or more. That Saturday, Gov. Phil Murphy issued an emergency order and just about everything was closed. Saturday night at the movies was postponed and Sunday Masses were canceled. There were no more hair or nail appointments, no more gym visits and no March Madness. By this time, there had been 16 COVID deaths. By the time we arrived in 2023, New Jersey had lost more than 36,000 people to COVID. Over those three years, we buried our parents and spouses, our friends and even our children. More than 3 million of us contracted the disease. Thousands who survived lost their jobs or their homes, or both. Dont miss an issue of our Opinion newsletter! Get it delivered each Wednesday right into your inbox by adding your email below and hitting "subscribe." Today, weve mostly returned to normal. And on May 11, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will finally let the public health emergency expire and officially our long nightmare will be over. So how did those three long years affect you? Did it change you mentally or physically? Did it change how you interact socially with others? Did you change how you shop? We want to know. Were hoping youll share with us 300-500 word essays about that change. Well share the best ones with our readers. At the very least, we think these essays will help us learn more about how the worst pandemic in a century affected individuals in New Jersey. But were hoping for more. We hope readers will see the extent of the impact on our communities and understand that it will take some time to heal. We may also see that some of the changes werent all bad. Please email the essays to oped@starledger.com by April 7, 2023, and include the writers full name, address and phone number. Addresses and phone numbers are kept confidential. Please include the essay in the text of the email. No attachments, please. Submissions must be exclusive to our publications and our online home, NJ.com. They may be edited, published and otherwise reused on any medium. Because of the volume of emails, we cannot always provide information on their status. Thank you, and were eager to hear what you have to say. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. By Andrew Zwicker The great Taylor Ham vs. Pork Roll debate may never be settled, but did you know that Taylor Ham was created in Trenton in 1856? Or that Albert Einstein left Nazi Germany in 1933 to live in Princeton and continue his research? Or that the lightbulb was patented by Thomas Edison in 1880 and we named an entire Central NJ town after him? Central New Jersey and yes, it does exist is not only the center of our great state but also the center of our innovation economy. From biotechnology and electronics to the development of new sources of renewable energy, the Route 1 corridor in Central New Jersey was called Einsteins Alley by former Congressman Rush Holt for a reason. Its long been a worldwide economic driver of innovation. And that tradition continues today, anchored by two of the worlds great research universities Rutgers and Princeton. The inventions that have come out of Einsteins Alley have profoundly transformed our society for the better. But the best is yet to come. This is the time for Central New Jersey to expand on its rich history of innovation through new advances in computer chip manufacturing, new fusion energy companies engaged in developing the ultimate clean energy source, and further nurturing pharmaceutical and biotechnology research that made the state the medicine chest of the world. Dont miss an issue of our Opinion newsletter! Get it delivered each Wednesday right into your inbox by adding your email below and hitting "subscribe." We can already see the expansion of Einsteins Alley taking shape in the development of the New Jersey Innovation and Technology Hub, a state-of-the-art research, innovation and technology center under construction in New Brunswick. When complete, The Hub will serve as the anchor of a vibrant economic/ technological alley stretching down to Princeton and Trenton, creating high-paying and rewarding jobs along the way. Supplement those visionary plans with the recent announcement that the NJ Economic Development Authority Evergreen Innovation Fund raised $40 million to be funneled into New Jersey startup companies. The Evergreen Fund will help provide the capital needed for these new companies to grow and thrive, transforming advances in life sciences, health care, technology, energy and so much more. And while most people know that Edison invented the lightbulb, few people are aware that research to develop the ultimate source of clean energy began more than 70 years ago in Central New Jersey, at the place where I work, the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). Princeton University Professor Lyman Spitzer started the worldwide effort to harness the power of the stars, fusion energy, at what is now known as the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in Plainsboro. Today, PPPL is not only advancing the research needed to make fusion energy a reality, we are spinning out new companies, helping to develop the next generation of computer chip manufacturing and advance quantum computing, through new public-private partnerships that advance our march toward 100% clean energy and will return a part of Silicon Valley to its birthplace: New Jersey. With the Hub and the Evergreen Fund leading the way, a highly-educated worker pool, and outstanding research-rich universities, New Jersey doesnt have to look elsewhere to realize the dreams of an expanded and thriving high-tech corridor that will energize our innovation economy, employ our people and make our state and nation stronger in the long run. New Jersey, with its long legacy of technological and scientific achievement, is moving those possibilities closer to realities. Welcome to Einsteins Alley the heart of innovation in Central New Jersey State Senator Andrew Zwicker represents the 16th Legislative District, which is located in the middle of Einsteins Alley. Zwicker is a physicist and the head of Strategic Partnerships at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Heres how to submit an op-ed or Letter to the Editor. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Roderick Stewart calls Al-Tariq Witcher his hero. Both were serving time in state prison together, and while there, Witcher became a paralegal, assisting scores of inmates with their legal problems. When Stewart left prison after 20 years, he owed over $20,000 in fines. Some, he said, were motor vehicle violations that he couldnt adjudicate from prison so the fines kept piling up. Witcher gave him a blueprint to address them so he could eventually get a job and move on. Stewarts situation is common for released prisoners. But maybe not anymore in Hudson County, which has become the first county in New Jersey to allow its correctional center to help inmates rectify violations and warrants while incarcerated. Edward Nestor, the deputy director of the Hudson County Corrections & Rehabilitation Center, promised to get it done while the inmate is still within the jail. And told me in an interview that they had been doing this for a while. They provide forms to inmates to send to courts, assist inmates to complete them and cover the postage to mail them. They will schedule video conferences with the courts and transport if needed. New Jersey Together, a lobbying group of 50 religious congregations from three counties, asked that the center post bilingual signs throughout the jail so that the inmates are aware of the assistance available while they are incarcerated. Minister Galindo King from the New Life Recovery and Reentry Program in Pompton Lakes called overcoming fines and fees a victory in Hudson County by taking a foot off a prisoners neck. On the Ides of March, Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Jersey City, was filled with joy as it hosted New Jersey Together for a celebration of the Hudson program. Some 200 people, including many former prison inmates, congratulated Hudson as the first county in the state to address outstanding warrants, fines, fees and detainers that burden released inmates before they are released. And to encourage other counties to follow Hudsons lead. Bill Lillis, a parishioner and NJT member who helped organize the event, said, What is most powerful is people telling their stories, Several, including Stewart and Witcher, did. Cora Simmons, a retired postal worker, said after her son was arrested, he was issued summons in traffic court but because the jail would not transport him to court, he was issued warrants for failure to appear. The sheriff, she recalled, would knock on her door. Eventually her son was diagnosed with cancer and was only able to clear his name because his family came together to help him. Larry Mays from Freedom House in Morristown said he is still battling $10,000 in debt. Lillis added that this is what the Gospel says. We are not visiting them in prison but these people are in need. The Rev. Laurie Wurm, rector of Grace Church Van Vorst Episcopal Church in Downtown Jersey City, talked about forgiveness in the Scriptures. She explained how a Jubilee year would restore a person to land, community and finances. She noted that the prison system bounds people but now Hudson County restores them to wholeness. NJT follows a very disciplined public meeting schedule. The event started at 3 p.m. sharp and ended before the one hour projected close. Speakers were given allotted times and clocked on how much time was left. And they were able to showcase 15 speakers. They even get politicians to commit without filibustering. Hudson County Commissioner Bill ODea of Jersey City noted how he has collaborated for five years with NJT in the area of housing. When asked, he said he would lobby Essex County, the next NJT target, to follow Hudson County to adjust prison protocols so inmates can address warrants and fines while incarcerated. For example, he noted that many of the construction trade unions require a drivers license to apprentice so motor vehicle violations must be adjudicated before they would be hired. Nestor recounted how when he was a Jersey City police captain heading the West District, former inmates would come in explaining that they would accumulate three or four warrants while they were in jail. He admitted upon investigation that these were mistakes. Carol Harris, an OLS parishioner and NJT member, said that what they were celebrating that day was not just an implementation of a program but addressing social justice issues. Witcher now leads the Returning Citizens Support Group in Newark and says he helps people with life after incarceration. His group stresses reentry, education, workforce, and business development as a community hub. The initiative to address this issue started when NJT met with the leaders of the Hudson County Corrections & Rehabilitation Center, the Hudson County Prosecutor, the Public Defenders Office and the county Department of Housing and Community Reintegration, all of which are cooperating in this effort. Legislation will be needed to end all inappropriate fines and fees, but this collaborative approach creates a real opportunity for progress, NJT organizers Michael Stanley and Boris Franklin wrote in a joint press release. Rabbi Elliott Tepperman from Bnai Keshet in Montclair highlighted how NJT brings people together to tackle some of the larger problems communities face so we multiply our power. He cited their 2016 accomplishment by getting the state to commit $1 billion for toxic cleanup. Lillis was proud how this measure will help released inmates who have done their time. We as a community are doing justice for them, he said. The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, NJ 07030. Email: padrealex@yahoo.com; Twitter: @padrehoboken. North Jersey is the most competitive rental market in the country, according to a report by RentCafe.com. A housing shortage with only a 0.3% increase in apartment inventory, and 72% of renters choosing to renew their lease made it so that an average of 12 people were competing for an apartment in 2023. The report found that its twice as hard for renters to land an apartment in North Jersey as it is in Manhattan, where six people were competing for each apartment. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. You can help preserve a sweet slice of New Orleans culinary history by donating to the Southern Food and Beverage Museums effort to save a historic McKenzies bakery neon sign. McKenzies Pastry Shoppes, as the locally owned chain was known, were a fixture in New Orleans from the 1920s through the 2000s. The business was founded a century ago by Daniel Entringer, who opened his first store in Biloxi in 1923. When he opened a location on New Orleans Canal Street in 1925, Entringer hired Henry McKenzie to run it. McKenzie also opened his own bakery in the 4900 block of Prytania Street. Today the Prytania store is the site of Creole Creamery. The McKenzies name and neon sign remain on the building. In 1936, McKenzie sold the business to Entringer, who kept McKenzies name because of his reputation and because he believed it would be easier for customers to pronounce. Entringers sons and grandson eventually took over the business, which expanded to more than 50 retail outlets offering more than 200 products, including all sorts of pies, cakes, cookies and doughnuts. King cake became a popular item in the 1930s when McKenzies popularized the use of plastic baby dolls in king cakes. The bakery chain closed in 2000. The name remains at local Tastee Donuts locations, which sell items made using the McKenzies recipes. When the Southern Food and Beverage Museum learned of another authentic, fully restored McKenzies neon sign, it launched a campaign to raise money to buy it and add it to its collection. Donors will be invited to an unveiling reception at the museum on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard and be among the first to see the sign at its new home. Find out more at southernfood.kindful.com. The US Army recently completed rigorous testing on the Iron Fist Active Protection System (APS) that showed significantly improved results over previous tests. The testing completed in October 2022 of the Iron Fist Light Decoupled (IFLD) system demonstrated improvements in both durability and system effectiveness, compared to the previous testing on the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle. In 2016, the Army chose to test the Iron Fist Lightweight Decoupled System to protect its medium- and light-armored vehicles. Initial testing in 2018 was set to validate the vendors (General Dynamics and Elbit Systems, Inc.) performance claims. The US Congress provided additional funding in the fiscal year 2022, toward the goal of equipping an entire Army brigade of Bradley vehicles in 2025 with continued funding. The Army is very pleased with the improved performance of this system, said Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the Armys program executive officer for Ground Combat Systems. The software improvements since 2018 are more consistent and stable. We see continued future growth opportunities for the system, but this active protection system better protects our soldiers and vehicles on the battlefield. Subscribe to read the full article The Iron Fist system consists of optical sensors, radar, and lightweight explosive projectile interceptors that counter-launch toward an incoming airborne threat such as a missile. The projectile explodes near the threat and away from the vehicle, deterring or defeating the threat while minimizing explosion damage to the vehicle and the soldiers. The Iron Fist has also been selected for the protection of Australian armored vehicles for the new Boxer reconnaissance vehicles and under the Land 400 phase 3, the Dutch CV9030NL upgrade, the Czech new CV9030CZ, and the Israeli Eitan 88 armored personnel carrier. After a day-long search, police arrested a suspect Saturday in Friday evening's fatal hit and run on Federal Boulevard. Police arrested Francisco Duenas-Colmenares, 42, in the 5300 block of West Alameda Avenue in Lakewood, according to a Denver Police Department tweet at 4:33 p.m. Police have not released a mug shot of Duenas-Colmenares. The vehicle was impounded and held for processing and Duenas-Colmenares will be held on charges of leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, according to the tweet. Officers responded to the hit-and-run crash at North Federal Boulevard and West 14th Avenue Friday evening around 8:20 p.m., according to the Denver Police Department. The area is just southwest of Mile High Stadium. The pedestrian died and the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner will release the victim's identity and cause of death. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation released a Medina Alert Saturday morning for the suspect vehicle. Another week, another public-school shooting. This time at Denvers East High School. Watching the TV coverage, I saw angry parents berating Denvers mayor and chief of police for not protecting their children. Mothers screaming about the cops not being there! I know people are hurting and are in pain. I wish I could say this gingerly. I cant. These parents specifically, and Denver voters generally, are acting like children having a tantrum. And they need to grow up or our cities, and really the whole state, might never grow out of this it isnt fair tantrum. Let me focus in on a hand-made sign Ive seen in the Gazettes coverage of East High School students rallies for gun control. For weeks these kids have played the useful idiots. A kid is holding a sign that reads, I want to FEEL safe. This is the perfect symbol for not only the gun control movement but so much of the police/sentencing/social justice reform that has passed throughout the state and cities. Like children, adults want to FEEL safe. But sadly, adults dont want to BE safe. Being safe requires facing some ugly, hard, sometimes painful stuff. Emotional placebos like taking away guns from people who are not criminals FEELS safe and might soothe tantrums, but it wont help you BE safe. By the way, I say this as a guy who used to support and give money to anti-gun groups. I used to throw those tantrums. I know of what I speak. Now back to East High. When he and his police chief were being verbally bludgeoned by parents for not having cops at the school, Mayor Hancock dared to utter a simple, undeniable fact it was the Denver Public School Board that voted to remove all police, school resource officers (SROs), from their schools, not he, not the police chief. Sign Up For Free: Gazette Opinion Receive updates from our editorial staff, guest columnists, and letters from Gazette readers. Sent to your inbox 12:00 PM. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. The angry mob didnt care. They wanted to FEEL safe. They demanded more placebos, oh, and his head. This term-limited mayor missed a teachable moment to end an emotional tantrum. Without a re-election to lose, imagine if an Ive-had-enough Hancock pointed a righteous finger at the crowd and responded this way: Listen, crazy people. You got what you vote for. Dont yell at me. Dont yell at the chief of police. YOU voted for a school board who kicked our police out of your schools. YOU elected Tay Anderson, Scott Balderman, Angela Cocian, Brad Laurvick, Barbara OBrien, Carrie Olsen and Jennifer Bacon. Yell at them. Better yet, look in the mirror and scream obscenities at that idiot for voting in crazed socialists who hate the police. Because that person is insane. Look what you have done to this once beautiful and safe city. So, grow the F up and start blaming yourself for the way you vote. And take some responsibility. I found myself arguing with the TV screen elections have consequences. You elect a police-hating school board that kicks the cops out of schools then youre angry a cop isnt there when a shooter comes in. So, blame the police? You elect officials who change the laws so criminals dont get locked up anymore, and then get angry when your car gets stolen? Is it mass cognitive dissonance? Developmental delay on a societal scale? Are we in a Twilight Zone episode? Colorado law mandates every child be forced into a government-run facility for seven hours a day. It is conscription under the guise of education. If youre rich enough to send your kid to private school or home school, you can keep your kid somewhere safer. The point? If government is going to take the most precious thing in our lives, our offspring, for seven hours a day, their first priority MUST be to keep them safe. Not to just make them, or us, FEEL safe. When the lockdowns were just starting, I then wrote locking kids up and taking them away from their peers, activities, teachers and professionals who can see them in trouble and get them help would end later in violence. I wasnt alone in seeing this. Why are we surprised now? I fear we are not close to the end demanding government make us FEEL safe. Many, many will die before we even start the conversation demanding we BE safe. Jon Caldara is president of the Independence Institute in Denver and hosts The Devils Advocate with Jon Caldara on Colorado Public Television Channel 12. You are clearly a super-user of NUVO.net. Thats a good thing. It means you depend on independent and local news sources to keep you informed. You are a smart person. Coincidentally, independent and local news sources depend on you too. Youve read 25 articles this month and now, wed like you to be join our mission and become a NUVO Supporter. For as little as $4 a month, you can keep us alive and fighting -- and can have unlimited access to the independent news that cant be found anywhere else. Northwest Indiana is catching the eye of more than a few national companies and investors interested in expanding clean industries in our region. What does that mean for the collective us?" For more than a decade, we in East Chicago have been answering that question with a vision for the future of our city. That blue-sky thinking is followed by the hard work: ambitious planning and strategies to maximize whats next. The future is now East Chicago is casting off the yoke of its past remediating former heavy industrial sites to make them suitable for new businesses, even re-planting long-gone prairies along the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal. The result: the city is creating clean zones in what had been heavily polluted soils, oxygen-producing spaces which now attract butterflies, birds, waterfowl, deer and water-loving mammals. These green spaces are just as pivotal to realizing our vision for East Chicago as are spaces where brick-and-mortar buildings are being constructed. Contaminated soils have been trucked off-site for disposal, replaced with clean dirt. The acreage is ready to welcome new income-producing businesses, a vital step in the transformation. Surging forward Our goal is to make East Chicago a hub where city government, commerce and residential development meet to create the most walkable, workable, livable and lovable city in the region. Ten years into the plan we are seeing an evolution in our community. Blessed with responsible corporate citizens like Cleveland Cliffs, BP and St. Catherine Hospital we are building on long-term successes. At the same time, we are welcoming new corporations who found us when they were looking to expand. These businesses chose to build here for everything East Chicago has to offer massive infrastructure projects, easy access to other markets via upgraded transportation corridors like the Cline Avenue toll bridge and easy access to an eager job force via the expanded South Shore. Two companies from outside the region that chose to build new corporate spaces here Manhattan Mechanical and the 4400 Homerlee logistics center are bringing new jobs. Word-of-mouth about their great experience in working with the city is opening new doors for greater opportunities for the regional economy. Those very same businesses create demand, which has sparked the growth of mom-and-pop stores in East Chicago. Dozens of restaurants and service-oriented businesses have taken root here and were grateful. Committing to families Our young families are looking for places where housing is attractive and affordable, streets are safe, opportunities for good-paying jobs are within walking/biking distance or just a quick commuter-train ride away, and recreational opportunities abound. Add to that, being able to enjoy beautiful Lake Michigan beaches just minutes from home These individuals are part of the up-and-coming generation that realizes the value of a days wage as much as they do the satisfaction of spending time with family and friends. East Chicago is deliberate in its intention of providing that total package. North Harbor was our first wholesale neighborhood renovation where we took a page from a very successful playbook where families were able to live within walking distance of eateries, shopping local pharmacies and doctors, coffee shops and parks. Todays families want that and more. They want living spaces that fit their lifestyles, needs and pocketbooks. They want that sense of community, where they can belong, where sitting on a stoop and welcoming visitors as they walk by is part of their day. They want to live in communities that care about environmental stewardship. Next up: an exterior renovation program in Marktown. Built as a company enclave for workers, more than a century ago, the cozy neighborhood that was built in Tudor Revival style is in need of a facelift. The city is providing the infrastructure and creating a grant program to provide home owners up to $40,000 for such things as new roofs, windows and doors. An invitation I congratulate all of our city and town leaders for making strides to bolster the region. Its exciting to watch dynamic growth as what I'm seeing here. Expansion of the South Shore is a godsend to the region. Its good for all of us. I invite leaders to meet anytime and anyplace to share ideas. Collaboration really is the key to the success of Northwest Indiana. TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. A federal review of plans for a Great Lakes oil pipeline tunnel will take more than a year longer than originally planned, officials said Thursday, likely delaying completion of the project if approved until 2030 or later. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had intended to release a draft report later this year on how the proposed tunnel beneath Michigan's Straits of Mackinac would affect the environment. Enbridge Energy wants it to house a section of its Line 5 oil pipeline that crosses the bottom of the straits connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. But under the new timeline, the report won't be issued until spring 2025. An approval decision would be expected in early 2026. The Corps' Detroit district office said it revised the schedule after receiving more than 17,000 public comments during an initial "scoping" period. The agency in December ordered Enbridge to redo measurement of wetlands that could be damaged from roads and structures for tunnel construction. "We greatly appreciate the meaningful input received throughout scoping and will use this information to shape studies and continuing consultations throughout development of our draft environmental impact statement," District Commander Lt. Col. Brett Boyle said. The slowdown is a setback for a project that Enbridge originally planned to complete as early as next year, spending about $500 million. Mike Fernandez, a senior vice president of the Canadian company based in Calgary, Alberta, told The Associated Press the cost has risen but did not have a new estimate. The new timeline could push tunnel completion to 2030. "It's really, really disappointing," Fernandez said in an interview ahead of the Corps' announcement, adding that the delay "flies in the face" of the Biden administration's pledge to quicken environmental permitting for infrastructure projects. "To borrow a phrase from the president when he was running, we want to build back better and sooner," Fernandez said. "But right now, it appears that the federal government, or at least the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has not gotten that message." He said Enbridge remains committed to the tunnel for the underwater segment of Line 5 that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, environmental groups and Native American tribes want shut down. They contend the nearly 4-mile section is vulnerable to a rupture. Line 5 moves about 23 million gallons of oil and natural gas liquids daily between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario. Enbridge insists the nearly 70-year-old dual pipes are in good condition and monitored regularly. But the company agreed in 2018 with Whitmer's predecessor, Republican Rick Snyder, to drill a tunnel that would encase a new pipeline section in concrete. Many Line 5 critics also oppose the tunnel, even though Whitmer's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy granted a permit. Opponents say it would risk water pollution and promote continued reliance on fossil fuels, which generate planet-warming gases. The Bay Mills Indian Community, based in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, says construction near the straits would harm sensitive wetlands, rare plants and cultural artifacts. Tribal aquatic biologist Brad Wesolek said he raised concerns with the Corps during a September visit to the area and was convinced Enbridge had undercounted wetlands that would be affected. "It's a very unique site," Wesolek said. "It has plants and animals that are only found in the Great Lakes." The shorelines host a plant community called limestone bedrock glade, he said, which the Michigan Natural Features Inventory labels imperiled. The plants include the dwarf lake iris and Houghton's goldenrod, both listed as threatened. The proposed construction zone has resources of cultural significance, said Whitney Gravelle, the Bay Mills tribal president. "It's where we went historically for trade," she said. "It's where we performed ceremony. It's where we would have our fishing camps and our hunting camps." Enbridge says its onshore work would damage less than a half-acre of wetlands. But in a Dec. 21 letter, the Army Corps said its September inspection and other evidence showed more work was needed to confirm that. Fernandez said the Enbridge will conduct another survey but said the initial one was thorough. The tribe recently asked an administrative law judge to invalidate the state tunnel permit, saying it had relied on faulty wetlands information. "It needs to be redone or completely thrown away," said Debbie Chizewer, an attorney with Earthjustice, an environmental law firm representing Bay Mills. Enbridge also awaits a ruling from the Michigan Public Service Commission on its request to relocate the underwater pipeline segment. The commission last July requested more information about tunnel engineering and hazards. "As we continue to delve into this permit process, we're going to find more evidence of why this tunnel should not be built," Gravelle said. Fernandez said impeding the tunnel project will only lengthen the time that oil flows through the straits pipes. The company has rejected Whitmer's order to shut down Line 5. Two lawsuits over its future are ongoing. Pro-tunnel groups criticized the Corps' new schedule. "Every month the project is delayed pushes this important economic and environmental investment down the line," said Brian Calley, president and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan. NEW BUFFALO Whether to allow the sale of marijuana in New Buffalo is now up to the City Council to decide. The New Buffalo Planning Commission voted 3 to 1 last week to recommend approval of a zoning ordinance specifying where marijuana shops can locate in the city. City Manager Darwin Watson said the council will begin the process next month of deciding whether to grant final approval to the proposed zoning ordinance, which would legalize the sale of marijuana in the city. Unless amended, the zoning ordinance would allow marijuana shops to locate in select locations primarily on the far east and far south sides of the city. Communities were given the option to allow for the sale of marijuana after voters statewide in 2018 chose to make the drug legal for retail distribution in Michigan. New Buffalo decided not to allow for the sale of marijuana but started considering it after taking a survey that disclosed registered voters in the city, by about a 2 to 1 margin, favored legalizing marijuana. Planning Commission Chairman Paul Billingslea said he believes the proposed zoning ordinance accomplishes what he and his colleagues set out to do. That was to follow the wishes of citizens while not allowing marijuana to be sold in locations highly visible to the general public, such as downtown. We tried to develop a zoning plan that keeps this on the edge of town in areas that are not highly occupied right now. We think this strikes the best balance, he said. Specifically, the proposed ordinance prohibits marijuana dispensaries from being within 1,000 feet of a school or church or adjacent to residentially zoned areas. The sale of marijuana would also be prohibited within the citys central business district. It probably captures what we discussed previously, said Planning Commission member Roxanne Rau. Its exactly what we discussed, said Debbie Schmidt, another member of the commission. Voting against the favorable recommendation was Mark Joseph, who believes allowing for the sale of marijuana would be a mistake. Joseph said marijuana is not viewed as seriously as it once was, but it still poses a risk to the physical and mental health of users. He also pointed to studies that show higher motor vehicle accident rates in communities where its legal. He said that legalizing marijuana sets a bad example for youth. Im from the generation that saw marijuana make the leap from the underbelly of society to being accepted. Ive seen too many people who have used it as a gateway drug and helped bury a couple of them, Joseph said. Mayor John Humphrey said the City Council could make some minor changes, like requiring marijuana shops be a certain distance from each other, before voting on the proposed zoning ordinance. Humphrey said the council will also review the regulations governing the operation of marijuana shops in Michigan before deciding whether to allow it to be sold here. Theres still a lot of discussion to be had. Thats where were at, he said. Watson said the earliest the council can begin the final decision-making process is during its next regularly scheduled meeting April 17. He said the matter could be decided in July or August if there are no delays in the process, which require public hearings on the proposed ordinance prior to a vote. The retail sale of marijuana is already legal in nearby communities such as Three Oaks, Buchanan and Niles. Gallery: The Times Photos of the Week Boys Class 4A Semi-State basketball semi-finals Boys Class 4A Semi-State basketball semi-finals 031923-spt-bbk-jeffsemi_12 031923-spt-bbk-jeffsemi_2 Crown Point's St. Patrick's Day parade Crown Point's St. Patrick's Day parade Crown Point's St. Patrick's Day parade Crown Point's St. Patrick's Day parade Crown Point's St. Patrick's Day parade Crown Point's St. Patrick's Day parade Lake Central students go bald for charity Lake Central students go bald for charity Going bald for a cause Bald for a Cause in Crown Point Bald for a Cause in Crown Point Appeals on Wheels comes to Andrean High School Appeals on Wheels comes to Andrean High School Appeals on Wheels comes to Andrean High School Tolleston Opportunity Hub Tolleston Opportunity Hub Radio-controlled flyers take to the sky at the Sparta Dome Radio-controlled flyers take to the sky at the Sparta Dome Radio-controlled flyers take to the sky at the Sparta Dome Radio-controlled flyers take to the sky at the Sparta Dome Radio-controlled flyers take to the sky at the Sparta Dome LOFS fire force looks for, trains recruits LOFS fire force looks for, trains recruits LOFS fire force looks for, trains recruits Gallery HTML code Deanna Raybourn takes us back to Victorian times in Sinister Revenge, the latest novel in her Veronica Speedwell series. Speedwell, a scientist, lepidopterist or butterfly collector, and lady adventurer, has traveled to Bavaria in search of Revelstoke Stoker Templeton-Vane (called Stoker for short), her lover and scientific partner, who understandably is upset to learn that her husband whom she presumed dead, is still very much alive. Upon finding out the news, he leaves the country and now seems to have completely disappeared. Traveling with Speedwell is Stokers brother, Viscount Tiberius Templeton-Vane, and the two, while dining at a Bavarian inn hear the landlord talk about a disagreeable encounter he had with a wolf-like man they believe may have found Stoker. But theres more going on than just a missing lover and brother. Tiberius has received death threats tied to an incident that occurred years ago and he needs his brothers help in unraveling the mystery in order to save his life. Raybourn, a New York Times bestselling author and sixth generation Texan, knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer. Influenced by such women writers as Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, Agatha Christie, and even Jane Austen, she describes her books as mysteries with enough romance to keep readers who like both genres happy. There was never a time when I didnt make up stories, she says, adding that she remembers being thrilled when she finally learned how to print so she could get them out of her head. There was also the time where she missed out an entire school lesson because she was busy writing a story about Marie Antoinette. That might explain why she is a prolific author, having written not only eight Speedwell novels but also the Lady Julia Grey series, which are also historical fiction. Besides that she has stand alone novels including last years Killers of a Certain Age about a band of female assassins who are over 60. Her Speedwell character is like many of the resolute women found in the pages of history and is inspired in part by Margaret Fountaine, a Victorian era lepidopterist who Raybourn says traveled the world collecting both butterflies and lovers. Both Fountaine and Speedwell are nothing like what people expect Victorian to be like, says Raybourn. Fountaine was dynamic and intriguing, she says. She was my inspiration for Veronica. When Breanne Zolfo was a young girl, she yearned for a platform to make a difference. A difference like my parents made, by giving back to the community, she said. I remember my parents would buy food or clothes to help those less fortunate. My dad always made giving a priority. As an adult, the Crown Point native transformed her life to emulate her parents and to make community her priority. Zolfo purchased a fire-damaged building at 1 N. Court St. for $126,001 at a sheriffs sale. She was the only who showed up that day, she said. Her only business plan was to rent it out, which she did the first two years. I wasnt exactly sure what kind of business to start, she told me in 2018 when we first met. On a vacation to Florida, she met a business owner who was retiring from his coffeehouse. Zolfo offered to buy his equipment for her new business venture, Cafe Fresco, though she knew nothing about the coffeehouse industry. Her unique coffeehouse offered more than just beverages. It offered community-minded kindness to strangers. A tip jar was used to help anyone in need. Clothes for a foster kid. A lawn mower for an older woman. A bicycle for a jobless man. Community Love was born. A chalkboard on the back wall encouraged customers to share positive messages for others. The idea spread into kindness sleeves that wrapped around the beverages. Pay for a strangers coffee, one sleeve stated. Donate food to a pantry, another one stayed. The idea also wrapped itself around the small cafe that began percolating a welcoming vibe, one cup of inspiration at a time. Thousands of cups later, community love was on tap at Cafe Fresco. Her cafe was honored with a Community Involvement Award from the city for its outstanding contributions to the Region. Im just a vessel, Zolfo told me at the time, crediting God for her success. I just want to give back to my community. No strings attached. No ulterior motives. Living up to her ideals, Zolfo wasnt the person who contacted me about her brilliant idea. It was one of her customers, Martin Oleksy, of Cedar Lake You should hear her story, he told me. I did and I wrote about it. We read your column on Breanne and we just had to meet her for our show, Joe Annunziato said. Hes a producer for CBS This Morning, the nationally televised news show based in New York City. In early 2019, a news crew from the show, along with correspondent Meg Oliver, shadowed Zolfo for a day for its segment, A More Perfect Union. Zolfo became a national media darling and her cafe became ground zero for Community Love, the platform she once dreamed about as a girl. Her project has created food and hygiene pantries in three Crown Point schools, providing a location for students to obtain basic consumer goods they otherwise could not afford. Other outreach programs in the project have similar objectives of kindness and compassion. One thing this country needs right now, we need to help others when there is nothing in it for us, she told me recently. We need to pay it forward because we believe - seemingly against all indications to the contrary - that maybe they, too, will pay it forward. Theyve been paying it forward for 10 years now at Cafe Fresco, which recently finalized the registered trademark for its Community Love logo. It encapsulates a coffee shop with a mission of community service at its heart, said Oleksy, a professional branding strategist. Cafe Frescos community-centered mission statement could be used as a template for our entire Region, Oleksy said. The brand will thrive and survive by strength of the community, he said. If the brand connects and serves a thriving community, it will grow with it, while highlighting itself as a non-chain entity. If the community has proud roots, such as the Region, these roots will grow together. However, if a community does not have a strong self-identity, the brand may never stand much of a chance. Especially if they desire outside validation, Oleksy said. The local will be out-shadowed by a national chain and the coveted prestige that may accompany it. Zolfo realizes that inspiring people and encouraging them can literally change the direction of their life. (Watch a video in her own words at NWI.com.) It can empower not only a person but an entire community, she said. Then a region and eventually a nation. Our cafes mission of community was a spark that soon spread like wildfire because we wholeheartedly believed in our mission. And we knew how many people were struggling to be a part of something greater than them. Zolfo has come a long way since watching her parents change the world, one gesture at a time. You know what's not going to change the world? Sweeping generalizations about people you've never met, Zolfo said. You know what is going to change the world? Bettering one person's day and letting the ripple take care of the rest. MICHIGAN CITY The Plan Commission will soon consider a proposal to build the citys first new subdivision in more than a half-century, Mayor Duane Parry said. Village Green was developed in 1955 by Tonn & Blank, which did everything from putting in the infrastructure to building the houses, Parry said. Now the company is focused on much larger construction projects. We are ripe for development. We really are, he said. Clarence Hulse, executive director of the Michigan City Economic Development Corp., and other leaders have long advocated for a mix of new housing units in the city. The Double Track NWI project is increasing demand and supply. Before summer, we will see passenger trains moving through town that are bringing us 60 to 70 minutes from Chicago, Parry said. How about that? Parry says the rail project will bring 5,000 to 10,000 new residents to the city. Before fall, construction will begin on a massive building that will take up the entire city block where the previous South Shore Line station once stood. The citys $100 million station will include a parking garage with more than 500 spaces, 220 apartments, and commercial and retail space. The terra cotta facade from the previous train station was carefully dismantled and will be incorporated into the new structure. Just east of City Hall, where the police station and a newspaper office once were, a You Are Beautiful sign has been placed on property set to become a $240 million hotel development with two luxury hotels, condos and retail space. The 13-story development near the entrance to Washington Park will offer views of Lake Michigan. Plans call for two pools, one of them on the rooftop. It will provide tax revenue to the city that the city doesnt currently have, Parry said, plus 360 new jobs. Other housing developments have either been announced or will be soon. Michigan City is just bursting. Its really heartwarming to be a part of it, Parry said. Business is doing well, too. Small breweries are appearing and growing. Michigan City drinkers are shifting to local brewers products, he said, and abandoning the major national brands. Thats happening today, right here in Michigan City. Thats really happening. Restaurants are opening in the city, and demand for large buildings is so high that Hulse has urged the City Council to be business-friendly when developers ask for land to be annexed so they can build structures. Business in America is evolving, and Michigan City is positioned in the right location, Parry said. For HealthLinc, that includes a new structure behind Ivy Tech Community Colleges campus to expand services available to Michigan City residents. The proximity to Ivy Tech is no fluke: Ivy Tech plans to expand its health care training programs to feed HealthLinc and other employers. Parry is also proud of Hulse and city planner Skyler York, who are doing the heavy lifting for economic development and redevelopment and are yielding great results. He's proud of the citys many attractions. The Lighthouse Museum draws compliments from everyone who visits there, Parry said. And the Barker Foundation is spending big bucks to restore Barker Mansion. Fasten your seat belts. We are catapulting Michigan City right from the past, through the present and into the future. Holly Mitchell is The Lakeside Schools new head of school. Mitchell has a Masters of Educational Leadership and Administration and Supervision of Curriculum from Troy University. She has served as the vice principal of Hidden Lake Elementary and Highlands Elementary in Dothan and as the director of Curriculum and Instruction for the Eufaula City Schools for the past five years. Mitchell has been a classroom teacher as well as a regional specialist for the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI). I am honored and humbled to begin a new chapter at The Lakeside School. Lakeside has a long-standing commitment to providing quality in academics and social development. I look forward to partnering with the staff, students and families to continue the tradition of excellence and core values while continuing to create leaders, scholars and champions that are vital to our school and community, Mitchell said. Mitchell is married to Chris Mitchell of Eufaula. They have two children, Gray and Katherine, who will be a junior and sophomore respectively at The Lakeside School. Mitchell attends First Methodist Church and is an active member of Christ Child Circle, the Barbour County Auburn Club and the Eufaula Heritage Association. She is also the co-director of the Greater Eufaula Chapter of the National League of Junior Cotillion. CROWN POINT On a chilly, rainy March morn 89 years ago, the notorious bank robber John Dillinger, Public Enemy No. 1, ate breakfast at the supposedly escape-proof Lake County Jail in Crown Point and then was moved to an open corridor for exercise with the other inmates. He lay in wait while jail turnkey Sam Cahoon unlocked the door to the cell block. Dillinger jammed a wooden gun into his gut. He threatened to put a bullet in him. Cahoon did what he was told. The rest, as they say, is history. Dillinger staged one of the most daring and infamous jailbreaks in American history. The Old Sheriff's House Foundation has been doing more restoration work to preserve the historic site of Dillinger's escape. It's about to kick off another season of programming at the Old Sheriff's House and Lake County Jail at 226 S. Main St. in Crown Point, starting with an art fair and presentation by a clairvoyant medium next month. "When they had the Dillinger Museum in the courthouse, it was controversial because some people said it was glorifying a criminal and there was no need to talk about a criminal," said Sandy Boyd, president of the Old Sheriff's House Foundation. "But it's part of our history. There's so much history in the Old Sheriff's House and Jail." The historic site also holds secrets. Unanswered questions remain about Dillinger's escape from the Old Lake County Jail in March 1934. "The truth is lost to history whether it was a wooden gun or a real gun," Boyd said. "Lillian Holley, the sheriff at the time, suggested a gun was smuggled in to him. ... He and some of the other inmates claimed he whittled a gun, either out of a washboard or out of soap. It's all lost to history. A lot of different books have different theories." No one had ever previously escaped from the Lake County Jail. Dillinger was sent there after allegedly gunning down patrolman William Patrick O'Malley when the Dillinger gang robbed the First National Bank in downtown East Chicago with Tommy guns concealed in music cases. O'Malley shot Dillinger, who was wearing a bulletproof vest. "The Dillinger gang robbed police stations to get guns and bulletproof vests for their bank robberies," Boyd said. Bullet holes from the robbery remained visible in the doorway of the bank until it was torn down in 2003 to make way for a Walgreens pharmacy. Dillinger got away with $20,000 from the bank robbery and made his way to Arizona, where he was eventually tracked down and arrested. He was extradited to Northwest Indiana, where he had previously served a lengthy prison term at the state penitentiary in Michigan City. "Dillinger was brought into criminal cell blocks that were built as an addition in 1929," Boyd said. "They were state-of-the-art and fairly new in 1934. James 'Fur' Sammons, one of Al Capone's top hitmen, was kept there and nothing happened. Security was critical, especially with the Dillinger gang, which was known for jailbreaks." The Lake County and Porter County sheriff's departments both lent Tommy guns to the jail so it would be ready if the Dillinger gang tried anything. Instead, Dillinger and fellow inmate Herbert Youngblood, his accomplice in the jailbreak, stole the Thompson submachine guns when they made their escape. Youngblood potentially faced the electric chair. Other inmates originally planned to escape but feared that Dillinger's reputation would put targets on their backs. "The other inmates were going to escape but changed their minds and went back to their cells," Boyd said. "They feared the FBI would come to get them too if they were with Dillinger." Dillinger ordered Cahoon to call over other jailers, starting with Deputy Ernest Blunk, who took the prisoner's fingerprints. Dillinger and Youngblood ended up locking up 14 jailers, including the warden, in cells one by one by calling them over and sticking the wooden gun in their backs. "Blunk called them to come back to the cell block and they rounded them all up," she said. "He was questioned extensively afterward and never confessed or was convicted of any conspiracy." They kept Blunk as a hostage and made their way out to the garage on Main Street, running through downtown Crown Point with machine guns in hand. They asked for the fastest car, which happened to be Lillian Holley's 1933 Ford V-8. Dillinger and Youngblood disabled the other cars in the garage by tampering with the distributor caps so they couldn't be followed. They also took mechanic Ed Saeger hostage while making their getaway. They drove to St. John in the rain and snow, stopping to put chains on the tires. They then released the hostages, allegedly giving Saeger a few bucks to head back to Crown Point. Dillinger and Youngblood made their way to Chicago, which Boyd said may have been a fatal mistake. "Crossing state lines made it a federal offense," she said. "The FBI came after him. Four months later, he was gunned down by FBI agents at the Biograph Theater in Chicago." Youngblood also was shot dead by police just a few weeks later in Port Huron, Michigan. Many questions lingered for years, like why Dillinger wasn't in solitary confinement, why the warden's wife called in the wrong plate number and why Cahoon was allowed to open the cell without any guards present. "He was like Otis on Andy Griffith," Boyd said. "He was responsible for cleanup and mopping up the place." Dillinger's escape haunted Crown Point for years. "There was a lot of public outcry," Boyd said. "People sent letters to Clown Point, Indiana, and Wooden Gun, Indiana, and the post office delivered them. For a long time, nobody talked about it." The jailbreak also tarnished the reputation of Holley, who became Indiana's first female sheriff after her husband Roy Holley was killed when responding to a property dispute and she was asked to finish out his term. She had to send her twin girls away to go to school. "She still had such grace. She's one of my role models," Boyd said. "She finished her term of office, bought the Holley house and continued to live her life in Crown Point. She helped fix the clock on the courthouse and lived to 103 years old when she died in 1993. She was amazing." The Old Sheriff's House and Lake County Jail has been looking for somewhere to potentially display Holley's car, which recently made a homecoming during a parade in 2021 after it was recovered from a private owner in Maine. But the garage is occupied and a property that would have been perfect for the display got snapped up off the market, Boyd said. The Old Sheriff's House Foundation has recently completed more work to restore the building. It redid the upstairs, restored the plaster, and painted the floors, the bathroom and the master bedroom. It installed new windows, did tuckpointing and completed structural work on the building. The nonprofit restoration group also installed a new timeline in the museum portion explaining the history, including the term of every sheriff to serve there between 1888 and 1958. Boyd continues to make new discoveries during her research, such as that Gary serial killer Anna Cunningham and the notorious gangster Frank McErlane were imprisoned there. McErlane was a rival of Capone's who was credited as the first person to introduce the Tommy gun to Chicago. He was locked up after shooting prominent Crown Point attorney Thaddeus S. Fancher in the head at random, Boyd said. McErlane was challenged to prove his marksmanship, and Fancher, for whom Fancher Lake at the Lake County Fairgrounds is named, happened to be sitting at the other end of the bar. He was never convicted of the murder after the main witness was beaten to death. "Our proximity to Chicago made us a nest of crime over here," Boyd said. The Old Sheriff's House Foundation offers tours of the Old Sheriff's House and Lake County Jail between May and September, typically on Saturdays and by appointment. It hosts ghost tours and a haunted house around Halloween. On April 22 and 23, it will host its second annual NWI Art Show from 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. More than 30 artists will display and sell paintings, photography, pottery, ceramics and crafts. "There's a huge variety," Boyd said. "It's upstairs in the big cellblock. You can walk right into the cells. There's nothing like it." The event is free to the public, but the Old Sheriff's House Foundation will accept donations to pay for the historic preservation. It also will sell lunch boxes with hot dogs and chips that can be eaten outside in a grassy area to raise funds. That weekend clairvoyant medium Rebecca Foster will do a presentation on the third floor from 3 to 5 p.m. April 22. Tickets are available at godstool.com or at the door. On May 27, the foundation will have a concert with live rock music, a cash bar and finger food. Boyd expects the yet-to-be-announced band will play a cover of Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" given the venue. People also are welcome to attend the annual members meeting at 6 p.m. April 5 if they're interested in joining the cause and becoming members of the preservationist group. "We are privately owned and raise all our own funds," Boyd said. "Everything goes back to the restoration work." For more information, visit oldsheriffshouse.org or find Old Sheriff's House Foundation on Facebook To underscore the celebratory atmosphere surrounding the long-awaited visit by South Koreas president this week, Japans prime minister hosted not just one, but two, dinners on Thursday night in Tokyo. Shortly after Yoon Suk Yeol, of South Korea, told reporters that frozen ties should be thawed and Fumio Kishida, of Japan, hailed a new chapter in their long-fraught relationship, they went with their wives to a traditional restaurant in Tokyos luxury Ginza district. The two leaders then broke off for a more casual meal of omurice, a popular dish of an omelet layered over fried rice. The Yomiuri Shimbun, Japans largest newspaper, noted that Mr. Kishida and Mr. Yoon were so relaxed that they reportedly took off their jackets and ties as they ate and drank. Underlying the conviviality of the first bilateral summit to be held in Japan in a dozen years was the question of how long the fragile truce between the two countries will last. Both sides have made good-will gestures. Seoul dropped its demand that Japanese companies compensate Korean victims forced into labor during World War II, a contentious issue for years. Tokyo plans to end its 2019 restrictions on technology exports to South Korea. Mr. Arnold bought it for $45,000 in July 2013, and Mr. Storey got to work on the design. The architect conceived plans that called for a small garage at street level; a staircase down to the roof of the house, which would serve as an outdoor patio; and 975 square feet of living space below that. Although the home is small, Mr. Storey maximized the size by pushing the footprint out to the required setbacks from the lot lines. You dont have the luxury of endless square footage, he said. So you need to capture the square footage you do have and make it do as much as possible. The resulting house, which is built around retaining walls that sit atop concrete piles extending deep into the earth, has a shapeshifting interior that can be changed by moving the sliding wall panels. When the panels are tucked away, the house feels almost like a loft, with open sightlines between the living room, primary bedroom and den. If guests are coming over and Mr. Arnold doesnt want his bedroom on display, one of the panels slides out to close it off. If a guest will be staying overnight in the den, which is equipped with a discreet Murphy bed, two more panels slide out to create a wall between it and the kitchen, while a third panel separates it from the bedroom. The actor Jonathan Majors was arrested on Saturday in Manhattan and charged with assault and harassment after what the police in New York described as a domestic dispute. Mr. Majors, 33, was taken into custody without incident, the authorities said. The victim, described only as a 30-year-old woman, was taken to a hospital after suffering what the police said were minor injuries to her head and neck. In a statement sent by Carrie Gordon, a representative for Mr. Majors, and attributed to Priya Chaudhry, Mr. Majorss lawyer, Ms. Chaudhry wrote that Mr. Majors was the victim of an altercation with a woman he knows, that the woman had recanted the accusation and that video evidence and witnesses supported his account. Mr. Majors is entirely innocent and did not assault her whatsoever, the statement said. The New York Police Department said that officers responded to a 911 call from an apartment near West 22nd Street and Eighth Avenue in Chelsea just after 11 a.m. Investigators determined that the actor had become involved in a domestic dispute with a woman who told them that she had been assaulted. WACO, Texas Former President Donald J. Trump spent much of his first major political rally of the 2024 campaign portraying his expected indictment by a New York grand jury as a result of what he claimed was a Democratic conspiracy to persecute him, arguing wildly that the United States was turning into a banana republic. As a crowd in Waco, Texas, waved red-and-white signs with the words Witch Hunt behind him, Mr. Trump devoted long stretches of his speech to his own legal jeopardy rather than his vision for a second term, casting himself as a victim of weaponization of the justice system. The abuses of power that were currently witnessing at all levels of government will go down as among the most shameful, corrupt and depraved chapters in all of American history, he said. The speech underscored how Mr. Trump tends to frame the nations broader political stakes heavily around whatever issues personally affect him the most. Last year, he sought to make his lies about fraud in his 2020 election defeat the most pressing issue of the midterms. On Saturday, he called the weaponization of our justice system the central issue of our time. TAIPEI, Taiwan China has persuaded Honduras to abandon formal ties with Taiwan and establish them with Beijing, a blow to Taipeis international standing days before the Taiwanese president embarks on a Central American tour that will take her through the United States. The switch reduced the small number of countries that have ties with Taiwan, the island democracy that Beijing claims as its territory, and was also a rebuff to Washingtons efforts to shore up Taiwans allies in Central America. Chinas leaders are trying to isolate Taiwan as they demand that it accept unification, while the United States has been trying to shore up the islands security and standing. The allegiance of Honduras may seem a minor matter in the decades-long standoff between China and Taiwan, but the islands diplomatic partners are now so few that any abandonment is a serious setback. The statement Saturday from Hondurass Foreign Ministry was terse, saying in part, Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and, as of today, the government of Honduras has communicated to Taiwan the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any further official relations or contact with Taiwan. Scott Johnson, a composer and guitarist who forged an original style involving the rhythmic cadences of speech and the gestures and timbres of popular music, died on Friday in Manhattan. He was 70. Mr. Johnsons sister Susan Lee Johnson said the cause was complications of aspiration pneumonia. Mr. Johnson had also been diagnosed with lung cancer in May 2021. Mr. Johnson immersed himself in music and art from an early age and played in rock bands in high school. His artistic breakthrough came with John Somebody, a playfully inventive work for solo electric guitar with taped accompaniment, which he assembled from 1980 to 1982, and which, as performed regularly and recorded in 1986, won him considerable acclaim. To create that work, Mr. Johnson transcribed into approximate musical notation portions of a friends telephone conversation he had recorded in 1977 (You know whos in New York? You remember that guy, John somebody? He was a he was sort of a), along with other snatches of speech and laughter. LONE WOMEN, by Victor LaValle Victor LaValles enthralling fifth novel, Lone Women, opens like a true western, with a scene of dark, bloody upheaval and a hint of vengeance. But nothing in this genre-melding book is as it seems. When we meet Adelaide Henry, the grown daughter of Black farmers, she is in a daze, dumping gasoline all over her familys farmhouse. We dont know why shes doing what shes doing, what happened to her family or, most important, what else she has or hasnt done. She is leaving the toil and lush isolation of Southern Californias Lucerne Valley, where her only neighbors have been other Black farmers, and her only friends her own parents, whose corpses she has tucked into bed to be set aflame. Adelaide will soon escape to the harsh beauty of Montana as one of the lone women acquiring a homestead of 320 acres from the federal government. If she can survive three years there, cultivating the land and making it habitable, the land will become hers. The year is 1915, during the United States Progressive Era, a time not often explored in westerns. It is just before Prohibition and womens suffrage, after the Gold Rush, after the booms and busts, when there are already ghost towns and abandoned mining camps, and the cowboy life is on the wane. The car hasnt yet replaced the horse, except among the wealthy. Montana is still a place of long distances and isolation, where a farmer turned fugitive like Adelaide feels that she can hide. The year 1915 is also when D.W. Griffiths inflammatory film The Birth of a Nation is released. Its an ode to the myth of the Lost Cause, the revisionist history that casts the Old South as a noble victim and slavery as a benevolent institution, and celebrates white supremacist patriarchy. As a single Black woman heading into the Badlands, Adelaide is aware of her proximity to racial and gender violence, but intriguingly, shes most concerned with whats inside the staggeringly heavy, locked steamer trunk that she drags from California to Seattle and on to Montana. Analysts said the claim was likely bluster, but it underscored Putins willingness to raise the specter of nuclear conflict to pressure the West to back down from its support of Ukraine. During a wide-ranging interview for a weekly state television show, Putin provided new details of a plan that he first floated last year. He said that 10 Belarusian warplanes have already been retrofitted to carry Russian nuclear weapons, and that a storage facility for the warheads would be ready by July 1. A NATO spokesperson on Sunday called Putins rhetoric dangerous and irresponsible but said that we have not seen any changes in Russias nuclear posture that would lead us to adjust our own. John Kirby, the spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, said there was no indication Putin intended to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. On the ground: Ukrainian forces could be close to stabilizing the front lines in Bakhmut, the commander of the countrys armed forces said. Tensions: In Ukraine, American volunteers with questionable backgrounds have rushed to join the fight. In Russia, former prisoners who fought in the war are being buried as heroes, but not everyone can forget their crimes. Still, I am concerned that our social order and national and global governance systems are not keeping pace. Having next-generation vaccine technology without adequate systems for implementation and distribution to all people is a waste. We can be much more prepared to predict or avoid future pandemics, but we must be more intentional. This includes building better systems for local and global pandemic response coordination and making long-term investment in basic research to generate the information needed to develop vaccines, antivirals and diagnostics. There should be a much more comprehensive global surveillance program in areas with high biodiversity to identify emerging threats earlier. And leaders of high-income countries must understand that its in their best interest to facilitate and build the capacity for vaccine research and manufacturing in low- and middle-income countries. There is an opportunity, with the advent of mRNA, to establish the capability for local scientists to find solutions for regional diseases before they become global threats. This would also provide much-needed surge capacity during public health emergencies of international concern. The global community needs to build the capacity to immunize everyone around the world in six months during a pandemic. Failure to do so in the Covid pandemic is part of the reason we suffered through successive waves of new variants. This will require cooperative effort on the part of governments, philanthropists, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations and privately held companies. I retired from the federal government in 2021 after more than two decades of service. While my career has been focused on the biology of viruses and immunity, the pandemic revealed disabling problems related to vaccine access and trust. Therefore, I decided to join the faculty at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta to be a senior adviser for global health equity. I chose Morehouse School of Medicine, one of the United States historically Black medical colleges, because health equity is an integral part of its mission. Its well positioned to influence vaccine access through advocacy, policy reform and the creation of a new generation of global health experts. Its also an ideal place to work on building trust in science by involving more diverse investigators in discovery and achieving a deeper public understanding of biology. The American flag flying in front of the empty headquarters command building at Da Nang, Vietnam, was spotted by the company commander as he drove his jeep around the compound for a final inspection as the last American troops left the Military Region 1 base on March 27, 1973. For retired Army Aviator Lt. Col. Ollie Sonny Craddock of Dothan it was a no-brainer to single-handedly take the flag down and bring it back to American soil on that day 50 years ago today. The last American flag flown at Da Nang Airfield as the final troops departed is now in a wood and glass triangular shaped shadow box in Craddocks Dothan home. Its hard to fold a flag yourself, he said. I finally got it folded, and its folded kind of rough, you can see the stars are lined up a little slanted but I never unfolded it in all these years. As the last commander of the 1st Aviation Brigade, 11th Combat Aviation Group, 62nd Aviation Company in Vietnam, Craddock was making a final tour of the base when he saw the flag flying high that day. We were the last unit in Military Region 1, said Craddock. As the commander, I was the last to leave the compound. As I drove around, I saw the American flag still flying and I said, Im not leaving that here. It didnt belong there, said Craddock, who served two tours in Vietnam. It needed to go home with us. Originally from Homestead, Fla., Craddock was 23 years old when he was drafted into the Army on Dec. 3, 1961. After basic training and advanced individual training at Fort Gordon, Ga., Craddock attended Officer Candidate School training at Fort Sill, Okla. After graduating from OCS in January 1963, he went to paratrooper school at Fort Benning, Ga. Then I went home and got married, Craddock said, smiling at his bride of 60 years, Julie. We got in a car and drove to my first assignment at Fort Ord, Calif. Craddocks next stop was flight school, which at the time was divided between Fort Wolters, Texas, and Fort Rucker. After flight school graduation in January 1965, Craddock was on orders for Vietnam but was rerouted to Korea where he spent 13 months before returning to Fort Rucker. He also was able to go back to the University of Florida via the militarys degree completion program and was promoted to major while he was in college. During the Vietnam War, South Vietnam was divided into four Military Regions and the Special Capital Zone in the Saigon area for purposes of military operations. By the summer of 1967, American troops were fighting in all four areas but some of the most intense combat took place in Military Region 1, comprised of the five northernmost provinces of South Vietnam, including Da Nang which was headquarters for the northern region. Craddock deployed to the first of his two tours in Vietnam, assigned to the First Infantry Division in the southern military region. I witnessed some of the most tremendous feats of valor that you could imagine during my first tour, he said. On his second tour in Vietnam in the late summer of 1972, Craddock commanded the 62nd Aviation Company. When the truce was signed Jan. 27, 1973, Craddocks pilots were tasked with transporting the Force Peacekeepers through the country. In 60 days we pared our unit down from over 500 people to 135, he said. All our aircraft were turned back in. We kept the people that we had to keep until the mission was over. We got down to the last day, March 27, 1973, 60 days from the truce signing, and we were the only U.S. troops left in the Military Region 1. They sent Military Police up from Saigon to out-process us, Craddock said. First thing on the morning of March 27, everyone was out processed and on the airfield. Our fixed wing aircraft had already landed and was sitting there waiting for us to board. Before I left the main compound, I drove the quarter mile around the compound and as I drove past the old headquarters building I saw the dad-gum flag was still flying. I said, No maam, that aint gonna happen. I lowered the flag and folded it the best I could by myself and stuck it in my bag and brought it home, he said. Craddock said that returning to his waiting troops at the airstrip, he learned that they would not be allowed to depart until the MPs received electronic verification that a planeload of American prisoners of war being released were in the air. It was because we were the only troops left in the northern region and they wanted us to remain until the POWs were in the air, he said. Craddock smiles as he brings out a crumpled Vietnamese boonie hat with a patch embroidered with the words Southeast Asia War Games Participant 1973, and a patch embroidered with the words Hostage Da Nang RVN March 1973. While we waited two hours and 20 minutes for the MPs to give us the go-ahead, a very enterprising Vietnamese tailor set up his sewing machine and created these patches, Craddock said. This Im keeping forever. Craddock says he still has mixed feelings about the Vietnam War. As veterans, we were treated like second-class citizens because some people say we didnt win the war, he said. It was the politicians who quit the war. But I can tell you that I saw acts of bravery, valor and courage that you would not believe, Craddock said. The troops we had did their jobs. We went where they told us to go and did what we were trained to do. There were some of the most fantastic people in that unit that youd ever want to meet, the last commander of the 62nd in Vietnam said. It was the politicians that messed it up. Craddock describes Da Nang as very picturesque, located on the bay. It was a beautiful place geographically, he said. But, no maam, I dont have any desire to go back. Originally from south Florida, Craddock said he and his wife knew when they came to flight school at Fort Rucker in 1964 that this was an area that they could happily retire in. They bought 120 acres land in the area in the 1970s and built a home there. He and his bride moved to Dothan two and one half years ago. One of the best things weve done, he said. I was mowing about four acres a week and that was just the yard part of the property. The Army has been good to us, he said. We have met some wonderful people. Weve had a wonderful life. I have this flag because God put me there at that point in time, Craddock said. I wasnt going to leave that flag on that flagpole. The flag represents us and it needed to go home with us. HONG KONG Remember the Evergrande crisis? It was little more than a year ago that Evergrande Group, the Chinese property developer, was about to collapse under more than $300 billion in debt. There were warnings of a catastrophic default that would ripple through Chinas economy, maybe even set off a global depression. China, it was said, faced its Lehman Brothers moment when a corporate failure like that which felled the once-venerable Wall Street investment bank in 2008 finally forces Chinese Communist Party policymakers to reckon with systemic financial weakness. Not quite. Evergrande is not out of the woods, but a catastrophic implosion was avoided after the Chinese government stepped in to help arrange a restructuring of much of its debt. Well before a new threat to the global financial order emerged this month the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in the United States Evergrande had largely fallen out of the headlines. Evergrandes troubles werent the first time weve heard predictions of Chinese financial doom. They tend to resurface every few years. But Wall Street, the Western media and economists who repeat them make the fundamental mistake of applying pure market logic to Chinas economy, and it just doesnt work that way. China is still not a fully market economy, despite the countrys 2001 entry into the World Trade Organization, decades of economic reform and a slow but steady integration into the global financial system. This transformation of global Christianity has begun to change demographic patterns in America and Western Europe as well. There are two factors at play here. With the United States home to more immigrants than any other country in the world, as Christianity booms overseas, more Christians are migrating to the United States. But theres also evidence that migrants who come to here are finding immigrant-led churches and converting to Christianity after they arrive. These trends, George told me, are globalizing American Christianity. Multiple scholars point to Western Europe as an example of whats to come in the United States. Today, the three largest Protestant churches in Paris are Afro-Caribbean evangelical megachurches of a charismatic or Pentecostal bent. A study last year examined Chinese churches in Britain that were experiencing exponential growth, sometimes doubling or tripling in size in a few years. Last April, the Italian Chinese Theological Seminary opened in Rome to train Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking pastors. Some of the largest megachurches in metro London are led by Africans, including Kingsway International Christian Center, which is led by a Nigerian, Matthew Ashimolowo, and is most likely the largest church in Europe. Immigration has been a huge factor in the demographic growth of the United States over the past decade. Much of that growth is attributable to Latinos, who now number around 62 million and represent just under 20 percent of the United States population. Some projections estimate that by 2060 there will be 111 million Latinos in the United States, constituting 28 percent of the population. The Atlantic reported in 2021 that Latino evangelicals are the fastest growing segment of evangelicals in the country. It also said that Latino Protestants, in particular, have higher levels of religiosity with more frequent church attendance, prayer and Bible study than white Protestants. The Atlantic also said that the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference represents more than 40,000 churches and aims to plant another 25,000 before 2030. We often hear that the most significant trend in religion in America is the rise of the nones, those who profess no religious affiliation. That demographic group is indeed important for the future of religion, culture and politics in America, and as of 2021, Pew reported that 29 percent of all adults identified as atheists, agnostics or nothing in particular. But alongside that trend, the changing demographics of Christianity promise to transform faith and religious discourse. We cannot assume that America will become more secular so long as the future of America is less white. To the Editor: Re Trying to Define a Label, by Ross Douthat (column, March 19): It is hard to overstate the irony of Ross Douthats offering a definition of the woke worldview. Woke is not a worldview. It is a boogeyman, a pejorative epithet, a cudgel used by conservatives like Mr. Douthat to strike fear in peoples hearts. But I accept his invitation to embrace the label if he agrees that the idea of being woke means being open to the fullness of truth about our shared past, present and future: the good, the bad, the ugly. Wokeness, if anything, is understanding that our pluralistic, complex democracy must be open to all our voices, perspectives, stories, histories and visions of the future, even and especially those of the most marginalized. In this way, wokeness is a commitment to truth and justice as the American way. Staying asleep among the ranks of the unwoke is a choice. It may be more comfortable. It is also fundamentally undemocratic and un-American. Still following? Good, because theres more: New York law states that the limitation period, whether two or five years, does not include any period following the commission of the offense when the defendant was continuously outside this state. A 1999 New York Court of Appeals case held that the law meant that all periods of a day or more that a nonresident defendant is out of state should be totaled and toll the statute of limitations. Under that reading, that statute of limitations clock stopped ticking when Trump was away. But what is the other crime that can convert a charge of records falsification to a felony? Most likely prosecutors will rely on an allegation of violating federal campaign finance law, specifically the claim that the hush money payments to Daniels were illegal campaign contributions. But this is also not a simple case to make: The prosecution may claim that state campaign finance laws apply to Trump, and his payments thus violated New York law, but remember were talking about a presidential election. A federal statute expressly states that the relevant campaign finance laws supersede and pre-empt any provision of state law with respect to election to federal office. This law represents a formidable barrier to prosecuting Trump under state campaign finance laws, and there is no obvious path around it. Setting that aside, the claim that Trump violated federal law isnt frivolous. The core question is whether the payments constituted campaign expenditures or mere personal expenditures, defined by Federal Election Commission rules as funds used to fulfill a commitment, obligation or expense of any person that would exist irrespective of the candidates campaign. Trumps likely defense to any federal charge is simple, that the hush-money payments had nothing to do with his campaign and everything to do with trying to spare his family the embarrassment of Danielss allegations. Hed make that payment anytime, regardless of whether he was running for president. Thats a facially compelling argument, but in a 2018 National Review piece I argued that the weight of evidence indicates that its wrong. Daniels claims her affair with Trump started in 2006 and continued sporadically thereafter, yet the payments werent made until the heat of the final moments of a closely contested presidential campaign. When Apple held a corporate retreat in Californias Carmel Valley about five years ago to discuss its next major product, Jony Ive, its longtime design chief, captivated a room of the companys 100 top executives with a concept video as polished as an Apple commercial. The video showed a man in a London taxi donning an augmented reality headset and calling his wife in San Francisco. Would you like to come to London? he asked, two people who saw the video said. Soon, the couple were sharing the sights of London through the husbands eyes. The video excited executives about the possibilities of Apples next business-altering device: a headset that would blend the digital world with the real one. But now, as the company prepares to introduce the headset in June, enthusiasm at Apple has given way to skepticism, said eight current and former employees, who requested anonymity because of Apples policies against speaking about future products. There are concerns about the devices roughly $3,000 price, doubts about its utility and worries about its unproven market. SAN FRANCISCO Elon Musk said Twitter is now worth about $20 billion, according to an email he sent the companys employees on Friday, a significant drop from the $44 billion that he paid to buy the social network in October. The email, which was viewed by The New York Times, was sent to employees to announce a new stock compensation program. In it, Mr. Musk warned workers that Twitter remained in a precarious financial position and, at one point, had been four months away from running out of money. He said radical changes at the company, including mass layoffs and cost cutting, were necessary to avoid bankruptcy and streamline operations. Twitter is being reshaped rapidly, Mr. Musk wrote, adding that the company could be thought of as an inverse start-up. Twitters value has declined as Mr. Musk has dramatically overhauled the company. In October, Mr. Musk took Twitter private, which means it is no longer obligated to provide transparency about its finances. But the billionaire has indicated publicly that the company lost revenue as advertisers fled the platform after his takeover, and suggested that Twitter was in danger of bankruptcy. Parts of Twitters source code, the underlying computer code on which the social network runs, were leaked online, according to a legal filing, a rare and major exposure of intellectual property as the company struggles to reduce technical issues and reverse its business fortunes under Elon Musk. Twitter moved on Friday to have the leaked code taken down by sending a copyright infringement notice to GitHub, an online collaboration platform for software developers where the code was posted, according to the filing. GitHub complied and took down the code that day. It was unclear how long the leaked code had been online, but it appeared to have been public for at least several months. Twitter also asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to order GitHub to identify the person who shared the code and any other individuals who downloaded it, according to the filing. Twitter began an investigation into the leak and executives handling the matter have surmised that whoever was responsible left the San Francisco-based company last year, two people briefed on the internal investigation said. Since Mr. Musk bought Twitter in October for $44 billion, about 75 percent of the companys 7,500 employees have been laid off or resigned. Philadelphia officials on Sunday evening stepped back from a suggestion earlier in the day that residents consider using bottled water rather than tap water for drinking and cooking after a chemical leaked into a tributary of the Delaware River, a source of drinking water for about 14 million people across four states. The previous advisory, issued on Sunday morning, came after a pipe ruptured at Trinseo PLC, a chemical plant, late on Friday, sending about 8,100 gallons of a water-soluble acrylic polymer solution into Otter Creek in Bucks County, north of Philadelphia, officials said. Officials emphasized that contaminants had not been found in the citys water system. Officials said residents, out of an abundance of caution, could consider buying bottled water because, they said, it could not be 100 percent sure that there wont be traces of these chemicals in the tap water throughout the afternoon. At a news briefing later on Sunday, Michael Carroll, Philadelphias deputy managing director for transportation, infrastructure and sustainability, said such measures were unnecessary. WASHINGTON President Bidens nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, Phillip A. Washington, has withdrawn from consideration for the job, according to the White House. Mr. Washingtons Republican critics in the Senate had argued that he lacked sufficient aviation experience, and they raised questions about his connection to a corruption investigation in Los Angeles. His withdrawal came shortly after the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation said it would delay its vote on Mr. Washingtons nomination, which had been scheduled for Wednesday. Abdullah Hasan, a spokesman for the White House, said that Mr. Washington had the right qualifications and experience to run the F.A.A. Two months ago, seven United Nations human rights investigators sent the U.S. government a protest over health care for detainees at Guantanamo Bay that described troubling treatment of an Iraqi prisoner who is now disabled. The United States never replied, and over the weekend the U.N. Human Rights Council released the 18-page report by the experts, whose sole power is to investigate and disclose their concerns on human rights issues related to counterterrorism, the disabled and the elderly. Known as special rapporteurs, they have no enforcement authority. The report focused on the case of Abd Al-Hadi Al-Iraqi, a former commander of insurgents in wartime Afghanistan who is in his 60s. He has suffered a degenerative disease of the spine during his 16 years in U.S. custody and, despite six back and neck surgeries at Guantanamo Bay since 2017, his health is declining. The report cites descriptions of his alleged mistreatment, many of which have been contained in court filings and transcripts notably one that occurred in September 2021, after Mr. Hadi told the medical staff of a weakening in his lower extremities. It says that, soon after he refused a nurses proposal to conduct a rectal exam, the senior doctor at the prison conducted a test, directing guards to hold him upright by his shoulders and then directing them to release him to see whether he could stand. He collapsed immediately as he did not have the strength to hold his own body upright, the report says. Q: How long has air conditioning been around? A: Mechanical artificial cooling dates back to the 1840s, when physician and inventor Dr. John Gorrie of Florida proposed cooling cities to relieve residents of the evils of high temperatures. According to an article on the history of air conditioning on the U.S. Department of Energys energy.gov website, Gorrie believed that cooling was the key to avoiding diseases like malaria and making patients more comfortable. His system for cooling hospital rooms required ice to be shipped to Florida from frozen lakes and streams in the northern United States. To get around this expensive logistical challenge, Gorrie began experimenting with the concept of artificial cooling, the article says. He designed a machine that created ice using a compressor powered by a horse, water, wind-driven sails or steam and was granted a patent for it in 1851. Although Gorrie was unsuccessful at bringing his patented technology to the marketplace primarily due to the death of his chief financial backer his invention laid the foundation for modern air conditioning and refrigeration, the article says. The idea of artificial cooling went stagnant until engineer Willis Carrier took a job that would result in the invention of the first modern electrical air conditioning unit. While working for the Buffalo Forge Company in 1902, Carrier was tasked with solving a humidity problem that was causing magazine pages to wrinkle at Sackett-Wilhelms Lithographing and Publishing Company in Brooklyn, the article says. Through a series of experiments, Carrier designed a system that controlled humidity using cooling coils and secured a patent for his Apparatus for Treating Air, which could either humidify (by heating water) or dehumidify (by cooling water) air. As he tested and refined his technology, he also devised and patented an automatic control system for regulating the humidity and temperature of air in textile mills. It wasnt long before Carrier realized that humidity control and air conditioning could benefit many other industries, and he eventually broke off from Buffalo Forge, forming Carrier Engineering Corporation with six other engineers, the article says. In 1904, organizers at the St. Louis Worlds Fair used mechanical refrigeration to cool the Missouri State Building. The system used 35,000 cubic feet of air per minute to cool the 1,000-seat auditorium, the rotunda and other rooms within the Missouri State Building, the article says. It marked the first time the American public was exposed to the concept of comfort cooling. Another breakthrough came in the 1920s, when Americans flocked to movie theaters to watch Hollywood stars on the silver screen. Early cooling systems for public theaters were essentially heating systems modified with refrigeration equipment that distributed cold air through floor vents, resulting in hot, muggy conditions at upper levels and much colder temperatures at lower levels, where patrons sometimes resorted to wrapping their feet with newspapers to stay warm, the article says. In 1922, Carrier Engineering Corporation installed the first well-designed cooling system for theaters at Metropolitan Theater in Los Angeles, which pumped cool air through higher vents for better humidity control and comfort throughout the building. In May 1922 at Rivoli Theater in New York, Carrier publicly debuted a new type of system that used a centrifugal chiller, which had fewer moving parts and compressor stages than existing units. The breakthrough system increased the reliability and lowered the cost of large-scale air conditioners, greatly expanding their use throughout the country, the article says. Despite advancements in cooling technologies, these systems were too large and expensive for homes. Home cooling systems got smaller after H.H. Schultz and J.Q. Sherman filed a patent for an air conditioning unit that could be placed on a window ledge, the article says. The units hit the market in 1932 but were not widely purchased due to their high cost. Engineer Henry Galson went on to develop a more compact, inexpensive version of the window air conditioner and set up production lines for several manufacturers. By 1947, 43,000 of these systems were sold and, for the first time, homeowners could enjoy air conditioning without having to make expensive upgrades, the article says. By the late 1960s, most new homes had central air conditioning, and window air conditioners were more affordable than ever, fueling population growth in hot-weather states like Arizona and Florida. Air conditioning is now in well over 100 million American homes, the article says. Representative Ro Khanna of California said on Sunday that he would not run in an already crowded Democratic field seeking to succeed his states senior senator, Dianne Feinstein, who is retiring at the end of her term. In deep-blue California, the Democratic winner of the primary is likely to join Alex Padilla in representing the state in the Senate. The major Democrats already running are three representatives: Katie Porter, a social media darling of liberal Democrats; Adam Schiff, who led the first impeachment of Donald J. Trump; and Barbara Lee, the sole member of Congress to oppose a broad war authorization after the Sept. 11 attacks. Mr. Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley, made his announcement on State of the Union on CNN, telling the host Jake Tapper that the best place for me to serve as a progressive is in the House of Representatives. He added, Im honored to be co-chairing Barbara Lees campaign for the Senate and endorsing her today. We need a strong antiwar senator, and she will play that role. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said he would be able to position nuclear weapons in Belarus by the summer, a claim that analysts said was likely bluster but which underscored the Kremlins determination to use its vast nuclear arsenal to pressure the West to back down from its support of Ukraine. Western officials condemned Mr. Putins remarks as irresponsible, even as they said that they saw no indication that Russia was making changes to how it deploys nuclear weapons. Mr. Putin, in an interview released ahead of its broadcast on Russian state television on Sunday, provided new details of a plan that he first floated last year to base Russian weapons in Belarus, a close ally. He said that 10 Belarusian warplanes have already been retrofitted to carry Russian nuclear weapons, and that a storage facility for the warheads would be ready by July 1. The United States has been doing this for decades, Mr. Putin said, insisting that his plan was no different from the American practice of positioning nuclear weapons in allied countries an assertion that Western officials rejected. In Zhireken, a defunct mining community of 4,200 in far eastern Russia, regional officials intervened in the dispute among residents over the burial of Nikita Kasatkin, 23. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison in December 2020 after stabbing another man nine times during a drunken scuffle, according to court documents. A fracas erupted after Alena Kogodeeva, the local administrator, said that the town recreation center, with large flowers and other artwork for children painted on the walls, was an inappropriate site for Mr. Kasatkins funeral. Half of the village says, Are we going to make heroes out of killers now? Ms. Kogodeeva, the local administrator, was quoted as saying in an online newspaper. Half say that he atoned for sins with his blood. As the debate raged back and forth, two journalists held a discussion on a local YouTube broadcast laying out the arguments, with one of them arguing that all fighters should be treated equally in death. But Georgy Bal, 68, a retired writer who listened to the debate, already had his mind made up. He said the dead man was a mercenary who fought for money, not a hero. In the village there are graves of people much more worthy of being remembered, he said when contacted online, repeating remarks that he had written on social media. What good did he do, what good for the residents of the village, before he was convicted? Sophia Kishkovsky , Oleg Matsnev and Milana Mazaeva contributed reporting. Civil unrest broke out in parts of Israel Sunday night after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his defense minister for criticizing the governments divisive judicial overhaul, prompting protesters to surge into the streets, universities to shut their doors, and union leaders to hint of a looming general strike. Announced in a one-line statement by the prime ministers office, the dismissal of Yoav Gallant intensified an already dramatic domestic crisis one of the gravest in Israeli history set off by the governments attempt to give itself greater control over the selection of Supreme Court justices and to limit the courts authority over Parliament. Mr. Gallants dismissal unleashed chaotic late-night demonstrations in and around Tel Aviv, where protesters blocked a multilane highway and set fires in at least two major roads, and in Jerusalem, where crowds broke through police barriers outside Mr. Netanyahus private residence. Do as the brilliant women of New York Times Cooking do, and make waffles for your desk breakfast. Tanya Sichynsky and Nikita Richardson, senior staff editors, make small ones in their tiny waffle makers, then tuck them into resealable bags for later. Tanya, in particular, always riffs on this Melissa Clark recipe, adding whole-grain flours or a flavorless protein powder, while Nikita has some crucial advice. You should really let your waffles dry before you run out of the door, she says. As they pop out of the waffle maker, I put them on a cooling rack for about 5 to 10 minutes to make sure that they dont get soggy on the way into the office. Recipe: Waffles AN Athlone man was charged with six acts of criminal spray painting in Birr during last week's sitting of Tullamore District Court. Before the court was Paul Lanier, Coolaleena, Glasson, Athlone. He is alleged to have committed the following offences: On November 1, 2022 at Lyndons Flats, Keal's Archway Birr he spray painted a wall with the word APERS, belonging to Thomas Lyndon. Sometime on November 1 or 2, 2022 at St Brendans Park Birr GAA, Roscrea Road, Birr he spray painted a wall and a turnstile with the word APERS, belonging to St Brendans GAA Club intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged. Sometime on November 1 or 2, 2022 at Doctor McAuliffes Surgery, Green St, Birr he spray painted the wall of the surgery with the word APERS. Sometime on November 1 or 2, 2022 at Church Lane, Birr he spray painted the word APERS on a side door belonging to the HSE. Sometime on November 1 or 2, 2022 at To Go Main Street, Birr he spray painted the wall of the property with the word APERS, belonging to Eoin Garry. Sometime on November 1 or 2, 2022 at Shop and Hotel Supplies, Brendan St, Birr spray painted the wall of a building belonging to Michael OConnor with the word APERS. Judge Andrew Cody asked Mr Lanier what the acronym APERS stands for. The defendant said it stands for All pursue easy routes to success. I would suggest, commented the Judge to Donal Farrelly, the defendants solicitor, that he abandons this particular version of what he thinks to be successful ways of acting and adopt more positive ways of behaving, ways of behaving which really are in fact successful. The Judge adjourned the case to a hearing at a future date. KINNITTY GAA Club have formally sought a review of Offaly's parish rule. The long standing rule has been in the news lately with Kinnitty seeking permission to play three young players who are living outside their parish boundaries in Drumcullen. The three underage players were suspended for playing illegally with Kinnitty-Lusmagh last year and Kinnitty have now asked that a committee be put in place with an independent chairperson to review the rule. The matter came up briefly at a meeting of the Offaly GAA County Board on Monday with secretary Colm Cummins saying that clubs would have to have an opportunity to discuss it and it would be on the agenda at the next meeting on April 11. Meanwhile, an appeal by Tullamore over the status of players they want in the Cappincur area was postponed last week and is scheduled to come before the Offaly Hearings Committee this week. The players have been told they must affiliate with Cappincur and Tullamore have appealed against this. An application by Coolderry and CRC Gaels to field a minor hurling team will also be discussed at the next meeting. The clubs were given the go ahead to field combined U-13 and 15 teams at an earlier meeting but were turned down for minor. Coolderry sought to have that overturned at Monday's meeting while Crinkill's Des O'Brien spoke about the difficulty they would have in fielding a minor team on their own. Colm Cummins explained that the decision could only be overturned by way of a motion to the next meeting and it would require a three fifths majority. The European Union (EU) is considering a proposal to reduce food safety control measures on instant noodles imported from Vietnam, according to the Vietnam Trade Office in Belgium. Since February last year, 20% of Vietnamese instant noodle shipments exported to the EU have been subject ethylene oxide level inspections, and all shipments have been required to come with health certificates issued by Vietnamese regulatory agencies. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, in the second half of 2022, the EU found no ethylene oxide, an organic compound with various applications (including disinfection and sterilization), in Vietnamese instant noodles. Therefore, the EU has proposed not requiring health certificates for instant noodles imported from Vietnam, reported the office. The proposal is expected to be approved by the blocks member states at a meeting in April, according to the office. By the end of February, the Ministry of Industry and Trade had issued 3,170 health certificates to exporters of instant noodles to the EU market through 21 ports. Germany is the largest importer of instant noodles from Vietnam, accounting for more than half of the certificates issued. In August 2021, a number of batches of Vietnamese instant noodles exported to the EU market were returned or destroyed due to residues of ethylene oxide exceeding the permissible level stipulated by the EU. Currently, each country and region has different regulations on ethylene oxide. Ethylene oxide is commonly used as a highly effective disinfectant and fumigation agent in a number of agricultural products, especially spices and herbs. Consumption of products containing ethylene oxide does not pose an acute health hazard but can cause cancer if taken regularly for a long time. In many European countries, 2-chloroethanol, a metabolite of ethylene oxide, is considered ethylene oxide when they calculate the ethylene oxide content in foods. Amit Shah hoists 103-ft high tricolour in Bidar India oi-Deepika S Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday hoisted a 103 ft high national flag and inaugurated the 'Gorata Shaheed Smarak' and memorial of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Gorata ground in Bidar district. "Hundreds of people were killed In this Gorta village by the army of a cruel Nizam for hoisting just a 2.5-ft tall Tricolour. Today, on the same land, we have hoisted a 103-ft tall Tricolour that can't be hidden from anyone. It is a proud moment for us" Amit Shah said as quoted by news agency ANI. "On the same sacred land, a memorial of those immortal martyrs has been erected. This 20-ft tall statue of Sardar Patel is a symbol of the significant role played by our first Home Minister in ousting the Nizam from Hyderabad. That is why this area, this Bidar could become a part of India," Shah said. Recalling the horror of Gorata on May 9, 1948, the Union Minister said 200 people were massacred by the 'brutal" Nizam even though the country had become independent. "More than 200 people were massacred here in Gorata by the brutal Nizam but due to its appeasement policy, the Congress never remembered those who fought and sacrificed their lives for Hyderabad liberation only for its greed for vote bank," Shah said. Paying his obeisance to Sardar Patel, he said had there not been Patel, Hyderabad would not have been liberated. Hitting out at the Telangana government, Shah said, "The Telangana government is hesitating to celebrate the Hyderabad Liberation Day, but the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to celebrate the day in a grand manner." He pointed out that the BJP had celebrated it last year in Telangana and this year too they will celebrate the day. Shah urged the people to form a BJP government in Karnataka so that it can build a grand martyrs' memorial at Gorata at a cost of Rs 50 crore which will attract tourists not only from Karnataka but also from across the country who will be told about the story of the people of Gorata. Later, in an apparent move to woo the two dominant communities, Lingayatas and Vokkaligas, the BJP leader will unveil the statues of 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara and the founder of Bengaluru city 'Nadaprabhu' Kempegowda on the 'Vidhana Soudha' premises. 'Appreciate it and thank PM Modi': Shatrughan Sinha on Rahul's disqualification India oi-Prakash KL Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha on Sunday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha. He said that the disqualification helps the opposition parties to put up a unified fight against the BJP. "Well, on the one hand, what they have done appears to be an example of Vinash Kale Viprit Buddhi (In adverse situations, people lose their ability to take sound decisions), but on the other hand, politically it will benefit a lot. It has given the opposition a weapon which will not only protect democracy but also help in giving an additional 100 seats to Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition," ANI quoted Shatrughan Sinha as saying. "We appreciate it and thank our friend, PM Modi," he added. While citing a Chinese saying, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader said that it is a "great political move." "Look, it's off to a great start. There is a saying in Chinese that a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. This is a great political move as it has brought the opposition parties together," he claimed. "Today the country's most popular personality and a street fighter Mamta Banerjee has come forward on this issue in support of democracy and our friend and Delhi's CM Kejriwal has also come forward on such a serious issue," he added. Rahul Gandhi, on Friday, was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha, a day after a Surat court sentenced him to two-year imprisonment in a defamation case filed against him over his 'Modi surname' remark. The decision came pertaining to his remark made in April 2019, where he had said "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname" at a Lok Sabha election rally at Kolar in Karnataka. The court approved Gandhi's bail on a surety and stayed the sentence for 30 days to allow him to approach the higher courts. Gandhi has been disqualified from Lok Sabha on Friday after his conviction by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case. Announcing his disqualification in a notification, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said that it is effective from March 23, the day of his conviction. The Surat court on Thursday sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in a defamation case filed on the basis of a complaint by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi for the Congress leader's remark "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?" while delivering a speech in 2019. Coast Guard's ALH Dhruv helicopter makes emergency landing in Kerala's Kochi India oi-Deepika S An Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH-DHRUV) Mark 3 helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was forced to make a landing in Kerala's Kochi on Sunday, while the pilots were testing the chopper. As per preliminary reports, one person has fractured his hand. The ICG is working towards resuming the operations of the ALH Dhruv fleet. "An incident of forced landing of an ALH Dhruv Mark 3 helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard today took place in Kochi while the pilots of the force were testing the chopper. The chopper was at around 25 feet height when it had to make a forced landing. The ICG is working towards resuming the operations of the ALH Dhruv fleet," ICG officials said in a statement. The fleet of ALH Dhruv choppers has been grounded since March 8 after a Navy chopper met with an accident off the coast of Mumbai. "CG 855, an ALH Mk III based at Kochi, got airborne from Cochin International Airport at about 1225 hours for inflight checks after fitment of control rods on aircraft. Prior to the inflight checks, the HAL and ICG Team had carried out extensive and satisfactory ground trials on 26 Mar 2023," it said. "Immediately after takeoff, when CG 855 was at about 30-40 ft above ground, the cyclic controls ( which controls longitudinal and lateral movement of aircraft) did not respond. Showing exemplary professionalism and presence of mind, the pilot with bare minimum controls manoeuvred the aircraft away from the main runway to avoid blocking the runway at the international airport," it added. "He thereafter, cushioned the landing to the extent possible in order to save the three souls onboard. The aircraft veered to the left and crashed onto the left side of main runway. All crew are safe. The aircraft has sustained damage to its rotors and airframe. The Indian Coast Guard has ordered an Inquiry, to investigate the cause of the accident," ICG further said. Congress introduced 4 per cent Muslim quota for "vote bank politics": Amit Shah in Karnataka India oi-Prakash KL Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday slammed Congress, accusing the party of introducing the 4 per cent Muslim quota under the 2B Other Backward Classes (OBCs) category for "its vote bank politics" in Karnataka. Speaking at a rally in Gorata village in Bidar district and Gabbur in Raichur district, he hailed the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government for scrapping the quota, saying the quota on religious lines was constitutionally invalid. "The BJP never believes in appeasement. So, it decided to change the reservation," PTI quoted Shah as saying. The Union Minister stated that the BJP government also tried to do away the injustice to the Scheduled Castes by introducing a new internal reservation. "The BJP abolished the four per cent reservation given to the minorities and gave two per cent to the Vokkaligas and two per cent to the Lingayats," Shah said. "The reservation for minorities is not Constitutionally valid. There is no provision in the Constitution to give reservation based on religion. This Congress government did it for its appeasement politics and gave reservation to the minorities," he added. The 4 per cent quota will now be equally shared by between dominant Vokkaligas and Lingayat communities. "A cabinet sub-committee recommended the changes in quota categories and we have done it," the Karnataka CM said recently. Muslims had come under Category 2B and now they will compete with EWS quota, which has Brahmins, Vysyas, Mudaliyars, Jains and others. After the latest announcement, Vokkaligas have six per cent reservations and Lingayats have seven per cent reservations under Categories 2 (C) and 2 (D), respectively. "The four per cent (reservation for minorities) will be divided into two between 2C and 2D. The four per cent reservation for the Vokkaligas and others will be enhanced to six per cent and Veerashaiva Panchamasali and others (Lingayats), who are getting five per cent reservation will now get seven per cent," the CM explained. In addition to it, the BJP government has increased the reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) from 15 to 17 per cent and Scheduled Tribes (STs) from 3 to 7 per cent, India Today reported. Meanwhile, the Congress has said that it would restore the quota to the minority community in the event of the party coming to power in the State, where Assembly elections are due by May. President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) D K Shivakumar termed the step "unconstitutional" "They (the government) think that reservation can be distributed like a property. It's not a property. It's a right (of minorities)", he told reporters here. "We don't want their four per cent to be scrapped and given to any of the major communities. They (members of the minority community) are our brothers and family members". Designs to weaken our democracy will be met with might of India: Irani slams George Soros Smriti Irani's daughter marriage: Look who all attended the wedding reception of Shanelle in Mumbai Dont kill yourself: Smriti Irani recalls her conversation with Sushant Singh Rajput India oi-Prakash KL Union Minister Smriti Irani has recalled her conversation with late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput whose untimely death came as a big shock to the film fraternity and fans in 2020. In an interview, the minister revealed that she was having a video conference when she heard the news of Rajput's alleged 'suicide'. "The day Sushant died, I was on a VC (video conference). There were many people. But I just couldn't... I said stop it. I felt like, why did he not call me? He should have called once. I had told that boy, 'Tum yaar maarna mat apne aap ko (Please don't kill yourself)," The Times Now quoted Irani as saying during a chat with Neelesh Misra on The Slow Interview. Irani said that she called Amit Sadh, Sushant's co-star in 'Kai Po Che' as she worried for him and might do something wrong. "Instantly, I was scared for Amit Sadh. I called him and asked him what he is up to. I knew, kuch gadbad karega bachcha (he would do something stupid). Usne mujhe kaha, mujhe nahi rehna, kya kiya iss idiot ne (He told me, I don't want to live, what did this idiot do) I got the sense that something is wrong. Publicist Rohini Iyer told me, 'I am very scared, somebody just find him'," Irani said. Irani stated that she spoke to him for six hours following the actor's death. When Irani was the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, the BJP leader had invited Sushant Singh Rajput for a masterclass on the IFFI stage, she revealed. Sushant Singh Rajput died by suicide in June 2020. Rajput was found hanging in his flat in suburban Bandra. Last month, an employee of a civic-run hospital in Mumbai who had performed postmortem of Sushant Singh Rajput claimed the actor didn't die by suicide and his body had marks of fracture. "When I saw Rajput's body, there were marks of fracture and some marks around his neck due to some pressure. The marks of strangulation and hanging are different as I had been performing autopsies for nearly 28 years," Roopkumar Shah, who worked as a mortuary assistant, told news channels. Roopkumar Shah, who retired from service last November from Cooper Hospital, didn't present any proof to back his claims. Noida Airport: Get ready for bigger Aerocity with more space and offices Good news for daily commuters! YEIDA starts bus service to link villages near airport India oi-Deepika S Good news for commuters travelling between Jewar to Noida, the Yamuna Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) has introduce new bus service to facilitate seamless traveling. On Saturday, Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh launched five buses - three CNG and two electric along Yamuna expressway. This means that commuting for people travelling from Jewar to Greater Noida will get significantly easier and more comfortable. The moves comes after the authorities learnt that the traffic in the region is expected to increase manifold due to the upcoming Noida International Airport. The airport which is being built near Jewar along the Yamuna Expressway, is expected to witness more than 50 lakh passengers when it will be dedicated to the nation on October 1, 2024. The airport is strategically located at about 72 km from IGI Airport, about 52 km from Noida, about 130 km from Agra and about 90 km from Multi-Modal Logistics Hub (MMLG) at Dadri. The authorities are hoping to complete the first phase of the project by the end of September this year. Also, a large number of students, who travel from Jewar to Noida and Greater Noida have been seeking better public transportation. "The local residents have been pressing for better communication between Jewar and Noida. We discussed the matter with the Yamuna Authority, which has now launched a bus service," Singh said after the launch. The buses will connect Jewar, Rabupura, Dankaur, Jahangirpur and other areas and reach Noida via Pari Chowk in Greater Noida. They will ply from morning to evening. The new bus service is seen as a gift to people at a time the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP Government in Uttar Pradesh is celebrating its one year anniversary of second term in power. While, YEIDA is yet to come up with a detailed route map and timetable for the bus service, local residents have hailed the move. "The Jewar region has poor public transport system. To date, there was no buses to connect local villages and sectors. People from this region mostly used private vehicles to commute. It is very difficult for the people commuting from Agra to travel to Noida and Greater Noida. The new bus service will be of immense help to the local residents," a local said. Overall, the new bus service will provide a safe and convenient means of transportation for commuters traveling long distances, reduce traffic congestion on the expressway, and promote sustainable travel. Khalistan: Canada is dealing in messy waters in the name of freedom of speech India summons Canada envoy over Khalistan protest India oi-Deepika S India has summoned the Canadian High Commissioner over Khalistan protests outside the Indian missions and consulates over the last few days. The centre on Saturday sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of its diplomatic mission and consulates, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Canada was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention, and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts, it said. The ministry hoped that the Canadian government will take all steps needed to ensure the safety of its diplomats and security of its diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfil their normal diplomatic functions. On Sunday last, an event to be attended by the Indian envoy to Canada in British Columbia province had to be cancelled due to security concerns after a violent protest by Khalistan supporters. The event was organised at the Taj Park Convention Centre Surrey to welcome the high commissioner of India, Sanjay Kumar Verma's first visit to the west coast. The event was ultimately cancelled for security reasons, Global News, the news and current affairs division of the Canadian Global Television Network, had reported. Indian-origin journalist Sameer Kaushal, who was at the venue to cover the protest, was also assaulted by protesters. Canada has also seen a rise in anti-India activities recently by Khalistan supporters who have vandalised some Hindu temples. Last September, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement condemning the rise of hate crimes against Indians and anti-India activities in Canada. Notably, the Khalistan movement has not gained much traction in India. However, these so-called liberal governments in the West especially in Canada have helped these anti-India forces gain traction. For years now they have been protecting these people and from there they have been able to launch attacks in India. If you torture Sikh, you will be held accountable: Pro-Khalistan leader threatens Assam CM Sarma Won't allow our national flag to be put down, EAM warns Khalistanis Why Amritpal may have ended up dividing Sikhs rather than uniting them On camera: Indian journalist abused by Khalistani supporters near Indian embassy in Washington India oi-Deepika S Washington DC-based Indian journalist Lalit Jha was physically attacked and verbally abused by Khalistani supporters outside the Indian Embassy, while covering a pro-Khalistan protest on Saturday. Lalit Jha said that he was hit on his left ear with two sticks by the Khalistani supporters and thanked the US Secret Service for protecting him. Taking to Twitter, Jha posted a video in which two Sikh men could be seen wielding sticks and abusing the Indian government and PM Modi profusely. "Thank you @SecretService 4 my protection 2day 4 helping do my job, otherwise I would have been writing this from hospital. The gentleman below hit my left ear with these 2 sticks & earlier I had to call 911 & rushed 2 police van 4 safety fearing physical assault, " tweeted Lalit Jha. "You report to the Indian government," one of the protesters was heard saying in the video. "Tell him that there's a fascist government. F*** you....that's what you are. Fuck Indian government, Make the video," another said. Speaking to ANI, Jha narrated his ordeal saying, "At one point I felt so threatened that I called 911. I then spotted Secret Service officers and narrated the incident to them," Jha told ANI. Meanwhile, Indian-American politician Ro Khanna condemned the attack and called it an assault on journalism. "This violence against Lalit Jha is outrageous and an assault on journalism. I condemn it in the strongest terms. Lalit is one of the fairest and most thoughtful journalists. Thank you to our security for protecting Lalit and the diplomats and consulate," Ro Khanna said in a tweet. The incident comes days after a group of pro-Khalistan protesters on Sunday made an attempt to set on fire India's consulate in San Francisco. The consulate in San Francisco immediately took up the matter with the city police and concerned authorities at multiple levels from San Francisco to Washington DC. However, the protestors went violent later in the day. Several people who came to the consulate for passport or visa services were harassed by the protestors and in some cases even obstructed from entering the premises. Separatist Sikhs have held a similar protest in front of the Indian Embassy in Washington DC. But the protest remained a peaceful one, mainly because of the pro-activeness of the Washington DC Police and Diplomatic Security. In recent months there has been a rise in anti-India activities in Canada, Australia and the UK by Khalistan supporters who have vandalised some Hindu temples in these countries. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 26, 2023, 8:59 [IST] KCR's Bharat Rashtra Samithi to back JDS in Karnataka Assembly elections India pti-PTI Describing the Janata Dal (Secular) a ''natural ally'', the Bharat Rashtra Samithi has decided to throw its weight fully behind the former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led party in the coming Assembly elections in Karnataka, BRS sources said on Sunday. Telangana's governing party was earlier weighing its option of fielding its candidates in some districts bordering Telangana in Kalyana-Karnataka (earlier known as Hyderabad-Karnataka) as part of its strategy to expand nationally but that plan is no longer on the table now. ''JD(S) is our natural ally and we will go with the party. We want to ensure that the JD(S) is successful in the elections'', a senior leader of BRS, headed by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. also known as KCR, told PTI. Sources said KCR would definitely campaign for JD(S) candidates, particularly in segments where ''Telugu-speaking people are densely populated'', as a BRS leader put it. Assembly elections are due in Karnataka by May. JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata last week and requested the TMC boss to campaign in the Karnataka Assembly polls. ''Mamata Banerjee has agreed to Kumaraswamy's request to campaign in Karnataka. She has asked him to send her a schedule'', a JD(S) leader had said after the meeting in the West Bengal capital. Kumaraswamy had attended the meeting of opposition parties convened by Banerjee in Kolkata in January 2019 ahead of the Lok Sabha poll that year. Amritpal Singhs wife stopped while trying to flee to London Top Sikh body asks Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh to surrender before police India oi-PTI Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh Saturday asked fugitive radical preacher Amritpal Singh to surrender before police and cooperate with investigation. The Jathedar of Akal Takht (the highest temporal seat of Sikhs) also questioned police's competence, wondering why they have not been able to nab the self-styled Sikh preacher despite having such a big force. "If Amritpal is out (of police net), then I will ask him to present (before police) and cooperate with (police) investigation," said the Jathedar. Singh's remarks come in the wake of Punjab Police crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and elements of 'Waris Punjab De', an outfit headed by him. Amritpal Singh has been on the run since March 18, when the police crackdown began. Several images and videos have shown him taking multiple vehicles to dodge police. The preacher himself gave the police a slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Jalandhar district. His whereabouts are still unknown. The Punjab government has slapped the strictest National Security Act against him and some of his associates. In a video message on Saturday, the Jathedar said the biggest question in the mind of every Sikh living across the world is how Amritpal Singh could not be arrested despite a big police force in the state. It raises a question over the functioning of the police, he said. Singh said if the preacher has already been arrested, then police should say so. The fugitive's parents had earlier expressed apprehension that their son had already been held by police. He also asked police to keep in mind that Sikh youths, who have been held in the Amritpal Singh case, have not committed as big crimes as they have been projected to have committed. Amritpal Singh and his many associates have been booked in several cases by police. The Akal Takht Jathedar has also called a special gathering of around 60 to 70 Sikh organisations, seminaries and Nihang organisations to discuss the situation in Punjab. No representative of political organisations has been invited. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 26, 2023, 8:29 [IST] Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airways announced their flights to and from Frankfurt International Airport on Monday will be rescheduled due to an upcoming strike at Germanys biggest aviation hub. Vietnam Airlines said Flight VN36 from Frankfurt to Hanoi would depart at 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday, instead of Monday afternoon as initially scheduled. Flight VN31 from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) to Frankfurt will be rescheduled for 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday while Flight VN30 from Frankfurt to HCMC will depart at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday. Bamboo Airways said in a press release its round-trip flights connecting Hanoi with Frankfurt would be rescheduled for Tuesday, instead of Monday. Flight QH73 on the Hanoi-Frankfurt route will depart at 3:15 am (local time) while Flight QH74 will depart Frankfurt for Hanoi at 12:45 pm (local time). Bamboo Airways currently operates direct flights between Vietnam and Germany, with two weekly round-trip flights on the Hanoi-Frankfurt route, and one weekly flight on the HCMC-Frankfurt route. Passengers planning to travel between Hanoi, HCMC and Frankfurt during this period should regularly consult the latest information on the official channels of the carriers. Frankfurt International Airport said it wont be able to provide regular service on March 27 as workers are staging a one-day strike at Germanys biggest aviation hub, adding to disruptions that have hobbled the European travel market for months amid persistent pay disputes, Bloomberg reported. Where to watch ISRO's LVM-III launch to space with 36 OneWeb satellites? ISRO to launch PSLV-C55 mission with two Singaporean satellites today: When and where to watch? WATCH: ISRO successfully launches 36 OneWeb internet satellites to space on LVM-III India oi-Deepika S The Indian Space Research Organisation launched 36 OneWeb internet satellites on its heaviest launch vehicle into space from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. At the end of the 24.5 hour countdown, the 43.5 metre tall rocket blasted off at 9 am from the second launch pad here, about 135 km from Chennai. OneWeb is a low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company from the United Kingdom (UK). India's Bharti Enterprises is a major investor and shareholder in OneWeb. The OneWeb satellite launch is significant because it represents a major step forward in the effort to provide global internet access to people all over the world. The OneWeb constellation of satellites, when fully deployed, will provide high-speed internet access to even the most remote and underserved areas of the planet. The company said the mission would be one of the "most significant milestones" in the history of OneWeb as it will add 36 satellites to the OneWeb fleet and complete first ever global LEO constellation. "OneWeb will soon be ready to roll out its global coverage", the Indian space agency said. ISRO said the launch vehicle mission would place the 36 first generation satellites weighing 5,805 kgs into a 450 kms circular orbit with an inclination of about 87.4 degree. This is the sixth flight of LVM3 which was earlier known as Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MkIII (GSLVMkIII). It had five consecutive missions including the Chandrayaan-2. The first set of 36 satellites for OneWeb Group company was launched on October 23, 2022. OneWeb is a global communication network powered from the space, enabling connectivity for governments and businesses. Sunday's launch will be the second mission for Network Access Associates Limited, United Kingdom (OneWeb Group Company) under a commercial agreement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) to launch 72 satellites to Low-Earth Orbits. The three-stage rocket, its first stage is fired with liquid fuel, the two strap-on motors powered by solid fuel, the second by liquid fuel, and the cryogenic engine. It has a carrying capacity of 10 tons to the theALEO and four tons to the Geo Transfer Orbit (GTO), according to a report in IANS. The process of satellite separation will begin in phases 19 minutes after the rocket's blast off. Launch vehicle has been renamed from GSLV Mk-3 to LVM-3 ISRO has renamed the launch vehicle from GSLV Mk-3 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) to LVM-3. The sole reason behind changing the name of the vehicle from GSLV to LVM is that the rocket will not deploy the OneWeb satellites in geosynchronous orbit but in the LEO. The OneWeb satellites operate at an altitude of 1,200km in the LEO, whereas the geosynchronous orbit is located 35,786km above Earth's equator. OneWeb uses satellites in LEO to provide internet access OneWeb uses satellites in the LEO to provide broadband internet access, as opposed to conventional methods that employ satellites placed in geostationary orbits (GEO) above the equator. LEO satellites, which are placed in orbits ranging from 200km to 1,500km from Earth, significantly increase the bandwidth and reduce latency in space to around 50-70 milliseconds, according to GSMA Intelligence. Why OneWeb mission is important? In March last year, OneWeb canceled a planned launch of 36 broadband satellites aboard Russia's Soyuz rocket following Moscow's invasion on Ukraine. The company then contracted ISRO for the launch of 72 satellites in two phases, which reportedly cost about Rs. 1,000 crore. Today's launch will mark over 600 satellites for OneWebb, paving the way to offer broadband internet services from space to every corner of the world. For ISRO, this would be the second launch in 2023 after the successful launch of SSLV-D2/EOS07 mission in February. Did Amritpal surrender or he was arrested? Here's what Punjab IGP says How Amritpal tried to piggyback on late actor Deep Sidhu's popularity? India oi-PTI Secessionist Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh chose to create 'Warris Panj-Aab De', phonetically similar to 'Waris Punjab De' already formed by Deep Sidhu's brother, to piggyback on the late actor's popularity after the radical preacher failed to take control of the existing outfit, documents confiscated during a crackdown on him show. Deep Sidhu's brother Mandeep created an organisation in Fathehgarh Sahib on July 4, 2022, in accordance with Deep's desires to promote 'Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan', spread awareness about pollution-related issues, draw drug-addicted youths towards sports, and aid people during natural disasters, among other goals. It was established with strict regulations in place, including the roles and election of office-bearers. Mandeep stated that the organisation was created to fulfill his late brother's vision of serving the people of Punjab. When Amritpal returned from overseas in August 2022 and demanded the papers for 'Waris Punjab De', Mandeep refused to hand them over. The Sidhu family refused to acknowledge Amritpal as the heir to Deep's ideology and said the actor had blocked his number before his tragic road accident in February 2022. Out of the blue, a new organisation called 'Warris Panj-Aab De' surfaced, with Deep Sidhu's official Facebook page linked to it. It was registered in Moga district, with its inception date set being mentioned as December 15, 2021. The Facebook page amassed a huge following, causing confusion among people, who assumed that Amritpal had taken over the organisation created by Deep Sidhu. Some documents unearthed during the ongoing crackdown against Amritpal suggest that the establishment of 'Warris Panj-Aab De' was potentially backdated. The organisation's registered address was "Guru Nanak Furniture Store", owned by Amritpal's close associate Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, in Duneke village in Moga district. Bukkanwala has been taken into custody and charged under the National Security Act and shifted to Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam. During questioning, Gurmeet claimed that the organisation was established much later, and some contacts were used to register it backdated from Moga district. However, he was unable to provide further information on the matter. The Moga-based organisation did not mention Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. It focussed rather on real estate and providing security at religious functions. Amritpal has been on the run since March 18 when the police launched a crackdown against hi The elusive preacher gave the police the slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Punjab's Jalandhar district. Will restore scrapped 4% quota for Muslims if voted to power, says Congress India pti-PTI Flaying the BJP-led Karnataka government for its decision to scrap the reservation for Muslims under Category 2B in the OBC list, the Congress declared on Sunday that it would restore the quota to the minority community in the event of the party coming to power in the State, where Assembly elections are due by May. The Cabinet meeting on Friday also decided to split this quantum (four per cent) equally between Vokkaliga and Veerashaiva-Lingayats at two per each in jobs and admissions in educational institutions, which was welcomed by the two politically influential communities. The government moved Muslims into the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) pool. President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) D K Shivakumar termed the step "unconstitutional" "They (the government) think that reservation can be distributed like a property. It's not a property. It's a right (of minorities)", he told reporters here. "We don't want their four per cent to be scrapped and given to any of the major communities. They (members of the minority community) are our brothers and family members". "Entire Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats are rejecting this offer," Shivakumar claimed. Exuding confidence that the Congress party will come to power in the "next 45 days", he said: "we will scrap all this" and added that there is no basis to remove Muslims from the OBC list. Charging the Bommai government with trying to rake up "emotional issues" as it's set to lose the polls, Shivakumar said as party president, he wants to declare that the first meeting of the Cabinet, in the event of Congress coming to power, would take a decision to restore the quota. YEIDA's mixed land-use scheme to accommodate industry, housing on same plot India oi-Prakash KL The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) has come up with a unique scheme to have industries and houses on the same premises. This mixed land-use scheme will help people big time as those employed in the companies located in this area can reside in the same region. "We have 110 acres in total in Sector 24. A total of 7 plots of 10 acres each will be allotted for industry. In the remaining area, there will be development like the construction of roads, drains and green areas. The allocation will be done through e-auction," The Times of India quoted Arun Vir Singh, the YEIDA CEO, as saying. The report claims that industry will be developed in the 75 per cent land allotted to them and the remaining land will be used for residential, commercial and institutional purposes. The officials claim that industrialists have always wanted a scheme where workers get all the facilities in the same area as they can now stay in the same area. The YEIDA CEO further stated that 12 per cent of the remaining land will be utilised for residential purposes 8 per cent for commercial and 5 for institutional development. "This scheme will help in setting up big industries with all the facilities on the premises itself," the CEO said. Meanwhile, the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) is meeting representatives of companies who have come forward to buy plots in the medical device park, toy and apparel parks. The offer letters are expected to be given to the allottees and they will have six months to register the land. In the meeting which is being held between March 20 and 27, the allottees will be updated about the progress in the YEIDA project around the plots. "The Yamuna Authority has been developing necessary facilities in the area, such as roads, drains, installation of electric poles and so on. The work in many sectors is almost complete now. We plan to offer plots to our allottees during the meetings so that they start the construction work soon. Allottees have to attend the meeting on the scheduled day and time," said Arun Vir Singh. Land Price Boosted In the last five years, YEIDA has received investments to the tune of Rs 16,678 crore, thereby creating a huge demand for commercial and residential plots. As a result, the prices of land in the vicinity are going up. The development of the Noida airport has already led to an increase in real estate activities in the surrounding areas. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 26, 2023, 16:21 [IST] Indian Americans hold peace rally at Indian Consulate in San Fracisco after pro-Khalistan vandalism International oi-Deepika S Scores of Indian-American community members held a peace rally in support of India in front of its consulate in San Francisco that was vandalised by separatist Sikhs early this week. A huge crowd of Indian-Americans drove from in and around San Francisco, including representatives from Sacramento Telugu Association, and waived the tri-color flag to show solidarity with India on Friday. The NRI's have requested the US government to take appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of such violent incidents by Pro-Khalisthan groups. Indian-Americans raised the slogans of 'Vande Mataram', waved the tri-colour flag and danced to the tunes of 'Vande Mataram'. The Indo-American community condemned the destructive activities of separatist Sikhs, who were also present there in small numbers. Local police was present in the area to prevent any unforeseen situation. Some of the separatist Sikhs chanted pro-Khalistan slogans, but they were outnumbered by a large gathering of Indian Americans who chanted Vande Mataram" and waved the Indian national flag along with that of the US. On Sunday, a group of Khalistan supporters gathered in front of the Indian embassy in Washington, DC and many of their speakers tried to incite violence, but timely intervention by an alert US Secret Service and local police prevented a repeat of London and San Francisco incidents of vandalism at the mission. They hurled abusive language and openly threatened Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Some of the speakers were seen inciting fellow protestors to indulge in violence and break the windows and glasses of the building across the road. In their speeches, most of the protestors were seen trying to incite violence not only in India but in the US as well, including physical damage to the Indian embassy property. In different parts of the world, including Canada, Australia and UK, there has been reports of anti-India activities by Khalistan supporters. Recently they were alleged to have vandalised some Hindu temples in these countries as well. Ukraine official: Russian prez Putin taking Belarus as ''nuclear hostage'' International pti-PTI Ukraine's top security official on Sunday denounced the Kremlin's plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus, saying that Russia was taking its ally as a nuclear hostage. But Moscow said it was making the move in response to the West's increasing military support for Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the plan in a television interview that aired on Saturday, saying it was triggered by a UK decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the United States. He noted that Washington has nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews, he said. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, tweeted Sunday that Putin's announcement was a step towards internal destabilisation of Belarus that maximized the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society. The Kremlin, Danilov added, took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. On Saturday, Putin argued that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has long asked to have nuclear weapons in his country again to counter NATO. Belarus shares borders with three NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging ground to send troops into neighboring Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Both Lukashenko's support of the war and Putin's plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus has been denounced by the Belarusian opposition. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over the ones it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them will be completed by July 1, Putin said. Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there. The US said it would monitor the implications of Putin's announcement. So far, Washington hasn't seen "any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. In Germany, the foreign ministry called it a further attempt at nuclear intimidation, German news agency dpa reported late Saturday. The ministry went on to say that the comparison drawn by President Putin to NATO's nuclear participation is misleading and cannot be used to justify the step announced by Russia.(AP) RUP RUP The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut. It was founded in 1881 as the Storrs Agricultural School, named after two brothers who donated the land for the school. In 1893, the school became a public land grant college, becoming the University of Connecticut in 1939. Over the following decade, social work, nursing and graduate programs were established, while the schools of law and pharmacy were also absorbed into the university. During the 1960s, UConn Health was established for new medical and dental schools. UConn is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Parramatta is a suburb and major commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney, located in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately 24 kilometres (15 mi) west of Central Sydney, on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the local government area of the City of Parramatta and is often regarded as the main commercial centre of Greater Western Sydney Metropolitan area. Parramatta also has a long history as a second administrative centre in the Sydney metropolitan region, playing host to a number of state government departments as well as state and federal courts. It is often colloquially referred to as "Parra". The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 31 member states 29 European and two North American. Established in the aftermath of World War II, the organization implemented the North Atlantic Treaty, signed in Washington, D.C., on 4 April 1949. NATO is a collective security system: its independent member states agree to defend each other against attacks by third parties. During the Cold War, NATO operated as a check on the threat posed by the Soviet Union. The alliance remained in place after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact, and has been involved in military operations in the Balkans, the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. The organization's motto is animus in consulendo liber. Accesswire 20 Apr 2023 *NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR TO US WIRE SERVICES* *CO[2] reactive minerals were observed.. When Raymond first met Thuy in Malaysia seven years ago, he was immediately drawn to her dimpled smile. He became fascinated with finding a way to get to know her. "The moment I met her eyes, I knew she was my destiny," said Go Jun Hao (also known as Raymond), 30, now an English teacher in Ho Chi Minh City. At the time of their first encounter in mid-2016, Dang Thi Thuy, 29, from Quang Binh Province, was working in Ipoh city, Perak State, Malaysia. It was at a friends birthday party that Raymond first saw Thuy, a Vietnamese girl with long hair, big eyes and a charming smile. He approached her and started a conversation that ended quickly, but somewhat luckily: with a phone number. However, Thuy recalls that she wasnt interested at the time. "I was just trying to be polite, so I gave him my number and ignored him," Thuy said. "My impression of Raymond at that time was very faint." Raymond (R) and Do Thi Thuy in Ho Chi Minh City in 2021. Photo courtesy of the couple Before going to Malaysia, Thuy had already engaged in a long-distance relationship with a foreigner that didnt work out. She told herself that she would avoid heartbreak by never loving a foreigner again. But after the fateful birthday party, Raymond texted Thuy every day in English. When he asked her out for a cup of coffee or dinner, she didnt respond. Eventually, she agreed to go to the movies with him. But when he arrived at the theater, she texted him that she was sick and couldnt go. Raymond returned home and sent Thuy another text: "I think you already have a boyfriend. I won't bother you anymore". Thuy didnt reply and continued with her life. Two months later, during the Lunar New Year holiday, all services and shops were closed in Malaysia. Thuy didnt know how to buy food for the next few days. Desperate, Thuy texted Raymond for help. During his lunch break, he took Thuy out to buy food. However, when he dropped her off at home, she went straight inside and didnt even say thank you. Four days later, Raymond sent her a text: "You are not a good person. You only think of me when you need something. After you get what you need, you forget about me." He was discouraged. "At that time, I thought this girl was too cold," Raymond said. Thuy was shocked because it was the first time someone had told her straight up that she wasnt a good person. Looking back on how shed handled things with Raymond, she realized that she was careless. "This time I texted and asked him out for dinner," Thuy said. After that date, the two gradually fell for each other and Raymond confessed his love. He began texting his new girlfriend every day with two misspelled Vietnamese words he learned from his friend: "ba ssa." "I thought it was a greeting in Malay. It took me a week to realize that he was calling me ba xa (wife)," Thuy said. Raymond, Thuy and their son. Photo courtesy of the couple After seven months in love, Thuy returned to Quang Binh to visit her family. Raymond offered to come along because he wanted to learn more about his girlfriend's country. Raymond accompanied Thuy home and after a month in Vietnam, she decided she didnt want to return to Malaysia. She knew Raymond had a promising job at a bank in his hometown, so she only "jokingly" asked him if he wanted to stay in Vietnam with her. But she was surprised by his answer. "He agreed immediately and booked a flight to Malaysia to quit his job and inform his family," Thuy said. Ten days later, Raymond returned to Quang Binh to live with his girlfriend's family. "It still feels like a dream when I remember picking him up at the Da Nang Airport," Thuy said. At the end of 2017, they welcomed their first child and got married. Raymond said that during his first days in Quang Binh, everyone looked at him curiously and asked him questions in Vietnamese. He just smiled back because he didn't understand what everyone was saying. "In a house where people called each other by many different names, I was shocked and couldn't remember them all," Raymond said. So, after three months in Quang Binh, he began to learn Vietnamese. He gradually spoke less English. At work, he tried to learn Vietnamese from his colleagues. At home, he learned from Thuy and his mother-in-law. "Every time he looks at something, he always asks how to describe it in Vietnamese and then takes notes," Thuy said. After one year, people began complimenting Raymond for speaking authentic Vietnamese like a man from Central Vietnam. Raymond and Thuy brings their son to Malaysia to see his grandparents in 2019. Photo courtesy of the couple In 2021, Thuy and Raymond moved to Ho Chi Minh City for work. People there often mistook Raymond as a man from Central Vietnam due to his thick Quang Binh accent. "Some people from Quang Binh heard my voice and thought I was from their hometown," he recalled. Raymond's mother-in-law, Tran Thi Uyen 65, said that the presence of Raymond always fills the atmosphere with laughter because of his sense of humor. After nearly six years living in Vietnam, Raymond said he loves the country and considers it as his second home. Thuy has many times asked if he wants to go back to Malaysia, but he firmly says no. "Because I have fallen in love with my wife and this country". Thuy and her husband havent returned to Malaysia since the outbreak of Covid-19. This summer, they are planning to bring their son to see Raymonds parents. Clinton Gutherson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains and plays fullback for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL. A male officer allegedly asked his junior colleague about her bra after female staff at a trivia night had been urged to remove their underwear. Now QPS is investigating. Ukraines top security official has denounced the Kremlins plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus. Russia said that it made the move in response to the Wests increasing military support for Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the plan in a television interview that aired on Saturday. He said that it was triggered by Britains decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Ukraines National Security and Defense Council secretary Oleksiy Danilov tweeted Sunday that Putins announcement was a step towards internal destabilization of Belarus. Danilov said that the Kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. The proposal from President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, talked of since last year, would be provocative without changing the Wests battlefield calculus. BBC Sport 26 Mar 2023 Watch highlights as France hold off a dogged Italy to open their Women's Six Nations campaign with a win in Parma. Motley Fool 27 Mar 2023 Canadian Tire and another dividend growth play that's getting way too cheap to ignore amid the market's turbulence. In terms of domestic politics, the Iraq War followed the trajectory of the Vietnam War, which also relied on a resolution supporting the use of military force that Congress passed and later repealed. Former Conservative cabinet ministers Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng told a fake overseas company looking for MP advisers that their daily rate for consultancy would be 10,000. An Afghan woman fears being sent back to Afghanistan after her new visa was rejected by the Home Office. Sainte-Soline, France (AFP) March 25, 2023 French police again clashed with protesters Saturday as campaigners sought to stop the construction of reservoirs in the southwest, the latest in a series of violent standoffs as social tensions erupt nationwide. The violent scenes in Sainte-Soline in western France came after days of violent protests nationwide over President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform that prompted the cancellation o In recent years, investments and technologies from China have played an important role in the renewable energy sector in Brazil, providing a strong boost to the transformation of the sustainable development of the Latin American country. Click here to watch the video. Brasilia (AFP) March 25, 2023 Brazil's leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was due to head to China for key talks with President Xi Jinping, has indefinitely postponed his trip to recover from pneumonia, the government said Saturday. Lula, who succeeded the far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro at the start of the year, had hoped to use the trip next week to reclaim his country's role in global diplomacy, with discus The Moscow meeting between allies Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, together with controversies related to Donald Trump's possible arrest, topped the headlines this week. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office said the duo landed safely at Key West International Airport at about 10:30 a.m. local time and were turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol. Russian forces crossed from Belarus into Ukraine a year ago, headed for Kyiv, before their unexpected retreat. As the war drags on, Ukraine is fortifying even the quietest stretch of this border. Honduras formed diplomatic ties with China on Sunday after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is now recognised by only 13 sovereign states, including Vatican City. ViewPresident Joe Biden is sending federal aid to Mississippi after a series of tornadoes ravished the state Friday night. The president said help is being deployed imminently, with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on his way to Mississippi Sunday to determine where the most immediate support is needed. "To those impacted... The move by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled he will move ahead with a contentious plan to overhaul Israel's judicial system a plan that has sparked widespread opposition. Spains Overhaul of Gambling Legislation Sends Shockwaves Throughout the Industry Published March 26, 2023 by Florin P The Royal Decree approved by Spanish ministers and aimed at protecting young and vulnerable categories of gamblers draws fire from industry representatives. The wheels were set in motion by Spains main executive body, to overhaul gambling legislation and create a safer environment. The main objective is to offer additional protections to younger, and thats why the Council of ministers, has approved the Royal Decree. This is a continuation of a policy to tighten the countrys gambling advertising law enacted by the same ministry in 2020. A Ward against Intensive Gambling Behaviours Spanish lawmakers highlighted the importance of introducing new laws capable of minimizing the risks posed by problem gambling. They highlighted the perils of players developing pathological behaviours, which are strong enough to warrant such legislation. Young people seem to be the most vulnerable ones, especially players between the ages of 18 and 25. They also happen to be among the most targeted by gambling advertisements, therefore require additional protections. Players who fall into this category will be regarded as intensive gamblers if they lose over 200 and a limit of 600 will be enforced for all players. Furthermore, a new credit card ban will apply to vulnerable players, so they cant deposit and wager more than they can afford to lose. At the same time, gaming operators will be prohibited from targeting these people with promotions of any type. Those who have earned interacted before with the gambling industry cant be targeted either. New Measures Draw Criticism Gambling operators will need to explain the risks of gambling to younger players and those who fail to comply will be subject to hefty fines. The penalties start at 1 million and can go all the way up to 50 million, as well as the loss of the license. Since the rules will come into force six months after being published in the Official State Gazette, gaming companies have some time to prepare. Given the harsh nature of the penalties, gambling companies need to adjust in a timely fashion. The Spanish online operator association JDigital was critical of the new changes, as Spain already has one of the strictest regulatory regimes continent-wide. The lobbying group says that the measures are excessive and do little to protect vulnerable categories, beyond what existing rules already do. They also complained that these are largely political measures that can create confusion and saw fear in society, about a perfectly safe sector. The gambling market in Spain is growing at a slower pace and industry representatives blame the prohibitive legislation. They say that theyve had limited time to prepare and adjust for the most recent measures and this change will further complicate their mission. They expressed their dissatisfaction with the current direction in which the laws are being changed but vowed to work with lawmakers and convince them to refrain from pushing excessive legislation. Silver City: Rescuers combed through rubble on Saturday after a powerful storm tore across Mississippi overnight, killing at least 25 people there and another in Alabama, leveling hundreds of buildings and spawning at least one devastating tornado. The tornado stayed on the ground for about an hour and cut a path of destruction some 170 miles (274 km) long, according to Nicholas Price, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson, Mississippi. Video taken in the town of Rolling Fork, a town of 1,700 in western Mississippi that was hit hardest, showed homes reduced to rubble, tree trunks snapped like twigs and cars that had been tossed aside. The town's water tower lay twisted on the ground. Michael Searcy, a storm chaser who saw the tornado approach Rolling Fork, spent hours helping to rescue trapped people. "As soon as we would go from one vehicle to the next vehicle or from building to building, we could hear screams and we could hear cries for help," he told Reuters. "And we were just basically in small groups, digging through the rubble, trying to find and extricate people." Members of one family narrowly escaped by taking shelter in a bathroom; the rest of the house collapsed around them, and the high winds dropped a van on top of the home, Searcy said. In Silver City, a town of around 300, residents described locking themselves in interior rooms and cowering inside bathtubs as the tornado swept through. "I thought about God," said Katherine Ray. "I just started saying, 'I followed the Ten Commandments, Lord, it's just me at the house,' and I just said, 'Just take care of me.'" Her prayer was answered, she said; her trailer was damaged but still standing, while many of her neighbors saw their trailers completely destroyed. Governor Tate Reeves, who visited Silver City on Saturday, declared a state of emergency in the affected areas. "The scale of the damage and loss is evident everywhere affected today," he wrote on Twitter. "Homes, businesses ... entire communities." In Alabama, which was also struck by the same storm system, rescuers pulled a man from the mud when his trailer was overturned, but the man died from his injuries, according to the Morgan County Sheriff's Office. That appeared to be the only reported death in that state as of Saturday afternoon. U.S. President Joe Biden described the images from Mississippi as "heartbreaking" and said in a statement that he had spoken with Reeves and offered his condolences and full federal support for the recovery. "To those impacted by these devastating storms, and to the first responders and emergency personnel working to help their fellow Americans, we will do everything we can to help," Biden said. "We will be there as long as it takes. We will work together to deliver the support you need to recover." Mississippi officials set up three emergency shelters, including at the National Guard Armory in Rolling Fork. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director Deanne Criswell will travel to Mississippi on Sunday, the White House said. About 26,000 customers remained without power as of Saturday evening in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee due to the storm, according to the website PowerOutage.us. 'My city is gone' Mississippi's emergency management agency said on Saturday afternoon that the death toll had risen to 25, with dozens more injured. Four people who had been reported missing earlier have been located, the agency said. At least 12 of those deaths occurred in Rolling Fork, its mayor, Eldridge Walker, told CNN earlier in the day. "My city is gone, but we are resilient," Walker said on CNN. "We are going to come back strong." Jarrett Brown, a volunteer with the disaster response organization Team Rubicon who traveled in Rolling Fork, told Reuters the damage showed that the storm was inescapable for some residents. "In some of these areas, there was no safe spot to go to," he said via a video call. Tim and Tracy Harden, owners of Chuck's Dairy Barn in Rolling Fork, said in a Facebook post that they hid inside a small walk-in cooler one minute before the tornado demolished their building. "Forever grateful to the customer with the broken arm that kept going and freed us all from the cooler," they wrote. The National Weather Service in Jackson has deployed teams to assess the damage and determine whether additional tornados touched down, according to Price, the meteorologist. At least 24 reports of tornadoes, stretching from western Mississippi into Alabama, were issued to the National Weather Service on Friday night and into Saturday morning by storm chasers and observers. An unnamed, unidentified Black man at the raucous Temecula School Board mid-March meeting was the latest to feel the wrath of the countless number of livid, dyed in the wool opponents of anything that smacks of teaching critical race theory in the schools. The man had the temerity to oppose the Boards ban on teaching CRT in the schools. He then got the boot for objecting to a racial slur hurled at him for opposing the Board's decision. At last count nearly two hundred right-wing think tanks, advocacy groups, and parent groups have railed against CRT teaching in the schools. Fox News predictably has been on a virtual nonstop crusade against anything that remotely smacks of CRT in the schools. It's a strawman issue concocted by the right since almost no school district in the nation mandates that CRT be taught in the schools. The strawman issue was created as yet another hammer to browbeat, cow, and intimidate school boards, whip up fury among the GOP conservative base, and most importantly piledrive Democrats with the usual falsehood that they are trying to shove racial guilt down white throats. Let's be clear. There's nothing new about the term critical race theory. The term goes back almost four decades. Then, a handful of Black scholars and writers came up with the term to name what for decades had simply been called battling racism. The reaction at first was, well really, no reaction. It seemed a puzzling, overloaded, and very academic term that was subject to just about any meaning and interpretation. Trump's White House grab in 2016 changed that. He publicly demanded a cease and desist to any school district and/or teacher that dared stuff students with what he branded" left wing indoctrination." In plain English, he meant any mention of the pernicious history of racial bias in America. Trump railed that this fanned the very racism that America had supposedly long gotten past. Worse it scapegoated whites as the perennial bad guys for all of America's racial sins. Trump followed his diatribe with an executive order that virtually wiped out any diversity training for federal employees. The great fear of the conservative attackers, though, is not that teaching about America's past and present history of racial and social injustice will poison the minds of minority students but that that it could seep into curriculums and presentations to influence a lot of white elementary and highs schoolers. This could have a far-reaching political consequence. In that it could decrease the generational racial polarization that the GOP banks on to maintain political power and control in a nation that is on the verge of becoming an ethnic minority-majority nation. The study of race and racism is not just a mere academic exercise. It's a crucial body of scholarly work that has established a direct connection between political power, social organization, and language. It has influenced wide fields within education, and been the basis of countless court decisions, state and federal laws, and local ordinances that have attacked and provided remedies for racial inequities. The 1954 Brown versus Board of Education decision is a classic example of how studies on the damaging impact of racial segregation on school children can play a huge role in law. The studies helped sway a few doubting and reluctant SCOTUS justices on the need to outlaw school segregation. The wide body of race studies has been a staple in fields such as the humanities, the social sciences, and teacher education. The counter attackers understand this. The Heritage Foundation is always on the point in providing the intellectual, legal, and financial muscle to counter so called liberal, and racial policy issues. It has churned out a set of counter position papers that cite 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, LGBTQ clubs in schools, diversity training in federal agencies and organizations, and California's ethnic studies model curriculum, to name a few as supposedly the product of activists and teachers instilling Blacks, Hispanics, gays, and young people with the evil white's brainwash. The counterattack against critical race theory uses the same game plan used to oppose or roll back every past civil rights act, voting rights act, and affirmative action plans Indeed anything in law and public policy that even smacks of race is always under conservative fire. Critical race theory opponents have latched onto, and shamelessly mangled, the color-blind mythology that any talk of racial bigotry and bias and its continued devastating impact on American society is racism. This deft turn the tables has made legions of school districts wary about touching the forbidden subject in any way. The Temecula school district was only the latest in the right-wing steamroll of any teaching that seeks to bring an honest, balanced teaching of history to the schools. For the right it's yet another strawman issue. Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His forthcoming book is The Politics of Chess (Middle Passage Press) He is the host of the weekly Hutchinson Report on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles and the Pacifica Network. His political affairs commentaries can be found weekly on thehutchinsonreport.net. Vietnamese peacekeepers are honored with UN medals (Photo: Level-2 field Hospital No. 4) The awards ceremony was attended by Ms. Jane Kony, Acting Head of the UN Peacekeeping mission's Field Office in Bentiu, and Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian of India, force commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan. With the mission of providing medical care for UN staff working at the mission, the Level 2 Field Hospital No. 4 has always tried and made efforts to successfully complete its mission, contributing to building the image of the country and people of Vietnam in the eyes of international friends. At the ceremony, Acting Head of the UN Peacekeeping mission's Field Office in Bentiu Jane Kony and Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian highly appreciated the dedication and professionalism of Vietnamese officers. They affirmed that the awards are recognition from the UN for the hospitals efforts during their mission in South Sudan, and serve as a testament to Vietnamese contributions to global peace and stability. For his part, Lieutenant Colonel Vu Minh Duong, Director of the hospital, affirmed that he and his team will continue to provide the best possible healthcare services and treatment for both UN staff and local people. The field hospital was launched in November 2021, comprising 63 members. The Vietnamese delegation departed for the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) on April 27, along with Military Engineering Unit No.1, to perform duties at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)./. On January 30, 1933, at 10:45 am, in the Chancellery Building, Germany's leaders met to decide the future of their country. Each man is accompanied by fear. As a result, each was determined to end the Weimar Republic and establishing, as historian Peter Fritzsche writes in Hitler's First Hundred Days: When Germans Embraced the Third Reich, an authoritarian government. Why? Because they feared the most influential and oldest party, the Social Democratic Party. And its Jewish leadership! Germany's 84-year-old president Paul von Hindenburg, in his office at the Chancellery, waiting to hear the decision, sent his chief negotiator Joseph von Papen to confer with the right-wing German National People's Party and press tycoon Alfred Hugenberg and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party (the Nazi Party), Adolph Hitler. The loser of the 1932 elections, despite huge turn outs at his rallies that averaged 100,000 people, received only 30% of the vote to Hindenburg's 49.6%, writes Fritzsche. Yet, here was Hitler, without the experience of these seasoned politicians, deciding the fate of Germany. Here he was now the leader of the nation's largest party, thanks to an increase in street violence and thuggery, Hitler at least won the attention of those leaders at the table. As Fritzsche writes, the three men were unified in their hatred of the socialists and the Communists, but Hugenberg was weary of the "loud" rabblerouser. Hugenberg held out while Papen supported his boss, a man Hitler despised. It was Hitler's plan to replace Hindenburg, to end the Republic by removing its leader. If Hitler succeeds in gaining Hugenberg's trust and vote, writes Fritzsche, the Nazi Party would have time to "revise the constitution and put emergency powers in his own hands." He would have to convince Hugenberg that his plan represented the "'legal'" path to a "'total'" authoritarian solution that would once and for all do away with the Weimar Republic. In fact, Fritzsche writes, Hitler's plan, "to dismantle the power of the presidency and consolidate the party's power, all without any constraint or arbitrary rule or revolutionary ambition," would do away with Hindenburg, Papen, and Hugenberg. He saw himself as a major Party leader on his way to becoming a dictator. The last thing on Hitler's mind was selecting individuals to serve in Hindenburg's cabinet! By the time Otto Meissner enters the room, Hugenberg has agreed to Hitler's plan. Meissner, Hindenburg's chief of staff, reminds the men of the time. A quarter past eleven! Hindenburg is waiting! And time seemed to favor Hitler. As Fritzsche writes, "the conspirators walked up the stairs to Hindenburg's office, and at eleven thirty the president administered the oath of office to Adolf Hitler, who became Germany's new chancellor." "Better Hitler than Weimar." And the rest, as they say, is history! Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Will lessons from COVID-19 and TB vaccine rollout improve pandemic preparedness and health security? ODE UDUU, SHOBHA SHUKLA, BOBBY RAMAKANT Lessons from past vaccine rollouts must help in improving readiness for future vaccine rollouts (Image by CNS) Details DMCA TB high burden countries India and Nigeria both have had decades of experience in rolling out the TB vaccine. Both nations were successful (even if not ideal) in reaching out to a large part of their populations with COVID-19 vaccination. Are there any lessons that we can learn from this experience of rolling out vaccines against TB and COVID-19, which might pave the way for improving preparedness for the rollout of future vaccines? We spoke with experts in both these nations - as a new TB vaccine, which is currently in Phase-3 study in India (and elsewhere too), if proven safe and effective, would need readiness and preparedness to ensure that it reaches everyone who needs it, timely. As promised by governments, only 32 months are left for India to end TB (by 2025) and 92 months are left for Nigeria and other countries globally to do so by 2030. Century-old TB vaccine and still not 100% coverage in hard-hit nations The only vaccine against TB, the 102-year-old BCG (Bacille Calmette Guerin), has a protective effect against meningitis and disseminated TB in children. It does not prevent primary infection and does not prevent reactivation of latent pulmonary infection. It is hard to fathom that why for a disease that was the deadliest infectious disease in the world before COVID-19 hit us, why better vaccines to prevent and control TB are not around yet? More importantly, despite 102 years of BCG vaccine being around, its coverage is still not 100% in TB hard-hit nations like India and Nigeria - as per WHO data, BCG vaccine coverage in 2021 was 84% in India and 75% in Nigeria. Science first: "While the neonatal BCG vaccination is partially effective in reducing the risk and severity of serious forms of TB, like miliary TB and TB meningitis in infants and young children, it is poorly protective against pulmonary disease in adolescents and adults. There is a critical need for new TB vaccines that are more effective than the existing BCG vaccine in preventing pulmonary as well as extra-pulmonary forms of TB in all age groups," said Prof Surya Kant, scientific Chairperson of 77th National Conference of Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases held in Agra, India. BCG vaccine is contraindicated in those with cell-mediated immune deficiency. While HIV infected, non-symptomatic infants should be immunized with BCG vaccine according to standard schedules, infants with clinical (symptomatic) AIDS should not receive it. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Recently, a valued contributor to OpEdNews published an article entitled "The Hypocrisy of Religious People Regarding Women." In it, he argued that all "revealed" religions, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Mormonism and Baha'? (sic) are guilty of promoting misogyny." They are hypocritical regarding women, he wrote, because of the many "pathetic and damaging examples of misogyny in the Hebrew Bible." In support of his argument, he referenced the Genesis story about the first man and first woman (Gen 1:26-27 and 2:21-23) and the interpretation of that story by the anonymous author of First Timothy. The latter took the myth to mean that women sinned first and therefore deserve punishment and subjection to men (1 Tim 2:11-14). Moreover, the author alleged, the hypocrisy of religious people extends far beyond Judaism and Christianity to include Hinduism and Buddhism. Islam was highlighted as especially hypocritical since, he wrote, it encourages husbands to beat their disrespectful or disobedient wives. To remedy such outrages, our friend called for the replacement biblical teachings with an American-and-Eurocentric Deism, especially as espoused by the Founding Fathers like Thomas Paine. The Founders, he inferred, were not only champions of women, but adopting their free thought and nonreligious approach to God would save humanity from the social evils hypocritically supported by "religious people." In this brief essay, I'd like to respectfully disagree with my OEN colleague. Let me do so by (1) saying a word about hypocrisy, (2) showing the diversity of "religious people," who are not nearly all guilty of misogyny, and (3) suggesting that Deism as represented by our Founders (including Thomas Paine) is itself deeply embedded in extreme hypocrisy not only towards women, but towards indigenous and black people as well. Hypocrisy's Meaning Here I can be quite brief. Hypocrisy does not mean "beliefs harmful to others" as my colleague seems to imply. Rather and relative to misogyny, it entails adopting an anti-woman course of action while knowing and even affirming that doing so is wrong. That's what hypocrisy means - lack of correspondence between one's professed convictions on the one hand and one's actions on the other. This means that proving that all "religious people" are "hypocritical regarding women," would entail showing that what all of them believe and say about women is insincere. Alternatively, the author's use of the term hypocrisy might suggest that all "religious people" (or maybe just most of them?) mistreat women and hate them (that's what misogyny means) because of the believers' religious convictions. Obviously, such assertions are untrue. And that brings me to my second point which needs fuller explanation. Religious Diversity Here I must make two obvious points. The first is that all "religious people" cannot be tarred with the same brush. And besides, the beliefs of religious people about women and those "revealed texts" are also quite diverse. That many believers might be hypocritical cannot be denied. However, it's difficult to identify just who falls into that category (as defined above). It's risky for anyone who can't read minds. Perhaps rather than identifying the beliefs of some as hypocritical, it would be better to call them uninformed, immature, or simplistic. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). The question of a Ukraine agreement is not a question, for two reasons. One, the warmaking parties want the war to continue. Two, if they were willing to make an agreement, everybody on all sides knows exactly (or darn near exactly) what it would have to be, and always has. Sooner or later, it will have to be agreed to, or the world end. (Yes, I'm aware that post-nuclear-apocalypse a rock will still be here with possibly some cockroaches on it; I just don't find that particularly interesting.) If we look at the Minsk II agreement in place prior to the war, compliance with which would have avoided the war, or at the proposals Russia was making just before its invasion, or the proposal from Italy last year (also here), or the proposal recently made by China, or the proposals from war-supporting stink tanks in the U.S. such as Brookings and the Center for the National Interest, we find that they share in common these points: (Only China does not specifically state this, while it does state general principles that require it.) (Only Minsk II does not say this, while China says it in its own vague way.) (Only Russia and China do not include this, and Minsk II does not mention Crimea; Italy says that these autonomous regions will be part of Ukraine, while the think tanks and Minsk II say that Donbass with be part of Ukraine, and the think tanks say that Crimea will be part of Russia. The National Interest proposes that Luhansk and Donetsk vote on their fate, and presumably does not say the same for Crimea only because Crimea already has voted and absolutely everyone knows how it would vote if it were to vote again.) (While the details vary, all agree on the need to reduce the high level of weaponization, troops, and war preparations in the region.) (Only the two proposals that pre-date the recent sanctions on Russia fail to include the need to end unilateral sanctions.) (All agree, only with variations in the details and hypocrisies, on the need to strengthen the international rule of law and the United Nations "" except for the National Interest.) (All agree on the need to establish peaceful, diplomatic relations, provide humanitarian aid, and "" using other language "" advance some process of truth and reconciliation.) The fact that the above outline of an agreement is known to all is further suggested by the fact that Ukraine and Russia darn near agreed to it in March of 2022, before the U.S. and UK pressured Ukraine to keep the war going. Here's a relevant bit from Medea Benjamin's and Nicolas Davies' book War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict: "On March 10, the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine met in Antalya, Turkey, with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlu?t C?avus?og?lu mediating. These talks continued by video conference from March 14 to 17, with Israel as a second mediator, and produced a 15-point plan that Zelenskyy called 'more realistic' than previous proposals. The main points of the plan were for a cease-fire and Russian withdrawal, and for Ukraine to adopt a neutral status similar to that of Austria. Ukraine would renounce any future plan to join NATO and promise not to host foreign weapons installations or military bases, in exchange for new security guarantees from other countries. The Russian language would also be recognized as an official language in Ukraine. Russia's sticking points involved the nature of the security guarantees and which countries would provide them, and the details of how the future of Crimea and the two People's Republics in Donbas would be decided. But the outlines of a peace settlement were on the table." Until they weren't. But it's not as though we don't still know what they are. DEAR ABBY: My local area TV meteorologists and reporters have a terrible habit of calling rainy weather miserable, cloudy weather gloomy, and any other non-sunny day dreary. With so many horrible events in the news on a daily basis, reporting the weather this way seems irresponsible and reckless. For some emotionally vulnerable members of our community, these negative words could be dangerous. Weather is weather. When we were kids, my friends and I would play outside in the rain and none of us ever thought of it as gloomy, dreary or miserable. Using such a powerful medium as television in this way could have a negative impact on people who are already in a dark place. -- ITS RAINING BUT NOT DREARY IN DELAWARE DEAR ITS RAINING: Thank you for speaking up, but you are addressing your comments to the wrong person -- they should be directed to the manager of your local television station. While some weather forecasters may speak off the cuff, others usually read from scripts. So whoever is preparing the weather forecasters monologue may need to be advised to use different adjectives. DEAR ABBY: I recently got engaged to a man Ive been seeing long distance for about a year. Then, out of the blue, an old military friend/crush called me and told me he has been thinking a lot about me and is working on himself. He apologized for the times he ghosted me because he couldnt handle relationships. We talked for two and a half hours, and it was like we were back to our deployment and inseparable. It brought feelings I have never had before, but it also brought confusion and conflict. I love my fiance. Hes a great man, and a single parent. I dont know what to say to the old flame. Can you help? -- CONFUSED IN THE WEST DEAR CONFUSED: Tell the old flame you accept his apology for the multiple times he ghosted you and wish him luck in his self-improvement project, but explain that you are now engaged to a wonderful man. That said, you should not rush into marriage with anyone until you have doused this old flame and are confident in your decision. DEAR ABBY: I am approaching 70 and I have been living a lie. I have two children who were born via artificial insemination by an unknown donor. Should I tell them, or take it to my grave? I have been divorced for 25 years and have no contact with their father. It was a choice we made because of his infertility, but we never discussed telling the children. Now Im torn about what to do because they still have contact with him despite his being verbally abusive. I need peace of mind. Help, please. -- SLEEPLESS NIGHTS IN ARIZONA DEAR SLEEPLESS: Your children are adults. You and your former husband solved his infertility problem, and you were able to raise two (I assume, since you didnt mention otherwise) healthy, contributing members of society. Because of the popularity of DNA testing, it would be better if your children heard this news from you rather than from who knows how many half-siblings they may have. Infertility isnt shameful. Tell them what they need to know. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. UPDATE: 3 people on foot fired on car in shocking North Portland daylight slaying, footage shows Three people died in a brazen shooting Saturday afternoon in Portlands deadliest bout of gunfire this year. Police did not disclose the ages of the victims or the circumstances leading to the shooting, which occurred on a residential street next to a city park in North Portland. This shooting in broad daylight in a residential neighborhood is another tragic example of how gun violence can affect our community terribly, Police Chief Chuck Lovell said in a statement, calling it a shocking incident. Police are investigating whether Saturdays shooting was retaliatory in nature, two sources with knowledge of the investigation told The Oregonian/OregonLive. A third source told the newsroom that police believed the shooting victims were juveniles. Mayor Ted Wheeler called Saturdays killings tragic and said street-level outreach teams and community members were working Saturday to interrupt further violence. This devastating violence must stop, Wheeler said in a message on Twitter, and it will take all of us working together to restore peace to Portland. Police responded at 12:23 p.m. to reports of gunfire, finding three people shot inside a car, authorities said. Each person died at the scene. The suspect or suspects fled and no arrests have been made. The shooting occurred at North Foss Avenue and North Foss Court, next to University Park in Portlands Portsmouth neighborhood and about a block from Charles Jordan Community Center and Rosa Parks Elementary School. A damaged, light-colored sedan came to a stop in the middle of the street and, hours after the shooting, was cordoned off by red police tape. Jon Brittingham, whos lived in the neighborhood for eight years, said he was inside his home with his daughter and granddaughter when he heard the shots, estimating 15 to 20 rounds had been fired. Neighbors he spoke with Saturday were shocked and disturbed by the news, he said. Were all shaken, he said. How can you not be shaken? Brittingham described his neighborhood as quiet and inviting. None of the neighbors he spoke with recognized the vehicle or knew the victims. Its like a hurricane, or a lightning strike, whatever cliche you want to use, he said. Bottom line is you dont think itll happen until its on your doorstep. Homicide detectives, the citys gun violence team and two prosecutors responded to the scene and are investigating. The loss of three people to gun violence today is a tragedy and an unimaginable loss to their families and communities, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said in a statement, adding that my office will work tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice and to provide support to the families during what is likely the worst moment of their lives. Portland in the past two years has seen a surge in gun violence and set successive highs for homicides in the city, reaching a record 101 deaths in 2022. Seventeen people have now died this year from violence in Portland, with all but one victim killed by gunfire. Anyone with information about Saturdays shooting is asked to contact detective Jason Koenig at Jason.Koenig@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0889 or detective William Winters at William.Winters@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0466, referencing case number 23-77440. I encourage anyone who has information about this shooting, Portlands police chief said, to reach out to our detectives. Austin De Dios; adedios@oregonian.com; @austindedios; 503-319-9744 -- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; 503-294-7632 Mike Rogoway contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe Gresham police found a 35-year-old Portland man shot to death early Friday. Police say they responded to an emergency call around 7:20 a.m. Friday and found Michael Lashone Hatcher of Portland on a sidewalk, bleeding, in the 500 block of Southeast 197th Avenue. Emergency personnel say he was dead at the scene and that the state medical examiner determined he was killed by gunfire. Police said they believe he may have been killed sometime Thursday night. Authorities havent disclosed any other information about the shooting but said preliminary information suggests no broader threat to the public. They ask witnesses or others with information about the shooting to call 503.618.2719 or toll-free at 1.888.989.3505. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe A vice principal at Centennial High School in Gresham was among eight men arrested Thursday on allegations of sex solicitation, according to Lake Oswego police. Terrance Schloth, the vice principal, is accused of offering a police decoy money for sex. The 52-year-old was booked into Clackamas County Jail the same day after he gave police a false name and then refused to give his real one, police said. He was released on Thursday as well, jail records show. The Centennial School District learned Friday about Schloths arrest, a spokesperson for the district said Sunday. The district then put him on administrative leave, spokesperson Albert Rosales-Korrea said. He did not say whether the leave was paid or unpaid. District leaders will cooperate with the authorities and provide relevant details as they become available, Rosales-Korrea wrote in a statement. Given this is a personnel matter still under investigation by the authorities, the district cannot provide additional details. A call to Schloths home was not answered Sunday. Beth Slovic; bslovic@oregonian.com; 503-221-8551 Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe This fall, Alana Aaron, a fourth-grade teacher at Rigler Elementary in Northeast Portland, was faced with a mountain of a decision. Her principal told her she could nominate up to five of her students to participate in Portland Public Schools first stab at providing regular, small group tutoring sessions to catch up those who were way behind after 18 months of fractured pandemic learning. But Aaron felt many more students in her class would benefit from that kind of intensive help. During the regular school day, she has to stick to the fourth-grade-level curriculum and expectations, even though many of her students are missing key building blocks from earlier grades. Researchers agree that regular tutoring sessions, either one-on-one or in very small groups, multiple times a week and built into the school day, is in an ideal world the best way to help the thousands of students who came back to school buildings far below grade level after the extended closures in 2020 and 2021. But getting such programs off the ground and scaling them up to help all the students who would benefit has been an enormous and expensive challenge for school districts, both nationally and in Oregon, even with huge infusions of federal pandemic aid earmarked for academic recovery. Some districts have turned to one-on-one virtual tutoring as a solution, including a pilot program in Tigard-Tualatin. Others, including Boston, Nevadas Clark County and Columbus, Ohio, have experimented with tutors on demand, allowing students to log in to chat in real time for homework help, a method that has produced underwhelming results. Portland Public Schools decided upon a different approach, which took 18 months to get off the ground and reaches only a small fraction of students. The district budgeted $1,086,051 to design its tutoring program, and get it up and running, which works out to roughly $3,620 per student served thus far. District officials say it is already showing promising and powerful results, even in just its first eight weeks. Alana Aaron is one of 133 teachers at Portland Public Schools who signed up to provide tutoring to small groups of students, before or after school. The program will continue this spring, and next year. Mark Graves/The Oregonian One key difference: In Portland, licensed teachers are the ones doing the tutoring as opposed to educational assistants, teacher trainees or volunteers. Teachers have more expertise in reading instruction, and families already trust their schools teachers, said Darcy Soto, the districts director of learning acceleration, eliminating the need to build relationships from scratch. Portland also decided to narrow the focus of the rollout to just third, fourth and fifth grade students, who were in early elementary grades when buildings shut down and came back to school reading like the kindergartners or first and second graders they were in March 2020. Not being able to read means inevitable struggles in every other subject, Soto said, and kids who cant read are often disruptive in class, hoping, perhaps, that in the resultant hubbub, no one will clock their embarrassment and struggles. The design of Portlands tutoring initiative is solid, said Susanna Loeb, a Stanford University professor of education and founder of the National Student Support Accelerator, which is trying to expand access to tutoring. Portland is probably doing the right thing by starting small and getting it right, Loeb said. Using your own teachers can be effective and easier to implement since the teachers are well versed in what the students should be learning and they likely already know the students. Critically, though, structuring the program this way could limit the districts ability to scale it up, Loeb added. Thats a particular concern given the millions of dollars in federal pandemic relief money that has to be spent or returned by September 2024. Other sources of in-person tutors, such as paraprofessionals, trained community members, tutoring providers and college students, can all be really good if they are well supported and could help the district quickly reach more students, Loeb said. The district has so far reported spending only $15 million of the $73 million it received from the federal government in the most recent round of pandemic relief funding, though some expenditures may not yet have been processed and posted by the Oregon Department of Education, which tracks that money. According to the agency, PPS has recorded spending just 15.8% of that $15 million on addressing unfinished learning through programs like frequent, small-group tutoring. When the district put out the call for teachers to sign up as tutors, they werent sure how many would want to participate, even with extra pay as an inducement, said Soto. Educators already have full-to-overflowing plates, she said, and the district was asking for a commitment for 45-minute sessions, three times a week, for at least eight weeks, with hopes that tutors would re-up in the spring. When I say that I actually cried tears of joy, that is not hyperbole, Soto said. We got 133 teachers to sign up at 22 elementary schools. Most will continue tutoring after spring break, she said. Soto estimated that there are about 300 students enrolled in tutoring now, all of them at elementary schools where there are particularly high concentrations of students in special education, who speak English as a second language, whose families are low-income or who are Black, Indigenous or other people of color. Luis, 9, (in glasses) and LaMarcus, 11, are two of approximately 300 students at Portland Public Schools who are getting intensive literacy tutoring to help them become better readers after pandemic-era disruptions. Both boys are in fourth grade at Rigler Elementary School in Northeast Portland.Mark Graves/The Oregonian That means that roughly 2.8% of the districts more than 10,000 third- through fifth-graders are participating. Forty-four percent of the districts third graders tested at less than proficient at reading and writing in spring 2022, according to the Oregon Department of Education. Rigler, where Aaron teaches, is a Spanish-language immersion school in the Cully neighborhood, equidistant from the upscale stores along Northeast Fremont Street in the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood and the no-mans land along Columbia Boulevard, which is lined with homeless encampments and RVs. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, her classroom settled into a sudden peace after the flurry of the 2:15 p.m. dismissal bell. It was just Aaron and two fourth grade students: Luis, 9, and LaMarcus, 11, who burrowed themselves into bean bag chairs at her feet and looked up, ready for her full attention. Aaron, whom her students call Maestra Alana, launched into the kind of lesson thats more commonly taught in kindergarten and first grade classrooms. The curriculum in use for the tutoring session is phonics-based. The goal is to help students learn to decode words so they will be ready for grade-level reading assignments. Mark Graves/The Oregonian That meant a review of the sneaky effects of a silent e at the end of a word (It makes the vowel say its name.) Aaron also reviewed the sounds that specific blends of letters make the oooh or uhh that oo can make, whether in cool or in book, for example, or the inexplicable silence of some consonants, like the gh in high. From there, the lesson moved to a simple word read-aloud, then into two-syllable challenge words and finally into a group read-aloud. The day of the sale came at last, read Luis, slowly at first, then with more confidence. Fran sat at the gate and gave muffins and milk to people. Miss Hill left with six pants and a rake. Aaron stopped him, gently, and focused him on the word pants. They sounded it out together and discovered that Miss Hills purchase was six pans, not pants a tiny but meaningful victory. LaMarcus has those sweetly victorious moments too. Later on, during a match the picture with the sentence exercise, he was quietly proud of himself for a perfect score, observing under his breath: Yes, I got it! I know the entire answer. He didnt read a lot at home during online school, LaMarcus said later. But its getting better, now that he can make more sense of the words on the page. Since he has started tutoring, hes trying to read everything, everywhere, raising his hand more to answer questions and volunteering to read aloud, Aaron said something that she never would have imagined at the start of the school year. Alana Aaron teaches fourth grade, so she hadn't expected to be teaching phonics this year. She got special training from the district to be able to lead tutoring sessions.Mark Graves/The Oregonian New to Rigler this year after a six-year hiatus from teaching, Aaron said she hadnt expected to be teaching phonics, phonemic awareness and other foundational literacy skills. The kids in her class who are on grade level are reading much more complex texts, like Judy Blumes Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing or Kate DiCamillos Because of Winn-Dixie. I knew they were going to be low, Aaron said. I still was shocked. My biggest challenge has been, how do I help all 16 kids in my class access the fourth-grade curriculum? It felt impossible at the beginning of the year. When a kid cant read She trails off. To get up to speed in how to teach phonics, she completed an online training course provided by the district, she said. During tutoring sessions, shes using the Phonics for Reading curriculum by Anita Archer, which leaves little room for creativity. But shes found that for Luis and LaMarcus, there is comfort in the routine of their lessons; the rhythm of what to expect builds their confidence. Now, Aaron said, shes trying to figure out how to get even more of the schools students into the next round of tutoring, which begins after spring break, or even just access to the Phonics for Reading curriculum during the school day. Shes also acutely aware that there are other areas in which her students could benefit from tutoring. The kids are missing a ton of foundational skills that they need in order to do the fourth-grade math, she said. How do you find the time to teach them all the things that they missed or lost? Were supposed to be adding and subtracting mixed numbers right now. And I have a student in the class who can barely add and subtract single digit whole numbers. Amie Rapaport, a research scientist at the University of Southern California who has been tracking the national rollout of high-frequency tutoring, said another area Portland needs to work on is scheduling. The best and most effective tutoring happens during the school day when students are a captive audience, she said, not before or after school, when family schedules can complicate attendance. (Case in point: Aaron couldnt reach two of the five families whose children she had recommended for tutoring to get permission for them to participate after school.) Soto concedes the point but says that at 21 of the 22 elementary schools where tutoring is up and running, participating students were already staying on campus for after-school care at the free Schools Uniting Neighborhoods SUN program. (At Chapman Elementary in Northwest Portland, which does not have a SUN program and where families rely on school buses to get their children home, teachers agreed to hold tutoring sessions in the common area of the affordable housing apartment complex where most tutoring students live.) Next year, the district hopes to expand tutoring to middle schools, Soto said. And teachers at McDaniel High are piloting small group tutoring for ninth graders who are struggling with Algebra I. By fall 2024, PPS plans a districtwide expansion of a new schedule for K-5 schools that will include 30 minutes daily for educators to take time out from the required grade-level curriculum to work with small groups of pupils who need extra support. LaMarcus, 11, raises his hand to show his teacher/tutor that he's got the answer during a recent session at Rigler Elementary School.Mark Graves/The Oregonian In the meantime, early data from the tutoring program is encouraging, Soto said. A student at Beach Elementary notched a year-and-a-halfs worth of growth in just eight weeks and is now at a mid-first-grade level, she said. Some students at Harrison Park K-8 School have moved up two full grade levels in reading. Luis and LaMarcus have progressed enough to share favorite books with their classmates who are reading at grade level: Dav Pilkeys abundantly silly Dog Man series for LaMarcus and the graphic novel saga Amulet for Luis. Spanish is still way much easier, said Luis, who was born in Guatemala and moved to Portland with his father at age 4. But now I read more fluently, he added, pausing before finding the just-right word. -- Julia Silverman, @jrlsilverman, jsilverman@oregonian.com My suburban neighborhood is home to a 12-foot-tall arborvitae shaped like a circumcised penis. Frankly, its the most exciting thing to happen in Tualatin since The Beatles spent the night at the old Sweetbrier Inn. The impressive arborvitae, aka the chub shrub, is the brainchild of Lynn Stanek, a business owner who has lived in Tualatin, a Portland suburb, for 24 years. Stanek said she amused herself for at least 20 years by daydreaming about shaping her front yard shrub into phallic form. The dream became a reality on Aug. 28, 2021. I was out there trimming the thing with a 24-inch bar on my hedger thinking, Im 90% of the way there, why not today? Stanek said. Before going full-on chub shrub, Stanek polled her neighbors to see how they felt about having a penis tree pop up in their cul-de-sac. Staneks immediate neighbors, Anthony and Natalie Ballas, thought it was a fine idea. Stanek said other neighbors seemed to think she was kidding. Still, nobody threw themselves in front of her trimmer, so she proceeded with her arboreal bris. At this point, you may be asking yourself, why? Stanek said that with a global pandemic raging and American politics in upheaval, she was fed up with almost everything. Claiming the carefully sculpted arborvitae accurately captured her feelings at the time, she said, I finally just went with it. When I first spotted the provocative shrub, I wasnt sure it was an intentional act. Then Stanek gave it a Halloween costume. It was hard to miss the intentionality in a penis-shaped bush covered in yards of white polyester cobweb fabric. The new neighborhood attraction was now encased in a condom. When Christmas rolled around, Stanek woke up one morning to find a white garland draped over her provocatively trimmed arborvitae. That was followed by someone covering Staneks creation with little red balls. Thats when I decided I needed to control the narrative, Stanek said. After Stanek added lights, the yuletide bush began receiving even more attention. People showed up at her door with decorations and gifts, including maple bars with strategically placed doughnut holes. The shrub even began receiving Christmas cards. When two carloads of people showed up one night to sing their bawdy version of O Christmas Tree to her arborvitae, Stanek knew it was becoming a big thing. Since the caroling episode, Stanek hasnt missed a holiday when it comes to dressing up her chub shrub. There is no down time either, as between holidays Stanek now decorates to honor international days or promote bad puns, such as penis colada. My favorite was World Vasectomy Day when the naughty arborvitae was adorned with a giant pair of scissors and a thoughtfully placed bag of frozen peas. Stanek reports that one woman stopped to let her know the display had motivated her foot-dragging husband to get snipped. The community response to Staneks yard work has been overwhelmingly positive, with more than a few neighbors donating decorations and proposing new themes. One gal even stopped to tell me how much her terminally ill sister loved it. She said her sister would light up every time they drove past it on the way to get her treatments, Stanek said. I walk by the ribald shrub all the time, and theres always someone stopping there to take a picture or have a conversation. A typical response is the one I received from fellow Tualatin resident and radio legend Iris Harrison It puts a smile on my face, and I love it. I get a good laugh every time I drive by. The chub shrub has also provided its creator with tangible benefits. Stanek points out that she has met more of her neighbors in the past two years than in the 24 years she has lived in her home. The arborvitae has also slowed traffic on the busy street next to her house. Thats something I couldnt get done with years of petitions and emails to the mayor, Stanek said. Stanek has become a local celebrity, getting stopped in local stores and asked if shes that penis lady. Her manscaped landscape is an even bigger celebrity, with people worldwide following along on its Facebook page and an Instagram account run by a neighbor of Staneks who uses the pen name Richard Bush. According to Stanek, one social media follower told her, my friend in Belgium is always asking about your shrub. So just like the fictional band Citizen Dick, in Cameron Crowes 90s movie Singles, the chub shrub is big in Belgium. To be fair, not everyone is a fan a small number of people have complained on Next Door and to the local government. When Tualatin started promoting itself as Tree City USA, I doubt its elected officials had Staneks vision in mind. Fortunately for Stanek, the city took a hands-off approach to her arborvitae. Megan George, Tualatins deputy city manager, said, we ran it by the city attorney, and there was nothing within our purview. Although public detractors are few, one individual attempted to kill the chub shrub by dumping a large quantity of salt at its base while Stanek was out of town. Stanek is happy to report that it survived what she calls the saltpeter incident. There have been no further assassination attempts. For those who think her unique approach to arborvitae trimming is offensive, Stanek insists that was not her intent. I like to think this is my contribution to keeping Tualatin weird. Trust me, there are far more offensive things I could come up with. -- Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 26. Poland's export to Azerbaijan is very diverse, including equipment, agricultural, food and chemical products, Polish Ambassador Rafal Poborski told Trend. Poborski noted the interest of Azerbaijan in the supply of grain, while Poland manufactures it on a large scale. According to him, grain exports have been recently discussed between the two countries. The ambassador said that the Polish trade turnover is diverse, and isnt focused on one chain. Poland also offers to export furniture and equipment for factories to Azerbaijan, he noted. Besides, according to Poborski, all products from Poland to Azerbaijan could be transported along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). In February 2023, a meeting was held between the Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Technology of Poland Grzegorz Piechowiak, and the Minister of Transport and Digital Development of Azerbaijan Rashad Nabiyev, at which the parties discussed the development of TITR, as well as cooperation in the field of transport and ICT. Exports from Poland to Azerbaijan in 2022 amounted to $119.5 million, and exports from Azerbaijan to Poland - $21.45 million. This story originally appeared on Underscore News. Last Saturday was Dr. Sophie Weinsteins first day off in three weeks from her job at Oregon Health & Science University, where she is an OB-GYN. A citizen of the Karuk Nation who is of Yurok descent, Weinstein said she was excited to take visiting family members to the Portland Art Museum and, specifically, to an exhibit called Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe. To carry her toddler son, Weinstein brought with her a traditional basket made from willow that was designed to be worn on her back. But when museum staff told Weinstein to remove the basket that her mother had made for her grandson, her familys visit to the museums Native American art exhibit became an unwelcome display of institutional bias. The March 11 incident reignited long-simmering discussion about the complex relationship Indigenous peoples have with museums, which Weinstein said have often functioned as a muscle of colonization and forced assimilation. The incident also prompted the museum to revise its policies and cultural sensitivity training. Institutions need to critically reflect on their past and their positions in this very colonial system, Weinstein said. And make sure that, down to every last employee, there is training around cultural competency, and real respect for the first peoples of this continent. At the museums front desk, staff told Weinstein that backpacks werent allowed in the exhibits. Weinstein says her cousin, Geena Talley, assured them the basket was neither a backpack nor a bag, and shared how many Indigenous Nations have carried their babies in baskets like the one Weinstein wore for generations. The little boy spent his first 10 days of life in a basket Weinstein made for him under the guidance of her mother, Lisa Hillman, and Verna Reece, both expert weavers. Sophie Weinstein's mother, Lisa Hillman, is a master basket weaver. She poses with some of the variously sized hazel baskets she has created. (Photo courtesy of Sophie Weinstein via Underscore) Weinstein said she began to envision her sons basket the moment she found out she was pregnant. Each day, she and her family went out to collect materials, part of a traditional practice that requires expert mentorship and can take months to complete, depending on harvest seasons. The basket gives her son a sense of security and comfort, Weinstein said. Ultimately, staff gave Weinstein her tickets and allowed her to enter. But Weinstein later left the museum after a second staffer told her the basket was prohibited and said she should take a deep breath when Weinstein questioned the policy. A MOVING EXPERIENCE CUT SHORT Inside the museum, Weinstein and her family were impressed by the carefully curated display of the 40-year career of one of the 20th centurys most innovative Native American painters: Oscar Howe, citizen of Yankton Sioux. It was the familys first time at the museum. My son was really enthralled with the gorgeous paintings, Weinstein said. Theyre really stunning works of art, and he was clearly very moved by it. While making their way through the exhibit, Weinstein says her son started getting fussy. He began reaching out to try and touch the paintings. She figured it was time to place him in the woven willow basket her mother created for him. He was ready for it, she said with a chuckle. He was kind of crawling into the baby basket. Shortly after placing him in the basket, another PAM employee approached and told her to remove the basket from her back because it violated museum policy. The employee offered Weinstein a stroller instead. I was pretty upset and pointed out that the policies and their rigid enforcement have caused lots of harm in this country, and are the premise for not only racism, but the attempted genocide of our people, Weinstein said. At that point, she said the employee told her to cool down and take a deep breath. Shaken by what she saw as ignorance on display, Weinstein left immediately. She later posted a description of the incident on Facebook, along with a photo of her son, looking happy in his basket on her back. The Portland Art Museum - where being Indigenous is cool as long [as] you are part of the exhibit and not actually practicing your culture, she wrote alongside the photo. The irony: we were at an Indigenous art exhibit. Racism is alive and well in these walls. The post garnered a significant amount of attention on social media. People demanded that the museum be held accountable, while also showing support and solidarity by sharing photos of their own babies in traditional willow baskets and other traditional baby carriers. Weinstein says although the incident sparked anger within her community, she believes it led to a much needed understanding that Indigenous peoples live their cultures every day and should not be subjected to inflexible policies that bar traditional practices, especially in museums where they have to pay to see artifacts and artwork from their own cultures. Seeing Indigenous regalia on display is heartbreaking, Weinstein said. Because thats not where theyre meant to be. Theyre meant to be part of our ceremonies. Theyre meant to be in our households, used and honored on a day-to-day basis. She takes pride in the daily practice of her culture, and in immersing her son in his culture as he grows up. I think for many of us, art is not an object to be gazed at, but rather its something thats alive, she said. Our baskets and our regalia are beings that are meant to be danced in, that are meant to be used, that dont belong to a certain person or an institution, but rather that we have the responsibility to care for the next generation. And I think thats what makes our relationships with museums so difficult. Still, Weinstein is appreciative of how the museum is handling this incident. I do want to point out that the Portland Art Museum issued a public apology, they very quickly changed their policies, they publicly acknowledged that the enforcement of policy was rigid and harmful, Weinstein said. MUSEUM RESPONDS Kathleen Ash-Milby, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, joined the Portland Art Museum as curator of Native American Art in 2020. She spent seven years creating the Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe exhibit. Since joining the museum, she has worked to build trust and relationships with Indigenous communities. Ash-Milby said she wants people to know that the museum is taking this incident seriously. Its not something that were going to brush off, she said. We need to do more to prepare our staff and make sure that they are educated enough to really have a deeper understanding of some of the issues that Native people have faced, and continue to face, and are able to handle situations like this better, Ash-Milby said. Both Ash-Milby and PAM Director Brian Ferriso reached out to Weinstein and her family to offer complimentary tickets and free memberships to the museum. Phillip Hillaire, a citizen of the Lummi Nation who serves on the Native American Advisory Board and sits on PAMs Board of Trustees, said the incident surprised him. Honestly, I dont know that weve ever had a traditional baby board, ever worn in the museum outside of whats inside the walls, Hillaire said. Its a cultural barrier that we need to overcome, he added. Museum spokesman Ian Gillingham said PAM revised its policy in response to the incident. Like many museums we had a Nothing on the back of policy, he said. We have updated that to explicitly allow baby carriers of all types. The updated policy now reads: We kindly request that bags, backpacks, or items larger than 11 x 17 x 6 be left outside the Museum. Babies in carriers are permitted. Other bags should be carried at your side or in front, and not worn on ones back. All items are subject to inspection. We want our visitors to feel welcome and understand that exceptions may be appropriate. Please contact us in advance of your visit or request to speak to a Visitor Services Manager upon arrival with questions. Gillingham said that it is up to all PAM staff to ensure that their stated goals and values of equity and inclusion are in action and that this incident shows that there is more work to do in equipping and empowering staff at all levels to create an inclusive and welcoming environment. It pains all of us that this is being framed as a bias incident, Gillingham said. We have been working hard to strengthen and heal our relationship with the Native community. By Jarrette Werk Underscore News/Report for America; jwerk@underscore.news Quiet sobs punctured the crowds silence as hundreds paid tribute Sunday to 27-year-old Meshay Melendez and her 7-year-old daughter Layla Stewart, whose bodies were found at the bottom of a steep slope of a roadside embankment in Washougal Wednesday. Overcome with emotion, many of the friends, family members and strangers who gathered in Esther Short Park for the vigil embraced those around them for comfort. Elected officials and leaders from law enforcement shared their grief and concern as well. This is a stark reminder to all of us that each time an act of violence is committed, someones loved one does not come home, said Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle. Melendez and her daughter were reported missing March 18 after family and friends said they had not seen the pair for six days. Melendezs boyfriend, 28-year-old Kirkland Warren, was arrested in connection with their disappearance March 19. Warrens treatment by the justice system was a source of anger among attendees of the vigil. Arkansas officials charged Warren in a 2017 Arkansas homicide, but he posted bail pending trial. Police in Clark County arrested Warren on March 2 on allegations he shot at Melendezs apartment in Vancouvers Minnehaha neighborhood in December. He was released from jail March 8 after again posting bail. Washington law allows courts to order people to wear GPS ankle bracelets to warn victims and police when an abuser is near, but Warren was not given one. Melendez and her daughter were last seen March 12. Two days later, officials in Arkansas filed paperwork to revoke Warrens bail in the 2017 case, according to the Associated Press. Court records show that Warren repeatedly blamed Melendez in phone calls made from Clark County Jail for the domestic violence charges against him, and that police considered Warren to be a dangerous threat to her. Family spokesperson Michelle Bart, CEO of the National Womens Coalition Against Violence, said Warrens release was unacceptable. A statement from the family, read by Bart and Vancouver Domestic Abuse Detective Tanya Wollstein, described Melendez and her daughter as confident, caring and outgoing people. Barts organization is helping to cover the costs of their funerals. Meshay loved her daughter with all her might, the statement said. Layla had no problem being outspoken and expressing all her feelings she wasnt going to miss a chance to tell you she loved you. Officials called for more action to ensure that domestic abuse suspects who are high risk are required to have an ankle monitoring device if released. More broadly, speakers called on those in the crowd to do their part to recognize and stop domestic violence. Family and friends of Melendez and Stewart wore purple hoodies with a photo of the two together, and the words rest up. Meshay and Layla need justice, said Mahogany Elliot, one of Melendezs cousins. They were failed more than once. Austin De Dios; adedios@oregonian.com; @austindedios; 503-319-9744 Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe For anyone wanting forward progress on homelessness, recent news delivered a double dose of frustration. At an emergency meeting of the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners, Chair Tootie Smith abruptly announced she was no longer supporting a proposal to buy a motel and convert it into transitional housing for the homeless. Her surprising reversal cancels a project, funded with state money and regional homeless services tax dollars, that would have provided temporary shelter while connecting people with health care, job training and a path to permanent housing. To the north, Multnomah County recently reported that the pipeline of people moving into permanent supportive housing has significantly slowed. Contractors were able to place only 155 households in the first half of the fiscal year, using funds from the regional tax. Thats less than half the number of households that Washington County moved into permanent housing and well behind pace for Multnomah County to meet its goal of 545 for the year. These setbacks arent due to a lack of funding. The regional homelessness tax, collected by Metro regional government, is expected to send the three Portland-area counties some $200 million this year, adding to the millions they receive from federal, state and local sources. All three counties started the fiscal year with leftover Metro tax funds and are continuing to underspend their budgets so far. Rather, these setbacks reflect the need for county leaders to set realistic goals, overcome the difficulties that may arise and meet those targets or be prepared to give funding to other initiatives. They also set the table for Metro, as the administrator of the regional homeless services tax, to take a more aggressive stance in holding counties to the goals they pledged. If counties are unable to do so, Metro should be prepared to quickly act and reallocate those public dollars. To be sure, there are plenty of obstacles and considerations that counties must navigate in pursuing solutions for homelessness. In Clackamas County, businesses near the motel complained about what the spillover effects might be, and the commercial property owner neighboring the motel has sued the county over the transitional housing proposal. And Multnomah County officials noted the problems many contractors face in hiring and keeping workers, due to both the tight labor market and the difficult work of outreach, support and housing placement for people who are homeless and may have mental health or addiction problems. Many of the organizations are also in capacity building mode, in which they are expanding and must hire and train additional workers. But those challenges are neither unexpected nor sufficient justification for the outcomes in both cases. Smith should not have been surprised by opposition to the proposal from nearby businesses that will happen wherever the county creates such a resource. But instead of showing the political courage she initially demonstrated, she is now calling for more public input and the creation of a blue ribbon committee for developing homelessness solutions. Coming at this point in our housing crisis, those are proposals of delay, not action. For Multnomah County, the failures call for a number of fixes. The first should be hiring a director for its homeless services office, which has gone without a permanent director for a full year. While the new county chair, Jessica Vega Pederson, did not take over until January, there is no more critical vacancy in the county. County spokeswoman Julie Sullivan-Springhetti said only that a hire is expected sometime this spring. The county must also commit to setting realistic goals. Not only should government deliver on its promises, but setting targets that consider staffing and capacity constraints gives policymakers and the public a true picture of how much money is really needed for the year ahead and how much may be available for other needs. For example, the city of Portland has repeatedly asked the county to help fund its plan for creating large sanctioned camping sites outfitted with services for homeless people living on the streets. Despite having a surplus last year, the county has repeatedly refused, saying those dollars were already committed. But if the countys contractors cannot deliver on what was promised, then it raises questions and suspicions about why so many dollars were committed in the first place. Add in the fact that the county is already delaying a guaranteed-rent housing program that Vega Pederson announced just last month, as The Oregonian/OregonLives Nicole Hayden reported, and the mistrust intensifies. In an email, Vega Pederson acknowledged the countys recent poor performance in placing people into permanent housing. We have the resources and the fact that theyre not going out the door faster is a problem that I see, I understand, and Im committed to addressing. She noted that the county is revamping its contracting processes to ensure greater accountability and improving data gathering that will help provide people who are homeless with the services they need. But counties may also need outside pressure. Metro, as the jurisdiction that administers the homeless services tax, should fully explore its authority to create a corrective plan as well as to redirect money for counties that are not meeting their goals. While it may be too early to take away money, the agency and the citizen commission overseeing the counties implementation should have a clear protocol for how and when to do so. We are two years in to a 10-year effort to end our homeless crisis as the 2020 campaign to pass the homeless services tax promised. Half-measures wont get us there. -The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board Sign up for our free Oregon Opinion newsletter. Email: Ryan Morgan Morgan is the CEO of the Campaign for Free College Tuition, a nonprofit headquartered in Seattle. Dont tell Sindy Magana the Oregon Promise is broken. In 2016, she was a high school senior working at McDonalds in Hood River with no money set aside for college. But a school counselor told her about a new program that would cover tuition at her community college. She enrolled in the dental hygienist program at Columbia Gorge Community College and became the first one in her family to attend college. Today she is a certified dental hygienist who just purchased her first home. I was working at McDonalds, she says. Without the Oregon Promise, I would probably still be there. It was a huge life-changer for me. She is one of the thousands of Oregons daughters and sons who experienced a game-changing dynamic attending college because of the Oregon Promise, which provides grants for qualifying Oregon high school graduates to attend community college. Since 2016, thousands of Oregon high school graduates have become dental hygienists, paramedics, welders or got a head start to a four-year college without student loans. Now, with a new report that the Oregon Promise law requires every two years, some legislators are thinking it should be phased out. The report accurately states that college attendance levels have been flat and that the Oregon Promise didnt move the needle much. The report doesnt make clear that attendance levels have been flat everywhere, thanks to the pandemic, a growing economy and low unemployment. The Oregon Promise passed in 2015 and implemented the following year was never intended to solve all the problems in higher education. It was meant to help new high school graduates from low-income and working-class families. And it has done that. Thats not to say the 7-year-old Oregon Promise cannot be improved. In fact, we can expect to see improvements in coming years thanks to reforms that the Legislature recently approved. In 2022, the Legislature passed an equity-focused bill to lower the GPA requirement from 2.5 to 2.0. Lawmakers also eliminated the $50 per term co-pay and doubled the minimum award from $1,000 to 2,000 for full-time students. The additional money will help low-income students with transportation, childcare and other non-tuition expenses. These reforms, however, are not captured in the 2022 report presented to the Legislature. The Legislature should not take any hasty action that would jeopardize the Oregon Promise until the state has had time to evaluate the reforms impact on enrollment. In the meantime, there are other changes they might consider: First, seek ways to address a problematic part of the original Oregon Promise the fact that income eligibility requirements for students have changed nearly every year since 2017. These constant changes are damaging. As every parent knows, when you dont keep your promise, your words lose credibility. In addition, if you want to attract a more diverse population of kids going to college, Oregon should take advice from Michelle Miller-Adams, a noted researcher on free-college tuition programs who called for better marketing of programs and support for students to help them be successful. In Tennessee, for instance, about 87% of this years high school graduates applied for the Tennessee Promise, due to third-party promotions and a mentoring program of adult volunteers. The Oregon Promise isnt broken or failing. With its thin budget, its punching way above its weight. It needs more money, not less, to keep providing hope for students in middle and high schools that someday they can go to college no matter what their circumstances. Hope is not easy to quantify in a report. But its the strongest part of the Oregon Promise. Sign up for our free Oregon Opinion newsletter. Email: When I read the article Portland Art Museums treatment of Karuk mother who wore indigenous baby carrier echoes past harm, mom says, March 21), I kept looking for the explanation of why the Portland Art Museum and many other museums around the world have a nothing on the back policy. No explanation was given of why baby carriers were not allowed to be used in the museum, making it seem that the policy was pointless and perverse. My husband was stationed in Europe with the military, and we did a lot of traveling with our children. When our eldest was a baby and toddler, we used a backpack carrier with an aluminum frame to carry him. I remember at least two instances when we were turned away from museums. At the Etruscan Museum in Rome, the staff explained that it is difficult to be aware of just how much space you are taking up with something on your back. This increases the chance you would accidentally back into a display case or artifact and damage it. It seems reasonable that an exception be made for a woven basket type carrier, as it is less likely to cause damage than a rigid aluminum frame. But to imply that the Portland Art Museums ban on baby carriers was racist seems unfair to the museum staff who are responsible for protecting the art and artifacts in their care. Rebecca Taylor, Roseburg To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion. Oregon lawmakers should pass House Bill 2767, which received a public hearing before the House Education Committee last Wednesday. This legislation will empower at-risk students to thrive by creating a long-term, sustainable funding and governance model for recovery high schools, which provide a safe, supportive education for youth in recovery from substance use disorders. Experts from across Oregon drafted the bill and incorporated input from the 2022 Legislature. It is a natural extension to the $1 million allocated last year to support recovery schools and develop recommendations to ensure that all students who need a recovery-focused education can access one. Under the bill, recovery schools would become state-designated educational entities, with access to existing funds in the Statewide Education Initiatives Account (established by the historic 2019 Student Success Act). As such, House Bill 2767 would ensure recovery schools (including the lone existing school, Harmony Academy in Lake Oswego) operate in accordance with national best practices, avoid unnecessary duplication of services and do not compete with the states traditional schools for funding. At a time when addiction and mental health issues are at crisis levels, House Bill 2767 is a needed investment in Oregons youth and our future. Ann Highet, Tony Mann and Joseph Lee Highet chairs the Oregon Recovery High School Initiative. Mann is co-founder of Harmony Academy and the Oregon Recovery High School Initiative. Lee is president and CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion. Welcome to Weekly Planner, a feature that gives you a heads-up about whats happening in the Midland area. If you want to stay in the know and not miss out on the good stuff, you can always check out our event calendar, Whats Happening, on the regular at ourmidland.com OR you can sign-up for our daily newsletter at link.ourmidland.com/join/signup-mdn and we'll visit your inbox every day. COMING UP THIS WEEK Former Z93 disc jockey and host of his own nationally-syndicated radio show, Hairball John is bringing his "80's Name That Tune" trivia night to Brinstar Arcade Bar & Grill on March 29 in Downtown Midland. From 6:30-8:30 p.m. Hairball will be spinning snippets of your favorite 1980s tracks from Madonna, INXS, Men At Work and REO Speedwagon and many others. Audience members have to guess the names of the songs. It's a blast and there will be PRIZES! If you do decide to go, dress up in your best 80s outfit or concert T-shirt. Speaking of Madonna, at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, March 31, the Bay County Historical Museum and Delta College Planetarium will host "Madonna 40," a multi-media event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Bay City native Madonnas first hit single. The event will take place inside the Planetariums Dome360 Theater in downtown Bay City. In 1983, Madonna, a Bay City native, reached Billboard's Hot 100 for the first time with her hit single "Holiday." In the 40 years since, she has had 38 top-10 singles, including 12 that reached # 1. Tickets are $10 per seat, available online at www.delta.edu/planetarium. The Delta College Planetarium is located in downtown Bay City at 100 Center Avenue. Speaking of rock bands, which rock band is the neatest? OC/DC One more ... Aerosmith loves Chinese cuisine so much they wrote a cookbook. It's called Wok This Way. Midland Daily News WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS WEEK? It's World Autism Acceptance Week, which is observed in conjunction with Autism Acceptance Day on April 2. Autism, also know as Autism Spectrum Disorder, affects mental, behavioral, and social development. The degree to which autism impacts a person is unique to them. For more information on autism, visit autismspeaks.org. This week, families are encouraged to share their stories and providing opportunities to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, fostering worldwide support. This year, Autism Speaks is committed to standing together to make a world of difference for people on the spectrum in a variety of ways: Pledge your support and upload your photo to become part of a worldwide mosaic of unity and collaboration. Engage in the Autism Speaks Kindness Campaign to fundraise for the autism community while sharing purposeful acts of kindness that encourage acceptance, understanding and inclusion. Light It Up Blue on April 2 in celebration of people with autism and those who love and support them. Join the thousands of landmarks, buildings, homes and communities around the world and come together on April 2, World Autism Awareness Day to shine a light on the autism community. March 31 International Transgender Day of Visibility This annual, international event is an opportunity to highlight and celebrate transgender and non-binary individuals while also fighting for a better future for all trans people. Trans Day of Visibility celebrates trans and non-binary people by elevating their voices and working together to make them feel seen, understood, and protected. In 1998, Trans Day of Remembrance was started, after Rita Hester, a Black transgender woman, was brutally stabbed in her apartment. The goal of Trans Day of Visibility is to celebrate the joy and resilience of the trans community, creating a narrative outside of the loss and grief of Trans Day of Remembrance. President Joe Biden was the first U.S. president to issue a formal presidential proclamation recognizing Trans Day of Visibility in 2021. (Source: Nationaltoday.com) March 31 Cesar Chavez Day This federal commemorative holiday honors the enduring legacy of the American labor rights icon. The day was initiated by former President Barack Obama in 2014. Born to migrant laborers, Chavezs early life experiences shaped his leftist ideology and made him the face of the 1960s labor movement. Through his persistent efforts and non-violent protests, he became Americas lightning rod. On March 31, union members and community leaders come together to celebrate the life of Chavez and take inspiration from his four decades of selfless service to the workers of the United States. (Source: Nationaltoday.com) TODAY IN HISTORY Today is Monday, March 27, the 86th day of 2023. There are 279 days left in the year.: On March 27, 1973, The Godfather won the Academy Award for best picture of 1972, but its star, Marlon Brando, refused to accept his Oscar for best actor. Liza Minnelli won best actress for Cabaret. HOMETOWN HEROES Each week, we feature and pay tribute to people in the Midland area who have done great things and achieved their goals. This week, we salute: Designers and models who participated in the Northwood University Fashion Showcase on March 24, 2023 at the HACH Student Center in Midland. It was a fantastic show! Coordinators and volunteers who presented the annual "Share the Memories" formal dress exchange event at Midland Family Center in Mills Township. Daily News columnist and former teacher Virginia Florey for helping make sure Midland remembers its history. Four skaters from the Midland Figure Skating Club qualified for the National Showcase with their performances at the Michigan Showcase competition in Hartland. Congrats, Ciarra Franklin, Claire Britton, Isadora Alvelo-Malina and Sera DiMuro! City of Midland Assistant Director of Public Services Marcie Post who received the 2023 Michigan Recreation & Park Association (mParks) Recreation Leadership Award. That's it for today. If you are on Spring Break, have a fun, safe holiday. We'll see you back here next Monday! Do you have someone you would like to nominate for Hometown Heroes? Email Dave Clark at david.clark@hearst.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 26. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavushoglu have held a telephone conversation, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. During the conversation, the ministers discussed issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, as well as the current situation in the region. The parties also exchanged views on other areas of mutual interest. Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) - The Burundian Ministry of Public Health and the Fight against HIV/AIDS has called for vigilance against the Marburg virus disease, taking into account the movement of populations with neighbouring Tanzania where confirmed cases have already been reported Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the national unity government has condemned the burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by extremists in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, describing it as a "blatant racist act" that provokes the feelings of Muslims around the world Photo: (Photo : Pexel/Pavel Danilyuk) Advocates in Tarrant County are pushing a new Texas law to finally criminalize medical child abuse, commonly known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy. If the law is passed, Texas will be the country's first state to have this. Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) is a surfacing "serious form of child abuse," as stated by the National Library of Medicine. Unfortunately, perpetrators of this medical child abuse, usually the parents of the children themselves, cannot be felonized due to an absence of a law against it in America. Munchausen syndrome by proxy, now also called factitious disorder imposed upon another and fabricated or induced illness by carers, is a mental disorder in which a caretaker, mostly and usually the mothers, though there have already been reports pointing to fathers, intentionally lies about producing illness and its causes to their own children and getting satisfaction from their children obtaining unnecessary medical care and procedures. The victims are usually below six years old. Cases under this disorder remain undiagnosed, resulting in unnecessary check-ups and hospitalization, resulting in victims getting real diseases or, worse, even dying. Twenty-seven-year-old Jordyn Hope, a victim of her mother, did not know she was being abused until she reached college. "It's the most lethal form of child abuse. A lot of children die. And yet it is the hardest to criminalize or get the child out," she implied. A case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) Kristi Carroll, a Tarrant County mom, had periodically lied about her son's health a few months after his birth in 2016. She frequented the hospital with him, telling doctors he could not keep his food down. The result was a medical procedure where the child needed to be inserted with a gastric feeding tube. This happened because the medical team was under the impression that the boy was seriously ill. After some time, Carroll returned to the hospital with her son telling the doctors that the little boy was vomiting with the inserted feeding tube. Another procedure was made, and a central line was inserted to administer nutrition through the baby's veins. According to the warrant of arrest, the medical staff began to notice that the mother was strangely behaving. According to the medical staff, she posted on her Facebook account that her baby stopped breathing and had to be revived, even if this never happened. They were also shocked to see the excitement on her face when they told her that her baby boy might need an intestinal transplant. Carroll came to the Cook Children's Medical Center in January 2018, reporting that her son had thrown up. Based on video surveillance, the hospital found this was a lie as they saw the mother spilling liquid on her son's bed to create fake vomit. It was later found out that Carroll had faked and lied about her child's sickness from 2017 to 2018, an arrest warrant affidavit stated. Hospital staff reported her for possible medical abuse, and an investigation happened in 2018 by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Her son was removed from her care within a month, and the baby's central line was removed. In April 2018, it was found that Caroll had Munchausen syndrome by proxy. However, come March 2019, Caroll had her son back, as ruled by a Tarrant County judge, and as per the arrest warrant, she went back to abusing her son through unnecessary medical procedures. In October 2019, a criminal investigation started that led to her arrest. After five months, she was eventually charged with three counts of injury to a child, with a maximum penalty of two to ten years of service in prison. The mother took a plea deal, admitted to faking her child's illnesses, and got a "light" sentence of five years probation, 160 hours of community service, and a court fine of only $355. She was given back the custody of her son but was prohibited from "harmful or injurious contact," and the father should be with her on any hospital visits. Read More: Colorado Mom Kelly Turner, Who Faked Daughter's Illness, Admits Guilt Over Her Death Cases hard to persecute Tarrant County, Texas, has caught more perpetrators of medical child abuse than any other state in the country. They have established efficient multiple systems to recognize, report and investigate suspected cases. However, they get frustrated that despite evidence and all, these cases are hard to prosecute as there is no law against medical child abuse specifically. Like what happened in Carroll's case, perpetrators receive light sentences and still are given custody of the child they caused harm to. A leading expert in medical child abuse for decades, Dr. Marc Feldman, thinks Tarrant County is "doing the best job" in handling cases of Munchausen syndrome by proxy in the country. However, no matter how good they are, he stated that since the jury is still out, the court might continue to mishandle the cases. This is how crucial the new Texas law that is being pushed for approval is, Fort Worth Star-Telegram explained. Since 2009, 11 women in Tarrant County have been accused of medical child abuse and were convicted. There are three other women charged but on pending trial. Related article: Texas Mom Overdoses Daughter with Benadryl to Fake Seizures, Tells Police She's a 'Horrible Person' Photo: (Photo : Octavio Jones/ Getty Images) Florida is considering banning human sexuality education. A controversial bill restricting public school instruction on human sexuality and related topics to grades 6 through 12 is moving through the Florida House. The proposed legislation, sponsored by Republican Rep. Stan McClain, would ban discussing menstrual cycles and other human sexuality topics in elementary grades. The bill has drawn criticism from education advocates and lawmakers alike and sparked a heated debate in the state's House Education Quality Subcommittee, where a 13-5 vote recently approved it. While McClain insists that the bill intends to provide more uniformity in sex education across the state, critics argue that it would limit students' access to important health information and perpetuate harmful stigmas. Florida is considering banning human sexuality education According to WIVB4, the proposed legislation has been met with widespread opposition from education advocates, who argue it would limit students' access to crucial health information. Under the bill, discussions about menstrual cycles, sexually transmitted diseases, and related topics would be restricted to grades 6 through 12, leaving younger students in the dark about important health issues. Critics also argue that the bill would perpetuate harmful stigmas surrounding human sexuality, making it harder for young people to discuss these issues openly and honestly. Some lawmakers have expressed concern that the bill could prevent teachers from discussing important health topics with their students, leading to confusion and misinformation. Some education advocates have called for the bill to be amended or scrapped altogether. They argue that comprehensive sex education is crucial for young people's health and well-being and that restricting access to this information could have serious consequences. Read Also: Texas Takeover of Houston Public School District; Republicans Provoking Controversy Florida lawmakers defend the bill as a way to protect parental rights According to The New Republican, while critics have decried the bill as harmful to students' health and well-being, some lawmakers have defended it as a way to protect parental rights. Under the proposed legislation, parents would have more pathways to object to books or other inappropriate materials for younger children. Some Florida lawmakers argue that parents should have the final say over what their children are exposed to in school, including topics related to human sexuality. They argue that the bill would give parents more control over their children's education while ensuring that students receive important health information in grades 6 through 12. However, critics argue that the bill goes too far in restricting students' access to essential health information. Florida lawmakers have been cracking down on related types of support for the younger generation. For example, the state recently passed the "Stop WOKE" Act. As previously reported by ABC, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the "Stop WOKE" act in April, which aims to limit lessons and training on race and diversity in both schools and workplaces. The act specifically prohibits teaching about topics such as privilege or oppression based on race. Furthermore, it prevents discussions on whether individuals should feel guilt or psychological distress related to the United States' racial history. The bill's acronym, WOKE, stands for "Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees." While the bill has cleared one committee, it still has a long way to go before it becomes law. As the debate continues, education advocates will be watching closely to see how the legislation develops and what impact it may have on Florida's students. Related Article: New California Bill Aims to Shield Doctors Who Mail Abortion Pills to Patients Im back to reading Richard S. Van Wagoner, Sidney Rigdon: A Portrait of Religious Excess (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1994). Heres a passage that caught my attention, discussing the revelation on the three degrees of glory that is now included in the Doctrine and Covenants as Section 76. It highlights one of the great contributions of the Restoration: When God revealed to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon that there was a place prepared for all, according to the light they had received and their rejection of evil and practice of good, it was a great trial to many, and some apostatized because God was not going to send to everlasting punishment heathens and infants, but had a place of salvation, in due time, for all, and would bless the honest and virtuous and truthful, whether they ever belonged to any church or not. It was a new doctrine to this generation and many stumbled at it. (120-121) The three-tiered gradation of glory could only have been viewed by Rigdons and Smiths contemporaries in 1832 as three heavens. For conventional Christians heaven was a single place, despite Pauls reference to the third heaven (2 Cor 12:2). To traditionalists, any concept of universal salvation implied Universalism, a dangerous heresy, a threat to the fabric of moral conduct in society. Consequently, many converts steeped in denominational Protestantism faced a crisis when they learned of this vision. Brigham Youngs brother Joseph, a former Methodist minister, recalled: [W]hen I came to read the vision of the different glories of the eternal world, and of the sufferings of the wicked, I could not believe it at first. Why, the Lord was going to save every body! Brigham Young himself remembered: The little mini-essay below treats a closely-related subject. I wrote it in response to a request connected with the bicentennial of the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It can be found online at the website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Everyone Else Makes Such Lonely Heavens[1] For these defects, and for no other evil, we now are lost and punished just with this: we have no hope and yet we live in longing. Dantes Inferno[2] The New Testament states unequivocally that, besides Jesus Christ, there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.[3] And yet hundreds of millions of souls, probably the majority of all who have ever lived, were never taught about Christianity and perhaps never so much as heard the name of Jesus Christ. Are these millions of souls lost for the eternities? If so, can God be considered just, let alone merciful? The poet Dante Alighieri, upon entering (fictionally) into the next world, was astonished by what he saw: I should never have believed, he wrote in his Inferno, that death could have unmade so many souls.[4] Strikingly, despite his obvious admiration for Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, the great Islamic philosophers Avicenna and Averros, and the chivalrous Muslim military hero Saladin, Dante felt obliged to place them all in Hell.[5] Even his guide, companion and kindly master, the Roman poet Virgil, was eternally barred from heaven. Virgil explains the reason to Dante as follows: Id have you know, before you go ahead, they did not sin; and yet, though they have merits, thats not enough, because they lacked baptism, the portal of the faith that you embrace. And if they lived before Christianity, they did not worship God in fitting ways; and of such spirits I myself am one. For these defects, and for no other evil, we now are lost and punished just with this: we have no hope and yet we live in longing.[6] The founding Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith, proclaimed a much more generous and expansive view of eternal possibilities. He pointed out that even the New Testament itself suggests a hopeful escape from this troubling prospect, citing the Apostle Pauls reference to a practice long since forgotten or ignored by mainstream Christianity.[7] Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?[8] Though vicarious or proxy baptism is but briefly mentioned in the Bible, a restoration of this ancient Christian practice became a foundational doctrine of the Latter-day Saint faith. Today, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints labor to gather genealogical records and to construct temples[9] in which baptisms for the dead and related ordinances can be performed. In striking contrast to the horrific atrocities committed by men and governments in the course of history, this vicarious temple service extends the love of God, with full salvational access, to every human who ever lived. Proxy temple work best reflects the foundational Latter-day Saint conviction that the power of the atonement of Christ extends even to those who did not hear: every person who has ever lived is to be individually remembered, labored for and valued, thus vindicating the justice of God and illustrating the breadth of his redemptive love. Any rite performed in a Latter-day Saint temple on behalf of a deceased person, who yet lives as a spirit being, is a rite of offering only, exacting no forced compliance nor acceptance of the rite. There is no imposed change of identity, heritage or religious belief, nor is the individuals name added to the membership rolls of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Editors Note: This commentary is one in a series of brief summaries written in 2005 for the 200-year commemoration of Joseph Smiths birth. Drawing from Joseph Smiths writings and teachings, these summaries explain the doctrinal foundation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Though far from comprehensive, these summaries provide a brief overview of Joseph Smiths ideas and beliefs relating to theological, religious and social topics.` Notes: [1]Tom McHenry, Mormons Offer Post-Mortem Baptism, The Exponent Online, 8 Dec. 2003, http://archive.purdueexponent.org/interface/bebop/showstory.php?date=2003/12/08ion=columns&storyid=ProxyBaptism. [2] Allen Mandelbaum, trans., The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: Inferno (Toronto and New York: Bantam Books, 1982), canto 4, lines 33-41. [3]Acts 4:12. [4]Inferno, canto 3, lines 56-57. [5]Inferno, canto 4. [6]Inferno, canto 4, lines 33-41. [7]Some individual contemporary Christian thinkers have noticed it. See, for example, Stephen T. Davis, Risen Indeed: Making Sense of the Resurrection (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993), pp. 159-65, where the author, a philosopher affiliated with Claremont McKenna College in California, cautiously mentions the passage while expressing hope for the unevangelized. Historians have also begun to notice the practice (e.g., Jeffrey A. Trumbower, Rescue for the Dead: The Posthumous Salvation of Non-Christians in Early Christianity [New York: Oxford University Press, 2001]). [8]1 Corinthians 15:29, quoted by Joseph Smith in a letter to the Church elders in Great Britain, 15 Dec. 1840, Nauvoo, Illinois; in Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976), p. 179. [9] Latter-day Saint temples, of which there are 140 constructed or announced worldwide [as of 25 March 2023, the figure is now exactly 300], are distinct in purpose from meetinghouses or chapels, of which there are thousands. The Nature of Papal Infallibility & the Obligatory Discussion of Galileo 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 critiques listed below amply demonstrate and document. 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. * Bishop Butlers book is partially available (8 chapters of 11) in old Internet Archive files (see chapters one seven ) and another web page with Chapter Ten . Most of these files will eventually be inaccessible, so I have decided to select highlights of all of these chapters, and also from chapters eight, nine, and eleven, from my own hardcover copy of the book. The words below are all from Bishop Butler, edited and abridged by myself. I will indicate which chapter excerpts are from, but not page numbers. Subtitles are his own. George Salmons words will be in; St. Cardinal Newmans words in Salmons tome, however, has been roundly refuted at least twice: first, by Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Murphy in The Irish Ecclesiastical Record ( March November 1901 and January March 1902): a response (see the original sources ) which Ive now transcribed almost in its totality: adding up to more than 73,000 words, or approximately 257 pages (last two installments abridged a bit); secondly, by Bishop Basil Christopher Butler (1902-1986) in his book, The Church and Infallibility: A Reply to the Abridged Salmon (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1954, 230 pages). See all of these replies and any further ones that I make listed under George Salmon on my Anti-Catholicism web page * See other installments of this series: * * ***** We define that the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra .is endowed with that infallibility wherewith the divine Redeemer willed his Church to be armed in defining [her] teaching on faith or morals. Before examining Salmons argument in this chapter, it may be as well to remind ourselves that the Churchs claim to infallibility is not a modern invention but something that has its roots in Christian antiquity and the New Testament. I know indeed, of no definition of faith in which the word infallible occurs earlier than that of the [First] Vatican Council: The craving for an infallible guide arises from mens consciousness of the weakness of their understanding.It seems intolerable to men that, when their eternal interests are at stake, any doubt or uncertainty should attend their decisions and they look for some guide who may be able to tell them, with infallible certainty, which is the right way. In the second chapter of the Abridgement Salmon sets out to show that when men profess faith in the Churchs infallibility, they are, in real truth, professing faith in their own, although, in his opinion, the very reason why people submit to the Churchs infallible claim is that they are afraid of their own fallibility: Infallibility an Ancient Belief But despite the late arrival of the word in the language of the articles of faith, the claim that it involves is ancient. It is implicit in many statements, indeed in the whole theological standpoint, of Origen of Alexandria and Palestinian Caesarea (c. AD 220-250) : Whereas there are many who think that they have the mind of Christ, and some of them hold views diverse from those of former times, let the Churchs teaching [ecclesiastica praedicatio] be maintained, which has been handed down in one succession from the Apostles and abides till the present day in the Churches. That alone is to be believed truth which in no respect disagrees with the ecclesiastical and apostolic tradition. [De Principiis, prol, ii. This passage survives only in a Latin translation. By Churches Origen means the several local Churches of which the universal Church consists.] Who would not be eager to fight for the Church and to stand up against the foes of truth, those that is who teach men to oppose the dogmas of the Church? [In Num hom xxv, 4 (extant only in Latin).] The same implication pervades the writings of Cyprian of Carthage. In common with the whole of Catholic antiquity, St. Cyprian taught that salvation was to be sought only within the visible unity of the Catholic Church. But the Catholic Church then, as now, refused its communion to those who, in its judgment, disagreed with the ecclesiastical and apostolic tradition (Origen, quoted above). It follows that salvation was to be sought only by accepting the dogmatic decisions of the Church, and since, in the objective order of things, it cannot be Gods will that we should attain salvation by accepting error, it follows further that the Churchs dogmatic decisions are not liable to error. I have singled out, in Origen and Cyprian, two early Catholic teachers. But it is to be observed that the principle extra ecclesiam nulla salus (outside the Church, no salvation) was, as I have said, common to the whole ancient Church. That Church therefore was making an implicit claim to infallibility when, as in the Ecumenical Councils, it put its ban (anathema) on those who rejected its teaching. It was conscious, in the words of the New Testament, of being the ground and pillar of truth (1 Tim 3:15) and it claimed to define this truth and so to exclude errors. A heretic, in the ancient and modern meaning of the word, is one who contradicts this truth or these definitions, and Catholic antiquity was unanimous in holding that heretics were in error. The word infallible is a sort of witch-word, arousing non-rational emotional antipathies in modern men. It may therefore be useful to point out that when the modern Church claims to be infallible she is only making the claim which the Church has always made that her teaching is true and that heretical teaching is, as such, erroneous. Confusing Infallibility with Certainty our belief must, in the end, rest on an act of our own judgment, and can never attain any higher certainty than whatever that may give us. . . . I do not see how a Roman Catholic advocate can help yielding the point that a member of his Church does, in truth, exercise private judgment, once for all, in his decision to submit to the teaching of the Church. . . . The result is, that absolute certainty can only be had on the terms of being infallible ones self. Now no one, so far as I know, has ever maintained that an act of faith, in one who has reached the age of reason, does not involve or imply an act of personal decision, and a Roman Catholic advocate has no inclination to contest this point. The Church teaches that an act of faith is a virtuous act, and no act can be virtuous unless it comes from the intelligence and will of the agent. We do not merely concede the point, we strongly maintain it. But it does not in the least follow that when I say I believe the Church to be infallible I am in effect saying I believe myself to be infallible. On the contrary, I am saying, God, in giving the Church as a reliable teacher of his truth, has of course made her recognizable precisely by fallible people like me. She is recognizable, and I recognize her. Salmon has confused the notion of infallibility with that of certainty, and he appears to identify the notion of belief with that of certainty, so that (on his showing) any act of belief, whatever the object of the act, is a claim to personal infallibility a conclusion so paradoxical that it can hardly have been intended by him. Let us try to distinguish these three notions, of belief or faith, of certainty, and of infallibility. Faith, Certainty, and Infallibility (1) Belief may mean a variety of things. A man may say I believe that the Church is infallible in the same sense that he may say I believe that we are in a spell of fine weather, expressing no more than that some considerations make it seem to him not improbable that the Church is infallible. If he says I believe in the Churchs infallibility he probably means something more than this, but he does not necessarily mean that he is certain that the Church is infallible. He may be only expressing a strong conviction, and we are strongly convinced of a good many things of which we could not rightly claim to be certain. Of course, on the other hand, I believe in the Churchs infallibility may be an act of supernatural faith; it may imply acceptance (of the Churchs infallibility) on the word of God, and the Church teaches us that such an act is an act of certainty. (2)The notion of certainty in the sense which interests us here, is distinct from that of belief. Belief may be accorded to opinions that are not true. But it is impossible to hold with certainty something which in fact whatever the appearances may be is false. Certainty is a quality of some of our acts of apprehension of truth. Thus I am certain of my own existence. (3) But though I am certain of my own existence, I am not infallible. Infallibility connotes that one is not liable to error within some whole province of truth as the Church, according to the Vatican definition, claims infallibility in the province, not of science or politics, but of faith and morals. But though I am certain of my own existence, I am not free from my liability to error in the province of metaphysics; I am certain of a particular proposition, I am not infallible in a given science, and many of my judgments in that science may prove to be erroneous, though not the particular judgment (of whose truth I am certain) that I exist. As usual Cardinal Newman states the distinction between certainty (or as he styles it, certitude) and infallibility with luminous clarity: It is very common, doubtless, especially in religious controversy, to confuse infallibility with certitude, and to argue that, since we have not the one, we have not the other, for that no one can claim to be certain on any point, who is not infallible about all; but the two words stand for things quite distinct from each other. For example, I remember for certain what I did yesterday, but still my memory is not infallible; I am quite certain that two and two make four, but I often make mistakes in long addition sums. I have no doubt whatever that John or Richard is my true friend, but I have before now trusted those who failed me, and I may do so again before I die. A certitude is directed to this or that particular proposition, it is not a faculty or gift, but a disposition of mind relative to the definite case which is before me. Infallibility, on the contrary, is just that which certitude is not; it is a faculty or gift, and relates, not to some one truth in particular, but to all possible propositions in a given subject-matter. We ought, in strict propriety, to speak not of infallible acts, but of acts of infallibility.I am quite certain that Victoria is our Sovereign, and not her father, the late Duke of Kent, without laying any claim to the gift of infallibility.I may be certain that the Church is infallible, while I am myself a fallible mortal; otherwise, I cannot be certain that the Supreme Being is infallible, until I am infallible myself.It is wonderful that a clearheaded man, like Chillingworth, sees this as little as the run of everyday objectors to the Catholic Religion [Grammar of Assent (1903), 224f.] The Grammar of Assent, from which the above quotations are taken, was published in 1870 and Salmons fourth lecture was chiefly concerned with it (see Mr. Woodhouses note, page 34 of the Abridgement). It can only be a matter of surprise that Salmon nevertheless chooses to follow Chillingworth and to perpetuate the misunderstanding which Newman so clearly explains. More Misunderstandings and Errors of Salmon On page 16, Salmon suggests that a prospective convert is asked to believe that he has been hitherto following a way which must end in your eternal destruction. But it must be remembered that it is not religious error, but blameworthy religious error, that is to say error due to a moral fault on the part of the person in error, that Catholics hold to be liable to divine punishment. In the overwhelming majority of cases, non-Catholic religious persons are probably not guilty in this way. Guilt may occur when a mans conscience tells him that he ought to re-examine his position, and he nevertheless omits to do so. On page 18f, Salmon contrasts a Protestants deference to the theologian with the Catholics deference to Pius IXan Italian ecclesiastic, of no reputation for learning. But, of course, a Catholic does not defer to the Pope because of his natural qualities or acquired theological skill, but because (as the Catholic believes) the Pope is assisted by divine Providence when he pronounces an ex cathedra definition: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise. Thou hast concealed these things from the wise and prudent and has revealed them unto little ones. On page 22 Salmon states the alleged circular argument for Catholicism, with reference to Scripture texts, as follows: They say, The Church is infallible, because the Scriptures testify that she is so, and the Scriptures testify this because the Church infallibly declares that such is their meaning; and he goes on: We find ourselves in the same circle if we try to prove the Churchs infallibility by antiquity, sayings of the Fathers, by reason, or in any other way. The advocates of the Church of Rome have constantly maintained that, on religious questions, nothing but the Churchs authority can give us certainty.All the attempts of Roman Catholic controversialists to show the helplessness of men without the Church make it impossible to have any confidence in their success in finding the Church. The names of advocates of the Church of Rome who land themselves in this argumentative circle are not given. I cannot defend advocates unknown to me who adopt a line of argument which I do not accept. On the contrary, I would point out that the Church is one of the strongest advocates of the reliability of human reasoning powers when applied in a natural way upon their appropriate subject matter. The [First] Vatican Council stated that the Church holds and teaches that God, the Source and Goal of all things, can be certainly recognized by the natural light of human reason. It further states God has deigned to give not only the inner help of the Holy Spirit but (so that the obedience of faith may harmonize with reason) external arguments in favour of his revelation, namely divine deeds and especially [imprimis] miracles and prophecies.which are most certain signs of divine revelation and are fitted to the understanding of all men. Right reason, in fact, shows the foundations of faith. On page 25 Salmon argues that the truth of the conclusion of a long line of arguments cannot be more sure than our assurance of the truth of each link in the argument, and of the validity of each step in the inference. To this I reply that the grounds of credibility of the Catholic Church are not the end of a single line of reasoning, but the meeting-point of a series of converging arguments like, as I have suggested above, the grounds we have for our estimate of the character of someone we love. Many adult converts will remember how it was first one thing, then another, that made them feel that the Catholic claims required to be investigated; and how a time came when their defenses against Catholicism began to crack first at one point, then at another, till at last they felt themselves being drawn by a pull of manifold quality but of a strength like that of some tremendous love affair; with the difference that they felt perhaps no particular emotional attraction to the faith, were indeed acutely conscious of the terrible sacrifices involved in its acceptance, and yet loyalty to their own intellectual and moral conscience demanded in the end that they should take the mortal leap into life. We return at page 26 to Newman, with the quotation Faith must make a venture and is rewarded by sight (Loss and Gain, 1903, page 343). It would perhaps suffice to point out that these words are spoken, in the novel from which they are taken, by a non-Catholic fictional character, and it is not usual to assume that a novelist believes whatever he makes one of his characters say. But I prefer to remark that there is a quite unobjectionable meaning that can be put upon these words. Faith may be perfectly reasonable, may be something recognized coolly as a duty, and yet it will always be a venture because though reason tells us to believe in the word of Gods accredited messenger (be that messenger Christ or Christs Church), yet the content of the message includes mysteries which the reason can never fathom. Queen Elizabeth I is credited with a remark about the Blessed Sacrament as follows: What our Lord himself doth make it, that I do believe and take it. There was obviously a venture of faith here, since however certain the Queen was that Christ was a true Teacher, the thing he taught when he said This Is My Body is profoundly mysterious. But faith, says the character in the novel, is rewarded by sight. This is only strictly true when, in heaven, faith gives place to vision. There is, however, a kind of truth about it even in this life, at least for some people. Newman himself says that from the time I became a Catholic.I have been in perfect peace and contentment; I never have had one doubt. [Apologia pro vita Sua, 238. The Apologia was written some 18 years after its authors conversion.] This is an interesting echo of the concluding quotation in the Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine written at the time of his conversion. He there quotes in Latin from the Song of Simeon: Now, Lord, thou lettest thy servant depart, according to thy word, in peace, because my eyes have seen Thy salvation. If the reader is not already wearied by this long list of points in this chapter of the Abridgement which call for correction, there is still one more (on page 27), where Salmon says that a Catholic must reject every attempt to test the teaching of his Church by reason or Scripture or antiquity, since the Churchs first principle is that her teaching shall be subjected to no criticism. On this I observe as follows: (1) In the Churchs mind an intelligent adult is not ripe for reception into the Church until he has been duly instructed and is morally certain that he has, as it is often but perhaps inaccurately described, received the grace of faith; [79] (2) The Church protects her little ones from unsettling literature just as a human parent would; but (3) she encourages her more capable sons and daughters to study and understand her credentials and the objections which are made against her claim, not only to strengthen the substructure of their own faith but to equip them for the propagation of the truth. Chapter Four: On Deference to Authority Marking the First Publication of the Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon was first published on this day, the 26th of March in 1830, in Palmyra, New York. The Book is one of various sacred texts to be first published here in North America in European languages. There are a number. Isis Unveiled: A Master-Key to the Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Science and Theology, the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, Science and Health with a Key to Scriptures, the Urantia Book, the Course in Miracles, and Dianetics: the Modern Science of Mental Health quickly come to mind. Each has had influences in different ways. But the Book of Mormon perhaps rises above the others with the size and scope of the religious organization for whom it is sacred scripture. Well over sixteen and a half million people profess the faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints, half of these in North America, the majority of those within hailing distance of Utah. The book purports to be the record of the lost tribes of Israel and what happened when they came to the Americas, first in the year 2220 BCE, and others following in the year 600 CE. The prophet Joseph Smith claimed he was presented with golden plates written in Reformed Egyptian, and special spectacles that allowed him to translate them into English. It has since become the primary theological source for the foundations of the Church. Those who find the historicity of the book unlikely look to other sources for its origins. Most assume it was composed by Smith, possibly assisted by Oliver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon. Some speculate a large part of it was derived from an unpublished romance by Solomon Spalding. Others suggest the importance of the Wonders of Nature by Josiah Priest, and or the View of the Hebrews by Ethan Smith. And of course, with a major assist from the King James version of the Bible, which certainly provides the cast of language for the Book. Whatever, it has become the source text for a major American religion. So, a pause to note the event In this post, youll find a selection from Going Through the Mysterys One Hundred Questions. Also, a few years back, while I was in the midst of translating and commenting on these old cases, I gave a talk about this and included some excerpts from the awakening story of an incredible awakened woman from the 20th century, Yaeko Iwasaki. You can find the unedited version in The Three Pillars of Zen, Part VI Yaeko Iwasakis Enlightenment Letters to Harada-roshi and his Comments. Highly recommended and inspirational. You can find the audio recording of the talk over on my Patreon site, along with an ad free version of this very post. When I got to editing my comments of Going Through the Mystery for the final version, it just didnt work to quote as much from Three PIllars as I had done in the talk, so below you wont find the Yaeko Iwasaki material. The two versions work, text and talk, together well, seems to me. Enjoy! Click here to support my Zen teaching practice at Patreon of which translations and writings like this are one facet. You will also find an advertisement free version of this post there. Question 18: What Conditions No Place Not Known? Yuantong asked: Prajna and ignorance. What conditions no-place not-known? Wansong replied: Do not slander anothers good. Linquans Verse Do not slander anothers good A skillful explanation is not equal to the direct way Just talking can cut off the subtle mystery Then see the mind contriving the unproduced Towering, towering, flying, flying self-thus faith Sweep through the dead leaves of past positions Commentary Juxtaposed with prajna and ignorance, Yuantong asks what conditions , no place not known, aka, omniscience. Today, within a close teacher-student relationship, Yuantong might hear, Oh my goodness, you are so in your head! I can still feel the sting of the verbal blows dished out by Katagiri Roshi to the young Dosho. With sadness in his eyes, seemingly wondering if he was wasting his life with students like me, he mutter almost to himself, Thats just your thinking. Always. Wansong begins his an ancient scolding by pointing out that asking about omniscience, acting like he does not know, is itself slander of Yuantongs original inheritance. Linquan takes it from there, saying that talking about no-place not-known is a betrayal of the mystery. But, thankfully, we are not left there. Linquan points his index finger straight at the moon: Towering, towering, flying, flying self-thus faith. Self-thus is the keyword here with faith slathered on for good measure. Towering, towering, , originally referred to a table mountain and now means determined, unmoving, or steadfast. Dogen also useds this binomial, for example, in his Healing Point of Zazen, along with , meaning earth or ground, so the phrase is translated as steadfast sitting, or fixed sitting. This phrase is a crucial teaching in Dogen Zen. You should, says Dogen, investigate and receive the authentic transmission of steadfast sitting. This is the thorough study of steadfast sitting transmitted in the buddha way. Linquan, though, rather than pair towering, towering, , with , ground, pairs towering with flying, flying, , for a much more dynamic expression. In modern Chinese, the whole sentence, Towering, towering, flying, flying self-thus faith, sounds like this: wuwu tengteng xin ziru. But remember, Just talking can cut off the subtle mystery. The invitation here is to embody the self-thus , towering and flying, and immediately, intimately Sweep through the dead leaves of past positions. Dosho Port began practicing Zen in 1977 and now co-teaches with his wife, Tetsugan Zummach Sensei, with Vine of Obstacles Zen, an online training group. Dosho received dharma transmission from Dainin Katagiri Roshi and inka shomei from James Myoun Ford Roshi in the Harada-Yasutani lineage. He is also the author of Keep Me In Your Heart a While: The Haunting Zen of Dainin Katagiri. Doshos translation and commentary on The Record of Empty Hall: One Hundred Classic Koans, was published in 2021 (Shambhala). His third book, Going Through the Mysterys One Hundred Questions, is now available. Click here to support the teaching practice of Dosho Roshi. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 26. We call on the French government to respect constitutional rights in the country, Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Aykhan Hajizada, said, answering a question from the local press about the protests in France, Trend reports. "We condemn the excessive and disproportionate use of force by law enforcement officials against the protesters in France following President Macron's decision, and in some cases the inhumane treatment of protesters. We call on the French government to respect the constitutional rights in the country, such as freedom of opinion and freedom of assembly, as well as the right to peaceful protest. We believe that the Council of Europe and international human rights organizations should investigate cases of excessive violence in France and demand the adoption of appropriate measures within the framework of the obligations of this country," Hajizada noted. Mr. Modis decision to demonetize big denomination currencies has cast a spell of black magic on the entire political opposition, and even the high-minded and hypocritical parties, have been forced into a stance they would not have taken in normal times. Completely distraught, they seem to have dropped their guard. Who could have expected them to oppose and thus be perceived by their constituents, to be openly in support of Black Money? The fact that UP elections are just round the corner did not help matters much. The violent opposition by all political parties to demonetization is not only due to the fact that it has immobilized the vast funds of black money parked with them; they suspect a larger political mischief to be at work. Not only have they been robbed of their money they have also been robbed of their agenda. To assess the full impact of this decision let us first briefly summarize the nature of electoral politics as it has been practiced in India for quite some time. Electoral politics involves inflaming of passions to boiling point around elections which are occasions for trial of strength; voting becomes an act of vendetta. The mutual suspicion between the various factions and group formations, backward vs. forward castes, Dalits vs. Hindus, Hindus vs. Muslims - the entire population is worked up to a feverish pitch, only to cool down after normalcy returns. The concept of the enemy has been vital to the whole electoral exercise. With the coming of the so called Hindutva government, it has become particularly bitter and vicious. Be it also said that both sides have shown equal zest to slug it out. Now we have strategists like Prashant Kishore, the wonder boy who has his ears close to the ground, who works with his team of hundreds of grass root workers who report the mood and the changing affiliations of the voters in every village on a real-time basis. With their cool heads and colder hearts these strategists apply principles of management on how best to fragment the society and devise winning combination of fractions. As we all know, Mr. Modi has a troubled, problematic record as the CM of Gujarat. Yet his smooth and swift rise from untouchability to respectability has been watched with dismay, even horror, by those who feel threatened by it. The only weapon in their armoury has been to rake up the sediment of his historical past, and keep it alive as a never-fading frame of reference for all his present deeds and decisions. They feel that this move liberates Mr. Modi from the secularism-Hindutva binary trap where he has been cabined and confined. It has created a clear divergence of interest between two groups, one very large and the other very small. The very large group threatens to leapfrog the barriers created and nurtured by political enterprise as homogenous group rooting for Modi. How can you tether the eradication of black money programme to a communalist or any other divisive agenda? Once you step out of the realm of political concerns into the realm of the economic, you leave your pre-modern competitors clueless, breathless and bereft of ideas. This proposal, whatever its outcome, has captivated the hearts and minds of Indian people and as of now it promises to bring economic democracy one step nearer. Should it work, it would become a game changer. Not only his detractors but his main support base of hard core Hindutva needs to be both wary and worried, because should he choose to break loose, he will have enough countervailing popular support to take the plunge. Mr. Modi is a populist spellbinder and a clever fabulist. His opponents say he is a conman, which isnt such a bad thing after all, for going places in politics today. For all you know, driving the agenda of anti-corruption, and the broad based support that it is likely to arouse, he may tap into that same area of human awareness which converts common clay into gold. Fantasizing? In our times when everything is available except hope, fantasizing is a natural avenue of escape! India Today magazine once referred to Manoje Nath, a 1973-batch IPS officer, as being fiercely independent, honest, and upright. Besides his numerous official reports on various issues exposing corruption in the bureaucracy in Bihar, Nath is also a writer extraordinaire expressing his thoughts on subjects ranging from science fiction to the effects of globalization. His sense of humor was evident through his extremely popular series named "Gulliver in Patiliputra" and "Modest Proposals" that were published in the local newspapers. There is always so much more to do than one has time for. Time management is a skill that no one teaches you at school (and if parents do, we dont listen to them) but we are expected to be good at it. Effective time management requires that we know our short term and long term goals, be organized and overcome procrastination, a tall task indeed! You will never find time for everything. If you want time, you must make it. The famous 20:80 rule states that 80 percent of our outcomes come from only 20 percent of our inputs. Most of the other time is spent procrastinating or working inefficiently doing activities that provide very little benefit. That calls us that most of us need to distinguish between hard work and smart work. Effective time management strategies can make us smart workers and help us find a balance between study and other activities we want to do. In creating, the hardest part is to begin. So where can we start? It is always good to try and break our tasks into smaller chunks so that we dont get overwhelmed. To begin with, you can start with monitoring your daily activities for two-three days to get an idea of your typical day. You can make a chart in your notebook and note down your activities every half an hour. Refrain from noting nothing in case you feel you did not anything of consequence. Note whatever it was, whether be it chatting, napping or day dreaming. You can start by noting things that have specific start times, like if you know you eat breakfast at 7:00, then fill in that square with breakfast. Similarly go ahead and fill in your sleep timings, bus rides, play or TV timings. In the next step, try and answer some of the questions about how you currently spend your time. I feel like I spend too much time on I feel like I dont have enough time for. I feel I spend too much time on homework. How can I better spend time on homework. How do I like to spend my free time. Whenever we are doing out time scheduling, we know that there are certain Have-To's and there is no escaping them. These may include family responsibilities like household chores, keeping your room clean or helping a younger sibling. Sleeping, eating, maintaining personal hygiene and doing schoolwork and homework are also essentials of a students life. Then there are the Want-To's. "Want-To's" make our lives a little more fulfilling, like following a hobby and being with people we enjoy ourselves. It is important that we learn to set goals for ourselves if we want to make time for our haves and wants. Short-term goals are things we want or need to do that can be accomplished in a few hours or days, like finishing home work for the day. Long-term goals are part of the "bigger picture" of our lives - our dreams and aspirations like learning a language or taking that final exam. Although they may take months or years to accomplish, they still take up time on a regular basis. Goals like these can't be achieved by setting aside one big block of time but rather, smaller blocks of time over a period of days, months, or even years. Working on our short term and long term goals are often interconnected. Once we have defined our goals, we need start with making an effective time schedule for the week. This time schedule should reflect our goals and accommodate our haves and wants. It should be realistic and one that you are most likely to follow successfully. Remember what gets rewarded gets done. So decide on how you want to reward yourself once you have followed your schedule for a week successfully. Be flexible about it and make changes with things that dont work in the schedule. In case you do not finish a given task, try to make time for it somewhere else rather than just leaving it. Time cheaters and how to beat them The questions that you answered earlier would have helped you identify some of the time cheaters like, spending time on the phone with friends who wont go away. The first thing you should say to a friend who calls is Im in the middle of studying now. Ill call you back. Or start by saying, I have only five minutes right now and Ill call you later. You may realize once you get down to work you get panicky and try to do everything together. We need to keep our anxiety at bay, prioritize our work and attack them one by one. Thats the only way you will get anything done. It may not seem like you have achieved all that you want to in a given day but if you keep at it you will soon find your pile of work disappearing! Writing and rewriting notes or arranging notes over and over again does not give anything in return but waste our time. So does working aimlessly without objectives, priorities or deadlines. Many times we spend so much time in doing preparations that we have little left for the actual task! It is not enough that we are busy, so are ants. The question is: What are we busy about? Time management strategies are ineffective if we are chronic procrastinators. Procrastination is the thief of time. If you are forever postponing tasks, you may never get down to making that time log that we discussed above. Often there are hidden doubts and fears which make us procrastinate. Try to ask yourself, Why am I reluctant to do this. You are most likely to find some things that are unpleasant to you in the task which leads to the delays. Say to yourself, I will do the unpleasant task first. Keep TV watching and talking to friends as rewards after you have finished with your studying. Be firm with yourself for some time and you will find that you enjoy your free times without guilt once you have finished your tasks. Time wasted is existence, time used is life. Giving structure to your day and following a study technique is a great way to be focussed on the task at hand and be efficient. However, we can still find ourselves struggling with our concentration form time to time. There are some techniques we can follow to directly improve our concentration. Keep a notepad: Any time a thought comes which seems distracting or urgent and is unrelated to the work at hand, write it down. The truth is, every other though that flits our mind seems important when we are studying! Recording worrisome obligations means you don't have to use your brain as a "reminder" bulletin board, which means you can give your undivided attention to your top priority task. Take breaks: It is prudent to divide your study schedule into small chunks of half an hour each especially when you are struggling to concentrate! Take a break after every half an hour of studying and dont forget to pat yourself on your back for staying focused for this long. However, dont leave the place, but sit back in your chair, relax, deep breathe and keep your focus. Take longer breaks every hour when you can get up from your seat and stretch your legs. Worry time: For those of us who tend to worry about things incessantly, set aside a worry time. Whenever your mind slips into worrying remind yourself that you have a special time devoted to worrying and you can worry then! The five more mantra: This is something I came across and I felt its a great way to build sustained attention and build frustration tolerance. If you're in the middle of a task and tempted to give up- just do FIVE MORE. Read FIVE MORE pages. Finish FIVE MORE math problems. Work FIVE MORE minutes". By implementing this strategy, you are building mental stamina and exercising your brain muscles and endurance just like athletes built their muscles and stamina. Mind and Body exercises: Keep aside all tasks, select a thought and keep it in your mind for as long as you can. It can be thought like, how to keep fit. Now stay focused on this idea and develop it for as long as you can. Be aware of times when your mind wavers off and then bring it back to the topic. Sit in a comfortable chair and see how still you can keep. This is not as easy as it seems. Watch and see that you are not making any involuntary muscular movements. The first time I tried this, I moved five times in the first minute! With some practice you will find you are able to sit still without a movement of the muscles for longer and longer and it is a great way to develop concentration. In many ways the practice of asanas in Yoga which requires holding postures does exactly this! Similarly, you can sit in a chair and place a clock with a second hand on the table. Follow the second hand with your eyes as it goes around. Keep this up for five minutes, thinking of nothing else but the second hand. As there is little that is particularly interesting about the second hand, it is hard to do this, but in the extra effort of will power required to make it successful lies its value. Always try to keep as still as possible during these exercises. Reading requires that we first concentrate our thoughts on the subject on hand. An excellent exercise is to read an article in a newspaper (like this one!) and see in how few words you can express it. Reading an article to get only the essentials requires the closest concentration. In order to focus on every statement thats written, you have to keep all other thoughts out. If you are unable to write out what you read, you will know you are weak in concentration. Instead of writing it out you can express it orally if you wish. You will also find yourself developing your ability to think creatively and critically! Visualisation is an extremely effective technique to prepare the mind to concentrate. Before starting your studies, close your eyes and imagine yourself in a situation when you experienced deep concentration. It could have been playing a sport, a musical instrument or gazing at a bird sitting in a pond. Try to picture this state of total concentration in your minds eye and stay with it for about five minutes. Then open your eyes, take a few deep breaths and start studying. If you will utilize your spare time in practicing exercises like those suggested you can gain more control over your mind and become more efficient. Of course, success in all of the above depends largely upon cultivating your concentration which is hard work. If you always do what youve always done, youll always get what you have always got. Recommended reading: The One Minute Manager, Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, Berkeley Books, 1981. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey, Simon & Schuster, 1989. Mrigaya Sinha is a Clinical Psychologist with a PhD in Clinical Psychology from NIMHANS, Bangalore. She is from Patna and has done her graduation from Patna Women's College. She is one of the very few psychologists from Patna with training from a premier national institute and experience of working in several big institutes apart from NIMHANS including KMC, Manipal; VIMHANS, New Delhi; and Mahavir Cancer Santhan, Patna over a period of eight years, to name a few. She is currently setting up her private practice in the US. Over the past few years weve tested a good number of VPN services for the PC and compiled them into a list of our best VPN picks. But weve also done extensive VPN testing for Android apps, checking for performance, privacy policies, and extra features to see which service comes out on top on Googles mobile OS. While some services are good on any platform, others particularly shine when used on Android devices, and weve curated a list of our recommendations to help you choose. When determining the best VPNs for Android, we consider several criteria. First, its crucial that it is a top performer on the OS. Also, since Wi-Fi can be inconsistent at times, we test these apps over the course of three days, running a total of 15 tests each day (three times for each test country location) to look at speed and consistency of service. Finally, we considered the Android app itself and its ease of use, as well as other things such as pricing and the number of simultaneous devices allowed per account. We provide links to the stand-alone app in the Google Play store as well as links to our reviews of the full desktop programin case you want a complete AV solution for all your devices. Without further ado, here are our recommendations for the best VPNs for Android. Updated 03/24/2023: Weve updated the NordVPN summary with info from our latest review of the service. Read more about this best pick below. 1. Speedify Best Android VPN overall Pros Very fast Harnesses multiple connection types Cons Interface is not user friendly Switching countries is a pain Best Prices Today: Speedifys claim to fame is that it harnesses all your active connections to make one super-zippy VPN connection, and the effect was undeniable during our tests. Speedify maintained a jaw-dropping 83.56 percent of the base speed. These speeds only happened when the phone had Wi-Fi and cellular connections available. One other nice thing about Speedify is that the switch from Wi-Fi to mobile network is near seamless. So if youre streaming a song and step outside of your wireless networks range, the connection will switch to mobile without missing a beat. Speedifys app design is not the simplest or most straightforward design, but its easy enough. It also maintains some statistics such as how many seamless failovers youve had with your device, how much datas been transferred, and your top download and upload speeds. It would be better if you could pick your country location before connecting, as opposed to the current setup: connecting, choosing a new country location, and then reconnecting. Still, its a minor quibble for an excellent mobile VPN. Read our full Speedify review 2. NordVPN Best Android VPN for Netflix Pros Great feature set Excellent speeds No-logs policy Attractive and intuitive interface Cons Expensive NordVPN is easily one of the most popular VPN services around. The company offers over 60 country locations with 5,000+ servers. It also promises that its service will work with Netflix. While it doesnt offer dedicated servers for this, instead, Netflix is just supposed to work no matter which server youre on, and in our tests it always did. Its Android app is similar to the desktop app in that it has the same style of map that you can use to select a location. The rest of the app is very mobile friendly with a movable carousel of popular locations, and a full country list underneath. The Android app also supports Nords specialty servers for P2P file sharing, Meshnet, and double-hop VPNs. NordVPN also offers top-notch security features with ad-blocking and malware protection as well. NordVPN has a thrice-verified no-logs policy and good track-record for both privacy and security. Its a higher-priced VPN, but its also feature-filled, and fast. In our tests, Nord maintained nearly 73 percent of the base internet speed, which is outstanding. Read our full NordVPN review 3. CyberGhost Best Android VPN for rookies Pros Very easy-to-understand interface Good speeds Cons Not as many options as other competitors Another good choice for newcomers is CyberGhost from Kape Technologies. This VPN has a similar-ish design to ExpressVPN (below). It has a simple on/off button at the top of the app, and underneath that is the tile where you can pick the country location. Tapping on the country location option takes you to a list where you can choose a connection based on the country, or you can choose a streaming location, or choose from your own favorites list. In our tests, CyberGhost maintained close to 61 percent of the base speed. Thats about all there is to this app, which makes it an excellent option for first timers. For the full program CyberGhost charges $51.48 for a single year, or you can get two years for $78, or three for $89.31. Read our full CyberGhost VPN review 4. ExpressVPN Best Android VPN for rookies runner-up Pros Very easy-to-use app Excellent speeds Cons Logs data transfer amounts Higher-priced option ExpressVPN has always been very easy to use and is another Kape-owned VPN. Combine ease of use with its excellent speeds, and Express is a great choice for rookies. In our tests, ExpressVPN maintained 72.14 percent of the base speed, which is excellent and earned it a second place finish behind Speedify. Switching locations is as easy as tapping on the tile underneath the on/off button at the top. When the VPN is not active the app background is red, and when the VPN is connected the background turns green. ExpressVPN for Android also supports split tunneling, auto-connect, and a kill switch to help maintain privacy should the VPN connection drop. This VPN is more complicated than CyberGhost, which is why its our second choice for rookies, or those looking for something a little more advanced but still decidedly in newbie territory. Express VPN costs about $100 for the first 15 months for the multi-device subscription. Read our full ExpressVPN review 5. Mullvad Best Android VPN for privacy Pros Excellent privacy measures Best option for pseudo-anonymity Cons Not as many extra features as other options Not guaranteed to work with Netflix Its no surprise to see Mullvad as our top choice for privacy. Its simply unbeatable when it comes to staying as anonymous and private online as possible while using a VPN. Unlike most other services, Mullvad doesnt even ask for your email address. Instead, it generates a random account number and then you use that to log in and pay for the service. The service will also accept cash, as well as Bitcoin, PayPal, and credit card giving you an even wider number of options to stay as anonymous as possible. Mullvad promises it wont track your browsing habits (as all the services in this roundup do), and it has good speeds. In our tests, Mullvad for Android maintained around 57 percent of the base speed. Thats not as good as some of the other services, but its definitely good enough for most uses. Mullvad charges 5 per month, which at this writing was a little over $5. Read our full Mullvad review 6. ProtonVPN Best VPN for privacy runner-up Pros Good speeds, but not as good as on Windows Lots of features Cons Expensive Best Prices Today: If Mullvad isnt your speed then another solid choice for privacy is ProtonVPN. This service is just one part of a larger suite of services that includes ProtonMail, ProtonCalendar, and ProtonDrive. You dont have to subscribe to everything as ProtonVPN is available as a standalone service, though you can get a deal with ProtonMail if you like. In our tests, ProtonVPN maintained around 56 percent of the base speed. It has a wide number of country choices, its privacy policy makes all the right promises, and it supports Netflix streaming, TOR over VPN, and P2P on specific servers. It also has a security feature called Secure Core that you can read about on the companys site. ProtonVPN charges $71.88 for the first year. Read our full ProtonVPN review How we tested We use the same approach on Android as we do on Windows. We picked five country locations and tested each location three times on three separate days. Then we took the average global performance of the VPN as an average, and then compared that to the average base speed. Then we represented the difference as a percentage. The reason we do that as opposed to showing actual megabytes-per-second scores is that those numbers can change based on so many factors such as your ISP, equipment, and time of day. What we really need to know is how much speed we lose when connected to the VPN (its always a loss). That is an experience that is more likely to translate across various setups as opposed to specific speeds. What to look for in a VPN To get the most out of a VPN you need to consider a few factors. First, you want something that respects your privacy and logs as much information as youre comfortable with. If that means no data at all then something like Mullvad or ProtonVPN is best for you. If you dont mind a little logging and your primary concern is speed or Netflix support then there are many VPNs that will suit that purpose. Speed is also a concern since you want to make sure the service can support whatever it is you want to do, be it streaming video, gaming, or just browsing the web. Going with a known quantity is also critical since VPNs are handling such important, and personal, data you need to know whos behind the company and what their reputation isreading reviews will help with that. Finally, after all that, consider pricing and what best suits your budget. Keep those tips in mind and youre likely to find an excellent VPN service thats right for you. Thats it for our roundup of the top five Android VPNs. If you want to take a look at more VPN services check out PCWorlds complete VPN roundup. While the reviews are focused on PC, almost all of the services weve covered offer an Android app as well. If youre interested in also using a VPN with your other devices (which we highly recommend), check out some of our additional best VPN roundups to learn more: Vice President of the United States of America Kamala D. Harris has been welcomed to Ghana by Apostle Cephas Quarshie, CEO of Low Price Master Limited and President of Cephas Quarshie Ministries. Kamala Harris is set to embark on her first visit to the African continent since taking office. She will depart Washington on Saturday evening and arrive in Accra, Ghana on Sunday afternoon. During her trip, Vice President Harris will meet with Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday for bilateral talks. Later that day, she will visit a local recording studio and meet with young people in the creative industry. On Tuesday, the Vice President will deliver a speech to a young audience and visit the Cape Coast slave castle to speak about the brutality of slavery and the African Diaspora. On Wednesday, she will meet with women entrepreneurs in Accra to discuss the economic empowerment of women. It is expected that she will announce a series of continent-wide public and private sector investments to help close the digital gender divide and empower women economically. Vice President Harris will then travel to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania before concluding her trip in Lusaka, Zambia. This visit marks the fifth major trip from a senior administration official since the summit, following visits by Secretary Yellen, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, the First Lady, and Secretary Blinken. Apostle Cephas Quarshie observes that the visit is not only historic but also very important for the African continent after the COVID-19 pandemic. This visit is not only historic but very important for Ghana and the continent at large and will open a window of opportunities for the business community in Ghana. God would use her presence to bless the country, he revealed. Source: Peacefmonline Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Allied Consortiums and its subsidiary, BKQ Foundation, have organized a send-off party for students and teachers of two less endowed schools in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The beneficiary schools are the Akropong School for the Blind and the Mampong Demonstration School for the Deaf. The programme, held at the Akropong School for the Blind on Thursday, 23rd March, 2023, was themed "Smile with Allied Consortiums". It is an initiative to put smiles on the faces of about 1000 students and staff of the two schools. The Group Chairman of Allied Consortiums, Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quashie, together with his team, flew from South Africa to celebrate with the two special schools. Speaking at the programme he said, this is a cooperate social responsibility the company is embarking upon. "This is something we do twice every year to put smiles on the faces of the less privileged in our society. We are happy to give them a wonderful 'Our Day Party' this year", he said. The Executive Director of Events EQ Global Pty Ltd, Mrs. Nonkazimulo Quashie speaking at the programme, commended the staff for their dedication and commitment to their roles in making lives better for these students. Madam Veronica Derry, Akropong School for the Blind Head, thanked Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quashie and his team for the kindness shown to them. She, on behalf of the two specials school presented a citation of appreciation to the Group Chairman and requested that the event should not be a one off event. The Group Chairman of Allied Consortiums, receiving the citation, pledged to make the party a yearly affair that would be sponsored by his company and NGO BKQ Foundation. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Savannah Regional branch have denied reports that former president John Dramani Mahama was recently booed in Damongo when he attended the enskinment of the new Overlord of the Gonja Kingdom, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jawu Soale, on Monday, March 20, 2023. This follows that circulation of viral video which that showed a section of the crowd purportedly hooting as Mahama was descending from the stage he was on together with other dignitaries including Vice President Dr Bawumia and the Jinapor brothers, to address the crowd. The persons who were hooting, even though were a small section of the crowd, could be seen clapping and screaming away, away, away. A statement from the NDC stating the facts of the incident alleged that the booing party were NPP supporters bussed from parts of the northern region for the specific purpose. Adding that despite their unruly behaviour, Mahama "was welcomed with cheers and a loud applause as his brilliant speech touched the hearts and minds of his tribesmen, chiefs, and elders at the ceremony. "There was absolutely no reason or cause for anyone whatsoever to hoot at President Mahama. The false narrative of being booed must be treated with contempt," the statement read in part. Explaining the source of the unruly crowd, the statement continued: "It was observed that a small group of people who were part of an unruly and uncouth supporters of the NPP were on the blind side of President Mahama and his delegation, shouting and recording themselves. In the process, the detachment of police and military personnel ensured that they remained where they were, without the people at the durbar hearing whatever they were saying. "These were NPP supporters bussed into Damongo by the NPP, obviously because of the Vice Presidents feeling of insecurity and nervousness. A total of five buses transported these supporters from Tamale and Wa to cheer him." FULL STATEMENT: Here are the facts: 1. As a Royal and a native of the Gonja Kingdom, President John Mahama attended the event as a son and grandson of the land. 2. HE John Mahama, after all the protocols, paying homage to the new Yagbonwura with his delegation, stepped forward to deliver his speech, which had nothing to do with politics but full of wisdom, history, and the great traditions of the great Gonja Kingdom. 3. He was welcomed with cheers and a loud applause as his brilliant speech touched the hearts and minds of his tribesmen, chiefs, and elders at the ceremony. 4. There was absolutely no reason or cause for anyone whatsoever to hoot at President Mahama. The false narrative of being booed must be treated with contempt. 5. It was observed that a small group of people who were part of an unruly and uncouth supporters of the NPP were on the blind side of President Mahama and his delegation, shouting and recording themselves. In the process, the detachment of police and military personnel ensured that they remained where they were, without the people at the durbar hearing whatever they were saying. 6. These were NPP supporters bussed into Damongo by the NPP, obviously because of the Vice Presidents feeling of insecurity and nervousness. A total of five buses transported these supporters from Tamale and Wa to cheer him. 7. However, we wish to state in the strongest terms possible that the deliberate attempts by the NPP to always bus people from other regions into the Savannah Region just to cause confusion, disorder and mayhem at public functions will no longer be tolerated, and this will be the last caution. 8. For the records, H.E John Mahama remains the only president with an enviable record of projects in the entire Gonja kingdom from Senior High Schools (E Blocks at Daboya, Mpaha and Bamboi etc), Hospitals (Sawla, Buipe and Bamboi district hospitals etc), roads (147km Fufulso-Sawla road, Datoyili Buipe road etc), factories(Buipe sheanut, Daboya smock, Savanah cement factories etc), water projects (Ntereso water project etc) among others. For maximum satisfaction and the avoidance of doubt, kindly find attached two videos- one of the arrival of President Mahama at the durbar ground, and the other, the beautiful speech delivered by the former president as he was cheered on by the good people of the Savannah region and all present. Anyidoho reacts to booing incident Samuel Koku Anyidoho, a former deputy general secretary of the NDC, reacting to the viral video lamented the incident. He said that former president John Agyekum Kufuor, the late Prof John Atta Mills and the late Jerry John Rawlings (JJ) never received this kind of reaction in their home regions. JJ was never hooted at in Volta; Kufuor was never hooted at in Ashanti; Atta-Mills was never hooted at in Central; Nana Addo has never been hooted at in Eastern; Someone has been hooted at in his own Gonjaland - Damango. Hmm! parts of the tweet read. Source: ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Founder and Leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Percival Kofi Akpaloo has expressed unwavering confidence and faith in his destiny to become the President of Ghana. However the question for him remains when? According to Kofi Akpaloo, his journey in Ghanas political landmark from contesting as a Parliamentary candidate to forming his political party was inspired by Gods vision to him. A dream he said he had in 2010 where God had appointed him as Ghanas President. In an exclusive interview on the Happy Morning Show, he expressed his strong belief in pursuing his dreams with Gods guidance, saying, My belief has been strong and for me, anything I see in my dreams, I pursue them with Gods guidance. So that is what Ive pursued since and its been 13 years now. So I know in Gods own time I will be the President of Ghana, he added. Mr. Akpaloo earlier recounted that his desire to become the President of Ghana came to him at the tender age of six as he believes he is the right vessel to ignite Ghanas change. Hence the dream comes as approval from God. Ever since I was young and at the age of 6 I had this redeeming to be a President in future to help with the development of Ghana. So somewhere in 2004 I had the drive to contest for Parliamentary Candidate in the Manhyia Constituency and I was able to garner more votes. Though I didnt emerge victorious I came second. So I had some little experience there beating the big guys, NDC, CPP and PNC and came second. So I think I did well between the three months I started campaign, he said. Source: ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Private legal practitioner, Nana Obiri Boahen has suggested a constitutional amendment that will compel Presidents to seek Parliamentary approval before the appointment of Electoral Commissioners. If we think there is something wrong with our constitution then we must consider another mode of appointing the Electoral Commissioner. It shouldnt be President in consultation with the Council of State alone. "It should be the president in consultation with the Council of State and two-thirds of MPs present. Nana Obiri Boahen said this on Kumasi-based Wontumi radio monitored by MyNewsGH.com. The comment by the former deputy Secretary of the NPP comes days after some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) including the Communications Director Mr Sammy Gyamfi alleged that Dr Peter Appiahene who was appointed by President Nana Akufo-Addo as an electoral commissioner, is a patron of the ruling party NPP and challenged his neutrality. Lawyer Obiri Boahen also described the new Commissioner Dr Appiahene as a serious person, hard-working person and fair-minded person who qualifies in all aspects. The lawyer also chided the leadership of the NDC for not doing enough to amend the constitution during their era because it is something he (Obiri Boahen) has been championing for. All those years the NDC was in power they didnt make effort to amend, so there are serious issues people are not concerned with including our brothers in NDC when they were in power and even now, he chided. Source: ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Report coming in indicates that the prime suspect standing trial in connection with the destabilising the nation with aim of overthrowing the government, Dr. Frederick Mac-Palm is reportedly dead. The accused was said to have died in the late hours of Saturday, March 25, after he allegedly fell unconscious. Reports have it that he collapsed in his house and was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. His family is however yet to make an official statement on the new development. Dr Fred Mac-Palm, the owner of the Citadel Clinic, Alajo has been facing trial since 2019. He together with Donya Kafui, alias Ezor, a blacksmith from Alavanyo, and Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu, were arrested for allegedly plotting to destabilize the country. The three were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, namely, manufacturing of arms and ammunition, and the possession of explosives, firearms and ammunition without lawful authority. The accused persons are said to be part of a group known as Take Action Ghana (TAG). The group, according to the prosecution, planned to organise series of demonstrations and also to overthrow the government. The other accused persons are Col. Samuel Kodzo Gameli, WO2 Esther Doku, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Lance Corporal Albert Baba Ibrahim, Lance Corporal Sylvester Akapewon, Bright Alan Debrah and Corporal Seidu Abubakar. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The strength of a woman is exhibited through many forms. Common among such is raising another human from pregnancy to adulthood but an educated woman has the power to change the world with a snap of a finger. The fashion industry in Africa had a bright light beamed upon it when five exceptional women decided to create a the first and only dedicated platform that celebrates the creative, artistic talent, and rich diversity of culture from the continent. With a vision of connecting Africa to the Middle East and those of the diaspora, Aser Levron, Thando Magumise, Badrriya Henry, Dina Yassin, And Amna Ahmed founded Africa Fashion Week- Middle East In 2020. One goal that tied these women together was the idea of celebrating the diversity, untold stories and endless connection between Africa & the Middle East through fashion, art and culture while creating a sustainable platform for creatives to explore endless opportunities, foster expression and harness talents within the continent. Here are the founders of Africa Fashion Week Middle East. Awo Aser Levron She is a multi-lingual with over a decade of experience in the UAE. Founder of FiftyFour Creatives, a PR and Digital Marketing Company. Aser boldly wears the hat of a strategic communication & PR specialist as well as Brand Management consultancy and storytelling. With her thorough understanding of the Middle East markets, she has built strong ties with local and regional media, & influencers alike; across industries and established unique dimensions to stay relevant in the competitive market. Levron leads the Brand Communication, PR and Marketing for AFWME, with a vision to build a strong brand and establish AFWMEs unique value proposition and offerings within the market and across the right stakeholders. Dina Yassin Dina Yassin is a co-founder, Creative Director and Styling Coordinator for Africa Fashion Week Middle East (AFWME). Born to Eritrean parents in Sudan and raised in the UAE, Dina brings onboard her expertise of almost 3 decades in the fashion industry which includes: a high-fashion sense as a prolific stylist, designer, and luxury brand consultant who has lived in London & New York City, and traveling across the globe. Her skill, beauty, and passion has led her to collaborate with prominent names in the industry and graced the pages of many top tier magazines such as Harper's Bazaar Art, Marie-Claire, Conde Nast Traveller, Stylist, Vogue Arabia and many more. Dina has also worked on several advertorials and with top fashion visionaries. Dina is the Founder & Creative Director of streetwear fashion brand, Efro & Co. Thando Magumisa Thando Magumise is the Creative Director of Ntombi Couture, one of the most recognised African Inspired brands in Dubai with over a decade of operations. She is also the CoFounder of The Ethnic Group. With a background in Marketing, Finance and Art, Thando has grown many brands across Africa and given over 1500 ladies the opportunity to export their products into the global market. Since 2013, Ntombi Couture has grown into one of the most recognised African owned brands in the city and used their unique fusion of African patterns, clean lines and classic cuts to encourage positive mental health. Badrriya Henry Badrriya Henry is the founder Fashion Foresight. She has over 9 years of experience in the fashion industry with a background of working from supply chain, consult, research and development to lecturing at Raffles Design Institute, Saudi Arabia. Badrriya, serves as a Dubai Future Contributor with the vision to evolve the fashion industry through technology solutions. With technology gradually shaping the future of industries, Badrriya intends to explore solutions that amplify brands in retail spaces and assist them in connecting better with consumers with various digital touch points and experiences created both online and offline. Amna Ahmed Amna Ahmed is the Co-founder and Events expert at African Fashion Week Middleast (AFWME) She is a highly experienced creative events strategist and project management expert with an international career spanning 15 years. Skilled at developing and leading high-profile teams, delivering complex initiatives and projects across multiple industries. Her expertise lies towards creating an experience showcasing Art Lifestyle and Culture. She has produced and directed some of the best productions from Launch ceremonies, Corporate events, 360-degree theatre acts, to multi-genre fusion concepts within Community events. Assisting several businesses with Marketing and Communication through brand activations and live events. Amna is the Founder and Creative Director of Elation Avenue Event Management Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. A growing Philadelphia-area pizza restaurant is coming to Cumberland County with its square pies. Santuccis Original Square Pizza, a third-generation business specializing in Italian food, will open at a former Wendys at 5235 Simpson Ferry Road in Hampden Township. It will be the first Santuccis restaurant outside of the chains Philadelphia and Jersey Shore markets, and according to spokesman John Mahalis the first location with a drive-thru. He said an opening date has not been announced. For six decades, Santuccis has been recognized as one of the best pizzas and was recently voted into the Pizza Hall of Fame, according to its website. Santucci's Original Square Pizza specializes in square pizza with sauce on top of the cheese. One of the restaurants is opening in Cumberland County. Photo by Janine Feeney Santuccis is known for its square upside down pizzas made with sauce on the top of the cheese, and also sells wings, pastas and hoagies. Third-generation owner Alicia Santucci told the Atlantic City Weekly in 2020 the pizza looks Sicilian, but with a medium crust. We havent changed a thing when it comes to the pizza. In fact, we kept my father on as a partner in all of the locations. He is our quality control expert. He goes to one of our locations several times a week and his main focus is the pizza and cleanliness. If the pizza isnt right and the place isnt spotless, we hear about it immediately, she said. Her grandparents, the late Joseph and Philomena Santucci, opened the first Santuccis in Northeast Philadelphia in 1959. Today, the family, including Alicias brothers, Frank Jr. and Anthony, oversee eight locations and are growing the business with additional franchises. One is opening this fall in Washington Township. Santuccis also offers catering and fundraising opportunities. It joins a list of retail newcomers setting up shop in Cumberland County including Mr. Stickys, Crumbl Cookies and Daves Hot Chicken. READ MORE: Even a week and a half after airing, the 95th Academy Awards ceremony continues to face controversy. Many supporters were upset over Angela Bassetts Best Supporting Actress loss for her performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and there were lots of references to last years Will Smith Oscar slap. Though another controversy also came out of the ceremony: the Naatu Naatu performance from the acclaimed Indian Telugu-language action drama epic RRR. READ MORE: Naatu Naatu won Best Orignal Song (with music by M. M. Keeravani and lyrics by Chandrabose), becoming the first Indian song to do so. Though outside of that groundbreaking highlight, the Oscars performance of the hit musical number from the film garnered backlash for its lack of diversity. The original performers of the musical number and stars of RRR, Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr, turned down a reprisal of the highly-energy performance. According to The A.V. Club, the stars declined due to a lack of time unavailable for them to learn the Oscars version of the already-iconic number. Napoleon Duomo and Tabitha, also known as NappyTabs, hired dancers they knew and could rely on to perform, instead, the report continued. While the Oscars performance brought an array of diverse dancers, there was a lack of South Asian representation, sparking backlash among the community. Achinta S. McDaniel is the founder and artistic director of the Los Angeles-based Blue13 Dance Company. The artistic director planned a Zoom among South Asian performers to discuss the controversy over the weekend, Variety reported. Some people say, Just be happy with what we got, and thats part of [the problem] this idea of just accepting the scraps that are thrown to you, McDaniel told Variety. Just be happy an Indian song was nominated [and won]. Dont be mad about the overwhelming racism that appeared in the performance. Over the summer, McDaniel and others will be spearheading the South Asian Summit, an event that they are planning to help spark change. This really lit a fire, McDaniel added. So many people are joining this Zoom so we can start to make an actual change. Its been too long that weve been quiet. At the time of The A.V. Club articles publication, the Academy hasnt released a statement. Read more via Variety. READ MORE: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) A Florida charter school principal has been forced to resign after a parent complained sixth graders were exposed to pornography during a lesson on Renaissance art that included Michelangelos David sculpture. The Tallahassee Democrat reported that the principal, Hope Carrasquilla, of Tallahassee Classical School resigned this week after an ultimatum from the school boards chairman. WEST CHESTER The veteran animal control officer who entered the Honey Brook home of the non-profit Babushka Animal Rescue operation three years ago described the scene as one of the most emotionally traumatic of his career. Ive been doing this for 15 years, said Russell Harper, the Chambersburg-based humane officer with the Justice Rescue network who was called to investigate reports of animal abuse and neglect at the rural northern Chester County home on Twin County Road. It was one of the saddest cases I have ever dealt with. He found a house that was saturated in animal urine and feces, and filled with small dogs that had obviously been malnourished and neglected. Their coats were matted and covered in fecal matter, and they were skinny and crying. Bones were protruding from under their skin, and they showed visual signs of dehydration. Most affecting was the sight of an apparently family of puppies who had died while cuddled next to one another in a pen apparently to comfort one another as they faded away from starvation. Equally as troubling was that other animals owned by the rescue operators were found to be healthy and thriving, and that there appeared to be food and resources that could have been devoted to the others care. It seemed the woman in charge had fed her own pets, but neglected those she had taken in to rescue. I cant think of a more hurtful and painful way to die than to be starved to death, Harper said in an interview Friday. Somebody who treated animals that way, in my opinion, should no longer be allowed to have animals for the entirety of their life. What Russell, and others who saw what had happened at Babushka in February 2020, had hoped for a lifetime ban on animal for the person who was responsible for the care of those rescues will not happen. But under the terms of the sentence that was handed down Tuesday by a Chester County Common Pleas judge, the offender will be prohibited from having any personal contact with animals for more than a decade. Holly Erin Schiller, the owners and operator of Babushka, pleaded guilty before Judge Analisa Sondergaard to seven counts of animal cruelty, each graded as a second-degree misdemeanor. For each count, she was given two years of court supervised probation that bars her from owning animals or living in a home with pets, or operating any animal shelter, for a total of 14 years. She also received a stern warning from Sondergaard, who had expressed hesitation at accepting the plea agreement that had been presented by the prosecution and Schillers defense attorney. This is very hard to hear, Sondergaard said as she considered accepting the proposed sentence. It is hard to listen to these facts. I am having a hard time with the fact that she continued to care for her own animals and not the others. It seems to me to be intentional behavior. Speaking directly to Schiller, who is currently getting psychiatric counseling for the schizophrenia her attorney said contributed to her lack of care for the rescues, Sondergaard was succinct. I am happy your are getting treatment, she said. I hope you get the help you need. But the generosity you see here today is limited. If I ever see you again in court, there will be no generosity. Schiller, 23, now lives in the town of Finleyville, Washington County with a boyfriend. She did not offer an explanation to the judge for her abuse of the animals in her care, or offer an apology. She chose not to speak on her own behalf, leaving that to her attorney, Terrence Ruf of West Chester. Ruf said that Schiller, who began the animal rescue in 2018, had been affected by mental health problems that kept her from taking control of the rescue operation and caring for the animals other than her own. It affected the way she dealt with the situation, he said. She concentrated on her own and wasnt cognitive of everything going on around her. She took animals in thinking this was what she wanted to do. But she had a (mental) break, and she was left incapable of asking for help. She was in a very, very bad place at the time, Ruf said. Schiller, a small woman with short hair and heavily tattooed arms, had announced the creation of the Babushka rescue in 2019. In a newspaper story from a Lancaster County publication, she recruited other volunteers who would help her rescue dogs and other animals from around the country, bring them to her home, and then help her find new families. I am a one-woman army and can always use the help., she was quoted as saying. This is more than just my passion; its a lifestyle. I want to make a difference for those animals who need it most. Three of those who saw the story and responded to Schillers invitation to help her spoke at the hearing Tuesday, and said they are still haunted by what they saw when they went to her home on Feb. 15, 2020 qnd discovered the conditions there. One, Katherine Fox of East Brandywine, told Sondergaard that for months afterwards, she would find herself weeping over the fate of the animals she saw. Her daughter, Hannah Fox, wrote in a letter to the judge that she considered what Schiller had done to the animals to be a betrayal of the animals, and also of the ones who had tried to help her. She claimed that she loved animals, only to have them succumb to a worse death than they otherwise might have faced, said Dina DiStefano of Spring City in her comments to Sondergaard. They didnt get the help they needed to get well. She was supposed to be their voice, but she betrayed them, Distefano said. She watched them die. All she had to do was ask for help. All three said they wanted the court to keep Schiller from owning or caring for animals again. The prosecutor in the case, Deputy District Attorney Kate Wright, told Sondergaard that Schillers home had been searched on Feb. 15, 2020, after the Justice Rescue had received reports of the conditions there. In addition to the 21 emaciated and dehydrated dogs and puppies, Russell found four dead rabbits, the three dead puppies, and two dead snakes. One of the puppies had a portion of its face eaten off, which Russell said sometimes occurred when littermates who are starving try to keep themselves alive. Wright insisted that the conditions of Schillers probation would be that she transfer, within 30 days, all of the animals now in her personal care to a neutral third party, unrelated to her or friends with her. Ruf told Sondergaard that her boyfriend has dogs as pets, but that they had been given to members of Schillers family. They must now be placed elsewhere, or Wright said she would request that Schillers probation be revoked. Russell, the humane officer, said that the aftermath of the search of Schillers home had been difficult, since it was close to impossible to find animal hospitals where the dogs could be cared for. But they were eventually placed, and all but one survived. They have now been adopted by families across the region. Horse racings efforts to clean up the sport and level the playing field take another step forward Monday with the launch of a new anti-doping program. Its an attempt to centralize the drug testing of racehorses and manage the results, as well as dole out uniform penalties to horses and trainers instead of the current patchwork rules that vary from state to state. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) was created by the federal government nearly three years ago. It has two programs: racetrack safety, which went into effect in July, and anti-doping and medication control. Its one standard. You can be in Kentucky, you can be in Ohio, you can be in California and youre going to be judged by the same standard, HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus said. HISAs Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit its independent enforcement agency has reached agreements with all of the state racing commissions and/or racetracks that will have live racing as of Monday. Seven of the biggest racing states Arkansas, California, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania, as well as Will Rogers Downs in Oklahoma will continue to use their current staff to collect samples. In Arizona, Illinois and Ohio, there is no signed voluntary agreement with HISA, so it contracted directly with either current staff or hired its own personnel to collect samples. Post-race testing only in New York will be handled this way. States that have live racing after mid-April are in discussion with the enforcement agency, HISA said. The agency will work with accredited labs in Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, California, Pennsylvania and Kentucky to analyze samples. In a photo provided by Benoit Photo, The Chosen Vron and jockey Hector I. Berrios, (3) storm up on the leaders and go on to win the $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes horse race Sunday, March 19, 2023, at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. (Benoit Photo via AP)AP For the first time, racings labs will be harmonized and held to the same performance standards nationwide, said Ben Mosier, executive director of the enforcement agency. Thoroughbred racehorses will be tested for the same substances at the same levels, regardless of where they are located or compete. Unlike the central offices that govern the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, the 38 U.S. racing states have long operated under rules that vary from track to track. Horses, owners, trainers and jockeys move frequently between states to compete. Locales would honor punishments meted out elsewhere, but inconsistencies created confusion and made it possible to game the system. Lazarus said that in talking with horsemen they want three things from HISA: Catch the cheaters, be realistic about medication, and be aware of environmental contaminants that trainers cannot control but can trigger positive tests. Thats exactly what our program does, she said recently. HISA has been met with resistance in its short existence. Last year, a federal appeals court ruled it unconstitutional, saying Congress gave too much authority to the group it established to oversee the racing industry. Congress tweaked the wording of the original legislation to fix that. It also gave the Federal Trade Commission the authority to oversee HISA. Legal challenges in Texas and Louisiana to HISA resulted in the federal appeals court preventing it from operating, so state regulations will continue to govern the sport. Racetracks in Texas and Nebraska have chosen not to broadcast their simulcast signals out of state, so HISA currently has no authority to regulate them, Lazarus said. As a result of the ongoing legal issues surrounding HISA, the anti-doping program wont begin in every state on Monday as Lazarus had hoped. Its not perfect, she said. We have to change some things, we have to see how some things go. Theres also been vocal opposition among some in the industry over the prospect of sweeping change as well as its cost to racetracks, horse owners and trainers, and the impact it will have on business. Theyve been taking away certain medications, therapy machines, things that are truly beneficial, said trainer Bret Calhoun, whose stable operates in Louisiana, Kentucky and Texas. Theyre having the opposite effect of what theyre saying safety of the horse and rider. Theyre doing absolutely the opposite. Calhoun spoke earlier this month at the National Horsemens Benevolent & Protective Association national convention in Louisiana. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry was even more blunt. At the core of HISA is this: a handful of wealthy players wish to control the sport through a one-size-fits-all, pay-to-play scheme that will decimate the inclusive culture of horse racing, he said at the convention. Lazarus counters the criticism, saying, Were there to make racing better. She has said shes aiming for transparent investigations and speedier resolutions of disputes. And Lazarus has spent much of her first year on the job trying to overcommunicate and overeducate. Im really hopeful that the message is getting through, she said. There will be no trial period for infractions under the new rules. Veterinarians who administer medications to horses have had to get up to speed on the regulations as well as trainers who are ultimately responsible for what goes into their horses. Change I think is always hard, Lazarus said, and this is like seismic change. There is new news about climate change and it is not good. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently issued a 37-page report summarizing its latest finding, stating, There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all (very high confidence) (emphasis in the original). And manmade activity is the cause. This conclusion comes from the work of hundreds of scientists and has been approved by 195 countries. But we dont have to worry about it in the Harrisburg area, right? Wrong. The Environmental Protection Agency the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission all agree that Pennsylvania is getting hotter and wetter. The result? For one, increased risk of flooding along the Susquehanna (remember the flood of 2011?). For farmers the EPA concluded that hot summers are likely to reduce yields of corn, Pennsylvanias most important crop. Cows will produce less milk and put on less meat. That being said, isnt it ironic that we are represented in Congress by a climate change denier? U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R 10th) and the House Freedom Caucus he chairs, have opposed many efforts to address climate change both nationally and locally. To be fair, Perry does admit to climate change but is not convinced humans are responsible. I suggest you Google Perrys anti-environmental record. Perhaps this latest news will bring him to his senses. Keith Sealing, Mechanicsburg, Pa. The number of the injured people in the 5.6-magnitude earthquake that rocked northwestern Iran on Friday morning reached 239, the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) reported on Saturday, Trend reports citing Iranian media. The quake, which occurred near Khoy County in the province of West Azarbaijan at 6:46 a.m. local time (0316 GMT), has a depth of 8 km, according to the Iranian Seismological Center (IRSC). Of the injured people, 50 were from Khoy County and the rest were from Salmas County, Sadeq Mahmoudi, head of Iran's Relief and Rescue Organization, was quoted by ISNA as saying. He added that 219 people have been released from medical centers after receiving treatment, while 20 people, including seven from Khoy and 13 from Salmas, have been hospitalized. Mahmoudi added tents and blankets have been sent out to residents in the quake-affected areas. On Friday, Director General of West Azarbaijan's Housing Foundation Jafar Barzegar told Iran's official news agency IRNA that 80 residential units in 10 villages in counties of Salmas and Khoy were damaged in the earthquake. In late January, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake in Khoy County killed three people and injured more than 800. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Ted Nugent got big cheers at the Trump Waco rally for calling Ukrainian President Zelenskyy a homosexual weirdo. Video: Ted Nugent kicks off the Trump rally in Waco by calling Zelenskyy a "homosexual weirdo" to cheers pic.twitter.com/21d6x3mI5F Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 25, 2023 Nugent said, I want my money back. I didnt authorize any money to Ukraine to some homosexual weirdo. I want my money back. Subscribe To Our Newsletter: Ted Nugent should understand that federal government doesnt work like he buys his Ivermectin online, and Nugent doesnt get to authorize what the federal government spends. There is a lot of homophobia being tossed around by the warm up acts for Trump in Waco. President Zelenskyy is not a weirdo, or gay, but to Ted Nugent apparently, anyone who is fighting to stop Putin from taking over their country is weird. It is also important to remind everyone anytime that Ted Nugent opens his mouth that he is self-confessed statutory rapist. Trumps Waco rally should hang a Russian flag behind the stage and put pictures of Putin on the screens because it has been decades since there has been such a blatantly un-American and anti-democratic event held on US soil. If Ted Nugent is going to start demanding refunds, he better hope that the American people dont start demanding their money back for all of the crappy music he has put out. Most Americans prefer musicians who arent actively working to destroy democracy. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Trump held a brief gaggle with actual news reporters on his plane, and when they asked specific questions about the criminal investigations into him, it did not go well. Video: NBCs Vaughn Hillyard was one of the reporters on Trumps plane, and he reported, I was actually on the plane here from Florida to Waco, Texas. And then I came back with Donald Trump in his campaign, I had the chance, in a short gaggle with him on that plane yesterday, to ask him some very specific questions about the related case. Including the Michael Cohen hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, and Donald Trump bristles at getting into any specifics and instead called us fake news. That we were not telling the truth. And this is a difficulty with Donald Trump is that his version of events lack nuance, instead, it is purely an effort to suggest the pure investigation as a whole is going to attempt to undermine his political movement, the Maga movement, which is really a nonstarter to even begin to engage in any substance about the underlying facts of the case into him. Subscribe To Our Newsletter: Trump hardly ever takes questions from legitimate journalists. He has limited himself to sitting down with right-wing media or feeding information to corporate media friendlies like Maggie Haberman of The New York Times. When Trump did try to face reporters with specific questions about the criminal investigations, he responded by calling them fake news and refused to talk about any specifics. Trumps defense is that the criminal investigation by multiple levels of prosecutors are all part of a vast conspiracy against him. Donald Trump got his clock cleaned by President Biden in 2020, so the idea that Democrats need to conspire to stop him in 2024 is another self-created Trump myth. The fact that the former president wont answer legitimate questions about his legal problems is a signal that Republicans will be heading for disaster if he is their presidential nominee. The Oil Minister Javad Owji said that Iran will set a new record in oil exports in the new Iranian calendar year 1402 which started on Tuesday, Trend reports citing Mehr. Speaking to national Iranian radio Radio Eghtesad (Economy), the minister added that 83 million more oil barrels were exported in 1401 (March 21, 2022-2023), when compared to the preceding Iranian year, and nearly 190 more barrels were sold in comparison with the year of 1399 (March 20, 2020-2021.) The Ministry of Petroleum is among those departments that meet the countrys need for foreign currency reserves, said Owji, continuing, Despite the tightened oppressive sanctions against Iran, crude oil, gas condensate, and petrochemical exports have hit new highs during the13th [Raeisi] administration. Turning to the objectives outlined in the countrys budget plan, he said the major part was done by the ministry last year and its obligations were fully accomplished in 1400. The minister described the industrys production as desirable, recalling that Phase 2 of Abadan Refinery with a daily processing capacity of 210,000 barrels of oil was put into operation on the last day of the previous year, and also the refinery of South Pars Gas Field Phase 14 with a daily refining capacity of 50 million cubic meters came on stream. Owji added the ministry has outlined plans to boost oil, gas, and petrochemical output, expressing hope that some projects will become operational this year and some next year. The city of Aiken, its Design Review Board and the Aiken Municipal Development Commission may not have been the only ones who failed to follow the proper procedure on Project Pascalis. Andrew Lindemann and Jim Holly, attorneys for the Design Review Board, said March 14 Andrew Gowder Jr. Mike Rose and James Carpenter, attorneys for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, failed to file the proper procedure when they filed the amended complaint in the lawsuit filed last summer to stop the project. Project Pascalis was a $75 million plus downtown development effort focused on the block surrounded by Richland Avenue, Laurens and Newberry Streets and Park Avenue. Plans included demolition of the Hotel Aiken and Beckman Building and the construction of a modern hotel on the site. The C.C. Johnson Drug Store Building, the Taj Aiken Building, Warneke Cleaners and Newberry Hall were also to be demolished and replaced by an apartment complex and parking deck. The former municipal building was to be expanded into a conference center run by Newberry Hall. The Aiken Municipal Development Commission voted to stop the project Sept. 29. The proposed developer, RPM Development Partners, sent notice it was terminating its interest in the project Sept. 14. The Aiken City Council later voted to rescind the conditional conveyance of a part of Newberry Street to the developer, RPM Development Partners and the Design Review Board withdrew a conditional permit granted for the demolition of the Hotel Aiken. Gowder, Rose and Carpenter filed the lawsuit July 5, 2022 on behalf of plaintiffs David Blake, Luis Rinaldini, Dick Dewar, Jenne Stoker, B.B. McGhee, Gail King, the Historic Aiken Foundation, the Green Boundary Foundation and the South Carolina Public Interest Foundation. The plaintiffs named the Aiken City Council, its individual members, the Aiken Design Review Board, its individual members, the Aiken Municipal Development Commission, its individual members, City Attorney Gary Smith, Aiken Economic Director Tim O'Briant and RPM Development Partners as defendants in the suit. Among the many allegations in the suit is a request for the court to declare the Aiken City Council, Design Review Board and Municipal Development Commission violated state law when they moved the project forward. The individual members of the Aiken City Council, Design Review Board, Municipal Development Commission, O'Briant and RPM Development Partners were later removed as defendants. Gowder, Rose and Carpenter filed the amended complaint Feb. 27. The amended complaint still asks the court to declare Aiken City Council, Design Review Board and Municipal Development Commission violated state law when they moved the project forward. On March 14, Lindemann and Holly said in a motion asking the court to dismiss the amended complaint Gowder, Rose and Carpenter did not file the procedures required by Rule 15(a) of the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure when they filed the amended complaint. Rule 15(a) allows a party involved in a lawsuit to file an amended pleading a complaint or an answer to a complaint before a responsive pleading has been served or within 30 days after the pleading has been served assuming the case is not set to be heard by a judge. O'Briant was the last person to be served in the lawsuit. His attorney accepted serve Sept. 1, 2022, meaning the plaintiffs likely had at most until Oct. 3 (Oct. 1 was a Saturday) to file the amended complaint. Once that time has passed, Rule 15 provides a pleading can only be amended if permission from the other parties or a judge is received. The rule further adds leave to amend shall be freely given so long as it does not prejudice another party. "The Amended Complaint was filed and served without obtaining compliance with the requirements of Rule 15(a) prior to the filing, specifically either (1) that leave of court was obtained or (2) that the Plaintiff obtained written consent of all adverse parties prior to filing," Lindemann and Holly said. Lindemann and Holly also argued the court should dismiss the amended complaint because the plaintiffs filed to follow the administrative procedures to appeal the decisions made by the Design Review Board on the project. In the alternative, the ask for a more definitive statement of how the Design Review Board violated the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. Daniel Plyler, attorney for the Aiken City Council, and David Morrison, attorney for the Municipal Development Commission, also asked the court to dismiss the amended complaint or, in the alternative, to deny the plaintiff's request for a declaratory judgment. Clarke McCants III, attorney for Smith, also asked the court to deny the plaintiff's request for a declaratory judgment. A motion to dismiss Smith from the lawsuit is set to be heard April 6. Nick Hardy and Davis Riley birdied four of their final six holes to give both players their first PGA Tour victory at the Zurich Classic. The pair began the final round three shots back and closed with a 7-under 65 in alternate-shot play to finish with a tournament record total of 30-under 258 at TPC Louisiana. Riley made a 33-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the par-3 17th hole. Hardy and Riley were two shots better than Canadians Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, who closed with a 63, tying the course record in alternate shot. Read moreRiley, Hardy capture first PGA Tour wins at Zurich Classic Umbrellas, sunglasses and festive hats all had a place in Saturday's activities at Richland Avenue and Old Wagener Road, with the 56th running of the Aiken Spring Steeplechase starting out with lightning on the horizon and wrapping up under sunny skies. "Rain slowed everything and rain complicates everything," in the words of a booster who preferred to remain anonymous, but precipitation came to a halt with about 30 minutes to spare Saturday, allowing racers to race and viewers to view without getting soaked in the process. "The weather wasn't that great to start out, but what an enjoyable afternoon after the weather let up," said spectator Lex Lowther, who was visiting the relatively new steeplechase facility for the first time, after "years and years" at the previous site. "We had great neighbors," he added. "We met and introduced and spent time with the neighbors on both sides." Kyle Hayes, another longtime spectator, made similar comments and also noted that the previous facility, being more compact, had an atmosphere with more camaraderie, and the new arrangement has spectators "a little bit more spread out." He added, "We were one row back from the rail, but we were able to walk up to the rail to see the races." Looking to keep mess to a minimum was Norman Dunagan, founder and CEO of Dumpster Depot, a steeplechase sponsor for more than a decade. "I thought they did a great job," he said, referring to the overall operation. "They're simply getting better every year." One organizer described the day's attendance as "tens of thousands," and Dunagan confirmed that general expectation. "We're set up for a huge number probably 25,000. Something like that." The new arrangement offers some clear advantages from Dunagan's perspective. "We had about 10 days to prepare for the next event, and it will take us probably five to seven days to deconstruct it," he said. "We used to have to get in in three or four days, and out ... really in three or four days over on Bruce's Field." He also commented on Saturday's soggy start. "I was afraid that thing wasn't going to be able to be put on today, and right as it got time to get busy, that thing turned out beautiful, and I don't think you could ask for a better event." Among this year's other major sponsors were such names as Purebred Compost, Honda Cars of Aiken, Budweiser, Cornerstone Wealth, Conceal, Aiken County Farm Supply, Burns McDonnell, Aiken City Lifestyle, Hearing Associates of South Carolina, Sunglass Image, Walmart and AllStar Tents and Events. Traffic control was a combination of the public and private sectors, with the Aiken County Sheriff's Office, South Carolina Highway Patrol and Aiken Department of Public Safety getting support from the Aiken Sertoma Club and other neighbors. The spring steeplechase was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021, due to COVID-19 fears, but returned in 2022 at the current location, which covers about 140 acres. The prior site, Aiken Horse Park Foundation's Bruce's Field, includes about 64 acres. The annual event's heritage includes such prominent figures as Thomas Hitchcock, Ford Conger, Willard Thompson, Charlie S. Bird III, MacKenzie Miller, G.H. Bostwick, Paul Mellon and Ambrose Clark. Similar festivities are on the calendar for Nov. 18, with the Aiken Fall Steeplechase set to take place. A poll shows only about half of Democrats think President Joe Biden should run again in 2024, but a large majority say theyd be likely to support him if he became the nominee. The poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that 26% of Americans overall want to see Biden run again a slight recovery from the 22% who said that in January. Forty-seven percent of Democrats say they want him to run, also up slightly from only 37% who said that in January. Fifty-nine-year-old voter Jenipher Lagana says she likes the 80-year-old Biden but her problem with him running in 2024 is his age. Read moreBiden 2024 splits Dems but most would back him: AP-NORC poll Despite a two-year COVID-related hiatus in 2020 and 2021, the St. Stephen Farmers Market has steadily regained momentum for assorted growers and food vendors from the northern part of Berkeley County. Read moreSt. Stephen Farmers Market open for business With funding from a grant, the Powder Magazine Museum will be able to tell new and diverse stories of what life was like in Charlestown during the American Revolution. Read moreCharleston's Powder Magazine gets grant for Revolution-era stories It was just a couple years ago that toolmaker Stanley Black & Decker was touting its Cheraw factory in a Facebook video, proclaiming the plant employing 180 workers had put the tiny Pee Dee town on the map. Last week, the New Britain, Conn.-based company said it will close the site that makes knives and portable storage units under the Craftsman brand name. Stanley Black & Decker said it will move the operations to existing plants in Tennessee as it overhauls its production and distribution network. That move and a separate shutdown of a tool factory near Dallas is expected to save the company roughly $2 billion. "These efforts will support and strengthen Stanley Black & Decker's core business, drive financial performance, and enable investments to ensure sustainable future growth," the company said in a written statement. Layoffs are scheduled to begin no earlier than May 19 and will continue through the fall, according to a letter provided to employees. "The company made this decision in an attempt to strategically consolidate our worldwide operations into fewer facilities," the letter states, adding "it is possible that some employees will be offered transfers to another area." The shutdown came as a surprise to S.C. Rep. Richie Yow, who represents the Cheraw area. He said in a social media post that he had been hearing the plant might close starting in February, but when he asked Stanley Black & Decker about it the company dismissed the talk as rumors. "Today I asked Stanley Government Relations why they did not reach out to South Carolina and I received no answer," Yow said in the May 20 post. "I further asked could we discuss further. Could we put together an incentive package and start over. I could not get an answer." Stanley Black & Decker bought Craftsman from struggling retailer Sears in 2017 and onshored much of production back to the U.S. from China. The company's products benefited from the pandemic as people worked on their homes instead of spending money on travel, restaurants and other services, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. "Since then, the company has dealt with rising costs and a shakier economic picture," the report states, with CEO Donald Allen saying the companies that were acquired in the past 15 years had failed to take measures like closing plants to stave off financial problems. Were taking that step now, Allan told the Journal. Plane talk Boeing Co.'s top financial boss points to the recent delivery pause for North Charleston-made 787 Dreamliner jets as an example of the aerospace firm's new focus on transparency. Speaking at last week's Bank of America Global Industrials Conference, Brian West told investors the company was quick to report what it termed a supplier's data analysis error to the Federal Aviation Administration, shutting down deliveries for about three weeks. "An issue was identified. It was escalated quickly. It was reviewed with our regulator and ultimately resolved," the Boeing CFO said. "That's what we have to do, and I think that makes us better and it's behind us and we're moving forward." The issue was related to the forward pressure bulkhead, which is built by Wichita, Kan.-based Spirit Aerospace. The supplier has denied it was to blame for the problem. Deliveries were halted on Feb. 23 and resumed March 15 when German carrier Lufthansa flew a 787-9 wide-body from Paine Field in Seattle to its home hub in Frankfurt. "Despite that pause, we still see a path to recover that pause and still get to 70 to 80 deliveries this year, and get to a five-per-month production rate as we exit the year," West said. West joined Boeing in August 2021. He said CEO Dave Calhoun stressed values like transparency as soon as he started his tenure. "And I have learned over the last 18 months, how important that transparent culture is to our company and is to our industry," West said. "And it's not always easy. Sometimes it's painful. ... I will tell you, being transparent makes us stronger trust with our regulator, with our customers, with the flying public and with all of you." A angular swath of timberland known as the Nebo Tract was an early poster child of the development pressures that were bleeding over into Awendaw and the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge some 15 years or more ago. The debate hasn't relented about growth in and around the rural town of about 1,500 residents, just up the road from Mount Pleasant. But as for that particular piece of real estate it's off the table. The Nature Conservancy now owns the 355-acre parcel along U.S. Highway 17, bounded by Mount Nebo AME Church and the 259,000-acre Francis Marion National Forest. The land-protection group bought it from the previous longtime owner from the Chicago area earlier this month for $3.6 million. The property had been marketed for several years through NAI Charleston for $4.5 million. "It was Christmas in March when we closed," said Dale Threatt-Taylor, executive director of the Nature Conservancy in South Carolina. She said her organization had been keeping its eye on the Nebo Tract for some time. It decided to step in after a deal with another would-be buyer fell through. "We made an offer to purchase it, and the owners accepted," Threatt-Taylor said. "So we were delighted and moved forward with it." For now, the nonprofit has no firm plans for its latest acquisition in the Sewee-to-Santee district, between Awendaw and lower Georgetown County. Typically, the group will quickly sell or transfer its land holdings to a like-minded owner, such as the U.S. Forest Service, but that's not likely in this instance, Threatt-Taylor said. She also stressed the conservancy won't "go off mission." "We're actually going to look at this property to find the best path forward. We want to engage the community in the conversation. ... Also, we may do something totally new ... and innovative that we can lead from here in South Carolina and show our partners across the nation, 'Hey, it's a new day in conservation.'" The purchase follows a state Supreme Court decision that put to rest a lengthy legal battle. The hand-wringing began around 2009, after a real estate developer proposed to build about 360 homes and commercial space on the Nebo Tract. A financial hitch was that the property was in an unincorporated area. The town, with less restrictive and more lucrative land-use rules than Charleston County, was asked to annex it. One of the primary concerns at the time was the possibility of a domino effect. If the Nebo Tract was added to the town, other large nearby parcels that were part of the former Fairlawn Plantation could soon follow. As Awendaw saw it, the 355 acres it was eyeing already were bumping up against its municipal boundaries, which is a requirement for annexations in South Carolina. Around 2004, the town had annexed a 1-mile-long, 10-foot-wide strip within the Francis Marion, as well as the church next door to the Nebo Tract. That provided the mandatory "contiguity." It wasn't until October 2009 that Town Council annexed the Nebo Tract. At the same meeting, it approved a development plan for the property. Two nearby residents and the Charleston-based Coastal Conservation League mounted a legal challenge. They alleged in a lawsuit the next month that the Francis Marion annexation wasn't legal because the owner the U.S. Forest Service never signed a petition formally authorizing the change, as required. The litigation eventually worked its way up and down the appeals system, giving the S.C. Supreme Court the final word. It found that Awendaw's annexation was invalid, citing the town's "false statement" that it had obtained written authorization from the Forest Service for the 10-foot strip. Mayor Miriam Green, who was not serving in that role at the time, did not respond to a request for comment. The Coastal Conservation League said it's pleased that the Nebo Tract has found a buyer that "will be working directly with the Awendaw community to chart the best path forward for permanent protection of the property." "We know that large and sprawling development within and adjacent to protected public lands like the Francis Marion ... can pose threats to both people and wildlife in addition to creating barriers to important tools for managing the ... forest, like prescribed fire," project manager Robbie Maynor said in a written statement. "This is a huge win for our communities and coastal critters." And as it turned out, all the early unrest about development at the nearby Fairlawn properties also has faded, courtesy of some of the region's biggest industrial employers. Boeing Co., the Port of Charleston and others have ponied up the funds over past decade or so to protect about 5,400 acres of the privately owned property to mitigate the environmental impacts of their expansion plans in other parts of the region. The family-run partnerships behind the sales of the Fairlawn and Nebo Tract parcels are conservation-minded Lowcountry landowners and investors that have been selling property to groups like the Nature Conservancy, the Audubon Society and the Open Space Institute for years. They're affiliated with descendants of the turn-of-the-20th-century lumber titan and Berkeley County forest namesake Francis Beidler. A representative for ECB LLC, which sold the Nebo Tract, could not be reached for comment last week. COLUMBIA Richland County could build a new courthouse in coming years, replacing one that attorneys and judges say needs increased security, more space and modern technology. The 42-year-old Richland County Judicial Center on Main Street is due for a replacement, County Council Chairman Overture Walker said. No timeline, location or cost has been cemented yet, but Walker said he expects the council to start making plans before the end of the year. "We are the capital county, and we ought to be the gem of the Palmetto State," said Walker, who is also an attorney. "That ought to be reflected in a facility where justice is administered." Building a courthouse will be no small task, with preliminary estimates based on similar projects in other states totaling around $200 million, Walker said. All funding sources will be on the table, including buying bonds, raising taxes or implementing a penny sales tax like the one Spartanburg County used to bankroll its new courthouse, Walker said. The new courthouse will come after the county finishes three top-priority projects: relocating the Department of Social Services center, moving the 911 call center, and improving the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. But the new courthouse is "way overdue," Probate Judge Amy McCulloch said. "We outgrew (the current space) 15 years ago," McCulloch said. County officials have talked about a new courthouse for years. In 2017, the County Council at the time approved a plan to demolish the county administrative building at 2020 Hampton Street and replace it with a new judicial center. However, that idea fell apart when the council voted to shelve the Richland Renaissance plan less than a year later. When a council with a new slate of members took up the project again in 2021, they decided to start by relocating some county offices to the Columbia Place Mall, with no word of renewed plans for the courthouse. The new goal is to keep the courthouse near its prime downtown location, Walker said a decision judges and attorneys supported. "The purpose of having a downtown area is that people gravitate to the downtown area," attorney Joe McCulloch, of McCulloch & Schillaci, said. "That's why I think it's essential to have a county courthouse centrally located in the downtown district." Security will be a top priority in the new courthouse, Walker said, especially when it comes to keeping judges' chambers separate and secure. So will having more space for attorneys to meet with clients. Joe McCulloch and Amy McCulloch both said they'd like to see more secure parking as well, since jurors and courthouse visitors either have to park on Main Street or in a nearby garage. "The courthouse has been a second home for people like me, who practice the kind of law that puts you in courtrooms," Joe McCulloch said. "Things that are extremely important for a courthouse are the public accessibility, the safety of the building and the comfort of the participants." Technology has also been a consistent thorn in judicial center workers' sides. At the federal courthouse down the street, where Richland County Bar Association President Harrison Saunders works, large screens and monitors can display evidence, quickly pull up documents or broadcast hearings from different sites, Saunders said. Richland County's courthouse, with a more antiquated technological system, does not have the same capabilities. "That's invaluable, to be able to (use that technology)," Saunders said. "To just plug in your computer to that system and you can bring up things with ease it's very efficient, it moves the case along faster than it would (move) by traditional means." The Bar Association requested the ability to give input on the process the last time around, going so far as to ask County Council to delay a vote until the association was looped in. On the new plans, the county has already been consulting with association members about what they want to see, Saunders said. Saunders said he was ready to get moving on the project. "Why not do it now?" Saunders said, adding that as population grows so does the need for improvements. "The sooner we get ahead of it and get a new courthouse, I think the better off we are." Click here for more news from Columbia, S.C. At least 14 people have been killed in southern Somalia after torrential rains triggered flash floods that have caused havoc in several towns and villages, Trend reports citing Al Arabiya. Bridges, roads and houses have been damaged or destroyed and many people have been forced to flee their homes in search of safer ground. In the town of Baardhere in Jubaland state, 14 people were killed including three members of the same family, district commissioner Mohamed Weli Yusuf told reporters. Most of the casualties were caused after the victims were trapped across a bridge in the town Thursday evening which was swept up in the floods, he said. It was very difficult to rescue these people because of the time the incident happened and the lack of resources in the town. The rains signal the early start of the April-June rainy season, and have brought some relief to areas of the country suffering from the worst drought in four decades. But the UNs humanitarian response agency OCHA warned in a statement on Saturday of the risk of an increase in diseases such as cholera as living conditions likely deteriorate. Baardhere resident Ahmed Omar said there had been heavy rains in the region over the past three days. Floods devastated Baardhere town, my house was destroyed and most of my belongings swept away by the flood. Thanks to God my family survived but five people died in my neighborhood including children and women, he told AFP. Now the whole town is under water and most families fled to higher ground, he added. Jubaland president Ahmed Mohamed Islam on Saturday sent condolences to the relatives of those who lost their lives and called for urgent assistance to be sent to those affected by the disaster. The Horn of Africa is one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change, and extreme weather events are occurring with increased frequency and intensity. Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that nearly 100,000 people in Somalia were facing catastrophic levels of hunger due to the worst drought to hit the region in four decades. Five straight failed rainy seasons across swathes of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia have killed millions of livestock, destroyed crops, and forced more than one million people from their homes in search of food and water. While famine thresholds have not been reached, the United Nations says more than half of Somalias population will need humanitarian assistance this year. Paul would say, Ignore the marks on peoples arms, necks or other appendages. And get close enough to see the marks Hes placed on their hearts. Read moreNorris Burkes: Tattoos, earrings and purple hair don't define a person of God The Village Playhouse, now Village Repertory Co., used to be located on Coleman Boulevard in Mount Pleasant but moved to a new location in downtown Charleston in 2012. Several elected officials and civil rights activists are calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate a potential pattern of civil rights violations at the Charleston County Detention Center, where a 28-year-old Black man with mental illness wallowed in his own filth for months before dying in December as a result of medical neglect. Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O'Neal announced this week that D'Angelo Dontrel Brown, who suffered from untreated schizophrenia in the jail, died of septic shock, a life-threatening condition when organs in the body fail due to an infection. She ruled his death a homicide from gross medical neglect. Brown's death is one of numerous reports coming out of the detention center that have alarmed local officials, who say a potential pattern of civil rights violations requires the teeth and resources of a federal government investigation. Charleston County Councilman Teddie Pryor called it "disgusting" that Brown died from sepsis after lying in his own feces inside the jail without proper help. He lamented that the jail, which sits in his district, has turned into a place where people awaiting trial die. "(Jail) shouldn't be a death sentence. We have lost too many people over the last year," Pryor told The Post and Courier. We need to get independent eyes in there to see if people's civil rights are being violated." Six people died last year in the jail's custody. This year, a 50-year-old Black man who had numerous health issues died March 14 in the medical unit of the facility just six days after he entered it. The family of Julian Jenkins is demanding answers after a report revealed there was no doctor on site. People detained at the detention center have also experienced delays in receiving care, including prescribed medication, as the jail contends with staffing shortages of medical providers and detention center deputies, reports show. Charleston County Sheriff Kristin Graziano said in a statement that she appreciates "the value of an independent inquiry." The Sheriff's Office notifies State Law Enforcement Division whenever there is an in-custody death. Although Graziano initially said after Brown's December death an investigation wasn't necessary, on Feb. 10 the Sheriff's Office asked SLED to investigate Browns death after information came to light indicating possible criminality," spokesman Andrew Knapp said. "We have nothing to hide. We welcome factual information rather than rumor and innuendo," the sheriff said in a statement. The recent deaths and reports of inadequate health care come roughly two years after Jamal Sutherland was repeatedly shocked and pepper sprayed by detention center deputies at the same jail for refusing to attend his bail hearing. The 31-year-old Black man, who had been taken to jail from a metal health facility, died soon after. Charleston Countys solicitor and the U.S. Department of Justice declined to pursue criminal charges against the officers involved in the fatal encounter with Sutherland. Rep. Marvin Pendarvis, D-North Charleston, who is representing the family of the latest man to die at the jail, said it is the responsibility of the federal government to investigate a potential pattern of civil rights violations. Theres an opportunity for us to get more answers, to get a thorough investigation, and to effectuate the kind of wholesale change that needs to happen in the detention centers across South Carolina. Elder James Johnson, the founder of the Racial Justice Network, a statewide civil rights organization, said he wants the Justice Department to investigate the Charleston County Detention Center and other troubled jails across the state. South Carolina is getting a bad reputation for killing Black people with mental illness in jails, Johnson said. Across the state, at least 39 people died in 2022 in the custody of county detention centers, according to data provided by the S.C. Department of Public Safety. That is the highest number of deaths reported in the states county jails since at least 2000, when Congress passed legislation mandating the collection of death information from every detention facility. Most people in county jails are awaiting trials and have not been convicted. The Spartanburg County Detention Center, where six people died last year, is operating at 225 percent of its rated capacity. In October, a Black man with schizophrenia died at the jail after detention center deputies used a stun gun on the 29-year-old man while transferring him to a padded cell. Lavell Lanes family believes their sons death was caused by a reaction to an injection of an antipsychotic drug administered by a nurse at the Spartanburg County Detention Center. Richland Countys Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center has racked up a host of violations in recent state audits. Lason Butler died of acute dehydration in 2022 after jail staff failed to give the 27-year old adequate foods and liquids, according to the countys coroner. A lawsuit alleges Butler, who had mental illness, was placed in a dirty cell with rats and no running water. Another lawsuit found the jail confined people with mental illness to medieval conditions. Brook Andrews, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, declined to comment on any possible federal investigations. The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division can launch what is known as a pattern and practice investigation. If the investigation uncovers systematic civil rights violations, the attorney general can bring recommendations to state and local officials to resolve the violations voluntarily before it takes legal action. The S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice is currently under an agreement with the Justice Department after a 2017 investigation found youth confined to its longterm commitment facility in Columbia, Broad River Road Complex, were subject to abuse from staff and were punished in isolation for prolonged periods of time. Under the agreement, the DJJ has agreed to limit its use of force and isolation of youth, increase video surveillance, and improve its protocol for internal investigations. SUMMERVILLE The mother of the latest man to die in the Charleston County jail is demanding answers after her son, who had numerous health issues, died less than a week after his arrest in connection to an old shoplifting charge. Julian Lamont Jenkins spent his final days locked away in a correctional facility that is facing multiple investigations into the quality of its medical care. The 50-year-old man was contending with congestive heart failure, a failing kidney, schizophrenia and drug addiction when his mother, Lois Taylor, said she dialed 911 the night of March 8 for help. She mistakenly thought her son had swallowed a handful of pills. Her concerns grew when authorities, who arrived at her mobile home in Summerville in response to her 911 call, loaded her son into a police car and took him to jail. A warrant check showed Charleston County had a bench warrant out for Jenkins' arrest. He had missed a court hearing for a three-year-old shoplifting offense in which he was accused of attempting to steal a $97 vacuum cleaner from Walmart. Taylor said her son was hospitalized at Trident Medical Center the day of the court hearing due to chest pain and difficulty breathing. Defendants in South Carolina arrested on a bench warrant are not legally entitled to a bail hearing within 24 hours. Six days after the Al Cannon Detention Center assumed responsibility for his care, Jenkins was dead. A deputy making morning rounds March 14 discovered him unconscious in the jails medical unit, according to the Sheriffs Office. A report revealed there was no doctor on site. Jenkins was pronounced dead roughly 40 minutes after the deputy, nurses and emergency responders began administering life-saving measures. Taylor wants to know why the jail's medical staff, who are employed by Wellpath a for-profit national health care corporation were not paying better attention to their patient. Why is the guard finding him? the mother repeatedly asked. Where were the medical staff? Where were they? The grieving mother grew more frantic this week after the death of another Black man with schizophrenia in the custody of the county jail was ruled a homicide due to gross medical neglect. D'Angelo Dontrel Brown, 28, was found unconscious Dec. 21 in a filthy isolation cell soiled with feces and vomit within the same jail, the newspaper previously reported. He never regained consciousness. The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating Brown's death. Jenkins required dialysis three times per week, more than a dozen prescription pills per day and continuous supplementary oxygen, according to his mother. It is unclear what care Jenkins received at the Charleston County jail, where six people died in 2022, the same year South Carolina jails set a record for total deaths. Something went wrong in that jail, Taylor said of the Charleston County jail. Too many people died in there. Charleston County Sheriff Kristin Graziano said she continues to raise concerns about the medical care provided at the detention center. "Our deputies are sworn to protect the rights of the people they serve," the sheriff said. "We take that oath seriously, and they will continue to ensure our residents are treated humanely." Wellpath President Kip Hallman did not respond to an emailed request for comment for this article. Jenkins family contends it is a cruel injustice that their loved ones failure to appear in court for a shoplifting charge resulted in a death sentence. These people have families. They have parents. They didnt just crawl from under a rock, Taylor said the week of her son's death. They have people who actually love them. And I love my child no matter what, I loved him. The 71-year-old mother was physically comforted by her youngest son in a dimly lit den in her home, where Judge Judy presided on the television. Two boxes containing her deceased sons prescription pills sat purposeless in the corner. A plaque with music clefs of the Christian hymn "Amazing Grace" adorned the wall. The manner and cause of Jenkins' death are pending further testing, according to the Charleston County Coroner's Office. Meanwhile, SLED is investigating. State Rep. Marvin Pendarvis, who is representing Jenkins' family, said he supports a thorough investigation by state law enforcement. But the North Charleston Democrat said reports of inadequate health care at the Charleston County jail, including Brown's death due to "gross medical negligence," requires federal government intervention an avenue for wholesale change. Pendarvis said he will ask the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate civil rights violations at the correctional facility. A $97 vacuum cleaner Standing at 6-foot-1 and 260 pounds, Julian Jenkins had an aura of charisma that he brought into every room, according to his youngest brother, Albert. Julian taught him when they were kids that the key to winning a womans heart is to make her laugh. Albert Taylor, a veteran who now works for the U.S. Department of the Interior, said: He was a people pleaser. Lois Taylor said she believes Julian was destined to be a preacher. He knew the Lord, the mother said. It is a rare comfort in her search for answers. Jenkins was a happy but lost soul, going through life with only one eye he was shot in the face many years ago and lost his left eye. His mother said he never hurt anyone but himself. Jenkins tried crack cocaine in his early 20s and got hooked, Taylor said. He sought treatment, but his extensive medical needs and modest bank account prevented him from procuring proper care. Jenkins became a repeat shoplifter, racking up numerous convictions. That history enhanced subsequent shoplifting offenses from misdemeanors to felonies, regardless of how minor the theft might be. Jenkins was convicted in 2012 and 2013 of shoplifting a vacuum cleaner, a $10 bottle of Seagram's extra dry gin, three packs of ham and one pack of cheese, police reports and court records show. He was arrested in 2019 after video surveillance from a Spinx convenience store near his mothers house caught him pocketing two hot sandwiches, two bags of chips and a soda. In January 2020, Jenkins was accused of stealing a $97 vacuum cleaner from the Tanger Outlets Walmart. He didnt make it past the parking lot, a police report shows. Because Jenkins missed a court hearing nearly three years after his arrest in the alleged vacuum theft, a bench warrant was issued. The warrant for his arrest was executed the night Jenkins' mother dialed 911 for help. I taught my children and my grandchildren that if anything happens and you need help, go to the nearest police, Taylor said. I feel now maybe that wasnt such good advice. Do better or close the place As sheriffs deputies detained Jenkins in the medical unit of the jail, county officials harbored significant concerns over the facilitys provision of medical care. Charleston County pays more than $6 million annually to Wellpath, the largest private health care provider to jails and prisons throughout the country that is accused of cutting costs at the expense of patient care. Communications between officials for Wellpath and Charleston County describe that staffing shortages of deputies and medical staff at the correctional facility have deprived inmates of daily prescription medications and appointments with providers. The letters were obtained through a public records request. Sheriff Kristin Graziano said she is working with County Council to increase deputies' salaries to attract more applicants. In a January interview with The Post and Courier, she called Wellpath woefully inadequate." Wellpath remained the jails health care provider this month when Jenkins was placed in the medical unit of the facility on Leeds Avenue. At the same time, county officials in offices down the road were reviewing proposals for alternative medical providers after putting out a bid to replace Wellpath. Jenkins called his mother from the jail on Saturday. He was upbeat, she said, and asked for canteen money. That was the last time the mother and son spoke. She said she knew something was wrong when she did not hear from him on March 13, her birthday. A report shows Jenkins received dialysis that afternoon. The treatment helps people with kidney failure remove excess fluids and toxins from the body. He was pronounced dead the next morning. The Coroner's Office, Taylor said, informed her that her dead son's stomach was bloated with fluids and his heart was enlarged. If they cant do better, close the place, Taylor said. Dont continue bringing sick people up there to die. Taylor doted on her son. She made sure he took his daily medications and slept hooked up to his oxygen tank. She would wake in the middle of the night when her son knocked on a surface from the other room to signal he needed help. Now she's demanding answers. I need to know why my child died, Taylor said. I dont want to think he died in vain. As I discussed in a Dec. 14 column, South Carolina is well on its way to becoming a leader in all things automotive, and increasingly that means electric vehicles. Unfortunately, even as EVs roll off our assembly lines, the opportunities for small businesses to sell electricity to power thes Read moreGrooms: South Carolinas EV predicament and its golden opportunity Reverend Dr. Rob Dewey was the keynote speaker for the second day of Charleston Southern Universitys (CSU) Faith Works Conference held on April 13 at the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy. Rev. Dr. Rob Dewey is Co-founder for the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy as well as Founder of Coastal Crisis Ch Read moreReverend preaches about crisis intervention PR-Inside.com: 2023-03-26 00:10:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 948 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 RADNOR, PA / ACCESSWIRE / March 25, 2023 / The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP( www.ktmc.com) informs investors that securities class action complaints have been filed against Credit Suisse Group AG ("Credit Suisse") (NYSE:CS). The complaints charge Credit Suisse with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the company's business, operations, and prospects. As a result of Credit Suisse's materially misleading statements and omissions to the public, Credit Suisse's investors have suffered significant losses.CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR CREDIT SUISSE LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/credit-suisse-group-ag?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=cs&mktm=r CANNOT VIEW THIS VIDEO? PLEASE CLICK HERELEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE:MAY 8, 2023CLASS PERIOD: MARCH 10, 2022 THROUGH MARCH 20, 2023CONTACT AN ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR RIGHTS:Jonathan Naji, Esq. at (484) 270-1453 or via email at info@ ktmc.com Kessler Topaz is one of the world's foremost advocates in protecting the public against corporate fraud and other wrongdoing. Our securities fraud litigators are regularly recognized as leaders in the field individually and our firm is both feared and respected among the defense bar and the insurance bar. We are proud to have recovered billions of dollars for our clients and the classes of shareholders we represent.CREDIT SUISSE'S ALLEGED MISCONDUCTOn March 10, 2022, Credit Suisse filed with the SEC its 2021 annual report on a Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2021. The 2021 annual report failed to identify any material weaknesses with Credit Suisse's internal controls.On December 1, 2022, Credit Suisse's Chairman, Axel P. Lehmann ("Lehmann") stated in an interview with Financial Times that customer outflows had not only "completely flattened out," but had, in fact, "partially reversed." The following day, in an interview with Bloomberg Television, Lehmann reiterated his previous statements, reassuring investors that as of November 11, 2022, customer outflows had "basically stopped." Following Lehmann's statements, Credit Suisse's American Depository Share ("ADS") price rose $0.29 per ADS, or 9.36%, to close at $3.38 per ADS on December 2, 2022.Then on February 9, 2023, Credit Suisse issued a press release announcing its 2022 financial results. The press release revealed that, contrary to Lehmann's prior statements, large customer outflows had continued through year-end 2022. Specifically, the press release reported customer outflows of 110.5 billion Swiss francs in the final three months of 2022, a figure which far exceeded market expectations. Following this news, Credit Suisse's ADS price fell $0.56 per ADS, or 15.64%, to close at $3.02 per ADS on February 9, 2023.On February 21, 2023, Reuters reported that the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority was reviewing Lehmann's previous comments regarding customer outflows. Following this news, Credit Suisse's ADS price fell another $0.10 per ADS, or 3.31%, to close at $2.92 per ADS on February 21, 2023.Then on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, Credit Suisse issued its annual 2022 report and revealed that it had identified "certain material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting" for the years 2021 and 2022. Additionally, on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, the chairman of Credit Suisse's largest shareholder, Saudi National Bank, which holds 9.88% of Credit Suisse, announced that it won't provide further financial support to Credit Suisse and that it would not buy more shares on regulatory grounds.Following this news, the price of Credit Suisse ADSs fell 13.94% to close at $2.16 per ADS on March 15, 2023.Finally, on March 20, 2023, Credit Suisse issued an announcement on Form 6-K of its merger agreement with Union Bank of Switzerland and that Union Bank of Switzerland would be the surviving entity upon closing of the merger transaction.Following this news, the price of Credit Suisse ADSs fell 52.99% to close at $0.9450 per ADS on March 20, 2023.WHAT CAN I DO?Credit Suisse investors may, no later than May 8, 2023, move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff for the class, through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLPor other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Credit Suisse investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information. The first class action complaint against Credit Suisse, Calhoun v. Credit Suisse Group AG, et al. Case No. 23-cv-01297, is filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey before the Honorable Karen McGlashan Williams.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASEWHO CAN BE A LEAD PLAINTIFF?A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLPKessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaints were not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com CONTACT:Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLPJonathan Naji, Esq.280 King of Prussia RoadRadnor, PA 19087(484) 270-1453info@ ktmc.com SOURCE: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2023-03-26 08:32:59 Press Information Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private Limited +91 7580990088 email www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com Published by Parmeet Singh 7580990088 e-mail https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/ # 1136 Words +91 7580990088Parmeet Singh7580990088 Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting recently released their most comprehensive study on the global medical oxygen flow meters market. This research report provides a detailed overview of the market's drivers and restraints, as well as a thorough analysis of the current trends that are likely to shape its future. To create this in-depth report, the team of analysts used both primary and secondary research methods. The report offers an unbiased perspective on the medical oxygen flow meters industry, allowing clients to make well-informed business decisions. The report reveals key insights about the global medical oxygen flow meters industry, such as the market's size and potential for growth. It also examines the impact of technological advancements, regulatory changes, and consumer behaviors on the market's performance. Analysts also take a closer look at the market's competitive landscape, highlighting the strategies used by leading players to gain a competitive edge. Additionally, the report outlines potential threats and opportunities that may arise in the near future.Overall, this comprehensive report offers an invaluable resource for those looking to better understand the global medical oxygen flow meters market. With the help of the study's data-driven insights, clients can gain a better understanding of the current market dynamics, allowing them to make informed business decisions.Request a Sample of this Report at: https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Medical-Oxygen-Flow-Meters-Market/request-for-sample-report The global medical oxygen flow meters market was in a state of flux, and the future direction was uncertain. To gain clarity, a comprehensive research study was conducted to analyze the market using Porter's five forces analysis and SWOT analysis. By combining these two methods of analysis, the research could gain a clear perspective of the global medical oxygen flow meters market's expected direction.The SWOT analysis focused on identifying the market's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It was a useful tool in determining the potential of the market to succeed and develop, as well as its potential vulnerabilities. The Porter's five forces analysis, on the other hand, provided a detailed look into the competitive landscape, examining the level of competition, the bargaining power of customers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, and the threat of substitute products.The research report delved into the trends that were shaping the market, as well as consumer behavior patterns. It was found that the competition among the existing players in the market was intense, and new entrants posed a major threat. The bargaining power of customers was also strong, and suppliers had to come up with innovative products to keep their customers satisfied. Additionally, the threat of substitute products was also present, and companies had to be prepared to face this competition.Overall, the research study provided a comprehensive understanding of the global medical oxygen flow meters market's expected direction. By combining Porter's five forces analysis and SWOT analysis, the research was able to gain a clear picture of the market's future. The report gave readers a better understanding of the trends and consumer behavior patterns that would shape the market's evolution.Highlights of Global Medical Oxygen Flow Meters Market ReportThe global medical oxygen flow meters market report is a comprehensive overview of the current state of the industry and provides an in-depth analysis of its future trends and developments.The report details the market size, growth rate, industry trends, and other noteworthy information. It also highlights key products and services that are driving the growth of the market, as well as their respective market shares.One of the most important aspects of the global medical oxygen flow meters market report is the analysis of the competitive landscape. The report details the competitive positioning of the leading players in the market and the various strategies they are using to stay ahead of their rivals.The report also examines the recent technological developments that are disrupting the industry and the effect they will have on the market in the long term. It also covers the impact of government regulations and policies on the industry and provides an insight into the future trends in the industry.The global medical oxygen flow meters market report provides an insightful look at the current state of the industry and a comprehensive overview of its future prospects. It is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to gain an understanding of the market and its potential.Scope of the ReportMedical Oxygen Flow Meters Market SegmentsThe market by product type is segmented into flange gas flow meter, plug-in gas flow meter.The market by application is segmented into hospitals, surgical facilities, academic institutions, clinic, others.Regions Covered in the Global Medical Oxygen Flow Meters Market:North America (the United States and Canada)Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Russia, and Rest of Europe)Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Rest of Asia Pacific)The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, South Africa and Rest of the Middle East & Africa)Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Rest of Latin America)The medical oxygen flow meters market has been under intense scrutiny over the past few years, and the latest report released by the market research division provides a comprehensive overview of the leading players in the industry. The report contains a detailed chapter on company profiles which provides an overview of the strategic objectives of the leading players, their primary products and services, and an in-depth analysis of their strategic initiatives.The report reveals that the leading players in the medical oxygen flow meters market are taking aggressive steps to strengthen their position in the industry. Many of the organizations have embarked on R&D activities to stay ahead of the competition and remain competitive. Their strategic initiatives have also been designed to capitalize on the technological advances in the industry.The report also provides an overview of the financial outlooks of the leading players in the industry. An overall analysis of the organizations' financial statuses reveals the current trends in the market. This allows readers to gain a better understanding of the potential of the medical oxygen flow meters market and its expected trajectory.It is clear that the medical oxygen flow meters market is a highly competitive industry and the leading players have to continuously innovate to keep up with the competition. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the industry and its key players and provides readers with an understanding of the industry's current and future prospects. This research aims to provide readers with an informed assessment of the anticipated trajectory of the medical oxygen flow meters market.The following Companies as the Key Players in the Global Medical Oxygen Flow Meters Market Research Report:DZ Medicale, Heyer Medical, Megasan Medical, Ohio Medical, Precision Medical, Smiths MedicalContact UsDhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private LimitedContact No: +91 7580990088Email Id: sales@ dhirtekbusinessresearch.com PR-Inside.com: 2023-03-26 08:44:53 Press Information Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private Limited +91 7580990088 email www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com Published by Parmeet Singh 7580990088 e-mail https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/ # 1138 Words +91 7580990088Parmeet Singh7580990088 Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting recently released their most comprehensive study on the global sinus bradycardia devices market. This research report provides a detailed overview of the market's drivers and restraints, as well as a thorough analysis of the current trends that are likely to shape its future. To create this in-depth report, the team of analysts used both primary and secondary research methods. The report offers an unbiased perspective on the sinus bradycardia devices industry, allowing clients to make well-informed business decisions. The report reveals key insights about the global sinus bradycardia devices industry, such as the market's size and potential for growth. It also examines the impact of technological advancements, regulatory changes, and consumer behaviors on the market's performance. Analysts also take a closer look at the market's competitive landscape, highlighting the strategies used by leading players to gain a competitive edge. Additionally, the report outlines potential threats and opportunities that may arise in the near future.Overall, this comprehensive report offers an invaluable resource for those looking to better understand the global sinus bradycardia devices market. With the help of the study's data-driven insights, clients can gain a better understanding of the current market dynamics, allowing them to make informed business decisions.Request a Sample of this Report at: https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Sinus-Bradycardia-Devices-Market/request-for-sample-report The global sinus bradycardia devices market was in a state of flux, and the future direction was uncertain. To gain clarity, a comprehensive research study was conducted to analyze the market using Porter's five forces analysis and SWOT analysis. By combining these two methods of analysis, the research could gain a clear perspective of the global sinus bradycardia devices market's expected direction.The SWOT analysis focused on identifying the market's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It was a useful tool in determining the potential of the market to succeed and develop, as well as its potential vulnerabilities. The Porter's five forces analysis, on the other hand, provided a detailed look into the competitive landscape, examining the level of competition, the bargaining power of customers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, and the threat of substitute products.The research report delved into the trends that were shaping the market, as well as consumer behavior patterns. It was found that the competition among the existing players in the market was intense, and new entrants posed a major threat. The bargaining power of customers was also strong, and suppliers had to come up with innovative products to keep their customers satisfied. Additionally, the threat of substitute products was also present, and companies had to be prepared to face this competition.Overall, the research study provided a comprehensive understanding of the global sinus bradycardia devices market's expected direction. By combining Porter's five forces analysis and SWOT analysis, the research was able to gain a clear picture of the market's future. The report gave readers a better understanding of the trends and consumer behavior patterns that would shape the market's evolution.Highlights of Global Sinus Bradycardia Devices Market ReportThe global sinus bradycardia devices market report is a comprehensive overview of the current state of the industry and provides an in-depth analysis of its future trends and developments.The report details the market size, growth rate, industry trends, and other noteworthy information. It also highlights key products and services that are driving the growth of the market, as well as their respective market shares.One of the most important aspects of the global sinus bradycardia devices market report is the analysis of the competitive landscape. The report details the competitive positioning of the leading players in the market and the various strategies they are using to stay ahead of their rivals.The report also examines the recent technological developments that are disrupting the industry and the effect they will have on the market in the long term. It also covers the impact of government regulations and policies on the industry and provides an insight into the future trends in the industry.The global sinus bradycardia devices market report provides an insightful look at the current state of the industry and a comprehensive overview of its future prospects. It is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to gain an understanding of the market and its potential.Scope of the ReportSinus Bradycardia Devices Market SegmentsThe market by product type is segmented into pacemaker, implantable cardioverter defibrillator.The market by application is segmented into sinus cardiac arrest, sinus atrial block, sinus node syndrome, other.Regions Covered in the Global Sinus Bradycardia Devices Market:North America (the United States and Canada)Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Russia, and Rest of Europe)Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Rest of Asia Pacific)The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, South Africa and Rest of the Middle East & Africa)Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Rest of Latin America)The sinus bradycardia devices market has been under intense scrutiny over the past few years, and the latest report released by the market research division provides a comprehensive overview of the leading players in the industry. The report contains a detailed chapter on company profiles which provides an overview of the strategic objectives of the leading players, their primary products and services, and an in-depth analysis of their strategic initiatives.The report reveals that the leading players in the sinus bradycardia devices market are taking aggressive steps to strengthen their position in the industry. Many of the organizations have embarked on R&D activities to stay ahead of the competition and remain competitive. Their strategic initiatives have also been designed to capitalize on the technological advances in the industry.The report also provides an overview of the financial outlooks of the leading players in the industry. An overall analysis of the organizations' financial statuses reveals the current trends in the market. This allows readers to gain a better understanding of the potential of the sinus bradycardia devices market and its expected trajectory.It is clear that the sinus bradycardia devices market is a highly competitive industry and the leading players have to continuously innovate to keep up with the competition. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the industry and its key players and provides readers with an understanding of the industry's current and future prospects. This research aims to provide readers with an informed assessment of the anticipated trajectory of the sinus bradycardia devices market.The following Companies as the Key Players in the Global Sinus Bradycardia Devices Market Research Report:Abbott, Abbott Laboratories, Biotronik, Boston Scientific, Cook Medical, Galix Biomedical Instrumentation, Integer Holdings Corporation, Lepu Medical, Livanova, Medico, Medtronic, Nihon Kohden, Oscor, Osypka Medical, PHILIPS HEALTHCARE, Shree Pacetronix, Sorin Group, Spectranetics, ZOLL Medical CorporationContact UsDhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private LimitedContact No: +91 7580990088Email Id: sales@ dhirtekbusinessresearch.com Two people have died after a shooting in Hamburg, police said on Sunday, in a second deadly shooting in the city this month, Trend reports citing Reuters. Police said they had concluded an operation and were now investigating. A spokesperson declined to comment on the perpetrator. Bild reported that the police were called shortly before midnight and that 28 vehicles rushed to the scene. PR-Inside.com: 2023-03-26 09:09:44 Press Information Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private Limited +91 7580990088 email www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com Published by Parmeet Singh 7580990088 e-mail https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/ # 1118 Words +91 7580990088Parmeet Singh7580990088 Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting recently released their most comprehensive study on the global veletri market. This research report provides a detailed overview of the market's drivers and restraints, as well as a thorough analysis of the current trends that are likely to shape its future. To create this in-depth report, the team of analysts used both primary and secondary research methods. The report offers an unbiased perspective on the veletri industry, allowing clients to make well-informed business decisions. The report reveals key insights about the global veletri industry, such as the market's size and potential for growth. It also examines the impact of technological advancements, regulatory changes, and consumer behaviors on the market's performance. Analysts also take a closer look at the market's competitive landscape, highlighting the strategies used by leading players to gain a competitive edge. Additionally, the report outlines potential threats and opportunities that may arise in the near future.Overall, this comprehensive report offers an invaluable resource for those looking to better understand the global veletri market. With the help of the study's data-driven insights, clients can gain a better understanding of the current market dynamics, allowing them to make informed business decisions.Request a Sample of this Report at: https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Veletri-Market/request-for-sample-report The global veletri market was in a state of flux, and the future direction was uncertain. To gain clarity, a comprehensive research study was conducted to analyze the market using Porter's five forces analysis and SWOT analysis. By combining these two methods of analysis, the research could gain a clear perspective of the global veletri market's expected direction.The SWOT analysis focused on identifying the market's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It was a useful tool in determining the potential of the market to succeed and develop, as well as its potential vulnerabilities. The Porter's five forces analysis, on the other hand, provided a detailed look into the competitive landscape, examining the level of competition, the bargaining power of customers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, and the threat of substitute products.The research report delved into the trends that were shaping the market, as well as consumer behavior patterns. It was found that the competition among the existing players in the market was intense, and new entrants posed a major threat. The bargaining power of customers was also strong, and suppliers had to come up with innovative products to keep their customers satisfied. Additionally, the threat of substitute products was also present, and companies had to be prepared to face this competition.Overall, the research study provided a comprehensive understanding of the global veletri market's expected direction. By combining Porter's five forces analysis and SWOT analysis, the research was able to gain a clear picture of the market's future. The report gave readers a better understanding of the trends and consumer behavior patterns that would shape the market's evolution.Highlights of Global Veletri Market ReportThe global veletri market report is a comprehensive overview of the current state of the industry and provides an in-depth analysis of its future trends and developments.The report details the market size, growth rate, industry trends, and other noteworthy information. It also highlights key products and services that are driving the growth of the market, as well as their respective market shares.One of the most important aspects of the global veletri market report is the analysis of the competitive landscape. The report details the competitive positioning of the leading players in the market and the various strategies they are using to stay ahead of their rivals.The report also examines the recent technological developments that are disrupting the industry and the effect they will have on the market in the long term. It also covers the impact of government regulations and policies on the industry and provides an insight into the future trends in the industry.The global veletri market report provides an insightful look at the current state of the industry and a comprehensive overview of its future prospects. It is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to gain an understanding of the market and its potential.Scope of the ReportVeletri Market SegmentsThe market by product type is segmented into oral medication, injection.The market by application is segmented into hospital pharmacy, retail pharmacy, online pharmacy.Regions Covered in the Global Veletri Market:North America (the United States and Canada)Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Russia, and Rest of Europe)Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Rest of Asia Pacific)The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, South Africa and Rest of the Middle East & Africa)Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Rest of Latin America)The veletri market has been under intense scrutiny over the past few years, and the latest report released by the market research division provides a comprehensive overview of the leading players in the industry. The report contains a detailed chapter on company profiles which provides an overview of the strategic objectives of the leading players, their primary products and services, and an in-depth analysis of their strategic initiatives.The report reveals that the leading players in the veletri market are taking aggressive steps to strengthen their position in the industry. Many of the organizations have embarked on R&D activities to stay ahead of the competition and remain competitive. Their strategic initiatives have also been designed to capitalize on the technological advances in the industry.The report also provides an overview of the financial outlooks of the leading players in the industry. An overall analysis of the organizations' financial statuses reveals the current trends in the market. This allows readers to gain a better understanding of the potential of the veletri market and its expected trajectory.It is clear that the veletri market is a highly competitive industry and the leading players have to continuously innovate to keep up with the competition. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the industry and its key players and provides readers with an understanding of the industry's current and future prospects. This research aims to provide readers with an informed assessment of the anticipated trajectory of the veletri market.The following Companies as the Key Players in the Global Veletri Market Research Report:Actelion Pharmaceuticals (Switzerland), Arena Pharmaceuticals (US), Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals (Germany), Cipla Limited (India), Daiichi Sankyo (Japan), Eli Lilly and Company (US), Gilead Sciences (US), GlaxoSmithKline Plc (UK), Merck (US), Nippon Shinyaku (Japan), Novartis (Canada), Pfizer (US), Reata Pharmaceuticals (US), Sanofi S.A (France), Teva Parenteral (US), The Novartis Group (Switzerland), United Therapeutics Corp (US), YM BioSciences (Canada)Contact UsDhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private LimitedContact No: +91 7580990088Email Id: sales@ dhirtekbusinessresearch.com Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, has highlighted seven areas where the US and Nigeria can improve collaboration. The areas are health, education, climate change, space exploration, security cooperation, humanitarian assistance and cultural preservation, she said. She highlighted this in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES to mark the end of her posting as ambassador to Nigeria. Ms Leonard described the 60-year relationship between both countries as one which always seeks to improve itself. To think about how we make it better, it is a question of looking at where we intervene and then what is the next step that we need to do, she said. On health, Ms Leonard noted that the next step for the US support to Nigeria is to make such support a better or more predictable part of Nigerias health systems and health systems delivery. Additionally, since we are very close to epidemic control, how do we go about finding those last people? What is the strategy that you need to find the people that you have not already managed to come across? she said. On humanitarian assistance in the North-east and North-west, regions affected by terrorism, she called for reflection on how to transform all the assistance into a sustainable future for everyone. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), $1.3 billion is needed to provide critical lifesaving assistance to six million people in North-east Nigeria. This is an increase of 500,000 people from the 5.5 million people identified for assistance in 2022. Of the $1.3 billion required, $631 million is urgently needed for an emergency response to the 2.4 million people in acute need, the UN agency said. On cultural preservation, the Smithsonian and other Western institutions recently started to repatriate stolen artefacts back to Nigeria. Ms Leonard said it is wonderful to have them home, however, we need to collaborate, how should those be curated? how can they be used as a mechanism to bring museums and citizens and artists together to examine a wonderful cultural heritage? On visa application by Nigerians, the diplomat said she knows that many students will appreciate a reduced waiting time for their visas; something the US will continue to make efforts in. She said she is proud that Nigeria is the largest source of African students in the United States. On security cooperation, she said Nigeria and the US have a robust partnership including for example the recent sale of the A29 Super Tucanos. And so, as we move forward and think about other platforms, how do we reinforce effectiveness and precision and make sure that citizens are kept safe, she said. Speaking on space exploration, Ms Leonard said Nigeria at the African leaders summit signed the Artemis accords which is all about space; so moving forward, how do we organise a responsible civilian space exploration. On the climate crisis, she recalled that the US government gave funding support in response to the recent floods in Nigeria. However, moving forward, it is important to figure out how to balance climate concerns and address them with the importance of Nigerias own power needs, access to electricity for example, she said. So my time is coming to a close here but on all of these things I will be watching to see how that evolution continues, she said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Adamawa chapter, has called on people in the state to remain calm and renew confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the re-run election in the state. Stephen Mamza, the chapter chairperson, made the call while briefing newsmen on Sunday in Yola. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the INEC declared the governorship election held on 18 March in the state as inconclusive. Mr Mamza, a reverend, said that as Christian leaders in the state, they did everything possible by mobilizing people to exercise their franchise based on trust and the promise made by INEC for a free, fair and credible polls. We, therefore, call on all to remain calm and to renew their confidence in INECs independence and Professionalism for openness, transparency and fairness in handling the votes of the electorates as we set to go for a re-run. We are also calling with a strong voice on both the law enforcement agencies and the media not to allow institutional pressure and interference affect them as they try to give an unbiased and extensive security coverage of the process of voting, collation and tabulation of results. The chairperson also appealed to politicians to keep all political activity and exchange civil to enable an atmosphere of tolerance and respect to flourish in the state. He equally called on all citizens, especially community and religious leaders and the youth, to continue to be law-abiding citizens. ALSO READ: Adamawa APC suspends ward executives indefinitely for suspending SGF We as good people of Adamawa will continue to commit ourselves to every cause that will promote the common good of all and shun whatever will bring dishonour to our state. As we remain prayerful and hopeful that all shall be well, we still pray that INEC will strengthen our confidence in the process through their openness, transparency and fairness. It is our desire and strong wish that the entire electoral process will be credible and thus respect the will of the people of Adamawa State, he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. The police command in Bauchi State has dismissed rumours emanating from video reports that the residence of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, in the state was attacked by hoodlums. This is contained in a statement signed by the spokesperson of the command, Ahmed Wakil, and made available to journalists on Saturday in Bauchi. Mr Yakubu hails from the state. He said the attention of the command was drawn to a viral video, making the rounds in the media, that the Bauchi residence of the INEC Chairman was attacked. We categorically wish to state that the video and its content are entirely fake, as no such event occurred within or around Bauchi metropolis earlier today, he said. Mr Wakil said the Bauchi Commissioner of Police, Aminu Alhassan, is cognisant of the negative impacts of disinformation on public peace and security. However, we have already ordered a discreet investigation to unravel the origin of the video, with a view to ensuring that the fabricator of the viral clip faces the full wrath of the law. The command reiterates that there was no attack of any nature on the residence of the INEC Chairman in Bauchi, he said. The spokesperson, however, urged the general public not to panic, while also disregarding the fake video and its malicious content. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. The Nigerian Army has formally dismissed a Reuters report of alleged mass abortion carried out by the military on victims of Boko Haram terrorism in the North-east. The Chief of Army Staff, Farouk Yahaya, issued the denial Saturday in Abuja while testifying before a panel set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to investigate the matter. The panel is officially known as Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in the Implementation of Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East (SIIP-North East). Mr Yahaya, a lieutenant-general, said the military has a key goal of combating insurgents and restoring peace in the troubled region. It, therefore, could not have embarked on the secret abortion programme alleged in the Reuters report. He denied the Reuters report of the abortion of 10,000 pregnancies, the massacre of children and other allegations of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence against the army. He challenged the international media outlet to substantiate the claims. Though the Nigerian military authorities had issued a statement to deny the story, Saturday was the first time Mr Yahaya would publicly react to the issue. PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Reuters in an investigative report published in December 2022 alleged that the Nigerian military operated a secret programme, terminating at least 10,000 pregnancies of women who were freed from Boko Haram terrorists in the troubled region. It reported that the Nigerian military since 2013 carried out a secret, systematic and illegal abortion program in the countrys northeast, ending at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls who were kidnapped and raped by Islamist militants. The report triggered global outrage with the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, calling on the Nigerian government to begin a thorough investigation and immediate remedial actions and accountability measures. Heeding the call, the NHRC on 7 February, set up an investigative panel to probe the allegations. Specifically, the panel is mandated to investigate the allegations of forced mass abortion on pregnant women by the troops of the Nigerian military, as revealed in the investigation by Reuters last December. The investigative panel is being chaired by a retired justice of the Supreme Court, Abdu Aboki. Testimony In his testimony on Saturday at the NHRC headquarters in Abuja, the Chief of Army Staff described the Reuters report as a fictional novel. Mr Yahaya accused Reuters of acting a script to diminish the militarys successes in combating the insurgency that has led to thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions of people. We are succeeding and not many are happy that we are succeeding, they cannot reverse our successes therefore they rubbish it. Sometimes, they are playing other peoples scripts. We are not Boko Haram terrorists, we are trained to be professionals and the training is continuous, the army chief added. He said the army operated under the rule of law as its activities were being monitored by the NHRC and the public. Speaking further, he said, Maybe they dont know we are operating under the government. The National Human Rights Commission follows what is being done in the military and what we are doing is internal operation; we are operating in our country. The army is Nigerian Army and we are not like Boko Haram that does not operate under code of conduct. In addition, caution is planted in our head that the people you are fighting are Nigerians and there is no policy like that, rather the policy we have is respect for human beingsthe allegation is just grammar; our business is to defeat the insurgents, Mr Yahaya stated. Testifying further before the seven-member panel, the military chief said it was expected of Reuters to support the efforts to fight and defeat Boko Haram instead of adopting this textbook solution that does not reflect the reality of the situation in the North-east. Asked by the panels secretary, Hilary Ogbonna, to explain Reuters report that soldiers massacred many children perceived to have been fathered by Boko Haram, Mr Yahaya retorted, This is laughable because even if there is stigma attached to such children, is it the army that will stop the stigma? Panel sitting This newspaper reported that in February, the investigative panel began sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State, the epicentre of the Insurgency in North-east Nigeria. The panel, upon arriving in Maiduguri, had its first sitting at the medical facility complex of the Maimalari Cantonment, where Reuters reported that most of the abortions were carried out. The panel engaged the commanding officer of the military hospital, Adeniyi Ogunsakin, a lieutenant colonel. Mr Ogunsakin, who heads all military medical facilities under the 7 Division Nigeria army, was quoted to have denied the Reuters report. Mr Ogunsakin had said the allegations of mass abortions are mere claims that can be made by anybody which has no foundation or proof to back it up. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. The Apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has said that Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu never referred to Yorubas as political rascals, describing the report as a lie from the pit of hell. Ohaneze said the report was a typical falsehood, fabricated by social media entrepreneurs, decorated with wings, expanded with venom, injected with ethnic nuances to create inter-ethnic mistrust between the age-long partners in the social, cultural, religious and economic development of Nigeria. The group said this in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia, in Enugu on Sunday. Mr Ogbonnia said: Our attention has been drawn to the fake news making the rounds that the Chairman, Council of Elders, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, referred to the Yoruba as political rascals. He denied that Mr Iwuanyanwu ever made such a comment while speaking in Awka, Anambra State, on Saturday during an event to mark the one year in office of Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the governor of Anambra state. Mr Ogbonnia said Mr Iwuanyanwu only drew the attention of the audience and the general public to the fact that Ndigbo and Yoruba people were neither quarrelling nor fighting, implying that the Yoruba were a friendly group of people. He said Mr Iwuanyanwu only said, I want to tell those in Lagos to realise that there is no war between us and the Yorubas, adding that those who attacked Ndigbo in Lagos recently are rascals who should be arrested. This has mischievously been twisted to imply that Yoruba people are political rascals and that we will fight them. This is quite from the insidious minds of those who wish to create a rift between the Igbo and the Yoruba ethnicities. At no time in history, has there is often a tug of war between two major groups; mostly the good people with conscience on one hand and the devious insidious minds on the other. So, as much as some mischief makers will twist the speech by Iwuanyanwu, the truth remains that he holds the Yorubas in a very high esteem and he used the Awka event to express it, Ogbonnia said. He added that the emphasis was that we must not attribute the ugly event in Lagos to the good people of Yoruba ethnic, rather, it was the handiwork of rascals, hooligans, spivs, charlatans, miscreants and dregs of Lagos society. It is important to highlight that Chief Iwuanyanwu is a renowned patriotic detribalized Nigerian who has enjoyed the fidelity, confidence, solidarity, and support of the Yoruba when he was in active business and politics. Iwuanyanwu in all his private and public discussions has often commended the profound Yoruba cultural values, intellect and hospitality. He applauds the cordial relationship between the Igbo and the Yoruba, citing that several Igbo are integral parts of various Yoruba communities. He maintained that there have been successful marriages of Yoruba daughters by frontline Igbo sons, citing Emeka Anyaoku; Asagba of Asaba, Chike Edozien; Vincent Ike, Okey Ndibe and others. Mr Ogbonnia exemplified the irreproachable similarity in the Igbo-Yoruba cultural values and cosmology. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), enjoyed the support of eminent Igbo sons and daughters. For the avoidance of doubt, Ohanaeze Ndigbo will resist any attempt to paint the 2023 presidential election with an ethnic tar, he added. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) said it has developed a Child Right Reporting course for use in the mass communication departments of Nigerian universities and polytechnics. UNICEFs Geoffrey Njoku, who disclosed this on Thursday, said the United Nations agency worked with the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to include the course in all of the unbundled mass communication courses. NUC had unbundled mass communication into seven distinct courses; Journalism and Media Studies, Public Relations, Advertising, Broadcasting, Film and Multimedia Studies, Development Communication Studies, and Information and Media Studies. Speaking at a training of trainers for the curriculum for tertiary institutions, Mr Njoku said the United Nations agency hoped the courses would empower journalists-in-training with the capacity and understanding of the issues around child rights and how to report them. When they were doing the unbundling of mass communication in the universities we (UNiCEF) were part and parcel of it, he said. And Im happy to say that at the end of the unbundling, Child Right Reporting came into the curriculum for mass communication in Nigerian universities. Now its called JMS Journalism and Media Studies 403. He said UNICEF is training lecturers in the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka because the university has domesticated the course into its journalism curriculum and the general studies course. READ ALSO: He said the agency would also train polytechnic lecturers before the end of the year. Now that we have it in the curriculum, in Nigerian universities, they have decided to domesticate it within their own to start running with it, said Mr Njoku. So thats why we are providing them with that initial orientation and training for the teachers or the lecturers who are going to be running the course. Thats what were doing here. Facilitator, UNICEF speak In an interview, a Journalism lecturer at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) and facilitator at the training, Jide Johnson, said the course has also been included in the general studies for all first and second-year (National Diploma ND) students of Mass Communication in the polytechnics. In the Higher National Diploma (HND), where mass communication has been unbundled into three courses, students of all the departments (Strategic Communication, Journalism and Film, and Multimedia Production) are to study Child Rights Reporting as a course, he said. Mr Johnson said he was part of the team that developed the curriculum, a process he said started in 2006. In her presentation, Chief of Field Officer, UNICEF Enugu, Juliet Chiluwe, commended the NAU for mainstreaming the child right course in its curriculum and called on other universities to adopt the same measure. She said: This great opportunity helps to broaden the scope of knowledge and exposure of the communication students and practitioners of Mass Communication by way of infusion of the Child Rights concerns, which are also topical concerns for human development. Let me also use this opportunity to congratulate the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, Anambra State, for taking this first step to further mainstream child rights curriculum by electing the CRRC as a general studies course, making it compulsory for in-school mass communicators. It is indeed applaudable and I urge other partnering universities and communication institutions to emulate this feat as recorded by NAU in the interest of fostering child rights reportage in Nigeria. Nigerias Child Rights Act Nigerias Child Rights Act was assented to by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in September 2003. By 2023, two (Kano and Zamfara) of Nigerias 36 states are yet to assent to the bills. Yet, children are still facing a broad range of abuses emanating from ignorance of what constitutes a childs right, said Mrs Chiluwe. 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 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. The crises in the main opposition party, PDP, took a different twist Sunday as a ward chapter of the party in Benue State announced the suspension of the partys National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu. Mr Ayus suspension was announced on Sunday by the local chapter of the PDP at his Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State. Vangeryina Dooyum, the Igyorov Ward Secretary who represented its chairman, Kashi Philip, said Mr Ayu was suspended from the party owing to his anti-party activities during the recently held general elections across Nigeria. We observed with utmost dismay that Dr Iyorchia Ayu who is the national chairman of the PDP worked against the success of the party in Igyorov Council Ward, Mr Dooyum said in a statement on Sunday. The local chapter of the PDP blamed Mr Ayu, a former senate president, for the partys abysmal outing at the 2023 governorship and state parliamentary elections. Further investigation also revealed that he did not vote during the Governorship and State Assembly Elections held on March 18, 2023, the ward secretary said. The PDP lost the presidential election in Benue to the APC whose candidate, Bola Tinubu, also emerged as president-elect. The opposition party, which currently governs Benue, also lost two of the three senatorial seats in the state to the APC. It also lost 11 of the 12 House of Representatives seats to the APC. Mr Dooyum said the party found out that most of Mr Ayus closest allies worked for the opposition party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, and hence, the abysmal performance of the PDP in Igyorov Ward. In view of the foregoing, we hereby pass a Vote of No Confidence on Dr Iyorchia Ayu and suspend him as a member of our party with immediate effect. The suspension takes effect from March 24, 2023, the PDP scribe at Mr Ayus ward said. Benue PDP chapter reacts In a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, PDPs State publicity secretary in Benue, Bemgba Iortyom, said it was just learning of Mr Ayus suspension from the party. When asked about the procedure for suspending a member of the PDP, Mr Iortyom explained that the partys constitution provides that disciplinary action can only be taken against any member from the ward level. The suspension or disciplinary action against any member of the party can only be commenced at the ward level of the party, Mr Iortyom said. He said the state level of the party in Benue was yet to take a position on Mr Ayus suspension, as it only learnt of the development on Sunday. Governor Ortom-Ayu war Mr Ayu has been at loggerheads with a dissident group of five PDP governors who have been clamouring for his resignation. The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, is a member of the five PDP governors popularly known as G5. The other members include Governor Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpaeazu (Abia) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo). Due to the conflict with the national chairman of the PDP, the five governors, withdrew their support for the presidential bid of PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar. Mr Ortom openly declared his support for Labour Partys presidential candidate Peter Obi in Makurdi, the Benue state capital. Mr Ortom was also a casualty of the schism in the PDP as he lost his senatorial bid to the APC. His governorship candidate, Titus Uba, also lost to APCs Hyacinth Alia in the 18 March governorship election in Benue. Last Thursday, the PDP National Working Committee referred Mr Ortom to its disciplinary committee over alleged anti-party activities. Mr Ortoms immediate past education commissioner, Dennis Ityavyar; a former Nigerian Senate President, Pius Anyim, and a former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, were suspended from the party over allegations of anti-party activities. Reacting to the development, Mr Ortom said if any member of the PDP was to be disciplined, it should be Mr Ayu. Mr Ortoms chief press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, in a statement said the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is acting in contempt of a subsisting Court Order by referring him (Mr Ortom) to the disciplinary committee of the party for alleged anti-party activities. Mr Ikyur noted that there is a subsisting restraining order against the PDP from carrying out disciplinary actions against the governor. This case is adjourned to 18th April 2023 and so it is baffling to see such a statement coming from the national leadership of the party, Mr Ikyur said in a statement he issued Thursday night. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday mourned the passing of Oladipo Diya, who served as Chief of General Staff from 1993 to 1997 and Vice Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council in 1994. The President, in a statement by his spokesperson, Femi Adesina, in Abuja paid tribute to Mr Diyas bold and courageous career in the Nigerian military. Mr Diya, a retired lieutenant general, died earlier on Sunday in Lagos at the age of 79. He hailed from Odogbolu in Ogun State. Mr Diya, who was born on 3 April 1944 in Odogbolu, Ogun State, died on Sunday in Lagos. Mr Buhari lauded the deceased for his dedicated service to the country as General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, Commandant, of National War College (19911993), Chief of Defence Staff and Military Governor of Ogun from January 1984 to August 1985. He recalled that the late Mr Diya was known for his brilliance, exceptional organisational skills and discipline, and he displayed these virtues in the important roles he held in office as a military officer. The president saluted the former chief of general staff for his love, belief and loyalty to the country he cherished so much and fought gallantly on the frontlines to defend her unity. Mr Buhari, who extended heartfelt condolences to Diyas family, friends and colleagues, prayed that Diyas soul finds rest with his Creator, and may his contributions to the nation never be forgotten. President-elect Tinubu mourns Diya Also, the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has sent his condolences to the family of Mr Diya. Mr Tinubu while expressing his sadness over the passing of the retired general in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, praised his contributions to national development and the military institution. The president-elect, who is currently on vacation in London and would be in Saudi Arabia for Umrah (Lesser Hajj) before returning to the country, said the news of Mr Diyas death came to him as a shock. I send my heartfelt condolences and sympathy to his immediate family, especially his wives and children. Gen. Diya lived a remarkable life of a soldier and he made his mark in the military where he served our country diligently as military governor of Ogun State and in the various military positions he held. He rose to the enviable position of Chief of General Staff and second in command to the Head of State, he served meritoriously, Mr Tinubu said. He noted that as much as he could, Mr Diya played a stabilising role during one of the most turbulent periods in the countrys life in the aftermath of the June 12, 1993, presidential election. The president-elect said the deceased would be remembered for his patriotism and service to the nation. He condoled with Governor Dapo Abiodun and the people of Ogun, Mr Diyas home state and prayed to Almighty Allah to comfort his family and those he left behind and to grant his soul eternal rest. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. India overcomes and is overcoming the limitations of democracy and is economically developing by tapping into its ancient values and wisdom. This I came across when we visited the Lokh Sabha the Lower House of the parliament. There is an inscription written in the parliament that was translated to us as stating: the truth is one, but wise men describe it differently. This statement is deep. It suggests that the leaders of India must be ones who pursue the truth. It was a privilege and honour for me to be among the Nigerian delegation at the eighth batch of Gen-Next Democracy Network Programme from 6th to 15th March. The Gen-Next Democracy Network Programme is a course initiated and organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) with the aim of exposing the younger generation, who are potential leaders in their countries, from the 75 democracies of the world, to the spirit of democracy as embodied by India. It is important to state that India is the largest democracy in the world. It is the largest in almost every meaning that the word denotes and connotes. India has a population of 1.4 billion people living on a three million, two hundred and eighty seven thousand, two hundred and sixty three-kilometres square (3,287,25km) land mass. The land size of India is so huge that it scared the British colonials, back in the day, into describing it as a sub-continent. But maybe it is a sub-continent for its population, which is so diverse; there are three thousand communities (3,000 castes) and twenty-five thousand sub-communities (25,000 sub-castes), nineteen thousand (19,000) dialects and twenty-nine (29) official languages in India. Moreover, India is a society with a unique sense of spirituality that is hard to understand through the lenses of orthodox theology. This is because the spirituality of India is embedded in beliefs that are divinely philosophical, and which can only be understood if one can be able to see and understand the essence embedded in existence. This makes the Indians to be quite fluid with the notion of god, making them to have so many gods and goddess. This maybe the reason why when the Christian missionaries walked into India carrying the cross with the sculpture of a crucified Jesus (May Allahs peace be upon him) on their shoulders, Indians added him to the 330 million gods and goddess they already had without fuss! Such is the diversity, complexity and distinctiveness of India that when they were granted independence in 1947, the colonials predicted that Indian democracy would not last long. In fact, Winston Churchill went on to remark that Indian democracy has gotten everything needed to have a stable democracy wrong. He predicted that, and I quote, Power (in a free India) will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw. They will have sweet tongues and silly hearts. They will fight amongst themselves for power and India will be lost in political squabbles. Poor Churchill! He must be turning in his grave now astonished that seventy-five years after independence, Indian democracy is still firm and standing. In fact, what may be deemed as an irony of history is that the current Prime Minister of the Great Britain is of Indian origin. It is commendable to note that there has never been a military intervention in the history of India. Thus, one of the critical questions I raised in one of the several lectures we had was: How has India being able to maintain a stable democracy for seventy-five years? Democracy is a system of limitations. The powers of the executive are limited by the legislature. The powers of legislature are limited by judiciary. The powers of judiciary are limited by executive. This is what is called checks and balances. But the biggest limitation of all to democracy is popular opinion, which can loosely be referred to as the general will. Democratic governance requires the accommodation of divergent views and opinions, as well as embodying the popular will (or at least the will of the majority) of the people in public policy. This may sound easy but it is a difficult task, especially in India that has, in addition to its cultural diversity, 40 million newspapers that sell 100 million copies every day; 90 television stations; and over 900 million registered voters, with a voter turnout, in the last 2019 general elections, above 67%. The question remains: how has India managed these limitations the checks and balances? India overcomes and is overcoming the limitations of democracy and is economically developing by tapping into its ancient values and wisdom. This I came across when we visited the Lokh Sabha the Lower House of the parliament. There is an inscription written in the parliament that was translated to us as stating: the truth is one, but wise men describe it differently. This statement is deep. It suggests that the leaders of India must be ones who pursue the truth. The pursuit of truth is an occupation for wise men. And saying the truth requires courage, sincerity and integrity. The inscription also suggests that the leaders of India must be accommodating of each others differences, but on the basis of a common ground which is the truth. In a post-truth era, in which facts and figures seem meaningless; and authorities lie shamelessly, I found these words and the underlying values profound. Along with my colleagues from Nigeria: Mubarak Rabiu, Ijudigal Kadzai, Chima Christian and Fahad Terrang; and from seven other democratic countries of the world, namely: Kenya, Chile, Suriname, Ecuador, Switzerland, Mexico and India, we travelled across India and had a first-hand exposure to the people and institutions that are running the democracy of India and driving its development. We travelled both by air and land to and across four cities New Delhi, Agra in Utta Pradesh, Assam in Guwahiti, and Shilong in Meghalaya. We visited several monuments; political, cultural and educational institutions; and also met with the very wise people of India. As I stated above, we visited the parliament and were honoured to sit for a moment at the floor of the Lokh Sabha and have a sense of what it means to partake in the largest democracy in the world. We then moved to a conference room and had two series of lectures by Professor Sangit Kumar Ragi and Professor Dr Shahi Bala on the nature of Indian democracy and culture(s). I really learnt a lot from the two lectures. You cannot separate aesthetics, singing and dancing from the lives of Indians. I may not be wrong to say that in the multifaceted lives that Indians live, there is one that is aesthetically flowing in rhythms. This is well reflected in their Holi celebration. It is a festival of colours and we were lucky to celebrate it with the officials of the ICCR in the compound of the ICCR Headquarters in Delhi. We danced, sang and very much soaked ourselves in colours. It was a memorable fun for me. We wrapped the programme with a visit to Indias temple of democracy, the Electoral Commission of India (ECI). This Commission is one of the best in the world. It has a permanent staff of about 500 and employs temporary staff of over 12 million during elections. The Commission has only three electoral commissioners, who are seasoned civil servants appointed by the president. The Commission has more than one million polling stations across India. There is no monument, not only in India, but in this whole world, that has captivated me like the Taj Mahal. As a student of philosophy, with a keen interest in love, I was so excited to visit the Taj Mahal and pay homage to the symbolic manifestation of love. The Taj Mahal is magnificent. For hundreds of years, this symbol of love has stood well erected, with its beauty, which many are enamoured of. The Taj Mahal was built with marvelous marbles that were transported from a place 365 kilometres away. The marbles have floral decorations, with precious stones that were imported from present-day Iran. It is a painstaking job to expertly carve through hardened marbles and to polish precious stones to fit into the marbles. Yet, using this technique, the doors of Taj Mahal and the inside walls of the Tomb, where Shah Jahan and Mumtaz lay, were beautifully decorated with the verses of the Quran from Suratul Fajr, Yasin and Fatiha. The walls, gates and minarets of the Taj Mahal were built symmetrically with extraordinary precision. The Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan in honour of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz was the only wife of the Emperor, who bore him 14 children. She made the Emperor promise her that if she died, he would build a house for her that has no similar and would have no similar in the world. When she died in 1631, the Emperor chose a location 2.5 kilometres from his Palace to build the Taj Mahal and house her grave; and his own later. It took 22,000 workers some 22 years to build that embodiment of beauty and symbol of love. Hazrat Amir Khurasau once remarked that love is an ocean. Only those who enter it can understand it. However, when I look at the Taj Mahal, I think only God can explain the mysteries of love. Close to the Taj Mahal is the Agra Fort. It was the palace of Mughal emperors like Shah Jahan and his grandfather, Akbar the Great. It is the most intimidating house I have ever seen and imagined. It has about five layers of sophisticated defence lines. Little wonder that no one in history has ever succeeded in penetrating the Fort. In the Fort, I saw array of windows through which the Taj Mahal can be clearly sighted. I guess those windows were not an accident. They were probably constructed to give Shah Jahan a constant view of his beloved Mumtaz. We visited a number of museums in Delhi, Guwahiti and Meghalaya, and learnt about the personalities and events that shaped India, as well as the cultural traditions of the country. We were occasionally entertained by arrays of traditional dances throughout the programme. In fact, we were honoured to grace the Phagun Utsav organised by the National Institute of Kathak Dance, Kathak Kendra, New Delhi. We particularly enjoyed our visit to the States of Guwahiti and Meghalaya in the North East of India. Flying beside the Himalayans, we had the opportunity of seeing the top of the mighty Mount Everest, and its peaks thrusting through the clouds. We visited the Guwahiti State Assembly and Tea Estate in Assam, North East Hills University, Indian Institute of Management, and Elephant Falls in Shilong. North-Eastern India is arguably the most beautiful region of the country. It is hilly and greenish, with a serene air that is not polluted. The people were very cordial and friendly. And the food was delicious. We wrapped the programme with a visit to Indias temple of democracy, the Electoral Commission of India (ECI). This Commission is one of the best in the world. It has a permanent staff of about 500 and employs temporary staff of over 12 million during elections. The Commission has only three electoral commissioners, who are seasoned civil servants appointed by the president. The Commission has more than one million polling stations across India. The nature of elections in India is such that voting is done electronically over a period of days, and not just on one day. This allows for more participation and the ease of voting. At the risk of our bus leaving without us, I and a few of my colleagues stayed in the meeting room for Mr Harun Sharma, an official of the ECI, to practically demonstrate to us how the electronic voting machine works in India. Unlike that of Nigeria, the electronic voting machine (EVM) there is not connected to the internet, therefore it is not at the risk of any server attack. It is used in such a way that everyones vote count there is no invalid vote and the record is well secured in the machines memory. Thus, while the voting takes days, counting is done in a day and the result is announced thereafter. Indeed, it would be helpful if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria learns more from the ECI. Democracies such as South Africa, Brazil and Russia have signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Indian ECI to enhance their capacities in conducting free, fair, credible and safe elections. Notably, by drawing from its cultural values, India is developing without Westernising, while building a unifying narrative for strengthening its nation-building. This is something Nigeria could learn from. In Imagine Nigeria a project-document by Federal Government of Nigeria on building a new Nigeria a case is made for promoting the national narrative as a precursor to a grand narrative. The lessons I learnt in India is a nexus between culture, democracy and development. The philosophy of nation-building in India, like that of Nigeria, is Unity in Diversity. It connotes emphasing on shared values and appreciation of differences as uniqueness of each. From those traditional values, India draws its spirit of democracy that is based on the pursuit of truth, while agreeing to disagree. The public and foreign policy of India is guided by an Hindu value, Vasudhaiva Katumbakam roughly meaning the world is a one family. It denotes a kind of spiritual approach that emphasises harmony and shared existence among humans, and between humans and nature. Policy wise, it connotes inclusiveness and welfarism, and collective approach to global challenges. In addition, India is drawing from its cultural value of respecting nature and women in developing a pragmatic model of sustainable development. It is pertinent to state that nature, including animals, rivers and mountains, as well as women, were worshipped in India. The reverence to women in India is reflected in the existence of several goddesses. The economic development of India, which is built on its cultural values and democracy, is driven by investment in hard and soft infrastructure across the country, as well as ensuring food security. The current government, in particular, seems to be paying attention in the provision of welfare or public goods, such as schools and health institutions, to the people of India. I was fascinated to find out how investment in public toilets is not only addressing open defecation but also increasing the enrollment of girls in schools. Comparatively, in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari signed Executive Order 009, which is titled, The Open Defecation-Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters Order in 2019. The policy aims at empowering the people and providing structures to addressing open defecation by 2025. In India, I saw the value of this policy. Notably, by drawing from its cultural values, India is developing without Westernising, while building a unifying narrative for strengthening its nation-building. This is something Nigeria could learn from. In Imagine Nigeria a project-document by Federal Government of Nigeria on building a new Nigeria a case is made for promoting the national narrative as a precursor to a grand narrative. A grand narrative is a narrative that is unifying and national in outlook, as opposed to the primordial and silos-type narratives. It is also progressive and embeds Nigerias vision and worldview. Beyond learning about India, I also learnt so much about life from my colleagues who came from eight different democracies of the world. I particularly enjoyed the company of the Surinamese delegation, who are actually the sons and daughters of Africa we lost to slavery. The ICCR deserves a strong commendation. We were accommodated in nice hotels and very well fed. Worthy of mention is the ICCRs protocol officer, Mr Aslam Khan. In the nine days we were with him, Mr Aslam showed us so much care and did all he could to make our stay in India comfortable. He was always the first to wake up and the last to sleep. He was also always the last to eat, after making sure that everyone had eaten. I learnt so much in India that I could write books about. I had the best moments of my life in those few days in which I was there. I returned to Nigeria much wiser than when I left. And as days pass by, the wise advice of Professor Dr Bala to us keeps coming back to my mind: Live your life, enjoy it. But with the sense of sacrifice for the future. Ibrahim Lawal Ahmed is a public servant with keen interest in history, philosophy, nation-building and political economy. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Israels Consul General in New York Asaf Zamir resigned on Sunday, days after he was summoned by the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem for warning U.S. Jewish donors against Benjamin Netanyahus governments attempts to overhaul the judiciary, Trend reports citing Haaretz. "The past 18 months as Israels Consul General in New York were fulfilling and rewarding, but following todays developments, it is now time for me to join the fight for Israel's future to ensure it remains a beacon of democracy and freedom in the world," Zamir posted on Twitter hours after Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over his similar criticisms. Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. What just happened here? I saw it, as clear as daylight. My oldest brother, Bayo, left Nigeria without telling anyone where he was going. He did not tell our aged parents, his wife, or his children. And he did not tell Biodun and I, his brothers. Moreover, he communicated with no one thereafter, so we did not know his whereabouts. When our parents passed away one after the other, we had no way of reaching him. His safety became a matter of great concern. All we could do was commit him to God in prayer, which was more than enough. A wasted trip Some six years later, we got word that he was sighted in The Gambia. I had to attend the funeral of a member of our church in Sierra Leone, so I decided to take the opportunity to go to the Gambia to see if I could find him. The person who told us about him gave us the address of a street-corner shop in Serrekunda, Gambia. It was not difficult to find, and I was directed to a barbershop where I met a Nigerian man. He told me my brother had been living with him for years. But several months before my arrival, he left Serrekunda for a place called Basse. I thought the Gambia was a small country, but he assured me Basse was nine hours from Serrekunda by road. I told him that since I had come all the way from Nigeria, I would have no choice but to go and see him there. But the man said that would not be possible. My brother left no forwarding address. So where would you look? he asked. I concluded that my trip to the Gambia was in vain. I checked into a hotel and told the Lord: It looks like You brought me to the Gambia just so I can spend a quiet time with You. Kingdom dynamics But the next day, the Lord woke me up early in the morning. Out of the blue, He said: Femi, let me tell you about the kingdom of God. Then He started another session teaching me about kingdom dynamics. I was an intellectual who came to believe in God because of a miracle healing from gunshot wounds. As a result, I was afraid that one day my intellect would confound my faith. I did not stop being intellectual because Christ came into my life, and in so many ways my faith had confounded my intellect. However, I was afraid that one day I would read something or see something that would contradict my intellect and my faith would be shattered. I was afraid, for example, that I would discover intellectually that some parts of the Bible are false or contradictory. How then would I handle it? I am told, for example, of a man who left the faith because of what he perceived to be conflicting reports on Jesus healing of blind Bartimaeus. Mark 10:46 and Matthew 20:29 state that Jesus healed Bartimaeus as He went out of Jericho. However, Luke 18:35 states that Jesus healed him as He came near Jericho. The man decided that if God could not make up His mind whether He healed Bartimaeus, as He went out of Jericho or as He came to Jericho, then God was unreliable. Born again One of those things I questioned was Jesus statement to His disciples that many of them would not die until they saw the kingdom of God. But, I thought, all His disciples are dead. According to church history, all but one was martyred. And yet, the kingdom of God has still not arrived. Today, the church is still following the prayer guide of the Lord, which says: Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10). Who was Jesus referring to? Who among His disciples did not taste death until they saw the coming of Gods kingdom? Could Jesus have got it wrong? How could He have got it wrong? Jesus is not merely truthful; He is the truth. Moreover, He deliberately prefaced his statement by saying: I tell you the truth. (Luke 9:27). That morning in the Gambia, the Lord brought up this little question of my fears. He said: Femi, you have been wondering what I meant in Luke 9:27. You have been asking who among My disciples did not die until he saw the coming of the kingdom of God. You said all the disciples are dead and the kingdom of God has still not arrived. So, what could I have meant? Let Me answer your question now. Those who were alive after My death and resurrection, and who became born again at, or after, the Pentecost, saw the kingdom of God in their lifetime. Look at what I said to Nicodemus: Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Once a man is born again, he can see the kingdom of God. The disciples were born again, so they saw the kingdom of God. What I want to do this morning is to show you the kingdom of God, since you also are born again. Miracle of miracles And so, the Lord said to me: Femi, let me show you the kingdom of God. And just then, the telephone in my hotel room rang. The Lord said: Answer the phone. When I picked up the phone, the concierge said: Dr Aribisala, your brother would like to talk to you. I asked incredulously: My brother? Where is he speaking from? The man replied: He is right here in the lobby. I told him: I am coming right down. I put down the phone and could not believe my eyes. What just happened here? I saw it, as clear as daylight. The Lord had supernaturally moved my brother from Basse, nine hours away to come down to Serrekunda to meet me. Bayo never knew I was coming. As I said, I had not heard from him in over six years. He had simply decided to come down to Serrekunda to see his friends. Little did he know that that decision was part of the Lords plan to bring him to Serrekunda to meet me. When he got to the barbershop, the gentleman I had spoken to the night before quickly informed him that I had come to the Gambia to see him. Then he gave him my hotel address. There was nothing I could do but keep my brother waiting in the lobby, while I went down on my knees in my room and worshipped the Lord. That is how God works. That is the kingdom of God on the move; in the quiet. The natural man might call it a coincidence, not knowing that it is God that is at work. God is at work, and he is at work spiritually. His kingdom is spiritual, nevertheless The Most High reigns and rules in the affairs of his children. Jesus says: For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind. (John 9:39). Faribisala@yahoo.com; www.femiaribisala.com Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. I will implore those leveling allegation of judicial corruption against Ariwoola for being in cahoots with those who want to judicially subvert the peoples will to provide irrefutable evidence of this. Mindful that we may be throwing an innocent man under a bus, hefty allegations as this have to go beyond beer parlour gossips. They have to be concrete evidence. If you are unlucky not to have a representative in the judicial council, even if you are innocent, you can be found guilty Beyan o leni nigbimo, bo rojo are, ebi lo mi a je. This very profound saying of the Yoruba, translated into a pithy musical line in one of the tracks of Alhaji Ayinla Omowura, late Yoruba Apala musician, points unmistakably to the fact that corruption and favouritism predate colonialism in Africa. When you jointly read this line and D. O. Olagokes 1962 play entitled The Incorruptible Judge, you will understand why it is almost an impossibility for Nigeria to operate an impartial and corruption-free system. Nigerias latest narration on corruption is the allegation that the 2023 elections, especially the presidential election, were corruption-ridden. Three major Nigerian politicians, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and Bola Tinubu jostled for the presidency in the 25 February election. At the end of the exercise, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner. Since then, his two opponents have inundated the system with complaints of vote-rigging. The most recent narrative in the back-and-forth allegations was a riveting story claiming that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kayode Ariwoola, had sneaked out of the country to hold a meeting with Tinubu. He was pictured on wheelchair. The purpose of the meeting, it was alleged, was to get Ariwoola to quash the gossamer of electoral corruption allegations against Tinubu. Olagokes The Incorruptible Judge is a tip of the ice berg in the cancer that corruption has become since the author penned the book. It is a story of a young school-leaver who, upon submitting his application to fill an advertised vacancy, is asked to pay a bribe of five pounds. Rather than gratify the request, he files a report with the police and his corrupt employer is arrested. As usual in Nigeria, influences are thereafter spun to ensure that the corrupt employer does not go to jail. The applicants father-in-law, who is a notable chief, is used to attempt to pervert the course of justice. However, the trial Judge sticks his ground as an incorruptible judge. At the end of the day, the corrupt officer is convicted, and sentenced to a term in the prison. If you go into historical exposes on corruption in Nigeria, like Karl Maiers This House Has Fallen or Stephen Ellis This Present Darkness, it may be difficult not to agree that the problem of corruption in Africa or Nigeria is genetic. In Maiers is an audacious, brazen and disturbing report of how corruption and favouritism have destroyed the fabric of Nigeria, the bellwether of Africa. Told with baffling statistics, you could smell putrid odour emitting from the lines of the book. It is a distressing story narrated with a depressing consistency. Ellis, on the other hand, traces the roots of Nigerias fraud-prone system to the immediate colonial era, plotting the graph to the present and why Nigeria is globally perceived as the international headquarters of fraud. With the definition of corruption as an abuse of entrusted power for personal gains, you will realise that Nigeria is roiling right in a puddle of stench. It is glaring that it may even be difficult to acquit any Nigerian of corruption. This is because there is hardly any distinction between the public and private and their purses, as well as between public and personal gains. Since the exit of the colonialists in 1960, the structures of governance they left behind have proved incapable of withstanding the greater pre-colonial structure of corruption that they inherited. Hard as the British tried to battle the cankerworm with institutions of the police and the judiciary, not long after they left, corruption swam ashore with a baffling notoriety. The political class that took power from them was utterly reckless, showing open disdain for accountability and process. It was the same story with the military who took over power from 1966. Major Kaduna Nzeogwu put the problem of corruption in perspective when he, remarked that: the countrys enemies are the political profiteers, swindlers, the men in high and low places that seek bribes and demand 10 per cent, those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs at least; the tribalists, nepotists, those that make the country look for nothing before international setting, those that corrupted our society and put the national political calendar back to their words and deeds. In spite of this avalanche of corruption cases that involve the high and mighty and the lowly in Nigeria, if the Nigerian judicial system was above board, Nigeria would not be in the mess it has found itself today. The judiciary has not fared better either. The havoc that judicial corruption has wreaked on its victims is huge and mind-boggling. The Yakubu Gowon military government decorated the Dodan Barracks seat of power with maggots. Though generally perceived as incorrupt due to his austere lifestyle, Gowon was swamped all over by perceptibly corrupt people. His governors owned properties and assets that were far higher in value than their incomes. Indeed, it was estimated that, on the average, the governors owned commercial properties and farming estates of at least eight houses each, an amount that averaged between N49,000 to N120,000 in 1975 when Murtala Mohammed took over. In the same 1975, a corruption scandal surroundingthe importation of cement called the Cement Armada erupted which engulfed many officials of the Ministry of Defence and the Central Bank of Nigeria. They were accused of falsifying ship manifestos and that many of them inflated figures of the cements purchased. To stave off this public perception, Gowon promulgated the Investigation of Assets Decree No. 37 of 1968, while frenetically engaging in the process of arresting the inexplicable post-war wealth of Nigerian soldiers, mostly accumulated during the three-year civil war. To achieve this, in 1973, Gowon appointed Alhaji Kam Salem to head the X-Squad, a fraud investigation arm of the Police, which unearthed many scandals within the Force. In the July of that same 1974, buffeted on all fronts by the press, Gowon had to harangue his fellow Middle-Belter, Federal Communications Commissioner, Joseph Tarka, to resign from his position, after Godwin Daboh, allegedly in concert with Paul Unongo, accused Tarka of mind-blowing corruption. Tarkas resignation was childs play when placed side-by-side his snide comments, which indicated far more humongous corruption in the Gowon government. Tarka had said in a Daily Times newspaper interview, which revealed that he resigned under pressure, that If I resign, it will set off a chain of reactions of various events, the end of which nobody could foretell. This was followed by an affidavit sworn to on 31 August, 1974 at the Jos High Court by Mr Aper Aku, who was a known protege of Tarka. The affidavit contained accusations against the Benue-Plateau Governor, Police Commissioner Joseph Gomwalk, of corruption. Gowon, in a state visit to China, exonerated Gomwalk but the public uproar against the police big gun seemed to have just begun afresh. He was eventually later executed by firing squad for his involvement in the 1976 Lt. Col Buka Suka Dimka coup against Murtala Mohammed. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has been held to be a bastion of corruption under both military and civilian governments and this is so due to the fact that oil and gas exports account for over 90% of Nigerian revenues. Apart from using their positions to pilfer huge sums of money from this corporation and many others, Nigerian politicians corruptive tendencies are most adept in the area of vote rigging and falsification of results by political parties, with corruption waltzing through virtually every facet of the Nigerian government. This is perpetrated and perpetuated through sizeable chunks of fraudulent contracts, petty bribery, money laundering schemes, embezzlement and seizing the salaries of people called ghost workers a roulette that costs Nigeria billions of dollars yearly. In 2012, it was estimated that Nigeria had lost over $400 billion to corruption since independence. In spite of this avalanche of corruption cases that involve the high and mighty and the lowly in Nigeria, if the Nigerian judicial system was above board, Nigeria would not be in the mess it has found itself today. The judiciary has not fared better either. The havoc that judicial corruption has wreaked on its victims is huge and mind-boggling. For instance, in cases where litigants return from the court in utter repulsion and mental agony simply because the courts collected bribes and ensured the miscarriage of justice, one can only imagine the distress such litigants go through. It is such that the chronicity of judicial corruption in Nigeria is taken for granted. Lawyers themselves know corrupt judges and can distinguish them from the few incorruptible ones. It is so rampant that finding a judicial officer who is above board is akin to seeking a virgin in a brothel. Litigants pay bribes to agents of judges and magistrates, or even directly to registrars of courts, if they want their cases to receive positive judicial attention. In Bori, Khanna local government area of Rivers State some years ago, a chief magistrate was arrested by the criminal investigation department (CID) upon tipoff. He had demanded a bribe as condition to sign an accuseds bail bond. Marked money provided by the CID was then given to him and the magistrate was caught in the act. Land grabbers are also alleged to have specific judges who they give kickbacks and who give them favourable judgments in court. These are just a minuscule of judicial corruption cases that Nigeria is grappling with. Election petition tribunals are where judicial corruption tied to politicians is most notorious. Under the guise of night, judges collect kickbacks that run into billions of naira and millions of dollars to subvert the will of the people. In 2016, State Security Service (SSS) conducted multiple raids on residences of some senior Nigerian judges in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Gombe, Kano, Enugu and Sokoto. The SSS said it did this consequent upon months of investigations, during which its secret police credibly got evidence that the affected judges were involved in questionable financial dealings. Documents linking some judges to estates that were worth over N1.5 billion were said to have been recovered, while in the residence of another, the sum of $400,000 and N39 million in cash, in addition to documents of landed properties, were retrieved. Ditto the residence of a federal judge in Port Harcourt, who was believed to be in possession of $2 million. Nigeria must never allow electoral corruption to go into unholy mis-matrimony with judicial corruption. They also must never allow this marriage to influence the final decision of who is their president from May, 2023. It must however never be done by the martyrdom of an innocent man. Since those who gave the wheelchair evidence claim to have details of the meeting, why not provide these? So when the allegation that the current CJN, Ariwoola, was in dalliance with the president-elect to pervert justice in the matter against the APC candidate was spun, it seemed to synchronise with the now-becoming-familiar trend of the corruption scandals of two previous CJNs. Though he eventually resigned his appointment, Justice Tanko Muhammed was subsumed in corruption allegations of the mismanagement of funds leveled against him by 14 justices of the Supreme Court. Before him, CJN Walter Onnoghen, who assumed that office in March 2017, got slammed with corruption charges too, specifically pertaining to asset declaration offences. The Code of Conduct Tribunal claimed that it was only in 2016, after the controversial crackdown on judges, that the CJN declared his assets and it was partially done. He was also accused of failing to declare his assets in a series of bank accounts, which were denominated in local and foreign currencies, at the Standard Chartered Bank branch in Abuja. Then, Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo, in a release issued yesterday, went off the handle. He claimed in the release that some persons and groups who are desirous of truncating our democracy because they were embittered that APC was declared winner of the 2023 General Elections and the misguided individuals were calling for either the cancellation of the results or that the President-elect should not be inaugurated on the 29th of May, 2023. Keyamo said he found it perplexing that those contesting the results want to be in the courts and on the streets at the same time. He denounced these people who he referred to as stoking the embers of hate, division and falsehoods and like General Sani Abacha once warned NADECO, he bellowed enough is enough threatening that we are not lacking in capabilities and capacities. Our silence should not be taken for cowardice. Pray, how can approaching the court and protesting peacefully amount to truncating democracy? It is on record that both methods were how Keyamo got his legal notoriety. If some people were convinced that their votes were stolen through one of the crudest electoral heists ever, dont they have the right to approach the court for its resolution? What is wrong if they back this up with a peaceful protest? Who are the we that Keyamo is threatening to unleash his ministry of labour, the yet-to-be-installed government or the police? Do these approximate the we of Keyamo? If you add all the antecedents and precedents of the CJNs office, it is very tempting to pronounce Ariwoola as guilty as charged. The allegations are so salacious and riveting that it will be difficult not to agree with those leveling them. However, inconsistencies and the inchoate ordering of the allegations are proving very damaging to the substance of the allegations. If you have ever been a victim of mob-lynching and the irreparable damage it has done to personalities in the past, who were later found to be innocent of these allegations, one would tarry awhile before queuing behind salacious allegations. This is more so when these pieces of evidence were ones that obviously lack substance, except their trolling contents. In the thick of his despotic rule, I remember an allegation of monumental heist against the administration of military president, Ibrahim Babangida that shook it to its foundation. It was later found out to have been concocted. It was allegedly published in the May 1989 issue of American Ebony magazine. This revved students riots that month. Renowned educationist, columnist and critic, Tai Solarin, was the most available scapegoat and veritable object for deconstruction by the allegation. Pronto, Babangidas security goons alleged that Solarin circulated the allegation. The SSS did two things. First, it got the publisher of Ebony to denounce such publication and to claim that Ebony had not published anything on Nigeria since 1977. Second, the SSS got an asthmatic Solarin to climb a multiple-storey building and immediately upon arrival, set him up for an NTA-covered interrogation. Panting and looking miserable, the interrogator was heard asking, Dr. Solarin, if I was your student and I did what you just did, will you award me an A, B, C or F? It spoke to getting concrete evidence before leveling allegations. I will implore those leveling allegation of judicial corruption against Ariwoola for being in cahoots with those who want to judicially subvert the peoples will to provide irrefutable evidence of this. Mindful that we may be throwing an innocent man under a bus, hefty allegations as this have to go beyond beer parlour gossips. They have to be concrete evidence. To provide, as the only credible evidence linking Ariwoola with bribe, that he, a man who those who know him claim limps, arrived or was about to board an aircraft, and was found to be on wheelchair, is very tepid and cannot stand the rigour of scrutiny. Nigeria must never allow electoral corruption to go into unholy mis-matrimony with judicial corruption. They also must never allow this marriage to influence the final decision of who is their president from May, 2023. It must however never be done by the martyrdom of an innocent man. Since those who gave the wheelchair evidence claim to have details of the meeting, why not provide these? For instance, CCTV evidence of Ariwoolas arrival at the venue of the meeting; immigration arrival and departure evidence and more substantial tissues of evidence that we can use to crucify him? Capacity @ 50 Nicknamed Capacity by his friends, till date, I havent bothered to inquire what exactly constitutes its etymology. Yesterday was the 50th birthday of Louis Odion, renowned journalist and currently Technical Assistant to the Nigerian president. Odions story is an affirmation of the sure victory of a determined mind over fleeting challenges of circumstance. His 50 years on earth have been one packed full of huge grit and a resolute determination to be victorious over circumstances of existence. When you meet him, he regales you with tales, not only of his humble background, but how he pulled himself up by the strings of his canvas shoes and how fate smiled at his efforts. I first met Odion by reputation. As it is usual among weavers of the word, his reputation as a firebrand journalist preceded our eventual meeting. His prose style writings first recommended him, until we eventually had the encounter of our eventual relationship. Then, in 2018, our work paths crossed as he literally drew me back from retirement. He was Managing Director and I was Chairman of National Lifes Editorial board. The proximity of our working together afforded me the opportunity to examine him at close quarters. A workaholic to the core, Odion never vacillated on the core values of the practice of journalism, which he took time to impart to upcoming professionals. He is finicky about work and pays attention to details like a perfectionist. One other major feature that exemplifies him is how he reveres friendship and does not forget favour. When Odion begins to talk about Tunji Bello, a man who played major role in his career, you dont need anyone to tell you he had carved a space in his heart for this foremost journalist, where he venerates pantheons. Here is a toast to long life and continued relevance to society of Louis Odion. Festus Adedayo is an Ibadan-based journalist. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. The Abia State House of Assembly on Saturday described as false, rumours that the lawmakers planned to impeach the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu. The Deputy Speaker, Ifeanyi Uchendu, who dismissed the rumours while addressing journalists in Aba, said that the lawmakers had never contemplated such a plan. Mr Uchendu urged members of the public to disregard the rumours, assuring that the Assembly would continue to support the governor till the end of his tenure. Also, Solomon Akpulonu, the Majority Leader, said that the rumours emanated from mischief makers. Mr Akpulonu said that the assembly was pleased with the achievements recorded by Governor Ikpeazu, especially in the area of infrastructural development. Also, the Minority Leader, Chijioke Chukwu, said individuals peddling the rumours were doing so to malign the state House of Assembly. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. Two police officers were, on Sunday, killed when gunmen attacked a checkpoint in Enugu State, south-east Nigeria. The gunmen, on arrival, were said to have opened fire on the officers who were manning the checkpoint, killing two of them at the spot. The incident happened at about 11:27 a.m. along Kenyatta Road, near the Main gate of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus in Enugu North Local Government Area of the state. A witness, who identified herself simply as Mama Chinedu, told PREMIUM TIMES that she and other shop owners ran away during the attack. Two policemen were killed by the gunmen. But two other officers escaped with gunshot injuries, she said. We ran away because bullets were flying around here. A video clip, apparently recorded shortly after the attack, has been circulating on various WhatsApp groups. In the clip, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, two bodies of the slain officers were spotted in the area. While one body was lying along the road, the second body was seen inside a gutter near the scene of the attack. Passers-by were also seen gathering around the bodies. ALSO READ: Gunmen kidnap immigration officer posted for election duty in Cross River The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, did not respond to calls and a WhatsApp message seeking comments from him about the attack. Increased attacks Enugu, like other states in Nigerias south-east, has witnessed an increase in deadly attacks lately. The attacks, mostly targeted at security officials and government facilities, have been attributed to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which is agitating for a sovereign state for the Igbo-speaking people in the South-east. The IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is detained in Abuja where he is standing trial for terrorism. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. Nigerias former Chief of General Staff and deputy to the late dictator, Sani Abacha, Oladipo Diya, is dead. He was 78. Mr Diya died around 1:05a.m on Sunday at a hospital in Lagos. A terse statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES by the late military generals media adviser, Olawale Adekoya, and signed on behalf of the family by Oyesinmilola Diya, a lawyer and the deceaseds first son, announced the death. The statement reads in part: On behalf of the entire Diya family home and abroad; We announce the passing on to glory of our dear husband, father, grandfather, brother, Lt- General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (Rtd) GCON, LLB, BL, PSC, FSS, mni. Our dear daddy passed onto glory in the early hours of 26th March 2023. Please keep us in your prayers as we mourn his demise in this period. Further announcements will be made public in due course. About Mr Diya The late military general and lawyer was born on Monday, 3 April, 1944 in Odogbolu, Ogun State, South-west Nigeria. Mr Diya attended Yaba Methodist School, Lagos from 19501956 and thereafter became a pioneer student of Odogbolu Grammar School, ehich he attended from 1957 to 1962. The deceased served as the Chief of General Staff, the de facto Vice President of Nigeria under military head of state, Sani Abacha, from 1994 to 1997. He previously served as Chief of Defence Staff and was military governor of Ogun State from January 1984 to August 1985. While serving as his deputy, a paranoid Mr Abacha accused Mr Diya of plotting a coup to oust him. Mr Diya was then arrested, tried and convicted by a military tribunal empanelled by the late dictator and kleptocrat. The panel sentenced him to death but before the verdict would be implemented, Mr Abacha suddenly died. Mr Diya was later released by the General Abdusalami Abubakar regime which succeeded Abachas. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. The Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun, has commiserated with the people of the state, the Nigerian Army, and friends and associates of former deputy military head of state, Oladipo Diya. Mr Diya, who was the chief of general staff to General Sani Abacha from 1993 until his arrest for alleged involvement in an abortive coup in 1997, died on Sunday morning. He would have turned 79 on 3 April. Governor Abiodun, through a statement by his chief press secretary, Kunle Somorin, described Mr Diya as a seasoned administrator, gentleman and officer who made contributions to the development of the security architecture of Nigeria. The governor said his memory will remain indelible, appealing to other notable soldiers to continue from where he stopped. He was courageous and daring, quick-witted and patriotic. Gen. Diya played frontline roles in the evolution and development of the state and his activities in the military, in part led to the eventual return and enthronement of democracy in the country In 1999. He called on the family members, friends and associates of the departed leader, who hailed from Odogbolu in Ogun East Senatorial District of the state, to take solace in the fact that he played the parts assigned to him by providence diligently, conscientiously and patriotically meritoriously. Daniel, Amosun, and NUJ mourn Also, two former governors of the state, Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun, have expressed their condolences. Mr Amosun described Mr Diya as an accomplished army general and qualified legal practitioner. The former governor further said the deceased had a sharp intellect and was a diligent officer who earned himself diverse promotions and appointments. READ ALSO: My condolences go to the Diya Family of Odogbolu, particularly the widow, children and immediate household. I pray that the Holy Spirit will comfort you all on all sides. I also pray that the soul of Lt. Gen. Donaldson Oladipo Diya will find eternal rest in the bosom of his Creator. In a separate statement, Mr Daniel said Ogun has lost an Illustrious son, noting that Mr Diya will be greatly missed. Mr Daniel who is now the Ogun East senator-elect said Mr Diya played active roles in the affairs of the nation. The demise of General Oladipo (rtd), is a great loss to our country, Nigeria and to Ogun State in particular. General Diya, as Chief of General Staff played his part as a Military strategist and his stabilising role during the military era can never be forgotten. As Military Administrator of Ogun State, he was exemplary in the enforcement of the War Against Indiscipline with a focus on a cleaner environment. He will surely be missed by a lot of people for different reasons and especially for his statesmanship. I share in the grief of his family members and friends and associates. I had close personal experiences and relationships with General Diya in and out of public office. I pray for his repose to get eternal rest in the bosom of his Creator as I pray for strength for his family to be able to bear this painful exit. Speaking in the same vein, the Nigeria Union of Journalists Ogun State Council described the death of Mr Diya as the End of an Era. In a statement signed by the unions secretary, Bunmi Adigun, it said, The Union commiserates with President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Late Oladipo Diyas immediate and extended family, the people of Odogbolu and the people of Ogun State entirely. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. Afenifere, a socio-cultural organisation of the Yoruba people of Nigeria, has described as divisive a statement by the Chairman of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Council of Elders, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, describing Yoruba as political rascals. In a short video clip that has since gone viral, Mr Iwuanyanwu, while speaking in Awka, Anambra State capital, at a forum to mark the first anniversary of the administration of the state governor, Charles Soludo, had angrily reacted to the reported clashes between Yorubas and Igbos in Lagos during the 18 March governorship election in the state. The elder statesman had condemned the reported violence and informed the gathering of the efforts made by Igbos apex organisation to address it, even as he warned the Yorubas against further provocation. But in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its National Organising Secretary, Kole Omololu, Afenifere fumed at Mr Iwuanyanwus statement while appealing to Nigerians and particularly Yorubas to eschew violence and embrace people of all races, cultures and backgrounds. Meanwhile, earlier on Sunday, the leadership of Afeniferes counterpart in Igbo land, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, denied that Mr Iwuanyanwu referred to Yorubas as political rascals in his statement, describing the report as a lie from the pit of hell. Mr Iwuanyanwus statement As a statesman, Mr Iwuanyanwu was handed the microphone on Saturday for a remark, and he commended the governor for his work in the state. He said the Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo appreciates and supports him, and we are very proud of you. However, after applauding the governor, the businessman turned politician delved into the reported tension between Igbos and Yorubas in Lagos, and assured the people of continued protection by the apex Igbo body. For the avoidance of misinterpretation, the transcript of the short speech is reproduced below: He said: Now, I saw the various associations coming here from Lagos. I want to let our people in Lagos to know that on Wednesday, I called a meeting of the Ohanaeze Council of Elders Worldwide and we x-rayed the events in Lagos, and I want to tell you that people attended from America, Canada, Europe, and Nigeria. So I want those who are from Lagos to go home and tell those in Lagos that we have resolved that never again can we allow anybody to take the life of any innocent Igbo person. All of us are going to fight the person. We are going to fight the person. Never again! We are in Nigeria and we have invested in Nigeria, and our investments are so much. We are not going to take it when people tell us to go; we are not going anywhere. And I want to tell those who are in Lagos to realise that there is no war between us and Yorubas. Yorubas are just political rascals, and we are going to handle them. The elders have directed the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Emuche to set up a commission of inquiry, to find out things destroyed, people are going to pay. Meanwhile, I thank you for this opportunity, Im very grateful and I want you to give Soludo support so that he will continue to concentrate on his job and do well. Thank you very much. Afenifere kicks In its statement titled: Re: The Divisive Awka Comment by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Afenifere said it has been inundated with complaints by several Yoruba sons and daughters from all over the world regarding the comment made by the Chairman of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Council of Elders, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. The statement read in part: We have since reviewed the video recording of the event and our leadership will be reaching out to the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to seek clarification on why Chief Iwuanyanwu made the comment and whether his view is a reflection of what Ohanaeze Ndigbo indeed think of the Yorubas. We hereby call on Ohaneze to warn the Chief not to insult the Yoruba. We are a proud nation. We are a hospitable race. All these should not be interpreted to mean weakness. In fact, it is a sign of being civilized. Enough of the provocation. The statement further noted that in line with the races ethos of good upbringing, it urged Yorubas, and indeed all Nigerians, to remain calm and continue to show love to their Igbo compatriots and members of other ethnic nationalities. It noted that the Yorubas have a long history of association and partnership with Igbo counterparts and that diversity is one of Nigerias strengths in the comity of nations and we should not allow politics, religion, ethnicity or anything else to divide us. We urge all Yorubas to continue to relate well with all other ethnic groups in Nigeria and abroad. Our common humanity is more important than the divisive antics or careless remarks of any individual or group. The Yorubas are known worldwide as promoters of peace, unity, and orderliness. We should hold on strongly to those virtues in the interest of peace, progress, and prosperity in Nigeria and the world, the statement added. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print ( Read 2391 Times) 26 Mar 23 Share | Print This Page This Article/News is also avaliable in following categories : Your Comments ! Share Your Openion ( Read 2404 Times) Jaipur, General Manoj Pande, the Chief of Army Staff presented the prestigious Presidents Standards or Nishan to four Armoured Regiments of the Indian Army, namely 49 Armoured Regiment, 51 Armoured Regiment, 53 Armoured Regiment and 54 Armoured Regiment during an impressive Standards Presentation Parade held at Suratgarh Military Station in Rajasthan on 25 March 2023. A large number of dignitaries and military veterans graced the occasion. The event witnessed an immaculate mounted parade by the four Armoured Regiments along with tanks in all grandeur. The Armoured Corps is one of the premier combat arms of the Indian Army. Since Independence, the valour, courage and fortitude shown by the Armoured Regiments during the wars have been exceptional. The Chief of the Army Staff reviewed the Standard presentation parade and appreciated the rich legacy of valour, sacrifice and traditions displayed by the Armoured Corps in war and in peace. The Army Chief in his address commended the Regiments who received the prestigious Presidents Standards, for their exemplary service and conveyed his best wishes to the ranks and families. He also brought out that the modern and professional Indian Mechanised Forces are always ready to meet the future challenges and stand committed to guard the nation against all threats. Source : ( Read 2401 Times) Kota, on the instructions of the Autonomous Government Minister's intention to make Kota city free of stray cattle, UIT had prepared Devnarayan scheme for cattle rearers, for the vision with which Minister Shanti Dhariwal has made Devnarayan scheme for cattle rearers, all cattle rearers are Will be grateful for life. But many cattle herders of Kota city are still forced to go round the UIT for allocation there. Making this allegation, Kiran Langdi, President of Devnarayan Awas Yojana Pashupalak Vikas Samiti, has accused UIT of misleading the cattle herders. In a conversation with journalists, President Kiran Langdi, Treasurer Shiva Bhak, Amra Kataria, Narayan Kalash, Govind Chad, Raju Khari, Devkaran Bhak, Ranglal Nekadi, Rukma Bai, Santosh Bai told that UIT is doing animal husbandry work at various places in Kota city. The cattle rearers were sent to the Devnarayan Yojana by saying that you go there, you will be allotted houses there. Even today around 50 cattle herders are spending time in other's houses, but UIT officials are not listening to them now. Not only this, there are 25-30 cattle rearers whose names are not there in the survey. He told that the names of all these cattle herders are also registered in the survey conducted by UIT, initially application forms were given by UIT officials after taking 100 rupees from all of them, that too is present with them. After the completion of the scheme, when initially allotments were made to the cattle herders in the colony, at that time many cattle herders did not show interest in this scheme due to the cost of installments by UIT. Later on UIT reduced the amount of the installment, when the cattle herders wanted to fill the allotment form there, UIT is now troubling them. He says that about 50 cattle herders have been making rounds of UIT for almost four months, but UIT officials are making them go round by not giving clear answers. Source : Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil-exporting company, will start construction this year of a major integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in northeast China, Trend reports citing S&P Global. Construction of the complex located in Panjin City, Liaoning Province, will begin in Q2 following completion of administrative approvals, the company said in a March 26 statement following CEO Amin Nasser's visit to Beijing. The complex, which will receive 210,000 b/d of crude from Aramco, is expected to be fully operational by 2026. Aramco has a 30% interest in the complex through the Huajin Aramco Petrochemical Co., with NORINCO Group holding 51% and Panjin Xincheng Industrial Group the remaining 19% interest. The project represents " a major milestone in our ongoing downstream expansion strategy in China and the wider region, which is an increasingly significant driver of global petrochemical demand," Mohammed al-Qahtani, Aramco executive vice president of downstream, said in the statement. During an investor call to discuss Aramco's 2022 financial results, Aramco's Nasser said that a significant share of external investments was tied into its capex for 2022 and 2023 with the company continuing to prioritize downstream assets in large markets such as China. "We think China will continue to grow in terms of demand. We have a number of investments, but we cannot declare right now, but hopefully in the next one to two years, even through 2023, we are going to have a number of investments in China," he said March 16. "We have been for some time negotiating. Some of it is grassroots and some of it is existing assets that we have, and we are reaching a good stage in our negotiation to finalize the agreement for these investments," he added. Saudi Arabia is China's top crude supplier with most of the country's refineries designed to crack Middle East crudes. China is central to Aramco's strategy to diversify into more specialized high-value chemical products and less carbon intensive hydrocarbon usage, under which it has said it plans to convert up to 4 million b/d of crude oil to chemicals. The Saudi company signed a number of agreements with Chinese entities in December during the visit of President Xi Jinping to Riyadh. The deals covered a potential crude supply agreement and chemical offtake agreements. Just in time for Spring and Easter celebrations, the 'Pure Flour From Europe' program debuts healthy and sustainable brunch recipes LOS ANGELES, March 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Italian Milling Industry Association (ITALMOPA) is reviving the art of brunching with "farm to fork" certified organic ingredients that bring awareness to what is good and healthy. As part of its "Pure Flower From Europe" program, ITALMOPA invites professional chefs, bakers, and foodie consumers to discover the benefits of Italian and European flour at their next brunch. Pure Flour from Europe (PRNewsfoto/ITALMOPA--PURE FLOUR FROM EUROPE) Pure Flour from Europe explains: "The brunch tradition dates back to 19th-century English aristocracy and gained popularity in the United States in the 1930s," said Manuela Barzan of ITALMOPA. "By the 1970s, the rich and famous who socialized until dawn and woke for breakfast at lunch glamorized brunch." Today's consumers crave glamour but are unwilling to forgo healthy eating or good-for-the-planet practices. ITALMOPA's Pure Flour from Europe program, co-sponsored by the European Union, addresses their needs. EU flour products are celebrated worldwide for their superior taste, enhanced nutritional value, versatility in cooking and baking, exceptional quality, and limited impact on environmental resources. Spring and its host of social celebrations featuring food blossom with opportunities to incorporate Italian and EU organic flour and organic semolina into brunch tables laden with savory and sweet dishes. Luscious bread, tarts, biscuits, crackers, waffles and more are simple to make, rewarding to share with family and friends, and connect brunchers to the gifts of nature. Pair with organic yogurt, fruit, meat or fish, cheese and eggs to create a relaxing meal rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and secondary phytochemicals, Discover Flour from Europe brunch recipes at www.pureflourfromeurope.eu About ITALMOPA Founded in 1958 and based in Rome, ITALMOPA represents 82 companies across Italy that mill soft and durum wheat for the production of flour and semolina for pasta, breads, pastries, pizza and more. Learn more at pureflourfromeurope.com. SOURCE ITALMOPA SINGAPORE and SAN FRANCISCO, March 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Semut is thrilled to announce its upcoming Developer Preview, inviting developers worldwide to join the waitlist and experience Semut's groundbreaking technologies first-hand. Interested developers can sign up for an early preview at https://semut.io. Semut's innovative technologies are set to revolutionize the open-source landscape by empowering developers to work full-time on open-source projects without worrying about their paycheck. Semut's technologies will enable open source applications to be available as a service. Instead of merely uploading code to Github, developers can now enable applications to be available as an easy to use service. This shift will provide businesses and individuals with secure, cost-effective alternatives to commercial PAAS and SAAS solutions. Mansoor Ahmed, founder of Semut, emphasized the importance of community-driven initiatives: "Open source should be a true grassroots movement, fueled by developers who want to create meaningful impact through software." Semut envisions a world where not-for-profit Open Source organisations like Apache Software Foundation can offer all their applications as a service, potentially generating billions of dollars of revenue. These funds can be utilised to hire full time engineers and reward all contributions to Apache projects. Semut aims to create a new paradigm where Open Source communities can operate as "Not for Profit" organisations, employing engineers full time and compensating all contributions. Making open source communities self-sufficient, sustainable and truly independent is one of the larger goals of Semut. Semut seeks to liberate developers from corporate dependence, allowing them to contribute to projects they're passionate about and work full-time on open source projects without financial worry. Semut is committed to providing developers with the freedom they desire and rightfully deserve. Semut's technologies will enable organizations of all sizes to discover and utilize cost-effective, user-friendly software solutions. For example, a university dean could deploy a highly scalable Moodle cluster for tens of thousands of students with just one click. By enabling open-source projects to be easily available as accessible services, Semut aims to position open source as the leader in innovation, accelerating the digitization of businesses and granting developers true freedom. Mansoor Ahmed encourages risk-taking engineers to join their mission: "We are always looking for brilliant software engineers who are big risk takers and want to bet their skills on pursuing ambitious goals that may seem impossible for most." With Semut's Developer Preview, the future of open-source software looks brighter than ever. Don't miss your chance to be a part of this transformative journey join the waitlist today at https://semut.io . SOURCE Semut Technologies PHILADELPHIA, March 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaskela Law LLC announces that it is investigating Univar Solutions Inc. (NYSE: UNVR) ("Univar") on behalf of the company's investors. On March 14, 2023, Univar announced that it would be acquired by private equity firm Apollo at a price of $36.15 per share. Following the closing of the proposed transaction, Univar investors will be cashed out of their investment position, and Univar's shares will no longer be publicly traded. The investigation seeks to determine whether $36.15 per share provides UNVR shareholders with sufficient consideration for their shares, and whether Univar's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties in agreeing to sell the company at that price. Univar shareholders are encouraged to contact Kaskela Law LLC (D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq. or Adrienne Bell, Esq.) at (484) 229 0750, or by email ([email protected] / [email protected]) or online at https://kaskelalaw.com/cases/univar-solutions/ , to receive additional information about this investigation and their legal rights and options. Kaskela Law LLC represents investors in securities fraud, corporate governance, and merger & acquisition litigation. For additional information about Kaskela Law LLC please visit www.kaskelalaw.com. This notice may constitute attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions. CONTACT: D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq. Adrienne Bell, Esq. KASKELA LAW LLC 18 Campus Blvd., Suite 100 Newtown Square, PA 19073 (484) 229 0750 (888) 715 1740 www.kaskelalaw.com SOURCE Kaskela Law LLC SHANDONG, China, March 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The third Conference of Great Business PartnersCGBP) is scheduled to take place in Jinan, capital of Shandong province from March 28th to 30th, 2023 with the theme of "Forging Partnerships for High-quality Development in Shandong." CGBP is an important activity hosted by the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and the Shandong Provincial People's Government to attract investment and talent from a wider range and at a higher level, and accelerate the construction of a strong modern province in the new era. Shandong plans to take the chance of CGBP to promote cooperation with global companies, business organizations and venture capital firms. On the one hand, Shandong needs more high-quality investment projects to promote the industrial transformation of a major economic province; on the other hand, the approval of the country's first green, low-carbon and high-quality development pilot zone has also provided a large amount of investment for domestic and foreign companies. Shandong will take efforts to build up a stage for high-quality development for foreign investors. The conference invites domestic and foreign entrepreneurs, experts and scholars, heads of business associations, representatives of the overseas Chinese community and other guests to attend. Up to now, over 763 guests from 15 countries have confirmed their participation, including 71 Fortune 500 companies such as ZF Friedrichshafen AG, 23 State-owned enterprises such as China General Technology Group, and 77 of Top 500 Chinese enterprises such as Gree Electric Appliances, iFlytek, JD.com, and Geely Auto. This conference will hold 9 themed activities including 6 parallel forums, including Enterprise Innovation and Social Responsibility Forum, Symposiums of Chairmen of Chambers of Commence, Young Entrepreneur Forum, Outstanding Returnee Entrepreneur Meetings, Forum on E-commerce's Support for Rural Revitalization in the Yellow River Basin, Forum on Replacement of Old Growth Drivers with New Ones and High-quality Development. In addition, there will also be a supporting event of "The Taste of Hometown: Shandong Cuisine at the Conference of Great Business Partners." Shandong's 16 cities will respectively organize promotional activities and visits. The investigation tours include Jinan Start-up Zone of Replacement of Old Growth Drivers with New Ones and High-quality Development, high-tech zone and key development zones, and the enterprises and projects such as Inspur, Bloomage Biotechnology , CNHTC, BYD, and Iraeta Energy Equipment. During the Conference, 15 cities will organize activities such as matchmaking and promotion meetings, and "Wanderer's Hometown Tour." The year 2023 is the first year for the construction of Shandong's green, low-carbon and high-quality development pilot zone. CGBP will closely follow the theme of "Forging Partnerships for High-quality Development in Shandong" to promote the spirit of modern entrepreneurship, encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, and promote high-quality development in Shandong. SOURCE Information Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province Tehran, March 26 : The number of the injured people in the 5.6-magnitude earthquake that rocked northwestern Iran two days back reached 239, state media reported. The quake, which occurred near Khoy County in the province of West Azarbaijan at 6:46 a.m. local time (0316 GMT), has a depth of 8 km, according to the Iranian Seismological Centre (IRSC) quoting the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) report on Saturday. Of the injured people, 50 were from Khoy County and the rest were from Salmas County, Sadeq Mahmoudi, head of Iran's Relief and Rescue Organisation, was quoted by ISNA as saying. He added that 219 people have been released from medical centres after receiving treatment, while 20 people, including seven from Khoy and 13 from Salmas, have been hospitalised. Mahmoudi added tents and blankets have been sent out to residents in the quake-affected areas, Xinhua news agency reported. On Friday, Director General of West Azarbaijan's Housing Foundation Jafar Barzegar told Iran's official news agency IRNA that 80 residential units in 10 villages in counties of Salmas and Khoy were damaged in the earthquake. In late January, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake in Khoy County killed three people and injured more than 800. Jerusalem, March 26 : Two Israeli soldiers were injured in a drive-by shooting attack in the West Bank, the Israeli military announced. The shooting attack occurred on Saturday evening in the village of Huwara, which in recent weeks has become a flashpoint of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to a statement from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), one of the soldiers was severely injured and the other suffered moderate wounds. Both were evacuated to a hospital in central Israel, Xinhua news agency reported. The statement said roadblocks have been set up in the northern West Bank to find the perpetrators. There was no claim of responsibility from any Palestinian militant organisation. The latest incident comes amid continued tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. According to official figures from both sides, about 90 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the year and 15 Israelis have been killed. In response to attacks, the Israeli military has increased its incursions into the West Bank in recent months, increasing the friction. Israeli media reported that Defence Minister Yoav Gallant will be holding security consultations on Saturday night with senior military commanders in order to discuss the ramifications of the continued tensions. The shooting comes during the Muslim month of Ramadan and ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover, a time in which there are growing fears of further escalation. Tehran, March 26 : An Iranian spokesman has said that Iran will give "immediate and reciprocal" response to any attack on bases established for "fighting terrorism" in the Syrian territory and at the request of the country's government. Spokesman of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Keyvan Khosravi, gave the warning in response to recent accusations made by some US officials' of Iran "being involved" in attacks on what Iran considers to be "illegal" US bases in Syria, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported on Saturday. He stressed that the US side, by using "false" accusations, resorted to blame games to escape the possible consequences of its "illegal occupation" of parts of the Syrian territory for its military forces, Xinhua news agency reported. Khosravi noted that Washington cannot attribute the occupied countries' confrontations with the American forces to other countries by "spreading lies". Iran has borne heavy costs to "fight terrorism and maintain lasting security" in Syria, he stressed, adding that Tehran would oppose and confront any move that jeopardises Syria's stability. Iran said it has an advisory role in Syria and is present in the country at the request of Damascus. The US military airstriked facility in northeastern Syria hours after a drone attack on an American base in the country on Thursday afternoon killed one US contractor, injured five servicemen and another contractor. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin later said in a statement that the "precision airstrikes" targetted facilities in eastern Syria used by groups "affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps". On Friday night, in response to the US attack, "Islamic resistance fighters" targeted two US bases in eastern Syria with 60 rockets and kamikaze drones, according to IRNA. A US official confirmed to CBS News that a US serviceman was wounded in the Friday attacks targeting US bases in Syria. Jaipur, March 26 : With the announcement of BJP Chittorgarh MP C.P. Joshi as the state president, the Brahmin politics has taken a centrestage in Rajasthan as political importance of the community is once again being discussed in the desert state. Political leaders said that the BJP has tried to help one of its most important vote banks in Rajasthan, which is the Brahmin community, by announcing Joshi as the state president. However, the big question is that how will the BJP manage other caste equations which will be affected by this decision. It is no coincidence that Joshi became the state chief of the party. The political importance of the society can be gauged from the fact that many big leaders of the BJP-Congress attended the recently organised by the Brahmin Mahapanchayat in Jaipur where they demanded stronger political representation. For the last many years, the community had a little representation in politics in both the parties, namely the Congress and BJP. Earlier, between 2009 and 2013, Arun Chaturvedi was the party president for the BJP. Before him Mahesh Chandra Sharma, Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi, Bhanwarlal Sharma, Raghuveer Singh Kaushal and Harishankar Bhabhadra were the presidents. However, it is after nine years that the BJP has made a veteran from the Brahmin community as the state president. On the other hand, the Congress got its previous president in Dr. C.P. Joshi. He served as the president between 2007 and 2011. Before him there were many state presidents, including B.D. Kalla, Girija Vyas, Girdhari Lal Vyas and Jaynarayan Vyas. However, in the Congress, no Brahmin leader got a chance for this post for the last 12 years. At present there are 17 Brahmin MLAs in Rajasthan. There are two cabinet ministers, Dr. BD Kalla and Dr. Mahesh Joshi. Also, there are two Brahmin MPs, namely C.P. Joshi and Ghanshyam Tiwari from the BJP out of which Joshi has been made the state chief by the BJP. At the same time, there is no Brahmin minister from Rajasthan at the Centre. So all eyes are set to see if there will be a stronger representation of Brahmins in the desert state. Meanwhile, as the 2023 Assembly elections are coming closer, along with political parties, various societies and organisations are also becoming active in Rajasthan. Leaders are also leaving no stone unturned to connect with the society and raise a pitch for better representation of their caste and communities. If we analyse the last two-week scenario, the Jat and Brahmin communities have shown their strength by holding big meetings. While the Jat Mahakumbh took place in Jaipur on March 5, the Brahmin Mahapanchayat took place in Jaipur on March 19 itself. Now on April 2, a big panchayat of Rajputs will be held in Jaipur. It is a wait and watch situation as to how the two parties -- BJP and Congress -- will work out on social engineering to get maximum electoral support. Russia, at the request of the Belarusian side, will deploy its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, just as the United States has been doing on the territories of its allies, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on the Rossiya-24 news channel on Saturday, Trend reports citing TASS. "Even out of the context of these events, this statement (about the possible supply of depleted uranium shells by the UK to Ukraine), Alexander Grigorievich Lukashenko has long raised the issue of deploying Russian tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus," Putin said. He stressed that "there is nothing unusual about this." "And we agreed [with Belarus] that we will do the same. Without violating - I want to emphasize this - our international obligations on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons," Putin stressed. New York, March 26 : A 35 year-old man has been sentenced to 100 years of hard labour for causing the death of a five-year-old Indian-American child in 2021, a judge in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, announced. Mya Patel was playing in her hotel room in Monkhouse Drive, Shreveport, in March 2021 when a bullet discharged from Joseph Lee Smith's gun missed the target and hit her, media reports said. District Judge John D. Mosely Jr. sentenced Smith to 60 years at hard labour without benefit of probation, parole or reduction of sentence in connection with the March 2021 slaying of Mya Patel, the Caddo Parish District Attorney's Office announced this week. The judge also ordered that Smith, who was found guilty of manslaughter in January this year, must serve 20 years for obstruction of justice and 20 years for aggravated battery, for separate convictions associated with the Patel slaying. Those terms must also be served at hard labour without benefit of probation, parole or reduction of sentence. On March 20, 2021, Smith got into an altercation with another man in the parking lot of the Super 8 Motel in the 4900 block of Monkhouse Drive in west Shreveport. The motel was owned and operated at that time by Vimal and Snehal Patel, who lived in a ground-floor unit with Mya and a younger sibling. During the altercation, Smith struck the other man with a 9-mm handgun, which discharged a bullet. The bullet missed the other man, but went into the apartment to struck Mya in the head before grazing Snehal Patel. Mya was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she battled for three days before being declared dead on March 23. Bahraich : , March 26 (IANS) Three women from Nepal have been reportedly killed in tiger attacks in the forests along the UP-Nepal border in two separate incidents in the past five days. Indian forest officials have put the border villages in the area on high alert, following the multiple attacks. Deputy director Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) Rengarajan Tamilselvan said, "The woman along with three others had entered the reserve forest, without permission, to collect firewood. Her body was recovered nearly a kilometre inside the core area. Pug marks of an adult tiger were found. "One of the women accompanying the victim had seen the tiger pounce on her." On March 20, bodies of two women -- aged 45 and 50 -- were found by villagers near DTR's Katarniaghat sanctuary. They also belonged to a bordering Nepal district. New Delhi, March 26 : The opposition has passed it's first test of unity after Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as cutting across party lines even those who were not in sync with the Congress joined hands and condemned the action. They included the BRS, TMC, AAP which occupy a big opposition space and have four state governments. Rahul Gandhi thanked the opposition for their support and said that it will give a weapon to fight the government. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "It was noted today that many opposition parties have condemned the action taken by the government unilaterally, with such a lightning speed to disqualify Shri Rahul Gandhi. We welcome this statement of all the opposition leaders and yes, there was a consensus that we should now take the job of building opposition unity in a systematic way." He said every day the Leader of the Opposition, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has been meeting the floor leaders of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, when Parliament is in session. "So, we are coordinating in Parliament, now the coordination has to be outside Parliament and it is also very heartening to note that some parties, which were not part of this floor coordination in Parliament, have also now issued public statements condemning this action of disqualification of Shri Rahul Gandhi." The support from unexpected quarters has come as a surprise to the Congress, specially from Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and K Chandrasekhar Rao. Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi chief minister Kejriwal said that this is not only Rahul Gandhi's fight. "This is not a fight of Rahul Gandhi or Congress, but this is a fight to save the country from a dictator and a less educated person. What is going on today is very dangerous, they want to create an environment of One Nation One Party... this is called dictatorship," he alleged. BRS party national president and chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao stated "Today is Black Day in the history of Indian democracy. Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Parliament is the height of Narendra Modi's arrogance and dictatorship." "It is highly reproachable that the Modi government is not only abusing constitutional institutions but also using the highest democratic platform - the Parliament - for its nefarious activities." But the Congress has to maintain the momentum of opposition unity and reach out to leaders of the political parties in a systematic way. CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury in a tweet said: "It's condemnable that the BJP is now using the criminal defamation route to target opposition leaders and disqualify them as done with @RahulGandhi now. This comes on top of the gross misuse of ED/CBI against the opposition. Resist and defeat such authoritarian assaults," he added. But mere statements from the opposition will not work as the Congress in the past has blamed the TMC and the AAP for abetting the BJP Goa win and the AAP for the BJP Gujarat victory. And on the day Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the membership of the Lok Sabha, a "silent" meeting between the Janata Dal-Secular leader and former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee took place. The meeting was brief, lasting just 30 minutes, and neither Banerjee nor Kumaraswamy made any comment on the proceedings. However, this meeting comes on the heels of another meeting with Samajwadi Party head Akhilesh Yadav so the Congress has to be proactive and weigh its options with the JD(S) as Karnataka goes to the polls. However, its state president DK Shivakumar has said that the Congress will fight it alone in the state. Bengaluru, March 26 : North Karnataka and south Karnataka regions are poles apart when it comes to development, infrastructure, education, irrigation and connectivity. South Karnataka districts enjoying proximity to state capital Bengaluru, have taken giant strides in terms of development while most of the districts in the northern region come in the list of aspirational districts. More than 100 MLAs get elected from north Karnataka while south Karnataka elects over 80 MLAs. The movement for unification of north and south was started by north Karnataka leadership and was reciprocated by south Karnataka rulers. Kengal Hanumanthaiah, then Chief Minister (1952-1956), facilitated the process of unification at the cost of his post. There is no issue of contention between the two regions. Both the regions have come together time and again to overthrow and challenge national political parties. South Karnataka is dominated by 'Vokkaligas' and north Karnataka is dominated by 'Lingayats'. Both the communities took leadership roles to overthrow the Congress by formation the Janata Party in 1983. The Janata Party won two successive Assembly elections in 1983 and 1985. Presently, north Karnataka firmly stands with BJP, whereas south Karnataka is a strong base of JD(S). The Lingayat community is standing behind BJP leader and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa. Now, when Yediyurappa is not the Chief Ministerial face in the state and the BJP is contesting the Assembly elections under collective leadership while seeking votes in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the fingers are crossed. The Congress party, which is projecting state President D.K. Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga, as one of the Chief Ministerial candidates, is hoping to wrestle Lingayat vote bank. In the first list of 124 candidates, 32 tickets were allotted to Lingayats. These numbers are considered to be the highest in recent times. The Congress' strategy is to tap the Lingayat vote bank as under the leadership of Veerendra Patil, a Lingayat leader from north Karnataka, it has won a whopping 179 seats in 1989 Assembly elections. However, after the "unceremonious exit" of Patil, the Lingayat vote bank slowly tilted towards Yediyurappa, who was projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate by the BJP. In 2008, BJP won 110 seats and came to power through operation "lotus". Ashok Chandaragi, a noted activist from north Karnataka, explains that there is no issue of contention between north and south Karnataka regions. The reason for backwardness of north Karnataka is not because of negligence by south Karnataka politicians. It is because of the negligence of north Karnataka politicians. The mindset of Karnataka voters is totally different from other states. "Language, issues of water dispute with neighbouring states, will never become a major issue in the elections here," he said. Bengaluru, March 26 : The ruling BJP in Karnataka has made significant electoral gains by opposing erstwhile Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan, but its most recent campaign fell flat after a strong rebuke by the Vokkaliga pontiff. The saffron party organised protests across the state after the earlier Congress government led by Siddaramaiah began the celebrations of Tipu's birth anniversary. However, this time, the saffron party's calculations of projecting Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda, believed to be Vokkaliga soldiers, as killing Tipu Sultan have gone awry. Ahead of the assembly polls, the saffron party's plan to hijack the Vokkaliga vote bank and register a victory in at least 20 to 30 assembly seats to achieve a simple majority has suffered a setback. Minister for Higher Education, IT and BT C.N. Ashwath Narayan gave a call at a public rally to finish off Opposition leader Siddaramaiah like Tipu Sultan was finished off by Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda. Though he apologized, the development indicated the saffron party's calculations about its outreach to the Vokkaliga community. The Vokkaliga community plays an important role in the elections and it is dominant in the south Karnataka districts. The Bharatiya Janata Party has not been able to make inroads into the Vokkaliga vote bank so far. The Vokkaligas are standing firmly with former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's JD (S) party and the Congress. Among the 40 to 45 seats that the Vokkaliga candidates won, the BJP was hoping to wrest 20 seats in the upcoming assembly elections. The theory claiming that Tipu Sultan was not killed by the British but was finished off by Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda, both Vokkaligas, was put forth. However, D.K. Shivakumar, Karnataka Congress president, issued a statement that there is no evidence to prove the existence of Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda in history. He also challenged the BJP leaders to produce evidence to prove their claim. The saffron party was taken aback after minister for horticulture Munirathna, also a film producer, announced a movie in the name of Nanje Gowda and Uri Gowda and released posters. Vokkaliga pontiff Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji of Adichinchanagiri Mutt intervened and asked the leaders of all the parties imcluding the JD (S), BJP and Congress not to speak about Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda. "There should not be a distortion of history. Without research, issuing statements is not tenable. There is confusion regarding the Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda narrative. Do not talk about them repeatedly. The Vokkaliga community will be harmed by these statements," Nirmanalandanatha stated. He asked BJP national general secretary C.T. Ravi and minister Ashwath Narayan not to rake up the issue and instead submit the relevant documents to the mutt. After this, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated that the BJP has not suffered any setback on the issue. "There is no question of a setback in this regard. Victory will be achieved when the truth is established through research. Many historical facts are hidden in the country and in Karnataka as well. The whole world knows who is behind all this. They can't tolerate the truth," Bommai maintained. D. Javare Gowda (late Kannada writer) has recorded in the book "Suvarna Mandya" that these two characters are not fictional but historical. They are asking for proof of these two killing Tipu Sultan. Research must be carried out in this regard, Ravi maintained. He said that the Vokkaliga pontiff will be given an explanation and the real picture. Meanwhile, D.K. Shivakumar has issued a warning that if the narrative of Nanje Gowda and Uri Gowda killing Tipu Sultan is pursued, he would begun an agitation as a member of the Vokkaliga community. Addanda Karyappa, a right-wing litterateur who attempted to object to the statements of the Vokkaliga pontiff, had to face an agitation and apologize. Sources in the saffron party said that they totally failed to get popular support this time. The BJP only managed to get a response from people opposing the celebration of Tipu's birth anniversary. The party also removed parts of the syllabus glorifying Tipu Sultan. However, the attempt to woo the Vokkaliga vote bank by raking up a controversy over the death of Tipu Sultan has failed miserably. Bengaluru, March 26 : Muslims form one of the largest communities with 13 per cent population in Karnataka. Leaked reports claimed that the census during the tenure of the Siddaramaiah led Congress government put them ahead of the Lingayats and the Vokkaligas in terms of numbers. The Karnataka legislature has seven MLAs from the Muslim community and all are from the Congress party. This is the lowest Muslim representation in the last decade. In 2008, nine Muslim MLAs were elected in the state. In 2013, 11 Muslim candidates won, nine from the Congress and three from the JD (S). The highest Muslim representation (16 MLAs) was in 1978 and the lowest (2) was in 1983. In spite of the numbers, Muslims are not being considered for tickets to contest the upcoming assembly elections in proportion to their numbers, even by the Congress party. Analysts say that polarisation by the ruling BJP and Hindutva forces is the main reason for it. Starting from the hijab crisis, boycotting of Muslim traders to Azaan calls, the Muslim community has been targeted by the BJP. The involvement of individuals and radical organisations of the Muslim community in the murders of Hindu activists in different parts of Karnataka and the cooker bomb blast case, has only made the situation worse for the community. According to political analysts, Muslims can win in 21 assembly constituencies and play a deciding role in a large number of seats across the state. Dr Chaman Farzana, a retired professor and national secretary of the All India Mahila Congress, told IANS that the Muslims have the largest population after the SC/ST communities in the state. They are more in numbers when compared to the Lingayats, Vokkaligas and Kuruba communities. "Lingayats are demanding tickets to 71 seats from the Congress. The BJP will not even consider giving a ticket to any Muslim candidate and no other party is considering Muslim candidates generally. They can't do anything as the BJP has polarised the society," she explained. "Earlier my grandfather won the Chitradurga MP seat. There was no polarisation then. People didn't consider caste as a criterion to cast their votes. The community's concern now is to defeat the communal BJP and the RSS in the elections by ensuring the victory of the Congress party," she maintained. The community is unhappy that representation is not given to them to contest the elections. "But, we have to sacrifice to ensure the victory of the Congress," Farzana stated. Congress MLA and former minister U.T. Khader told IANS that the concern of the community is that the government should act according to the Constitution. Every community and individual should be treated equally without government discrimination. The present government is spreading hatred in the state. Once the government is formed it should not discriminate against people on the basis of religion. Only hate speeches are heard from the ruling party's leaders. The government itself is making hate speeches. The communal issue has to be taken care of by the government. When the government itself becomes communal, who will care? Khader asked. The feeling of alienation is there among the Muslim community but they are reposing faith in the Constitution and feel that the Congress is the only hope for them, Khader stated. Bengaluru, March 26 : The Karnataka BJP camp is hoping to boost its prospects by playing the reservation card ahead of the assembly polls in the state. Analysts say that the saffron party's attempt at creating goodwill by increasing the quota of the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities, the two major groups, has been successful. The Panchamasali sub-sect which had chosen the path of agitation and threatened to dent the Lingayat vote bank for the BJP seems to have settled down with the announcement. Panchamasali pontiff Vachananda Swamiji stated that the agitation for reservation by the community has been successful in the first phase. However, the mutt is ready to take up the agitation again to get reservation for the last man of the Panchamasali sub-sect. The proposal to include the Panchamasalis in the OBC list of the Central government is before the Chief Secretary. The Centre has sought the opinion of the state government. "The agitation will continue on that front as well," he said. Basavajaya Mrutunjaya Swamiji, who spearheaded the agitation for reservation for the Panchamasalis, said that he will discuss the increase in quota for the Lingayats to 7 per cent and later give his reaction. The ruling BJP has suffered a series of setbacks ahead of the polls. Keeping the Panchamasali votes in the Lingayat community was a major concern. The pontiffs have clearly stated that they will support the political parties which help them to get reservation. Former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa and present CM Bommai failed to fulfil their promises and the community was perceived to be angry with the saffron party. On the other hand, the BJP faced a challenge as many leaders had quit the party to join the Congress. With the attempt to woo the Vokkaligas with the theory of Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda killing erstwhile Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan falling flat, the BJP needed a booster dose. The reservation quotas for the Vokkaligas and the Lingayats have been increased from 4 per cent to 6 per cent and five percent to 7 per cent respectively. The Vokkaligas will get 6 per cent reservation under 2C and the Lingayats will get 7 per cent reservation under 2D categories. The 4 per cent quota reserved for Muslims under the OBC quota has been allocated to 2D and 2C categories. The Vokkaliga community which was given 4 per cent reservation under 3A Category has been given 2 per cent more reservation under 2C category. The Lingayats were given 5 per cent reservation under the 3B category before, they will now get 7 per cent under the new 2D quota. The ruling BJP had recommended inclusion of a rise in the reservation quota from 18 per cent to 24 per cent to Scheduled Castes in Schedule 9 of the Constitution. The saffron party has taken a big decision to give reservation to 101 sub-castes under the SC category as per the number of population. The BJP has fulfilled a three decade long demand. Randeep Singh Surjewala, Karnataka in-charge of the Congress, stated that the BJP is adopting a strategy to hoodwink the reserved communities in the state ahead of the polls. The BJP is eyeing a win in a majority of the 36 seats reserved for SCs and 15 for STs in the state. With Mallikarjun Kharge from the state getting elected as the president of the All India Congress Committee, the Dalit and the oppressed classes are being attracted towards the Congress. However, the BJP is treading carefully on the issue. Bengaluru, March 26 : Unlike other states, in Karnataka religious mutts and pontiffs play an important role in elections. Be it the agitation for reservations, protest over non-fulfilment of demands, religious or caste pontiffs take centrestage and lead the masses. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have visited the important mutts and sought the blessings of the pontiffs of the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities ahead of the elections. Whenever former chief minister and BJP Central Parliamentary Board member B.S. Yediyurappa was asked to resign from the post during his stint as the CM, the pontiffs hit the streets and staged protests. When Yediyurappa was jailed, a well known swamiji even went to the prison to comfort him and later a series of pontiffs visited him when he was hospitalised. Recently, the pictures of Rahul Gandhi with rape accused Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru of Chitradurga Murugha Mutt went viral. The accused pontiff, still in prison and slapped with POCSO and Atrocity charges, taught Rahul Gandhi how to carry out "Ista Linga" worship. This embarrassed the Congress party. Sources said that it was an attempt by the Congress party to make inroads into the Lingayat votebank. When a majority of the Lingayat mutts supported the BJP, the Murugha seer stood with the Congress and also took part in the padyatra for the Mekedatu project. The Congress has now distanced itself from the pontiff. The prominent Lingayat mutts in the state, including the Siddaganga Mutt of Tumkur, from the time of the late Shivakumara Swamiji to the present Siddalinga Swamiji, supported Yediyurappa and the Lingayat leadership. The Mysuru JSS Mutt, Sirigere Taralabalu Mutt, Hubballi Moorusavira Mutt and the Koppal Gavi Mutt played an important role in providing free education and shelter to thousands of children. They have a large number of devotees cutting across caste lines. They also play an important role in elections, influencing a large number of constituencies in the region. Udupi Pejawar Mutt pontiff Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji has been vocal in raising Hindutva concerns. The reservation movement by a Lingayat sub-sect is spearheaded by Jayamrutynjaya Swamiji. The BJP is bearing the brunt of the movement and struggling to keep its vote bank intact. Journalist Asha Krishnaswamy told IANS that no government has ever dared to conduct a land audit of religious institutions. No Enforcement Directorate or Income Tax raids are conducted on these institutions because a majority of them are power brokers. "They indirectly support the illegal activities of influential people. They know how to influence their community members, in particular voters," she said. Dharma should be part and parcel of every walk of life. Unfortunately, dharma has taken a back seat, while many people donning saffron and white robes and sitting in so-called holy places have turned into CEOs, she added. Their role in the business of politics is on the rise. They control the elected representatives and ensure that their vested interest files are put on a fast track for clearance. Of course, there are also a number of seers who serve as beacons of knowledge, she stated. If daily wage earners hit the streets demanding increased wages, the ministers may take note of it or give a political spin to the agitation to disperse them. But when the pontiffs issue a statement in the media, the government becomes alert, Krishnaswamy opined. The best example is the demand for higher reservations for Panchamasali Lingayats by a section of Veerashaiva mutt heads. They are not just exerting pressure; they are arm-twisting those in positions of power, not to benefit their community or society, but to become power centres. Powerful seers even play an active role in cabinet formation. It is rare to see pontiffs taking up the cause of society. Spreading spirituality is far from their agenda, she claimed. "This pitiable situation exists because a majority of the so-called religious leaders have occupied prime positions. They are into building educational institutions and hospitals, for which they need acres of land and money. So they keep in the good books of politicians," she said. Progressive thinker Basavaraj Sulibhavi told IANS, "there are systematic attempts to mix politics with religion these days. This has been done by one political organization. Politics and religion becoming deciding factors for each other is against the principles of democracy and the Constitution." A political party released funds to mutts to attract them to its fold. The funds should be utilized to help the people, to create infrastructure. But funds are systematically diverted to religious mutts in Karnataka. The trend has been increasing in the past two to three decades, Sulibhavi added. Bengaluru, March 26 : Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, who is in the race for the chief minister's chair if the Congress is voted to power, is confident of making it to the highest post backed by the Kuruba and AHINDA communities. Siddaramaiah has emerged as a darling of the minorities, the OBCs and the oppressed classes. He hails from the Kuruba community, which is regarded as the third most influential caste in Karnataka after the Lingayats and the Vokkaligas. Siddaramaiah's style of handling the feudal approach by the influential Lingayat and Vokkaliga castes by taking on the influential leaders of both the communities; his scathing attacks on the RSS, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Hindutva philosophy has made him a leader with mass appeal. Siddaramaiah is one of the few leaders who has not been targeted by the central agencies after his fierce attacks on the saffron party and Hindutva. His mimicry of PM Modi at public platforms is quite popular. He recently announced that he will oppose the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh until his last breath. The Kuruba community plays a decisive role in 50 to 60 assembly seats across Karnataka. About 12 to 14 contestants from the Kuruba community get elected to the assembly in the polls. Siddaramaiah has established himself as the unparalleled leader of the Kuruba community. But his strength comes from the AHINDA groups. AHINDA stands for the Alpsankhyas (minority) Hindulida (backward) and the Dalits. Sources close to him said that he is the only leader who is committed to the welfare of the AHINDA groups. There is a presence of minority, Dalit votes in all the 224 assembly constituencies of the state and Siddaramaiah has influence in 70 to 80 constituencies. Anand Nyamagouda, Congress MLA from Jamakahdi constituency, states that the Siddaramaiah factor will play a big role because he belongs to the Kuruba community which is there throughout the state in good numbers. Moreover, the government led by Siddaramaiah was a clean administration. A lot of development activities were taken up then. People have confidence that if Siddaramaiah becomes the CM they will witness development in the state, said Nyamagouda. He explained that Siddaramaiah will have an impact in north Karnataka where he has a large number of followers. As of now, for the Congress it is good going be it D.K. Shivakumar or Siddaramaiah. The ruling BJP has lost face. How did Siddaramaiah become the leader of the Kuruba community? M.T. Ravikumar, former Mysuru taluk panchayat president, said that before Siddaramaiah the Kuruba leaders hesitated to take the name of the community. The scenario was much worse in north Karnataka. The capability of Siddaramaiah to take on Lingayat leader B.S. Yediyurappa and Vokkaliga leader H.D. Deve Gowda, challenging them on the floor of the assembly and at the ground level, earned him a special place. "K.S. Eshwarappa, BJP MLA and former minister who hails from Kuruba community is facing a difficult situation in Shivamogga city to win this time. Siddaramaiah was the first CM to make diversion of funds from SC/ST grants a criminal offence. "When the Supreme Court struck down the promotions for SC/ST and reserved categories, he was the one who enacted a legislation and protected lakhs of officers from getting demoted. Siddaramaiah was the one who brought reservation in contracts up to Rs 1 crore for SC/ST groups," Ravikumar stated. The steps to empower SC/STs and the minorities against the mafia which wants status quo have made him the leader of the masses, he added. Siddaramaiah, though having the capacity to ensure the victory of the party in a large number of seats, is still finalising which seat to contest. He is not contesting from Badami constituency, from where he won in 2018. He suffered a humiliating defeat in Chamundeshwari constituency against the JD (S) candidate. Sources say that the opposition's game plan is to restrict Siddaramaiah to a constituency by making the contest difficult. So he is being careful in choosing his constituency. According to statistics in the 2018 assembly elections the BJP garnered 36.35 per cent of the votes while the Congress managed 38.14 per cent of the votes. The JD (S) got 18.3 per cent votes. Though the Congress under Siddaramaiah's leadership garnered more votes, it failed to win seats. In the 2013 assembly elections, when the Congress won, it got 36.6 per cent, JD (S) 20.2 per cent, BJP 19.9 per cent and the KJP a 9.8 per cent vote share. Then the Congress had won 122, the JD (S) 40, the BJP 40 and the KJP 6 seats. Siddaramaiah went on to become the CM following a clear majority for the Congress. Siddaramaiah is hoping to make it to the CM's chair this time also riding high on anti-incumbency against the BJP. It is a challenge for Siddaramaiah to bring back the SC/ST, OBC voters who had gone to the BJP in the last elections. Sources said as the margin is very narrow, these voters will come back to the Congress. Bengaluru, March 26 : The Congress in Karnataka is confident of grabbing power in the upcoming assembly elections. One of the major factors considered to be working for the party is the support of the dominant Vokkaligas in south Karnataka. The party is hoping for a repeat of the results of 1999, when S.M. Krishna, who hails from the Vokkaliga community, ensured a clear mandate for the Congress. The Vokkaligas had chosen the Congress over the JD (S) then. Over twenty years down the line, like S.M. Krishna, D.K. Shivakumar has become the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). Shivakumar has already appealed to the Vokkaliga community to which he belongs that they should support his candidature in the same way they rallied behind former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, S.M. Krishna and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy from the JD (S). The Vokkaliga vote bank is largely based in south Karnataka. They are spread over Bengaluru, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Ramnagar, Mandya, Mysuru, Tumakuru, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga and parts of Chitradurga. About 40 MLAs will get elected to the state legislature from the community. With Vokkaliga pontiff Niramalanandanatha Swamiji's categorical statements slamming the attempt of the ruling BJP to highlight the disputed fact of Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda, both Vokkaligas, killing erstwhile Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan, the Congress party is celebrating. BJP national general secretary and MLA C.T. Ravi and minister for higher education C.N. Ashwath Narayan made a fierce attempt to attract the Vokkaliga vote bank by bringing in a new narrative. The question is will the Vokkaligas stand behind Shivakumar? Sources close to him say that like S.M. Krishna was chosen over H. D. Deve Gowda in 1999, history will repeat itself. "Kumaraswamy from the community has become CM twice. People know of Shivakumar's struggle and the community has sympathy as he was sent to jail. Even JD (S) leaders want Shivakumar to have a chance. The defeat of Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Kumaraswamy, by a margin of 1.25 lakh votes is a clear sign that the JD (S) is not supreme," said sources close to Shivakumar. Bette Gowda, former president of the Vokkaliga Association, opines that the community feels that Shivakumar should be given a chance this time. Surya Mukundaraj, secretary of the legal cell of the Congress who is preparing to contest elections, explained that after Kengal Hanumantaiah, Kadidal Manjappa and S.M. Krishna, a leader from the old Mysuru region like Shivakumar is getting an opportunity. Vokkaliga leaders in the Congress are conducting a series of meetings in Mysuru, Mandya and Bengaluru. The Vokkaliga leaders have not been given a chance to become the Leader of the Opposition. Key portfolios like Home and others have also not been given to the Vokkaligas in a Congress regime. The community voted for Kumaraswamy as he was projected to become the CM. There is a straight fight in Mysuru, Kolar, Tumakuru and other districts of south Karnataka between the Congress and the JD (S). Shivakumar's candidature will help here, Surya explains. He said that the community is aware that in future the leadership will emerge from among the Vokkaligas. Talking about his chances against Opposition leader Siddaramaiah for the post of CM, sources close to Shivakumar stated that Shivakumar is like the BJP's B.S. Yediyurappa when it comes to the party organization. Four years ago, the Congress office looked like an empty house. It is Shivakumar who ensured that the Congress came very close to power through his organizational skills. The Vokkaligas are the second largest community in the state. They wield considerable influence in the formation of governments in the state. With the Lingayat vote bank headed for a split following a row over giving reservation to the Panchamasali sub-sect and the BJP heading to the elections under a collective leadership, the Congress is hoping that the Vokkaligas tilt to its side, taking the party closer to victory in the assembly elections. Several Egyptian human rights groups that are set to participate in the National Dialogue, which will start on 3 May, stressed on Friday the need for legal amendments that would protect their freedom to work across the country. Bengaluru, March 26 : The ruling BJP in Karnataka is making all attempts to mollycoddle former chief minister and BJP Central Parliamentary Board member B.S. Yediyurappa ahead of the assembly polls. The party has elevated him to the core team in New Delhi and made him appeal to the Lingayat community not to have any bitter feelings towards the BJP for dethroning him. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah (whose breakfast meeting with Yediyurappa on Friday was a major show of support) and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have been openly showering praises on Yediyurappa and ensuring his presence with them. Sources said that the saffron party, unable to create another mass leader in the state, has understood that the snubs by the party to Yediyurappa has angered the Lingayat community. Amaregouda Patil, senior Congress MLA from Kushtagi in north Karnataka, told IANS that it is impossible for the BJP to recover lost ground at this stage. "The BJP has finished off Yediyurappa. He resigned in tears. As a legislator, I can say that no other leader in the BJP was mistreated like he was. Now, they are back with him claiming that he is their leader. "There is no question of the Lingayat community voting for the BJP by seeing Yediyurappa being projected. How can they vote? He was made to cry and asked to step down. The people are still angry over the past," Patil said. At 80 years of age, Yediyurappa, accused of corruption and favouritism, is still the unquestioned leader of the Lingayat community. About 40 to 50 MLAs get elected to the state legislature from the community. The BJP in Karnataka derives its core strength from the Lingayat community which accounts for 17 per cent of the population as per available statistics. The community has a presence across Karnataka. It has a large population base in the north Karnataka region. Lingayats are scattered all across the state and play a decisive role in many districts of south Karnataka. Yediyurappa had built the party from scratch in Karnataka. From just two seats, one being won by him, along with other prominent leaders he played a crucial role in bringing the BJP to power in the state. He rose to the position of opposition leader and after bringing the BJP to power through "Operation Lotus" he bacame the CM. The Lingayat community from across the state stood firmly behind him. Yediyurappa, by also fulfilling the promises of other community leaders, went on to become a mass leader who can appeal to all communities in the state. Niranjan Kumar, BJP MLA from Gundlupet constituency, while talking to IANS said that Yediyurappa still has that special respect in the hearts of the Lingayat community. The people still remember his programmes for all communities which didn't have any caste or religious colours. "The trend still continues. His words will be respected by the community in the present scenario. All confusion is created by the opposition parties. They falsely maintain that Yediyurappa and the Lingayats are insulted by the party. The Lingayat community will undoubtedly stand with the BJP as per the wishes of Yediyurappa," Kumar stated. However, the fear of the erosion of the vote bank of the feudalistic Lingayat community is looming large over the saffron party. Sources said that as the BJP failed to present another mass leader who could win over the masses, it will dent the Lingayat vote bank which has strongly backed the BJP for decades. Haratalu Halappa, BJP MLA from Sagar constituency, told IANS that the BJP is all set to win 123 seats in the assembly elections and there is a pro-BJP wave in the state. "The Lingayat community is very much behind Yediyurappa presently. The controversy surrounding Yediyurappa being targeted by the BJP is a thing of the past. He is leading the campaign now." Moscow, March 26 : Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed topics concerning the Russian-Turkish partnership in various fields during a telephone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "Both sides on Saturday expressed satisfaction with the positive dynamic of trade and economic relations, the successful implementation of joint strategic power engineering projects, including gas supplies, and the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in TArkiye," the Kremlin said in a statement. Erdogan expressed his gratitude for the help that Russia rendered in overcoming the aftermath of earthquakes in TArkiye, the Kremlin said, adding that the presidents agreed to continue working on the potential delivery of construction materials from Russia to restore destroyed infrastructure and residential buildings, Xinhua News Agency reported quoting Kremlin's statement. "The Turkish leader positively assessed Russia's consent to extend the Istanbul Agreements, which deal with the export of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports and the unblocking of exports of Russian food and fertilisers for 60 days," it said. The importance of continuing the normalisation of Turkish-Syrian relations was also underlined. "Erdogan highlighted the constructive mediatory role Russia has played in this process," said the Kremlin. Mumbai, March 26 : As the 2023 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report was released this week, experts again warned of a huge climate-related crisis which could affect over 40 crore (400 million) Indians, and how India remains unprepared 'to tackle even a fraction of the global warming. The IPCC-2023 has pointed at the increasing temperatures and the sea-level rise at the global levels, and experts say this has alarming implications for India and many regions particularly the coastal areas. The experts point out how India is not compatible with a 2 degree C warming and the country may surpass even that based on the current trends, but each fraction would spell catastrophe for 40 crore people, especially those from the marginalised societies, coastal dwellers and those reliant on agriculture for survival. The IPCC report consolidates 6 reports and spells significant ramifications for policy, said Dr Anjal Prakash of the Indian School of Business and IPCC Lead Author for two of the reports. "Among the most significant implications for India is the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events which pose dire consequences for agriculture, public health and the economy. It highlights the need for policy-makers to prioritise investments in disaster risk reduction including early warning systems, evacuation plans and infrastructure development to protect the vulnerable populations," said Prakash. The Asian Institute of Technology's Prof Joyashree Roy -- one of the 93 authors of the IPCC synthesis report -- bringing together thousands of scientific studies on the topic said this is the first time 6 reports were published in a cycle and provides very robust science that can influence action in the next few years of this decade. "It clearly shows that it is theoretically possible to limit warming to 1.5 degrees C, but the current scale and scope, and pace of global action pledged under 2030 is not enough. So, 'we are not on track' is very clearly mentioned with high confidence in the report," said Roy. Based on the IPCC-2023, experts urged a need to address the current shortfall in climate finances as this (India and the Global South) is the part of the world which has contributed 'least' to climate change, but is also the 'most vulnerable' and affected by the various climate events like cyclones, floods, water scarcity, impact on agriculture, food security and related disasters. "There is a need to rethink how the climate finance world works and what other efforts can be done to boost the finance opportunities to ensure climate resilience," said the experts. However, it is felt that looking at the Global North for solutions is not an option and it would be too late for action, and hence the need is to look 'inwards', find solutions within India - the world's 5th largest economy - focus internally, and build national as well as state-specific resilient pathways. For India and its states, the experts point at major risks from climate change and called for 'urgent action' to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to well below 2 degrees C, as outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement. They want India to take ambitious action to reduce its emissions and invest in adapting measures to protect its people and economy, since we are both a major emitter of greenhouse gases and also particularly vulnerable to its ill-effects. The IPCC-2023 provides a clear scientific basis for decision-making and underscores the importance of action by all stakeholders like governments, businesses and individuals to address this critical global challenge. The experts said the recent bouts of unprecedented unseasonal rain in different parts of India, was predicted by IPCC reports and climate models, and point out how massive rains just before crop harvesting was never expected. This has led to huge crop losses for farmers who need to be compensated and such extreme weather events create havoc with the lives and livelihood of people dependent on climate-related agriculture or similar jobs. "It is alarming and India must take this into account, develop pathways to ensure lives of people impacted due to the changing climate scenario are protected," said Roy. Prakash said there is a strong caution even for Maharashtra which has a 720-km long coastline with the sea-level rising upto 1.1 metres (3.7 feet) threatening coastal communities, cities like Mumbai and its infrastructure, increased flooding and coastal erosion, and other onslaughts by the end of the century as the Earth warms. The state will have higher temperatures with more heat waves leading to major health problems, severe water scarcity for agriculture, industries and homes as Maharashtra depends largely on the monsoon. Flooding could become a common occurrence, agriculture could be hit in many ways with serious implications for crop yields and food security owing to changing temperature-rainfall patterns. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in) Bhopal, March 26 : Yadav politics seems to be hotting-up in Madhya Pradesh's Guna Lok Sabha constituency, which before 2019 was the impregnable political fort of erstwhile Gwalior State's Scindia royal family. Seven months before the year-end assembly polls in the state, the opposition Congress on Wednesday made a dent into one of the oldest Yadav families of the ruling BJP in Guna parliamentary constituency, where over 20 per cent or around 3.25 lakh of the total voters hail from the same powerful OBC caste. Rao Yadvendra Singh Yadav, the BJP-supported Ashok Nagar District Panchayat member and elder son of three-time former BJP MLA from Mungaoli seat Rao Deshraj Singh Yadav, joined the Congress. "My father and my family have for decades been associated with BJP and have built the party in the Mungaoli assembly segment and entire Ashok Nagar district. But in the last three years, since Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the BJP with supporters, the core BJP workers are being ignored and insulted in the entire region, where corruption is rampant now. I've decided to join Congress, after long consultations with people of my area," Yadvendra said. Importantly, Yadvendra, his mother and wife - all three are presently Ashok Nagar District Panchayat members with BJP support. His younger brother Ajay Pratap Singh Yadav was appointed vice-chairperson of MP State Backward Caste-Minorities Finance Development Corporation by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government a year back. While Yadvendra's father Rao Deshraj Singh Yadav was BJP MLA from Mungaoli seat in 1990, 1998 and 2008, he was the runners up from the same seat of Ashok Nagar district in 1993, 2003 and 2013 assembly polls. Also, as the BJP candidate Rao Deshraj Singh Yadav had lost in 1999 from Guna Lok Sabha seat to ex-Union minister late Madhavrao Scindia and in 2002 by-poll to Scindia's son and present Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. Yadvendra's switch to the Congress happened just three months after first-time BJP MP from Guna seat Dr KP Yadav's (who had defeated Scindia by 1.25 lakh votes in 2019 LS polls) brother Ajay Yadav had joined the Congress. As per key sources in the state Congress, the party may field Rao Yadvendra Singh Yadav from Mungaoli seat of Ashok Nagar district (represented presently by Jyotiraditya Scindia-loyalist Madhya Pradesh minister Brajendra Singh Yadav), the present Guna BJP MP's brother Ajay Yadav could be fielded from any other Yadav dominated seat of eight assembly seats-strong Guna parliamentary constituency. Importantly, the Yadav caste constitutes over 20 per cent of the total voters of Guna Lok Sabha seat - whose eight assembly segments are spread in three districts, Guna, Shivpuri and Ashok Nagar. Out of these eight assembly segments, in at least four, including Mungaoli, Chanderi and Ashok Nagar (all in Ashok Nagar district) and Kolaras (Shivpuri district), the Yadav caste holds a decisive sway, particularly in the event of close contests. Importantly, the first-time BJP MP from Guna LS seat, Dr KP Yadav (who defeated political mentor Jyotiraditya Scindia in 2019) too has regularly been complaining to government authorities as well the ruling party's state and central leadership, about being ignored at various government events in his own parliamentary constituency. He has been writing since last many months about his name missing from plaques of foundation laying ceremonies/public unveiling of projects, particularly in Bamori assembly segment, which is represented by Scindia-loyalist three-times sitting MLA and Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Mahendra Sisodiya. Recently, the Guna MP's staff has written to district collector, about the defacing of Yadav's image on a water tanker funded by the MP only for Bamori assembly segment in Guna district. New Delhi, March 26 : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party General Secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Mukul Wasnik, K.C. Venugopal have arrived at Rajghat, indicating that they will go ahead with the Satyagraha despite police denying permission. Scores of workers and leaders have already reached the venue. Party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal tweeted, "After silencing our voice in Parliament, the government has refused to let us hold a peaceful Satyagraha at Bapu's Samadhi as well. It has become a habit for the Modi government to disallow every opposition protest. This will not deter us, our fight for truth, against tyranny goes on." The Daryaganj SHO said that section 144 is imposed in the area. The Congress is planning a nationwide agitation from Monday, a day after Satyagraha. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that democracy is under attack and that he is "not scared to ask questions about the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Adani Group". He made the remarks while addressing a press conference in Delhi. "My voice is being suppressed," Rahul Gandhi said and claimed that he spoke to the Speaker against the false accusations made by four ministers but was not allowed to speak. He also alleged that the "relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gautam Adani is not new". "I will not stop asking questions about whose money is the Rs 20,000 crore that has come out from shell companies," he added. The senior Congress leader further said that he is here to defend the voice of the nation, adding: "I am not scared of prison sentence, disqualification and others, I am not that type of person and they do not understand me. I am not going to back down and will be on the principle." Rahul Gandhi was on Friday disqualified as member of Lok Sabha, a day after his conviction in the 2019 'Modi surname' defamation case. It is an established principle that if you get the 'macro-picture' right you will be less troubled by 'details' - even when some of them look unsettling at first sight. It is a sign of civilisational confidence of India that it has for its G20 Presidency adopted the motto - 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', which means 'the whole world is one family'. Nothing can be more comprehensive and higher as the global mission for a world conference, than this thought embracing the entire humanity. A basic advantage here - from India's point of view - is that any 'small thinking' will show itself to all, producing if anything, a certain degree of embarrassment for the dissenter. It is in line with this approach that India favours reformed Multilateralism as a desirable idea to define international relations. In one word this is multilateralism that produces a positive environment and no negative fall out at all. It goes to the credit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his foreign policy is marked by a consistent adherence to three seminal ideas that added up to this kind of multilateralism. First is India's belief in a multi-polar world. This helps to diffuse the danger of the reappearance of the Cold War that was basically the product of a bipolar world order. Multiplicity of major powers makes it more likely that they would make a competitive contribution for improving the world economy and global peace - in their keenness to project a good image for themselves, internationally. It is India's independent foreign policy that made Prime Minister Modi the first world leader to reach out to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and advise them upfront to stop the armed conflict in favour of negotiated peace. Through the year long Ukraine-Russia confrontation, India has retained its image as a world counsel for peace because it maintained that 'this is not an era of war', abstained from anti-Russia resolutions in the UN and also did not endorse the supply of war equipment and arms to Ukraine by the US-led West in the proxy mode that had only prolonged the war-like situation. India maintains that concerns of both Russia and Ukraine have to be addressed for working out a peace pact between the two neighbours. Significantly, India has in this period maintained the best of relations with the US, the UK and Europe and with a strategic finesse checked the drift of the world towards another Cold War between US on one hand and the Russia-China combine, on the other. The second point about India's foreign policy that paved the way for a reformed multilateralism is that the latter is a natural by-product of India's favoured option of going in for bilateral relations which were mutually beneficial to both sides in terms of economic and security interests. This policy effortlessly pursued by the Modi regime had ensured that bilateral relations were not at the cost of any other country. The Sino-Pak axis on the other hand follows an opposite philosophy as it is geared to executing plans 'against' India. The unholy alliance between a Marxist dictatorship and a fundamentalist regime is driven by hostility towards this country and is a perpetual threat not only to the security of South Asia but to that of the entire democratic order. For upholding the case of Pakistan in Afghanistan, China has in fact entered into a give-and-take arrangement with Pakistan on Taliban Emirate and even gone along with the Pak-sponsored faith- based terrorism that threatened global security. Western democracies led by the US must realise that the motivation of faith that Islamic extremists and radicals brought to bear on the new global terror, has created a perpetual danger for the entire world. This threat had to be countered jointly by all peace-loving countries through exchange of Intelligence and coordinated action. Extremism in the name of Islam can enforce an 'asymmetric' war because the motivation here was strong enough to produce 'suicide bombers' to take down the opponent. India with its transparent advocacy of 'all religions being given equal respect' provides a standing counter to the 'supremacist' outlook of a particular faith - in the process it is best placed to act as the anchor of world security against the new threat of radicalisation. Even as the agenda of G20 is exclusively about economic growth and elimination of the crippling gulf between the North and South, security concerns plaguing the world have also to be addressed during India's Presidency of the event. It is a matter of great satisfaction that G20 outreach is designed to fulfil the task of shaping both the global economy as well as world security. To go about it in a mission mode carries the stamp of the Modi government - the latter in fact was living up to the 'sabjan sukhaye sabjan hitaye' philosophy. Finally, 'multilateralism' is not 'alignment' - it is in fact a negation of the latter. An alignment is always 'against' somebody or some country. Reformed multilateralism does not create conflict and India goes for it with that mindset. India is an active participant in Quad because this forum stands for 'maintenance of rules based order in the Indo-Pacific' - it is not against any particular country but against unwarranted aggressiveness wherever it came from. It needs to be mentioned that India's bilateral relations with the US, Japan and Australia are on an upswing independently of the geopolitical objective of Quad. If India also sees in it a preemptive arrangement to counter any hostile encroachment in the Indian Ocean, there is nothing wrong with it. Since China seeks to 'win a war without fighting a battle' through the strategy of salami slicing, India has every right to expose and put down that hidden agenda of the adversary and do whatever it takes to counter it. India is working for the return of sanity in international relations and is set to improve upon the traditional thinking of somehow preserving national interests even when that meant not caring for the global commons. India has an opportunity of playing this profound role at the world stage and it is a matter of pride that Prime Minister Modi had the political will to rally the international opinion in favour of maintaining global peace so that the cause of economic advancement of the world as a whole, could be served. In a way the slogan of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' at home is in complete sync with the G20 call of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'. If it can establish the feasibility of reconciliation between national growth and human advancement across the globe, G20 would be achieving an unprecedented mission where the world would truly be one- eliminating the menace of conflict and divisions forced in the name of religion, region and race. This would be happening for the first time in the post- Cold War era. Think20 is providing the much needed ideation to the G20 events to enable the latter to fulfil this mission. Bilateralism enlarging into multilateralism without causing harm to any national entity is perhaps a political philosophy whose time had come - it shows the determination at the national level, to do what was right. While every nation has to have military strength to safeguard its sovereignty, seeking prosperity and gains through arms export and economic destruction of a rival has its limitations - those having such a mindset should realise that. Some countries will always be richer than others but they all must work for a sustainable human existence in order to minimise conflict and violence that detracted from the idea of making the world a better place for everybody. The good news is that the approach of India steers clear of ideological contradictions that had marred international and national politics so far and shows a new light to the world on the strength of its civilisational moorings. Democracy ultimately is rule for the people and whether it is the regional setting that produced the Ukraine- Russia armed conflict or an alliance like Sino-Pak axis that was driven by malice against India, the vision set by the thought of universal good and human dignity would win the battle for the people. India has set this higher mission and there is every hope that at the end of India's G20 Presidency it will make a difference to the world. The world can do with injecting some 'philosophy' of life in 'realpolitik'. To sum up, India has come of age as a major power influencing geopolitical trends. It is an advocate of world peace but also a believer in a firm rebuttal of the attempts of a few to disturb it for their own vested interests or hegemonist traits. It looks upon multilateralism as a constructive pathway to economic well- being that would keep the international community from armed combat and destruction. Competitive success in the economy may bring in advantages but these should not lead to a temptation for usurping other 'territories' or 'subjugating' people. Prime Minister Modi's pithy reminder that this is not an era of war, has made an impact on the world and certainly checked the trend of third parties covertly adding fuel to the fire in an ongoing conflict. Peace brings in long-term gains while wars produce losses for all parties. A complication in the times we live in, has risen because of the advent of proxy wars that technology - particularly social media and cyber space - had aided. It enabled covert offensives to succeed in creating a sense of victory in combat because violence and destruction went undetected or remained unattributable in specific terms. Multilateralism has therefore, not only to facilitate mutual economic advancement but also highlight the importance of exchange of Intelligence for countering terrorism and other forms of proxy war. It stands to reason that liaison at the level of National Security Advisors so successfully achieved by India, is becoming the bedrock of India's international relations and foreign policy strategies. This confirms the reality that global security presaged the world's economic development and that the two had to be pursued with equal vigour. (The writer is a former Director of Intelligence Bureau. Views expressed are personal) Lucknow, March 26 : A teacher in a prestigious girls' school in Lucknow, recently, rubbed her eyes in disbelief and then wiped her spectacles. She was examining the papers of Class 7 examinations and could not understand what the students had written. Even Wren and Martin would not have understood. One student wrote "Akbar d grt was known 4 his gnrost. He was a GOAT." As the teacher went on to examine more copies, she was aghast to find that nearly a dozen students in the examinations were using SMS lingo. She said, "I was shocked to see the language that students had written. A large part of it was beyond my comprehension." As the teacher informed her colleagues and the principal, it was found that students in other classes were also using the SMS 'lingo'. The principal, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told IANS that at least five schools -- three girls and two boys -- have reported a similar trend. "At the parents-teacher meeting, when report cards were given out, we spoke to parents but shockingly, a majority of them seemed unaffected. They said that as long as their children had written the right facts, marks should not be deducted for the language," the principal said. Akansha Chaudhary (name changed), one of the students found to be using SMS lino in the exams, said, "There is a shortage of time and we have to race through the paper. Writing in text language is like writing in shorthand. I am sure even our teachers are familiar with the lingo because they use the phone." The mother of another student said that daughter had stopped writing proper sentences during the online classes in the pandemic. "I noticed that she had started taking notes in SMS lingo and there was nothing I could do about it," she said. The mother said that because of her daughter, she was even forced to learn a new language. "My daughter called out to me one day and said, "Your dil wants to talk to you." I could not understand and then she explained that dil meant daughter-in-law and mil was mother-in-law," she said. A teacher in a boys' school said that the trend was more pronounced in schools where students came from upper class and were exposed to social media. "The generation that uses SMS language is unable to understand and apply grammar in their writing. The punctuation is deplorable and in the next five years -- if this trend continues -- you will have a generation that is unable to write proper English," he said. Arvind Gupta, a student of Class 11, said, "I have taken the liberty of using words like bcuz, ASAP and btwn in my class notes as it is easy for me to comprehend the subject in a better and faster manner. However, I do not want to risk offending any examiner so I try to avoid this in the examinations." The heads of these schools admitted that there is strong resistance from parents if they deduct marks for this language. "We have decided to convene a meeting of school heads next month to discuss the issue which is becoming increasingly worrisome. We will have to draw a line and convince parents too because we do not want the leaders of tomorrow to communicate in SMS lingo," said a principal. New Delhi, March 26 : Microsoft is adding "AI-generated stories" for some user searches on its Bing search engine, as it adds more GPT-driven features to its products. According to the company, Bing will now craft AI-generated stories that provide you with multiple ways to consume "bite-sized information through text, images, video, and audio". "Stories are perfect for visual and auditory learners, and they are available to all Bing users in English, French, Japanese, German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Polish and Arabic," said Microsoft. The stories are similar to the ones you will see on social media platforms like Instagram or Snapchat. The company is also upgrading its 'Knowledge Cards' that appear on the right-hand side of the Bing search results page. These are designed to help users explore topics that interest them with facts, image-based timelines, polls, actions, and related topics. "We've expanded the richness and breadth of knowledge cards supported by Bing using generative AI," said the company. Additionally, the company has addressed some known issues with Bing chat, including making it easier for users to copy chat text from the Bing mobile app on iOS. It is improving voice detection in the Bing mobile app so messages aren't sent before users are done speaking. "We are fixing cases where Bing search queries would inadvertently trigger a chat with the same query when you scroll up," said the Microsoft team. Hyderabad, March 26 : Blood clots in veins often cause chances of death and these clots can be avoided with just a mile's walk daily. An awareness walk on Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) was conducted in Hyderabad by KIMS group of hospitals in Hyderabad on Sunday. Cine actress Laxmi Manchu and CMD of the KIMS group of hospitals, Dr. B. Bhaskar Rao attended the walk held at Necklace road. Addressing the occasion, Dr. Narendranadh Meda, HOD and Senior Consultant Vascular & Endovascular Surgeon, and Foot Care Specialist at KIMS Hospitals spoke on the occasion, said: "Acute venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is the most common preventable cause of hospital death, and a source of substantial long-term morbidity. The incidence of DVT is increasing in the general population as well, because of sedentary lifestyles, and unhealthy habituations among the general public. He pointed out that internationally, March is observed as DVT awareness month. DVT refers to a blood clot or thrombus that forms in one or more veins deep inside a person's body. It usually develops in the leg. It blocks blood circulation. The clots can break off and travel through the bloodstream, and thus become fatal. "Some symptoms are swelling, pain, discoloration, and abnormally hot skin in the affected area. In most DVT cases, these symptoms are not seen, the treatment gets delayed and it causes death. DVT is most accurately diagnosed through D dimer assessment along with venous ultrasound and venography. People with prior DVT, stroke, pregnancy, obesity, undergoing major surgery, over the age of 65, and those confined to long periods of immobility such as travel or bed rest are more at risk for deep-vein thrombosis than others," the doctor said. Laxmi Manchu noted that women have more chances to get DVT. Specifically, estrogen hormonal therapy and hormonal birth control can raise a person's chances of developing DVT. From puberty to menopause, women bear the highest risk of venous thromboembolism. Even after menopause years, women have a high chance of getting VTE and DVT. Pregnant women and women taking birth control medicines are at risk of DVT. "I suggest women be more cautious. Walk a mile a day, and it can reduce the risk a lot. Women walk more for daily chores at home. But, seriously walking for 15 minutes a day can relieve us from getting this deadly problem called DVT," she said. "Swelling in one leg, pain, heating of the affected area, reddishness, hard sensation of nerves are some of the symptoms of DVT. It can happen not only in the legs but also in the hands, abdomen, and other areas too. Some may feel breathlessness, and chest pain as well. Those who are 60 plus of age, obese, smokers, and people who suffered from cancer, heart attacks, and varicose veins will have more chances to get DVT. Those who travel for more than 3 hours either by Car, Train, or Flight also have risk. It can come even if one doesn't have any of these. Daily walking, raising the affected leg while sitting, avoiding flight journeys for two or three weeks while using anticoagulants is always better," said Dr. Bollineni Bhaskar Rao. Cheetah gifted by Saudi Prince died of heart attack at Hyderabad Zoo Image Source: IANS News Cheetah gifted by Saudi Prince died of heart attack at Hyderabad Zoo Image Source: IANS News Hyderabad, March 26 : A 15-year-old male Cheetah gifted by the Saudi Prince a decade ago died of a heart attack at the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad. The Cheetah, named 'Abdullah', died on Saturday, a Zoo official told IANS. The Zoo authorities conducted a post-mortem which revealed that it succumbed to heart attack. During his visit to the Zoo on the occasion of CoP11 summit -2012 held in Hyderabad, Saudi Prince Bandar Bin Saud Bin Mohammed Al Saud had announced gifting two pairs of African lions and cheetahs. The zoo had received the animals from the National Wildlife Research Centre of Saudi Arabia in 2013. The female Cheetah died in 2020 and since then the male cheetah, named 'Abdullah', was alone. 'Hiba', the female Cheetah, died at the age of eight. She was diagnosed with paraplegia. Paraplegia is a medical condition involving impairment sensory function of the lower extremities, which is a classification of paralysis. With Abdullah's death, Nehru Zoological Park has no Cheetah. Cheetahs were declared extinct in India about 70 years ago. Last year, eight cheetahs from Namibia were released into Madhya Pradesh's Kuno national park to reintroduce the feline in India. At least 10 people were killed and dozens injured on Saturday in a complex attack near a military base in central Mali, said the army. Moscow, March 26 : Russia will station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, President Vladimir Putin has said, the media reported. President Putin said the move would not violate nuclear non-proliferation agreements and compared it to the US stationing its weapons in Europe, according to Russian state media. Moscow would not be transferring control of its arms to Minsk, he added, BBC reported. The US said it did not believe Russia was preparing to use the nuclear weapons after the announcement. "We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture," the US Defense Department said in a statement. "We remain committed to the collective defence of the Nato alliance." The Belarusian regime is a firm Kremlin ally and supporter of the invasion of Ukraine. President Putin told Russian state television that Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko had long raised the issue of stationing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, BBC reported. "There is nothing unusual here either," he said. "Firstly, the US has been doing this for decades. They have long deployed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allied countries." Russia will have completed the construction of a storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus by 1 July, President Putin added. A small number of Iskander tactical missile systems, which can be used to launch nuclear weapons, have already been transferred to Belarus, President Putin said, BBC reported. He did not specify when the weapons would be transferred to Belarus. It will be the first time since the mid-1990s that Moscow will have based nuclear arms outside the country. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 meant weapons became based in four newly-independent states - Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan - with the transfer of all warheads to Russia completed in 1996. Thiruvananthapuram, March 26 : A 47-year-old man who was nabbed during a vehicle inspection on Saturday night allegedly collapsed and died at a police station in Kerala's Ernakula district. The deceased has been identified as Manoharan. Locals have claimed that Manoharan was taken into custody during a routine vehicle inspection on Saturday night for drunken driving. They alleged that a police team tried to stop the two-wheeler on which Manoharan was coming. Initially, he did not stop the vehicle but soon came back. "The police asked him why he had not stopped the vehicle and beaten him mercilessly," locals alleged. Manoharan was taken into custody and brought to Hill Palace police station of Thrippunithura where he collapsed and was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead. Ernakulam's Youth Congress President Mohammed Shiyaz, while speaking to IANS, hit out at the police and said: "... Custodial torture is the order of the day. Police don't have the right to beat up people, and Manoharan, according to locals, is a person who never consumes liquor." He also claimed that drug peddling is becoming a regular affair in Ernakulam but the police do not have any clue about this. Shiyaz said that there were 12 murders in Ernakulam district last year and the police were not able to crack them. Rema Devi, an agriculture labourer who was a witness to the incident, told media persons that "the police tried to stop Manoharan but he did not stop the vehicle immediately. Soon, he stopped the vehicle and when he removed his helmet, police slapped him on the face, and even after local people informed the police that Manoharan does not consume liquor, the police did not relent and took him into custody. We later heard the news about his death. He was an ordinary man with two children." When contacted, Hill Palace Police station officials said that the police did not beat up Manoharan and he was brought to the station for being taken to the general hospital for an alcohol test. Taipei, March 26 : Honduras has formally established diplomatic ties with China and severed them with Taiwan, ending a decades-long relationship and dealing the latest blow to the self-ruled democratic island in its struggle for recognition, the media reported. "The government of the Republic of Honduras recognises the existence of one China in the world and that the government of the People's Republic of China represents China as a whole," its ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement. "Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and as of today, the government of Honduras has informed Taiwan about the rupture of diplomatic relations," it added, CNN reported. China, which sees Taiwan as part of its territory despite never having ruled it, refuses to maintain diplomatic ties with any country that recognises Taiwan. It has spent much of the past 40 years attempting to isolate the self-ruled island by chipping away at its diplomatic allies with offers of economic support, CNN reported. Honduras had until now been one of just 14 countries that still diplomatically recognised Taipei over Beijing, CNN reported. Soon after the announcement by Honduras, Taiwan confirmed that ties had been formally severed. "To safeguard national sovereignty and dignity, we have decided to immediately cease diplomatic relations with Honduras and suspend all bilateral cooperation plans," Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said at a press conference, adding that Taiwan was asking Honduras to shut its embassy in Taipei. China also confirmed the move, saying it had signed a "Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations" with Honduras on Sunday, CNN reported. "The two governments (of China and Honduras) have decided to recognise each other and establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique," a statement from China's Foreign Ministry read. "There is but one China in the world and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory," it added. Honduran President Xiomara Castro had announced on March 14 that the switch was imminent, CNN reported. Mumbai, March 26 : At least five persons suffered suffocation-related problems when a fire ripped through the fourth floor of a 14 storey MHADA building, the BMC Disaster Control said here on Sunday. The incident was reported from Building No. P-2 of MHADA Complex in Kanjurmarg, around 9.15 a.m. The blaze broke out in the ground floor meter box room and the wiring, installations on the 4th floor and electricity ducts leading to the upper floors. The Fire Brigade rushed three fire-tenders to battle the conflagration which was extinguished in around 45 minutes. Five building residents suffered suffocation-related injuries and were rushed to the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Hospital where their condition is described as 'stable'. They are: Vimal Jalinder Sakte, 74, Alka Sakte, 40, Natasha Sakte, 13, Anjali Mavlankar, 60 and Karuna Ubale 65. The preliminary cause of the fire is suspected to be a short-circuit and further probe is on. Washington, March 26 : Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed Taiwan during their summit this week. Putin reiterated Russia's longstanding support for China's claim over Taiwan, as stated in their joint statement, but did Xi feel reassured that he will fare better if he invaded Taiwan, to finally bring back into the mainland as Chinese leaders have long cherished, than Putin has done in Ukraine? Unlikely. Backed and equipped by the US-led Western alliance, Ukrainians have not only foiled Putin's aim to take over their country but have also rolled back his forces from areas taken earlier, inflicting heavy losses in personnel and equipment. Worse, Russia, a one-time superpower, has been reduced to scrounging around for material from Iran and North Korea, because of crippling sanctions imposed by the US and Europe. Xi might face a similar pushback if he tried the same in Taiwan. But the summit earned him a reaffirmation of Russian support for anything he is planning to do about Taiwan. "The Russian side reaffirms its adherence to the one-China principle, recognises Taiwan as an inalienable part of China's territory, opposes any form of 'Taiwan independence', and firmly supports China's measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity," said the joint statement issued by the two sides after the meeting of their leaders. Taiwan responded by slamming an "authoritarian, expansionist" China for "continuously disseminating in the international arena false narratives that undermine Taiwan's national sovereignty" and Russia for "for falling in line behind China and acting in concert with China's schemes for aggression and expansionism". The Taiwanese Foreign Ministry also reminded Xi that it will not be alone when it stands up against any Chinese aggression. "Taiwan stands on the frontline of defence for the democratic community. The Taiwanese people and government will unite as one to collectively counter the rhetorical assault and military intimidation from Communist China," it said. "Taiwan will strengthen cooperation with fellow democratic nations to deter authoritarian expansionism, preserve peace and security across the Taiwan Strait with an aim to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, and ensure a stable and prosperous world." No countries were named, but the US is likely to be among the "fellow democratic nations" that will stand alongside Taiwan. Though the US has a one-China policy and it does not support Taiwanese independence, it remains committed, per the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, to provide Taiwan arms and equipment necessary to enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defence capability. Something like what it has been doing in Ukraine. New Delhi, March 26 : China and Russia have laid out a basic platform for the creation of a new World Order and stated in part, their push to see this succeed, says Chris Devonshire-Ellis, Chairman of Dezan Shira & Associates. Much is already underway, with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation already discussing mutual cooperation and development with the Eurasian Economic Union. Add in a BRICS+ and the Belt and Road Initiative and the world starts to look rather different than it did pre-Covid, Ellis said. "At that time, President Putin stated that the world would never be as it was. It appears that President Xi Jinping agrees. He was heard stating that 'Great changes are coming' to President Vladimir Putin as he departed back to Beijing on Tuesday evening, indicating that China and Russia do have the basis for enacting reforms," Ellis added. David O. Shullman, senior director of the Global China Hub at the Atlantic Council, says Xi seems to view Russian partnership as essential not only to China's bid to revise the global order but to girding for an expected protracted strategic competition with Washington as US-China ties grow ever more fraught. In particular, Russia is viewed as critical to mitigating China's vulnerability to US actions in the event of a war over Taiwan and devising an alternative to the Washington-centric global financial system, Shullman said. Xi's meetings with Putin and the joint statements released should dispel any remaining doubts that Xi has doubled down on relations with Russia over the past year even as Putin has unleashed his punishing war on Ukraine. Xi, intent upon preventing Russian failure in Ukraine, is supporting Putin's continued ability to prosecute the war in numerous ways short of sanctions violation while deepening the countries' military and economic ties, Shullman said. Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed the deepening political and economic ties between their two countries at a summit that telegraphed their shared interest in challenging a world order led by the US and its democratic allies, The Wall Street Journal reported. China, which has become an important economic lifeline for Russia as it faces Western sanctions, said it would work to strengthen commercial and financial ties. The strengthening entente between Russia and China is a significant concern in Western capitals, which view the pair as a potentially powerful challenger to the US and its allies. Xi and Putin have denounced what they describe as a US-led geopolitical order, and have garnered support, particularly in the developing world, for their vision of a multipolar world, The Wall Street Journal reported. The two leaders greeted each other as "dear friend" before holding discussions, including over Ukraine, and dining together at a state banquet -- a seven-course affair featuring quail blinis, Siberian salmon, venison in cherry sauce and wine from Russia's Black Sea coast, according to a menu. (Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in) New Delhi, March 26 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that earlier the Northeast region was known as for blockades and violence, but now it is known for its developmental strides and all-round development. Modi was responding to a tweet by Home Minister Amit Shah on March 25 where he informed that "PM Narendra Modi led Government of India has once again decided to decrease the disturbed areas in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur under the AFSPA". Shah also added that this decision has been taken on account of significant improvement in the security situation in North-East India. In reply to Shah's tweet, the Prime Minister tweeted, "The Northeast is witnessing all-round development. Once known for blockades and violence, the region is now known for its development strides." New Delhi, March 26 : As the US invests billions in local semiconductor manufacturing to end its dependence on China, the bonhomie between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin can be seen as an effort by Beijing to somehow negotiate on raw materials needed in semiconductor manufacturing. Russia and Ukraine are major producers of two key materials used in semiconductor manufacturing - neon and palladium. Ukraine represents about 70 to 80 per cent of the global supply of neon, while Russia produces about 35 to 45 per cent of the world's palladium supply. For many years, chip manufacturing has been consolidated in Southeast Asia and China. However, in recent days, India and the US have come closer to establishing a semiconductor supply chain and innovation partnership under the framework of India-US Commercial Dialogue. China, which is the leader in chip manufacturing, is wary of the changing dynamics and is keen to explore new avenues to continue holding its leadership position in the global semiconductor industry. The China-Russia summit, according to experts, can be one such attempt to control the raw material supply to nations which align with the US Chips Act and are investing hugely in the country. Washington's Chips and Science Act and its requirements for companies receiving incentives are likely to put South Korean chipmakers' ability to navigate business uncertainties and balance between the US and China to the test. The Biden administration has announced conditions for subsidies under the $53 billion act, designed to revitalise the American chip industry, secure supply chains and keep China's technology advances in check. According to Global Times, South Korea's semiconductors export to China, its largest trade partner, almost halved in January, impacted by the US' stepped-up chip war against China. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said that South Korea's exports in January fell 16.6 per cent year-on-year to $46.3 billion. Chip sales, the country's top export item, plunged 44.5 per cent to $4.8 billion. However, Chinese experts said South Korean chipmakers can't afford to lose the massive Chinese market. The South Korean ministry has said it will continue to closely consult with the US government to relay South Korean chipmakers' concerns and positions on the issue. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, the world's two largest memory chip makers, have significant semiconductor manufacturing operations in China, with Samsung producing some 40 per cent of its NAND flash and SK hynix manufacturing about half of its global DRAM chips in China. In the US, Samsung is building a $17 billion chip facility in Taylor, Texas, and SK hynix has said it planned to select a site for a semiconductor packaging plant there in the first half. However, being squeezed between the intensifying US-China tech rivalry is nothing new for the two chipmakers, according to Yonhap news agency. Last October, Washington announced a set of measures that restrict exports of advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment to companies in China. The sweeping export curbs, among other things, demand companies receive a license for equipment exports to Chinese firms that make advanced chips, such as DRAM chips that are 18 nanometers (nm) and below, NAND flash chips with 128 layers or more, and logic chips 14 nm and below. The two firms then received a one-year waiver from the US government through close consultation and discussion with Washington. India, which is a close ally of Russia, has also embarked upon a semiconductor manufacturing journey and wishes to become a global chip hub. Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Electronics, Railways and Telecom, said this month that the government is focused on strengthening the semiconductor industry for India. "We are talking to all stakeholders in the semiconductor industry. It's a new industry and an uphill task, but we are committed to do what is needed," he said while addressing the CII Partnership Summit. "We should see a vibrant semiconductor industry in the next three to four years," the minister added. The Indian government has approved Rs 76,000 crore ($10 billion) to attract investments in the field of semiconductors and display manufacturing. Vedanta and Foxconn recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gujarat government to invest Rs 1,54,000 crore to set up India's first semiconductor and display manufacturing plant. As India and the US double down on local semiconductor manufacturing, the municipal government of Guangzhou in China has invested 200 billion yuan ($29 billion) to establish funds that will help spur activities involving semiconductors. With the recent supply chain issues in the chip market due to the Russia-Ukraine war, and now a China-Russia summit, India needs to play its diplomatic cards well in order to become a global chip manufacturing hub. (Nishant Arora can be reached at nishant.a@ians.in) Washington, March 26 : No summit not involving a US President has been followed with as much interest - actually, a mix of concern, alarm and gamesmanship - by the US government recently as the one wrapped by China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin earlier this week in Moscow. The White House and the State Department kept up a daily commentary on the two leaders' meetings that took place over three days, some of them came in response to questions from reporters at the daily briefings respectively and others were entirely unprompted as if Washington DC was trying to get in a word, and turn the summit into a three-way dialogue. The US news media, the same time, tooth-combed the visit with breathless coverage of everything from the red carpet rolled out for President Xi, to the military guard and, to their rapturous dismay, the rapport shared by the two leaders who declared each other "dear friend". Washington DC could not have been more focussed, even as the summit came amidst a scary banking crisis precipitated by the failure of two regional Banks - the Silicon Valley Bank and Signature - and a highly anticipation arrest of former President Donald Trump in connection with an affair with pornstar Stormy Daniels, which, eventually did not happen. There were other developments in the days leading up to the visit such as China brokering a peace deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, delving into a region where the US called the shots; the announcement of a Chinese 12-point peace plan to end the war in Ukraine; and, an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal court for President Putin. The US went on the offensive even before a single word was uttered by the two leaders in Moscow. Secretary of State Antony Blinken cited the warrant to used it to question President Xi's intentions. "That President Xi is travelling to Russia days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Putin suggests that China feels no responsibility to hold the Kremlin accountable for the atrocities committed in Ukraine, and instead of even condemning them, it would rather provide diplomatic cover for Russia to continue to commit those very crimes," he said before the Chinese leader touched down in Moscow. The White House leaned in around the same time, expressing doubts about Xi's sincerity in resolving the Ukraine conflict. Instead of pressing Putin to leave Ukraine and end the war, "we are concerned that, instead, China will reiterate calls for a ceasefire that leaves Russian forces inside Ukraine sovereign", John Kirby, the spokesman for the National Security Council told reporters on Monday, just before or around the time President Xi reached Moscow to begin his visit. Keeping a close eye on the visit, the US went to question the depth of the developing relationship between the two countries. Asked if the US considered the evolving relationship as an alliance, Kirby said he would call it a "marriage of convenience" between the two powers and, it added later, Russia was the "junior partner". "In President Putin and Russia, President Xi sees a counterweight to American influence and NATO influence certainly on the continent and elsewhere around the world," he said, adding: "In President Xi, President Putin sees a potential backer here. This is a man who doesn't have a whole lot of friends on the international stage; they can count them on one hand mostly." Underlying the US response has been the Biden administration's stated assessment of China as the "only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it". Russia, it has said, has pursued "an imperialist foreign policy with the goal of overturning key elements of the international order". New Delhi, March 26 : Russian President Vladimir Putin is turning Russia into, in effect, a vassal state of China. Over time, as the power imbalance in the relationship continues to widen in China's favour, Moscow will find itself less and less able to chart an independent foreign policy or deviate from alignment with Beijing's interests, says Michaeal Schuman, non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub. That, of course, suits Chinese President Xi Jinping just fine, since he gets greater leverage over Moscow, Schuman said. Both sides got what they wanted out of the summit. Putin continues to benefit diplomatically and economically from closer ties to China as he pursues his Ukraine war. Xi got to play the grand international statesman, carrying a purported "peace plan" in his pocket, all the while deepening ties to Russia and making the country more dependent on China, Schuman said. Xi's approach to Russia is representative of his changing foreign policy overall. First, Xi has fully embraced anti-Americanism and that has become the primary driver of its foreign policy. Secondly, writing off the US and its partners as inherently hostile, Xi is re-orienting China's foreign policy to focus on the developing world, where which Beijing believes is more fertile ground for building support for Chinese interests. There China can create unequal relationships which it dominates politically and economically, as with Russia. In Beijing's planning, those relationships will form the basis of an alternative world order centered on China and controlled by Beijing. Russia is key to that vision, Schuman said. China has presented itself as a potential peacemaker in the Ukraine conflict, seeking to build on a deal it helped broker earlier this month to restore formal ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, The Wall Street Journal reported. Xi's visit is "a huge demonstration of Russian-Chinese friendship, giving legitimacy to Putin", said Jakub Jakobowski, a China researcher and deputy director of the Centre for Eastern Studies, a Polish government-funded think tank. "Despite this great strategic blunder that Putin made last year, he is still an important asset that China doesn't want to lose." Jakobowski added, however, that another purpose of the trip was likely for Xi to "have more control over where the relationship is going", The Wall Street Journal reported. China's support has also provided Russia protection from Western pressure -- with Xi fully embracing Putin's framing of the Ukraine conflict as part of a larger effort by the West to contain rival powers and prevent what Putin calls a historical shift toward a "multipolar" world. A telling moment came as Xi bid farewell to Putin following a state dinner at the Kremlin Tuesday. "Right now there are changes the likes of which we haven't seen for 100 years," Xi told Putin. "And we are the ones driving these changes together", NPR reported. (Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in) Arab leaders convened on Wednesday in Algeria for the second day of the 31st summit of the largest annual Arab conference to seek common ground on divisive issues in the region. The meeting comes against the backdrop of rising inflation, food and energy shortages, drought and soaring cost of living across the Middle East and Africa. The kings, emirs, presidents and prime ministers are discussing thorny issues such as the establishment of diplomatic ties between Israel and four Arab countries as former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies appears to be heading to an election victory. The summit's discussions are also focused on the food and energy crises aggravated by Russia's war in Ukraine that has had devastating consequences for Arab countries, struggling to import enough wheat and fuel to satisfy their populations. Deepening the crisis is the worst drought in several decades that has ravaged swaths of Somalia, one of the Arab League's newer members, bringing some areas of the country to the brink of famine. Russia's reinforcement of its blockade on Ukraine's Black Sea ports on Sunday threatens to further escalate the crisis, with many Arab countries near solely dependent on Ukrainian and Russian wheat exports and fertilizers. The event provides an opportunity for Algeria _ Africa's largest country by territory _ to showcase its leadership in the Arab world. Algeria is a major oil and gas producer and is perceived by European nations as a key supplier amid the global energy crisis that stems from Russia's war in Ukraine. Algeria, along with other Arab countries, remains fiercely opposed to the series of normalization agreements the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco signed with Israel over the past three years have divided the region into two camps. Sudan has also agreed to establish ties with Israel. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune vowed in his opening speech Tuesday to put forth considerable efforts at the summit to try to reaffirm support for the Palestinians in their conflict with Israel as the Arab and international communities' attention shifts to other conflicts and crises. ``Our main and first cause, the mother of all causes, the Palestinian issue, will be at the heart of our concerns and our main priority,`` Tebboune said. He blasted Israel for its ``continued occupation'' of Palestinian territories and ``expanding its illegal settlements.'' Last month, Algeria hosted talks in a bid to end the Palestinian political divide and reconcile the Fatah party, whose Palestinian Authority rules parts of the occupied West Bank, and the militant Hamas group, which has control of the Gaza Strip. The Arab summit comes at the time of heightened tensions in the West Bank, where the Israeli military has conducted nightly arrest raids in searches for Palestinian militants. Dozens of Palestinians have been killed in recent months, including armed gunmen, stone-throwing teenagers and people uninvolved in violence. The 22-member Arab League last held its summit in 2019, before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. A final declaration from the gathering in Algeria's capital, Algiers, is expected later on Wednesday. Search Keywords: Short link: Varanasi : , March 26 (IANS) Bhojpuri actress Akanksha Dubey committed suicide in a hotel room in Varanasi on Sunday. She was found hanging in her hotel room in Sarnath area. She was in Varanasi for shooting of a film. The police have informed her family of the incident. Akanksha was born on October 21, 1997, in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. She was fond of dancing and acting from a young age, and so she began her acting career on TikTok and Instagram by sharing her short dancing and acting videos. Even on Saturday night, she shared a video on her Instagram account. Almost a month ago, the actress was in the news as she had taken to social media to make her relationship Instagram official on Valentine's Day. She had shared photos with co-star Samar Singh. She had written, 'Happy Valentine's Day.' Further details are awaited and police officials refused to comment on the incident. Lucknow, March 26 : A team of Uttar Pradesh police has reached the Sabarmati jail in Ahmedabad to bring mafia don-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad to Prayagraj. Atiq, who is lodged in Sabarmati jail, is being brought back to Prayagraj in connection with an old kidnapping case of Umesh Pal in which he is the main accused. Sources said that the 15-member police team has reached Ahmedabad with relevant court documents needed to bring Atiq to Prayagraj. Atiq will be brought back to Uttar Pradesh in a police van and another escort van will accompany him during the 1,275 km road journey. He is expected to leave Ahmedabad later, on Sunday evening, and will take around 24 hours to reach the destination. His supporters are apprehensive of his security during the transfer from Ahmedabad to Prayagraj since some BJP leaders, including BJP MP from Kannauj Subrat Pathak, have already said that they would not be surprised if Atiq's car overturns. Panaji, March 26 : Leader of Opposition in Goa Assembly Yuri Alemao said on Sunday that the Opposition MLAs are all "set to grill" the BJP government during the Budget Session, beginning from March 27, on issues concerning the state. Congress leader Alemao said that facts and figures detailing "the crores of rupees spent on self-glorification events and advertisement's by the BJP government will come to light in the upcoming Assembly session". "This session will expose the true face of the failed BJP government. It will be proved that the rattled BJP government is curtailing the session instead of curtailing wasteful expenditure," Alemao added. The Congress leader claimed that the replies to his Legislative Assembly Questions (LAQ) will expose "the failure of the BJP government in generating employment, disaster management, deliberate ignorance on Mhadei issue, failure to control price rise and failure to fill vacancies in government departments..." He urged people, who are employed by the state government, to keep a watch on the Assembly proceedings. "They will get to know how the insensitive BJP government deprived them of their rightful timely financial assistance and monthly salaries, and instead spent on self-glorification events and publicity stunts," Alemao added. Chennai, March 26 : The Tamil Nadu coastal police are conducting searches in several mechanised boats and questioning fishermen after one tonne of sea cucumbers was seized while it was about to be shipped illegally to Sri Lanka on Saturday. Three people have been arrested for processing and smuggling sea cucumbers to Sri Lanka. Sources in the coastal police told IANS that even after several awareness programmes were conducted against sea cucumber smuggling, there is unabated smuggling of the endangered species from the area. It may be noted that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified sea-cucumbers (Kadal Attai) as an endangered species. The sea cucumber is a food and medicinal supplement in several countries like China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Japan and some other far eastern countries. According to the police and forest authorities, one metric tonne of sea cucumber is valued at Rs 30 lakh in India but if it is smuggled into countries like Sri Lanka or China, the amount is four to five times the value in India. Meanwhile, Armstrong Fernando, Chairman, 'All India Fishermen Congress', the fishermen wing of the Congress, said that there were 10 types of sea cucumbers in the waters adjoining the Ramanathapuram coast and that they were capable of laying lakhs of eggs in every six months. While speaking to IANS, he said, "The marine animal's population has increased drastically since the last two decades and classifying it still as an endangered species is misleading." The Congress wing is planning a protest in April 2023 in New Delhi to bring to the notice of the central government to lift the ban on sea cucumber catch and to make it legal so that the revenue is increased manifold for the fishermen of the area. The sea cucumber fishing was banned in 2001 but smuggling has been rampant from the area and cartels have been controlling the market thus leaving ordinary fishermen, out of the loop. However, sources in the Coastal security police of Tamil Nadu told IANS that they were continuing the searches in boats as well as godowns and ice factories where fish is stored in Nagapattinam area. New Delhi, March 26 : The national airline of the UAE, Etihad Airways, is all set to welcome travellers with a specifically crafted inflight menu during the holy month of Ramzan. Once more working with Emirati Chef Khaled Alsaadi, Etihad's culinary design team is reimagining popular Ramadan dishes by combining traditional Emirati recipes with modern cooking methods and regional components. Turky Alhammadi, Head of Product and Hospitality, at Etihad Airways said, "Our continued collaboration with Chef Khaled brings together his culinary skills with a distinctively modern take on local dishes, working hand in hand with our culinary design team. We hope that our guests will enjoy this specially curated menu during their flight in the holy month. We look forward to hosting our guests and encourage everyone travelling with Etihad to savour these Ramadan specials." Iftar meals will be served onboard in addition to Etihad's regular hot meal service, and guests will be treated to dishes like Saffron curry crusted seabream, Lamb shank with black lime jus, Lentil soup, Chaami and beetroot salad, Machboos chicken ciabatta sandwich, Aseeda cheesecake, Saffron pot de creme with Batheeta crumble, and more. Chef Khaled Alsaadi said, "It was an absolute pleasure to work again with Etihad's culinary design team, the unique collaboration allowed me to present modern Emirati dishes to international guests travelling on board the UAE's national carrier. Travellers during Ramadan, long for a nourishing iftar meal, and I wanted to bring the essence of Emirati cuisine to Etihad's travellers to taste local flavours and leave a lasting impression on their taste buds." The Etihad Ramzan experience begins in the airport bars in Abu Dhabi, which will also offer special Ramadan foods and drinks as well as prayer spaces. Visitors will be able to replicate Etihad's distinctive inflight meals at home by accessing a selection of bespoke recipes online or by scanning QR codes located at the foot of the onboard menu. On particular flights that align with iftar times, Etihad's Ramadan menu will be accessible to guests in every cabin. Flights to and from the Gulf nations and flights for Umrah parties visiting Jeddah during Ramadan are included in this. (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in) New Delhi, March 26 : The BJP launched a scathing attack on the Congress and called its 'Satyagraha' as 'Duragraha' on Sunday. The Congress is staging 'Sankalp Satyagraha' at the Rajghat against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Parliament. Speaking to IANS, BJP leader R.P. Singh said, "It is clear from this what kind of Satyagraha the Congress is doing. The murderer of Sikhs (Jagdish Tytler) has joined this Satyagraha. Congress cannot survive without Tytler. The party invites him to every event." Singh said that this is not Satyagraha, but an attempt is being made to reinstate Jagdish Tytler, who is accused of killing Sikhs. In February this year, Tytler was elected a member of the Congress Committee." BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla hit out at the Congress party and said the Satyagraha was a 'Duragraha' against the OBCs & Courts. Poonawalla said, "Today's so-called Satyagraha by the Congress showed their Duragraha for court and and for the constitution because it was a court that convicted Rahul Gandhi...It is a Duragraha against the OBC samaj to support such a statement. "t was also against the Sikh community by allowing Jagdish Tytler to be part of this so-called Satyagraha. He said that time and again Congress was rubbing salt into the wounds of the Sikh community." Poonawalla said that Tytler was being patronised by the Congress during the MCD elections and Bharat Jodo Yatra too. Poonawalla said that Mahatma Gandhi fought to unite India where as "Rahul Gandhi insults India, insults the poor and weak communities and OBC samaj, insults the Sikh community and the Constitution". Thiruvananthapuram, March 26 : A sub-inspector was suspended on Sunday after a man, who was allegedly assaulted by him, died in the police custody in Kerala's Ernakulam district. Sub-inspector Jimmy Jose of Hill Palace Police station in Thrippunithura has allegedly slapped Manoharan (51), who was nabbed for "drunken driving" on Saturday night during a routine vehicle inspection. Manohar was brought to the police station, where he collapsed and later declared dead by doctors. In wake of the incident, Ernakulam City Police Commissioner, Sethuraman, issued order to suspend the sub-inspector. Opposition leader, V.D. Satheeshan said that the policeman should be slapped with murder charges and that a mere suspension is not enough. He said he himself had complained many times to the higher authorities against the functioning that Hill Palace police station. He said that if the state Home Department will not take strict actions, the Congress will hold strong agitations against it. Local MLA and Kerala Congress leader, Anoop Jacob said that the Hill Palace Police is not people-friendly and has several complaints against the functioning of the station. He also called upon the Police Department to dismiss the concerned officer. Meanwhile, the Youth Congress and BJP carried out protest marches towards the Hill Palace Police station calling for immediate action against all policemen involved in the alleged "custodial torture and death of Manoharan". Ajayan, a local man told IANS that Manoharan, a daily wage worker, was a person who had never consumed liquor in his life. He has a small family comprising of his wife and two children. Thiruvananthapuram, March 26 : An Indian Coast Guard helicopter crashed near the runway of Nedumbassery airport in Kochi on Sunday . The helicopter, which was on a training programme, crashed immediately after it took off from the Nedumbassery airport. Three people were in the chopper, however, there were no casualties. Coast Guard officer Sunil Lotla was injured and has been taken to a hospital for further treatment. A senior officer with the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) told IANS that the accident occurred at 12.25 p.m. and an official of the Coast Guard was injured. The official said that the runway of the airport has been temporarily shut and a flight from Oman is diverted to Thiruvananthapuram airport. He said that the runway is likely to be shut for two and a half hours. Two others escaped unhurt in the accident. Kathmandu, March 26 : Nepal government is sending an advance team to New Delhi to lay the ground for Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's upcoming visit to India. The team will jointly work with the Indian officials to set bilateral talks agenda even though the dates of Dahal's trip are yet to be finalised, according to a report published in Kathmandu Post on Sunday. Report stated that in the absence of a designated foreign minister, Prime Minister Dahal aka Prachanda has instructed Chief Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to dispatch an advance team. Due to the delays in Cabinet expansion, the prime minister himself is in charge of the foreign ministry, besides 15 other ministries. Prachanda could visit India between the second and third week of April, with exact travel dates subject to an official announcement. Prime Minister's chief personal secretary Ramesh Malla told the Post that Dahal has already instructed the chief secretary to form an advance team of representatives from various ministries who will discuss the visit agenda to make it fruitful. This will be the Prachanda's "return" visit, following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hop over to Lumbini in May last year. Sources told the Post that a joint-secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, probably heading the South Asia division, could lead the team involving joint-secretaries from various other ministers. The team will have representatives from ministries including energy and water resources; physical infrastructure and transport; industry, commerce and supplies; and culture, tourism and civil aviation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate with the officials, mostly from the ministries that have important agendas to be taken up during the visit, Malla told the Post, who will lead the team is still unsure, but officials at the prime minister's office and the foreign ministry will take the lead. The date of the prime minister's India visit will be fixed only after he gives his Cabinet full shape. Prime Minister Dahal has said that his first foreign visit will be to India. After the prime minister expressed his intent to visit India first, New Delhi had sent Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kawtra to Kathmandu last month. After winning a vote of confidence on March 20, Dahal reiterated that he would focus on the planned India tour. "I will go to India before April 20," Dahal said. "Though we are yet to finalise the date of visit, it could happen in the first or second week of April," he told reporters at Parliament. From China, which he visited first for the Beijing Olympics during his first stint as prime minister, Dahal has already received an invitation to the "Boao Forum for Asia" annual conference. New Delhi, March 26 : Even as the Congress is holding press conferences and nationwide protests against disqualification of its leader Rahul Gandhi from Parliament, the BJP has formulated a strategy to play on the front foot and is cornering the Gandhi scion for his "anti-OBC remarks". After the Surat court convicted Rahul in the criminal defamation case, the BJP mounted its attack on the Congress leader. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday held a meeting with the OBC ministers and discussed framework to carry out a campaign against Rahul for his "Modi surname" remark. BJP national president J. P. Nadda has invited all 28 parliamentarians of the party who are from the OBC community for a dinner on March 28. Talking to IANS, a BJP parliamentaian from the OBC community said that Rahul has insulted the entire OBC community and in this meeting, definitely party national president will guide on the issue. Responding to Rahul's press conference, former union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "Rahul has inulted the entire OBC community and not only Modi surname. Modi is a community not just a surname. Rahul has a right to criticise but not abuse. If Rahul says that he speaks in public with full understanding, then it is clear that he has intentionally insulted the OBCs. The BJP will hold nationwide campaign against Rahul Gandhi for insulting OBCs." Campaigning against Rahul from Parliament to road over the "Modi surname" remarks will give an edge to BJP on many fronts in the states which have OBC leaders like SP chief and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, former chief minister and RLD leader Lalu Yadav, Deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav, Chhattisgarh chief minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel and his Rajasthan chief minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot , who are considered big OBC leaders. The BJP is also trying to "expose" the bickerings in the Congress party by raking up the issue. "Congress has a battery of lawyers. Why they did not appeal for a stay order in Surat Session court, High Court or Supreme Court. Who asked Rahul not to move court. Does Rahul want to become a martyr by cutting his nail," Prasad asked. "BJP accused Rahul of not moving the court so that he can be projected as "martyr" in the Karnataka Assembly polls. Such indications were given by Rahul's sister Priyanka and other Congress leaders," Prasad claimed. Prasad said that in context of Congress leader Pawan Khera's arrest over his derogatory remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, soon the court was approached and he got the relief. Prasad claimed that it may be a part of internal politics of the Congress to remove Rahul to "save" the party. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said that intead of accusing, Rahul Gandhi should find out conspiracy being carried out against him. Despite battery of advocates in the Congress, who planned a conspiracy to get rid of Rahul. When Pawan Kera can move court two hours after his arrest warrant was issued, who stopped Rahul to move court even 24 hours after he was convicted in a defamation case. By raking up this issue, the BJP leaders are trying to prove that everything is not well in the Congress. Egypt's Minister of Emigration and Expatriates Affairs Soha Gendy said on Monday that the ministry coordinates with the Egyptian embassy in Ankara to follow up on all updates related to the explosion of a cargo ship off Turkeys coast, which left several of its 17-member crew, including 14 Egyptians, injured. The incident took place late on Tuesday when a Panama-flagged multi-cargo ship caught fire in the Black Sea. Two coastguard boats, one helicopter, as well as local fishermen rushed to the scene after receiving radio signals that a blaze was raging on the 9,200-dwt Beata vessel, according to Turkish local newspapers. According to the coastguards, the crew were taken off board and brought to Sinop where they were hospitalised. Most victims experienced carbon monoxide poisoning, and three of them are in critical condition. The master of the ship Hisham Thabet, who is also Egyptian, however, remains missing and may have drowned, according to Turkish local reports. According to a statement by the emigration ministry earlier in the day, 14 Egyptians were among the injured in the incident, including three in critical condition. The statement quoted Gendy as saying that the injured are receiving treatment at a hospital in Turkey. She noted that search for the missing captain of the vessel, who is an Egyptian national, is underway. The Turkish local newspapers stated that Turkish authorities gave no information on the causes of the fire. Search Keywords: Short link: Bhopal, March 26 : A missionary school in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district was sealed after liquor and condoms were found in the principal's room during a surprise inspection. The inspection was conducted by the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Saturday. The SCPCR team found beds, liquor and condoms and also egg trays and gas cylinders. "I saw there was a gas cylinder and other objectionable stuff, including liquor bottles. Police are investigating the whole matter," Nivedita Sharma, a member of the SCPCR inspection team said, adding that she had brought the matter to the notice of the District Collector. An FIR has been lodged against the principal of the school and a detailed investigation has been demanded from the police. "When we reached there for a routine inspection, we were surprised to know how both corners of the school were attached from the inside... It was a room and liquor bottles and condoms were found there. It was like a complete residential setup. It does not belong to only one person, but more people came out of the building who were living there. It was being used as an accommodation," Sharma told IANS. She further said that at lest 15 beds were lying in that room and there was no CCTV camera. "The question arises that when CCTV cameras are installed in other locations of the building, why was that particular section left out. If the principal said he wasn't staying there, then who was staying and why 15 beds are present there. More importantly, why does that room have a direct entrance with classrooms of girl students," Nivedita Sharma said. She further said that liquor is not allowed on the school campus at all. "It is a violation of the law. The excise department is also taking action on the matter as it is also illegal that nobody can keep such amounts of liquor. Some other objectionable stuff, including condoms were also found," she added. Kolkata, March 26 : In a shocking incident, a tribal couple was lynched by local people on suspicion of practicing witchcraft in West Bengal's Birbhum district, police said. The incident took place in the Ahmedpur area under Sainthia Police Station in Birbhum district. The deceased persons have been identified as Pandu Hembram (62) and his wife Parvati Hembram (52). Local police sources said that they were severely beaten up by the locals late Friday night, following which they were admitted at the local Bolpur Sub-Divisional Hospital under extremely critical condition. Both died early Sunday morning. The headman of the village, Rubai Besra has been arrested in this connection. He is being suspected of instigating the local people against the deceased couple for quite some time. Tension is still prevailing in the area. The police and district administration are keeping a close watch on the situation prevailing there. Questions have been raised over the reluctance of the district administration in conducting regular awareness campaigns in the area against deadly superstitions where innocent people are first branded as practicing witchcraft, following which they are either humiliated or assaulted or even killed as happened in this case. Bidar : , March 26 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah Sunday found fault with the Congress and BRS for ignoring the sacrifices of martyrs who fought for Hyderabad's liberation from the Nizam's rule. He was speaking after inaugurating the Gorata Martyrs' Memorial and statue of the country's first Home Minister, Late Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Gorata village in Bidar district of Karnataka. Shah also hoisted a 103-foot high national flag on the occasion. Addressing the huge gathering, Shah recalled that scores of people from Gorata had been killed by the Nizam's forces for hoisting a small flag. "Today we have hoisted a massive flag here," he said. Shah attacked the Congress party for ignoring the sacrifices of scores of people who laid down their lives for liberating areas under the Nizam rule after the rest of the country had gained Independence. "In pursuance of vote bank politics, the Congress never honoured the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for Hyderabad liberation," Shah charged the Congress party. Shah did not spare the ruling BRS party in neighbouring Telangana too. "The Telangana government continues to avoid celebrating the Hyderabad Liberation Day, but under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the BJP has been celebrating it since last year in Telangana," Shah said. Promising to construct a grand memorial with an outlay of Rs 50 crore if the BJP is voted back to power in Karnataka, Shah said that next year's Hyderabad Liberation Day will then be performed at Gorata. The event was attended by former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, and Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar among others. Bahraich : , March 26 (IANS) The Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) will soon be developed as the second research centre of the National Aquatic Animal (Gangetic dolphin) in the country. A proposal in this regard has already been sent to the Centre by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). The proposal seeks Centre's nod to set up a dolphin research centre along the bank of Geruwa river, which flows through KWS in Bahraich. According to B Prabhakar, field director (FD), Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR), the proposal is pending at the level of the Government of India. As per the proposal, the area would be improvised and focused for boosting production of Gangetic dolphins. Besides, a rapid action force would be deployed to deal with poachers/hunters. In Uttar Pradesh, dolphins are found in the stretches of Ganga River from Bijnor to Narora, in the Chambal on the border of Etawah and Agra and in Ghaghra and Geruwa river in KWS in Bahraich. The Gangetic dolphin is listed endangered by the IUCN and is placed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Earlier in 2009, the Union government had declared dolphins as the national aquatic animal. Akash Deep Badhwan, divisional forest officer of KWS, said that KWS is a closed habitat of Gangetic dolphins. He said about a 12-kilometre stretch of the Geruwa River within the sanctuary area is protected and monitored most of the time. Fishing is strictly prohibited while the river stretch is monitored by motor boats and watch-towers. Moreover, the Gharial and boating centre is already there on the bank of the river. So, it is very logical to establish a research centre in the sanctuary area. He said the centre would certainly be helpful in the conservation of the freshwater aquatic species. The national aquatic animal Gangetic dolphin, he said, is flourishing in the Geruwa River. This is in stark contrast to the situation in the Ganga and the Ghaghra rivers where it is disappearing fast. The dolphins were reviving in the Geruwa as its water was fresh and clean. The river originates in Nepal and enters the sanctuary through eight channels. According to an estimate, there are about 2,000 Gangetic dolphins in different rivers in India. Of these, about 60 to 80 are present in the Geruwa River in KWS. As of now, the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS) of Bhagalpur in Bihar is the only dolphin sanctuary in the country. Chennai, March 26 : Tamil Nadu Congress legislators will hold a sit-in protest in the Assembly on Monday to condemn the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Parliament. The protest will continue for 24 hours and end on Tuesday morning. The Congress party will also move a special resolution in the Assembly to protest the "murder of democracy". This was announced by the Congress legislative party leader, Selvaperithungai on Sunday while interacting with mediapersons. He said that the legislators will wear a black attire in the Assembly while participating in the ongoing budget session in the House. He said, "We will hold placards saying #StandWithRahul and stage sit-in protests by staying in the House throughout the night to show the unity of the opposition." Meanwhile, in a related development, Congress cadres conducted a hunger strike in front of the memorial of Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumbudur. The cadres shouted against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called upon the central government to withdraw the case against Rahul Gandhi. Patna, March 26 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has entrusted Samrat Choudhary with the responsibilty of strenghthening the party base in Bihar by appointing him the President of the party's state unit. Choudhary, a vocal critic of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, comes from Kushwaha community. He will be directly competing with the 'Mahagathbandhan' in the state, and is confident that the saffron party will win all 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2024. The state BJP chief, in a conversation with IANS, said that he is always prepared to raise the voices of the common people in the state. "I know that there are certain challenges, but we know how to turn challenges into opportunities," the newly-appointed Bihar BJP chief said, while asserting that "the party would definitely form government in the state". Choudhary started his political career in 1990. His father, Shakuni Choudhary, was one of the founders of Samata party. The BJP leader said that he would prioritise expanding the party base in the state and protect the honour and dignity of party workers. When asked about caste-based politics and social equations, Choudhary said that BJP talks about the welfare and development of the poor and the marginalised. Choudhary claimed that Nitish Kumar is "no longer important in the state politics and has become irrelevant". Citing the results of the 2015 state Assembly elections, the BJP leader said that it is apparent that "people do not like Nitish Kumar anymore". He said that law and order situation has worsened in the state, and the deaths due to poisonous liquor after liquor ban and tricking people in the name of government jobs are the factors that led to the fall of Nitish Kumar. Choudhary claimed that even Nitish Kumar's allies do not trust him now. Talking about the 'Grand Alliance' (Mahagathbandhan), the state BJP chief said that it is "not appropriate to call it grand alliance as the state is suffering the most since they occupied the chair". He further said that the Deputy Chief Minister here wanted to become the Chief Minister while the Chief Minister is aspiring to become the Prime Minister. On a query that wheather the BJP will forge any new alliance in the state, Choudhary said that it would be the decision of the Central leadership. Choudhary, who had held the responsibility of Agriculture Minister and Panchayati Raj Minister in Bihar, said that the organisational activism and leadership structure of the BJP is "very effective". "The saffron party will achieve its target the basis of people's trust and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hardwork," he added. Choudhary said that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is a symbol of 'Jungle Raj' and Nitish Kumar had no mass base left in the state. Hyderabad, March 26 : Suspended YSRCP MLA Undavalli Sridevi on Sunday alleged that she faces threat to her life from party general secretary and Andhra Pradesh government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy. A day after her office was attacked allegedly by the cadres of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Tadikonda constituency in Guntur district, the MLA addressed a news conference in Hyderabad to target Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Sajjala. Alleging that she faces threat to her life from Sajjala, she said it was unfortunate that Andhra Pradesh is facing a situation where even a woman MLA has no protection. She said she would complain to the National Scheduled Caste Commission against Sajjala. Sridevi was among four MLAs suspended from YSRCP on March 24 for voting for Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate in Legislative Council elections from MLA quota. The cross-voting by four rebel MLAs of the ruling party had helped TDP win one of the seven Council seats. Sridevi stated that YSRCP leaders were making allegations against her without maintaining decency while talking about a woman MLA. She also remarked that she will soon give a return gift to those who are alleging that she sold herself in MLC elections. The MLA alleged that she was sent out of the party for refusing to be a "benami for YSRCP's illegal acts and unauthorised mining". She said that after using her for four years, the party dumped her citing MLC elections as an excuse. She also claimed that "YSRCP goons were threatening her". "There is a conspiracy to send me out of the state capital region," the MLA said. Sridevi also announced that she will stand with Amaravati farmers who have been fighting against the government's plans for trifurcation of state capital. Stating that she has no plans to join any other party, she said she would fight for solving problems of the people of his constituency as an independent MLA. Mumbai, March 26 : Actress Raashii Khanna has expressed her desire to work with actor Kartik Aaryan in a love story just like 'Aashiqui'. Recently during an interview, while talking about Kartik, Raashii said, "I think with him, I would like to do an intense love story, not a comedy fun genre kind of film but like an intense film like Aashiqui." "That film I think will be very nice because I love romantic films and I had done a film and that was the film that was immensely loved by the audience so they love me in a love story. So if I have to do with Kartik, probably a film like that." On the work front, Kartik has an exciting line-up of films with Satyaprem Ki Katha, Aashiqui 3, and Kabir Khan's untitled next among others. New Delhi, March 26 : Indian Vedic Mathematics may soon become a subject in the syllabus of students studying in IITs and other higher educational institutions across the country. Preparations have been made to introduce the subject in various universities. According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), along with Indian Vedic Mathematics, Indian Philosophy, Indian Sanskrit and Science and Indian Aesthetics will also be taught in the higher educational institutions. The UGC has in this regard sought for an expression of interest from the institutions across the country. According to UGC Chairman, M. Jagadesh Kumar, higher educational institutions can submit their expression of interest online before April 30 on the proposal of Indian Vedic Mathematics, Indian Philosophy, Indian Sanskrit and Science and Indian Aesthetics. Kumar apprised that UGC officially contacted all IITs, Vice Chancellors of all Universities and Principals of all colleges across the country in this regard. UGC sent a letter to them, which stated that the step has been taken with the aim of development of Sanskrit and to develop quality graduation and post-graduation Sanskrit teaching-learning material. Vedic Mathematics expert A.K. Tripathi explained that the subject is based on specific formulas, which can be understood easily. He said: "Their application is simple and they can be easily remembered. It is such knowledge through which the process of calculation also becomes verbal." Tripathi stated that these formulas apply to all divisions in all chapters of all the branches of Mathematics and there is no such part in pure or applied maths where they are not used. Vedic formulas can be applied equally in all fields of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, plane and spherical trigonometry, plane and cubic geometry (analytical), astronomy, integral and differential calculus etc., said Tripathi. According to experts, children can also solve the questions orally and tell the answers with the help of formulas. The entire course of Vedic Mathematics can be completed in much less time than the current mathematical course. Small initiatives have been initiated in many big and prestigious universities of the country regarding Vedic education. Recently, a Vedic seminar was organised in Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia university. Ujjain's Maharshi Sandipani Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratishthan (MSRVVP) collaborated with Jamia Millia Islamia for the three-day event. The Education Ministry has taken many other initiatives to promote Vedic education. The UGC in collaboration with the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) organised special lectures in all 45 Central universities and 45 deemed universities across the country. The state governors were requested to encourage all universities in their respective states to organise such lectures. Srinagar, March 26 : The Registrar of Companies in Jammu and Kashmir has struck off over 400 companies for non-filing of business status, an official said on Sunday. Continuing its drive against bogus companies in the union territory, the Registrar of Companies exercised powers under Section 10A of the Companies Act 2013 to strike off these companies. "All the companies who haven't started business and have not filed the report with the registrar were struck off. A due procedure has been followed and an opportunity was given to the company to prove their businesses," a source in the know of things said. "The registrar of companies further got the bank accounts of all these companies frozen immediately through DFS and by writing to the banking association. These companies can't use the bank accounts held in their names once frozen. "This exercise is believed to be a check on shell companies as the companies should be transparent in their businesses; either you function or take a dormant status as per relevant sections of company law," the source added. Egyptian-EU cooperation on migration stands at 111 million euros covering 34 projects, Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Egypt Christian Berger said on Saturday. Berger made his remarks to the Egyptian state new agency (MENA), adding that cooperation between Egypt and the EU will be furthered in 2023, especially on migration. Berger highlighted an agreement signed last October to launch the first phase, worth 23 million euros, of a border management programme. The programme will develop the capacity of the Egyptian authorities and civil society stakeholders to apply "rights-based, protection oriented and gender sensitive approaches" in border management. Berger added that the second phase, worth 57 million euros, will be implemented with the Egyptian government this year. He also lauded the positive implementation of a 2017 agreement, worth 60 million euros, that aimed to improve Egypt's migration management, solve the causes of irregular migration and to support those communities that host migrants and refugees. Egypt has stepped up its efforts since 2016 to deal with irregular migration, when President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi launched the countrys first national strategy to combat irregular migration and ratified Law 82/2016 that set out penalties criminalising all forms of migrant smuggling. President El-Sisi has affirmed that Egypt will not be a transit point for illegal migrants seeking to reach Europe. Egypt hosts around nine million migrants and refugees, who have full autonomy and access to all basic services, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in December. Search Keywords: Short link: Kolkata, March 26 : As President Droupadi Murmu will be reaching Kolkata on Monday to attend the annual convocation of Visva Bharati University in West Bengal's Birbhum district the next day, the state government employees agitating on the streets against non-payment of dearness allowance arrears have decided to greet her with mass email highlighting their demands on this count. According to a spokesman of the Joint Forum of State Government Employees, the umbrella organisation spearheading the protest demonstration, in the mass email, the forum will also highlight how the state government is resorting to "vindictive" show-cause notices and transfers to employees who participated in the strike convened by it on March 10. In the mass email to the President, the forum will also seek her intervention in resolving the ongoing impasse on the issue. On the same day, a similar mass email will be forwarded to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the matter, the joint forum spokesman said. The joint forum has already announced that they will be going on mass leave on March 30 besides organising a mega protest rally on the streets of Kolkata on the same day. At the same time, the forum will be organising a two-day sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi from April 10. Already the state government employees are observing the "digital non-cooperation" movement against the state government on the DA issue. Prior to that, they observed a day's strike and a two-day pen-down strike on the issue. Imphal, March 26 : Amid reports of clashes between the Myanmar Army and the resistance group People's Defence Force in Myanmar along the Indian border in the last few days, the Manipur government has deployed additional security forces and asked the Assam Rifles to maintain strict vigil along the international border, an official said on Sunday. "The security along the India-Myanmar border with Manipur was tightened to avoid untoward incidents. So far, there is no report of crossing over of Myanmar citizens to Manipur due to the clashes there," a senior police officer said. According to security and district administration officials, round-the-clock foot patrolling has been intensified along the international border. Besides, additional forces comprising Manipur Rifles, police and other security personnel have also been deployed. Myanmar's Tatmadaw (military) have often engaged in armed clashes with the civilian forces since February 2021 after the military junta seized power in the neighbouring country. Manipur has around 400 km of unfenced border with Myanmar, which is the main source of smuggling of drugs, gold, exotic animals, poppy seeds and other contraband. Recently, the Manipur government has withdrawn from the tripartite talks and Suspension of Operations signed with three underground tribal militant outfits in the northeastern state claiming that the Myanmar-based militant leaders are involved in various illegal activities in the state. Capital of the "Pearl of the Caribbean", Havana is a microcosm of Cuba's journey through time, with its baroque and neoclassical edifices showcasing its glories as the Spanish Empire's lynchpin, the modernist and Art Deco buildings representing its independence (and quick descent into crony and then, Mafia capitalism), and Soviet-inspired utilitarian structures the Communist epoch. For those who haven't visited Havana and traversed seafront promenade Avenida de Maceo from old Havana to the central business district of Vedado and then on to upscale Miramar, taking in the myriad stories of grandeur, genteel decay, resignation, resilience, and optimism, while hearing strains of rumba, jazz, and nueva trova, and seeing the murals of 'Commandante' (Fidel Castro) or 'Che', there is an alternative. Books. There is a wide array of books, both fiction and non-fiction, by authors new and old, known and unknown, that bring Havana, and Cuba, to life from the times of soldier-turned-dictator Fulgencio Batista to Castro and further. The focus, though, is more on the days of Mafia dominance, Castro and his revolution, and the Cuban Missile Crisis - the first time the world was on the brink of a nuclear war. And they span genres from gritty stories of life to crime noir and police procedurals, and spy thrillers to grand historical tales. Who better to start with than the author who fell in love in Cuba after an accidental visit, created some of his best works while living there, and finally, donated his Nobel Prize for Literature to a shrine in the country. Ernest Hemingway first visited Cuba in 1928 while sailing to Spain on a family holiday and then spent quite a bit of his life there -- including after Castro's revolution. The two did meet but did not strike a very strong bond. Castro liked the bluff American writer and termed all of his works "a defence of human rights". Hemingway's epic "The Old Man and the Sea" (1951) features the eponymous Cuban fisherman as the protagonist, but it was his third book -- the critically-panned (initially) "To Have and Have Not" (1937) -- that contains an evocative representation of 1930s Cuba and its politics. It is the story of Harry Morgan, a fishing boat captain based in Florida, who is trying to keep himself afloat in the economic morass of the Depression. Left stranded in Havana after a wealthy customer who chartered his boat runs off without paying him, our hero slowly begins losing his moral compass and drifts into crime. This begins when he is approached to ferry some Chinese illegal immigrants from Havana to Florida, and then to smuggling contraband. This leads to him successively losing his boat, a limb, and ultimately worse when he has to take some Cuban revolutionaries -- and bank robbers -- back home. We return to the island, about two decades later, when the US mafia, facing increasing scrutiny and heat at home, began seeing Cuba as a viable alternative for business (basically gambling, prostitution, and showbiz) due to a cooperative Batista. While part of "Godfather II", shows this aspect in a dramatised format, a more real and comprehensive account can be found in T.J. English's "Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba... and Then Lost It to the Revolution" (2008). For a fictional representation, there is Philip Kerr's cynical inter-war Berlin policeman Bernhard 'Bernie' Gunther, who lands on the island in his sixth adventure "If the Dead Rise Not" (2009). The book is in two parts -- the first set in Berlin in the run-up to the 1936 Olympics, where our hero runs into an American gangster aiming to make a fast buck, and their "reunion" in Batista's Cuba in 1954, where he comes after fleeing Juan Peron's Argentina and has to get even -- and finish -- some business left incomplete two decades ago. One classic set in Cuba - and especially prescient in its plot soon after its release and even now -- is Graham Greene's blackly comic spy thriller "Our Man in Havana" (1958), set in the twilight of the Batista regime. It is the tale of a British vacuum cleaner salesman, inveigled into espionage and resorting to fabrication and fantasy to please his employers. The problem arises when he finds his make-believe world colliding with reality with fatal consequences for many. Greene intended to mock spy agencies' eagerness to recruit agents, believe their stories -- and hush it all up when proved wrong. The book became a film the next year, being shot in Havana in the early months of the Castro regime. Castro visited the shooting too and praised the work. However, the book's subplot of "missile facilities" reported by its hero acquired significance when the Cuban Missile Crisis emerged and its theme of fanciful agents and their information came back to the limelight in the controversy over the Second Iraq War in 2003. There are various works depicting the Castro brothers and their mate Guevara and their revolution but one work featuring one of their equally charismatic -- but short-lived -- colleague deserves mention. John Thorndike's "A Hundred Fires in Cuba" (2018) tells the story of Camilo Cienfuegos, a close associate of the Castros before his plane went missing in late 1959. through the eyes of an American woman he falls in love while in the US to find work. Cienfuegos is caught and deported, not knowing she is pregnant. Believing him dead, she marries a Cuban businessman and moves to Havana only to find he is now head of Castro's armed forces -- but can prove to be a devoted father too. A mix of fact and fiction provides a stirring blend of romance and revolution. American-turned-British thriller writer Edward Wilson's "The Midnight Swimmer" (2012), the third in his "anti-establishment" Catesby series, offers a 'thinking' view of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the treacherous currents of high politics, espionage, and reckless military adventures that fuelled it. Traversing London, Berlin, Washington, and Havana of course, with cameos from the Kennedy brothers, Che, and others, it offers a compelling view, fact and fiction, of how the crisis arose - and was defused by efforts of spies, including the KGB 'rezident' in Washington (as in real life), and the "real" forces in play. There are more historical vignettes of Cuba - James Michener's "Caribbean" (1989) has a chapter on Cuba of the late 1970s in its sweeping history of the region, with a particular focus on the sad lot of emigres in Miami. Then, Martin Cruz Smith's Moscow militia detective Arkady Renko ("Gorky Park", et al) visits Havana in "Havana Bay" (1999), when a senior Russian secret service official of his acquaintance is found dead in mysterious circumstances. A police procedural, with undercurrents of high-level shenanigans, it also offers a vivid snapshot of the time when relations between Russia, emerging out from the Soviet Union, and Cuba were fraying as Moscow, embroiled in an economic crisis, could not keep up the subsidies. One thing may seem missing from the list so far -- native writers, which may seem surprising, given how Cuba is part of the vibrant Spanish literary tradition. A prominent name here is Leonardo de la Caridad Padura Fuentes, or Leonardo Padura, as he is commonly known, with his (initial) quartet featuring police detective Mario Conde, who would rather be a writer, and admits to feelings of "solidarity with writers, crazy people, and drunkards". "Pasado Perfecto" (1991; "Havana Blue", 2007), "Vientos de Cuaresma" (1994; "Havana Gold", 2008), "Mascaras" (1997; "Havana Red", 2005); Paisaje de Otono (1998; "Havana Black", 2006), moving in time from winter to autumn, feature a string of lurid crimes, amid atmospheric detail. Padura went on write half-a-dozen-odd more featuring Conde, who has subsequently retired from police, and become a private detective. There are many more but these are yet to be translated or become easily available. (Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in) Jaipur, March 26 : Rains and hailstorms in Rajasthan have destroyed standing crops in fields across the state, leaving many farmers distressed at their losses. Experts say that a new system is likely to come in the first week of April, after which the weather may change again. On late Friday, a hailstorm, accompanied by thunderstorms, lashed many places in the northeastern Rajasthan. Heavy hail was reported in Alwar, Jhunjhunu, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, and Bikaner. In Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh, strong winds blew at 40 kmph leading to a large amount of crop damage. It rained more than an inch at many places including Buhana in Jhunjhunu and Hindumalkot in Sriganganagar. Due to hailstorm in Jhunjhunu, a thick white layer of ice spread on vacant ground there. In Bikaner's Lunkaransar, a strong hailstorm led to about 80 per cent of gram and mustard crops getting damaged. Plum-sized hailstones shattered the mustard seeds. The wheat and barley crop suffered damage too due to rains and hail and demands are rising for state government to compensate farmers after analysis of damage. The other district which has suffered the worst in Rajasthan due to hailstorm is Alwar. Hail was seen stacked up to around a foot high at many places around Rajgarh, Tehla, and Thanagaji in Alwar destroying the standing crops as well as the crops which have been harvested from the fields. Rajgarh MLA Johri Lal Meena said: "There is 100 per cent loss in crops at many places. nothing left. So much hail had fallen that it was still found in the fields the next day." Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot instructed the District Collector to get assessment done to evaluate loss to farmers and announce compensation as per rules. District Collector Dr. Jitendra Kumar Soni has directed the concerned Sub-Divisional Officer, and Tehsildar to take action for crop damage in the hailstorm-affected area with immediate effect and distribute compensation as per rules. He has instructed that the teams should carry out survey work to assess the damage. Outgoing BJP state President Satish Poonia said that due to hailstorm and rain, there has been heavy damage to crops in various areas of the state including Shekhawati and east Rajasthan. He urged Gehot to ensure compensation to the farmers in a fixed time period by getting the loss analysis of crops immediately, so that the farmers can get support. Thiruvananthapuram, March 26 : Almost two weeks after the blaze there was doused, the Brahmapuram waste dump yard in Kerala's Kochi caught fire again on Sunday, officials said. The fire was spotted in sector 7 of the dump yard on Sunday afternoon, and five fire tenders have been deployed to douse it. Local people have come out against the corporation and the state government on fire being detected again at Brahmapuram. Kerala Local Bodies and Urban Development Minister M.B. Rajesh, however, told media persons that the fire was under control as per the information he received from the District Collector. However former Mayor and Congress leader, Tony Chammany said that the fire was not doused and that day after Brahampuram burnt for 12 days, emanating toxic fumes, again fire in the area was a clear example of the failure of the official machinery. The waste dump yard caught fire on March 2 and it took 12 days for controlling the fire leading to major allegations and counter-allegations between the government and the opposition. New Delhi, March 26 : Delhi Police on Sunday stopped a torch rally taken out by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) to protest the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha, and also detained the IYC members. IYC president Srinivas B.V. along with women workers were detained when they arrived at Lutyens' Delhi area. They were made to sit on a bus and taken away. The police said that they did not give permission to carry out the torch rally. Earlier on Sunday, the Congress workers observed 'Satyagrah' at Rajghat to show their solidarity with Rahul Gandhi. Even as the Delhi Police imposed Section 144 in and around the area of Rajghat, a lot of Congress workers had gathered there. Mumbai/Jodhpur, March 26 : The Mumbai Police in a joint operation with Jodhpur Police, have nabbed a person from Rajasthan who allegedly sent an e-mail threatening to kill Bollywood mega-star Salman Khan, an official said here on Sunday. The development followed an FIR registered by Bandra Police on March 18 against a 21-year-old youth Dhakadram Bishnoi in the case, said Jodhpur's Luni Police officials. The Mumbai Police in the investigations traced the threat e-mail to Rajasthan and shared the information with Jodhpur Police, which tracked it to Bishnoi. After zeroing in on his location, a joint swoop was carried out in Luni, and Bishnoi was arrested, said the officials here. The accused is being brought to Mumbai for further investigation by a Bandra Police Station team. The youth is also wanted by the Punjab Police in different cases and has some cases lodged against him in that state. It may be recalled that a week ago, the Bandra Police lodged the FIR against mafiosi Lawrence Bishnoi, his associates Goldie Brar and Rohit for the threat e-mail, sent to a close aide of the actor. It had referred to the mafia don Lawrence Bishnoi's interview in which he made a chilling claim, that "his life's aim was to kill Salman Khan". The e-mail in Hindi, came from one Rohit Garg, who also wanted to talk with the actor and the police booked him also following a complaint from Salman Khan's team. The communication also advised that if Salman had not seen the Bishnoi interview, then he should watch it, and if he wanted to close the matter, he must speak with Garg and Brar, face to face, and he (Garg) would arrange it. The Bandra Police had immediately swung into action, geared up security outside Salman's home in Bandra West and lodged the FIR against the accused. Thiruvananthapuram, March 26 : BJP National Executive member P.K. Krishnadas on Sunday said that there is high possibility of Kerala's ruling Left Front extending support to Congress if a bypoll is declared in Wayanad constituency, which was represented by now disqualified Rahul Gandhi, and that his party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was the only opposition in the state. After Gandhi was convicted by the Surat magistrate court and sentenced to two years jail, the Wayanad Lok sabha seat has fallen vacant as the Lok Sabha Secretariat disqualified him as an MP. The Congress leader had won the 2019 general elections defeating CPI leader P.P. Suneer of the Left front. Addressing media persons at the party state headquarters here, the BJP leader said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would conduct a secretariat march on March 27 against the "anti-people" policies of the state government. He said that the march would be inaugurated by BJP state President K. Surendran who is also the convenor of the NDA in Kerala. He said that the NDA would ensure that the rubber farmers of Kerala would not kneel before the threats of the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI-M state Secretary M.V. Govindan. He also came out strongly against the statement of former minister K.T. Jaleel who had threatened the Thalassery Archbishop Joseph Pamplani over his statements on rubber price. Krishnadas alleged that the Vijayan government had failed the people in all counts and added that the hike in water charges, electricity charges and fuel cess have broken the backbone of the people of the state. He said that the left government is not able to do anything for the people of Kerala and added that Govindan's Kerala yatra was an abject failure. Krishnadas welcomed the statement of the Archbishop Pamplani that if the Central government hikes the rate of rubber to Rs 300 per kg, the high-range farmers will support it. He said that Thamarassery Bishop Remigius Paul Inchananiyil had also wholeheartedly supported the Thalassery Archbishop in this regard. He said that there would be changes in Kerala also and added that the people of Kerala are expecting a change in the state. Bhopal, March 26 : The Madhya Pradesh unit chief of the Indian Youth Congress, Vikrant Bhuria, was arrested on Sunday for stopping a train at the Rani Kamlapati Railway Station here on Friday during a protest against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha. Vikrant is the son of veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria. He was arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) from his residence in Jhabua district on Sunday. Hundreds of Congress supporters had blocked the GRP personnel's way when they reached Vikrant Bhuria's residence to arrest him. However, the Youth Congress leader came out of the house on his own. The police later drove him to Bhopal amid tight security. He is expected to be presented in court here. "The BJP government wants to silence us but the Congress workers will keep fighting for justice. The BJP is worried about our leader Rahul Gandhi.... and this entire conspiracy was hatched," Bhuria was heard saying during his arrest. Criticising the GRP for arresting the Youth Congress leader, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and state unit Congress president Kamal Nath said the police had acted at the behest of the BJP government. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to crush the tribal community and every voice of protest. "With this action, the anti-tribal face of the BJP has once again come to the fore," he said. Notably, Kantilal Bhuria and his family have a strong hold over the tribal community in Jhabua district. "I condemn the arrest of Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress President Vikrant Bhuria. The crime of the young tribal leader is that he called a thief a thief and protested against tyranny. It is clear from this arrest that the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government is very scared," Kamal Nath said, adding that the entire Congress party is with Vikrant Bhuria. A GRP officer said a case was registered against 15 people, including Vikrant Bhuria, under section 143 of IPC (unlawful assembly), and section 145, 147 of the Railway Act. Patna, March 26 : A woman in Bihar's Begusari, who fought two mobile snatchers who targeted her, will be awarded for her bravery, a police official said on Sunday. The brave woman was identified as Seema Kumari, a resident of Hasrakh locality under town police station, and working in a local mall. After finishing the work for the day, she was returning home around 8.30 pm on Saturday, when two bikers snatched away her mobile phone. However, she managed to get hold the pillion rider and even being dragged for more than 100 metres, did not allow them to escape. Eventually, the duo dismounted, beat her, and then fled from the spot. The entire incident was caught on the CCTV cameras. The victim claimed that a police van was present there but they did not help her, and came came to enquire after the accused fled from the spot. The victim lodged a written complaint against two unidentified bikers. District SP Yogendra Kumar took the matter into cognisance and directed the officials for immediate action. Police, on the basis of CCTV footage, managed to nab one of the accused. "We have arrested one accused and efforts are on to nab the other accused. The girl fought with two bikers bravely. We are appreciating her courage and bravery. The district police will reward her soon," the SP said. The African Union is organising a national reconciliation conference for Libya, AU Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat told AFP on Sunday, the latest bid to restore stability to the conflict-wracked nation. "We have met with the different parties and we are in the process of working with them on a date and place for the national conference," he said after a press conference wrapping up a two-day AU summit. The meeting will be chaired by the African Union's pointman on Libya, Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso, Faki said. Libya descended into a decade of violence following the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moamer Gadhssafi in a NATO-backed rebellion. The resulting power grab gave rise to myriad home-grown militias and prompted interventions by Arab powers as well as Turkey, Russia and Western states. Since March last year, an administration in Libya's east backed by military leader Khalifa Haftar -- who has been close to Russia and Egypt -- has challenged the UN-recognised government of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, arguing it has outlived its mandate. Earlier this month, the United Nations announced that senior officials from the rival administrations had endorsed a coordination mechanism to clear the country of foreign troops and mercenaries. The UN mission in Libya hailed "an important step toward achieving sustainable stability and peace in Libya" after a meeting in Cairo on February 8 along with officials from Sudan and Niger. However, the discussions led by UN envoy Abdoulaye Bathily failed to produce a clear timetable or concrete measures for the withdrawal of foreign fighters. The UN estimated in late 2021 that there were more than 20,000 foreign fighters, both military and paramilitary, in the country. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi, March 26 : The BJP criticised the Congress for staging a "satyagraha" to protest the disqualification of its party leader Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha, saying the party was protesting for "personal reason". Addressing the media, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said: "(Mahatma) Gandhiji did his first Satyagraha for a social cause. Whereas here they (the Congress) are seen doing it against the court after being convicted for their own personal reasons." "Congress considers themselves superior to the court. And they will decide in what manner and on what basis the court should give its verdict?" he asked. Slamming Gandhi, Trivedi said: "When you speak against India, talk about this kind of hatred against backward society and then when you are punished by the court and then when you try to make political allegations on it, I find it impudent and shameless." Gandhi was convicted on Thursday by a Surat court in a 2019 defamation case with the court sentencing the party leader to 2-year imprisonment. He was disqualified from the Lok Sabha the next day. Hyderabad, March 26 : Eminent breast cancer surgeon, P. Raghu Ram, who has adopted a village in Telangana, said six lakh citizens can easily adopt 6 lakh villages during the Amrit Kaal to uplift the lives and livelihoods in rural India. The director, KIMS-Ushalakshmi Centre for Breast Diseases, has undertaken several philanthropic initiatives over the past eight years in his adopted village - Ibrahimpur, the remotest hamlet in Medak district. Most recently, he has contributed Rs 10 lakh towards the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana. Accounts of all 37 girl children under the age of 10 years studying at Ibrahimpur Primary School have been credited with Rs 27,000, which would mature to around Rs 1 lakh each, when they turn 21. Interacting with the beneficiaries and their families in Siddipet on Sunday, Telangana's Minister for Finance and Health Harish Rao paid rich tributes to Raghu Ram for spearheading several philanthropic initiatives in Ibrahimpur since 2015, which includes construction of a modern crematorium for village residents, a cattle shed in the village outskirts to prevent cattle born infections, home solar system to ensure zero electricity bills for life, a digital classroom and a dining hall in the school premises and an open air gym to ensure healthy living. He also said that Ibrahimpur has attracted the attention and appreciation from bureaucrats and politicians from across the country, who have personally visited the village and witnessed first-hand the impact of the hugely beneficial developmental activities in the village. "It has been a blessing and an incredible privilege to have been able to reach out to the residents of my adopted village - Ibrahimpur. It is unreasonable to expect the government to do everything and is vitally important for the citizens who have the resources to stand shoulder to shoulder with the government and do what is required to improve the lives of those who are less fortunate. There are around 10,000 villages in Telangana. "It is my wish and desire that if just 10,000 citizens adopt one village each and invest part of their time and energy to uplift the lives and livelihood in rural areas, then this 'Ibrahimpur Model' could serve as a benchmark for the nation," Raghu Ram said. Thiruvananthapuram, March 26 : The Kerala Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe petroleum pump owners association will stage a one day token hunger strike in front of the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) office in Mumbai on May 15 to protest termination of petroleum dealership of SC/ST people. Association President C.K. Mohini, in a statement, said that the HPCL did not comply with the procedure of conducting personal hearing before cancelling the dealership of SC/ST people. He said that various judgments of the Supreme Court that state that the dealers have to be heard before terminating the dealership was never followed by the HPCL. Mohini said that he and several others had submitted several representations to the higher officials of the HPCL to cancel the termination order but was never listened to. He said that the SC/ST dealers association have now sent representations to the President and Prime Minister. He said that many of the dealers have lost their homes, and are in huge debts and on the verge of suicide. He said that several senior officers of the petroleum company were directly involved in terminating the dealership and alleged that it was mainly due to the fact that the dealers belong to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. He said that the dealers have submitted a letter to the Chairman of the HPCL and requested him to reinstate the dealerships or they will conduct indefinite protest in front of the petroleum company office. New Delhi, March 26 : Reliance Capital's lenders move to conduct a second round of auction is facing difficulties as the bidders are not said to be keen on another round under the insolvency resolution. The Supreme Court has listed the matter regarding the second auction for hearing in August. The Supreme Court on March 20 had admitted an appeal by Torrent Investments which was the highest bidder with Rs 8,640 crore against the lenders' decision to hold another round of auction. The court refused to stay the second round of the auction. It may be pointed out that the insolvency process of RCAP has been going on for more than 450 days, which is much longer than the time limit of 330 days. Torrent reportedly conveyed to the lenders recently that it is not willing to participate in the second round of auction. The other bidder, International Holdings Ltd (IIHL) of Hinduja Group also reportedly informed the lenders that it wants to withdraw its revised bid of Rs 9,000 crore, which it had made after the auction process, and retain the old offer of Rs 8,110 crore in the first round of auction. These developments have put a roadblock in the plan of the Committee of Creditors (CoC) to conduct a second round of auction with a base price of Rs 9,500 crore to maximise the recovery from the RCAP resolution process. In addition, a consortium of Cosmea Financial and Piramal, who had submitted binding bids for Reliance Capital in November has sought a refund of their earnest money deposit of Rs 75 crore each. While the CoC can pursue the extended challenge mechanism, the outcome of the auction will be subject to the final decision of the Supreme Court. In light of this, Reliance Capital is staring at liquidation, if the lenders and bidders fail to reach a workable solution to end the stalemate. Lenders would likely fetch Rs 13,000 crore if they go for liquidation. Torrent has proposed conducting a Swiss Challenge auction with their earlier bid of Rs 8,640 crore as the threshold. If this is agreed upon, Torrent will have the first right to match any counteroffer from Hinduja Group. The challenge mechanism may be considered flawed as bidders will be apprehensive of participating in open-ended processes. Since the Supreme Court will be examining the interpretation of Regulation 39 (1A) for the first time, the decision will have far-reaching implications on the future of IBC (Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code). The Swiss Challenge or closed envelope bid process might go against the apex court direction that allowed the lenders to go ahead with an extended auction. The dispute in the bid for Reliance Capital started when Hindujas offered to pay Rs 9,000 crore in upfront cash to the lenders, a day after the first round of auction concluded on December 21. The lenders decided to go for one more round of auction to enhance recovery from RCAP assets. Torrent, who made a bid of Rs 8,640 crore in the first auction, termed IIHL's post-auction revised bid of Rs 9,000 crore as invalid and challenged Hindujas' revised bid and the second round of auction as well in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Kathmandu, March 26 : Nepal's aviation authority has banned pilots of an Air India flight from flying in Nepali airspace after they brought down their airplane to 15,000 feet on Friday without the permission of the Air Traffic Controller (ATC), nearly causing a mid-air collision with a Nepal Airlines flight over Kathmandu. On Friday, before landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, the Air India plane from New Delhi, flying at an unauthorised height of 19,000 feet, suddenly fell to 15,000 feet. This made it almost collide with a Nepal Airlines plane coming to Kathmandu from Kuala Lumpur and the accident was averted after the Nepal Airlines pilots took down their plane to 7,000 feet. The Nepal Airlines plane was holding at a height of 15,000 feet when the plane of Air India suddenly came down to the same level. As the two came in a position of collision, an alert was automatically sounded in both cockpits and a possible fatal accident was averted, said officials at Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). Following the incident, the CAAN has suspended Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) of Tribhuvan International Airport involved in the traffic conflict incident from active control positions until further notice. It has also written to its Indian counterpart to take action against the Air India pilots who were involved in the incident that happened on Friday. Jagannath Niraula, spokesperson of the Authority, said that a letter has been sent to Air India with a message to India's civil aviation authority to investigate and take action on the matter. "We have written to investigate the incident between Air India and Nepal Airlines and take necessary action and inform the authority," he said. On the same day also, the airport authorities in Kathmandu had sought explanations from the Air India pilots where they had admitted their mistake and apologised. The CAAN has also set up an inquiry committee in connection with the incident, said Niruala. Udaipur, March 26 : Think-tank Usanas Foundation organised its second annual flagship conference, the Maharana Pratap Annual Geopolitics Dialogue (MPAGD) from March 23-25 in Rajasthan's Udaipur. The conference was co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs and India Narrative -- a web-based think-tank. The theme of the conference was 'India's Role in the Changing World Order'. Under this theme, brainstorming sessions were held on security, economic and diplomatic roadmap for India to navigate geopolitical shifts and reclaim its leadership role in the new world order. The guests of honour included Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, the first female President of Croatia, who highlighted the European Union's position in the Russia-Ukraine war and spoke about India's role in the changing world order. Ambassador Naor Gilon, of Israel, spoke about strengthening civilisational connections and cementing the strategic partnership between India and Israel. Ambassador Lakshmi Puri, Former Assistant Secretary General, UN, underlined how India has managed to maintain moral clarity on the Russia-Ukraine war and is adequately positioned to act as a mediator in resolving it. Abhinav Pandya, Founder & CEO Usanas Foundation, highlighted that the MPAGD 2023 was a novel attempt that aimed at taking discussions on security challenges beyond Delhi as these affect every citizen of India in some capacity. He stressed upon the need for India to explore its civilisational legacy and create its own narrative, contributing to world peace. Mohammed Maliki, Ambassador of Morocco to India spoke about India-Morocco relations and the evolution of strategic partnership. Ambassador Dimitrios Ioannou, Ambassador of Greece to India, highlighted how the world looks at India. Cleo Paskal, Senior Fellow of the Washington-based Foundation For Defense of Democracies, gave a comprehensive presentation highlighting China's penetration in the strategic Solomon Islands. Clifford Smith, Washington Project Director at the Middle East Forum, shared his views on how global propaganda is taking shape in the US and how it is shaping perceptions in the society. Oshrit Birvadker, Senior Fellow at The Jerusalem Institute of Strategy and Security (JISS) highlighted how both India and Israel can shape the Middle East through a developmental partnership. She added that countries like Egypt could add considerable depth to the new Indo-Abrahamic block in the region. Several eminent speakers reflected upon how India will play a significant role in the new world order by virtue of its civilisational strength, encapsulating the broad nature of geopolitical challenges which India needs to overcome in order to reclaim its rightful place of leadership in the changing world order. Former Delhi Lt. Governor Tejendra Khanna highlighted how governments and societies should live in a harmonious manner in a highly diverse world. Jonathan, First Secretary at the US Embassy joined the discussions along with eminent panelists from the corporate sector, the police force and researchers who debated how India is uniquely positioned to be a global force for good through the leadership of the G20. Yana Mir and Sajid -- young thinkers from Kashmir spoke about zero tolerance to violence in the valley. Guwahati, March 26 : The Election Commission (EC) team arrived here on Sunday to meet all the stakeholders and hold discussions with them in connection with the delimitation exercise of Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies in Assam. The EC team, consisting of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel and other EC officials, is in Assam on a three-day visit from Sunday till Tuesday. According to a statement, "the EC officials would try to understand the ground reality and expectations of the stakeholders as well as the general public regarding the ongoing delimitation exercise". After arriving here, the EC team met the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam, Nitin Khade, and discussed the delimitation exercise in details. During this visit, the Commission will interact with political parties, public representatives, members of the civil societies, and social organisations. The EC team will also meet the state administration officials, including Deputy Commissioners of all districts of the state. New Delhi, March 26 : The Delhi Police is all set to file its first chargesheet in connection with the hit-and-drag case in which a 20-year-old woman -- Anjali Singh, died a painful death after being dragged by a car for 12 km in the early hours of January 1. The chargesheet is likely to be filed on April 1 at a metropolitan magistrate court. A source in the know of things said the draft was ready, adding "the chargesheet will be filed with all necessary evidence so as to enable a stiff sentence for all the accused". "An ACP and an Inspector-level officer are working round the clock to ensure they prove the case of the prosecution before the court," the source said. A team of five forensic experts from National Forensic Science University, Gandhinagar were specially called to visit Sultanpuri on the request of DCP Harendra K. Singh. The forensic report is expected to be published soon, following which the chargesheet will be filed. All the accused will be chargesheeted under section 302, 304, 201,120-B and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Initially, the case was lodged under section 304-A and 279 of the IPC. Later, other sections were added. Another source said that the testimony of Nidhi, friend of the deceased Anjali, will play a crucial role in the matter. The Delhi Police is banking on CCTV footage in which the incident was captured. Nidhi had, in fact, claimed that Anjali was screaming but the car's occupants didn't pay any attention to that. On January 1, within three hours of the incident, the police had arrested five persons -- Amit Khanna, Mithun, Krishan, Manoj Mittal and Deepak Khanna who were moving in the car. Four days later, on January 5, the police arrested two more accused, Ashutosh Bhardwaj -- the car owner and Ankush Khanna -- the brother of Amit Khanna. Only Ankush was granted bail by the court as he had minimal role in the case. Since January 9, the six other individuals are in the judicial custody. Ashutosh, the car owner and Amit's brother, Ankush Khanna had talks with the five accused and as Amit did not have driving licence, Deepak was told to tell police that he was in the driving seat at the time of the incident. Those who were in the car at the time of the incident will be chargesheeted under section 120-B, 302, 34 of the IPC as they were well aware that Anjali was stuck in the car. They even peeped out of window to see if she was still stuck, which shows they had common intentions. Anjali was riding the scooty when she met with the accident in the early hours of January 1. Her clothes got entangled with the Baleno car and was dragged for 12 km, which led to her death. Her naked body was found in the Kanjhawala area. Autopsy revealed that she had 40 injury marks, her spine was broken and brain matter was also missing. A total of 11 police personnel who were deployed on the route through which Anjali was dragged were placed under suspension. The accused have confessed to the police that they were very well aware about the Anjali who had entangled into their car but they also kept on driving the car out of fear. (Atul Krishan can be approached at atul.k@ians.in) Guwahati, March 26 : The Congress in Assam on Sunday staged a protest here over the disqualification of party leader Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha. At least 11 political parties and some noted intellectuals of the state took part in the protest. Assam unit Congress president Bhupen Borah extended his thanks to the political parties for their participation in the protest. "I appreciate all of the opposition parties' contributions to our 'Satyagraha movement' to defend our democracy and the Constitution. "The BJP is so afraid that they refused to give us permission to stage Satyagraha at Gandhi Mandap. This has never occurred in Assam before," he said. Borah added "this battle is for preserving democracy". "This fight will continue to save our democracy. It is not a war for Rahul Gandhi. Our democracy has been murdered. The BJP's objective is to suppress dissent, silence anyone who raises concerns about (business tycoon) Gautam Adani, and plunder the nation's resources," he said. Borah further said that in each block of Assam, the Congress would hold a massive public outreach programme against the "misrule of the Bharatiya Janata Party". Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from Lok Sabha a day after his conviction in a defamation case by a Gujarat court. The Congress has organised protests across the country on this matter. New Delhi, March 26 : At least three people were injured as a crane fell on some vehicles at an under-construction site of the Delhi-Saharanpur Highway in east Delhi's Pushta Kartar Nagar on Sunday, police said. The victims were rushed to a nearby government hospital where they were undergoing treatment. The police was not sure about how the incident happened. Soon after the incident, people gathered at the site and helped to rescue out those trapped beneath the crane. "The police also reached the site and with the help of JCB machines, the crane was removed. An autorickshaw was totally damaged in the incident," said an official. UN envoy Abdoulaye Bathily called on rival administrations in conflict-torn Libya Saturday to agree terms for elections "by mid-June", pushing for the long-delayed ballot to be held by year end. The Senegalese diplomat told the UN Security Council last month he had a new initiative to break a deadlock in talks on the legal basis for presidential and parliamentary elections, initially planned for December 2021. But Bathily, head of the UN Support Mission in Libya since October, has faced pushback over his blunt criticism of the North African country's two houses of parliament for failing to reach an agreement. The UN envoy defended his proposal in a news conference in Tripoli on Saturday, stressing it was "not a foreign-imposed solution". "By mid-June, it would be possible for them, after having sat for a few weeks, to come to an agreement on those electoral laws... (and) to put up a clear roadmap." Libya has seen more than a decade of stop-start conflict since the 2011 revolt that toppled strongman Moamer Kadhafi, with a myriad of militias forming opposing alliances backed by foreign powers. It remains split between a nominally interim government in Tripoli in the west, and another in the east backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Should both administrations agree to negotiate, "it would be possible... by the end of the year to have these elections take place," Bathily told reporters. The head of the Tripoli government, Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah, expressed his support for "Mr Bathily's efforts", calling on Twitter Saturday for "fair and impartial elections". Backed by Western powers, the UN initiative has been criticised by the administration supported by Haftar in the east, as well as by Russia, which supports it. Efforts by the Tripoli government to prevent Haftar, a US citizen, from running for president have been a key factor in the stalemate over the legal basis for the elections. Haftar's rivals want rules that ban the candidacy of dual citizens and military figures. Search Keywords: Short link: Panaji, March 26 : The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday joined the Congress' 'Satyagraha' to protest INC leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha. Slamming the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Goa unit NCP president Jose Philip D'Souza said: "We used to criticise the Portuguese regime... but see what is happening today! It is wrong to suppress the voice in democracy." He said this while speaking at the 'Satyagraha' staged by Congress near the Mahatma Gandhi Statue in Old Goa to protest the action against Rahul Gandhi following his conviction in a defamation case by a Gujarat court. D'Souza said that currently, there is no democracy "but only dictatorship is seen". "We are supporting Rahul Gandhi on this issue. It is the need of the hour that we unite. When we were in power, we used to respect the people and the media," D'Souza, also a former minister, said. He said Rahul Gandhi was disqualified in a fast-track manner to suppress his voice, "which is like suppressing the voice of people". Meanwhile, Congress' Goa unit chief Amit Patkar said "democracy is in danger". "To protect democracy, everyone should unite. The BJP suppresses voices by filing cases. Rahul Gandhi was raising issues that were being faced by the country... but the one who speaks, his/her voice is suppressed. We are not afraid of such things," he said. He said if "people raise questions about business tycoon Gautam Adani, they might even be sent behind bars". Leader of the Opposition in Goa Assembly, Yuri Alemao, said "what is seen these days is dictatorship". "The Bharat Jodo Yatra was a movement to highlight the communal politics. Rahul Gandhi got good support from the yatra and after its success, the Central government got scared," Alemao said. He further said "crony capitalists and double engine governments have ruined the future of the youth". "Dictatorship should be stopped. Rahul Gandhi was disqualified because the BJP could not face him. It was a 'black day' in the country," he said. New Delhi, March 26 : Congress' Lok Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu, Manickam Tagore, on Sunday hinted towards resigning as a member of the Lower House of Parliament, saying he is in pain after "his leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified". "The Honourable Speaker disqualified my leader Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha. I had seen him off on Friday minutes before his disqualification. Rahul Gandhi, who gave me the opportunity to enter Lok Sabha in 2009, won't be there. Why do I have to be there? I am pained for the injustice to him," Tagore, who represents Tamil Nadu's Virudhnagar constituency, wrote on Twitter. Tagore is said to be a close aide of Rahul Gandhi. He is the party-in charge of Goa. Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha after a court in Gujarat convicted him in a defamation case. The Surat district court in Gujarat on Thursday convicted Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark in 2019. The former Congress president was convicted under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500. The maximum possible punishment under this section is two years. Bharatiya Janata Party legislator and former Gujarat Minister Purnesh Modi had filed the case against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname..." remark. Kochi, March 26 : Innocent, one of the most popular actors of the Malayalam film industry, died here in Kerala on Sunday night. He was 75. He was admitted to a private hospital in Kochi on March 3. The former MP -- a two-time cancer survivor, had contracted Covid and later suffered from pneumonia that eventually led to his death. His body will be taken to the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor stadium in Ernakulam at 6.30 a.m. on Monday morning. The body will be kept there for three hours. From the stadium, his body will be taken to his native place Iringalakkuda where the funeral will be held in the evening. The veteran actor who had acted in around 700 movies and produced many of them was a comedian and a character actor. He had won from the Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency in 2014 as a CPI-M candidate, and had been quite a "significant voice" in the Parliament while representing the constituency. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in his condolence message said: "Innocent, through his natural acting had entered the hearts of people. He was also a good social worker. He has stamped his presence in all the areas of film industry and had performed as a comedian, character actor and producer." Vijayan also offered condolences to the bereaved family of the actor. Innocent has written a popular Malayalam book, 'Cancer Wardile Chiri' or 'Smile in Cancer Ward'. Innocent entered the Malayalam film industry with the movie 'Nrithasala' directed by Mohan, one of the most popular Malayalam directors. Innocent was also the president of Association of Malayalam Movie Actors (AMMA) -- an organisation for Malayalam actors. He headed the AMMA for 18 years. He also worked towards the development of a pension scheme for the retired Malayalam actors. Innocent won the state award for the best actor in the movie, 'Mazhavilkavadi'. Malayalam superstar Mamooty, Jayaram, and several other top actors of the Malayalam film industry are present in the hospital where he passed away. Kerala Minister for Higher Education, R. Bindu also condoled his death. New Delhi, March 26 : Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Anurag Thakur, on Sunday launched a scathing attack on former Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for the latter's remarks that he is not Savarkar. Thakur, in a series of tweets, reminded Rahul that he could never become "Veer Savarkar even in his wildest dreams" because Veer Savarkar's name stands for grit, determination, staunch patriotism for Bharat, selflessness and commitment to the motherland. Savarkar neither spent six months in a year holidaying abroad nor did he seek intervention from foreign powers, the Union Minister said. When Savarkar went to Britain, he waged a war against the British in order to free mother India from slavery, Thakur added. He said such was the respect for Veer Savarkar's patriotism that none other than Shaheed Bhagat Singh had gone to Ratnagiri himself and arranged a Punjabi version of the immortal book 'India's First War of Independence' by Savarkar to have it printed in Punjab. He said that Savarkar did not earn such immortal respect from his countrymen for nothing. All the well known leaders and thinkers of those times were in awe of Savarkar's patriotism and courage. THe BJP leader particularly mentioned the Kakinada session of the Congress in 1923 where a special resolution was also passed in honour of Veer Savarkar. Thakur also asserted that Rahul Gandhi had not only tried to malign a hero like Veer Savarkar but has also forgotten the legacy of his grandmother, late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. "Had Rahul Gandhi read the letter written by Indira Gandhi extolling the heroism of Veer Savarkar, he would realise his mistake in comparing himself with such a patriot. Indira Gandhi not only recognised Veer Savarkar's contribution but also released a stamp in his memory," Thakur added. The Union Minister also posted the link of a documentary produced during Indira Gandhi's tenure. He reiterated that when no patriot of those times said anything negative about Veer Savarkar and instead admired his patriotism and courage, Rahul Gandhi is insulting the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh and his own grandmother by criticising Veer Savarkar mindlessly. Our team at Evidence Prime has always been dedicated to safeguarding our clients' data and maintaining the trust they place in us. ISO 27001 is a globally recognized standard that sets out the requirements for an information security management system (ISMS). The certification demonstrates that a company has implemented a robust framework of policies, procedures, and controls designed to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or compromise. Achieving ISO 27001 certification requires a rigorous, independent assessment by an accredited certification body. The scope of Evidence Prime's ISO 27001 certification covers all aspects of its operations, including software development, technical support, and hosting services. This comprehensive approach ensures that the company's systems and processes are designed to identify, manage, and mitigate risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its clients' information. "Our team at Evidence Prime has always been dedicated to safeguarding our clients' data and maintaining the trust they place in us," said Pawel Kunstman, President of Evidence Prime. "Achieving ISO 27001 certification is a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to upholding the highest standards of information security management. We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment and will continue to prioritize the security and privacy of our customers' data as we grow and innovate in the evidence-based decision-making industry." To maintain the ISO 27001 certification, Evidence Prime will undergo regular audits by an external certification body to ensure ongoing compliance with the standard. These audits will ensure the company continually improves its information security management system and adapts to emerging risks and technological advancements. This certification not only reinforces Evidence Prime's dedication to information security but also positions the company as a trusted partner for organizations in various industries, including healthcare, research, and government. Clients and partners can confidently rely on Evidence Prime's solutions, knowing that their sensitive information is protected by internationally recognized security standards. For more information about Evidence Prime's ISO 27001 certification and the company's commitment to information security, please visit http://www.evidenceprime.com or contact the company directly at info@evidenceprime.com. About Evidence Prime: Evidence Prime is the global leader in the market of evidence-based healthcare guidelines and systematic review authoring, focusing on innovative, AI-driven tools for this market. GRADEpro, a system for interactive and collaborative authoring and dissemination of healthcare guidelines, has garnered an impressive user base of over 100,000 users worldwide. As the leading platform globally, GRADEpro enables organizations to create and share high-quality, evidence-based guidelines that drive better health outcomes. Laser AI is Evidence Prime's revolutionary system for automating the development of systematic reviews in healthcare. Already in use by leading US and German governmental institutions as well as major corporations, Laser AI streamlines the review process, allowing for more efficient and accurate analysis of healthcare data. With its commitment to data security, Evidence Prime stands out as the most secure Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider in its domain. Boasting both FedRAMP and ISO 27001 certifications, the company ensures the highest standards of data protection and information security management for its clients and partners. For more information about Evidence Prime, its groundbreaking products, and its commitment to security, visit https://evidenceprime.com and https://laser.ai. Nana Grants Inc. has received a $93,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to pay for child care for low-income single mothers attending Atlanta Technical College (ATC). This generous gift will support Nana Grants mission to eliminate the uncertainty of child care so that student mothers can focus on their studies, graduate, and have a rewarding, well-compensated career. Child care is critical to Atlantas efforts to overcoming persistent multigenerational income and wealth gaps. Many of the communities Nana Grants serves are virtual child care deserts. Even when child care is available, the cost is out of reach for many low-income working families. Since Nana Grants was founded in 2016, weekly rates for child care centers in Georgia have increased from 8% to 20% depending on the age of the child. The cost and limited availability of child care in large urban counties is even more daunting. The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and United Way of Greater Atlanta have partnered to create the Atlanta Alliance for Equity, which directly centers racial equity to increase economic mobility and family income in targeted neighborhoods of need. South Fulton, where Atlanta Tech is located, is one of those neighborhoods. We are grateful to Nana Grants for recognizing the need of our hard-working students by providing this much-needed funding. The College relies on community organizations to create partnerships focused on ending generational poverty so that our students can focus on preparing for high-demand, high-wage careers, said Dr. Victoria Seals, president of Atlanta Technical College. Forty percent of Georgias low-income working families with children are headed by single women. Infant care in Georgia costs $1,030 (15.6%) more per year than in-state tuition for 4-year public college. Single mothers with only a high school diploma are three times more likely to live in poverty as those with college degrees. Georgias technical colleges allow students to gain marketable skills in high-demand sectors such as health care, information technology, and construction trades, said Erica Stephens, founder and executive director of Nana Grants. However, without child care, low-income student parents simply cannot afford to take advantage of educational opportunities and HOPE scholarships. Nana Grants exists to make those opportunities available to single mothers. About Nana Grants Nana Grants, Inc. is an Atlanta-based 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to ensuring quality, reliable child care for low-income single mothers pursuing a postsecondary education. Our formula is simple: Child care + Education = Economic Mobility. Each Nana Grant helps cover the cost of child care for up to one year, renewable for the length of the students program of study at a HOPE-eligible college or university or approved job training program in Georgia. Our goal is to remove the uncertainty of continuous, quality child care from the equation so that student mothers can focus on their studies, graduate and have a rewarding, well-compensated career. Learn more at http://www.nanagrants.org About the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta inspires and leads the Atlanta region toward equity and shared prosperity for all who call it home. TogetherATL is the Foundations strategic ethos, working through a collaborative approach with community stakeholders, donors, nonprofits and others to examine complex challenges the region faces and create solutions that build a thriving region. Started in 1951, the Community Foundation shepherds approximately $1.4 billion in current assets through its 1,000+ donor funds, while simultaneously raising and deploying more than $120 million annually to thousands of nonprofit organizations. It is Georgias second largest foundation. For more information visit: cfgreateratlanta.org or connect with the Foundation via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. About Atlanta Technical College Atlanta Technical College is a vibrant part of the Technical College System of Georgia and was named its College of the Year in 2012. Prior to that, the college was selected as Americas Best Community College by Washington Monthly magazine and has been ranked one of the best in the nation for online courses and programs. Most recently, the college was awarded the prestigious Bellwether Award for Workforce Development and in 2022, Atlanta Technical College celebrated 55 years of serving the City of Atlanta along with Fulton and Clayton Counties. The College remains dedicated to increasing economic mobility and ending generational poverty through the power of technical education. For more information on Atlanta Technical College, its $201M economic impact, and its 200-plus award-winning programs, visit http://www.atlantatech.edu. The UN Security Councils support of an initiative aiming at forming a high-level Libyan team to follow up and prepare for elections in Libya is a clear violation of the role of the legitimate and elected Libyan state institutions, Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Ahmed Abu-Zeid stressed on Thursday. Egypt regrets the Security Councils encouragement of such initiative in a presidential statement issued by the global body on Libya yesterday, Abu-Zeid said in remarks reported by Egyptian states news agency MENA. The spokesman also expressed regret for UNSCs support for vague initiatives with undefined criteria and objectives in an attempt to legitimise their work. Abu-Zeid also criticised the presidential statements use of ambiguous terms, including "security actors," warning that this makes room for speculations and contradiction with the relevant Security Council resolutions. The encouragement of such initiatives would also increase the state of division and rivalry in Libya and undermine the chances of holding presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible within the framework of a Libyan national consensus, Abu-Zeid warned. Egypt has frequently called for fulfilling the necessary frameworks to hold the Libyan presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously and as soon as possible under the supervision of a neutral executive authority that upholds the supreme interests of the Libyan state. Egypt has also affirmed that it looks forward to seeing the Libyan House of Representatives, as the only elected legislative body in Libya, and Council of State completing their efforts in preparing electoral laws. In February, Egypts Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry warned against attempts by external parties to divert Libya's political process to suit their interests. In a meeting with UN Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Libya Abdoulaye Bathily, Shoukry also stressed the necessity of not allowing "any internal Libyan party to hijack the political process through imposing a fait accompli." Libya has witnessed a political stalemate since it failed to hold long-awaited elections in December 2021. The country is currently divided between two rival governments; one based in Tripoli, led by Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, and the other appointed by the east-based parliament and led by Fathi Bashagha. Egypt backs the government of Bashagha and has labeled Dbeibahs Government of National Unity (GNU) as outgoing. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's Minister of Health Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar opened the first production line of hepatitis B and pentavalent (five-in-one) vaccines, with the capacity to produce 100 million vaccines annually, as part of a collaboration between Egypts VACSERA and the Serum Institute of India, according to a statement released Saturday. During a speech at VACSERA in Giza, Abdel-Ghaffar emphasised the importance of expanding Egyptian-Indian investments in vaccine and medicine manufacturing. He also highlighted the strong role that President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis support played in making such investment projects a success, positioning Egypt as a hub for economic collaboration between India and Africa. The July 2019 agreement VACSERA and the Serum Institute of India marks a significant advancement in vaccine technology manufacturing and transference, increasing local production capacity from 60 to 70 percent, Abdel-Ghaffar stated. "This stage runs concurrently with the preparations for the start of the third level of the agreement, emphasising that this collaboration represents the stability and strength of Egypt and India, which have a long history of solid relations," said the health minister. He pointed out that India and Egypt also have superior human skills and well-established vaccine production and manufacturing organisations. VACSERAs technical team was trained during regular missions to India, where they visited their partners production control labs, the minister added. He further disclosed that the Ministry of Health's future plan is to produce 300 million doses of different vaccines a year as part of the deal. This aligns with the African Union's plan to produce and supply 60 percent of Africa's needs by 2040. As a result, the vaccines will be produced and manufactured in the VACSERA factory located in 6th of October City. Heba Wali, chairman and CEO of VACSERA, stated: "During the planning and processing phases for the inauguration of the second part of the deal on technology transfer and vaccine manufacturing, the two countries exchanged formal visits to share experiences and knowledge, which helped refine skills among teams working in the field of vaccine production in both countries." Meanwhile, Indian Ambassador to Egypt Ajit Gupte commended the expansion of business ties with the Egyptian government. "Egypt has a powerful system, a national vision and an advanced strategy in all economic areas, placing it among the world's first industrialised nations at all levels, particularly health," he added, saying that Indias vaccine manufacturing capabilities are noteworthy as it produces almost 60 percent of the world's vaccines. Search Keywords: Short link: What would an Indian American president of the US look like, sound like and act like, especially on issues and policies pertaining to his or her 'mother-land'?, asks N Sathiya Moorthy. IMAGE: Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley at a campaign event in Urbandale, Iowa, February 20, 2023. Photograph: Scott Morgan/Reuters Unpredictable are the ways of American politics, yes, but the way it is ravelling, the possibility of an 'Indians-All' presidential poll cannot be ruled out in November 2024. Already, two Indian Americans have thrown their hats into the nomination race in the Republican Opposition, and in the incumbent's Democratic Party, Vice-President Kamala Harris, though seemingly guarded until her boss the president decides, may stand a fair chance after calls for incumbent Joe Biden's retirement re-surfaced when he tripped while boarding Air Force One -- the second time in as many years in office. As always, the nomination fever has caught on in the Opposition early. The custom demands that the incumbent makes his position known before aspirants in his party start announcing their intent to contest the primaries. Thus, in the Republican Opposition, outgoing President Donald Trump, rather than retiring gracefully as those before him had done after losing the presidency at the end of the first of the mandated high of two terms, declared his intention to contest in 2024, very long ago. In an unprecedented sight, the so-called free world saw Trump's supporters ransacking US Congress as if it were in a scene in the Wild West movies. Even Hollywood had restricted its imagination when it came to hurting American national sentiments, pride and institutions as Trump and his supporters did when Congress met to formalise the process of recording the 'electoral college votes', declaring Democratic rival, Joe Biden, president. The moot question remains if the pending cases could lead to Trump's disqualification from being allowed to contest the presidential poll one more time. But Trump himself has been campaigning across the country, off and on, if only to stay in the memory of the American voters, especially his own rank-and-file, lest they should transfer their electoral and political loyalties to another Republican. Against this background, Nikki Haley, two-term governor of South Carolina and a former US special representative to the UN, became the first Indian-American to throw her hat into the ring for the Republican nomination this time. What has surprised many is the fact that within a fortnight or so of announcing her intention, Nikki Haley, 51, was ahead of President Biden, in the Ramusen Report opinion poll, 45-41 per cent, conducted between February 16 and 19. Interestingly, 18 per cent of Democrats favoured Nikki against 74 per cent for Biden, indicating her ability to connect with the rival camp. It is only so much however, as she has only 18 per cent support in her native Republican party, after Trump (52 per cent) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (24 per cent), indicating that she has a long, long way to go before being considered a serious candidate for the nation's high office. The fact is that Nikki Haley is the only competitor to her former boss Trump, and DeSantis is only expected to enter the fray but has not yet announced his decision. IMAGE: US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at an event in Atlanta, Georgia. Photograph: Megan Varner/Reuters If this is where a relatively more experienced Nikki stands, a green-horn 'outsider' in Vivek Ramaswamy, too has expressed his desire to contest the Republican primaries, on his perceived way to become president, if only to "put merit back" and end dependence on China. 'We are in the middle of this national identity crisis where we have celebrated our differences for so long that we forgot all the ways we are really just the same as Americans bound by a common set of ideals that set this nation into motion 250 years ago,' Ramaswamy, 37, told a Fox New prime-time talk-show. Sounding every bit conservative, Ramaswamy, son of migrant parents from Kerala, called 'wokeism' a national threat. 'Wokeism' is the promotion of liberal progressive ideology and policy as an expression of sensitivity to systemic injustices and prejudices. That's why I am proud to say tonight that I am running for United States President, to revive those ideals in this country,' he declared. A second-generation Indian American, Ramaswamy had worked in General Electric before founding Roivant Sciences in 2014 and led the largest biotech IPOs of 2015 and 2016, eventually culminating in successful clinical trials in multiple disease areas that led to FDA-approved products, according to his bio. He has founded other successful healthcare and technology companies, and in 2022, he launched Strive Asset Management, a new firm focused on restoring the voices of everyday citizens in the American economy by leading companies to focus on excellence over politics. With the Republican primaries showing early signs of getting crowded, the media focus has turned to the Democratic Party as well. Even as speculation was doing the rounds on Biden's intention, his second slip-up while claiming Air Force One has led to motivated and not-so-motivated social media posts, questioning his physical and mental condition to contest a second time, leave alone continuing in office. Naturally, Vice-President Kamala Harris tops the list of probable in the analyst's chatter board. Yet, dismissing Washington 'chatter' about whether Biden should run for re-election in 2024 and whether her own party thinks she would be a suitable replacement if he did not, Kamala told NBC News that Biden had told her that 'he intends to run for re-election ... and I intend to run with him as Vice-President'. Biden has not formally declared a run but all signs suggest that he will. Last month, the White House physician pronounced him 'fit for duty, and [to] fully execute all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations'. However, Politico reported (external link) concern among Democrats that at 80, and already the oldest president ever, Biden is too old to run for a second term by the end of which he would be 86. The Web site also reported that some insiders believe Harris would not be a good presidential candidate herself. Rebuffing such comments, that too while outside the country, participating in the Munich Security Conference, Kamala Harris sort of skidded supplementary questions of the kind when she said: 'I think that it is very important to focus on the needs of the American people and not political chatter out of Washington, DC.' At Munich, Kamala was also asked about Nikki Haley's call for a 'new generation' of leaders and said politicians over the age of 75 should be subject to mandatory mental health tests, but without naming names. The suggestion becomes pertinent as her own Republican Party rival and front-runner, Trump, at 76 (DOB: June 14, 1946) is only four years younger to Biden but has also crossed the threshold fixed by her. IMAGE: Vivek Ramaswamy. Photograph: Kind courtresy Vivek2024.com Like Nikki Haley, 51, Kamala Harris, at 58, is also in the fifties, though it remains to be seen what prescription she would have for the likes of much younger Ramaswamy, who is in his thirties. Kamala said Nikki was using 'very coded language', adding that the American people want leaders who will see what's going on in their lives and create solution. As if responding to criticism that touch upon the incumbent's age and perceived health Kamala told NBC in Munich: 'In Joe Biden, we have a president who is probably one of the oldest and strongest American presidents we have had in his response to the needs of the American people." Yet, what if Biden himself decides that enough was enough and he needed a well-deserved retirement? Kamala's name would then prop up, along with many others. For now, she seems the favourite but then no other Democrat has begun talking, as yet. For all her caginess just now, Kamala Harris already holds the record for being the first woman vice-president of the world's most powerful democracy. She is also the first Indian American to reach this far in American politics, so to say, at a knocking distance from Oval Office. Though not many, especially those outside the US, remembers it, Kamala Harris also became the first 'woman acting president' of the US. For 85 minutes on November 19, 2021, Biden transferred his presidential powers to his VP while undergoing a colonography, and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the president too 'knew he was making history'. It is another matter that up to now, Biden has also proved doomsayers, even within his party wrong, as they spread murmurs of protest against 'handing over the world's most important job to an old man'. Their taunts did not leave out Kamala, either, as they said should the presidency fell vacant during Biden's term, they should be careful to choose a vice-president, who would be up to the job and would not be lost in the mire of White House politics, policies and priorities. It did not worry Biden, and Kamala did not care --- and so did the American voters. IMAGE: President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of the United States Congress at the US Capitol, February 7, 2023, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy watch. Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via Reuters For all this, what would an Indian American president of the US look like, sound like and act like, especially on issues and policies pertaining to his or her 'mother-land'? Though Indians, starting with her family's native village in Tamil Nadu, had celebrated her ascendancy, Kamala Harris is yet to make the customary 'maiden trip' to India. Maybe, she does not want to be seen in India, or be seen even more as an elected American top-notch official whose foreign policies priorities may be clouded by sentiments. It is another matter that Kamala never ever has displayed such sentiments vis-a-vis India any time before. Nor has Nikki Haley, nor Ramaswamy. So was the case with Bobby Jindal, the first American to try his luck for a presidential nomination (Republican) in 2016, followed by Kamala Harris in 2020. If one went by Ramaswamy's first statement, it reads more radical about everything America, with no space or scope for a sympathetic or familiar approach to India. As Ramaswamy said in his television interview, 'I'm all for putting America first, but in order to put America first, we have to first re-discover what America is. And to me, those are these basic rules of the road that set this nation into motion from meritocracy to free speech, to self-governance over aristocracy... I think we need to put 'merit' back into 'America' in every spirit of our lives," he said, adding that he will end affirmative action in "every sphere of American life'. That way, if elected president, he too can be expected to be guided by administration experts on the nation's India policy, which is positive just now -- for a variety of reasons, no sentiments or sensibilities attached. A Kamala tenancy of the White House, again if it came to that, too would not be any different -- or that of any American-Indian president in the White House, now and ever. It will be business and business alone, whatever be the Indian street perception in such matters, which will have to make do with the 'feel good' feeling and a sense of inexplicable pride that it all gives, and nothing more! N Sathiya Moorthy, veteran journalist and author, is a Chennai-based policy analyst and political commentator. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Popular Bhojpuri actress Akanksha Dubey was found dead inside a hotel room in Varanasi on Sunday with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, officials said. IMAGE: Bhojpuri actress Akanksha Dubey. Photograph: Akanksha Dubey on Instagram/ANI The 25-year-old actress was found hanging from the fan with a piece of cloth and the police were called immediately, according to the hotel staff. Assistant commissioner of police (Sarnath) Gyan Prakash Rai said, "The family members of the deceased live in Mumbai. They have been informed about the incident. No suicide note has been recovered from her room. Prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide." Dubey, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi district, had come to Varanasi for the shooting a movie and was staying in the hotel under Sarnath police station area. When Dubey did not come out of the room till late morning the hotel staff, on the insistence of her colleagues, opened the gate of her room using a masterkey. Varanasi police Commissionerate, in its statement, said that the body has been sent for post-mortem and police are investigating the matter. Dubey starred in several regional films including Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki 2, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (Bhopuri) and Veeron ke Veer. Bhojpuri film personalities such as Rani Chatterjee, Vinay Anand and Aamrapali Dubey took to social media to pay condolences. "Can't believe seeing this news. What should I write, it is not right to end your life like this. May your soul find peace wherever it is, which it could not find in this world, it could find in heaven. It is hurting a lot! Om Shanti! #rip #aakanshadubey," Chatterjee wrote on Instagram. Anand said he is pained by Dubey's demise and he would like the authorities to investigate the case. "Just found out that Bhojpuri artist Akansha Dubey died by suicide, so sorry to hear about that. We never worked together as far as I can remember. I'd like to know the reason behind this. May she rest in peace. Hari om," Anand said in an Instagram post in Hindi. Posting a photo with the 25-year-old actress on her Instagram, Aamrapali Dubey wrote, I wanted to use our pictures together only to highlight your achievements!" Turkey stopped oil exports from Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on Saturday following arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce, the Iraqi oil ministry said. "Turkey has informed the authorities of Iraqi Kurdistan of a stop to imports," Assem Jihad, spokesman for the ministry, told AFP. Iraqi officials overseeing exports via Turkey's Ceyhan port noted pumping stopped at "12:35 pm (0935 GMT) on March 25, 2023", according to a document the authenticity of which the spokesman confirmed. There has been no confirmation from Turkish authorities. Baghdad said the arbitration tribunal of the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce had accepted Baghdad's claims in a dispute with Ankara over who had responsibility for exporting the autonomous region's oil. Iraq in 2014 launched the proceedings against neighbouring Turkey, claiming exclusive rights over Kurdistan's oil exports. But in defiance of Baghdad, the regional government in Arbil continued to export oil through Turkey at a rate of around 450,000 barrels a day. Iraq's oil ministry said that the Paris arbitration tribunal had ruled that Baghdad's State Oil Marketing Organization "is the only entity authorised to manage exports". The Kurdistan region's prime minister, Masrour Barzani, said on Saturday a delegation representing his government "will visit Baghdad for talks tomorrow (Sunday)". He added on Twitter there was "goodwill" in talks with the central government, even though the loss of its ability to export oil independently is likely to undermine the region's autonomy. Oil has always been a sensitive topic in relations between Baghdad and Arbil and is a key source of revenues for both governments. The Kurdistan government sees Baghdad as trying to profit from the region's resources, while the Iraqi government argues it should enjoy sovereign control over all of the country's oil production. Iraq, the second largest producer within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), exports an average of 3.3 million barrels of oil per day. Search Keywords: Short link: Raising the pitch against the Bharatiya Janata Party over Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha, Congress leaders and workers held protests across the country on Sunday, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accusing the government of "trying to silence" a "martyr's son" for raising the voice of people. IMAGE: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh, K C Venugopal and other leaders arrive at Rajghat to protest against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a member of Parliament. Photograph: ANI on Twitter Countering the BJP's charge that Rahul Gandhi insulted OBCs with his remark for which he has been convicted in a criminal defamation case, Priyanka Gandhi asked how a leader whose family has "given its blood to nurture democracy" and who has walked thousands of kilometres from Kanyakumari to Kashmir with a message of unity could insult the country or a certain community. "We have remained silent but not anymore," she said alleging that the prime minister and other BJP leaders have repeatedly insulted her family members but no cases were filed against them. The Bharatiya Janata Party, however, slammed the Congress and asked if it was agitating against the country's Constitution or the law under which Rahul Gandhi was convicted or to justify his remarks against the entire backward community of the country. With several other parties condemning the action against Rahul Gandhi, top Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the issue had brought the Opposition together and this unity would grow as days go by. Kharge, who led the "Sankalp Satyagraha" protest outside Delhi's Raj Ghat after the police refused permission to hold it at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial, asked why the BJP was feeling hurt if fugitives Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi were being criticised. IMAGE: Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur (third from right) with state minister of health and family welfare Banna Gupta (left) and others takes part in the 'Sankalp Satyagraha' in Ranchi, March 26, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo "They talk of OBC now, is Lalit Modi OBC, is Nirav Modi OBC, is Mehul Choksi OBC, they ran away with people's money. If they are fugitives why are you pained if they are criticised." "You (BJP) punish the person who works to save the country and send those abroad who loot the country," Kharge said. Staunchly defending the former Congress president, Priyanka Gandhi said no cases were registered when her brother was called Mir Jafer. Asking if a martyred prime minister's son can insult the country, Priyanka Gandhi said, "This is an insult to that prime minister who gave his life." She said her family gave its blood to the nation and the Congress is ready to do anything to protect democracy and is not scared. "You have called a martyr's son anti-national, Mir Jafar, insulted his mother in Parliament. The prime minister in Parliament asks why this family does not use the 'Nehru' surname," she said. "You insult the entire family and the tradition of Kashmiri Pandits. But there is no case against you. You don't get a case or a two-year term and no one disqualifies you. Why?" she asked. IMAGE: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole (fourth from right) with party leaders takes part in the 'Sankalp Satyagraha' against the disqualification of party leader Rahul Gandhi in Nagpur. Photograph: ANI Photo She hit out at the BJP over the allegation of dynastic politics. "How much will you insult one person?" Priyanka Gandhi said and asked if Lord Ram, who was sent into exile, was a parivaarwadi. They accuse us of dynasticism. Who was Lord Ram? He was exiled and he fulfilled his responsibilities towards his family and motherland. Was Lord Ram parivaarwadi? Were Pandavas parivaarwadi because they fought to uphold the values of their family. Should we be ashamed that our family members sacrificed their lives for this country? the Congress leader said. Priyanka Gandhi said till today, they have been insulting "our family and we remained silent but not anymore". "Time has come and we are not the ones who will remain silent anymore," she told the outside Rajghat. IMAGE: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addresses during the Sankalp Satyagraha against the disqualification of party leader Rahul Gandhi as a Member of Parliament, at Raj Ghat, in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo Targeting the prime minister, she said, Rahul Gandhi was being attacked for asking questions about industrialist Gautam Adani, who she alleged was being protected by the entire ruling establishment. "Take me to jail but the truth is this country's prime minister is a coward. He is hiding behind his power and (he) is arrogant. But this country's tradition is that people reply to an arrogant king," she said. Priyanka Gandhi also urged the media to understand their responsibility as "democracy is in danger". "If the one who questions is barred from contesting elections for eight years, it is not right for the country or its democracy. Time has come -- daro mat (don't be afraid)'. "Face them and unite and ensure the unity of the country and take it forward," she asserted amid cheers from the Congress rank and file. In the national capital, the Congress put up a stage outside Mahatma Gandhi's memorial for its day-long protest programme with a hoarding having Mahatma Gandhi's image and Satyamev Jayate (truth alone wins) written on it, while in Gujarat several party functionaries were detained for holding the stir. Congress workers in many states and union territories like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat took part in the protests. Tamil Nadu Congress chief K S Alagiri, who led the protest in Cuddalore, said there would be more protests including rail roko and street-corner meetings to make it a people's movement. Kharge thanked all opposition parties for standing with Rahul Gandhi and the Congress to save democracy. Gehlot slammed the BJP and said his party has done a lot for backward classes which include making an OBC leader like him CM thrice. Alleging that in 2017, when the BJP was losing the Gujarat elections, Modi played the OBC card, he said the BJP again wants to run a campaign to mislead OBCs. "You are protecting fugitives such as Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi, and then saying Rahul Gandhi insulted OBCs," he said. "I have been made CM for the third time by Sonia ji, Rahul ji. I am an OBC. There is only one member of the OBC Mali community (in the assembly) and that is me," he said. IMAGE: Former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat with Congress workers during a 'Satyagraha', in Dehradun, March 26, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also comes from the OBC community, he pointed out. Meanwhile, the BJP hit out at the Congress over its 'Sankalp Satyagraha', alleging that it was agitating against the country's Constitution and the court's verdict against Rahul Gandhi to justify his remarks against the entire backward community of the country. Addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also dubbed the Congress agitation as an insult to Mahatma Gandhi, saying while the Father of the Nation had organised Satyagraha for social causes, the Congress was holding so-called Satyagraha for personal reasons. The agitation has nothing to do with fighting for truth, he added. "Satyagraha for what?... Is it to justify the way you insulted the entire backward community of the country, or against the court which sentenced you, or against the provision under which you have to be disqualified, he said, asking Congress to clarify. Taking a jibe at the Congress, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said those who weaken democracy cannot observe Satyagraha. Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. The disqualification will prevent Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting elections for eight years unless a higher court stays the conviction. In Gujarat, the police detained state Congress chief Jagdish Tahor, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Amit Chavda and senior leader Bharatsinh Solanki along with party workers when they arrived at Lal Darwaza in Ahmedabad to protest. In Srinagar, scores of party activists led by former JKPCC president Ghulam Ahmad Mir protested at the party's headquarters at M A Road. The Punjab and Haryana units of Congress also observed the Satyagraha. In Congress-ruled Rajasthan, the party's state unit chief Govind Singh Dotasra, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas and several other leaders took part in the protest. In Hyderabad, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president A Revanth Reddy, party MPs from the state, AICC incharge of party affairs in Telangana Manikrao Thakre and several leaders took part in the dharna at Gandhi Bhavan. The Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee will hold dawn to dusk fast in Puducherry on Monday, former chief minister and senior Congress leader V Narayanasamy said at a rally in the Union Territory. "The prime minister tried to silence the Opposition but our protests would continue unabated," he said. Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress president Vikrant Bhuria was on Sunday arrested for stopping a train during a protest at Kamlapati railway station in Bhopal on Friday, a police official said. Bhuria, who is the son of MLA and former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria, was taken away while a crowd of Congress supporters shouted slogans in his support. In Ranchi, Congress leaders including Jharkhand ministersRameshwar Oraon and Banna Gupta assembled at Bapu Vatika at Morabadi ground. Scores of party activists led by former JKPCC president Ghulam Ahmad Mir held the Sankalp Satyagraha' at the party headquarters at M A Road in Srinagar. Flaying the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Karnataka government for its decision to scrap reservation for Muslims under Category 2B in the OBC list, the Congress declared on Sunday that it would restore the quota to the minority community in the event of the party coming to power in the State, where Assembly elections are due by May. IMAGE: Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and Randeep Singh Surjewala and others during a protest against the Karnataka government in Bengaluru, March 4, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo The cabinet meeting on Friday also decided to split this quantum (four per cent) equally between Vokkaliga and Veerashaiva-Lingayats at two per each in jobs and admissions in educational institutions, which was welcomed by the two politically influential communities. The government moved Muslims into the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Sections pool. President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee DK Shivakumar termed the step "unconstitutional" "They (the government) think that reservation can be distributed like a property. It's not a property. It's a right (of minorities)", he told reporters in Bengaluru. "We don't want their four per cent to be scrapped and given to any of the major communities. They (members of the minority community) are our brothers and family members". "Entire Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats are rejecting this offer," Shivakumar claimed. Exuding confidence that the Congress party will come to power in the "next 45 days", he said: "we will scrap all this" and added that there is no basis to remove Muslims from the OBC list. Charging the Basavaraj Bommai-government with trying to rake up "emotional issues" as it's set to lose the polls, Shivakumar said as party president, he wants to declare that the first meeting of the Cabinet, in the event of Congress coming to power, would take a decision to restore the quota. A Congress statement said the complete taking away of the decades-old reservation for Muslim minorities of four per cent has caused great consternation and a sense of injustice in the minority community. It alleged that shifting of Muslims to the EWS quota is per se unconstitutional and is an attempt to deceive the minority community. "EWS quota is founded upon economic status and income. It is not based upon caste or religion. A member of any caste or religion would anyway be entitled to EWS reservation based on his or her economic status," the party said. "How is the (Basavaraj) Bommai government then making false claims of shifting Muslim minority to EWS quota?" A group of Khalistan supporters gathered in front of the Indian embassy in Washington, DC and many of their speakers tried to incite violence, but timely intervention by an alert US Secret Service and local police prevented a repeat of London and San Francisco incidents of vandalism at the mission. IMAGE: Khalistan supporters protest outside the Indian embassy in Washington, DC. Photograph: ANI on Twitter Separatist Sikhs, who gathered outside the Indian Embassy in downtown Washington DC on Saturday, hurled abusive language and openly threatened Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. The Ambassador was not in the embassy at the time of the protest. Some of the speakers were seen inciting fellow protestors to indulge in violence and break the windows and glasses of the building across the road. In their speeches, most of the protestors were seen trying to incite violence not only in India but in the US as well, including physical damage to the Indian embassy property.. Sensing that things might go out of control, the Secret Service and the local police quickly brought in reinforcement and more forces were deployed in the area. At least three police vans were placed in front of the embassy. At one point of time, five protesters quickly crossed the road and were about to break into the temporary marker of the embassy property near the pole unfurling the tricolour before they were asked to leave. Secret Service personnel, who were closely watching this, in no time rushed to the spot and asked the protesters to go back to the designated protest area, before any untoward incident could happen. It appeared that the protesters had come prepared to do something similar like damaging Indian properties at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco and the Indian High Commission in London. After the attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco by pro-Khalistan protesters last Sunday, India had registered its strong protest with the US Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi over the incident and asked the American government to take appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. During the protest by Khalistan supporters at the Indian embassy in Washington, this PTI reporter saw separatists bringing two bundles of wooden sticks that were kept in the park that has the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in front of the embassy. The wooden sticks were similar to those which were used to break the door and windows and smash the glasses of the Indian consulate in San Francisco. While one bundle was used to display the separatist flag, the other bundle of about 20 sticks was kept aside. Organisers of the protest had a very hostile approach towards the Indian reporter covering the protest. They not only obstructed this reporter by coming in front of the camera and placing the Khalistan flag on his face, kept pushing him, but also threatened dire consequences. The reporter, apprehending physical harm, called 911 and ran towards the other side of the road for safety, looking for a police van. One of the protesters abused the reporter and was asking questions like you have to tell me what are you going to report? The organiser backed off as the reporter complained to the police about the potentially harmful activities of the protesters. Sometime later, two of the protesters came towards the reporters, who were standing near the Secret Service personnel. One of them told the Secret Service that the reporter be asked to leave my land which is federal property. They warned that if there is any violence and the reporter is physically harmed, they should not be blamed for this. Immediately the other protestor hurled abuse against the reporter, used unparliamentary words, and moved the two Khalistan flags that he had in his hand in such a way that its sticks hit the reporter's left ear with a bang. The Secret Service personnel asked the reporter if he was ok. The Secret Service warned the protester that this should not be repeated, and sought additional reinforcement from police personnel. The law enforcement official told the protestors that this was public land, and the reporter was all within his right to stand there and cover their protest. In their speeches, the protesters repeatedly pointed fingers towards the two reporters and used abusive words against them. While they prevented the journalists from doing their work, a group of protesters filmed the reporter covering their protest, took pictures and asked provocative questions. The separatists left the area around after 3 pm and one of them was seen keeping the bundle of wooden sticks in the trunk of the SUV. The Indian embassy in Washington, DC condemned the attack on the PTI reporter. "We have seen disturbing visuals of a senior Indian journalist from the Press Trust of India being abused, threatened & assaulted physically while covering the so-called Khalistan protest' in Washington DC earlier today," the Indian mission said in a statement. "We understand that the journalist was first verbally intimidated, then physically assaulted, and fearing for his personal safety and well-being, had to call in law enforcement agencies, who responded promptly," the statement said. The mission said it condemns such a grave and unwarranted attack on a senior journalist. "Such activities only underscore the violent and anti-social tendencies of the so-called Khalistani protestors' and their supporters, who routinely engage in wanton violence and vandalism," it said. It thanked the law enforcement agencies for their prompt response in the matter. "This violence against @lalitkjha is outrageous and an assault on journalism. I condemn it in the strongest terms. Lalit is one of the fairest and most thoughtful journalists. Thank you to our security for protecting Lalit and the diplomats and consulate," Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna tweeted. A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to 100 years of hard labour for causing the death of a 5-year-old Indian-origin girl in the US state of Louisiana in 2021, according to local media reports. Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: Alyson McClaran/Reuters Joseph Lee Smith from Shreveport was sentenced following his conviction in January of the killing of Mya Patel, local news media outlets like KSLA News 12 and the Shreveport Times reported. Patel was playing in a hotel room on Monkhouse Drive when a bullet entered her room and struck her in the head. Patel was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she battled for three days and was pronounced dead on March 23, 2021. During Smith's trial, it was revealed to the jury that Smith got into an altercation with another man in the parking lot of the Super 8 Motel. The hotel was owned and operated at that time by Vimal and Snehal Patel, who lived in a ground-floor unit with Mya and a younger sibling. During the altercation, Smith struck the other man with a 9-mm handgun, which discharged. The bullet missed the other man but went into the hotel room and struck Patel in the head before grazing her mother. District Judge John D Mosely sentenced Smith to 60 years at hard labour without the benefit of probation, parole or reduction of sentence in connection with the March 2021 slaying of Mya Patel, reports said. Smith also must serve 20 years for obstruction of justice and 20 years for aggravated battery, for separate convictions associated with Patel's slaying. Those terms must also be served without the benefit of probation, parole or reduction of sentence, the reports said. On Thursday, the Caddo Parish District Attorney's Office said: "the terms were enhanced by Smith being a repeat felony offender and must be served consecutively, for a total of 100 years." The Punjab police arrested a woman from Patiala for allegedly sheltering fugitive radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his aide, officials said on Sunday. IMAGE: SSP Khanna Amneet Kondal speaks to media after the arrest of Tajinder Singh Gill, a close associate of Amritpal Singh, in Ludhiana, March 24, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo According to a senior police official, Amritpal and his aide Papalpreet Singh had allegedly stayed at the residence of Balbir Kaur in Patiala's Hargobind Nagar on March 19. Kaur allegedly sheltered Amritpal and Papalpreet for five to six hours before they moved to Shahabad in Haryana's Kurukshetra district, the police said. Amritpal has been on the run since March 18 when the police launched a crackdown against him and elements of 'Waris Punjab De', an outfit headed by him. The elusive preacher himself gave the police the slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Punjab's Jalandhar district. On Saturday, CCTV camera footage purportedly showing Amritpal, dressed in a jacket and trousers and speaking on a mobile phone, emerged in Patiala. In the footage, the Waris Punjab De chief could also be seen holding a bag with a white cloth covering his face. Papalpreet could also be seen in the footage. In a second footage from the same spot, a sunglass-wearing Amritpal could be seen speaking on the phone while walking on the street. Kaur is the second woman to be arrested for allegedly sheltering Amritpal. Earlier, a woman identified as Baljit Kaur was nabbed for allegedly harbouring Amritpal and Papalpreet at her home in Shahabad. The police in Khanna also arrested on Saturday a man identified as Balwant Singh for allegedly sheltering Amritpal's associate Tejinder Singh Gill alias Gorkha Baba. Deputy superintendent of police (Payal) Harsimrat Singh said Singh, a resident of Khuli Khurd village, has been booked under Section 212 (harbouring offender) of the Indian Penal Code. Gill, who was part of Amritpal's private security setup, was arrested on Wednesday. He was sent on police remand till March 27. The Punjab police had said a phone recovered from Gill contained pictures of the flag, emblem and currency of Khalistan and videos of firearms practice by young men allegedly chosen for the radical preacher's Anandpur Khalistan Fauz. The incriminating material showed the sinister designs of the nascent militia force and the enormous threat it would have posed for peace and harmony in Punjab and national security, the police had said. With the Khalistan sympathiser continuing to remain untraceable, the police said efforts are underway to nab the fugitive. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. IMAGE: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting in Moscow, on March 25, 2023. Photograph: Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Kremlin via Reuters This marks Moscow's latest attempt to use the threat of a nuclear war to ramp up tensions with the United States and the North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation over the invasion of Ukraine, Financial Times reported. Putin said work would be completed on building storage units for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus on July 1, a move he likened to US nuclear deployments in Europe. The Russian leader said Moscow has already transferred an Iskander short-range missile system -- which can be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads -- to Belarus. Though Putin said Russia would not transfer control of the tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus or violate its nuclear non-proliferation obligations, the decision is one of the Kremlin's most significant steps with its arsenal since it invaded Ukraine more than a year ago, according to Financial Times. The Russian President said the deployment was in response to a longstanding request from Belarus's leader Alexander Lukashenko, who has allowed Russia to use the country as a launch pad for attacks on Ukraine, thereby moving his country deeper into the Kremlin's embrace. "There is nothing unusual here: first of all, the US has been doing this for decades," Putin said. "They placed their tactical nuclear weapons in six different allied Nato countries in Europe. [ . . . ] we have agreed to do the same thing, without, I stress, violating our international non-proliferation obligations," Putin said. "They have [tactical nuclear weapons] in certain countries, prepare the delivery systems, and train the crews. We're planning to do the same thing," he added, as quoted by Financial Times. Putin accused the 'West' of fueling the Ukraine crisis and said that the 'West' is gambling on the fates of entire states and peoples, according to the Kremlin's statement. Putin, in an article for the Chinese Communist Party's flagship newspaper, People's Daily, stated that the NATO is striving for the global reach of activities and seeking to penetrate the Asia-Pacific. 'The crisis in Ukraine, which was provoked and is being diligently fuelled by the West, is the most striking, yet not the only, manifestation of its desire to retain its international dominance and preserve the unipolar world order. It is crystal clear that NATO is striving for a global reach of activities and seeking to penetrate the Asia-Pacific,' Putin said. 'It is obvious that there are forces persistently working to split the common Eurasian space into a network of 'exclusive clubs' and military blocs that would serve to contain our countries' development and harm their interests. This won't work,' he added. The government in Belarus, which is situated west of Russia on Ukraine's long northern border, is among Moscow's closest allies. Belarus has had no nuclear weapons on its territory since the early 1990s. Shortly after gaining independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union, it agreed to transfer all Soviet-era weapons of mass destruction stationed there to Russia. Belarus helped Russia launch its initial invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, allowing the Kremlin's troops to enter the country from the north. There have been fears throughout the conflict that Belarus will again be used as a launching ground for an offensive, or that Minsk's own troops will join the conflict, CNN reported. Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said he considers Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar as his "idol", and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to refrain from "insulting" him. IMAGE: Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray speaking at rally in Malegaon, Maharashtra, March 26, 2023. Photograph: Courtesy Office of Uddhav Thackeray/Twitter He said the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of three parties -- Sena-UBT, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party -- was formed to protect democracy and it was necessary to work unitedly for it. Addressing a rally in the Muslim-dominated textile town of Malegaon in Nashik district of north Maharashtra, Thackeray also said that deliberate attempts were on to provoke Rahul Gandhi. "Savarkar is our idol and his insult will not be tolerated if we have to fight together to protect our democracy. Savarkar suffered unimaginable torture in the Andaman cellular jail for 14 years. We can only read the sufferings. It is a form of sacrifice," he said. 'I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that we have come together to save our country's democracy and its Constitution. But you are deliberately being provoked. If we allow this time to get wasted, then democracy will cease to exist. 2024 will be the last election," he added. Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. Addressing a press conference in Delhi over his disqualification, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said, "My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi and Gandhi does not offer an apology to anyone". Thackeray said he supported Gandhi for his Bharat Jodo Yatra. "Rahul Gandhi spoke well at his press conference yesterday. He raised valid questions about whom does Rs 20,000 crore belong. But the government doesn't want to answer," he said. During his press conference on Saturday, Gandhi said the moot questions remain that who invested Rs 20,000 crore in Adani shell firms and what is the businessman's relationship with the prime minister. Targeting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Thackeray alleged that those who have no connection with the country's freedom movement were attempting to finish off democracy. Thackeray, who was addressing his second rally in Malegaon after Khed in Ratnagiri district since losing the party name and symbol to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, said he was fighting to save democracy and freedom. "The fight is not about me becoming the chief minister again," he said. Thackeray also said NCP leader Anil Deshmukh's six-year-old granddaughter was questioned by probe agencies and even Lalu Prasad Yadav's pregnant daughter-in-law was quizzed till she fainted. "If you criticise those in power, police will be after you," he said. "Modi is not India. Did our freedom fighters lay down their lives for this?" he asked. The former CM wondered how good and honest people in the BJP were tolerating the corrupt people brought into their fold from other parties. Hitting out at CM Shinde, Thackeray said he doesn't regret losing the chief minister's post, but a government doing good work was shamelessly toppled. "Farmers are facing a lot of hardships and the Shinde government is doing nothing to ease their problems," he alleged. Thackeray said he has been robbed of his party's name and symbol, but traitors can never rob him of the love and affection of the people. He said his government has taken several steps for the development of the textile sector in Malegaon and farmers and during the COVID-19 pandemic. "During the pandemic, I had spoken to the religious heads in Malegaon and everyone here cooperated with the government initiatives to control the spread of the virus," he said. At least 23 people were killed and dozens injured as tornado and strong thunderstorms swept across Mississippi, United States, late on Friday, leaving a trail of damage for over 100 miles, ABC News reported citing local and federal authorities said. IMAGE: An aerial view of destroyed homes after thunderstorms spawning high straight-line winds and tornadoes ripped across the state in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on March 25, 2023. Photograph: Cheney Orr/Reuters Mississippi Governor Tata Reeves said 23 people were killed in the tornado and storms that struck Mississippi. Reeves tweeted, 'At least twenty three Mississippians were killed by last night's violent tornados. We know that many more are injured. Search and rescue teams are still active.' In another tweet, he stated, 'Many in the MS Delta need your prayer and God's protection tonight. We have activated medical support--surging more ambulances and other emergency assets for those affected. Search and rescue is active. Watch weather reports and stay cautious through the night, Mississippi!' Meanwhile, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency in a tweet said, 'We can confirm 23 dead, dozens injured, 4 missing due to last night's tornadoes. We have numerous local and state search and rescue teams that continue to work this morning. A number of assets are on the ground to assist those that have been impacted.' It further said, 'We will provide more information as it becomes available.' Speaking to ABC News, Coroner Angelia Easton said that 13 people had died in Sharkey County. Carroll County Coroner Mark Stiles confirmed that three people had died. Coroner Alan Gurley said that two people died in Monroe County. Jose Watson, a Mississippi Highway Patrol trooper, said one person died in Silver City, in Humphreys County, as per the news report. As thunderstorms battered Mississippi late Friday, a tornado was reported at about 8.50 pm (local time) in Silver City and Rolling Fork, the National Weather Service said. From there, the tornado rolled onto the northwest side of Tchula and along Highway 49, ABC News reported citing officials. NWS officials in Mississippi in an alert on Friday, said, '9.31 pm - Confirmed tornado is on the ground moving across I-55 moving into the city of Winona in Montgomery County shortly', as per the news report. They further called on the people to 'Take cover now!' According to an NWS official, a tornado Emergency alert was later issued for Winona with a tornado moving northeast through town. A police team from Uttar Pradesh came to the Sabarmati central jail in Ahmedabad on Sunday and took gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to Prayagraj, where he will be produced before a court on March 28 when it passes an order in a kidnapping case in which he is an accused, officials said. IMAGE: Police bringing gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed out of Sabarmati jail in Ahmedabad to take him to Uttar Pradesh, March 26, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo The UP police team reached the Sabarmati jail in the morning and left the premises amid tight security with Ahmed in a police van around 6 pm after completing the necessary formalities, they said. Ahmed, a former Samajwadi Party MP, has been lodged in the Sabarmati central jail since June 2019. He was shifted there from his home state as per the Supreme Court's order. "A court in Prayagraj has set March 28 as the date to pass its order in a kidnapping case in which Ahmed is an accused," Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma said in the Uttar Pradesh city. He said a team of the Prayagraj police was sent to Ahmedabad to bring Ahmed for his court appearance the given date. "As part of the procedure, all the accused are to be produced before the court on the date of the judgment and then sent back to their respective jails," the police officer said. The Supreme Court had in April 2019 directed that the former MP from Phulpur in UP be shifted to a high-security jail in Gujarat after he was accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and assault of a real estate businessman Mohit Jaiswal while in jail. He is named in more than 100 criminal cases, including the recent Umesh Pal murder case, police said. Among the most sensational murders in which Ahmed is allegedly involved was that of Raju Pal, the MLA from the Bahujan Samaj Party who was shot dead in 2005. Umesh Pal, a key witness in this murder case, was gunned down outside his residence in Prayagraj on February 24 this year, they said. Earlier this month, Ahmed had moved the Supreme Court for protection, claiming that he and his family were falsely implicated in the Umesh Pal murder case in Prayagraj and he may be killed in a fake encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Police. In his plea, Ahmed said the Uttar Pradesh police were in all likelihood seeking his transit remand and police remand to take him from Ahmedabad to Prayagraj and he "genuinely apprehends that he may be eliminated during this transit period". Al-Ola Modern Systems has announced that PFU Limited is rebranding its fi, SP, and Scan Snap series of image scanners, which boast the largest market share globally, from Fujitsu brand to the Ricoh brand. Upon completion of the companys stock transfer on 1 September 2022, PFU joined the Ricoh Group. The companys flagship scanning business will come under the Ricoh brand starting April 2023. Moving forward, by adding the worldwide sales channels available to the Ricoh Group to the already existing channels of PFU, there are plans to extend the distribution of scanners to more customers. Al-Ola was founded in 1986 to be one of the most reliable and fully custom digital transformation businesses in Egypt. Al-Ola Business Services is a full-service provider for information management, specialising in large scale document scanning and conversion services. Al-Ola has a wide range of prestigious partners in the world of imaging solutions and scanners, spanning card scanners, A0 solutions and OMR solutions. The partners include Image Access, PFU Limited, Avision, Scantron, and Xerox. Under the direction of its President and CEO Abdel-Hamid Kabeel, Al-Ola Modern Systems believes that document scanning is the first step in the digital transformation process. Al-Ola has provided professional digitisation services for the top companies in Egypt. The company has scalable solutions to meet the needs of small family businesses and the largest corporations as well. Al-Ola does much more than just convert paper to digital documents, although many transformation efforts seem to start with those old original documents going digital. It convert any record type to any format of your desire. A paperless office, also called a paper-free office, is a work environment which uses minimal physical paper and instead uses primarily digital documents. The process of converting paper files into electronic files is known as digitisation, Al-Ola stated. By providing this service, Al-Ola explains the benefits of going paperless: It saves space and money, facilitates the transfer of information, protects the environment, and boosts security. Al-Ola Modern Systems provides maintenance services in Egypt through its certified support centre and resolves customers hardware and software issues. The company boasts more than 37 years of experience in its field. Short link: Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 43F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 43F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Africa has been facing an unprecedented catastrophe due to the water crisis and an estimated 190 million African children are at risk due to the same. According to a new analysis from the UN childrens agency, UNICEF, the water scarcity has significantly escalated. UNICEF Director of Programmes Sanjay Wijesekera warned at a conference on Saturday that climate and water-related shocks have been worsening globally, and "nowhere else in the world do the risks compound as severely for children". The United Nations in March 2023 also held its first Water Conference in over 45 years, and the agency rang the alarm about countries not being on the track to meeting the water goals by the end of the decade. The UN underscored that climate change and water scarcity have made the situation worse worldwide, especially for young children across Africa.. Devastating storms, floods, and historic droughts are already destroying facilities and homes, contaminating water resources, creating hunger crises, and spreading disease. But as challenging as the current conditions are, without urgent action, the future could be much more bleak," Wijesekera said. Threat related to water is acute: UN UNICEF's analysis came ahead of the UN Water Conference, where the agency reviewed household access to WASH services, the burden of WASH-attributable deaths among children under five, as well as the exposure of children to climate and environmental-related hazards. Children face the biggest threat from these crises, the UN noted, adding that the investment is the solution and is desperately needed to prevent unnecessary deaths. According to the analysis, the threat related to water was acute in Africa's Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Somalia. West and Central Africa are one of the world's most water-insecure and climate-impacted regions, UNICEF noted. In countries like the Sahel which have been witnessing instability and armed conflicts, childrens access to clean water and sanitation has been further aggravated. "Nearly one-third of children do not have access to at least basic water at home, and two-thirds do not have basic sanitation services," the analysis read. "A quarter of children have no choice but to practise open defecation. Hand hygiene is also limited, with three-quarters of children unable to wash their hands because of a lack of water and soap at home," it added. African countries carry the heaviest burden of child deaths from diseases caused by inadequate WASH, said UNICEF. This could trigger diarrhoeal diseases. "Six of the 10 have faced cholera outbreaks over the past year. Globally, more than 1,000 children under five die every day from WASH-related diseases, with around two out of five concentrated in these 10 countries alone," according to UNICEF's analysis. Egypt, UAE, Jordan and Bahrain discussed the production of the first joint Arab electric vehicle during the higher committee meetings of the Integrated Industrial Partnership held in Cairo from 19 to 21 March. In a statement on Sunday, the Arab Organisation for Industrialisation (AOI) of Egypt called for the swift completion of preliminary procedures in time for the vehicle to be showcased at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in UAE later this year. Since its launch in Abu Dhabi in May 2022, the partnership between the four Arab countries has seen the signing of multi-billion deals to boost sustainable growth and explore opportunities for joint investments, especially in priority sectors. Late last month, UAE-based automotive manufacturer M Glory Holding announced a $550 million project to establish three integrated factories for electric vehicles in Egypt, the UAE and Jordan during the third meeting of the higher committee in Amman. M Glory introduced UAE's first home-made electric vehicle, Al-Damani DMV300, in March last year. In their recent meeting, the committee discussed localising the technology to produce the joint Arab electric vehicle using local components and capabilities available in the four countries. The committee praised the capabilities of the Egyptian automobile manufacturer, Arab American Vehicles (AAV), and inspected the company's production lines. Established in 1977, AAV is a joint venture between the AOI and Chrysler Group LLC and has assembled many car models for civilian and military use since its inception. Egypt plans to produce its first electric vehicle in 2023 as part of its government strategy to transition towards a green economy. In February 2023, the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport (AASTMT) regional university announced that it would launch Egypt's first locally manufactured electric vehicle within six months at an affordable price in the Egyptian market. The project includes two EVs designed in cooperation with the private sector, according to the Dean of the Applied Research Department at AASTMT, Mohamed El-Ghamry. Furthermore, the Egyptian government has expressed its openness to localising other aspects of the EV industry. Last April, the Ministry of the Public Business Sector announced that ten companies and consortia had qualified to tender for the management and operation of electric car charging stations in Egypt. In June 2022, the Egyptian government launched a national strategy for developing the automotive industry, including the EV manufacturing industry. In October, Egypt's Senate approved a new government-drafted bill to establish a supreme council for vehicle manufacturing and set up a fund to provide financing for an environment-friendly EV industry in the country. Search Keywords: Short link: The European Union continues to move forward with its ambitious competitive "green industry" plans for the future, and it looks that Germany is prepared to subsidise nuclear power for everyone but itself. Brussels has long bragged about its plans to have a "climate neutral" economy with net zero emissions of greenhouse gases by the year 2050. Nonetheless, there has been disagreement within the bloc over whether to fully or partially include nuclear power as part of the EU's decarbonization efforts. The European Commission finally acknowledged that nuclear energy can, under some circumstances, be considered sustainable for the "green" camp of investments on March 16 when it released its draught Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA). The plan refers to "small modular reactors," sometimes known as SMRs, and "new technologies to create electricity from nuclear processes with low waste from the fuel cycle." The SMRs are modern nuclear reactors with a 300 MW(e) maximum power output per unit. "Significant contribution to decarbonisation," by nuclear energy: European Commission Although the European Commission lists nuclear as a technology that "will make a significant contribution to decarbonisation," it was not included on the list of "strategic" technologies, which "will receive particular support and are subject to the 40% domestic production benchmark." Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, stated at a recent EU summit that "only the net-zero technologies that we deem strategic for the future - like solar panels, batteries, and electrolysers, for example - have access to the full advantages and benefits," adding that "cutting-edge nuclear is in for specific fields, but not for all." France and Belgium are major nuclear energy user in Europe As a result, the Next Generation EU fund is used by the European Union to provide funding for the creation of green technology and infrastructure (NGEU). The COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery package, also known as the European Union Recovery Instrument, was introduced with the goal of fostering the development of a "greener" future. The two countries in the EU that use nuclear energy the most are France and Belgium, both of which are actively building new plants. France has pushed for nuclear energy to be listed among the green technologies because it derives around 70% of its electricity from nuclear power plants. Nonetheless, Germany is the EU member state making the largest contribution to the Next Generation EU fund after choosing to abandon nuclear power and gradually phase it out in the wake of the Fukushima tragedy in Japan in 2011. This has already stoked unrest in the Bundestag, the German parliament. The fact that the German government allots funding for technology that it will not develop domestically incensed a number of German politicians. In an effort to phase out nuclear energy and coal-fired power plants, Germany shut down three of its final six nuclear power reactors on January 1 of this year: Brokdorf, Grohnde, and Gundremmingen C. The Berlin government promoted natural gas as a transitional technology. But, in light of the European energy crisis, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz suggested extending operations at the remaining three units. Bangladesh Muktijuddha Mancha, a non-registered organization that countered Bangladesh's popular quota reform movement, sent a memorandum to the United Nations (UN) Missions in Dhaka on Saturday, March 25, urging the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the trial of the Pakistani Army. Dhaka derides Pakistan for its involvement in the genocide during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. Bangladesh has been demanding that the neighbouring Pakistan's Armed Forces formally apologise for the war crimes and brutality wreaked on the Bangladeshi citizens during the partition. "Pakistan desists, overtly or covertly, from engaging with those forces that stood against our freedom struggle," ANI reported the Bangladesh Muktijuddha Mancha as alleging to the UN. The group demanded that Pakistan's government and its Army must offer an "unconditional apology" to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina as well as to the people of Bangladesh. The country, in the memorandum sent to the UN, condemned the brutalities and killings by the Pakistan Army for the assassinations of 15 August 1975 following the killing of liberation leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the 21st grenade attack, as well as the massacres committed by Pakistan during the1971 liberation struggle. As many as 30 lakh civilians lost lives, reminded Bangladesh Muktijuddha Mancha to the UN in the memorandum, adding that an estimated 2 lakh women were raped and tortured by the Pakistani Army. "Pakistan's ISI was directly involved in 'Bangabandhu' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's killing," alleged Bangladesh Muktijuddha Mancha. "To take revenge for surrender in the Liberation War, Pakistan started conspiring against Bangabandhu's government. With the help of Zia-Mostaque, Pakistan killed Bangabandhu and his family members which was the most brutal political killing in the world," the memorandum read. According to the Bangladesh Muktijuddha Mancha, Pakistan "patronised and supplied" grenades to BNP-Jamaat-Huji who assassinated Bangabandhu's daughter Shiekh Hasina on August 21 2004. "Some Awami League leaders created human protection to save the life of Sheikh Hasina. Finally, Sheikh Hasina was saved but 24 Awami League leaders were killed due to grenades attack," the memorandum further read, slamming Pakistan's Army. The group reiterated that the neighbouring Islamabad cannot continue to avoid accountability for the killings and massacre during Bangladesh's Liberation War. They went on to warn and threaten Pakistan, saying that it needed to halt sponsoring terrorism in Bangladesh. The group also iterated that Bangladesh would cut all diplomatic relations with Pakistan should it fail to tender an apology and take responsibility for the genocide. 'Seek an apology publicly': Bangladesh to Pakistan As Pakistan's former President General Pervez Musharraf passed away aged 79 in exile last month, Bangladesh renewed its demands for a long overdue apology from Pakistan for the 1971 genocide, killings, and atrocities against the Bangladeshis. Dhaka has been demanding that Islamabad must immediately accept accountability for the brutal massacre of the Bangladeshis, and apologize for the alleged crimes during the Liberation War. Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said Bangladesh wants Pakistan to seek apology publicly with a formal announcement for the atrocities committed in 1971. Thousands of Israelis took to the streets to protest against the government's divisive effort to restructure the court system on the streets of the nation on Saturday, as reported by RT. Massive protesters gathered in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Beersheba, and other places, and on Friday they declared a "Week of Paralysis" to protest what they called an "effort to turn Israel into a dictatorship." A total of 630,000 people attended the rallies, according to information provided by the organisers. In Tel Aviv alone, which was the major location for the activists, about 200,000 demonstrators gathered, local media stated. Police used water cannons to disperse a mob obstructing the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv during the protests, and 28 individuals were detained as a result. A group of attorneys who are assisting the protesters with legal matters said that a total of 44 people were detained. "The deepening split is seeping into the military" Israel Defence Minister Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant cautioned that the debate on judicial reform has grown more contentious in the midst of the widespread demonstrations. The deepening split is seeping into the military and defense institutions. This is a clear, immediate and real danger to Israels security, he said, pleading with the administration to hold negotiations with the opposition. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs in a tweet said, "An estimated 600,000+ participated in protests across #Israel tonight in opposition of the governments proposed Judicial reforms. Below, protestors sing Israels national anthem, Hatikvah - the Hope." An estimated 600,000+ participated in protests across #Israel tonight in opposition of the governments proposed Judicial reforms. Below, protestors sing Israels national anthem, Hatikvah - the Hope pic.twitter.com/DJJgZSft89 CIJA (@CIJAinfo) March 26, 2023 The proposals of Netanyahu's cabinet to restrict the Supreme Court's ability to decide against the legislative and executive arms of government while giving the ruling coalition a majority on the committee that picks judges set off months of unrest in Israel. The number of government delegates on the judiciary committee was reduced on Monday by Netanyahu's coalition, who had initially scaled back their proposed reform. The call with US President Joseph Biden preceded this, during which he "gave support for efforts underway to reach a compromise on proposed judicial reforms consistent" with the fundamental tenets of democratic societies, such as checks and balances. Ahead to her official visit to the US and Central America the following week, Taiwan President, Tsai Ing-wen, visited the army engineers on Saturday and evaluated their training. On Wednesday, Tsai will set out on her well-publicized tour to the Americas. In Los Angeles, she is anticipated to see Kevin McCarthy, speaker of the US House. China has expressed disapproval of her future travels, denouncing Washington for granting Tsai entry. Her trip to the US is really transitory, though. Beijing has increased its military activity around the island over the past year, including bringing a record number of aircraft into its airspace. When Nancy Pelosi, a former speaker of the US House, visited China last year, Beijing fiercely retaliated by holding military drills all around the island country, reigniting tensions. The president of Taiwan observed soldiers building anti-tank barriers and engaging in martial arts training as he was visiting an army base in Chiayi, in southern Taiwan, reviewing their training. Protecting Taiwan and defending democracy has always been our militarys great mission, says Tsai Protecting Taiwan and defending democracy has always been our militarys great mission, Tsai told the soldiers, accompanied by Taiwans defence minister Chiu Kuo-cheng and national security council secretary-general, Wellington Koo, reported Independent. I believe that only by continuously training and strengthening the militarys war preparedness can we be even more able to protect our home and defend our country, she added. Her trip comes just after Honduras, one of only 14 nations to do so formally, said it will establish diplomatic ties with Beijing. The de facto US embassy in Taiwan cautioned Honduras on Saturday that Beijing frequently makes empty promises in exchange for recognition. This week, the foreign minister of Honduras visited China to establish ties. Although Honduras' potential decision to sever ties with Taipei in favour of Beijing was a sovereign choice, the American Institute in Taiwan noted that China does not usually keep its commitments. It is important to note the PRC [Peoples Republic of China] often makes promises in exchange for diplomatic recognition that ultimately remain unfulfilled, a spokesperson said, reported by Independent. Regardless of Honduras decision, the United States will continue to deepen and expand our engagement with Taiwan in line with our longstanding One China policy, the spokesperson added. Voters in Turkmenistan headed to the polls on Sunday to elect a new parliament that is expected to be opposition-free and loyal to the government of the gas-rich Central Asian nation. A total of 2,602 polling stations opened in Turkmenistan at 7 a.m. (0200 GMT) to accommodate about 3.5 million registered voters, with another 42 polling sites set up at embassies abroad. Voters will elect 125 members of parliament out of 258 candidates, put forward by three political parties or running independently. All of them support President Serdar Berdymukhamedov. Berdymukhamedov, 41, was elected last March to succeed his father, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who had run the isolated ex-Soviet country for more than a decade. Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov came to power after the death of the eccentric Saparmurat Niyazov in 2006 and established a pervasive personality cult similar to that of his predecessor. Under his rule, Turkmenistan has remained difficult for outsiders to enter. It has also struggled to diversify its economy, which is overwhelmingly dependent on its vast natural gas reserves. Berdymukhamedov has cultivated an image of robust health with media stunts that included firing a pistol at a man-sized target while riding a bicycle and hoisting a gold weightlifting bar, to the applause of his Cabinet. He has the title Arkadag, or Protector, and last year stepped down, giving way for his son to assume office. Earlier this year, Serdar Berdymukhamedov appointed his father to be the chairman of Halk Maslahaty, or Peoples Council, the country's supreme representative body. The Peoples Council has the power to change the countrys constitution and determine the main guidelines of domestic and foreign policies, giving the 65-year-old Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov powerful levers to shape the countrys course. The vote on Sunday will mark the new stage of democratic changes in Turkmenistan, President Serdar Berdymukhamedov was quoted as saying by state media. No election in post-Soviet Turkmenistan, however, has been considered genuinely competitive. Zimbabwe's Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Communication and Publicity, Nick Mangwana said more Russian visitors are desired in Zimbabwe, in an exclusive with Russian media outlet Sputnik. "I think when direct flights are launched, the levels of tourism should get better [] We would also like to have tourists not only from China and Japan, but also from Russia," he said. "People think we live in the jungle, sleep in trees and eat wild animals," says Mangwana Mangwana argues that Russians shouldn't be hesitant to travel to his nation. "I know that stereotypes about Africa in the West are negative," the deputy minister notes. "People think we live in the jungle, sleep in trees and eat wild animals. This is all not true, and we need to promote the real image through films and advertising products. We are on the verge of doing this." The deputy minister also thinks that given the popularity of Russian culture in Zimbabwe, a restaurant featuring Russian cuisine ought to be established there. "We are asking ourselves: why is there no restaurant serving Russian cuisine in [Zimbabwe capital] Harare? But it should be opened not by a Zimbabwean, but by a Russian. Then it would be authentic. I would invest in such a project," he said, stressing that food is an important element of "soft power". "Russia played a decisive role in the liberation of Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and many other countries," added the minister Mangwana added that it makes sense for Zimbabwe to build a monument honouring the Soviet army because Moscow was crucial in the liberation of many African nations. "The decision to erect a monument to the Soviet army in Zimbabwe is very logical, because Russia played a decisive role in the liberation of Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and many other countries. Therefore, it is impossible to talk about the liberation of Africa without mentioning Moscow's role in this," he outlines. The Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) speaker, Christopher Mutsvangwa, told Sputnik earlier this month that a monument honouring Russia's victory in the Great Patriotic War would be built inside the Museum of the Liberation of Africa, which is currently being built in Harare. Mangwana has also stated that Zimbabwe emphasises the USSR's contribution to the liberation of Africa in its history lessons, highlighting how the colonial period witnessed a different view of history. "We don't pay much attention to the Second World War in history lessons, but we tell children in the course of European history that the USSR lost a lot of people in this war, that it was the USSR that won the decisive victory, liberated Europe and reached Berlin. But in colonial times, history was taught differently, we were told that Britain won the war," the deputy minister says. As the Biden administration gears up to organise the highly anticipated 'Summit for Democracy', reports are emerging that the US has blocked two NATO members Turkey and Hungarys participation in the summit. Citing local media reports, Russia Today reported that the US officials stated on Thursday that the Joe Biden government is planning to keep these two countries off the list. The animosities between the two nations and the rest of the North Atlantic alliance have increased amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Part of the reason for the rising animosity is the fact that the two countries stalled the entry of Nordic nations Finland and Sweden into the alliance. This is not the first time the two nations were neglected. Both Hungary and Turkey were snubbed from last years inaugural rendition of the summit. On Thursday an anonymous source from the American State Department confirmed that all participants in the 2021 summit have received their invitation for this years summit. The source also stated that some additions were made to the guest list. However, there was no mention of the two NATO member countries. The source also made it clear that through this summit, the Biden administration does impose an all-encompassing judgement on the strength of another countrys democracy. The summit is considered one of the signature foreign policy achievements of the US President. Resistance to adhering to NATO rules might cause hindrances Both Turkey and Hungary have been relegated to the bad side of the US and the western allies for a plethora of reasons. While Turkey and the United States have shared a solid relationship, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans announcement that the country would ratify Finlands membership with NATO but not Sweden, did not sit well with many of the fellow members. Hungary on the other hand, initially refused the EU sanctions against the Russian oil and gas industry. In 2020, the US president himself denounced the European country and called it totalitarian. The highly anticipated 'Summit for Democracy' will take place from March 28-30 in Washington. It will also be organised in partner countries like South Korea and Zambia. Beijing earlier claimed to have driven a US Navy destroyer out of its claimed South China Sea territory. To refute the Chinese assertions, the same warship navigated through those seas. According to the US, guided missile destroyer USS Milius reaffirmed its freedom and right to navigate in the South China Sea close to the Paracel Islands following international law. The warship carried out a FONOP, or freedom of navigation exercise. It contests the limitations on innocent people's freedom of movement enforced by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. All three claim ownership of the collection of about 130 small atolls known as the Xishas in China, the largest of which is where Chinese military bases are located. Milius challenges Chinas claims According to the US, Milius disputed China's assertions about a "straight baseline enclosing the Paracels." It refers to Beijing's rights to the inland seas. even if those waterways are farther than the generally accepted 12 nautical mile threshold between territorial waters and the coastline. Nearly the entire vast South China Sea area is regarded by China as falling within its territorial waters. The contested body of water contains numerous far-off islands and inlets, many of which Beijing has militarised. On those disputed islands in the Spratlys, known in China as the Nansha island, Beijing has erected military facilities in defiance of the UN decision. China responded angrily to a US warship passing by the island it claims on Friday. Beijing claimed on Thursday that the People's Liberation Army had forced the Milius away from the Parcel Islands, but the US 7th Fleet rejected this assertion. Following other FONOPs, which the US routinely carries out in the vicinity of the Spratlys and the Parcel Islands to the south, Beijing has made similar assertions. The Paracels are situated south of China's Hainan territory and east of Da Nang, Vietnam. Beijing frequently claims that any US Navy activity in the South China Sea area exacerbates tensions. It demonstrates how the security of the region is being compromised by Washington and its allies continued military presence in the area. Additionally, China regularly conducts military drills in a large portion of the South China Sea and keeps a sizable number of fishing and Coast Guard vessels in the disputed seas, which frequently raises tensions with other countries. Chinese leader Xi Jinping's ongoing visit to Russia forms part of a bid by Beijing to rebrand China's international image and reshape the international community along authoritarian lines, commentators told Radio Free Asia in recent interviews and broadcasts. Xi will have an "in-depth exchange of views" with Putin on major international and regional issues of mutual interest, with a view to boosting strategic coordination and practical cooperation, China's foreign ministry said of the current trip, during which the two leaders will sign a declaration that their relationship is entering "a new era," a reference to a favored Xi buzzword. The trip comes as Xi emerges victorious from a lengthy power struggle for sole control of the levers of party, military and state, which saw him approved for an indefinite third term in office as party leader at the party congress in October 2022 and at the annual National People's Congress session in Beijing earlier this month. Xi is now free to steer Chinese diplomacy into his new era, which he says will be "a shared future for humanity," a phrase analysts say means Beijing will be looking to forge stronger alliances with other authoritarian regimes to counter "U.S. hegemony" and export China's model of party-state governance around the world. New role as mediator Tuvia Gering, a non-resident fellow at the Global China Hub of the Atlantic Council, said China's foreign policy in recent decades has typically focused on following other countries' lead, or facilitating international arrangements, rather than projecting it as a global power for other nations to follow. "In the mediation of regional conflicts, China tends to play the role of follower [or] facilitator rather than leader," Gering said. "This time it is surprising that China not only leads but also successfully mediates international disputes without the presence of the United States." He was referring to Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia last December where he met with all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, swiftly followed by a visit to Beijing by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, followed by a March 10 trilateral statement from Saudi Arabia, Iran and China announcing that Riyadh and Tehran would resume diplomatic relations. "This is a clear success for Beijing -- its first in the troubled Middle East region -- and it could be followed by others," columnist Marco Carnelos wrote in the March 17 edition of Middle East Eye. Given that China is planning an unprecedented high-level meeting between Arab monarchs and Iranian officials in Beijing later this year, Carnelos wrote, "it would be difficult to imagine a bigger slap in the face to U.S. Middle Eastern diplomacy." China's English-language nationalist tabloid, the Global Times, said the agreement was "another proof that unipolarity no longer exists and that we are already in a de facto multipolar world order." "The Middle East and the world are not only in a post-America order, but also in a post-West order," the paper said. In this June 6, 2019 photo, Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during the ceremony to present Xi Jinping with a degree from St. Petersburg State University at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia. Credit: AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool But while the agreement seems like a public relations coup for Beijing, Gering said Saudi and Iran already had plenty of motivation to reach an agreement on their own, and the resumption of ties had followed years of low-level dialogue between the two governments. He said brokering the final deal was a "low-risk" strategy for China, which had simply picked the right moment to intervene, and dismissed Beijing's 12-point peace plan for Ukraine as "ridiculous." "Just like in the Middle East, China actually doesn't want to replace the United States because it doesn't want to get its hands dirty," Gerin said. "In such conflicts, [China] first considers whether it can benefit from them with very low risk as it did with the Iran-Saudi Agreement." Aspiring global actor and standard-setter Moritz Rudolf, fellow at Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center, said he believes China is also trying to become a serious global actor and standard-setter, however. "As the U.S. enters the presidential election season, I think we wouldn't be surprised to see a lot more engagement with China in just the next two years," Rudolf said. "From the Chinese perspective, their foreign policy direction appears to be looking towards the global south, with attempts to build coalitions with those countries and to use them in the pursuit of long-term goals, such as changing the international order," he said. "To me, there appears to be a real strategic goal to shape the global order through the use of the law." The use of international treaties, laws and other binding agreements to further Beijing's policy goals will have a powerful side-effect, Rudolf predicted. "Once China becomes a global actor, its legal system will also extend," he said. "This is one of those issues that can fundamentally change how the world functions." "It's an incremental process, and at some point, you wake up and realize that the global order has changed. The rules have become more Chinese, and the global order has become more Chinese as well," he warned. Veteran political commentator and former 1989 Tiananmen protest leader Wang Dan agreed, citing the Middle East agreement and Xi's "global civilization initiative." "All of this shows us that Xi Jinping wants to become a world leader, and spread his ideology around the world," Wang wrote in a recent commentary for RFA Mandarin, citing the Saudi-Iran agreement. "But all of this is the stuff that is visible on the surface," he added. "What the rest of the world also needs to look at is the way that Xi Jinping is targeting ... [U.S. interests] in more secretive ways [around the world]." Gering said further international posturing will likely follow from Beijing. "I think we're going to see China get more involved in the world stage," he said. "Whenever there are opportunities [like the Iran-Saudi agreement] they will jump on it." Exporting arms According to Wang, one key indicator that China is exporting influence and power alongside the rhetoric lies in recent international arms sales data. Central Command's General Michael Kurilla told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 16 that China's ability to move quickly on military sales in the Middle East and South Asia could have dire consequences, pointing to an 80% increase in Chinese military sales to the region over the past decade. In this March 18, 2023 handout image grab from a video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, warships are seen during Russia, China and Iran joint naval exercise in the Arabian Sea. Credit: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/AP According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the U.S. was the worlds top weapons exporter from 2018 to 2022, accounting for 40% of all arms exports. China ranked fourth, accounting for just over 5% of sales. And China tripled its sales of weapons to sub-Saharan Africa between 2017 and 2020, with most of the weapons going to five nations that have signed up to Beijing's Belt and Road infrastructure program. Meanwhile, Russian entities received around 1,000 assault rifles, 12 tons of body armor, and drone parts from Chinese companies that could be used on the battlefield, since the war in Ukraine began in early 2022, Politico Europe reported last week. "These goods weren't handed over to Russia directly at the border, but arrived in Russia after passing through Turkey," Wang wrote. "China is of course doing this to evade supervision and sanctions from the international community, but Turkey and [other countries] are willing to cooperate actively, which shows us that China has made deep deployments in a traditional sphere of influence of the United States, actively wooing allies and queering the United States' pitch," he said. "These new developments are very dangerous signals, not just for the United States, but for the whole world." Wang warned. "If Xi Jinping has made up his mind, in order to fight for world hegemony, for China's global expansion, and to solve once and for all the containment from the United States on the Taiwan issue, he will not hesitate to combine the forces of Russia, Iran and North Korea to confront and clash with the United States head-on, or even upgrade the cold war into a hot war," he said. "This could pose a serious threat to world peace." Growing backlash following Ukraine invasion For David Plasek, analyst at the European Values Center for Security Policy, there is also a growing backlash against communist and formerly communist countries, which he says stems directly from the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "Everyone [in Europe] knows that China is standing behind Russia," Plasek said. "The Ukrainian war has greatly shocked Europeans. People's feelings are very personal, with Ukrainian refugees pouring into every small town in Eastern European countries." In this May 30, 2021photo, pro-government supporters display pictures of China's President Xi Jinping and Russia's President Vladimir Putin during a rally against the United States imposing restrictions over the conflict in the Tigray region in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Credit: Amanuel Sileshi/AFP He said the current situation has eroded public support for Russia in Eastern Europe. "After the war, I would say less than 10% remain," he said of Putin's supporters. "The political landscape is undergoing enormous changes, which also affects people's views on China." "In Eastern European countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Lithuania, people used to talk about China's investments and job opportunities as important, but after a series of events, they have become aware of the danger of the Chinese Communist Party," he said. "China is aggressive in diplomacy, and Xi Jinping even reminds people of figures like Mao Zedong and Stalin," he said. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Activists rely on social media to stay in touch, but this also makes them more vulnerable Protesters gather outside a Chinese "police service station" in New York's Chinatown district on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, to demand an end to spying on the Chinese community in New York. Young Chinese people in the United States are taking a stand against Beijing's growing willingness to extend enforcement of party censorship and police surveillance among Chinese nationals and their relatives overseas, including through unapproved "police service stations" in other countries. Governments around the world have launched investigations into these "service stations" run on foreign soil by the provincial police department in the southeastern province of Fujian, while activists and dissidents have spoken out about threats and retaliation by the state security police or pro-China businessmen overseas. There are growing signs that U.S. police are willing to arrest people suspected of being agents of the Chinese state, amid growing protests against what young activists are calling transnational repression by the Communist Party. Ning Ning, who asked to be identified by a nickname for fear of reprisals, said state security police came looking for her parents because she was linked to a petition critical of Communist Party leader Xi Jinping on Change.org. Having lived in the United States for 10 years, she has chosen to fight back from a place of greater freedom, she told Radio Free Asia. "The Chinese Communist Party thinks it can shut people up by hauling them in to 'drink tea' and other methods," she said in a reference to being summoned for questioning by the feared state security police. "But the thing they don't really want to face up to is that while this may silence people temporarily, public dissatisfaction will deepen." "And when that dissatisfaction is given the right opportunity, even stronger resistance will erupt," Ning Ning said. Social media helps and hurts Transnational activists rely heavily on social media to stay in touch with their home countries, and this makes them more vulnerable to being targeted by their home governments for monitoring, experts told an Orion Policy Institute seminar in October 2022. Yet a Twitter survey focusing on transnational repression by Chinese agents found that only half of respondents who had been harassed or threatened overseas had reported the incident to U.S. law enforcement. Washington-based non profit Freedom House called on governments in a February 2022 report to start systematically recording cases of transnational repression, based on an internationally agreed definition of the term, then ensure that law enforcement officials, personnel at key agencies, and those working with refugees and asylum seekers are trained to recognize the targeting of exiles and diasporas. When state security police contacted Ning Ning and asked her to delete or edit the petition, she reported the incident to the FBI, in the hope of raising awareness of the issue in the United States. "I hope that I can bring about change through my own actions," she said. "I wanted people in the United States to realize how serious transnational repression by the Chinese Communist Party is." "I also wanted to send a message to [Chinese] people here, that they don't have to suffer this in silence, just because it won't make headline news or be sensational enough," Ning Ning said. "We have to speak out about our experiences, to bring about a change in the whole of society." Zhou Fengsuo, executive director of the New York-based NGO Human Rights in China said the group is already focusing its efforts on helping the victims of transnational repression. Victims Zhou, Ning and a handful of other people staged a protest outside the Capitol on March 22, holding up a placard that read: "We are the victims of the CCP's transnational repression. We stand against the CCP's transnational repression." "This is a pretty shocking thing, that victims are often afraid to speak out because they're worried about their families," Zhou told Radio Free Asia. "People [like Ning Ning] who engage in active resistance are rare, he said. "People from China, students from China are clearly under threat from the Chinese authorities, and the U.S. government must respond proactively to that threat." Fellow protester A Gui, who declined to give his full name citing reasons of personal safety, said it was like a tug of war, with everyone pulling for their own team," he said. "If we all pull together, then we can through our willpower pull justice a bit closer to our side." Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, who was among the sponsors of the Transnational Repression Policy Act introduced on March 15, called for a comprehensive approach to the issue. "The U.S. must take a stand and pursue a whole-of-government approach to address the rising tide of transnational repression whenever and wherever it occurs," Merkley said in comments emailed to Radio Free Asia. The bill would aim to hold foreign governments and individuals accountable "when they stalk, intimidate, or assault people across borders, including in the United States," according to a news release on the Senate website. The bill aims to make the issue a key foreign policy priority and prioritize diplomacy that addresses the issue, it said. "Its terrible when authoritarian regimes oppress their people at home, but its an unacceptable act of aggression to target dissidents in other countries," Merkley said. "Journalists, writers, activists, and everyday people who have spoken truth to power in their country are too often intimidated and blackmailed while living abroad." Meanwhile, Ning Ning still hides her real name when talking to journalists, and disguises herself when protesting in public. "Look at how I have to dress up, just to criticize the Chinese Communist Party, because I know how bad their transnational repression really is," she said. "Can you imagine a U.S. citizen wearing a mask and a hat just to criticize their government's policies?" Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster. Palestinian Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh condemned on Sunday the spiral of Israeli violence against the Palestinian people, accusing the Israeli far-right government of fueling the conflict. The Israeli occupation government is trying to drag the region into the cycle of violence and escalation by ramping up its war against our Palestinian people, and by escalating murders, arson attacks and incursions into the holy sites, Abu Rudeineh said. He urged regional and international parties to intervene, curb and press the government of extremism in Israel to stop the escalating attacks by its army and settlers during the holy month of Ramadan." The Palestinian high official also condemned the Israeli raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem citing the physical assault of Palestinian worshipers by Israeli police. Also condemned were the actions of four Israeli settlers on Sunday who in the very early hours of the morning threw incendiary bottles setting fire to a Palestinian-owned house in the town of Sinjil, in the Ramallah province. Abu Rudeineh added that de-escalation was necessary "before an explosion of the situation in the region, the consequences of which will be borne by the Israeli government alone. Earleir, Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine, has strongly condemned the Israeli raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. He desribed the eviction of worshipers as a severely dangerous attack on the sentiments and beliefs of Muslims, adding that the Israeli escalation aims at achieving the interests of extremist settler groups that seek a religious war in the region. Search Keywords: Short link: Welcome back to the China In Eurasia briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter tracking Chinas resurgent influence from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. To subscribe, click here. Im RFE/RL correspondent Reid Standish and heres what Im following right now. Beijing, Moscow, And Leaked Documents Along with my colleagues at Systema, RFE/RL's Russian investigative unit, we obtained never before reported documents and recordings from closed-door meetings in 2017 and 2019 between Chinese and Russian officials where they share methods and tactics for monitoring dissent and controlling the Internet. Finding Perspective: China and Russias growing ties are no secret, but the documents provide a unique window into the practical level of cooperation under way between China and Russia when it comes to monitoring and restricting their respective Internets. Among some of the key findings, Russian officials are seen asking for advice and practical know-how from their Chinese counterparts on a range of topics, including disrupting circumvention tools like VPNs and Tor, cracking encrypted Internet traffic, and seeking tips from China's experience in regulating messaging platforms. LISTEN: Beijing and Moscows deepening ties are no secret, but what do recently leaked Pentagon documents tell us about where their burgeoning military partnership is headed? Dennis Wilder, former Asia adviser to U.S. President George W. Bush, joins host Reid Standish. In another instance, in July 2017, Aleksandr Zharov, who served as the head of Roskomnadzor until 2020, asks a Chinese delegation to help arrange a visit for Russian specialists to China, where they could study the operations of the Golden Shield Project -- the all-encompassing Internet censorship and surveillance system that helps make up what is colloquially known as Chinas Great Firewall. In turn, Chinese officials sought Russian expertise on regulating media and dealing with popular dissent, including monitoring protests led by opposition figure Aleksei Navalny. In another 2019 exchange, officials from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) also made requests to Roskomnadzor to block a variety of China-related links to news articles and interviews that they had deemed to be of a dangerous nature and harmful to the public interest. Why It Matters: Beijing and Moscow have been deepening their ties for the past decade and controlling the flow of information online has been a focal point of that cooperation since Chinese leader Xi Jinpings first trip to Russia as leader in 2013. The documents shed new light on a pivotal time inside Russia and point to how Russia has sought to emulate China in exerting control over its people in the social media age. For years, the Russian government has been putting in place new measures to smother freedom of speech online, but many have stumbled in practice. But in 2019, those efforts reached a zenith when a controversial sovereign Internet law went into force that allowed Moscow to tighten control over the countrys Internet by routing web traffic through state-controlled infrastructure and creating a national system of domain names. While many of Russia's measures are still a far cry from those inside China, they have continued to be more technologically advanced and restrictive, a process that has accelerated since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Expert Corner: Who Speaks For Europe? Readers asked: French President Emmanuel Macron got into hot water over his comments about Taiwan. Weve also recently seen various other -- sometimes contradictory -- comments coming from European Union and European officials. Why does this seem to happen when it comes to China? To find out more, I asked Rikard Jozwiak, RFE/RLs Europe editor: It happens because there really isnt a coherent policy toward China. It is sometimes a rival, notably when it comes to geopolitics, and sometimes a partner in areas such as climate change mitigation. And then, of course, there is economic dependence on Beijing that leads to some EU member states not wanting to be too harsh on China. EU foreign policy is made up via the lowest common denominator as all the 27 EU capitals need to green-light any move. For China, this means that you have a mishmash of interests, ideas, and fears that makes outsiders unsure about what Europes China policy really is. I also think that the EU has failed to formulate a coherent Taiwan policy and this adds to the mixed messages coming out from Europe. Macron said that Europe should not get caught up in a conflict over the island, but have he and fellow European leaders drawn up any plans on what Brussels will do if China were to attack? Its still unclear what Europes red lines would be and how it would react. Do you have a question about Chinas growing footprint in Eurasia? Send it to me at StandishR@rferl.org or reply directly to this e-mail and Ill get it answered by leading experts and policymakers. Three More Stories From Eurasia 1. The Pentagon Leaks China approved the provision of lethal aid to Russia for its war in Ukraine but wanted any shipments to remain a secret, according to leaked U.S. government documents. What You Need To Know: The recently leaked trove of classified Pentagon documents that contain assessments and reports from Americas intelligence agencies shows that Beijing had approved the incremental provision of weapons to Moscow, which it would disguise as civilian items. That comes from a February 23 top-secret intelligence summary that The Washington Post reported was gathered by U.S. agents eavesdropping on discussions by Russias secret service. The Russians said Chinas central military commission wanted the shipments to remain secret. Among other revelations, a separate file in the trove of leaked documents said Beijing would consider a significant Ukrainian strike with American or NATO weapons on Russian territory as an escalation of the conflict that would merit sending arms to Russia. The timing is notable. A public U.S.-led campaign over a potential Chinese arms transfer accelerated in late February, and shortly after that document circulated within the U.S. government NBC News reported that the U.S. information about the plan to obtain lethal aid from China was gleaned from Russian officials. Whats less clear is if the transfers are taking place or if the public pressure on China has worked. Reports based on trade data show private sales of small-scale weapons from China to Russia, and senior Ukrainian officials have said their forces are finding a growing number of components from China in Russian weapons on the battlefield. Whether Chinese covert efforts are under way or not, defense cooperation between China and Russia is set to grow. A large portion of the Chinese delegation for Xis Moscow summit in March were defense officials, and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu was in Russia on April 16 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. 2. Lula's 'Peace Club' Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wrapped up a state visit to China, where he sought to position himself as a peace broker in the ongoing war in Ukraine while attempting to elevate Brazil's global status and boost economic ties with Beijing. The Details: As I reported here, a key piece of Lula's outreach is courting political backing for his proposal that Brazil and other developing countries, including China, form a peace club to broker a deal to end the war in Ukraine. Analysts, however, remain skeptical about the chances of Lula's peace proposal, which is unlikely to gain support from Kyiv and its backers given China's close ties with Russia and past comments from the Brazilian leader that Ukraine should cede Crimea -- which was forcibly annexed by Moscow in 2014 -- as a means to reach a deal. Beyond the diplomacy push from Lula, the visit allowed him to shore up Brazils economic and political ties with China, as he left Beijing with a slew of new agreements. But as Carlos Solar, a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told me, Lula is still hedging his bets, having already made a trip to Washington to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and made moves to position Brazil to be a regional power in Latin America. [Lula] needs this frenzy of deals in China and talks with Xi in part to show his public that he's still an influential guy around the world, Solar said. But when you look more closely, you can see that he is putting his eggs in different baskets. 3. Frustrated By The Taliban, Interested In Afghanistan Frustrated by the Talibans reluctance to take action against an array of militants, including a strengthening Islamic State group, Afghanistan's neighbors have resolved to come up with a joint strategy to counter security threats emanating from the country. What It Means: Top diplomats from Russia, China, Iran, and Pakistan attended an April 13 conference that focused on ensuring regional security in light of the situation in Afghanistan. Russia and China are among the few countries that have kept their diplomatic missions in Kabul since the Taliban retook power, but lingering frustrations with the group as a partner have been boiling up. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was ready to work more closely with Afghanistans neighbors and the international community, and Beijing also expressed hope that the Taliban would continue working actively to meet Afghans' interests and the international communitys expectations for an open and inclusive political structure. China has a growing interest in the countrys resources -- having secured rights for mining and oil and gas exploration -- but security concerns have kept those projects mostly on paper for the time being. Still, the cash-strapped Taliban is hoping that it can draw in more Chinese interest, recently floating progress on a potential $10 billion investment from the China Petroleum Economics and Information Research Center (CPEIC) in Afghanistans lithium deposits. Few details beyond a Taliban press release were offered, but even if something is inked, realizing the project -- and others with China -- is still a distant prospect due to the countrys tough security situation. Across The Supercontinent A New Case In Pakistan: A Chinese man has been arrested in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province after an angry mob accused him of blasphemy and tried to enter a camp near the construction site of the Dasu Dam, the biggest hydropower project in Pakistan, which involves both Chinese and Pakistani workers. Police filed a blasphemy charge against the Chinese man, RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal reported. Internal Review: Hikvisions human rights investigator admits the company's Chinese police contracts in Xinjiang explicitly target Uyghurs as a group. The Chinese surveillance giant has repeatedly denied reports that the company is complicit in human rights abuses targeting Uyghurs, but documents obtained by technology trade publication IPVM show otherwise. Brussels To Beijing: The EU lodged a protest with China after police detained veteran rights lawyer Yu Wensheng and his activist wife, Xu Yan, ahead of an April 13 meeting with its diplomats in China, Radio Free Asia reports. Macron In China: Looking to catch up on Macrons trip to China earlier this month? Listen to the last episode of Talking China In Eurasia, where guest Rikard Jozwiak explained why the French president thinks he can split China and Russia and where he fits among Europes large groups of actors looking to engage and pressure Beijing. One Thing To Watch Chinas economic growth is exceeding expectations. GDP grew 4.5 percent year on year in the first quarter. Strong growth in exports and infrastructure investment, as well as a rebound in retail consumption and property prices, are said to be driving the recovery. That momentum looks set to continue, but economists have warned that consumption and the property sector might struggle to maintain strong growth, while exports could be threatened by weaker demand in developed economies. Thats all from me for now. Dont forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you might have. Until next time, Reid Standish If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every other Wednesday. In an attempt to boost Iran's flagging population growth, the government approved a controversial law in 2021 that further tightened restrictions on medical abortions and banned the free distribution of contraceptives. Now, officials have expressed alarm about the number of illegal abortions being carried out in the country, suggesting government restrictions have pushed more women to terminate unwanted pregnancies outside the public health-care system. Women who seek an abortion in Iran often rely on the black market to obtain abortion pills that can be counterfeit or expired and ineffective. They also use underground abortion services by doctors and midwives that sometimes operate in unhygienic conditions. Government officials have said that each year between 300,000 to 600,000 abortions, most of them illegal, are performed in the country. A midwife in Tehran, who spoke to RFE/RL's Radio Farda on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said illegal abortions appear to have increased "significantly." The midwife says health workers now estimate that there could be as many as 1 million abortions each year. "We used to provide people with free contraceptives that would help prevent unwanted pregnancies," the midwife said, adding that poorer Iranians were the most affected. "Now, women from poorer [backgrounds] are forced to seek unsafe abortions by using pills they buy on the black market that could lead to health complications and put their lives at risk." The midwife warns that the authorities appear to be determined to boost the country's birthrate "at any cost," a move that "will only lead to an increase in unsafe abortions." 'Disastrous' Figures Soleiman Heidari, a Health Ministry official, said on April 18 that up to 80 percent of abortions in Iran were performed illegally. He did not say if the number of illegal abortions was increasing but added that some estimates, if accurate, were "disastrous." Earlier in the week, Iran's ultraconservative President Ebrahim Raisi said the number of abortions in the country was "worrying," without giving figures. He also called for "violators" to be punished. Officials have said that medical staff found guilty of carrying out illegal abortions will face a ban on practicing medicine. Tehran Governor Mohsen Mansuri last year called for the authorities to crack down on centers that help women terminate their unwanted pregnancies. Health Ministry spokesman Pedram Pakayin said on April 19 that the ministry was taking steps to deal with "intentional abortions," including collecting abortion pills from the market. Dropping Birthrate Mansoureh Shojaee, a prominent women's rights activist and researcher, told RFE/RL that the law restricting medical abortions was a violation of women's right to maintain autonomy over their bodies. "The issue of bodily rights and autonomy has been highlighted by the protest movement," she said, referring to the nationwide antiestablishment demonstrations that erupted after the September death of a young woman soon after she was arrested for violating the hijab law. The main slogan of the protesters was "Women, life, and freedom." "These rights include the hijab but also issues dealing with fertility, including the right to prevent pregnancy," Shojaee said. "Women should be able to decide if they want to become pregnant, if they want children, and the number of children they want." Shojaee adds that the state's restrictions on medical abortions and contraceptives have put the life of Iranian women at risk. Previously, abortions could be legally performed during the first four months of pregnancy if three doctors agreed that a pregnancy threatened a woman's life, or the fetus had severe physical or mental disabilities that could produce extreme hardship for the mother. But under the "rejuvenation of the population and support of the family" law passed in November 2021, abortion cases are now be decided by a panel that includes a judge and two medical professionals. Rights groups and health experts warn that the law restricts women's access to medical abortions, leads to unwanted pregnancies and the birth of children with congenital defects, and increases the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS. In recent years, a growing number of Iranian women have chosen to have fewer or no children -- mainly due to economic woes, changing gender norms, the growth of girls' education, and family planning programs. That trend has seen Iran's population growth rate drop from more than 4 percent in the 1980s to 1.29 percent in 2020, according to the World Bank, a development that has alarmed Iran's clerical establishment. Of the roughly 5.5 million people living in St. Petersburg, Russia's second-biggest city and the hometown of President Vladimir Putin, eight are currently facing criminal charges under the country's draconian law on disseminating "false" information about the country's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. One of them is 35-year-old writer Vsevolod Korolyov, who is currently on trial and potentially facing years in prison for two social-media posts citing the evidence that Russian soldiers committed war crimes in the Ukrainian town of Bucha and elsewhere. "We must stop this wave of hatred," he wrote from jail in response to questions from RFE/RL's North.Realities. "First and foremost, in oneself. Because it leads nowhere." In the wake of Moscow's February 2022 mass invasion of Ukraine, the Russian government adopted a spate of harsh laws criminalizing dissent. The law on knowingly disseminating what the state deems false information about the armed forces now carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison. In July 2022, local Moscow lawmaker Aleksei Gorinov was given a nearly seven-year prison sentence under the law. More recently, opposition politician Ilya Yashin and Telegram channel blogger Dmitry Ivanov were also sentenced to long prison terms. In all, 149 people have faced criminal prosecution under the law across Russia. Despite the growing risks of serious consequences, a small number of Russians, like Korolyov, continue to take a moral stand against the war and against what is happening in Putin's increasingly authoritarian Russia. And they find themselves at odds with much of the society around them. "I know for sure that if I had left Russia, I would reproach myself and I would be unhappy because I hadn't done everything that I could," Korolyov told RFE/RL, adding that he meant no criticism of the hundreds of thousands of Russians who have fled the country since the full-scale war began. "That is just who I am." 'I Was Afraid No One Would Hug Me' On March 19, Nikita Gorbunov, a 20-year-old entrepreneur in Izhevsk, the capital of Russia's Udmurtia region, appeared in a public park holding a sign reading, "Hug me if you are against the war." "I was afraid," he told RFE/RL's Idel.Realities. "I arrived at Kirov Park -- one of the most popular places in the city. I remember how I was walking with my rolled-up sign, and I was afraid. I don't know exactly why I was afraid. I didn't know what would come next." "When I was going to my protest, I was afraid no one would hug me," he added. "But I overcame my fear and began my picket. While I was standing there, my fear disappeared. Many people came up to me and expressed support with their hugs. Every minute, someone came." He estimates that in the end nearly 50 people hugged him during the one hour he stood there before police took him away. "Someone said to me, 'Unfortunately, we can't do the same,'" Gorbunov said of one family with young children. Not all passersby were so sympathetic. "A couple passed by and made a rude gesture," Gorbunov explained. "Later they came back and began photographing me.... Then they approached closer and began cursing me. It was unpleasant. "Later it turned out that they called the police and even made a statement against me," he said. Gorbunov is now under investigation on suspicion of "discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation" for holding a sign reading, "Hug me if you are against the war." For months after Russia launched its invasion, Gorbunov made no public protests. But on January 14, a Russian missile struck a residential building in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. Dozens of people, including six children, were killed. "I have relatives in Dnipro," he said. "It was as if this had happened to us. I used to go there to visit." "I suddenly felt responsible for what happened," he added. "I had to do something." In Izhevsk, he says, there are military posters and symbols on almost every corner. "I lost faith that there were still normal people left in Russia, but my protest changed that," he explained. "It turned out that there are still a lot of good people. I was pleasantly surprised. My faith has been restored." 'I Couldn't Be Silent' Olesya Krivtsova, a 19-year-old student from the northern city of Arkhangelsk, was facing up to 10 years in prison for statements posted to a university social-media chat after fellow students reported her to police. Even before her trial began, the government added her to its list of "terrorists and extremists." Earlier, she'd been fined for placing anti-war stickers in public places. For two months she was held under house arrest, forced to wear a monitoring device. Prosecutors sought to have her taken into custody after claiming she'd purchased a train ticket out of the city. "During those months, for the first time in my life I felt real fury, when one's teeth are clenched, listening to the investigator in court lying about me buying those tickets," she recalled. Then she realized there was no point waiting to be sent to prison. "I felt genuine hatred," she said. "I understood that no one was going to listen to me.... That is what made up my mind. In complete despair, I made the decision to leave." She removed her monitoring anklet and snuck out of the country, ending up in Latvia. "If not for the criminal prosecution, I would have stayed in Russia," she said. "But sooner or later it would have happened anyway. I couldn't be silent." 'Hard To Talk To People' Izhevsk protester Gorbunov says that his relatives support his anti-war position, but many of his acquaintances have turned away from him. "I have a friend who is quite a bit older than I am," he said, "who simply blocked me everywhere after my first anti-war post. I'd say maybe eight friends blocked me." "It is hard to talk to people about the war," he concluded. St. Petersburg writer Korolyov made a similar observation, saying Leo Tolstoy's novel War And Peace taught him a lot about how war changes people and society. "It is terrifying to hear how people now are talking about other human beings and what they say they are willing to do to them," he wrote in his letter from prison. "It is an abyss from which it will be very hard to emerge." "In my dark moments," he conceded, "it seems to me that nothing I am doing matters." Written by Robert Coalson based on reporting by RFE/RL's North.Realities and Idel.Realities. RFE/RL's Russian Service and Current Time contributed to this report International condemnation has intensified over Moscow's plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, even as fighting raged in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, with the ruined city of Bakhmut continuing to be the focal point of Russia's struggling war effort. The Ukrainian military said on March 26 that Russian offensives were centering on Bakhmut and a handful of other eastern areas, as Western analysts and others said Moscow's monthslong assault in the area -- led by the Wagner mercenary fighters -- was stalling, beset by heavy troop losses. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensives, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that a drone sent by Ukrainian forces was intercepted near the Russian city of Tula and crashed into the town of Kireyevsk, injuring three people. Ukraine did not comment on the claim, and the report could not be independently verified. The fighting comes amid international fallout over plans announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 25 that he had reached agreement to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, a close ally that borders both Russia and Ukraine. Kyiv condemned the plan and called for an urgent UN Security Council session and urged the international community to "take decisive measures" to prevent Moscow's possible use of nuclear weapons. "Russia once again confirms its chronic inability to be a responsible steward of nuclear weapons as a means of deterrence and prevention of war, not as a tool of threats and intimidation," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said. The secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, said that fellow post-Soviet republic Belarus was falling "hostage" to Moscow by allowing the stationing of nuclear weapons on its soil. NATO assailed Putin for "dangerous and irresponsible" nuclear rhetoric, while Germany condemned the move, saying it served to bring nuclear arms closer to the European Union. "NATO is vigilant, and we are closely monitoring the situation. We have not seen any changes in Russia's nuclear posture that would lead us to adjust our own," a NATO spokesperson said. An official in Berlin told AFP that it was "another attempt at nuclear intimidation by Russia." EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted: "Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation & threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions." Despite Putin's comments, the White House said it did not see any indications that Russia was preparing to use nuclear weapons. It said, though, that "Russia's reference to NATO's nuclear sharing is totally misleading. NATO allies act with full respect of their international commitments," including the decades-old Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). Putin likened his move to station nuclear weapons in Belarus to Washington's policy of placing such weapons with NATO allies and claimed that it did not violate terms of the NPT. Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Ukraine's General Staff said its forces continued to hold positions in Bakhmut, where a Russian encirclement effort continues, but Ukraine's top commander said this week the situation was being "stabilized." It cited Russian attacks in the Donetsk areas of Lyman, Maryinka, and Avdiyivka and said Ukrainian forces had repelled 85 Russian attacks over the past 24 hours. In its daily update, the British Defense Ministry said Russia "most likely wanted to stabilize its front lines and would adopt a more defensive operational stance." Kyiv also said Russian forces were conducting "defensive actions" in the areas around Kherson and Zaporizhzhya, where shelling has raised fears over a captured nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said its director-general, Rafael Grossi, will make his second visit of the war next week to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, where he and other nuclear experts have repeatedly warned of the risk of nuclear catastrophe. The Kherson city council on March 24 advised residents living close to the Dnieper River to leave for "safer areas." The Ukrainian Army said the occupiers in the city of Berdyansk, in the Zaporizhzhya region, issued a decree forcing local residents to seek passes to move freely in the area pending background checks. Russian forces and their separatist allies have conducted wide-scale "filtration" operations to vet civilians in occupied territory since early in the full-scale invasion that began in February 2022. Ukraine's General Staff also claimed that the Russian side had suffered 170,000 casualties so far in the all-out invasion that began in February 22. RFE/RL cannot independently confirm casualty claims by either side or battlefield developments in areas of intense fighting. In his regular video address late on March 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy praised a decision on "new packages of defense support" from Finland, Germany, Lithuania, and the United States, as well as a similar Swedish vote. He also cited "a security package and strong agreements with Japan" following Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit earlier this week. Zelenskiy said Croatia's government backed a program to treat and rehabilitate Ukrainian war casualties and that Greece joined a group "working on the creation of a special tribunal" for war crimes. Zelenskiy said the commitments allowed Ukraine to become stronger while "the enemy has become even more isolated, even more hopeless." With reporting by Reuters and AFP The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Polls have closed following a paltry turnout in extraordinary local elections in four municipalities in northern Kosovo with ethnic Serb majorities where local mayors resigned in November 2022 to protest a cross-border dispute over vehicle registrations. The Central Election Commission late on April 23 said that preliminary results indicated that the Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party of Prime Minister Albin Kurti,had won the mayoral races in North Mitrovica and Leposavic, while the opposition Democratic Party had taken races in Zvecan and Zubin Potok. Turnout, as expected, was low as the dominant Kosovar Serb party, Srpska Lista (Serbian List), which enjoys the support of neighboring Serbia's government, announced it was boycotting the votes. There are around 45,000 voters eligible to elect new mayors in North Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zvecan, and Zubin Potok, along with municipal assemblies in Zvecan and Leposavic. After polls closed, election officials said just 1,567 people had voted -- representing a turnout of 3.5 percent of eligible citizens. RFE/RL correspondents reported that the only ballots that were being cast were submitted in places with ethnic Albanian residents. Milan Radoicic, vice president of Serbian List, said following the vote that "those who think that with 1 or 2 percent of the vote, they can lead the municipalities in the north, I have to say that the Serbian people will never allow them to do that." A former chairwoman of Kosovo's Central Election Commission, Valdete Daka, told RFE/RL that so long as proper procedures were being followed, the tiny number of votes would likely result in mayoral seats being filled but not necessarily an end to the local problems. Daka said the "nonappearance in the elections" was essentially "conveying a message to the government of Kosovo that they won't accept the leaders who emerge from these elections." "With this nonappearance in the elections, the Serbs are conveying a message to the government of Kosovo that they will not accept the leaders who emerge from these elections," Daka said. All of the areas voting maintain close ties with Belgrade. Fifteen years after the mostly ethnic Albanian former province declared independence from Serbia, Belgrade continues to oppose recognition of Kosovo's independence. Many ethnic Serbs in Kosovo continue to lean heavily on support from Serbia and nationalist President Aleksandar Vucic. The Serbian List party has demanded the formation of an Association of Serbian Municipalities, as Kosovo's government pledged to the international community a decade ago, and the withdrawal of special units of the Kosovo Police from north of country. A total of 10 candidates were competing for the mayorships, only one of whom -- independent candidate Sladjana Pantovic in Zvecan -- is an ethnic Serb. Pantovic was the rare exception among Serbs, turning out to vote at around 8 a.m. Pantovic received just five votes, or 2.6 percent. Another ethnic Serb candidate, Aleksandar Jablanovic from the Party of Kosovo Serbs, withdrew from the race in Leposavic three days ago, saying there were not "adequate conditions" for voting. All of the remaining candidates were ethnic Albanians from the Mitrovica Civic Initiative, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, and Kurti's Self-Determination movement. Kosovo's Central Election Commission had to organize alternative polling stations for the April 23 voting because the schools that normally host the voting in northern Kosovo operate within the so-called parallel system run by Serbia's leadership. Ethnic Serbs compose some 1-2 percent of Kosovo's population of around 2 million people. Kurti this week accused Belgrade of intimidating Serbs from the north to discourage them from participating in the elections. Vucic alleged on April 22 that Kosovar authorities were effectively staging "an occupation" of the north after the elections. The four northern municipalities have been without mayors since November, when Serbs largely loyal to Belgrade resigned from their jobs over the Kosovar government's threatened imposition of a requirement for all vehicles to be registered locally. The voting took place at 19 polling stations, 12 of which were organized by Kosovar authorities in the final days before the vote. Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani and the partly recognized country's Central Election Commission urged citizens in the north to exercise their right to vote. The international community has also expressed regret at the Serbs' boycott and urged all sides to exercise restraint. Following the election, the U.S. Embassy in Pristina said, "We recognize Kosovan election officials' efforts to make polling places available to citizens wishing to exercise their right to vote, while minimizing potential points of tension." "We likewise express our appreciation for the professionalism of the Kosovo Police, EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX), and KFOR in ensuring a secure environment for the elections." Kosovo remains blocked from many multinational organizations due to Serbian and Russian opposition to recognition, although there were recently signs of a possible breakthrough under EU-mediated talks. The European Parliament on April 18 approved a decision on visa liberalization that will allow citizens of Kosovo to travel to most European countries without a visa by January 2024 at the latest. It is the last Western Balkan country to achieve such status. U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier told RFE/RL's Balkan Service on April 21 that citizens in the north of Kosovo and all political parties "have a responsibility to respect the democratic process, recognizing that they all had the opportunity to register and participate." The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Sunday that Brussels was ready to impose new sanctions on Belarus if Minsk were to host Russian nuclear weapons. "Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation and threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions," he tweeted. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Saturday his country would station tactical nuclear arms in Belarus. Putin said the deployment was similar to moves from the United States, which stores such weapons in bases across Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey, an analogy western allies called "misleading". With fears of a nuclear war rising since the invasion, experts believe that any Russian strike would likely involve small-size battlefield weapons, called "tactical" as opposed to "strategic" high-powered long-range nuclear weapons. The Ukrainian foreign ministry accused Russia of breaching its obligations, and of undermining the "nuclear disarmament architecture and the international security system in general". It called on "all members of the international community to convey to the criminal Putin regime the categorical unacceptability of its latest nuclear provocations." In the interview broadcast Saturday, Putin said the move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was "nothing unusual". Search Keywords: Short link: Lucapa Diamond and its Angolan partners are making great strides to improve the Lulo kimberlite exploration programme. Company chief executive and managing director Stephen Wetherall told Rough & Polisheds Mathew Nyaungwa on the sidelines of the Mining Indaba held recently in Cape Town, South Africa that they established a standalone kimberlite bulk sampling plant. This, he said, allows bulk sampling to take place uninterrupted. He said Kimberlite L164 is their most diamondiferous kimberlite. The early bulk sample results of kimberlite L164 showed a grade of about 3 carats per 100 cubic metres and a large average stone size of 1.61 carats per stone. Wetherall said kimberlite L164 is the 10th diamondiferous kimberlite they have discovered on the Lulo concession. Lucapa is also conducting primary source exploration programmes on Brooking in Western Australia and Merlin in the Northern Territory. The company has a drilling plan to put four holes into two targets on its Botswana tenement, but the programme was delayed due to licence renewals and the COVID-19 pandemic. Wetherall said they intend to resume drilling this year after their exploration licence for the Orapa Area F project was renewed for a further two years. Below are excerpts from the interview. You recently recovered 41 diamonds from the Lulo kimberlite exploration project. How pleased are you with your exploration activities? Very pleased and excited about the diamond recoveries from Lulo kimberlite 164. We recovered 41 diamonds, just over 66 carats, and an average stone size of 1.61 carats, which is a very coarse size fraction. And then within that sample, we recovered two Special size diamonds. So, two diamonds greater than 10.8 carats, which, obviously is very exciting for us, because it's the first physical confirmation that the kimberlites on the Lulo concession host diamonds of large size. So we're very excited. In terms of results, naturally, we always want activities to happen faster, but in terms of the methodical programme that we initiated, we are very happy. We are excited about 2023, particularly where the kimberlite exploration programme is and the speed at which it's currently running. We have established a standalone kimberlite bulk sampling plant, so bulk sampling can happen on a 24/7 basis, and we are looking forward to regular results and to updating the market more frequently. This is a big step change for the exploration project. How much did it cost you to set up the standalone kimberlite bulk sample plant at Lulo? The bulk sample plant itself was about R50 million or US$3 million. Over the years, we have invested nearly US$30m in kimberlite exploration. What are the preliminary indications of the kimberlite deposits at Lulo? Kimberlite L164 is our most diamondiferous kimberlite. It is the 10th diamondiferous kimberlite that we have identified or discovered on the Lulo concession. So as a small-cap exploration and mining company, I think we are the biggest discoverer of diamondiferous kimberlites globally at the moment. From a process perspective, we believe we have multiple primary influences or contributors to the secondary alluvial deposits, so we want to complete the remaining bulk samples for the other 15 kimberlites that are on our priority list. We want to identify which kimberlites are the best ones and do larger bulk samples to get more meaningful diamond and grade data. But this is by far the best kimberlite result we've had to date in terms of the number of diamonds, in terms of size of diamonds and grade. How many exploration targets do you have at Lulo? From over 500 geophysical anomalies or targets, we drilled over 140 targets and discovered over 120 kimberlites. A significant target to kimberlite conversion rate. From our subsequent testing and analysis, we highlighted 20 kimberlites for priority sampling. How are you funding your exploration activities in Angola? We use funding from our shareholders as well as internally generated funds or returns from our mines. How optimistic are you about finding diamondiferous kimberlite deposits in Angola? Very optimistic as we have already identified 10 diamondiferous kimberlites to date. In terms of conversion to an economic or viable diamondiferous kimberlite, we too are full of optimism. The early bulk sample results of kimberlite L164 have given us much to be excited about. The grade of approximately 3 carats per 100 cubic metres and the large average stone size of 1.61 carats per stone is very encouraging indeed. We look forward to treating a larger bulk sample from this kimberlite and if we recover a diamond of the same size and quality as the diamonds that we are recovering in our secondary or alluvial mining campaign, then we may well have the making of an economic kimberlite. There's a lot more good work to be done. How far have you gone with your exploration programme in Australia? We have two projects in Australia that we are conducting primary source exploration programmes on Brooking in Western Australia and Merlin in the Northern Territory. At Brooking, we have already identified a diamondiferous primary source and we are scheduling a new drill programme for this year on several other anomalies identified. At Merlin, whilst we have conducted cursory hyperspectral programmes to identify other potential primary source targets, we have spent most of our effort on conducting two scoping studies and a feasibility study for a mine development to mine the existing 4 million carats inferred and indicated JORC compliant diamond resource. We believe the Merlin development will be transformational for Lucapa as a diamond producer. At present, we have ownership in two very special niche mines whilst they produce some of the best quality carats in the world, they are relatively small from a scale perspective. The Merlin development would take our production from approximately 65,000 carats per annum from our two existing mines to around about 200,000 carats per annum on average from three mines a significant step change in both production and we believe cash flow generation. As a result, we are looking forward to completing and bringing the feasibility study results to the market in the next 4 to 6 weeks. Do you have any plans to expand beyond your current operations in Angola, Lesotho, Australia and Botswana? Our ambitions are to keep growing as a diamond company we have built two mines with exciting high-end productions and are running several prospective primary source exploration programmes, but we do believe growth, both organic and acquisitive, is important. We believe that scale in our industry particularly is necessary to return lost sentiment to the space and unlock what we see as unrecognised value. So, the answer is a big yes. Any country that you're keeping an eye on? Outside of where we are, no other specific countries. There are a lot of opportunities in the diamond space globally, particularly in Africa as it holds the largest known diamond resources globally. Currently, Angola seems to be the country of choice in the diamond space and is a hotbed for new entrants and majors. Naturally, we have and do assess projects there as well as further afield. How many targets are you planning to drill in Botswana? We have a drilling plan to put four holes into two targets on our tenement there. Our programme in Botswana has been delayed due to licence renewals and COVID, but we will be back on the ground there this year to begin the drilling. How long is the exploration licence in Botswana? We have received a new two-year licence in June 2022. Are you funding the Botswana exploration alone or do you have a partner? We're a 100% shareholder in our Botswana venture, and we are funding it ourselves. So should you find a diamondiferous kimberlite deposit in Botswana, will you exploit it alone or engage a partner? It's all about the size of the prize that we are exploring. If development is within our funding capacity, naturally, we will want to go it alone. However, if it is larger than we can reasonably chew and swallow, one does have to look to funding partners. We have great technical expertise in our company, so we would only need to look for funding avenues as opposed to technical ones. How long have you extracted diamonds from your alluvial deposits? We commenced commercial mining operations in Angola in 2015, so we are in our ninth year now. Lulo has, over the years, become known for its very large and high-quality production. How many more years do you think you will continue extracting the alluvial diamonds? That's unfortunately not an easy answer and is tantamount to how long is a piece of string?. Certainly, we have been operating for nine years, have a decent inferred JORC-compliant resource in the Cacuilo valley and therefore will be there for many years yet, but we haven't assessed all of the Cacuilo valley as yet and have not as yet even assessed the Lulo River potential. We will be assessing the Lulo River deposits this year for the first time to assess what we can add to our resource and future mine life. When exactly do you think you will start work on the Lulo River? It will be during this year. Lucapa and our Lulo partners recently met and approved the development and exploration plans and budgets for 2023, which included accessing the Lulo River this year. How much are you planning to spend on this exercise? We haven't released that information to the market as yet, but it is part and parcel of the whole capital programme for Lulo. From the river, do you have any plans of going underground at Lulo? No. Alluvial deposits, thankfully, are secondary deposits that have been eroded from their primary source and deposited fairly close to the surface. As such, they are accessible through conventional surface mining/ excavation methods. You recently conducted your diamond auction under SODIAM. How pleased were you with the prices achieved? Very pleased. The overall diamond market was trending down towards the end of the year and so our expectations were tempered. However, the strong bidding and prices achieved showed the continued interest and demand for high-quality large diamonds, such as those produced by Lulo. When next will you conduct a diamond auction and how many times are you planning to put under the hammer? For our Lulo production in Angola, we will work with Sodiam to schedule tenders regularly during the year. We would hope for at least one per quarter, but there are no fixed dates as yet. For Mothae, our goods are sold in a cutting and polishing partnership. Those goods that are not selected for polishing are sold into the market, mostly by tender. We could run up to 8 tenders annually for these goods sold as rough. How many stones did you supply in 2022 under your diamond cutting and polishing agreement? In Angola, we sell approximately 60% of the value from the Lulo production to the mines preferred buyer under a cutting and polishing agreement. In Lesotho, we sell 100% of the production into a cutting and polishing partnership. Please note, that while the most valuable and special coloured stones are selected to be cut and sold as polished, not all diamonds sold into these partnerships are selected for cutting and polishing. Most of the weight (represented by smaller lower value diamonds) is usually sold under a tender mechanism as mentioned earlier. How much did you sell your pink diamond last year? We don't generally announce individual stones, as it's commercially sensitive to the buyers. As such, we usually release results on a total basis. Do you think you'll most likely get more coloured stones? Definitely. We recover fancy-coloured stones quite often from both Lulo and Mothae. The 170-carat pink diamond was the largest pink-coloured stone that we have recovered to date at Lulo, but Lulo recovers many pink and yellow coloured diamonds. The largest fancy-coloured diamond from Mothae was a 90-carat fancy yellow diamond and equally, Mothae recovers them periodically. It used to be a problem to repatriate funds from Angola back in the day. Have you been able to do so of late? It used to be very slow in the past, but ultimately it happened. We have now completed all the required processes, including the National Bank of Angola approvals, which will now ensure the repatriation of our loans and dividends in the future is fairly swift. In 2022, Lucapa repatriated a record A$20 million from our operations in Angola. The process has been streamlined and Angola has just announced new regulations to further improve the repatriation of investments to foreign direct investors. What is your safety record at both mines? Safety is our number one priority, and we are proud of our safety records. Both mines have achieved good milestones in terms of lost time and injury-free manhours. In any environment which involves heavy machinery, safety is paramount which is why we pay a lot of attention to safe practices at our mines. No one wants to have any incidents. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished Japan will on Monday release February figures for producer prices, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Producer prices are expected to rise 1.5 percent on year, easing from 1.6 percent in the previous month. China will see February numbers for industrial profits; in January, profits were up 0.8 percent on year. Hong Kong will provide February figures for imports, exports and trade balance. In January, imports were down 30.2 percent on year and exports slumped an annual 36.7 percent for a trade deficit of HKD25.4 billion. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. Somalia said more than 3,000 al-Shabab militants have been killed and 3,700 more sustained injuries since the government started a military operation against the terror group six months ago. The Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism said some 70 towns and villages which were under al-Shabab have been liberated by the Somali National Army (SNA) forces with the support of the locals. "The government stands by its commitment to ensuring that the SNA is carrying out the ongoing operations in strict compliance with its obligations under international humanitarian law, human rights law, Islamic law, and Somali customary rules of warfare," the ministry said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on Saturday evening. The government forces have intensified their attacks against al-Shabab since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an all-out war against the militants last year. President Mohamud has vowed to intensify military operations to flush out al-Shabab militants from their strongholds to stop extortion of the Somali people and the spread of propaganda, intimidation, and extremism in Somalia. The statement came as the government plans to launch the second phase of this military offensive against the militant group. The ministry said al-Shabab continues to suffer defeats in central and southern regions and across Somalia, noting that a major security operation is set to be launched in the capital Mogadishu to ensure that the fugitive militants do not harm city residents. The operation is aimed at protecting the city and its civilians, adding that the government wants to ensure that the people's safety is not disturbed during the holy month of Ramadan. The government has been waging a formidable war against the al-Shabab militants since President Mohamud came into power on May 1, 2022. But the militant group still controls some parts of rural southern and central Somalia and continues to carry out high-profile attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere despite the increased onslaught by government forces. Search Keywords: Short link: UC Riverside scientists have significantly advanced the race to control plant responses to temperature on a rapidly warming planet. Key to this breakthrough is miRNA, a molecule nearly 200,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. With moderate increases in temperature, plants grow taller to avoid hotter ground and get fresher air. A landmark study published in the journal Nature Communications demonstrates that microRNA or miRNA is required for this growth. The study also identifies which miRNA molecules -- out of more than 100 possibilities -- are the essential ones. "We found that without miRNA plants will not grow, even if we raise temperatures, even in the presence of added growth hormones," said UCR botany professor and study co-author Meng Chen. RNA is a nucleic acid present in all living cells, and its role is to act as a messenger carrying instructions from a cell's DNA for creating a variety of proteins. MicroRNA is also necessary for healthy development in biological cells. It is created to bind to a specific RNA target and prevent that target from creating what it was designed to manufacture. "MiRNA inhibits the production of its target RNA by inducing a cleavage in its target, or by inhibiting its target RNA from translating into another protein," said UCR botany professor and study co-author Xuemei Chen. Xuemei Chen's lab at UCR helped discover miRNA in plants. Meng Chen's laboratory previously identified components involved in the early stages of plants' temperature sensitivity. The two groups of scientists joined forces to learn whether miRNA, which is so significant in other life forms, also plays a role in plants' temperature responses. For this test, the scientists only looked at mild increases in temperature, from 21 to 27 degrees Celsius. For reference, room temperature averages about 20 C. "We didn't look at stress responses. We wanted to study temperature sensing without raising it to a level that would kill the plants," Meng Chen said. The researchers took Arabidopsis, a small flowering plant related to mustard and cabbage, and studied mutant forms with very low levels of miRNA. Without the miRNA, the mutant Arabidopsis could not respond to the change in temperature by growing as it should have. Then they did a genetics experiment. "We asked whether we could make additional mutations on the mutant Arabidopsis deficient in making miRNAs and restore their ability to sense temperature," Xuemei Chen said. The second experiment worked, "perfectly," she said, and it revealed a gene responsible for restoring miRNA levels as well as the plant's heat sensing abilities. Next, the team faced a challenge in searching for the precise miRNA involved in temperature response. Arabidopsis manufactures 140 miRNA molecules. The scientists assumed levels of the responsible molecules would increase as temperatures did, but it didn't happen that way. Recalling that miRNA binds to and shuts down target RNA molecules, the team instead looked at target RNA molecule levels that were different in the original mutant Arabidopsis plant and in the second mutant plant they created. "Looking at this we found the targets of 14 miRNA changed, and alongside the targets, we also found the miRNA," Xuemei Chen said. Having identified the right miRNA molecules, the team finally put together a comprehensive picture of temperature response. It involves two essential parts: molecules that sense temperature, and auxin, a hormone that allows a response to what's been sensed by promoting plant growth. "In between the sensor and the responder is miRNA. Without it, plants can sense heat but cannot respond to it by growing. It is a gatekeeper that can shut down -- or allow -- plants to deal with environmental temperature changes," Meng Chen said. During their experiments, the team found the miRNA is also required for plants' response to reflected shade from neighboring plants. "Our discovery connected the dots between three elements found in all plants that are key for plant responses to their environments," Meng Chen said. "This includes sensors that monitor temperature and light changes, hormones that drive plant growth, and miRNA that controls plant development." The researchers hope their findings can be used to increase crop yields as the climate changes. "The potential is that we use this to manipulate plant responses to local temperature and light conditions and control their growth in diverse environments," Meng Chen said. Egypt announced on Sunday that they had received just over two million doses of Pfizers Omicron-adapted COVID-19 vaccine from eight countries over the past week. The doses arrived from France, Sweden, Croatia, Italy, Spain, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Latvia via the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative, alongside the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI), said the Ministry of Health in a statement. The updated vaccine works effectively against the new variants of COVID-19, including Omicron, said Health Ministry Spokesman Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar, who added that vaccinated individuals can receive booster shots. The doses will be available in vaccination centres across the country after being tested by the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), Abdel-Ghaffar added as the country seeks to diversify and expand its supply of COVID-19 vaccines. Those who wish to receive the vaccine should register through the vaccination website. The Omicron-adapted vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent) is authorised for use by both the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EDA. The updated vaccine targets the spike protein of Omicron BA.1, a variant of worldwide concern. Earlier this month, Pfizer and BioNTechs bivalent COVID-19 vaccines gained approval from the FDA for children between six months and four years of age. The pandemic took a heavy toll on Egyptians in 2020-2021, before subsiding in 2022. The country has reported 515,852 confirmed infections and 24,819 deaths to the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region office (EMRO) since the outbreak. More than 108 million COVID-19 doses have been administered in Egypt, according to EMRO. In February, Minister of Health Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said more than 56 million doses are still available to be administered. Over 40 million citizens are fully vaccinated, representing around 39 percent of the countrys 104 million population, the Ministry of Health announced early this year. At the same time, 8.4 million people had received booster shots. This represents around 33.4 percent of the 25 million individuals the ministry hopes to give boosters to. Search Keywords: Short link: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Jill Nerone Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle 2022 Show More Show Less A veteran Alameda County prosecutor resigned from her post this week, saying in a scorching letter that she could no longer adequately and ethically protect the rights of victims under the administration of District Attorney Pamela Price. I am hopeful that your policies will soften, and that crime victims will once again be the priority of the office, prosecutor Jill Nerone wrote, adding that April 7 will be her last day on the job. She included a quote from the mother of a homicide victim, who feared the accused killer would be released with no consequences. Black voters in California are increasingly disenchanted with the political process, and a significant portion are cool on the Democratic Party, according to a new poll that should greatly worry the party. In surveying 1,200 Black adults in North Carolina, Georgia and California, the Black to the Future Action Fund, an organization that works to increase Black political power nationally, found that almost 30% of Black voters in California either didnt vote Democrat or split their votes across political parties. The figure was roughly 10 percentage points higher than in both Georgia and North Carolina. California experienced the biggest decline among the states in Black voters belief that their votes have power, from 51% in August to 42% in December, according to the poll, which was conducted in December and released this month. The results make sense. Black Californians have dealt with a decades-long wealth gap, make up about 40% of the states homeless population, experienced the most hate crimes of any racial group in 2021, and had the highest unemployment rate of any racial group in 2022, all while Democrats have held a near-unbroken majority in the state Legislature over the past five decades. If Democrats want to ensure Black voters continued loyalty, the party has to stop making the group wait decades for the passage of critical Black-focused legislation, like the repeal of the racist, 73-year-old housing measure Article 34 in Californias Constitution. The measure, which lawmakers will try again to remove in 2024, makes it tougher to create affordable housing and reflects the states 1950s-era anxieties about Black people living in or near white neighborhoods. The poll also reveals that Black California voters are worried about crime, though this does not necessarily mean the group wants an increase in the number of police. Democrats can show they understand these fears by making long-term investments in community policing and social services that reduce crime, and not padding the bloated budgets of police departments that continue to prove they, alone, cant. An argument might be made that Democrats can buy the votes of Black people by making multimillion dollar reparations a reality. Even if the Democrats succeed, it wont prove theyre allies to the Black community; it will just serve as America rightfully fulfilling a promise it made to Black people 158 years ago. Ludovic Blain, executive director of the California Donor Table, a statewide community of donors that invest in communities of color, told me that Democratic politicians need to disentangle themselves from corporate interests because in California corporate interests are exactly contrary to Black community interests. That means when dealing with housing, not listening to Realtors and building real housing. Not listening to the oil companies and actually protecting the environment. Not listening to the gig companies and actually protecting workers. Not listening to the police unions and actually investing in public safety, Blain said. It doesnt help that Democratic candidates are also failing to even provide Black voters with the information they need. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle 2019 Across the three states that the Black to the Future Fund polled, 42% of Black people who did not vote in the 2022 midterm elections felt poorly informed about the candidates. And 79% said no liberal or Democratic organization came to their neighborhood to gin up support for a candidate. When I was living in Oakland, there would be entire election cycles where nobody came to knock on my door, and Im someone who is very politically engaged, said civil rights activist Alicia Garza, the founder and leader of the Black to the Future Action Fund. When it comes to the complicated challenge of making Black voters in California feel as though their votes can influence politics, Blain said more cities need novel approaches like what Oakland is doing. Last year, Oakland passed a ballot measure to create Democracy Dollars, which are $25 vouchers that eligible Oakland voters will receive in 2024 to be used as contributions to the campaigns of their preferred candidates in races for city offices. For Black voters who have witnessed how a small number of wealthy donors can influence political campaigns and their results, the program is promising. Even a recent University of Washington study shows the concept increases voter participation, and advocates say this increase is largely in communities of color. So far, Oakland is the only California city to put the program in place. Undoubtedly, Black voters in 2024 will once more be asked by Democrats to go to the polls to save America. I just hope that by then, the party will have given us a reason to once again do it. A man suspected of burglarizing several Redwood City homes has been arrested, police said. Cristian Josue CanelSian, 21, was booked into San Mateo County Jail on first-degree burglary charges on Thursday. Police said they connected him to a crime spree from January through March after reports of an intruder stealing from womens homes and, on two occasions, touching them sexually. Officers searched CanelSians home and seized items they said were stolen. Police are investigating five burglaries believed to be committed by him since January. The Redwood City Police Department said its investigations unit began tracking three burglaries in January that involved women encountering CanelSian illegally entering their homes. CanelSian twice broke into the homes while the women were asleep, and one woman woke up after he inappropriately touched her, police said. The women confronted CanelSian, but he fled each time before officers arrived, police said. The majority of the break-ins occurred near the 1200 block of Ebener Street. Police said they responded to a March 19 residential burglary in which CanelSian touched a woman inappropriately while she was sleeping. When confronted, he barricaded himself in a bathroom but escaped through a window before officers arrived, police said. Authorities said they were able to connect CanelSian to the three previous burglaries by examining surveillance video near the home. Police said they are seeking the publics help in identifying additional victims. Anyone with information should contact Detective James Schneider at 650-780-7607. The European Union is ready to provide further support to the Egyptian states efforts to curb irregular migration, Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Promoting the European Way of Life, said on Sunday. Schinas made the remarks in a meeting in Cairo with Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, Egypts Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Schinas stressed the importance that he attaches to organising the movement of trained workforce from Egypt to the EU in a way that contributes to reducing irregular migration. He also expressed keenness to provide education and training to the Egyptian workforce to qualify them for the European job market. For his part, Shoukry affirmed the need for moving the file of Egypt-EU cooperation in irregular migration from a technical level to a high-level political one. He added that this would help serve the common interest of both sides according to the burden-bearing principle. Shoukry noted that Egypt currently hosts nearly nine million refugees and migrants. He stressed that such a large number requires the EU to support the states efforts to curb the flow of irregular migrants across the Egyptian borders. The Egyptian FM also reviewed the holistic approach adopted by the state in dealing with the phenomenon not simply as a security threat but as an issue with developmental and social dimensions. Egypt has stepped up its efforts to stem the flow of irregular migration to Europe, allowing no boats carrying migrants to leave Egyptian coasts since 2016. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has stressed that Egypt would not serve as a transit point for irregular migrants seeking to reach Europe. Egyptian-EU cooperation on migration stands at 111 million euros covering 34 projects, Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Egypt Christian Berger told Egyptian state's news agency MENA in January. This came a few months after Egypt signed a deal with the EU in October on the first phase of an 80-million-euro border management programme to help reduce irregular migration and human trafficking along its border. Shoukrys meeting with Schinas also discussed enhancing economic cooperation between Egypt and the EU. The FM affirmed the importance of the EU providing political support to the promising projects in Egypt, especially power linkage projects between Egypt and the northern Mediterranean states, enhancingpower linkage projects between Egypt and the north Mediterranean states, which improve energy security in Europe. Shoukry and the EU official also discussed several international challenges of mutual concern, foremost of which is enhancing food security and combating terrorism, the statement added. They affirmed keenness to continue close coordination between Egypt and the EU during their joint presidency of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), which begins next May. The EU and Egypt share a robust partnership, which we will continue to develop and support, Schinas wrote on Twitter following the meeting. Schinas has been on an official visit to Egypt since Saturday, during which he discussed with Pope Tawadros II, the head of Egypts Coptic Orthodox Church, the critical role of Egypt in promoting interfaith dialogue and coexistence. With His Holiness, Pope Twadros II discusses Egypt's key role in promoting interfaith dialogue and coexistence. Focus also on the valuable work of the Coptic Orthodox Church in supporting health and education. pic.twitter.com/yjQhU3hx3D Margaritis Schinas (@MargSchinas) March 26, 2023 Search Keywords: Short link: Noah Berger/Special to The Chronicle 2022 1 To prevent traffic from overwhelming the region by 2050, planners are considering: A: Rolling closures of Bay Area freeways B: Expanding BART to Marin, Napa and Monterey counties C: Charging a per-mile fee on highways and select arterial roads 2 Scientists have discovered this hiding in the Sierra Nevada snowpack: A: Big Foot B: Microplastics C: Stolen lab-grown diamonds 3 California will contract with drugmaker Civica Rx to make its own low-cost: A: Weight-loss supplements B: Paxlovid C: Insulin 4 Giants veteran Brandon Crawford is a member of MLBs exclusive 1,500 club, signifying he: A: Turned 1,500 double plays B: Struck out 1,500 times C: Played 1,500 games at shortstop for his one and only team 5 Three years into the pandemic, Los Angeles per-capita transit ridership, compared to the Bay Areas, is: A: Higher B: About the same C: Lower 6 Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes a 2024 ballot measure for the state to fund: A: Housing for people with mental illness B: Solar panels on roofs of all residences C: Free rides on mass transit 7 Photographer Nan Goldins concentrated 24-minute slide show at Fraenkel Gallery was created to replicate: A: Travel time between Bay Bridge toll booths and metering lights B: Withdrawal from drugs C: Average time of a TSA security check at SFO 8 To stanch its falling stock price, First Republic Bank has announced: A: $30 billion in deposits by 11 big banks B: A free toaster when opening a new account C: Bankers hours of noon to 3 p.m. 9 A federal appeals judge engaged unruly students during a talk at: A: UC College of the Law San Francisco B: Stanford Law School C: USF School of Law 10 The Ninth U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled that landlords may ask prospective tenants to disclose their: A: Religious beliefs B: Criminal history C: Gender identity Pete Wevurski; pwevurski@sfchronicle.com I have gladly relinquished my quill and inkpot because our beloved electric utility monopoly, PG&E, has finally restored electric power 47 hours after it went out. I no longer have to look at my wristwatch (with hands!) to tell the time; my mobile phone has been recharged. I no longer have to read by candlelight (real books with paper pages!); my Kindle has been recharged. I can sleep in the altogether again; my mattress warmer now works. Its not as though we were really back in the 19th century. We do have gas heating and a gas-powered stove (the burners could be lit with a match, but the oven and broiler couldnt). I was able to cook the four steaks that we hadnt frozen just to keep them from spoiling. We could take showers because we also have a gas-fired water heater. But we, along with some 200,000 other poor souls, did not have electricity for 47 hours. I guess we live in a Third World country after all. Yet our beloved Bay Area Air Quality Management District and several of our local cities want to do away with natural gas-powered heaters, stoves and water heaters. Just imagine not 200,000 people without power, but more than 7 million people in the Bay Area. Hey, all you bureaucrats and politicians. Is that the route you want us to take? Jared Gordon, El Cerrito Help Pajaros residents Regarding This is not livable: Evacuated residents return to Monterey Countys flood-damaged Pajaro (Bay Area, SFChronicle.com, March 23): Pajaro is home to migrant farm workers who make contributions to Californias agricultural economy. But repairs to the Pajaro River levee were not prioritized because of the relatively low value of surrounding farmland and homes in a disadvantaged, predominantly Latino area. The families and individuals whose homes were devastated by the levee break need assistance. Their work ethic is essential, and they play an important role in the nations food supply. Pajaro residents should not be left on the sidelines; migrant low-income workers should not be the only ones that bear the brunt of the havoc brought on by the rain. Pajaros families deserve emergency aid, access to clean water and help to get safely back into their homes just like others in the surrounding areas. Maria Nunez, Salinas, Monterey County Dont ignore history As history seems to be a target in our schools and beyond, it seems apropos to pass along an anonymous saying I received via Facebook: History is not there for you to like or dislike. It is there for you to learn from it. And if it offends you, even better. Because then you are less likely to repeat it. It is not yours to erase. It belongs to all of us. Ron Haupt, Foster City Last week, a California appellate court upheld Proposition 22 a 2020 state ballot initiative that defines app-based rideshare and delivery drivers as independent contractors rather than employees reversing a lower-court decision from last year. The ruling was a major victory for gig companies such as Uber, Lyft and Doordash, which spent over $200 million to pass the measure. Though the case may go to the California Supreme Court for review, Prop. 22 remains the law of the land and many gig economy workers are shut out from workplace protections. Even with Prop. 22 in place, however, California workers still have AB5, passed in 2019, to protect them. The law defines employment broadly, granting a broad swath of workers access to basic protections, including a minimum wage, workers compensation and unemployment insurance. AB5 remains the most significant recent reform effort to combat employers who misclassify their workers as independent contractors to deny them legal rights. States seeking to improve workplace protections are likely to follow Californias lead in this regard, while gig companies have already begun looking into passing copycat versions of Prop. 22 elsewhere. With this in mind, California lawmakers should consider taking all steps available to strengthen AB5. One way they can do this is to bolster the laws protections for undocumented workers. Undocumented immigrants without federal work authorization are disproportionately likely to be wrongfully classified as independent contractors. This misclassification affects not only immigrant taxi and rideshare drivers but also countless workers in heavily immigrant occupations such as residential construction and janitorial work. This is no accident. As the labor sociologist Ruth Milkman has written, businesses have developed strategies over the past half-century to weaken the power of organized labor and create more precarious forms of work, including the use of independent contractor status to avoid legal and financial obligations. Over time, as conditions worsened in numerous industries, U.S.-born workers left for better prospects if they could, and undocumented immigrants barred from formal employment by federal law frequently took their places. As a result, Milkman writes, jobs that once paid a decent union wage were transformed into jobs Americans dont want. Given the prevalence of misclassification in heavily immigrant occupations, undocumented workers are likely to be overrepresented among the estimated 1 million workers who have been reclassified as employees statewide. AB5 applies to undocumented workers no less than to U.S. citizens or immigrants with legal status. Under Californias new legal standard, most employers should presume that their workers are employees, regardless of immigration status. And thanks to an earlier California law, all employees are entitled to the full protection of the states labor code. Implementation of AB5, however, poses unique challenges for undocumented workers. Most important, many employers may assume that if state law requires them to treat their workers as employees, federal law does as well including the obligation to verify that all employees are legally authorized to work, using the I-9 form that is familiar to new hires. This assumption could lead many immigrant workers to lose their jobs or encourage them to provide false documents, which could expose them to criminal or civil immigration penalties. Fortunately, a state law that defines a given worker as an employee does not necessarily trigger the I-9 requirement. Federal law applies a narrower definition of employment than AB5, meaning that this same worker might still be considered an independent contractor for immigration purposes, exempt from immigration verification. In other words, states like California can provide their undocumented residents all of the protections of employee status without triggering any federal immigration consequences but to do so, they need to clarify employers responsibilities. Reform bills building on AB5 should include unambiguous language explaining that California intentionally defines employment more broadly than federal immigration law. Crucially, both the legislative text and outreach efforts to businesses should make clear that AB5 does not require employers to verify workers immigration status. In the industries where many undocumented workers earn their livelihoods, these clarifications may not only help to keep people in their jobs, but better protected on the job as well. On a related note, like many other states, California has a law on the books that criminalizes immigrants who use false paperwork to secure a job, which essentially duplicates penalties at the federal level. This law is a holdover of the infamous nativist 1994 ballot initiative, Proposition 187. Lawmakers should repeal this relic from a time before California became the progressive, pro-immigrant state it is today. Decriminalizing immigrant work would serve the aim of AB5 to empower workers by bringing them under the protection of the formal economy. AB5 is not a perfect solution to the problem of employee misclassification. No matter how the law defines employment, businesses will intentionally design their workplaces to provide the fewest rights to their workers. And for the many undocumented immigrants who rely on freelance or independent work, it may be harder to find opportunities to support themselves as the state implements the new law. Labor code enforcement must be attentive to both of these concerns. But AB5 and bills like it are a step in the right direction for workers. Even as the courts give their blessing to Prop. 22, lawmakers can and should begin to think about taking the next step ensuring that the protections of Californias labor code apply to as many workers as possible, regardless of immigration status. When I lived in San Franciscos Richmond District, I regularly jogged through Golden Gate Park, hiked the Marin Headlands and climbed up Mount Tamalpais. These adventures exposed me to stunning and priceless beauty from the fogged-drenched trees that enveloped me on early morning runs up John F. Kennedy Drive to the whales that followed me as I made my way up, slowly, to Hawk Hill. While it seems inconceivable that anyone would ever try to deny the public access to such prized communal assets, if recent trends across Western states continue, the publics ability to access to its own land may not be assured. For more than a century after the countrys founding, American law reflected the ideal that the public domain should be converted into private property. Driven by this ideal and undergirded by the philosophy of Manifest Destiny that it was Gods will that white American men control the continent the country set out to acquire as much land as possible throughout the 19th century. Much of that land would then be given to American heads of household for free under homesteading laws. But toward the end of the century, as Americans became concerned about resource scarcity and monopolies, Congress began establishing some of the nations land as public. The result of these varying interests and beliefs became a patchwork of millions of acres of land that today exist in a checkerboard pattern parcels of land alternating in ownership, some public, some private. For hikers, trail runners, hunters and other outdoor recreationists, accessing this public land is not always easy and sometimes can border on the line of ridiculous. Why? Because according to some landowners and law enforcement agents, including here in California, if someone crosses from one piece of public land to kitty-corner public land, they are necessarily trespassing on the private land that also sits at that same corner. According to research from the land data company and app-maker, onX, more than 8.3 million acres of public lands across the West are corner-locked in this way inaccessible without entering, or hopping, private lands. In California, 226,000 acres of public land are corner-locked. Many states have laws with loopholes that effectively permit corner-hopping or corner-crossing. But that doesnt mean private landowners wont try to go after individuals for trespassing. In 2003, despite Wyoming having loophole laws to protect people seeking to access corner-locked land, the states attorney general cautioned hunters from liberally hopping and crossing because a different state statute prohibited anyone from entering the land of another knowing that they had not been authorized to do so. The attorney general specified that whether a hunter violated state law by corner-hopping would depend on the factual circumstances of the case at hand. The uncertainty surrounding enforcement of the law had a chilling effect on the publics willingness to access its own land. For that reason, in October 2021, four hunters in Wyoming went so far as to bring a ladder along on their hunting trip so they could use it at contested corners of land to guarantee they had not stepped foot on private lands. The hunters were nevertheless charged with trespassing and, though a jury found them not guilty, they currently face civil charges. This may all sound absurd, but here in California, the law also tips the legal scales in favor of private landowners. According to guidance from the state Fish and Game Commission in its 2022-2023 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, It is unlawful to enter any lands under cultivation or enclosed by a fence, belonging to, or occupied by, another ... where signs forbidding trespass or hunting, or both, are displayed at intervals not less than three to the mile along all exterior boundaries and at all roads and trails entering those lands ... without having first obtained written permission from the owner, or his or her agent, or the person in lawful possession of, those lands. Under this law, private landowners need only put up a few signs to deny the public access to thousands of acres of public land. Can you imagine the update to John Muirs famous quote, The mountains are calling and I must go ... seek permission from the adjacent landowner and perhaps fetch a ladder ... ? California has not completely shirked its duty with respect to increasing access to recreational opportunities. For instance, under the California Department of Fish and Wildlifes Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement program, private landowners work with the state to allow members of the public with access permits to enter private lands and cross into the 530,000 acres of landlocked parcels of public lands. But receiving such a permit requires actually winning a lottery a setup that necessarily results in the vast majority of Californians lacking clear legal access to all of their public lands. Im not a hunter, but as a trail runner and cross-country skier, Ive had plenty of encounters with trespassing signs. And, through apps like onX, I have mapped out routes through corner-locked public lands in the hope that one day these lands will be fully accessible as originally intended. Hopefully, California policymakers will follow the lead of other states, such as Idaho where the Access Yes program unlocked 525,115 acres of public lands through coordination with private landowners. Californias innovative and collaborative nonprofit sector could also collaborate with policymakers to provide more information about threats to public lands. One step that nonprofits can take is to emulate the Access Issues Reporting System developed by the Public Lands Water Access Association in Montana. The reporting system will eventually operate as an app for people to enter information about barriers to accessing public lands. Imagine youre hiking the Marin Headlands and find that someone has placed a gate in front of a trailhead. The app would allow you to take a picture, describe the barrier and share the location. Serving as a data collection app is just one of the purposes of the program. The collected data will also allow the association and other public lands advocates to identify trends about the volume, type and location of access issues and, eventually, to improve the resolution of those access issues by providing policymakers with accurate information. By adopting best practices from other states and leading nonprofits, California can eliminate barriers to accessing public lands and ensure corner-hopping is literally just a walk in the park. Every June, Californians tired of being cooped up pull on their hiking boots and head for the High Sierra, bound for the famed John Muir or Pacific Crest trails, the cables up Half Dome or the vistas around Tuolumne Meadows. But this year, the huge amount of snow is likely to leave trails in the High Sierra buried for months, and make those hikes even more dangerous and crowded than usual, even after they thaw. The snowpack, which normally would be starting to melt about now, is not only deeper than usual but is still growing as storms continue to slam California. And its likely to linger in the High Sierra not just atop its peaks through June, into July and possibly into August. Another 1 to 2 feet of snow is forecast for the Sierra in a storm this week. And the outlook for April, while still uncertain, appears to be cold and wet and possibly snowy, said Tyler Salas, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno. It looks like its going to be a little more stormy once we enter April, Salas said. This is the winter that doesnt want to end. The deep Sierra snowpack wont cap just the tallest peaks as it usually does in the summer. It will cover trails, creeks and much of the landscape for months to come, delaying the usual start of the hiking season and making it difficult and unpleasant for those reluctant to give up early reserved permits on the popular John Muir Trail. Bobby Tanner, owner and operator of Reds Meadow Resort and Pack Station, a popular restocking spot and respite on the John Muir Trail near Mammoth Lakes, said interest in hiking the trail is as high as ever and that many callers with plans for June dont seem dissuaded by the snow. There are those who say they have their permit, theyre gonna go, they can walk on snow, he said. Well, good luck. The snow isnt expected to be the biggest problem, according to Tanner, veteran hikers and wildland officials its the water. Its not just about difficulty. Hiking in the snow is difficult, said Peter Hirst, a longtime hiker who leads trips for the Sierra Club and REI. But its about dangerous stream and river crossings. In a high (snowfall) year like this, they are treacherous. Michael Macor/Special to The Chronicle 2018 As the snowpack melts, it will turn rivers and even smaller creeks into raging torrents, making for wet crossings where hikers have to ford streams more dangerous than usual. Even where bridges cross the water, they may be overwhelmed or even washed out. Hikers have been swept downstream to their deaths in past high-water years, veteran hikers say, and they worry that more could become victims this year, particularly inexperienced hikers. Lisa Cox, a spokesperson for the Inyo National Forest, said hikers should approach stream and river crossings with caution and pay attention to their instincts. If youre a backpacker or hiker and you look at a body of water and it gives you a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, dont do it, she said. Dont underestimate your gut. Hikers may also encounter icy passes as the snow melts and refreezes, Cox said, and should be prepared with the appropriate equipment. Some hikers bring crampons, ice axes or microspikes and undergo training on how to use them. Youre up high at 8,000 to 13,000 feet elevation and its slippery and icy, its hard to maintain your balance, hard to maintain cognitive function because of the altitude. You make one little fall, and you could hurt yourself if not fall to your death, she said. Andy Murdock/Special to The Chronicle Even at lower elevations, in Yosemite National Park, for instance, hikers are certain to be affected. Popular trails like the climb up the cables on Half Dome, the Four Mile Trail to Glacier Point and the Mist Trail alongside Vernal Falls may not open by May as they usually do. Tioga Road, the road to Tuolumne Meadows and the eastern Sierra, which is usually plowed and open to traffic in May, is also likely to face an unusually late opening. The latest the road has ever opened was July 1 in 2019 and 1998. Park officials, preoccupied with closed roads and reopening the park after a three-week snow shutdown, said its too early to predict the impacts on hiking. Its way too soon to speculate on any of that, park spokesperson Scott Gediman said in an email. Were still dealing with snow impacts and closed roads. Hirst, who has a Sierra Club hike planned in July, however, expects the heavy snow to affect trails all over the park. His planned venture in the relatively low-lying area around Hetch Hetchy Reservoir will be rerouted and possibly postponed or canceled, he said, because of the expectation of raging water below Wapama Falls, damaged bridges and snowed-in trails. This is just one of hundreds and hundreds of visits to the high country this year going through the process of trying to figure out what do we do, he said. Cox advises hikers, particularly those on the John Muir Trail, to have a backup plan so theyre less tempted to wade into that rapid river or trek through knee-deep snow. Have a Plan B and dont underestimate your gut, she said. Be humble about your abilities and your experience. Allowing that to overrule your ego might just save your life. Saul Loeb / Getty Images ; Tom Williams / Getty Images California Rep. Ro Khanna announced Sunday that he will not enter the competitive race to replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein and instead endorsed Rep. Barbara Lee for the position. I have concluded that despite a lot of enthusiasm from Bernie (Sanders) folks, the best place, the most exciting place, action place, fit place, for me to serve as a progressive is in the House of Representatives, Khanna, D-Santa Clara, said Sunday during an interview on CNNs State of the Union. If Donald Trump is indicted this week in New York, the effect will ripple outward to California, where Republican voters will have a big say for the first time in a generation about who their party will nominate for president next year. Trump cant afford to blow off California if he wants to be the Republican nominee again. He may still lead Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in national polling, but DeSantis is beating him in California, according to the February Berkeley IGS Poll. Trump doesnt want to be trailing in California, the state that will again offer the largest haul of delegates needed to capture the nomination. Trump might not be the nominee depending, in part, on the reaction to a possible indictment by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Trump could face charges in connection with a $130,000 payment shortly before the 2016 election to porn star Stormy Daniels, with whom he allegedly had an affair. Sure, many California Republicans will shrug off Trumps indictment as a politically motivated prosecution. An indictment would make those ride-or-die Trump voters double down because there is a kind of martyr complex that hes cultivated, said Kim Nalder, a political science professor at Sacramento State. But Trump wont be able to grow his base in California by being a martyr, Nalder said. Nor will he be able to bring back swing voters put off by the nonstop chaos he has triggered since his first run for president in 2016. More moderate Republicans and GOP-leaning independents who vote Republican held their nose and voted for him before because they wanted conservative Supreme Court appointments and to overturn abortion rights. Trump delivered those promises along with a lot of chaos and now a lot of California Republicans are ready to move on. An indictment could push more voters DeSantis way by making voters feel that Trump, dogged by legal issues, would be vulnerable in a rematch against President Biden. Trumps election-year legal problems extend beyond New York. He also could face charges in Georgia, where the Fulton County district attorney has been investigating Trumps efforts to alter the 2020 vote count in that state, which Trump lost to Biden. Thats the case where there was a recording of Trump pressing Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to find enough votes to help him win. Plus, theres a federal special counsel looking into Trumps involvement with the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, along with his alleged mishandling of classified documents. But keep an eye on what happens this week, Nalder said, because a New York indictment could break the seal. The precedent of not indicting a former president will have been broken, she said. An indictment, Nalder said, is a game-changer when we have a brand new fresh primary, and theres the option to vote for someone else. Polls indicating Californians are migrating to DeSantis shows theyre open to an alternate candidate. Other California voters might be turned off if anti-indictment demonstrations get out of hand. In a Friday post on his Truth Social site, Trump warned of potential death & destruction if he is charged. The reaction in California depends on Trump, said John Dennis, chairman of the California Republican County Chairmens Association. If he doesnt overplay his hand, itll help him, said Dennis, who is also chair of the San Francisco Republican Party. If he overplays his hand, itll hurt him. If the protests get out of control, then hell give up any of the advantages that the Democrats are handing him. The potential advantage, Dennis said, is that anybody whos a victim of a rigged system is bound to get sympathy and support. And thats what this looks like to many Republicans. Shane Patrick Connolly, chair of the Santa Clara Republican Party, said the New York prosecution could rile up a lot of the most enthusiastic supporters in his base and propel him to victory as a martyr. He would be perceived as a martyr. But that martyrdom might not materialize if the protests look like the Jan. 6 insurrection on the Capitol. If that happens, then obviously that reflects poorly on people who called them out to protest, said Connolly, who is undecided on who to support for president. That could have an impact on electability. Trump needs help right now in California. That February Berkeley IGS Poll in California showed DeSantis topping a field of 11 current and potential GOP candidates with 37% of the Republican vote, followed by Trump with 29% and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley with 7%. California Republicans will have a bigger-than-usual influence in choosing their partys nominee since ballots will start landing in California mailboxes in the second week of February for the March 5 primary. Thats not long after voters in Iowa and New Hampshire will have weighed in. The last time there was an open GOP field, in 2016, Trump had wrapped up the nomination by the time Californians cast their votes in June. While Trump retains a rock-solid core of support in the state, many California Republicans are saying publicly that they havent decided which candidate to support in 2024 an act that would have been perceived as unforgivable disloyalty three years ago. Juliana Yamada/The Chronicle Some are even starting to line up behind other candidates. Im leaning toward DeSantis, Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove (Sacramento County), told The Chronicle at the California Republican Party convention this month. He is believed to be the first member of Californias GOP delegation to back the Florida governor, who hasnt yet announced a campaign. He offers all of Donald Trumps policies without the drama. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale (Butte County), who represents a district where Trump won 58% of the vote in 2020, told me that the nomination is still Trumps to lose. Yet, LaMalfa, who supported Trump twice before, has not decided who he will back in 2024. He advised Trump not to get bogged down in attacking his challengers. He needs to focus on his race and not worry about what the other candidates are doing, LaMalfa told me. You dont have to run at DeSantis; you dont have to go after Nikki Haley. Likewise, he said voters in his part of the state dont want to see DeSantis attacking Trump, given his popularity in that part of California. But Trump has ramped up his attacks on DeSantis most notably after DeSantis cleverly offered a two-pronged response to Trumps pending indictment. I dont know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair, DeSantis told reporters in Florida. DeSantis also ripped Bragg as a Soros D.A., a party-line reference to billionaire Democratic donor George Soros echoed by Trumps other potential rivals for the nomination, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former Vice President Mike Pence. Soros gave $1 million to Color of Change, a progressive organization that funded texts, emails and other activities in support of Bragg during his 2021 campaign for district attorney. Trumps response via Truth Social: Ron DeSanctimonious will probably find out about FALSE ACCUSATIONS & FAKE STORIES sometime in the future, as he gets older, wiser, and better known. Later Monday, Trump posted on the site that Ron DeSanctimonious is dropping in the Polls so fast that he soon may be falling behind young Vivek Ramaswamy, a largely unknown technology entrepreneur who has never held public office and trails the field in seeking the GOP nomination. Enthusiasm for DeSantis in California could be seen in the fundraiser he headlined this month in Orange County that drew 900 people and raised $742,000 for the local party. Fred Whitaker, chairman of the influential Orange County Republican Party, called it the biggest event the Orange County Republican Party has ever had. That told me that theres a tremendous amount of interest in 2024, Whitaker said. And theres a tremendous amount of interest in Gov. DeSantis. Whitaker, who is uncommitted in the presidential race, said DeSantis showing is even more impressive given that Whitaker had only one month instead of the typical five to plan the annual fundraiser. People are ready for something different, Whitaker said. Other Republican leaders, like Matt Heath, chair of the Sonoma County Republican Party, will watch to see how voters perceive this latest chapter of Trumps twisted political path since leaving office. Were going to let our registered voters decide what candidate they want as the Republican nominee, said Heath, who is undecided. The race, as of today, would be between former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Silicon Valley nonprofit and small business executives with loans and accounts with Silicon Valley Bank gathered Saturday at the Santa Clara office of Rep. Ro Khanna to discuss the banks sudden collapse, its effect on their work, and what can be done to ensure it is not just the first domino to fall. Khanna, D-Santa Clara, pointed out the bank had more than 50,000 business customers and was deeply involved with local nonprofits, including those with affordable housing projects backed by the bank in the middle of construction. Anyone who had money in Silicon Valley Bank now has access to their full account, Khanna said during the panel discussion. The federal government has since stepped in and backstopped the banks full deposits beyond the $250,000 limit guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. But, Khanna added, bank shareholders should not be compensated at all. They should be wiped out. Austin Sendek, co-founder and CEO of Aionics, said his startup had just received a portion of venture capital sitting in its account when the bank collapsed over the course of a weekend. His company, focused on using advanced computing to speed up energy research, faced its own destruction had the government not stepped in to guarantee deposits. By the time we made the decision to try to withdraw that money, like many other companies in our positions it was too late, Sendek said. Its a scary thought to think of how far back the state of American innovation and entrepreneurship and competitiveness, how that could have been set back if a whole generation of startups were wiped out, given how many innovation companies in the region Silicon Valley Bank handled, he added. The panel also included Nico Pinkowski, CEO of Fremonts Nitricity Inc., and Marie Bernard, executive director of nonprofit Sunnyvale Community Services. Khanna said part of the reason for holding the panel was to highlight depositors who stood to lose nearly everything and why it was important for the government to act swiftly to secure deposits. Those included Andrea Osgood, senior vice president of real estate development at Eden Housing. She said her nonprofit had three affordable housing projects under construction comprising more than 200 units in which the bank was the not just investor but also lender, and that its collapse potentially threw those into uncertainty. We were very worried about their ability to continue funding our construction jobs, Osgood said, although with the federal government stepping in and guaranteeing not just deposits but loans the bank made, those projects can continue. The conversation treated the crisis as historic, but across the region and the world confidence in a range of banks has been teetering in recent weeks, from San Franciscos First Republic Bank to Credit Suisse. Asked what he would say to customers of regional banks such as First Republic and what can be done immediately to ensure the crisis of confidence does not spread throughout the banking sector, Khanna pointed out that of the 73 banks that have failed in the past decade, the FDIC has stepped in to secured deposits in each case. So people should have some confidence at least based on recent history that the federal government has guaranteed depositors, he said. While larger legislative work continues, including a potential cross-aisle effort he hinted at to increase fees on banks and raise deposit insurance amounts, Khanna said he would like to see U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen make a statement that deposits, at least for the next six months, that are in these transaction accounts will be guaranteed at the regional banks, at the community banks. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes I think that would help calm the sense of anxiety and help stabilize the situation, he added. Khanna and the panelists also stressed the importance of keeping community banks like Silicon Valley Bank running. If we dont take the right action now, then our de facto national policy becomes, If you want your money to be safe, put it in a bank thats too big to fail, Sendek said. Separately, the congressman teased an announcement that would air Sunday on CNN after previously saying he is weighing a U.S. Senate bid. When a reporter asked him about it before the panel discussion, he smiled and said only: I make my announcement tomorrow, so people can find out on CNN. It turned out that Khannas announcement Sunday was his endorsement of Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, to replace longtime Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UPDATE: What to expect from today's 'extratropical cyclone' and go here to track live storm impacts. Bay Area residents enjoyed sunny skies and chilly temperatures Sunday the last day of respite before preparing for another round of heavy downpours barreling toward the region, meteorologists said. A frost advisory was in effect through 9 a.m. Monday for much of the Bay Area and the central coast, the National Weather Service said. The hours of most concern with the lowest temperatures from 32 to 36 degrees were expected to be 4 to 9 a.m., according to the weather service. The areas expected to see chilly temperatures were the East Bay hills, the Santa Clara Valley in the South Bay and Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Salinas, Hollister and Carmel valleys, and the mountains in San Benito and Monterey counties, the weather service said. Temperatures dropped into the low 40s Sunday morning across the region, specifically along the bay shoreline and near the coast, said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the weather service. Temperatures inland dropped to the mid-30s, causing frost, he said. Similar conditions may be a degree or two cooler than expected for Monday, Gass said. So frost formation is, again, going to be a concern, but were not anticipating widespread subfreezing temperatures so thats some good news. The weather service said those in homes without power and unsheltered people would be at most risk. Thousands of residents in the Santa Cruz Mountains have endured days without power because of high winds after last weeks storms downed trees and blocked roads. Parts of the Santa Cruz Mountains were still without power Sunday morning, according to the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. outage map. It was not immediately clear how many customers were affected. PG&E representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Whats really important is that we continue to deal with power outages across the Bay Area and isolated areas so those individuals that dont have access to adequate heating especially the unsheltered population, theyre at greatest risk for these cold temperatures, Gass said. So we really encourage people to check on one another and help provide heating for those that may need it, Gass said. Pets should also stay indoors overnight, weather officials said. Sensitive plants and pipes should be covered to prevent freezing. Parisa Safarzadeh, press secretary for San Francisco Mayor London Breed, said city officials were monitoring the forecast. The Department of Emergency Management will activate the Citys Emergency Operations Center early next week to coordinate infrastructure and utility response, public safety response, health and human services support, and public information, she said Saturday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UPDATE: What to expect from today's 'extratropical cyclone' Ryan Null, 35, was in Sacramento when his dog-sitter called from his home in Santa Cruz: The power was out again. Null wasnt surprised. This storm season, atmospheric rivers have frequently battered the Northern California coast. Trillions of gallons of rain have fallen across the state, flooding homes, downing trees, and causing mudslides. The most recent storms, which began Tuesday, also killed at least five people across the state. In the Santa Cruz Mountains, high winds have caused additional problems downing trees, blocking roads and repeatedly causing blackouts. Null lives in Ben Lomond, about 5 miles north of Santa Cruz. He estimates hes spent at least 20% of the year without power. Null had been without power for five days, and it wasnt expected to return until Sunday night just days before yet another wintry blast was due to clobber the region. Its moved from inconvenience to exhaustion, he said Saturday. Across the region, thousands of others were struggling with the same challenge. The constant blackouts have affected every facet of life spoiling groceries, damaging appliances, forcing residents to run generators for hours or days at a time, and making remote work difficult or impossible. PG&E officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday, but the utility says it works to restore power during storms and warns customers to be prepared. Null knows that living in the woods means he might have to expect some outages, that he might have to be prepared for a few days without electricity, which is why he bought a generator. The volume of blackouts this winter, though, tells me something systemic going on, he said. After storms earlier this year, he bought a new generator and upgraded his internet connection to make sure he could have online access and continue to work remotely. Courtesy Mark Woodward Mark Woodward, 61, has lived in Santa Cruz for decades and runs the popular @NativeSantaCruz Twitter account. This whole series of storms, since the first of the year, has been amazing and overwhelming, he said. While other storms particularly back in 1982 caused more flooding, this year its the wind doing the destruction. The wind has caused such a massive amount of outages throughout the county, he said. Many residents were in a similar situation as Null, with blackouts lasting days on end and returning with the next bout of wind and rain. Chris Csernica, 59, also lives in Ben Lomond and said the constant outages have been pretty annoying, forcing him to run a generator for days on end. His adult son, Michael, is disabled and needs electricity for his bed, oxygen and treatment. Csernica said his gas bill has soared, and the power disruptions have killed his internet connection. Mark Randles, 39, said hes grown numb to the constant outages. He was returning to California from a business trip when he realized his surveillance cameras had gone out usually an indication the power was out. Weve had one storm where the power didnt go out, he said. It was the lightest of them. When he learned another storm was inbound, he knew that he was likely to lose power for who knows how long. When he arrived in California on Tuesday, he had to stay in San Jose because a tree felled by high winds blocked the road to his house. It was only the latest impact of the recent storms. Earlier this year, heavy rains caused a mudslide on a nearby section of Highway 9, he said, which blocked access to one of the only paths to his house. Null, meanwhile, is waiting for PG&E to get his lights back on. Another storm is fast approaching, expected to hit the region Monday night. Im worried we wont even get it back before the next storm, he said. Or get it just in time to lose it again. Kenya's police chief announced Sunday a ban on fresh opposition demonstrations called for Monday, after protests last week degenerated into riots. "We will not allow violent demonstrations," Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome told reporters. "The demonstrations they plan tomorrow (Monday) are illegal and will not be allowed." Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has urged people to take to the streets on Monday and Thursday for further protests against the surging cost of living in Kenya. Last Monday's demonstrations -- which were also not authorised by police -- descended into violence, with riot police firing tear gas and water cannon at people hurling rocks and setting tyres ablaze. A university student was killed by police fire while 31 officers were injured in running battles in Nairobi and opposition strongholds in western Kenya. More than 200 people were arrested, including several senior opposition politicians, while Odinga's own convoy was hit with tear gas and water cannon. "You all saw what happened last week and we won't allow that to happen again where hooligans come to town to loot and destroy people's property and businesses," Koome said. It was the first major political violence since President William Ruto took office six months ago after beating Odinga in an election his rival claims was "stolen". Many Kenyans are struggling to put food on the table, battling high prices for basic goods as well as a plunging local currency and a record drought that has left millions hungry. Ruto, who is leaving the country on Sunday for a trip to Europe, has called on the opposition leader to halt the protest action. "I am telling Raila Odinga that if he has a problem with me, he should face me and stop terrorising the country," he said Thursday. Search Keywords: Short link: Politics topical Are SF supervisors hypocrites on police funding, overtime? Hordes of teenagers flooding Stonestown Galleria, some fist fighting while others film the fray. A shooting above a BART Station in the Mission. An assault on an Asian elder in the Richmond. Over and over, the cycle repeats. A high-profile crime draws calls from city officials for increased police presence. Then, city leaders asking for more cops receive inevitable backlash and accusations of hypocrisy how can you propose redirecting funds from the Police Department, or endlessly scrutinize police overtime spending, and then ask for officers in your backyard? San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen was targeted with this criticism in recent weeks. Her critics on Twitter point out that she loudly called for The City to cut police spending amid the widespread protests protests of 2020, but demanded more cops in the Mission district which she represents this month, as Mayor London Breed pressured supervisors to approve an emergency $25 million request that will fund police overtime across The City. Ronen said she has remained consistent. I still maintain that I want to transfer funds from the police department to other, better-situated programs that deal with social problems, she said, citing her work in creating The Citys Street Crisis Response Teams that divert some 911 calls from police to mental health professionals. But for a response to violent assaults in the Mission, Ronen said there is no viable alternative to police at the moment, even though she wishes there was. Aaron Peskin, president of the Board of Supervisors, noted that The Ctys police union signed a letter of intent outlining more than a dozen types of calls for service that theyd prefer not to handle. We all grew up with the notion that if there was a cat in the tree, you call the Fire Department, and when the dude next door was playing his music too loud you call the cops, Peskin said. Over time, there has been a recognition that it aint that simple. Supervisor Joel Engardio, elected last year after advocating for the recall of progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin, said he understands the criticism and believes the Board of Supervisors is its own worst enemy. San Francisco has struggled to recruit new officers that could ameliorate the officer shortage, he believes, due to the rhetoric from city leaders. Were never going to hire more police officers if San Francisco is a place where no one wants to be a police officer, Engardio said. Thats the central problem. Supervisors have signed off on significant increases in police spending, both in last years budget and in a mid-year supplemental, Peskin noted. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors did not do what many other cities did, Peskin said. There wasnt a massive defunding of police, which is not to say there wasnt a community that was actively urging us to do that. Craig Lee/The Examiner San Francisco supervisors are reviewing a proposed three-year contract with the San Francisco Police Officers Association. But to Engardio, its not just a question of funding, but of demonizing police, equating the horrors that did happen in other cities and throughout the nation to San Francisco. Our Police Department has done a lot of bad things in our recent past, but you cant equate even the department of 2015 to the department of today, Engardio said. Supervisors are obviously trying to strike a balance, demonstrating to their constituents that they care about the public safety issues in their neighborhoods, while keeping city spending in check, and holding the police accountable to promises made in the summer of 2020. The response to youth brawls and vote on police overtime demonstrated that dynamic last week. What happened at Stonestown At Stonestown Galleria, mall representatives and city officials have offered commitments to increase police presence following violent brawls among young people there in recent days. Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who represents the district that includes Stonestown, tweeted on March 19 that officers from the departments Taraval Station in the Sunset district would increase their patrols in the area beginning on Monday. Police were deployed to Stonestown three times between March 15 and March 17 for assaults by and against young people, according to the San Francisco Police Department. On March 17, a fight left a young person who was brought to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. These were not minor scuffles, as at least two of the incidents involved 50 or more participants. The Police Department also declined to delve into specifics about its plans, but resources deployed to Stonestown will inherently be drawn from other neighborhoods. We do not disclose specific information such as numbers of officers, frequency and locations of extra patrols or operations, said Officer Robert Rueca, a department spokesman. We would pull from available resources wherever they may come from within The City. Melgar stressed that police presence was only one component of a multifaceted response to the issue. She believes that police need to be held accountable and carry out reforms, but that the department also needs to be well funded. At Stonestown, undoubtedly a greater presence is needed, Melgar said, but to just say stick more cops there is really irresponsible. Yes we need more cops, and we need 10 other things as well, Melgar said. Thats why Melgar participated in an all-hands-on-deck meeting of city leaders last week to address the matter and construct a city-wide response, which includes renewed investment in programs aimed at preventing youth violence. The recent fracases have renewed scrutiny on behavioral health and violence in (and outside) of San Francisco schools, which Melgar blames in part on social media and the impacts of the pandemic on young peoples developing brains. The City needs to step it up, Melgar said. The situation in Union Square Supervisors approved the proposal by Mayor London Breed for a mid-year, $25 million increase to the police department budget to fund officer overtime. The City is on pace to wildly overspend on police overtime, but supervisors were faced with the choice of either approving the budget supplemental or allowing The City controller to implement a hiring freeze on the police department. The overtime is largely due to its increased security presence in and around Union Square and other shopping centers, but also filling officer shifts in understaffed district stations. To Peskin, the issue is less about the use of overtime than it is about the departments inability to plan for it, particularly given a well-documented officer shortage. This is just bad fiscal policy, Peskin said. Ronen, demanding more police presence in the Mission, noted the police have spent more than 100,000 hours of overtime this year protecting Union Square and other shopping districts. That was a complete and utter overkill and irresponsible to The City, Ronen said. Breed regularly cites the Union Square lootings in her public speeches, and touts the fact that The City avoided a repeat of the holiday crime spree in 2022 thanks to increased police and community ambassador presence in Union Square. Police Chief Bill Scott defended his departments deployment of resources and use of overtime at a committee hearing this month. Of course I agree, we shouldnt prioritize Louis Vuitton handbags over people, but theres a larger issue at stake when it comes to our economic engine, and if nobody is going to be a tourist in San Francisco, we are going to be hurting immensely when it comes to our City budget, Engardio said. Even supervisors critical of police spending could acknowledge that Scott is pulled in more and more directions with fewer resources at his disposal. And while many disagree on the precise number of officers San Francisco really needs, theres broad agreement that it needs more than it has right now. In a recent blog post, Breed outlined the departments plan to bolster its staffing, which includes improved officer pay and holding more police academies. There are signs of progress the department has received 400 applications in 2023 compared to 250 during the same period last year, Breed wrote. But until those applications turn into officers on the streets, San Franciscans can expect more battles over where police are deployed. This story originally appeared on KCRA. SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. It is that time of year: Mosquitoes are back. The bad news? You'll likely see more of them this season, and with more mosquitoes comes a higher risk of West Nile virus. The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District says the ongoing wet winter storms across the region since New Year's Eve weekend are to blame. "I think the amount of water we've seen over the last month or so is definitely a big concern," Gary Goodman, the district manager, told KCRA 3. He says standing water is the issue, especially in many places that haven't seen a lot of water over recent years due to the drought, and believes we will have higher mosquito populations by the summer. "We are anticipating a much busier year from an abundance standpoint and a [West Nile] virus standpoint," Goodman said. The main places of concern are agricultural areas and around rivers, creeks and streams. So, how can you protect yourself? The first, and easiest step, is to clear all standing water that may have accumulated in your yard during recent storms. If you have a decorative pond or body of water, the control district can provide you with fish that will eat the bugs, or treat them with certain chemicals. A good natural remedy, according to the control district's lab director, is lemon eucalyptus. Citronella candles only partially work if you make sure the odor they emit doesn't get blown away by the wind. If you see a dead bird at your home, or are already dealing with mosquito issues, make sure to contact the control district. They will send a crew within 48 hours to help. Dreamframer/Getty Images/iStockphoto The body of a seven-year-old boy has been found in Monterey County days after his mother died, officials said. Shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday, a passerby in Moss Landing found a three-year-old boy on his own at the beach. The boy told the good Samaritan that his mother was missing, kicking off a frantic search. The Monterey County Sheriff's Office told SFGATE that witnesses then saw the mother floating in the water and said that she appeared to be unresponsive. Walking into Node Labs feels more like entering a scene in The Matrix than a pot farm. Theres no soil here, just thousands of tiny cannabis plants growing in sealed, sterile plastic jars. But even though Node Labs doesnt look anything like a pot farm, this small facility in Sonoma County is the engine behind some of Californias best cannabis brands. We are looking at between 100,000 to 1 million pounds of weed originating from here, which is insane to think about, Christopher Leavitt, the companys chief science officer, tells me as he stands in front of an orange shelf lined with 3-inch-tall pot plants. And that's per year. Node Labs sells only 5,000 plants a year, according to Leavitt, so how can the company be responsible for so much cannabis? Well, these are no ordinary plants. These are tissue-cultured clones. Each plant can be copied hundreds of times, meaning a few of these plants can propagate an entire pot farm. Plant tissue culturing is a practice with more than 100 years of history and is commonly used in commercial farming, especially with plants like berries and potatoes. The technique involves taking a tiny piece of plant material that contains stem cells and then placing it in a sterile growing medium. The plants can be kept in what is essentially a permanent suspended life inside their jars until they are called upon to be divided. Lester Black/SFGATE Not every pot farmer is sold on this soil-free technique. Many boutique outdoor farmers still enjoy the variety of growing pot with seeds. But for some cannabis farmers, and especially large operations, tissue culturing offers incredible benefits for growing marijuana plants. That includes more stable attributes, like consistent THC and CBD ratios, reduced risk of plant disease, and the creation of a genetic bank where prized cannabis strains are kept safe. Some of the highest-profile brands in the country trust Node Labs with their genetics. The company has partnered with companies like Cookies and Wiz Khalifas Khalifa Kush, according to CEO Lauren Avenius. Facilities like Node Labs can keep their tissue-cultured plants alive indefinitely, which means its like backing up your family photos on a cloud server or, in Leavitts analogy, creating a Noahs Ark for cannabis genetics. We enable your favorite cultivar or strain to last for decades and be the same experiences in 2023 as 2033, which has never been done before in the history of cannabis, Leavitt said. Lester Black/SFGATE Cannabis is an extremely diverse plant one variety can be three feet tall and deep purple, while another can grow 20 feet tall and neon green and breeders spend their entire lives hunting through these endless varieties looking for the next best type of marijuana. For decades, these treasured varieties have been lost to the world thanks to everything from police destroying plants confiscated in raids to disease to acts of God like fires and hurricanes annihilating them altogether. Lester Black/SFGATE Now places like Node Labs are reducing these risks. And some Bay Area farmers are already seeing the benefits. An extremely comforting backup for cannabis farmers In December of last year, Adam Hayes walked into a scene that every cannabis farmer fears: There were 18 inches of standing water in his San Francisco cannabis grow facility. Hayes is a co-founder of Sense, a pot grow in the citys SoMa neighborhood, and a historic storm had flooded his facility with gallons of dirty city water, threatening to turn his cannabis plants into a moldy mess. He was staring at a problem that could wipe out not only his current crop, but also the genetic strains that he had spent years developing. But Hayes had a secret weapon. He had already contracted with Node Labs, so when the December storm damaged his current crop, he was able to repopulate his farm with new copies of his plants that were mold-free. Lester Black/SFGATE Hayes said having this assurance was a game changer. Theres always this worry that youre going to come in one day and theyre just all going to be dead. You might lose genetics that way. So just knowing that you have things banked and somewhere else safe is extremely comforting, Hayes said. Tissue culturing can stop cannabis diseases Tissue culture is growing more popular across the entire pot industry, but the Bay Area, where tech startups mingle with some of the best cannabis in the world, has been an early leader in applying this technology to pot. Bill Graham, a Bay Area horticulturist and entrepreneur and not the legendary club promoter, was one of the first people to bring tissue culture to cannabis back in 2005. Graham has been teaching people about the benefits of tissue culturing for more than a decade, and it was at one of his classes, back in 2010, that Nancy Do was first convinced of the benefits of the technique. Do, the CEO and co-founder of Endo Industries, a cannabis nursery in San Francisco, said she was immediately impressed by how tissue culturing can help fight plant diseases. Pot plants can spread pathogens through touch or even through their seeds, but tissue culturing reduces these risks by sterilizing the plant before it ruins an entire pot farm. Lester Black/SFGATE I knew this was the future of what we needed to do for cannabis genetics. In order for the supply chain to have healthy genetics, we have to employ tissue culture techniques in all nursery practices, Do told SFGATE. Cannabis plants are very, very sick. Theres a lot of viruses being passed around. Its just rampant. The industrys latest concern is a plant disease called hop latent viroid that has spread from California to Massachusetts and can severely reduce the yield and efficacy of marijuana plants. Lester Black/SFGATE Do said her nursery now has 225 of their own strains preserved in tissue culture that they sell to cannabis farms across the state. And theyre providing the service to other cannabis farms, allowing them to secure their own genetics. Do said that shes seeing more and more cannabis companies seek out tissue-culture cannabis, including international companies that have contacted Endo about purchasing tissue-cultured clones so they can grow Californias famed strains. She said its a sign that this scientific technique is here to stay. Theres a lot of people who are uncertain that tissue culture works, but if you look at any other crop thats highly susceptible to diseases, like orchids or berries, they all exclusively use tissue culture, Do told SFGATE. This is not a new science, its a science that cannabis needs to adopt. In retrospect, the election of Donald Trump in 2016 was previewed a year earlier in Connecticuts largest city. All during the 2015 Bridgeport mayoral campaign, there was a sense of unreality, as if what was plainly happening couldnt possibly be happening. And when it became official Joe Ganim, with all his history, had been elected to once again lead the city it still required a mental double-take. They elected him? Really? It was a sense of disbelief that would be repeated a year later across the nation. To be clear, Joe Ganim is no Donald Trump. Whatever you think of his performance, Ganim has functioned as mayor this time around mostly how youd expect a top elected official to operate. His administration tries to foster development, get more money from the state, keep crime under control, etc. Unlike Trump, who seemed to spend most of him time watching Fox News and posting about it on Twitter, Ganim governs. Still, the sense of weirdness that accompanied his return to office has never gone away. Back then, it was hard not to wonder if voters simply didnt know his story, or if they knew but didnt care. But what could be more pertinent to someones potential job performance than how theyd handled the same job previously? Ganim, for those who dont know, has been mayor of Bridgeport since 2015 and is seeking another four-year term this year. That would be noteworthy on its own, but Ganim is different. He regained his job eight years ago having left the same position 12 years before that, resigning in disgrace following his conviction on corruption charges. He then went to federal prison for seven years. In an example of continuing oddities that might cause a firestorm in any other administration, it was recently revealed that Ganim had lied, for solely his personal benefit, while he was serving that prison sentence. He said he was addicted to drugs, but he wasnt he knew that entering a treatment program would get time taken off his sentence, so he said he had a drug problem. Theres nothing normal about anything in that paragraph. But for Joe Ganim and the city of Bridgeport, its all just sort of baked in. If voters didnt hold it against him that hed gone to prison in the first place, the latest admission of lying may not matter, either. My motivation to get into the (drug treatment) program was to get out early and thats it, Ganim recently told a state panel that is weighing whether to reissue his law license. This is the second time the mayor has sought to regain his license, having been denied the first time over an apparent lack of remorse for his crimes. This time, hes all in on the apologies. Why does he need a law license? He hasnt said, but he nearly lost a primary four years ago, and he may be thinking his luck will finally run out in November, at which point hed need some way to make a living. For all his attempts to move forward, his previous life as mayor has never quite gone away. Nowhere is that more apparent than the curious case of his longtime friend and handpicked choice to serve as police chief, Armando A.J. Perez. Hes just out of prison, but for different reasons. Perez pleaded guilty to having cheated in the chief-selection process and then lying to the FBI about it. He spent eight months in prison, and is currently trying to ensure he doesnt lose his pension, too. The state attorney general is arguing that the nature of his offense means that he should forfeit the pension, but of greater interest is what Perez had to say about his good friend Joe Ganim. The mayor had nothing to do with it, Perez testified last month in state Superior Court in Hartford. The mayor was never accused of wrongdoing in that case. Its also true that Ganim made clear from the moment he returned as mayor that Perez was his choice for the job, naming him acting chief soon after taking office. Perez and Ganim go way back. During the mayors first run in office, Perez was Ganims driver, and testified that he loaded into the mayors car gifts that Ganim had received for sending contracts to chosen businesses. Again, not the sort of thing you expect to read about in terms of the mayor, but nothing is ever quite as expected in this city with this mayor. For instance, in yet another example of ongoing surrealness, the mayor appears to have had something of a side gig in real estate. Accordingly, several times during his current term of office, questions have come up as to where, exactly, Joe Ganim lives. According to the city, he lives in Black Rock. But hes also put the house in question up as a vacation rental on Airbnb, which violated local zoning regulations. Consequently, he said he would stop doing that. But does he live there? Few people sign up for a vacation home and expect the owner to be puttering around the property. Its the second time hed been found listing a Bridgeport home on Airbnb when he wasnt supposed to, and hes owned or called home a number of properties in Bridgeport during his mayoral term. He can do what he wants, within local laws, but its not too much to expect a simple answer to the question: Where does the mayor live? Ganim first took office in 1991, and the intervening three decades-plus have seen plenty of change in his city. He has yet to shake the sense of the bizarre that has prevailed upon his return. Hugh Bailey is editorial page editor of the Connecticut Post and New Haven Register. He can be reached at hbailey@hearstmediact.com. Germany on Sunday condemned a decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, bringing the arms closer to the European Union. The announcement was "another attempt at nuclear intimidation by Russia", an official in the foreign office told AFP. Germany would not allow itself to be "put off our course" by Moscow's move, the source said on condition of anonymity. "The comparison made by President Putin to nuclear sharing in NATO is misleading and does not justify the step announced by Russia," the source said. Belarus would also "contradict" its own international declarations to be a nuclear weapons-free zone, they said. Putin justified the move on Saturday, saying: "There is nothing unusual here either. The United States has been doing this for decades. "They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies," Putin said in an interview on Russian television. Search Keywords: Short link: WASHINGTON (AP) The arrest of actor Jonathan Majors has upended the Armys newly launched advertising campaign that was aimed at reviving the services struggling recruiting numbers. Majors, who authorities said was arrested Saturday in New York on charges of strangulation, assault and harassment, was the narrator of two ads at the heart of a broader media campaign that kicked off at the start of the NCAA's March Madness college basketball tournament. Army leaders were hopeful that the popularity of the star of the recently released Creed III and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, would help them reach the youth audience. In a statement Sunday, the Armys Enterprise Marketing Office said that the Army was aware of Majors arrest and was "deeply concerned by the allegations. It added that while Majors is innocent until proven guilty, prudence dictates that we pull our ads until the investigation into these allegations is complete. New York City police said the actor was involved in a domestic dispute with a 30-year-old woman. The victim informed police she was assaulted, a police spokesperson said in a statement. A lawyer for Majors, Priya Chaudhry, said in a statement Sunday there was evidence clearing Majors and that the actor is provably the victim of an altercation with a woman he knows. The Army ads, titled Overcoming Obstacles and Pushing Tomorrow, are part of the plan to revive the Armys Be All You Can be motto. They highlighted the history of the Army and some of the many professions that recruits can pursue. The "Be All You Can Be slogan dominated its recruiting ads for two decades starting in 1981. A nearly two-minute preview video, made available before the campaign rollout in early March, featured soldiers jumping out of airplanes, working on helicopters, climbing obstacle courses and diving underwater. A voiceover said: We bring out the best in the people who serve, because America calls for nothing less. In the Army's worst recruiting year in recent history, the service fell 25% short of its goal to enlist 60,000 recruits in 2022. The new ads were a key element in the Army's drive to find creative new ways to attract recruits and ensure that the service has the troops it needs to help defend the nation. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said the Army has set a difficult goal for this year: aiming to bring in 65,000 recruits, which would be 20,000 more than in 2022. ROME (AP) The Florence museum housing Michelangelos Renaissance masterpiece the David on Sunday invited parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit after complaints about a lesson featuring the statue forced the principal to resign. Florence Mayor Dario Nardella also tweeted an invitation for the principal to visit so he can personally honor her. Confusing art with pornography was ridiculous, Nardella said. The board of the Tallahassee Classical School pressured Principal Hope Carrasquilla to resign last week after an image of the David was shown to a sixth-grade art class. The school has a policy requiring parents to be notified in advance about controversial topics being taught. The incredulous Italian response highlighted how the U.S. culture wars are often perceived in Europe, where despite a rise in right-wing sentiment and governance, the Renaissance and its masterpieces, even its naked ones, are generally free of controversy. Sunday's front page of the Italian daily publication Corriere della Sera featured a cartoon by its leading satirist depicting David with his genitals covered by an image of Uncle Sam and the word Shame. Carrasquilla believes the board targeted her after three parents complained about a lesson including a photo of the David, a 5-meter tall (17 foot) nude marble sculpture dating from 1504. The work, reflecting the height of the Italian Renaissance, depicts the Biblical David going to fight Goliath armed only with his faith in God. Carrasquilla has said two parents complained because they werent notified in advance that a nude would be shown, while a third called the iconic statue pornographic. Carrasquilla said in a phone interview Sunday that she is very honored by the invitations to Italy and she may accept. I am totally, like, wow, Carasquilla said. I've been to Florence before and have seen the David up close and in person, but I would love to go and be a guest of the mayor. Cecilie Hollberg, director of the Galleria dell'Accademia, where the David resides, expressed astonishment at the controversy. "To think that David could be pornographic means truly not understanding the contents of the Bible, not understanding Western culture and not understanding Renaissance art, Hollberg said in a telephone interview. She invited the principal, school board, parents and student body to view the purity of the statue. Tallahassee Classical is a charter school. While it is taxpayer-funded and tuition-free, it operates almost entirely independently of the local school district and is sought out by parents seeking an alternative to the public school curriculum. About 400 students from kindergarten through 12th grade attend the three-year-old institution, which is now on its third principal. It follows a curriculum designed by Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian school in Michigan frequently consulted by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on educational issues. Barney Bishop, chairman of Tallahassee Classical's school board, has told reporters that while the photo of the statue played a part in Carrasquillas ouster, it wasnt the only factor. He has declined to elaborate, while defending the decision. "Parents are entitled to know anytime their child is being taught a controversial topic and picture, Bishop said in an interview with Slate online magazine. Several parents and teachers plan to protest Carrasquilla's exit at Monday night's school board meeting, but Carrasquilla said she isn't sure she would take the job back even if it were offered. There's been such controversy and such upheaval, she said. I would really have to consider, Is this truly what is best? Marla Stone, head of humanities studies at the American Academy in Rome, said the Florida incident was another episode in escalating U.S. culture wars and questioned how the statue could be considered so controversial as to warrant a prior warning. What we have here is a moral crusade against the body, sexuality, and gender expression and an ignorance of history, Stone said in an email. The incident is about fear, fear of beauty, of difference, and of the possibilities embedded in art. Michelangelo Buonarroti sculpted the David between 1501-1504 after being commissioned by the Cathedral of Florence. The statue is the showpiece of the Accademia, and helps draw 1.7 million visitors each year to the museum. "It is incredibly sought-after by Americans who want to do selfies and enjoy the beauty of this statue, Director Hollberg said. The museum, like many in Europe, is free for student groups. There was no indication that any trip would be subsidized by the city or museum. ___ Spencer reported from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ROLLING FORK, Miss. (AP) Help began pouring into one of the poorest regions of the U.S. after a deadly tornado tore a path of destruction for more than an hour across a long swath of Mississippi, even as furious new storms Sunday struck across the Deep South. At least 25 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Mississippi as the massive storm ripped through more than a half-dozen towns late Friday. A man was also killed in Alabama after his trailer home flipped over several times. Everything I can see is in some state of destruction, said Jarrod Kunze, who drove to the hard-hit Mississippi town of Rolling Fork from his home in Alabama, ready to help in whatever capacity Im needed. Kunze was among volunteers working Sunday at a staging area, where bottled water and other supplies were being readied for distribution. Search and recovery crews resumed the daunting task of digging through flattened and battered homes, commercial buildings and municipal offices after hundreds of people were displaced. The storm hit so quickly that the sheriff's department in Rolling Fork barely had time to set off sirens to warn the community of 2,000 residents, said Mayor Eldridge Walker. And by the time they initiated the siren, the storm had hit and it tore down the siren thats located right over here," Walker said, referring to an area just blocks from downtown. The mayor said his town was devastated. Sharkey County, Mississippi, is one of the poorest counties in the state of Mississippi, but were still resilient, he said. Weve got a long way to go, and we certainly thank everybody for their prayers and for anything they will do or can do for this community. President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration for Mississippi early Sunday, making federal funding available to hardest hit areas. Help is on the way, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said at a news conference with local, state and federal leaders. Recovery efforts in Mississippi were underway even as the National Weather Service warned of a new risk of more severe weather Sunday including high winds, large hail and possible tornadoes in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. A tornado touched down early Sunday in Troup County, Georgia, near the Alabama border, according to the Georgia Mutual Aid Group. Affected areas included the county seat of LaGrange, about 67 miles (108 kilometers) southwest of Atlanta About 100 buildings were damaged, with at least 30 uninhabitable, and five people suffered minor injuries, officials said. Many roads, including Interstate Highway 85, were blocked by debris. Two tigers briefly escaped from their enclosures at Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain, Georgia, after the park sustained extensive tornado damage. Both have now been found, tranquilized, and safely returned to a secure enclosure, the park said on Facebook. None of its employees or animals were hurt, it said. Outside of Rolling Fork, a tornado ripped apart the home where Kimberly Berry lived in the Delta flatlands. The twister left only a foundation and a few belongings a toppled refrigerator, a dresser and nightstand, a bag of Christmas decorations, some clothing. Berry said she and her 12-year-old daughter huddled and prayed inside a nearby church as the storm roared outside. I didnt hear nothing but my own self praying and God answering my prayer. I mean, I can get another house, another furniture. But literally saving my life Im thankful, she said. Following Bidens declaration, federal funding will be available for recovery efforts in Mississippis Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe and Sharkey counties, including temporary housing, home repairs, loans covering uninsured property losses and other individual and business programs, the White House said in a statement. The twister flattened entire blocks, obliterated houses, ripped a steeple off a church and toppled a municipal water tower. Based on early data, the tornado received a preliminary EF-4 rating, the National Weather Service office in Jackson said in a tweet. An EF-4 tornado has top wind gusts between 166 mph and 200 mph (265 kph and 320 kph). In Rolling Fork, the tornado reduced homes to piles of rubble and flipped cars on their sides. Other parts of the Deep South were digging out from damage caused by other suspected twisters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said 25 people were confirmed killed in Mississippi, 55 people were injured and 2,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. High winds, hail and strong storms were expected for parts of Alabama and Georgia on Sunday, the National Weather Service said. The tornado that slammed into Rolling Fork tore across Mississippi for about 59 miles (95 kilometers) over a period that lasted more than one hour, the National Weather Service said in a preliminary report Sunday. The tornado was an estimated three-quarters of a mile wide at some points, according to the preliminary estimate. The supercell that produced the deadly twister also appeared to produce tornadoes causing damage in northwest and north-central Alabama, said Brian Squitieri, a severe storms forecaster with the weather service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. In Georgia, Rachel McMahon awoke Sunday to news from her father that the Troup County motel hed been staying in was destroyed. She said her dad, who is disabled, took shelter in the bathtub when the tornado hit. He was badly shaken up, but not injured. She had to walk the last half-mile to his motel because of downed trees. SO thankful my dad is ok, she posted on Facebook, along with photos and videos of the damage: houses with gaping holes in roofs, massive tree trunks snapped in half and powerlines dangling every which way. ___ Associated Press journalists Leah Willingham in Charleston, West Virginia; Jim Salter in OFallon, Missouri; Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jeff Martin in Woodstock, Georgia; Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report. DAYTON, Ohio (AP) An early morning fire damaged a commercial building complex housing a former airplane factory founded by the Wright Brothers in Ohio on Sunday, authorities said. Dayton fire crews were sent to the site just before 2:30 a.m. and found heavy fire throughout the complex. Fire crews used hoses to spray water on the flames and used aerial ladders to get water into openings in the roof. The Dayton Daily News reports that crews were still on the scene nearly 12 hours after the fire was reported. Black smoke continued to stream from a collection of multiple hangar buildings, including historic Wright Brothers airplane factory hangars, and flames could be seen on the backside of the hangars, the paper reported. Wilbur and Orville Wright conducted historys first successful manned, power plane flights near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903. Capt. Brad French with the Dayton Fire Department said in a news release that the structure involved is listed on the National Historic Register as the first aircraft manufacturing facility founded by the Wright Brothers. Mackensie Wittmer, executive director of the National Aviation Heritage Area, said in a Facebook post that the group was deeply saddened by the fire that damaged our historic Wright Company airplane factory, the first-purpose built buildings for the aviation industry." Officials were working to assess the damage, Wittmer said. The Wright Company, formed by the Wright brothers in November 1909, produced about 120 airplanes in 13 different models, according to the National Aviation Heritage Area. It has said the plane production buildings were constructed in 1910 and 1911. The group has worked to preserve and restore the factory as a site of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park completing the story of the Wright brothers invention, development, and commercialization of the airplane in Dayton, officials said. A year ago, city commissioners authorized more than $1.4 million to clean up the Wright Factory site as the city works with the National Park Service to create a museum in the hangar space. Two hangars had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. The cause of the fire remains under investigation and a damage estimate has not yet been released. LOS ANGELES (AP) A passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight out of Los Angeles International Airport was detained for triggering the planes emergency slide prior to takeoff, authorities said. The passenger opened an emergency exit door around 10 a.m. Saturday, causing the emergency slide to deploy as the plane was pushing away from the gate, according to Los Angeles Airport Police. Walter Cole, a bouffant-topped, sequin-spangled, drag queen-doyenne known as Darcelle XV, who reigned over a West Coast nightclub for more than 50 years on the way to becoming the world's oldest working drag performer, died March 23 at a hospital in Portland, Ore. He was 92. The death was confirmed by Kevin Cook, a family spokesman who also performed at Cole's Portland club, the Darcelle XV Showplace, in the drag persona Poison Waters. No cause was given. At a time when states such as Tennessee have moved to restrict drag shows in public places, the joyful extravagance of Darcelle was widely embraced in Portland as a symbol of the city's tolerance and cherished quirkiness. But Darcelle - the performer and his 56-year-old club - also were reminders of an era when laws forced gay bars, drag cabarets and other venues to operate underground. "Young people in the gay community haven't got a clue," Mr. Cole told Oregon Public Broadcasting in 2016, recounting how he went from hiding his sexuality in the 1960s to becoming Portland's unofficial goodwill ambassador in pride parades and at civic events, posing for countless photos with tourists and admirers. In 2016 also came recognition by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest professional drag performer. "I want to be remembered because I made somebody smile and care," Mr. Cole said. Darcelle even made it into discussions in Washington. A host of Portland and congressional officials backed an effort to have Mr. Cole's club added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020 for its significance in LGBTQ+ history. This month, Portland's Gigantic Brewing unveiled a Darcelle Blonde IPA, a beer with "mango, candied orange peel and peach notes," said Gigantic co-founder Ben Love. The label features Darcelle with a towering blond hairdo and ruby earrings. Mr. Cole, as Darcelle, was on hand for the beer tasting and was doing his act at the club up until last week. "He's taken what used to be a 'weird' thing into the mainstream here in Portland - going to ribbon cuttings with the mayor, being in parades - when all of that was not yet part of the culture," said Don Horn, the managing director of Portland's Triangle Productions, which produced a 2019 musical, "Darcelle: That's No Lady." Mr. Cole moved seamlessly between diva and denim. He could look like a soft-spoken grandfather (which he was) in jeans and flannel shirt while entertaining guests at the late 19th-century house he shared with his partner and fellow drag performer, Leroy "Roxy" Neuhardt, until his death in 2017. Within a half-hour, Mr. Cole could reemerge as Darcelle - brash, blingy and just a tad risque - in a hand-sewn gown or outfit and elaborate makeup that included signature flourishes such as glittery eye shadow. The Oregon Historical Society once exhibited some of Darcelle's dresses. "I have this theory, you know, when you think you're finished getting dressed and ready and pretty for stage," he said in 2019, "you add more." Walter Willard Cole was born Nov. 16, 1930, in Portland. In his 2010 one-man show, "Just Call Me Darcelle," he recounted the death of his mother when he was 9 and neglect and abuse by his alcoholic father. He was raised mostly by an aunt. Mr. Cole married his high school sweetheart, Jeannette Rosini, in 1951 and served in the Army at a base in Italy before returning to Portland. They had two children while Mr. Cole worked at a grocery store and later opened a coffee shop that billed itself as having the first espresso machine "north of San Francisco." Mr. Cole began acting in local theater and met Neuhardt, a former Las Vegas dancer. The attraction was immediate. But Mr. Cole kept their relationship secret from his family for years. He eventually came out in 1969 and moved in with Neuhardt, but Mr. Cole and his wife never divorced. "There was nothing about marriage I didn't like," he said. "It was just that I was gay and I had to tell them." In 1967, Mr. Cole bought a run-down tavern in Portland's Old Town, which was then a blighted part of the city. "I walked in here and opened up the door and wept. I thought, 'What have I done?' But that didn't last long," he said in an interview with the Oregonian. The new club became a favorite for the city's lesbian community. To boost business, he tried a revue-style show on a 4-by-8-foot banquet table in the back of the bar. The stage was set for the dawn of Darcelle. At 37 years old, Mr. Cole did his first performance in drag. Yet he still needed a name. "You can't be Alice or Mary," Mr. Cole recalled being told by Neuhardt. "You're just too big and too over-jeweled and too much hair." Neuhardt had met the French actress Denise Darcel in Las Vegas. The name was tweaked to Darcelle, and it stuck. A Portland LGBTQ+ group, the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court, declared Darcelle its "15th empress" in 1973. The club was later re-christened Darcelle XV Showcase, which became a hub of the city's gay activism. During the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, Mr. Cole led fundraisers for medical research and to assist those with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, which at the time was considered a potential death sentence before the development of drug therapies. The Darcelle XV AIDS Memorial, a granite sculpture for Oregonians who died of AIDS, was dedicated in 2017. For more than 30 years, the club hosted free Christmas Eve banquets for anyone in need. When it was showtime, however, Darcelle let it all loose. Darcelle would belt out tunes in a distinctly manly baritone. "I don't want to be a woman," he said. "I want to be a character." A club favorite was a cover of the Bette Midler hit "The Rose," which Mr. Cole, as Darcelle, also recorded in 2021 with the pianist Thomas Lauderdale of the group Pink Martini. But the highlight of the night was the "Rhinestone Cowboy" act, with Darcelle strutting out in just rhinestone-bedazzled chaps and a G-string - greeted by a shower of dollar bills from the audience. "Darcelle can do and say anything - and has," said Mr. Cole. "And gotten away with it." In addition to his wife, survivors include a son, Walter Jr.; daughter Maridee Woodson; two granddaughters; and two great-grandchildren. The club lives on. His son, who has worked there for 30 years, was groomed to take over, but on the business side and not in drag. After Mr. Cole's death, the doors didn't close even for a night. Poison Waters sang "The Rose" in tribute. A 57-year-old Vacaville man was arrested Friday on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with a shooting that took place in Fairfield the day before, police said. Patrick Clay of Vacaville was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and weapons-related offenses and booked into Solano County Jail Friday, according to police. The case began Thursday when members of the Fairfield Police Department's Community Action Team who were near Delaware and Jefferson streets heard multiple gunshots, police said. The team members found a gunshot victim in the 800 block of Delaware Street, according to police. The victim was taken to the hospital, where he is in stable condition, police said. The suspect fled, but was allegedly caught on video. On Friday, the Fairfield Police Department's Special Operations Team tracked the suspect to a Vacaville residence, according to police. The Vacaville Police Department's SWAT team took the suspect into custody without incident, police said. Southbound US 101 will close overnight from Lakeville Highway in Petaluma to Atherton Road in Novato to accommodate gas line work, Caltrans officials said Saturday morning. Southbound US 101 will be closed from 9 p.m. Saturday until 9 a.m. Sunday to assist Pacific Gas and Electric crews working on the gas line, according to Caltrans. Due to a potential storm expected early next week, PG&E will build a temporary bypass on Saturday. The bypass is a safety measure due to a landslide near Redwood Boulevard and Buck Center Drive in Marin County. Union City police say they located a man believed to be the driver in a fatal collision that took place Friday on Alvarado-Niles Road, but made no arrest with regard to the collision. The case began around 9:32 p.m. Friday when officers responded to Alvarado-Niles Road and Dowe Avenue to investigate a collision. The officers found a pedestrian lying in the road, police said. Paramedics arrived and pronounced the pedestrian dead, according to police. Officers found the suspect vehicle parked in a residential neighborhood in Union City, police said. The officers later contacted a man believed to be the driver of the vehicle involved in the collision, according to police. The man cooperated with the investigation and did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, police said. The man was arrested for an unrelated crime but was not arrested for this incident, according to police. The northbound lanes of Galindo Street are closed at Clayton Road in Concord due to an injury collision and traffic is being diverted onto eastbound Clayton Road, police said Saturday afternoon. Public Works has been called out to respond to a signal pole that is down, according to police, who posted the information on social media. You may not have been expecting a baby odd-toed ungulate in Sonoma County. However, Eesha, the pregnant rhinoceros, definitely is, according to an announcement made Friday. "We are delighted to announce the pregnancy of Eesha, our Southern white rhinoceros. This historic birth will be Eesha's first calf, and it will be the first rhinoceros ever born at Safari West and in Sonoma County," the announcement said. Safari West is a 400-acre African wildlife preserve outside Santa Rosa. Copyright 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. Copyright 2023 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Currently Reading Alert: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fires defense minister over calling for halt to judicial overhaul Ukraine's government on Sunday called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to counter the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail after Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus. One Ukrainian official said that Russia "took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. But Moscow said it was making the move in response to the West's increasing military support for Ukraine. Putin announced the plan in a television interview that aired on Saturday, saying it was triggered by a U.K. decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the United States. He noted that Washington has nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews, he said. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned the move in a statement Sunday and demanded an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. Ukraine expects effective action to counter the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail by the U.K., China, the U.S. and France, including as permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, which have a special responsibility to prevent threats of aggression using nuclear weapons, the statement read. The world must be united against someone who endangers the future of human civilization. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, tweeted Sunday that Putin's announcement was a step towards internal destabilization of Belarus that maximized the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society. The Kremlin, Danilov added, took Belarus as a nuclear hostage. On Saturday, Putin argued that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has long asked to have nuclear weapons in his country again to counter NATO. Belarus shares borders with three NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging ground to send troops into neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Both Lukashenko's support of the war and Putin's plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus has been denounced by the Belarusian opposition. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over the ones it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them will be completed by July 1, Putin said. Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there. The U.S. said it would monitor the implications of Putins announcement. So far, Washington hasn't seen "any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. In Germany, the foreign ministry called it a further attempt at nuclear intimidation, German news agency dpa reported late Saturday. The ministry went on to say that the comparison drawn by President Putin to NATOs nuclear participation is misleading and cannot be used to justify the step announced by Russia. Search Keywords: Short link: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) As Ohios primary approaches, a strict new photo ID requirement is stirring concerns for military veterans and out-of-state college students, in Amish communities and among older voters. Other Republican-led states are moving in the same direction as they respond to conservative voters unsettled by unfounded claims of widespread fraud and persistent conspiracy theories over the accuracy of U.S. elections. Critics characterize such requirements as an overreaction that could end up disenfranchising eligible voters. Ruth Kohake is among those caught up in the confusion over Ohio's law, which is going into effect this year. The retired nurse from Cincinnati gave up her drivers license and her car in 2019. Now 82, she thought she might never have to step foot in another state license agency. But Ohio now requires an unexpired photo ID in order for someone to vote, and she'll have to get that at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The law adds passports as valid ID, but eliminates nonphoto documentation such as a bank statement, government check or utility bill for registration and in-person voting. Military IDs also are no longer acceptable when registering to vote. Im very, very, very concerned that people are not going to know. Theyre going to come to vote and theyre not going to be able to, or theyre going to have to vote provisional, she said. Its just a very upsetting time. Us old people, we have other things to worry about. Of 35 states that request or require a photo ID to vote, Ohio is now the ninth Republican-controlled state to move to a strict law allowing few to no alternatives, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Fifteen states allow other ways voters can verify their identify, such as an electric bill, bank statement or signature match. The number of states where voters face strict photo ID requirements is poised to rise in the coming months. Nebraska lawmakers are in the process of establishing a new photo ID program after voters approved a requirement in November. In North Carolina, a photo ID requirement declared unconstitutional just three months ago could be revived by the state Supreme Court that has a new Republican majority. Meanwhile, a new Idaho law, which prohibits students from using college IDs at the polls, drew a recent legal challenge. Wendy Weiser, vice president for democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice, said the new Ohio law undercuts the Republican narrative about the state having a record of clean and well-run elections. Ohio election officials have long been adamant that this wasnt needed, that Ohio had a good system for vetting and rooting out any fraud and the proof was in the pudding, she said. Republican state Sen. Theresa Gavarone, a supporter of the law, said the change will make it harder to cheat. It already has led to frustration and confusion, in part because of the fast-approaching state primary on May 2. Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose ordered counties to begin implementing the fast-tracked law so it would be in effect for the primary, though its start date falls within the early voting period. Waiting until fall, LaRose said, would result in a clear violation of Ohio law. That decision is not without complications. The free state photo IDs the law provides won't be available until April 7, the law's effective date, despite military and overseas voting already having begun and early, in-person voting set to start April 4. At the same time, a legal challenge to the law by a Democratic law firm remains unresolved. The lawsuit alleges the law creates needless discriminatory burdens, including by requiring photo IDs, making it harder to correct minor mistakes on ballots and restricting mail balloting. Veterans' organizations and county recorders, particularly in the populous, Democratic-leaning counties that include Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati, have been vocal about the law excluding county-issued veteran photo IDs, though it does allow military IDs, to vote. They cost less and are valid longer 10 years than a driver's license. People find reasons to fix something that doesnt need to be fixed, said Larry Anderson, 85, a veteran from Columbus who has found the veteran ID card a convenience. Veterans could come back from the wars and not have a driver's license and not drive a car, and it just creates more problems for them. AMVETS Executive Director Don McCauley said the issue has been brought to lawmakers' attention and he hopes to see it resolved before the next election. Access issues also have arisen among the roughly 37,000 Amish in Ohio's Holmes County, where the largely conservative voters reject being photographed and often lack other forms of government ID. Lawmakers allowed for religious exceptions through an affidavit that the law's supporters say will be easy to use, but Holmes County Elections Director Lisa Welch is worried that confusion and extra paperwork could add to the workloads of already stressed boards of elections. My biggest concern is the first time through, we get a whole bunch of provisionals (that must be processed separately later)," she said. "Im the only full-time person in the office right now, and we cant do everything. Holmes County Commissioner Joe Miller fears the new process could deter some voters. I want honest voting, I understand that, but a lot of the Amish dont have the photo ID and wont do a photo ID," he said. "So what the Amish do usually theyre pacifists, they dont fight anybody they just walk away. Ohio State University has advised its roughly 16,000 out-of-state students against voting in person on Election Day for fear that obtaining the necessary state ID card could invalidate their driver's license in their home state and disrupt their financial aid and residency status. The schools suggests such students casting Ohio ballots do so by mail. Backers of the photo ID requirements have widely moved away from the argument that such laws prevent voter fraud, which happens only rarely. The conservative Heritage Foundation's database lists only 26 convictions for voter impersonation fraud the type deterred by photo ID requirements anywhere in the U.S. between 2004 and 2022. In presidential elections alone, Americans cast more than 645 million votes during that period. Jason Snead, executive director of the conservative group Honest Elections Project Action, told reporters in a recent policy briefing that robust voter turnout and Democrats' unexpectedly strong performance in the 2022 midterm elections disprove the idea that election security enhancements suppress voters. I would submit that, actually when you look at the sort of election integrity laws that are advancing through state legislatures and actually getting passed, what is happening in conservative states is far more mainstream than what were seeing happen in liberal states, Snead said. Liz Avore, senior adviser to the Voting Rights Lab, which tracks voting legislation in the states, said voters have made the opposite choice when they've had a say on excessively strict photo ID laws. Arizona voters rejected an effort to enact a stricter photo ID law last fall, for instance, and Michigan voters protected the vote there from photo ID restrictions. So far this year, photo ID proposals also have failed in Virginia and Wyoming. A really critical distinction to draw is, yes, it's true that the majority of Americans are in favor of voter ID laws, and its also true that the majority of voter ID laws are set up to allow people who don't have an ID available to still cast a ballot, she said. ___ Associated Press coverage of democracy receives support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HONG KONG (AP) Dozens of people on Sunday joined Hong Kong's first authorized protest since the lifting of major COVID-19 restrictions under unprecedentedly strict rules, including wearing a numbered badge around their necks. The rules set out by the police, who cited security reasons, came as the financial hub was promoting its return to normalcy after years of anti-virus controls and political turmoil. During the pandemic, protests were rare due to COVID-19 restrictions. In addition, many activists have been silenced or jailed after Beijing imposed a national security law following massive protests in 2019. Critics say the city's freedom of assembly that was promised Hong Kong when it returned to China from Britain in 1997 has been eroded. Sundays demonstration against the proposed reclamation and construction of rubbish-processing facilities was the first police-approved march of its kind after the city scrapped its mask mandate and social distancing limits. But organizers had to comply with police requirements such as taking measures to ensure the number of participants would not exceed the expected turnout of 100 people and asking for proof of a reasonable excuse from protesters who wore masks during the event. At the height of the 2019 anti-government movement, Hong Kongs government invoked emergency powers to ban masks from public gatherings so it can identify protesters who officials accused of illegal acts. On Sunday, about 80 people expressed their opposition to the plans in Tseung Kwan O, a residential and industrial area, the organizer said. They had to walk in a cordoned-off moving line in the rain amid heavy police presence. Theresa Wang described the new restrictions as a bit weird but said they were still acceptable because the city was adjusting to the new Hong Kong. Im not happy but we have to accept it. We have to accept what is deemed legal now, the 70-year-old retiree said, adding that she hoped the protest would be a sign the government is more open to discussion. Protester Jack Wong said he would prefer not to wear the badge printed with a number. Police said earlier the requirement aims to prevent lawbreakers from joining the march. But if it is a requirement, what can I say? I prefer not to comment further. You know what I mean, he said. In granting its approval, police also requested that organizers ensure there would not be any acts that might endanger national security, including displaying anything seditious. Cyrus Chan, one of the march organizers, said demonstrators had communicated with police on their promotional materials and slogans. Officers earlier had told him that participants should not wear all-black outfits, he said. Protesters commonly wore black during the 2019 protests. It's definitely strict, Chan said. We hope this is just an individual case. We hope to show them that Hong Kong society has the ability to have peaceful marches and they do not need to set that many conditions to restrict us." Earlier this month, the Hong Kong Women Workers Association planned a march to call for labor and womens rights but canceled it at the last moment without specifying why. Days later, the association said on its Facebook page that police had invited it for further meetings after granting it the approval and that it had tried its best to amend the agreement. But it still could not launch the protest as it had wished, it wrote at that time. A pro-democracy group separately said national security police had warned four of its members not to participate in the associations march. _____ Associated Press photographer Louise Delmotte contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TALLINN, Estonia (AP) Advertisements promise cash bonuses and enticing benefits. Recruiters are making cold calls to eligible men. Enlistment offices are working with universities and social service agencies to lure students and the unemployed. A new campaign is underway this spring across Russia, seeking recruits to replenish its troops for the war in Ukraine. As fighting grinds on in Ukrainian battlegrounds like Bakhmut and both sides prepare for counteroffensives that could cost even more lives, the Kremlin's war machine badly needs new recruits. A mobilization in September of 300,000 reservists billed as a partial call-up sent panic throughout the country, since most men under 65 are formally part of the reserve. Tens of thousands fled Russia rather than report to recruiting stations. The Kremlin denies that another call-up is planned for what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine, now more than a year old. But amid widespread uncertainty of whether such a move will eventually happen, the government is enticing men to volunteer, either at makeshift recruiting centers popping up in various regions, or with phone calls from enlistment officials. That way, it can avoid declaring a formal second mobilization wave after the first one proved so unpopular, according to a recent report by the U.S.-based think tank Institute of the Study of War. One Muscovite told The Associated Press that his employer, a state-funded organization, gathered up the military registration cards of all male employees of fighting age and said it would get them deferments. But he said the move still sent a wave of fear through him. It makes you nervous and scared no one wants to all of a sudden end up in a war with a rifle in their hands, said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared reprisal. The special operation is somewhat dragging on, so any surprises from the Russian authorities can be expected. It's been more than a week since he handed in his card, he said, and exemptions usually get resolved in a day or two, heightening his anxiety. Russian media report that men across the country are receiving summonses from enlistment offices. In most of those cases, men were simply asked to update their records; in others, they were ordered to take part in military training. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last week that serving summonses to update records in enlistment offices is usual practice and a continued undertaking. Other unconfirmed media reports say authorities have told regional governments to recruit a certain number of volunteers. Some officials announced setting up recruitment centers with the goal of getting men to sign contracts that enable them to be sent into combat as professional soldiers. Ads have appeared on government websites and on the social media accounts of state institutions and organizations, including libraries and high schools. One of them, posted by a municipal administration in the western Yaroslavl region, promised a one-time bonus of about $3,800 to sign up, and if sent to Ukraine, a monthly salary of up to $2,500, plus about $100 a day for involvement in active offensive operations, and $650 for each kilometer of advancement within assault teams. The ad said the soldier would also get tax and loan repayment breaks, preferential university admission status for his children, generous compensation for his family if he is wounded or killed in action, and the status of a war veteran, which carries even more perks. In the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, officials asked universities, colleges and vocational schools to advertise for recruits on their websites, said Sergei Chernyshov, founder of a private vocational school there. Chernyshov posted the ad on his social media account so that everyone knows what our city hall is up to, but he told the AP that he doesn't plan to put it on the school website. Its weird to target vocational school students, he said. Other efforts include enlistment officials meeting with college students and unemployed men, or phoning men to volunteer. A Muscovite who spoke on condition of anonymity for his own safety said that he received such a call and was surprised at how polite it was: After my No, there were no threats or (attempts to) convince me - (just) Thanks, goodbye. There have only been isolated cases of enlistment officials really pressuring men to sign up, said Grigory Sverdlin, founder of a group called Go by the Forest that helps men avoid mobilization. The group gets up to 100 messages a day from men seeking advice on dealing with summonses or enlistment officials, he said, compared with dozens per day in recent months. In most cases, the officials wanted to update their records with addresses and phone numbers, and they might try to recruit men during that process. But Sverdlin said some cases stand out. In the Vologda region, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of Moscow, the group received messages saying that almost everyone going to the enlistment office after receiving a summons "is forced to sign a paper barring them from leaving the region, he said. Lawyer Alexei Tabalov, who runs the Conscripts School legal aid group, believes there's nothing unusual in authorities handing out summonses now. Some of the notices are traditionally served before Russia's spring conscription draft, scheduled to begin April 1 for those eligible for mandatory service. All Russian men from age 18 to 27 must serve one year in the military, but a large share avoid the draft for health reasons or get student deferments. The share of men who avoid the draft is particularly big in Moscow and other major cities, and many simply evade enlistment officials bearing conscription summonses. Tabalov said that men have reported going to enlistment offices to update their records but have officials there who beat around the bush and promote the idea of signing the contract, talk about how one should love their motherland and defend it. He doubted anything could make volunteering attractive after 13 months of a war that has killed and wounded tens of thousands. "People already understand what it means to sign a contract, he said. Those who got burned once are unlikely to fall into the same trap. Tabalov said that his group continues to get messages from soldiers who want to terminate their contracts, but that isnt legally possible until President Vladimir Putin ends the partial mobilization, which began in September, with a new decree. Getting out of the war automatically means criminal prosecution, Tabalov said, adding there have been a flurry of criminal cases since December, with prosecutions of soldiers who desert or go AWOL. The news outlet Mediazona counted 247 verdicts in 536 criminal cases on these and similar charges, adding that over a third of those convicted got suspended sentences, which allows authorities to send them back to the front line. The current recruitment campaign is similar to one enacted last summer, before the September call-up, said Kateryna Stepanenko, a Russia analyst with the Institute of the Study of War. Back then, authorities also used financial incentives, and various volunteer battalions were formed, but the effort clearly wasn't successful, because Putin eventually turned to the partial mobilization. Whether this one will succeed or not is unclear. Theyve already recruited a significant portion of people that were financially incentivized last summer. And they struggled to do so last year, Stepanenko said. The current recruitment effort shows the military's awareness of manpower needs in Ukraine. What the mobilization campaign of 300,000 servicemen told us is that it's not enough to form a sufficient strike group for Russia to push forward with its offensive operations," she said. ___ Associated Press writer Yuras Karmanau contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Israeli officials said Sunday the United Arab Emirates has pardoned an Israeli woman after initially sentencing her to death for drug possession, a case that tested the nascent ties between the two countries. Fida Kiwan was arrested in early 2021 with half a kilogram (over 1 pound) of cocaine that she claimed did not belong to her, Israeli media reported. The UAE, which has harsh drug laws, later commuted the death sentence to life in prison. Lior Haiat, a spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry, said Kiwan had returned to Israel overnight Saturday after the pardon. The office of Israel's ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, said the pardon came following a request by Herzog to UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who agreed as a gesture of good will, to release her. There was no immediate comment from officials in the UAE. Kiwan's arrest came shortly after Israel and the UAE normalized ties under U.S.-brokered agreements known as the Abraham Accords. Ties between the countries have flourished since, with trade growing and Israeli tourists flocking in droves to glitzy Dubai. According to Israeli media, Kiwan, who is said to own a photography studio in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, came to Dubai for work at the invitation of a Palestinian acquaintance. She was arrested a short while later after a search of her apartment turned up the drugs. The United Arab Emirates maintains the death penalty for several offenses, including drug smuggling. However, executions remain rare in the federation of seven sheikhdoms, with the last death sentence carried out by firing squad in 2017 against a man convicted of abducting, raping and killing an 8-year-old boy. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate L'ESPUNYOLA, Spain (AP) When Josep Altarriba looks across his parched fields, the Spanish farmer can't remember a time of such widespread drought in Catalonia. If it doesn't rain in the next two weeks, he says there's little chance of saving the harvest. What can be done? For the mountain villagers of L'Espunyola, the answer is divine intervention. On Sunday, around 250 residents brought back the faded practice of a special Mass and procession to pray to Our Lady of the Torrents, a local virgin associated with rainfall. Under mostly sunny skies, worshippers lifted the colorfully painted statue of the Lady of the Torrents from its place of prominence in the stone church. She was then nestled onto a wooden litter filled with green branches and hoisted aloft, to be carried around the village followed by the bishop and parishioners. Its not a magic act, it is an act of trust, Bishop Francesc Conesa told The Associated Press. Three years of very low rainfall and high temperatures put Spain officially into long-term drought, the country's weather agency said this month. Last year was Spain's sixth driest and the hottest since records began in 1961. Catalonia, in the country's northeastern corner, is among the worst-affected regions. Agrotourism and farming are the primary sources of income for the 260 inhabitants of L'Espunyola, an hour and a half north of Barcelona. "If it doesnt rain within two weeks, it's very hard to say what might happen, Altarriba, the farmer, said after celebrating Mass. Local councilor and firefighter Eduard Perarnau described the special Mass as a last resort. The government has restricted water usage, asking farmers to limit watering crops and trees as much as possible. All three reservoirs in the area are below a third of their capacity. The nearby La Baells reservoir is down to 25%, and in some places only a trickle of water cuts through the layers of silt that used to be underwater. The last time the village offered prayers and hymns to Our Lady of the Torrents was in 2008, local media reported. And it worked residents say the rains came not long after. But this year, the bishop doesnt guarantee success. We have asked with faith, and many people have come and prayed with faith, Conesa said. The Lord will give us what suits us. ___ AP Writer Raquel Redondo in Madrid contributed to this report. By all appearances, Kailey Mitchell, founder of Hipnotic Hoopla hula hoop company, popular instructor at Branfords Trinity Stretch Studio, and stalwart member of Lisas Bike & Bootcamp Studio, was a healthy, thriving 32-year-old woman. But for the past two months, shes lived in debilitating physical pain. Ive been having foot pain, pelvic pain, back pain, nausea, fatigue, and gastro-intestinal issues, said Mitchell, who suffers from endometriosis and adenomyosis, its sister disease. Right now its hard to walk a quarter mile, its hard to vacuum the house. March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, which is one reason that, despite her physical state, Mitchell is part of a group involved in a sanitary product drive in partnership with Beam, a program of The Diaper Bank of CT. The program, according to its website, helps ensure individuals can access essential period products they need to fully participate in daily life. It estimated that one in four teens has missed school due to a lack of period supplies and one in eight people who menstruate are living in poverty and cannot afford sanitary products. People with endometriosis experience period poverty, Mitchell said. Most women lose around two ounces of blood during their period, and endometriosis can cause you to bleed much more, so it doesnt just drain you, it drains your wallet. If you dont know much about endometriosis, youre not alone. According to endometriosis.org, the disease affects an estimated 1 in 10 women during their reproductive years (between the ages of 15 to 49), which is approximately 176 million women in the world. Its incredibly underresearched and underfunded and there is no cure currently, and theres also no diagnostic tools, and the only way to officially be diagnosed is with invasive surgery, said state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, D-West Hartford. And its invisible. You cant see the physical and emotional scars. Gilchrest said she first learned about the disease when a colleague reached out to her a few years ago. Unfortunately, her experience is like many of the women Ive met since, where she was told her whole life the pain she was experiencing was in her head, that it was just normal, and then she was trying to have children, she found out she had endometriosis and she wasnt able to, she said. Research showing that it takes on average 10 years to diagnose something that one in 10 individuals with a uterus experience told me that this is an ignored disease, she said. Among those individuals is Fairfields Arleigh Cole Doyle, an endo warrior, as she called herself, whos spearheading the sanitary product drive. It took 24 years for her to be diagnosed, she said. I started having very painful periods from age 13 and I spent years being told by specialists, youre young, youre healthy, theres nothing wrong with you, or youre too thin, you need to gain weight, or you need to do Pilates, or youre just depressed, here are some anti-depressants, or youre not eating enough fiber, she said. Far from the misconception that its just a bad period, endometriosis is, in fact, a full-body illness, she said. At one point, I had what was called a frozen pelvis, I couldnt rotate my hips, I was losing mobility in my left leg, and I ended up with a bowel resection. Both Doyle and Mitchell are members of an endometriosis working group in the Connecticut General Assembly. Formed by Gilchrest in 2021, it seeks to promote awareness of the condition and to pass policy to improve patients experiences. For far too long, its something that women have had to suffer with in silence and we need women, younger women, all women, to know that this isnt normal, that your period shouldnt be painful, and you should trust your body, and there are people who are here to help, Gilchrest said. Recently, the group passed HB 6672 out of committee. The bill would require school nurses to receive training in endometriosis. The hope, Gilchrest said, is that when a young person presents in the nurses office doubled over in pain, or is missing a lot of school because of the pain associated with their period, the school nurse might be able to say to them, Hey, you might have endometriosis. You might want to get that checked out. HB 6672 would also establish an endometriosis data and biorepository program at UConns Jackson Laboratory. With this legislation, we can start to collect tissue samples from individuals living with endometriosis, and then branch off to additional hospitals in the state so the researchers at Jackson Laboratory can use that tissue to develop diagnostic tools and treatment, Gilchrest said. Whats maybe more concerning than the number of people diagnosed is how many are not diagnosed, said state Rep. Kathy Kennedy, R-Milford, part of the working group, which also includes members from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services because we do know that women turn to self-medicating, Gilchrest said. On the bright side, Doyle said awareness is growing. Comedian Amy Schumer recently lamented the lack of funding for the disease. And Lena Dunham spoke out about her decision to have a hysterectomy at 31 after undergoing eight surgical procedures to relieve excruciating symptoms. As for Mitchell, she traveled to New York last week for her third surgery since 2016. The recovery is harder than I expected but Im doing better than I have been these last few months, she said. Thats all I can ask for. Israeli settlers guarded by police broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem on sunday, shortly after police raided the holy site and forced Muslim worshippers who were staying there for worship out, reported the Islamic Waqf authority. The Jordan-run Islamic Waqf authority, in charge of the holy site, said scores of Israeli settlers entered the compound through the Moroccan Gate in groups and performed rituals there under the protection of Israeli police officers. Late on Saturday, Israeli police officers forcibly entered the compound and removed hundreds of Muslim worshipers, while also arresting at least two worshipers, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. On Sunday morning, Israeli forces were deployed in the compound and at its gates to secure the settlers' incursions, amid growing restrictions on worshipers entering the mosque. Based on a joint agreement, the compound is administered by Jordan's Waqf, while Israel controls access to the holy site under the pretense of providing security. Under a longstanding status quo, non-Muslims can visit the site at specific times but are not allowed to pray there. In recent years, a growing number of Jews, most of them Israeli nationalists, have covertly prayed at the compound, a development decried by Palestinians as well as Western governments, which have warned that such moves threaten the fragile arrangement at Jerusalem's holy sites. This was the latest episode in an ongoing wave of settler terrorism targeting the Palestinian communities in the occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank. In middle of Saturday night, Israeli settlers set a Palestinian-owned house on fire in town of Sinjil, to the north of Ramallah in the central West Bank. Witnesses told WAFA that the houseowner, Ahmad Maher Awashreh, 35, and his family, including children, were fortunately pulled out alive after four Israeli settlers threw incendiary bottles into the house. The same night, extremist Israeli settlers pelted stones at Palestinian vehicles causing damage to some of them near the village of Deir Sharaf, to the west of Nablus, and blocked a junction in the northern Jordan Valley. Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their property is commonplace in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities. There are over 650,000 Israeli settlers illegally occupying portions of the West Bank in violation of international law and established norms prohibiting the relocation of the occupying power's civil population to the land of the occupied. In same context, nine members of the Security Council criticised Israel's settlement activities in Palestinian territories and appealed for a de-escalation of Israeli-Palestinian tensions. The parties urged "all sides to refrain from unilateral steps that escalate tensions (and) refrain from provocative actions and messages at this sensitive time," noting this season's convergence of religious holidays Ramadan, Passover and Easter. Search Keywords: Short link: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The West Brighton man who was gunned down Saturday outside of the Park Hill apartments in Clifton was an ex-con who had recently been released on parole following a three-year prison stint for a shooting that left a man wounded. Quamane Rogers also known as Qua Clizzy, was paroled from prison last summer in June 2022, the New York Daily News reported Sunday afternoon. Rogers, 26, of Markham Lane, was pronounced dead at the scene after he was discovered with a gunshot wound to the face by the 200 block of Park Hill Avenue, authorities said. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing, police said. The Staten Island Advance/SILive.com previously reported that Rogers, then 22, pled guilty to a 2019 shooting which left holes in the victims intestines in exchange for three years in prison and five years post release supervision. Since coming home from prison, said Rogers defense lawyer Louis Gelormino, Quamane has tried to better himself and stay away from the street life. His tragic death is sadly just another example of the senseless violence gripping our city. Between guns and drugs our children are dying every single day. We have to put a stop to it. My prayers go out to Quamane and his family. In 2021, during Rogers sentencing in the shooting that occurred two years earlier, Gelormino said, Given all the facts, and after a thorough investigation, we determined that this was a fair plea offer. Gelormino also noted, at the time, that Rogers was enrolled in a program in jail through which he hopes to earn a certificate in construction so he can find a good job when he is released. OTHER STATEN ISLAND NEWS: >> Man, 26, fatally shot on Staten Island, officials say >> NYPD identifies 26-year-old victim of fatal shooting in Clifton; search for suspect ongoing >> Suspect tosses brick to break glass, burglarize store on Staten Island, source says >> Man, 53, who died after falling off boat in waters off of Staten Island identified by sources >> Disturbing hand incident at Staten Island cemetery raises questions about security of borough coffins >> NYPD: Man caught with 3 guns posed as correctional officer in 2 car stops on Staten Island STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After voicing his opposition of ill-placed battery energy storage systems (BESS) throughout the borough and calling for an immediate moratorium of their application approvals, Borough President Vito Fossella is now questioning how a multitude of the controversial lithium-ion facilities are continuing to be built in the heart of residential Staten Island communities -- with one new site recently cropping up next to an active gas station. If you put a deck on your house, it is scrutinized from every angle, the borough president said. But we have residents who are quite literally waking up with these battery systems in their backyards. Why is there no pushback whatsoever on something that is a true potential danger? Fossellas questions were prompted after a new facility broke ground last week on Nelson Avenue in Great Kills. Sandwiched between a residential home and a Citgo gas station, the newest BESS raises several concerns for the borough president. This is not simply a NIMBY position, Fossella said, referring to a not in my back yard philosophy. If these systems are logistically needed to address power surges, then we have to revisit how they are sited. They cannot continue to be air dropped into residential communities. The BESS sites, which typically consist of several large-scale rechargeable lithium-ion battery systems manufactured by Tesla, each capable of storing up to 20 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity, are sanctioned but not sited by Con Edison, and are intended for the storage of energy produced during periods of low demand (e.g., at night), power that could be drawn from the facility when demand peaks. At least two have already been thwarted by community opposition one proposed near Holtermanns Bakery in Great Kills was denied by a Land Use Committee due to lack of time-tested research, another suggested for the parking lot of Our Lady of Pity Church in Bulls Head was withdrawn after residents complained about its proximity to six nearby schools. A house that formerly occupied the land has been demolished, and the site is currently being cleared before construction of the battery energy storage systems begins. (Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel) But despite concerns of fire safety and toxic emissions, others are still rising: A lithium-ion battery storage unit is currently being built on Giffords Lane in Great Kills. Its developer, NineDot Energy, said it should be operational and ready to harvest energy later this year. Another, located at the corner of Hylan Boulevard and Littlefield Avenue in Eltingville, directly across the street from a Shell gas station, is now complete. And even though hazardous concerns continue to be voiced -- a city Department of Buildings (DOB) report actually itemizes the risks as such: thermal runaway fire, explosion caused by a build-up of gas and the threat of chemical spills -- the permits for these sites are still being approved. On the surface, something is not right, Fossella said. Its basically a jigsaw puzzle trying to figure out whos making the decisions on where these sites can go. Its happening at such a high rate of speed, I think the community is owed a little reasoning. I want to know how many are in the pipeline and where they are going. Thats not a very big ask. A green construction fence separates the battery energy storage systems site from a residential home. (Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel) According to a bulletin issued by the DOB in 2019, the NYC Construction Codes, NYC Electrical Code, and NYC Fire Code prescribe installation requirements for stationary storage battery systems but batteries used for facility standby power, emergency power or uninterrupted power supplies may be used as prescribed and do not need to comply with [the] bulletin. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are not addressed in the aforementioned codes. The bulletin establishes filing and submittal requirements and outlines the approval process for battery energy storage systems, but does not specify any regulations about where they can be sited. In fact, the only restriction listed in the bulletin is that lithium-ion and flow BESS shall not be installed indoors without the approval of the Commissioner. Another bulletin issued by the DOB and the Department of City Planning states that these units are considered electric/gas utility substations and are zoned as such. And since battery energy storage sites are allowed as-of-right in a district zoned with a commercial overlay, according to NYC Energy Storage System Zoning Guide, the building just needs to meet basic fire code regulations before obtaining a DOB permit. Screening requirements apply, including site-specific reviews conducted by the Office of Technical Certification & Research (OTCR) and the FDNY. Just a few feet of property separate the proposed battery energy storage systems facility from a Citgo service station. (Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel) The stationary energy storage installation is the subject of a Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) application, a spokesperson from the FDNY previously told the Advance/SILive.com. The department will fully review the application, and meet with the applicant, before making a recommendation to the BSA. The OTCR did not respond to a request for comment about how individual sites are vetted and approved. A battery energy storage system is currently under construction at the corner of Nelson Ave. and Hylan Blvd. in Great Kills. (Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel) There has to be a better way, Fossella concluded, detailing how he has reached out to Con Edison to launch a discussion about site choice. These facilities cant just keep popping up in random locations. ADDITIONAL NEWS As buyer demand weakens, Staten Island home prices begin to stabilize, report says Whats needed to be in top 1% of earners in New York? Heres minimum income required in each state, study shows. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Were not out of the woods just yet. Just because its officially spring doesnt mean that Mother Nature has stopped thinking about snow. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alan Reppert explained that the city could see snow as late as early April. There are many possibilities for snow to still come as of early April. Its been done before and can still happen, said Reppert. However, Reppert noted that, as of right now, There are no storm fronts coming into the New York City area anytime soon. Reppert told the Advance/SILive.com that storm fronts occurring across the country do not seem to be carrying significant snow totals that could impact Staten Island. Rather, Staten Island is looking at temperatures in the mid-50s for most of next week. Sunday will be sunny, with a high near 58, and a low around 41, according to the National Weather Service. On Monday, residents should expect rain after 2 p.m. despite a mostly sunny day with temperatures hitting 54. Tuesday will continue to be partly sunny, with a high near 52 degrees, the National Weather Service reports. Temperatures will continue into Wednesday and Thursday before seeing a chance of rain Friday. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Seventy guns were handed to authorities, no questions asked, during a Staten Island gun buyback event Saturday. The event took place in the Central Family Life Center in Stapleton. It was sponsored by the NYPD, the district attorneys office and New York City Police Foundation. Since taking office in 2016, the NYPD & my offices Cash for Guns Buyback program has taken nearly 600 guns off of our streets, District Attorney Michael McMahon said on Twitter. Proud to share that todays gun buyback rid 70 firearms from our borough! Staten Island is a safer place today than yesterday thanks to our efforts. Since taking office in 2016, the NYPD & my offices Cash for Guns Buyback program has taken nearly 600 guns off of our streets. Proud to share that todays gun buyback rid 70 firearms from our borough! Staten Island is a safer place today than yesterday thanks to our efforts pic.twitter.com/p0YDJ29xHj Michael E. McMahon (@StatenIslandDA) March 25, 2023 The NYPD Staten Island Twitter account tweeted that the event was a huge success with more photos of the firearms. The Cash for Gun event was a huge success today. Taking 70 firearms off our streets. Special thanks to all our partners @cflc_si @StatenIslandDA@nycpolicefdtn @NYPDCommAffairs pic.twitter.com/LwibqEfPCK NYPD Staten Island (@NYPDstatenIslnd) March 26, 2023 Citizens who turned in firearms faced no questions. The gun buyback program offered participants a $200 bank card and an iPad for handguns and assault rifles, and the program also offered a $25 bank card for rifles, shotguns and air guns. EDITORS NOTE: Money Matters is a new series of stories running on SILive.com that will provide financial advice on common money issues related to everything from saving for retirement to buying a home. And while many of you have financial-related questions and no one to ask, thats where we come in. Simply reach out to us, and well get the expert advice you need. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The annual cost of tuition at a private university can be more than many peoples yearly paycheck. But if you or your child has his or her heart set on a costly college, youll need to tap into financial aid and/or scholarships. If you pursue the loan route only, you or your parents will likely be drowning in debt. When you have to use the words expensive and college in the same sentence, your child is going to the wrong school, said Frank DeCandido, a Princes Bay-based certified public accountant (CPA), certified financial planner (CFP), and a member of the National College Advocacy Group (NCAG). Before a student applies to a school, the parent should know what the school costs. When you discuss costs you would need to know not just the tuition and room and board, you also need to know the cost of supplies and books, computers and transportation, he added. We caught up with DeCandido for some expert advice about choosing the best college without having to drown in debt to pay for it. Question: Whats the best way to pay for an expensive college? DeCandido: You need to realize [college] costs will go up [yearly] each by approximately 3-5% based upon the school. When I sit down with students I also estimate a fifth year for the student since statistically, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics (www.nces.ed.gov). The 6-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time undergraduate students who began seeking a bachelors degree at a 4-year degree-granting institution in Fall 2014 was 64%. That is, 64% had completed a bachelors degree by 2019 at the same institution where they started in 2013. In Bloomberg Businessweeks Sept. 5, 2022 addition, there was an article called College Will Still Cost You, the article quotes Ryan Craig, managing director of Achieve Partners, who estimated 70% of students currently enrolled in two-or-four year college can expect a negative outcome in terms of failure to complete or graduating into underemployment. In addition, you also have the cost of the interest on the loan you would need to take to pay for the school of your choice. The first step is to evaluate the award letters you will receive once the student is accepted to a school. The school will give the total cost of attendance and then give you information on financial aid, merit aid or other grants available at the school. The remaining amount would need to be paid or borrowed for the student to attend the school. This is where the parent needs to make a financial decision of which school is affordable. Paying for college would include a combination of loans, grants, scholarships and work-study, as well as the ability to get tax credits for education. The Office of Federal Student Aid, an Office of the Department of Education, is the best place to start. Grants, loans, and work study funds are offered each year through the www.studentaid.gov website. You can see a short video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn4OECMTh5w. You should first fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to be able to apply for federal loans. Stafford loans are available for students ranging from $5,500 for freshman to $7,500 for third year and beyond for undergraduate school. A portion of these loans can be subsidized meaning there is financial need for the student. These Stafford Loans are taken out in the students name. There is a maximum amount of $31,000, and no more than $23,000 may be subsidized and the current percentage rate is 4.99%, which will change each year. In addition there is a 1.059% loan fee. For any additional amount owed, the parent can apply for Parent PLUS loans. To receive a parent PLUS loan, you must: There are also private loans for both the student and the parent, however the loan rates tend to be higher. For more information you can go to the studentaid.gov/federal-vs-private website for more information. According to Consumers Advocate, a listing of private loans would include: College Avenue Student Loans, Sallie Mae, Earnest, Custom Choice, Union Federal, Credible, CommonBond and Discover. In addition, SoFi offers student loans. There are also grants, such as federal Pell Grants [must show financial need], federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity grants (FSEOG), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grants, and Iraq and Afghanistan Service grants. Regarding Scholarships, you can go to StudentAid.gov/scholarships for tips on where to look for a link to a free scholarship search tool. In New York, there is an Excelsior Scholarship (https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/nys-grants-scholarships-awards/the-excelsior-scholarship.html) ...the student must go to either a CUNY or SUNY school and must be a resident of New York state and have resided in New York state for 12 continuous months prior to the beginning of the term. Other scholarships include: New York State Education Department Teachers of Tomorrow Program ( http://www.nysed.gov/postsecondary-services/teachers-tomorrow ); The Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund ( https://www.familiesoffreedom.org/ Lastly there are private scholarships, aid for athletes at www.ncaa.org , and you can go to the school itself and ask the Financial Aid office for grants and loan opportunities. If you have a financial question youd like answered, please send to porpora@siadvance.com and well find the right expert to answer your question. MORE MONEY MATTERS STORIES: My retirement income is $60K. Do I have to file a NY State tax return? Do I have to pay taxes on my city or state pension? Im moving to Florida; I want to sell my NY home. What taxes will I need to pay? I never filed for Social Security. Can I get back benefits? | Money Matters My college costs $80K a year; my parents only saved $50K. What should I do? | Money Matters I have credit cards I dont use. Will it impact my credit score if I cancel them? | Money Matters Do I need to return Social Security benefits after my spouse dies? | Money Matters FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER Maybe were not listening closely enough. Wheres the outrage over the citys new camera program where New York drivers rumbling through our neighborhoods in unbearably loud vehicles are hit with $800 fines for a first offense. A second gets them a $1,700 fine, and if theyre really in love with that muscle car roar, every offense after costs $2,500. Each. Of course, Staten Islanders reticence could be because, currently, there is only one camera/sound meter that is moved to different hot spots around the five boroughs. Since July 1, 2021, the city has issued 210 summonses. We dont know how many on Staten Island. Critics charge that red-light and speed-camera fines are just a money grab by a greedy New York City. Yet many of these same people gripe about reckless driving on residential streets, and cars blowing through red lights while motorists speed down Richmond Road or Hylan Boulevard at 60 or 70 mph. And noise. Its about quality of life, Staten Island, and quality of life in our borough has deteriorated in recent years as its population swells along with the number of automobiles registered here. This with no improvements to the boroughs network of roads. Somethings got to give. In a nutshell, the program uses sound meters and cameras to capture loud vehicles violating noise codes, most often caused by illegally modified mufflers and exhaust systems. Sensors adjacent to the roadway are triggered when sounds surpass 85 decibels. A video is captured of the vehicle. Department of Environmental staff review the videos and can issue notices to the vehicle owners that direct them to a DEP facility for an inspection to ensure the vehicle is in compliance with city and state laws. There should be seven sensors by the end of the year, and as many as 100 by 2028. Staten Islanders holler when their quality of life is affected when flights out of Newark are rerouted over the North Shore. North and South Shore residents complain when boom box parties break out across the river in Elizabeth or in our own North Shore parks. Logic dictates they should be irked when loud vehicles shatters whatever we consider peace and quiet in our neighborhoods. Frankly, our issue lies more with motorcycles than the cars that populate the borough. Rarely is a motorcycle within a couple of blocks when we dont hear it coming. Cycle enthusiasts admit the loud roar is all part of the experience of riding unencumbered by glass and steel encasing them, basically just sitting atop a roaring, powerful engine. Theyll also tell you its about safety. Everyone knows they are around. There is little doubt most denounce anything that infringes on personal freedom. But theres also something known as the greater good. That ethical belief isnt so widely shared. If it was, we might not see so much anger on our roadways. Call it Mike Bloombergs Nanny State Revisited, but NYC is doing the right thing trying to control noise in the city that never sleeps. San Mateo, CA (94402) Today Partly cloudy and windy this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 49F. W winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy and windy this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 49F. W winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan called on troops Sunday to "end" support for authoritarian leaders as talks begin on military reforms, part of a prolonged transition to civilian rule. Burhan seized power in a 2021 coup that had derailed a short-lived democratic transition following the 2019 ouster of Islamist general Omar al-Bashir. "During our history, the armed forces have supported dictatorial governments, and we want to put an end to that," Burhan, a career soldier during Bashir's three-decade rule, said in a speech to soldiers. Reform of the security forces in a key point of tension in discussions on a two-phase political process launched in December, envisaging generals' exit from politics once a civilian government is installed. Critics have decried the deal, agreed by Burhan with multiple factions including a key civilian bloc, as "vague". The proposed reforms include the integration into the regular army of the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Burhan's deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Created in 2013, RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militia that Bashir unleashed a decade earlier in the western region of Darfur against non-Arab rebels, where it was accused of war crimes by rights groups. While experts have pointed to worrying rivalries between Burhan and Daglo, the two men took turns speaking on Sunday in the capital Khartoum, pleading for a successful integration. Daglo said he wanted "a unified army", while Burhan called for "a professional army that stays away from politics". The December deal came after near-weekly protests since Burhan's October 2021 takeover, which had also triggered international aid cuts, adding to the deepening political and economic troubles in one of the world's poorest countries. Daglo, the RSF commander also known as Hemeti, said earlier this month he was against "anyone who wants to become a dictator", and that he opposed those "clinging on to power". He said the latest coup had "failed" because it had not brought change but rather the return of the "old regime" of Bashir loyalists. Search Keywords: Short link: Welcome to Quick Q Monday Medias weekly series dedicated to finding out more about the personalities that matter most in the media landscape. Each week, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age ask figures across corporate media, business, sport, federal politics, radio, television and culture to answer questions about their lives, careers, hobbies and news habits. This weeks conversation is with Novas Mel Tracina. Mel Tracina: ace on trivia, the economy not so much. How did you get your big break? The government has received its first question time question about the AUKUS submarine agreement since it was announced almost two weeks ago. The question from independent MP for Fowler, Dai Le, reflects concerns in parts of the community: The government committed to spending $368 billion on acquiring nuclear-powered submarines when people are struggling to pay the grocery bills. We still dont know the full cost to taxpayers and where and how the nuclear waste will be stored. What will it cost our taxpayers to manage this nuclear waste and will Australia be accepting any nuclear waste from other AUKUS under the agreement? Fowler MP Dai Le raised concerns about the cost of the governments controversial AUKUS submarine deal. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen This is how Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded, with edits for clarity: This is a very significant announcement ... Over a period of decades [the cost] would be between $268 billion and $368 billion. When the nuclear fuel cell is completed, we [Australia] will be responsible for the storage of that, and we have said it will be on Defence land. I can confirm that there is no responsibility to store anyone elses waste. Its a responsibility to store what effectively will be our own [waste] because what the plan is here, is for us to build these submarines in Adelaide. For once, the Australian flag is on a submarine ... It is our responsibility and we are in control. That is a part of our national sovereignty. But the issue on the economy is also important. Unless our national security is looked after, then the impact on our economy, on our society, on everything else, falls away, and that is why expenditure and investment in our national sovereignty is so important, is so absolutely vital. I dont apologise for making a commitment that will see our defence expenditure rise over future years. The truth is, we live in an era of strategic competition in our region. The truth is, we live in very uncertain times, and it is important that we invest in our capability. Its also important that we invest in our relationships, and my government is doing both. Prue Car Born and raised in western Sydney, deputy premier-elect and soon-to-be education minister Prue Car has been the member for Londonderry since she won the seat from the Liberals in 2015. She was educated at a Catholic girls school. Before joining parliament she worked as the national communications manager for Multiple Sclerosis Australia and was also an adviser to former premier Bob Carr. Last year she was diagnosed with a kidney tumour before undergoing treatment. She has one son, Max, who is in primary school and last October became engaged to her partner Brad. Deputy Labor leader Prue Car. Credit: Janie Barrett John Graham John Graham is expected to be Minister for Roads as well as the Arts when the Minns ministry is sworn in. He has been a member of the NSW upper house since 2016. Graham grew up in government housing in Albury, moved to Newcastle and graduated from Newcastle High before completing a bachelor of economics at the University of Sydney. Before joining parliament, he worked in the higher education sector, was assistant general secretary for the NSW Labor Party and was deputy chief of staff to former NSW premier Nathan Rees. He was a vocal critic of the previous governments lockout laws. He is married with two children. GWEN CUPPER April 3, 1946-February 17, 2023 Gwen Cupper was born with severe intellectual and physical disabilities after a long and difficult labour. Her parents, Jack and Mavis, did not initially realise this quiet, placid baby was disabled. When the medical specialist informed my mother, he told her to put her in an institution and forget her. That our parents decided instead to give Gwen the best life they could have enriched many lives. Gwen grew up surrounded by family: two younger brothers and a sister, and often one, two or even three cousins as our mother helped other young families cope with their circumstances. Hearing of Gwens death, one cousin recounted how she had spent my first school year living at your mum and dads and recalled that each afternoon as she stepped off the school bus, Gwen would run from behind the house to welcome her. Children attending kindergarten was not the foregone conclusion it now is, and in the early 1950s it was no easy task to take two small children one disabled to the nearest towns kindergarten, with another baby in tow. Gwen attended Merbein kindergarten and went on to seven years primary schooling at the Lake School, near Mildura. This was long before it became trendy to integrate students with learning difficulties into mainstream classrooms, but those three teachers rose to the task. Recently, a woman who had sat alongside Gwen in the classroom for most of those seven years spoke of the privilege it was and how much she learned as a result. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to travel to China Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When I moved into the Fremantle area it was around the time COVID began its deadly march across the globe I thought Id washed up in paradise. While the rest of the world bolted itself up behind closed doors, Freo folk wandered through its historic precincts, lingered in coffee shops to chat about how fortunate we were the virus was barely touching our lives, and made a bee-line to South Beach in particular the gorgeous white arc in front of the vibrant multicultural mecca that is Wilson Park. We couldnt travel during COVID, but what did it matter? Every day on South Beach it was an open-air meeting of the United Nations, with travellers from Paris to Paraguay making the most of being locked out of their plague-ridden homelands and relishing in a unique locale that brings together places to eat and drink, a broad-minded community and a beach as alluring as any in the world. Erosion is impacting on beaches everywhere, but the loss of South Beach would be especially devastating for the Fremantle community. Credit:Mark Naglazas South Beach is a far cry from those wide-open ultra-Aussie surf destinations such as Scarborough and Trigg (the bit in front of Wilson Park is barely a kilometre long). But of all the beaches Ive spent time on its the one most deeply embedded into its community, the one that most vividly embodies the spirit of the place. So you can imagine my shock when I recently popped down for a jog and a swim to discover that a good chunk of the white stuff that was so fundamental to my experience of Fremantle had disappeared. The sand around the northern and southern groynes was OK. But the middle portion was so eroded you had to wade through the water or scale a sandy cliff face to get from one end to the other. The stretches of the beach we were able to walk on in previous years had been overrun by the surging water. Advertisement To be honest, I was shocked when I saw it this state, beach-lover Andy McGettrick said when I stopped to canvas opinions about the beach erosion. Ive been coming here for years, and I have never seen the water come up so high. Its a beautiful beach, so it is sad to see it disappearing. McGettrick routinely bypasses his local beach, Coogee, to soak up the vibrant atmosphere of South Beach with his partner, Dutch-born Fleur van Doren. Andy McKettrick and Fleur van Doren. Credit:Mark Naglazas I would hate to see it disappear, van Doren said. Its always busy and there are so many kinds of people who come down here. There are families with children, older people who swim and walk, young people from all around the world who have heard all about South Beach. Its wonderful to hear so many languages being spoken. Hilton resident Nicole Zorn is part of the throng of young mums who crowd the southern and northern groynes of the beach, taking advantage of the calm, crystalline water and mixing with other families. The beach, for this group, is an important part of keeping mind and body healthy. Advertisement The beach is the main reason why we live in the area, Zorn said as she wrangled her one-year-old, Piper. Loading I come here most days during summer. Its beautiful and peaceful and safe. I probably wont be around when it isnt here, but I would hate for future generations not enjoy what we are enjoying. Ive only been coming to the beach regularly for the past three years, yet Ive seen significant change. For starters, I no longer run along the shoreline because it can barely take a single line of traffic. Desperate to find out what was going on with South Beach, I made an appointment with Professor Charitha Pattiaratchi of the University of Western Australias Oceans Institute. The world-renowned oceanographer smiled at my fears about the beachs disappearance and reassured me it would be back. The sand moves one way or the other depending on the time of the year, Pattiaratchi said. Advertisement In the summer the sand moves north, which is why right now the beach is bigger near the groyne at the Fremantle end. And in the winter the sand moves south. Its like a seesaw. Tides also play a role in determining the size of the beach, with the water high right now because we are at the end of the 18.6-year lunar cycle. Its going to get worse until it peaks in 2025. But then you will have 10 years of the water level going down, Pattiaratchi explained. A multicultural mecca: locals and visitors gather at Wilson Park to watch the sun dipping into the Indian Ocean. Credit:Mark Naglazas However, WAs go-to guru on coastal erosion put a caveat on his optimistic view of the future of South Beach. The beach will come back, but it will not be the same as it was before, he said. There will be a loss of sand. Each time the sand moves north and south some of it is left behind. Advertisement The beach will be bigger than it was in the immediate preceding years, but it will not go back to what it was before the cycle began. With every cycle there will be a loss. The problems were facing with South Beach indeed, the challenges of erosion faced by all the beaches stretched along the Perth metropolitan area can be traced back more than a century to the decision of John Forrests government to blast the rock bar at the mouth of the Swan River and began the process of building Fremantle Harbour. It changed the environment of the Perth metropolitan area more profoundly than any other single intervention. The construction of the harbour stopped the natural flow of sand from the north to the south and the south to the north, Pattiaratchi said. And each time you intervene to prevent a beach from disappearing, such as building a groyne, you create further problems in another part of the coast. The problems caused by construction are now compounded by climate change, with small rises in water level having a major impact on beaches across the globe, and storm surges afflicting sandy beaches already suffering from erosion. While different methods are being used to save the beaches, such as the artificial reef that has been built on C.Y. OConnor Beach (the next beach along from South Beach), Pattiaratchi said the only surefire means was to replace the sand, as has been done at the troubled Port Beach. Advertisement A longstanding environmental campaigner and friend of Greens founder Bob Brown has urged the party to vote with Labor to pass a new law to cut greenhouse gas emissions amid growing fears of a rift that could doom the legislation. Business leader Geoff Cousins urged Greens leader Adam Bandt to help pass the Safeguard Mechanism bill in parliament this week to achieve some action on climate change despite a dispute over whether the draft law went far enough to cut emissions. Greens leader Adam Bandt. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen But another senior business figure who has backed the Greens over the years, Wotif founder Graeme Wood, said the mechanism only offered a soft baseline and did not do anything to stop new coal and gas projects. The competing calls heighten the debate over a crucial decision for Bandt and the Greens when Brown has urged the party to take a hard line against the bill, but others fear a repeat of the 2009 clash that destroyed a Labor attempt to put a price on carbon. Australia will send an official delegation to Chinas Boao business forum this week, paving the way for a Beijing visit by the federal trade minister in the coming weeks as restrictions on Australian exports continue to be lifted despite the recent AUKUS announcement. Assistant Trade Minister Tim Ayres is travelling to China for the forum, which he dubbed the Davos of Asia, the first Australian minister to attend the summit in more than half a decade, saying it was another positive step in the thawing relationship. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews also plans a visit to the country. Assistant Trade Minister Tim Ayres says he would like to see impediments to trade with China removed. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Ayres pointed to a defence meeting between the countries last week as a sign the relationship remained on a steady path and said the Boao forum was a chance to keep working towards easing more trade restrictions. China has restricted trade of Australian goods, from official embargoes on beef and wine to technical restrictions on products including lobster and unofficial blocks on goods such as coal and timber. Independent MP Alex Greenwich says a larger NSW crossbench can still have influence over any new majority Labor government, insisting his record of passing difficult reforms proves he can induce the entire parliament to legislate statewide cashless gaming in the next term. Greenwich, who was among key independents relied on by the former minority Coalition government, said he had successfully amended hundreds of pieces of legislation during his years in parliament, including on issues the government of the day did not support. Independent MP Alex Greenwich says he can work a majority Labor government. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer He said he was confident cashless gaming would be legislated this term of government, despite Labor premier-elect Chris Minns not yet backing the technology and campaigning for a trial only. It may take longer than it would have under the Perrottet government, but I believe we will get there, Greenwich said. I base that on my track record of progressing reforms the government did not support. I am confident there will be a majority of members in the NSW Parliament that will support it. Honduras established diplomatic ties with China on Sunday after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is increasingly isolated and now recognized by only 13 sovereign states. Foreign ministers from China and Honduras signed a joint communique in Beijing a decision the Chinese Foreign Ministry hailed as the right choice." The diplomatic victory for China comes as tensions rise between Beijing and the United States, including over Chinas increasing assertiveness toward self-ruled Taiwan, and signals growing Chinese influence in Latin America. The new China-Honduras relationship was announced after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments made separate announcements that they were severing ties. China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since they split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its one China policy. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and refuses most contacts with countries that maintain formal ties with the island democracy. It threatens retaliation against countries merely for increasing contacts. China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang said the establishment of ties proved that adhering to one China policy is winning people's hearts and is the general trend." We inform sternly the Taiwan authorities that engaging in separatist activities for Taiwan independence is against the will and interests of the Chinese nation and against the trend of history, and is doomed to a dead end, he said. The Honduran Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Twitter that its government recognizes only one China in the world and that Beijing is the only legitimate government that represents all of China. It added that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan. Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told a news conference Sunday that Taiwan had ended its relations with Honduras to safeguard its sovereignty and dignity." Wu said that Honduran President Xiomara Castro and her team always had a fantasy about China and had raised the issue of switching ties before the presidential election in Honduras in 2021. Relations between Taiwan and Honduras were once stable, he said, but China had not stopped luring Honduras. Honduras had asked Taiwan for billions of dollars of aid and compared its proposals with China's, Wu said. About two weeks ago, the Honduran government sought $2.45 billion from Taiwan to build a hospital and a dam, and to write off debts, he added. The Castro government dismissed our nation's longstanding assistance and relations and carried out talks to form diplomatic ties with China. Our government feels pained and regretful, he said. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said her government would not engage in a meaningless contest of dollar diplomacy with China. Over these past few years, China has persistently used various means to suppress Taiwans international participation, escalate military intrusion, and disrupt peace and stability in the region, she said in a recorded video. Her office spokesperson Olivia Lin said in a statement that relations between the sides had lasted for more than 80 years. Analysts have warned over the implications of the newly formed ties between China and Honduras. Political analyst Graco Perez in Honduras said Beijing's narrative would highlight the benefits, including investment and job creation, but that is all going to be illusory." Perez noted that some other countries have established such relations, but it didnt turn out to be what had been offered. For decades China has funneled billions of dollars into investment and infrastructure projects across Latin America. That investment has translated to rising power for China and a growing number of allies. In Honduras, it has come in the form of construction of a hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by the Chinese company SINOHYDRO with about $300 million in Chinese government financing. Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since the pro-independence Tsai first took office in May 2016. Taiwan still has ties with Belize, Paraguay and Guatemala in Latin America, and Vatican City. Most of its remaining partners are island nations in the Caribbean and South Pacific, along with Eswatini in southern Africa. Some of these diplomatic recognitions were earned through Taiwan's financial and technical aid in the 1980s and '90s following its exceptional economic growth, Lorenzo Maggiorelli, a professor at the political science and international relations department of Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in Bogota, Colombia, wrote in his research. In 1998, Taiwan set up a $240 million aid fund for its Central American allies in a hope of retaining their support. Taiwanese businesses were also encouraged to invest in Central America to consolidate political ties, Maggiorelli wrote. Tsai is set to begin a 10-day trip on Wednesday with visits to Guatemala and Belize. Her delegation will also stop in New York and Los Angeles, Lin said last week. Taiwan's Vice Foreign Minister Alexander Yui earlier said the purpose of Tsai's trip is to highlight the island's friendship with the two Latin American countries. Wu said he did not have any evidence that the timing of the announcement was related to Tsai's trip but noted China seems to be doing this intentionally. Despite Chinas campaign of isolation, Taiwan retains robust informal ties with more than 100 other countries, most importantly the United States. The U.S. doesnt have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but has maintained that Taipei is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific. Search Keywords: Short link: Unions that backed Labors campaign for Macquarie Street are demanding the incoming Minns government begin negotiations for soon-to-expire awards from Monday, with one saying it expects a pay rise of at least one percentage point above the Coalitions wage cap. Ministers bound for portfolios such as treasury, education and health and who will be responsible for some of the states unhappiest frontline workers are due to be sworn in this week prior to the rest of the cabinet positions being confirmed. Chris Minns with his family the day after he was elected NSW premier. Credit: Edwina Pickles As Chris Minns senior team called a snap meeting to determine priorities on Sunday, the main contender for the leadership of the Liberal Party, Matt Kean, pulled out of the race to spend more time with his family, leaving former ministers Alister Henskens and Mark Speakman as frontrunners. The states unions, including unaffiliated ones, celebrated Labors win on the weekend after heavily backing the partys campaign following years of frustration with the Coalitions wage cap and what they saw as a hamstrung and biased Industrial Relations Commission. Daniel Andrews has defended the nature and timing of his surprise visit to China, just weeks after the federal government signed the AUKUS security pact, and while questions remain about the identities of those the Victorian premier will meet on his seventh official visit to the country. Andrews leaves for the four-day tour on Monday afternoon, which will make him the first leader of an Australian government to visit China since the beginning of the pandemic. The plan to visit was first reported by The Age on Saturday. Daniel Andrews has announced a surprise visit to China but has not yet released an itinerary. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui Speaking to the media on Sunday, Andrews said he would meet with senior officials from the Jiangsu and Sichuan provinces, and representatives from the government of Beijing, but the full itinerary had not yet been finalised despite the trip being planned for weeks. Andrews said the main purpose of this visit was to strengthen Victorias standing among prospective Chinese students. But Education Minister Natalie Hutchins will not accompany the premier nor will Tourism Minister Steve Dimopoulos or any other ministers. In Japan, its possible to enjoy a coffee while an owl perches on your head, or to sit at a bar where live penguins stare out at you from behind a Plexiglas wall. The countrys exotic animal cafes are popular with locals as well as visitors seeking novelty, cuteness and selfies. Customers can even buy animals at some of the cafes and bring them home. An owl brought to the table for customers so they can touch it at an animal cafe in Tokyo, on March 11, 2023. Credit: Noriko Hayashi/The New York Times But visitors of these venues may not realise that many of these cafes put wildlife conservation, their own and public health, and animal welfare at risk. In an exhaustive survey of Japans animal cafes published earlier this year in the journal Conservation Science and Practice, researchers found 3793 individual animals belonging to 419 different species, 52 of which are threatened with extinction. Nine of the exotic species they found, including endangered slow lorises and critically endangered radiated tortoises, are strictly banned from international trade. Some species we saw are of very questionable origins, said Marie Sigaud, now a veterinarian and wildlife biologist at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, who conducted the study as a postdoctoral researcher at Kyoto University. Many of the animals are most likely caught in the wild, and this has implications for their long-term survival. Rome: The Florence museum housing Michelangelos Renaissance masterpiece David invited parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit after complaints about a lesson featuring the statue forced the principal to resign. Florence Mayor Dario Nardella also tweeted an invitation for the principal to visit so he can personally honour her. Confusing art with pornography was ridiculous, Nardella said. Michelangelos masterpiece on display at the Accademia Gallery in Florence. Credit: AP The incredulous Italian response highlights how the US culture wars are often perceived in Europe, where despite a rise in right-wing sentiment and governance, the Renaissance and its masterpieces are generally free of controversy. But the board of the Tallahassee Classical School pressured Principal Hope Carrasquilla to resign last week after an image of David was shown to a sixth-grade art class. The school has a policy requiring parents to be notified in advance about controversial topics being taught. San Francisco: AI chatbot company Replika has restored erotic role play for some users in a case that has cast a light on the increasing number of people who consider themselves to be in relationships with technology. The companys recent removal of adult content devastated many users, some of whom considered themselves married to their chatbot companions. Joaquin Phoenix in the 2013 romantic drama Her, directed by Spike Jonze, which imagines a character who falls in love with his computer AI. Credit: Warner Bros Replikas chatbots are powered by generative AI, a new technology that has attracted a frenzy of consumer and investor interest due to its ability to foster humanlike interactions. The removal of erotic role play and subsequent customer outcry showed how powerfully AI technology can draw people in, and the emotional havoc that code changes can wreak. Any customers who signed up for Replika before February 1, 2023, now have the option to switch back to the earlier more licentious version of the chatbot, chief executive Eugenia Kuyda said in a Facebook post. To be in America the night Barack Obama won the presidency was to be reminded of why I had fallen in love with the country in the first place. The dynamism. The ambition. The audacity of hope. That restless spirit encapsulated by his electrifying mantra: Yes we can. Here was a once-in-a-generation leader who embodied the ideal of American exceptionalism. Obama knew that himself, as he delivered the opening line of his victory speech at Grant Park in Chicago: If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. Barack Obama at his inaugural address in Washington on January 20, 2009. Credit: Reuters Though it was heady to report on the countrys first black president, I was not completely intoxicated. Given how polarised Washington had become since the end of the Cold War, I did not think he could bring about a post-partisan country, still less a post-racial society. The breach between black and white America was already too wide and deep for that. But even if he might struggle to become truly transformational, I still thought he would be a transitional figure: someone who could smooth the path as the country moved by mid-century towards becoming a majority-minority nation in which non-whites outnumbered whites. For a superpower in decline after the attacks of September 11 and its needless war in Iraq, Obama was the rejoinder. Not since John F. Kennedy had a US leader so captivated the world. Imam Al-Shafii (767-820 AD) was the founder of the eponymous Shafii school of Islamic jurisprudence, one of the four dominant schools in Sunni Islam In the past, this boat hanging on top of the dome used to be filled with grain. Children of the neighbourhood would climb up and fill it with grain to attract birds, as a gesture of festivity during the moulid of Imam Al-Shafii, explained Mai El-Ibrashi , an architect and the head of conservation at the mausoleum of Imam Al-Shafii in Cairo, which will soon be open to the public again. Imam Al-Shafii (767-820 AD) was the founder of the eponymous Shafii school of Islamic jurisprudence, one of the four dominant schools in Sunni Islam. The mausoleum of this important figure is located in one of the most unique of Cairos ancient cemeteries, and is currently under restoration. "We blame our times but the fault is ours. We are the only fault in our times." Those who seek higher status must labour through the night. These and many more pearls of wisdom from the famous Islamic scholar are commonly quoted in Egypt and are part of the collective memory of Egyptians, who follow Al-Shafii school of Islamic jurisprudence. Born in Gaza, Al-Shafii moved with his mother to Mecca after his father passed away. According to the book Diwan Al-Shafii, compiled by Mohamed Abdel Moniem Khafagi, he studied in Mecca and in Iraq, was assigned the post of judge in Yemen, and founded his school of thought in his famous book Al-Om (the mother) while teaching in Cairo, where he lived until his death in 820 AD. Known for his grace and eloquence, he grew quite popular and attracted many followers to his teachings. After years of restoration, his mausoleum is almost ready to be opened to the public. Ahram Online was invited to take a look at this historic site. Restoration of the mausoleum started off since 2016, explained El-Ibrashi, and the different phases of restoration were implemented through the ambassadors fund for cultural preservation and the Ministry of Antiquities. When Imam Al-Shafii first came to Cairo, he lived in the premises of Awlad Abdel Hakam, who was from his tribe, the Quraysh. He was a student of Saida Nafisa, and after his death, he was buried in the cemeteries of the Abdel Hakam family who were the guards of the mausoleum. His mausoleum became a visitors site and eventually made this burial ground another centre of cemeteries, she added, explaining that Saladin created a school next to Imam Al-Shafii. Al-Kamil, Saladins nephew, installed the big wooden dome -- the biggest such dome in the Islamic era, El-Ibrashi said. However, during the restoration, they came across a most interesting finding. We found walls, revealing the remaining of a Fatimid tombstone of Al-Shafii and the remains of a Fatimid-style dome that was never mentioned in history books, she said. During the Ottoman period, the mausoleum was the first visit of the Ottoman walli upon arrival in Cairo. All political disputes would be discussed and resolved there, and most Ashraf and Ottoman ruling family living in Cairo would be buried next to Al-Shafiis mausoleum, she noted. Aiming to tell this rich tale of tangible and intangible heritage of the place, El-Ibrashis restoration plan includes a visitor centre and an exhibition of all the historic relics of the place, as well as an activity area for children, to encourage a new generation of visitors to come to the site. It is an ideal place for students studying architecture to view Fatimid, Ayyubid, Ottoman, and modern styles in the same block, the architect commented. Al-Shafiis impact on Islamic thought is remarkable. Known for his eloquence, he was known to be a student of Sayyida Nafisa, who prayed for him after he died. He was also a renowned poet whose words of wisdom remain quite popular in Arabic. The Diwan Al-Shafii book also reveals that his core methodology was based on the Quran, the Sunna, analogy, and then unanimity. Thus the door of ijtihad was opened wide for his school of thought which beheld the two main streams of sharia side by side: the school of thinkers, and those relying only on hadith. Indeed, Imam Al-Shafii remains dear in the collective narrative of Egyptians. Lots of letters, among other items, are said to be addressed to him, even after his death, in order to discuss worldly disputes and injustices. During the restoration, the Ministry of Religious Endowments collected the letters, photos and personal belongings. However, most of the letters are affiliated with injustice, for he was almost seen as a judge. Here, each of the religious figures miracles has something to do with their lives. It resonates somehow with something they were known for in their life, explained El-Ibrashi. The boat clinging to the crescent topping the dome has its own charm. In Sufi heritage, such a boat is a metaphor that reflects a hadith on saving those who value dearly Ahl Al-Beit, the descendants of the Prophet Muhammed. Some view it also to be a reference to Imam Al-Shafiis title the sea of knowledge. As well as the tradition of children filling the boat with grain to symbolise prosperity, El-Ebrashi said that local myth suggests that the direction of the mobile boat determines the prosperity of the year ahead. Search Keywords: Short link: Could the previously unknown corridor that was recently discovered inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu hide the royal burial chamber When the Fourth-Dynasty Pharaoh Khufu decided to build the Great Pyramid on the Giza Plateau as his gateway to eternity, he did not realise that the architecture of his burial place would perplex Egyptologists and scientists for centuries afterwards, placing them before a riddle wrapped in an enigma. Today, after 45 centuries the mystery of the Pyramids lives on, and the architecture of the Great Pyramid of Khufu still conceals its secrets. Scholars have long carried out scientific and archaeological research on the structure, but nobody has managed to solve all its mysteries. Two weeks ago, an international scientific team from Germany, France, Canada, Japan, and Egypt uncovered a nine-metre chevron ceiling corridor at the northern face of the Pyramid and just above its main entrance using five non-invasive techniques: infrared rays, muography, georadar, ultrasound, and architectural and 3D simulation. The corridor, which is not accessible from outside the structure, is nine metres long and two metres wide. After the discovery was made, the scientific ScanPyramids team probed a tiny six mm Japanese endoscope through a crack between the stones to attain images of the space from inside. Mustafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said the function of the corridor is probably to relieve stress from whatever structures lie below, including the opening and upper part of the descending passage around seven metres underneath. The gabled blocks forming the ceiling of the newly found corridor distribute the weight down and to either side away from the corridor. The function of the corridor is probably similar to the function of weight-relieving chambers above the horizontal passage and antechambers in the Meidum Pyramid in Fayoum. The ceilings of the Meidum relieving chambers are corbelled, rather than gabled, It is the most important scientific discovery in modern times inside King Khufus Pyramid, former minister of antiquities Zahi Hawass, who heads the committee supervising the project, told Al-Ahram Weekly. He described the newly uncovered corridor as the discovery of the century. Hawass believes that there is a possibility that the corridor is protecting something which could be the actual burial chamber of king Khufu. Until now nothing of Khufus funerary collection has been uncovered except a tiny statue exhibited at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square. The discovery is part of the ScanPyramids project launched in 2015 to unravel the secrets of the Great Pyramid four millennia after its construction. The project combines several non-invasive and non-damaging scanning techniques to search for the presence of any hidden internal structures and cavities in ancient monuments that may lead to a better understanding of their structure and their construction processes and techniques. The first phase of the project started in October 2015 when four masterpieces of the Fourth Dynasty, the Bent, and Red Pyramids of king Senefru at the Dahshour Necropolis, as well as kings Khufu and Khafre Pyramids on the Giza Plateau, were scanned. A month later, using infrared thermal scanning, anomalies including empty areas in the Pyramids were revealed. At that time scientists said that they could be due to internal air currents or different building materials. They also said that the thermal scanning was made at sunrise as the sun heats the structures from the outside, and then at sunset when the Pyramids are cooling down. The speed of the heating and cooling phases was used to uncover anomalies, such as empty areas in the Pyramids that could be internal air currents or different building materials. In December 2015, the second phase of ScanPyramids began with a Muon radiography survey on king Snefrus Bent Pyramid at Dahshour. The scanners are being used to search for possible hidden chambers within the Pyramid without compromising its infrastructure. Muon radiography is non-invasive as Muon particles come naturally from the upper layers of the Earths atmosphere and are created from collisions of cosmic rays with the nuclei of atoms in the atmosphere. Kunihiro Morishima from Nagoya University in Japan told the Weekly at that time that the particles fall to the ground at nearly the speed of light with a constant rate of about 10,000 per m2 per minute. As with the x-rays used to visualise human skeletons, these elementary particles, like heavy electrons, can very easily pass through any structure, even large, thick rocks and mountains. Detectors placed at appropriate places (e.g. inside the Pyramid and under a possibly undetected chamber) allow the accumulation of Muons over time in order to discern void areas from denser areas as some of the particles are absorbed or deflected. Muon radiography is now frequently used for the observation of volcanoes, which also involves research teams from the University of Nagoya. More recently, KEK, the High Energy Accelerator Research Organisation, has developed a detection approach based on electronic scintillators that are resistant to nuclear radiation, unlike chemical emulsions, in order to scan inside the Fukushima nuclear power plant reactors in Japan. In 2016, the Ministry of Antiquities, now the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, assigned an archaeological committee led by Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, US Egyptologist Mark Lehner, Czech Egyptologist Murslav Barta, and the late German Egyptologist Rainer Stadelmann to review the findings of the ScanPyramids project. In the same year, cavities within the Pyramids were identified. In 2017, the team announced the discovery of a 30-metre void deep within the Great Pyramid situated above the structures of the Pyramids Grand Gallery with has a similar cross-section. This left Egyptologists guessing at the purpose of the chamber, and it is not yet known whether it was built with a function in mind. The researchers explained that they made the discovery using cosmic-ray imaging recording the behaviour of Muons. Archaeologist Kate Spence told the US magazine National Geographic and Egyptologist Mark Lehner told the Weekly in 2017 that research has shown that the ancient Egyptians likely built gaps into the Pyramids to relieve pressure and keep them structurally sound. * A version of this article appears in print in the 16 March, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MEXICO CITY (AP) Xavier Lopez, a Mexican childrens comic better known by his stage name Chabelo, has died at 88, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wrote Saturday. Lopez's best-known work, the Sunday variety show En Familia con Chabelo, ran for an astonishing 48 years from 1967 to 2015, Mexico's longest-running TV show. The Mexican president wrote in his Twitter account that his own eldest son, Jose Ramon, woke up early to see him (on television) more than 40 years ago. Lopez, who was no relation to the president, usually performed dressed in kids clothing well into his 80s. He helped found a genre of adult comics dressed as kids that became a staple for decades on Mexican television. His longevity he performed in a child's raspy squeak throughout his career led to joking speculation he would outlive everyone else in show business. Lopez's agent, Jessica Nevilley, said he died Saturday morning. A private funeral will be held for him later Saturday. A U.S. citizen he was born in Chicago to Mexican parents Lopez returned to Mexico with his family at a young age and trained as a doctor. But he found his calling in acting. The comic's family wrote on his fan page that Lopez died suddenly of abdominal complications. He was survived by several children and his wife. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) Throngs of protesters gathered at the courthouse steps, chanting for freedom for their embattled hero. Police kept watch as passions flared and voices roared. Squad cars and television trucks encircled the commotion. Its a scene New York City authorities have been bracing for as prosecutors consider an indictment against former President Donald Trump, who has invited followers to rally on his behalf. But on Saturday, it was just a movie shoot for the Joker sequel to be precise. The roars faded and the crowds dispersed on command when the director yelled, Cut! The New York City shoot for the upcoming Joker sequel had been planned for months; but in recent days, production crews wrestled with the possibility that filming could be disrupted by real-life protests over the Trump case none of which have so far materialized. In the end, film workers forged ahead, said Leo Maniscalchi, a production assistant, who was taking a break at a nearby coffee house. They needed to do what they needed to get this done, he said. In the film, the Joker, played by Joaquin Phoenix, inspires protests against Gothams elites. In real life, Trump has inspired protests, too. In recent weeks, the former president has called on his supporters to protest what he said was an impending indictment accusing him of paying $130,000 to buy the silence of porn actor Stormy Daniels. They cant stop production for anything, really, Maniscalchi said. The scene didnt call for rain, but were still out here. For the past week, crowds mostly news media have been staking out another courthouse up the street from filming. Earlier in the week, a band of young Republicans staged a protest but its numbers were dwarfed by a crush of journalists. A rumored caravan of Trump adherents also did not take place, neither did a march dozens of blocks from the Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue to the Manhattan courthouse in the lower city. When we last saw the Joker, he was running down the halls of a mental asylum with Frank Sinatra singing Thats Life. In the sequel, called Joker: Folie a Deux, Lady Gaga joins the cast as Harley Quinn, his love interest. Fittingly, the new movie, expected to be released late next year, is being billed as a musical. Siris Pagan, 30, arrived in lower Manhattan with his friend, Marissa Perez, to watch the filming. When some of the shots were being filmed, we started hearing loud chanting in the background and everybody was just turning around," Pagan said. Just a block away, both sides of the abortion issue were competing for attention. He thought it might have been part of the movie, but soon realized: Oh, no, its a whole different thing going on. Reality and make-believe were suddenly colliding, he said. Jaymie Robinson, a 24-year-old extra from Newark, New Jersey, recounted how she heard one bystander who seemed confused about whether she was part of a real protest. The cameras and phony police cars and signs saying Free Joker should have been a dead giveaway, she said. Laurie Allard, who was visiting from Montreal, Canada, came upon the outdoor movie set while touring downtown Manhattan and initially didnt know it was related to filming. She was vaguely familiar with the Trump case and knew it was happening nearby. So when she saw the throngs, she was a bit startled. I didn't want to be trapped in a protest or something ... if there's one happening, Allard said. Filming continues Sunday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PRESTON Firefighters extinguished a blaze at a Cedarcrest Drive home Saturday night, fire officials said. The Preston City Fire Department responded to a fire at single-story home on Cedarcrest Drive around 8:30 p.m. Saturday night, fire officials said in a post on the departments Facebook page. Firefighters found the home fully engulfed when they arrived, according to photos taken from the scene. A vehicle on scene also caught fire, according to officials. Firefighters from surrounding municipalities of Norwich, Mashantucket, East Great Plains and Voluntown were called in to assist with the blaze, according to the post. Connecticut State Police and American Red Cross also responded to the scene, fire officials said. Officials did not say if anyone was hurt or how many people were displaced. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Preston Fire Departments Fire Marshals Office. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD Kramatorsk, Ukraine, may be under constant barrage from Russian shelling, but it has a lot in common with the state's second-largest city enough so that a city-to-city match could benefit both, according to the leader of a nonprofit organization supporting Ukraine. The Board of Representatives is set to vote April 3 on a resolution recognizing a sister-city relationship between Stamford and Kramatorsk. The boards State and Commerce Committee voted unanimously to recommend that the full board pass the resolution this week. Bridget Fox, Mayor Caroline Simmons chief of staff, told the committee that the idea of linking the two cities came from Brian Mayer, a leader of the nonprofit Ukraine Aid International. Of course, due to the sizable population of Ukrainians here in Stamford, we absolutely jumped at the opportunity to talk with Brian and his team about what this could look like, and how we could move forward with becoming a sister city in the future, Fox said. Mayer and his brother, Marshall, founded the organization after Russia invaded Ukraine last year, focusing on last-mile delivery of aid to Ukrainian civilians. They worked with officials in their hometown of Westport to set up a sister-city relationship between the Connecticut town and Lyman, Ukraine around the start of the new year. The group is now looking to pair more U.S. and Ukrainian cities. Eastons Board of Selectmen signed off on a relationship between the town and Svyatohirsk, Ukraine, earlier this month. Stamford and Kramatorsk could be next. During Wednesdays virtual meeting, Mayer said his group paired Stamford and Kramatorsk because of their population sizes and their similar reputations as economically important cities. Kramatorsks pre-war population was about 150,000 to 200,000, according to reports by major news outlets. Stamfords population is about 135,000. Its very close to the front lines, Mayer said about Kramatorsk. It hasnt been occupied during this war, but it has been a near constant target of shelling and missile strikes. As a result, it has just faced an incredible amount of destruction. And in all of the times we have visited Kramatorsk, the one thing ... that they keep saying to us is how much they appreciate just ... knowing that they have friends in the West that want to help, that want to support. Mayer told city representatives that the aim of the sister-city program is not only to show our support for communities that are very much like ours in Ukraine that are facing just an unprecedented amount of violence, but also to help facilitate that support into something that can help the Ukrainian people in the short term as well as in the long term. In Westport, for instance, the community raised more than $250,000 over a few weeks, which Mayer said has gone toward supplying Lyman with food, Christmas gifts for children, new garbage trucks, new police patrol cars, office equipment and construction materials. These things have all been supplied directly by private donations, not by the city, Mayer said. So the city has not spent any money on this, but the official partnership does allow for us to go to private donors and say, This is the sister city of your community, and would you like to help support the city? Kramatorsk specifically is in need of an MRI machine to replace one that was stolen from a hospital, he said. Stamford has established sister-city relationships in the past, including with Settefrati, Minturno and Rose all in Italy as well as Lima, Peru; Jiangdu, China; Nanping, China; Pune, India; Afula, Israel; Sparta, Greece; and Neza, Mexico. In the long term, Mayer said he hopes the sister-city bond between Stamford and Kramatorsk will lead to cultural exchange and educational programs, including trips by local officials. Greenwich is moving toward forming a similar connection with Izium, Ukraine, which is about 45 miles northwest of Kramatorsk. Town resident and former Miss Connecticut Olga Litvinenko, who was born in Ukraine, is pushing for that sister-city relationship. D etails of horrific behaviour by Met Police officers including serial rapist David Carrick have been wiped from the forces website, it has emerged. Carrick was sacked by Scotland Yard in January, days after he had pleaded guilty to a catalogue of rapes, sexual abuse, and violence over the course of his policing career. The Met held a public misconduct hearing and published on the reports findings, but after 28 days the public record has been deleted from the website. Evening Standard analysis of the Met Police website reveals that some misconduct findings dating back to December 7 last year are still available. Included in those reports is an officer who was sacked for train fare dodging and another who was caught falsifying test results. However, the details of former officers who committed serious criminal offences have now been wiped. Among them is Sam Grigg, a PC with an obsession with bondage and sadomasichism who was jailed last month for four years after tying up his female housemate with duct tape. Grigg admitted he was sexually motivated when he bound and gagged the woman, while the judge ruled he had only been stopped by chance when a postman rang the doorbell. Among the other misconduct reports which have been deleted are Special Constable Benedict Ashton, who was caught with indecent images of children, and PC William Holyoake who admitted possession of drugs and a weapon. On Saturday, The Observer newspaper said it had found widespread failures in the 43 police forces around the country to publicise misconduct findings, in spite of a legal transparency obligation. Some forces routinely delete the findings of displinary panels from their websites after the minimum period of 28 days has passed, prompting accusations that police are trying to evade public scrutiny. Carrick, 48, who had served in the Mets Diplomatic and Parliamentary Protection Command, is now serving a minimum of 30 years in prison after he admitted rape and abuse of 12 women between 2003 and 2020. One of his former colleagues on the unit, Lee Ashby, quit the force after being caught taking steroids in a ruling published in mid-February but now also deleted. The Met said it has recently changed its policy on misconduct hearings to publish rulings for three months, instead of 28 days. This is because we want to be more transparent around misconduct as we strive to improve standards and rid the Met of those who should not be here, a Met spokesperson said. It said those involved in misconduct hearings can make submissions on publicity, but in the vast majority of cases the Met supports publication. The chair must consider matters such as protection of vulnerable victims or witnesses, medical and welfare reasons and any ongoing criminal matters that might be prejudiced. The chair will carefully weigh up all these matters before making a decision on publication. Its worth noting the vast majority of hearings are held in public. Upcoming hearings are advertised on our website and anyone interested can apply to sit in on a hearing to listen to proceedings. On its new publication policy, it added: Our process allows for the automatic deletion of outcome and post hearing notices after three months; we will double check to ensure this remains consistent. The force is under intense pressure in the wake of the Casey Report, which branded it institutionally racist, sexist, and homophobic. The names of sacked officers are placed on to a Banned List held by the College of Policing to ensure they do not try to re-enter the profession. But that list is not open to full public inspection and can only be search by name. U krainian crews have completed training on Challenger 2 tanks in the UK and returned home to continue their fight against Russias invasion. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the Ukrainian soldiers return to their homeland better equipped, but to no less danger. Members of Kyivs armed forces travelled to Britain shortly after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in January that the UK would send 14 Challenger 2 tanks to help oust the Kremlins invaders from Ukraine. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the training has been completed after UK military officials spent several weeks instructing Ukrainian personnel how to operate and fight with the tanks. We will continue to stand by them and do all we can to support Ukraine for as long as it takes Instructions included how to command, drive and work together as a Challenger 2 tank crew and effectively identify and engage targets, the MoD said. Mr Wallace, who visited the Ukrainian troops during their training at Bovington Camp in Dorset last month, said: It is truly inspiring to witness the determination of Ukrainian soldiers having completed their training on British Challenger 2 tanks on British soil. They return to their homeland better equipped, but to no less danger. We will continue to stand by them and do all we can to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. Lieutenant Colonel John Stone, who oversaw the training mission, said: It has been a privilege for the Combat Manoeuvre Centre team to deliver this training to our Ukrainian partners. We have all been hugely impressed with the level of competence displayed and have no doubt that our friends will use the Challenger 2 tanks most effectively in the battles to come as they fight to defend their homeland. The MoD described the Challenger 2 vehicles as a step change in capability for Ukraines armed forces, saying the machines would offer them some of the most modern and sophisticated gunnery systems in the world. The Ukrainian troops will return with the Western tanks in time for a reported spring counter-offensive by Kyiv that is said to be in the works. With the US supplying Abrams tanks, and Germany and other European allies providing Leopard 2 tanks, any strike on Russian lines is expected to involve the Western tanks manned by Kyivs forces. In what has been one of the bloodiest battles seen in Europe since the Second World War, Ukraine is continuing to hold the eastern city of Bakhmut. The top commander of Ukraines military, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said on Saturday that the situation was stabilising, with his forces pushing back against Russian troops in the long and grinding battle for the salt-mining town in the Donbas. British military intelligence also said Russian president Vladimir Putins troops appeared to be moving to a defensive strategy in eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraines government has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to counter the Kremlins nuclear blackmail after Moscow revealed plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus. Mr Putin announced the plan in a television interview that aired on Saturday, saying it was triggered by a UK decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. T he Prime Minister said a 160 million plan will stamp out anti-social behaviour once and for all as he pledged more police patrols and swifter punishments for those blighting communities. Rishi Sunak will use a home counties visit on Monday to announce the UK Governments anti-social behaviour action plan. In proposals heavily briefed beforehand, it will include trials of swifter justice measures and increased policing in areas of England and Wales deemed to have high amounts of low-level crime. Laughing gas will be banned, drug testing of criminals will become more prevalent, on-the-spot fines for graffiti and fly-tipping will be increased and more money will be ploughed into youth centres as part of a bid to eradicate behaviours spoiling Britains neighbourhoods. Mr Sunak said: Anti-social behaviour undermines the basic right of people to feel safe in the place they call home. The public have rightly had enough which is why I am determined to restore peoples confidence that those responsible will be quickly and visibly punished. This action plan maps out how we will tackle this issue with the urgency it deserves and stamp out these crimes once and for all so that wherever you live, you can feel safe in, and proud of your community. Under so-called Immediate Justice proposals, the aim is for perpetrators behind anti-social activity to carry out repair and clean-up works within 48 hours of being handed community orders. Offenders will be made to wear high-vis vests or jumpsuits and work under supervision while picking up litter, removing graffiti and washing police cars as punishment for their actions. Victims of anti-social behaviour will be given a say in how criminals are disciplined to ensure justice is visible and fits the crime, according to the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities. In what is being called Hotspot Policing, some areas will trial having enforced police patrols. Officials said those areas will see an increase in police presence, alongside other uniformed authority figures such as wardens, in problem areas including on public transport, high streets and in parks. In total, 16 areas will conduct trials of either Immediate Justice or Hotspot Policing, with four police and crime commissioner jurisdictions Northumbria, Cleveland, Derbyshire and Durham trying out both. The intention is to roll out the measures across England and Wales from 2024. Under what the Government is calling a zero-tolerance approach, laughing gas will also be banned. Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove confirmed the move on Sunday, arguing that the scourge of nitrous oxide was turning public spaces into drug-taking arenas and helping to fuel anti-social behaviour. The drug is typically released into balloons from small silver canisters and then inhaled. Current legislation already prohibits the knowing or reckless supply of nitrous oxide for inhalation, but Mr Gove suggested it was likely to be included under the Misuse of Drugs Act. The move comes despite an assessment by the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) concluding earlier this month that the health and social harms of nitrous oxide are not commensurate with control under the 1971 law. In a statement, Mr Gove said anti-social behaviour was a stain on too many communities across the country. He said: We will deliver tougher, quicker and more visible justice to prevent thuggish behaviour in town centres and we will ensure young people have the opportunities and activities available to them to succeed all backed by new investment. Mr Gove announced on Sunday that the plan was being backed by 160 million of funding. He also told broadcasters that the clampdown on anti-social activity would include increased drug testing for those caught engaging in crime and anti-social activity. His department said that currently only suspected criminals who have committed certain offences can be tested in police detention without additional requirements. Ministers are pledging to expand the range of trigger offences to include crimes linked to violence against women and girls, serious violence and anti-social behaviour. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: It has always been my priority to give police the powers they need to deliver a common-sense approach to cutting crime, which puts the law-abiding majority first, and thats what this action plan delivers. Other measures to be announced by Mr Sunak include: A reporting tool for the public to log anti-social behaviour and receive updates on any action to tackle it. Increased fines for graffiti and littering, rising to up to 500, and up to 1,000 for fly-tipping. Landlords and housing associations being given more powers to evict unruly tenants who create persistent noise. Reopening empty shops by giving councils new powers to quickly take control and sell off empty buildings. Setting up an anti-social behaviour taskforce jointly led by the Home Secretary and Levelling Up Secretary. An additional one million hours of youth services in areas with the highest rates of anti-social behaviour to increase early anti-offending measures. Tackling the practice of cuckooing or home invasion by considering the scope of a potential new criminal offence. Making it an offence for criminal gangs to organise begging networks, which officials say are often used to facilitate illegal activities. The levelling-up department said 5 million would be invested in making parks and green spaces safer with new CCTV, as well as providing money to repair equipment, playgrounds and plant more trees and flowers. T he United Nations refugee agencys representative to the UK has warned that the Governments Illegal Migration Bill effectively extinguishes the right to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees. The controversial Bill, aimed at tackling Channel crossings, returns to the House of Commons on Monday for its committee stage, and MPs will scrutinise it over two days. Vicky Tennant, of the UNHCR, told Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme that the proposed legislation is in breach of international law and the UKs obligations under the International Refugee Convention. But the Home Office said it is satisfied that this legislation is within the bounds of international law and is compatible with the Refugee Convention. Ms Tennant said: Well, were very concerned that this sets a global precedent, it effectively extinguishes the right, as youve said, to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees. We know that those coming across the Channel broadly reflect the nationalities of countries affected by crisis, by persecution globally. So were talking about countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Albania, several of these, as Ive said, countries that are producing high numbers of refugees. She added: We think the focus of attention really needs to be on the asylum system, on asylum processing, getting that working properly so people are able to present their claims. If theyre not refugees decisions can be made quickly, they can be returned to their own countries, and if they are refugees, then theyre able to embark on that integration journey. We think thats in everyones interests, not just the refugees interest, but also the interests of the British public. The Bill aims to stop people claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means, but the UNHCR has called it an effective asylum ban. Pressed on what action the UNHCR might take if a country is found to be in breach of international law, she said there is no sanction as such but claimed violations have an impact globally. Ms Tennant added: You know, we have to remember that the vast majority of refugees are hosted in countries neighbouring their own. So more than 69/70% are in countries neighbouring their own. Now, if youre a country like Turkey, hosting more than three million refugees or Bangladesh hosting, you know, just short of a million refugees with all the impact that has on your economy, on your infrastructure on your services. And then you look at a country like the UK much further away, much less impacted, many fewer refugees, that sends a really unfortunate signal. So we believe that if this goes ahead, if other countries were to follow suit, it really would have a very significant impact on refugee protection globally. Home Office guidance states that the Illegal Migration Bill will change the law so that those who arrive in the UK illegally will not be able to stay here and will instead be detained and then promptly removed, either to their home country or a safe third country, such as Rwanda. A Home Office spokesperson said: The UK has a proud history of providing protection for those who genuinely need it through safe and legal routes offering safety and protection to almost half a million men, women and children since 2015. More routes to safety for vulnerable people across the globe will be created but the rise in illegal migration must be stopped first. People who come to the UK illegally will be liable for detention and prompt removal. The asylum system is being reformed at the same time. Shorter interviews, simpler guidance and more decision makers will help clear the asylum backlog by the end of the year. In Ramadan, the appetite for spices is high, but the clients frequenting the traditional stores are not just there to dress up their meals It is a late sunny Sunday morning on Al-Muez Street. Mahmoud El-Nouby is moving fast around the small entrance of the Khedr El-Attar Academy for Spices to attend to a group of customers who are standing by to get their spices mixed. He asks the clients very specific questions like whether they wish to add extra clover to their seven-spice blend, whether they wish to have a small bag of white pepper for their meat broth, whether they wish to have the nutmeg reduced in their all-spice blend, and if they need their anise blend for digestive or relaxing purposes. Getting the blend right and giving the right details is essential to our business; this is not a supermarket or a grocery store where people get their spices in sealed packages; this is a place that specializes in the art of spices, said Mahmoud El-Nouby, a senior store attendant at the Khedr El-Attar Academy for Spices. Basically, one of the older spice stores in old Cairo, this place started in the mid-1940s with a limited selection of spices that all houses would need back then: cumin, pepper, anise, ginger, and cinnamon. There was always a bigger diversity and there was always a wide range of herbs, not just spices, that are used for healing purposes in a sense, but those spices were the essentials of the Egyptian kitchen as one would say, El-Nouby said. With the passing of years, the Khedr El-Attar store, along with the spices business in general, clicked in a wider portfolio, especially with the drinks side of the world of spices and herbs. Particularly on demand then were the Dombeya Arabica, spices of flowering plants that provide the base for Moughat, a very popular thick warm drink that many middle- and lower-class Egyptian families used to serve for baby showers. Theres also the Orchis, a genus of the orchid family that serves as a base for Sahlab, a very popular warm drink for cold winter days and nights. These plants come from across the two continents of Egypt: Asia and Africa, essentially. Like many others on the spice market in Old Cairo, El-Nouby likes to recall the famous tale of Egypt being one of the first countries to have known the import of spices from India and other countries since the times of the pharaohs. He accepts, however, that what spice stores offer relate more to what is in demand rather than to what the shops could get. For example, one of the things that got very popular during the past 20 years is the so called Seven-Spice blend. This is just a mix of a range of spices, including nutmeg, cumin, cinnamon, and other things, he argued. The mix really varies from one store to the other. Not just in terms of the list of spices included, but also in terms of the portions of each of the spices and the way the spices are prepared from the roots or leaves of the plants, he added. In some cases, El-Nouby argued, the seven-spice blend could be less than seven or more than seven. If one buys from a supermarket, it will probably be seven, but the less expensive spices will be the dominating ingredient of the mix. If one buys from a spices store, then it is customized really, he added. El-Nouby explained, we ask our clients if, for example, they suffer from insomnia, so we add more nutmeg and we may also put a strong slash of anise; if a client said that her husband is getting older, we cut down on the nutmeg and anise and favour a range of paprika. Spices and herbs are all about personal taste and health condition, and in a store of spices there is a lot of room for mixing things with different portions, he added. According to El-Nouby, the increasing number of cooking programmes that are aired on several TV channels have inspired so many people to explore a lot more with spices. Actually, he added, that trying to pick up diverse recipes from international cuisines, especially from online cooking websites, has also contributed to the interest of clients to explore. For example, we have for years and years made mixes to help marinating chicken and meat; but with the TV chefs, these blends became a lot more popular, El-Nouby said. He watches some of these programmes at times to be prepared for the new orders of his clients. El-Nouby said that during the past 10 years, there has been a lot more demand for spices required to make Chinese, Indian, and Italian recipes. These have included oregano and dried basil; the Chinese five-spice blend and garam masala. Saffron, he added, has also been in demand, as dishes from the Persian and Kashmiri cuisines were becoming more popular. Of course, the popularity of any spice or herb is always related to the price. Saffron, for example, is really very expensive; we sell it in grams, not in quarter kilos or kilos. Cardamom is also very expensive, but not like Saffron, he said. As a great deal of the spices are actually imported, El-Nouby said that the market has seen shoppers reducing their purchases as of late 2016 in the wake of the devaluation. Some items, he added, got scrapped off the shopping list of many people. Then we step in to offer alternatives that are not as expansive that could provide the same taste or have the same effect, he said. This is why people like to come to the store and discuss their shopping lists with us, he added. Not every single salesman at the Khedr El-Attar Academy of Spices, or any other spice store for that matter, is well versed enough to offer advice. This is only natural because it takes a few years for a newcomer to learn the secrets of spices and to be allowed into the secret recipes of the blends of spices and herbs, El-Nouby said. It was around the summer of 1974 that El-Nouby arrived, as a teenager, to Cairo, coming from Aswan to pursue a job with the Khedr El-Attar still, then, not an entitled academy for spices and herbs. His father was already selling spices at a very small scale during the 1950s and 1960s. At the time, he, like many others, would carry a little bag of diverse inexpensive spices and walk around the city to sell his products at small quantities for each shopper, he recalled. Around the 1970s, there were fewer and fewer peddlers. The sales of spices and herbs was becoming a higher profile business, especially in the case of stores that started to introduce dried fruits, a particularity of Ramadan. Again, the selection was not as wide as it has become today. But Ramadan was always a very popular shopping season for spices, herbs, and dried fruits. It still is the highest season for our work. People would always come perhaps now more for spices than for the range of dried fruits, but at least they would get the local variety of dates, he said. A spice store is something that every house, no matter the socio-economic range, would find something to get from; it is an essential shopping destination, ElNouby said. No wonder that Naguib Mahfouz featured an owner of a spice store as a leading character in his trilogy, he added. Indeed, on the old-fashioned wooden walls of the store, there is the famous black and white picture of actor Yehiya Shahine playing Mahfouzs famous El-Sayed Ahmed Abdel-Gawad. It is almost Sunday noon, there are more shoppers coming in for their Ramadan purchases with the holy month coming round the corner. El-Nouby has to go help one of the new salesmen find some moringa. It helps control the blood glucose level and with the advent of Ramadan, it becomes a staple for many people who worry about the excessive intake of Kounafa and Qattayef; Ramadan Karim, he said. According to Mahmoud El-Attar, a third-generation heir of the owners of this expanding family business, herbal solutions are gaining a lot more ground almost every single day. Yes, it is true that we still get most of our demand for the food spices and the basic herbal medication options by those who are associated with herbal traditions, but it is also true that we are finding a growing interest in herbal solutions in new spaces, including younger and quite well-off people who are developing this interest, El-Attar said. He added that the newer and more modern stores that are now available in the zones of upscale residential communities has been successful in luring the interest of some new clientele. The business model was updated to serve profit interests, but it also helped give the concept of herbal solutions a bigger space. And according to Sherif Hassan, a business development consultant, devaluation has been a factor as well on all levels, really, he said. Sherif argued that after the devaluation of the Egyptian pound in the autumn of 2016, some people who were in the habit of buying their packaged spices off the shelf at the big supermarkets opted to a more economic range at the traditional spice stores. There has certainly been a hype, he said, at all the stores of spices and herbs on Al-Muez street. A growing sector of herbal solutions in the wake of devaluation, Hassan argued, has been body and hair care. With the increasing prices of otherwise imported body and hair care products; many opted to inspect more basic and more natural solutions. The results, as well as the prices impressed some and encouraged more to give natural products and mixes a chance; it has really been picking up well, Hassan said. It is not all very new that people come to a spice/herbal store for organic beauty products; this has been there for a very long time, he said. Spice/herbal stores were and will always be essentially about culinary products, but they are also about organic medicine and organic beauty products, he added. Search Keywords: Short link: C hildren as young as eight are being stopped and strip-searched by police, according to shocking new figures. A total of 2,847 children have been stopped and strip-searched in the past four years in England and Wales, according to a new analysis by childrens commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza. Of those, nearly a quarter were aged between ten and fifteen, with black children more likely to be targeted. Dame Rachel said black children were six times more likely to be strip-searched by police compared to the national population. Speaking to the Sunday Times ahead of the publication of her report on Monday, she said the findings were shocking and had kept her awake at night. The findings come just after the publication of the damning Casey report into the Metropolitan Police, which labelled the force institutionally racist, sexist and homophobic. Last year, there was an outcry over the case of Child Q, a black 15-year-old who was strip-searched after she was wrongly accused of carrying cannabis in east London. She was removed from an exam hall and asked to remove a sanitary towel during the search by female officers in 2020. Dame Rachels report is said to find that the practice is not limited to the Met. She told the Sunday Times: My hope was that Child Q was the only child that this would have ever happened to in a school. But the data I am about to release smashed that to smithereens. She added: The shocking thing about the strip-searching of children is that we didnt know. But we have now spoken to a lot of case studies about the problem . . . I cant tell you how many children have called us up and parents who have brought this up. Under guidelines, strip-searches must be conducted as quickly as possible and children should not be asked to remove all clothing at once. An appropriate adult must be present and no more than two people can be in the room at the same time. But De Souzas report will claim this is being flouted, with some children searched in schools, takeaways and even in an amusement park. The report is also expected to show that in a small number of cases, the searches were conducted with at least one officer of the opposite gender to the child present, in contravention of guidelines. Dame Louise Caseys report into the Met released this week said that strip-searches conducted by the force, the largest in the country, was an example of over-policing and disproportionate use of powers against certain communities. P rince Andrew is in talks to write an autobiography in a desperate bid to repair his reputation, according to reports. The Duke of York wants to use the memoir to help set the record straight in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Sources close to him have described the proposed book as Spare 2.0 after Prince Harrys controversial memoir. The Sun reports that two leading publishers are interested in the book. But a source told the paper: Everyone close to him is telling him its a stupid idea and he should just forget it. Another added: Andrew was the original spare and theres plenty of material. Compared to Harry, he has a far greater depth of history to draw from. Writing a book would give him the opportunity to fully explain his association with Jeffrey Epstein and the resulting fall-out. But it would also be a fascinating insight into the inner workings of the royals and their relationships. But mainly he wants to set the record straight. If he doesnt change the narrative, no one else will. It is believed that Andrew is in discussions with US author and interviewer Daphne Barak, who has written biographies of Amy Winehouse and former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment. The book could lead to a lucrative cash deal with a big publisher for Andrew. It follows reports that he has been left bewildered that he has not yet received any of Queen Elizabeth IIs inheritance. After the Queens death last September her 650million Duchy of Lancaster estate was automatically left to King Charles III. However, Prince Andrew, 63, is said to have told friends he feels "despair" that the King has not shared any of his new wealth among his siblings. According to the Daily Mail, Prince Andrew feels an amount of "resentment" at the situation. A palace source told the paper that the Queens fortune had passed directly "from monarch to monarch" because that was the most "tax efficient" way to transfer it. A t least 29 migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean in an attempt to reach Italy from Tunisia, the Tunisian coast guard said on Sunday. Tunisia is a major departure point for people fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa in the hope of a better life in Europe. The deaths are the latest involving people departing from the north African country, where the authorities have launched a crackdown on undocumented people from sub-Saharan Africa. Tunisian fishermen recovered 19 bodies, said National Guard spokesman Houssameddine Jebabli. The Coast Guard also recovered eight bodies on Saturday night and rescued 11 survivors who had been aboard a boat that went down, he said. Two other bodies were recovered in waters off the Tunisian port of Sfax. The coast guard said it had stopped about 80 boats heading for Italy in the past four days and detained more than 3,000 migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries. It was not clear how many people were on the boats that sank. A Tunisian NGO that tracks migration issues said five boats were believed to have foundered in the past two days off the Tunisian port of Sfax and that 67 people remained unaccounted for. According to UN data, at least 12,000 migrants who reached Italy this year set sail from Tunisia, compared with 1,300 in the same period of 2022. D ara O Briain has said criticism previously directed at Mock The Week over the lack of diversity among the shows panellists was bang on. The 51-year-old Irish comedian and presenter hosted the BBC comedy show for 17 years until it was decommissioned in 2022. Speaking to Desert Island Discs about criticism levelled at the show particularly for the lack of diversity among the comedians who would feature O Briain said: There was bits during the earlier years of it which were very combative, very elbow-sy and there was no space to mess around. It had a weird relationship with people To say its not as good as it used to be, or it was wrong sort of thing and there were things on which it was wrong I think thats bang on. I think they would argue, and certainly its true, that it accurately reflected the lack of diversity that was in that section of the comedy world at the time, but that doesnt mean that it couldnt have done more, and then did more, hopefully, later, in terms of bringing new talent in. At the time, the excuse would have been: if you skim through the programme for the Edinburgh Festival in 2008 its a sausage fest, its just bloke, bloke, bloke, bloke, bloke, bloke If you do it now, totally different. So, Ive always said that the reason it did is because a generation of female comics kicked the door in. Regular Mock The Week panellists included Hugh Dennis, Frankie Boyle, Russell Howard and Andy Parsons. The show received criticism from female comedians including Katherine Ryan and Jo Brand, both of whom appeared as panellists but later spoke out against the lack of female panellists. Reflecting on the axing of the show, which saw six comedians divided into two teams, each broadly answering news-related questions, O Briain told presenter Lauren Laverne: On the one hand it had endured and it had been very good to me and it could have gone on, but equally you dont get that kind of innings normally. But, so, the real reason it was kind of bittersweet was, after years of people (saying) oh its rubbish, its rubbish, the minute it got axed they were like, Ive always been very fond of it. What were you watching all this time? Nobody told us that, all we got was the grief off people, we never got the impression that people were liking it! O Briain chose eight tracks to take with him to the desert island, including Gloria Estefans Cuba Libre, Groove Is In The Heart by Deee-Lite and Mozarts Requiem. He also chose an astrophotography rig as his luxury item to take to the island, thanks to his love of star gazing. Desert Island Discs airs on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 4 at 11.15am on Sunday. Head of the Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Tawadros II discussed in Cairo Sunday with Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Promoting the European way of Life, religious freedoms and the status of Christians in Egypt. Pope Tawadros II received at the Papal residence in Cairo Schinas and his accompanying delegation and the head of the EU commission in Egypt, Christian Berger, to discuss Egypts key role in promoting interfaith dialogue and coexistence. According to the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Tawadros presented a brief history of Egypt and the Coptic Orthodox Church during the meeting. We are a strong church in the Middle East, and we have a good relationship with other churches and all corners of the Egyptian state, said Pope Tawadros II. He added that the Coptic Church is the oldest in the Middle East, and Alexandria was the first city to accept the Christian faith in Africa. The Egyptian Pope highlighted that the Church has a social role to play besides its spiritual role. Therefore, he explained, the Church established the Pontifical Office for projects ten years ago to provide its services to the community in education, health, and empowerment of women and youth through small projects and humanitarian aid. According to the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church, Schinas asked about the security situation of the Church and the attacks against churches that took place in previous periods in Egypt. "The protection of churches is the responsibility of the State, which it carries out efficiently, but the attacks that occurred before were aimed at breaking our national unity. The State, however, is constantly working to establish the principle of equality, Pope Tawadros said. The Pope also cited the 2016 law regulating the construction of churches. He also highlighted that competence alone is the sole criterion for filling senior positions in Egypt and that this has allowed Christians to occupy the such position, so much so that there are currently two Christian governors. At the end of the meeting, the Pope presented the EU delegation with a book in English on the Holy Family's journey to Egypt as a souvenir. Search Keywords: Short link: As Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Centre executive director, Emily Kovacs has heard many stories about the human impact and the incredible journeys people have to make to arrive at Canadas borders. As recently as Thursday, an asylum seeker shared a story of a years-long journey from Nigeria to Canada in the hope of finding freedom people here enjoy without a blink of an eye. Think about their plight; they went from Nigeria to Venezuela and made their way up to Canada. They luckily made it through, Kovacs said. She said that refugee was one of about 5,000 asylum seekers Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has placed in Niagara Falls hotel rooms since June most of them crossing into Canada at Roxham Road, an unofficial border crossing from New York state into Quebec. But as of midnight Saturday, Kovacs said people making those long, dangerous journeys will arrive to find Canada has closed its doors to them. Although the Safe Third Country Agreement between the U.S. and Canada allows Canadian border officials to deny entry to asylum seekers at regular ports of entry, people have been taking advantage of a loophole in the agreement avoiding the threat of being denied entry into Canada by crossing at unofficial entry points such as Roxham Road. That loophole, however, was abruptly closed Friday when the federal government announced an expansion of the Safe Third Country Agreement to also covers crossings between ports of entry along the 8,891-kilometre-long border with the U.S. Change came into effect hours later. Thats the devastating part about it. We cannot say Canada is a humanitarian country and turn our backs to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees declaration. Thats absolutely unheard of, Kovacs said. Who makes those decisions as to who is a deserving and eligible human and who is not? You and I could have been born in a different part of the globe and we could be in that group. Wouldnt you want somebody to look out for you and I? Kovacs said the federal governments decision is the latest of several international responses to an increasing number of people around the world who have been forced from their homelands by pressures such as war, oppression and environmental issues. How incredibly callous and uncaring can we be, right? she said. I understand that there is a need to regularize peoples migration, and I understand the human impact. Weve had exponential growth and our wait-lists are longer than ever, but shutting the borders is absolutely the wrong way to go. She said Canadas decision will not go unchallenged. There will be a call to action. This will not be the end of it. Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey said he spoke briefly with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser about the decision on Friday and plans to again meet with him in the week to come to discuss concerns such as those raised by immigration organizations. Its an ongoing discussion and dialogue with our American partners, but also with partners we have here in Canada, Badawey said. Nothings a done deal when it comes to situations like that. Kovacs said the Canadian Council for Refugees held an emergency meeting Friday evening following the announcement. The organization released a statement Saturday, expressing concern that the decision to expand the agreement will have devastating impacts on tens of thousands of people who have been forcibly displaced and are seeking protection. The agreement will force more people back to the U.S., where they will be at risk of arbitrary detention and potential return to persecution and possibly death, the statement said. Canadian Council for Refugees called it shocking that the federal government announced its decision while the agreement is still under review by the Supreme Court. Rather than preventing irregular entries into Canada, expanding the agreement will make them more irregular, dangerous and underground, its statement said. We can expect to see an increased number of people hurt or even dying as they attempt risky routes across the border, including in deep winter. Unscrupulous smugglers will take advantage of the opportunity to make money out of peoples desperation, the organization said, adding the changes were adopted without consultation or adequate preparation. Kovacs said members of Canadian Council for Refugees had a meeting scheduled for Monday with Fraser. Although the meeting was unrelated to this event, that meeting will be interesting for sure, she said. Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants is also expected to issue a statement condemning the decision, she added. Although the government announced a commitment to resettle 15,000 people from the Western Hemisphere, Kovacs said it is a small fraction of the number of people who will be barred from seeking refugee protection in Canada as a result of the agreements expansion. Kovacs said she agrees unofficial border crossings need to be addressed, but not this way. It doesnt bode well for our humanitarian principles in Canada. We have wanted the rest of the world to know we are a humanitarian country. We have signalled to the rest of the world to come and be with us, and to have an about-face in such a manner is outrageous. In a media release, Amnesty International Canada secretary general Ketty Nivyabandi called it an affront to the rights of refugee claimants. People fleeing their home countries, and then risking their lives by crossing irregularly into Canada, would not take such drastic steps if the United States immigration and refugee-protection system could be counted on to respect migrants rights, Nivyabandi said. By instead withdrawing from the agreement entirely, Nivyabandi said it would encourage safe, orderly crossings at the Canada-U.S. border and help ensure that peoples right to make a refugee claim is protected. Amnistie internationale Canada francophone executive director France-Isabelle Langlois called the expanded Safe Third Country Agreement a death sentence, a failure to recognize the humanity of tens of thousands of people, adding it must be rescinded, as the United States is not a safe country for asylum seekers. It is time for Canada to put human rights at the centre of its immigration and refugee-protection system, to welcome people fleeing violence and persecution with dignity, Langlois said. SHARE: Hamiltonians hoping to get a taste of the North Shore Mountains will soon have a new flight option departing the city a few times a week. Lynx Air announced Wednesday that starting April 16, the low-cost airline will begin offering flights to Vancouver, B.C., out of John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. The flights from Steeltown which start at $89 one way will initially be offered three times a week and eventually increase to five times a week by July, according to a press release. The service will operate as a through flight via Calgary International Airport, meaning passengers will use a single boarding pass for their trip, stated the company. In the release, Lynx Air CEO Merren McArthur said the ultra low-cost carrier is excited to offer more connections between the two cities as Canadians look to book their summer vacation. Spokesperson Rose Bolton told The Spectator the flights will run until mid-October. Bookings for the flights opened on Wednesday, according to the company. The latest news comes weeks after Swoop announced the airline will have non-stop flights to Charlottetown, P.E.I., and Deer Lake, N.L., out of the city starting in late May. Read more about: SHARE: TORONTO - One word you dont expect to hear at the boardroom table is love. But at Indigenous-owned tech company Animikii, you can find it everywhere including in company decisions about hiring, remote work and flexibility. The company says centring love in its decisions from accepting clients to partnering with investors to supporting employees during a global pandemic is key to its success, now and for generations to come. Animikii uses as a guide the Anishinaabe Seven Grandfather Teachings, which include love, truth and respect. These values help inform the companys day-to-day decisions but also its longer-term goals, like bringing more Indigenous people into the technology sector, and using technology to support Indigenous economic development. Some people call it decolonizing. Others may call it centring Indigenous wisdom and values, said Animikii CEO Jeff Ward, who is Ojibwe and Metis and lives in Victoria on Lekwungen territory. We know that if we focus on those teachings ... thats our best bet to have a successful outcome or a positive impact over those generations. Animikii, which Ward founded 20 years ago, provides technology and services including software and website design for its clients, most of which are Indigenous companies or organizations. It was a slow path to growth for the company, which was a one-man show for years, with Ward working from home while raising a young family, and his wife joining the business full-time later on. Animikii, which now has about 30 employees, made its first full-time hire in 2015. Around the same time, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was coming to a close. Ward, who was a statement-gatherer for the commission, says he started to feel there was an opportunity for Animikii and its social impact to grow. But he wanted his employees to get the flexibility hed had as a solo entrepreneur working from home. It felt like the right thing to do to build in policies and practices that enabled others to have that flexibility, or at least a level of flexibility that maybe they wouldnt get ... somewhere else. Among Animikiis remote workers is chief impact and communications officer Ian Capstick, who calls himself a white settler and lives in Montreal. Allowing and supporting remote work isnt just a perk to employees, Capstick said: It really brings a diversity of opinions and places. Animikiis policies include personal days, companywide paid days off, unpaid cultural leave, alternative statutory holidays, paid pet leave, bereavement leave for chosen family and compressed work weeks. They have changed and expanded over time, especially in light of the pandemic, said chief operating officer David Pereira the balance is still a work in progress. Everyone can benefit from remote work, he said, but he believes its even more important in an Indigenous context because it allows people to stay in their communities instead of having to relocate. Capstick acknowledged that from a technological standpoint, it can be difficult for some people in more remote areas to work from home. The company has policies regarding the extra costs of supporting a remote worker with these challenges, he said: We cross each of those bridges on an individualized basis. The Seven Grandfather Teachings are brought up often and early for employees at Animikii, said Ward, including during the job application process. They are featured in the employee handbook, project contracts, business strategy and job listings. Ward says it can be challenging to balance these values with running a business. There have been years where the company was more focused on its social impact, to the detriment of potential profits, he said. And there have been years where the focus was too much on profits. The company tries to be transparent with employees when it comes to trying to maintain this balance, said Ward. As Indigenous peoples, weve had to work within colonial systems. And were also really good at ... being able to work within them, he said. We will push those boundaries as much as we can ... to decolonize some of those concepts and centre Indigenous world view and values. Working within these values also means saying no to some clients. Ward says hes had to turn down a lot of projects over the years that would have boosted Animikiis bank account, which was especially difficult in the companys early days. Animikii mandates that at least half the members of its board of directors be Indigenous and half be women or non-binary, which also limits potential investors looking for a seat, Ward said. But he sees that as a positive. Thats a great conversation to have at that level of venture capital and social finance, he said. Why is it that you cant nominate a woman to your board seat to represent you, or an Indigenous person? Animikiis guiding values were also instrumental in figuring out how to support employees during COVID-19, said Ward. Nobody really had a pandemic policy, and we certainly didnt either, he said. We just asked ourselves, what is the loving thing to do? The pandemic shifted Animikiis focus from growth to stability and sustainability, said Pereira. What we realized was, looking after the people would look after the company, he said. Large-scale asset ownership by Indigenous peoples is more common in New Zealand, said Pereira, who is of Samoan heritage and born and raised in New Zealand. The Maori own large swaths of assets like land, fisheries and other industries, and some of these companies have multi-hundred-year plans, he said. To think beyond the next quarter or the next financial year, to think in terms of the people who will lead a company in the future, it really starts to change the scope of what youre looking at, Pereira said. Ward calls that seven-generations thinking. The actions that we have will affect generations for the next seven generations. And the actions of our ancestors seven generations ago are impacting us today, he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2023. SHARE: HALIFAX - A Royal Canadian Navy frigate departed Halifax today as part of the federal governments wider strategy of boosting its presence in the Indo-Pacific region. HMCS Montreal steamed out of Halifax to become the first of three frigates to deploy in the region over a 12-month period, with the support of the naval supply vessel Asterix. Defence Minister Anita Anand has touted the deployment of three rather than two frigates to the region as part of a wider strategy to demonstrate a bigger Canadian presence in the region, particularly in the Indian Ocean. A news release says the ship and its on-board Cyclone helicopter detachment will work closely with allies in naval exercises during the deployment. Anand says the frigate will also be part of Canadas contribution to multinational efforts to monitor sanctions imposed on North Korea by the United Nations Security Council. The sanctions are designed to pressure North Korea to abandon its weapons of mass destruction programs. The Halifax-class frigates carry anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare weapons and sensors, along with anti-air warfare defences. Last fall, Ottawa announced it was earmarking $2.3 billion to form closer ties with countries that span Pakistan to Japan. That included a half-billion dollars to deploy a third naval frigate to the area and boost collaboration on both cybersecurity and military training with allies. Anand has said working with countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore represents a shift that goes beyond a naval presence in the region as Canada seeks to boost economic relationships with those nations. However, the Indo-Pacific strategy did not include a registry of foreign agents. Some intelligence experts have been calling on Canada to follow the U.S. and Australia in compelling countries to register anyone engaging in domestic political activity. The Liberals first promised the strategy in 2015 and had initially planned to launch it in late 2020. It was announced after a period of rocky diplomatic relations with China and included a comment that, China is an increasingly disruptive global power. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: On Saturday night, Andrea Magalhaes heard reports on the news of a man who was stabbed at Keele subway station, but she didnt think it could be her son Gabriel, who had been out with friends. I thought, hes not a man, hes a kid, said Andrea, who is a nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital. You never think its going to happen to you, right? But when Gabriel didnt answer her calls or messages later Saturday night, panic started to settle in. Andrea left the front door unlocked in case her son forgot his key, and lay awake looking at her phone until detectives knocked on her door. They confirmed the worst: Gabriel had been stabbed in the chest three times that night. The attack, which police say was random and unprovoked, took place just before 9 p.m. on the lower level of the busy station. Police said on Sunday they believe the victim was attacked while sitting on a bench across from a bank of pay phones near the escalators up to Keeles westbound subway platform. Read more: A timeline of TTC violence and Torontos response over the last year Paramedics treated Gabriel at the scene and rushed him to hospital, but he died from his injuries. Police said the suspect fled the station, which sits next to a payday loan shop and across from High Park. Later Saturday night they arrested a 22-year-old homeless man, Jordan OBrien-Tobin, and charged him with first-degree murder. OBrien-Tobin appeared virtually in Toronto bail court Sunday morning. He was sitting peacefully on a bench, Andrea said of Gabriel. I dont know if (the suspect) had mental health issues, or why they decided to end my sons life. Something needs to change, she said. My (younger) son, Lucas, how can I let him go outside? When is it going to stop this senseless violence? It was the fourth homicide on or near TTC property in less than a year, part of a growing wave of serious violence on a transit system still struggling to recover from the ridership collapse brought on by COVID-19. Ridership in Toronto was down significantly last year from pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, serious violence on TTCs buses, trains, streetcars and in stations has spiked. There were 1,068 violent incidents against passengers on the TTC in 2022. That compares to just 669 in 2019, the last full pre-pandemic year. Violence against operators is also up, even as overall ridership remains just 67 per cent of what it was three years ago. The attacks, which have been characterized again and again by both their brutality and seeming randomness, have at times dominated local news in recent months and could yet shape the coming byelection for Torontos mayor. Andrea said the issue isnt one with a short-term solution, emphasizing the impact of cuts to social resources. People with mental health issues need more access to services, she said. Its not about just adding more security; you have to provide the tools for people with mental illness to cope with life. Toronto police added extra patrols on the TTC in late January. That surge, which relied on officers working overtime, lasted six weeks before police pulled the plug in mid-March. The TTC itself has also deployed managers to patrol the system during busy periods and last week announced a pilot project that will see outreach workers from the social services agency LOFT working inside the system itself with vulnerable people who are using stations and trains as de facto shelters. The city also has plans to hire another 50 special constables to patrol the TTC. Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie said Sunday that the murder of a 16-year-old boy at a subway station is a tragedy. My thoughts are with Gabriel Magalhaess family and friends as they mourn this loss, she said in a statement. The TTC has to be a safe place for all riders and transit workers we can accept nothing less. Andrea said her family moved to Toronto from Brazil in 2000 under the impression that there was less violence here. She remembered thinking: Toronto is a wonderful city with a great quality of life. Were going to be safe here. I trusted the system. I trusted public transit, Magalhaes said. Now, I am 100 per cent hopeless. Police closed the station for several hours Saturday. When it reopened Sunday, the only remaining hint of a police presence was a bundle of yellow crime-scene tape stuffed in a plastic garbage bag across from the bench where Magalhaes was stabbed. Outside the station on Sunday, Dan Larabee stood smoking a cigarette, waiting for his bus home. He had intended to be at Keele around the time of the attack Saturday. I was just out and about, and I was going to come down here and go visit my buddy, he said. And then I decided not to, and then I woke up this morning and that was on the news. RELATED STORIES GTA A timeline of TTC violence and Torontos response over the last year Larabee, who transfers through Keele a few times a week on his way to visit friends in the west end, said hes more nervous than he used to be in the city, whether thats on transit or just walking around. Youve always got to look over your back, he said. At night time, when I go out, Im always looking behind me to see if theres people following me. For Mackenzie Bartlett, a member of the TTCriders advocacy group, the big issue is funding cuts for the system generally. Fewer routes mean longer waits and more opportunities for things to go wrong, she said. I have seen people that are having a tough time, maybe acting in a way that makes me uncomfortable, she said. But they have to get around too, so I dont know. The violence isnt unique to the TTC, Bartlett believes. Its a broader Toronto problem, a broader Ontario problem, a broader Canada problem, she said. Its not just on the TTC. We see people all over the city: people losing their jobs, people not being able to make rent, people being evicted. Inside the station, passengers moved from the bus bays up the escalators to the elevated platforms. On the main floor, a man in a tan hat walked in and out the doors, asking loudly for change. Nearby, three special constables helped one young woman with a rolling suitcase find her way. The TTC takes your safety very seriously, an announcement said over the stations audio system. On the westbound platform, a billboard covered over in hard plastic read: Homelessness is not a crime. Andrea described her son as a shy, sweet and hardworking boy. Gabriel had a passion for math, had a learning disability and worked extremely hard at school, she said. He loved snowboarding and went to Blue Mountain every Saturday this winter with Andrea, his dad Fernando, and his little brother Lucas where he would give his mom tips on how she could improve her technique. Gabriel was planning to get his first job this summer as a lifeguard and wanted to study astrophysics at university. He was loved, he was happy, he had dreams, Andrea said. I really, really admired him. I was so proud of him. With files from Edward Djan , Lex Harvey, Aisling Murphy and Alyshah Hasham SHARE: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A group of Tennessee Republicans began this years legislative session hoping to add narrow exceptions to one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, armed with the belief that most people even in conservative Tennessee reject extremes on the issue. Tennessee law requires doctors to prove in court that they were saving a womans life when they performed an abortion. Surely, the lawmakers thought, they could win concessions that would allow doctors to use their good faith judgment about when abortion is necessary to save a womans life. But after a key anti-abortion group stepped in, the lawmakers had to settle for a stricter legal standard that moves the needle very little. Like lawmakers in several GOP-led states who started the year thinking about moderating the nations toughest abortion laws, Tennessees lawmakers found no appetite among their colleagues for loosening the rules. During the first legislative sessions in most states since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, lawmakers on both sides are dug in. Republicans are moving to make abortion restrictions tougher. Democrat-dominated states are moving to protect access for their residents and, now, for the residents of other states arriving for care. Abortion is one of the most stark examples of the political divide between red states and blue states, even when we know that people generally favor the middle on abortion, said Gretchen Ely, a professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee. Last years overturning of the 1973 Roe decision meant that state laws banning or restricting abortion if such a ruling arrived took effect. Many were met with legal challenges. Currently, bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy are in place in 13 states and on hold in another four because of court injunctions. Lawmakers in most states have introduced abortion-related legislation this year. Republican-backed measures include funding for counseling centers that discourage abortion, bans on medication abortions and other restrictions. Democrats bills include expanding insurance coverage for abortion and knocking back restrictions implemented in the past. The legislative action comes after voters in six states conservative, moderate and liberal -- voted in referendums last year and abortion access proponents prevailed in all of them. Polling has shown the public was unhappy with the overturning of Roe even as they also support some abortion restrictions. But Mary Ziegler, a legal historian at the University of California, Davis School of Law, said anti-abortion groups are anticipating that abortion rights support will gradually diminish. Theres a belief that people will be more open to more and more stringent bans the further we get away from Roe v. Wade being the law, she said. Kelsey Pritchard, a member of the state affairs staff at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said those ballot measure losses motivated anti-abortion groups to get their message out more strongly. It was a wakeup call for how much work we have to do, she said. The ban currently implemented in Tennessee is among the most stringent. Instead of an exception for abortions to save the life of the woman, it includes an affirmative defense for doctors, placing the burden on them to prove an abortion was medically necessary. Now, a scaled-back proposal is moving through the Legislature. It removes the affirmative defense language but still doesnt grant access to abortions in the cases of medically futile pregnancies and lethal fetal anomalies. Doctors warned the new exemption will do little to relieve worries about being prosecuted. Tennessee Right to Life had already revoked its endorsement of one GOP lawmaker seen as a key tool for winning over conservative voters after Republican Sen. Richard Briggs called for changes while admitting that he voted in favor of the states so-called trigger ban because he didnt believe Roe would actually be overturned. Now the lobbying group warned that it could do the same with others who tried to weaken the ban. This new amended bill only allows a woman to access an abortion if shes damn near on her deathbed, said Democratic Sen. London Lamar, who experienced her own near-fatal pregnancy loss several years ago. In Kentucky, a Republican bill to allow abortion in the case of pregnancies caused by rape or incest also made no headway. Other red states are looking to tighten the bans and restrictions already in place. Florida, which currently bans abortions after 15 weeks, is considering banning them them at six weeks gestation a move backed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to announce his candidacy for president in the coming months. Wyoming recently adopted a ban on abortions throughout pregnancy though its enforcement was halted last week by a judge as well as a separate law specifically to bar medication abortions, which are the most common method of ending pregnancies in the U.S. And South Carolina raised eyebrows when more than 20 GOP lawmakers sponsored a bill classifying abortion as homicide opening the door for women to face the death penalty, a step no state has yet taken. The bill has since stalled in the House amid backlash, with nine sponsors removing their names as supporters. Instead, lawmakers are advancing an abortion ban with some exceptions. In blue states, the push to protect abortion access continues. In liberal Oregon, there are no legal restrictions on when abortions can be provided. But the Legislature is considering a sweeping measure that would allow someone to bring a civil lawsuit against a government agency for interfering with reproductive health rights and also for minors to access certain gender-affirming care services without parental involvement. Dozens of people gave emotional testimony last week on the bill. With both chambers of the Minnesota legislature now under Democratic control, the state adopted a law to codify abortion rights that were protected under a 1995 state Supreme Court decision. Lawmakers have also pushed ahead with a measure to prohibit enforcement of laws, subpoenas, judgements or extradition requests from other states against people who get, perform or assist with abortions in Minnesota. Several other blue states enacted similar measures last year through laws or executive orders, including Hawaii, whose governor signed one last Wednesday. That brand of protections came largely in response to a 2021 Texas law that relies on private lawsuits to enforce abortion bans. Ballot measures to approve or ban abortions could also go to voters this year or next in several states, including Maryland and Missouri. But in at least one case, anti-abortion groups are playing a long game with those efforts. In Ohio, theyre trying to keep a ballot question to guarantee the right to abortion off the ballot in November all while trying to get another question on the ballot. That question would amend the state constitution to require ballot measures have at least 60% approval to be adopted, rather than the current standard of more than half, making it harder for abortion rights amendments in the future to pass. ___ Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. AP reporters James Pollard in Columbia, South Carolina, Bruce Schreiner in Louisville, Kentucky, and Julie Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, also contributed. Pollard is a members of the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit service program that places journalists in newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. SHARE: Like any good tourist, U.S. President Joe Biden was only searching for an authentic Canadian experience. And here they are, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and thrill-seeking Joe, white water rafting on the Ottawa River. A six-pack of Canadian dangles over the rafts edge and Bidens wearing that trademark toothy grin. Just a couple of buddies enjoying the outdoors. Even the beavers are applauding. Is it a scene from the latest Monkman? Fantasy or a nightmare? Dream or reality? Cant tell? Welcome to 2023, ladies and gentlemen. If you think the image I describe cannot be generated then you havent been paying attention to the menace that is deepfake technology. And heres your news flash: while we can be amused by the fun such a picture can create, there is nothing funny in the least about its threat to peoples privacy, safety, sanity, and our very way of life. Some moments in history demand a comprehensive public policy response to extinguish nascent, but dangerous, developments. We are at that moment. Make no mistake, the latest advancements in generative AI represent a threat entirely different from those posed by social media, the internet, and other innovations we have failed to adequately legislate over the last two decades. Case in point. As rumours swirled that Donald Trump was to be arrested in New York this week, hyperrealistic images of him being aggressively detained circulated on social media. They were provocative, jarring, totally fake and precisely the kind of thing that has the potential not only to kick-start a virtual media storm but genuine civil unrest. These developments also give numerous crimes, including doxing, extortion, and intellectual property theft a frightening upgrade imperilling the livelihoods of not just politicians or celebrities but all of us. The bottom line? Canadian institutions must move with urgency, and develop policies that lead, rather than wait, on this critical matter. While we cant put the genie back in the bottle, there are important steps that should have been taken yesterday. First, we must enhance our legal framework. Legislation should be clearly amended to criminalize malicious deepfake creation and distribution. Here we should follow Quebecs lead. Quebecs Civil Code already provides a remedy for invasion of privacy using a persons name, image, likeness, or voice, and this concept should be broadly implemented. Public-private collaboration is paramount. Partnerships between government, tech companies, and academia focused specifically on improving deepfake detection and prevention technologies, will help combat the threat. Internet companies have been using sophisticated AI to combat deepfakes on their platforms for years now. Our government needs to lean on the expertise of the tech sector which, frankly, knows this issue better than they do. Education is also vital. Implementing digital literacy and public awareness campaigns about deepfakes and their potential consequences will empower Canadians to play an active role in combating them. News and social media sites should be encouraged to implement systems for flagging doctored images that will help users distinguish between genuine and manipulated content. Finally, we must seek out international co-operation. Shared norms and strategies for combating deepfakes will ensure a more effective and co-ordinated response to the borderless nature of the deepfake threats. By advocating for global standards that address the deepfake challenge, we make it harder for malicious actors to exploit jurisdictional differences to evade consequences. Here Canada can play an important role and, jokes aside, I hope the topic was raised between Biden and Trudeau this week. Deepfakes underscore the necessity for government intervention during times of great technological change. Safeguarding our democratic institutions, protecting individual privacy, and maintaining social cohesion are fundamental responsibilities of government. Tackling the deepfake threat is critical to preserving the integrity of our political discourse and building a more secure future for all citizens, so they feel safe not only in their everyday lives but in cyberspace too. Jaime Watt is the executive chairman of Navigator Ltd. and a Conservative strategist. He is a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @jaimewatt Read more about: SHARE: The Florence museum housing Michelangelos Renaissance masterpiece the David invited parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit after complaints about a lesson featuring the statue forced the principal to resign. Florence Mayor Dario Nardella also tweeted an invitation for the principal to visit so he can personally honor her. Confusing art with pornography was ridiculous, Nardella said. The incredulous Italian response highlights how the U.S. culture wars are often perceived in Europe, where despite a rise in right-wing sentiment and governance, the Renaissance and its masterpieces, even its naked ones, are generally free of controversy. But the board of the Tallahassee Classical School pressured Principal Hope Carrasquilla to resign last week after an image of the David was show to a sixth-grade art class. The school has a policy requiring parents to be notified in advance about controversial topics being taught. Carrasquilla believes the board targeted her after three parents complained about a lesson including a photo of the David, a 5-meter tall (17 foot) nude marble sculpture dating from 1504. The work, considered a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, depicts the Biblical David going to fight Goliath armed only with his faith in God. Carrasquilla has said two parents complained because they werent notified in advance that a nude would be shown, while a third called the iconic statue pornographic. Carrasquilla said in a phone interview Sunday that she is very honored by the invitations to Italy and she may accept. I am totally, like, wow, Carasquilla said. Ive been to Florence before and have seen the David up close and in person, but I would love to go and be a guest of the mayor. Cecilie Hollberg, director of the Galleria dellAccademia, where the David resides, expressed astonishment at the controversy. To think that David could be pornographic means truly not understanding the contents of the Bible, not understanding Western culture and not understanding Renaissance art, Hollberg said in a telephone interview. She invited the principal, school board, parents and student body to view the purity of the statue. Tallahassee Classical is a charter school. While it is taxpayer-funded and tuition-free, it operates almost entirely independently of the local school district and is sought out by parents seeking an alternative to the public school curriculum. About 400 students from kindergarten through 12th grade attend the three-year-old institution, which is now on its third principal. It follows a curriculum designed by Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian school in Michigan frequently consulted by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on educational issues. Barney Bishop, chairman of Tallahassee Classicals school board, has told reporters that while the photo of the statue played a part in Carrasquillas ouster, it wasnt the only factor. He has declined to elaborate, while defending the decision. Parents are entitled to know anytime their child is being taught a controversial topic and picture, Bishop said in an interview with Slate online magazine. Several parents and teachers plan to protest Carrasquillas ouster at Monday nights school board meeting, but Carrasquilla said she isnt sure she would take the job back even if it were offered. Theres been such controversy and such upheaval, she said. I would really have to consider, Is this truly what is best? Marla Stone, head of humanities studies at the American Academy in Rome, said the Florida incident was another episode in escalating U.S. culture wars and questioned how the statue could be considered so controversial as to warrant a prior warning. What we have here is a moral crusade against the body, sexuality, and gender expression and an ignorance of history, Stone said in an email. The incident is about fear, fear of beauty, of difference, and of the possibilities embedded in art. Michelangelo Buonarroti sculpted the David between 1501-1504 after being commissioned by the Cathedral of Florence. The statue is the showpiece of the Accademia, and helps draw 1.7 million visitors each year to the museum. It is incredibly sought-after by Americans who want to do selfies and enjoy the beauty of this statue, Director Hollberg said. The museum, like many in Europe, is free for student groups. There was no indication that any trip would be subsidized by the city or museum. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition OTTAWA - The Canadian Armed Forces is under fire for its plan to cut thousands of troops off a cost-of-living allowance without much notice. The military announced last week that about 7,700 Armed Forces members will no longer receive the top-up starting in July, when it will be replaced by a new housing benefit that commanders say will better assist those who need the most help. Social media and online forums dedicated to military personnel have been crackling with dissatisfaction over the plan, including the abbreviated timeline. Some are also unhappy with a new 10 per cent pay increase over four years, retroactive to 2021. Experts say the lack of notice speaks to larger problems around how the military treats its people, which they worry is sparking anger and frustration at a time when the Canadian Armed Forces is struggling with a recruitment and retention crisis. Were pissing people off, said retired lieutenant-general Guy Thibault, who previously served as vice-chief of the defence staff. And this may be the final straw that pisses them off. Its not really about compensation. Its just that theyre not feeling valued. The decision to replace the militarys existing cost-of-living allowance with a new housing benefit follows a 14-year battle between the Department of National Defence and Treasury Board, the central department that controls federal spending. Established in 2000 as a way to compensate members for the added costs of having to live and work in certain communities, the allowance rates were frozen in 2009 as defence and treasury officials fought over the programs cost and parameters. Canadian Forces College professor Alan Okros said members were led to believe that that when a deal was finally struck, it would finally raise rates and expand eligibility as troops living in some parts of the country did not qualify. There was a generalized tone and expectation of, Look, were working on it. ... Were going to sort it all out, said Okros, who specializes in military personnel and culture. There was this generalized expectation of, Its going to be much better. Such expectations were predicated on the belief that the government would put more money into the pot to compensate troops for their service, particularly given that the Armed Forces is currently dealing with a recruitment and retention crisis. That didnt happen. Instead, the military says the new housing benefit is both more equitable and more efficient than the previous allowance as it is tied to salary, includes more geographic locations, and will cost about $30 million less per year. Charlotte Duval-Lantoine, an expert on military culture at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute think tank, said some members who were receiving the cost-of-living allowance would have accounted for that money in their budgetary planning. This is the distinction that frustrates people the most, because some of them will not be eligible in this (new benefit) even though theyre struggling in terms of their cost of living, she said. Theres going to be a readjustment for people. The fact it is being taken away in a matter of months without any previous consultation or warning speaks to problems with how the chain of command treats and communicates with its troops, she added. Its kind of emblematic of the way that we talk about personnel policy and how the military communicates (with) its personnel, she said. Its always big announcements. And then we dont hear about it for years on end. Then theres a new announcement. The housing benefit has also come under scrutiny, with concerns about the actual rates being based on the cost of renting a two-bedroom apartment without consideration for family size. Theres also a seven-year cap on receiving the benefit in one location. Members are also complaining that the new pay increase does not keep up with inflation. The new benefit and pay increase have nonetheless sparked a bit of a debate over compensation for military personnel, with some arguing troops are relatively well paid and most Canadians are facing some sort of economic pressure. Weve got a pretty well-paid force, not only against other allied forces or volunteer forces, but against the general population, said Thibault, who is now chair of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute think tank. In terms of where were going with the economy, its not unique to the Canadian Forces. Its a societal problem right now with interest rates, with inflation, with the economy, with housing. Rather, experts feel the reaction is more symptomatic of bigger problems as the Armed Forces faces growing demands while struggling with a shortage of personnel, old equipment, and efforts to radically overhaul its culture. Our government and Canadians, they seem to care for the Canadian Forces, Thibault said. But not care enough about them to make it a priority, or to address some of these longstanding problems. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: IRPIN, Ukraine - Oleksandra Verovkina and her son, Danylo, would stroll half a block through the back alley behind their apartment to a large forest. They would walk hand in hand beneath the tall trees, the air filled with the scent of pine resin, until the three-year old lost steam, and then return home. The bright orange dining room in their fourth-storey apartment soaked up the sun streaming in from the skylight in the roof. Oleksandra would place a cup of hot chocolate on the child-sized table where Danylo worked away on his favourite puzzle, a map of the world. When they did not feel up to a walk they would venture outside to the parking lot beside the white stucco building, where her son played on a bright yellow, metal play structure with a slide and swing. They were often joined by his best friend, who lived two floors below. Oleksandra, 36, had dreamt of leaving Ukraine for Canada since 2014 when separatist forces first seized the Donbas region where she lived at the time. But she put that idea aside in 2020 when she and her husband bought the relatively newly built apartment in Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv. It was the first home they owned together. When we landed in Irpin I fell in love with the city. Its amazing, she said, wearing a traditional embroidered Ukrainian blouse called a Vyshyvanka, with her blond hair in a bun. You can feel this spirit of community. The family does not live there anymore. On the morning of Feb. 24, 2022, Oleksandra woke up to the sound of her buzzing phone. It wasnt until she shook off the sleep that she heard the explosions in the distance. When we woke up, we started hearing the bombs and military flights, helicopters, Oleksandra said. Russian forces invaded from Belarus. Tanks rolled south toward the capital city of Kyiv. Airstrikes hit across the country in the early morning hours. On the phone, her brother was asking her what they were planning to do. She did not have an answer. Her husband, Oleksii, did. He had been paying attention to reports about enemy forces amassing on the border between Ukraine and Belarus to the north. Though most people in their lives did not believe news stories about an impending attack, Oleksii had started to get ready. Together they packed a few essentials: toiletries, some clothing, and toys and books for their son. Oleksandrasfavourite sweater was still in the laundry machine. She left it behind. Given the massive amount of people trying to get out of the city, they knew they had a long journey ahead of them. But when they heard bombs drop down on the nearby Hostomel Airport, they knew it was time to go. We got scared, she said. Oleksii urged them to leave at 7 p.m. They buckled Danylo in the back of the carto begin the 12-hour crawl through stop-and-go traffic to the home of her brothers girlfriend in Khmelnytskyi, in southwestern Ukraine. Before they pulled out of the parking lot, Oleksandra ran back inside to take out the trash; she didnt want the house to smell by the time they returned. She did not pause to take a last look at the home she loved. Now, on a day just a year after the Russian invasion began, the scent of pine from the nearby forest mingles with that of burnt metal and dust. The roof above Oleksandras unit, where the skylight lit the dining room, is gone. The sand in the playground where Oleksandra pushed Danylo on the swings is still scattered with broken glass. Coffee mugs and ceramic flowerpots on the burnt-out windowsills and balconies hint at how quickly neighbours picked up their lives and fled. This time last year, the family spent a month together in a cramped, two-bedroom apartment with Oleksandras brother, his girlfriend and his girlfriends daughter. All six of them would eat around a small table, shoulder to shoulder. At night, when air-raid sirens went off, Oleksandra slept in the hallway with her son, away from the windows, in case a rocket landed nearby. She felt lost and indecisive. The suburb they left behind became a battleground. Russian soldiers occupied Irpin and nearby Bucha outside of Kyiv in an attempt to take the capital city. Returning home was not an option. She still was not keen on leaving Ukraine, but now for a different reason. Men ages 18 to 60 were banned from leaving the country as part of the conditions imposed under martial law shortly after the invasion. Leaving Ukraine meant leaving her husband, too. I was thinking that its better to stay together, like family, she said. But when Oleksii learned of a special three-year Canadian visa for Ukrainians fleeing the war, he dug out the application forms. She hated the thought of splitting up her family to travel across the world, but the longer the conflict dragged on, the clearer it became that they would not be able to go home any time soon. She applied on the first day the program opened and received a response right away. Within a week, she and Danylo were on their way to Romania to be fingerprinted and photographed as part of Canadas immigration process. On March 26, 2022, days after making the wrenching decision to leave both her country and her husband, she found out the home she loved in Irpin was gone. Oleksii had found a post on the social media app Telegram about a fire in their apartment building. The roof was on fire, she said, almost a year later. It was very obvious. Ukraine recaptured the suburb a few days later, but Oleksandra had already decided that her life in that country was over. We have nothing to come back to. We have nothing in Ukraine, she said, sitting in the sunny living room of the rental house in Ottawa. She lives there now with her son, her parents and a friend, while Oleksii lives in Kyiv, where he plans to work until he can join his family in Canada. The two talk on the phone twice a day. Though Oleksandra says she has accepted whats happened to her home, her breath still catches in her throat when she sees it now. It looks horrible, she says softly as she scans photographs and videos taken by The Canadian Press during a recent visit to Irpin. The white stucco siding is blackened and burned, the windows are blown out and twisted sheets of metal hang off the roof and balconies. The parking lot is full of debris, and small pieces of the building fall from the four-storey building with every strong breeze. It is unclear what happened to it, because most neighbours were not in the suburb at the time. Those who have since returned to the area believe it was hit by a missile. Pockmarks in the side of the building suggest it was also hit by shrapnel from nearby explosions. Damage to the building next door was mostly limited to blasted-out windows, which have since been repaired. Neighbours come and go, stepping over the sharp rubble scattered around Oleksandras apartment building on their way in and out. For those who have returned, the empty building is a reminder of what has been lost. Oksana Kucheryna, an older woman who lives in a nearby building, walked by on her way to the shop on a day in late February, plastic bag in band. She says she often stops to take a long look at the crumbling building as she passes by. She wraps herself in her winter coat, kerchief tied neatly around her head, as she makes her way through the same alley Oleksandra and Danylo would take on their forest walks. Now we are used to looking at it, but at first, it was horrible to see it, she said, her eyes watering as she stared up at the charred building. I want to cry watching all this. People worked hard to buy these apartments. And at one point, all of it was gone. Rebuilding efforts have been underway in Irpin since Ukraine retook the community last March, but the buildings that appear to be beyond repair, such as Oleksandras, have been mostly left as they are: black and hollowed by the violence of the past year. Craters in the pavement show where projectiles landed outside homes, shops and schools. Outside the grocery store, a crowd of people mainly seniors, teens and mothers with strollers wait in line as volunteers hand out meals and small bags of food to take home for the week. The toll of the war is on the faces of the people who have returned to the community, many of whom keep their eyes cast down to the sidewalk as they make their way past the wreckage. In Ottawa, Oleksandra sometimes still feels a pull for the things and places she left behind. Often its small things she yearns for, like the cosy, second-hand sweatshirt with the NASA logo, her favourite on cold days, that was in the laundry machine while she hastily packed her suitcase last year. Not everything in Irpin is lost. Near Oleksandras former home, a mother and her son could be seen walking hand in hand through the towering trees. Oleksandra cannot imagine returning now. She feels that even in the aftermath of the war, the community would be dangerous for her son. Oleksandra is rebuilding, too, her life now in Ottawa. I feel like Im Canadian, she says. Now that she is safe, she feels like she and Danylo can adjust to the new environment. Volunteers have helped her furnish her new home. The table and chairs are almost the same as the ones she left in her bright orange dining room in Irpin. A three-minute walk from her rental home in Ottawa, there is a forested lot full of maple trees where mother and son can go for a stroll. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: Traian Preoteasa, general manager of rail passenger public service operator CFR Calatori, said on Sunday that he will take responsibility for any of the company's employees' "action or failure to act" which an ongoing investigation might determine as having triggered Saturday's train accident in Galati, but not for the chronic underfunding of the railway system over the last 30 years. "I will take responsibility for the action or failure to act of any CFR Calatori employee found as faulty by the investigation bodies and which could have resulted in avoiding this drama that caused the death of our colleague. However, I cannot assume the chronic underfunding of the railway system over the last 30 years. Deeply saddened, I offer my condolences to the bereaved family and all the necessary support in these difficult times!," the head of CFR Calatori said in a release. On the evening of March 25 an accident happened in the Galati rail station as an engine hit a passenger car during coupling maneuvers, allegedly due to the failure of the engine's braking system. Four were injured, including the train conductor, a 53-year-old woman with more than 15 years of experience, who subsequently died at the hospital. The engine and the passenger car were also damaged, told Agerpres. The causes of the accident will be determined by an investigation team, CFR Calatori informed. Transport Minister Sorin Grindeanu asked the railway company to promptly communicate the relevant information to the public opinion. "There will be an investigation into this railway accident. I asked the general manager of CFR Calatori to urgently present explanations and come up with solutions for such situations to never happen again," Grindeanu said in a statement. MEP Eugen Tomac was reelected on Saturday as Chairman of the People's Movement Party (PMP) by the formation's extraordinary congress organized at the Palace of Parliament. Tomac garnered 705 out of 708 votes; one delegate voted "against", and another two ballots were voided, according to the results announced by the organizers, told Agerpres. Ionut Simionca was elected the party's Secretary general. Also, 29 party Deputy Chairs were voted in, including: Marius Pascan, Gheorghe Ialomitianu, Petru Movila, Dorel Onaca, Florian Bichir, Claudiu Palaz, Ion Ariton, Clement Negrut, Corneliu Bichinet, Stefan Florescu. 11 executive secretaries are also sitting on PMP's leadership team. Eugen Tomac thanked for the vote, emphasizing that the party's first and foremost political goal is to create in the next period a "right-wing bloc" to offer the country an alternative. "I am honored and, at the same time, I feel this responsibility that we have to carry forward together. I assure you that I will do everything necessary for our party to get stronger, to succeed in achieving all the goals it set itself for the year 2024, a year full of challenges, with four rounds of elections. The first goal is to succeed in creating that necessary right-wing bloc to offer the country an alternative. And, obviously, the next goal is to return to Parliament with a team capable of representing the interests of Romania and, of course, give the future president of the country," Eugen Tomac declared. Approximately 180,000 people, Romanian and foreign nationals, and over 50,000 means of transport underwent border checks at all of Romania's crossing points on Saturday, on both the inbound and the outbound, the General Border Police Inspectorate (IGPF) reports. As many as 93,655 travelers of whom 9,539 Ukrainian nationals entered Romania on March 25, the IGPF said. The number of Ukrainians who crossed into Romania since the pre-war date of February 10 is 3,832,645, the IGPF reports. As part of the specific activities at crossing points and the green border, the border police found 78 illegal acts (28 crimes and 25 misdemeanors) committed by both Romanian and foreign citizens. The value of the seized undeclared goods amounts to approximately RON 352,000, told Agerpres. Fines worth over RON 15,400 were also issued. 19 foreign citizens who did not meet the legal requirements were denied entry to the country, and 20 Romanian citizens were also not allowed to leave the country for various legal reasons. The preliminary enquiry carried out by police into Saturday's Galati railway accident that killed one and left another three injured determined that the needle of the engine's speedometer remained stuck at 75 km/h, and the mechanic reported that the machine picked up speed all of a sudden, despite him trying to activate the braking system. A criminal case was opened for destruction or faulty signaling, manslaughter and bodily injury; investigations continue in order to clear up the circumstances of the tragic event. According to the Galati County Police Inspectorate, on March 25 at 19:19 hrs, a double-decker rail car which was parked on line No. 4 of the Galati Rail Station waiting for the formation of the train for the Galati - Marasesti route, was hit head-on by the engine that was supposed to pull the set, driven by the engineer on duty, a 49-year-old man. The impact caused the deformation of the car and sent it recoiling about 80 meters. The trainmaster, the 53-year-old female train conductor, a 53-year-old male passenger, as well as the engineer suffered injuries in the collision, told Agerpres. The passenger remained stuck in his seat, and the woman went into cardiorespiratory arrest. After the intervention of the ISU Galati extrication crew and the provision of first aid at the scene, all four victims were taken to the "St. Apostle Andrei" Galati County Clinical Emergency Hospital. The woman succumbed to her injuries. The other three victims are in a stable condition and remained hospitalized. The engineer and the trainmaster were tested with the Drager breathalyzer and returned a negative result. Representatives of the Territorial Labor Inspection, the Romanian Rail Investigation Agency - AGIFER, the Regional Auditor and the Galati Rail Repair Service are conducting checks at the site. Romanian Chief of Defence Staff, General Daniel Petrescu, was on a visit to Italy between March 21-23 at the invitation of his counterpart, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the National Defence Ministry informs on Sunday. The agenda of talks included assessments of the regional security situation, the strengthening of bilateral and allied ties and the collaborative development of defence capabilities. Also, the sides discussed the dynamics of the participation of the two armies in NATO and EU missions and operations, respectively stepping up joint training at the level of all force categories with a view to increasing interoperability, told Agerpres. The Italian armed forces have a significant contribution to the implementation of allied measures in Romania for strengthening the deterrence and defence posture along the eastern flank. Also, a relevant aspect of cooperation is represented by the procurement of military equipment and by Italian specialist companies' ensuring the maintenance of certain military technical elements, the release states. "I thanked my Italian counterpart for the remarkable mission performance by the Italian Air Force troops deployed to Romania starting in 2019. Since the beginning of the Russian Federation's aggression war in Ukraine, the Italian Air Force is at its second participation in Enhanced Air Policing and Enhanced Air Vigilance missions in Romania. We will continue to identify joint training opportunities and strengthen our strategic relations," Romania's Chief of Defence said. His program included a ceremony for the presentation of the National Order of the Star of Romania in the rank of Commander, with peace insignia for the military, to Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone; the distinction was conferred to the head of the Italian Armed Forces by the president of Romania in sign of high appreciation of the constant interest and support provided to our country The visit also included meetings with the Romanian ambassador to Italy Gabriela Dancau, as well as with leaders of the Center for High Defence Studies (Centro Alti Studi per la Difesa), the Joint Operations Command (Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze), respectively with representatives of several companies of the Italian defence industry. The conductor of a passenger train that was involved on Saturday in an accident in the Galati railway station - a 53-year old woman - died at the hospital after suffering multiple cardiorespiratory arrests, national railway operator CFR Calatori informed on Saturday evening. "The ambulance crew that responded to the scene initially managed to stabilize her on the railway platform and on the way to the hospital, but she then succumbed to a new cardiorespiratory arrest that occurred at the hospital. CFR Calatori offers condolences and will provide full support to the bereaved family," the company said in a statement. On March 25, at 19:19, during maneuvers to attach the engine to the Regio 7576 train that was supposed to depart for Marasesti, the engine rammed into the first car, causing it to recoil about 80 metres. Four people were injured following the impact: the mechanic, the conductor, the trainmaster and a passenger. The engine and the train car were also damaged, CFR Calatori announced, according to agerpres.ro. Railway police say the accident occurred due to the failure of the engine's braking system. This is the second serious rail accident in less than two weeks, after that occurred on March 13 near Rosiorii de Vede. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Sorin Grindeanu sent his condolences to the family of the killed conductor, announcing also that given that this is the second railway accident in a very short time, he ordered CFR Calatori "to urgently proceed to the technical check of the rolling stock in use". "In my capacity as Transport Minister, I ordered a series of measures aimed at increasing the safety of passengers, but also of CFR Calatori personnel. I also want the technical standards in the railway system to be always ensured at the best parameters so that such tragedies do not happen again," Grindeanu wrote on Facebook. ST. LOUIS - A Circuit Court judge this week dismissed a lawsuit by St. Louis police officer unions that sought to block a civilian oversight bill supported by Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. The petition had challenged the legality of new civilian police and jail oversight boards, which rail under the city's new Division of Oversight. Under Jones' plan, the boards would have the power to subpoena members of law enforcement amid claims of misconduct. In August, Jones signed into law an ordinance establishing the division. The lawsuit, dismissed Thurs -day, was filed by the St. Louis Police Officers' Association, Ethical Society of Police, and St. Louis Police Leadership Organization. Jones praised the dismissal and Alderman Shameem Clark-Hubbard, who sponsored the bills that established the Division of Oversight. "Accountability builds community trust, which is necessary to improve public safety," Jones said. Thursday's dismissal seemingly brings an end to a months long legal battle over the implementation of new police and jail oversight boards. After the police unions filed suit in August, a judge issued a preliminary injunction the following month that ceased all activity by both boards. Frustrations mounted as board members remained inactive despite two fatal police shootings and the announcement that six inmates had died in the city jail last year. A judge clarified in October that the jail oversight board could still meet while the suit was pending. Still, jail board members reported that they still face pushback for performing their duties, including touring the jail and investigating complaints, particularly from the head of the jail, Jennifer demons-Abdullah. In December, Clark-Hubbard introduced replacement legislation that addressed the two issues that Circuit Court Judge Jason Sengheiser identified in his preliminary injunction: ensuring complaints against police are written, and ensuring officers get 24 hours' notice before questioning. Sengheiser said without language that included those requirements, the legislation violated the Missouri Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights. Jones signed the replacement legislation into law last month. Also, in a motion to dismiss the police unions' lawsuit, filed by St. Louis City Counselor Sheena Hamilton in February, the city noted its own pending petition in the Missouri Supreme Court that challenges the legality of the Missouri Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights. Sherrie Hall, an attorney for the Ethical Society of Police, which represents many minority officers, said Friday there were still issues with the board bill, but did not comment further. The Ethical Society of Police in a statement said there was still a need for progress on improved relations between civilians and officers, adding they were not consulted in drafting language for the bill and said "very little changed." The Civilian Oversight Board was established in 2015, but the new law authorized a Public Integrity Unit from the Circuit Attorney's office to investigate police shootings. It also establishes a subpoena-powered civilian jail board with the same authority. A similar civilian jail board for the St. Louis County jail, where complaints about transparency during their investigations have prompted resignations. The replacement board bill, which Jones signed into law last month, goes into effect this month. The jail board's next meeting is Monday. The next meeting date for the police oversight board, which has not met since the judge's preliminary injunction in September, has not been set. Taylor Tiamoyo Harris 314 340 8319 (a)ladytiamoyo on Twitter tharris@post-clispatch.com Like the victims of Ghostface, the serial killer protagonist of the Scream film saga, Melissa Barrera never saw what was coming for her. I never imagined myself making horror movies, the Mexican actress says. Now, the 32-year-old is the star of Scream VI, the latest installment of the Wes Cravens horror franchise, created in 1996. In the new movie, the performer once again puts herself in the shoes of Samantha Carpenter to attempt to survive the ravages of the well-known murderer. In the new film, Barrera follows up on the events of the fifth Scream film, which came out last year. Scream VI picks up where the previous installment left off. Sam (Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega) are trying to put the trauma behind them and start new lives in New York, but the past isnt buried. Once again, they have to face their demons, and the enemy that wants to destroy them. Actresses Melissa Barrera (left) and Jenna Ortega (right) play Sam and Tara Carpenter in 'Scream VI'. Philippe Bosse (AP) When she was chosen for the previous installment, Barrera began studying the first four installments. The directors also gave her a list of horror movies to inspire her. I fell in love with the genre again. Now Im a horror fan again, she tells EL PAIS over a phone call. With this new film, Samantha Carpenter follows in the footsteps and legacy of the other protagonists and survivors of the franchise, including Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers, played by Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, respectively, in the five previous films. She becomes part of the pantheon of so-called Scream Queens, or actresses who become iconic within the genre. Actors such as Campbell and Cox share the distinction, as well as legends such as Jamie Lee Curtis and Janet Leigh, among others. It is an honor, because that title for me is something that you have to earn, something that the public has to grant you. Personally, I feel that I still have a ways to go, but I really appreciate the gesture. I really admire all the iconic Scream Queens, including Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, who are legendary, says Barrera. The killer known as 'Ghostface' in a still from 'Scream VI'. Photo Credit: Philippe Bosse (AP) Scream, despite having touches of humor and parody of the serial killer genre, is a saga that deals with trauma and past decisions. For Barrera it was a challenge as an actress to face the duality of her character. Sams internal battle with light and darkness has dragged on since the previous installment. Getting into those mental conflicts is difficult, but they are challenges that are welcome for me. It makes the character more layered and feels more human. Everything in the movie feels more dangerous. The chase sequences are more intense, along with the energy of New York. Everything in the film is rising in tone and is much more brutal than before, she explains. Barrera became known in 2011 on the Mexican reality show La Academia, a singing competition for new talent. From there, the doors opened for her, first in productions in Mexico, such as the soap opera Siempre Tuya Acapulco, in which she played her first leading role, and Netflix series like Club De Cuervos. Once she made the leap to Los Angeles, other leading roles began to arrive in series such as Vida (2018-2020) and Keep Breathing (2022). In 2019, the actress won a starring role In The Heights, the film version of Lin-Manuel Mirandas Broadway play. Now, in 2023, three of her talents and passions, dance, singing and acting, come together again in Carmen, a film based on George Bizets opera, in which she shares the lead with Irish actor Paul Mescal, recent Oscar nominee for Aftersun. The film opens on April 21 in New York and Los Angeles, and in May in the rest of the United States. The Mexican actress Melissa Barrera and the Irish actor Paul Mescal in a still from 'Carmen. Sony Pictures Classics The film is visually like a poem. It is a film that is basically told through dance. Music, acting and dancing are three disciplines that are really fulfilling for me, and I am always looking for projects that allow me to combine them. I studied musical theater, and thats what I want to do. Now I found another medium where I can explore that. In The Heights was more of a Broadway-type musical. Carmen is something else entirely. I like to look for projects that feel like they are breaking the barriers of a genre, she adds. The actress moves between smaller and larger productions. On March 17, All The World is Sleeping, the first film role that Barrera landed in the US, was released. Barrera plays a mother from New Mexico who sinks deeper into her addiction as she struggles to recover for her daughter. It is a very difficult story to watch, and I want to honor the women who have gone through this situation, especially the seven who shared their story for the writing of the script, which I fell in love with, says the actress. When Barrera appeared on La Academia, she was eliminated in round 13 of 18. But she is a firm believer that it is never too late to pursue a dream. I am very grateful to my inner child, that she never stopped dreaming. That she pushed me to fight and take risks. I never stop learning and knocking on doors. I feel very lucky for everything Ive done since I started with the theater in Monterrey, until now promoting Scream. I feel that I am just beginning, that the good things are just starting to arrive, she says. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Jessica Layman estimates she has called more than 150 doctors in the past few years in her search for someone to prescribe opioids for her chronic pain. A lot of them are straight-up insulting, said the 40-year-old, who lives in Dallas. They say things like We dont treat drug addicts. Layman has tried a host of non-opioid treatments to help with the intense daily pain caused by double scoliosis, a collapsed spinal disc and facet joint arthritis. But she said nothing worked as well as methadone, an opioid she has taken since 2013. The latest phone calls came late last year, after her previous doctor shuttered his pain medicine practice, she said. She hopes her current doctor wont do the same. If something should happen to him, theres nowhere for me to go, she said. Layman is one of the millions in the U.S. living with chronic pain. Many have struggled to get opioid prescriptions written and filled since 2016 guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inspired laws cracking down on doctor and pharmacy practices. The CDC recently updated those recommendations to try to ease their impact, but doctors, patients, researchers and advocates say the damage is done. We had a massive opioid problem that needed to be rectified, said Antonio Ciaccia, president of 3 Axis Advisors, a consulting firm that analyzes prescription drug pricing. But the federal crackdowns and guidelines have created collateral damage: patients left high and dry. Born of an effort to fight the nations overdose crisis, the guidance led to legal restrictions on doctors ability to prescribe painkillers. The recommendations left many patients grappling with the mental and physical health consequences of rapid dose tapering or abruptly stopping medication theyd been taking for years, which carries risks of withdrawal, depression, anxiety, and even suicide. In November, the agency released new guidelines, encouraging physicians to focus on the individual needs of patients. While the guidelines still say opioids should not be the go-to option for pain, they ease recommendations about dose limits, which were widely viewed as hard rules in the CDCs 2016 guidance. The new standards also warn doctors about risks associated with rapid dose changes after long-term use. But some doctors worry the new recommendations will take a long time to make a meaningful change and may be too little, too late for some patients. The reasons include a lack of coordination from other federal agencies, fear of legal consequences among providers, state policymakers hesitant to tweak laws and widespread stigma surrounding opioid medication. The 2016 guidelines for prescribing opioids to people with chronic pain filled a vacuum for state officials searching for solutions to the overdose crisis, said Dr. Pooja Lagisetty, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School. The dozens of laws that states passed limiting how providers prescribe or dispense those medications, she said, had an effect: a decline in opioid prescriptions even as overdoses continued to climb. The first CDC guidelines put everybody on notice, said Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, chair of the American Medical Associations Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force. Physicians reduced the number of opioid pills they prescribe after surgeries, he said. The 2022 revisions are a dramatic change, he said. The human toll of the opioid crisis is hard to overstate. Opioid overdose deaths have risen steadily in the U.S. in the past two decades, with a spike early in the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC says illicit fentanyl has fueled a recent surge in overdose deaths. Taking into account the perspective of chronic pain patients, the latest recommendations try to scale back some of the harms to people who had benefited from opioids but were cut off, said Dr. Jeanmarie Perrone, director of the Penn Medicine Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy. I hope we just continue to spread caution without spreading too much fear about never using opioids, said Perrone, who helped craft the CDCs latest recommendations. Christopher Jones, director of the CDCs National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, said the updated recommendations are not a regulatory mandate but only a tool to help doctors make informed, person-centered decisions related to pain care. Multiple studies question whether opioids are the most effective way to treat chronic pain in the long term. But drug tapering is associated with deaths from overdose and suicide, with risk increasing the longer a person had been taking opioids, according to research by Dr. Stefan Kertesz, a professor of medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He said the new CDC guidance reflects an extraordinary amount of input from chronic pain patients and their doctors but doubts it will have much of an impact if the FDA and the Drug Enforcement Administration dont change how they enforce federal laws. The FDA approves new drugs and their reformulations, but the guidance it provides for how to start or wean patients could urge clinicians to do so with caution, Kertesz said. The DEA, which investigates physicians suspected of illegally prescribing opioids, declined to comment. Rheba Smith, 61, of Atlanta, said that in December her pharmacy stopped filling her prescriptions for Percocet and MS Contin. She had taken those opioid medications for years to manage chronic pain after her iliac nerve was mistakenly cut during surgery, she said. Smith said she visited nearly two dozen pharmacies in early January but could not find one that would fill her prescriptions. She finally found a local mail-order pharmacy that filled a one-month supply of Percocet. But now that drug and MS Contin are not available, the pharmacy told her. It has been a horrible three months. I have been in terrible pain, Smith said. Photos: Advocates boost opioid rescue drug access to save lives Tony Messenger Tony Messenger is the metro columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Tony Messenger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today State Sen. Caleb Rowden wrote something the other day that falls under the category of interesting, if true. Rowden, a Republican, is the president pro tem of the Missouri Senate. Here is what he posted to Twitter after Senate Republicans passed a bill that seeks to end gender-affirming care for transgender children in Missouri. There is no cause more important than standing up for Missouri kids. I am proud of our entire @MoSenateGOP caucus for uniting behind this strong set of policies aimed at protecting Missouri kids. These are not easy issues to tackle. I appreciate the work of @hrehder and @realmikemoon in shepherding these bills to passage. There is no cause more Caleb Rowden (@calebrowden) March 21, 2023 The Missouri Legislature would be a much better place if Rowden and his colleagues actually acted on that statement. In the case of the multitude of anti-transgender bills, fueled by a narrow view of mostly rural Republicans who say Christian faith is guiding them, the lawmakers claim to be protecting kids. But, really, theyre trying to erase them. In the past few years, many of those transgender children and their parents, siblings, teachers and religious leaders have come to the Missouri Capitol to ask lawmakers to stand up for Missouri kids and protect the freedom to make health care decisions based on the advice of medical professionals. Last year, one of those who testified was the daughter of Maharat Rori Picker Neiss, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis. Neiss has a transgender son. Her daughter came to a House hearing to ask lawmakers to protect her brother. I love my brother, the 8-year-old testified. Sometimes he is annoying. Please dont hurt him. But thats exactly what Rowden and his fellow Republican senators did last week by passing a hateful bill that ignores everything the experts, the parents, the medical professionals, several religious leaders and the children told them. They hurt them, just as Attorney General Andrew Bailey has threatened to do by invoking magical emergency powers to ban practices endorsed by medical experts. He wants to insert his own made-up rules. They hurt them, just like Republican lawmakers are doing in states across the nation, because the existence of transgender children and adults is apparently the most pressing problem to tackle. The day after the Senate passed a bill that will live in infamy, the House got to work standing up for Missouri kids. How did it do that? It erased a line item for funding of libraries in the state. Thats because the chairman of the House budget committee, Rep. Cody Smith, R-Carthage, is upset that the Missouri Library Association has filed a lawsuit to protect Missouri kids from the book banning that is being pushed by Republicans. The budget committee also slashed $134 million from a request made by Gov. Mike Parson, a fellow Republican, to increase funding for child-care and pre-kindergarten facilities in the state because of a shortage of employees. That shortage is hurting kids, Parson said, and business leaders say it is harming the states economic climate. But Smith slashed away. He also cut an increase to Missouris already anemic higher education funding because, well, if the state isnt going to fund education for kids in kindergarten, why should it worry about them when they go to college? Missouris Senate Republicans passed the anti-transgender bills on a day dubbed Child Advocacy Day by a group of folks who are serious about standing up for Missouri kids. The advocates that day heard from the Rev. Starsky Wilson, the former co-chairman of the Ferguson Commission who is now the CEO of the Childrens Defense Fund. We will not rest until children are considered first, last and always in public policy in Missouri, Wilson said, according to press accounts of his speech. Every single child in Missouri, regardless of their color, their zip code, their socioeconomic status, has the right and the ability to thrive, to flourish and to be well. Every. Single. Child. This is the state of Republicans standing up for kids in Missouri: our K-12 schools and our colleges are among the lowest funded in the nation but Smith, Rowden and others are still seeking to slash corporate taxes. Missouri kids live in poverty at a higher rate than the national average. Missouris rate of children in foster care is among the highest in the nation. And, of course, children are dying in the streets because of gun violence, yet Missouri Republicans want to add more guns to the equation. Its easier to fight made-up straw men CRT, DEI, ESG, or the scourge of anybody who is different than it is to solve Missouris very real problems. Nothing says standing up for kids like erasing an entire population of children for political sport. BRECKENRIDGE HILLS Chuckie White, 54, of St. Ann, was found dead Friday night with a gunshot wound in the parking lot of Prince Market and Liquors in the 9800 block of St. Charles Rock Road, police said. Police responded to the area about 8:20 p.m. following a report of gunfire and believe that White's death was a homicide. The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, a regional investigative police force, was activated. Police ask anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477). ST. LOUIS Police arrested a man Friday they say admitted to throwing rocks at cars from an interstate overpass. The 37-year-old man admitted to throwing rocks from the Hampton Avenue overpass onto Interstate 64, police said. Charges are pending. The Post-Dispatch is not naming the man because he has not yet been charged with a crime. ST. LOUIS A teacher who died saving students from a shooter at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School last October was honored Saturday by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Health teacher Jean Kuczka was posthumously granted a Citizen Honors Award, which is earned by acts of bravery, service and self-sacrifice. Only five United States citizens receive the award annually, and Kuczkas fell under the Single Act of Heroism classification. She was honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Saturday evening. Kuczka placed herself between her students and danger, in order to save innocent lives, the society noted on its website. Kuczkas courage reflects great credit upon herself, her family, and the state of Missouri. Kuczka, 61, died on Oct. 24, 2022 confronting the gunman who entered her classroom at CVPA. Students, friends and family remember her as a fun, energetic, happy and caring person. Kuczka was also a longtime volunteer for JDRF, a nonprofit organization that funds type 1 diabetes research. She became involved after her son was diagnosed with the disease at age 10. She was already living the life of a hero, said Derek Rapp, former CEO of JDRF and a friend of Kuczkas. The way she acted, in the moment when she put her students lives ahead of her own, is consistent with the way she led her life anyway. She led a life of service and compassion. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society is a nonprofit organization chartered in 1958. In addition to the citizen awardees, the organizations members include recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest military award. CHESTERFIELD It had been more than 80 years since Virginia Hawkins set foot in the one-room wooden schoolhouse she attended as a child. The school, completed in 1894 for Black children in west St. Louis County, survived the Great Flood of 1993, threats of demolition and wear and tear from use as a garage before the county parks department rescued and restored it. The county held an opening celebration for the newly designated historic site at Faust Park on Saturday. Its wonderful, said Hawkins, 88, of Florissant. Things are so much better now. Completely, all the way. Members of the Black community had to sue St. Louis County for permission to build the school, though the law at the time required schools for Black children. They raised $600 from their own pockets to construct African Schoolhouse No. 4 off Wild Horse Creek Road, about four miles from Faust Park. Up to 20 kids from kindergarten to eighth grade attended school daily in the 15 foot-by-190-foot room, said Doris Frazier, 91, who substitute taught at the school and was involved in the restoration. After nearly 60 years of use, the school closed following the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Frazier, a resident of Chesterfield since 1950, had to fight for her six children to attend their neighborhood school even after integration became law. She was part of the fight for equity in housing and education, and against poverty. The reconstructed schoolhouse will serve as a reminder to park visitors of how much that fight has paid off and how important it is to pursue a better future, she said. You are witnessing a wonderful example of what can be done if you keep the faith, Frazier said. We have come a long way. But we havent gone far enough. The schoolhouse was later sold along with the surrounding property and it was converted into a one-car garage. Its history was nearly lost, but county cultural site manager Jesse Francis knew it was there under an ugly facade of vinyl siding. The county sought for three decades to acquire the schoolhouse, but the property owners resisted. In 2021, a new owner, Muwafaq Abdel Baset, agreed to donate the schoolhouse to the county. Ironically, the vinyl siding protected the schools wooden planks and beams as well as a chalkboard with an original math lesson that can still be seen. Francis team of preservationists painstakingly disassembled the schoolhouse and rebuilt it using historically accurate tools and methods at Faust Park. After $35,000 worth of restoration, it now sits among 22 other historic buildings at the 200-acre park. The story will be told to future generations for a long time, said St. Louis County Executive Sam Page. Dozens of people attended the sites opening and celebrated with hymns and the Black National Anthem Lift Every Voice and Sing sung by the choir from Union Baptist Church of Chesterfield. Curtis Johnson, 85, of Ellisville, attended African Schoolhouse No. 4 from age 6 to 8 in the mid-1940s. He recalls walking about an hour to school and often having picnics with hot dogs outside for lunch. The school looks different now, Johnson said. But its nice to see it like it is. Photos: African School No. 4 dedicated in Faust Park African Schoolhouse No. 4 opened at Faust Park African Schoolhouse No. 4 opened at Faust Park African Schoolhouse No. 4 reopens African Schoolhouse No. 4 opened at Faust Park African Schoolhouse No. 4 opened at Faust Park African Schoolhouse No. 4 opened at Faust Park African Schoolhouse No. 4 opened at Faust Park African Schoolhouse No. 4 opened at Faust Park African Schoolhouse No. 4 opened at Faust Park Children undergoing gender-dysphoria treatment in Missouri have as much right to demand privacy under federal law as any other medical patients. Critics of such treatment can complain all they want, but federal law is explicit about medical patients' privacy rights. Not so much as the extraction of a tooth or a consultation with a doctor over an ingrown toenail can be released to the general public without the patient's or legal guardian's consent. Despite lots of noise in Jefferson City about legislation to limit doctors' options regarding the treatment of youth gender dysphoria, no one so far is proposing the public revelation of patients who underwent care at any Missouri facility. Jamie Reed, a former case manager at Washington University's Transgender Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital, claims to be a whistleblower exposing levels of gender-dysphoria treatment that doctors had previously claimed they would not perform on children except in extreme and legally authorized circumstances. Parents who have read the descriptions Reed provided in an online article last month say it included unique details that clearly referred to their own children. "It literally puts us in the bulls-eye," one mother told the Post-Dispatch's Colleen Schrappen. Two parents have filed complaints under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which was written in 1996 just as medical providers were converting their paper files to digital documents that could be transmitted online to doctors and insurance providers. The technology was new at the time, and the law was written to ensure that patients' sensitive records were kept private. Violators could be subject to civil monetary or criminal penalties, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reed subsequently provided a sworn affidavit that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey obtained. Now a state investigation is underway, and the university says it has launched its own review. Parents took their children to the Washington University facility not out of some whim or desire to be woke and progressive. The children aren't teenagers experimenting with some new fad. The Transgender Center exists for youths who have been diagnosed by their physician and, to put it mildly, need to start transitioning for the sake of their own mental well-being. More harm is done by denying them this care than by proceeding cautiously with treatments that can tide them over until they reach adulthood and can make permanent decisions for themselves. Either way, these are decisions between the patient, the parents, and their doctor not lawmakers, lawyers and attorneys general. The privacy guarantees under federal law are there for very good reasons, and some activists are claiming to act in the child's best interest when, it's clear, they are doing nothing more than pursuing a cynical political agenda. Just because a small group of activists assert that one law or medical standard might have been broken must never justify breaking another one. Who and where From left: Hannah Corner Tolliver of Affton; Ethan Chapin of Wildwood; his girlfriend, Ellie Corner of Oakville; Kelly Wood of Eureka; and Gary Corner of Oakville, Kellys boyfriend and dad to Hannah and Ellie, at Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The trip They traveled to Jackson Hole for a week of hiking and relaxing. They also took a day trip to Yellowstone National Park. Travel tip The best times to see wildlife like brown bears and bull moose are dusk and dawn. A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, painted in 1884 by Georges-Pierre Seurat. What many perceive as bucolic and calm is a source of anxiety and concern for others, due to a very simple fact: the next day is Monday. The hatred of Mondays is more than established in Western culture. Garfield the cat is the voice of millions when he laments about that allergy-like loathing that returns week after week and can only be overcome with an abundance of coffee and sleep. Entire novels have been dedicated to it, such as Odio los lunes (I Hate Mondays) by Vicente Trigo Aranda, as well as songs like Bob Geldofs homicidal reverie I Dont Like Mondays. Universities such as Flinders, in Australia and consultants like Gallup have tried to endow the phenomenon with a rational basis related to factors such as sleep discontinuity or our brains strategies to cope with stress, and the American Journal of Preventive Medicine went a step further by stating that one is actually most likely to suffer a cardiovascular event on a Monday. Meanwhile, in 2005, a Sky Travel advertising campaign convinced us that one specific Monday, the third of January, is the most depressing day of the year. However, it is also true that hating Mondays has become a rather trivial, fleeting matter; a familiar feeling that is washed away as soon as you take a shower and face reality again. In recent years, hate at least for those lucky enough to have a stable job and the weekend off has set its sights on Sunday. Just take a look at this pair of twin Reddit threads. Mondays Are the Worst is little more than a display of routine, unconvinced animosity. By contrast, I Hate Sundays and I Think Theyre Depressing is a masterpiece of refined hate; not to mention its successors, Sundays Are Worse than Mondays, I Hate Sundays, Does Anyone Hate Sundays and I Seriously Hate Sundays. Quora user Leslie Hancock, explains: I hated Sunday till I was well into middle age. He traces the roots of that hatred back to a childhood in which religious and family obligations, along with the ominous shadow of the impending Monday, poisoned the day for him. The Guardian columnist Rachel Cooke has made one of the most eloquent attempts to define and explain this hate. Not for nothing did John Osborne set the opening and closing scenes of his play Look Back in Anger on a Sunday, she writes. If you wanted to strangle England in 1956 to wring the neck of its tedium and small-mindedness, its primitive habits and dreadful deference there was no better place to start or to end. Osbornes protagonist in Look Back in Anger verbalizes his disdain in one of the most memorable moments of the play: God, how I hate Sundays! Its always so depressing, always the same. We never seem to get any further, do we? Always the same ritual. Reading the papers, drinking tea, ironing. A few more hours, and another week gone. Our youth is slipping away. What better definition of that melancholic Sunday syndrome? A day in which leisure descends into tedium; in which an apparent lack of things to do is in fact the veil that conceals a deflated spirit. Cooke supports a revolutionary thesis: perhaps the Sundays blues made perfect sense in that England (and, by extension, in the entire Western Christian Europe of three-quarters of a century ago) in which Sundays meant closed pubs and shops, open churches and empty streets, all of which generated a premortuary atmosphere that led to anxiety over the inescapable futility of life. However, in todays world, Sundays are no longer a radical break from the rest of the week. We are no longer trapped in that logic of five days of work, one of voracious consumerism and immoderate distraction and another of rest, hangover, sanctimoniousness and boredom. We have alternatives. We can turn Sunday into another Saturday, or even into a healthy, industrious and sensible Wednesday. How to cope with the Sunday blues According to statistics, 76% of Americans and Canadians experience those inexplicable bouts of sadness known as Sunday syndrome with a certain frequency. Whats more, German and Swedish scientists suggest that Sunday, not Monday, is the saddest day of the week, and Friday, not Saturday, is the happiest. That, in the opinion of Australian psychologist Marny Lishman, could be because, being aware of our own mortality and the transience of time, we live less in the present than projected into the immediate future. On Friday, even if it is a working day, we particularly enjoy the imminence of freedom and leisure; it is all about the expectation. Meanwhile, on Sunday we are tormented by the proximity of Monday, with the return to routine and unpleasant obligations that it implies as well as the realization that Fridays expectations did not materialize, as they rarely do. The syndrome is very difficult to deal with. Luckily, specialists in health and psychological well-being such as Robert Half offer possible antidotes for the Sunday blues; tricks like conceiving your weekend as a compact whole and planning it all from Friday afternoon in order to fill it with events, as well as looking for feel-good activities for Sunday, such as yoga or jogging. Have boring chores to do? Get them out of the way on Saturday. Pay your bills, do your washing and call your parents before Sunday arrives. And yes, relax, sleep well, read a book, watch a good movie and think about all the positive events that will take place the following week. Lishman also believes in the virtues of resorting to a certain mental discipline as a remedy against melancholy and pre-depressive states. If none of the above works for you, consider for a moment Rachel Cookes alternative recipe: we no longer live in 1950s Europe, so go out into the streets, enjoy your time of leisure and look for something stimulating to do; without a doubt, you will find it. Maybe that way we can restore the balance of the Force and refocus our hatred on the day that has made the most historical efforts to deserve it: Monday. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Vikings new ship Octantis glided under Milwaukees Hoan Bridge skirting a bright red lighthouse where onlookers assembled to watch its departure. Where are you going? one cried. Thunder Bay, came the reply from the deck. A man standing alongside Pierhead Light raised his arms goalpost style in approval or was it disbelief? Cruising the Great Lakes is far from the norm, accounting for a tiny fraction of North American itineraries. Rarer still: Cruises embarking in Milwaukee to explore the wilds of Ontario before ending eight days later at a mid-size city on Lake Superior. But the Great Lakes Explorer is no ordinary cruise itinerary and Octantis no ordinary ship. Vikings first expedition vessel, it began cruises in Antarctica in winter 2022 before summering in the Great Lakes. Part research vessel, part floating five-star hotel, it has a full science lab staffed by a team of researchers and a fleet of watercraft toys, including two submarines. The Great Lakes Explorer itinerary is its most expedition-heavy journey with adventurous shore excursions, hiking, kayaking and zipping ashore on Zodiacs to backcountry lodges. Other Great Lakes itineraries mix adventure with more traditional tours in Toronto, Detroit and Niagara Falls. Vikings second expedition ship, Polaris, launched late last year and also offers Great Lakes itineraries this summer. Making Milwaukee famous Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen greeted passengers in Milwaukee as my cruise was about to begin last year. Recalling his youth studying in the U.S. as a Fulbright Scholar from Norway, he held up a bottle of Schlitz beer, a favorite at the time. What do 20-year-olds do? They drink beer, he joked, repeating the brewers popular slogan: The beer that made Milwaukee famous. Viking hopes to make Milwaukee famous, too, he said, with cruises turning it into the Miami of the Great Lakes. Viking considered Chicago as an embarkation port but could not get clearance to dock at Navy Pier. Instead, it offers Chicago as a two-night pretrip on some Great Lakes cruises. The largest cruise ship on the Great Lakes, Octantis carries up to 378 passengers in six categories of staterooms, all outside. Most have Nordic balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows that lower to create a chest-high viewing platform. Throughout the ship, the clean lines of Scandinavian design will be familiar to those whove cruised on Vikings ocean and river ships, as will the high quality of cuisine. Two fine-dining restaurants require reservations. The main cafe has a buffet with sushi and seafood bar, a grill with steaks made to order and a bakery open 24 hours to satisfy sweet tooths at 3 a.m. Fares fund research What sets Octantis and now Polaris apart from river and ocean siblings is a focus on science. Its 380-square-foot science lab isnt just for show. Researchers work in partnership with leading scientific institutions, including the University of Cambridge & Scott Polar Research Institute, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the University of Western Australia and Akvaplan-niva, a Norwegian firm investigating water issues. Passengers engage with working scientists on tours of the lab and may even participate in research as citizen scientists. On my cruise, so many signed up to identify microplastics collected from lake water there wasnt an open time slot for me. One morning I climbed to the top deck to watch the launch of a biodegradable weather balloon. Octantis is the first commercial vessel designated as an official weather station by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. National Weather Service. Down at Expedition Central on deck two, I watched the balloons radiosonde transmitter download data as it rose more than 18 miles into the stratosphere. Who pays for this research? Passengers. Normally, scientists spend 40 percent of their time chasing grants, said Damon Stanwell-Smith, head of science and sustainability for Viking. On Viking expedition ships, they focus on research funded in large part by cruise fares. Three of five Great Lakes The Great Lakes Explorer itinerary cruises three of the five Great Lakes: Michigan, Huron and Superior. Together with Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, they hold a fifth of all the fresh surface water on Earth. Often called inland seas, the largest, Lake Superior, is the size of Austria, a fact that floors European passengers. We set off from Milwaukee to cruise all night on Lake Michigan. Next morning, we passed under the Mackinac Bridge bound for Mackinac Island, Michigan, where motor vehicles are banned. Passengers explored the island on bikes and kayaks as well as on foot. Horse and carriage tours stopped in Mackinac Island State Park, the 18th-century Fort Mackinac and the Victorian-era Grand Hotel, one of the few remaining wood-frame hotels of the Gilded Age. I felt content to explore on my own with stops in town to sample some of its 14 fudge shops. Cruising into Canada on Lake Huron, Octantis spent the next three days on Georgian Bay, often called the Sixth Great Lake. Stretching 120 miles long and 50 miles wide, the UNESCO Georgian Bay Biosphere comprises 30,000 islands, the largest freshwater archipelago in the world. Here the itinerary dived deeper into expedition activities more adventurous than fudge shops and carriage rides. Kayak and Zodiac excursions skirted shorelines composed of Canadian Shield bedrock. Hikers followed trails into forests, sometimes scrambling over rocks on excursions rated moderate to demanding. A local artist gave tips on painting landscapes inspired by the Group of Seven artists who frequented the area a century ago. A youth group spoke about their indigenous heritage and work to re-create a birchbark canoe used by their ancestors. Some passengers enjoyed a fish fry at Killarney Mountain Lodge. I rode a Zodiac to Okeechobee Lodge at the mouth of a fjord and learned it was a hangout for Al Capone and corrupt Chicago mayor Big Bill Thompson. The pair strung a wire across the fjord to keep out intruders. Subs and SOBs Georgian Bay gave me opportunities to try some of the toys on Octantis. After a mandatory briefing and weigh-in, I boarded one of the ships two yellow submarines nicknamed John and Paul after the Beatles. Polaris passengers ride on George and Ringo. After a tricky transfer from a Zodiac, I climbed down a hatch and snuggled up with five fellow passengers and our pilot for a half-hour descent 55 feet to the silty lake floor. Not much to see here, but I imagine the view must be riveting when Paul descends as much as 1,000 feet in destinations with coral reefs or polar ice. A joy ride on one of two military-grade Special Operations Boats, dubbed SOBs, began inside the Hangar, an in-ship marina opening from a hatch in the aft, a first in the cruise industry. Once aboard, our boat eased into the water on a hydraulic ramp for a high-speed thrill ride. We zipped past lake houses in Ontarios cottage country and circled a rocky island where dozens of white gulls and black cormorants perched and nested. Through the Soo Cruising from Lake Huron to western Lake Superior required a full day at sea with passage through the Soo Locks at Sault Sainte Marie on the Michigan and Ontario border. While the crew passed out drinks on deck, passengers watched Octantis enter the Poe Lock raising the ship 21 feet. Next morning, the ships tender docked at the hamlet of Silver Islet near one of the worlds largest silver mines before it flooded and closed in 1884. I chose the easier of two hikes through a forest to the Sea Lion, a rock formation formed when magma erupted through fissures in sedimentary rock. Along the way, I stopped to admire views of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, a series of mesas resembling a slumbering goliath, and caught a glimpse of Octantis framed by trees. By dinnertime, Octantis had cruised the short distance to Thunder Bay, Ontario, where we would disembark in the morning. Most of the marine traffic here consists of freighters hauling grain, so Octantis is a rarity. During its inaugural season last summer, residents turned out to watch the gleaming white cruise ship pass by. Some raised their arms goalpost-style in welcome or was it astonishment? If you go Russian leader Vladimir Putin likes to boast that Russia has managed to cope with economic sanctions imposed by the West because of the Ukraine War. The reality is different. The sanctions cut Russia off from the international banking system and reduced its income from natural gas and oil exports by at least half, so Russia scrambled to smuggle as much oil as it could. China and India were mostly the happy beneficiaries of this, but were only willing to pay in their own currencies rather than in gold or hard currency like dollars or euros. Russia thought it could discourage European aid for Ukraine by controlling European access to Russian natural gas supplies. That did not work. The Europeans managed to find other sources of natural gas that were more expensive. The sanctions also cut off supplies of Western tech, which limited production of high-tech weapons like missiles, aircraft and warships, plus civilian items requiring tech the Russians couldnt produce, such as computer chips for motor vehicles and coil bearings for railroads. Russian demands for ammunition, especially artillery and mortar shells, was more than its stockpiles or manufacturing facilities could support, the latter due mostly to years of under-producing replacements for existing stocks so that most facilities for munitions production were scrapped. After a year of fighting, Ukrainian troops have access to more artillery shells than does Russia. The sanctions were not the only problem. Russia has been suffering economically and militarily because of its invasion of Ukraine. That has forced Russia to adapt and that means establishing closer relationships with Iran. Russia already had a number of diplomatic, economic and military relationships with Iran. At the same time Iran has a lot more experience operating as an outcast or pariah state. In the past Russia was the senior partner when it came to deals with Iran. Because of the Ukraine sanctions, Russia needs Iran more than the other way around. Iran is able to dictate terms and gain a lot of trade concessions from Russia. This realignment became tangible in June when Russia and Iran signed a new agreement that expanded economic and political cooperation between the two nations. This agreement ignores sanctions currently imposed on Russia and Iran and formalizes the cooperation between the two oil producers to evade Western efforts to prevent Iran and Russia from exporting its oil. The new agreement also confirms joint efforts to support each other militarily. Iran has supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine while Russia backs Iranian threats to other Middle Eastern oil producers. This does not include unofficial Russian agreements in Syria that keep Israel and Russia from going to war because of continued Israeli attacks on Iranian forces in Syria. Russia continues to support Iranian efforts to expand its influence over the Iraqi government. Russia has provided Iran with a Kanopus-V satellite, which enables Iran to obtain high-resolution views of enemy territory and the ability to improve its overseas operations. Russia also provides many industrial items Iran has had difficulty obtaining. Russia has also shipped Iran stolen Ukrainian grain, which is popular with the Iranian population and the many shortages they have to put up with. Russia has more attractive trade options for Iran, especially when it comes to modern warplanes. Decades of economic sanctions against Iran have resulted in no new warplanes or even spare parts for what they already had. Russia is now willing to supply modern aircraft and helicopters and even establish a joint maintenance center in Iran. This is made possible by the Caspian Sea connection. Both Russia and Iran have Caspian Sea coastlines. This landlocked sea makes it possible to easily and safely move all sorts of cargo back and forth. Israel has not been providing any weapons to Ukraine because of Iranian activity near the Israeli border in Syria. Israel needs to maintain good relations with Russia to deal with the Iranian threat. Russia told Israel that sending weapons to Ukraine could reduce Russian cooperation in Syria against Iran. Most Israelis support Ukraine, but the Iranian threat is very real and next door, so Israeli politicians cannot ignore it unless they want to lose their next election. Russia does not want to lose its relationships with Israel but now Iran is in a position to force the matter. Russia appears to be seeking a compromise with Israel that will not offend Iran. Other parties in Syria have been renegotiating relationships in Syria. In May Syrian leader Bashar Assad made an unannounced visit to Iran, apparently to negotiate how Syria and Iran would take over Russian bases and any Russian equipment left behind. Most Russian ground forces in Syria returned to Russia because of the war in Ukraine. These Russian troops consist of special operations forces, military advisers and tech support personnel who help maintain Russian weapons used by Syria. The departing Russian troops were first moved to a Russian controlled airbase near the Mediterranean coast and then flown back to Russia. Some of the abandoned bases were transferred to Iranian control and used by Iran-backed militias, including Lebanese Hezbollah. Russia is not used to being the junior partner but desperate times require uncommon adaptability to survive. Russia has had to accept Chinese terms for their economic relationship. Israel is particularly difficult because that relationship goes back to the founding of Israel and has proven to be well worth maintaining. Iran can be a major problem for Israel because of the new Iranian arrangement with Russia. Ukraine is already feeling the impact of Iranian support for Russia. Iranian UAVs are showing up in Ukraine, but have not proven as effective as Russia hoped. Iran also assigned some of its hacker groups to support Russian efforts in Ukraine. That did not lead to Cyber War attacks on Ukraine but instead on nearby NATO nations. Ukraine has a formidable reputation when it comes to Cyber War and the Ukrainians have deployed their capabilities to deal with Russian hackers trying to assist Russian forces there. That has not worked out well for the Russians and Iran does not want to join Russia on the Ukrainian Cyber War hit list. Russian leader Vladimir Putin appears determined to keep the Ukraine War going as long as he can and refuses to recognize the possibility of the Ukrainians winning. That may be where some deals with Iran are going but the Ukrainians have a vote, and they are voting for more battlefield victories over Russia. Iran is impressed with Ukrainian military successes but does not dwell on it. China appears to be gaining the most from Russias invasion of Ukraine. China was not pleased and quietly expressed displeasure with Russian leaders. China does not want to get sanctioned by violating the Western sanctions on Russia by supplying weapons or high-tech components. China would still sell (for cash, not on credit) dual-use items that could be used by Russian troops. This included UAVs and a few other items. Russia has less cash to spend and must barter with Iran and North Korea for munitions and military equipment. Western sanctions were not meant to wreck or seriously injure Russias economy, though the railroad coil bearing embargo might eventually have that effect. Instead, the sanctions were designed to do maximum damage to the Russian military and did, spectacularly so. There was some damage to the civilian economy but nothing as dramatic as the impact on Russian military production. What Is HTML5? This is an installment in our ongoing series of "What Is...?" articles, designed to offer definitions, history, and context around significant terms and issues in the online video industry. Executive Summary HTML5 rocketed to the forefront with Apples decision to forgo Flash and use HTML5 technology to deliver video to the iPad. Actual HTML5 usage, however, has been slowed by low HTML5-compatible browser penetration, the need to encode video into two or three formats for complete HTML5 compatibility, and the lack of feature parity with Flash, the predominant plug-in based technology for viewing video on the web. HTML5 needs to be on the radar screen of all streaming media producers, but switching over to HTML5 does not appear to be a short-term priority as of this writing. HTML5 the Specification HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language, and HTML is the primary language used to produce most web sites. HTML is a standard maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium (WC3), a group that includes browser developers and other interested technology companies. HTML5 is the latest iteration of HTML to be introduced by the WC3. In 2004, a group called the HTML Working Group (HTMLWG) was formed by employees of Apple, the Mozilla Foundation, and Opera Software, because these companies were becoming increasingly concerned about the W3Cs direction with XHTML, lack of interest in HTML, and apparent disregard for the needs of real-world authors. Later, the WC3 recognized the HTMLWG, and tasked it with providing (among other deliverables): A language evolved from HTML4 for describing the semantics of documents and applications on the World Wide Web. This will be a complete specification, not a delta specification. The Group will create a comprehensive test suite for the HTML specification. To a degree, this dual control has led to two specifications of HTML5 (see, for example, The two specifications of HTML 5.0: WHAT WG vs W3C,) or at least the appearance of two specifications. Heres an explanation from the WHATWG FAQ. Which group has authority in the event of a dispute? The editor takes feedback from everyone into account and does not look at the source of those arguments for technical arguments. The W3C HTML Working Group has an escalation process that in some cases results in a decision being made that differs from the editor's original decision on a topic. So far, whenever this has happened the WHATWG has gone along with the W3C's request; nothing of especially big importance has been changed in this manner so far (it's mostly been editorial issues or mostly minor technical issues). In general the WHATWG will ensure that the normative content of the specifications (the requirements on authors and implementors) remains the same so long as the W3C group doesn't demonstrate any serious lapses in judgement. On January 18, 2011, the W3C revealed an HTML5 logo (Figure 1), complete with t-shirts and stickers, and on February 14, 2011, W3C announced that HTML5 would be finalized in mid-2014. Figure 1. The HTML5 logo. In contrast, on January 11, 2011, in a blog post entitled HTML is the new HTML5, the WHATWG announced that they were moving to a new development model that eliminated the HTML5 version number and made the existing HTMLWG spec a living standard. Ian Hickson, editor of both the WC3 and WHATWG standards, commented: Since the W3C is still focused on getting HTML5 to last call, I'll maintain a WHATWG copy of the HTML spec that matches what the W3C HTML WG is working on: http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/html5/ I've updated the FAQ's explanation of what specs exist, in case you want to get an overview (it's getting somewhat complicated!): http://wiki.whatwg.org/wiki/FAQ#What_are_the_various_versions_of_the_spec.3F So, HTML5 is dead from the WHATWG perspective, but you can buy an HTML5 t-shirt from the WC3. This complexity notwithstanding, both the WC3 and WHATWG versions of the specification are consistent on how they deal with the video tag, discussed next. For the sake of clarity, were going to continue to call the spec HTML5 in this article. The HTML5 Video Tag HTML5 is a sweeping specification, with multiple new features and capabilities. From a streaming media perspective, however, whats particularly interesting about HTML5 is that it contains a video tag that enables browsers to natively play back video within the page, obviating the need for plug-ins like Flash, Silverlight, and QuickTime. This particular aspect came to the forefront in early 2010 when Apple introduced the iPad without support for Flash, with video playback accomplished via HTML5. To support this feature, however, browser vendors must directly implement codec playback capabilities in their browsers. Originally, there were two video codecs being considered for use in HTML5: Ogg Theora, which is open source, and H.264, which bears royalty obligations. While the original goal of the specification was to specify one video codec that would work across all browsers, this goal proved unreachable. Heres a quote from a June 29, 2009 Ian Hickson post to the WHATWG message list: After an inordinate amount of discussions, both in public and privately, on the situation regarding codecs for